text
stringlengths 1.55k
332k
| label
int64 0
8
|
|---|---|
fig1 - 3 show an ink jet printer 100 incorporating an exit tray 102 of the present invention . printer 100 further includes a housing 104 and a bottom frame member 106 . as shown in fig1 exit tray 102 is positioned in a retracted position when the printer 100 is not in use . as shown in fig2 exit tray 102 is positioned in an extended position to receive print media , such as one or more sheets of paper , during a printing operation . fig3 shows printer 100 of fig1 and 2 with bottom frame member 106 detached from housing 104 and exit tray 102 in the extended position . exit tray 102 includes a base 108 , a base extension 110 , a first sheet support member 112 , and a second sheet support member 114 . with reference to fig1 - 11 , the structure and function of exit tray 102 will be discussed in greater detail . referring now to fig3 base 108 is slideably coupled to bottom frame member 106 . bottom frame member 106 includes two l - shaped guides 146 , 148 which slideably engage two corresponding base l - shaped guides ( not shown ) of base 108 to form a translational joint . frame guides 146 , 148 extend from an upward - facing frame surface 150 and are located in a central , recessed portion 144 of bottom frame member 106 . base 108 slides in a generally horizontal plane relative to bottom frame member 106 . base 108 is slid into frame recessed portion 144 when exit tray 102 is in the retracted position and is extended from frame recessed portion 144 when exit tray 102 is in the extended position . alternative methods could be used to couple base 108 to bottom frame member 106 , such as for example , a roller - track assembly , so long as the coupling means allows base 108 to move along a linear axis in a plane generally parallel to the plane of bottom frame member 106 . as shown in fig4 base 108 further includes two l - shaped guide channels 156 , 158 which slideably receive corresponding l - shaped guides 160 , 162 of base extension 110 ( see fig5 ). base guide channels 156 , 158 are located within a transversely centered base recess portion 152 generally below an upper surface 154 of base 108 . base extension 110 is disposed generally within base recess 152 when exit tray 102 is in the retracted position and is extended outwardly from base recess 152 when exit tray 102 is in the extended position . alternative methods could be used to couple base extension 110 to base 108 , such as for example , a roller - track assembly , so long as the coupling means allows base extension 110 to move along a linear axis in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of base 108 . base 108 further includes in base recess portion 152 two detent members 164 , 166 to impede the initial extension of base extension 110 relative to base 108 . detent members 164 , 166 engage two detent grooves 168 , 170 in extension guide channels 160 , 162 . detent members 164 , 166 are shown as flexible cantilever arms which snap into detent grooves 168 , 170 when base extension 110 is disposed within base recess portion 152 . alternative structure could be employed to impede the initial movement of base extension 110 relative to base 108 , such as for example , a raised bump portion on base extension 110 which engages a recessed divot portion on base 108 . as shown in fig5 base extension 110 further includes a first pair of slotted apertures 186 , a second pair of slotted apertures 188 , a third pair of slotted apertures 190 and a fourth pair of slotted apertures 192 . the slotted aperture pairs are used to pivotally couple first sheet support member 112 and second sheet support member 114 to base extension 110 . referring to fig6 first sheet support member 112 includes two clip pairs 198 , 200 extending from a surface 202 in a region near a proximal end 210 . clips 198 , 200 engage the two clip receiving aperture pairs 186 , 188 formed in extension surface 180 of base extension 110 to form a rotational joint . clip 198 includes a left and a right , partially cylindrical members 199 , 201 whose cylindrical axes are aligned to each other . clip 200 includes a left and a right , partially cylindrical members 203 , 205 whose cylindrical axes are aligned to each other . the aligned cylindrical axes of clips 198 , 200 define a pivot axis ( p 1 ) of first sheet support member 112 . alternative methods could be adopted to pivotally couple first sheet support member 112 to base extension 110 , such as for example , a standard hinge . second sheet support member 114 has two clips ( not shown ) which engage the two clip receiving aperture pairs 190 , 192 formed in extension surface 180 of base extension 110 . the structure and function of the clips of second sheet support member 114 are identical to clips 198 , 200 of first sheet support member 112 . it should be noted that second sheet support member 114 is generally a mirror image of first sheet support member 112 . therefore , all structure and function disclosed herein for first sheet support member 112 should be understood to be applicable to the structure and function of second sheet support member 114 , unless otherwise stated . when exit tray 102 is in the retracted position ( see fig1 ), the upper surface 230 of first sheet support member 112 , the upper surface 232 of second sheet support member 114 and the upper surface 184 of a raised , central portion 182 of base extension 110 are generally co - planer . when exit tray 102 is in the extended position ( see fig2 ), a distal end 208 of first sheet support member 112 and a distal end 212 of second sheet support member 114 are raised upward relative to extension surface 184 and the proximal ends 210 , 214 of first and second sheet support members 112 , 114 , respectively . the proximal ends 210 , 214 of sheet support members 112 , 114 are pivotally coupled to base extension 110 as described above and remain adjacent to base extension 110 . referring to fig6 in one embodiment of the present invention , ( also referred to as the cam embodiment ), the upward movement of distal ends 208 , 212 of sheet support members 112 , 114 is caused because first sheet support member 112 and second sheet support member 114 each further include a downwardly extending cam member 204 which engages upper surface 154 of base 108 . cam member 204 includes a cam surface 206 . when exit tray 102 is in the retracted position , cam members 204 of sheet support members 112 , 114 are each disposed within a cam recess 172 , 174 , respectively , located in base 108 ( see fig4 ). each cam recess 172 , 174 has a tapered surface 176 , 178 , respectively , which extends downwardly from base upper surface 154 . when exit tray 102 is in the extended position , cam members 204 of first and second sheet support members 112 , 114 are disposed forward of cam recesses 172 , 174 and cam member surfaces 206 rest upon base upper surface 154 . referring to fig7 in another embodiment of the present invention ( also referred to as the spring embodiment ), cams 204 are replaced by downwardly extending leaf springs 226 . accordingly , the upward movement of distal ends 208 , 212 of first sheet support member 112 and second sheet support member 114 results from an upward force generated by leaf springs 226 . when exit tray 102 is in the retracted position , leaf springs 226 are compressed generally against sheet support members 112 , 114 and against base upper surface 154 . since leaf springs 226 flex , base cam recesses 172 , 174 are not required in base 108 . in the retracted position , a downwardly facing surface 228 of frame member 106 applies a downward force on the upper surfaces 230 , 232 of first and second sheet support members 112 , 114 . when exit tray 102 is in the extended position , first and second sheet support members 112 , 114 are forward of frame surface 228 and the compression of leaf springs 226 is relieved to thereby lift distal ends 208 , 212 of sheet support members 112 , 114 . the interaction between the various components in the embodiments of exit tray 102 will now be explained through a discussion of : ( a ) the relationship between the components in the retracted position , ( b ) as the components are moved from the retracted position to the extended position , ( c ) components in the extended position , and ( d ) as the components are moved from the extended position to the retracted position . when the cam embodiment of the present invention is in the retracted position ( see fig1 ); base 108 , base extension 110 , first sheet support member 112 and second sheet support member 114 are generally within the recessed portion 144 of bottom frame member 106 ( see fig3 ). base extension 110 , first sheet support member 112 and second sheet support member 114 are generally co - planar relative to each other and disposed generally above base 108 such that base extension detent grooves 168 , 170 ( see fig5 ) engage base detent members 164 , 166 ( see fig4 ), and such that cam members 204 are within base cam recesses 172 , 174 . the cam embodiment of exit tray 102 is moved from the retracted position ( see fig1 ) to the extended position ( see fig2 ) by the application of an outward force by a user on a grip surface 196 of a grip portion 194 of base extension 110 . initially base 108 , base extension 110 , sheet support members 112 , 114 all move outward together . this is because detent members 164 , 166 ( see fig4 ) have a larger force threshold than the translational joint between base 108 and bottom frame 106 . once base 108 is fully extended , the force threshold of detent members 164 , 166 is overcome and base extension 110 slides relatively outward or forward from base 108 . as base extension 110 slides outward relative to base 108 , cam surface 206 ( see fig6 ) of first sheet support member 112 travels up base cam surface 176 ( see fig2 ) thereby forcing first sheet support member 112 to rotate at clips 198 , 200 such that distal end 208 of right sheet support member 112 is raised relative to proximal end 210 . the distal end 212 of the second sheet support member 114 is raised relative to proximal end 214 by identical means . once the cam embodiment of exit tray 102 is in the extended position ( see fig2 ), cams 204 are forward of base cam recesses 172 , 174 and each cam surface 206 of cams 204 of sheet support members 112 , 114 rests on base upper surface 154 . base 108 may be held in the extended position , for example , by positioning detent members on bottom frame member 106 to engage base 108 . the cam embodiment of exit tray 102 is moved from the extended position to the retracted position by the application of an inward force by the user on grip 194 to force base extension 110 , first sheet support member 112 and second sheet support member 114 to slide inward relative to base 108 . as the sheet support members 112 , 114 slide inward , cam surfaces 206 of cams 204 slide back down tapered surfaces 176 , 178 and into base cam recesses 172 , 174 ( see fig2 ). as cam surfaces 206 slide down tapered surfaces 176 , 178 , distal ends 208 , 212 of sheet support members 112 , 114 rotate downward until they are generally co - planar with base extension 110 . once base extension 110 detent grooves 168 , 170 ( see fig5 ) engage base detent members 164 , 166 ( fig4 ), base extension 110 is fully retracted and first and second sheet support members 112 , 114 are generally co - planar with base extension 110 . base 108 then slides into the bottom frame recess portion 144 of bottom frame member 106 , and below downward - facing surface 228 of housing 104 . the spring embodiment of the present invention is substantially identical to the cam embodiment . the most important difference between the spring and cam embodiments is the replacement of cam members 204 ( see fig6 ) with leaf springs 226 ( see fig7 ). when the spring embodiment of exit tray 102 is in the retracted position , downward - facing surface 228 of frame member 106 applies a downward force on the upper surfaces 230 , 232 of first and second sheet support members 112 , 114 , thereby maintaining leaf springs 226 in a compressed state . in the spring embodiment , as exit tray 102 is moved from the retracted position toward the extended position , sheet support member upper surfaces 230 , 232 begin to clear frame surface 228 and the distal ends 208 , 212 of first and second sheet support members 112 , 114 rotate upward due to the upward force generated as leaf springs 226 are relieved from their compressed state . as exit tray 102 is moved from the extended position to the retracted position , a downward force is applied to the upper surfaces 230 , 232 of first and second sheet support members 112 , 114 so that upper surfaces 230 , 232 pass beneath frame surface 228 . this downward force can be achieved manually , for example , by the user applying the downward force . the downward force can also be applied by frame surface 228 by selecting a shape of support members 112 , 114 or frame surface 228 such that contact of the upper surfaces 230 , 232 with frame surface 228 occurs progressively from proximal ends 210 , 214 to distal ends 208 , 212 of sheet support members 112 , 114 as exit tray 102 is moved toward the retracted position . it is within the scope of the present invention to have shallow recesses in base 108 , generally similar to cam recesses 172 , 174 to accept leaf springs 226 to reduce the downward force to be applied to upper surfaces 230 , 232 when exit tray 102 is moved from the extended position to the retracted position . fig8 shows a diagrammatic side view of the operation of ink jet printer 100 with the cam embodiment of exit tray 102 . fig9 shows a diagrammatic side view of the operation of ink jet printer 100 with the spring embodiment of exit tray 102 . structural components common to fig8 and 9 are referred by corresponding reference numerals . unless otherwise indicated , the discussion that follows applies to both fig8 and 9 . a sheet of media 116 is transported from an input tray 118 to exit tray 102 by a series of rollers 120 , 122 , and 124 . as media 116 is being transported , it passes beneath a printhead assembly including a cartridge 126 and a carrier 128 . the cartridge 126 is removably secured to carrier 128 by a spring - loaded latch ( not shown ). carrier 128 is reciprocated back and forth along a guide rod 130 by a drive belt ( not shown ). the drive belt is driven by a motor that is controlled by an electronic control means . the bottom of carrier 128 contains a foot 132 which rides in a groove 134 of guide rail 136 . both guide rail 136 and guide rod 130 are secured to the side frames ( not shown ) of printer 100 . a nozzle plate 138 on the bottom of a downwardly extending portion 140 of cartridge 126 contains an array of nozzles ( not shown ) for ejecting ink droplets in a downward direction , toward media 116 . a trough 142 is provided to collect waste ink droplets . as media 116 passes beneath nozzle plate 138 , nozzle plate 138 along with the rest of the printhead assembly is reciprocated back and forth along guide rod 130 . ink is ejected from the nozzles in nozzle plate 138 at prescribed transverse locations , to form an image on media 116 . the transverse cross - section of media 116 is generally linear while it is being carried from input tray 118 to exit tray 102 . fig1 shows exit tray 102 in the extended position receiving a sheet of media 116 exiting printer 100 . as media 116 begins to exit printer 100 , the media bends downwardly until media 116 is supported at its right edge 220 by a region of surface 230 near distal end 208 of first sheet support member 112 and at its left edge 222 by a region of surface 232 near distal end 212 of second sheet support member 114 . as long as the trailing end of media 116 is supported within printer 100 , and supported at right and left edges 220 , 222 by sheet support members 112 , 114 , media 116 is held generally flat ( planar ), but with a slight undulation which increases in magnitude from the trailing end of media 116 to the front end of media 116 . once the trailing end of media 116 is released by printer 100 , media 116 assumes a generally concave shape along its transverse direction due to the support of right and left edges 220 , 222 and the downward force of gravity on the unsupported regions of media 116 . the central portion of media 116 rests on upper surface 184 of base extension 110 . the concave , transverse cross - section provides increased stiffness to media 116 along its longitudinal axis . because of the increased stiffness , media 116 can have a longer longitudinal extent than the extent of exit tray 102 in the extended position and still maintain a linear longitudinal cross - section . since the printed media is retained in exit tray 102 in a concave shape , use of exit tray 102 allows a longer ink drying time for a printed sheet then would be possible in a traditional flat exit tray . because ink is not usually printed immediately adjacent to left and right transverse edges 220 , 222 of media 116 , the printed portion 224 of media 116 resting in exit tray 102 is significantly lower than the non - printed edges 220 , 222 . thus , a subsequent sheet of media is carried at its transverse edges by first and second sheet support members 112 , 114 above the printed portion 224 of media 116 . until released by printer 100 , the transverse cross - section of the subsequent sheet of media is generally linear and , therefore , printed region 224 of media 116 is not contacted by the subsequent sheet until the subsequent sheet is released by printer 100 , thereby permitting an extended drying time for the printed portion 224 of media 116 . the exemplifications set forth herein illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention . although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the present invention as described and defined in the following claims . | 1 |
the circuits and processes disclosed in this patent are used in manufacturing to test and ensure proper operation of the integrated circuit products before sale . the circuits and processes disclosed in this patent can also be used after the sale of the integrated circuit products to test and ensure the continued proper operation of the integrated circuit products and possibly to develop and test software products associated with the integrated circuit products . fig6 a illustrates a preferred test architecture 601 for accessing the wrappers 307 - 308 of fig3 , according to the present disclosure . in the test architecture 601 , wrappers 307 - 309 have been positioned between an input linking circuitry 602 block and an output linking circuitry 603 block , such that the wrapper serial inputs ( si - 1 , si - 2 , si - 3 ) are output from the input linking circuitry 602 and the wrapper serial outputs ( so - 1 , so - 2 , so - 3 ) are input to the output linking circuitry 603 . the wrapper serial outputs ( so - 1 , so - 2 , so - 3 ) are also input to the input linking circuitry 602 . the input linking circuitry 602 receives a serial input si 604 and the output linking circuitry 603 outputs a serial output 605 . the control inputs ( ctl - 1 , ctl - 2 , ctl - 3 ) of wrappers 307 - 309 are commonly connected to test interface ctl bus 109 . the input and output linking circuitry 602 and 603 receive control inputs from a wrapper link bus 606 . the enable inputs ( enable - 1 , 2 , 3 ) of wrappers 307 - 309 are provided by an enable bus 607 . fig6 b and 6c illustrate example implementations of input linking circuitry 602 and output linking circuitry 603 , respectively . input linking circuitry 602 of fig6 b comprises multiplexers 608 - 610 which provide selectable connections between the serial inputs ( si - 1 , si - 2 , si - 3 ) of wrappers 307 - 309 and signals si 604 , so - 1 , so - 2 , and so - 3 . multiplexers 608 - 610 receive linking control ( selsi - 1 , selsi - 2 , selsi - 3 ) inputs from link bus 606 . the link control inputs 606 to multiplexer 610 enable the si - 3 serial input to wrapper 309 to be connected to si , si - 1 , or si - 2 . the link control inputs 606 to multiplexer 609 enable the si - 2 serial input to wrapper 308 to be connected to si , si - 1 , or si - 3 . the link control inputs 606 to multiplexer 608 enable the si - 1 serial input to wrapper 307 to be connected to si , si - 2 , or si - 3 . output linking circuitry 603 of fig6 c comprises multiplexer 611 which , in response to link control inputs from link bus 606 , allows connecting either the so - 1 output of wrapper 307 , the so - 2 output of wrapper 308 , or the so - 3 output of wrappers 309 to so 605 . fig7 illustrates the various wrapper arrangements 7001 - 7007 possible between the si 604 and so 605 of test architecture 601 . these wrapper arrangements are formed by inputting link controls to input and output circuitry 602 and 603 via link bus 606 , and by inputting enable controls to wrappers 307 - 308 via enable bus 607 . arrangement 7001 contains only wrapper 307 between si and so . arrangement 7002 contains wrappers 307 and 308 in series between si and so . arrangement 7003 contains wrappers 307 and 309 in series between si and so . arrangement 7004 contains wrappers 307 , 308 , and 309 in series between si and so . arrangement 7005 contains wrapper 308 between si and so . arrangement 7006 contains wrappers 308 and 309 in series between si and so . arrangement 7007 contains wrapper 309 between si and so . as can be seen in fig7 , the test architecture 601 allows for the wrapper arrangement 301 of fig3 as well as many different wrapper arrangements . the link 606 and enable 607 inputs to test architecture 601 may come from ic pads or from circuitry within the ic , such as an ieee 1149 . 1 test access port circuit . while ic pads or test access port circuits may provide the link and enable inputs , a preferred method of providing the link and enable inputs to the test architecture 601 is described in detail below . fig8 a illustrates circuitry for providing the link 606 and enable 607 control inputs to test architecture 601 , according to the present disclosure . the circuitry includes a link instruction register ( lir ) 801 in series with the test architecture 601 . the lir 801 has a serial input 802 connected to so 605 of the test architecture 601 , a serial output ( so ) 803 , control inputs connected to test interface control bus 109 , and control outputs 804 connected to the link 606 and enable 607 inputs of test architecture 601 . the lir 801 consists of 3 - bit instruction register ( ir ) 805 , a multiplexer 806 , and gating circuitry 807 . during instruction scan operations , the select signal 808 of control bus 109 is high to enable the gating circuitry 807 to pass the control signals 109 to the 3 - bit ir 805 and to connect the serial output of ir 805 to so 803 via multiplexer 806 . in the instruction scan mode , the 3 - bit ir 805 shifts instruction data when the test architecture shifts instruction data . thus , during instruction scan operations , the 3 - bit ir 805 becomes part of the instruction scan path between si 604 and so 803 . during data scan operations , the select signal 808 of control bus 109 is low to disable the gating circuitry 807 from passing control signals 109 to the 3 - bit ir 805 and to connect so 605 of test architecture 601 to so 803 via multiplexer 806 . in the data scan mode , the 3 - bit ir 805 is disabled and the lir simply forms a bypass connection between the so 605 of test architecture 601 and the so 803 of the lir . thus , during data scan operations , the lir is included in the data scan path between si 604 and so 803 , but it does not add to the bit length of the data scan path . also , since the control bus 109 is gated off during data scan operations , the data contained in the lir &# 39 ; s ir 805 cannot be changed during data scan operations . it should be noted that while the lir 801 has been shown inserted in the serial output path from the test architecture 601 ( i . e . lir input 802 connected to test architecture so output 605 ), it could be have been similarly inserted in the serial input path to the test architecture 601 as well ( i . e . lir output 803 connected to test architecture si input 604 ). thus the position of the lir 801 with respect to it being positioned at the beginning or ending of the serial path through the test architecture does not impact its ability to provide control of the link 606 and enable 607 bus inputs to the test architecture 601 . fig8 b illustrates that the circuitry of the 3 - bit ir 805 consists of a 3 - bit shift register 810 , a 3 - bit update register 811 , and decode logic 812 . during the shift step of an instruction scan operation , the 3 - bit shift register 810 shifts data from its serial input to its serial output . during the update step of an instruction scan operation the data shifted into the 3 - bit shift register 810 is transferred to the 3 - bit update register 811 . the 3 - bit update register outputs this data to decode logic 812 . the outputs of decode logic 812 respond to the data input from the 3 - bit update register to output link 606 and enable 607 control signals to test architecture 601 via bus 804 . reset signal 809 of control bus 109 is used to initialize shift register 810 and update register 811 , such that bus 804 may be set to a desired link and enable input state to test architecture 601 . while the examples of fig8 a and 8b use a 3 - bit ir , the ir could be of any bit length . the use of a 3 - bit ir will be seen to be sufficient in selecting the wrapper arrangements described in regard to fig9 below . fig9 illustrates the various wrapper arrangements 9001 - 9007 between si 604 and so 803 in response to different 3 - bit codes scanned into lir 801 . when the reset signal 809 is activated , the instruction registers 105 of wrappers 307 - 309 are initialized to a first instruction that selects the bypass registers 106 of the wrappers and enables normal operation of their associated cores . also in response to the reset signal 809 , lir 801 is initialized to contain all zeros , i . e . lir = 000 . as seen in arrangement 9001 , when the lir contains a 000 code following a reset or an instruction scan operation it outputs link 606 and enable 607 control to enable and connect wrapper 307 in the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . the other wrappers 308 - 309 are disabled and disconnected from the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . as seen in arrangement 9002 , when the lir contains a 001 code following an instruction scan operation it outputs link 606 and enable 607 control to enable and connect wrappers 307 and 308 in the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . wrapper 309 is disabled and disconnected from the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . as seen in arrangement 9003 , when the lir contains a 010 code following an instruction scan operation it outputs link 606 and enable 607 control to enable and connect wrappers 307 and 309 in the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . wrapper 308 is disabled and disconnected from the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . as seen in arrangement 9004 , when the lir contains a 011 code following an instruction scan operation it outputs link 606 and enable 607 control to enable and connect wrappers 307 - 309 in the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . as seen in arrangement 9005 , when the lir contains a 100 code following an instruction scan operation it outputs link 606 and enable 607 control to enable and connect wrapper 308 in the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . the other wrappers 307 and 309 are disabled and disconnected from the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . as seen in arrangement 9006 , when the lir contains a 101 code following an instruction scan operation it outputs link 606 and enable 607 control to enable and connect wrappers 308 and 309 in the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . wrapper 307 is disabled and disconnected from the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . as seen in arrangement 9007 , when the lir contains a 110 code following an instruction scan operation it outputs link 606 and enable 607 control to enable and connect wrapper 309 in the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . the other wrappers 307 and 308 are disabled and disconnected from the scan path between si 604 and so 803 . in all arrangements 9001 - 9007 , instruction scan operations shift data through the 3 - bit ir 805 of lir 801 , but data scan operations do not shift data through the 3 - bit ir 805 of lir 801 , as previously described . a current arrangement 9001 - 9007 will be maintained following an instruction scan operation as long as the 3 - bit lir code is not changed by the instruction scan operation . some advantages of using the lir 801 to control the link 606 and enable 607 inputs to the test architecture 601 are listed below . the lir 801 exists and operates within the scan path of each selected wrapper arrangement 9001 - 9007 . therefore no additional circuitry and / or interfaces ( for example no 1149 . 1 test access port and / or ic interface pads as mentioned in regard to fig7 ) are required to control the link 606 and enable 607 buses to switch between wrapper arrangements . the lir 801 provides the opportunity of switching between wrapper arrangements 9001 - 9007 following each instruction scan operation . thus the shifting in and updating of lir wrapper arrangement codes and wrapper test instructions may be performed during the same instruction scan operation . the lir 801 does not add bits to a selected wrapper arrangement 9001 - 9007 during data scan operations . by not adding to the bit length of a given wrapper arrangement , the test patterns applied to the wrapper arrangement do not have to be modified to accommodate the presence of the lir . for example , if a test pattern set existed for testing core 1 using the internal scan register 108 ( fig1 ) of wrapper 307 , arrangement 9001 could be selected via an instruction scan operation then the test patterns could be applied using data scan operations . since the lir does not add bits to the length of arrangement 9001 during data scan operations , the core 1 test pattern set can be applied without modification , enabling core 1 test pattern reuse fig1 illustrates an example of a core 4 1001 which has a wrapper 1002 . core 4 differs from the previously described cores 1 - 3 in that it contains an embedded core a 1003 having a wrapper 1004 and an embedded core b 1005 having a wrapper 1006 . access to wrapper 1002 is provided via si - 4 , so - 4 , ctl - 4 , and enable - 4 . access to wrapper 1004 is provided via si - a , so - a , ctl - a , and enable - a . access to wrapper 1006 is provided via si - b , so - b , ctl - b , and enable - b . fig1 illustrates the test architecture 1101 of the present disclosure being used to provide access to wrappers 1002 , 1004 , and 1006 of core 4 . the test architecture is similar to the test architecture 601 described in regard to fig6 with the exceptions that ; ( 1 ) wrapper 1002 has been substituted for wrapper 307 , ( 2 ) wrapper 1004 has been substituted for wrapper 308 , ( 3 ) and wrapper 1006 has been substituted for wrapper 309 . fig1 illustrates the wrapper arrangements 1201 - 1207 selectable via the link 606 and enable 607 buses of test architecture 1101 . the wrapper arrangements 1201 - 1207 are the same as wrapper arrangements 7001 - 7007 of fig7 with the exceptions that ; ( 1 ) wrapper 1002 has been substituted for wrapper 307 , ( 2 ) wrapper 1004 has been substituted for wrapper 308 , ( 3 ) and wrapper 1006 has been substituted for wrapper 309 . fig1 illustrate a test architecture 1301 of the present disclosure which contains wrapper 307 , wrapper 308 , and the test architecture 1101 of fig1 . test architecture 1301 is similar to the test architecture 601 of fig6 with the exception that test architecture 1101 has been substituted for the core 3 wrapper 309 . test architecture 1301 is serially connected to an n - bit lir 1302 which provides control input via bus 1303 to the link 606 and enable 607 buses of test architecture 1301 and to the link and enable buses 1306 of test architecture 1101 , as described previously in regard to the 3 - bit lir 810 of fig8 a . the n - bit lir 1302 is similar to the 3 - bit lir 810 except that its ir contains addition bits for decoding the additional link and enable - 4 , a , b signals 1306 required by test architecture 1101 . embedding test architecture 1101 within test architecture 1301 requires that the link and enable - 4 , a , b signals 1306 of test architecture 1101 be brought out of test architecture 1301 so they can be controlled by the n - bit lir via bus 1303 . thus the n - bit lir not only provides the link 606 and enable 607 signals for test architecture 1301 , but also the link 606 and enable signals 1306 for the embedded test architecture 1101 . fig1 illustrates in 1410 the n - bit lir 1302 controlled arrangements 1401 - 1407 of test architecture 1301 . as can be seen in 1410 , the n - bit lir can be loaded with codes to select ; ( 1 ) wrapper 307 between si 1304 and so 1305 ( arrangement 1401 ), ( 2 ) wrappers 307 and 308 between si and so ( arrangement 1402 ), ( 3 ) wrapper 307 and test architecture 1101 between si and so ( arrangement 1403 ), ( 4 ) wrappers 307 , 308 , and test architecture 1101 between si and so ( arrangement 1404 ), ( 5 ) wrapper 308 between si and so ( arrangement 1405 ), ( 6 ) wrapper 308 and test architecture 1101 between si and so ( arrangement 1406 ), and ( 7 ) test architecture 1101 between si and so ( arrangement 1407 ). fig1 further illustrates in 1420 that when test architecture 1101 is included in a test architecture 1301 arrangement between si 1304 and so 1305 , the n - bit lir provides control for selecting the particular arrangement between the 1101 test architectures si 1102 and so 1103 . as can be seen in 1420 , the n - bit lir can be loaded with codes to select ; ( 1 ) wrapper 1002 between si 1102 and so 1103 ( arrangement 1201 ), ( 2 ) wrappers 1002 and 1004 between si and so ( arrangement 1202 ), ( 3 ) wrapper 1002 and 1006 between si and so ( arrangement 1203 ), ( 4 ) wrappers 1002 , 1004 , and 1006 between si and so ( arrangement 1204 ), ( 5 ) wrapper 1004 between si and so ( arrangement 1205 ), ( 6 ) wrapper 1004 and 1006 between si and so ( arrangement 1206 ), and ( 7 ) wrapper 1006 between si and so ( arrangement 1207 ). fig1 - 14 have illustrated how one test architecture 1101 of the present disclosure may be embedded within another test architecture 1301 of the present disclosure and both test architectures accessed using a single lir . for simplification , only one test architecture 1101 was illustrated as being embedded in test architecture 1301 . however , it should be understood that a plurality of test architectures 1101 can be embedded in test architecture 1301 . for example , substituting a second test architecture 1101 for wrapper 308 and a third test architecture 1101 for wrapper 307 in fig1 would illustrate the embedding of three 1101 test architectures within test architecture 1301 . while only a single level of test architecture embedding was shown , i . e . test architecture 1101 embedded within test architecture 1301 , it is clear that the multiple levels of test architecture embedding is possible using the present disclosure . when multiple levels of test architecture embedding is performed , the number of control signals that must be output from the lir increases , as can be understood from the inspection of bus 1303 of fig1 . at some point the number of lir output control signals may reach a level that is unacceptable due to wire routing concerns within an ic . the following describes an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure that provides a solution to this lir output control signal wire routing problem . fig1 illustrates an alternate preferred test architecture 1501 according to the present disclosure that combines the core 4 test architecture 1101 of fig1 with a lir 1502 . lir 1502 is similar to lir 801 of fig8 a with the exception that gating circuitry 1503 replaces gating circuitry 807 . gating circuitry 1503 provides , in addition to the select signal from control bus 109 , an additional input for a test architecture enable ( taena ) signal 1504 . the taena signal 1504 is similar to the select signal 808 in that it operates to ; ( 1 ) enable gating circuitry 1503 to pass control bus signals 109 to the 3 - bit ir during instruction scan operations , or ( 2 ) disable gating circuitry 1503 from passing control bus signals 109 to the 3 - bit ir during instruction scan operations . thus the only time the 3 - bit ir receives control bus 109 signals is when taena 1504 and select 808 are both set to enable gating circuitry 1503 to pass control bus 109 signals to the 3 - bit ir . fig1 illustrates a test architecture 1601 of the present disclosure which contains wrapper 307 , wrapper 308 , and the test architecture 1501 of fig1 . test architecture 1601 is similar to the test architecture 1301 of fig1 with the exception that test architecture 1501 has been substituted for test architecture 1101 . test architecture 1601 is serially connected to an n - bit lir 1602 which provides control input via bus 1603 to the link 606 and enable 607 buses of test architecture 1601 and the taena signal 1504 to test architecture 1501 . the n - bit lir 1602 is similar to the n - bit lir 1302 except that it contains a reduced number of bits and control signal outputs , since it does not need to decode all the link and enable - 4 , a , b signals that were required by the embedded test architecture 1101 of test architecture 1301 . embedding test architecture 1501 within test architecture 1601 only requires that the taena signal 1504 be brought out of test architecture 1601 so it can be controlled by the n - bit lir via bus 1603 . fig1 illustrates in 1710 the n - bit lir 1602 controlled arrangements 1701 - 1707 of test architecture 1601 . as can be seen in 1710 , the n - bit lir can be loaded with codes to select ; ( 1 ) wrapper 307 between si 1612 and so 1613 ( arrangement 1701 ), ( 2 ) wrappers 307 and 308 between si and so ( arrangement 1702 ), ( 3 ) wrapper 307 and test architecture 1501 between si and so ( arrangement 1703 ), ( 4 ) wrappers 307 , 308 , and test architecture 1501 between si and so ( arrangement 1704 ), ( 5 ) wrapper 308 between si and so ( arrangement 1705 ), ( 6 ) wrapper 308 and test architecture 1501 between si and so ( arrangement 1706 ), and ( 7 ) test architecture 1501 between si and so ( arrangement 1707 ). fig1 further illustrates in 1720 that when test architecture 1501 is included in a test architecture 1601 arrangement between si 1612 and so 1613 by appropriate setting of the taena signal 1504 , the 3 - bit lir 1502 of test architecture 1501 is included in the arrangement and made accessible during instruction scan operations . the 3 - bit lir of test architecture 1501 can be scanned to select any particular arrangement between the 1501 test architectures si 1505 and so 1506 . as can be seen in 1720 , the 3 - bit lir 1502 can be loaded with codes to select ; ( 1 ) wrapper 1002 between si 1505 and so 1506 ( arrangement 1501 ), ( 2 ) wrappers 1002 and 1004 between si and so ( arrangement 1502 ), ( 3 ) wrapper 1002 and 1006 between si and so ( arrangement 1503 ), ( 4 ) wrappers 1002 , 1004 , and 1006 between si and so ( arrangement 1504 ), ( 5 ) wrapper 1004 between si and so ( arrangement 1505 ), ( 6 ) wrappers 1004 and 1006 between si and so ( arrangement 1506 ), and ( 7 ) wrapper 1006 between si and so ( arrangement 1507 ). it should be clear from fig1 that when test architecture 1501 is included in an arrangement 1710 of test architecture 1601 , two lirs will be scanned in series during instructions scan operations , lir 1602 and lir 1502 . also it should be clear that since lir 1502 provides within the test architecture 1501 all the control signals required to select the test architecture 1501 arrangements 1720 , via bus 804 of fig1 , the wire routing problem mentioned in regard to fig1 is significantly reduced . the only control signal lir 1602 needs to provide to include test architecture 1501 in an arrangement 1710 is the taena signal 1504 . once included , the lir 1502 of test architecture 1501 becomes enabled and can be scanned to provide all the additional signals required for selecting arrangements 1720 within test architecture 1501 . the advantage test architecture 1501 has over test architecture 1101 is that when test architectures 1501 is embedded within another test architecture 1601 , only the taena 1504 signal of test architecture 1501 is required to be brought out of the other test architecture 1601 to be accessed by a lir 1602 connected to the other test architecture 1601 . this can be compared to test architecture 1301 of fig1 where it was required to bring out the link & amp ; enable - 4 , a , b signals of test architecture 1101 to be connected to lir 1302 . as described earlier in regard to test architecture 1101 and 1301 of fig1 , multiple test architectures 1501 could have been shown embedded within test architecture 1610 , by simply substituting a second and third test architecture 1501 for wrappers 308 and 307 respectively . the process of making the taena signal of an embedded test architecture , like 1501 , externally available at the i / o boundary of a next higher level test architecture , like 1601 , forms the basis of a framework that can be used to access any hierarchically positioned test architecture within an ic . the following provides an example of this hierarchical test architecture access framework and the process for selecting embedded test architectures contained therein . fig1 illustrates a test architecture 1801 containing wrapper 307 , wrapper 308 , and the test architecture 1610 of fig1 . test architecture 1610 is similar to test architecture 1501 in that it combines a lir 1602 with test architecture 1601 , as test architecture 1501 combined the lir 1502 with test architecture 1101 . test architecture 1610 has a taena signal 1611 , as test architecture 1501 has a taena signal 1504 . test architecture 1610 is associated with a core 5 , as test architecture 1501 is associated with a core 4 . the lir 1802 is connected to the taena 1611 signal of test architecture 1601 via bus 1803 , as lir 1602 is connected to taena 1504 signal of test architecture 1601 via bus 1603 . the process steps of accessing test architecture 1101 embedded within test architecture 1501 , which is further embedded within test architecture 1610 , which is still further embedded within test architecture 1810 , is as follows . the process steps below are assumed to start at a point where only wrapper 307 and lir 1802 of fig1 are in the serial path between si 1812 and so 1813 of fig1 , similar to arrangement 9001 shown in fig9 . step 1 perform a first instruction scan operation to load lir 1802 with a code that sets taena 1611 , via bus 1803 , to a state that enables test architecture 1610 . following this instruction scan operation , test architecture 1610 and lir 1802 are in the serial path between si 1812 and so 1813 . step 2 perform a second instruction scan operation to load lir 1802 with a code that maintains taena 1611 at a state enabling test architecture 1610 , and to load lir 1602 of test architecture 1610 with a code that sets taena 1504 to a state that enables test architecture 1501 . following this instruction scan operation , test architecture 1501 , lir 1602 , and lir 1802 are in the serial path between si 1812 and so 1813 . step 3 perform a third instruction scan operation to load lir 1802 and lir 1602 with codes that maintain taena 1611 and taena 1504 at states enabling test architectures 1610 and 1501 , and to load lir 1502 of test architecture 1501 with a code that selects a desired arrangement 1201 - 1207 of test architecture 1101 . following this instruction scan operation , the selected arrangement 1201 - 1207 of test architecture 1101 , lir 1502 , lir 1602 , and lir 1802 are in the serial path between si 1812 and so 1813 . step 4 perform subsequent instruction and / or data scan operations to the selected arrangement 1201 - 1207 of test architecture 1101 as required to perform a desired test or other operation via the si 1812 and so 1813 terminals of the test architecture 1810 of fig1 . during subsequent instruction scan operations , the codes loaded into lirs 1502 , 1602 , and 1802 should maintain access to the currently selected arrangement of test architecture 1101 , unless a new arrangement is needed . since , as previously mentioned in regard to fig8 a , data scan operations cannot change existing lir codes , the access to test architecture 1101 , setup by steps 1 - 3 above , is not effected during subsequent data scan operations . at some point in accessing embedded test architectures using data scan operations , the accumulation of the lir bypass paths , i . e . the direct connection path coupling the lir input 802 to the lir output 803 via multiplexer 806 of fig8 a , may become to long for data to propagate at a desired data scan clock rate . in some cases therefore , it may be necessary to add a resynchronization flip - flop in the serial path between test architectures , such that during data scan operations the data may be re - timed as it passes between serially connected test architectures . a logical point to insert such a resynchronization flip - flop would be in the lir bypass path described above . placing it elsewhere would force instruction scan operations to unnecessarily have to pass through the resynchronization flip - flop . fig1 illustrates an lir 1901 containing a resynchronization register / flip - flop 1904 in the bypass path of the lir . lir 1901 is simply lir 801 adapted to include flip - flop 1904 in the bypass path between lir input 802 and lir output 803 and circuitry 1902 and 1903 to enable the flip flop 1904 to receive control bus 109 input during data scan operations . during data scan operations the select signal will be low to select the registered bypass path through multiplexer 806 to so 803 . inverter 1902 inverts the select signal so that during data scan operations and gating circuit 1903 passes bus 109 to flip flop 1904 . in response to the clock signal of bus 109 , flip - flop 1904 moves data from si 802 to so 803 . use of lir 1901 with a registered bypass path between input 802 and output 803 eliminates the above - described concern of using lirs with direct connection bypass paths between input 802 and output 803 . fig2 illustrates a serial configuration 2001 of test architectures 2006 - 2008 . the test architectures 2006 - 2008 are connected in a serial path between si 2004 and so 2005 . the serial path includes a lir 2002 that provides the link and enable control bus 2003 to the test architectures . each test architecture and the lir receive control input from control bus 109 . a taena 2009 signal is shown being input to the lir 2002 to indicate that the serial configuration 2001 of test architectures 2007 - 2008 may itself be a test architecture according to the present disclosure , being enabled and disabled by taena 2009 as previously described in regard to fig1 , 16 , and 18 . if serial configuration 2001 is viewed as a test architecture 2001 , it could be embedded within another test architecture as test architectures 1501 and 1610 were embedded within other test architectures 1610 and 1810 , respectively . the following description assumes the serial configuration ( or test architecture ) 2001 is enabled by taena 2009 . during instruction or data scan operations data flows through the selected arrangement of each test architecture 2006 - 2008 and through the lir from si 2004 to so 2005 . if testing or other operation , such as emulation , is to be performed on only one of the test architectures , say on test architecture 2007 , the selected arrangements of other test architectures 2006 and 2008 must be serially traversed during the application of the test or other operation . the following description illustrates a modification to the test architectures 2006 - 2008 that prevents having to traverse arrangements within test architectures that are not involved in a test or other operation . this modification will be described as it would be applied if test architectures 2006 - 2008 are of the type 601 shown in fig6 a . to illustrate that test architectures 2006 - 2008 are of type 601 , the sis and sos of test architectures 2006 - 2008 are each labeled as si 604 and so 605 . in fig2 , a group of arrangements 2101 - 2108 for the modified test architectures 601 are shown . in comparing the group of arrangements of fig2 to that of fig7 , it is seen that arrangements 2101 - 2107 of fig2 are identical to the arrangements 7001 - 7007 of fig7 . the difference between the fig7 and 21 arrangements is that a new wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 has been added in the arrangements of fig2 . this new wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 provides for directly connecting the si 604 input and so 605 output of modified test architectures 601 , such that all wrappers 307 - 309 contained within the modified test architectures 601 may be disabled and disconnected ( bypassed ) from the serial path between so 604 and so 605 . fig2 illustrates how the output linking circuitry 603 of fig6 c is modified to allow for the new wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 . the modification involves replacing the three input multiplexer 611 of fig6 c with the four input multiplexer 2201 of fig2 and connecting the si 604 input of test architecture 601 to the fourth input of multiplexer 2201 . in addition to this modification of the output linking circuitry 603 , bypass codes for each of the test architectures 2006 - 2008 need to be added to the lir 2002 to enable selecting the wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 of fig2 in each of the test architectures 2006 - 2008 . the following description of a bypass code for test architecture 2006 is given . when the lir 2002 contains a bypass code for test architecture 2006 , it will output control on bus 2003 to input selso 2202 control to multiplexer 2201 to form the wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 between the si 604 input and so 605 output of test architecture 2006 . also when lir 2002 contains the bypass code it will disable the wrappers 307 - 309 of test architecture 2006 from responding to control bus 109 by setting their enable - 1 , 2 , 3 inputs low via bus 2003 . while test architecture 2006 is controlled to the wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 , data passes directly from its si 604 input to so 605 output during instruction and data scan operations occurring in the serial test architecture configuration 2001 of fig2 . if test architectures 2006 and 2008 are controlled to the above described wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 of fig2 while test architecture 2007 is controlled to say the 2105 arrangement of fig2 , i . e . core 2 wrapper 308 is selected , then testing or other operations can occur on the wrapper of core 2 in test architecture 2007 without having to traverse wrapper arrangements in the leading 2006 and trailing 2008 test architectures of fig2 . thus more efficient serial access is provided to the wrapper of core 2 of test architecture 2007 using the wrapper bypass arrangements 2108 in test architectures 2006 and 2008 . this increase in serial access efficiency would be even more pronounced if the example of fig2 had shown a multiplicity of serially connected test architectures preceding and following the target test architecture 2007 . while the modification to include a wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 has been described as it would apply to the type 601 test architecture of fig6 a , it is a general modification that can be applied to any of the test architectures described herein . for example , test architecture 1301 of fig1 , test architecture 1501 of fig1 , test architecture 1610 of fig1 , and test architecture 1810 of fig1 could all be modified to include the wrapper bypass arrangement described above . in test architectures that contain an embedded lir , i . e . test architectures 1501 , 1610 , and 1810 , the embedded lir would include the above described wrapper bypass codes required to select the wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 of the test architecture . including the wrapper bypass arrangement in all the above - mentioned test architectures would serve to improve the serial access efficiency when the test architectures are placed into a serial configuration 2001 as shown in fig2 . in test architectures that contain an embedded lir ( i . e . 1501 , 1610 , 1810 ), it is preferable to use the lir 1901 of fig1 as opposed to lir 801 of fig8 a , since lir 1901 allows registering the data transfers during data scan operations . by registering data scan operation transfers , any number of serially connected test architectures may be placed in the wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 and operated without having to reduce the data scan clock frequency , as described in regard to fig1 . in test architectures that do not contain an embedded lir ( i . e . 601 ), it may be necessary to insert a data resynchronization circuit ( drc ) at points along the serial path connecting multiple test architectures to maintain a desired scan clock rate through the serial path when multiple test architectures are placed in the wrapper bypass arrangement 2108 . for example , fig2 illustrates the serial connection 2301 of the multiple test architectures 2006 - 2008 of fig2 being connected together serially through drc &# 39 ; s 2302 - 2304 . taena 2313 is shown simply to indicate that serial configuration 2301 , like serial configuration 2001 , may be viewed as an embedded test architecture . as seen in fig2 , drc 2302 exists between so 605 of test architecture 2006 and the si 604 of test architecture 2007 , drc 2303 exists between so 605 of test architecture 2007 and si 604 of test architecture 2008 , and drc 2304 exists between so 605 of test architecture 2008 and the si 802 of lir 2305 . the drcs 2302 - 2304 are connected to the clock 2306 signal of control bus 109 , to allow them to operate during both instruction and data scan operations . the drcs 2302 - 2304 are also connected to bypass select signals 2307 - 2309 , respectively , from lir output control bus 2312 . the bypass select signals are signals added to the lir output control bus 2312 when drcs are used . there is one unique bypass select signal 2307 - 2308 for each drc 2302 - 2304 to allow separate control of each drc . fig2 illustrates an example drc circuit . the drc contains a flip - flop ( ff ) 2403 and a multiplexer 2402 . the drc has a si 2404 that is input to the multiplexer and ff . the output of the ff is input to the multiplexer . the multiplexer has a control input 2407 and a so 2405 . the ff has a clock input 2406 . the control inputs 2407 of drc 2302 - 2304 of fig2 are connected to the bypass select signals 2307 - 2309 respectively . the clock inputs 2406 of drcs 2302 - 2304 of fig2 are connected to control bus 109 clock signal 2306 . the sis 2404 of drcs 2302 - 2304 of fig2 are connected to the sos 605 of test architectures 2006 - 2007 respectively . the sos 2405 of drcs 2302 - 2304 of fig2 are connected to the si 604 of test architecture 2007 , the si 604 of test architecture 2008 , and si 802 of lir 2305 respectively . if lir 2305 is loaded with a bypass code for test architecture 2006 , the bypass select signal 2307 will be set cause drc 2302 to place ff 2406 between the so output of test architecture 2006 and si input of test architecture 2007 . for all other codes , bypass select will be set to cause drc 2302 to directly connect the so output of test architecture 2006 to the si input of test architecture 2007 via multiplexer 2402 . if lir 2305 is loaded with a bypass code for test architecture 2007 , the bypass select signal 2308 will be set cause drc 2303 to place a ff 2406 between the so output of test architecture 2007 and si input of test architecture 2008 . for all other codes , bypass select will be set to cause drc 2303 to directly connect the so output of test architecture 2007 to the si input of test architecture 2008 via multiplexer 2402 . if lir 2305 is loaded with a bypass code for test architecture 2008 , the bypass select signal 2309 will be set cause drc 2304 to place a ff 2406 between the so output of test architecture 2008 and si input of lir 2305 . for all other codes , bypass select will be set to cause drc 2304 to directly connect the so output of test architecture 2008 to the si input of lir 2305 via multiplexer 2402 . as can be seen from the above description of fig2 and 24 , when a test architecture is placed in the wrapper bypass arrangement , the drc associated with the so output of the test architecture is set to insert ff 2406 between its si 2404 and so 2405 . during instruction and data scan operations , this inserted ff 2406 registers the data output from the test architecture in the wrapper bypass arrangement to the si input of the next serially connected test architecture . also as can be seen from the above description of fig2 and 24 , when a test architecture is not placed in the wrapper bypass arrangement , the drc associated with the so output of the test architecture is set to form a direct path between its si 2404 and so 2405 . during instruction and data scan operations , this direct path simply passes the data from the so output of the leading test architecture to the si input of the trailing test architecture . directly connecting the so output of a test architecture not in the wrapper bypass arrangement is fine since all other selectable arrangement will include registration in the form of one of the data registers 106 - 108 described in regard to fig1 . while insertion of drc ffs 2406 and / or lir ffs 1904 in the serial path of series connected test architectures , such as fig2 , takes away from the test pattern reuse advantage 3 stated earlier in regard to fig8 and 9 , it offers the advantage of being able to operate serially connected test architectures at high clock frequencies . thus while test patterns may need to be modified when ff 2406 / 1904 bit positions are inserted in the path between serially connected test architectures , the inserted bit positions facilitate high speed clocking of the data through serially connected test architectures . while drcs in fig2 and 24 have been described as they would be used to register or pass serial test / emulation data between test architecture circuits 2007 - 2008 , it should be understood that the drcs could also be used to register or pass functional data between functional circuits as well . for example , circuits 2006 - 2007 could represent functional circuits in an ic or on a board , such as microprocessors , digital signal processors , memories , mixed signal circuits ( a / d , d / a ), or any other type of circuits that are connectable via their inputs and outputs to communicate data . using drcs , the data communicated between functional circuits could selectively be communicated in either a registered or non - registered form , as described above in regard to fig2 and 24 . although the present disclosure has been described in accordance to the embodiments shown in the figures , one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize there could be variations to these embodiments and those variations should be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure . accordingly , modifications may be made by one ordinarily skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims . | 6 |
in the following description , various specific details aimed at providing a fuller understanding of the embodiments are explained . the embodiments may be implemented without one or more of the specific details or using other methods , components , materials , etc . in other cases , known structures , materials or operations are not shown or described in detail so that various aspects of the embodiment may be understood more clearly . the reference to โ an embodiment โ in the context of this description indicates that a particular configuration , structure or feature described in relation to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment . therefore , phrases such as โ in one embodiment โ, which may occur at various points in this description , do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment . moreover , particular forms , structures or features may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments . the most common reference signs are provided solely for the sake of convenience and therefore do not define the scope of protection or ambit of the embodiments . in the figures , a device which allows a lighting source 12 to be mounted on a substrate s is denoted as a whole by 10 . in various embodiments , the substrate s may be constituted , for example , by a heat sink ( such as that shown in fig2 ) or , in general , by a support for a lighting device of which the lighting source 12 constitutes the active member . in various embodiments , the lighting source 12 has a planar general shape and is thus like a board or card ( for example a printed circuit board โ pcb โ for example with a rectangular shape ) including an active led module 12 a which defines the light emitting surface of said lighting source 12 . lighting sources of this type (โ light engine โ) are known in the art , for example in the solution known as chip - on - board ( cob ). in various embodiments , the device 10 may include a frame 14 , for example made of plastic material or metallic material , for example with good heat dissipation properties , implemented in such a way as to make it possible to mount the lighting source 12 by sandwiching it between the frame 14 and the substrate s . in various embodiments , the frame 14 may be fixed on the substrate s by means of fixing formations which , in various embodiments , may include ( see in particular fig5 ): a screw or rivet 18 a capable of extending from the frame 14 to engage a corresponding opening h ( for example a threaded hole ) provided on the surface of the substrate s , and a bushing 18 b fitted on the screw or rivet 18 a and acting as a guide member for a resilient member 18 c , which can be constituted , in various embodiments , by a helical spring fitted around the bushing 18 b . whichever the specific embodiment adopted ( for example , the spring 18 c could be fitted directly on the screw or rivet 18 a , or could be substituted by an equivalent resilient member , such as an elastic sleeve ), the fixing formations described make it possible for the frame 14 to be mounted on the substrate s with the possibility to regulate the force with which the frame 14 is urged toward said substrate s , thus the force with which the frame 14 urges the lighting source 12 sandwiched between the frame 14 and the substrate s against the substrate s . this result can be obtained by regulating and / or appropriately selecting the features of resilience of the resilient member , such as the spring 18 c . in various embodiments , it is moreover possible to select the thickness or height of the frame 14 such that , when it is fixed on the substrate s , the frame 14 remains at a distance from the surface of the substrate s , so that it does not make contact with the surface of the substrate s . this solution is advantageous for achieving uniform distribution of the force exerted ( according to the methods described in more detail hereinbelow ) on the lighting source 12 to make it rest on the substrate s . as can be seen more clearly in the view in fig4 ( which corresponds substantially to a view of the frame 14 observed โ from underneath โ), in various embodiments the surface or face of the frame 14 intended to be turned toward the lighting source 12 , thus toward the substrate s , may have at least one of the following features : the aforementioned surface is provided with elastic pins 14 b ( returned or formed as one piece , for example in the case in which the frame 14 is made of molded material ) which constitute elastic formations able to urge the lighting source 12 toward the substrate s , resting on said substrate , and / or the aforementioned surface of the frame 14 has in general a ribbed or finned aspect so as to promote the heat dissipation effect for the heat generated by the lighting source 12 during operation thereof . in various embodiments , the lighting source 12 may be provided with a connector 28 for the electrical connection ( power supply and possibly control and detection signals ) of the lighting source 12 . the frame 14 may then have a window 14 a such that , with the frame 14 fixed on the substrate s , the connector 28 is left exposed so as to allow the connection thereof to a power supply / control line of the lighting source 12 ( not explicitly shown in the drawings ). in various embodiments , the frame 14 has an opening 140 which , in a manner of speaking , surrounds or borders the active portion 12 a of the lighting source 12 . in various embodiments , the opening 140 may be delimited by a divergent wall 140 a which opens up like the tiers of a stadium from the lying position intended to be taken by the light emitting surface 12 a of the lighting source 12 . in various embodiments , the frame 14 may possibly be provided with spring - like fins intended to cooperate with the periphery of the lighting source 12 so as to retain the lighting source 12 on the frame 14 even when it has not ( yet ) been fixed on the substrate s . while the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific embodiments , it should 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 as defined by the appended claims . the scope of the invention is thus indicated by the appended claims and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced . | 5 |
a mems sensor device 10 is shown in fig1 in an exploded view to include two sub - assemblies 12 and 14 . an upper or membrane sub - assembly 12 includes a sio 2 membrane 16 , which may have a thickness of about 2 ฮผm . a much thicker upper handle layer 18 surrounds the perimeter of the sio 2 membrane 16 . the upper handle layer 18 may be formed of single crystal silicon ( scs ) and may have a thickness of about 400 ฮผm in a vertical dimension . the lower or comb drive sub - assembly 14 includes a lower handle layer 20 , which may also be formed of scs and be of similar dimension as the upper handle layer 18 . an outside perimeter of a conductive scs layer 22 is supported on the lower handle layer 20 . the conductive scs layer 22 is etched or otherwise fabricated by conventional silicon - on - insulator ( soi ) technology to form a comb drive 24 . the comb drive 24 is comprised of a stator having stator plates and a rotor having rotor plates ( see fig4 ). a lower view of the mems sensor device 10 is shown in fig2 to reveal a stub 26 situated at a central location of the membrane 16 and extending toward the comb drive 24 . fig3 a and fig3 b are sectional views of the sub - assemblies 12 , 14 of the embodiment of fig1 . fig3 a shows the two sub - assemblies 12 , 14 apart , while fig3 b shows the two sub - assemblies 12 , 14 joined . the effect of the joining of the two sub - assemblies 12 , 14 can be seen by comparing fig3 a and 3 b . in both fig3 a and 3 b , the section is taken through a rotor plate parallel to the stator plates . in fig3 a a stator portion 28 of the comb drive 24 is visible in the region of the lower handle layer 20 supporting the comb drive 24 while a movable rotor portion 30 of the comb drive 24 is visible above the lower opening provided by the handle layer 20 . as shown in fig3 b , when the two sub - assemblies 12 and 14 are joined , the stub 26 on membrane 16 contacts the movable rotor portion 30 of the comb drive 24 causing a downward displacement of the rotor portion 30 in relation to the stator portion 28 . the two sub - assemblies 12 and 14 are retained together by a sio 2 junction around the perimeter of the two sub - assemblies . when joined , the resistance to displacement provided by the flexure of supporting portions ( not shown ) of the rotor portion 30 can at least partially offset the downward force provided by the stub 26 and supporting membrane 16 so that the supporting membrane 16 can become upwardly bowed as shown . fig4 is a schematic orthogonal sectional view of the comb drive sub - assembly 14 , the section being taken perpendicularly to the sectional view provided by fig3 a and 3 b through both the stator portions 28 and rotor portions 30 . upon assembly of the two sub - assemblies 12 and 14 , the rotor portions 30 are displaced downward relative to the stator portions 28 . further displacement of the rotor portions 30 relative to the stator portions 28 can occur as a result of a displacement of the membrane 16 due to gas pressure or other forces . the displacement of the rotor portions 30 , which can result from the displacement of the membrane 16 , can cover a range of distances shown in three images on the graph shown in fig5 . as the rotor portion 30 and stator portion 28 are initially formed , they appear as in image a in fig5 . when the rotor portion 30 and stator portion 28 are displaced relative to each other they appear , more or less , as shown in image b in fig5 . as the rotor portion 30 and stator portion 28 become fully displaced relative to each other they may achieve a relative position as shown in image c in fig5 . the graph in fig5 shows the capacitance , measured in picofarads , of the parallel plates forming the comb drive 24 in the various positions of relative displacement . the greatest capacitance is , of course , exhibited when the parallel plates of the comb drive 24 have their maximum confronting area to each other as in image a , while the least capacitance is exhibited when the parallel plates of the comb drive 24 have a minimum confronting area to each other as in image c . it is important to note that over a significant range of relative displacement , the change in capacitance is linearly related to the extent of relative displacement . a mems sensor device 10 of the present disclosure uses the stub 26 on membrane 16 dimensioned to cause an initial displacement of the rotor portions 30 relative to the stator portions 28 . the dimension is selected such that any further relative displacement of the two portions of the comb drive is in the linear portion of the capacitance / displacement curve . fig6 is a schematic orthogonal view of a mems device 110 having features similar to the device 10 shown in fig1 - 4 , and including an alignment feature that ensures correct assembly of the device 110 . the mems device 110 shown in fig6 includes membrane sub - assembly 112 having a membrane 116 , with a stub 126 centrally position on the lower surface of the membrane 116 , surrounded by a much thicker upper handle layer 118 . the comb drive sub - assembly 114 includes a lower handle layer 120 in the same general manner as shown in fig1 - 4 . the perimeter portion of the two sub - assemblies 112 and 114 provide a bonding area 21 to physically secure the two sub - assemblies 112 and 114 to each other . an alignment feature comprises at least one trench or ditch 132 provided in the perimeter bonding area of one of the sub - assemblies 112 and 114 . a corresponding dimple or post feature 134 is provided in the perimeter bonding area of the other one of the sub - assemblies 112 and 114 . the trench 132 and dimple 134 can each include a shape characteristic so as to provide a unique alignment relation between the two sub - assemblies 112 and 114 . additionally , the vertical dimension of the trenches 132 and dimples 134 can be sufficient to provide a tactile sensory input to an assembler assuring correct relative alignment of the two sub - assemblies 112 and 114 . fig7 a and 7 b are schematic sectional views similar to fig3 a and fig3 b , respectively of the mems device 110 shown in fig6 during assembly . an alternative embodiment of a mems device 810 shown in fig8 - 10 includes a membrane sub - assembly 812 having a membrane 816 , with a stub 826 centrally positioned on the lower surface of the membrane 816 , surrounded by a much thicker upper handle layer 818 . a comb drive sub - assembly 814 includes a lower handle layer 820 . the perimeter portion of the two sub - assemblies 812 and 814 provide a bonding area to physically secure the sub - assemblies to each other . a comb drive 824 includes a stator portion 828 and a movable rotor portion 830 , both of which are confined within a generally circular perimeter formed by the perimeter portion of the comb drive 824 . plates forming the two portions of the comb drive 824 are shown in plan view in fig1 . the plates comprise arcuate elements positioned at spaced distances from a common center 836 , which is also the contact point of the stub 826 . one end of each of the arcuate elements is coupled to a radially extending portion of either the stator portion 828 or the movable rotor portion 830 of the comb drive 824 . the circular comb drive configuration shown in fig8 - 10 is resistant to in - plane translation and insensitive to incidental comb drive rotation during assembly . fig1 is a schematic sectional view of a mems device 1110 , which can be of any of the previously illustrated embodiments , included in packaging 1138 defining a gas pressure port 1140 opposing a mems membrane 1116 . although shown opposing the mems membrane 116 , the port 1140 need not oppose the mems membrane 116 in all embodiments . the packaging 1138 preferably defines a fluid impervious environment for the mems device 1110 , except for the port 1140 . the material characteristics of the packaging 1138 can be chosen based on the expected environment for the device 1110 . fig1 illustrates in block form an experimental assembly 1242 for evaluating the performance of a mems device , such as mems device 10 of fig1 , in relation to gas pressure . the experimental assembly 1242 includes a micro probe station 1244 designed to receive the mems device in a controlled environmental chamber 1246 . the environmental chamber 1246 can be coupled to a vacuum pump , not shown , for reducing the gas pressure experienced by the mems device . a pressure sensor 1248 can be coupled to the environmental chamber 1246 to measure the pressure within the environmental chamber 1246 . an output of the pressure sensor 1248 can be coupled to a pressure controller 1250 , which is in turn coupled to a gas flow / pressure regulator 1252 . the gas flow / pressure regulator 1252 can be coupled to a source of gas , such as a nitrogen container , not shown . the gas flow / pressure regulator 1252 can , in response to signals provided by the pressure controller 1250 , admit a flow of a desired gas to exert pressure on the membrane of the mems device being evaluated within the controlled environmental chamber 1246 . the mechanical performance determined from the measured electrical characteristics of the mems device 1210 can be tracked by suitable metering equipment 1254 , such as an hp โข model 4284 lcr meter . in one example of the electro micro - metrology method , width can be measured in terms of changes in capacitance , w ( ฮดc ); and the uncertainty in width can be measured by multiplying the uncertainty in capacitance by the sensitivity in width to capacitance , โ c ร(โ w /โ ฮดc ). while the sensitivity is typically large , ห 10 8 m / f , the uncertainty in capacitance is ห 10 โ 18 f or smaller . hence , the uncertainty in width is on the order of an angstrom . a comb drive microstructure can be fabricated to intentionally include two unequal gap - stops , gap 1 and gap 2 . the two intentionally unequal gaps provide a structure that allows one to eliminate from consideration unknown geometric and material properties . by measuring the change in capacitance required to close the two gaps with an applied voltage , one can obtain the structure &# 39 ; s geometry , electrostatic force , and system stiffness as follows . the measured change in capacitance required to traverse each gap , ฮดc 1 , and ฮดc 2 , may be respectively expressed as : ฮดc 1 = 2nฮฒฮตh gap 1 / g = 2nฮฒฮตh ( gap 1 , layout + ฮดgap )/ g , and ฮดc 2 = 2nฮฒฮตh gap 2 / g = 2nฮฒฮตh ( gap 2 , layout + ฮดgap )/ g , where n is the number of comb fingers in the comb drive microstructure , ฮต is the unknown permittivity of the medium , h is the unknown layer thickness of the microstructure , g is the unknown gap distance between comb fingers , ฮฒ is the unknown electrostatic fringing field factor , and ฮดgap is the unknown difference in gap - stop size between the intended design layout and actual fabrication . a layout parameter n is chosen such that gap 1 , layout โ gap 2 , layout = n gap 1 , layout . taking the ratio ฮดc 1 / ฮดc 2 of the above expressions yields ฮดgap = gap 1 , layout ( n ฮดc 1 / ฮดc 2 โ 1 )/( ฮดc 1 / ฮดc 2 โ 1 ). for isotropic fabrication processes within close proximity , ฮดgap is locally consistent and provides a measure for all planar geometries of the structure . that is , fabricated gaps are gap layout + ฮดgap , flexure widths are width layout โ ฮดgap , flexure lengths are length + ฮดgap , etc . another unique attribute of the electro micro - metrology method is the ability to directly quantify the uncertainty of measurement . the uncertainties in the measured capacitance โ c and voltage โ v , i . e . order of readout resolution due to an accumulation of noise sources , yield corresponding uncertainties in mechanical properties . that is , by replacing all instances of capacitance and voltage with ฮดc ยฑโ c and โ v ยฑโ v in the above expressions , multivariate taylor expansions about the electrical uncertainties yield mechanical uncertainties as the first order terms of the form x i ( ฮดc )โ c for uncertainty in displacement , f 1 ( ฮดc , v )โ c ยฑ f 2 ( ฮดc , v )โ v for the uncertainty in force , and k 1 ( ฮดc , v )โ c ยฑ k 2 ( ฮดc , v )โ v for uncertainty in stiffness . additionally , the electro micro - metrology method can also be used to effectively select the system stiffness for a mems device to be a particular amount of n / m . the change in capacitance can be used to measure the fabricated geometry , the comb drive force , mechanical stiffness , and displacement . specifically , the electro micro - metrology comb drive force is given by f e = ยฝฯv 2 , the stiffness is given by km = ยฝฯ 2 v 2 / ฮดc , and the displacement x = ฮดc / ฯ , where ฯ = ฮดc gap / gap , which is the comb drive constant . the electro micro - metrology method can be used for an autonomous self - calibrated temperature sensor 1300 having a linear response curve . in this application , changes in electrical capacitance are used to sense thermally - induced vibrations or static deformations . a resonator 1302 shown in fig1 can incorporate a fixed - fixed active or passive resonator 1302 for measuring planar oscillation frequencies . the fixed - fixed oscillator experiences a change in resonance frequency due to thermal expansion . the change in resonance frequency is significant due to the fixed - fixed configuration . after system mass and stiffness are determined by the electro micro - metrology method , measurement of resonant frequency is used to determine temperature by the change in stiffness due to thermal expansion of the fixed - fixed oscillator . this resonator 1302 may be driven actively by applying a suitable oscillating voltage for large displacement amplitudes , or the resonator 1302 may be driven passively due to thermally - induced vibrations at the expense of much smaller amplitudes . the resonator 1400 shown in fig1 incorporates a โ chevron โ electro - thermal actuator for measuring planar deflections . static thermal expansion of the chevron actuator is used to deflect the differential comb drive . the chevron actuator consists of one or more angled flexures to create a preferential magnified deflection . more flexures can be used to increase stiffness and to reduce thermal noise . such an electro micro - metrology based approach allows the performance and design space to be pushed to achieve maximum thermal sensitivity . that is , capacitance is the most precise mode of measurement to date . for example , a change in capacitance on the order of zeptofarads ( 10 โ 12 f ) correlates to a comb drive displacement on the order of 10 โ 13 m . it is well known that the relationship between stiffness and temperature is given by : ( ยฝ ) k ( x 2 )=( ยฝ ) k b t , where k is the stiffness , x is the amplitude of vibration , k b is boltzmann &# 39 ; s constant , and t is the temperature . however , unlike the previous efforts of others , by using electro micro - metrology methods one is able to determine accurate and precise measurements of stiffness and displacement , which can be used to measure the absolute temperature t . the electro micro - metrology methods render the use of any external reference temperature standard unnecessary . | 6 |
the present disclosure is directed to an ecu configured to limit operation of a vehicle under certain predefined operating conditions . the present disclosure can be used with vehicles or with other equipment such as appliances , heavy machinery , or any other suitable equipment . for purposes of explanation , however , the present disclosure will reference vehicles for conciseness and to avoid obscuring aspects of the present disclosure . the ecu can monitor a vehicle parameter , such as engine operation time , fuel consumption , speed , or distance traveled , and if the parameter exceeds a certain limit , the vehicle is permitted to operate only in a limited capacity . the ecu will continue to limit the operation of the vehicle until an unlocking code is entered . for example , a vehicle can be operated by a dealer and by potential customers for a certain time ( e . g ., 5 engine hours ) before the ecu initiates operation limits . after reaching the prescribed parameter limit , the ecu limits operation of the vehicle to within certain prescribed parameters , such as by limiting the engine speed ( rpm ) or the ground speed of the vehicle , or any other suitable parameter . fig1 is a schematic illustration of an ecu system 10 according to embodiments of the present disclosure . the system 10 can include a vehicle 12 , an ecu 14 , a remote component 16 , and a registration component 18 . the vehicle 12 can be any suitable vehicle , such as a recreational off - road vehicle (โ rov โ), a snowmobile , a motorcycle , an automobile , or any other equipment . the ecu 14 can comprise a vehicle monitoring component 14 a and a limiter 14 b . the ecu 14 can be part of the main ecu of the vehicle or can be built directly into a gauge of the vehicle . the ecu 14 , for purposes of this invention , can be anything with a processor to control or influence a vehicle parameter , such as fuel use , rpm , etc . the ecu may be coupled with the main control unit of the vehicle or may be separate . the vehicle monitoring component 14 a can be operably coupled to systems of the vehicle 12 , such as the fuel injection system , the exhaust system , the electronic system , the drive train , the internal instruments of the vehicle , or any other suitable vehicle system . the vehicle monitoring component 14 a can monitor vehicle parameters of these vehicle systems using any suitable sensing mechanism . the vehicle monitoring component 14 a can monitor a multitude of measurable vehicle parameters , such as a location of the vehicle , fuel consumption , fuel type used , exhaust parameters , power output , speed , acceleration , identity of a driver or passenger , a load on the vehicle , distance traveled , or terrain type . the limiter 14 b can be operably coupled to the vehicle monitoring component 14 a to send and / or receive instructions to / from the vehicle monitoring component 14 a . the limiter 14 b can also be coupled to vehicle systems in a manner that permits the limiter 14 b to influence the vehicle systems . for example , the limiter 14 b can be coupled to an electronic fuel injection system of the vehicle 10 to limit fuel injection parameters to limit the vehicle 10 as needed . the limiter 14 b can be coupled to any suitable vehicle system , such as the fuel system , the exhaust system , engine parameters ( e . g ., speed , position , or rpm of various components ), or any other suitable vehicle system . the limiter 14 b can limit operation of the vehicle 10 to within a prescribed limit according to the vehicle monitoring component 14 a . for example , the limiter 14 b can prevent the engine from starting , limit rpms of the engine , limit the top speed of the vehicle , limit load on the engine , limit the distance the vehicle is permitted to travel , limit the power or torque output of the vehicle , limit the fuel consumed by the vehicle , or any other suitable vehicle operation limit . the remote component 16 can communicate with the ecu 14 to direct the ecu 14 to place limits on the vehicle 12 or to withdraw the limits . the remote component 16 can be an electronic unit that can plug into the vehicle 12 or into the ecu 14 directly to operate the ecu 14 , such as a diagnostic tool or another suitable electronic device . in some embodiments , the remote component 16 can communicate with the ecu 14 ( or a selected component thereof ) wirelessly using a controller area network (โ can โ), wi - fi , bluetooth โข or another suitable wireless communication protocol . the remote component 16 can communicate with a registration component 18 to record information regarding the status of the vehicle 10 and of the ecu 14 . in an example , the registration component 18 can be a server or another computing unit that can store registration information for the vehicle 12 . the registration component 18 can store registration information such as purchaser name , address , financing , contact information , etc . the remote component 16 can be operated by a dealership where the vehicle 12 is sold . the ecu 14 can be programmed to permit the vehicle 12 to operate without limitations for an initial period , such as 5 engine hours , or 50 miles , or any other suitable initial period . this permits the dealer to demonstrate the vehicle 12 to customers without limitation . after the initial period , however , the ecu 14 will trigger the operation limits to encourage the dealer and / or purchaser to register the vehicle 12 with the registration component 18 . in some embodiments , the ecu 14 can delay the limits until a current trip is over to avoid causing the vehicle to become stranded . for example , if the limiter is configured to prevent the vehicle 12 from operating at all , the ecu 14 can be programmed with a grace period so that if a purchaser is out on a test ride , the vehicle 12 will not simply shut down immediately . rather , the vehicle 12 can display a warning that the time has passed , and that the vehicle 12 should now return to the dealership or be properly registered . after a certain time , however , the limitations can escalate to prevent a user from skirting the protections of the ecu 14 by simply running the vehicle 12 indefinitely . the limiter 14 b can institute a series of limits that can escalate in intensity as the engine time is progressively exceeded by greater and greater margins . for example , the limiter 14 b may first issue a notification only , with no actual limit placed on the operation of the vehicle . then , if the vehicle 12 is not registered and the ecu 14 is not properly deactivated , the limiter 14 b can limit the rpms slightly . if still more time passes without the ecu 14 being properly deactivated , the limiter 14 b can more severely limit the vehicle 12 . each vehicle 12 can have a unique identifier that can be sent to the registration component 18 . in response , the registration component 18 can deliver an unlock code to the remote component 16 . once registration is complete , the unlocking code can be entered into the ecu 14 to remove the vehicle limitations . in some embodiment , the registration component 18 can be a web server that can be accessed through a standard web browser that can receive the vehicle identification credentials and can respond with an unlocking code for the ecu 14 . a diagnostic tool can be used to remove the vehicle limitations . the system 10 therefore encourages proper registration of the vehicle 10 to prevent warranty fraud and theft . fig2 illustrates a keypad 20 on a gauge of a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure . the keypad 20 can include a first button 22 , a second button 24 , and an electronic display 26 . in some embodiments , the display 26 can show an error code when the limiter is engaged . the error code can be verbose and spell out in prose that the vehicle has a limiter that has been engaged because the vehicle has not been registered properly . or , the display 26 can show a numeric code that is correlated with a message describing the limiter and the circumstances that is included with documentation such as an owner &# 39 ; s manual . the buttons 22 , 24 can be used to input the unlock code . virtually any other type of input mechanism or user interface can be used to input the unlock code to the vehicle . fig3 is a flow chart of a method 300 of selectively limiting a vehicle according to embodiments of the present invention . the method begins at step 310 , after which the method includes monitoring engine time 320 . this can be achieved with a vehicle monitoring component 14 a as described above . in other embodiments , this step can include monitoring any other suitable parameter including those listed elsewhere herein . at step 330 , the method includes checking whether or not the engine time has exceeded a predetermined threshold . the threshold can be any arbitrary time period , such as 5 engine hours , 10 engine hours , etc . the threshold can be an absolute time threshold independent of engine status . the check in this step relates to the parameter monitored in step 320 . in other embodiments in which the parameter monitored at step 320 is something other than engine time , the check at step 330 can check for that parameter . for example , if the parameter of step 320 is to monitor fuel consumption , then the check in step 330 can be whether or not the fuel consumption has exceeded a predetermined threshold limit . if the check at step 330 is affirmative , control passes back to step 320 to continue monitoring . in other embodiments , the method can cease after this step if a one - time check is desired . if the check is negative , meaning that the engine time threshold has been exceeded , the method includes limiting the vehicle at step 340 . the limit placed on the vehicle can be any suitable limit including those described elsewhere herein , such as a vehicle speed limit , engine operation limit , travel distance limit , fuel consumption limit , or any other suitable limit . in some embodiments the method can include multiple checks similar to the check at step 330 . each check can have a corresponding threshold and a similarly corresponding limit to impose . these checks and limits can be executed independently , or in series . for example , two independent checks can be performed on fuel consumption and engine time . these parameters may be related , but are generally independent . the limit imposed by exceeding either of these thresholds can be the same limit , or can be separate independent limits . for example , the limit imposed by exceeding the engine time limit may be preventing the engine to run , and the limit imposed by exceeding the fuel consumption limit may be something different , such as a speed limit . the severity of the limit imposed can be increased as each threshold is exceeded . in some embodiments , for example , for each monitored parameter in which a prescribed threshold is exceeded , the speed of the vehicle can be limited to a greater degree , such as 60 mph for the first threshold , 50 mph for the second , 40 for the third , and so on . the method can further include a periodic check of whether or not an unlock code has been received at step 350 . if the unlock code has not been received , the limits continue at step 340 . when the unlock code is received , the limits can be removed at step 360 . there may be multiple unlock codes for each vehicle , each of which can unlock all or part of the limits placed on the vehicle . while the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described , as noted above , many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiments . instead , the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow . | 1 |
fig1 shows in block diagram form , the apparatus of a preferred embodiment of the invention . such apparatus comprises a the host processor 10 which handles input signals representing one or more selected parameters ( such as notes being played ) from a keyboard port 16 , front panel port 18 , and / or the musical instrument digital interface ( midi ) link 20 , and creates a list of notes . the apparatus then processes these notes using information contained in an internal sound modelling rom 12 ( which may be supplemented by one or more external complementary rom ( s ) 30 of the same type ), to produce the list of partials required to produce the sounds requested by the player . these partials are then allocated from an available pool of 240 . amplitude envelopes are also produced by the host processor 10 according to the list of envelope segments also contained in rom 22 ( or 30 ). durations for each segment are timed by an event timer module 24 and attack / decay rates are handled automatically by the engine 14 , for the duration of each note . by judicious use of this automatic envelope generation feature , host processor 10 overhead can be minimized . at the end of the note , all partials are returned to the pool . the host processor 10 directly controls three memory arrays . these are the program rom 26 , the sound modelling rom 22 , and scratchpad ram 28 which provide for multiply , typically 7 - 8 basic voices ( e . g ., a grand piano , rhodes , b3 , and other instruments ). the additional sound modelling rom ( s ) 30 can be added in interchangeable modules , allowing additional voices for the instrument . scratchpad ram 28 is divided up into two parts : a nonvolatile ram ( battery backup ) for storing keyboard and panel setups , and a scratchpad ram which may also have battery backup . resident rom 26 typically comprises sixty four kbytes of stored data for sound modelling use , to support the installed voices , and thirty two k - bytes for program use . all peripherals are memory mapped . functionally , the operating software of the apparatus has five basic tasks to address . first , it must service requests for notes to be played , whether received from the keyboard 16 or the midi link 20 . secondly , it must assemble ( from the currently selected sound model resident in the host processor &# 39 ; s sound moddeling rom ) a list of partials and their associated amplitude envelopes necessary to create that note . third , it must allocate these partials from the engine &# 39 ; s 14 free pool of 240 , diverting partials from other notes whose decays have nearly finished if need be . this is accomplished by writing the appropriate data in the partial descriptors maintained in the engine parameter store . fourth , it must then maintain the envelopes for all current partials by updating the attack / decay values in real time , as required by the currently selected notes . it is aided in this task by the event timer 14 , allowing it to set up an interrupt for the host processor 10 for some future time . finally , it provides for self - test functions . data flows are over a data bus 44 with appropriate buffers ( e . g . 44b , interface chip 42 , or other interface equipment ) sample data line 184 , read / write address line 46 . the engine 14 constitutes a dedicated high - speed digital additive synthesizer , which automates the processes of sine - wave generation , scaling , and envelope generation , allowing high performance with minimal host processor intervention and minimum cost . the engine is made up of two partial control ( pcc ) vlsi chips 32 , 33 one data path vlsi chip ( dpc ) 36 and a 16 - bit linear digital to analog converter ( dac ) 38 ( typically a burr - brown pcm 53jpv 16 - bit dac ) and its associated analog filter circuitry 40 -- specifically an anti - alias or anti - image filter comprising typically a ninth order low pass filter . the engine produces a 16 - bit sound sample once overy 51 . 2 , us , for an overall sample rate of 19 . 53125 khz . this allows , approximately , an 8 . 4 khz output bandwidth after anti - image filtering . the engine produces each sample by summing up the values of 240 partials , each of which is a separate sampled sine wave of arbitrarily programmable frequency , magnitude , and relative phase . the four coefficients required to control each of these partials are stored in the logical engine parameter store , which is mapped into ram arrays contained in the two ppcs by the interface chip ( ifc ) 42 . wave generation is handled by stepping a pointer through a rom containing a single quarter - cycle of a sine wave . this pointer is maintained automatically for each partial by pcc 32 which will hereafter be referred to as the phase pcc . it contains ram arrays which accomodate the 240 16 - bit phase pointers and the 240 16 - bit frequency control values . each partial &# 39 ; s phase pointer is incremented by the frequency control value once per sample cycle , and the resulting new pointer is handled to the dpc for processing . a pointer is used to facilitate a table look up in the dpc as noted below . thus , the larger the frequency constant , the fewer cycles required to step through the sine wave rom and the higher the resultant frequency . amplitude envelope generation is handled by pcc # 2 , i . e . item 34 , also referred to as the amplitude pcc . the amplitude pcc 34 contains ram arrays for the 240 current amplitude values and the 240 attack / decay increments . values for the current amplitude of each partial are derived in a similar manner to that used for the phase pointers , and handed to the dpc for processing . the dpc 36 takes in the phase and amplitude values , and performs the sine wave lookup and scaling functions on each partial . it also accumulates the final output sample , and provides stable data to the dac 38 for conversion via its sample bus . fig2 shows a pcc chip in detail . each pcc 32 , 34 has as input the bidirectional engine data bus 44 , the buffered host processor address bus 46 ( see fig1 ), and the interface control signals 48 ( including interface handshaking and global synch ) and address bus 48a . the master / slave pin 45 allows the pcc to be tailored for the different jobs when master phase pcc and when slave amplitude pcc . each contains two times 240 ( i . e . 480 ) 16 - bit words of ram ( 58 , 60 ) address multiplexing 54 and decoding logic 56 , a 16 - bit adder 66 , a programmable arithmetic clipper network 68 at the adder &# 39 ; s output and control logic 62 . they also contain a partial ( sync address counter ) section 52 , used to maintain synchronization between both pccs and the dpc . when in the master mode the pcc functions as the wave generator by enabling the ram 58 to contain the frequency data , and ram 60 to contain the phase data . correspondingly in the slave mode ram 58 contains the attack / decay , and ram 60 the amplitude information . the arithmetic clipper is allowed to wrap around when overflowing or underflowing during wave generation since wave generation is cyclical containing positive and negative values . however , during amplitude generation the clipper 68 is constrained to stop at its maximum count ( ffff in hex notation ) and at its minimum count ( 0000 in hex notation ) the dpc 38 is responsible for taking in the phase and amplitude information generated for each partial by the pccs , performing the sine wave lookup and scaling required , accumulating the final sixteen - bit sample , and presenting it to the dac 38 . it inputs the data from pcc 32 and pcc 34 bus and a sync signal from pcc 32 which synchronizes the engine 14 , and produces a data result containing all the audio information desired by the player . due to the nature of the processing that it performs , it is a highly pipelined configuration . normally , the process of scaling a given partial value by an amplitude value requires a multiplication . however , due to the cost and complexity of performing a fast sixteen bit by sixteen bit multiplication these operations occur in the log - base two domain . here , the multiply becomes an add , followed by a lookup in an antilog table . the data provided by the amplitude pcc 34 is also in the log - base two domain , which yields piecewise - exponential envelopes . this is preferable , as the human hearing mechanism is logarithmic in nature . fig3 shows the dpc 36 in detail . phase data is input via the engine data bus 100 and latched in the phase data latch 104 . since the phase data , as noted above , as in the log - base two conversion is accomplished by a look up table for the log in logsine rom 108 . the phase data is used as a pointer or address . the amplitude data also is input via the engine data bus 100 and latched in the amplitude data latch 102 . after the log - base two conversion is complete the amplitude value and the phase value , both in log - base two form are input to the adder 119 . the added logarithms represent the linear multiplication of amplitude and waveform discussed previously . since the dpc is a pipelined design it is required that the amplitude and waveform information are added in synchronism , requiring that the clocking delays in the path from the amplitude data latch 102 and the phase data latch 104 be equal . between the amplitude data latch 102 and the adder 119 there are three clock delay latches 112 . there are three clock delay latch equivalents from the phase latch 104 to the adder 119 through the log sine generator 108 . in the log sine generator ( shown in fig4 ), storage locations are reduced by exploiting the symmetry of a sine wave . the sine wave portion from 0 ยฐ to 180 ยฐ is identical to the portion from 180 ยฐ to 360 ยฐ bit for the sign . hence , the most significant bits of the sixteen - bit output from the phase data latch 104 are sent directly to the scaling shift comparator 132 , shown in fig6 to control the sign of the resulting waveform . for the purposes of this description the most significant bit ( msb ) is bit 15 and the least significant bit is 0 . the msb travels through eight clock delay latches 122 , 146 ( shown in fig9 ), to maintain synchronism with the other conversions . the sine wave symmetry from 0 ยฐ to 180 ยฐ is also exploited to reduce storage required . here the sine wave from 0 ยฐ to 90 ยฐ is a mirror image of the portion from 90 ยฐ to 180 ยฐ. the result is that only 1 / 4 of the sine wave need be stored . the values stored are calculated by dividing the 0 ยฐ- 90 ยฐ range into , typically , 4096 parts and storing in the rom the sine function at each interval &# 39 ; s center . fig5 illustrates this process . starting at 0 ยฐ the sine 0 ยฐ= 0 , as the sine wave is traversed from 0 ยฐ to 90 ยฐ the values v 1 , v 2 and 1 are generated for the phase angles x 1 , x 2 , 3 and 90 ยฐ, respectively . now as the sine wave is traversed from 90 ยฐ to x 3 , x 4 , and finally 180 ยฐ bit 14 through the or array 107 causes in effect the sine wave to be traversed from 90 ยฐ back to 0 ยฐ and the values v 2 , v 1 and 0 , are generated for the phase angles x 3 , x 4 , and 0 , which are the correct values due to the mirror image summetry of the sine wave from 0 ยฐ to 90 ยฐ and 90 ยฐ to 180 ยฐ. the msb , bit 15 , of the data from the phase data latch 104 , provides the negative sign as the sine wave is traversed from 180 ยฐ to 360 ยฐ and bit 14 controls the generation from 180 ยฐ to 270 ยฐ, and then bit 14 reverses the generation from 270 ยฐ to 360 ยฐ. the result is that only 1 / 4 of sine wave is stored in rom . fig4 shows in detail the log sine generator 108 . only fifteen bits are input to an exclusive or array 107 . bit &# 34 ; 14 &# 34 ;, called the quadrature bit since it determines which quadrant 0 ยฐ to 90 ยฐ or 90 + to 180 ยฐ is being used to generate the log sine wave . the operation of the or array 107 and bit 14 is to reverse the order of the access to the stored values in the rom 110 and the difference rom 114 . the actual values for the sine wave stored in two read only memories , log sine rom 110 and difference rom 114 . both these rom &# 39 ; s are addressed by the most significant eight bits from the or - array 104 , so each has 256 locations . the log sine rom 110 contains values , each fifteen bits , representing 256 positions of a sine wave from 0 ยฐ to 90 ยฐ. the difference rom 114 contains values , each eight bits , representing the difference between successive values from the log sine rom 110 . the value from the difference rom 114 is multiplied by the bits &# 34 ; 2 &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; 3 &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; 4 &# 34 ;, and &# 34 ; 5 &# 34 ; from the or - array 107 by the parallel multiplier 116 producing a twelve bit product . the effect is to scale the difference value by the least significant bits from the or - array 107 , thereby generating an interpolation between values in the log sine rom 110 . this scaled difference value output from the parallel multiplier 116 is delayed by the clock delay latch 117 to synchronize it with the delay of the data through the clock delay latch 109 and the log sine rom 110 . the scaled difference is then added to the value from the log sine rom by adder 118 resulting in a sixteen bit value which is delayed by the clock delay latch 121 , again for synchronization , and is added to the amplitude data by adder 119 . the effect of the configuration shown in fig4 provides values for producing a sine wave with a resolution approaching that achieved by a single 4096 word by sixteen bit rom . the clip network 120 causes overflow to be clamped at fff in hex notation if overflow occurs . the inverse log function is formed similarly to the formation of the log sine shown in fig5 . the sixteen - bit value from the clip network 120 is delayed by the clock delay latch 121 and input to the inverse log rom 125 . fig6 details the inverse log rom 125 . the most significant 4 bits &# 34 ; 12 &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; 13 &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; 14 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 15 &# 34 ; are delayed and input to a scaling shifter 132 causing a possible 16 bit shift to a larger value depending upon the contents of the 4 most significant bits . the delayed sign bit , the msb for the phase data latch 104 , in fig3 is input to the scaling shifter 132 changing the sign of the resulting output from the scaling shifter . the operation of the inverse log rom 124 , difference rom 126 , and parallel multiplier 128 , adder 130 and the clock delay latches are identical to that described previously in the log sine rom 108 in fig4 . referring back to fig3 and to fig7 , 8a , 8b and 9 , the sum of all the possible 240 scaled partials , that is partials including amplitude envelopes , occurs at adder 134 and the accumulator 138 and is latched in the sample register 136 . signals from the bus interface logic 106 control proper operation within the dpc ensuring proper synchronization and prevention of spurious values from being entered into the sample register 136 . the sum of the scaled partials is 24 bits wide , however , the 4 msb &# 39 ; s are used in intermediate summing but , essentially , are in final output , and only twenty bits are input to the clipper 140 . the clipper 140 outputs the sixteen most significant of the 20 bits and clamps the maximum value to ffff in hex notation and the minimum value to 0000 in hex notation when over and underflow occurs . the four msb &# 39 ; s from the scaled partials from adder 134 , are logically used by clipper 140 to determine overflow and underflow and to cause the clipper 140 to clamp its output . the loss of the four msb &# 39 ; s during very loud passages is not a problem but the loss of the four lsb &# 39 ; s during very quiet passages in the present invention uses a technique of oversampling in conjunction with a modulo - sum dither to lower quantization noise . the four lsb &# 39 ; s output from the sample register 136 is input to adder 142 , the adder 142 output is accumulated at four times the rate that sample sums are accumulated in the modulo - sum dither ( msd ) accumulator 144 . carry out 143 controls a one bit dac component 172 of dac system 38 ( fig8 ) implemented as a transistor and resistor whose output carries the average energy in the four lsb &# 39 ; s of the original sample and this energy is summed with the output of the 16 bit dac component 170 of dac system 38 in the analog domain , by analog adder 171 and sample and hold circuit 176 . the analog signal is processed by an anti - aliasing filter producing a signal for use , for example , by an audio amplifier driving speakers . characterization of a note being played includes not only a list of partials and an amplitude envelope , but a frequency or pitch envelope . &# 34 ; pitch &# 34 ; denotes frequency on a logarithmic scale ( corresponding to human perception ). as an aid to the software &# 39 ; s computation of frequencies ( corresponding to pitches ) the pitch processor hardware diagrammed in fig8 a is provided . the software must operate in the domain of logarithmically spaced pitches . the hardware comprises a log - to - linear converter for converting logarithmic pitch to linear frequency . fig8 a shows the handling of the conversion pursuant to the formula for f below and referring to the fig8 b showing of a pitch value . ten bits ( p2 ) are latched by digital latch 206 from the cpu bus as determined from the sound moddeling rom 22 , and simultaneously four bits ( p1 ) are loaded into a four bit counter 202 . p2 is a base 2 - log mantissa controlling table look up and p1 is an integer base 2 - log characteristic corresponding to a bit shift right . where p is relative pitch in units of 1 / 2048 octave on a scale where zero is d9 and increasing values correspond to decreasing frequency and where f and fo are in the engine &# 39 ; s units of frequency ( 5 ร 10 6 / 2 24 , i . e ., approximately 0 . 29 hz per unit ), fo being 9397 . 273 hz corresponding to 31532 of engine units . the control logic guides the look up of the 10 bit mantissa from register 206 into the rom 208 yielding a 16 bit frequency result on the pitch processor bus 216 . this result is put on the bus 8 bits at a time loading sequentially into 8 bit shift registers 212 and 214 . once this is done the control object guides the bit shift right of the two registers , together , according to the count held in counter 202 . the shifted number is retained in the shift register for later reads by the cpu on the cpu buss through buffer 215 . the dpc also has a duplicate of the sync counters contained in the pcc &# 39 ; s and is able track of &# 34 ; dummy &# 34 ; partials by monitoring the global sync signal . this prevents spurious 1 / 10 transactions from being interpreted as valid partial data . the one - bit modulo sum dither dac is driven by modulo - sum dither logic imbedded in the dpc . this logic takes the unused four lsbs of the output sample and sends it to the modulo - sum accumulator , a four - bit accumulator operating at four times the sample clock rate . ( see fig3 - 6 ). when the accumulators &# 39 ; carry out is set , corresponding to one lsb at the main dac , the one - bit dac is turned on . this causes the energy represented by the four lsbs to make its way into the final output . this has the effect of decreasing the noise present in the audible portion of the spectrum while increasing it in the 20 - 40 khz range , where it will be easily taken care of by the anti - imaging filter . referring now to fig1 there is shown an embodiment of the invention comprising at 300 , input means such as a keyboard , musical instrument digital interface or the like ; at 302 a host processor incorporating a motorola 68000 chip and related program rom , ram , timers and rom for installed sounds ( see fig1 ) an interconnection device between the 16 bit bus and the 8 bit bus ; at 304 , 306 , 308 , 310 , memory devices for , respectively , providing stored information of sine wave partials &# 39 ; phase ( 304 ), frequency ( 306 ), log of amplitude ( 308 ) and log of attack / decay rate data ( 310 ) in stored addresses corresponding ( for 304 and 306 ) to eventual , log - sin , look - up table usage at rom 322 . the data output of 304 and 306 are added at 312 , of 308 and 310 at 314 . the output of 312 , processed via log - sin noise rom 322 , and 314 is added at 316 to provide a sum for inverse log , at rom 324 . a combinatorial logic unit is provided at 326 to control the address complementing unit ( folder ) 327 which comprements addresses for second and fourth quadrants of sine wave cycles but does no complementing for noise partials . the adding is done by summing gate arrays 312 ( a ) and 314 ( b ) and that sum is processed via similar gate array adders 316 ( c ) and 318 ( d ) to a digtial analog converter ( dac ) 320 . the adders ( b ) ( c ) are clipped at over / under range and modulo sum dither is applied to the end product ( out of ( d ) analogously to the system described above for the fig1 - 10 embodiment ; d &# 39 ; s output modification involves 1 &# 39 ; s complements adding . the form of clipping at ( b ) is sticking at max / min values while underflow is used at ( c ). the added sine wave partials converted to an analog output of the dac is processed via conventional per se sample / hold ( s / h ), filter ( fltr ), buffer ( bf ) equipment to headphone or other terminals ( tl ) and amplifier ( amp ) and / or speaker ( spkr ) components . the logarithmic information is stored in a base - 2 log convention to match oscillator frequency , sound range and computational needs . while the above structure comprises the sound system for numerous voices , piano range is significantly provided with 32 kilobytes of stored information , compared to multi - megabyte order of magnitude storage for other synthesizers . piano - like random noise is imposed by a noise rom 322 comprising two interleafed spectral sets of random noise ; each set may be associated , selectively , with a particular partial . the noise spectra are originally obtained as random number sets . fourier transforms are obtained , modified to match or nearly match desired noise spectra . then inverses of such modified transforms are derived to provide time domain information at 223 . fig1 - 14 show the truncation or other structuring of 16 bit words using or ignoring specific end bits to leave a ( 10 to 16 bit ) core of information used . bit 15 is taken for sign information before ( a ) and bit 14 of the same word is taken for quadrant selection , the remaining 14 bits going to the log - sin rom 322 . a clipped output amplitude level to the dac 320 is established by a combined dither and clip hardware / software including the adder 318 and accumulator elements x1 , x2 thereof , a 2 : 1 mux unit 330 , holding register 330 - 1 , and the modulo sum dither unit ( msd ), as described above in connection with fig7 above . a baseline digital offset of minus ( hexadecimal ) 0801 from mid - range is used to avoid operation at the non linear cross - over point of the dac . a pitch processing unit 332 , as described above enables the user &# 39 ; s input via input means 300 and cpu 302 to call desired pitch information i . e ., determining linear frequency increments ( eventually to be fed to frequency processing ram 306 from cpu 302 ). it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments , improvements , details , and uses can be made consistent with the letter and spirit of the foregoing disclosure and within the scope of this patent , which is limited only by the following claims , construed in accordance with the patent law , including the doctrine of equivalents . | 8 |
fig1 illustrates a conventional modern upwind wind turbine 2 according to the so - called โ danish concept โ with a tower 4 , a nacelle 6 and a rotor with a substantially horizontal rotor shaft . the rotor includes a hub 8 and three blades 10 extending radially from the hub 8 , each having a blade root 16 nearest the hub 8 and a blade tip 14 furthest from the hub 8 . fig2 illustrates a conventional wind turbine blade 20 , which conventionally is manufactured either in one piece or in two pieces , where each of the two pieces has the same length in the longitudinal direction l as a wind turbine blade assembled by the two pieces . fig3 illustrates a manufacturing line 30 with a first work station 31 and a second work station 32 , a first mould 40 is located at the first work station 31 and a second mould 50 is located at the second work station 32 . the first mould 40 comprises a first mould part 41 comprising a first mould cavity 42 , the first mould cavity 42 corresponds to the envelope of the lower side of a wind turbine blade , e . g . the suction side of the blade , and a second mould part 43 having a second mould cavity 44 corresponding to the envelope of the upper side of a wind turbine blade , e . g . the pressure side of the blade . the second mould correspondingly comprises a first mould part 51 comprising a first mould cavity 52 , the first mould cavity 52 corresponds to the envelope of the lower side of a wind turbine blade , e . g . the suction side of the blade , and a second mould part 53 having a second mould cavity 54 corresponding to the envelope of the upper side of a wind turbine blade , e . g . the pressure side of the blade . a rail means 34 is extending from the first work station 31 to the second work station 32 . the rail means 34 has a length that at least equals the length of the first mould 40 , the second mould 50 and a longitudinal distance between the first mould 40 and the second mould 50 . hereby , a gantry means 35 movable mounted on the rail means 34 can sweep the first mould 40 in the first work station 31 and the second mould 50 in the second work station 32 and can furthermore move from the first work station 31 to the second work station 32 . the gantry means is preferably used for arranging fibre reinforcement material in the first 41 and second mould part 43 of the first mould 40 at the first work station 31 whereafter the gantry means 35 is moved to the second work station 32 , where the gantry means 35 is used for arranging fibre reinforcement material in the first 51 and second mould part 53 of the second mould 50 . the arranging of fibre reinforcement material in the separate mould parts 51 , 53 of the second mould 50 is identical or at least substantially similar to the arranging of fibre reinforcement material in the separate mould parts 41 , 43 of the first mould 40 , as the same gantry means 35 is used , however , differences may occur if the first mould 40 and the second 50 has different design and / or geometry . the way of arranging fibre reinforcement material is however described solely for the first mould 40 in the following , but the procedure is similar or even identical for the second mould 50 . the arranging of fibre reinforcement material in each of the separate mould parts 41 , 43 can be carried out manually or in automated way , the gantry means 35 can either be shared by the separate mould parts 41 , 43 or separate gantries means for each separate mould part 41 , 43 can be used . the mould cavities 42 , 44 of the separate mould parts 41 , 43 are normally coated with a gelcoat or the like before the fibre reinforcement material is arranged . the fibre reinforcement material may comprise fibres in many forms such as tows , mats , prepregs and preforms . the fibres may be of any material , but is preferably made of glass and / or carbon . alternatively plant fibres or metallic fibres , such as steel fibres , may be utilised . after the gantry means 35 has arranged fibre reinforcement material in the separate mould parts 41 , 43 of the first mould 40 , the first mould 40 is prepared for infusion of a curable matrix material , e . g . a liquid resin . typically , a rtm or vartm process is used , and the separate mould parts 41 , 43 is each prepared by arranging resin inlet channels on top of the fibre reinforcement material in each of the separate mould parts 41 , 43 . subsequently , each separate mould part 41 , 43 is covered and sealed by an air tight vacuum bag , thus creating a mould cavity . thereby , a vacuum can be created between the mould part 41 , 43 and the vacuum bag , so that the curable matrix material can be drawn into the mould cavity and impregnating the fibre reinforcement material via the resin inlet channels . typically , the matrix material is infused from the root area . the above described regarding supplying curable matrix material also applies for the second mould 50 after fibre reinforcement material has been arranged . fig4 illustrates a manufacturing line 30 similar to that depicted in fig3 . however , the manufacturing line 30 has been extended with a third work station 33 following the second work station 32 . a third mould 60 is located at the third work station 33 and the third mould 60 comprises a first mould part 61 comprising a first mould cavity 62 , the first mould cavity 62 corresponds to the envelope of the lower side of a wind turbine blade , e . g . the suction side of the blade , and a second mould part 63 having a second mould cavity 64 corresponding to the envelope of the upper side of a wind turbine blade , e . g . the pressure side of the blade . furthermore the rail means 34 has been extended from the second work station 32 to the third work station 33 , so that the gantry means 35 also is movable from the second work station 32 to the third work station 33 and along the entire longitudinal length of the third mould 60 . fig4 illustrates the manufacturing line 30 at three different points in time while performing the method according to the invention and the method having reached a steady state , e . g . when a continuous manufacturing of wind turbine blades is established . at a first point in time , the gantry means 35 is operating in the first work station 31 where the gantry means 35 is used for arranging fibre reinforcement material in the separate mould parts 41 , 43 of the first mould 40 . at the same point in time , curable matrix material is supplied to the third mould 60 located at the third work station 33 , while the separate mould parts 51 , 53 of the second mould 50 at the second work station 32 is assembled , so a closed second mould assembly 56 is formed . at a second point in time , occurring after the first point in time , the gantry means 35 has moved to the second work station 32 , where the closed second mould assembly 56 has been opened and the manufactured wind turbine blade removed , so that the separate mould parts 51 , 53 of the second mould 50 is ready for receiving new fibre reinforcement material arranged by the gantry means 35 . at the same point in time , curable matrix material is supplied to the first mould 40 at the first work station 31 , which at the first point in time had fibre reinforcement material arranged . furthermore , at the same point in time , the separate mould parts 61 , 63 of the third mould 60 at the third work station 33 is assembled , so a closed third mould assembly 66 is formed . at a third point in time , occurring after the second point in time , the gantry means 35 has moved to the third work station 33 , where the closed third mould assembly 66 has been opened and the manufactured wind turbine blade removed , so that the separate mould parts 61 , 63 of the third mould 60 is ready for receiving new fibre reinforcement material arranged by the gantry means 35 . at the same point in time , curable matrix material is supplied to the second mould 50 at the second work station 32 , which at the second point in time had fibre reinforcement material arranged . furthermore , at the same point in time , the separate mould parts 41 , 43 of the first mould 40 at the first work station 31 is assembled , so a closed first mould assembly 46 is formed . hereafter the gantry means 35 can be moved back to the first work station 31 , where the above described procedure can be repeated , after opening the closed first mould assembly 46 , so that the separate mould parts 41 , 43 of the first mould 40 is ready for receiving new fibre reinforcement material arranged by the gantry means 35 . fig5 illustrates the manufacturing line 30 as shown in fig4 but with a first 71 , a second 72 and a third web production station 73 for supplying web 75 for insertion into the wind turbine blades . the web production stations 71 , 72 , 73 are preferably juxtaposed to the manufacturing line 30 such that each of the web production stations 71 , 72 , 73 can supply at least one of the work stations 31 , 32 , 33 with web . the manufacturing line 30 can also comprise a finalisation line arranged in longitudinal extension of the manufacturing line 30 , where the finalisation line can comprise a number of finishing stations comprising a quality inspection station , a cut and trim station , a finish station and a painting station , where the cut and trim station and the painting station can be automated . the finalisation line is preferably placed in the same production hall as the manufacturing line , thus separate air cleaning facilities are required for some of the finishing stations to maintain a clean and acceptable working environment in the production hall . a crane means can be used for transporting the manufactured wind turbine blades 45 from each of the number of moulds to the finalisation line as illustrated by a transport arrow 80 . fig6 shows a manufacturing line 30 with a first work station , a second work station , a third work station , a first mould 50 , a second mould 40 , a third mould 60 in a space - saving baffled / staggered alignment . the moulds 40 , 50 , 60 are substantially parallel to each other and offset with respect to each other in a longitudinal direction 100 . the moulds 40 , 50 , 60 are thus parallely translated / shifted with respect to each other in a direction 101 at an angle ฮฑ with respect to the longitudinal direction 100 of the moulds 40 , 50 , 60 . thereby the second mould 50 is arranged in extension of the first mould 40 and the third mould 60 is arranged in extension of the second mould 50 such that the moulds 40 , 50 , 60 form an elongated and aligned manufacturing line 30 . the angle ฮฑ between the longitudinal axis 100 and the direction 101 of parallel translation / shift is advantageously less than 30 degrees , alternatively less than 20 degrees , alternatively in the range between 15 degrees and 5 degrees . gantry means 35 are provided on rails 34 and may be moved on these rails 34 in a direction substantially parallel to the direction 101 of parallel translation / shift between the moulds 40 , 50 , 60 . the method and the manufacturing line 30 can also be performed where the moulds 40 , 50 , 60 are closed , so the form closed mould assemblies 46 , 56 , 66 , before supplying curable matrix material , such that an integral wind turbine blade is formed , e . g . without a seam . the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment . however , the scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment , and alterations and modifications can be carried out without deviating from the scope of the invention . 45 wind turbine blade ( shaped from the first mould 40 ) | 8 |
referring to fig1 the operation of the focusing means is based on the split image principle . this focusing means comprises two lenses 1 and 2 , a fixed mirror 3 behind the lens 1 , a pivotable mirror 4 behind the lens 2 , a set of gears 5 , 5a which can pivot the mirror 4 , an electric motor 6 which can transmit torque to the gear 5 ( the operative connection between the output element of the motor 6 and the gear 5 is indicated by the broken line 6a ), a split image prism 7 , a collector lens 8 and a slotted diaphragm or mask 9 . as shown in fig2 the mask 9 comprises two elongated parallel slots 10 and 11 which are disposed above each other . the upper slot 10 is located at the level of a first photosensitive monitoring device or receiver 12 which comprises a battery of four aligned photosensitive signal generating elements or cells 13 , 14 , 15 and 16 . the lower slot 11 is located at the level of a second photosensitive monitoring device or receiver 17 which comprises a battery of four aligned photosensitive signal generating elements or cells 18 , 19 , 20 and 21 . the cells 13 to 16 are respectively connected with the first inputs of stages 22 , 23 , 24 and 25 of an analog shift register 112 , preferably a so - called charged coupled device ( ccd ). the cells 18 to 21 are respectively connected with the first inputs of stages 26 , 27 , 28 and 29 of a second shift register 117 which is preferably identical with the shift register 112 . the stages of the shift registers 112 and 117 further comprise second inputs which receive signal transporting pulses from a pulse generator 30 . the shift registers 112 , 117 constitute a digital signal processing unit of the monitoring means which further includes the devices 12 , 17 and the pulse generator 30 , the latter serving to transport signals through the processing unit 112 , 117 . the output a1 of the shift register 112 is connected with the input of an amplifier 31 and the output of the amplifier 31 is connected with a schmitt trigger 32 . the output b1 of the schmitt trigger 32 is connected with one plate of a capacitor 33 . the other plate of the capacitor 33 is connected with a resistor 34 which is further connected to the negative pole of an energy source 56 ; the elements 33 and 34 constitute a differentiating circuit . the other plate of the capacitor 33 is further connected with a rectifier 35 via contact c1 . the rectifier 35 transmits positive pulses to a contact d1 which is connected with the tap of a voltage divider including resistors 36 and 37 . such tap ( and hence the contact d1 ) is connected with the base of a transistor 38 whose emitter circuit contains a resistor 39 . the resistances of the resistors 36 and 37 are selected in such a way that the transistor 38 blocks in the absence of signals at the contact d1 . the emitter of the transistor 38 is connected with a rectifier 40 which is in circuit with a resistor 41 . the output a2 of the second shift register 117 is connected with a series of electrical and electronic components which are identical with the just described components 31 to 40 and include an amplifier 42 ( corresponding to 31 ), a schmitt trigger 43 ( corresponding to 32 ) having an output b2 , a capacitor 44 , a resistor 45 , a rectifier 46 , a voltage divider 47 , 48 , a transistor 49 , a resistor 50 and a rectifier 51 . the contacts c2 , d2 respectively correspond to similarly referenced contacts c1 , d1 in the connection between the shift register 112 and the rectifier 40 . the rectifier 51 is connected with the resistor 41 , the same as the rectifier 40 . the rectifiers 40 and 51 are further connected to the control electrode of a thyristor 52 whose cathode circuit includes a resistor 52 &# 39 ; and whose anode circuit includes a resistor 53 . the anode of the thyristor 52 is connected with the base of a switching transistor 54 . the winding of the motor 6 is installed in the collector circuit of the transistor 54 and the emitter circuit of this transistor contains a resistor 55 . the circuit which is shown in the upper half of fig1 further includes the energy source 56 in series with a master switch 57 . the motor 6 can move the picture taking lens 58 in the directions indicated by arrows a and b . the transmission between the output element of the motor 6 and the barrel of the picture taking lens 58 is shown by broken lines , as at 6b . the length of each light measuring cycle is determined by the characteristics of the pulse generator 30 ( namely , by the length of intervals between successive pulses transmitted to the stages of the shift registers 112 , 117 ) and by the number of signal generating elements in the monitoring devices 12 , 17 ( i . e ., by the number of stages in each shift register ). the output a2 of the shift register 117 is also connected with an amplifier 59 whose output is connected with a further amplifier 60 . the output of the amplifier 60 is connected with a pulse shaper 61 which transmits a square signal during each transition from an interval of pause between successive measurements of scene brightness to the next measuring cycle and vice versa . the output of the pulse shaper 61 is connected with a differentiating circuit including a capacitor 62 and a resistor 63 . the differentiating circuit 62 , 63 transmits signals to a diode 64 which transmits positive pulses to a resistor 65 connected with the negative pole of the energy source 56 . furthermore , the diode 64 transmits positive pulses to the base of a transistor 66 whose collector is connected with the control electrode of a field effect transistor 67 and with a resistor 68 . the output of the amplifier 59 is further connected with a semiconductor here shown as a diode 69 in series with a resistor 70 which is connected with one plate of an integrating capacitor 71 . the differentiating circuit 62 , 63 is further connected with a diode 72 which transmits negative pulses to an inverter 73 . the output of the inverter 73 is connected with a resistor 74 and with the base of a transistor 75 whose collector circuit contains a resistor 76 . the emitter of the transistor 75 is connected with the control electrode of a further field effect transistor 77 which can connect the integrating capacitor 71 with a signal storing capacitor 78 . the capacitor 78 is connected with the input of an impedance reversing circuit 79 whose output is connected with the non - inverting input of an operational amplifier 80 . the inverting input of the amplifier 80 is connected with the tap of a voltage divider including the resistors 181 and 182 . the output of the operational amplifier 80 is connected with the control circuit 81 of a stepping motor 84 . the control circuit 81 includes a digital converter 82 and a regulating circuit 83 for the stepping motor 84 . the motor 84 can adjust a diaphragm 86 of the exposure control means by way of a mechanical transmission 85 ( indicated by broken lines ). the regulating circuit 83 includes a pulse generator ( not specifically shown ). the distribution of light which impinges upon the cells 13 to 16 and 18 to 21 of the receivers 12 and 17 depends on the nature of the subject to be photographed . the two images 87 , 88 ( see fig2 ) which are transmitted by prism 7 and optical element 8 via slots 10 , 11 of the mask 9 are assumed to be shifted with respect to each other . each pulse which is transmitted by the pulse generator 30 results in transport of signals ( transmitted by cells 13 - 16 and 18 - 21 to the stages 22 - 25 and 26 - 29 of the respective shift registers 112 and 117 ) toward the outputs a1 , a2 of the respective shift registers . thus , each combination of four simultaneously transmitted signals leaves the respective shift register in response to transmission of four successive pulses from the pulse generator 30 . the shift registers 112 , 117 are thereupon automatically reset so that their stages can receive fresh sets of four signals each , and such signals begin to advance toward the outputs a1 , a2 of the shift registers in response to transmission of the fifth , sixth , etc . pulses . if the camera is properly focused upon the subject , the images 87 and 88 overlap each other and the rectifiers 40 and 51 are blocked simultaneously . consequently , the control electrode of the thyristor 52 receives positive voltage via resistor 41 so that the thyristor 52 becomes conductive and the winding of the motor 6 is deenergized . in other words , the motor 6 is arrested in that position in which the images 87 and 88 overlap , i . e ., the image of the subject is sharply focused in the film plane . the integrating capacitor 71 integrates each set of four signals . during the intervals between successive measurements , the diode 69 prevents or blocks discharge of integrated voltage . the positive pulse which is generated during the initial stage of each measuring cycle renders the transistor 66 conductive for a short interval of time whereby the field effect transistor 67 becomes conductive , also for a short interval of time , and the integrating capacitor 71 discharges . this insures that the capacitor 71 is discharged prior to start of each measuring cycle . the negative pulse which is generated during the last stage of each measuring cycle is transmitted to the inverter 73 via diode 72 and appears as a negative signal at the base of the transistor 75 . thus , the transistor 75 blocks for a short interval of time and the normally blocking field effect transistor 77 becomes conductive , also for a short interval of time . this enables the integrating capacitor 71 to discharge into the signal storing capacitor 78 ( which is either discharged or ready to accept a charge ). such signal voltage is stored in the capacitor 78 during an entire cycle and is thereupon transmitted to the operational amplifier 80 via impedance reversing circuit 79 . in the absence of equilibrium , the motor 84 is started to adjust the diaphragm 86 via transmission 85 . if the capacitor 78 is used in a still camera to determine the exposure time ( in a manner not specifically shown in the drawing ), the pulse generator 30 is preferably energized only during the measuring cycle prior to the making of an exposure , especially if the intensity of scene light is measured via objective . for example , the pulse generator 30 can be deenergized by a mirror 90 which is located in the path of incoming scene light and is moved to permit such light to reach the foremost unexposed film frame . the movement of the mirror 90 can be used to deenergize the pulse generator 30 . the latter is started again when the mirror 90 returns to the normal position in which it extends across the path of incoming scene light . fig1 shows a mechanical connection 91 between the mirror 90 and a switch 92 in the conductor means between the input f of the pulse generator 30 and the energy source 56 . the switch 92 opens when the mirror 90 permits scene light to reach the foremost unexposed film frame . if the light intensity is not measured via picture taking lens 58 , the pulse generator 30 can remain operative during the making of exposures . an advantage of the monitoring means ( 12 - 30 ) including the receivers 12 and 17 is that such monitoring means performs two important functions , namely , the signals which are generated by the cells 13 - 16 and 18 - 21 are transmitted ( via elements 31 - 55 ) to the control circuit of the motor 6 of the automatic focusing means 1 - 11 , and the signals which are generated by the cells 18 - 21 are transmitted ( via elements 59 - 80 ) to the control circuit 81 for the motor 84 of the exposure control means 81 - 86 . another advantage of the improved combination of monitoring means , focusing means , exposure control means and the two signal transmitting means is that , since the monitoring means which transmits signals for automatic adjustment of focusing means constitutes a photosensitive receiver of the exposure control means , one can resort to the so - called spot measurement . in other words , the brightness of the most important part of the scene to be imaged ( i . e ., of that part which is automatically focused in the film plane ) determines the setting of exposure control means . thus , the brightness of the most important part of the scene is the standard or norm which determines the aperture size and / or the exposure time during imaging of the respective scene onto the foremost unexposed film frame . it is often desirable to provide the photographic apparatus with second monitoring means ( shown at 130 in fig3 ) which evaluates the brightness of the entire scene . the output of such second monitoring means is connected with a signal comparing device 131 which also receives signals from the output or outputs a1 , a2 of the illustrated first monitoring means 12 - 30 . this enables the photographer to decide whether the adjustment of focusing means and / or exposure control means should be effected as a result of evaluation of a part of or the entire subject or scene . the extent or intensity of evaluation of the spot field and of the remaining or entire part of the scene can be regulated in dependency on the sensitivity of the first and / or second monitoring means . without further analysis , the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can , by applying current knowledge , readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that , from the standpoint of prior art , fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art and , therefore , such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims . | 6 |
in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments , reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating embodiments in which the invention may be practiced . it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention . the drawings and detailed description are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed . on the contrary , the intention is to cover all modifications , equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims . headings herein are not intended to limit the subject matter in any way . the process or processes described herein may be implemented by logic in the form of instructions executing on a computer system ( also referred to as a โ data processing system โ), or entirely in the form of hardware , or in an embodiment containing both hardware and software elements . application specific integrated circuitry is another example of hardware . turning now to the drawings in greater detail , it will be seen that in fig1 there is shown a chip 110 , according to the prior art . regarding the use of the term โ instance โ herein , it is helpful to understand the following context . an embodiment of the present invention is applicable to hierarchical chip 110 designs . generally speaking , hierarchical designs include a hierarchy of entities , such as chip 110 , unit 120 , macro 130 , and leaf cell 140 entities , where the chip 110 is often at the highest level in the hierarchy . the entities are placable objects and , in turn , may contain placeable objects . an embodiment of the present invention is also applicable to flat designs in which all placeable objects are at a common level or in which there is no hierarchy . in this context , โ macros placed at the chip level ,โ for example , refers to macros that are all at the same level in the hierarchy , where that level is the same as the level of the chip entity . a buffer is an example of a placeable object . a buffer is often times a leaf cell , such as leaf cell 140 in the illustrated instance . a buffer master may be selected from a library and numerous instances placed in the chip in various locations . accordingly , each instance of the buffer is assigned a unique instance name . likewise , numerous instances of other entities can also be placed and given respective instance names . as previously described , n / c &# 39 ; s may arise , for example , because some of the buffer instances are connected and driving things , while others aren &# 39 ; t . regarding the use of the term โ phase โ herein , this refers to a feature in an embodiment of ic chip 110 of the present invention , wherein data is produced and propagated in different timing phases . that is , the placeable objects are clocked and propagation time from latch to latch is governed by the clock cycle time . each data propagation from latch point a to latch point b has to be less than the clock period . โ phase โ indicates what frequency data is timed at and in which context it &# 39 ; s used . timing analysis involves comparing data propagation time and clock pulse width to determine slack , which indicates propagation time that is either less than or greater than the clock frequency . it is an objective of timing analysts to check all the propagation delays to make sure they fell within the cycle time . if they don &# 39 ; t , adjustments are made . a net 156 , as the term is used herein , includes a connection between an output pin 152 and input pin 154 , i . e ., a physical wire . referring now to fig2 and 3 , after initialization , an overall process 300 and structure are shown in fig3 , in which a process 310 receives a conventional unit comprehensive report 210 of fig2 , which is well - known in the art and has been generated from a conventional unit timing run . comprehensive report 210 contains detailed information about arrival times , slews , and slacks for every instance / pin / phase combination in chip 110 design . comprehensive report 210 can be generated for an entire hierarchy , or for any particular level of hierarchy of chip 110 ( fig1 ). a compsum report 220 is produced by reformatting of a full comprehensive report 210 . key things to note are that in compsum report 220 instance and macro names are now listed on respective lines 214 with the pin name , net name , and timing information . header 212 information that used to show the macro and instance full comprehensive report 210 is removed , i . e ., relocated , in compsum report 220 . that is , conventional full comprehensive report 210 includes lines 214 for respective nets , where lines 214 include corresponding pin names , net names , and timing information , and includes headers 212 indicating macros and instances for groups of lines . process 310 reformats full comprehensive report 210 to produce compsum report 220 , which includes removing macro and instances from group headers 212 and setting them out on respectively corresponding net / pin lines 214 . in addition , process 310 inserts the keyword โ none โ in compsum report 220 on lines 214 corresponding to pins having no associated phase listed . that is process 310 includes subprocess 320 logic for automatically detecting a pin that may be floating or tied to power by detecting that there is no associated phase listed for the pin in comprehensive report 220 . responsively , subprocess logic 320 sets out the keyword โ none โ in compsum report 220 on the lines corresponding to that pin . alternatively , subprocess logic 320 sets out the keyword โ none โ in compsum report 220 for pins that are floating , โ none_h โ for pins tied high , and โ none_l โ for pins that are tied low . in this manner , the n / c indication for this pin in comprehensive report 210 is supplemented in compsum report 220 . sometimes multiple phases get propagated to macro outputs in timing runs . for example , a macro output that is driven by a latch โ data_out โ pin may assert valid data for both a data phase ( m @ l ) and a scan phase (โ b @ l โ). a latch that receives this data from the macro output may not have a valid setup test for the b @ l phase . consequently , the timing analysis run will properly calculate a valid slack for the m @ l phase , for which the receiving latch does have a valid setup test , but the timing run will designate an n / c state for the b @ l phase . this lack of valid setup test and resulting n / c indication is generally due to chip 110 having a predetermined , known logic feature , according to which the state of the receiving latch has no significance during the b @ l phase . in an embodiment of the present invention , this situation is recognized by process 310 . that is , subprocess logic 330 of process 310 detects at least one valid phase for an instance / pin combination . responsive to detecting that valid data is asserted during one phase on a pin for an instance , the subprocess logic 330 โ filters out โ any n / c &# 39 ; s on other phases for that instance / pin combination . that is , logic 330 generates a filtered compsum report having no n / c indication lines for an instance / pin combination , which may be stored in memory . in an alternative , this filtered compsum report may be conveyed to a user , such as by displaying , printing , or as a data structure stored on a portable , computer readable storage media . according to an embodiment of the present invention , a user is responsible for creating a waiver file 340 specifying instance / macro / pin / phase combinations that are expected and can be waived . ( this may also include a plurality of users respectively creating waiver files 340 .) process 350 includes logic for processing waiver file or files 340 . in an embodiment , the format of waiver file 340 includes the following : โ#โ denotes the start of a comment line . โ& lt ; instance_name & gt ; & lt ; macro_name & gt ; & lt ; pin_name & gt ; & lt ; phase & gt ;โ denotes an instance / macro / pin / phase combination that is expected and can be waived . that is , process 350 recognizes a line in waiver file 340 with these parameters as a designation of waiver of the specified n / c . โ net & lt ; net_name & gt ; & lt ; phase & gt ;โ denotes waiver of all n / c &# 39 ; s associated with the specified net_name and phase . that is , process 350 recognizes a line in waiver file 340 as a designation of waiver of the set of specified n / c &# 39 ; s . a โ*โ character denotes a wildcard . bus notation is also supported , for example , data_in ( 0 : 63 ). that is , process xxx recognizes the meaning of this terminology in waiver file 340 . process 350 supports basic wildcarding and bus notation . wildcards permit granularity to waive categories of instances . for example , if a numerous instances of a buffer are included as spares in chip 110 , where each one is given a name according to a predetermined format โ sparebuffer_ [ instance number ], the terminology โ sparebuffer_ *โ can be used to waive all instances of these buffers . n / c waiver process 350 reads in user &# 39 ; s waiver file 340 and applies it to compsum report 220 and responsively generates output files 360 . to initiate this , process 350 receives arguments 345 , including a first argument specifying compsum report 220 , a second argument specifying waiver file or files 340 , and a third argument specifying a prefix to put on names of output files 360 . process 350 may also receive two optional arguments , a unit prefix for filtering , which will be discussed later , and a user specified directory for output files 360 , which is self - explanatory . process 350 reads these arguments 345 from a file , verifync . pl , in which they are set out as follows : process 350 , which may execute in the form of a script , reads the full compsum report 220 given by the user in the & lt ; compsum & gt ; argument and automatically runs filtering process 350 code , createncfile . pl . process 350 responsively creates the following four output files 350 : & lt ; file_prefix & gt ;. nc . waived โ list of pins that were waived from & lt ; compsum & gt ;. preceding each line is the pattern that matched for debug purposes . & lt ; file_prefix & gt ;, nc . ignored โ list of nets that were ignored either because they did not match & lt ; unit_prefix & gt ; or were the dcdc phases . (โ dcdc โ refers to a net that doesn &# 39 ; t switch , and is , therefore , insignificant for timing analysis purposes . over time it has a relatively constant value , such as a gating signal for which the designer doesn &# 39 ; t care about arrival time . ac is something that &# 39 ; s switching , dc is constant over time . a lot of times dc is tied off . generally all โ dc &# 39 ; s โ are ignored for timing analysis .) & lt ; file_prefix & gt ;, nc . unconnects โ list of any nets left over after all waivers have been applied . whatever appears in this list either needs to be fixed in vhdl , have a physical design change , or needs to have a waiver written for it . & lt ; file_prefix & gt ;. verifync . sum โ summary information including a count of each line that matched each waiver in the waiver file . as previously mentioned , the user can specify a unit prefix by optional argument (โ p & lt ; unit_prefix & gt ;).โ if this is specified , process 350 will only check instances that match this prefix . in a sense , including this argument yields the opposite of a waiver file 340 by indicating which instances to check instead of which instances not to check . this is especially helpful for units that are flat at the chip 110 level . for example , on chip 110 , if there &# 39 ; s a flat unit lx having all macro instance names with an โ lx โ prefix , a unit timing coordinator for the unit lx may wish to evaluate a timing run comprehensive report 210 for which he / she doesn &# 39 ; t care about any other macros besides those in unit lx . in this case , the timing coordinator may initiate execution of process 350 by a command that includes a โโ p lx โ argument when process 350 has completed its processing of waiver file ( s ) 340 and comprehensive report 220 , it will have eliminated some n / c &# 39 ; s and some will remain and will be listed in the โ unconnects โ file , as described herein above . process 370 may then be used to automatically sort the remaining n / c &# 39 ; s listed in the โ unconnects โ file thereby producing a sorted directory 380 that lists all reports of n / c &# 39 ; s . in an embodiment of the invention , process 370 sorts the remaining n / c by macro , in order to facilitate dividing the remaining n / c &# 39 ; s into respective subreports ( or portions of a report ) setting out respective macros n / c &# 39 ; s , and wherein process 370 presents the subreports or portions to teams or individuals who are responsible for respective ones of the macros . in structuring the format of waiver files 340 , special considerations were made for handling unit hierarchy so that waiver files 340 don &# 39 ; t have to be redundant or duplicated . that is , any waiver file 340 can specify inclusion of another existing waiver file 340 , thereby effectively including the other existing waiver file 340 , by utilizing the following waiver file incorporation statement : this statement will cause process 350 to include the waiver file that is given by filename , and will cause process 350 to append prefix to the front of each line given in that file . consider the following example , in which the chip 110 , which may be considered a parent entity , contains the following child entities below it in the entity hierarchy : each instance of l 2 c has a respective child entity called l 2 a 4 instances of lq named lq 0 c , lq 1 e , lq 0 o , and lq 1 o in one instance , for example , waiver file 340 for chip 110 includes the following lines : in this instance , process 350 responsively incorporates all the waiver files 340 for all the entities of chip 110 . in another instance , for example , waiver file 340 for l 2 c includes the following lines : in this instance , process 350 responsively incorporates only the waiver files 340 for the entities of entity l 2 c . a big advantage of this implementation is that unit timing coordinators can run waiver process 350 for their own units 120 on their own unit timing compsum reports 220 . then , when the chip timing coordinator runs the waiver process 350 for the entire chip 110 , he / she can simply specify inclusion of all the child unit 120 waiver files 340 instead of copying each one of them into the chip timing coordinator &# 39 ; s own waiver file 340 . a chip 110 level timing coordinator also has the ability to check only top level n / c &# 39 ; s by writing a top level only comprehensive report 210 instead of a full hierarchical report . it is an advantageous feature of an embodiment of the present invention that if the chip timing coordinator checks only the top level entity by running process 350 with a waiver file 340 that specifies waivers of all nets below those of the top level entity or entities , and each unit timer checks his / her own box unit in similar fashion , i . e ., by running process 350 on respective compsum reports 220 with respective waiver files 340 that specify waivers of all nets below those of the respective unit entities , then when process 350 checks the full chip 110 in a run on a fully hierarchical compsum report 220 , it follows that if the individual checks produced clean results in which there are no unexpected n / c &# 39 ; s , the full chip 110 check should be clean as well . in other words , according to an embodiment of the invention the chip timing coordinator checks only placeable objects , i . e ., instances , that exist flat at the chip 110 level ( which could be other units and flat macros ), but has no visibility into deeper levels of hierarchy . nevertheless , if each unit timing coordinator has run a timing analysis achieving clean results on their own respective units ( at the level below the chip entity ), this achieves the same clean result as if the chip timing coordinator had run waiver process 300 with a full hierarchical compsum report . the present invention , aspects of which are shown in the above fig &# 39 ; s , may be distributed in the form of instructions , which may include data structures and may be referred to as a โ computer program ,โ โ program โ โ program code ,โ โ software ,โ โ computer software ,โ โ resident software ,โ โ firmware ,โ โ microcode ,โ etc . stored on a computer - readable storage medium , such instructions and storage medium may be referred to as a โ computer program product ,โ โ program product ,โ etc . the computer program product maybe accessible from a computer - readable storage medium providing program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system . the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of media actually used to carry out the distribution . the instructions are read from the computer - readable storage medium by an electronic , magnetic , optical , electromagnetic or infrared signal . examples of a computer - readable storage medium include a semiconductor or solid state memory , magnetic tape , a removable computer diskette , a random access memory ( ram ), a read - only memory ( rom ), a rigid magnetic disk and an optical disk . current examples of optical disks include compact disk โ read only memory ( cd - rom ), compact disk โ read / write ( cd - r / w ) and dvd . the instructions may also be distributed by digital and analog communications links , referred to as โ transmission media .โ a data processing system suitable for storing and / or executing program code includes at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements through a system bus . the memory elements can include local memory employed during actual execution of the program code , bulk storage , and cache memories which provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution . input / output or i / o devices ( including but not limited to keyboards , displays , pointing devices , etc .) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening i / o controllers . network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to become coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices through intervening private or public networks . modems , cable modem and ethernet cards are just a few of the currently available types of network adapters . referring now to fig4 , a computer system 410 is illustrated , which may take a variety of forms , including a personal computer system , mainframe computer system , workstation , server , etc . that is , it should be understood that the term โ computer system โ is intended to encompass any device having a processor that executes instructions from a memory medium . in the illustrated system embodiment , system 410 includes one or more processors 415 , a keyboard 433 , a pointing device 430 , and tangible , computer - readable storage media , including volatile memory 427 , and nonvolatile memory 429 , eg ., rom , hard disk , floppy disk , cd - rom , and dvd , and display device 437 . memory 429 of system 410 stores computer programs ( also known as โ software programs โ), wherein programs include instructions that are executable by one or more processors 415 to implement various embodiments of a method in accordance with the present invention . memory 429 of system 410 also has data stored thereon that provides circuit structures , logical entity properties including physical locations , etc . programs include instructions for implementing processes described herein above , as well as other processes . those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware in fig4 may vary depending on the implementation . for example , other peripheral devices may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware depicted in fig4 . the depicted example is not meant to imply architectural limitations with respect to the present invention . various embodiments of system 410 implement one or more software programs and data in various ways , including procedure - based techniques , component - based techniques , and / or object - oriented techniques , among others . specific examples include xml , c , c ++ objects , java and commercial class libraries . the terms โ circuitry โ and โ memory โ and the like are used herein . it should be understood that these terms refer to circuitry that is part of the design for an integrated circuit chip 110 of fig1 . the chip design is created in a graphical computer programming language , and stored in a computer storage medium ( such as a disk , tape , physical hard drive , or virtual hard drive such as in a storage access network ). if the designer does not fabricate chips or the photolithographic masks used to fabricate chips , the designer transmits the resulting design by physical means ( e , g ., by providing a copy of the storage medium storing the design ) or electronically ( e . g ., through the internet ) to such entities , directly or indirectly . the stored design is then converted into the appropriate format ( e . g ., gdsii ) for the fabrication of photolithographic masks , which typically include multiple copies of the chip design in question that are to be formed on a wafer . the photolithographic masks are utilized to define areas of the wafer ( and / or the layers thereon ) to be etched or otherwise processed . the resulting integrated circuit chips can be distributed by the fabricator in raw wafer form ( that is , as a single wafer that has multiple unpackaged chips ), as a bare die , or in a packaged form . in the latter case the chip is mounted in a single chip package ( such as a plastic carrier , with leads that are affixed to a motherboard or other higher level carrier ) or in a multichip package ( such as a ceramic carrier that has either or both surface interconnections or buried interconnections ). in any case the chip is then integrated with other chips , discrete circuit elements , and / or other signal processing devices as part of either ( a ) an intermediate product , such as a motherboard , or ( b ) an end product . the end product can be any product that includes integrated circuit chips , ranging from toys and other low - end applications to advanced computer products having a display , a keyboard or other input device , and a central processor . to reiterate , the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention , the practical application , and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention . various other embodiments having various modifications may be suited to a particular use contemplated , but may be within the scope of the present invention . unless clearly and explicitly stated , the claims that follow are not intended to imply any particular sequence of actions . the inclusion of labels , such as a ), b ), c ) etc ., for portions of the claims does not , by itself , imply any particular sequence , but rather is merely to facilitate reference to the portions . the capabilities of the present invention can be implemented in software , firmware , hardware or some combination thereof . for example , processes described herein are implemented as perl scripts in an embodiment of the invention . to repeat , one or more aspects of the present invention can be included in an article of manufacture ( e . g ., one or more computer program products ) having , for instance , computer usable media . the media has embodied therein , for instance , computer readable program code means for providing and facilitating the capabilities of the present invention . the article of manufacture can be included as a part of a computer system or sold separately . additionally , at least one program storage device readable by a machine , tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the capabilities of the present invention can be provided . the flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples . there may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps ( or operations ) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention . for instance , the steps may be performed in a differing order , or steps may be added , deleted or modified . all of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention . herein the terms โ present โ and โ convey โ are used , or variants thereof . it should be understood that these terms refer to delivering information to a user in a useful format , which may include displaying the information to the user on a computer system display , or printing information for the user . in some cases it may be useful to present information to a user as a data structure stored on a portable , computer readable storage media . while the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described , it will be understood that those skilled in the art , both now and in the future , may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow . these claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described . | 6 |
fig1 shows a data processing circuit , comprising a processor 10 , a cache circuit 12 , a communication circuit 14 , a memory circuit 16 , an optional detachment detector 17 and an interface 18 for a detachable device . by way of example a device 19 is shown attached to interface 18 . by โ detachable โ it is meant that device 19 is can be functionally detached in any way during operation , for example by means of physical detachment , or movement out of reception range of a wirelessly communicating device , but also when power supply to the device is cut off or the operating mode of the device is changed so that it is no longer able to receive write back data from the cache memory etc . processor 10 is coupled to communication circuit 14 via cache circuit 12 . via communication circuit 14 , the processor 10 and cache circuit 12 are coupled to memory circuit 16 and interface 18 . cache circuit 12 comprises a cache memory 120 , a cache control circuit 122 and a set of registers 124 . cache memory 120 has ports coupled to processor 10 and communication circuit 14 . cache control circuit 122 is coupled to cache memory 120 , communication circuit 14 and the set of registers 124 . detachment detector 17 is optional . when used , it has an input coupled to interface 18 . by way of example , detachment detector 17 is shown with an output directly coupled to cache control circuit 122 . detachment detector 17 is configured to detect the onset of detachment and generate a signal indicating imminent detachment . in operation processor 10 executes a task which involves accessing data addressed by addresses in its memory space . the task may be performed under control of a task specific computer program for example . the addresses map to storage locations in memory circuit 16 and detachable device 19 , when it is attached to interface 18 . in way that is known per se , cache circuit 12 caches data for at least part of these addresses . when processor 10 reads from an address and data for that address is stored in cache memory 120 , cache circuit 12 returns the data from cache memory 120 to processor 10 . if the data for an address is not stored in cache memory 120 , cache memory 120 alerts cache control circuit 122 , which issues the address , or part of it , to memory circuit 16 or detachable device 19 via communication circuit 14 , to retrieve data for the address for supply to processor 10 . cache control circuit 122 controls cache memory 120 to store the returned data in association with the address . such storage in association with an address is also known per se . in an embodiment , a cache line with data for a plurality of addresses is stored in association with an address tag to identify part of the address of the data in the in the cache line . in other embodiments address tags for individual addresses may be stored . part of the address may be implicit in the place where the data is stored in cache memory 120 . if necessary , cache control circuit 122 โ evicts โ ( invalidates ) old data in cache memory 120 to make room for storing the newly retrieved data . set of registers 124 contains first registers for keeping information that identifies a range of addresses associated with detachable device 19 and at least one register for keeping information identifying a cache line used for addresses in that range that is stored in cache memory 120 . when cache control circuit 122 causes a cache line to be stored in cache memory 120 , cache control circuit 122 compares an address used to address a cache line ( or data therein ) via communication circuit 14 with the range of addresses associated with detachable device 19 , based on the information in the registers in set of registers 124 . if cache control circuit 122 detects that the address used for the cache line lies within that range , cache control circuit 122 causes an identification of the cache line to be stored in a second register from set of registers 124 . upon receiving a request ( flush command ) from detachable device 19 , or optionally upon receiving the imminent detachment signal from detachment detector 17 , cache control circuit 122 accesses the second register from set of registers 124 to determine whether cache memory 120 contains a cache line with an address in the range defined for detachable device 19 . if so , cache control circuit 122 selectively causes this cache line to be written back . instead of supplying a signals from detachment detector 17 directly to cache control circuit 122 , the signals may be provided to processor 10 , or any other circuit ( not shown ), to trigger generation of a flush command . in an embodiment , detachment detector 17 may be configured to detect detachment after detachment has taken place . in this case processor 10 may be configured to respond to a signal from detachment detector 17 by testing whether set of registers 124 indicates that written data for at least one address in detachable device 19 is in cache memory 120 and if so to issue a prompt to reattach detachable device before performing write back . in an embodiment cache control circuit 122 may also invalidate these written back cache lines in response to the flush command indicated by the request or the signal from detachment detector 17 . this prevents further use of the cached data . alternatively , cache control circuit 122 may leave the data valid , to enable processor to complete a current task using this data . in this case , cache control circuit 122 may respond to the flush command by blocking subsequent writing for these cache lines . the identification of the cache line in the second register may take the form of an address or address part . in this case cache control circuit 122 may select the location in cache memory 120 that stores the cache line by comparing an address tag from the second register with address tags for locations in the cache memory . in an n - way set associative memory , this may comprise using the address or address part from the second register to identify the set that stores the cache line and comparison of part of the address with tags for different ways to identify the way that stores the cache line . alternatively , the second register may contain a direct cache memory address , for example identifying a set and a way directly . if the second register is capable of storing information for only one cache line , special measures may be needed when it is possible that more than one cache line in the range for detachable device 19 is present in the cache . in an embodiment , cache control circuit 122 may record in set of registers 124 whether more than more than one such cache line is in cache memory 120 . if so , in this embodiment cache control circuit 122 may switch to testing all cache lines in cache memory 120 for data in the range for detachable device 19 and writing back all these cache lines . in another embodiment , a plurality of registers in set of registers 124 may be used to represent respective addresses of cache lines in the range of detachable device 19 that are in cache memory 120 . in this embodiment cache control circuit 122 use these registers to select cache lines for all of these addresses . if the number of available registers is smaller than the number of cache lines with addresses in the range of the detachable device , cache control circuit 122 may write back all cache lines with addresses in the range of the detachable device . in another embodiment , cache control circuit 122 may use two second registers from set of registers 124 to represent lower and upper addresses of the cache lines from that range in cache memory 120 . in this embodiment cache control circuit 122 may write back all cache lines for addresses from the lower address to the upper address . cache control circuit 122 updates the content of these registers dependent on the addresses of cache lines that are loaded into cache . cache control circuit 122 may compare these addresses of loaded caches lines both with the range of addresses allocated to detachable device 19 and with the range represented by the second registers . cache control circuit 122 expands the latter range to include the address of a newly the loaded caches line , if that address is within the range of addresses allocated to detachable device 19 , but outside the range represented by the second registers . set of registers 124 , may be implemented using separate registers , or by means of an auxiliary memory wherein the registers are respective memory locations . cache control circuit 122 may be a programmable circuit , with a program memory with a fixed program to perform the functions as described . alternatively , dedicated circuits may be provided in cache control circuit 122 to perform these functions . fig2 shows an embodiment of the data processing circuit with a plurality of processors 20 ( two shown by way of example , but more may be used ), each with its own cache circuit 22 coupled between the processor 20 and the communication circuit 14 . herein one common set of registers 24 is provided for all of the cache circuits 22 , to define the address range associated with detachable device 19 . in cache circuits 22 respective sets of registers 26 are provided for storing information about the cache lines for addresses within this range in respective cache circuits 22 . in this embodiment , the cache control circuits 122 of the cache circuits 22 use the common set of registers 24 to compare with the address of cache lines that are newly stored in their cache memories 120 , in order to decide whether to write information about those cache lines to their respective set of registers 26 . upon receiving the flush command the common set of registers 24 may be used to control write back from all cache circuits 22 . a common control module may be provided to control write back from all cache circuits . the common control module may be implemented as a detachment detector ( not shown ), or other flush command generator , coupled to the interface for the detachable circuit and to the cache control circuits 122 of the cache circuits 22 each of the processors 20 . alternatively a detachment detector , or other flush command generator , coupled to one of the processors 20 may be used , that processor comprising a software flush control module to respond to a detachment signal by issuing flush commands to all cache circuits . any other location of the flush control module may used . in an alternative embodiment , copies of the information that defines the address range associated with detachable device 19 may be stored in each of the respective sets of registers 26 for use by cache control circuits 122 . 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 . in the claims , the word โ comprising โ does not exclude other elements or steps , and the indefinite article โ a โ or โ an โ does not exclude a plurality . a single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims . the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage . a computer program may be stored / distributed on a suitable medium , such as an optical storage medium or a solid - state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware , but may also be distributed in other forms , such as via the internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems . any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope . | 6 |
referring initially to fig1 and 3 , the present invention will be generally described . fig1 depicts the power system disclosed in previously mentioned u . s . pat . no . 3 , 936 , 727 while fig3 shows a portion thereof which in accordance with the present invention , further includes means in simplified block diagram form for increasing the stability of the power system under varying load conditions . as shown in fig3 each line current output signal i 1 , i 2 , i 3 is respectively derived from current transformers ( not shown in fig3 ) and lines 15 , 16 and 17 of fig1 and is respectively passed through separate light load or no load stabilizing networks a , b and c which form part of the regulating loop . the outputs of the stabilizing networks are then directed into a current angle sensor 70 . each of the separate stabilizing networks a , b and c performs the function of adding a signal representative of a small in phase or real component of line current to the actual line current output signals i 1 , i 2 , i 3 whenever the real or in phase component of the line current is less than a predetermined level . in the present invention , the magnitude of the added signal is of a value such that the sum , i . e ., i 1 + added signal , is substantially equal to , or greater than , the minimum signal necessary for stable power system operation , i . e ., stable regulating loop operation . the predetermined level is defined as the minimum real line current component necessary for stable regulating loop operation . it is to be noted that , for purposes of clarity , only one current angle sensor 70 with three outputs is shown in fig3 . in practice , for a three phase system , three such current angle sensors would be provided , each having a single output . a single exemplary network a suitable for use in the system of the present invention is shown in more detail in fig4 . it is to be understood that the other networks ( b , c ) are substantially the same . each network includes the following : a first summation device 100 ; a zero cross detector 102 ; a pulse amplifier 104 ; a gate 106 ; sampling , storing , resetting means 108 ; a rectifier 110 ; a second summation and bias device 112 ; an on - off gate 114 ; a variable gain signal amplifier 116 ; and a third summation device 118 . it is to be noted that each of the network elements hereinbefore mentioned are conventional and do not by themselves form any part of this invention . the function of network a will now be described more particularly with reference to fig4 and the signal waveforms illustrated in fig5 a - 5n . in this description , although only the condition of a single phase ( line 15 of fig1 ) and the operation of network a will be discussed , it is to be understood that the discussion is also applicable to the other two phases ( lines 16 and 17 ) and the corresponding networks ( b , c ). referring now to fig4 the summation device 100 receives as its inputs voltage signals v &# 39 ; 3b and v &# 39 ; 2b which are representative of line to neutral voltages at the critical bus and are derived from the critical bus voltage protector 60 of fig1 & amp ; 3 . as shown in fig4 input v &# 39 ; 3b is inverted and then inputs v &# 39 ; 2b and - v &# 39 ; 3b are summed . the summed signal v &# 39 ; 2b - v &# 39 ; 3b , or simply v 23 , is then directed to the zero cross detector 102 . the zero cross detector 102 produces an output signal which is in the form of a short duration pulse when v 23 crosses through zero magnitude . the pulse amplifier 104 receives the output signal of the zero cross detector 102 , when present , and increases its magnitude so as to simplify signal processing . the gate 106 receives the output signal of the pulse amplifier 104 and actuates component 108 . component 108 samples and stores the rectified current signal i 1 from component 110 at the appropriate instant which corresponds to the previously mentioned zero crossing of v 23 . note that , as shown in fig5 a , in conventional three phase power systems , the zero crossing of v 2 = v 3 or v 23 corresponds in time to the maximum position of v 1 . therefore , the gated signals ( fig5 b ) from the zero cross detector 102 of fig4 correspond in time to the maximum v 1 value . more importantly , it is known that the reactive component of a current ( i 1 ) is zero at 90 ยฐ after zero crossing of the voltage signal ( v 1 ) associated therewith ( at maximum voltage value ). therefore , a measurement of the current i 1 at this point in time is a measurement of the real component only of the current i 1 . for example , as shown in fig5 b through 5e , a measurement of the current i 1 at this point in time reveals a real or in phase component of the current i 1 which , for purposes of illustration , lags the voltage v 1 by 75 ยฐ). more particularly , a branch of current signal i 1 is rectified by rectifier 110 of fig4 resulting in the signal waveform shown in fig5 d . another branch of current signal i 1 is directed to summation device 118 . the real component of the rectified current signal i 1 at the instant determined previously by gate 106 is sampled and stored by component 108 of fig4 resulting in a signal waveform ( fig5 e ) which is unidirectional and proportional to the real component of current i 1 . the magnitude of this signal waveform ( fig5 e ) remains constant until it is reset by the component 108 . resetting occurs upon the next sampling event which is initiated by gate 106 . the magnitude of the sampled and stored signal which is proportional to the real component of current i 1 is then compared with a value provided by the adjustable bias 112 of fig4 ( see waveforms of fig5 e , 5f , 5g ). the adjustable bias 112 produces a signal value which is unidirectional and constant . whenever the bias signal value at component 112 is greater than the magnitude of the real component signal of the sampled and stored real component of current i 1 , as shown in fig5 g , gate 114 is actuated . this causes an additional in phase current signal i 1sig ( fig5 h ) to be directed into summation device 118 . the additional in phase signal i 1sig is combined with the actual current signal i 1 by the summation device 118 of fig4 and the combination directed to the current angle sensor 70 . the additional current signal i 1sig of fig5 h is derived through the gain adjustment of component 116 from the projected line to neutral voltage v &# 39 ; 1b . the additional current signal i 1sig is proportional to , and in phase with , the voltage signal v &# 39 ; 1b or simply v 1 , which is directed through the gain amplifier 116 ( see waveforms of fig5 i , 5j ). note that fig5 h and 5j depict the same additional current signal i 1sig . the process in which i 1sig and i 1 are combined by the summation device 118 of fig4 is shown in fig5 j - 5l for a second illustrative case in whic the current i 1 lags the voltage v &# 39 ; 1b or simply v 1 , by 90 ยฐ. the current angle sensor 70 receives the combined signal ( i 1 + i 1sig ) and then develops an output signal which is directed to the reactive converter . note that the additional process provided by summation device 118 of fig4 and shown in fig5 j - 5m for the second illustrative case results in a situation in which the resultant signal ( i 1sig + i 1 ) received by the current angle sensor 70 causes the current angle sensor to measure a current phase angle much smaller than the actual 90 ยฐ. note also , in connection with fig5 m , 5n , that the waveforms of fig5 m , 5n are provided in a manner similar to the waveforms of fig2 b , 2c . referring now to fig6 and 7 , the present invention can be more completely appreciated . fig6 and 7 are similar to fig2 but show the prior art operation of the current angle sensor 70 under no load or light load conditions . as mentioned earlier , under these conditions , the current angle sensor 70 produces an output which results in a situation in which the regulated phase angle swings rapidly back and forth through zero to + 90 ยฐ ( fig6 ) and to - 90 ยฐ ( fig7 ). however , in the present invention , under the same conditions , i . e ., the second illustrative case , the added signal i 1sig functions to cause the current angle sensor to measure an angle , and produce an output therefrom , which corresponds to a value much smaller than the actual 90 ยฐ. this can be observed by comparing the magnitude of the output of the current angle sensor 70 under no load conditions in the prior art system ( fig6 and 7 ) with the corresponding output in the system of the present invention ( fig5 n ). the lowered magnitude of the current angle sensor output under the same no load conditions in the present invention dampens the oscillations which would otherwise occur between + 90 ยฐ and - 90 ยฐ. thus , in the present invention , a real or in phase current signal i sig is added to the actual line current signal i which is employed with the current angle sensor of previously mentioned u . s . pat . no . 3 , 936 , 727 . adding the signal i sig at no load or very light load load conditions causes the apparent phase angle , as viewed from the output of the current angle sensor 70 , to respond smoothly to an adjustment of the inductive current ( compensating current i c ) from the reactive converter . in the present invention , the gain of the regulating loop is limited to an adjustable ( gain ) limit , and the region of this gain lowering is adjustable by the bias value ( s ) chosen . this technique is particularly useful in three phase power systems . in such a case , each of the remaining line current signals i 2 , i 3 at the critical area can be modified as hereinbefore described . in this connection , as mentioned earlier , such as system will typically include tree current angle sensors and the associated circuitry described more completely in previously mentioned u . s . pat . no . 3 , 936 , 727 . to obtain a preferred control system for a particular application , it may be helpful to refer to fig8 and to set forth several guidelines . fig8 is a graph which shows the line current phase angle ( ฮธ ) at the critical bus as a function of the compensating current ( i c ) from the reactive converter for several different load currents ( i l ). the graph includes the case of no real load current ( i r = 0 ) as well as various real load current values with one unit of - 90 ยฐ lag load current ( i x ). in fig8 the loop gain of the supervisory regulating loop is proportional to the slope of the characteristic ( ฮดฮธ / ฮดi c ). it can be observed that , under zero or near zero real current ( i r ) conditions , a high loop gain condition undesirably causes the phase angle ( ฮธ ) to swing through zero very rapidly with only a small adjustment of the compensator current ( i c ) from the reactive converter . that is , under these conditions , the gain of the supervisory control loop approaches infinity . as the real component ( i r ) of load current ( i l ) is made less than about 10 % of the rated compensator current ( i c ), the loop gain [( ฮดฮธ / ฮดi c )] increases rapidly . thus , in a preferred control system , to engender stability and involve suitable dynamic response of the regulating system , the regulating or supervisory loop gain is reduced by adding a signal representative of the appropriate in phase current , as previously described , whenever the real component ( i r ) of load current ( i l ) is less than about 10 % of the rated compensator current ( i c ). adjustment of the bias value of fig4 to obtain the situation where the appropriate signal is added whenever the real component ( i r ) of load current is less than about 10 % of the rated compensator current ( i c ) can be achieved as follows : scaling associated with signal i 1 , the mechanism of the rectifier 110 and the sampling , storing resetting means 108 of fig4 define the relative magnitude of i 1 rectified real . by a similar scaling , rectifying , sampling , storing , resetting process for the determination of the reactive component of compensator current ( i c ), a relative magnitude of rated compensator current ( i c ) rectified reactive is determined . the bias is then set at 10 % of this value so as to actuate the previously described regulating loop stabilizing mechanism for load conditions involving less than 10 % real relative current . although the power system of the present invention has been hereinbefore illustrated with a particular light load or no load stabilizing network ( s ), other means may be substituted therefor . one such technique is to provide means which continuously adds an in phase current signal to the current angle sensor while the power system is energized . this rather crude approach will engender stability at no load or light load conditions at zero phae angle regulation . however , this technique will engender error in the phase angle measurements and regulation at other than zero phase angle regulation even when the supervisory regulating loop would otherwise be stable . this error in phase angle regulation at other than zero phase angle regulation is present in the previously described preferred regulating system only when the system would otherwise be unstable . the advantage of the preferred system over the more crude approach can be appreciated by noting that , in a typical application including an arc furnace , conditions are such that the regulating loop , if not corrected , will tend to be unstable about 5 % to 10 % of its operating time . thus , in the preferred system , there is a trade off of non - zero phase angle regulation capability for stability only during 5 % to 10 % of operating time . also , although the light load or no load stabilizing means of the present invention has been described with regard to a particular power regulation system , i . e ., the system disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 936 , 727 , it is also applicable to other systems . for example , it is generally applicable to power regulating systems involving the control of the current angle or power factor in the event that no - load or light real load component conditions may occur . while i have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention by way of illustration , many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and i therefore wish to have it understood that i intend in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention . | 8 |
fig1 - 4 illustrate a distraction device ( distractor ) 100 according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention . the distraction device 100 is compatible with minimally invasive procedures , where the patella is not reflected ( or reduced ) and the knee joint is not opened completely . the distraction device 100 has a flat / planar base 110 which is configured and intended to rest or sit on a plateau cut that is made in a bone as part of the implant surgery . for purposes of illustration only , the distraction device 100 will be described as being used in a knee implant operation and thus fig1 shows a femur bone 10 and tibia bone 20 ; however , the potential applications of the distraction device 100 extend and go beyond the knee implant surgery and thus , the following description of the application of the distraction device 100 in knee implant surgery is merely exemplary and not limiting of the present invention . in the case where the distraction device 100 is used in knee implant surgery , the base 110 thereof rests on a tibial plateau cut that is made near the end of the tibia 20 . the base 110 is configured so that it is adjustable to accommodate a range of knee sizes . more particularly , the base 110 is in the form of a plate and more specifically , the base 110 is informed of two base plates , namely , a first plate 120 ( internal plate ) and a second plate 130 ( external plate ). the first and second plates 120 , 130 are adjustable relative to one another and in particular , the first and second plates 120 , 130 are pivotably connected to one another by a pivot joint 140 . in order for the first and second plates 120 , 130 to lie in the same plane and be pivotally connected , the first plate 120 has a main portion 122 and a raised portion 124 that is connected to the main portion 122 by means of a ramp 126 . as illustrated in fig2 , when the lower surface of the main portion 122 rests on the ground , the portion 124 is elevated relative to the ground such that a space 125 is formed under the lower surface of the raised portion 124 . similarly , the second plate 130 has a main portion 132 and a raised portion 134 that is connected to the main portion 132 by means of a ramp 136 . as illustrated in fig2 , when the lower surface of the main portion 132 rests on the ground , the portion 134 is elevated relative to the ground such that a space 135 is formed under the lower surface of the raised portion 124 . the first and second plates 120 , 130 are pivotally connected at the raised portions 124 , 134 and as shown in fig2 , one raised portion ( e . g ., portion 124 ) overlies the other raised portion ( e . g ., portion 134 ). the pivot joint 140 extends through both of the raised portions 124 , 134 and permits the two plates 120 , 130 to pivot at the raised portions 124 , 134 thereof . the raised portion 124 of the first plate 120 has an opening 128 formed therethrough proximate the pivot joint 140 . similarly , the raised portion 134 includes an opening or slot 138 proximate the pivot joint 140 . a u - shaped piece ( not shown ) can be inserted into opening 128 and slot 138 . by turning a nut ( not shown ) or the like that is part of a threaded post of the u - shaped piece that traverses the slot 138 , the size and arrangement of the base 110 , and in particular , the relative positions of the first and second plates 120 , 130 can be locked into a fixed position . since the portions 124 , 134 are raised relative to the main portions 122 , 132 , respectively , receiving an object ( e . g ., the u - shaped piece ) through the opening 128 and slot 138 does not interfere with the main portions 122 , 132 resting on the planar cut since it can be received in the space 125 , 135 . the lower surfaces of the first and second base plates 120 , 130 can be rough or can have protrusions , such as spikes , so as to prevent the distraction device 100 from sliding around on the tibial plateau cut . in addition , openings can also be included so that the surgeon can fix the distraction device 100 to the tibial bone ( at tibial cut ) by means of pins or screws that are received through openings formed through the first and second plates 120 , 130 . the distraction device 100 includes two upper femoral plateaus , namely , a first upper femoral plateau member 150 ( internal ) and a second upper femoral plateau member 160 ( external ). the first upper femoral plateau member 150 is configured and intended to support the internal ( medial ) condyle 12 of the femur 10 , while the second upper femoral plateau member 160 is configured and intended to support the external ( lateral ) condyle 14 of the femur 10 . as described above in more detail and based on the pivoting action between the plates 120 , 130 , the distance of separation between each plateau members 150 , 160 is adjustable . more specifically , the optimal distance of separation between the plateau members 150 , 160 can be automatically computed from the femoral bone model , by for example , calculating the distance between the most posterior or most distal points on the femoral condyles 12 , 14 . an average of these two distances can be selected so that the distraction device 100 fits the femur 10 when the knee is in both flexion and in extension . markings can be incorporated onto the distraction device 100 , for example , on the base 110 ( plates 120 , 130 ) to indicate the separation distance so that the surgeon can adjust the tibial base distance to the appropriate value as determined by various techniques . alternatively , a caliper system or similar tool can be used to measure the distance between the plateau members 150 , 160 . alternatively , pair of holes can be made in the base plates 120 , 130 of the distraction device 100 corresponding to predefined discrete distance that correspond to various sizes of a knee implant . the surgeon can then easily insert a peg or the like into the proper holes in order to replicate a particular size of the implant that corresponds to the planned implant size . an upper surface of each of the first and second femoral plateau members 150 , 160 is constructed to support and complement the respective condyle and can be convex in form in both the sagittal and frontal planes to better fit with the femoral condyles 12 , 14 , respectively . thus , they can be spherical or they can have different curvatures in the different planes to simulate different levels of constraints . the first and second upper femoral plateau members 150 , 160 are coupled to the first and second base plates 120 , 130 , respectively , by means of a linkage mechanism 200 that ensures that each of the plateau members 150 , 160 remains parallel to the respective lower base plate 120 , 130 throughout the course of the distraction motion ( i . e ., the range of motion of a distraction operation ). the linkage mechanism 200 is formed of a plurality of link pairs 210 , 220 connected to each other and coupled to one of the femoral plateau members 150 , 160 and the respective base plate 120 , 130 by pins or the like 230 . as shown , the link 210 is connected at one end to one of the femoral plateau members 150 , 160 and is connected at its other end to one end of the other link 220 . the pins 230 permit pivoting of the links 210 , 220 with respect to each other and with respect to the femoral plateau plates 150 , 160 and the base plates 120 , 130 . the links 210 , 220 are arranged at angles to each other such that when one pair of links 210 , 220 hinges or pivots open , all other link pairs 210 , 220 open at an equal angle , thereby constraining the first and second upper femoral plateau members 150 , 160 to remain parallel to the first and second lower base plates 120 , 130 . in one exemplary embodiment , at least three linkage mechanisms 200 for each of the first and second femoral plateau members 150 , 160 and the respective base plate 120 , 130 are chosen to optimize the stability , strength and size of the linkage mechanism 200 . however , it will be appreciated that each mechanism 200 can have more or less than three pairs of links 210 , 220 . thus , two or four pairs of links 210 , 220 can be used . it will also be appreciated that instead of having link pairs defined by parts 210 , 220 that are coupled to and between the first and second femoral plateau members 150 , 160 and the respective base plate 120 , 130 , there can be more than two links in each set . in other words , link triplets defined by three link members pivotally attached to one another and to the first and second femoral plateau members 150 , 160 and the respective base plate 120 , 130 can be provided or link quadruplet defined by four link members can be employed instead of the illustrated link pairs 210 , 220 . the illustrated linkage mechanism 200 has been designed such that it has a low profile height on the order of about 5 mm when fully retracted as illustrated in fig2 , and a considerably higher height of about 15 mm or 20 mm when fully extended . if additional heights are required beyond the maximum height range , spacer blocks can be fastened onto the first and second upper femoral plateau members to augment the maximum achievable height . the fastening mechanism that is incorporated into the distraction device 100 can be any number of different types , including but not limited to , a quick - clip or snap type mechanism , or a peg and hole type mechanism , or a sliding dove tail joint arrangement , etc . in addition , in the case where the above mentioned spacer blocks are used , these blocks can have similar surfaces to those of the first and second femoral plateau members 150 , 160 and are constructed to mate in a complementary manner with the condyles 12 , 14 of the femur 10 . alternatively , the spacer blocks can have different shaped surfaces , such as flat planes so that they can fit the femur 10 after the distal femoral and posterior femoral cuts are made . by measuring the gap spaces between the femur 10 and tibia 20 , the physician can determine if the required distraction height is greater than the maximum height achievable by the distraction device 100 . the system can also advise the surgeon as to which height of spacer block to use in order to sufficiently augment the distraction height , while keeping the distraction device &# 39 ; s dynamic range of motion or workspace in a suitable location . the height of each of the first and second upper femoral plateau members 150 , 160 is preferably independently controlled by a controller or some other type of mechanism . there are any number of different techniques that can be used to control the movement of the first and second upper femoral plateau members 150 , 160 relative to the first and second base plates 120 , 130 . for example , the height can be controlled by a hydraulic system . since the height of the distraction device 100 can be readily changed , the portion of the device 100 that is inserted into the joint can remain as small as possible , and require only a minimum opening of the joint . fig4 illustrates one exemplary means 300 for controlling the height of the first and second upper femoral plateau members 150 , 160 relative to the first and second base plates 120 , 130 . the illustrated means 300 is a fluid based system and includes a first fluid holding member that is expandable ( first pouch ) 310 that is intended to be associated with one of the linkage mechanisms 200 and a second fluid holding member that is expandable ( second pouch ) 320 that is intended to be associated with another linkage mechanism 200 . more specifically , the first pouch 310 is constructed to surround one linkage mechanism 200 and receive and hold a fluid ( e . g ., water ) and the second pouch 320 is constructed to surround another linkage mechanism 200 . the first pouch 310 is thus a flexible member that has a hollow interior 310 that is constructed to accommodate the linkage mechanisms 200 which in the illustrated embodiments is defined by three pairs of links pairs . each of the first and second pouches 310 , 320 has an upper part 312 and an opposing lower part 314 , with the upper part 312 being coupled to a first intermediate plate 330 , while the lower part 314 is coupled to a second intermediate plate 340 . the intermediate plates 330 , 340 can have any number of different sizes and shapes so long as they are complementary to the other parts and perform the function of providing a mounting surface or substrate that permits the linkage mechanism 200 to be mounted between the base 110 and the upper femoral plateau members 150 , 160 . in the illustrated embodiment , the intermediate plates 330 , 340 are in the form of disks or the like . in fact , the linkage pairs defined by parts 210 , 220 are disposed between the two intermediate plates 330 , 340 , with the part 210 being attached to the first intermediate plate 330 and the part 220 being attached to the second intermediate plate 340 . the upper part 312 of the first pouch 310 can be coupled to the first intermediate plate 330 with fastening means 332 ( such as screws or the like ) and the lower part 314 can be coupled to the second intermediate plate 340 with fastening means 332 , with the plates 330 , 340 being attached to the first upper femoral plateau member 150 and the base plate 120 . similarly , the upper part 312 of the second pouch 320 can be coupled to the first intermediate plate 330 with fastening means 332 ( such as screws or the like ) and the lower part 314 can be coupled to the second intermediate plate 340 with fastening means 332 , with the plates 330 , 340 being attached to the second upper femoral plateau member 160 and the base plate 130 . the attachment of the first and second pouches 310 , 320 to the intermediate plates 330 , 340 forms a tight waterproof seal . openings 350 formed in the linkage mechanisms 200 prevent hole bosses 352 from interfering and impinging upon the links 210 , 220 through the course of the range of distractor motion . in other words , as the distraction device 100 moves over its range of motion ( up and down ) the screw bosses 352 will likewise move ; however , the openings 350 are formed in the links 210 , 220 to permit reception of the screw bosses 352 and therefore , permit smooth movement of the device 100 . the pouches 310 , 320 can be made out of a medical grade plastic or pvc or any other suitable material . preferably , the pouches 310 , 320 are made from a material that is the least extensible as possible so that the distraction height does not change significantly when loads are applied . the material should be bendable to accommodate changes in the shape as the plateau height is increased or decreased , but should also resist expanding or stretching like a balloon when the fluid pressure increases . in other words , if the fluid volume in the pouches 310 , 320 is held constant , the distraction height should also remain constant even if the loads are applied since the pouches 310 , 320 do not expand under the applied pressure . the pouches 310 , 320 can be manufactured as two separate discs and joined together around the linkage mechanisms 200 with a seam to reduce manufacturing costs . preferably , the seam is made using a high frequency welding machine so as to be strong and resist rupturing . in one embodiment , the pouches 310 , 320 are fluid operated with fluid being supplied by means of conduits ( tubes ) 360 that can extend from the pouches 310 , 320 to transmit the fluid . the conduits 360 can be flexible so as not to interfere with the patella and the tissues surrounding the joint as the knee joint is flexed and distracted . the fluid can be sterile water , saline solution , mineral oil , or any other appropriate fluid . a purge system can be incorporated to remove any bubbles in the system . the height of each of the first and second upper femoral plateau members 150 , 160 is independently controlled by a controller or the like . the controller can include one or more motors or the like that are operated to control the amount of fluid in each pouch 310 , 320 and the height of the respective first and second upper femoral plateau members 150 , 160 . operation of the motors results in fluid traveling through the conduits 360 into the pouches 310 , 320 and this causes the fluid pressure to increase in the pouch 310 , 320 . apposing forces are applied to the intermediate plates 330 , 340 resulting in an increase in height of the upper femoral plateau plate 150 , 160 relative to the base plates 120 , 130 ( first and second degrees of freedom ( dof )). this in turn causes the position of the femur 10 to change relative to the tibia 20 in the knee joint . it will be appreciated that any number of different types of controllers , actuators , devices , etc ., can be used to cause a controlled change in the distraction device 100 . while exemplary drawings and specific embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated , it is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be limited to the particular embodiments discussed . thus , the embodiments shall be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive , and it should be understood that variations may be made in those embodiments by workers skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims that follow , and equivalents thereof . in addition , the features of the different claims set forth below may be combined in various ways in further accordance with the present invention . | 0 |
the apparatus of fig1 comprises an arbitrary number of cameras 1 , 2 connected to a video mixer 3 . each camera comprises an image sensor 4 which transmits an input video image stream formed of consecutive video images to mixer 3 via a cable 5 , a control unit 6 having a plurality of keys for setting an operating mode of the camera 1 , 2 and a viewfinder 7 in which the image stream from the image sensor 4 of the camera is displayed . the control units 6 and the viewfinders 7 of the cameras 1 , 2 are connected to the video mixer 3 by said cables 5 , too , thus enabling the control units 6 to transmit control instructions to the mixer 3 or receive control instructions from it and enabling the viewfinder 7 to play back image information it receives from the mixer 3 . primarily , the mixer 3 is a switch for selecting one of the input video image streams from the cameras 1 , 2 and outputting it as an output video image stream , e . g . to a recording device or to an antenna , not shown , for being broadcast . the mixer 3 is adapted to switch over the output video image stream continuously from a first one of the input streams originating e . g . from camera 1 to a second one of the input streams originating e . g . from camera 2 by dividing the image area into first and second regions and extracting each pixel of the first region of an output image from an image of the first input stream and each pixel belonging to the second region from an image of the second input stream . by continuously increasing the size of the second region at the expense of the first one , the output image stream , which initially was identical to the first input stream , gradually becomes identical to the second one . this kind of switchover is also known in the art as a โ wipe โ. control means for triggering a wipe and for setting its parameters such as duration , the starting point of the second region and its way of growing may be provided at the video mixer 3 , where they can be handled by a mixer operator . according to the invention , such control means are provided in the control units 6 of the video cameras 1 , 2 , in addition to or instead of those at the mixer 3 . by transmitting wipe parameters and , eventually , a wipe command from the control unit 6 to the video mixer 3 , a mixer operator can be dispensed with . fig2 is an outline of the communication between the cameras 1 , 2 and the video mixer 3 during a wipe . it is assumed that initially , the video image stream output by mixer 3 originates from camera 1 , symbolized in fig2 by a broad arrow 8 extending from a line representing camera 1 to a line representing mixer 3 , the width of which arrow 8 is representative of the time interval in which the output of mixer 3 is derived from camera 1 . at an arbitrary instant of this time interval , the video mixer 3 receives a wipe test request 9 from one of the cameras connected to it . it will be assumed in the following that the request originates from camera 1 , but it is understood that any other camera might submit the request , too . the request defines the target camera of the wipe , i . e . the camera whose image stream will be output from mixer 3 once the wipe has been carried out , the duration of the wipe , the initial location of the second region and its type of growth . the mixer 3 communicates the request to the cameras concerned by messages 10 , which also specify the parameters of the wipe . based on these parameters , each camera 1 , 2 calculates how the border between first and second image regions will move if the wipe is actually carried out and displays the moving border in its viewfinder 7 , superimposed upon the view which is currently being taken by the camera . thus , a cameraperson who handles camera 1 and caused it to transmit the wipe test request 9 can estimate the effects the wipe would have on the view which is currently being taken by camera 1 and may eventually select a view which is better suited . similarly , the cameraperson handling target camera 2 can tell from the border displayed in his viewfinder that his camera is a target of a switch request and that the view he is shooting will eventually soon be on the air . when the cameraperson of camera 1 is satisfied with the wipe test , he / she may cause the camera 1 to send a wipe command 11 to the mixer 3 . the mixer 3 forwards the wipe command 11 to camera 2 . by sending and receiving the wipe command 11 , the cameras 1 , 2 are enabled to receive the output image stream 12 from the video mixer 3 , which will be displayed in the viewfinders 7 of the cameras 1 , 2 during the switchover . when the switchover is complete , only the video image stream from camera 2 , represented by broad arrow 13 , is output by video mixer 3 . fig3 is a series of schematic representations of what is seen in the viewfinders 7 of cameras 1 , 2 during the procedure of fig2 , according to a first embodiment of the invention . in each section of the fig ., the left image corresponds to camera 1 , and the right image corresponds to camera 2 . a thick outline drawn around an image frame indicates that the corresponding camera provides or contributes to the output image stream at the instant concerned . the squares of different sizes shown in the image frames of fig3 must not be construed as objects seen by the cameras , but merely as patterns which indicate the origin of the particular image region shown : if the region is filled by small squares , it originates from camera 1 , if it is filled with large squares , it originates from camera 2 . section a ) of fig3 corresponds to an instant in time before a wipe test request is transmitted . as can be recognized based on the above explanations , camera 1 is the only source of the output image stream , and each viewfinder 7 displays the scene which is being shot by the camera to which it belongs . section b ) corresponds to an instant in time shortly after a wipe test request has been notified to the cameras 1 , 2 by the message 10 . the request specifies that the second region 16 will be a square which starts to grow from the upper right corner of the viewfinder screen . in each viewfinder , the border 14 between first and second regions 15 , 16 is shown superimposed onto the scene which is observed by the camera to which the viewfinder belongs , the scene remaining visible in first and second image regions 15 , 16 . in stage c ) the second image regions 16 have grown larger in both viewfinders . by watching the second region 16 grow , the camerapeople at cameras 1 , 2 can tell how the wipe will affect the views they are shooting and whether it is appropriate to change the view in order to make the wipe look good in the output image stream . when the border 14 has moved across the entire viewfinder screen in stage d , the viewfinders look the same as in stage a again . when a cameraperson decides to carry out a wipe from camera 1 to camera 2 and sends the wipe command 11 , the output image stream begins to be downloaded to cameras 1 , 2 , so that in a first instant of the wipe , shown in section e ), the viewfinder of camera 2 displays the scene taken by camera 1 . the viewfinder of camera 1 also displays the output image stream , but since in stage e ), the output image stream is provided by camera 1 alone , the scene which is shown in the viewfinder is the same as before . subsequently , the border 14 between a first image region 15 displaying the view of camera 1 and the second image region 16 displaying the view of camera 2 propagates across the screens of both viewfinders , as shown in sections f ), g ). when the wipe is finished , in stage h ), the mixer 3 ceases to transmit the output image stream to the two viewfinders 7 , and these display again the scenes viewed by their respective cameras . fig4 shows a series of viewfinder screenshots from cameras 1 , 2 according to an alternative embodiment of the method . the initial situation , shown in section a ) of fig4 , is the same as in section a ) of fig3 . when the video mixer 3 receives a wipe test request from camera 1 which is currently providing the output video stream of the mixer 3 or from camera 2 which would provide the output video stream when the wipe has been carried out , the image shown in the viewfinder of camera 2 is modified , as indicated by hatching in section b ). the modification can be of any type that affects the entire area of the image , e . g . the image may become darker , it may turn from colour to black and white , or the like . subsequently , as shown in stages c ) and d ), the image area is split into first and second regions 15 , 16 , the second region 16 expanding continuously all over the viewfinder until it occupies the entire image area in stage e ). in the viewfinder of camera 1 , the second image region is modified in the same way as was the entire viewfinder image of camera 2 in stage b , whereas in the viewfinder of camera 2 , the second image region 16 is displayed normally again . in this way , it is evident for the camerapersons at any time which one of the two regions 15 , 16 that they can see in their viewfinder will be present in the output image stream during the wipe . nevertheless , they can still see the entire field of view of their camera during the wipe test . when a wipe is actually started in stage f ) of fig4 , the viewfinders 7 of the cameras 1 , 2 begin to receive the output image stream from mixer 3 . camera 1 , initially being the only source of the output image stream , displays it normally , whereas camera 2 applies to it the same modification as during the wipe test . again , the image area in the viewfinders is divided into first and second regions , and the second region , now carrying image information from camera 2 , expands continuously , as shown in stages g ) and h ), until it fills the entire viewfinder screen . when this happens , the wipe is finished , camera 2 has become the only source of the output image stream , mixer 3 ceases to feed back the output image stream to the viewfinders 7 , and these display the field of view of their respective cameras again , as shown in stage i ). fig5 illustrates a third embodiment of the switchover method . the initial situation , show in section a ), is the same as in fig3 and 4 . when a wipe test is carried out , in the viewfinder of camera 1 , a border 14 between first and second image regions 15 , 16 , propagates from the upper right corner across the entire viewfinder screen , as shown in sections b ) and c ). in the viewfinder of camera 2 , however , the border 14 propagates in the opposite direction , starting from the lower left corner . in this way , the camera person who operates camera 1 can tell that if a wipe is carried out with the parameters set for the wipe test , the view taken by camera 1 will gradually be superseded by the view from camera 2 in the output image stream , starting at the upper right corner , whereas the cameraperson operating camera 2 can see that the lower left corner of the view taken by camera 2 will be the first to appear in the output image stream during the wipe . after the wipe test , as shown in section d ), the screens of both viewfinders appear the same as at the beginning , in section a ). as in the case of fig3 , when the wipe is started , the output image stream is fed back to both viewfinders , as shown in section e ). as can be seen in sections f ), g ), the view taken by camera 2 gradually moves across the screen , i . e . objects viewed by camera 2 move across the screen , whereas those viewed by camera 1 remain stationary . when the images from camera 1 have been superseded completely by those from camera 2 in the output image stream , the wipe is finished , and the view finders revert to normal operation , as shown in section h ). | 7 |
an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the duplexed data memory system will be described below . [ 0036 ] fig1 of the accompanying drawings is a block diagram showing a duplexed data memory system according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 this duplexed data memory system comprises an original system composed of a main memory unit 1 , a original channel unit 2 , an original disk control unit 3 serving as an external memory control unit and an original disk unit 4 serving as an external memory unit and a subsystem composed of a main memory unit 5 , a subchannel unit 6 , a subdisk control unit 7 and a subdisk unit 8 similarly to this original system . the original channel unit 2 and the original disk control unit 3 ; and the subchannel unit 6 and the subdisk control unit 7 are connected together by interface cables 9 and 10 . also , the original disk control unit 3 and the subdisk control unit 7 are connected by an interface cable 11 . incidentally , the main memory unit 1 and the original channel unit 2 are connected to a part of a host unit ( not shown ) or the host unit . [ 0038 ] fig2 shows the internal arrangements of the original disk control unit 3 and the subdisk control unit 7 . as shown in fig2 the original disk control unit 3 includes a channel command analyzing section 30 , a subdisk control unit command issuing section 31 , a subdisk control unit command analyzing section 32 , a state management table 33 for managing the state of a duplexing forming disk unit and an access information management table 34 for registering access places of original and sub - disk units obtained during the duplexing is interrupted . similarly , the sub - side disk control unit 7 includes a channel command analyzing section 36 , an original disk control unit command issuing section 37 , an original disk control unit command analyzing section 38 , a state management table 39 for memorizing the same information as that of the state management table 33 of the original disk control unit and an access information table 40 for memorizing access places of the subdisk unit obtained during the duplexing is interrupted . as disk units used as original and sub - disk units , there are generally used magnetic disks , and any disk units may be used so long as they may be used as recording media such as a magnetic tape and a dvd . [ 0042 ] fig3 shows contents registered on the state management tables 33 , 39 and their abbreviations . a state 1 shows the state in which the duplexed data memory system shown in fig1 is used in the duplexing circumstances and data of the original system and the subsystem are coincident with each other . a state 2 shows the state in which the duplexed data memory system shown in fig1 is interrupted in use under the duplexing circumstances and data of the original system is updated . further , a state 3 shows the state in which the duplexed data memory system shown in fig1 is interrupted in use under the duplexed data circumstances and the write access is made on the subsystem . the processing operation in the embodiment of the present invention will be described in accordance with the flowcharts of fig4 to 7 . in fig4 to 7 , โ state 1 โ, โ state 2 โ and โ state 3 โ shown as the states registered on the state management table are those shown in fig3 . the present invention shown in fig1 to 3 will be described in detail with reference to fig4 to 7 . [ 0046 ] fig4 a shows a flow of processing executed in the sub - disk control unit 7 until the state management table 39 is set and the access information management table 40 is set since the access occurs in the sub - disk unit 7 . in fig4 a , if the command received at the channel command analyzing section 36 of the sub - disk unit 7 is the access to duplexed data ( step 100 ) and is also the write access ( step 110 ), then the state management table 39 is checked . then , the state is the duplexing (โ state 1 โ) ( step 120 ), then a command of the requested write access is rejected ( step 130 ). if the state is the duplexing interruption (โ state 2 โ) ( step 140 ), then the duplexing interruption write access state (โ state 3 โ) is registered on the state management table 39 ( step 150 ), and such state is reported to the original disk control unit 3 ( step 160 ) by a dedicated command . also in the original disk control unit 3 , the received state is similarly registered on the state management table 33 . with respect to the registration processing { circle over ( 1 )} of access information on the sub - disk unit 8 in fig4 a , as shown in fig4 b , write access place information may be registered on the access information management table 40 ( step 170 ). alternatively , as shown in fig4 c , the access information may be reported to the original disk control unit 3 by a dedicated command ( step 180 ). when the access information registration processing shown in fig4 b is realized , after the access to the backup data was ended , the disk control unit for controlling original data collectively reads out update place information of backup data from the disk control unit which controls the backup data . on the other hand , when the access information registration processing shown in fig4 c is realized , after the access to the backup data was ended , the disk control unit for controlling backup data collectively reports update place information of backup data to the disk control unit which controls original data . in any cases , the original disk control unit 3 merges received access information to access information relative to the original disk unit 3 , and registers merged access information on the access information management table 34 . then , fig5 shows a flow of a processing executed in the sub - disk control unit 7 until the access information is reported to the original disk control unit 3 since the access to the sub - disk unit 8 was ended . in fig5 a , if a command received at the channel command analyzing section 36 of the sub - disk control unit 7 is an access end command relative to the sub - disk unit 8 which is placed in the duplexed data state ( step 300 ), then the end of the access is reported to the positive disk control unit 3 by a dedicated command from the positive disk control unit command issuing section 37 ( step 310 ). then , if the write access of the duplexing interruption is carried out with reference to the state management table 39 ( step 320 ), then a processing { circle over ( 2 )} in which the access information is reported to the original disk control unit 3 is realized by a method of fig5 b or fig5 c . when this processing { circle over ( 2 )} is realized by the method shown in fig5 b , the access information read request from the original disk control unit 3 is awaited ( step 330 ). then , after such request is received , the access information is reported to the original disk control unit 3 by a dedicated command ( step 340 ), and the contents of the access information management table 40 are cleared ( step 350 ). on the other hand , when the processing { circle over ( 2 )} is realized by the method shown in fig5 c , the access information is reported to the original disk control unit 3 by a dedicated command ( step 360 ), and the contents of the access information management table 40 are cleared ( step 370 ). thereafter , the duplexing interruption information is registered on the state management table 39 ( step 380 ). [ 0058 ] fig6 shows a flow of a processing executed by the original disk control unit 3 until the access information of the sub - disk unit 8 is obtained after the access end report to the sub - disk unit 8 was received . in fig6 a , after the access end report was received at the sub - disk control unit command analyzing section 32 of the original disk control unit 3 ( step 400 ), the state management table 33 is checked . if the write access of the duplexing interruption is carried out ( step 410 ), then an access information registration processing { circle over ( 3 )} may be realized by either method shown in fig6 b or fig6 c . if the processing shown in fig6 b is executed , then the access information read command is issued to the sub - disk control unit 7 by a dedicated command ( step 420 ), and the read - out information is merged to the access information relative to the original disk unit 4 and then registered on the access information management table 34 ( step 430 ). if the processing shown in fig6 c is executed , then the report of the access information from the sub - disk control unit 7 is awaited ( step 440 ), and the received information is merged to the access information relative to the original disk unit 4 and then registered on the access information management table 34 ( step 450 ). thereafter , the sub - side write access information of the duplexing interruption is registered on the state management table 33 ( step 460 ). further , fig7 shows a flow of a processing executed in the original disk control unit 3 when the duplexing is resumed from the interruption in the embodiment . a command in which information indicating whether data of the original disk unit 4 obtained after the duplexing is resumed is used as data of the original disk unit 4 obtained in the duplexing interruption ( original data is used ) or as data of the sub - disk unit 8 ( sub - data is used ) is added to a conventional duplexing resume command is prepared as a new duplexing resume command . in fig7 a , if it is determined by the channel command analyzing section 30 of the original disk control unit 3 that the command from the original channel unit 2 is the duplexing resume command ( step 600 ), then the state management table 33 is checked . then , if such command is placed in other states than the duplexing interruption state ( step 610 ), then the command is rejected ( step 620 ). if the state is the duplexing interruption state and the added information of the duplexing resume command represents original data use ( step 630 ), then the access information management table 34 is checked , and the write command relative to the access place is issued to the sub - disk unit 8 ( step 640 ). if the added information of the duplexing resume command does not represent the original data use ( i . e . represent sub - data use ) ( step 630 ), then the access information management table 34 is checked , a read command relative to the access place is issued to the sub - disk control unit 7 ( step 680 ), and the data thus obtained is written in the original disk unit 4 ( step 690 ). following the steps 640 and 690 , as shown in fig7 b , duplexing information is registered on the state management table 33 ( step 650 ), and contents of the access information management table 34 are cleared ( step 660 ). also in the sub - disk control unit 7 , after the writing of received data is ended at the step 640 , or when data was reported at the step 680 , duplexing information is registered on the state management table 39 . as described above , the sub - disk control unit 7 memorizes information of update place in response to the access to the backup data . after the access was ended , the original disk control unit 3 reads out such information from the sub - disk control unit 7 . alternatively , after the access was ended , the sub - disk control unit 7 reports such information to the original disk control unit 3 so that each time the access occurs in the backup data , the update place obtained by the accessing of the sub - disk unit 8 is reported to the original disk control unit 3 . as described above , according to the multiplexed data memory system of the present invention , under the circumstances comprising the original system for executing the business and the sub - system holding its backup data , resources may be effectively utilized by accessing the read and write from and on the backup data . also , the multiplexing of data may be efficiently reorganized by copying only the update place data from the original system disk unit to the sub - system disk unit or copying only the update place data from the sub - system disk unit to the original system disk unit after the access was ended . having described a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment and that various changes and modifications could be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims . | 8 |
referring to the drawings the apparatus and technique is directed to plastically deforming ( embossing or debossing ) the circumferential wall of an aluminium container 1 at a predetermined position relative to a preprinted decorative design on the external container wall . where the embossing deformation is intended to coincide with the printed decorative design , this is referred to in the art as registered embossing . in the embodiment shown in the drawings , a design 50 comprising a series of three axially spaced arc grooves is to be embossed at 180 degree opposed locations on the container wall ( see fig1 a ). for aesthetic reasons it is important that the location at which the design 50 is embossed is coordinated with the printed design on the container 1 wall . coordination of the container 1 axial orientation with the tooling to effect deformation is therefore crucial . referring to fig5 to 7 the forming apparatus 2 comprises a vertically orientated rotary table 3 operated to rotate ( about a horizontal axis ) in an indexed fashion to successively rotationally advanced locations . spaced around the periphery of table 3 are a series of container holding stations comprising clamping chucks 4 . containers are delivered in sequence to the table in random axial orientations , each being received in a respective chuck 4 , securely clamped about the container base 5 . a vertically orientated forming table 6 faces the rotary table 3 and carries a series of deformation tools at spaced tooling stations 7 . following successive rotary index movements of rotary table 3 , table 6 is advanced from a retracted position ( fig5 ) to an advanced position ( fig8 ). in moving to the advanced position the respective tools at tooling stations 7 perform forming operations on the container circumferential walls proximate their respective open ends 8 . successive tooling stations 7 perform successive degrees of deformation in the process . this process is well known and used in the prior art and is frequently known as necking . necked designs of various neck / shoulder profiles such as that shown in fig3 can be produced . necking apparatus typically operates at speeds of up to 200 containers per minute giving a typical working time duration at each forming station in the order of 0 . 3 seconds . in this time , it is required that the tooling table 6 moves axially to the advanced position , the tooling at a respective station contacts a respective container and deforms one stage in the necking process , and the tooling table 6 is retracted . in accordance with the invention , in addition to the necking / shoulder - forming tooling at stations 7 , the tooling table carries embossing tooling 10 at an embossing station 9 . the embossing tooling ( shown most clearly in fig1 to 16 ) comprises inner forming tool parts 11 a , 11 b of respective arms 11 of an expandable internal tool mandrel 15 . tool parts 11 a , 11 b carry respective female embossing formations 12 . the embossing tooling 10 also includes a respective outer tool arrangement including respective arms 13 carrying tooling parts 13 a , 13 b having complementary male embossing formations 14 . in moving to the table 7 advanced position the respective internal tool parts 11 a , 11 b are positioned internally of the container spaced adjacently the container 1 wall ; the respective external tool parts 13 a , 13 b are positioned externally of the container spaced adjacently the container 1 wall . the internal mandrel 15 is expandable to move the tooling parts 11 a , 11 b to a relatively spaced apart position in which they abut the internal wall of the container 1 ( see fig1 ) from the collapsed position shown in fig1 ( tools 11 a , 11 b spaced from the internal wall of the container 1 ). an elongate actuator rod 16 is movable in a longitudinal direction to effect expansion and contraction of the mandrel 15 and consequent movement apart and toward one another of the tool parts 11 a , 11 b . a the cam head portion 17 of the actuator rod 16 effects expansion of the mandrel 15 as the actuator rod 16 moves in the direction of arrow a . the cam head portion 17 acts against sloping wedge surfaces 65 of the tool parts 11 a , 11 b to cause expansion ( moving apart ) of the tool parts 11 a , 11 b . the resilience of arms 11 biases the mandrel 15 to the closed position as the rod 16 moves in the direction of arrow b . outer tool arms 13 are movable toward and away from one another under the influence of closing cam arms 20 of actuator 21 acting on a cam shoulder 13 c of respective arms 13 . movement of actuator 21 in the direction of arrow d causes the external tooling parts 13 a to be drawn toward one another . movement of actuator 21 in the direction of arrow e causes the external tool parts 13 a to relatively separate . arms 13 and 11 of the outer tool arrangement and the inner mandrel are retained by cam support ring 22 . the arms 11 , 13 resiliently flex relative to the support ring 22 as the actuators 21 , 16 operate . as an alternative to the cam / wedge actuation arrangement , other actuators may be used such as hydraulic / pneumatic , electromagnetic ( e . g . solenoid actuators ) electrical ( servo / stepping ) motors . the operation of the embossing tooling is such that the internal mandrel 15 is operable to expand and contract independently of the operation of the external tool parts 13 a . the internal mandrel 15 ( comprising arms 11 ) and the external tooling ( comprising arms 13 ) connected at cam support ring 22 , are rotatable relative to table 6 , in unison about the axis of mandrel 15 . bearings 25 are provided for this purpose . a servo - motor ( or stepping motor ) 26 is connected via appropriate gearing to effect controlled rotation of the tooling 10 relative to table 6 in a manner that will be explained in detail later . with the tooling 10 in the position shown in fig1 , the mandrel 15 is expanded by moving actuator rod 16 in the direction of arrow a causing the internal tooling parts 11 a to lie against the internal circumferential wall of cylinder 1 , adopting the configuration shown in fig1 , 12 a . next actuator 21 moves in the direction of arrow d causing cam arms 20 to act on cam shoulder 13 c and flexing arms 13 toward one another . in so doing the external tooling parts 13 a engage the cylindrical wall of container 1 , projections 14 deforming the material of the container 1 wall into respective complementary receiving formations 12 on the internal tooling parts 11 a . the deforming tooling parts 11 a , 13 a , can be hard , tool steel components or formed of other materials . in certain embodiments one or other of the tooling parts may comprise a conformable material such as plastics , polymeric material or the like . an important feature is that the internal tooling parts 11 a support the non deforming parts of the container wall during deformation to form the embossed pattern 50 . at this stage in the procedure , the situation is as shown in fig1 , 13 a . the configuration and arrangement of the cam arms 20 , cam shoulders 13 c of the external embossing tooling and the sloping ( or wedge ) cam surface of internal tooling parts 11 a ( cooperating with the cam head 17 of rod 16 ) provide that the embossing force characteristics of the arrangement can be controlled to ensure even embossing over the entire area of the embossed pattern 50 . the external cam force action on the outer tool parts 13 a is rearward of the embossing formations 14 ; the internal cam force action on the inner tool parts 11 a is forward of the embossing formations 12 . the forces balance out to provide a final embossed pattern of consistent depth formations over the entire zone of the embossed pattern 50 . next actuator 21 returns to its start position ( arrow e ) permitting the arms 13 of the external tooling to flex outwardly to their normal position . in so doing tooling parts 13 a disengage from embossing engagement with the container 1 external surface . at this stage in the procedure , the situation is as shown in fig1 , 14 a . the next stage in the procedure is for the internal mandrel to collapse moving tooling parts 11 a out of abutment with the internal wall of the cylinder 1 . at this stage in the procedure , the situation is as shown in fig1 , 15 a . finally the tooling table 6 is retracted away from the rotatable table 3 withdrawing the tooling 10 from the container . at this stage in the procedure , the situation is as shown in fig1 , 16 a . in the embodiment described , the movement of the tools to effect embossing is translational only . it is however feasible to utilise rotational external / internal embossing tooling as is known generally in the prior art . the rotary table is then indexed rotationally moving the embossed container to adjacent with the next tooling station 7 , and bringing a fresh container into alignment with the embossing tooling 10 at station 9 . the embossing stages described correspond to stages 106 to 112 in the flow diagram of fig1 . prior to the approachment of the embossing tooling 10 to a container 1 clamped at table 3 ( fig1 and stage 106 of fig1 ) it is important that the container 1 and tooling 10 are accurately rotationally oriented to ensure that the embossed pattern 50 is accurately positioned with respect to the printed design on the exterior of the container . according to the present invention this is conveniently achieved by reviewing the position of a respective container 1 whilst already securely clamped in a chuck 4 of the rotary table 3 , and rotationally reorientating the embossing tooling 10 to the required position . this technique is particularly convenient and advantageous because a rotational drive of one arrangement ( the embossing tooling 10 ) only is required . chucks 4 can be fixed relative to the table 3 and receive containers in random axial rotational orientations . moving parts for the apparatus are therefore minimised in number , and reliability of the apparatus is optimised . the open ends 8 of undeformed containers 1 approaching the apparatus 2 have margins 30 printed with a coded marking band 31 comprising a series of spaced code blocks or strings 32 ( shown most clearly in fig4 ). each code block / string 32 comprises a column of six data point zones coloured dark or light according to a predetermined sequence . with the container 1 clamped in random orientation in a respective chuck 4 a charge coupled device ( ccd ) camera 60 views a portion of the code in its field of view . the data corresponding to the viewed code is compared with the data stored in a memory ( of controller 70 ) for the coded band and the position of the can relative to a datum position is ascertained . the degree of rotational realignment required for the embossing tooling 10 to conform to the datum for the respective container is stored in the memory of main apparatus controller 70 . when the respective container 10 is indexed to face the embossing tooling 10 the controller instigates rotational repositioning of the tooling 10 to ensure that embossing occurs at the correct zone on the circumferential surface of the container 1 . the controller 70 when assessing the angular position of the tooling relative to the angular position to be embossed on the container utilises a decision making routine to decide whether clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the tooling 10 provides the shortest route to the datum position , and initiates the required sense of rotation of servo - motor 26 accordingly . this is an important feature of the system in enabling rotation of the tooling to be effected in a short enough time - frame to be accommodated within the indexing interval of the rotating table 3 . the coding block 32 system is in effect a binary code and provides that the ccd camera device can accurately and clearly read the code and determine the position of the container relative to the tooling 10 datum by viewing a small proportion of the code only ( for example two adjacent blocks 32 can have a large number of unique coded configurations ). the coding blocks 32 are made up of vertical data point strings ( perpendicular to the direction of extent of the coding band 31 ) in each of which there are dark and light data point zones ( squares ). each vertical block 32 contains six data point zones . this arrangement has benefits over a conventional bar code arrangement , particularly in an industrial environment where there may be variation in light intensity , mechanical vibrations and like . as can be seen in fig4 , because the tooling 10 in the exemplary embodiment is arranged to emboss the same pattern at 180 degree spacing , the coding band 31 includes a coding block pattern that repeats over 180 degree spans . the position determination system and control of rotation of the tooling 10 are represented in blocks 102 to 105 of the flow diagram of fig1 . the coding band 31 can be conveniently printed contemporaneously with the printing of the design on the exterior of the container . forming of the neck to produce , for example a valve seat 39 ( fig3 ) obscures the coding band from view in the finished product . as an alternative to the optical , panoramic visual sensing of the coding band 31 , a less preferred technique could be to use an alternative visual mark , or a physical mark ( e . g . a deformation in the container wall ) to be physically sensed . referring to fig1 , the technique is particularly switched to forming aesthetically pleasing embossed formations 50 of a greater height / depth dimension ( d ) ( typically in the range 0 . 3 mm to 1 . 2 mm ) than has been possible with prior art techniques . additionally , this is possible with containers of greater wall thickness ( t ) than have been successfully embossed in the past . prior art techniques have been successful in embossing aluminium material containers of wall thickness 0 . 075 mm to 0 . 15 mm . the present technique is capable of embossing aluminium containers of wall thickness above 0 . 15 mm , for example even in the range 0 . 25 mm to 0 . 8 mm . the technique is therefore capable of producing embossed containers for pressurised aerosol dispensed consumer products which has not been possible with prior art techniques . embossed monobloc seamless aluminium material containers are particularly preferred for such pressurised aerosol dispensed products ( typically having a delicate internal anti - corrosive coating or layer protecting the container material from the consumer product ). the present invention enables such containers to be embossed ( particularly registered embossed ). as an alternative to the technique described above in which the embossing tooling is rotated to conform to the datum situation , immediately prior to the container being placed in the chuck 4 and secured , the position of the container may be optically viewed to determine its orientation relative to the datum situation . if the orientation of the container 1 differs from the desired datum pre - set situation programmed into the system , then the container is rotated automatically about its longitudinal axis to bring the container 1 into the pre - set datum position . with the container in the required datum position , the container is inserted automatically into the clamp 4 of the holding station , and clamped securely . in this way the relative circumferential position of the printed design on the container wall , and the position of the tooling is coordinated . there is , thereafter , no requirement to adjust the relative position of the container and tooling . this technique is however less preferred than the technique primarily described herein in which the embossing tooling 10 is re - orientated . the invention has primarily been described with respect to embossing aluminium containers of relatively thin wall thicknesses ( typically substantially in the range 0 . 25 mm to 0 . 8 mm . it will however be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the essence of the invention will be applicable to embossing thin walled containers / bodies of other material such as steel , steel tinplate , lacquered plasticised metallic container materials an other non - ferrous or non - metallic materials . | 8 |
in fig1 , a transmission unit is denoted generally by 10 . fig1 shows a side view of a bicycle frame 12 which has a transmission housing 14 in which the transmission unit 10 is held . the transmission unit 10 is only indicated schematically in this illustration and is formed as a compact unit which is preferably arranged in a transmission cage ( not illustrated here ). the transmission unit 10 is described here by way of example for the use in a bicycle , but the use in other vehicles which are operated by muscle force is also possible . in addition , it is also conceivable to use the transmission unit 10 for vehicles in which muscle force is used in combination with a drive machine for driving the vehicle . the transmission unit 10 and the transmission housing 14 form , together with foot pedals 16 and 16 โฒ, a multi - gearspeed transmission 18 . fig2 shows an exploded illustration of the multi - gearspeed transmission 18 . identical components are provided with identical reference symbols , and in this respect reference is therefore made to the description relating to fig1 . the multi - gearspeed transmission 18 has a transmission housing 20 which is formed by a housing casing 22 and two housing covers 24 , 26 , which close off the housing casing 22 at its axial ends . the multi - gearspeed transmission 18 also has a chainwheel 28 , which transmits , by means of a chain ( not illustrated ), a torque , which is stepped up or stepped down by means of the transmission unit 10 , to a rear wheel ( not illustrated ) of the bicycle . the foot pedals 16 , 16 โฒ can be connected to an input shaft 30 of the transmission unit 10 and form the torque input for the multi - gearspeed transmission 18 . the chainwheel 28 is connected to an output shaft 32 of the transmission unit 10 and forms the output of the multi - gearspeed transmission 18 . the input shaft 30 and the output shaft 32 are arranged coaxially with respect to one another . a transmission cage 34 is preferably arranged in the transmission housing 20 . the transmission cage 34 serves to hold a plurality of transmission shafts , bearings , shifting means , gearwheels and feed lines as well as other components of the multi - gearspeed transmission 18 . the transmission cage 20 preferably has two bearing plates 36 , 38 which can be connected to one another by means of a multiplicity of pins 40 . the bearing plates have bearings on which shafts are rotatably mounted . gearwheels of the transmission unit 10 are mounted on the shafts . alternatively , the pins 40 and the shafts of the transmission unit 10 can be mounted on the housing covers 24 , 26 , and it is therefore possible to dispense with separate bearing plates 36 , 38 in order to safe weight and space . fig3 shows a circuit diagram of the transmission unit 10 . the transmission unit 10 has the input shaft 30 and the output shaft 32 . the input shaft 30 is formed as a through shaft . the output shaft 32 is formed as a hollow shaft . the input shaft 30 and the output shaft 32 are arranged coaxially with respect to one another . the output shaft 32 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the chainwheel 28 which forms an output element of the transmission unit 10 . the transmission unit 10 has a first partial transmission 42 and a second partial transmission 44 . a multiplicity of driving gears 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 are mounted on the input shaft 30 . the first partial transmission 42 has a countershaft 52 . driven gears 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 are mounted on the countershaft 52 . the driven gears 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 are formed as idler gears . the driven gears 53 to 58 can be connected to the countershaft 52 by means of shifting means ( not illustrated ). the driven gears 53 to 58 and the driving gears 46 to 51 form gear pairs which have different transmission ratios , and by selective connection of the driven gears 53 to 58 to the countershaft 52 it is therefore possible to implement different gear stages . the second partial transmission 44 has an input shaft 60 . driving gears 62 , 63 , 64 are mounted on the input shaft 60 . the driving gears 62 , 63 , 64 are formed as idler gears . the driving gears 62 , 63 , 64 can be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the input shaft 60 by means of shifting means . the driven gears 66 , 67 , 68 are mounted on the output shaft 32 . the driven gears 66 , 67 , 68 are in meshing engagement with the driving gears 62 , 63 , 64 . by means of the driven gears 66 , 67 , 68 and driving gears 62 , 63 , 64 which mesh with one another , gear pairs are formed which have different transmission ratios . the driving gears 62 , 63 , 64 can be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the input shaft 60 by means of shifting means ( not illustrated ), as a result of which different selectable gear stages of the second partial transmission 44 are formed . the countershaft 52 of the first partial transmission 42 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the input shaft of the second partial transmission 44 . the countershaft 52 is preferably formed in one piece with the input shaft 60 . by virtue of the fact that the first partial transmission 42 is connected to the second partial transmission 44 , the possible gear stages which can be implemented in the first partial transmission 42 are multiplied by the gear stages of the second partial transmission 44 . as a result , eighteen gearspeeds can be implemented by means of the transmission unit 10 which is illustrated in fig3 . furthermore , it is conceivable that the input shaft 30 can be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the output shaft 32 by means of a clutch ( not illustrated ). as a result , a further gearspeed could be implemented as a direct gearspeed . in fig4 a shifting device for rotating a rotatable shifting pin is denoted generally by 70 . the shifting device 70 serves to connect in a rotationally fixed fashion idler gears ( not illustrated ), mounted on a shaft 72 , to the shaft 72 by means of shifting means ( not illustrated ). the shifting device 70 has a shifting pin 74 which is mounted so as to be rotatable in a coaxial fashion in the shaft 72 which is formed as a hollow shaft . the shifting pin 74 is formed in such a way that specific shifting means are activated in a specific rotational position in relation to the shaft 72 , with the result that at least one of the idler gears is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the shaft 72 at least in one rotational direction . the shifting device 70 which is illustrated in fig4 serves generally either to maintain the rotational position of the shifting pin 74 in relation to the rotating shaft 72 , in order to maintain the engaged gear stage , or serves to change the rotational position in a targeted fashion in order to change the gear stage . the shaft 72 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to a driving gear 76 . the driving gear 76 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to a driven gear 78 which is mounted on a secondary shaft 80 . the driving gear 76 and the driven gear 78 form a first transmission gear 82 . the shifting device 70 also has a variable - ratio epicyclic transmission 84 or a summing gear mechanism 84 , which is preferably formed as a planetary gear mechanism 84 . the planetary gear mechanism 84 has a sun gear 86 , planetary gears 88 and a ring gear 90 . the sun gear 86 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the driven gear 78 of the epicyclic transmission 82 . the planetary gears 88 are mounted by means of a planetary carrier 92 . the planetary gears 88 mesh with an internal toothing of the ring gear 90 and with an external toothing of the sun gear 86 . the ring gear is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to a ring gear shaft 93 . the ring gear shaft 93 is connected to a tension disk 94 . the planetary carrier 92 is rotatably mounted and connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to an output shaft 96 . the secondary shaft 80 and the output shaft 96 are arranged coaxially with respect to one another . the sun gear 86 and the ring gear 90 are arranged coaxially with respect to the secondary shaft 80 . the secondary shaft 80 is arranged offset in parallel with the shaft 72 . the ring gear shaft 93 is arranged coaxially with respect to the secondary shaft 80 . the ring gear shaft 93 can alternatively also be arranged offset in parallel with the secondary shaft 80 and can mesh with an external toothing of the ring gear 90 . the output shaft 96 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the shifting pin 74 via a second transmission gear 98 . the epicyclic transmission 98 has a constant gear set , which is formed by a driving gear 100 and a driven gear 102 . the driving gear 100 is mounted in a rotationally fixed fashion on the output shaft 96 , and the driven gear 102 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the shifting pin 74 . the transmission ratio of the first transmission gear 82 , of the planetary gear mechanism 84 and of the second transmission gear 98 is selected such that an overall transmission ratio of these three partial transmissions which are connected in series of one is obtained if the ring gear is secured or held in relation to the transmission housing . in such a state , the shifting pin 74 rotates at the same rotational speed as the shaft 72 by virtue of the selected transmission ratio . accordingly , the shifting pin 74 does not carry out any relative rotation with respect to the shaft 72 . a set shifted state is therefore maintained by virtue of the particular embodiment of the shifting pin 74 and of the shifting means . if the ring gear 90 is rotated , this rotation of the ring gear is transmitted as a rotation of the shifting pin 74 in relation to the shaft 72 . depending on the rotational direction of the ring gear 90 , the shifting pin 74 is rotated at a rotational speed which is faster or slower than the shaft 72 . if the ring gear 90 is secured again in relation to the transmission housing , the shifting pin 74 rotates at the same rotational speed as the shaft 72 . as a result , a rotation of the ring gear 90 through a specific rotational angle can bring about a rotation of the shifting pin 74 through a specific rotational angle in relation to the shaft 72 . the ring gear 90 is connected to the tension disk 94 via the ring gear shaft 93 . the tension disk 94 is preferably connected to a bowden cable ( not illustrated ) and transmits a pulling movement of the bowden cable into a rotational movement of the ring gear shaft 93 . as a result of actuation of the bowden cable , the shifting pin 74 can rotate in relation to the shaft 72 in order to bring about a specific rotational position of the shifting pin in relation to the shaft 72 . the transmission gears 82 , 98 can alternatively also be formed as chains , belts or toothed belts . the tension disk 94 is preferably pre - loaded with a spring or a return spring ( not illustrated ). the spring is formed in such a way that when shifting in the direction of low gearspeeds it is tensioned . when shifting up , the ring gear is actuated by the spring and / or rotated . as a result , shifting up without application of force is possible . in the case of shifting down , the spring is tensioned by the force which is transmitted via the bowden cable . alternatively , the tension disk 94 can also be formed without a spring . the shifting movement is then carried out by means of two bowden cables . in this context , a first of the bowden cables rotates the ring gear in a first direction , and a second of the bowden cables rotates the ring gear in the second direction , in order to shift up or shift down . fig5 is a circuit diagram of a shifting device according to the principle of the shifting device 70 in fig4 . the shifting device in fig5 is generally denoted by 104 . identical elements are denoted by identical reference numbers , only the differences being explained here . in principle , the shifting device 104 is identical to the shifting device 70 from fig4 , wherein the shifting device 104 is configured to rotate two rotatable shifting pins in the shaft 72 independently of one another . shifting pins 74 โฒ and 74 โณ are arranged in the shaft 72 . the shaft 72 is connected via the first transmission gear 82 to a secondary shaft 80 . the secondary shaft 80 is connected to the shifting pin 74 โฒ via a planetary gear mechanism 84 and a second transmission gear 98 โฒ, wherein the functional principle is identical to that of the shifting device 70 from fig4 . in contrast to the shifting device 70 , the secondary shaft 80 is additionally connected to a planetary gear mechanism 84 โณ. the planetary gear mechanism 84 โณ is preferably identical to the planetary gear mechanism 84 โฒ. the planetary gear mechanism 84 โณ is connected to the shifting pin 74 โณ via a second transmission gear 98 โณ. as in the shifting device 70 , the transmission ratios from the shaft 72 to the shifting pin 74 โฒ and to the shifting pin 74 โณ are just one , provided that corresponding ring gears 90 โฒ and 90 โณ are secured in relation to the transmission housing . the ring gears 90 โฒ, 90 โณ can each be actuated by means of a tension disk 94 โฒ, 94 โณ via ring gear shafts 93 โฒ, 93 โณ. the two rotatable shifting pins 74 โฒ, 74 โณ can be rotated in relation to the shaft 72 by means of the shifting device 104 , and shifting means ( not illustrated ) can therefore be activated independently of one another . the shifting device 104 can be used , for example , to connect the idler gears of the partial transmissions 42 and 44 in fig3 in a rotationally fixed fashion independently of one another to the corresponding shafts in order to form two partial transmissions which are connected in series . in fig6 , a circuit diagram of a transmission unit with three partial transmissions which are connected in series is illustrated and is denoted generally by 110 . the transmission unit 110 is to a certain extent identical to the transmission unit 10 from fig3 . identical elements are denoted by identical reference numbers , with only the differences being explained here . the input shaft 30 forms the input shaft of a first partial transmission 112 . the first partial transmission 112 is essentially identical to the first partial transmission 42 from fig3 , with the first partial transmission 112 only having three different gear sets . the countershaft 52 of the first partial transmission 112 is connected to an epicyclic transmission or a planetary gear mechanism 114 . the countershaft 52 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to an input shaft 116 of the planetary gear mechanism 114 . the countershaft 52 is more preferably formed in one piece with the input shaft 116 . an output shaft 118 of the planetary gear mechanism 114 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the input shaft 60 of the second partial transmission 44 . the output shaft 118 is preferably formed in one piece with the input shaft 60 . the planetary gear mechanism 114 has a first clutch 120 by means of which the input shaft 116 can be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the output shaft 118 . the clutch 120 is preferably formed as a freewheel . the planetary gear mechanism has a sun gear 122 . the sun gear 122 can be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the transmission housing 40 by means of a second clutch 124 . the planetary gear mechanism 114 also has planetary gears 126 which are mounted so as to be rotatable by means of a planetary carrier 128 . the planetary carrier 128 can be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the input shaft 116 . in addition , the planetary gear mechanism 114 has a ring gear 130 which can be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the output shaft 118 . three different transmission ratios can be set between the input shaft 116 and the output shaft 118 of the planetary gear mechanism 114 , and three gear stages can therefore be implemented . the first gear stage is formed by closing the first clutch 120 , and opening the second clutch 124 . as a result , the input shaft 116 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the output shaft 118 . the first transmission ratio is consequently equal to 1 . the second gear stage is formed by opening the first clutch 120 and closing the second clutch 124 . as a result , the sun gear 122 is held tight and the rotating planetary carrier 128 drives the ring gear 130 which is connected to the output shaft 118 . the second transmission ratio is consequently a step - up transmission ratio . the third gear stage is formed in that the second clutch 124 is closed and the sun gear is therefore held tight . in addition , the input shaft 116 is connected to the ring gear 130 by means of a further clutch . in addition , the planetary carrier 128 is connected to the output shaft 118 , and the planetary carrier 128 therefore forms the output of the planetary gear mechanism 114 . as a result , in each case three shiftable gear stages are formed by the partial transmissions 112 and 44 and by the planetary gear mechanism 114 , and eighteen gear stages can be implemented by virtue of the fact that the three partial transmissions 112 , 114 , 44 are connected in series . the partial transmissions 112 , 44 are preferably shifted by means of the shifting device 104 in fig5 , wherein at least one of the shifting pins 74 โฒ, 74 โณ has shifting means which actuates at least one of the clutches 120 , 124 . of course , in the case of the transmission unit 110 in fig6 , the input shaft 30 can also be connected to the output shaft 32 by a clutch in order to form a gearspeed , which is the nineteenth in this case . in order to increase the number of gearspeeds it is also conceivable to embody the planetary gear mechanism 114 as a multi - stage planetary gear mechanism . fig7 shows a perspective illustration of the transmission unit 10 . the transmission unit corresponds to the circuit diagram according to fig3 , with identical elements being denoted by identical reference numbers and only the differences being explained here . the countershaft 52 of the first partial transmission 42 is formed in one piece with the input shaft 60 of the second partial transmission 44 . the driven gears 53 to 58 and the driving gears 62 to 64 are formed as idler gears and can be shifted by means of the shifting pins 74 โฒ and 74 โณ. in addition , the driving gear 76 is mounted on the shaft 52 or 60 in order to drive the shifting pins 74 โฒ and 74 โณ via the shifting device 104 ( not illustrated ). in fig8 a shiftable idler gear with internal toothing is illustrated and is denoted generally by 132 . the idler gear 132 has an external toothing 134 and an internal toothing 136 . the external toothing 134 is formed on the outer circumferential face . the internal toothing is formed on an inner circumferential face of the idler gear 132 . the internal toothing 136 has sliding portions 138 and engagement portions 140 . the sliding portions 138 are faces which are arranged in the circumferential direction of the idler gear 132 . the engagement portions 140 are formed between the sliding portions 138 , at an angle with respect to the sliding portions 138 . the external toothing 134 serves to mesh with other gearwheels . the internal toothing 136 serves to mount the idler gear 132 on a shaft and to connect it in a rotationally fixed fashion to the shaft by means of shifting means . in this context , the sliding portions 138 serve to mount the idler gear 132 on the shaft and to slide on the shaft . the engagement portions 140 serve to ensure that shifting means ( which are not illustrated and which will be explained in more detail below ) can be placed in engagement with the idler gear 132 and to connect the idler gear 132 in a rotationally fixed fashion to the shaft . in fig9 a freewheel body for connecting the idler gear 132 in a rotationally fixed fashion to a corresponding shaft is illustrated and denoted generally by 142 . the freewheel body 142 has an actuation portion 144 which is formed on an underside of the freewheel body 142 . the freewheel body 142 has a bearing portion 146 on each of its two lateral sections . the freewheel body 142 has an engagement portion 148 . the engagement portion 148 is formed at an end of the freewheel body 142 lying opposite the actuation portion 144 . the bearing sections 146 are formed on opposite sides of the freewheel body 142 , specifically between the actuation portion 144 and the engagement portion 148 . the bearing portions 146 serve to mount the freewheel body 142 on a shaft in such a way that it can rotate or pivot about a rotational axis 150 . in this context , the freewheel body 142 is attached to or mounted on the shaft in such a way that the actuation portion 144 points toward the inside of the shaft . in addition , the freewheel body 142 is prestressed by means of a spring element in such a way that in the unloaded state the actuation portion 144 is pivoted in the inward direction and the engagement section 148 is pivoted radially outward . the actuation portion 144 serves to be pressed radially outward by means of the shifting pin 74 in order to pivot the engagement portion 148 radially inward about the rotational axis 150 . if the engagement portion 148 is pivoted radially outward and protrudes with respect to the shaft , said engagement portion 148 can be placed in engagement with the engagement portion 140 of the internal toothing 136 of the idler gear 132 in one rotational direction of the idler gear 132 , and the idler gear can therefore be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the shaft in the rotational direction . the freewheel body 142 also has a sliding portion 152 . the sliding portion 152 serves to pivot the freewheel body 142 radially inward if the idler gear is rotated in relation to the shaft in a direction which is opposed to the rotational direction , thereby serving as a freewheel . the actuation portion 144 can have one or more grooves running perpendicular with respect to the rotational axis 150 or in the rotational direction of the shaft , in order to permit selective actuation . this is explained in more detail below . fig1 shows a shaft for mounting shiftable idler gears 132 and a shifting pin for shifting the freewheel bodies 142 , in an exploded illustration . the shaft is generally denoted by 154 and the shifting pin by 156 . the shaft 154 is designed as a hollow shaft to hold the shifting pin 156 . the shaft 154 has bearing portions 158 . through holes 160 are formed in the region of the bearing portions 158 . the shaft 154 has a first group 161 of bearing portions 158 which are formed axially one next to the other . in addition , the shaft 154 has a second group 163 of bearing portions 158 which are formed axially one next to the other . the first group 161 of the bearing portions 158 is arranged offset with respect to the second group 163 of bearing portions 158 in the circumferential direction . in each case two of the bearing portions 158 are arranged on opposite sides of the shaft 154 . the bearing portions 158 are formed in such a way that they can each hold one of the freewheel bodies 142 . the through holes 160 serve to allow the actuation portion 144 to pivot through the through holes 160 and to be actuated by the shifting pin 156 . the bearing portions 158 are formed in the shaft 154 in such a way that in a pivoted - in state the freewheel bodies 142 do not protrude with respect to the circumferential face of the shaft 154 . in this pivoted - in state , the circumferential face of the shaft 154 and the sliding section 152 of the freewheel bodies 142 essentially form a plane . a pin hole 162 , through which a guide pin can be led , is also formed in the shaft 154 . the shifting pin 156 has actuation portions 164 which are formed over the circumference of the shifting pin 156 . the actuation portions 164 are formed as recesses . the shifting pin 156 further has a circumferential groove 166 . the groove 166 has two circumferential sections which are axially offset and are connected to one another by an oblique section 167 . the actuation portions 164 are arranged axially offset and distributed over the circumference . the actuation portions 164 are arranged in part next to one another in the axial direction . the actuation portions 164 are arranged on opposite sides of the shifting pin 156 , specifically in a way corresponding to the bearing portions 158 in the shaft 154 . the shifting pin 156 is formed in such a way that , depending on the rotational position of the shifting pin in the shaft 154 , the actuation portions 164 are positioned on one of the through holes 160 . as a result , the actuation portion 144 of the freewheel bodies 142 can pivot into the actuation portion 164 and therefore move the engagement section 148 into engagement with the internal toothing 136 . the shifting pin 156 serves to actuate the freewheel bodies 142 of the first group 161 of bearing portions 158 . in the inserted state of the shifting pin 156 , the groove 166 is arranged in the region of the pin hole 162 , with the result that the groove 166 can hold a pin ( not illustrated ) which is led through the pin hole 162 . as a result , the shifting pin 156 is moved into different axial positions depending on the rotational position in the shaft 154 . this axial displacement of the shifting pin 156 serves to enlarge the useable rotational range of the shifting pin . the axial displacement has the effect that due to the axial position of some of the actuation portions 164 in relation to the actuation portions 144 , said actuation portions 164 cannot activate the freewheel bodies 142 . this means , conversely , that specific actuation portions 144 can be activated by specific freewheel bodies 142 in the second axial position . consequently , as a result of the axial displacement of the shifting pin 156 , some of the actuation portions 164 are not arranged under the actuation portions 144 and consequently cannot activate the freewheel bodies 142 . as a result , when there are shifting pawls lying opposite one another an additional useable rotational range of 180 ยฐ is produced for further shiftable gearwheels . it is also conceivable to enlarge the useable rotational range of the shifting pin 156 further by even further axial displacement . a further possible way of extending the useable rotational range of the shifting pin is to have a different configuration of the actuation portions 144 . by virtue of an asymmetrical configuration of the actuation portions 144 and corresponding actuation portions 164 , only specific freewheel bodies 142 are actuated or only specific actuation portions 144 are pivoted into specific actuation sections 164 of the shifting pin 156 . as a result , the useable rotational range of the shifting pin 156 can be extended from 180 ยฐ to 360 ยฐ even when there are freewheel bodies lying opposite one another . for example , the actuation portions 144 of the freewheel pawls 142 can have one or more grooves running in the rotational direction of the shaft 154 , with the result that actuation portions 144 which are configured in such a way can only pivot into correspondingly configured actuation portions 164 . in this context , selective actuation can be made possible by means of the number and the position of such grooves . fig1 illustrates the shaft 154 with the inserted shifting pin 156 and the freewheel bodies 142 . identical elements are provided with identical reference numbers , with only the differences being presented here . the shifting pin 156 is positioned in the shaft 154 in such a way that two of the freewheel bodies 142 are pivoted out , with just one being visible . in addition , a second shifting pin ( which is not illustrated or cannot be seen ) which actuates the second group 163 of freewheel bodies is inserted into the shaft 154 . this shifting pin is arranged in the shaft 154 in such a way that two freewheel bodies 142 of the second group 163 are pivoted out , with the result that the engagement section 148 can be placed in engagement with the engagement section 140 of the internal toothing 136 of the idler gear 132 . through selected rotational positions of the two shifting pins 156 , two idler gears 132 can be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the shaft 154 , with the result that one of the eighteen possible gear stages is shifted . fig1 a to 12f show radial sectional views through adjacent idler gears 132 , during three phases of a gear change . fig1 a shows a first of the idler gears 132 whose internal toothing 136 is in engagement with the two assigned freewheel bodies 142 . the shifting pin 156 is in a rotational position in relation to the shaft 154 , with the result that the actuation portions 164 of the shifting pin 156 are arranged in the region of the actuation portions 144 of the freewheel bodies 142 , and the freewheel body 142 can therefore pivot outward . the second of the idler gears 132 , which is assigned to a next highest gear stage , specifically of the second gearspeed , is shown in fig1 b . the freewheel bodies 142 are pivoted in radially in the inward direction , and are consequently not in engagement with the internal toothing 136 of the idler gear 132 . in the rotational position of the shifting pin 156 , the actuation portions 164 , which are assigned to the second gearspeed , are not arranged under the actuation portions 144 of the freewheel bodies 142 , with the result that the actuation portions 144 are pressed outward . if the shifting pin 156 is rotated , as indicated by an arrow 168 , the actuation portion 164 remains underneath the freewheel body 142 , which is assigned to the first of the idler gears 132 and therefore to the first gearspeed , as is illustrated in fig1 c , and the freewheel bodies 142 of the first gearspeed therefore remain pivoted out toward the outside . fig1 d illustrates the second of the idler gears 132 in this rotational position of the shifting pin 156 which is assigned to the second gearspeed . in this rotational position of the shifting pin 156 , the actuation portion 164 , which is assigned to the second gearspeed , is arranged radially underneath the actuation portion 144 of the second gearspeed , with the result that the actuation portion 144 can pivot in the radially inward direction and the engagement section 148 can therefore pivot out in the radially outward direction . as a result , the engagement section 148 can be placed in engagement with the internal toothing 136 of the idler gear 132 . the freewheel bodies 142 are each assigned a spring which prestresses the corresponding freewheel body 142 in such a way that the actuation portion 144 is pressed against the shifting pin 156 . as a result , the engagement section 148 pivots out if one of the actuation portion 164 is rotated under the shifting pawl 142 . since the higher gearspeed has a relatively low transmission ratio , the freewheel pawls 142 of the higher gearspeed engage in the internal toothing 136 and drive the shaft 154 with a rotational speed which is higher than the rotational speed of the idler gear 132 of the relatively low gearspeed . in this so - called intermediate state , the idler gear 132 of the relatively low gearspeed is therefore rotated in relation to the shaft 154 in the opposite direction . as a result , the sliding portion 138 of the idler gear 132 presses against the sliding portion 152 of the freewheel body 142 , with the result that the freewheel body 142 is pivoted out in the inward direction and the first of the idler gears 132 slides on the shaft 154 . the idler gear 132 of the relatively low gearspeed , that is to say of the first gearspeed , freewheels in the intermediate state . fig1 e and 12f illustrate the state in which the second gearspeed is completely engaged . for this purpose , the shifting pin 156 has been rotated onward in the direction of the arrow 168 , with the result that the freewheel bodies 142 of the first gearspeed are pivoted in by the shifting pin 156 , as is shown in fig1 e . fig1 f shows that the freewheel bodies 142 of the second gearspeed continue to be in engagement with the internal toothing 136 because the actuation portions 164 of the second gearspeed are arranged radially underneath the actuation portions 144 of the freewheel bodies 142 . switching under load is possible by means of the intermediate state in which the freewheel bodies 142 of two subsequent gearspeeds are pivoted out radially . in addition an idling state is avoided . when shifting into a low gearspeed occurs , the sliding section 138 of the internal toothing 136 of the relatively low gearspeed firstly slides over the freewheel bodies 142 in the intermediate state . the relatively high gearspeed initially remains engaged . the freewheel bodies 142 are then pivoted in or disengaged only when the load which is transmitted to the shaft 154 via the idler gear 132 is removed . in addition , the shifting pin 156 must then be rotated onward with the result that the actuation portion 144 is pressed outward . the relatively low gearspeed is then engaged immediately because this gearspeed was already in the intermediate state or in the freewheeling state . this avoids an idling state . fig1 illustrates a shifting pin 156 with actuation portions 164 lying precisely opposite one another . alternatively it is also conceivable for the actuation portions 164 to be arranged in relation to one another in such a way that only one of the shifting pawls is placed in engagement with the internal toothing 136 . this is implemented by virtue of the fact that the shifting pawls 142 on the shaft 154 are not arranged precisely opposite one another . as a result , the rotational angle of the idler gear 132 can be reduced in size until the actuation portion 148 latches into the internal toothing 136 . fig1 shows the shaft 154 and the shifting device 104 in a perspective exploded illustration . the illustration in fig1 corresponds to the circuit diagram in fig5 . identical elements are denoted by identical reference numbers , with only the difference being explained here . the tension disk 94 โฒ is connected to the ring gear 90 โฒ via the ring gear shaft 93 โฒ. the ring gear shaft 93 โฒ is formed as a hollow shaft in order to accommodate the output shaft 96 โฒ. the ring gear 90 โฒ is rotated by the tension disk 94 โฒ in order to rotate the shifting pin 156 in relation to the shaft 154 . the ring gear 90 โณ has , in addition to the internal toothing 136 , an external toothing 170 . the external toothing 170 serves to connect the ring gear 90 โณ to the tension disk 94 โณ ( not illustrated here ) via the ring gear shaft 93 โณ ( not illustrated ). fig1 shows a perspective illustration of the shaft 154 and of the shifting device 104 from fig1 in the assembled state . identical elements are provided with identical reference numbers , with only the differences being presented here . the external toothing 170 of the ring gear 90 โณ is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the ring gear shaft 93 โณ which is connected to the tension disk 94 โณ. the ring gear shaft 93 โณ is arranged offset in parallel with the ring gear shaft 93 โฒ. the ring gear shaft 93 โณ is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to a gearwheel 95 which meshes with the external toothing 170 . the driven gears 102 โฒ, 102 โณ are each connected via a deflection gearwheel 172 โฒ, 172 โณ to the driven gears 102 โฒ, 102 โณ. the deflection gearwheels 172 โฒ, 172 โณ serve to reverse the rotational direction of the shifting pin 157 . in order to permit a plurality of shiftable partial transmissions , for example partial transmissions 42 and 44 , to be controlled with just one shifting cable or the like , it is possible to control a plurality of partial transmissions in a combined fashion . for this purpose , for example the shifting pin 74 โฒ can be formed in such a way that after the shifting pin 74 โฒ rotates onward beyond the last or highest gearspeed of this partial transmission , the first gearspeed follows again . in addition , in order to solve this problem it would be necessary to make available a mechanism which , when the shifting pin 74 โฒ rotates onward beyond the highest gearspeed , rotates the shifting pin 74 โณ by one shift position into the next highest gearspeed . this can be implemented by virtue of the fact that the ring gear shafts 93 โฒ, 93 โณ of the planetary gear mechanisms 84 โฒ, 84 โณ are shifted together . for example , the two ring gears 90 โฒ, 90 โณ can therefore be connected together . for example , the transmission unit 10 can be shifted from the sixth gearspeed into the seventh gearspeed by virtue of the fact that the shifting pin 74 โฒ, which is assigned to the partial transmission 42 , is rotated onward after one rotation through 360 ยฐ, in order to shift the partial transmission 44 from the sixth gearspeed into the first gearspeed again . the planetary gear mechanism 84 โณ, which is assigned to the partial transmission 44 , is configured in such a way that when further rotation occurs after the sixth gearspeed in partial transmission 42 , the second gearspeed is engaged after the first gearspeed in partial transmission 44 . as a result of the fact that the first gearspeed follows the sixth gearspeed in the partial transmission 42 and at the same time the second gearspeed follows the first gearspeed in the partial transmission 44 , the transmission unit can therefore be shifted from the sixth gearspeed into the seventh gearspeed . the tension disk 94 is preferably connected to a shift lever via a cable pull . the tension disk is preferably prestressed with a spring with respect to the ring gear 90 . the tension disk 94 and the ring gear 90 preferably have stops in order to prestress the tension disk 94 and the ring gear 90 one against the other with a defined spring force . the spring is relaxed as a result of the rotation of the ring gear 90 , as a result of which the shifting pin 74 rotates and a gear change is carried out . if a gear change is carried out into a low gearspeed , the shift lever is firstly actuated , as a result of which the tension disk 94 is prestressed with respect to the ring gear 90 without the load of the transmission being reduced . since under load the engagement sections 148 engage in the internal toothing 136 and latch in this position as a result of the transmitting torque , the shifting pin 156 cannot be rotated . as soon as the loading of the transmission drops , that is to say the rotational force is reduced , the shifting pin 74 can disengage the shifting pawl 142 and the internal toothing 136 owing to the spring prestress of the ring gear 90 . in this context , the oscillating pedaling force profile which is typical during cycling can be used since the pedaling force which is applied to the foot pedals 16 , 16 โฒ is greatly reduced in the vertical position of the foot pedals 16 , 16 โฒ. in such a position of the foot pedals 16 , 16 โฒ, a prestressed or preselected low gearspeed can be completely engaged . in general it is advantageous to configure the employed gearwheels in accordance with the torque to be transmitted or in accordance with their transmission ratio . in this context , gearwheels which have to transmit large tangential forces or large torques should be correspondingly wider , that is to say should be made thicker in the axial direction . in contrast , it is appropriate to embody gearwheels which have a small transmission ratio with a relatively short width since said gearwheels have to transmit relatively small tangential forces or relatively small torques . as a result , the installation space in the transmission housing can be optimized . in addition it is preferred for the shifting means which are formed by the freewheel pawls and the shifting pin to be configured in accordance with the tangential forces and the expected torques . in this context it is also conceivable to adapt the number of freewheel pawls 142 to the torques to be transmitted . if the transmission unit 10 is additionally formed with the planetary gear mechanism 114 , as is illustrated in fig6 , the actuation of the partial transmission 112 has to be combined with the actuation of the planetary gear mechanism 114 . the shifting pin 74 then controls the clutch 120 of the planetary gear mechanism 114 . the ring gear 90 of the planetary gear mechanism 84 from fig4 or fig5 then additionally controls a shifting fork which actuates the clutch 124 of the planetary gear mechanism 114 . the method of functioning of this shifting control is explained in more detail below . fig1 shows an exploded illustration of a shifting pin for actuating a clutch of the planetary gear mechanism 114 . this embodiment of the shifting pin is denoted generally by 174 . the shifting pin 174 has the actuation portions 164 . the shifting pin 174 can be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion at an axial end to the driven gear 102 . at an axial end of the shifting pin which lies opposite , a groove 176 is formed in the shifting pin 174 . the groove 176 has two portions running in the circumferential direction , which portions are offset axially with respect to one another . the two circumferentially running portions are connected by an oblique section 178 . fig1 illustrates a spring 180 and an input element 182 of the clutch 120 . the input element 182 is assigned a pin 184 which can be introduced into a drill hole 186 in the input element 182 . in the inserted state , the spring 180 is plugged onto the shifting pin 174 , and the pin 184 is introduced into the drill hole 186 , with the result that the pin 184 engages in the groove 176 . the input element 182 is axially pre - loaded with respect to the shifting pin 174 by the spring 180 . if the shifting pin 174 is rotated in relation to the input element 182 with the result that the pin 184 slides along the oblique section 178 of the groove 176 , the input element 182 is moved in the axial direction by a spring force of the spring 180 and is placed in engagement with an output element ( not illustrated ) of the clutch 120 . the clutch 120 of the planetary gear mechanism 114 can therefore be actuated by rotation of the shifting pin 174 . fig1 is an exploded illustration of the planetary gear mechanism 84 with a shifting fork for actuating the clutch 124 . identical elements are denoted by identical reference numbers , with only the differences being illustrated here . the ring gear shaft 93 has a groove 188 which has two portions running in the circumferential direction . the portions which run in the circumferential direction are offset axially with respect to one another and connect by an oblique section 190 . in addition , the shifting device from fig1 has a shifting fork 192 which has a sleeve section 194 and a fork section 196 . the sleeve section 194 has a drill hole 198 through which a pin 200 can be inserted . in addition , the shifting device has a spring 202 which is arranged between the driven gear 78 and the shifting fork 192 . in the assembled state , the sleeve section 194 is mounted in the region of the groove 188 , with the result that the pin 200 which is guided through the drill hole 198 engages in the groove 188 . the pin 202 is supported on a retaining ring 203 and pre - loads the shifting fork 192 axially . as a result , the pin 200 bears , in the groove 188 , against an edge on which the oblique section 190 is formed . if a gearspeed is shifted by means of this shifting device , the ring gear shaft 93 is rotated through a specific rotational angle , as described above . if the rotation of the ring gear shaft 93 is formed in such a way that the pin 200 slides over the oblique section , the shifting fork is displaced axially depending on the rotational direction of the ring gear shaft 93 . as a result of this axial displacement , the clutch 124 is actuated , as is explained in more detail below . fig1 illustrates the shifting device according to fig1 in the assembled state with the shaft 52 and parts of the planetary gear mechanism 114 . identical elements are denoted by identical reference numbers , with only the differences being explained here . the ring gear shaft 93 has a gearwheel section 204 . the gearwheel section 204 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to a driving gearwheel 205 of the tension disk 94 . a defined rotation can be transmitted to the ring gear shaft 93 through the tension disk 94 and a gearwheel pair formed by the gearwheel section 204 and the driving gearwheel 205 . if the pin 200 slides over the oblique section 190 during this rotation , the shifting fork 192 ( not illustrated in fig1 ) is moved in the axial direction . as a result , the clutch 124 can be actuated . fig1 is a schematic illustration of a side view of the transmission unit 110 with a shifting device . identical elements are denoted by identical reference numbers , with only the differences being presented here . as described above , the shifting fork 192 can be displaced axially by rotating the ring gear shaft 93 . the fork section 196 is connected to the input element 182 of the clutch 124 . if the fork section 196 is displaced in the axial direction , specifically in the direction of an arrow 205 , the input element 182 is placed in engagement with an output element 206 of the clutch 124 . the clutch 124 can therefore be actuated by actuating the tension disk 94 . as a result of the fact that the rotation of the shifting pin 174 is connected directly to the rotation of the ring gear shaft 93 , it is possible for the clutch 124 to be actuated when the assigned partial transmission is shifted onward from the highest gearspeed into the first gearspeed . in fig1 , a schematic sectional view of the transmission unit 110 is illustrated as a section through the input shaft 30 and the countershaft 52 . fig2 a - c are schematic illustrations of a hydraulic system of hydraulic cylinders which are connected in series . the hydraulic system has a first hydraulic cylinder 208 and a second hydraulic cylinder 210 . a hydraulic piston 212 , 214 is arranged in an axially moveable fashion in each of the hydraulic cylinders 208 , 210 . the hydraulic cylinders 208 , 210 each have a main opening 216 , 218 and each have two secondary openings 220 , 222 , 224 , 226 . the secondary opening 220 is connected to the secondary opening 226 via a duct 228 . the secondary opening 222 of the first hydraulic cylinder 208 is connected to the secondary opening 224 in the hydraulic cylinder 210 via a duct 230 . the secondary openings 220 , 222 , 224 , 226 are each arranged opposite the main openings 216 , 218 . if hydraulic pressure is applied to the first hydraulic cylinder 208 through the main opening 216 , the hydraulic piston 212 moves in the direction of the secondary openings 220 , 222 . as a result , hydraulic fluid is conducted through the secondary opening 222 and the duct 230 through the secondary opening 224 into the hydraulic cylinder 210 . since the secondary opening 224 is arranged underneath the hydraulic piston 214 , the hydraulic fluid is forced into the hydraulic cylinder 210 without a force being applied to the hydraulic piston 214 . the hydraulic fluid leaves the hydraulic cylinder 210 through the main opening 218 . in fig2 b , the hydraulic piston 212 has arrived at one end of the hydraulic cylinder 208 . in this position , the secondary opening 222 is closed off and the secondary opening 220 is opened , with the result that hydraulic fluid can be forced from the hydraulic cylinder 208 and through the duct 228 . the hydraulic pressure acts , in this position , on the hydraulic piston 214 through the secondary opening 226 . this application of pressure moves the hydraulic piston 214 in the direction of the main opening 218 . this is illustrated in fig2 c . if hydraulic pressure is then applied to the second hydraulic cylinder 210 through the main opening 218 , the hydraulic piston 214 firstly moves in the direction of the secondary opening 226 . the hydraulic fluid is conducted through the duct 228 and into the hydraulic cylinder 208 , and is directed out of the hydraulic cylinder 208 though the main opening 216 . if the hydraulic piston 214 has arrived at the end of the hydraulic cylinder 210 , hydraulic pressure is applied to the hydraulic piston 212 through the duct 230 and the hydraulic piston 212 is moved in the direction of the main opening 216 . two hydraulic pistons can be moved one after the other through this series connection of two hydraulic cylinders . fig2 illustrates the principle of a double - acting cylinder . fig2 shows a hydraulic cylinder 232 which has an opening 234 and an opening 236 . the openings 234 , 236 are arranged on opposite sides of the hydraulic cylinder 232 . an axially moveable hydraulic piston 238 is located between the openings 234 , 236 . if hydraulic pressure is applied to the hydraulic cylinder 232 through the opening 234 , the hydraulic piston 238 moves in the direction of the opening 236 . hydraulic oil is discharged from the hydraulic cylinder 232 through the opening 236 . in order to move the hydraulic piston 238 in an opposite direction , specifically in the direction of the opening 234 , hydraulic pressure is applied to the hydraulic cylinder 232 through the opening 236 . as a result , the hydraulic piston 238 moves in the direction of the opening 234 , through which hydraulic oil is discharged from the hydraulic cylinder 232 . fig2 is an exploded illustration of a shifting pin with a hydraulic drive system . the shifting pin is generally denoted by 240 . the hydraulic system is generally denoted by 242 . the shifting pin 240 has the groove 166 into which the pin 184 can engage . a radial drill hole 244 , which is provided for accommodating a spring 246 and a ball 248 , is formed in the shifting pin 240 . the drill hole 244 forms a latching device together with the spring 246 and the ball 248 . the actuation sections 164 are formed in the shifting pin 240 . the hydraulic drive system 242 has a hydraulic master 250 , a hydraulic slave 252 and an actuator 254 or a vane positioner 254 . the hydraulic master 250 has two hydraulic connections 256 , 257 . the hydraulic connections are provided for being connected to hydraulic hoses and for supplying the hydraulic drive system 242 with hydraulic pressure . the hydraulic slave has a separating disk 258 . two rotationally symmetrical connecting elements 260 , 262 are formed on a side of the separating disk 258 facing the hydraulic master 250 . the connecting elements 260 , 262 each have a groove 264 , 266 which is formed in the circumferential direction . on the side of the separating disk 258 lying opposite the connecting elements 260 , 262 , a cylindrical section 268 is formed with two slave vanes 270 , 272 which protrude radially . the actuator has a cylindrical section 274 on which two actuator vanes 276 , 278 , which protrude in the axial direction , are formed . in addition , the actuator 254 has a connecting section 280 . the connecting section 280 has a hexagonal profile . fig2 illustrates the shifting pin 240 , the shaft 154 and the hydraulic drive system 242 in an axial sectional view . in this illustration , the shifting pin 240 is mounted in the shaft 154 . the hydraulic connections 256 , 257 are connected to one hydraulic duct 281 , 282 each . the hydraulic ducts 281 , 282 are connected to the grooves 264 , 266 . the grooves 264 , 266 are connected to axial ducts 284 , 286 which are formed in the axial direction in the hydraulic slave . the axial ducts 284 , 286 are connected to radial ducts 288 , 290 which are formed in the cylindrical section 268 . the radial ducts 288 , 290 are positioned in the circumferential direction in the cylindrical section 268 in such a way that they are partially formed in the slave vanes 270 , 272 . a bearing pin 292 of the hydraulic slave is rotatably mounted in the actuator 254 . the separating disk 258 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the shaft 154 . the connecting section 280 is mounted in a rotationally fixed fashion in a receptacle section of the shifting pin 240 . the hydraulic master 250 is secured to the transmission housing ( not illustrated ) and / or connected thereto . the hydraulic slave 252 is mounted so as to be rotatable in relation to the hydraulic master 250 . the actuator 254 is mounted so as to be rotatable in relation to the hydraulic slave 252 . by virtue of the fact that the hydraulic ducts 281 , 282 are connected to the circumferential grooves 262 , 264 , hydraulic pressure can always be applied to the hydraulic slave 252 irrespective of the rotational position in relation to the hydraulic master 250 . the hydraulic pressure is fed to openings in the region of the slave vanes through the axial ducts 284 , 286 and the radial ducts 288 , 290 . fig2 is a perspective illustration in an assembly drawing of the hydraulic drive system 242 . identical elements are denoted by identical reference numbers , with only the special features being explained here . in the assembled state of the hydraulic drive system 242 which is illustrated in fig2 , a hydraulic chamber 296 is formed between the cylindrical section 274 , the separating disk 258 , the slave vane 270 and the actuator vane 278 . on the opposite side of the slave vane 270 , a further hydraulic chamber 298 is formed . likewise , two further hydraulic chambers 296 โฒ, 298 โฒ are formed on opposite sides of the actuator vanes 278 , 276 . the radial ducts 288 , 290 are formed as cylindrical grooves on two sides of the slave vanes 270 , 272 . formed adjacent to the slave vanes 270 , 272 are openings 300 , 302 , into which openings 300 , 302 the radial ducts 288 , 290 lead . if a hydraulic pressure is built up by the hydraulic connection 257 , the hydraulic fluid passes through the opening 300 into the hydraulic chamber 296 . the hydraulic pressure applies a force to the actuator vane 278 and moves it in the circumferential direction . as a result , the actuator 254 is rotated and therefore the shifting pin which is connected to the actuator 254 also rotates . since the separating disk 258 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the shaft 154 , the shifting pin 240 is therefore rotated in relation to the shaft 154 . if a hydraulic pressure is fed through the hydraulic connection 256 , hydraulic fluid passes through the axial duct 284 and the radial duct 288 to the opening 302 and into the hydraulic chamber 298 . the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic chamber 298 moves the actuator vane 276 and therefore rotates the shifting pin 240 in an opposite direction . the functional principle of the hydraulic drive system 242 will be explained in more detail below . fig2 illustrates a section along the line b - b from fig2 . identical elements are denoted by identical reference numbers , with only the differences or special features being described here . the hydraulic chambers 296 , 296 โฒ 298 , 298 โฒ are formed between the shaft 154 and the cylindrical section 168 . the hydraulic chambers 296 , 298 โฒ are connected to the hydraulic connection 257 via the radial ducts 290 and the axial duct 286 . if hydraulic pressure is applied to the hydraulic connection 257 , a hydraulic pressure is built up in the hydraulic chambers 296 , 298 โฒ and the actuator vanes 276 , 278 are rotated in the clockwise direction . the actuator vanes 276 , 278 are correspondingly rotated in the counter - clockwise direction if a hydraulic pressure is applied to the hydraulic connection 256 . the hydraulic chambers 298 , 298 โฒ, 296 , 296 โฒ which are illustrated in fig2 consequently operate according to the principle of a double - acting cylinder . it is also conceivable for the actuator vanes 276 , 278 to be moveable independently of one another . the hydraulic chambers 298 , 298 โฒ are connected in series with the hydraulic chambers 296 , 296 โฒ in this alternative embodiment , with the result that a hydraulic system is implemented such as is explained schematically in fig2 a to 20 c . as a result , the shifting pin 240 could be rotated through a rotational angle which is twice as large . the ducts 228 , 230 are arranged here in the hydraulic slave 252 in such a way that the ducts 228 , 230 are opened precisely when one of the actuator vanes 276 , 278 has reached a stop . this ensures that the hydraulic chambers 296 , 296 โฒ, 298 , 298 โฒ are filled and respectively emptied sequentially . fig2 illustrates a section through the hydraulic drive system 242 along the line c - c . fig2 illustrates a section along the line a - a from fig2 . fig2 shows the latching device which is formed by the ball 248 , the spring 246 and drill holes 304 . the drill holes are formed at different circumferential positions in the shaft 154 . the spring 246 applies a force to the ball 248 . the ball is pressed by this force into the drill hole 304 or partially into the drill hole 304 , and thereby forms a latching connection . this latching connection causes the shifting pin 240 to latch in at predefined rotational positions in relation to the shaft 154 . a predetermined torque must advantageously be applied to the shifting pin 240 in order to release the latching device and rotate the shifting pin 240 in relation to the shaft 154 . the relative rotational position is thereby defined and fixed . in one alternative embodiment , the spring 246 and the ball 248 are arranged in a radial drill hole which is formed in the shaft 154 . in this context , drill holes , with which the ball 240 forms a latching connection , are formed at different circumferential positions in the shifting pin 240 . alternatively , the freewheel bodies can also be activated magnetically . for this purpose , the actuation sections 164 can be provided with permanent magnets . alternatively , the shifting pin 156 can be activated by means of electromagnetic actuators . fig2 illustrates the transmission housing 20 in an exploded illustration . the transmission cage 34 is provided for accommodating and mounting the transmission unit 10 , 110 . the transmission cage 34 is formed by the pins 40 which are connected to the bearing plate 36 and to the housing cover 26 . the housing cover 26 advantageously forms both a termination of the housing casing 22 and the bearing plate 36 for the transmission cage 34 . the bearing plate 36 can preferably also be formed in one piece with the housing cover 24 , with the result that a further saving in weight is achieved . in an alternative embodiment , the transmission units 10 , 110 can also be shifted with an axially displaceable shifting pin . the shifting pawls 142 are , in this alternative embodiment , of similar or identical design to the shifting device 70 , 104 with rotatable shifting pin 156 . the axially displaceable shifting pin has recesses with oblique sections , wherein the recesses are arranged under the actuation sections 144 , with the result that the prestressed shifting pawls 142 pivot out . the engagement of the shifting pawls 142 in the internal toothing 136 takes place as in the rotatable shifting pin 156 . the oblique sections of the recesses serve to allow the actuation sections 144 of the shifting pawls 142 to slide more easily out of the recess and therefore permit the engagement section 148 to be pivoted radially inward . as in the case of the rotatable shifting pin 156 , the recesses are arranged on the shifting pin in such a way that two gearspeeds are engaged simultaneously , and the so - called intermediate state is therefore set when shifting from one gearspeed into the other gearspeed occurs . as a result , shifting under load is also possible in this embodiment . the axially displaceable shifting pin can be activated by a shifting cable . the stationary or non - rotating shifting cable is decoupled from the rotating shifting pin by means of a sliding bearing or roller bearing . alternatively , the shifting cable can be connected to a rotating disk which is connected to the shifting pin via a groove guide . in this context , a pin engages in the obliquely running groove which is formed in the rotating disk . the shifting cable is connected to the rotating disk . the disk is rotated by the shifting cable and the rotational movement of the disk is converted into an axial movement of the shifting pin through the pin which is guided in the groove . alternatively , the pin can be secured to the disk and the groove can be formed in the shifting pin . fig2 shows a circuit diagram of a shifting device with two rotatable shifting pins . the shifting device which is illustrated in fig2 is an alternative embodiment to the shifting device 104 illustrated in fig4 and is generally denoted by 310 . identical elements are denoted by identical reference numbers , with only the differences being explained here . the driving gear 76 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to a driven gear 312 . the driven gear 312 is connected to two planetary gear mechanisms 311 โฒ, 311 โณ. the driving gear 76 forms , together with the driven gear 312 , an epicyclic transmission 313 . the driven gear 312 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion onto the planetary carriers 92 โฒ, 92 โณ of the planetary gear mechanisms 311 โฒ and 311 โณ. planetary gear sets are mounted on the planetary carriers 92 โฒ, 92 โณ. the planetary gear sets are each formed by a first planetary gear 314 and a second planetary gear 316 . the first planetary gear 314 is connected in each case in a rotationally fixed fashion to the second planetary gear 316 . a first sun gear 318 is arranged coaxially with respect to the planetary carrier 92 and meshes with the first planetary gears 314 . the first sun gear 318 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the output shaft 96 which is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion into the driving gear 100 of the epicyclic transmission 98 . a second sun gear 320 , which meshes with the second planetary gears 316 , is mounted coaxially with respect to the sun gear 318 . the second sun gear 320 is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the ring gear shaft 93 which is connected to the tension disk 94 . the first sun gear 318 and the first planetary gears 314 form a first transmission ratio which differs from a second transmission ratio of the second sun gear 320 with the second planetary gears 316 . the rotation of the shaft 72 is transmitted to the driven gear 312 via the driving gear 76 . the driven gear 312 drives the planetary gear mechanisms 311 โฒ, 311 โณ. in this context , the planetary carrier 92 , on which the planetary gear sets are mounted , is driven . the planetary gear mechanisms 311 โฒ, 311 โณ are formed as stepped planetary gear mechanisms . the first sun gear 318 meshes with the first planetary gears 314 and forms the output of the planetary gear mechanisms 311 โฒ, 311 โณ. if the tension disk 94 is not activated and the second sun gear 320 is therefore at rest , the rotation of the shaft 72 is transmitted to the shifting pins 74 โฒ, 74 โณ via the epicyclic transmission 313 , the planetary gear mechanisms 311 โฒ, 311 โณ and the second epicyclic transmissions 98 โฒ, 98 โณ. in this state , the transmission ratio is just one , with the result that the shifting pins 74 โฒ, 74 โณ rotate synchronously with the shaft 72 or with the same rotational speed as the shaft 72 . the second sun gear 320 serves as a further driving gear of the planetary gear mechanisms 311 โฒ, 311 โณ. a rotation of the sun gear 320 is consequently added to the rotation of the driven gear 312 , with the result that a rotation of the tension disk 94 can be transmitted to the shifting pin 74 . the method of functioning of the shifting device 310 is consequently identical to the method of functioning of the shifting device 104 from fig5 . fig3 illustrates an exploded illustration of the shifting device 310 . identical elements are denoted by identical reference numbers , with only the differences or the special features being presented here . the driven gear 312 and the planetary carriers 92 โฒ, 92 โณ are formed as a gearwheel with bearing holes and bearing pins . the driving gear 312 is mounted so as to be rotatable by means of a ball bearing on a bearing shaft 322 . the planets are formed from the planetary gears 314 and 316 which have different diameters and / or numbers of teeth . the first sun gear 318 โฒ is formed as an external toothing on the output shaft 96 โฒ which is formed as a hollow shaft . the second sun gear 320 โฒ is formed as an external toothing on the ring gear shaft 93 โฒ which is formed as a hollow shaft . the output shaft can be connected to the driving gear 100 โฒ of the epicyclic transmission 98 โฒ. the ring gear shaft 93 โฒ is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the tension disk 94 โฒ. the bearing shaft 322 , the output shaft 96 โฒ and the ring gear shaft 93 โฒ are formed in such a way that they can be arranged or mounted coaxially one in the other . the first sun gear 318 โณ is formed as an external toothing of the output shaft 96 โณ. the output shaft 96 โณ can be connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the driving gear 100 โณ. the second sun gear 320 โณ is formed as an external toothing and is connected to a gearwheel 324 โณ, wherein the second sun gear 320 โณ and the gearwheel 324 โณ are preferably formed in one piece . the gearwheel 324 โณ meshes with the gearwheel 95 from fig1 , which is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the ring gear shaft 93 โณ. alternatively , the ring gear shaft 93 โณ can be connected to a further gearwheel 95 โณ from fig2 . the gearwheel 95 โณ then meshes with a gearwheel 324 โณ, which is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the tension disk 94 โณ. as a result , both tension disks 94 โฒ, 94 โณ can be arranged coaxially on one side of the transmission unit . as a result of this arrangement illustrated in fig3 , two stepped planetary gear mechanisms which serve to rotate the shifting pins 74 โฒ, 74 โณ are formed . | 1 |
the invention has significant benefits across a broad spectrum of endeavors . it is the applicant &# 39 ; s intent that this specification and the claims appended hereto be accorded a breadth in keeping with the scope and spirit of the invention being disclosed despite what might appear to be limiting language imposed by the requirements of referring to the specific examples disclosed . to acquaint persons skilled in the pertinent arts most closely related to the invention , a preferred embodiment that illustrates the best mode now contemplated for putting the invention into practice is described herein . the exemplary embodiment is described in detail without attempting to describe all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied . as such , the embodiments described herein are illustrative , and as will become apparent to those skilled in the arts , and may be modified in numerous ways within the scope and spirit of the invention . although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments , it should be understood that the detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical , if not impossible . numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented , using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent , which would still fall within the scope of the claims . to the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning , that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader , and it is not intended that such claim term be limited , by implication or otherwise , to that single meaning . now referring to fig1 a and 1b , perspective views of a wire rope protection sleeve 2 are provided . also provided is a wire rope 4 that has first and second ends with thimble eyes 6 positioned at each end . the thimble eyes 6 are loops that allow the wire rope 4 to be selectively interconnected to different equipment , for example , lifting equipment for oil and gas operations . it will be appreciated that other components , or no components at all , may be located at the ends of the wire rope 4 . for example , end of the wire rope 4 may not comprise any additional components and the other end of the wire rope 4 may comprise a wire rope clip . the protection sleeve 2 is configured to selectively assemble and disassemble around the wire rope 4 to prevent metal : metal contact between the wire rope 4 and components with sensitive metal compositions such as some casings and tubulars . in the embodiment shown in fig1 a and 1b , the protection sleeve 2 has a body 8 substantially extending along the length of the wire rope 4 . a flap 12 is disposed at either end of the body 8 of the protection sleeve 2 . in some embodiments , the flaps 12 correspond to the thimble eyes 6 of the wire rope 4 . it will be appreciated that the particular number and orientation of the flaps 12 may depend on the type of wire rope 4 . for instance , in some embodiments , the protection sleeve 2 has only one flap 12 to correspond to one thimble eye 6 on the wire rope 4 . fasteners are provided that allow the protection sleeve 2 to selectively interconnect upon itself to assemble around the wire rope 4 . the body 8 of the protection sleeve 2 has a body fastener 10 extending along one side of the sleeve 2 and between two ends of the sleeve 2 . when the protection sleeve 2 is assembled and the body 8 of the sleeve 2 is wrapped around the wire rope 4 , the body fastener 10 selectively interconnects to the sleeve 2 itself . similarly , the flaps 12 each have flap fasteners 14 running along one side of the flaps 12 and between two ends of the flaps 12 . the flap fasteners 14 wrap around the thimble eyes 6 and selectively interconnect to the sleeve 2 itself . fig2 a and 2b are perspective views of the protection sleeve 2 in an assembled state . the fasteners along the body and the flaps of the protection sleeve 2 have been selectively interconnected to the protection sleeve 2 itself . the fasteners may be typical hook and loop fasteners . however , the fasteners may be any type of fastener that provides a selective interconnection , including , but not limited to , buttons , zippers , clamps , clips , latches , pins , retaining rings , screws , snap fasteners , and threaded fasteners . in addition , the fasteners may be disposed in a variety of locations on the protection sleeve 2 and in a variety of sizes and orientations . in some embodiments , the fasteners are positioned on the inner surface of the protection sleeve 2 , as shown in fig1 a and 1b . the fasteners then selectively interconnect to the outer surface of the protection sleeve 2 , as shown in fig2 a and 2b . in other embodiments , the fastener comprises two components such as hook and loop fasteners . one component is positioned on the inner surface of the protection sleeve 2 , and the corresponding component is positioned on the outer surface of the protection sleeve 2 . thus , when the protection sleeve 2 is assembled , the two components of the fastener combine to form a selective interconnection . once in an assembled state , the protection sleeve 2 prevents metal : metal contact between the wire rope 4 and any other metal apparatus , including drillpipe , casings , tubulars , etc . it will be appreciated that while selective interconnections are discussed with respect to the protection sleeve 2 , other embodiments may utilize permanent interconnections such as adhesives . it will further be appreciated that other embodiments may provide a protection sleeve 2 with no interconnections , wherein the protection sleeve 2 is installed by sliding the body 8 over wire rope 4 . the invention has significant benefits across a broad spectrum of endeavors . it is the applicant &# 39 ; s intent that this specification and the claims appended hereto be accorded a breadth in keeping with the scope and spirit of the invention being disclosed despite what might appear to be limiting language imposed by the requirements of referring to the specific examples disclosed . the phrases โ at least one โ, โ one or more โ, and โ and / or โ, as used herein , are open - ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation . for example , each of the expressions โ at least one of a , b , and c โ, โ at least one of a , b , or c โ, โ one or more of a , b , and c โ, โ one or more of a , b , or c ,โ and โ a , b , and / or c โ means a alone , b alone , c alone , a and b together , a and c together , b and c together , or a , b , and c together . unless otherwise indicated , all numbers expressing quantities , dimensions , conditions , and so forth used in the specification , drawings , and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term โ about .โ the term โ a โ or โ an โ entity , as used herein , refers to one or more of that entity . as such , the terms โ a โ ( or โ an โ), โ one or more โ and โ at least one โ can be used interchangeably herein . the use of โ including ,โ โ comprising ,โ or โ having ,โ and variations thereof , is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items . accordingly , the terms โ including ,โ โ comprising ,โ or โ having โ and variations thereof can be used interchangeably herein . it shall be understood that the term โ means โ as used herein shall be given its broadest possible interpretation in accordance with 35 u . s . c ., section 112 ( f ). accordingly , a claim incorporating the term โ means โ shall cover all structures , materials , or acts set forth herein , and all of the equivalents thereof . further , the structures , materials , or acts , and the equivalents thereof , shall include all those described in the summary of the invention , brief description of the drawings , detailed description , abstract , and claims themselves . the foregoing description of the invention has been presented for illustration and description purposes . however , the description is not intended to limit the invention to only the forms disclosed herein . in the foregoing detailed description for example , various features of the invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure . this method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim . rather , as the following claims reflect , inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment . thus , the following claims are hereby incorporated into this detailed description , with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the invention . consequently , variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings and skill and knowledge of the relevant art are within the scope of the invention . the embodiments described herein above are further intended to explain best modes of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such a manner , or include other embodiments with various modifications as required by the particular application ( s ) or use ( s ) of the invention . thus , it is intended that the claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art . | 1 |
in the figures , identical reference numerals designate identical or functionally equivalent components , unless otherwise noted . as shown in fig1 , a thermoforming machine 1 according to the present embodiment comprises a frame 2 for carrying the various components of the thermoforming machine 1 . preferably the thermoforming machine 1 comprises an upper plate 3 , to which predetermined form sections for forming the material to be thermoformed are mounted . the upper plate 3 is adjustable in elevation through an associated drive motor and associated ball screw spindles 4 , preferably vertical to the frame 2 . furthermore , when required , the upper plate 3 can be additionally supported horizontally and adjustable relative to the frame 2 through suitable drives and adjustment elements . for example , four ball screw spindles 4 are provided , which are disposed in a rectangular pattern relative to the upper plate 3 , allowing a smooth elevation adjustment of the upper plate 3 . as furthermore shown in fig1 , the thermoforming machine 1 additionally preferably comprises several hydraulic cylinders 5 , which are fastened to the upper plate 3 . in the hydraulic cylinders 4 , e . g . predetermined and well known distance measuring devices can be integrated for detecting the adjustment distance . the respective piston rods 6 of the hydraulic cylinders 5 protrude downward , below the upper plate 3 , in an extended state of the thermoforming machine 1 , which is illustrated in fig1 in an exemplary manner . furthermore , the thermoforming machine 1 with reference to fig1 comprises a lower plate 7 , to which predetermined form sections are mounted , analogous to the upper plate 3 , which correspond to the form sections of the upper plate 3 for forming the material to be thermoformed . the lower plate 7 is preferably also vertically adjustable relative to the frame 2 , according to the present embodiment via an associated drive and associated ball screw spindles 8 , so that the upper plate 3 and the lower plate 7 are adjustable relative to each other , and towards each other , depending on the respective form sections that are used , or depending on the formed piece to be manufactured . at the lower plate 7 , preferably several clamping cylinders 9 are fastened , so that an opposing clamping cylinder 9 is associated in a suitable manner to each piston rod 6 or to each hydraulic cylinder 5 of the upper plate . thus during an adjustment of the upper plate 3 and the lower plate 7 towards each other through the above - described drives and adjustment elements , each piston rod 6 of a hydraulic cylinder 5 can be inserted accordingly into an associated clamping cylinder 9 , and connected to it through friction locking , wherein such coupling will be described subsequently with reference to fig2 in more detail . similar to the upper plate 3 , the lower plate 7 can also preferably be moved through associated drives and adjustment elements , relative to the frame 2 in a horizontal manner , in order to perform a desired thermoforming process in connection with the accordingly aligned upper plate 3 . it is also conceivable that only one of the plates 3 , 7 is supported horizontally adjustable . according to the present embodiment , the thermoforming machine 1 has a heating mechanism , which has , e . g ., two upper heating devices 10 , 11 , which are also vertically adjustable , relative to the frame 2 , through suitable drives and adjustment elements , according to the thermoforming process to be performed respectively . below the upper heater devices 10 , 11 , preferably two lower heater devices 12 , 13 are provided , which are also vertically adjustable through suitable drives and adjustment elements relative to the frame 2 . the upper heating devices 10 , 11 , and the lower heating devices 12 , 13 are provided for heating the material to be thermoformed before the thermoforming process . subsequently a thermoforming process through the exemplary thermoforming machine 1 of the present embodiment is described in more detail with reference to the fig1 and 2 . the state of the thermoforming machine 1 illustrated in fig1 shows the state of the machine before the thermoforming process . before the beginning of the thermoforming process , the upper plate 3 and the lower plate 7 are moved towards each other through the drives and adjustment elements described above , for example , the upper plate 3 is moved downwards in the direction of the lower plate 7 , and / or the lower plate 7 is moved upwards in the direction of the upper plate 3 . due to this relative motion of the upper plate 3 and the lower plate 7 , the piston rods 6 of the hydraulic cylinders 5 of the upper plate 3 are inserted into the respective associated clamping cylinders 9 of the lower plate 7 , accordingly disposed below the hydraulic cylinders 5 , as illustrated in fig2 in a schematic partial view . the left half of fig2 thus illustrates the clamping cylinder 9 in a disengaged state l , and the right half of fig2 shows the clamping cylinder in a clamped state k . each clamping cylinder 9 can continuously clamp an associated piston rod 6 without changing its position , and , furthermore , each clamping cylinder 9 can bear axial forces in both directions . the clamping cylinders 9 are activated or deactivated through force loading , in particular through hydraulic force loading . it will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art , that a pneumatic force loading is also possible . the clamping cylinders 9 preferably comprise a respective clamping bushing 14 with an outer cone and a clamping sleeve 15 with an inner cone , as illustrated in fig2 . the clamping bushing 14 is preferably guided in a housing 16 of the clamping cylinder 9 , and is compressed in axial direction for clamping the associated piston rod 6 via the clamping bushing 14 . the required clamping force is accomplished , e . g ., through the said hydraulic pressure loading . in fig2 , the reference symbol k designates a clamping force for clamping the clamping sleeve 15 via the clamping bushing 14 for clamping the inserted piston rod 6 . similarly , the reference symbol l in fig2 designates a force for disengaging the clamping , so that the inserted piston rod 6 can slide in the clamping cylinder 9 without friction . through such a coupling of the piston rods 6 with the respectively associated clamping cylinders 9 , a friction locked connection between the piston rods 6 and the respectively associated clamping cylinders 9 , or between the upper plate 3 and the lower plate 7 is assured . for performing the thermoforming process , after performing the said friction locked connection , the hydraulic cylinders 5 of the upper plate 3 are driven , so that a pulling force of a predetermined size is imparted to the lower plate 7 , comprising the clamping cylinders 9 . thus the lower plate 7 is pulled against the upper plate 3 for delivering the required forming force for thermoforming the heated material through the provided form sections of the upper plate 3 and the lower plate 7 with a predetermined pulling force . due to the above described friction locked connection between the piston rods 6 and the associated clamping cylinders 9 , a sliding motion of the inserted piston rods 6 relative to the associated clamping cylinders 9 advantageously occurs when a predetermined maximum value of the pulling force is exceeded . through this sliding out of the piston rods 6 from the associated clamping cylinders 9 , when a predetermined pulling force is exceeded , damages to the particular components are avoided , contrary to an , e . g ., form - fit connection between the respective components . after a successfully completed thermoforming process , the pulling force imparted upon the lower plate 7 is disengaged through the respective drives of the hydraulic cylinders 5 , the upper plate 3 and the lower plate 7 are moved apart from each other through the respective drives and adjustment elements , and the thermoformed piece is removed . though the present invention was described in the above with reference to preferred embodiments , it is not limited to them , but can be modified in many ways . for example , pneumatic cylinders can also be used instead of hydraulic cylinders , which assure the respective pulling forces . also , the number and placement of the piston cylinders on the upper plate , as well as of the associated clamping cylinders on the lower plate , can be modified as appropriate , and shall be preferably selected such that a smooth relative motion of the upper and the lower plates is possible relative to each other . furthermore , also different clamping mechanisms , than the ones shown in fig2 are conceivable for providing a friction locked coupling . | 1 |
referring to fig1 an affixation and release arrangement 10 is illustrated . the specifically depicted embodiment is an affixation between a first component such as a mill 12 and a second component such as a whipstock 14 but it is to be appreciated that the concept hereof can be extended to other affixations that require separation . referring directly to the figures , the mill 12 defines a chamber 16 therein . a piston 18 is disposed in pressure communication with the chamber 16 such that a change in pressure in the chamber will cause a change in position of the piston 18 . in one embodiment , the arrangement is configured to cause the piston 18 to move upon a pressure increase in the chamber 16 . in the illustrated embodiment , this is affected by configuring the piston 18 with a differential area end to end . hence upon increased pressure , the piston will move . addressing specifically the differential area of the piston 18 , it is noted that in the illustration , the portion of the piston 18 that for convenience is referred to here as piston head 20 , on the right side of drawing fig1 is of a dimension that is larger than that of a portion of the piston 18 , referred to herein for convenience as piston tail 22 . piston head 20 and piston tail 22 are accommodated laterally in the mill 12 in bores 24 and 26 that are sized to promote fluid pressure sealability with the piston head 20 and piston tail 22 , respectively . sealing is enhanced by the provision of seals 28 and 30 at each of piston head 20 and piston tail 22 . in one embodiment the seals 28 and 30 are o - rings . in the condition of piston 18 as described it will be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art that increasing fluid pressure in chamber 16 will cause the piston 18 to move toward the end thereof that is of greater area . in the configuration described above this is toward piston head 20 . this also corresponds to the right side of the figure as illustrated . in order to prevent the piston from moving too far in either direction the illustrated embodiment is configured with stops 32 and 34 . these are in one embodiment as illustrated with stop 32 being a snap ring received in a groove 36 and stop 32 being a piece of the piston 18 itself . it will be understood however that these can be reversed or the stop function otherwise accomplished . in the specifically illustrated embodiment the construction is related to ease of manufacture of the arrangement 10 since in this configuration the entire piston 18 is insertable through the bore 24 and then the snap ring 32 may be engaged with the groove 36 through chamber 16 . because in the setting of the illustrated embodiment there is no reason that reengagement would be desired , there is no reason to include a biasing member to urge the piston 18 in a direction opposite that of the direction of movement under increased chamber fluid pressure . it will be appreciated however , that in other embodiments utilizing the same concept as the embodiment illustrated might benefit from a biasing member and hence in such an arrangement a biasing member such as a spring would be located to act in a direction opposite the direction of fluid pressure movement such as in compression between the ring 32 and the chamber wall directly to the right of the ring 32 in the figure , for example , or might be located to act in a same direction as the direction of fluid pressure movement such as between the stop 34 and the chamber wall directly to the left of the stop 34 in the figure , for example . the whipstock 14 , for run in , is secured to the mill 12 by a fastener 38 that is in affixed relationship with the piston 18 . in one embodiment , the affixed relationship is a threaded or press fit relationship at interface 40 ( illustrated in fig1 with the thread as top and the press fit as bottom to be illustrative of the two differing embodiments ). in some embodiments the threaded engagement , press fit engagement or the fastener itself may be overcome solely by the pressure based movement of the piston resulting in release of the mill 12 from the whipstock 14 . in other embodiments however , it is contemplated that a parting configuration be provided in the fastener . such parting configurations may present as a groove 43 in the fastener ( shown as the bottom only to provide illustration of differing embodiments ) to reduce tensile capacity thereof , a heat - treated area for the same purpose , or other similar treatments that will reduce strength of the fastener . in some embodiments the reduction is strength of the fastener will be concentrated in a reduction in tensile strength while substantially preserving shear and / or bending strength . in each case , the parting configuration is configured to cause parting of the fastener 38 below a surface 42 of the whipstock face to ensure that the fastener will not itself present an impediment to mill 12 advancement . with the fastener 38 secured to the piston 18 , through an uphole end of whipstock 14 , the whipstock 14 is affixed to the mill 12 and remains that way until the arrangement is actuated by increasing fluid pressure in chamber 16 . fluid pressure can be increased in a number of ways such as by pump or by heaters or by energetic compounds ( particularly if the chamber 16 is configured as an enclosed space ), etc . and the pressure can be locally generated or remote as desired . in use , the arrangement is run into the hole in the condition illustrated in fig1 and located by suitable means . once the whipstock is at final destination and orientation the pressure is increased in chamber 16 whereby the piston 18 is moved to the right of the drawing figure and the fastener 38 parts , which is illustrated in fig2 . once the arrangement 10 has achieved the condition illustrated in fig2 , the mill 12 is free to move relative to the whipstock 14 . because there is no remaining bolt or lug to be milled off the whipstock 14 , there is far less eccentric cut experienced by the mill when advancing to its primary objective . the life of the mill is therefore extended and the job it can do enhanced since it has not experienced a difficult eccentric cut , as has traditionally been the case . in an alternate embodiment , referring to fig3 , the piston 118 is configured differently . the piston 118 itself extends through the whipstock 14 and is secured at an opposite surface 44 to the face surface 42 . in the specifically illustrated embodiment , a securement 48 is secured in a groove 50 of the piston 118 . this ring 48 may be a snap ring , an e clip , etc . further the securement 48 may be a roll pin or other similar structure ( schematically represented by fig4 ). in this embodiment , upon the application of fluid pressure within chamber 16 , piston 118 is urged as it was in the previously described embodiment but instead of parting the fastener as shown in fig2 , the securement 48 is disengaged from the piston 118 . disengagement may be by shear , deformation , etc . as long as it is no longer in a position to hold the piston in place and thereby allows the fluid pressure to move the piston 118 in a direction that will disengage the piston itself from the whipstock ( to the right in the figure ). in this embodiment , there is no component of the securement left in the whipstock and hence no concern that such component might come loose and interfere with a well operation . while preferred embodiments have been shown and described , various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation . | 8 |
fig1 illustrates the characteristics of an nvram cell which change over time , where the erase time is shown , as a function of the number of erase operations . devices having an nvram array periodically erase the nvram array . erasure of the nvram array represents a condition where the charge in the floating gate of each stacked gate constituting each cell is removed . the removal of the charge occurs by applying pulses to a common source connection of each of the nvram cells which removes the charge from each of the floating gates , thereby lowering the threshold voltage for each nvram cell . as is known in the art , the erasure of an nvram cell is detected when the voltage threshold vt of the floating gate transistor drops below a given threshold value . over time , more pulses applied to the common source connection are needed to remove the charge in the floating gate , and the time to erase an nvram cell may be represented by the number of pulses needed to achieve a reduction in device threshold voltage vt . fig1 illustrates the time for erasure as a function of the number of erasures over the life of a nvram cell for a normal nvram cell , and the erasure time for a cell exhibiting an imminent failure . the nvram cell exhibiting an imminent failure takes a longer time to erase , and has an increased erase acceleration factor , i . e ., a change in slope of the erasure time versus erasure count function . the erasure time as well as the erase acceleration may be used as a threshold for detecting imminent failure . the current embodiment of the invention selects as an erase acceleration threshold which is equal to the slope shown in fig1 . if the erase acceleration increases beyond that illustrated in the dotted line of fig1 an imminent failure is predicted . alternatively , the time for erasure may be used as a threshold function for identifying an imminent failure of an nvram cell of the nvram array . in order to carry out the invention in accordance with the preferred embodiment , both the erase acceleration and total erase time for the entire array , rather than on an individual cell basis are used as alternative thresholds for identifying the time to replace the nvram array . fig2 illustrates the basic system architecture of a system which stores and retrieves data from an nvram array having a detection circuit which identifies the imminent failure of the nvram array . data are transferred between the nvram array 18 and the system bus 11 . conventional i / o data buffers 12 store the data transfer in both a read operation , wherein data is transferred from the nvram array 18 to the bus 11 , and a write operation in which data is transferred from the bus 11 for storage in nvram array 18 . address decoders 13 provide the address locations in the nvram array 18 for storing the data temporarily located in i / o data buffers 12 . read / write control logic circuit 14 , operating under control of the system bus , will enable the nvram 18 to either read data from it , or write data to it . the nvram array 18 erase time or โ endurance โ is constantly monitored with the circuit 19 . since the programming voltage applied to the nvram array can influence the erase time , it is assumed that the voltage will be maintained substantially constant . a control signal on line 21 from the read / write control logic 14 represents the erasure time for the entire nvram array 18 which is coincident with an address on line 22 corresponding to a global address for the cells of the nvram array 18 . together control signals 21 , 22 indicate the erasure process for all of the cells of the array 18 . a system clock input is provided to the erase acceleration detection circuit 19 . the system clock may be used as a timing signal which measures the length of the erasure interval on line 21 , from which the erasure acceleration may be determined . alternatively , an on board oscillator may be provided as a source of timing signals . when either of these quantities , either erase time or erase time acceleration , exceeds preestablished levels , a flag is posted for alerting the user that the nvram array has reached the end of its useful life and should be replaced . the detection circuit 19 is shown more completely in fig3 . the process of monitoring the erase time begins when an erase function is initiated by the read / write control logic which occurs by applying pulses to the source connection of each nvram cell . the threshold value for each of the nvram cells is determined following each pulse . when all cells have attained a voltage threshold below the reference threshold , the erasure of all of the cells is thereby verified . the control logic 30 of fig3 receives a pulse , indicating the beginning of the erase function , as well as an erase complete pulse indicating that the voltage threshold for each nvram cell is below reference , indicating the entire array is erased . the interval of time between the beginning of an erase function and the completion of the erase function is measured with counter 32 . counter 32 is reset when the erase function begins and accumulates clock pulses from the system clock . the erase complete indication disables counting by the erase time counter 32 , providing a count representing the time for erasure . the count obtained from the erasure time for the nvram array is stored in an erase time storage register 31 through buffer 34 . a subtractor circuit 36 subtracts the current time for erasure from a previous time of erasure stored in the array erase time storage register 31 . storage register 31 may be a small nvram array . the result represents an erase time acceleration , representing the slope of the erase time versus total number of erasures of fig1 . the resulting erase time acceleration figure is compared in comparator 39 with a maximum erase time acceleration ( delta ) stored in register 40 . registers 40 and 41 may for instance be hard wired or fuse - programmed . in the event that the erase acceleration or slope of the erase time function exceeds the delta , a failure is posted by comparator 39 . as an additional measure of the nvram susceptibility to failure , the total erase time is compared in comparator 38 with a maximum erase time in register 41 . in the event the erase time exceeds the maximum , a flag is posted indicating the end of useful life of the nvram array . the foregoing logic circuit is implemented with the nvram array so that the characteristics of the nvram array may be monitored every time an erase function is executed . in this way , normal use of the nvram device provides a constant indication of its life expectancy , which is continuously updated and used to generate a replacement flag . fig4 is a more detailed description of the process executed by the apparatus of fig3 . referring now to fig4 the process begins with step 50 when the nvram array is undergoing an erase operation . the erase time counter is started in 51 . once the erase operation is completed as determined in step 52 , the erase time counter is inhibited in step 54 from accumulating any further system clock pulses . the maximum erase time is then recovered from register 41 in step 55 and used as a reference erase time . decision block 57 determines whether the maximum erase time has been exceeded . if so , a flag is set indicating that the nvram array has reached the end of its useful life . if the erase time is still below the maximum erasure time , the delta , or erase acceleration factor of the erase time is determined in step 58 as the difference between the currently computed erase time and a previously computed erase time . a comparison is made in step 59 whether a maximum erase acceleration has been exceeded . if it has , this results in a flag being set to indicate that the nvram array has reached the end of its useful life . decision block 60 determines whether a new erase time is greater than the previous erase time . if it is it becomes a new reference value stored in register 31 . the process ends in step 61 , until such time as the nvram array is subject to a subsequent erase function . thus , the foregoing embodiment provides for a determination of the end of useful life for the nvram array , by continuously monitoring the array &# 39 ; s erase function characteristics . while slope and time for erasure are in accordance with the preferred embodiment the two characteristics monitored , those skilled in the art will recognize other characteristics which may be continuously monitored to obtain an indication of the end of the nvram array useful life . the foregoing description of the invention illustrates and describes the present invention . additionally , the disclosure shows and describes only the preferred embodiments of the invention , but as aforementioned , it is to be understood that the invention is capable of use in various other combinations , modifications , and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein , commensurate with the above teachings , and / or the skill or knowledge of the relevant art . the embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain best modes known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such , or other , embodiments and with the various modifications required by the particular applications or uses of the invention . accordingly , the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein . also , it is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments . | 6 |
in fig1 a transmitter 10 includes an encoder 12 for receiving video from a suitable source and processing it in any of a variety of ways , including the one specified in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 285 , 276 by developing motion vectors and discrete cosign transform coefficients for the difference signals . the data is supplied to a variable length encoder 14 in which the data is compressed and formatted in the form of codewords of variable length . the output of variable length encoder 14 is at a fixed video frame rate resulting in a variable data rate which , in accordance with the preferred embodiment , averages about 17 megabits per second . the variable rate data is applied to a compressed data ( cd ) buffer 16 which outputs data at a fixed data rate of 17 megabits per second . the data is transmitted by any suitable means , e . g . over the air or by cable , to a receiver 11 which includes a compressed data buffer ( cd ) 18 , a variable length decoder ( vld ) 20 , an uncompressed data buffer ( ud ) 22 and a selector 24 . the uncompressed data buffer 22 is shown in a dashed line block to simplify the operational description of the processing system . the receiver requirements can best be understood by considering that selector 24 must provide pixel data in parallel form ( at an assumed 8 bits per pixel ), at a rate of about 75 megabytes per second . this 75 megabytes per second rate is referred to as the pixel clock ( pclock ). to achieve this rate , selector 24 requests data as needed ( in parallel form ) from vld 20 via its request ( req ) line . the selector adds or fills in 0 &# 39 ; s for omitted coefficients in the transmitted blocks of data . it therefore doesn &# 39 ; t request as much data from vld 20 for a block that has omitted coefficients . the result is a relatively low data rate between vld 20 and selector 24 when processing that block . for blocks of data with no coefficients dropped , selector 24 must receive all coefficients at the pclock rate . to supply selector 24 with data at the pclock rate , vld 20 must request data from cd buffer 18 at the rate of one variable length codeword per pclock . for example , assume a time period in which all incoming variable length codewords are of maximum 8 bit length . because vld 20 receives data serially , the data rate is 8 ร pclock between cd buffer 18 and vld 20 . this is a very high rate ( 8 ร 75 mhz ) at which to read data out of conventional memory . hence , the cd buffer 18 in the receiver is placed before vld 20 to keep the buffer size reasonable . ( buffering after vld 20 would require a buffer of much larger size .) a circuit modification that helps to reduce the buffer size includes another buffer ud 22 in the dashed line box . since worst case situations ( no significant compression of data ) will persist for relatively short and infrequent time periods , ud 22 provides data to selector 24 at the pclock rate while reading data from vld 20 at a somewhat lesser rate . the result is that the rate at which data is read from cd buffer 18 is somewhat reduced . however , ud buffer 22 , which stores expanded data , would need to be very large to effect a significant reduction in the data rate from cd buffer 18 . the problem remains in that the high data rate between the cd buffer and the vld requires the use of a very expensive high speed memory for the compressed data buffer . the invention claimed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 424 , 733 , above significantly reduces the reading speed requirement for the compressed data buffer by splitting the data among a number of buffers that operate in parallel . referring to fig2 compressed data and data segment sync signals are applied to a first separator ds1 . the data segment sync signals mark the boundaries between each of the fixed length data segments . ds1 separates the data segment header from the block data in the data segments and sends the block data to a compressed data output . ds1 determines the starting points in the compressed data stream for some of the blocks , i . e . the first block beginning , if any , in a data segment from the data segment header information . specifically , a pointer in the data segment header points to the first block beginning in the data segment . this information is used to create a partial block boundary marker signal for synchronization of the subsequent circuitry . the compressed data and partial block boundary marker signals are applied to a second data separator ds2 . ds2 includes means for finding the separation points between each of the individual variable length codewords in the compressed data stream . such means may conveniently take the form of separate variable length decoders that are dedicated primarily to the task of finding these codeword boundaries . a partial block boundary marker signal from ds1 identifies a known , fixed number of following codewords as selector data for the block . a variable length decoder decodes the data counting this known , fixed number of codewords to identify the boundary in the compressed data stream between the selector data and the coefficient data . the compressed selector data is sent to the compressed selector data output of ds2 and the subsequent coefficient data is sent to the compressed data output of ds2 . the portion of the decoded selector data that identifies the number of coefficient codewords in the block is saved and used to control the vld which decodes the identified number of coefficient codewords before the next block ( and the new selector data ) is encountered . ds2 stops routing the compressed data stream to the compressed data output and switches back to the compressed selector data output at that point . the remainder of the decoded selector data and all of the decoded coefficient data is discarded in ds2 . ds2 also generates a group boundary marker signal that denotes the boundaries between groups ( i . e . an integral number of codewords ) in the compressed coefficient data stream at the compressed data output . the integral number is determined according to an algorithm to be discussed . in the event of errors in the received data , the variable length decoders in ds2 will be quickly resynchronized by the partial block boundary marker signal from ds1 . the compressed data and group boundary marker signals are applied to a demultiplexer and grouper 30 for demultiplexing and assembling the codewords into groups ( determined by the algorithm ) consisting of an integral number of codewords , the boundaries between the groups being determined by the group boundary marker signal . the compressed selector data signal from ds2 is supplied , along with a data clock signal , to a compressed data buffer 34 . the clock signal is supplied to the wr ( write ) terminal of a cd buffer 34 , while the data signal is applied to its i ( input ) terminal . the output terminal o of buffer 34 supplies the compressed selector data to a selector data variable length decoder 39 . vld 39 controls the rate of transmission of data from buffer 34 by means of a request line which is coupled to the r ( read ) terminal of buffer 34 . the partial block boundary marker signal supplied from ds1 to ds2 is present for only the first - occurring block beginning in a data segment as described above . ds2 also develops a complete block boundary marker signal that identifies each block boundary when the separation points between the end of the compressed coefficient data and the beginning of the compressed selector data , as described above , are determined . an auxiliary buffer 35 is operated in parallel with buffer 34 for maintaining synchronism between the data ( as it is processed ) and the complete block boundary marker signals . this arrangement for processing the marker signals constitutes the subject of the present invention and results in a significant reduction in the required size of the auxiliary buffer . an input bit counter 32 and an output bit counter 37 flank the auxiliary buffer 35 . the data clock signal is applied to input bit counter 32 . the count value of input bit counter 32 is supplied to the data input of the auxiliary buffer 35 . the reset terminal of input bit counter 32 and the write terminal of auxiliary buffer 35 are supplied with the complete block boundary marker signal from ds2 . the output of auxiliary buffer 35 is applied via a parallel load bus to output bit counter 37 which is stepped by the request signal from vld 39 . the count value of output bit counter 37 is supplied to an &# 34 ; all zero &# 34 ; detector 38 which develops a reset signal for vld 39 , for counter 37 and a lead signal for auxiliary buffer 35 . the selector data is applied to a selector / multiplexer 41 for controlling operation thereof . vld 39 also generates a complete block boundary marker signal for selector / multiplexer 41 . as indicated , the buffers 34 and 35 are of the first - in , first - out ( fifo ) type that are well known in the art . returning to ds2 , demultiplexer and grouper 30 accepts the incoming serial data and the group boundary marker signal from ds2 and apportions the data into groups , each consisting of an integral number of codewords , among a plurality of parallelly connected compressed data buffers 50 - 57 . the dashed line joining the buffers 50 - 57 indicates that buffers , corresponding to output terminals 1 - 6 of the demultiplexer and grouper 30 , are omitted . it will be understood that the output terminals 0 - 7 are arbitrary in number and that each output terminal has the same processing structure , i . e . buffers and variable length decoders , connected thereto . it will therefore suffice to describe operations for one output , it being understood that data at the other outputs is processed in an identical manner . the data from terminal o is applied to the input terminal of cd buffer 50 . the data clock signal is applied to the wr terminal of cd buffer 50 and to an input bit counter 40 . an auxiliary buffer 60 , an output bit counter 70 and a zero detector 80 are connected in a manner similar to the connection of auxiliary counter 35 , output bit counter 37 and zero detector 38 described above . a variable length decoder 90 receives the serial data from cd buffer 50 , decodes it , and applies the decoded data in a parallel format to an uncompressed data buffer 100 . the output of uncompressed buffer 100 is supplied to the selector and multiplexer 41 , which also includes means for uncompressing the compressed data . it will be noted that the vld by its nature converts compressed data to a fixed length output and broadly performs some expansion . in practice , the variable length encoded codewords are decoded to a fixed 8 bit length . this is distinct from the uncompressing of the compressed data that occurs after the vld . a similar arrangement of elements coupled to output terminal 7 of demultiplexer and grouper 30 , i . e . cd buffer 57 , auxiliary buffer 67 , bit counters 47 and 77 , vld 97 and uncompressed buffer 107 function in the same way to develop a parallel output of a block of data , which is assembled into a single serial stream by selector / multiplexer 41 . the parallel buffer arrangement will now be discussed . as mentioned , the incoming data is formatted such that the boundaries between codewords can be determined in the decoding process . since the uncompressed data can reach extremely high rates , the plurality of parallel buffers 50 - 57 is employed to operate on sequential portions of the data stream . since the required speed for each buffer is effectively divided by the number of buffers , relatively low cost fifo memories may therefore be used for the buffers . with the codewords being of variable length , the grouping of the codewords to load the parallel buffers substantially equally is very important . the sizes or bit lengths of the codeword groups are determined with an algorithm based upon selecting a nominal group bit length equal to the maximum codeword size and adding successive codewords until the nominal size is reached or exceeded . when this occurs , the nominal bit length is subtracted from the actual number of totalled bits and compared with another total developed from the difference between the totalled number of bits minus the last - added codeword . the codeword arrangement that provides the smallest difference is selected as the group and demultiplexer 30 supplies that group of data to buffer 50 and switches to its next output for the next group of data . the process proceeds in a cyclical manner with each of the outputs of demultiplexer and grouper 30 receiving a group of data for its associated buffer . with the arrangement , the loading of the buffers is substantially equalized so that no one buffer is loaded significantly faster or more fully than any other buffer . this contributes greatly to system economy and enables the smaller size buffers to process the information . it will be appreciated that the number of buffers need not be eight , but any number can be employed with equal effect . that invention is the subject matter of the u . s . pat . no . 5 , 424 , 733 . the subject matter of the present invention is the provision of the input and output bit counters to enable the use of an auxiliary buffer of a significantly smaller size than the cd buffer while preserving synchronism between the data that is being supplied to the cd buffer and the complete block boundary marker signal . counter 40 , for example , counts up the bits written into cd buffer 50 until it is reset by the complete block boundary marker signal . this signal is a pulse in which the trailing edge acts as a reset signal . the count total of counter 40 is transferred ( as a parallel n bit word ) to the auxiliary buffer 60 when its wr input is activated by leading edge of the complete block boundary marker signal . both cd buffer 50 and auxiliary buffer 60 are of the fifo variety , and as the data is serially transferred to buffer 50 , the n bit word , representing the number of bits in the block of data , is clocked along . the block of data supplied to buffer 50 may comprise a number of groups totalling many hundreds of bits in length whereas the corresponding word in auxiliary buffer 60 is only a few ( n ) bits long . when vld 90 requests data from buffer 50 , the parallel data in auxiliary buffer 60 is loaded into the output counter 70 and the counter begins to count down in response to signals on the request line . when the counter counts down to all zeros , the zero detector 80 generates a reset signal , which is applied to vld 90 , counter 70 and auxiliary buffer 60 . thus the synchronization of the compressed data and the block boundary marker signal is maintained without requiring a duplicate size buffer for handling the boundary signal . n is readily determined by letting x equal the maximum number of expected coefficient bits in a block . since there are eight parallel paths and the x bits are approximately equally distributed to each of the parallel paths ( cd buffers ), any given buffer will hold a maximum of x / 8 bits . since the binary representation of n is log 2 ( x / 8 ), the input and output bit counters must be n bits wide . as mentioned previously , selector vld 39 reads data out of cd buffer 34 and provides decoded selector data to the selector / multiplexer 41 . in response to the reset signal from zero detector 38 which corresponds to the block boundary points , vld 39 sends a new complete block boundary marker signal ( corresponding to the original block boundary marker signal ) to the selector / multiplexer 41 . the parallel vld &# 39 ; s ( 90 - 97 ) read data out of their corresponding cd buffers ( 50 - 57 ), decode the data and output it in parallel form to their corresponding ud buffers ( 100 - 107 ). vld &# 39 ; s 90 - 97 also keep track of codeword groups generated according to the previously described grouping algorithm and produce group boundary signals ( bits ) which are passed to the ud buffers along with the decoded codewords . the codeword data and group boundary signals pass through the ud buffers and are available to the selector / multiplexer 41 . the selector / multiplexer 41 outputs expanded coefficient data at the pclock rate . in response to the reset ( complete block boundary marker signal ) from selector vld 39 , selector / multiplexer 41 reads the selector data for the current block of data from selector vld 39 . this information indicates which coefficients have been omitted from the block of data and the total number of coefficients in the block . thus , the number of coefficients to be read from the parallel coefficient ud buffers is determined and the point at which selector data must be read for the next block of data from selector vld 39 is ascertained . the selector / multiplexer fills in o &# 39 ; s for the omitted coefficients . to maintain proper ordering of the data at the output of the selector / multiplexer , data must be read from the parallel ud buffers a group of codewords at a time . this grouping is determined by the previously described group boundary marker signals . what has been described is a novel data processing system for decoding variable length encoded compressed data while maintaining synchronization that minimizes the need for fifo memories . it is recognized that numerous changes in the described embodiment of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from its true spirit and scope . the invention is to be limited only as defined in the claims . | 7 |
the preferred embodiment of the invention in fig1 and 9 includes a tank 10 for containing cleaning liquid ( not illustrated ) therein , a nozzle 12 for delivering the liquid and a dispensing system 14 for valving the liquid from the tank to the nozzle . the tank 10 , the nozzle 12 and the dispensing system 14 are connectable to a tubular wand section 16 which in turn is connectable to an upper , separate tubular wand section 18 . in operation , liquid is selectively and controllably dispensed from the tank 10 to a surface to be cleaned ( not illustrated ) to dissolve or lift off dirt and the like from the surface . suction is then drawn from a below described suction source 130 , through the tube 124 , wand sections 16 and 18 , and then through the nozzle 12 so that the liquid , along with the dirt and the like , is drawn up through the nozzle 12 and out through the wand sections 16 and 18 . except as otherwise indicated , the various parts of the preferred embodiment of the system are formed of molded , relatively rigid plastic . referring to fig1 and 2 , the tank 10 is a total enclosure defined by an upper wall 20 away from the nozzle 12 , an opposite lower wall 22 at the bottom of the tank , a back wall 24 which is at the side toward the user and a front wall 26 , which has the nozzle 12 and wand section 16 in front of it . the walls 20 - 26 enclose the tank . a recess 28 is defined in the tank front wall 26 toward the lower wall 22 for receiving and guiding vertical shifting of the below described pinch slide 52 . a ledge 30 defines the top of that recess . a filler cap 32 is accessibly placed near the top of the tank , through which the tank 10 may be filled with liquid . the suction nozzle 12 is preferably molded of clear plastic , permitting observation of the liquid being sucked through the nozzle . the nozzle has a front cover 34 facing the front of the attachment and a rear wall 36 at the front of the waterfall 96 . an outlet fitting 38 at the top of the nozzle connects it to the wand section 16 . the lower end of the lower wand section 16 is retained in the outlet fitting 38 of the nozzle 12 by means of a spring biased button detent 39 . a suction inlet 40 at the bottom of the nozzle 12 is to be placed at the carpet or surface to be suctioned . from its front side 141 to its rear side 142 , the suction inlet is narrow all across the nozzle 12 , to minimize the cross - section of the nozzle pressed against the carpet , as discussed further below . the cross - section of the nozzle 12 generally narrows in lateral side to side width and increases in front to back height from the suction inlet 40 to the outlet fitting 38 . the liquid dispensing system 14 includes an outlet fitting 42 located at the lower wall 22 of the tank 10 . a connecting member 44 is spin - welded to the outlet fitting 42 . the inlet end 46 of a flexible , resilient , preferably elastomeric rubber or plastic tube 48 is pushed over and retained on the connecting member 44 . the opposite outlet end 50 of the tube 48 is held below the inlet end 46 and is maintained open so that cleaning liquid can flow under the force of gravity from the tank 10 through the connecting member 44 , through the flexible tube 48 and then out past the open outlet end 50 . the dispensing system 14 further includes a tube pinch slide 52 which serves as an on - off valve for flow through the tube 48 . the slide 52 includes a pinch tip 54 which is movable toward and away from a shelf 56 that is molded in the dispenser wall 96 and the shelf projects beneath the pinch tip 54 . the flexible tube 48 passes between the tip 54 and the shelf 56 . the slide 52 is biased down toward the shelf 56 by a compression spring 58 . the compression spring 58 and a portion of the slide 52 are located within the recess 28 and between the tank 10 and the nozzle 12 . the spring 58 is compressed between the ledge 30 of the tank 10 and the rear end 60 of the slide 52 . thus , the slide 52 is biased toward the shelf 56 so as to pinch the flexible tube 48 between the tip 54 and the shelf 56 . when the flexible tube 48 is pinched , cleaning liquid cannot flow through the tube and is retained within the tank 10 . a lower extension 62 extends up from the slide 52 . the extension 62 is used for pulling the slide 52 away from the shelf 56 to open the tube 48 which permits dispensing of the liquid . the extension 62 is relatively thin front to back and wide laterally so as to slide in front of the tank 10 and to the rear of the nozzle 12 . details of the extension 62 are not provided here . generally , there are means 70 at the wand section 18 enabling a user to pull on the extension 62 and raise the slide 52 . details of this means 70 are found in the above noted u . s . application pat . no . 07 / 282 , 103 . when the means 70 is pulled upwardly manually , it pulls up the extension 62 which in turn raises the slide 52 away from the nozzle 12 to open the flexible tube 48 . when the means 70 is released , the compression spring 58 urges the slide 52 toward the shelf 56 to pinch closed the flexible tube 48 . the lower outlet end 50 of the flexible tube 48 is received on a prong 93 projecting from the front side of a cross - shaped initial flow divider 94 . the divider 94 initially dispenses the liquid flow as it exits the tube 48 . after the liquid falls off the divider , it cascades and flows across a waterfall arrangement 96 shown in fig3 . that arrangement is located to the rear of the nozzle , and the rear wall of the waterfall arrangement is typically inclined downward and forward , so that the liquid runs down the rear wall . the waterfall arrangement 96 includes a first plurality of inclined shelves 95 which move the initially divided liquid laterally outward , through the openings 97 , over the inclined further dividing shelves 98 , onto the surface 99 and through the openings 100 over and through which the cleaning liquid cascades downwardly toward outlets 102 in a progressively wider pattern . thus , the waterfall arrangement 96 serves to evenly spread the cleaning liquid across the full width of the waterfall arrangement which delivers liquid through all of the outlets 102 and those outlets extend over the full width of the suction inlet 40 of the nozzle 12 . the outlets 102 are in a row ( fig3 ) and together define the dispenser outlet with a front side 143 that is toward or closer to the rear side 142 of the suction inlet and a rear side 144 that is further away from the rear side 142 of the suction inlet . the present invention is directed toward assuring that liquid which has been dispensed through outlets 102 across the entire width of the nozzle be delivered onto the carpet or surface being cleaned , and is not instead suctioned up before wetting that carpet or surface . directly beneath in the drip path of liquid from the outlets 102 , and slightly forward of the outlets 102 to be between the rear side 142 and the front side 143 , the outlets 102 and extending laterally across the nozzle , a liquid transfer surface 110 is defined in the bottom wall 112 of nozzle . the surface 110 is preferably in the form of a continuous rib across the bottom wall 112 . the rib 110 extends toward the carpet or other surface 120 being cleaned so that in the normal orientation of the unit with respect to the carpet , as shown in fig2 the free edge 114 of the rib 110 contacts and presses into the carpet 120 while the outlets 102 and the front and rear sides 143 and 144 of the outlets are upraised off the carpet . cleaning liquid , carpet shampoo , or the like exits the outlets 102 , either drips straight down or migrates along the wall 112 and then along the surface or rib 110 to the carpet . the carpet fibers attract the liquid by capillary action , like a wick , and spread the cleaning solution before it is suctioned through the suction inlet 40 . the edge 114 of surface or rib 110 contacts the carpet or surface 120 far enough from the inlet 40 that the carpet will receive liquid before it is suctioned . yet , the surface or rib 110 , and particularly its edge 114 , is near enough to the suction inlet 40 that the cross - sectional area of the surface of the nozzle in contact with the carpet , and particularly its front to rear width , is minimized to enable the suction nozzle to press into the carpet , both under its own weight and by user pressure , to improve suctioning from the carpet pile . after the cleaning liquid is dispensed through the openings 102 and onto the surface 120 to be cleaned , the liquid and collected dirt is then sucked through the suction inlet 40 from the surface to be cleaned . as shown in fig5 the upper wand section 18 , which is hand held , is connected through a flexible hose 124 into the tank 126 of a conventional wet / dry pickup , tank type electric vacuum or suction cleaner 130 . a vacuum is drawn in the hose and wand section and suction nozzle 12 by a conventional blow motor 132 seated atop the tank which sucks air and liquid through the hose . the collected liquid falls into the tank 126 while the air is exhausted out of the outlet 134 . although the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof , many variations and modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art . it is preferred , therefore , that the invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein , but only by the appended claims . | 0 |
in the drawings , the same elements or corresponding elements in the different embodiments have been given the same reference number . in fig1 is schematically illustrated an industrial robot . an industrial robot 1 comprises a control system , a manipulator , and electric motor units configured to attend to the movements of the manipulator . each motor unit comprises an electric motor , a brake , a gearbox and other gearing as necessary in order to form a transmission system for the transmission of movement to a movable part of the robot . the illustrated robot is a conventional six - axis industrial robot 1 . however , it is apparent that the invention is not limited to such a robot , but may be used also in robots with more or less axes , and for other types of kinematic solutions such as parallel kinematic robots or scara robots . the illustrated robot has a stand 3 that is rotatably mounted on a base 2 , about a first axis of rotation a . in the stand 3 , a first robot arm 4 is rotatably journalled for rotation about a second axis of rotation b . the industrial robot further comprises a second robot arm 5 , which is rotatably journalled in the outer end of the first robot arm , for rotation about a third axis of rotation c . the second robot arm is also rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation d which coincides with the longitudinal axis of the second robot arm 5 . a wrist unit 6 is arranged at the outer end of the second robot arm 5 , and said wrist unit comprises a tilt part 7 which is rotatably journalled in the wrist unit 6 for rotation about a fifth axis of rotation e . a turn disc 8 , on which an end effector or tool may be mounted , is arranged on the tilt part for rotation about a sixth axis of rotation f . the manipulator is connected to a control system 1 a . in order to drive the connected parts in rotation about the respective axes a , b , c , d , e , f , a transmission system 9 is provided for each movable robot part , of which some of the motors 10 can be seen in fig1 . fig2 illustrates parts of an industrial robot provided with a transmission system 9 according to the present invention . the robot parts are a base 2 and a stand 3 , and in the stand is arranged a gearbox 12 connected to an electric motor 10 . the transmission system comprising the electric motor 10 and the gearbox 12 transmits a rotational movement to a first robot arm 4 about the axis of rotation b , as seen in fig1 . the gearbox is filled with a lubricant , in most cases oil . a gearbox 12 is in most cases provided with three holes in the gearbox wall 13 in which so called oilplugs are inserted . there is one oilplug and hole for inspection , there is one oilplug and hole for filling oil or other lubricant into the gearbox , and there is one oilplug and hole for draining oil from the gearbox . these holes may be used for the installation of a moisture absorbing device according to the present invention . alternatively , a separate hole may be made in the wall of the gearbox for the installation of a moisture absorbing device according to the present invention . all of these possible holes that may be used for a moisture absorbing device have been given the reference number 14 , irrespective of if they are already existing holes or separate holes made for this particular purpose . however , in most cases it is preferable that the hole is located underneath the normal surface of the lubricant . in the following examples of embodiments illustrated in fig3 - 6 , the interior of the gearbox is designated by 15 and the wall of the gearbox is designated by 14 . a first embodiment of a moisture absorbing device 20 is shown in fig3 . a hole 14 is provided in the gearbox wall 13 , and in this hole a plug 22 is inserted , thereby plugging the hole . the plug is designed with a part comprising a moisture absorbing device 20 , which is thus integrated in the gearbox . the part of the plug comprising the moisture absorbing device is located externally of the gearbox . the moisture absorbing device comprises a hollow part 24 in the interior of the plug , which hollow part is located externally of the gearbox when the plug is inserted in the hole 14 . in this hollow part 24 there is arranged a moisture absorbing body 26 of a moisture absorbing material 27 . since also the part of the plug that extends through the hole 14 is hollow , there is free communication between the interior 15 of the gearbox and the interior of the plug with the moisture absorbing material 27 , and the moisture absorbing material can consequently absorb moisture contained inside the gearbox . the moisture absorbing material can absorb moisture from the air in the gearbox , or even liquid moisture ( water ), and it can absorb moisture contained in the oil in the gearbox . this is made possible by choosing a moisture absorbing material that has a higher affinity to water than the affinity of the oil to water , thus preventing that the oil absorbs the moisture / water . the moisture absorbing material may also be chosen to have a higher affinity to water than to the oil , in order to prevent that the moisture absorbing material absorbs oil instead of moisture / water . it is intended to encompass both materials with chemical affinity and materials with physical affinity . examples of suitable materials are absorbing polymers , e . g . so called super absorbent polymers such as starch - acrylonitrile copolymers , cross - linked acrylic homo - polymers , cross - linked polyacrylate / polyacrylamide copolymers ; molecular sieves such as silica gel , zeolites โ microporous aluminosilicates ; minerals such as calcium sulphate , calcium chloride , magnesium sulphate ; clays such as montmorillonite clay . the moisture absorbing material may also be chemically compatible with the used lubricant , i . e . the lubricant may not be chemically affected by the moisture absorbing material , e . g . due to chemical reactions with the material or catalysed by the material . materials with a combined chemical and physical affinity may also be used , e . g . materials having physical affinity in the form of hollows , and where the hollows also have a chemical affinity , in line with the above discussion regarding affinity . examples of such materials are zeolites , e . g . molecular sieve 3 a , sodium / potassium aluminosilicate . in fig4 is shown a second embodiment of a moisture absorbing device 30 . this device resembles the device according to the first embodiment in that it comprises a hollow part 34 in the interior of the plug 32 , which hollow part is located externally of the gearbox when the plug is inserted in the hole 14 . in this hollow part 24 there is arranged a moisture absorbing body 36 of a moisture absorbing material 37 . there is free communication between the interior 15 of the gearbox and the interior of the plug with the moisture absorbing material 37 . in this embodiment the moisture absorbing body 36 is illustrated as smaller than in the first embodiment , and there is a certain amount of free space between the body 36 and the inner wall of the hollow part 34 . this allows for the moisture absorbing material 37 to expand / change volume inside the hollow part 34 , during absorption of moisture . the moisture absorbing material may be any one suitable chosen from the above mentioned examples of materials , or any other suitable expanding material . the expansion of the material may be used as an indicator of how much moisture the device has absorbed . if required , and depending on the material used , the moisture absorbing material may be contained within a moisture / water permeable film or shell 38 , or similar as illustrated in fig4 . this will prevent that the material spreads into the interior of the gearbox . this shell should be of an expandable or elastic material in order to accommodate an expansion of the volume of the moisture absorbing material . it should also be compatible with the used lubricant , in the same way as the moisture absorbing material as described above . examples of possible moisture / water permeable shell materials are polyethylene film , polyester , laminates , etc . in fig5 is illustrated a third embodiment of a moisture absorbing device according to the present invention . in this embodiment , the part of the plug 42 that forms the moisture absorbing device 40 is located in the interior 15 of the gearbox . as in the previous embodiments , the device comprises a moisture absorbing body 46 comprising a moisture absorbing material 47 . the moisture absorbing material 47 is contained in a water permeable film or shell 48 , which keeps the moisture absorbing material in place and attached to the plug 42 , while at the same time it does not prevent the material from absorbing moisture . the function corresponds to what has been described above and examples of materials are the same as given above . in fig6 is illustrated a fourth embodiment of a moisture absorbing device 50 according to the present invention . this device is integrated in an oilplug 52 , which may be e . g . an inspection oilplug inserted in an inspection hole in the gearbox . the moisture absorbing body 56 with its moisture absorbing material 58 is completely contained within the plug , by means of being placed in a hollow portion 54 provided within the plug , with an opening facing the interior 15 of the gearbox . this plug is primarily designed to be utilizable as a regular oilplug . it may be desirable to be able to obtain information about the status of the moisture absorbing material in an easily accessible manner . it has already been described in connection with fig4 how the moisture absorbing material can be of a kind that changes volume depending on the degree of moisture absorption . alternatively , the absorbing material may be chosen to have other physical properties that are adapted to change depending on the amount of absorbed moisture . another example is a moisture absorbing material of a kind that changes colour depending on the amount of absorbed moisture . this change of volume or colour can for example be visually checked in order to determine if the device has absorbed so much moisture that it is now time to replace it with a new device . the visual check can be made by removing the plug with the moisture absorbing device . in fig1 is illustrated another alternative . the external wall of the hollow part 24 of the plug 22 is provided with a transparent portion 21 through which the absorbing material 27 can be visually inspected . another example of a possible changing physical property is electrical resistance . according to another alternative , illustrated in fig5 , the moisture absorbing device may comprise a sensor device 45 adapted to emit a signal , reflecting the status of absorbed moisture in the moisture absorbing device , to an indicator device which indicates the status of absorbed moisture . the indicator device may for example be a lamp or a device giving a sound signal . alternatively , the sensor device may emit a signal to a control system 1 a . this control system may be a robot controller , a remote service , a remote control device or any other type of control system or device regularly used in connection with industrial robots . the signal may be emitted via any suitable means , wireless or not . examples of possible sensors are sensors using electrical resistance to measure moisture level . naturally , the different types of status indicators , volume change , colour change , sensors emitting signals to different systems , may be applied in any one of the described embodiments of the moisture absorbing device . in all of the illustrated embodiments , the plug with the moisture absorbing device may be removable in order to be able to replace the moisture absorbing device / plug with a new one , whenever desired or necessary . the present invention is not limited to the disclosed examples , but may be modified in many ways that would be apparent to the skilled person , within the scope of the appended claims . | 8 |
the first to tenth embodiments of the present invention have some parts in common , so will be collectively described as follows . the filter medium a capable of purifying and restoring contaminated or polluted water , which is constitutionally important in the present invention , is greatly different from a conventional filter medium b capable of purifying and restoring contaminated or polluted water in terms of the production process , the operation , and the effects . an earthenware core 3 ( clay ) that forms the conventional filter medium b is obtained by a first step of calcining predetermined amounts of a clay and a porcelain clay at a predetermined high temperature for a predetermined period of time to form an earthenware material , and a second step of applying a liquid glaze 4 to a surface region 3 a of the resulting product , followed by calcination at a predetermined high temperature for a predetermined period of time . as a result , the earthenware core 3 ( clay ) is calcined in such a state that the liquid glaze 4 is only attached to the surface region 3 a thereof and does not sufficiently penetrate into the inner region . therefore , when the filter medium b breaks due to an external shock or the like , because the inside thereof is not impregnated with the liquid glaze , its functions to purify and restore contaminated or polluted water are not exhibited sufficiently . further , when the filter medium b is pulverized and used as a powder , because the inside thereof is not impregnated with the liquid glaze , its functions to purify and restore contaminated or polluted water are remarkably decreased . in contrast , the filter medium a of the present invention is greatly different from the conventional filter medium b in terms of the production process . the process will be specifically described hereinafter . that is , in order to form the filter medium a of the present invention , it is necessary to produce a liquid glaze previously . main components of the liquid glaze of the present invention are natural ores ( e . g ., volcanic rock , basalt , granite ). such natural ores contain large amounts of various elements , have a fine continuous porous structure together with electrostatic energy , have hydrophilicity , are capable of various ion generation and oxidation reduction , and are also capable of rendering a harmful substance harmless . in addition , molecules of silicon , aluminum , iron , and the like and formed into colloids ( small particles ), and this promotes purification and activation of water , providing a functions to indirectly inhibit the growth of harmful microbes . further , according to fluorescent x - ray analysis , it was detected that components of natural ores for use in the production of the liquid glaze of the present invention are elements such as si , al , fe , ca , k , na , ti , p , s , mn , cr , sr , cl , rb , zr , ni , y , zn , ga , and as . the natural stone mentioned above contains moisture from the time of its production in the form of a layer or at the time of crystallization . in order for electrostatic energy to efficiently radiate outside , it is necessary to perform a primary treatment of calcination to about 800 ยฐ c . or more in a high - temperature oven , thereby removing moisture - containing crystals . therefore , the natural ore is pulverized and calcined at a temperature based on the comprehensive reconstruction temperature to remove the moisture content , and then further finely pulverized into a powder . based on a glaze for ceramics ( sro , tio 2 , coo , feo , fe 2 o 3 , etc .) ( commercially available ), 90 to 95 wt % of a natural ore mineral component and 5 to 10 wt % of a glaze component or 80 to 95 wt % of a mineral component and 5 to 20 wt % of a glaze component are added thereto . a predetermined amount of water is then added , and the mixture is kneaded and aged . as a result , a liquid glaze is formed . the above is a liquid glaze used in the present invention . next , the formation of the filter medium a that manages the purification of contaminated water will be described . the formation of a clay material p , the first step of the present invention , is performed by kneading a slag s , which is a slag generated in a garbage incineration plant , a sludge slag generated in a sewage disposal plant , a slag discharged from an iron - making / refining plant , coal fly ash generated during thermal power generation , or a slag generated during the process of slag formation from livestock excreta incineration ash , with a porcelain clay for ceramics and a clay for ceramics . the clay material p is formed by kneading the mixture in the following ratio : 20 to 25 wt % of the finely pulverized slag s , 40 to 45 wt % of the porcelain clay , and 40 to 45 wt % of the clay . in the present invention , the size of the clay material p is not limited in terms of shape , and it may be in the form of a bar , a rectangle , etc . such a material is manually torn to pieces with a diameter of about 10 to 15 mm . the clay material p is dried and calcined in a high - temperature kiln k at a temperature near 800 ยฐ c . for 12 to 15 hours to give a biscuit clay material . then , the above - obtained liquid glaze is applied to the entire surface of the thus - obtained biscuit clay material in a liquid glaze impregnation bath r , whereby the liquid glaze penetrates into the inner region . the amount of penetration is about 10 times larger than the amount of a conventional earthenware clay material 3 . then , drying is further performed . the dried biscuit clay material impregnated with the liquid glaze is melted and calcined again in a high - temperature kiln k at a high temperature of about 1200 to 1300 ยฐ c . for 12 to 15 hours , whereby a vitreous filter medium a is formed . as a result , the slag s , which is a harmful substance , is enclosed in a vitreous inner region 2 and is prevented from eluting outside . further , the filter medium a is used directly or in a pulverized form for the purification of contaminated or polluted water . even when the filter medium a of the present invention is used in a finely pulverized form as mentioned above , because a considerable amount of the glaze penetrates thoroughly inside the filter medium after the formation of the biscuit clay material p , the fine powder can also sufficiently exhibit the functions to purify and restore contaminated or polluted water . next , the filter medium a obtained as above is installed underwater in contaminated water and thereby purifying contaminated water as follows . the following describes the mechanism ( fig2 ). the eco - resource filter medium a of the present invention , which is a filter medium processed from a slag , works as follows . when the surface region 1 of the filter medium a is brought into contact with contaminated water as shown in fig2 , contaminated water undergoes a catalytic reaction with , and processed object components are highly decomposed or broken down . as a result , harmful substances are neutralized , and offensive odors are removed , normalizing polluted water . the reasons therefor are as follows . as described regarding the components of natural ores , because the whole filter medium a is a vitrified solid matter containing a liquid glaze made of a natural ore as a main component , such a filter medium a has a mechanism equal to or higher than that of the natural ore . further , although other methods than the decomposition method utilizing a catalytic reaction of the filter medium a according to the present invention are disadvantageous for their low processing capacity and slow speed , the system of the filter medium a of the present invention is advantageous for its high processing capacity and high speed . the reasons therefor are as follows . a glaze is applied to the filter medium a in the form of a solid matter , and the glaze penetrates into the whole solid matter , which is then calcined ( melted ) at a high temperature to cause vitrification . as a result , the component 5 of the glaze is provided with specific infrared energy . when the surface of such a filter medium a receives a specific light wave , the component of the glaze functions to absorb the light wave . also , in the filter medium a of the present invention , there is a light wave absorption wavelength peculiar to contaminated water , and the wavelength absorbed by normal water is different from that by polluted water . when the wavelength absorbed by water agrees with the light wave wavelength , resonance is caused , whereby the electrostatic energy of the filter medium a transfers to water ( deflection angle / stretching vibration ). this results in a catalytic reaction , thereby causing decomposition and breakdown . this action is equally exhibited on fresh water and seawater . further , the presence of an infrared electrostatic energy wavelength in the completed filter medium a has been proved by the analysis โ infrared spectral emissivity test โ ( fig2 ). further , this electrostatic energy is infinite , so unless the filter medium a disappears , the energy continues to be exerted and water continues to receive the same . in the cases of other โ adhesion / adsorption โ processes , due to clogging , close maintenance and management is required . in contrast , the โ decomposition / breakdown โ process of the filter medium a of the present invention has a long life and does not require maintenance , and , therefore , it is featured by its capability of being used as installed underwater in the entire water area . an object of the filter medium a of the present invention is the purification of contaminated water . in addition to this , in recent years , due to an increase in sea temperature , seawater damage in the ocean has been expanding , causing increasing damage to the fishing industry . it has been revealed that the increase in sea temperature is not only because of global warming , and that the contamination of water area also causes such a sea temperature increase . that is , a contaminated water area abnormally absorbs solar heat , and thus the incidence of plankton increases . it has been also revealed that damage on the fishing industry , such as one by echizen jellyfish , occurs particularly in the contaminated ocean area . the purification of the contaminated water area has been an important subject , so the activity of the filter medium a of the present invention is expected . as the purification filter medium a of the present invention is used with an increased frequency , slags for use in the present invention find wider applications . also , with a shift in the application of slag from the conventional land civil engineering works to water civil engineering works , the utility value of slags is increased . this can be a change to invent a new business โ water civil engineering works โ. when the filter medium a is used as enclosed generally in a basket 6 , a net , or the like , in such a state that the filter medium a can contact contaminated water , the enclosed filter medium a is used as installed underwater in a water area or hung in a sewage pipe such as a drainage . when used as above , the filter medium a purifies contaminated water and at the same time remove an offensive odor . further , as in the eighth embodiment , the filter medium a is kneaded with sand and hydrated concrete to form a concrete molded article 8 , and the surface of the concrete molded article is treated by a technique such as washing away or scraping off so that the filter medium a is exposed and can contact contaminated water further , the molded article 8 is not used only for the purification of the ocean . by successively using such molded articles in a water area route of the entire water area flowing into the ocean from the upstream to the downstream , the inflow of contaminants into the ocean can be prevented . in addition , by purifying the entire water area , the ocean g can be revived to the original state , that is , the normal state . accordingly , this is expected to stop the increase in seawater damage and promote the growth of seaweeds . the filter medium a of the present invention may also be used not only for water area purification but also as a material for reviving the erosion of a coastal sand hill 33 as described in the sixth embodiment ( fig2 ). in recent years , sand hill erosion is caused by an increase in seawater . all over the country , about 160 ha ( about 34 times bigger than tokyo dome ) of the region along the ocean has been eroded every year . it has been revealed that although wave - dissipating blocks are not effective in preventing erosion , when the beach is graveled , sea sand h naturally collect in gaps between gravels , and the sand is recovered in the beach in about two months . therefore , the filter medium a of the present invention may be pulverized into the shape of gravels with a size of ฯ10 to 20 or the formed filter medium a may be pulverized to a gravel - like size , and used for graveling , whereby the filter medium a can be utilized as a beach - graveling / nourishing material . also , the surface of the filter medium a of the present invention may be subjected to polishing 35 by the above mentioned technique such as washing out or scraping off , thereby allowing an application with a road pavement material such as an interlocking block 9 or an exterior tile 10 . further , when the filter medium a of the present invention is used as a pavement material , such a filter medium a is expected to remove contaminated water on the road surface and prevent the inflow of the contaminated water into a river or the like . also , the filter medium a absorbs solar heat by a color treatment on the raw material , and thus is expected to reduce the heat island effects in a metropolis . further , the livestock excreta combustion slag according to the fifth embodiment may be further pulverized into granules , mixed in the soil 11 of an existing field with a spade , and used as a soil - reviving material . the soil 11 has lost its function due to agricultural chemicals , acid rain , etc . although attempts have been made to recover the soil using compost 12 by organic farming , etc ., in the case where the soil itself is spoiled by agricultural chemicals , etc ., recovery is not possible only by compost . the granular filter medium 13 of the present invention may be mixed with an existing field soil 14 and compost 12 , and then mixed in a soil 11 using a spade to give a mixed soil 16 . the spectrum of the filter medium 13 due to rainfall or sprinkling corresponds to the spectrum of contaminated water , promoting the humification and maturation of the compost 12 , and also , earthworms and microorganisms grow owing to fermentation . this thus is expected to be effective in reviving the soil spoiled by agricultural chemicals or the like into the original soil . it is also possible to finely pulverize the granular filter medium 13 of the present invention and mix with water , and sprinkle the mixture using a sprinkler or the like , so as to improve and enrich the soil . the reference numeral 17 is an agricultural product planted in a mixed soil 16 . in the filtration of livestock urine of according to the tenth embodiment , the filter medium a of the present invention is enclosed in a filter basket 18 , urine is penetrated and filtered therethrough from the top twice or three times . as a result , the offensive odor of urine can be removed . the reference numeral 19 is a filter pit , 20 is a urine guide pipe , 21 is a filtered liquid storing portion , and 22 is a drain pipe . as a result of the measurement of a bod value that indicates the degree of contamination , it was shown that the oxygen amount required for aerobic bacteria to perform oxidative degradation of organic substances in the urine was greatly reduced as compared with raw water . this is thus effective in preventing contamination of a river or the like by the direct discharge of livestock urine and also in solving the problems of offensive odors which have been bothering livestock breeders and residents . with respect to examples of the present invention , the following describes the specific details with reference to the drawings . in fig7 , as mentioned above , the filter medium a of the present invention is placed in a basket 6 , and is hung or installed underwater in a u - shaped slot 23 or the like that is used as an existing sewage drainage ditch , whereby the filter medium a purifies contaminated water and remove an offensive odor . this thus is advantageous in that the outflow of contaminated water can be prevented , and the living environment can be protected from malodor pollution . the reference numeral 24 is a lid portion of the drainage u - shaped slot 23 . the following describes an underwater raft c for the purification of a brackish water area shown in fig8 . the underwater raft c is used as installed underwater in a brackish water area where fresh water mixes with seawater . the configuration is as follows . a hydrated concrete 25 , a slag filter medium a of the present invention , and a pulverized fine powder of a filter medium are kneaded and solidified to give a raft material 25 . then , a surface region of the raft material 25 is processed by scraping off 34 or the like to expose the filter medium a . such exposure allows contact with brackish water , thereby effecting purification in the brackish water area . a brackish water area is an important place where fish and shellfish spawn . however , there is no place for spawning due to the contamination of the water area , and this also is a cause of a decrease in the number of fish and shellfish . accordingly , the raft c provides a spawning site , and fish and shellfish spawn in the purified area using the spaces in the raft c . further , according to the present invention , as shown in fig8 and 9 , a concrete kneaded / shaped frame - like molded article 26 is formed from the filter medium a , and the surface region 27 of the molded article 26 is scraped off . the resulting product may be constructed into a fish reef 28 by accumulation as shown in fig9 and 10 or into as a seabed mosaic fish reef 29 of a as shown in fig1 , and installed underwater on the seabed . as a result , the ocean area can be purified , and seaweeds adhere and grow thereon , allowing fish and shellfish to spawn as above . further , upon the underwater installation , such products may be arranged to draw a mosaic of ryugu - jo ( undersea palace of the god of the sea ) or the like . as a result , while purifying and reviving the ocean , they can serve as a tool for sending messages regarding the purification of sea pollution . the present invention may be used for achieving the underwater installation for in the entire water area including fresh water , seawater , and brackish water areas as follows . that is , a slag filter medium a of the present invention , a pulverized fine powder of a filter medium capable of purifying and restoring contaminated or polluted water , and hydrated concrete are kneaded and shaped to give an artificial coral body d . then , the filter medium a of the present invention is placed in the artificial coral body d , and used as installed underwater on the seabed or the like . therefore , purification and revival of the water area can be achieved , promoting the growth of corals and seaweeds including kelp . it is also possible to previously plant coral or seaweed seedlings on edges of the artificial coral body d and install such a coral body d underwater . upon underwater installation , when used in a river , such coral bodies d may be arranged like natural stones , while when used in a lake , a pond , the ocean , or the like , they may be used in a pile to serve as a fish reef . further , as shown in fig1 and 14 , the filter medium a of the present invention is used as a concrete container case e . the container case e is used as installed underwater in the ocean , a lake , a pond , or the like . the container case e is used as follows . the filter medium a of the present invention and a humus soil mass are alternately enclosed in a concrete case e with a lid , which is made of hydrated concrete and a pulverized fine powder of the filter medium a capable of purifying and restoring contaminated or polluted water , and used as installed underwater . as a result of such underwater installation , while purifying and reviving the water area , nutritive substances can be supplied to the water area at the same time . therefore , this is effective in the implantation and growth of corals and seaweeds and also in providing spawning sites for fish and shellfish . the filter medium a of the present invention can also be applied as a case f utilizing a discarded automobile tire and used as installed underwater installation in the ocean , a lake , a pond , or the like as shown in fig1 and 16 . the tire case f is configured to include a discarded tire 30 having an opening 31 , together with a lid 32 made of a punching metal , a wire mesh , or the like on the opening 31 . before covering with the lid 32 , the slag filter medium a of the present invention is enclosed therein , followed by fixing with a bolt . the tire case f is thus formed . further , a plant fiber material , such as a hemp material , as a base material may be sprayed to the surface of the tire 30 and dried , followed by underwater installation of such a case f . as a result , seaweeds and algae are implanted therein , and the case f can serve as a spawning site for fish and shellfish while performing purification and revival . it is also possible to spray chopped pieces of seaweeds and algae to the base material in advance , and install the case underwater after they develop roots . the reference character s is a finely pulverized slag , and r is a liquid glaze impregnation bath . | 8 |
with reference to fig1 a conventional rotary regenerative preheater is generally designated by the numerical identifier 10 . the air preheater 10 has a rotor 12 rotatably mounted in a housing 14 . the rotor 12 is formed of diaphragms or partitions 16 extending radially from a rotor post 18 to the outer periphery of the rotor 12 . the partitions 16 define compartments 20 therebetween for containing heat exchange element assemblies 22 . the housing 14 defines a flue gas inlet duct 24 and a flue gas outlet duct 26 for the flow of heated flue gases through the air preheater 10 . the housing 14 further defines an air inlet duct 28 and an air outlet duct 30 for the flow of combustion air through the preheater 10 . sector plates 32 extend across the housing 14 to divide the air preheater 10 into an air sector and a flue gas sector . the arrows of fig1 indicate the direction of a flue gas stream 34 and an air stream 36 through the rotor 12 . the hot flue gas stream 34 entering through the flue gas inlet duct 24 transfers heat to the heat transfer element assemblies 22 mounted in the compartments 20 . the heated heat transfer element assemblies 22 are then rotated to the air sector of the air preheater 10 . the stored heat of the heat transfer element assemblies 22 is then transferred to the combustion air stream 36 entering through the air inlet duct 28 . the cold flue gas stream 34 exits the preheater 10 through the flue gas outlet duct 26 , and the heated air stream 36 exits the preheater 10 through the air outlet duct 30 . fig2 illustrates a typical heat transfer element assembly or basket 22 showing a general representation of heat transfer plates 38 stacked in the assembly 22 . [ 0021 ] fig3 depicts a first embodiment of the invention showing portions of three stacked heat transfer plates 38 . all of the heat transfer plates 38 are basically identical , composed of thin sheet metal capable of being rolled or stamped to the desired configuration . this is advantageous in that only one type of plate 38 needs to be manufactured . each plate 38 has a series of notches 40 , 42 at spaced intervals which extend longitudinally and parallel to the direction of the flow of the airstream 36 and the gas stream 34 through the rotor 12 of the air preheater 10 . these notches 40 , 42 maintain adjacent plates 38 , 38 โฒ a predetermined distance d apart and form the flow passages or channels 44 between the adjacent plates 38 , 38 โฒ. each notch 40 , 42 comprises one lobe 46 projecting outwardly from a first surface 48 of the plate 38 , 38 โฒ on one side and another lobe 50 projecting outwardly from the second surface 52 of the plate 38 , 38 โฒ on the other side . each lobe 46 , 50 is essentially in the form of a u - shaped groove with the apexes of the grooves directed outwardly from the plate 38 , 38 โฒ in opposite directions . [ 0022 ] fig4 is an exploded view of the assembly 22 of fig3 . as is more readily apparent in this view , each heat transfer plate 38 , 38 โฒ has alternating short and tall notches 40 , 42 , where each tall notch 42 has substantially the same height ht and each short notch 40 has substantially the same height hs and where ht & gt ; hs . the pitch 58 of the notches , i . e ., the distance between adjacent tall and short notches 42 , 40 , is substantially equal for all short / tall notch pairs such that the lobes 46 , 50 of the tall notches 42 nest within the lobes 46 , 50 of the short notches 40 of an adjacent plate 38 , 38 โฒ with the outer surface of the crest 60 of each tall notch 42 engaging the inner surface of the crest 60 of the short notch 40 . the width wt of the tall notches 42 is substantially equal to the width ws of the short notches 40 , with the greater slope of the tall notches 42 facilitating insertion of tall notches 42 into the short notches 40 . in a preferred embodiment ht = 0 . 690 inches , hs = 0 . 322 inches , wt = 0 . 350 inches , and ws = 0 . 350 inches . the heat transfer surface 62 intermediate the notches 40 , 42 of a plate 38 is held at a distance d from the heat transfer surface 62 of the adjacent plate 38 โฒ which is substantially equal to difference in height of the notches 40 , 42 , that is d = ht โ hs . the ratio of ht to hs can be adjusted so the frontal area of each air flow opening is equalized for uniform air flow through the element . the heat transfer surface 62 between the notches may have protuberances to cause air turbulence in the spaces between the heat transfer sheets . [ 0024 ] fig5 depicts a second embodiment of the invention showing portions of three stacked heat transfer plates 64 , 66 . in this embodiment , the assembly 22 โฒ is comprised of two types of heat transfer plates 64 , 66 , with all of the plates of the first type 64 being substantially identical and all of the plates of the second type 66 being substantially identical . all of the heat transfer plates 64 , 66 are composed of thin sheet metal capable of being rolled or stamped to the desired configuration . each plate 64 , 66 has a series of notches 68 , 70 , respectively , at spaced intervals which extend longitudinally and parallel to the direction of the flow of the heat exchange fluid through the rotor 12 of the air preheater 10 . each notch 68 , 70 comprises one lobe 72 projecting outwardly from a first surface 74 of the plate 64 , 66 on one side and another lobe 76 projecting outwardly from the second surface 78 of the plate 64 , 66 on the other side . each lobe 72 , 76 is essentially in the form of a u - shaped groove with the apexes of the grooves directed outwardly from the plate 64 , 66 in opposite directions . each plate of the first type 64 has alternating tall notches 68 and each plate of the second type 66 has alternating short notches 70 , where each tall notch 68 has substantially the same height ht โฒ and each short notch 70 has substantially the same height hs โฒ and where ht โฒ& gt ; hs โฒ. the pitch of the notches 68 , 70 , i . e ., the distance between adjacent notches 68 , 70 , is substantially equal and is substantially the same for each type of plate 64 , 66 . as is apparent from fig5 the lobes 72 , 76 of the tall notches 68 nest within the lobes 72 , 76 of the short notches 70 of an adjacent plate with the outer surface of the crest of each tall notch 68 engaging the inner surface of the crest of the short notch 70 . the width wt โฒ of the tall notches 68 is substantially equal to the width ws โฒ of the short notches 70 , with the greater slope of the tall notches 68 facilitating insertion of tall notches 68 into the short notches 70 . in a preferred embodiment ht โฒ= 0 . 690 inches , hs โฒ= 0 . 322 inches , wt โฒ= 0 . 350 inches , and ws โฒ= 0 . 350 inches . the heat transfer surface 80 intermediate the tall notches 68 is held at a distance d โฒ from the heat transfer surface 82 intermediate the short notches 70 which is substantially equal to difference in height of the notches , that is d โฒ= ht โฒโ hs โฒ. the ratio of ht โฒ to hs โฒ can be adjusted so the frontal area of each air flow opening is equalized for uniform air flow through the element . the heat transfer surface 80 , 82 between the notches 68 , 70 may have protuberances to cause air turbulence in the spaces between the heat transfer plates 64 , 66 . the nesting of the tall notches 42 , 68 in the short notches 40 , 70 form closed channels 44 , 84 that facilitate cleaning of the heat transfer surface 62 , 80 , 82 . the closed channel 44 , 84 contains the energy of the sootblower or water washing jet , allowing maximum cleaning action from the energy and preventing the dissipation of energy allowed by conventional heat transfer assemblies . it should be appreciated that the interlocking heat transfer surface design provides for longer life by preventing the relative motion between the two plates of heat transfer surface thus preventing the wearing and ultimate loosening of the heat transfer surfaces . the interlocking design also facilitates cleaning . this assembly 22 , 22 โฒ is especially suited , but not exclusively , to horizontal shaft air preheaters 10 where the heat transfer plates 38 , 64 , 66 of the assembly 22 , 22 โฒ are coated with enamel to prevent corrosion . the interlocking notches form a rigid block of heat transfer material that will not shift during the rotation of the rotor . the heat transfer plates 38 are easily trimmed to assure proper nesting and to form the proper overall shape for the basket . while preferred embodiments have been shown and described , various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation . | 5 |
please refer to fig2 which is a diagram of a footpad 40 acting as a boarding device according to the present invention . the footpad 40 is mounted on a car having a door frame ( not shown ), and the foot pad 40 is positioned under the door frame of the car for assisting the person to get into the car . as shown in fig2 the footpad 40 comprises a step board 42 and a light emitting device 44 . the step board 42 has a flat upper surface 46 , and a lower surface 48 . the upper surface 46 comprises a step area 50 near its center portion for a user to step on . the lower surface 48 comprises a recess 52 positioned under the step area 50 , for placement of the light emitting device 44 . the recess 52 is a through hole from the lower surface 48 to the upper surface 46 . above the light emitting device 44 is a transparent plate 54 fixed at the upper surface 46 of the step board 42 and covered above the recess 52 . the transparent plate 54 is used to protect the light emitting device 44 from damage resulting from the foot of the driver or other sources . as shown in fig2 the light emitting device 44 comprises a circuit board 56 and a plurality of light emitting diodes ( led ) 58 installed on the circuit board 56 for emitting the light . the footpad 40 further comprises a control circuitry 60 electrically connected to the light emitting device 44 for controlling the light emitting device 44 . the control circuitry 60 can be installed in the recess 52 , on the circuit board 56 , or any other place . when the driver opens a door ( not shown ) of a vehicle ( not shown ) to which the footpad 40 is connected , the control circuitry 60 controls the light emitting device 44 to turn on and shine light upward through the recess 52 to illuminate the step area 50 of the footpad 40 . due to the illumination , the driver can readily spot a location of the footpad 40 , and conveniently board the vehicle . upon closing the door , the light emitting device 44 turns off . though in this example , the control circuitry 60 controls the light emitting device 44 to turn on and turn off according to a state of openness of the door , it should be obvious to one skilled in the art that the control circuitry 60 could be programmed to respond in various ways to various conditions . some possible conditions and responses are presence of heat indicating an approaching passenger causing the light emitting device 44 to turn on , or presence of sufficient light causing the light emitting device 44 not to turn on . for a case where the light emitting device 44 is a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in a grid , even more options are available . upon receiving a signal from an electronic key opener , the control circuitry 60 may cause the light emitting device grid to display a message , such as โ welcome โ or โ please step on me ,โ depending on a preference of the user . please refer to fig3 which illustrates a second embodiment footpad 70 of the present invention . in this second embodiment , a light emitting device 72 is set under a protrusion 74 of an upper surface 76 of a step board 78 . the protrusion 74 is used to protect the light emitting device 72 from being directly stepped by a person . the footpad 70 further comprises an angled reflective surface 80 in a recess 84 . light ( as indicated by the dashed line 82 ) is emitted from the light emitting device 72 , and reflects off of the angled reflective surface 80 to shine at the driver , indicating the position of the footpad 70 . please refer to fig4 which is a diagram of yet a third embodiment footpad 90 of the present invention . the footpad 90 includes a vertical flange 92 installed at one side of an upper surface 94 . the vertical flange 92 comprises a recess 96 on its vertical side 98 wherein a light emitting device 100 is installed in the recess 96 and protected by the vertical flange 92 from being touched by the person &# 39 ; s foot . a step area 102 of the footpad 90 comprises a plurality of small protrusions 104 for reflecting the light . again , as indicated by the dashed lines , light is emitted from the light emitting device 100 , and reflects now off of the plurality of small protrusions 104 to indicate the position of the footpad 90 . the present invention boarding device , in using the light emitting device , improves visibility of the step area of the footpad , thereby reducing the risk of injury for the driver , and saving precious seconds when boarding the vehicle . in addition , although the step board of the boarding device according the present invention is illustrated as a footpad in above embodiments , it can also be an accelerator pedal , a brake pedal or a clutch pedal of a motor vehicle . a person skilled in the art can easily apply this technique to the pedals after reading above disclosure . those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention . accordingly , the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims . | 1 |
referring to fig1 of the drawings , there is shown a fluid treatment apparatus comprising a watertight chamber 11 sealed at both ends and having an inlet port 12 and an outlet port 13 . the chamber can be split in two for maintenance via flanges 17 and water tight seal 19 . positioned on and around the base of the chamber is a layer of granulated media 15 . outside the chamber and attached to the base of the chamber , which is formed to act like a diaphragm , is a vibrator 14 . preferably , the vibrator is an ultrasonic vibrator , which when activated vigorously vibrates the layer of granulated media . placed in front of the outlet port is a mesh 16 , which retains the media inside the chamber . referring to fig1 of the drawings , assuming that the ultra sonic vibrator 14 is โ on โ and the layer of granulated media 15 is vibrating . the liquid to be treated flows into the chamber via inlet port 12 through the vibrating media 15 , through the retaining mesh 16 and out of the chamber 11 via the outlet port 13 . any parasites such as cryptosporidium and giardia are killed when passing through the vibrating media due to mechanical abrasion , collisions and the micro - grinding effect . the continuous vibration keeps the media clean and free from debris build up with particulate either being ground up and passed through the system or if hard granulated , adding to the media . the continuous vibration also keeps the pressure drop across the system at a minimum by maintaining the media loose packed . in drinking water chlorine does not affect the system therefor the chlorine residual can be maintained in the water ready to protect the mains . the system is modular in construction with several units able to be manifolded in parallel to increase the system throughput . in a second embodiment shown in fig2 a cylindrical watertight chamber 11 sealed at both ends have an inlet port 12 and an outlet port 13 . the chamber can be split in two for maintenance via flanges 111 and water tight seal 112 . passing through one end of the chamber 11 via seal 18 is a shaft 15 , which runs through the chamber , parallel to the walls of the chamber . fixed to the shaft 15 is a plurality of perforated disks 16 , each disk having flexible seal 17 , attached to their periphery . part or all of the space between each perforated disk is filled with a layer of granulated media 19 which is maintained in place by the disk 16 , flexible seal 17 and the wall of the chamber 11 . on the outside of the chamber , fixed to the shaft 15 , is a vibrator 110 . preferably the vibrator is an ultrasonic vibrator , which when activated vigorously vibrates the layers of granulated media between the disks 16 via shaft 15 . the invention will now be described in detail with the aid of fig2 . assuming that the ultra sonic vibrator 14 is โ on โ; the shaft 15 vibrates causing the layers of granulated media 19 to vibrate . the liquid to be treated flows into the chamber via inlet port 12 , through each of the perforated disks of vibrating media 16 , and out of the chamber 11 via the outlet port 13 . the flexible seals 17 make a watertight seal to the wall of the chamber so the liquid cannot bypass the media 19 . any parasites , such as cryptosporidium and giardia are killed when passing through the disks of vibrating media due to mechanical abrasion , collisions and the micro grinding effect previously described in embodiment 1 . in a third embodiment shown in fig3 a cylindrical watertight chamber 11 sealed at both ends has an inlet port 12 and an outlet port 13 . the chamber can be split in two for maintenance via flanges 19 and water tight seal 110 . the chamber is supported at both ends by rubber mounts 17 , which allows the cylindrical chamber some movement . partially filling the chamber is a column of granulated media 15 , on top of which is placed a layer of large particle size media 18 . outside the chamber and attached to the wall of the chamber is a vibrator 14 . preferably the vibrator is an ultrasonic vibrator , which when activated vigorously vibrates the column of granulated media in the direction across the diameter of the chamber . placed in front of the outlet and inlet ports are meshes 16 & amp ; 111 , which together with the large size media 18 retains the granulated media inside the chamber . the invention will now be described in detail with the aid of fig3 . assuming that the ultra sonic vibrator 14 is โ on โ and the column of granulated media 15 is vibrating . the liquid to be treated flows into the chamber via inlet port 12 , through mesh 111 , through the column of vibrating media 15 , through the retaining mesh 16 and out of the chamber 11 via the outlet port 13 . any parasites , such as cryptosporidium and giardia , are killed when passing through the vibrating media due to mechanical abrasion , collisions and the micro grinding effect previously described in embodiment 1 . in some circumstances it is desirable to have a disposable cartridge type system . for instance , a system suitable for domestic applications would need this facility . in a fourth embodiment shown in fig4 a cylindrical watertight disposable cartridge 11 has an inlet port 12 and an outlet port 13 . the cartridge 11 fixes onto the โ l โ shaped mounting plate 16 via mounting 114 and the spring - loaded connector 19 and support block 115 . the plate 16 is resiliently mounted in a stationary position via resilient mounts 113 . the cartridge is sealed to the inlet and outlet ports 12 & amp ; 13 in a watertight manner by โ o โ ring seals 17 & amp ; 110 . partially filling the cartridge and supported by mesh 111 & amp ; 112 , is a column of granulated media 15 . attached to the โ l โ shaped plate 16 is a vibrator 14 . preferably the vibrator is an ultrasonic vibrator , which when activated vigorously vibrates the plate and hence the column of granulated media , in the direction across the diameter of the cartridge . the outlet port mesh 111 retains the granulated media inside the cartridge . this embodiment will now be described in detail with the aid of fig4 . assuming that the ultrasonic vibrator 14 is โ on โ and the cartridge 11 of granulated media 15 is vibrating via the vibrating โ l โ shaped plate 16 . the liquid to be treated flows into the cartridge 11 via inlet port 12 , through the retaining mesh 111 , through the column of vibrating media 15 , through the retaining mesh 112 and out of the chamber 11 via the outlet port 13 . any parasites , such as cryptosporidium and giardia are killed when passing through the vibrating media due to mechanical abrasion , collisions and the micro - grinding effect previously described in the first embodiment . in alternative embodiments , the vibratory devices 14 , 110 may be replaced by agitators . while the preferred embodiment of the invention have been shown and described , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention , the scope of which is defined by the appended claims . | 0 |
referring now in detail to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating the present invention , fig1 shows a container 10 provided with a tear band 14 , or with a thread 15 having a plurality of woolen hairs , which is attached by an adhesive 16 to the bottom surface of a sealing tape 13 . the band 14 or thread 15 on the bottom surface of the sealing tape 13 is positioned between adjacent portions of the adhesive 16 ( fig4 ). the band 14 is disposed within spaced perforated punch lines 18 ( fig1 ), whereas the thread 15 is located below a single perforated punch line 18 &# 39 ; ( fig7 ). the exposed adhesive portions 16 are disposed substantially parallel to each other and to the band 14 or thread 15 . in the form of the invention shown in fig2 and 4 , one adhesive portion of the sealing tape 13 is tightly attached to one outside closing flap 11 of the container . the other adhesive portion is releasably covered by a cellophane tape 17 . after the cellophane tape 17 is removed , and the sealing tape 13 is attached to the other outside closing flap 12 , the container 10 is tightly sealed . the container 10 can be made of paper , plastic , or the like . the band 14 or thread 15 can be made of any type of material which is sufficiently strong to cut paper or plastic products . suitable materials for the band 14 or thread 15 include cotton , synthetic fiber , aluminum , stainless steel or the like . in another embodiment of the invention , shown in fig5 and 7 , the opening device of the present invention can be used in the form of a continuous length of sealing tape 23 which can be used to seal packages of various type &# 39 ; s . thus the sealing tape 23 , which contains a dry or wet adhesive 16 on one side , is provided with a tear band 14 or thread 15 . the band 14 or thread 15 is adhesively attached to the adhesive side of the tape . the band 14 is disposed within perforated punch lines 18 ( fig5 and 6 ), or the thread 15 is under a perforated punch line 18 &# 39 ; ( fig7 ). the sealing tape , which can be stored in a roll 19 , can be merely unwound and used to seal packages by wetting the adhesive 16 , if necessary , and attaching it to the package . when it is later desired to open the package , the band 14 or thread 15 is freed - up at the free end of the tape 13 and pulled away from the package to tear the sealing tape and thereby open the package . the tear band 14 or thread 15 can be made of plastic , aluminum , stainless steel , or the like . the sealing tape 13 is made of paper , plastic , cloth , or the like . in the modified form of the invention shown in fig8 a sealing tape structure is provided which includes a thin , tape 30 of a tearable material , which may be paper , cloth , plastic or the like . in the center portion of the tape , there are adhesively bonded a central tear band 31 and spaced - apart guide strips 32 , 33 arranged on either side , closely adjacent to the side edges of the tear band . the bottom surfaces of the guide strips are coated with adhesive at 35 . the bottom surface of the tear band remains free of adhesive . as indicated in fig8 the sealing tape structure is applied to a container 36 which , in the illustration , is a plastic bag , for example . the sealing tape is adhesively bonded or heat bonded to a pair of closing flaps 37 , 38 , with the tear band 31 located in the region of the gap 39 between the two flaps and serving to close and seal the bag . in the illustration of fig8 the tear band 31 bridges the gap 39 . it will be understood , however , that the functioning of the invention is the same , even if the gap 39 is of greater width than the tear band 31 , or even in cases where the flaps 37 , 38 overlap . typically , the sealing tape structure is coextensive with the length of the closing flaps 37 , 38 . in order to open the container 36 , the tear band 31 is gripped at one end and torn upwardly , to rupture the tearable tape 30 . because the tape 30 is bonded to the respective spaced - apart guide strips 32 , 33 , a neat , clean tear strip opening is provided along the inner edges of the respective guide strips , as the tear band 31 is progressively removed . the modifications of fig9 and 10 are somewhat similar to the modification of fig8 except that : the sealing tape structure includes a pair of spaced - apart guide strips 40 , 41 which are significantly narrower than the tear band 42 , which is straddled by the guide strips . in the modification of fig8 for example , the tear band and guide strips may have a width of , say , 3 / 8 - 1 / 2 inch . in the modifications of fig9 and 10 , the tear band 42 may have a width of , for example , 3 / 8 - 1 / 2 inch , while the respective guide strips 40 , 41 are a fraction of that width , say about 1 / 16 of an inch , it being understood that the dimensions given are for illustrative purposes only . the sealing tape structure of fig9 and 10 includes a tearable sealing tape 43 which overlies the tear band 42 and the guide strips 40 , 41 and is adhesively bonded to all of them . the sealing tape 43 is wider than the collection width of the strips 40 - 42 and is adhesively secured to closing flaps 44 , 45 of a container 46 by means of adhesive areas 47 , 48 which extend over the edge margins of the tape 43 , from the outer edge extremities of the tape up to the respective guide strips 40 , 41 . in the modification of fig9 the bottom surfaces of the guide strips 40 , 41 are also coated with adhesive , at 49 , 50 , while the bottom surface of the tear band 42 remains free of adhesive . the functioning of the modification of fig9 is similar to that of fig8 . in appropriate cases , the narrow guide strips 40 , 41 may be formed of a strong thread or string . the tear line of the tearable strip 43 will in each case be along the axis of the lines &# 34 ; t &# 34 ;. the modification of fig1 conforms substantially to that of fig9 except that , in the case of the fig1 modification , there is no adhesive over the bottom surface areas 51 , 52 of the respective guide strips 40 , 41 . this version is somewhat more economical to manufacture in that adhesive 53 may be applied across the entire bottom surface of the tearable carrier tape 43 , and the tear band 42 and guide strips 40 , 41 are adhered to the tearable tape by way of such adhesive . the structure is applied to the closed flaps 44 , 45 of the container in the same manner as in fig9 . when the container is opened , by tearing back the tear band 42 to rupture the tearable tape 43 , the tear line will follow along the inside surfaces of the guide strips 40 , 41 , as indicated by the lines &# 34 ; t &# 34 ; in fig1 . even though the guide strips 40 , 41 are not adhesively bonded to the container flaps , the narrowness of the guide strips , in conjunction with the fact that the tearable tape is adhesively bonded up to points 54 , closely adjacent the outside edges of the guide strips , enables the guide strips to function in a manner to effectively confine the tearing of the tape 43 and provide a neat , clean tear opening . the modification of fig1 illustrates a tape structure which includes a section of tearable tape 110 which has been provided with continuous , spaced - apart , longitudinally extending grooves 111 , 112 in its center portion . a tear band 116 is bonded to the tearable center portion 115 , along the full length of the tape structure 110 . the outer marginal portions 113 , 114 of the tape structure are coated with adhesive at 117 , 118 , extending from the outer edge extremities up to a point adjacent to but not including the bottom surface 119 of the tear band 116 . in the illustration of fig1 , the tear tape structure is applied to closure flaps 120 , 121 of a container 122 , with the tear band 116 bridging over the gap 123 between the closed flaps . when the tear band 116 is gripped at one end and pulled outwardly , the central section 115 of the tearable tape is severed along the well defined grooves 111 , 112 to provide a neat , clean opening . the grooves 111 , 112 may be formed by rolling and / or heating , for example . it will be understood , of course , that in all of the various modifications illustrated in cross section , the various elements are of generally continuous construction , with the tear tape structures being formed in continuous length and typically prepared in large rolls for application at the time of manufacture or at the time of closing of the containers , as the case may be . likewise , the elements shown in cross section are of generally constant cross section throughout their length . the elements utilized in the capacity of tear band are , of course , of a material suitably strong for the purpose . this may include varieties of plastic and other synthetic materials , fiberglass reinforced tape , reinforced paper , metal foils , and the like . specific materials suitable for the purpose are easily identified by those skilled in the art , depending upon the particular circumstances , such as the construction and tear resistance of the container wall , if opening a continuous wall , or strength of the sealing tape , where closing a pair of container closure flaps , for example . elements used in forming the guide strips may in general be of the same character as for the tear band materials , although the guide strips typically need not be as strong as the tear band . it will be further understood that the specific forms of the invention herein illustrated and described are intended to be representative only , as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure . accordingly , reference should be made to the following appending claims in determining the full scope of the invention . | 1 |
the data backup system that is shown in fig1 comprises a pc 1 which is provided with a video interfaced card 2 , which in turn is connected to a video cassette recorder ( vcr ) 3 . data from the pc passes through the interface 2 to the vcr 3 , where it is recorded on tape ( or other recording medium ). data replayed from the tape passes from the vcr 3 to the interface 2 , and from there into the pc 1 . the interface 2 is shown in more detail in fig2 . at one end , it connects with a pc interface 101 , which makes all of the necessary connections to the pc 1 . connected to the pc interface 101 are a switch block 202 , a timing circuit 203 , a sync separator 204 , a sync generator 205 and a buffer and serial / parallel converter 206 . a data coder / decoder 207 is connected to the timing circuit 203 , the sync separator 204 and the buffer and serial / parallel converter 206 . a mixer 208 is connected to receive signals from the sync generator 205 and the data coder / decoder 207 , and to supply a video out signal to the video recorder 3 . the sync separator 204 is arranged to receive a video in signal from the video recorder 3 . the block diagram of fig3 illustrates functions that are performed by the pc , in co - operation with the video interface 2 . briefly , under the control of a program , the specification of the pc is assessed in step 102 , and the results of the assessment are used in a timing step 103 . alternatively , the user can directly set the timing parameters via the computer keyboard . data from a disk 104 of the pc is subject to error correction coding in step 105 . the error correction coding step is programmable to enable different error rates to be accommodated . programming is controlled by a step 107 or by user set parameters . after a data rate adjustment step 106 , data is fed to the vcr 3 , via the pc interface 101 and the video interface 2 . the data is read back from the vcr 3 , and the data and error rates are assessed in step 107 or by user entered parameters , in response to which the data rate is adjusted in step 106 . data received from the vcr 3 via the video interface 2 and pc interface 101 is fed to the disk 104 , after an error detection and correction step 108 . both error correction and error detection can be carried out with reference to respective look up tables 109 , 110 . in summary , the rate of transfer of data between the pc and the vcr via the video interface 2 can be set in accordance with the characteristics of both the pc and the vcr , to achieve the maximum acceptable transfer rate , the characteristics being determined in the steps as mentioned above . the video recorder / player can be readily characterised by recording a test pattern that incorporates data transfer utilising data lines set to different transfer rates and differing error correction codes . during playback , the lines that pass framing and error correction processes will define suitable operating parameters . examples of the sync generator 205 and buffer and serial / parallel converter 206 of the video interface card are shown in more detail in fig4 and 5 . the above described pc backup interface card 2 and associated software allow the pc to be interfaced to a domestic video recorder equipped with , for example , a scart interface . the pc backup system enables the contents of any or all files on the personal computer hard disk 104 to be stored on and retrieved from a standard video tape . two pc i / o ports are utilized for the transfer of data ( port a ) and the control / status of interface card registers ( port b ). the interface card 2 has the form of a standard pc expansion card . the pc backup interface card 2 is electrically and physically compatible with the pc isa standard for peripheral expansion cards . connection to the video signal is via a scart type connector on the rear edge of the expansion card accessed through an aperture in a metal end plate . video impedance and drive preferably conforms to scart standard en50 - 049 ( bs 6552 : 1984 ), with 75 ohm termination ( also known as โ peri - tel โ or โ euroconnector โ). in the switch block 202 , jumpers j 2 - j 6 change the i / o port address , and this avoids conflict with other expansion cards . thirty two selectable address blocks are available from 300h to 31fh , selected in increments of two . in use of the illustrated back up system , data from the pc is superimposed on a standard video signal , so that the data bits appear on that portion of the video signal where luminance information would normally appear . the rate at which the data is transferred depends upon the rate at which both the pc and the vcr can transmit and store data within acceptable error limits , and the system is adapted to adjust the rate of data transfer in accordance with those characteristics , as mentioned above . in the illustrated embodiment of the invention , the number of bits to be stored in each line of video signal may be selected as either 40 or 88 . a control bit in port b sets the number of bits per line to 40 or 88 , by selecting a pc bus 14 . 31818 mhz clock or dividing it by two . data rate at 40 bits per line is 625 kbit / sec and at 88 bits per line is 1 . 378 mbit / sec . the time required to transfer 200 mbyte of un - coded data is 19 . 39 minutes or 38 . 78 minutes ( 19 . 39 ร 2 ) for error correction coded data assuming no compression . the time for interleaved , error coded and compressed data is also 38 . 78 minutes ( 19 . 39 ร 2 ร 2 / 2 ). to reduce the effects of drop out on video recording tape , the data may be recorded on the tape in interleaved blocks . this is illustrated diagrammatically in fig6 . as may be seen , data blocks n and n + 1 are recorded sequentially on the tape , and then repeated . they are then followed by data blocks n + 2 and n + 3 , which are likewise repeated . in the example illustrated in fig7 the disk 104 of the pc 1 writes to a memory buffer 120 for 40 msec periods , during each of which it fills the buffer with 44 kb of data . this represents a disk i / o rate of 1 . 1 mb / sec . the tape i / o rate is 8 times slower than the disk i / o rate . therefore , between each disk read operation , a write operation from the memory buffer 120 to the tape is carried out , during which 8 frames of data are written , each comprising 500 lines of 88 bits . this takes 320 msec . the memory buffer 120 may comprise part of the internal ram of the pc 1 , and each data write operation to each line of the video signal may be by direct memory access ( dma ) transfer . in between each disk read operation of 40 msec , the pc has a period of 320 msec in which it may be employed on other tasks . the pc preferably interleaves software processes consisting of disk i / o , data processing and interface communication . preferably , the data coder / decoder 207 of the video interface 2 decodes file identification data from the pc 1 , and encodes it in standard video form to occupy some of the lines of each frame . in this way , when the data is being either written to or read from the tape , a visual display 301 of the file identification data may appear on a monitor 302 ( or other display means ) associated with the vcr 3 , as illustrated in fig8 . referring to fig9 and 10 , the interface card 2 is required to generate and detect line sync pulses , each pulse being characterized by a signal level of 0 volts and of 4 . 7 ฮผs duration +/โ 0 . 1 ฮผs . an eight - bit clock preamble sequence is used to synchronize the sampling clock of an nrz decoder during playback . during the back porch period , the pc software will write to port a d 0 - d 7 the clock preamble data byte . immediately following the back porch period , the eight bit preamble is output in serial form to the video output . a shift register loaded from the internal data buffer could be utilized but , regardless of the method used , the data register must be free to accept a new data byte during serial output . the signal voltage should rise to 1 . 0 volts for a data 1 and fall to 0 . 3 volts for a data 0 . each bit interval should be either 0 . 558 ฮผsec or 1 . 117 ฮผs depending on the setting of the associated control bit in port b . during the clock preamble period , the pc software writes a data byte to port a d 0 - d 7 . immediately following the clock preamble , this data is output in serial form , loaded from the internal data buffer . signal voltages and bit timing will remain at 0 . 3 - 1 . 0 volts ( logic 0 & amp ; logic 1 ) and either 0 . 558 ฮผsec or 1 . 117 ฮผs depending on the setting of the associated control bit in port b . during serial output of the first data byte , a second data byte will be written to port a by the pc software . this process will continue for either 40 or 88 bits of data depending on the position of the associated control bit in port b . following the last byte of data for each line there will be a period of at least 1 . 55 ฮผs where the video signal level will be held at 0 . 3 volts ( the so - called front porch period ). after each byte has been loaded into the shift register , a status flag is set on port b d 2 , indicating to the pc software that the interface is ready to receive a new data byte . the period between data transfer of each data byte from the pc to the interface card will therefore be 4 . 47 ฮผs or 8 . 94 ฮผs ( 0 . 558 ร 8 or 1 . 117 ร 8 ). a larger buffer would allow the pc software to send a whole line of video data each time ( 40 or 88 bits ), enabling the software to be engaged in other functions when not sending data . this would be of particular advantage if achieved at zero or little incremental cost ; if a microcontroller implementation is utilized , internal ram could be used as the data buffer . referring now to fig1 , after 312 . 5 lines of video , a series of frame sync pulses are required . these pulses consist of five narrow pulses of 2 . 3 ฮผsec , followed by five broad pulses of 27 . 3 ฮผsec , followed by another five narrow pulses of 2 . 3 ฮผsec . when the last pulse has been generated , the pc software initiates a line sync pulse , after which a normal video line follows . the timing tolerance for narrow and broad pulses is +/โ 0 . 1 ฮผsec . at the end of video line 310 the pc software initiates a frame sync pulse by writing a โ 1 โ to port b d 2 . this causes the interface card to generate the series of frame sync pulses . similarly for the second frame sync , half way through lines 623 , the pc software initiates a frame sync by writing a second โ 1 โ to port b d 2 . one possible scheme that can generate the correct timing for the back porch , line sync and frame sync series is illustrated in fig4 . line syncs take 67 periods of the pc bus 14 . 3 mhz clock , narrow pulses 33 periods and broad pulses 319 periods , as illustrated in fig1 . two counters and two decoders generate the necessary timing . a signal on โ sync โ or โ frame โ generates either a single line sync pulse or the series of fifteen frame pulses . in addition , the circuit can also be used to time the back porch period . the two counters could utilize some of the registers that are needed for the nrz decoder and bit counter . alternative schemes could be used that require the pc software to participate in the frame sync process , but present day pcs are unlikely to be able to generate timing with accuracy better than +/โ 2 . 5 ฮผsec . in the example illustrated in fig1 , sync decoding of the frame sync is accomplished by the pc software ; no additional hardware is required . the pc software simply times the period that a pulse stays low , in order to determine the sync type . referring to fig1 , the composite video signal consists of both video and line and frame sync information . video ( luminance ) information is represented by signals that range between 0 . 3 and 1 . 0 volts . sync information is coded as pulses of below 0 . 3 volts . a simple level detector and single pole low pass rc filter are capable of detecting the falling edge of the start of the sync pulse . as this condition can only legitimately occur during a sync interval it is not necessary to time the received sync period . a simple filter will remove any high frequency noise that may otherwise cause the signal to spuriously pulse low . the status of the sync level detector is available at port b d 0 . the pc software polls the status of this port , waiting for the start of the line sync interval . immediately after the pc software has polled an active sync status , it writes to port b d 1 , setting the internal clock preamble register . when set , the preamble register requires the interface card to look for the clock preamble sequence . data is one bit quantised by a second level detector circuit , set at 0 . 6 volts ; again a simple rc filter is sufficient to remove any high frequency noise . the level detector preferably utilizes positive feedback to provide some degree of hysteresis around the 0 . 6 volt threshold . the output of the data level detector is shifted into an 8 bit shift register ( possibly the same register used to generate serial video data ), and a decoder connected to the shift register detects whether the clock preamble has been received . on receipt of the clock preamble , the preamble register should be reset , indicating that the next eight bits are valid data . a single clock preamble is used for each line of video data . the preamble also serves to synchronize the data sampling interval of the nrz decoder , ready for the first byte of data . as shown in fig1 and 16 , the nrz decoder consists of an xor gate , a delay stage and a 3 - bit resettable counter . the clock for the shift register is derived from the rising edge of the last output of the counter . each data edge is detected ( by an xor gate and a delay stage ) and used to reset the counter . the counter is clocked at 14 . 31818 mhz ( pc bus ) or 7 . 15909 mhz ( pc bus divide by 2 ) depending on the setting of the control bit in port b . the size of this counter is selected to ensure that the shift register will sample the data level detector half way through each bit interval . the counter is capable of continuing to correctly time half way through a data interval even if a series of edgeless data is received ( all 1 &# 39 ; s or all 0 &# 39 ; s ), as the counter will normally cycle back to a count of zero at the time that a data edge would normally be detected . after eight bits have been received they are transferred to a buffer ( size & gt ;= 1 byte ) and the status of port b d 1 is forced high to indicate to the pc software that it should read the buffer . this process continues until all of the data for the current line has been decoded and transferred ( 40 or 88 bits ) in a preferred option , data transfer between the interface card and the pc could be accomplished under control of the pc dma ( direct memory access ) controller . this technique would free the pc microprocessor to deal more efficiently with disk i / o and error correction . however , this technique does require additional logic to generate and interpret control signals drq and dack , as illustrated in fig1 . the pc software still generates a sync initiation signal , writing a data โ 1 โ to the control port ( port b d 0 ). however data transfer is controlled by the interface card generating a dma request ( drq ), initially for the clock preamble and subsequently for data . on receiving the drq , the dma controller takes control of the pc bus , generates a dack signal and places data from the pc memory onto the bus . on receiving the dack signal , the interface card cancels the drq signal . transfer of data from the pc bus to the data buffer is initiated on the rising edge of pc bus signal iow . as with the software polled technique , this data is loaded into a shift register for serial output . after loading the shift register from the data register , a new drq signal is initiated . this is used by the dma controller to place another data byte onto the pc bus . this byte is then loaded into the interface data buffer for subsequent loading into the shift register . this process continues until all of the data for one line of video has been transferred . the pc software re - initializes the dma controller for transfer of a new line of video data and sets up the pc counter / timer for generating the correct timing interval ( 64 ฮผs ) between subsequent lines of video . the pc software then re - initiates a line sync signal ( port b d 0 ). reading the interface card and transferring data to the pc memory requires a similar sequence of events . the pc software looks for a line sync signal on port b d 0 , the pc software then writes to port b d 1 , setting the internal clock preamble register . on receipt of the clock preamble , the preamble register is reset indicating that the next eight bits are valid data . this data is shifted into a shift register and , after eight bits have been received , the data byte is transferred to the data register . on transfer , the interface card generates a drq signal , and the dma controller takes control of the pc bus and generates a dack signal . on receipt of the dack signal , the interface card cancels the drq signal and while the ior signal is low , places the data byte onto the pc bus . on the rising edge of the ior signal the dma controller transfers the data byte to pc memory . this process is repeated for the whole line of video data . the pc software then re - initializes the dma controller and waits for the sync active signal ( port b d 0 ) for the next line of video data . preferably , the interface is configured to accept multiple frames of video data from the dma controller by configuring the interface 2 to initiate its own line sync and data preamble using timer circuit 203 . any of the designated bit positions for control and status bits may be changed to suit the particular implementation , but preferably these signals should be present in the same status byte . an important feature of the preferred embodiments of the invention is that each physical line or group of physical lines that form a logical line of data preferably comprises a preamble word to identify the beginning of a new line , and a beginning and end marker to indicate a line count . fig1 illustrates one example of code sequences that implement such a feature . the interface 2 knows to expect a certain number of bits between the beginning and end markers of each line . should any bits be missing , the data is replaced with a string of zeros . the string of zeros indicates to the error correction system where the error occurs , and this can then be corrected by standard error correction techniques ( eg reed - solomon ) to restore the missing data . by operating in this way , the back up system can tolerate a certain loss of data if the pc 1 and interface 2 do not operate at the same speed . this means that the system can operate at the maximum possible speed at which a modest loss of data can be tolerated , which is sufficiently low as to be capable of correction by error correction techniques . although in the above example the interface is described in terms of a standard pc expansion card , it is to be appreciated that it may be provided in any other convenient manner . for example , it may be in the form of a โ dongle โ on a printer port of the pc 1 . the reader &# 39 ; s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification , and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference . all of the features disclosed in this specification ( including any accompanying claims , abstract and drawings ), and / or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed , may be combined in any combination , except combinations where at least some of such features and / or steps are mutually exclusive . each feature disclosed in this specification ( including any accompanying claims , abstract and drawings ), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same , equivalent or similar purpose , unless expressly stated otherwise . thus , unless expressly stated otherwise , each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features . the invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment ( s ). the invention extends to any novel one , or any novel combination , of the features disclosed in this specification ( including any accompanying claims , abstract and drawings ), or to any novel one , or any novel combination , of the steps of any method or process so disclosed . | 6 |
in the drawings , broad arrows represent busses for conveying multiple - bit parallel digital signals . line arrows represent connections for conveying analog signals or single - bit digital signals . depending on the processing speed of the devices used , compensating delays may be required in certain of the signal paths . one skilled in the art of digital video signal processing circuit design would know where such delays would be needed in a particular system . the video signal processing circuitry shown in fig1 includes apparatus to perform a picture zoom function which allows video images to be magnified in real time using 128 magnification factors between one - to - one and two - to - one . using a magnification factor of two - to - one , a portion of the original image occupying one - quarter of the display screen may be enlarged to occupy the entire screen . the following is a brief description of the various structural elements shown in fig1 . this is followed by a more detailed description which refers to fig2 - 10 . digital sampled data composite video signals provided by an analog - to - digital converter ( adc ) 14 are loaded into data storage elements of a field memory 16 that are addressed by write address values provided by a write address generator 20 . the memory 16 provides previously stored , sampled data composite video signals from data storage elements addressed by read address values provided by a read address generator 22 . the read address generator 22 is controlled by a vertical position signal vpos provided by viewer controls 24 . the signal vpos conditions the memory 16 to provide only those lines of samples that lie within the portion of the image that is to be magnified . the sampled data composite video signal provided by the memory 16 is applied to luminance / chrominance separation circuitry 27 . the circuitry 27 separates a luminance signal component y , and a combed chrominance signal component , c , from the sampled data composite video signal . the luminance signal , y , is expanded in the vertical direction by luminance signal vertical interpolation circuitry 28 using vertical interpolation factors zrl . the factors zrl are developed by the read address generator 22 from a magnification factor or zoom ratio , zr , provided via the viewer controls 24 . the vertically expanded luminance signal , provided by the interpolation circuitry 28 , is applied to hanging dot correction circuitry 29 , the output signal , y , of which is expanded in the horizontal direction by luminance signal horizontal interpolation circuitry 30 . the circuitry 30 interpolates only those samples occurring after a specified horizontal position , hpos , provided via the viewer controls 24 , to expand the lines of samples consistent with the zoom ratio zr . the combed chrominance signal c provided by the separation circuitry 27 is expanded vertically by chrominance signal vertical interpolation circuitry 32 , which also separates the chrominance signal into two quadrature phase related color difference signals , for example , i and q . the vertically expanded color difference signals , i &# 39 ; and q &# 39 ;, provided by the circuitry 32 are expanded horizontally by color difference signal horizontal interpolation circuitry 34 . the signals i &# 34 ; and q &# 34 ; provided by the circuitry 34 and the signal y &# 34 ; provided by the luminance signal horizontal interpolation circuitry 30 may , for example , be applied to conventional color difference and luminance signal processing circuitry ( not shown ) to produce a magnified image . the following is a more detailed description of the video signal processing circuitry shown in fig1 . a source of composite video signal 10 , which may , for example , be the tuner , if amplifier and video detectcr of a conventional color television receiver , provides a composite video signal to the adc 14 and to sync separator and clock generator circuitry 12 . the circuitry 12 , which may be of conventional design , processes the composite video signals to produce a horizontal synchronization signal , hs , and a vertical synchronization signal , vs . in addition , the sync separator and clock generator 12 includes circuitry ( not shown ) which delays the signal vs by 128 horizontal line periods to produce a delayed vertical synchronization signal , dvs . the vertical deflection circuitry ( not shown ) of the video signal processing system which includes this circuitry , is responsive to the signal dvs for producing the magnified display . the circuitry 12 may also include a conventional burst - locked phase locked loop ( not shown ) which develops a clock signal , ck , having a frequency 4f c , which is four times the frequency , f c , of the color subcarrier component of the composite video signal . the adc 14 , which may , for example , be a conventional flash - type adc , samples and digitizes the composite video signals applied to its input port at instants determined by the 4f c clock signal ck . the signal vin provided by the adc 14 is applied to the input port of the field memory 16 . externally , the field memory 16 appears to be a dual - port memory able to accept and provide continuous streams of eight - bit pixel values at a 4f c rate . the address values applied to the address input bus , addressa , of the memory 16 may be time division multiplexed to store a first stream of pixel data at one sequence of address values and simultaneously retrieve a second stream of pixel data using another sequence of address values . the field memory 16 is responsive to control signals provided by memory sequencing circuitry 18 as set forth below . fig2 is a block diagram of circuitry suitable for use as the field memory 16 . this is a pipelined and interleaved memory system . pixel data values ( i . e ., samples provided by the adc 14 ) are stored either in memory cell array 218 or memory cell array 220 . each of the memory cell arrays 218 and 220 may include , for example , four 32k ร 8 bit random access memory ( ram ) integrated circuits ( ic &# 39 ; s ) such as the hm65256ap manufactured by hitachi . the memory ic &# 39 ; s in each of the memory cell arrays 218 and 220 are configured to have mutually interconnected address and control input terminals but separate data input terminals . the combination of the 4 ic &# 39 ; s appears as a memory cell array having 32 , 768 addressable blocks where each block includes four data storage elements for holding , respectively , four eight - bit pixel values . in order to maintain continuous input and output data streams , the data read and data write operations to the memory cell arrays 218 and 220 are interleaved ; while data is being written into the memory cell array 218 data is being read from the memory cell array 220 and vice - versa . in general , this interleaving is achieved by dividing the field memory into two sections , a and b . the address and control signals applied to section b are delayed by four periods of the clock signal ck relative to the corresponding address and control signals applied to section a . consequently , while a read operation , using a first address value is in progress in section b of the memory , a write operation using a second address value may be in progress in section a . four clock periods later , a write operation using a third address value is performed on section a of the memory while the read operation using the second address value is performed on section b of the memory . in the system shown in fig2 the input buffer 212 , memory cell array 218 and output buffer 230 are in section a and the input buffer 214 , memory cell array 220 and output buffer 232 are in section b . the structure and operation of the field memory circuitry shown in fig2 is described using the timing diagrams shown in fig3 which illustrate the operation of the memory sequencing circuitry 18 . in the example shown in fig3 the memory cell arrays 218 and 220 contain pixel data in blocks having addresses adr1 and adr1 + 1 . four pixel values of a block of data to be written into the memory cell arrays 218 and 220 have been applied to the shift register 210 at time t 0 , and the buffer registers 230 and 232 contain a block of pixel data read from the memory cell arrays 218 and 220 using the address value adr1 - 1 . the first operation is a memory read using address adr1 . at time t o , the memory sequencing circuitry 18 pulses the signal ldo to transfer the block of pixel data held in the buffer registers 230 and 232 , in parallel , into the output shift register 236 . these pixel values are provided sequentially by the shift register 236 synchronous with the negative going edges of eight successive pulses of the signal ck . also at time t 0 , the address value adr1 is applied to the addressa input port of the field memory 16 . one - half of one period of the clock signal ck following time t 0 , the chip enable signal cea , provided by the memory sequencing circuitry 18 , is brought low , enabling the memory cell array 218 . one clock period after time t 0 , the signal ola , provided by the circuitry 18 is brought low , gating the input port of the buffer register 230 onto the bus dataa . at a time one and one - half periods of the signal ck after time t 0 , the memory sequencing circuitry 18 brings the output enable signal oea low . this step in the memory read operation , enables the memory cell array 218 to apply the contents of the block of pixel data having the address adr1 to the bus dataa . three clock periods after t 0 , the memory sequencing circuitry 18 brings the signal ola high to latch the pixel data applied to the bus dataa into the buffer register 230 . three and one - half clock cycles after time t 0 , the memory cell array 218 is disabled by bringing the signal cea high and the memory read operation is complete . the address signal addressb , chip enable signal ceb , output enable signal oeb and output buffer load signal olb are generated by delaying the corresponding signals addressa , cea , oea and ola by four periods of the clock signal ck in the respective delay elements 222 , 228 , 226 and 234 . consequently , the memory read operation which read four pixel values from memory cell array 218 between times t 0 and t 1 is repeated on the memory cell array 220 between times t 1 and t 2 . at time t 2 , the eight pixel values , having the address adr1 , four from the memory cell array 218 and four from the memory cell array 220 , are in the respective buffer registers 230 and 232 . at time t 2 , the signal ldo is pulsed by the circuitry 18 to transfer these eight pixel values , in parallel , to the shift register 236 . the shift register 236 provides these pixel values sequentially for eight periods of the signal ck following time t 2 . a memory write operation using memory cell array 218 begins at time t 1 . the eighth input pixel value is shifted into the input shift register 21 immediately to the time t 1 . at time t 1 , the memory sequencing circuitry 18 pulses the signal ldi to transfer the eight pixel values held in the shift register 210 into the buffer registers 212 and 214 . at time t 1 , the memory sequencing circuitry begins to write the four pixel values held in the register 212 into the memory cell array 218 . the address value adr2 , to be used to store these four pixel values , is applied to the address input port addressa of the field memory 16 at line t 1 . also at time t 1 , the memory sequencing circuitry 18 changes the input buffer enable signal ibea and the write enable signal wea to be logic zero . these signals respectively gate the values held in the input buffer 212 onto the bus dataa and enable the memory cell array 218 to load the values on the bus dataa into the addressed block . one - half of one period of the signal ck after time t 1 , the signal cea is changed to logic zero by the circuitry 18 , enabling the memory cell array 218 and , so , enabling the write operation to occur . at the time tw 0 , the four pixel values held in the input buffer register 212 have stabilized in the block of the memory cell array 218 which has the address adr2 . one period of the clock signal ck after time t 1 , the circuitry 18 changes the signals ibea and wea to have values of logic one ending the memory write operation . three and one - half clock periods after time t 1 , the circuitry 18 changes the chip enable signal cea to a logic one , ending the memory write cycle . the signals ibeb and web are generated by delaying the corresponding signals ibea and wea by four periods of the signal ck in the respective delay elements 216 and 224 . these signals , combined with the delayed address signal addressb and delayed chip enable signal ceb cause the memory write operation using the address value adr2 to be repeated on the memory cell array 220 between time t 2 and time t 3 . during this write operation , the four pixel values held in the buffer register 214 are transferred to the block of pixel storage cells in the memory cell array 220 that has the address value adr2 . coincident with this second write operation using the memory cell array 220 , a memory read operation is performed , using the memory cell array 218 . during the time interval between time t 2 and time t 3 , four pixel values from a block of storage cells having the address adr1 + 1 are read from the cell array 218 and loaded into the output buffer 230 . this read operation is identical to the read operation performed between time t 0 and time t 1 and is not described in detail . in the time interval between times t 3 and t 4 , a memory write operation , using an address value adr2 + 1 , writes the four pixel values , applied to the field memory 16 between times t 2 and t 3 , into the memory cell array 218 . also between time t 3 and time t 4 , four pixel values are read from the memory cell array 220 at the address adr1 + 1 and are transferred to the output buffer register 232 . these memory write and memory read operations are performed in the same manner as those described above and are not described in detail herein . the memory sequencing circuitry 18 is responsive to the clock signal ck to generate the signals ibea , wea , oea , cea , ola , ldo and ldi . the circuitry 18 is reset at the beginning of each horizontal line of samples by the horizontal synchronization signal hs , provided by the sync separator and clock generator circuitry 12 . this ensures that the first sample in any given line is stored in the field memory 16 on a block boundary . one skilled in the art of digital signal processing circuit design will be readily able to build suitable memory sequencing circuitry 18 from the description set forth above in reference to fig1 and 3 . accordingly , the memory sequencing circuitry 18 is not described in detail herein . the address values applied to the field memory 16 have two parts , a line address , the eight most significant bits ( msb &# 39 ; s ), and a pixel block address , the seven least significant bits ( lsb &# 39 ; s ). the line address values correspond to the 256 lines of video samples which may be written to or read from the memory 16 during one field interval . the pixel block address values correspond to the positions of successive blocks of eight pixel values on a horizontal line of the video image . the combination of a line address value and a pixel block address value points to a particular block of pixel storage cells in the field memory 16 . the pixel block address signal , padr , and a line address signal , wladr , that is used to write data into the field memory 16 , are generated by the write address generator 20 . the generator 20 may include , for example , two counters ( not shown ). the first counter is reset by the vertical synchronization signal , vs , and incremented by the horizontal synchronization signal , hs . the count value provided by this first counter is the write - line address signal wladr . the second counter is reset by the signal hs and incremented by a signal ck / 8 having a frequency that is one - eighth the frequency of the signal ck . the signal ck / 8 is generated by the memory sequencing circuitry 18 and may correspond for example , to the signal ldo shown in fig3 . this second counter produces the pixel block address signal which is used both for reading data from and writing data into the field memory 16 . the write - line address signal wladr and a read line address signal rladr , provided by the read address generator 22 , are applied to respective first and second input ports of a multiplexer 26 . the multiplexer 26 is controlled by a signal ck / 4 , having a frequency that is one - fourth of the frequency of the signal ck . the signal ck / 4 is provided by the memory sequencing circuitry 18 and is shown in the timing diagrams of fig3 . the eight - bit signal provided by the multiplexer 26 forms the eight msb &# 39 ; s of the address signal , addressa , applied to the field memory 16 . the pixel block address signal , padr , forms the seven lsb &# 39 ; s of the signal addressa . in the present embodiment of the invention , the pixel block address portion of the signal addressa changes every eight periods of the clock signal ck to address successive blocks of pixel values in a horizontal line . the line address portion of the signal addressa changes every four periods of the signal ck , alternating between a line address value to be used to write data into the memory 16 and a line address value to be used to read data from the memory 16 . fig4 is a block diagram of circuitry suitable for use as the read address generator 22 . the generator 22 is responsive to the zoom ratio signal , znr , and vertical position signal , vpos , provided via the viewer controls 24 , and to the horizontal synchronization signal , hs , and delayed vertical synchronization signal , dvs , to provide the line address signal rladr used for the memory read operations . the read address generator 22 also provides a signal zrl which contains the scale factors used by the vertical interpolation circuitry 28 and 32 , a recirculate signal , recir , used by the luminance / chrominance separation circuitry 27 , and a chrominance signal inversion signal , cinv , used by the chrominance signal vertical interpolation circuitry 32 as set forth below . in order to understand the function of the circuitry shown in fig4 it is helpful to first understand how successive lines of samples of the original video image are interpolated to obtain lines of samples representing the magnified image . the interpolation method used in this embodiment of the invention divides the space between any two successive lines in the original image into 525 potential interstitial line locations . the magnification factor used in this embodiment ranges from approximately 1 to 2 , in steps of 1 / 256 ( i . e . from 256 / 255 to 256 / 128 ). this relatively fine granularity in the magnification factor is desirable to produce the illusion of a continuous zoom when the magnification factor is changed . the fine granularity is more important for the spatial correctness of the entire image than for the proper interpolation of an individual line of samples or of an individual sample . it has been determined that the 255 potential interstitial line locations between any two successive lines may be grouped together into a smaller number of locations , for the purpose of interpolating an individual line of samples without seriously affecting the performance of the system . in the present embodiment of the invention , for example , the interval between two successive lines of samples is divided into nine potential interpolation positions . fig1 a through 10d are timing diagrams which illustrate how a line of samples is interpolated from a pair of successive lines to produce samples of the magnified image . fig1 a illustrates that the interval between successive lines of samples may be divided into 256 parts . fig1 b shows these 256 parts grouped together into nine interpolation positions . fig1 c is an example of how interpolation is performed using a factor of 256 / 144 ( i . e . 1 . 78 ). the position of individual lines of samples within the interpolation zones of fig1 b are determined by repeatedly adding the value 144 to the value held by a modulo 256 accumulator . the first addition produces a value of 144 , placing the first interpolated sample in a zone where 5 / 8 of the line of samples , l 1 , and 3 / 8 of the prior line of samples , l 0 , are summed to develop the interpolated line of samples , z 1 . adding 144 to the accumulator again yields a value of 32 ( 288 modulo 256 ). using fig1 b and 10c , the line of samples , z 2 , is formed by adding 1 / 8 of each sample in the line l 2 to 7 / 8 of the corresponding sample in the line of samples l 1 . the lines of samples z 3 through z 8 are formed by repeatedly adding 144 to the accumulated value , modulo 256 and then using the relationship illustrated by the fig1 b and 10c to determine which interpolation factors are to be used . fig1 d illustrates how the picture is magnified in the vertical direction when the interpolated lines of samples z 0 through z 5 are displayed with the same timing as the orginal lines of samples . referring to fig4 the zoom ratio value , e r , provided by the viewer controls 24 which in this embodiment of the invention may have a value between 128 and 255 , is applied to one input port of an adder 410 . the adder 410 sums the value zr with the value held by an eight - bit register 412 . the register 412 may include , for example , eight data type flip - flops configured as a parallel - input - parallel - output register . the register 412 is clocked by the horizontal synchronization signal , hs , to store the eight - bit value provided by the adder 410 once per horizontal line period . the register 412 is reset by the delayed vertical synchronization signal , dvs . the adder 410 and register 412 form a modulo 256 accumulator . as set forth above , the output value provided by the accumulator is the position of the interpolated line from among the 256 potential horizontal line positions between any two successive lines of the original image . the output values of the accumulator are illustrated in fig1 c . in the example illustrated in fig4 only the four msb &# 39 ; s of the value provided by the register 412 are used in determining the proportions of the respective lines contributing toward the interpolated values . using only the four msb &# 39 ; s effectively divides the value provided by register 412 by 16 , thus , the range of values available are reduced from 0 - 255 to the range 0 - 15 . the number represented by the four msb &# 39 ; s is the numerator r of the fraction r / 16 which corresponds to the proportion of the contribution of the current line to the interpolated value . the four msb &# 39 ; s are coupled to the four inverters 414 , 416 , 418 and 420 which produce the one &# 39 ; s complement of the value of the four msb &# 39 ; s . the one &# 39 ; s complement is equal to ( 15 - r ) and is the numerator of the fraction ( 15 - r )/ 16 which corresponds to the proportion of the contribution of the previous line to the interpolated value . the four msb &# 39 ; s of the value provided by the register 412 and the complemented four msb &# 39 ; s are concatenated as lsb &# 39 ; s and msb &# 39 ; s respectively to produce values that are applied to a delay element 422 . the delay element 422 is a synchronizing delay used to align the interpolation scale factors , zrl , to the read line address signal , rladr , and recirculate signal , recir . the values represented by the four lsb &# 39 ; s of the signal provided by the delay element 422 are added to a value of one , provided by a digital value source 426 in an adder 424 . adding a one to the lsb &# 39 ; s and dividing by two ( right - shifting and truncating the sum ) produces the value r &# 39 ; which corresponds to the integer part of the eight - bit value provided by register 412 divided by thirty two , i . e . an integer value in the range 0 - 8 . the value r &# 39 ; is the numerator of the fraction r &# 39 ;/ 8 and , thus , is equal to 8k v where k v is the desired proportion of the contribution of the current line . the four msb &# 39 ; s of the signal provided by the delay element 422 ( the ones - complement values ) are added to a value of one provided by a digital value source 430 in an adder 428 . the signal provided by the adder 428 is divided by two in the divider 434 to produce a signal 8 ( 1 - k ) v which represents the second vertical interpolation factor , multiplied by eight . the signal 8 ( 1 - k ) v is used by the vertical interpolation circuitry 28 and 32 to develop the interpolated lines of samples which represent the magnified image . the signal 8k v is the four lsb &# 39 ; s , and the signal 8 ( 1 - k ) v is the four msb &# 39 ; s of the signal zrl . fig1 b illustrates how the factors 8k v and 8 ( 1 - k ) v are mapped onto the 256 interstitial line positions between successive lines of samples . a signal , msb 0 , representing the most significant bit of the value provided by the adder 410 and a signal msb 1 , representing the inverted most significant bit of the value provided by the register 412 are combined in a nand gate 436 to produce a signal , which , when delayed by one horizontal line period by the delay element 438 , becomes the recirculate signal recir . the signal provided by the nand gate 436 has a logic zero value only when the most significant bit of the value provided by the register 412 is a zero and the most significant bit of the value provided by the adder 410 is a one . these values indicate that two successive interpolated lines of samples are to be interpolated from the same two lines of samples from the orginal image . aternatively , the singal recir may be obtained by inverting an overflow output signal ( not shown ) provided by the adder 410 and delaying this inverted signal by two periods of the horizontal line synchronizing signal , hs . the signal recir is applied to the clock input port of a toggle - type flip - flop 439 . the flip - flop 439 , which may be , for example , a conventional j - k flip - flop having a value of logic one applied to both its j and k input terminals , changes its output state from a logic one to a logic zero and vice - versa each time a pulse is applied to its clock input terminal , clk . the flip - flop 439 is reset to have a logic zero output state by the delayed vertical synchronization signal dvs . the signal cinv changes state each time that two successive lines of interpolated signal are developed from one pair of lines of the original signal . the signal cinv controls the inversion of the chrominance samples developed by the chrominance signal vertical interpolation circuitry described below . this signal enables the chrominance signals developed by the circuitry 32 to be properly demodulated into the i and q color difference signals by conventional chrominance signal demodulation circuitry . the signal recir is applied to the luminance / chrominance separation circuitry 27 and to one input terminal of an and gate 442 . another input terminal of the and gate 442 is coupled to receive the horizontal synchronization signal hs . the signal provided by the and gate 442 is applied to the clock input terminal of a counter 444 which produces the signal rladr . the counter 444 increments its value once per horizontal line period unless the lines of samples used to generate the next interpolated line are the same as those that were used to generate the prior interpolated line . the counter 444 is cleared by the delayed vertical sync signal , dvs . the vertical position value vpos is loaded as an initial value into the counter 444 by a delayed version of the signal dvs provided by the delay element 446 . the counter 444 is cleared and preset by the signal dvs to ensure that the lines of samples read from the field memory 16 during one field interval are all from the same field of the input video signal . for example , when a magnification factor of 256 / 128 ( 2 ) is used , memory write operations occur at twice the rate of the memory read operations . in the present embodiment of the invention , the field memory 16 holds 256 lines of samples . in this example , the image to be expanded occupies a portion of the lower one - half of the original image . since the memory read operation is synchronized to the dvs , the first line to be expanded , line number 128 of the original signal , is read from the memory one horizontal line period after it was written into the memory . if the signal dvs were delayed by less than 128 horizontal line periods relative to the signal vs , the lines of samples displayed at the top of this expanded image would be from the previous field relative to the lines of samples displayed at the bottom of the image . conversely , if the signal dvs were delayed by more than 128 horizontal line periods and a portion of the top half of the original image were magnified by a factor of 2 , the lines of samples displayed at the bottom of the expanded image would be from the subsequent field relative to the lines of samples displayed at the top of the image . displaying samples from a single field is desirable to avoid a &# 34 ; tearing &# 34 ; of the image which may occur because of interfield motion . the recirculate signal recir generated by the read address generator 22 is applied to the luminance / chrominance separation circuitry 27 . fig5 is a block diagram of exemplary luminance / chrominance separation circuitry . the lines of samples of the video signal , vout , provided by the field memory 16 are applied to one input port of a multiplexer 510 , the output port of which is coupled to a one horizontal line period ( 1h ) delay element 512 . the output signal provided by the 1h delay element 512 is applied to a second input port of the multiplexer 510 . the control input terminal of the multiplexer 510 is coupled to receive the signal recir . when the signal recir is a logic one , the multiplexer 510 is conditioned to pass the signal vout to the 1h delay element 512 . when the signal recir is a logic zero , however , the multiplexer 510 is conditioned to recirculate the samples provided by the 1h delay element 512 back to the input terminal of the delay element . the remainder of the circuitry shown in fig5 implements a conventional 1h comb filter . corresponding samples from a delayed line of samples and from an undelayed line of samples are summed in an adder 514 to provide a luminance signal , y . the delayed samples are subtracted from the undelayed samples to produce a comb filtered chrominance signal , c , which includes chrominance signal components and relatively low frequency vertical detail signal components . the signal recir conditions the comb filter to use samples from the same pair of lines to erate the signals y and c when two successive lines of the expanded video signal are to be interpolated from one pair of lines of the original video signal . the luminance signal , y , provided by the luminance / chrominance separation circuitry 27 is applied to the luminance signal vertical interpolator 28 . fig6 is a block diagram of circuitry suitable for use as the interpolator 28 . in fig6 the luminance signal y is applied to a delay element 610 . the delay element 610 compensates the luminance signal y for processing delays through the chrominance signal vertical interpolator circuitry 32 ( described below ) that develops the vertical detail signal , vdet . an adder 612 and a subtracter 618 respectively add the vertical detail signal , vdet , to and subtract the signal vdet from the luminance signal provided by the delay element 610 . the signals developed by the adder 612 and subtracter 618 approximate the luminance signal components of two successive lines of the original video signal . the samples produced by the adder 612 , which approximate the luminance samples from a current line of video signal , are multiplied , in a multiplier 614 , by the interpolation scale factor 8k v provided by the read address generator 22 via the bus zrl . the output signals of the multiplier 614 are applied to one input port of an adder 616 . the luminance signal provided by the subtracter 618 , which approximates luminance samples from the previous line of video signal , is scaled by the interpolation scale factor 8 ( 1 - k ) in a multiplier 620 . the output signal of the multiplier 620 is applied to a second input port of the adder 616 . the output signal of the adder 616 is divided by 8 in the circuitry 622 to produce the vertically interpolated luminance signal . referring to fig1 the signal developed by the luminance signal vertical interpolation circuitry 28 is applied to hanging dot correction circuitry 29 . the circuitry 29 which may , for example , be the same as that described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 636 , 842 entitled &# 34 ; comb filter ` hanging dot ` eliminator &# 34 ;, which is hereby incorporated by reference , removes spurious chrominance signal components from the vertically interpolated luminance signal based on the magnitude of the vertical detail signal vdet . the circuitry 29 is described in the above referenced patent and , so , is not described herein . the signal y &# 39 ; provided by the hanging dot correction circuitry 29 is applied to the luminance horizontal interpolation circuitry 30 . the circuitry 30 interpolates samples for insertion between pairs of successive samples in each line of the signal y &# 39 ; to develop the signal y &# 34 ; which is expanded both vertically and horizontally relative to the video signal provided by source 10 . fig7 is a block diagram showing circuitry suitable for use as the luminance signal horizontal interpolator 30 . the circuitry shown in fig7 is divided into two parts . the circuitry which processes the signal y &# 39 ; to produce the signal y &# 34 ; is inside the dashed - line box , identified by the reference number 710 . signal horizontal interpolation circuitry 34 as set forth below in reference to fig9 . in fig7 the vertically interpolated luminance signal , y &# 39 ;, is applied to the input port of a demultiplexer 712 . the demultiplexer 712 applies the lines of samples of the signal y &# 39 ; alternately to 1h random access memories 714 and 716 . the signal controlling the demultiplexer 712 is generated by halving the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal , hs , in the frequency dividing circuitry 732 . the output ports of the memories 714 and 716 are coupled to respective first and second input ports of a multiplexer 718 . the multiplexer 718 is controlled by the signal generated by the frequency divider 732 to provide samples from memory 714 when the demultiplexer 712 is conditioned to apply samples to the memory 716 and to provide samples from memory 716 when the demultiplexer 712 is conditioned to apply samples to the memory 714 . the samples provided by the multiplexer 718 are applied to a delay element 720 which is controlled by a gated clock signal provided by an and gate 764 as set forth below . the delay element 720 provides samples to a multiplier 724 and to a delay element 722 . the delay element 722 is also clocked by the gated clock signal provided by the and gate 764 . the samples provided by the delay element 722 are applied to a multiplier 726 . the multipliers 724 and 726 , which may , for example , be conventional 8 - bit ร 8 - bit multipliers , scale the sample values provided by the respective delay elements 720 and 722 by interpolation factors 8k h and 8 ( 1 - k ) h provided by dividing circuits 776 and 774 , respectively . the scaled samples provided by the multiplying circuits 724 and 726 are summed in an adder 728 and divided by eight in sample value dividing circuitry 730 to produce samples representing the interpolated signal y &# 34 ;. the circuitry that controls the interpolating circuitry 710 also develops the address values used to access the memories 714 and 716 and the interpolation scale factors used by the multipliers 724 and 726 . each of the 1 h memories 714 and 716 is a random access memory . address values used to access the memory 714 are provided by a multiplexer 736 while address values used to access the memory 716 are provided by the multiplexer 734 . each of the multiplexers 734 and 736 are coupled to receive read address values at respective first input ports from a read address counter 738 and to receive write address values at respective second input ports from a write address counter 740 . the multiplexers 734 and 736 are conditioned by the signal provided by the frequency divider 732 to apply the write address values to the memory 714 or 716 , whichever one is coupled to receive video samples from the demultiplexer 712 , and to apply read address values to the other one of the memories 714 and 716 . the write address counter 740 may be , for example , a ten - bit counter which is clocked by the 4f c signal ck and which is reset by the horizontal synchronization signal , hs . the read address counter 738 may also be a ten - bit counter which is clocked by a gated version of the signal ck provided by an and gate 744 as set forth below . the counter 738 , used in this embodiment of the invention , is a presettable counter . the horizontal position value , hpos , provided via the viewer controls 24 is applied to the counter 738 as the preset value . this value is loaded into the counter 738 coincident with a pulse of the horizontal synchronization signal , hs , delayed by one period of the signal ck via the delay element 742 . the gated clock signal provided by the and gate 744 is the logical and of the clock signal ck and a signal adhold provided by a nand gate 746 . the signal adhold inhibits the read address counter 738 from incrementing when two successive interpolated samples are to be developed from a single pair of sample values of the signal y &# 39 ;. the circuitry which generates the signal adhold also generates the horizontal interpolation scale factors used to develop the signal y &# 34 ;. as a first step in developing these factors , the zoom ratio signal , zr , is applied to one input port of an adder 758 . the output port of the adder 758 is coupled to the input port of an eight - bit register 756 which is clocked by the signal ck . the output port of the register 756 is coupled to a second input port the adder 758 . the register 756 , which may , for example , include eight data - type flip - flops arranged as a parallel - input , parallel - output register , and the adder 758 form a modulo 256 accumulator . the four msb &# 39 ; s of the value provided by the register 256 are applied to the input port msb &# 39 ; s of a delay element 760 both directly and via the respective inverters 748 , 750 , 752 and 754 . the signal applied to the delay element 760 is an eight - bit signal . the four - bits provided by the inverters 748 through 754 are the four of this eight - bit signal and the four - bits provided by register 756 directly form the four lsb &# 39 ; s of the signal . the signal hmsb 0 , the most significant bit of the signal provided by the register 756 , and the signal hmsb 1 , the most significant bit of the signal provided by the delay element 760 , are applied to the nand gate 746 to generate the signal adhold . the signal adhold has a value of logic zero only when the signal hmsb 0 and hmsb 1 are both logic one . this occurs when the most significant bit of the value provided by the register 756 is a logic zero during one period of the signal ck and is a logic one during the next successive period of the signal ck . in this instance , two successive samples of the interpolated signal y &# 34 ; are developed from one pair of samples of the signal y &# 39 ;. alternatively , the signal adhold may be generated by inverting an overflow output signal ( not shown ) of the adder 758 and delaying this inverted output signal by two periods of the signal ck . in addition to selectively disabling the clock input signal to the read address counter 738 , the signal adhold is delayed by one period of the signal ck , via the delay element 762 , and applied to the input terminal of the and gate 764 . another input terminal of the and gate 764 is coupled to receive the clock signal ck . the signal provided by the and gate 764 cycles successive samples of the signal y &# 39 ; through the delay elements 720 and 722 for use by the interpolating multipliers 724 and 726 . when the same two values of the signal y &# 39 ; are used to develop two samples of the signal y &# 34 ;, the clock signal applied to the delay elements 720 and 722 is disabled for one period of the signal ck . the samples provided by the delay elements 720 and 722 are processed by the multipliers 724 and 726 as set forth above . to develop the horizontal interpolation scale factors , the values represented by the four lsb &# 39 ; s of the signal provided by the delay elements 760 are added , in an adder 770 , to a value of one supplied by a digital value source 772 . the signal developed by the adder 770 is applied to a divider 776 which divides it by two to produce the horizontal interpolation factor 8k h . this factor is applied to the interpolating multiplier 724 . similarly , the values represented by the four msb &# 39 ; s of the signal provided by the delay element 760 are added , in an adder 766 , to a value of one provided by a digital value source 768 . the values developed by the adder 766 are divided by two in the dividing circuitry 774 to produce the horizontal interpolation factor 8 ( 1 - k ) h . this factor is applied to the interpolating multiplier 726 . the operation of the interpolating multipliers 724 and 726 is set forth above . referring to fig1 the samples of the signal c provided by the luminance / chrominance separation circuitry 27 are applied to the chrominance vertical interpolator 32 . fig8 is a block diagram of circuitry suitable for use as the interpolator 32 . in fig8 the sampled data combed chrominance signal , c , provided by the separation circuitry 27 is applied to a vertical detail low - pass filter 810 . the filter 810 , which may , for example , have a frequency characteristic pass band from 0 h2 to 2 mhz passes the relatively low frequency luminance vertical detail components of the signal c to the substantial exclusion of any chrominance signal components . the filter 810 provides the vertical detail signal , vdet , which is used by the luminance signal vertical interpolation circuitry 28 as set forth above . the signal vdet is subtracted from the signal c * by the subtracter 812 to produce samples representing the chrominance band signal components of the comb filtered chrominance singal c . the signals developed by the substracter 812 are appled to selective chrominace singal inverting circuitry 813 . the circuitry 813 is controllled by the chrominance inversion signal , cinv , deeloped by the read address generator 22 as set forth above . the circuitry 813 acts to preserve the phase relationship between the clock signal ck and the i and q phases of the vertically interpolated chrominance signal when successive lines of interpolated samples are derived from one pair of lines of the signal c . the phase corrected chrominace samples provided by the inverting circuitry 813 are applied to a chrominance signal demodulator 814 . the demodulator 814 , which may be of conventional design , processes these samples to develop the two color difference signals i and q . the signal i is applied to a 1h delay element 816 and to a multiplier 818 . the 1h delayed i signal provided by the delay element 816 is applied to a multiplier 820 . the multiplexers 818 and 820 , which may be , for example , conventional 8 ร 8 bit multipliers , scale the respective undelayed and delayed i signal sample values by the spective interpolation scale factors 8k v and 8 ( 1 - k ) v provided by the read address generator circuitry 22 as set forth above . the scaled samples provided by the multipliers 818 and 820 are summed in an adder 822 . the signal provided by the adder 822 is divided by eight in the dividing circuitry 824 to produce vertically interpolated lines of samples of a signal i &# 39 ; for application to the color difference signal horizontal interpolation circuitry 34 . the q color difference signals provided by the chrominance signal demodulator 814 are applied to circuitry which includes a 1h delay element 826 , interpolating multipliers 828 and 830 , an adder 832 and a sample value divider 834 . this circuitry develops the vertically interpolated color difference signal , q &# 39 ;. the q signal the i signal vertical interpolation circuitry performs identically to vertical interpolation circuitry described above ; consequently , it is not described in detail . using the chrominance signal vertical interpolation circuitry shown in fig8 samples of a color difference signal from one line of the input video signal , for example , samples of the signal i , may be simultaneously provided to both of the interpolating multipliers 818 and 820 . in this instance , which occurs for the second of two lines of samples interpolated from the same pair of lines of the input signal , the i &# 39 ; output signal of the interpolator 32 is the uninterpolated i signal . due to the relatively low sensitivity of the eye to changes in color , artifacts resulting from the use of these uninterpolated samples are not objectionable . moreover , because of the low sensitivity of the eye to changes in color , it is contemplated that the chrominance signal vertical interpolator circuitry 32 may be reduced to the vertical detail filter 810 , subtracter 812 , chrominance signal inverter 813 and chrominance signal demodulator 814 ; completely eliminating the 1h delay elements 816 and 826 , the multipliers 818 , 820 , 826 and 828 , the adders 822 and 832 and the sample value dividing circuits 824 and 834 , without seriously impairing the quality of the reproduced image . the vertically interpolated i and q color difference signals provided by the circuits 32 are applied to color difference signal horizontal interpolation circuitry 34 . fig9 is a block diagram showing circuitry suitable for use as the horizontal interpolation circuitry 34 . the circuitry 950 used to develop the interpolated q color difference signal is identical to the circuitry used to develop the interpolated i color difference signal and , so , the circuitry 950 is shown as a single block . the circuitry , 910 , used to develop the interpolated i color difference signal is , itself , identical to the circuitry 710 used to develop the horizontally interpolated luminance signals , accordingly , the circuitry 910 and the circuitry 950 are not described in detail . the horizontally and vertically interpolated color difference signals , i &# 34 ; and q &# 34 ;, provided by the respective circuits 910 and 950 may be applied , for example , to conventional color difference signal processing circuit ( not shown ) and combined with the signal y &# 34 ; to produce a magnified image . | 7 |
aqueous glycol - free heat transfer fluids provide efficient and cost effective heat transfer . the water - based heat transfer fluids are generally stable and nontoxic during operation of the heat exchanger . however , the aqueous heat transfer fluids come in contact with different parts of the heat exchanger , and may cause corrosion . therefore , a corrosion inhibitor or a composition of corrosion inhibitors is needed . advantageously , the corrosion inhibitor or the composition of corrosion inhibitors comprises only a small weight percentage of the glycol - free heat transfer fluids so that the deposit after a long operation can be minimized . the aqueous heat transfer fluids of the present invention may include sodium molybdate . sodium molybdate ( na 2 moo 4 ) is a member of molybdate . molybdate is a compound containing an oxoanion with molybdenum in its highest oxidation state of 6 . molybdenum can form a very large range of oxoanions . molybdate is thought to create a protective monomolecular film over internal surfaces of closed circulation in the heat exchanger as the aqueous glycol - free heat transfer fluid circulates . the film is an anodic coating which inhibits corrosive attack on the metal parts . the aqueous heat transfer fluids of the present invention may further include sebacic acid . sebacic acid ( hooc )( ch 2 ) 8 ( cooh ) is a naturally occurring member of dicarboxylic acid . organic acids , including mono - or dicarboxylic acids , have also been used as corrosion inhibitors , for example in automobile antifreeze / coolant formulations . the mono - or dicarboxylic acids are generally used in high concentrations , for example , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 946 , 616 describes a coolant composition including 2 - 5 . 5 % ( w / w ) of at least two c 7 - 14 dicarboxylic acids . the aqueous heat transfer fluids of the present invention may further include benzotriazole ( c 6 h 5 n 3 ). benzotriazole is mainly used as a corrosion inhibitor for copper and its alloys by preventing undesirable surface reactions . a passive layer with a complex between copper and benzotriazole is formed when copper is immersed in a solution containing benzotriazole . the passive layer is insoluble in aqueous solutions . the aqueous heat transfer fluids of the present invention may further include morpholine . morpholine is an organic chemical compound having the chemical formula o ( ch 2 ch 2 ) 2 nh . morpholine may be used for ph adjustment and corrosion protection . morpholine decomposes reasonably slowly in the absence of oxygen at high temperatures and pressures . the aqueous heat transfer fluids of the present invention may further include sodium nitrite . sodium nitrite is an effective corrosion inhibitor and is used as an additive in the closed loop cooling systems . alternatively , the heat transfer fluids of the present invention may contain sodium nitrite instead of sodium molybdate . numerous experiments were performed as the effectiveness of a corrosion inhibitor or a composition of corrosion inhibitors depends on fluid composition , quantity of water , and flow regime . in the following , some embodiments are described . the experimental setup includes an 800 ml glass beaker filled with 600 ml solution of heat transfer fluid containing corrosion inhibitors . the balance fluid in solution was deionized water . the formulations ( cci - 0 , cci - 1 , cci - 2 , cci - 3 , cci - 3 - 2 , cci - 3 - 3 , cci - 3 - 4 and cci - 4 - 2 ) added in the test were 2 . 4 ml , the dilution factor is therefore 1 : 250 . coupons were taken from can and tube side of the heater . the can side of the heat exchanger 110 , as shown in fig1 , is exposed to liquid phase of the heat transfer fluid , while the tube side 104 of heat exchanger is exposed to vapour phase of the heat transfer fluid . the can and tube coupons represent the exposure of heater metal to liquid and vapour phase , respectively . a flame arrestor was also placed in a solution to observe the effects on copper . the can side coupon was placed in liquid and the tube side coupon was held just above the liquid level to represent the vapour phase of the heater . the beaker was placed on a hot plate and a temperature around 80 - 90 ยฐ c . was maintained to avoid any boiling . the top of the beaker was covered with a plastic wrap to minimize the loss of fluid due to evaporation . unless otherwise specified , all tests were conducted for 7 days . following formulations are prepared to test glycol - containing ( propylene glycol , pg ) and glycol - free compositions : test 1 : a heat transfer fluid including 10 % ( w / w ) propylene glycol , 0 . 08 % ( w / w ) triethanolamine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 * 2h 2 o_and 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested . result : tube coupon was corroded , indicating that triethanolamine was not protecting the vapor phase . triethanolamine was replaced with morpholine in formulation . morpholine was further added to adjust the ph of the solution to 9 . 0 - 10 . 0 . test 2 : a heat transfer fluid including 10 % ( w / w ) propylene glycol , including 0 . 41 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 . 2h 2 o_and 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested for 28 days . test 3 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 . 2h 2 o_and 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid were tested for 28 days . test 4 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 0013 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 * 2h 2 o_and 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested for 28 days . test 5 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 . 2h 2 o_and 0 . 002 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested for 28 days . test 6 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 . 2h 2 o_and 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested for 28 days . test 7 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) nano 2 and 0 . 004 ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested for 28 days and 56 days , respectively . result : insignificant corrosion on tube coupon was observed , solution was slightly hazy . test 8 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 002 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 035 % ( w / w ) nano 2 and 0 . 002 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested for 28 days . result : slight corrosion on tube coupon was observed , solution was slightly hazy . test 9 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 006 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 . 2h 2 o_ , and 0 . 006 % ( w / w ) nano 2 and 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid were tested for 28 days . result : insignificant corrosion on tube coupon was observed , solution was slightly hazy . test 10 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 * 2h 2 o , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , was tested for 28 days . result : slight corrosion on tube coupon was observed , solution was slightly hazy . test 11 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 * 2h 2 o_and 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested for 56 days . test 12 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid , including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) nano 2 and 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested for 56 days . test 13 : a glycol - free heat transfer fluid , including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 006 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 . 2h 2 o , 0 . 006 % ( w / w ) na 2 no 2 and 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested for 56 days . result : increased corrosion was observed when comparing to tests 11 and 12 . test 14 : a heat transfer fluid with 10 % ( w / w ) propylene glycol , including 0 . 33 % ( w / w ) morpholine , 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) benzotriazole , 0 . 012 % ( w / w ) na 2 moo 4 . 2h 2 o_and 0 . 004 % ( w / w ) sebacic acid was tested for 56 days . tests 11 - 13 indicate that glycol - free heat transfer fluid containing na 2 moo 4 . 2h 2 o and / or nano 2 produced the best results for water based heat transfer fluid . test 15 : the long term performance of the aqueous glycol - free heat transfer fluid was tested in an explosion - proof heater under elevated ambient conditions for 3 to 6 months . the compositions used are as follows : 800 mg / l ( 0 . 08 ( w / w ) %) morpholine , 40 mg / l ( 0 . 004 ( w / w ) %) benzotriazole , 120 - 192 mg / l ( 0 . 012 - 0 . 0192 ( w / w ) %) na 2 moo 4 . 2h 2 o , 40 mg / l ( 0 . 004 ( w / w ) %) sebacic acid , and 2 . 5 ml / l ( 0 . 25 ( v / v ) %) morpholine to adjust ph between 9 and 10 . the aqueous glycol - free heat transfer fluid performed very well . no visible sign of corrosion was observed . inductively coupled plasma ( icp ) analysis indicates molybdenum deposition on steel , forming a protective layer and a very low rate of corrosion . based on 4 . 5 l of the aqueous glycol - free heat transfer fluids used in tests 6 and 11 , after evaporation the amount of solids remains at 0 . 33 to 0 . 5 g . by comparison , 57 g - 90 g solids remain after evaporation of 4 . 5 l of 2 % di - potassium phosphate ( k 2 hpo 4 ). this result shows that the solids were about 100 - 200 times less than prior art glycol based heat transfer fluid with di - potassium phosphate as an inhibitor . the amount remaining as solids clearly indicates that the aqueous glycol - free heat transfer fluids of the present invention reduces the risk of obstructing the pressure relieve valve . furthermore , due to faster formation of vapour phase , the aqueous glycol - free heat transfer fluids provide faster start - up of the electric heater , and will eliminate any possible fire hazard due to the absence of glycol and its decomposition products . the heat transfer fluid of the present invention can also be used both under vacuum and no vacuum . heaters and heat exchangers are initially under vacuum , however , in field condition vacuum may be lost . corrosion inhibitors are more in need when vacuum is lost . while the patent disclosure is described in conjunction with the specific embodiments , it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the patent disclosure to the described embodiments . on the contrary , it is intended to cover alternatives , modifications , and equivalents as may be included within the scope of the patent disclosure as defined by the appended claims . in the above description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present patent disclosure . the present patent disclosure may be practiced without some or all of these specific details . in other instances , well - known process operations have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present patent disclosure . the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the patent disclosure . as used herein , the singular forms โ a โ, โ an โ and โ the โ are intended to include the plural forms as well , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . it will be further understood that the terms โ comprises โ or โ comprising โ, or both 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 . | 2 |
the following examples will further illustrate the present invention , however these examples are merely illustrative purposes , and should not be construed as limiting embodiment of the present invention . relevant studies of nat2 , cyp2e1 , and gstm1 snps - and anti - tb drug - induced hepatotoxicity in taiwan analysis of the correlation between snp and tb drug - induced hepatotoxicity based on the genotype test results obtained from more than 300 patients with tuberculosis and clinical data , we further identified 7 nat2 snps which showed significant correlation with tb drug - induced hepatotoxicity by using 2 ร 2 and 2 ร 3 chi square test , which 2 additional snps that showed significant correlation . the result indicated if the tb patients carry any one of the 7 nat2 snps , their risk of developing tb drug - induced hepatotoxicity was 1 . 8 - fold to 10 . 3 fold higher than those do not carry any of the 7 snps . these nat2 snps are rs1779931 ( homozygous , odd ratio = 10 . 294 , p = 0 . 009 ), rs1799930 ( heterozygous + homozygous , odd ratio = 1 . 824 , p = 0 . 042 ), rs11996129 ( heterozygous + homozygous , odd ratio = 1 . 897 , p = 0 . 030 ), rs1961456 ( homozygous , odd ratio = 3 . 333 , p = 0 . 004 ), rs1112005 ( heterozygous + homozygous , odd ratio = 1 . 824 , p = 0 . 042 ), rs1041983 ( homozygous , odd ratio = 2 . 175 , p = 0 . 047 ) and rs2087852 ( hetero + homozygous , odd ratio = 2 . 076 , p = 0 . 014 ). the correlation between cyp2e1 snp and anti - tb drug - induced hepatotoxicity or gstm1 snp and anti - tb drug - induced hepatotoxicity are not significant ( table 1 and table 2 ). the heterozygous alleles shown in the table are not in order . for example , there is no difference between the ga and ag genotype of rs1799931 and both are presented in ga , same for other snps . the heterozygous alleles shown in the table are not in order . for example , there is no difference between the ga and ag genotype of rs1799931 and both are presented in ga , same for other snps . evaluation of the effects of the nat2 haplotypes on hepatic side effects by multi - point methods perform multi - points analysis on the 7 high - risk nat2 haplotypes to further evaluate the effect of the combinations on high hepatic side effects . we tried to conduct statistical test on 2 to 4 snps haplotypes and have identified at least 8 kind of combinations will significantly increase the risk of hepatotoxicity induced by anti - tb drug , the highest odds ratio up to 4 . 1 fold ( p & lt ; 0 . 001 ) ( see table 3 ). among combination between two nat2 snps , patients who carry any two or more points variability of rs1961456 or rs1799931 ( both are heterozygous or at least one is homozygous , or both ) can be defined as the high - risk group of tb - induced hepatotoxicity , which account for about 26 % of the proportion of all patients ; in the high - risk group the ratio of patients who developed hepatotoxical side effect was 36 % ( 29 out of 81 cases developed hepatotoxicity ), which is 3 - fold of the low - risk population prevalence of ratio of 12 %, was significantly higher and the risk of these patients was 4 . 1 - fold of the low - risk group ( p & lt ; 0 . 001 ). the two snp combination also has a significant impact for rs1961456 and rs1041983 , and the ratio of their high - risk group was 20 % and the incidence of hepatotoxicity for the high - and low - risk group was 35 % and 14 %, respectively , and the odd ratio of the high - risk group for developing hepatotoxicity was 3 . 26 fold of the low - risk group ( p & lt ; 0 . 001 ). with a high - risk portfolio rs1961456 and rs2087852 , the proportion of high risk group was 12 %, the incidence of hepatotoxicity for the high - and low - risk group was 37 % and 16 %, respectively , and its odd ratio was 3 . 17 fold of the low - risk group ( p & lt ; 0 . 001 ). among the arrangement of three nat2 snp , we found the high - risk group carrying rs1961456 , rs1799931 and rs2087852 had the highest odds ratio ( odds ratio = 3 . 938 , p & lt ; 0 . 001 ). the proportion in the high - risk group was 27 %. the incidence of hepatotoxicity for the high - and low - risk group was 35 % and 12 %, respectively . followed combination of rs1961456 , rs1799931 and rs1041983 , and the percentage of the number of patients in the high - risk group of this combination was 29 %, the incidence of hepatotoxicity for the high - and low - risk group was 34 % and 12 %, respectively , and the odd ratios of developing hepatotoxicity for the high - risk group was 3 . 84 fold of the low - risk group ( p & lt ; 0 . 001 ). among the arrangement of 4 nat2 snps , the combination of rs1961456 * rs1799931 * rs2087852 * rs1041983 was most representative the proportion of high - risk group was 29 %, the incidence of hepatotoxicity for the high - and low - risk group was 33 % and 12 %, respectively , and the odd ratio of developing hepatotoxicity for the high - risk group was 3 . 692 fold of the low - risk group ( p & lt ; 0 . 001 ). though theoretically 37 combinations may be generated based on different arrangements of the 7 nat2 high - risk snp haplotypes , linkage disequilibrium ( ld ) between the haplotypes may significantly reduce and affect the number of combinations . moreover , from the results , the combination of 4 snps ( rs1961456 * rs1799931 * rs2087852 * rs1041983 ) or 3 snps ( rs1961456 * rs1799931 * rs1041983 ) both showed the highest estimated number of patients in the high - risk group ( both were above 29 % of the total number of patients ) and the highest number of cases that developed hepatotoxicity ( 30 high - risk cases out of the total 56 cases ), but the combination of rs1961456 * rs1799931 showed the most significant difference in the incidence between the high - and low - risk groups ( 12 % vs . 36 %, odd ratio = 4 . 131 ), in addition , only gene polymorphisms of two loci are required , which offers competitive advantages in clinical application or development of rapid test chip or reagents , suggesting combinations of these two snps are the best representations for predicting the risk of antitb drug - induced hepatotoxicity and also practicable . validation of the risk of hepatotoxical side effect in tb patients with the combinations of high - risk haplotypes in a prospective trial based on the aforementioned research results , we performed clinical follow - ups in a prospective trial and enrolled newly diagnosed tb patients and those patients who just started or re - started the treatment , the number of tb patients enrolled were 61 and the gene analysis of 59 patients had been completed . however , only 55 patients were analyzed after exclusion of those who had hepatitis b or who were hepatitis c carriers or who had more than half of the total snp no call number , among which 4 cases were determined to have tb drug - induced hepatotoxicity . after haplotype analysis , the subjects can be divided into the high - risk group and the low - risk group and the number of each haplotype as well as the number of patients who developed hepatotoxicity are shown in table 4 . based on the results obtained by far , the combination of snp rs1961456 * rs1799931 is quite representative in predicting tb - drug induced hepatotoxicity for the high - risk tb patients . after haplotype analysis , 16 cases of the high - risk group of rs1961456 * rs1799931 were found among the subjects who were subjected to analysis , accounting for 30 % of the total enrolled number of subjects and among which 4 cases were determined to be the patients with tb drug - induced hepatotoxicity , 3 cases were in the high - risk group of rs1961456 * rs1799931 and the incidence of hepatotoxicity for the high - risk group was 18 . 8 % ( 3 / 13 ), which is significantly higher than 2 . 7 % ( 1 / 37 ) of the low - risk group ; its risk ratio was 8 . 31 fold ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ) of the low - risk group . the results of this prospective trial confirmed the results of past retrospective analysis and indicated if the tb patients carry the combination of high - risk rs1961456 * rs1799931 haplotypes , their risk of developing hepatotoxicity increased significantly , 8 . 3 fold higher than the low - risk group and the ratio of patients developing hepatotoxicity increased from 2 . 7 % for the low - risk group to 18 . 8 %. according to the analyses conducted in the past , the number of tb patients who belong to this high - risk group is roughly 30 % of the total number of patients . in addition to the combination of rs1961456 * rs1799931 , from the results of this prospective trial , we also found the high - risk combinations of rs1799931 * rs2087852 or rs1799931 * rs11996129 will significantly increase the risk of hepatotoxicity for more than 10 fold ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ), which is a combination that was not found in the past analysis . among which , 14 cases carry the high - risk haplotype of rs1799931 * rs2087852 , accounting for 27 % of the total enrolled subjects and 3 cases developed hepatotoxicity , the incidence was 21 . 4 % ( 3 / 14 ), which is significantly higher than 2 . 6 % ( 1 / 38 ) of the low - risk group . 13 cases carry the high - risk haplotype of rs1799931 * rs11996129 , accounting for 26 % of the total enrolled subjects and 3 cases developed hepatotoxicity , the incidence was 23 . 1 % ( 3 / 13 ) which is also significantly higher than 2 . 7 % ( 1 / 37 ). this result indicates the combination of rs1799931 and rs2087852 or rs1799931 and rs11996129 are associated with the incidence of hepatotoxicity . however , the statistical analysis of the 400 + cases collected in the past failed to confirm such correlation , indicating the variation of the results may be higher due to lower number of enrolled subjects and lower incidence of hepatotoxicity . in the future , increased number of enrolled subjects will be helpful for validating the prediction capability of this combination . nevertheless , based on the obtained results , patients who carry the high - risk haplotypes of rs1961456 * rs1799931 have a higher risk of developing hepatotoxicity when receiving the first - line anti - tb drug treatment such as isoniazid and detection of this nat2 haplotype during the treatment process will help the clinicians monitor the treatment progress of patients , reduce poor obedience or discontinued use of medications caused by side effects , and improve the control rate for tb . evaluation of the effect of hepatotoxical side effect in patients carry high - risk haplotype by quantitative indicators serum aminotransferases variation of the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase ( ast ) and alanine aminotransferase ( alt ) in the tb patients before and after drug administration were further assessed and we found a total of 4 kinds of snps , combination of high - risk groups , significant increase of the serum aminotransferase concentrations in these patients were observed and said increase is significantly different when compared with the low - risk group : rs1961456 * rs1799931 , rs1799931 * rs2087852 , rs1799931 * rs1041983 and rs1799931 * rs11996129 . among them , the mean of peak values of the changes in the serum alt in the patients who carry the high - risk haplotype of rs1961456 * rs1799931 was significantly higher than the low - risk group ( 43 . 7 ยฑ 23 vs . 29 ยฑ 18 , p & lt ; 0 . 05 ); as for the high - risk group that carry rs1799931 * rs1041983 or rs1799931 * rs11996129 the mean of peak values of the changes in the serum ast in the patients was significantly higher than the low - risk group . the means of peak values of the changes in the serum alt and ast in the patients who carry the high - risk haplotype of rs1799931 * rs2087852 were significantly higher than the low - risk group . these statistical results and the changes in the serum alt and ast levels of the patients who developed hepatotoxicity may due to skewed distribution , but previous studies have suggested that variations of the nat2 haplotypes may be used as a substitution indicator for the activity of metabolic enzymes . different enzymatic activities of the high - risk group may affect the development of hepatotoxicity through changing drug metabolism . in addition , alt ( alanine aminotransferase ) is more specific when used for evaluation liver injury than ast . therefore , tb patients who carry the high - risk haplotype of rs1961456 * rs1799931 or rs1799931 * rs2087852 showed a more significant increase in the alt level when compared with the low - risk group and hepatotoxicity was more common in this group of patients . the analysis of the allele frequency of 5 snps of xanthine oxidase of 205 subjects were completed . some genotype analyses of the samples were not obtained due to poor dna quality , among which the allele frequency of rs1884725 and 2295475 and the distribution of wild - type / mutant allele was 66 . 3 / 33 . 6 and 41 . 5 / 58 . 5 percent , respectively ; genotype distribution was 66 . 3 % and 41 . 5 % for wildtype , 30 . 2 % and 44 . 4 % for heterozygous mutant , and 3 . 4 % and 14 . 1 % for homozygous mutant ; for rs17011368 , the distribution of wild - type / mutant allele was 92 . 2 / 7 . 8 percent , genotype distribution was 92 . 2 % for wildtype and 7 . 8 % for heterozygous mutant . no homozygote genotype was found in the samples ; in addition , for the analysis of allele frequency of rs566352 and rs72549369 , only the wildtype genotypes were found in these samples and no mutant genotype ( table 4 ) was identified . for the test on different genotypes of xanthine oxidase and pza drug - induced hepatotoxicity , analyses of the gene samples from 119 tb patients and the results of 5 snps of xo were obtained . the 3 snp variation , rs1884725 , rs2295475 and rs17011368 , the odds ratio of snp to pza drug - induced hepatotoxicity and snp rs2295475 to pza drug - induced hepatotoxicity ( odds ratio ) was 11 . 335 ( p = 0 . 000 ) and 14 . 883 ( p = 0 . 000 ), respectively ( table 5 ). the heterozygous alleles shown in the table are not in order . for example , there is no difference between the ga and ag genotype of rs1799931 and both are presented in ga , same for other snps . the number of enrolled tb patients was increased to more than 400 cases and their genotype test results as well as clinical data were used for analysis . in the analysis of the correlation between snp and tb drug - induced hepatotoxicity , we found the results are consistent with past analysis ( see table 6 for details ). the heterozygous alleles shown in the table are not in order . for example , there is no difference between the ga and ag genotype of rs1799931 and both are presented in ga , same for other snps . based on the examples 1 - 6 mentioned above , we further analyzed any two or three snp genotype combinations of the three metabolic enzymes nat2 , cyp2e1 and xanthine oxidase to identify the best haplotype combination for predicting the risk of hepatotoxicity . see table 7 and table 8 for the results . twenty - one healthy subjects were enrolled and a single dose of a known substrate of nat2 , isoniazid ( inh ), was given orally and blood samples were collected at 0 . 25 , 0 . 5 , 0 . 75 , 1 , 1 . 5 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 12 and 24 hours after administration to measure the concentration of the metabolite of inh , acetyl isoniazid ( ainh ), in the blood after nat2 metabolism and the ratio of blood ainh level to inh level of each subject was used to calculate the in vivo metabolic activity of nat2 for representation of the possible pharmacological effect ( s ) of the drug . the results ( table 9 ) suggest that the high - and low - risk grouping of the multiple genotype combinations is correlated to the pharmacological effect ( s ) of nat2 . this finding demonstrates the haplotype combinations disclosed in this invention , which not only can be used for predicting anti - tb drug - induced hepatotoxicity but also can be applied for reasonable prediction of the relationship between other drugs that are related to the pharmacological effect ( s ) of the haplotype combination of the enzymes and diseases . for example , drugs that are metabolized by nat2 : sulfamethazine , sulphonamides , hydralazine , aminoglutethimide , aminosalicylate sodium , p - anisidine , 2 - aminofluorene , sulfadiazine , sulfasalazine , procainamide , dapsone , nitrazepam , hydralazine , zonisamide and isoniazid ; drugs that are metabolized by xanthine oxidase : azathioprine , mercaptopurine , theophylline , pyrazinamide and so on ; drugs that are metabolized by cyp2e1 : halothane , enflurane , isoflurane , paracetamol , dapsone , theophylline , ethanol , chlorzoxazone , toluene , isoniazid and so on . in addition to the correlation with hepatotoxicity , 124 subjects were enrolled and the concentration of uric acid in their urine samples were analyzed . we further found the correlation between xo snp and metabolism of uric acid in vivo . subjects who have xo snp rs1884725 as ga or aa genotype and / or rs2295475 as ga or aa genotype showed higher in vivo uric acid concentration . this result can be further applied in prediction of the risk of the diseases relating to metabolism of uric acid , such as gout and prediction of the incidence of high uric acid and its related diseases after administration of the drugs that are known to affect the concentration of uric acid . the representations of the heterozygous alleles are not in order , for example , the ga and ag genotypes of rs1799931 are both represented in ag , same for other snps . the snp genotype of the target gene used in the method for screening the risk of drug - induced toxicity disclosed in the aforementioned examples can be tested by known industry methods ; the methods for analysis , detection , measurement , identification and / or confirmation of the snp genotype of the target gene are well - known in the industry , including but not limited to , at least one of the following methods : restriction fragment length polymorphism ( rflp ), tetra - primer arms - pcr , pcr molecular beacons , snp microarrays , temperature gradient gel electrophoresis and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography . the foregoing detailed description of the invention and the specific examples are provided herein for the purpose of illustration only , and the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments shown . it should be understood that any changes or modifications within the spirit of the invention shall be included in the scope of present invention . | 2 |
the anchor shown in the drawings is comprised of two closed bodies 1 and 2 which are fastened to each other in two or more places . these bodies are preferably cylindrical but may also be of a different shape provided the requirement is fulfilled that it can withstand the external water pressure at the depth at which it is used . the bodies 1 and 2 are manufactured from prestressed concrete , reinforced or not , or from other material of sufficient strength and weight . each body is subdivided into three compartments by entirely or partly closed partition walls 3 . these compartments are marked with a1 , b1 and c1 for body 1 and with a2 , b2 and c2 for body 2 . the anchor &# 39 ; s own weight is about 90 % of the weight of the water displaced when it is entirely submerged , so that the anchor may be towed afloat to the working area . the two bodies are afloat side by side so that a stable vessel is realized ( fig2 ). all compartments or a certain number of them are supplied with means 4 to fill them with water at the desired moment or with any other material suitable for ballast , such as sand , gravel , fluid concrete , etc . one of the connecting constructions 5 of the bodies 1 and 2 of the anchor may be utilized to fasten an anchor cable or anchor chain 6 to the anchor . moreover , at the exterior of the anchor , means 7 are provided in order to moor , to tow , etc . the floating anchor as well as to control the anchor while sinking by means of a non - shown floating lifting device and other vessels . ( a ) if a soil examination should prove that the bottom consists of stiff layers , such as sand and rock , or that the bottom is covered with a soft layer having relatively little depth , such as mud , the anchor is placed flatly upon the bottom of the ocean ( fig3 ). ( b ) if a soil examination should prove that a thick soft layer , such as mud , is present , the anchor is sunk into this layer perpendicularly , i . e . with the center line upright ( fig4 ). the determination of the distance from the lower end of the anchor to the fastening point of the anchor cable is dependent on the dimensions and weight of the anchor and on the mechanical properties of the soil on the bottom . since the fastening point will disappear deep down into the bottom , it will be necessary to fasten the anchor cable 6 beforehand to one of the connecting constructions 5 or to another point . the sinking of the anchor takes place as follows : ( a ) for a final position as in fig3 see fig5 . a . 1 . both ends of body 1 of the floating anchor are connected with the lifting cables 8 of a floating crane . a . 2 . by means of the floating crane , the cables 8 are stressed . a . 3 . water is allowed to flow into body 2 , for instance into compartment b2 , until the floating power of the anchor becomes negative . when the maximum lifting power of the crane amounts to for instance 25 tons , the negative floating power should remain under this value . body 2 is now below body 1 . a . 4 . from the floating crane , the anchor is paid out until body 2 reaches the bottom of the ocean . a . 6 . the floating crane is shifted in a direction away from the structure to be moored so that the lifting cables 8 will make an angle with the vertical and body 1 will no longer be perpendicularly above body 2 . a . 7 . water is allowed to flow into compartment b1 , as a result of which the tilting motion of the anchor is intensified while the lifting cables are further eased off . a . 8 . the anchor is lying as shown in fig3 so that the connection with the crane may be disconnected , after which the bodies 1 and 2 are entirely filled with water and / or other ballasting material until the required anchor weight is obtained . by the action mentioned at sub a . 6 the anchor cable 6 is made to lie across body 2 . ( b ) for a final position as in fig4 see fig6 . b . 1 . an end of each of the bodies 1 and 2 of the floating anchor is connected with the hook of a floating crane by means of lifting cables 8 of equal length . b . 2 . by means of the crane , the lifting cables 8 are stressed . b . 3 . into compartments a1 and a2 about equal quantities of water are allowed to flow , as a result of which the anchor will assume an upright position and the floating power of the anchor will become negative . when , for instance , the maximum lifting power of the crane amounts to 25 tons , the negative floating power should remain under that value . if an equal quantity of water is allowed to flow into the compartments a1 and a2 , the anchor will be suspended in a precisely vertical position . b . 4 . from the floating crane the anchor is paid out until it touches the soft layer on the bottom and then sinks therein . b . 5 . simultaneously with a slow easing off of the lifting cables 8 so as to prevent the crane from becoming overloaded , the compartments a1 and a2 are filled entirely , then b1 and b2 and , finally c1 and c2 . due to the increasing weight and the anchor &# 39 ; s centre of gravity , which centre is low at first , the anchor will sink perpendicularly into the soft layer . when the bodies 1 and 2 do not possess partition walls 3 , it is possible to raise one end of the anchor somewhat by means of the lifting device , as a result of which the ballast water let in will gather near the lower end of the anchor and the anchor will likewise assume a vertical position . at what depth the anchor will sink into the bottom , dependent on the properties of that bottom and on weight and dimensions of the anchor ; at what distance from the lower end the anchor cable 6 should be fastened so as to provide the maximum anchoring force ; and to what extent this anchoring force may be increased without causing the anchor to be displaced . according to the invention , the required ballast density for the anchor is dependent on the anchoring force to be provided , on the mechanical properties of the soil layer in or upon which the anchor is situated , as well as on the weight and dimensions of the anchor . when the anchor is applied in a horizontal position according to fig3 it may be useful , with bottoms having certain characteristics , for the bodies 1 and 2 to be supplied with projections 9 at their lower side for the purpose of increasing the friction force between the bottom and the anchor . these projections are shown in the drawing in fig2 and 3 . with both applications , the partition walls 3 need not be entirely closed . it is possible , for instance , that the partition walls do not fully continue at the upper end as seen in a lying position of the anchor . in that case , too , it will be possible to realize an inclined or vertical position . once the anchor is vertically afloat , the ballast water will remain at the bottom . besides , not fully closed partition walls have the advantage that it will not be necessary for all compartments to have their own ballasting connection 4 . also , ballasting with heavier materials , such as sand , gravel and fluid concrete , will be easier if these materials can flow from one compartment into the other . once the anchor has been placed upon or in the bottom , the partition walls no longer have a function . | 1 |
a copying machine which employs a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to fig1 to 7 . fig1 shows the main part of a two - color copying machine incorporating the developing device of this embodiment . reference numeral 1 denotes a photosensitive drum as an image carrier which is disposed substantially at the center of the copying machine housing and which can be rotated clockwise . the photosensitive drum 1 has a diameter of 78 mm . a charging device 2 , an exposure device 3 , a two - color developing device 4 ( to be described later ), a transfer device 5 , a separating device 6 , a cleaning device 7 and an afterimage erasing device 8 are sequentially arranged around the photosensitive drum 1 along the rotational direction thereof . a sheet p automatically fed from a paper feed cassette ( not shown ) or a manually fed sheet p is guided by a paper convey path 10 to an exhaust tray ( not shown ) through an image transfer section 9 formed between the drum 1 and the device 5 . the path 10 is formed at the lower portion of the housing . a pair of aligning rollers 11 are located at an upstream side of the section 9 in the path 10 , and a fixing device ( not shown ) and a pair of exhaust rollers are located at the downstream side thereof . the drum 1 is rotated by a drive mechanism ( not shown ) in synchronism with a document table ( not shown ) in the direction of the arrow ( clockwise in fig1 ). the drum 1 is uniformly charged by the device 2 , and an image of a document placed on the document table is exposed by the device 3 and is formed on the drum 1 . a latent image corresponding to the document image is thus formed on the drum 1 . the latent image on the drum 1 is developed by the device 4 , and a visible image opposes the device 5 . on the other hand , the automatically or manually fed sheet p is fed by the rollers 11 to the section 9 through the path 10 . the visible image formed on the drum 1 is transferred by the device 5 onto the sheet p . the image transferred sheet is separated by an ac corona charge of the device 6 from the drum 1 . the separated sheet is fed to the fixing device through the path 10 . the visible image is melted and fixed on the sheet p . the resultant sheet is exhausted by the pair of exhaust rollers onto the exhaust tray . on the other hand , residual toner left on the drum 1 after the visible image is transferred onto the sheet p is cleaned by the device 7 . after cleaning , the surface potential of the drum 1 is lowered by the device 8 below a predetermined level . the copying machine is thus ready for the next copying cycle . the developing device 4 has a first developing roller 20 as a first developing member and a second developing roller 21 as a second developing member . the developing rollers 20 and 21 are selectively driven to develop the latent image with a black or red toner . the developing device 4 is divided into a first developing unit 22 including the roller 20 and a second developing unit 23 including the roller 21 . the upper unit 22 uses a red developing agent da which is not frequently used . the lower unit 23 uses a black developing agent db which is frequently used . the developing agents da and db respectively comprise two - component developing agents each consisting of a toner and a carrier . as shown in fig2 and 3 , the unit 22 using the agent da is mainly divided into a first developing mechanism 24 and a first development agent stirring mechanism 25 . the unit 22 comprises : the roller 20 , a first doctor blade 27 arranged at a sliding contact portion between a developing agent magnetic brush da &# 39 ; formed on the surface of the roller 20 and the drum 1 , i . e ., at the upstream of a developing position 26 , so as to adjust the thickness of the brush da &# 39 ;; a scraper 29 arranged at the downstream of the position 26 to scrap the brush da &# 39 ; on the surface of the roller 20 and to guide the scraped developing agent to a developing agent hopper 28 ; stirring members 30 arranged in the hopper 28 ; and a casing 31 for housing the above - mentioned members of the unit 22 . the roller 20 comprises a first magnetic roll 32 and a first sleeve 33 fitted around the roll 32 to be rotatable clockwise . the roll 32 has five magnetic poles 34a to 34e . the poles 34a , 34c and 34e are north poles , and the poles 34b and 34d are south poles , respectively . the poles 34a to 34e are arranged at equal angular intervals of about 50 to 70 degrees . the pole 34c opposing the position 26 has a magnetic force of 700 to 1 , 000 gauss , and the remaining poles 34a , 34b , 34d and 34e have a magnetic force of 300 to 600 gauss . in the unit 22 , the sleeve 33 is rotated clockwise by a first driving mechanism 35a , i . e ., in the so - called &# 34 ; against &# 34 ; mode . the brush da &# 39 ; held on the surface of the sleeve 33 is rotated in a direction opposite to that of the drum 1 and is in sliding contact with the drum 1 , so that the latent image formed on the drum 1 is developed . in this manner , since the first rotational sleeve 33 is rotated in the &# 34 ; against &# 34 ; mode , the diameter of the roller 20 can be decreased , and a space from the position 26 to the section 9 can be minimized . as a result , a compact copying machine can be obtained . since the diameter of the drum 1 is 78 mm in this embodiment , the distance between the position 26 and the section 9 is only about 122 mm along the drum circumference . in order to increase the distance between the position 26 and the section 9 , the sizes of the devices 2 and 7 must be further decreased but there are limits . based on the above assumptions , the present inventors found that a compact copying machine could be obtained when the diameter of the roller 20 was 40 mm or less . they also found that the heights of the units 22 and 23 were required to be 120 mm or less when the drum diameter was 78 mm . in other words , the units 22 and 23 must have a low profile . for this purpose , a low - profile &# 34 ; against &# 34 ; mode developing device , available at low cost and having a small number of poles , is normally used . in this particular , the unit 22 as the upper developing unit has an opening facing downward , so that the agent da leaks when the unit 22 is operated in the &# 34 ; with &# 34 ; mode wherein the agent da flows downward . it is advantageous that the unit 22 be operated in the &# 34 ; against &# 34 ; mode . in the unit 22 , the brush da &# 39 ; on the sleeve 33 will not be removed by a developing agent removal mechanism 35 . the mechanism 35 comprises the first drive mechanism 35a , as shown in fig3 . the mechanism 35a serving as the mechanism 35 causes the sleeve 33 to rotate counterclockwise ( in a direction opposite to that during development ). in this manner , the mechanism 35 is simple and low cost . the sleeve 33 is rotated in the reverse direction at the end of copying , so that the agent da is fed in the reverse direction . the agent da on the sleeve 33 is therefore stored between the blade 27 and the scraper 29 , as shown in fig3 . when the pole unit comprises 5 poles , the developing agent da can be effectively fed or stopped as far as the first pole ( feed pole ) 34a is separated from the fifth pole ( feed pole ) 34e . therefore , the number of poles is preferably 5 or less . a thin elastic member ( not shown ) of myler ( tradename ) is mounted on the scraper 29 such that its distal end is in contact with the sleeve 33 . the feed prevention effect for the agent da is improved by the thin elastic member . reverse rotation of the sleeve 33 , that is , removal of the brush da &# 39 ; is performed in accidental stoppage of the copying machine as well as upon completion of development ( i . e ., the end of copying ). assume that the power switch is accidentally turned off or the sheet is jammed . when the power switch is turned on again or the sheet is removed , the optical system of the device 3 restores the initial state . at the same time , the sleeve 33 is rotated in the reverse direction . in this manner , when the &# 34 ; copy enable &# 34 ; state , i . e ., the ready state is set , the agent da is not present at least near the position 26 on the sleeve 33 . when the sleeve 33 comprises a compact sleeve which has a diameter of about 40 mm or less , the rotational direction of the sleeve 33 is reversed as described above . for this purpose , however , the roll 32 can be rotated by a drive source such as a solenoid so that the pole 34a opposes the blade 27 of a nonmagnetic member . as shown in fig4 and 5 , the unit 23 using the black developing agent db is mainly divided into a second developing mechanism 36 and a second developing agent stirring mechanism 37 . the unit 23 comprises : the second developing roller 21 , a second doctor blade 39 arranged at a sliding contact portion between a developing agent magnetic brush db &# 39 ; formed on the surface of the roller 21 and the drum 1 , i . e ., at the upstream of a developing position 38 so as to adjust the thickness of the brush db &# 39 ;; a guide 41 for guiding the agent db removed by the blade 39 to a developing agent hopper 40 ; a developing agent stirring member 42 arranged in the hopper 40 ; and a casing 43 for housing the above - mentioned components of the unit 23 . the roller 21 comprises a second magnetic roll 44 and a second rotational sleeve 45 fitted around the roll 44 and rotated counterclockwise . in the unit 23 , the roller 21 has a larger diameter than that of the roller 20 to achieve high - speed development . at the same time , the sleeve 45 is rotated by a second driving mechanism 35b counterclockwise , i . e ., in the &# 34 ; with &# 34 ; mode . the brush db &# 39 ; held on the surface of the roller 20 is rotated to follow the rotational direction of the drum 1 and is brought into sliding contact with the latent image on the drum . a long development time can be guaranteed , and at the same time , a latent image of top quality can be developed . the roll 44 has six magnetic poles 45a to 45f , one more than for the roller 20 . the poles 45b , 45d and 45f are north poles , and the poles 45a , 45c and 45e are south poles . the poles 45a to 45f are arranged at equal angular intervals of about 50 to 60 degree . the pole 45d opposing the position 38 has a magnetic force of 800 to 1 , 000 gauss , and the poles 45a , 45b , 45c , 45e and 45f have a magnetic force of 400 to 600 gauss . in the unit 23 , the brush db &# 39 ; formed on the sleeve 45 is removed by a developing agent removal mechanism 46 . as shown in fig4 and 5 , the mechanism 46 comprises a blade 47 of an elastic member such as urethane rubber and a blade moving mechanism 48 for horizontally moving the blade 47 . the mechanism 46 causes the blade 47 to abut against the surface of the sleeve 45 to prevent the agent db from being fed to the position 38 . the mechanism 48 is arranged such that a rack 51 mounted on a slider 50 integral with a blade holder 49 is meshed with a pinion 53 driven by a motor 52 . when the motor 52 is rotated in the forward or reverse direction , the slider 50 is moved forward or backward . the blade 47 is brought into contact with the surface of the sleeve 45 , as shown in fig5 and separated therefrom , as shown in fig4 . the contact position of the blade 47 with respect to the sleeve 45 is located between the preset position of the blade 39 and the preset position of the pole 45b for the following reason . in order to effectively remove the brush db &# 39 ;, the best contact position of the blade 47 is a position opposite to the pole 45b . however , when the distance between the blades 47 and 39 is increased , the amount of agent db stored therebetween is increased . for this reason , the agent db stored between the blades 47 and 39 is scraped upon one revolution of the drum 1 during the next copying operation , thereby contaminating the inside of the housing . therefore , the optimal contact position of the blade 47 is a position subjected to effective scraping , i . e ., the position between the blade 39 and the pole 45b . reference numerals 55 and 56 denote position sensors for detecting forward and backward positions of the slider 50 , respectively . the motor 52 is stopped in response to detection signals from the position detectors 55 and 56 . the blade 47 is brought into rolling contact with the sleeve 45 immediately before the sleeve 45 is stopped . thereafter , the sleeve 45 is rotated by half of one revolution . the blade 47 is separated from the sleeve 45 , as shown in fig4 . therefore , the agent db is removed from at least the developing position of the sleeve 45 . contact operation of the blade 47 , i . e ., the operation for removing the brush db is performed in accidental stoppage of the copying machine as well as upon completion of development ( the end of copying ) in the same manner as in the unit 22 . assume that the power switch is accidentally turned off or paper jam occurs . when the copying machine is powered again or the sheet is removed , the optical system of the device 3 restores the initial state . at the same time , the blade 47 is brought into contact with the sleeve 45 . in the copy enable state , i . e ., the ready state , the agent db is not present near the position 38 on the sleeve 45 . the units 22 and 23 are selectively operated in response to a control signal from a color designation unit ( not shown ). when red is designated , only the brush da &# 39 ; is formed on the sleeve 33 of the unit 22 , as shown in fig6 . however , when the black is designated , only the brush db &# 39 ; is formed on the sleeve 45 of the unit 23 . when a control signal is generated to operate the unit 22 , the sleeve 33 of the roller 20 is rotated clockwise , as shown in fig6 so that the brush da &# 39 ; is formed on the surface of the sleeve 33 . the latent image formed on the drum 1 in advance is developed with the red developing agent da . when development is completed , the mechanism 35 is operated . more specifically , the sleeve 33 is rotated in the reverse direction , and the agent da is removed from at least the position 26 . the copying machine is then ready for the next copying cycle . in this case , the brush db &# 39 ; is not formed on the sleeve 45 of the unit 23 . no failure occurs when either of the colors of the unit 22 and 23 is specified next . when a control signal is generated to designate the unit 23 , the sleeve 45 of the roller 21 is rotated counterclockwise , as shown in fig7 . the brush db &# 39 ; is formed on the surface of the sleeve 45 . the latent image formed on the drum 1 rotated at a higher speed than that during development by the unit 22 is developed with the black developing agent db , thereby preparing for high - speed copying . when development of the latent image is completed , the mechanism 46 is operated . more specifically , the blade 47 is brought into tight contact with the surface of the sleeve 45 to remove the agent db from at least the position 38 of the sleeve 45 . the copying machine is thus ready for the next copying cycle . in this case , the brush da &# 39 ; is not formed on the sleeve 33 of the unit 22 . no failure occurs when either of the colors of the units 22 and 23 is specified next . the processing speed is increased in the black copy mode , and is decreased in the red copy mode , thereby improving image quality of the black copy operation which is frequently performed . according to this embodiment , when a4 size sheets are fed such that the long sides thereof are first fed , the peripheral speed of the drum 1 is 223 mm / s , i . e ., 35 sheets / minute during development by the unit 23 . however , when red copying is performed and a4 size sheets are fed such that the long sides thereof are first fed , the peripheral speed of the drum 1 is 136 mm / s , i . e ., 25 sheets / minute during development by the unit 22 . the diameter ( 38 mm ) of the roller 20 is smaller than that ( 50 mm ) of the roller 21 . in this manner , when a developing time is sufficiently guaranteed , high - quality color ( red ) image can be obtained . furthermore , black images can be copied at a high speed . in the above embodiment , the operation of the mechanism 46 for bringing the blade 47 into contact with or separating it from the sleeve 45 is performed such that the driving force of the motor 52 is transmitted through a power transmission system including the rack 51 and the pinion 53 . however , the power transmission system and associated components are not limited to the above arrangement , but can be extended to a system for transmitting movement of a solenoid through a link mechanism or the like . in the above embodiment , the unit 22 is used as a red developing unit , and the unit 23 is used as a black developing unit . however , colors are not limited to red and black , but can be extended to other colors . in the above embodiment , the unit 22 is operated in the &# 34 ; against &# 34 ; mode wherein the brush da &# 39 ; is brought into slidable contact with the latent image in a direction opposite to the flow of the image of the drum 1 . the unit 23 is operated in the &# 34 ; with &# 34 ; mode wherein the brush da &# 39 ; held on the surface of the unit 23 is brought into slidable contact with the latent image so as to follow the latent image . however , the present invention is not limited to the arrangement described above . the units 22 and 23 may be operated in the &# 34 ; with &# 34 ; mode . as another embodiment shown in fig8 a &# 34 ; with &# 34 ; mode developing roller 21 is arranged at the upstream side along the rotational direction of the drum 1 . an &# 34 ; against &# 34 ; mode developing roller 20 may be located at the downstream side of the roller 21 . it is essential that one of the rollers which is frequently used be operated in the &# 34 ; with &# 34 ; mode , and the development of a color frequently used be performed at high speed . various changes and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention . according to the present invention as described above , one of the first and second developing members is rotated in the same direction as that of the image carrier . while one developing member performs development , the developing agent is removed from at least the developing position on the surface of the other developing member . a developing unit can be provided wherein a high - quality developing operation without a mixture of colors can be simply performed and high - speed development can be performed with a simple and inexpensive structure . | 6 |
fig1 is a circuit block diagram of a first embodiment of a tracking control circuit in accordance with the present invention . two magnetic heads 2 and 3 in a magnetic tape transporting mechanism shown in fig1 scan a magnetic tape 4 . the magnetic head 2 or 3 moves in the direction of arrow e on the magnetic tape 4 which is transported in the direction of arrow d as shown in fig1 . a reproduced signal s 1 of the magnetic heads 2 and 3 are inputted into an amplifier 31 through an input terminal 30 . the reproduced signal s 1 is composed of both the output signals of the magnetic heads 2 and 3 which are connected into one signal in a time sequence . fig2 ( a ) shows the reproduced signal s 1 . a signal a is reproduced by the magnetic head 2 and a signal b is reproduced by the magnetic head 3 . the output of the amplifier 31 is applied to a low - pass filter 32 and a band - pass filter 39 . the low - pass filter 32 allows to pass only early pilot signals p a , p b and p c and later pilot signals p d , p e and p f of the atf signal as shown in fig1 , and digitalized signals of data and a synchronizing signal s of the atf signal are eliminated . referring to fig1 , when the magnetic head 2 moves in the direction of arrow e on a central track t 2 , first , the pilot signal p a is detected . second , the pilot signal p b is detected , and third , the pilot signal p c is detected . the pilot signals p b and p c are detected by effect of crosstalk . a reproduced pilot signal s 2 in fig1 is composed of the reproduced signals of the pilot signals p a , p b and p c , and the waveform thereof is shown in fig1 ( a ), 13 ( b ) or 13 ( c ). referring to fig1 the reproduced pilot signal s 2 is applied to an envelope detector 33 , and an envelope of the reproduced pilot signal s 2 is detected . fig2 ( b ) shows the reproduced pilot signal s 2 . referring to fig2 ( b ), letters a , f , i and j designate reproduced pilot signals of own track of each magnetic head 2 or 3 . on the other hand , letters b , c , d , e , g , h , k and l designate pilot signals reproduced from the pilot signals of neighboring tracks which are detected by crosstalk . the reproduced pilot signals a , b , c , g , h and i are reproduced by the early pilot signals of tracks , and the reproduced pilot signals d , e , f , j , k and l are reproduced by the later pilot signals of the tracks . the output of the envelope detector 33 is applied to a first sample hold circuit 34 , a third sample hold circuit 42 and an adder 35 . the band - pass filter 39 allows to pass only the reproduced synchronizing signal s s of the synchronizing signal s . the synchronizing signal s s is applied to a zero - cross comparator 40 , and a zero - cross time is detected . the output of the zero - cross comparator 40 is applied to a synchronizing signal generator 41 , and synchronizing signals sp 1 , sp 2 and sp 3 which serve as timing signals are generated on the basis of the zero - cross time of the synchronizing signal s s . the synchronizing signal sp 1 is generated during the period of reproduction of the pilot signal p b due to crosstalk as shown in fig2 ( c ) and fig1 ( a ), and is applied to the first sample - hold circuit 34 . thus a level p 1 of the reproduced signal of the pilot signal p b is held in the first sample - hold circuit 34 . the output of the first sample - hold circuit 34 is applied to a positive input of an adder 35 . on the other hand , the output of the envelope detector 33 is applied to a negative input of the adder 35 . in the adder 35 , a difference between the value of the level p 1 and the output value of the envelope detector 33 is detected and is held in synchronism with the synchronizing signal sp 2 which is supplied from the synchronizing signal generator 41 with a second sample hold circuit 36 . the synchronizing signal sp 2 is generated during the period of reproduction of the pilot signal p c as shown in fig2 ( d ) and fig1 ( a ). consequently , the difference between the value of the level p 1 and the value of the level p 2 of the reproduced signal of the pilot signal p c is held in the second sample - hold circuit 36 of fig1 . the difference ( p 1 - p 2 ) is designated by &# 34 ; signal s 3 &# 34 ;, and is applied to an automatic gain control circuit 37 ( hereinafter abbreviated as agc circuit ). the level of the signal s 3 is controlled at the agc circuit 37 on the basis of a signal s 6 which is elucidated hereinafter . fig2 ( f ) is a time chart of the signal s 3 . a representation &# 34 ; b - c &# 34 ; represents the difference ( p 1 - p 2 ) between reproduced signals of the pilot signals p b and p c , and a representation &# 34 ; d - e &# 34 ; represents the difference ( p 1 - p 2 ) between reproduced signals of the pilot signals p d and p e , for example . the output of the envelope detector 33 is also applied to the third sample hold circuit 42 which is controlled by the synchronizing signal sp 3 . the synchronizing signal sp 3 is generated during the period reproducing the pilot signal p a of own track of the magnetic head 2 as shown in fig2 ( e ) and fig1 ( a ). consequently , the level of the output signal s 4 of the third sample hold circuit 42 is equal to the level p 3 of the reproduced signal of the pilot signal p a . then the signal s 4 is applied to a negative input of an adder 44 . the time chart of the signal s 4 is shown in fig2 ( g ). on the other hand , the signal s 4 is also applied to a delay circuit 43 which is controlled by the synchronizing signal sp 3 . the delay circuit 43 causes the signal 4 to delay by a time period between consecutive two reproduced pilot signals . a delayed signal s 5 , as shown in fig2 ( h ), is output from the delay circuit 43 . in the track t 2 in fig1 , for example , the delay time is equal to a time period between the pilot signals p a and p f . moreover , when reproduction is proceeded across the tracks t 2 and t 3 , the delay time is equal to a time period between the pilot signals p f and p b . the signal s 5 is applied to a positive input of the adder 44 . consequently , a difference between the level of the reproduced signal of the pilot signal p a and the level of the reproduced signal of the pilot signal p f in the track t 2 is obtained . the signal representing the difference between the two values is designated as &# 34 ; s 6 &# 34 ; in fig2 ( i ). the signal s 6 is applied to the agc circuit 37 , and the level of the signal s 3 is controlled by the signal s 6 and is output from an output terminal 38 . the output of the agc circuit 37 is a tracking error signal which is applicable to the servo control system in a manner that will be familiar to one skilled in the art . in operation of the above - mentioned tracking control circuit , as shown in fig2 ( f ), during the time period in which the signal s 3 of the tracking error signal is issued on the basis of the difference of representation &# 34 ; g - h &# 34 ;, the agc circuit 37 is controlled by the signal s 6 which is issued on the basis of the difference of representation &# 34 ; f - i &# 34 ; shown in fig2 ( i ). the representation &# 34 ; f - i &# 34 ; represents a difference between a reproduced signal level of the signal &# 34 ; f &# 34 ; of own track of the magnetic head 2 and a reproduced signal level of the signal &# 34 ; i &# 34 ; of own track of the magnetic head 3 as shown in fig2 ( b ) and 2 ( i ). according to the first embodiment of the present invention , for example in fig2 ( a ), when a recorded level of the signal a is lower than that of the signal b due to nonuniformity in the recording process of the magnetic tape , the reproduced signal levels of the signals g , h and f are lower than the reproduced signal levels of the signals d , e and i , respectively , and thus the difference &# 34 ; f - i &# 34 ; becomes a negative value . the agc circuit 37 is made to increase its gain by applying a negative control signal . thus , the gain of the agc circuit 37 is increased by applying the negative signal of the difference &# 34 ; f - i &# 34 ;, and the output level of the agc circuit 37 which is represented by the difference &# 34 ; g - h &# 34 ; ( tracking error signal ) increases . as mentioned above , according to the first embodiment of the present invention , fluctuation of the level of the tracking error signal due to ununiformity of the recorded level of the respective tracks is prevented , and hence , a preferable tracking error signal is output in both the normal track mode and the wide track mode . as shown in fig3 ( normal track mode ) or fig4 ( wide track mode ), the improved characteristic of level of the tracking error signal in dotted line meets an ideal characteristic in solid line in the range of deflected angle from + 120 ยฐ to - 120 ยฐ. thus , stable servo control is realized without requiring any change of the gain of the tracking servo system . fig5 is a circuit block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig5 arrangement and operation of the respective circuits with the exception of adders 45 and 46 are identical with that of the first embodiment . the output of the envelope detector 33 is inputted into the adder 45 which is controlled by the synchronizing signals sp 1 and sp 2 . the output of the adder 45 is applied to the positive input of the adder 46 , and the output of the delay circuit 43 is applied to the other positive input thereof . the output of the adder 46 is applied to the agc circuit 37 . the adder 45 holds the output of the envelope detector 33 in synchronism with the synchronizing signals sp 1 and sp 2 , and calculates a sum of levels p 1 and p 2 . then a signal s 7 having the level of the sum is created as shown in fig6 ( g ). the signal s 7 is added to the signal s 5 of the output of the delay circuit 43 with the adder 46 , and a resultant signal s 8 is created as shown in fig6 ( j ). the signal s 8 is applied to the agc circuit 37 to be controlled the gain . according to the second embodiment , the tracking error signal s 3 is controlled by a sum of the level of the reproduced signal of the later pilot signal of a track detected during previous reproducing period , and the levels of the signals of the early pilot signals of both neighboring tracks of the next successive track which is presently in reproduction . namely , the tracking error signal s 3 represented by the difference &# 34 ; g - h &# 34 ; is controlled on the basis of the signal s 8 represented by the sum &# 34 ; f + g + h &# 34 ;. the agc circuit 37 in this embodiment is made to vary its gain in inverse proportion to a level of a control signal applied thereto . therefore the level of the tracking error signal s 3 is inversely proportional to the level of the sum &# 34 ; f + g + h &# 34 ;. for example , when the recorded level of the signal a is lower than that of the signal b , the level of the sum &# 34 ; f + g + h &# 34 ; is lowered . consequently , the gain of the agc circuit 37 increases , and the level of the tracking error signal s 3 increases . fig7 is a circuit block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention . in the embodiment , an agc circuit 47 is placed between the amplifier 31 and the low pass filter 32 , and the output of the second sample hold circuit 36 is the tracking error signal . the output of the delay circuit 43 is applied to the agc circuit 47 , and remaining circuit is identical with that of the first embodiment . in the embodiment , as shown in fig8 ( g ) and 8 ( h ), the signal s 4 based on a later pilot signal is delayed by the delay circuit 43 , and a control signal s 5 is created . the control signal s 5 is applied to the agc circuit 47 during reproduction of the subsequent track . according to the third embodiment , therefore , the signal s 5 controls the agc circuit 47 in a direction to lessen a difference between the respective reproduced levels of neighboring two tracks . fig9 is a circuit block diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention . in the fourth embodiment , in a manner similar to that illustrated in fig1 the agc circuit 37 receives the output of the second sample - hold circuit 36 , and is controlled by the output of the delay circuit 43 . difference of the fourth embodiment with respect to he first embodiment shown by fig1 is that the control signal s 5 is directly inputted to the agc circuit 37 from the delay circuit 43 . furthermore , since a reproduced signal due to crosstalk of pilot signals of neighboring tracks is not included in the control signal s 5 which is applied to the agc circuit , even if the level of the tracking error signal s 3 varies due to unstable contact between the head chip and the tape surface , serious variation of the level of the tracking error signal can be prevented . in the fourth embodiment , in a similar manner of the third embodiment , since the tracking error signal created depending on crosstalk of pilot signals of the neighboring tracks is controlled by a reproduced signal of the own track of the head , a serious variation of the tracking error signal is prevented . moreover , the third and fourth embodiment is simplified in configuration in comparison with the first or second embodiment . although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity , it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been changed in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed . | 6 |
referring now to fig1 a sonar system 10 includes a sensor array 12 provided from a plurality of sensors 13 a - 13 i . those of ordinary skill will appreciate that although the sensor array 12 is here shown as a linear array provided from nine sensors , the inventive concepts explained herein below apply equally well to sensor arrays having fewer or greater than nine sensors and having array shapes which are different than linear . the sensors 13 a - 13 i are physically coupled by a first cable or line 14 . a second cable 15 couples the sensor array 12 to a tow vehicle which pulls the sensor array through a medium . in one embodiment , the sensor array 12 is provided as a sonar array 12 and the sensors 13 a - 13 i are each provided as hydrophones . in this case , the sonar array is disposed in a body of water and the tow vehicle 16 corresponds to a ship . it should be appreciated that other sensors such as particle velocity sensors may also be used . it should be further understood that the present invention finds use in a variety of applications including but not limited to ground - roll cancellation in near surface seismology and vibration cancellation in microphone arrays . it should also be appreciated that other sensors such as particle velocity sensors may also be used . in operation , when the vehicle 16 tows the sensor array 12 through the medium , hydrodynamic flow over the array leads to vortex shedding which induces mechanical vibrations , herein referred to as non - acoustic self noise . the vibrations propagate as transverse and longitudinal modes in the array 12 , much like a vibrating string with fixed boundary conditions . the vibrations produce local accelerations at each sensor 13 a - 13 i . the acoustic response induced by this phenomenon can be several orders of magnitude stronger that that of acoustic signals propagating through the medium thereby dominating the equipment used by a sonar analyst to identify contacts . signals from the sensor array 12 are provided via an electrical signal path to a digital beam former circuit 18 . in one embodiment , the electrical signal path is included as part of cables 14 and 15 . the digital beamformer 18 receives the signals fed thereto from the sensor array 12 and forms one or more beams 19 a - 19 d through which signals of interest are received . the beams are formed using conventional or adaptive techniques well known to those of ordinary skill in the art . although four beams are here shown , those of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate that beamformer 18 can form fewer or greater than four beams and that the beams can point in any desired direction and not just in the directions shown in fig1 . the signal from the sensor array 12 is fed to both an acoustic signal processing path 20 and a noise signal processing path 22 . each of the paths 20 , 22 constitutes a different weighted combination of measurements . noise signal path 22 isolates the source of non - acoustic self - noise while acoustic path 20 receives the signal of interest which includes the non - acoustic self - noise signal . it should be appreciated that in accordance with the present invention it has been recognized that the phase speed of the noise signal propagates at a speed which is different than the phase speed of the signal of interest . thus , when computing the appropriate weights for each of the acoustic and noise signal paths , the phase speed of the respective signals are utilized in the computations , in particular for the computation of complex weighting coefficients w i and v i in fig1 . the signals from paths 20 , 22 are fed to the input of a combiner circuit 24 . combiner circuit 24 combines the signals from each of the paths 20 , 22 and provides an output signal corresponding to the signal of interest with the non - acoustic self - noise signal removed therefrom . the output signal is then fed to a processing circuit 26 for further processing , such as noise spectrum equalization , filtering , or display mapping . an input / output ( i / o ) interface 28 coupled to the processing circuit 26 provides information to a user . the i / o interface may include for example , a lofargram display used by a sonar analyst to classify signatures . referring now to fig2 a signal detection system 30 includes a sensor array 12 , which may be of one of the types described above in conjunction with fig1 coupled to an acoustic signal path 32 and a noise processing signal path 34 . the acoustic signal processing path is provided from a plurality of channels 321 - 32 n . each of the channels 32 a - 32 n apply a predetermined weighting to signals fed thereto to form beams . the noise signal path 34 includes a first channel 34 a and may optionally include channels 34 b - 34 m . in the case where the noise path 34 includes the single channel 34 a , the noise channel 34 a isolates the noise source in the same manner described above in conjunction with fig1 . the isolated noise is then removed from the signal provided at the output of the acoustic signal processing path via combiner circuit 36 as also described above in conjunction with fig1 . in the case where the noise path 34 includes multiple channels 34 a - 34 m , the noise channels 34 a - 34 m isolate the noise source in the same manner as outlined above for channel 34 a except than channels 34 b - m would have weighting coefficients corresponding to different non - acoustic phase speeds . referring now to fig3 an adaptive sidelobe canceller 40 includes an element time series 41 coupled to both a primary signal path 42 and a reference signal path 43 . the element time series 41 may be provided for example as a plurality of signal detecting devices such as sensors 13 a - 13 i ( fig1 ) which comprise a sensor array such as sensor array 12 described above in conjunction with fig1 . the element time series 41 provides identical signals to both the primary and reference signal paths 42 , 43 . the primary signal path 42 includes a conventional or adaptive beamformer 44 which receives a signal from the element time series 41 at a first port and forms a particular one of a plurality of possible beams via appropriate weighting of the signals fed thereto . in accordance with the present invention , the appropriate weighting is computed utilizing a value c pa which represents the speed at which the acoustic signal of interest travels in the medium in which the element time series 41 is disposed . the second end of the primaery signal path 42 is coupled to a first input port 48 a of a combiner circuit 48 . the secondary signal path 43 includes a conventional or adaptive beamformer ( cbf ) 50 which receives a signal from the element time series 41 and forms a particular one of a plurality of possible beams via appropriate weighting of the signals fed thereto . in accordance with the present invention , the appropriate weighting is computed utilizing a value c pn which represents the speed at which the non - acoustic self - noise signal of interest travels in the medium in which the element time series 41 is disposed . in one particular embodiment , the time element series 41 are disposed in water and the c pa parameter is provided having a value typically of about 1478 m / s while the c pn parameter is provided having a value typically less than 1478 m / s . as mentioned above the values of c pa and c pn are used to compute the weights used in the beamformer circuits 44 , 50 respectively . an output of the beamformer circuit is coupled to an input of a low pass filter 54 and an output of the low pass filter 54 is coupled to an input of an adaptive filter 56 . the low pass filter 54 is provided having a pass band characteristic which attenuates signals having a frequency characteristic which is high relative to desired signals of interest . the lpf is aimed at filtering any spatially aliased artifacts than may result from beamforming into non - acoustic space . the output of the adaptive filter 56 is coupled to a second input 48 b of the combiner circuit 48 . the summing circuit 48 subtracts or otherwise combines the signals fed to the two inputs 48 a , 48 b and provides an output signal at an output port 48 c . the signal at output port 48 c thus corresponds to an acoustic signal having a substantial portion of the non - acoustic self - noise removed therefrom . the adaptive filter output may also be fed back into the beamformer circuit 50 in such a way as to modify the weights which isolate the non - acoustic noise reference in response to changing environmental conditions , e . g . via feedback signal path 58 . referring briefly to fig4 one key to the present invention lies in the formation of the secondary signal path 43 ( a . k . a . the interference reference signal path ) by steering a beam to non - acoustic ฮบ - ฯ space to make available a signal - free interference reference . in particular , the k - ฯ plot of fig4 shows an acoustic cone 60 defined by sides 60 a , 60 b . the acoustic cone is the locus of points to which water - borne signals are confined on a โ k - w โ plot . a candidate reference beam 62 is disposed to left of side 60 b , or to right of side 60 a , of the acoustic cone 60 . in this particular example , the illustrated acoustic cone 60 and candidate reference beam 62 are for a short aperture array . as can be seen in fig4 the reference beam 62 is disposed outside of the cone 60 . in this manner , non - acoustic self - induced noise is received via the beam 62 while the signal of interest is received in the cone 60 . referring again to fig3 the adaptive filter 56 may be implemented in a conventional manner such as with a tapped delay line having filter weights updated via a least - mean - square ( lms ) processing technique . the number of delay line taps is a function of the interference bandwidth and the sample rate of the time series . the adaptivity coefficient , ฮผ , is inversely related to the sum of the power in the filter taps . in a preferred embodiment , these parameters were empirically tuned to balance the misadjustment level , or ratio of excess mean - squared - error to minimum mean - squared - error against the convergence time . filter weights may also be updated using any number of well - known techniques including but not limited to recursive least squares ( rls ) or adaptive wiener filtering . in the formation of an interference reference , the potential for a signal of interest to contaminate the reference channel is clearly of concern . in the case of a reference beam steered to non - acoustic space , as shown in fig4 this potential can be quantified by considering the phase speed dependence of the array beam pattern . fig5 is a plot of a beam pattern versus phase speed for a frequency within the bandwidth of the cable strum interference . at this frequency , acoustic signals propagating at 1478 m / s in the water column will contribute to the non - acoustic reference via the first sidelobe at โ 13 db . this level of rejection is generally sufficient to prevent signal of interest ( soi ) cancellation of most quiet targets . well - known adaptive techniques can also be used to further improve the sidelobe response of the non - acoustic reference beam and minimize the leakage of soi into the reference channel . when an array is subject to hydrodynamic flow with a component normal to its axis , a wake is formed . when the velocity of the flow increases beyond a certain threshold , eddies , or vortices , begin to form and separate from the wake . eventually these vortices shed from the wake in an asymmetric fashion . this asymmetric shedding imparts an oscillatory lift force locally on the array which , depending on the properties of the array such as tension and density , can excite transverse vibrations which propagate along the array axis . the frequency of vortex shedding in hydrodynamic flow is related to properties of the flow and the array via the empirically determined strouhal relation : f s = sv d , v is the velocity of flow normal to the array axis ; and it should be noted that s is equal to 0 . 21 in the laminar flow regime characteristic of most towed array environments ,. note that the normal component of velocity of flow can vary with time in response to platform motion and local inhomogeneities in the turbulent medium . the transfer function to which the strouhal excitation is applied is governed by the wave equation subject to the boundary conditions of the array under tow . for example , assuming fixed boundary conditions for the array , the preferred frequencies of vibration or modes of the array corresponding to the solution of the wave equation is given by : f n = n 2 ๎ข l ๎ข t m c , m c is mass per unit length of the cable ; and cable strum due to vortex shedding is strongly excited when the strouhal excitation frequency is closely aligned with a resonant mode of the cable transfer function . the decomposition of an array snapshot into its constituent acoustic and non - acoustic components is accomplished using a wavenumber - frequency , or k - ฯ , transform . the k - ฯ transform is a two - dimensional fast fourier transform ( fft ) in space and time . maximum unambiguous wavenumber resolvable is equal to ฯ / d , where d is the sensor spacing . resolution in wavenumber is governed by the aperture length , l . for non - dispersive propagation , frequency and wavenumber are linearly related via k ๎ข ( f ) = 2 ๎ข ฯ ๎ข ๎ข f c p , referring now to fig6 and 7 , a pair of k - ฯ plots for two towed arrays are shown . the arrays differ in a number of ways including aperture length , number of hydrophones , spatial sampling interval , cross - section , and the degree of mechanical vibration isolation employed . the k - ฯ plot associated with the first array ( fig6 ) exhibits much superior resolution relative to that of the second , due to its greater length and number and density of hydrophones . in both fig6 and 7 , the water - borne acoustic cone is delineated by the innermost pair of black lines . these lines intersect at coordinates ( k , ฯ ) equal to ( 0 , 0 ). for non - dispersive propagation , wavenumber and frequency are linearly related via the phase speed of the wavefront . thus , signals propagating in the water column at or near 1478 m / s , the nominal speed of sound in water , are constrained to lie along lines within the water - borne acoustic cone . higher wavenumber modes associated with vibrations , or non - acoustic signals , propagating at lower phase speeds fall outside the acoustic cone . fig6 clearly depicts two discrete vibrational modes with phase speeds of 15 m / s and 700 m / s , respectively , occurring in the long aperture array at the onset of a turn . it should be noted that there is good separation between these modes and the acoustic cone . there is some sidelobe penetration ( as indicated by the yellow โ stripes โ in fig6 ) into the acoustic cone of energy from these modes , but it is relatively weak . fig7 on the other hand , depicts a much different situation for the short aperture array . a vibrational mode is observed to reside just outside the acoustic cone , ( as indicated by the yellow โ stripes โ in fig7 ) at a phase speed of approximately 1000 m / s . the poor separation means significant mainlobe leakage of the non - acoustic interference into forward endfire , in addition to the usual sidelobe leakage which typically penetrates all of bearing space . mainlobe and sidelobe leakage of mechanical vibrations into the water - borne acoustic cone is the principal mechanism whereby non - acoustic noise impacts noise levels in beamformed towed array data . referring now to fig8 a plot of the coherence between primary and reference channels for an eight minute snapshot of data from the short aperture array . coherence is defined as the normalized cross - spectrum which can be computed as : c xy ๎ข ( f ) = p xy ๎ข ( f ) ๏ p xx ๎ข ( f ) ๏ 1 / 2 ๎ข ๏ p yy ๎ข ( f ) ๏ 1 / 2 c xy ( f ) corresponds to normalized cross spectrum between channels x and y c xy ( f ) corresponds to cross spectrum between channels x and y where x is the acoustic channel of interest and y is the reference channel . for interference cancellation to be supported , there must be significant coherence between the interference as sampled by the reference channel and the manifestation of the interference in the primary , in this case the forward endfire acoustic beam . curve 70 in fig8 shows that coherence is nearly perfect over the bandwidth of the cable strum , 0 to fs / 4 . after fs / 4 , the coherence degenerates as shown in fig8 . an additional measure of expected cancellation performance is represented by the cancellation ratio , cr , which is a function of the coherence spectrum given by , cr ๎ข ( f ) = 1 1 - ๏ c xy ๎ข ( f ) ๏ 2 the cancellation ratio ( cr ) supported by the coherence spectrum illustrated as curve 72 in fig8 ranges from 15 to 30 db over the bandwidth of the cable strum interference ( i . e . 0 to fs / 4 ). fig8 a depicts a time slice of the power spectrum for the short aperture array data corresponding to fig8 . the power spectrum density ( psd ) of the forward endfire acoustic beam is plotted both before ( curve 76 ) and after ( curve 78 ) the adaptive strum cancellation technique . as can be seen in fig8 a , over the portion of the spectrum where the cancellation ratio predicted a 15 - 30 db reduction in the cable strum noise floor , the psd noise floor after strum cancellation is in fact decreased by a corresponding magnitude . it can also be seen that a narrowband signal at frequency 3 fs / 64 , detectable in the post - cancellation psd , was completely buried in the self - noise floor prior to applying the adaptive sidelobe canceller technique . having described preferred embodiments of the invention , it will now become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments incorporating their concepts may also be used . it is felt therefore that these embodiments should not be limited to disclosed embodiments but rather should be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims . all publications and references cited herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . | 6 |
fig1 is a schematic view showing the pixel arrangement of an embodiment of an lcd device of the present invention . as fig1 shows , the lcd device comprises a source line , a plurality of gate lines and a sub - pixel 1 . the sub - pixel 1 is arranged on the n - th row and comprises first to fourth semiconductor switches tft 1 to tft 4 and first to fourth pixel electrodes 11 to 14 . the first semiconductor switch tft 1 is electrically connected to the n - th gate line , the source line and the first pixel electrode 11 . the n - th gate line enables the source line and the first pixel electrode 11 by switching on the first semiconductor switch tft 1 . the second semiconductor switch tft 2 is electrically connected to the n + 1 - th gate line , the first pixel electrode 11 and the second pixel electrode 12 . the n + 1 - th gate line enables the first pixel electrode 11 and the second pixel electrode 12 by switching on the second semiconductor switch tft 2 . the third semiconductor switch tft 3 is electrically connected to the n - th gate line , the first pixel electrode 11 and the third pixel electrode 13 . the n - th gate line enables the first pixel electrode 11 and the third pixel electrode 13 by switching on the third semiconductor switch tft 3 . the fourth semiconductor switch tft 4 is electrically connected to the n - th gate line , the second pixel electrode 12 and the fourth pixel electrode 14 . the n - th gate line enables the second pixel electrode 12 and the fourth pixel electrode 14 by switching on the fourth semiconductor switch tft 4 . in this embodiment , the first to fourth semiconductor switches tft 1 to tft 4 are n - type tfts . the first semiconductor switch tft 1 has a source terminal connected to the source line , a drain terminal connected to the first pixel electrode 11 , and a gate terminal connected to the n - th gate line . the second semiconductor switch tft 2 has a source terminal connected to the drain terminal of the first semiconductor switch tft 1 , a drain terminal connected to the second pixel electrode 12 , and a gate terminal connected to the n + 1 - th gate line . the third semiconductor switch tft 3 has a source terminal connected to the first pixel electrode 11 , a drain terminal connected to the third pixel electrode 13 , and a gate terminal connected to the n - th gate line . the fourth semiconductor switch tft 4 has a source terminal connected to the second pixel electrode 12 , a drain terminal connected to the fourth pixel electrode 14 , and a gate terminal connected to the n - th gate line . moreover , the first to fourth semiconductor switches tft 1 to tft 4 are not limited to n - type tfts ; they can be p - type tfts as well . fig2 is a timing diagram showing a method for driving an lcd device of the present invention . first , during the data - writing period of the n - th row , the source line is provided with a first voltage level v 1 ( n ) and a second voltage level v 2 ( n ) sequentially . in detail , the n - th gate line and the n + 1 - th gate line of the next row control the first to fourth semiconductor switches tft 1 to tft 4 and switch all of them on ; thus , the source line provides with the first voltage level v 1 ( n ) to the first to fourth pixel electrodes 11 to 14 . since the n - th gate line switches on the first semiconductor switch tft 1 , the third semiconductor switch tft 3 and the fourth semiconductor switch tft 4 only , the voltage level of the pixel electrodes 12 and 14 are set at the first voltage level v 1 ( n ). the source line , then , provides with the second voltage level v 2 ( n ) to the other pixel electrodes 11 and 13 . in addition , during the data - writing period of the n - th row , the first voltage level v 1 ( n ) may be given to the first semiconductor switch tft 1 and the third semiconductor switch tft 3 of a pixel on the next row . then , the first voltage level v 1 ( n ) is provided for the pixel electrodes 11 and 13 , and the correct data of the next row will be written into them accordingly . next , during the data - writing period of the n + 1 - th row , the n + 1 - th gate line controls the second semiconductor switch tft 2 of the n - th row and switches it on , enabling the first pixel electrode 11 , which is provided with the first voltage level v 1 ( n ), and the second pixel electrode 12 , which is provided with the second voltage level v 2 ( n ). therefore , during the data - writing period of the n + 1 - th row , the first pixel electrode 11 and the second pixel electrode 12 of the n - th row is provided with a third voltage level v 3 ( n ), which is between the first voltage level v 1 ( n ) and the second voltage level v 2 ( n ). as a result , a pixel structure will comprise pixel electrodes of three different voltage levels . similarly , since the steps with respect to the n - th gate line and the sub - pixel of the n - th row can be applied to those of the n + 1 - th row , the correct data will be written into the pixel electrodes 11 and 13 of the n + 1 - th row . with an lcd device of the present invention , a sub - pixel can comprise pixel electrodes of three different voltage levels without the configuration of additional gate lines or source lines . as a result , aperture ratio of the lcd device is not reduced , and the image quality is enhanced . furthermore , by using the third and fourth pixel electrodes in the transmissive mode , and the first and second pixel electrodes in the reflective mode , the issue of white washout relating to the off - axis viewing angle can be addressed . besides , the disadvantage of issues of white saturation and black saturation of the image can be avoided . the lcd device of the present invention may also be used in a portable electronic device such as mobile phone , digital camera , pda , automotive display , aircraft display , digital photo frame or portable dvd player . | 6 |
every second humans have 10 9 - 10 11 bits of stimulus data entering the brain through the senses but the conscious mind can only hold 16 bits per second ( erlangen school kupfmuller &# 39 ; s diagram ) therefore humanity experiences less than 1 millionth of the stimulus they receive . presenting information below conscious threshold has been proven to impact the unconscious such that new or altered urges are generated . in the preferred embodiment the term stereograph is used to describe a lenticular substrate with a pattern on the underside printed using interleaving techniques to present a different image or โ frame โ depending on the viewing orientation . the present invention is not limited to this construction and other stereograph like apparatus may also be employed to achieve the same end . for example 3d glasses may be employed instead of the lenticular substrate . a video image might replace the printed pattern . similarly the actual position of the consumer could be sensed and an image changed accordingly , using electronics . using lenticular substrate creates that ability to have images move as successive frames are viewed . this allows images words etc to be moved and grown in specific ways which have a particular effect on human behaviour . it also allows for the colour or an image to change or for images to morph into each other where appropriate to create particular emotions etc . this also allows below conscious threshold images to be generated through altering opacity levels and through minimum frame exposure . altering the opacity level ( brightness , contrast , colour , or density ) may allow an image to be adequately inconspicuous such that the viewer is unlikely to consciously perceive or notice the image but will subconsciously take the information in . similarity with minimum frame exposure images ( only allowing an image to be viewable from a very small viewing orientation ) moving subjects will only subconsciously perceive or notice the images or information and are not consciously affected . these images are able to successively change or sequence with other images to build a particular pattern . the unconscious patterns that the present invention builds also can have specific effects on the way in which the above threshold information eg . brands are responded to this occurs not only in use but also later when only viewing the brand in a supermarket shelf . the above threshold and below threshold information work together to enforce unconscious patterns . lenticular substrate also allows for a significantly larger volume of information to be laid in below threshold verses an equivalent size piece of printed material . in the case of teaching new behaviours and or information the larger the amount of information that can be presented in the minimum possible time will have the greatest impact on memory and subsequent behaviour . also due to the fact that for example 24 separate frames can be viewed in less than a second , it takes very little time for a consumer to have had a large number of exposures to a very large amount of information in a short space of time . ( average time in front of a fixture in a super market is 15 - 20 seconds ). the speed at which information in the present invention is transmitted 1 ) keeps the information from being consciously seen and 2 ) matches the optimal way the brain actually learns which is at very high speeds . minimum frame exposure will allow information to be given to the unconscious without the possibility of any conscious veto effect . optical means such as the stereograph can present a varying number of frames ie between 15 - 45 , therefore specific minimum frame exposure information can be placed in 2 - 5 non continuous frames only . this may alternatively be specified by a range of an angular visibility arc and may vary dependent on the nature of the use of the stereograph . where there are situations where a rapid walk passed the stereograph normally occurs , the arc can be larger . in any event when the stereograph is viewed at a normal range of speeds the conscious mind will not be aware of the information presented in the non - continuous frames . it preferably ties back to the timing of the awareness in the conscious and subconscious mind . although generally herein illustrated are sequences of images which are in preference viewed in a motion of a person from left to right of the stereograph , the sequences of images may be reversed where predominately a person will walk from right to left . indeed it may be possible for a stereograph to be utilised which will allow for images to be visually changed to a person as a person walks towards or away from the stereograph . the information presented in the minimum frame exposures for optimum effect will in the preferred embodiment be at a brightness ( alternatively opacity , contrast , density or colour ) that would be at the threshold of an โ average โ persons ability to consciously perceive the information if the material was held stationary a exactly the correct angle . with the use of stereograph means placed in a visible location to a person minimum frame exposure can be achieved . in particular if a stereograph of a kind described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 113 , 213 ( the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference ) is utilised which allows for a significant number of frames to be viewed from different viewing angles ( or perhaps also different proximities ) in respect of the stereo , a minimum frame exposure can be incorporated in the stereograph in average movement speeds of consumers in its vicinity and different techniques can be incorporated . obviously it will be appreciated that where a person is perfectly still in respect of the stereograph that person will be able to view the image prescribed for minimum frame exposure for any length of time . however a consumer may not be aware of the existence of the image of the minimum frame exposure and it will not register for this person to attempt to consciously view this image ( s ). [ 0141 ] fig1 illustrates a plan view of a stereograph and illustrates graphically five different frames which are viewable from different viewing angles in respect of the major surface from which the stereo effect is presented from . in order to enhance the specific urges in a consumer several different techniques or a combination of techniques can be employed . the first of such techniques is herein referred to as priming . exposure of information ( e . g . brand and / or product ) below conscious awareness to a person can at a later date when this information is shown at a conscious level create a familiarity and therefore enhances the likeability of the information . showing information below the conscious awareness before showing the data at a conscious level is referred to as priming . normally a person perceiving a familiar object is not aware that what is perceived is as much as an expression of memory as it is of perception . with reference to the present invention the priming effect can be created by laying into 1 - 2 frames of the stereograph ( and therefore in respect of a common movement of a consumer in the vicinity of the device being below conscious awareness ) of information such as brand or product . consequently showing the brand or product at a conscious level in perhaps another medium such at t . v . or advertising will enhance the likeability of the product by the consumer . this is particularly so since a person when first presented with new information will in the conscious mind make a decision whether to veto or accept any urge relating to such information . the registration of a brand or product in the subconscious mind is hence likely to reduce any vetoing that might occur by the consumer . the frames are arranged to enhance the priming effect of the present invention , the brand graphic is shown in the under exposure frames and hence is not normally consciously visible to the viewer . the frame may show the brand or product to register with the viewer in a subconscious state . a second aspect in the way that the present invention may be utilised to enhance specific urges in a consumers mind is what is hereinafter referred to as liking . this aspect will provide information such as a brand , being presented so that a maximum number of exposures can be generated , in such a way that a brain recognises each exposure to the information as a new exposure and / or maximise the liking effect . with reference to fig2 which illustrates a sequence of frames in respect of different viewing angles relative to the stereograph , the frames illustrating b show the brand whereas the frames intermediate thereof are minimum frame exposures providing an intermission of information between the frames showing the image . as a person moves relative to the stereograph an image / no image / image / no image sequence occurs wherein the โ no image โ is at a minimum frame exposure and is hence normally not consciously being perceived as an intermittent presentation of information in terms of enhancing the memory of a person of particular information , the present invention can be employed to provide a technique herein referred to as arousal . in respect of this technique , the limbric brain dictates what information will be moved from short term to long term memory and emotional arousal is the key to triggering the limbric system to move information from the short to long term memory . the stereograph can be utilised by placing arousal images at regular intervals either as a separate frame or laid under the information . this will aid information being taken to shift to the long term memory . such information may for example be a brand message . with reference to fig3 and 3a examples of separate frame sequences are shown wherein i is information and a is an arousal image at below the visible threshold . it is expected that a heightened ability to absorb information will result . arousal images are for example images that are likely to elicit an emotional response , even at an unconscious level . such may for example include beautiful nature scenes . other images will be apparent to a person skilled in the art of advertising . a second aspect of enhancing memory may include the adaptation of the stereograph to provide a technique herein referred to as involvement . the technique of active involvement in learning data can be more effective than simple rope learning . testing learning is a very effective way of creating involvement particularly if the time between testing and learning is short . the stereograph of the present invention can be adapted to provide the techniques of learning by involvement by offering information forward , then testing it , then giving the answer and hence creating involvement at an unconscious level . with reference to fig4 frames of a stereograph are shown wherein for example frame 1 is the frame providing information , frame 2 is asking a question , and frame 3 provides the answer . the stereograph can incorporate many frames this sequence can be repeated several times . for example frame 5 , 6 is the next sequence following on from frames 1 , 2 , 3 and the minimum frame exposure of frame 4 . the sequencing of frames 1 - 4 in a stereograph effectively generates a learn / test / learn / test sequence . the wording as shown in the frames are preferably of low intensity and in an unconscious location . a location may for example be provided in a lower corner of the frame and in fact being distracted therefrom another kind of image such as an arousal image . the wording is preferably provided in the same place in each frame that is appears in . a low brightness ( colour / contrast ) configuration and below threshold exposure is preferably utilised for such wording . the stereograph can also include a technique which is herein referred to as mind map integration . although mind maps are known , in the form of the present invention the stereograph will provide preferably in a outer most frame ( left or right most ), an image of a mind map which may include a sequence of symbols or markers that repeat themselves in the other frames preferably in the corners of images which are presented in the over exposed frames ). by placing a mind map in one frame ( frame 1 in fig1 ) below the threshold exposure with specific symbols which act as mark view , the subsequent images that are visible and with the presence of the symbols in these subsequent images will enhance association and therefore memory . the specific symbols from the mind map could be laid into the subsequent frames to signal to the unconscious mind where in the sequence the person is viewing so allowing context to be created . the stereograph can also be adapted for a technique herein referred to as linking . for a brain to quickly and optimally be effected by this technique there must be very little time ( preferably less than half a second ) between the emotional response and the created cause ( i . e . the brand ). this may hence be achieved by the apparatus of the present invention through the use of images that arouse an emotional response being shown at below threshold and then showing at threshold information ( the brand ) so that an emotional response is linked to seeing the brand . preferably and importantly the brand when it is presented above the threshold exposure it is placed exactly where the โ emotional response โ image was placed in the frame earlier . with reference to fig5 such frames are for example shown where a is an arousal image and b is a brand related image and i is information . in a further aspect the present invention can be adapted to present different frames at different viewing directions wherein information is provided in different locations of the image . the average right handed human uses eye accessing cues to access different types of data . for example a person will on average look upwardly and to their right for thoughts relating to visual construction . with reference to fig6 further regions are illustrated in respect of a persons eyes , to illustrate different physical sight directions of a person when particularly thought processes are occurring . by presenting information below threshold exposure in the regions of the stereograph there may be an increased likelihood that the suggestions would be acted on as information is presented in a manor in which people habitually process data . with reference to fig7 and from a perspective of a person looking at the stereograph there was shown the types of information on the stereograph . stereograph which will allow a frame to change from the viewing direction of a person , as a person walks directly towards it do exist . therefore a person walling towards the stereograph can be presented with different information in different frames in different locations which correspond to a particular buying strategy that a person normally adopts in making a decision to purchase . as every human makes conscious decisions by processing information in a particular manner and sequence , if information is presented to the person in the manner in which they make such decisions then the likelihood of a person buying or liking a product should be increased . the buying strategy for the majority of the population may go ( and with reference to fig8 ) like this . . . visual external ( ve )โ see packaging โ internal dialogue ( id )โ i need some โ brand โ kinesthetic ( k )โ it feels right purchase . the material would present by frame the buying strategy . using the techniques of nlp โ strategy elicitation โ an individual buying strategy ( or any other strategy ) could be elicited and then the sequence i . e . ve - id - k laid into the material , with a brand focus . this would be delivered below threshold and because of the frame by frame delivery system would match a particular individual buying strategy i . e . ve first id second . . . strategy elicitation could also be โ averaged โ so as to present information to large groups of people to match the average strategy for buying , liking , loving etc . [ 0152 ] fig8 shows reference to these particular buying strategies and location of information within the frames . the stereograph of the present invention can also be utilised to provide what is herein referred to as anchoring . whenever a person is in an intense state where the body and mind are strongly involved together and a specific stimulus is consciously and simultaneously provided at such a peak state , the stimulus and the state become neurologically linked . in order not to dilute the effect of anchoring , it will be desirable for an unmistakable and very distinctive signal to be provided to the brain at the time of such a peak experience . for example when a person smiles the peak experience is happiness . however smiling is not unique response to being happy but can also be in response to other sensations . therefore it is not an unmistakable and unique signal for such an experience . the use of a stereograph had the ability to deliver a unique and perfectly repeatable stimulus at both a conscious and unconscious level . using the technology whenever a subject either imagined or experienced a state that they would like to be able to automatically access again , at the peak of the experience they would view and move the technology so providing unique , perfectly repeatable stimulus . because of the minimum frame expose capacity the specific stimulus could be presented and many times in the very short space of peak experience . with reference to fig9 this can for example be achieved by providing an arousal image first and then a second image ( which may be a brand image ). the stereograph can hence provide an arousal image immediately followed by an anchoring point . the stereograph with appropriate imaging may also be adopted for what is herein referred to a perceive - conceive conditioning . humans can only perceive , or literally see , what they can conceive of . humans must have neuronal firing in their brains , whether it be in the part of the reason that the problem is not solved is the imagined state or actual perceptual state , for humans to register an object as a reality . with many human โ problems โ i . e . obesity , e person can not conceive of being a โ normal โ weight therefore they will not consciously perceive and therefore act on the necessary actions to reduce the problem . the technology of the present invention can present information in such a way that perception of another alternative can be generated in the persons neurology . the process involves morphing from the state or situation now to the wanted state , this leads the mind from present to desired state . for maximum impact the actual facial features of the person could be total obscured in the present state and with every frame towards the desired state the facial features could become clearer until in the last frame the facial features were totally clear . note it is important to use a mirror reflection image of the features as people mostly only see themselves in the mirror so like and relate to this representation of themselves better . generic facial features can be use , for both actual and generic faces the expression must move from fear - unhappiness through to ecstatic joy . in respect of the present invention certain types of imagery to enhance the brain sensitivity to a particular information should be utilised . hans jenny who has based on the work of the eighteenth century german physicist ernest chlandi , has pioneered a way of working with a โ tonoscope โ that transforms sounds uttered into a microphone into their visual representation on a video screen . sentences can be captured on the โ tonoscope โ as well as individual words or sounds , these images can then be place sequentially into the technology of the present invention to potentially produce the same effect as if the words or sound had been actually said . this creates the opportunity for this technology to generate a state of synesthesia ( stimulating one sensory response via another sense in a crossover effect in this example auditory information is presented in a visual medium with visual information ). this is possible because the brain does not in reality see hear of taste any thing , all that is generated is initially electrical impulses whether these impulses come from the auditory โ i love you โ or the tonoscope representation of these words is irrelevant . the tonoscope representation is actually more likely to be effective description will not be consciously seen as a word or series of words so there will be no veto effect therefore it will be delivered directly to the unconscious . brand x is good ( tonoscope ( tonoscope ( tonoscope representation representation representation of the above words .) of the above words ) of the above words ) particular words that have an arousal effect on the limbic system can also be put into frames to create interest and to link to the main feature of the frame in a minimum frame exposure level or at a conscious level . for maximum effectiveness the tonality of the spoken world the loudness the number of people saying the word the sex of the people saying the word would be calculated based on the desired effect . for example if the objective was to build excitement from frame 1 and have it crescendo in frame 24 the tonoscope image would be of 1 person saying for example victory , as the frames moved on the loudness and number of people saying victory would increase ( this would impact the shape of the pattern and the brightness of the lines ) people in a further aspect , the device also allows at least 2 different pictures to be observed in a continuum from full to mixed distinction depending on the amount of lateral movement of the eyes including the position of the person with respect to the device , the visual information designed using the basic submodalities of pain and pleasure so that the behaviour that is wanted is framed in terms of pleasure and the behaviour not wanted is framed in terms of pain . as the eyes move laterally one picture fades into the other so programming the unconscious . every new exposure increases the richness of the link and the likelihood of a particular stimulus i . e . seeing a particular brand , producing a higher propensity to act in a particular way i . e . purchase . away toward colour black & amp ; white colour brightness dim bright proximity farther away close clarity fuzzy clear size small large positive negative a baby snakes a happy face radiation symbol a flower red light symbol number 1 stop sign knights jail cell or bars shield the word โ tax โ sun . the word โ toxic โ a road sign implying danger skull and cross bones . as well as providing movement suggestion to customers within the vicinity of the device , the device in combination with suggestion movement or separately , provides for neuro associated conditioning . the preferred means of presenting the images is that of stereograph of a kind having a refraction structure wherein from one direction or region one image is visible and from the other direction or region the other of said images is visible , and as a result of movement of a customer in relation to such a fixed image presenting means or by of the movement of the image presenting means itself ( by for example a mechanical or electromechanical or electrical device ) results in the presentation of different , alternating images to the customer in the vicinity of the means . it is known from associative conditioning theory that subjecting a person to changing images of a kind as herein suggested results in appropriate and desirable conditioning of a persons brain . with reference to fig1 the stereograph 1 is preferably secured to a structure , which for example is a supermarket or the like shelving arrangement so that it is visible to a person in its vicinity from at least two regions . the stereograph 1 is of a type that allows at least two different pictures to be observed . the pictures may be viewed or observed from at least two different regions and indeed the present invention is not limited to where such regions are entirely distinct or are in partial overlap . where such are in for example a partial overlap a mix of said at least two pictures may be visible in a continuum from part of the at least two regions . when the eyes of a person are in a first of said regions , a first of said image is visible and when said the eyes of a person are in the other of said regions , a different picture is visible . intermediate of the regions or when said regions are considered an overlap , a mixed continuum of said images is visible . the stereograph is preferably of a kind which has a diffraction structure which through lateral or pivoted motion in respect of a viewers eyes , allows for at least two different pictures to be presented in a continuum . when a diffraction type structure is used , the two images are incorporated in the same object and presented from the same regions of said object but a mere rotation allows for a different perspective of the object to be viewed . it may however be that the stereograph has a first region which is substantially blank when viewed from one direction but illustrates an image when viewed from another direction , and they have a second region which is vise versa . [ 0168 ] fig1 illustrates a plan view of an arrangement of the present invention wherein said stereograph is located from a structure such as a supermarket shelf arrangement and illustrates the at least two regions from which one or the other of said images of said stereograph is visible . the images which are presented are of a kind which are likely to induce movement in a desired direction . this is achieved by positioning the stereograph to present an image visible to a person in a region or towards a region where the movement of the person is desired to be towards , and presents an image representing pain or displeasure visible in a region or towards a direction in which it is undesirable for the person to be in or to move towards . as the human mind would prefer to move towards a state of pleasure and away from pain , the apparatus and method of the present invention will stimulate the mind and will subconsciously persuade a person who is in the vicinity of the stereograph of the present invention to move towards or in a certain direction or away from anther direction . with the presence of products which are desired to be sold , within a region where the positive image of the stereograph is visible , it is suggested that increase sales of such products are induced to occur . the arrangement of the stereograph such that the positive images or image presented therefrom is visible from such regions , should enhance sales . in those regions where the negative images are visible , the invention will more frequently and / or rapidly result in people moving away from such regions . such regions may be areas in a shop or supermarket which serve no sale inducing purposes , such as the trolley storage area , with reference to fig1 , the stereograph may be such that there is an overlap in the regions of the where a positive image is visible and a negative image is visible . fig3 illustrates how in an increasing clarity or visibility , a negative or a positive image becomes visible as a person moves left in respect of the stereograph , and vice versa for the negative image . it is therefore to be appreciated that there may a region , in diminished visibility , both types of images are visible . with the movement one way or the other , a positive or negative image becomes clearer . the stereograph of the present invention may be associated to any suitable structure with in a supermarket or shop or the like and although we have shown herein it being attached to a shelf , it may be attached to products , walls , flooring or the like . other locations to for the purposes of the techniques such as linking , liking , mind - map integration , priming , and enhancement , are also possible . such may be in any suitable location where the target market will see the stereograph . such may be by providing stereograph in shop windows , as mailouts , perhaps with magnetic backing to encourage their use as fridge magnets , as car stickers , mouse pads etc . as long as the images are visible ( whether consciously or not ) by a person in its vicinity . it will be appreciated that through out the desciption and claims , where movement of the subject is used to achieve an effect the effect can equally be achieved by moving the sterograph . lenticular substrate due to the number of frames that it presents a viewer has the ability to flash information , which will be perceived below conscious threshold , in a specific manner in relation to above consicous threshold imagery ie the image of a brand . the below threshold flashing maybe used to allow a very strong pavlovian pattern to be built . pavlovian response ( pavlovian conditioning , based on the work of nobel prize - winning physiologist ivan pavlov ) is the learning of an associatoin between two previously unrelated stimuli as a result of proximity in space and time . this is generally called classical conditional markerting . the present has the ability to flash information ie symbols / words in a below consious threshold manner close to or under a brand which exists at or above consious threshold so that the subconscious creates a strong emotional reaction . this is emotionally linked to the brand all in a very short space of time all by passing any conscious mind moderation . the more often a pavlovian pattern can be observed the stronger the pattern becomes the present invention can effectively encode multiple times in a very short space of time . the building of a pavlovian pattern in this way will build a very strong poetzle effect where by when a consumer otherwise sees the brand it will be likely to trigger the emotions generated by the present invention and then attaced to the brand . the more sensory systems that information can be presented in the more likely it is to be retained in long term memory . this phenomenon is often called multi - sensory - encoding . encoding using below conscious threshold methodologies are more effective than the presentation of the same information above conscious threshold . using the lenticular substrate with minimum exposure frames and appropriate opacities , ( contrast , colour , or brightness ) information can be encoded in different representational systems and within mulitple aspects of the same representational system . for example in print the only representational system involved is sight as touching the page does not give any specific information about the product , the page is unlikely to smell or to have any ability to communicate any specific sound . the device however has the ability to encode very deeply into the visual representational system as any image can move successively change colour and shape and also have depth to them based on the fact that a lenticular lens has the ability to make images look 3 dimensional ie . give the impression of depth . as described in the foregoing the present invention also has the ability to present visual information in a way that may fire the auditory cortex as well so increasing the number of representational systems that the device can encode information in . in order to verify the general propositions in the foregoing an confidential experiment was commissioned . subjects were one 25 year old male ( s1 ) and one 21 year old female ( s2 ). both were normal subjects with no known neurological abnormalities . electrical geodesics inc . 128 - channel ag / agcl electrode nets were used . eeg was recorded continuously ( 250 hz sampling rate ; 0 . 1 - 100 hz analogue bandpass ) with electrical geodesics inc . amplifiers ( 200 mฯ input impedance ). recordings were carried out in an electrically - shielded ( faraday room for attenuation of electrical interference . eeg signal cables left the shielded room via a cable port , and were digitise in the adjoining control room with a national instruments pci - 1200 12 bit analogue - to - digital conversion card controlled by acquisition software running on a power macintosh 9600 / 200 computer . electrode impedances were below 40 kฯ . eeg was acquired using a common vertex ( cz ) reference , and then re - referenced to the average reference in off - line analyses . subjects were continuously monitored by a closed - circuit video camera . static and dynamic visual displays were presented in a custom - made holder which allowed for manual rotation of the photographs in the vertical direction . subjects viewed the photographs at a distance of 57 cm . a colour video camera was placed behind the subjects and fixed on the visual displays . video output was directed to a monitor in the experimental control room . video output was mixed with the clock counter output of the eeg analogue - to - digital conversion card and recorded with a video cassette recorder . at the beginning of an experimental session , the clock counter on the video display was initialised . this counter initialisation simultaneously resulted in a ttl trigger pulse being sent to the eeg acquisition machine . thus synchronization was achieved in subsequent analyses by aligning the start of the clock on the video display with the trigger pulse on the eeg recording . fast fourier transforms ( ffts ) were performed on data from selected analysis intervals . ffts allows the eeg to be decomposed into functionally distinct frequency bands . three major frequency bands are of interest in the waking human eeg ( different frequency bands are associated with various stages of sleep ): theta band ( 3 - 7 hz ): characteristic of waking eeg . experimentally associated spatial navigation and memory retrieval processes ; alpha band ( 8 - 12 hz ): characteristic of relaxed wakefulness . amplitude increases dramatically when eyes are closed . beta band ( 13 - 30 hz ): characteristic of alertness and behavioural arousal . associated with active processing of information . beta - band activity is of most functional relevance for the purposes of the present project , and the remaining analyses will focus on the effect of experimental variables on this measure of brain activation . fft amplitude spectra for the two subjects indicated s1 exhibits higher alpha band activity and lower beta band activity than s2 . idiosyncratic differences in eeg profiles are stable and reliable reflections of individual differences in brain organization and function . an amplitude peak at 50 hz ( particularly evident in s1 ) is the result of alternating current fields generated by electrical devices in the environment . this electrical โ noise โ is evident in only 1 or 2 channels in each subject , resulting from less - than - perfect contact between the scalp and the electrode . initial viewing of the static picture results in activation over the central region of the head ( rather lateralised to the left ), and over the frontal region ( distinctly lateralised to the right ). in comparison , viewing of the dynamic picture ( i . e . the present invention with relative movement ) results in increased activation in both of these regions . subsequent viewing of the static picture shows that this increased activation is maintained , and even increased in the frontal region , in comparison to initial viewing . this was replicated in subsequent iterations where the second viewing of the static picture results in increased activation of central and frontal in comparison to both the first static viewing and the dynamic viewing . s2 as with s1 , had activation occuring in frontal regions , but also in posterior regions ( overlying the occipital , or visual areas of the brain ). activations are not seen in central regions in this subject . again in comparison to initial viewing of the static stimulus , the dynamic stimulus ( ie . the present invention with movement ) results in slightly increased activation of frontal regions . a similar region is activated with subsequent viewing of the static picture , with additional activation of the occipital region . in comparison to initial viewing of a static picture , the present inventon resulted in increased brain activation on subsequent viewing of the static picture . this pattern of results was replicated within a subject and between subjects . the probability of obtaining this pattern of results by chance is 1 / 216 . the static / dynamic / static stimulus sequence produced the same pattern of brain activation ( low / medium / high ) when the dynamic stimulus was presented for 5 s , 20 s or 40 s . | 6 |
while fatty acids are known to promote transport of cosmetic preparations into the epidermis , nonpolar lipophilic compounds are nevertheless more compatible with the lipid constituents of the skin . consequently , it is a strategy of the present invention to utilize carriers as transport vehicles to facilitate deposition of cla and other bioactive substances at the target sites . one aspect of this strategy is to blend cla with highly hydrophobic derivatives of cla . the alkylene portion of the molecule will be highly miscible with the hydrophobic carrier . thus , mixtures of conjugated linoleic acid and the linoleyl - linoleate esters have particular efficacy . an additional benefit is the action of nonspecific esterases in the tissues releases cla from the ester carrier . by adjusting the ph and salt content of the preparation , the action of the esterases can be controlled to give a time delay effect , so that new cla is constantly being made available between cosmetic applications . it is essential for the practice of the invention to compound the cosmetic preparations from purified or partially purified cla , rather than use an unfractionated seed oil source . while safflower , sunflower , and corn oil are important dietary sources of cla , it is desirable to provide an enriched source in a cosmetic . native refined seed oils have a relatively high proportion of other unsaturated fatty acids . gamma - linoleic acid , in particular , and oleic and linolenic acids to a lesser extent , will be expected to compete metabolically with cla for incorporation into cellular lipids . in general , cla prepared by high temperature alkaline refining is an acceptable source of cla even though it will contain a mixture of the eight possible isomers of conjugated linoleic acid . it is believed that the cis9 , trans11 - linoleic acid , and to some lesser extent trans10 , cis12 - linoleic acid , possess most of the biological activity , but this has not yet been proven conclusively . once the biologically active isomers have been conclusively identified , and it is possible to preferentially synthesize or isolate those isomers independently of the less active or inactive forms , a corresponding adjustment in percentage composition can readily be made . in the cosmetic formulations , reference will be made to cla , with the expectation that this term encompasses at least a threshold level of one or more of the active isomers without regard to the presence of isomers of lesser or no activity . the esters of the present invention are synthesized according to standard chemistries . typically the cla acid and saturated or unsaturated alcohols are mixed in an excess of a solvent diluent in a reflux reactor fitted with a condenser . dry heat is applied to the reactor to institute a reflux action . the reaction is continued for up to several hours until all the water of esterification is condensed off . alternatively , esterification may be carried out with a catalyst and / or an immobilized lipase . catalytic esterification is carried out under stirring and vacuum at 150 ยฐ- 180 ยฐ c . for 1 - 5 hours . if lipase is used , the reaction temperature is 40 ยฐ- 60 ยฐ c . the reaction is complete when no more water can be removed by a vacuum of 2 molar . solvent is removed by rotary evaporation . the linoleyl - linoleate compounds appear as heavy oils with virtually no solubility in water . the semi - saturated esters are wax - like , particularly those formed from the higher molecular weight saturated alcohols . those having good compounding properties include conjugated linoleyl - stearate ester , linoleyl - palmitate ester , and linoleyl - myristate ester . a very satisfactory carrier for free cla is a linoleyl - stearate softened with linoleyl - linoleate emulsion stabilized with a polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol as primary stabilizer , and a nonionic surfactant as a secondary stabilizer . a number of contemporary emulsion systems are described in knowlton and pearce , handbook of cosmetic science and technologysupra , p . 95 . this mixture forms a good base carrier delivery system and provides a highly enriched source of cla both temporally , and as a time release preparation . the lipophilic phase is finished out by addition of any of the following : cetyl alcohol , stearic acid , steareth - 2 , steareth - 21 , laureth - 7 and peg - stearate . an aqueous compatible humectant phase may be glycerine wetted with enough water to form the emulsion . the cla containing cosmetic preparations may incorporate other active ingredients which perform either a different or a complementary function . ingredients of different function , e . g . antibiotics , anti - inflammatories , astringents , disinfectants , etc . may be of any type where no chemical or physiological incompatibility occurs . in some instances the formula may need to be altered to ensure the activity of the ingredient . for example , one of the organic iodine sanitizer compounds is active only at a ph above 8 . clearly the formulation cannot , in this instance , be compounded with chitosan in the aqueous phase , because of its insolubility at neutral or basic ph . a greater challenge is to create multifunction product cosmetics where the combined functions are complementary . since the incorporation of cla reduces the incidence of carcinogen - induced skin carcinoma , and uv light enhances carcinoma incidence , combination of transportable cla as a chemoprotectant with sunscreen agents and antioxidants provides a multifunctional product with beneficial attributes . for the effect of cla on carcinogen induced carcinogenesis , see clement , et al ., cancer supplement , 74 : 1050 ( 1994 ) and belury , nutrition and cancer , p . 148 london : 1996 ). other benefits of cla are disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 585 , 400 ( attenuating allergic responses ), u . s . pat . no . 5 , 554 , 646 ( reducing body fat ), and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 428 , 072 ( increasing feed conversion in animals ). compounding cla in cosmetics with sunscreen agents may involve both organic and inorganic chemicals which trap or neutralize photons of harmful wavelength . some emulsion formulas adaptable to the present cosmetic preparations are disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 543 , 136 , 5 , 573 , 755 , and 5 , 607 , 664 . in some instances , more than one sunscreen chemical can be incorporated simultaneously , to achieve synergistic results , as taught in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 658 , 555 . antioxidant preparations have been disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 652 , 263 incorporating retinoid compounds . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 574 , 063 discloses the use of ascorbate fatty acid esters in the treatment of psoriasis and other skin maladies . in one aspect of the present invention , a cla ascorbate ester is included in the cosmetic preparation in combination with a sunscreen . upon cleavage , the ascorbic acid acts as a free radical scavenger , and the cla is incorporated into nascent keratocytes . a suitable carrier incorporates linoleyl - linoleate to ensure compatibility of the ingredients in an oil based cosmetic not containing waxes or waxy derivatives of saturated long chain fatty acids . a suitable mono - substituted linoleyl ascorbate is synthesized from 5 , 6 - benzylidene - l - ascorbic acid prepared by conventional methods . an n - oxysuccinimidyl ester of conjugated linoleic or retinoic acid may be prepared by reaction of di - n - oxysuccinimidyl carbonate ( dsc ) with conjugated linoleic or retinoic acid respectively , in chloroform in the presence of triethlamine . 5 , 6 - benzylidene - l - ascorbic acid is allowed to react with n - oxysuccinimidyl linoleate or retinoate in n , n - dimethylformamide in the presence of a catalytic base such as pyridine or triethylamine . if a molar ratio of activated linoleate ester to ascorbic acid is from 1 . 1 to 1 . 5 is used , the product consists mainly of the 2 - o - linoleate ester . the final product may be isolated on silica gel . fractions containing the desired product are combined and concentrated under vacuum . the product is dissolved in minimal volume of methanol , palladium on carbon is added in a catalytic amount , and the slurry is hydrogenated to remove the benzylidene protective group . the methanol is removed under vacuum , and the final product may be purified on silica gel . ## str1 ## this protocol can be used to create the ascorbyl - retinoate molecule as well , which is useful in positioning both retinoic and ascorbic acids in a molar 1 : 1 ratio at the same skin loci . the ascorbyl - retinoate ester is fat soluble and cla ester carriers are particularly effective as delivery systems to the epidermis . carriers are also of great benefit that not only act as efficient delivery vehicles for the active ingredients to the viable regions of the epidermis / dermis , but also those that promote uniform spreading of the product onto the skin surface . compounds that promote film forming are especially useful in this application . one of the newer film forming compounds currently under investigation in cosmetics is chitosan , a form of deacetylated natural chitin . once the acetyl group is removed to expose the amino group , the primary amine can be derivatized in a great variety of ways . u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 879 , 376 and 4 , 528 , 283 disclose several chitosan derivatives and their use in cosmetics . u . s . pat . no . 4 , 822 , 598 discloses a class of quaternary derivatives of chitosan useful in cosmetic preparations . in the cosmetic preparations of the present invention , it is desirable to utilize chitosan representing a spectrum of deacetylation ranging from 35 to 90 percent , and mixtures of chitosans of varying deacetylation . the choice of the combination depends on the degree of hydophobicity desired in the final mix . under conventional conditions of controlled deacetylation , chitosan may be prepared containing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains capable of molecularly linking the lipid soluble cla containing fraction and the humectant hydrophilic fraction in a single flowable film . this helps to stabilize the emulsion , to prevent phase separation and uneven spreading . the term &# 34 ; cosmetically effective amount &# 34 ; means that amount of cla or cla ester or other derivative which achieves a desirable effect such as a chemiprotective effect or aids in making the skin more supple , pliant , and facilitates restoring or retaining moisture . since the amount of any ingredient required to achieve such an effect will vary from one formulation to another depending on the other ingredients present , a cosmetically effective amount will frequently need to be established empirically . the following formulations are intended , without limitation , to provide some guide to formulating the classes of cosmetics set forth . ingredients are sometimes expressed as ranges of percent . reduction or increase in the presence of one ingredient , will necessarily correspondingly reduce or increase the proportion of one or more of the other ingredients . ______________________________________illustrative formula i . skin cleaner and hand lotion . ______________________________________part a . oleophilic lanolin 2 . 0 - 3 . 5 stearic acid 4 . 0 - 6 . 0 petrolatum 10 . 0 - 15 . 0 ( conjugated ) linoleyl - 2 . 0 - 5 . 0 ( conjugated ) linoleate ester cla ( 60 %) 4 . 0 - 9 . 0 water balance part b . hydrophilic glycerin 4 . 0 - 7 . 0 triethanolamine 0 . 5 - 2 . 0 water balance 100 . 0 % ______________________________________ the oleophilic and hydrophilic fractions are separately mixed , and then combined in a standard emulsification procedure , as described in &# 34 ; emulsifiers &# 34 ;, in the handbook of cosmetic science and technology , supra . ______________________________________illustrative formula ii . sunscreen lotion______________________________________capric / caprylic triglyceride 12 . 0 mineral oil 66 . 0 peg dilaurate 6 . 0 cla ( 70 %) 11 . 0 linoleyl - linoleate ester 3 . 0 retinoyl - ascorbate ester 1 . 0 stearyl parabenzoic acid 0 . 5 titanium dioxide 0 . 5 100 . 0 % ______________________________________ ______________________________________illustrative formula iii . heavy lotion . ______________________________________part a . oleophilic stearic acid 4 . 0 - 6 . 0 linoleyl - stearate ester 2 . 0 - 5 . 0 linoleyl - linoleate ester 2 . 0 - 5 . 0 cla ( 70 %) 6 . 0 - 8 . 0 cetyl alcohol 1 . 0 - 3 . 0 glyercyl monostearate 0 . 5 - 1 . 5 ascorbyl - linoleate ester 3 . 0 - 4 . 0 lanolin 7 . 0 - 10 . 0 part b . hydrophilic glycerin 3 . 0 - 5 . 0 xanthum gum 0 . 5 - 1 . 0 triethanolamine 1 . 5 - 3 . 0 water balance 100 . 0 % ______________________________________ ______________________________________illustrative formula iv . all purpose cream . ______________________________________part a . oleophilic fraction . glyceryl monohydroxystearate 2 . 0 cla ( 70 %) 6 . 5 linoleyl - linoleate ester 3 . 0 mineral oil 10 . 0 cetyl octanoate 8 . 0 ascorbyl - retinoate ester 1 . 0 part b . glycerin 3 . 0 triethanolamine 2 . 0 carbomer 941 surfactant 6 . 0 chitosan 58 - 65 % deacetylated 2 . 5 water ( ph adjusted to 5 . 5 ) 59 . 0 100 . 0 % ______________________________________ | 8 |
the following disclosure describes several methods and systems for a fully geared single input adaptive continuously variable transmission . several features of methods and systems in accordance with example embodiments are set forth and described in the figures . it will be appreciated that methods and systems in accordance with other example embodiments can include additional procedures or features different than those shown in the figures . example embodiments are described herein . however , it will be understood that these examples are for the purpose of illustrating the principles , and that the invention is not so limited . additionally , methods and systems in accordance with several example embodiments may not include all of the features shown in these figures . throughout the figures , identical reference numbers refer to similar or identical components or procedures . unless the context requires otherwise , throughout the specification and claims which follow , the word โ comprise โ and variations thereof , such as , โ comprises โ and โ comprising โ are to be construed in an open , inclusive sense that is as โ including , but not limited to .โ reference throughout this specification to โ one example โ or โ an example embodiment ,โ โ one embodiment ,โ โ an embodiment โ or various combinations or variations of these terms means that a particular feature , structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure . thus , the appearances of the phrases โ in one embodiment โ or โ in an embodiment โ in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment . furthermore , the particular features , structures , or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments . generally , as used herein , the following terms have the following meanings when used within the context of continuously variable transmission apparatus and systems : โ cc โ means the direction of clockwise rotation when viewed from the right side of the figures . inversely , rotation in the opposite direction or counterclockwise is defined as โ ccw โ. lack of rotation in either clockwise or counterclockwise is denoted as โ neg โ. โ operably linked โ is understood as a connection , either physical , mechanical or electronic , between two components of the device , or a component of the device and a gear , linkage , remote sensor , data collector , controller , computer , or the like such that the components operate together as desired . as used herein , โ plurality โ is understood to mean more than one . for example , a plurality refers to at least two , three , four , five , ten , 25 , 50 , 75 , 100 , or more . referring now to fig1 an example embodiment of a fully geared single input adaptive continuously variable transmission is schematically shown . a continuously variable transmission comprises at least three compound planetary gear sets , pgs - 1 , pgs - 2 and pgs - 3 unified by a common combination gear 14 . combination gear 14 is operably connected to pgs - 1 , pgs - 2 and pgs - 3 and the combination gear 14 acts as a sun gear ( sg / combination gear ) for pgs - 1 , a ring gear ( rg / combination gear ) for pgs - 2 , and a planet carrier ( pc / combination gear ) for pgs - 3 . an input shaft 1 is operably connected to pgs - 1 planet carrier ( pc ) 2 and pgs - 3 ring gear ( rg ) 8 . a first planetary gear set pgs - 1 is a differential that includes a first planet carrier ( pc ) 2 including a first ring gear ( rg ) 3 and a first sun gear ( sg ) 4 . the first ring gear ( rg ) 3 meshes with a first idler gear 5 . the first sun gear ( sg ) 4 meshes with a second idler gear 6 , which meshes with a third idler gear 7 . a first bearing 25 encompasses a portion of a first support arm 30 which is , in turn , connected to a stator at a first end . at a second end support arm 30 is connected to second idler gear 6 . support arm 30 has a second arm 31 connected to the third idler gear 7 . in one useful example embodiment the first rg 3 and the first sg 4 comprise bevel gears having of the same size . a second planetary gear set pgs - 2 includes a first planet gear 11 coupled to a shaft 32 which runs through a second bearing 27 , connected to a second planet carrier pc 10 , and is rigidly connected to a second planet gear 12 . a fourth idler gear 13 meshes to the second planet gear 12 and a second sun gear 15 . the first planet gear 11 is meshed with the combination gear 14 . first and second planet gears 11 , 12 rotate together to provide a gear reduction since the first planet gear 11 is larger than the second planet gear 12 . a one - way clutch 9 is attached to the planet carrier pgs - 2 10 . when engaged to ground pc 10 , the one - way clutch 9 allows free - spin in one direction and prevents rotation in the opposite direction . in one example the clutch may advantageously comprise a one - way bearing clutch . a third planetary gear set pgs - 3 is a differential that includes a third ring gear ( rg ) 8 coupled to an output shaft 16 . the output shaft 16 is also coupled to the second sun gear pgs - 3 ( sg ) 15 . the third ring gear pgs - 3 ( rg ) 8 also meshes with the combination gear 14 . in one useful example embodiment the second rg 8 is a bevel gear . these types of components are well known in the art such that a more elaborate description is not believed necessary for those skilled in the art . referring now to fig2 an example embodiment of a fully geared single input adaptive continuously variable transmission is schematically shown . a continuously variable transmission comprises at least three compound planetary gear sets , pgs - 1a , pgs - 2 and pgs - 3a unified by a common combination gear 14 , which connects to all of the at least three compound planetary gear sets . the transmission is constructed substantially similar to the transmission of fig1 , but is different in the following respects . planetary gear set pgs - 1a includes planet carrier ( pc ) 2 a including a first ring gear ( rg ) 3 a and a first sun gear ( sg ) 4 a which are aligned in parallel . a first bearing 25 encompasses a portion of a first support arm 30 a which is , in turn , connected to a ground at a first end . at a second end support arm 30 a is connected to second idler gear 6 and the third idler gear 7 . in another departure from the transmission of fig1 , planetary gear set 3 pgs - 3 includes a ring gear 8 a . operation is substantially as described below . in a departure from the configuration shown in fig1 , the third ring gear 8 a which meshes with sun gear 15 a is larger ( i . e . has more gear teeth ) than the sun gear 15 a . the continuously variable transmission can be used in any piece of equipment in which speed changes and output force varies . fabrication of the cvt would be best accomplished through standard transmission assembly techniques since the cvt is fully geared , positive displacement , with no friction components . for this example motor vehicles will be used for describing the transmission operation . also , for convenience , the direction of clockwise rotation when viewed from the right side of the figures , is taken as the direction of the input shaft โ cc โ. inversely , rotation in the opposite direction or counterclockwise is defined as โ ccw โ. lack of rotation in either clockwise or counterclockwise is denoted as โ neg โ. referring again to fig1 , in operation , the input shaft 1 rotates when power is inputted from an engine ( not shown ). the input shaft 1 rotates pc 2 and rg 8 at the same time and at the same rotational velocity . output shaft 16 rotates in the opposite direction from the input shaft 1 . depending upon the difference in the rotational velocity between the input shaft 1 and output shaft 16 , the combination gear 14 will either spin clockwise ( cc ), counter clockwise ( ccw ), or neg . the rotational velocity and direction of rotation of combination gear 14 will determine the power split at pgs - 2 , and determines whether more or less power goes to either the pc 10 or pgs - 2 rg / combination gear 14 . assuming , for example that the cvt here is used in a vehicle with wheels , if more power is supplied than is required for a vehicle to maintain its current velocity , then there will be excess torque applied at the wheels causing the vehicle to accelerate . the rotational speed and direction of the combination gear will adjust with the acceleration allowing the vehicle to go faster , but while transmitting less torque as speed increase until equilibrium is reached between the input power and vehicle speed . pc 10 is connected to a one - way clutch 9 which only allows rotation in the ccw direction . without the one way clutch 9 the internal gears of the transmission would free - spin and no torque would be transferred from the input shaft 1 to the output shaft 16 . referring now to fig3 operational principles of an example of an embodiment of a fully geared single input adaptive continuously variable transmission is illustrated . w 5 = w 1 *( e /( 1 + e ))+ w 6 *( 1 /( 1 + e )) equation 1 w 4 = w 5 *( 1 /( 1 + d ))+ w 6 *( d /( 1 + d )) equation 2 w 5 *( 1 / c )= w 1 *( 1 + a )+ w 4 *( 1 / b ) a w 5 *( 1 / c )= w 1 *( 1 + a )+[ w 5 *( 1 /( 1 + d ))+ w 6 *( d /( 1 + d ))]*( a / b ) w 5 *( 1 / c )= w 1 *( 1 + a )+ w 5 *( a /( b + bd ))+ w 6 *( ad /( b + bd )) w 5 *( 1 / c )โ w 5 *( a /( b + bd ))= w 1 *( 1 + a )+ w 6 *( ad /( b + bd )) w 5 *[(โ ac + b + bd )/( bc + bcd )]= w 1 *( 1 + a )+ w 6 *( ad /( b + bd )) w 5 =[ w 1 *( 1 + a )+ w 6 *( ad /( b + bd ))]/[(โ ac + b + bd )/( bc + bcd )] w 5 = w 1 *( 1 + a )*[( bc + bcd )/(โ ac + b + bd )]+ w 6 *( ad /( b + bd ))*[( bc + bcd )/(โ ac + b + bd )] w 5 = w 1 *( e /( 1 + e ))+ w 6 *( 1 /( 1 + e )) equation 1 ( 1 /( 1 + e ))=( ad /( b + bd )))*[( bc + bcd )/(โ ac + b + bd )] equation 6 e *( 1 /( 1 + e ))=( 1 + a )*[( bc + bcd )/(โ ac + b + bd )] equation 7 for the example , planetary gear sets pgs - 1 and pgs - 3 are differentials and therefore their gear ratios are 1 and the following gear ratios for b , c , and d can be used for the example and the gear train will not bind . should pgs - 1 and pgs - 3 not be differentials as in fig2 , then the gear ratios will be different than what is illustrated in this example to prevent binding . the table below illustrates some an example of useful gear ratios . the invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles of the present invention , and to construct and use such exemplary and specialized components as are required . however , it is to be understood that the invention may be carried out by specifically different equipment , and devices , and that various modifications , both as to the equipment details and operating procedures , may be accomplished without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention . | 5 |
this invention is unique in that a novel device operates in consonance with physiological factors that are dynamic rather than morphological . thus , the circular musculature of the cervix can be stretched by pressure exerted on the walls of the cervical canal . such &# 34 ; cervical dilation &# 34 ; is undesirable for a seal - off . the novel device utilizes a conduit of increasingly larger diameter which dilates the canal but minimally , while the canal &# 39 ; s dilation is to an extent prevented , compressing the circumference of the cervix , which results from the vacuum by forcing the cervix into a conical cup . in the drawing figures and specification , the reference characters used in the four embodiments are the same for similar elements , except for the use of the superscripts , 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 corresponding respectively to the first , second , third , and fourth embodiments . as shown in the figures , a hysterography device constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention includes , preferably , conduit cc which is formed along the longitudinal axis of the device , which serves as the aids , rigid or flexible leading handle h , at the top of which is cup c , designed to fit the cervix . cup c is cylindrical in its distal portion but , over radius , becomes progressively more conical towards its base cb . the cup is made preferably from a pliable material , to allow its best adaptation to the cervix . base cb is flat or recessed , and placed over the outlet co ( of conduit cv ) through which vacuum generated by a negative pressure device is applied . this results in suction which forces the cervical mucosa against the edge of the cup , and or the cervix into the cup . concentrically and centrally placed into cup c along the axis provided by conduit cc is cone cn whose proximal , straight part is designed to penetrate into the introitus of the cervical canal . the diameter of the cone is then gradually or stepwise increased to provide the primary seal within the canal . as the inner cone cn is pressed into the cervical canal , its increasingly greater diameter produces the secondary seal - off . thus , the more vacuum is applied , the more the peripheral mucosa is rolled against and pressed against the inner wall of cup c , thus providing the secondary seal . finally , the perpendicular part d of the cone , while being forced against the frontal mucosa of the cervix , acts as a third sealing surface . the cone can be produced either as one piece , or constructed from several components , with the cup either affixed to the handle h ( fig1 a , 1b , 3a , and 3b ) or to a collar cr 2 , cr 4 surrounding the handle h ( fig2 a , 4b , 4c , 4d , 4e and 4f ). while a version of the hysterograph with the cup affixed to handle h and thus providing a fixed longitudinal relation between the tip of the conduit and the cup is useful predominantly for diagnostic purposes , a version employing a movable cup is useful when an anatomical irregularity is encountered for interventional procedures , such as selective or sub - selective catheterization . such procedures involve manipulations , often resulting in dilation of the cervical canal . when this happens , deeper penetration of the conduit cc into the canal is necessary to provide a seal - off , without which a post - procedural diagnostic radiography could not be carried out . this can be accomplished in a &# 34 ; movable cup &# 34 ; version of the with cone cn 2 and cn 4 , shown in the second and fourth embodiments of this invention , by sliding the collar such as cr 2 or cr 4 , and thus the affixed cup , away from the tip of conduit cc . in the fourth embodiment , cone cn 4 may by moved as much as 5 . 5 cm in a direction away from cup c 4 . a seal between the collar cr and handle h is provided by a seal - fit of the diameters ; to increase the seal , a silicone or other physiologically inert lubricant can be utilized . conveniently , cups of several sizes can be interchangeable on the same instrument . central conduit cc is contained in the handle h and provides a passage through which a catheter , a coaxial catheter system , or fiberoptic device can be inserted , or through which contrast media can be injected . as set forth in the incorporated may 1987 radiology article above , one specific selection for such coaxial catheter system may comprise a first , outer catheter x having a second catheter y therein , and further having a third catheter z inside the second catheter ( see fig4 b , 5a , 5b and 5c ). a wire guide w , such as a cope - type guide wire with a flexible tip , may be located inside the third catheter . various catheters and guide wires may be used as set forth , for example a 5 - f polyethylene torcon catheter , a 3 - f teflon catheter and a cope - type wire guide , 0 . 018 and 0 . 025 inches ( 0 . 046 and 0 . 064 cm ) in diameter , offered by cook incorporated of bloomington , ind . guide wires made of a mandrel of 0 . 035 inch ( 0 . 089 cm ) llt - type wire onto which an 8 cm long , 0 . 018 or 0 . 025 inch wire is soldered , also offered by cook incorporated may be used . the tip of such guide wire may be soft and flexible platinum or other suitable material . a set of suitable catheters and guide wires offered by cook incorporated of bloomington , ind . has been developed for this invention . the set includes : 1 ) for catheter x , a 9 . 0 french radiopaque teflon catheter which is 31 . 5 cm long and has a check - flo valve ; 2 ) for catheter y , a 5 . 5 french radiopaque braided polyethylene torque control catheter which is 50 cm long with a 3 cm non - braided tip ; 3 ) for catheter z , a 3 . 0 french radiopaque teflon catheter which is 65 cm long ; and 4 ) for the guide wire w , both a cope mandrel wire guide having a 0 . 38 mm diameter and a 90 cm length and made of stainless steel with a platinum tip , and a curved safe - t - j wire guide with a 0 . 89 mm diameter and a 90 cm length with a 1 . 5 mm safe - t - j tip and being made of stainless steel . the set also includes a tuohy - borst adapter for the hysterograph . at the distal end of conduit cc , a standard luer lock ll a is provided to afford attachment of standard syringes and / or catheter collars . the handle h is rigid or flexible and made from a plastic tube containing one or two lumina , one for cc and one for vacuum . alternatively , the vacuum line can be an independent tube . if desired , the device conveniently consists of one or several parts , and the cup can be manufactured from suitable see - through plastic materials to allow viewing of the insertion of the conus . the device can be machined and assembled from commercially available components , or molded and produced entirely or in part by standard plastic extrusion methods . suitable plastic materials include polycarbonate , polyacrylic resins , clear polyethylene , polyvinyl chloride , carbon fiber , fiberglass , and other organic and inorganic polymeric or monomeric compositions . the devices , intended to fit a wide range of cervical sizes , are easily manufactured and conveniently sterilized and packaged ready for one - time use or repeated use . the devices can be constructed to have a range of dimensions , as follows : ______________________________________ approximate approximate range value indimension of values one embodiment______________________________________overall length 220 to 300 mm 240 mm or 260 mmof device ( dl ) outside diameter 25 to 40 mm 33 mmof cup c ( do ) inside diameter 21 to 36 mm 25 mm or 30 mmof cup c ( di ) length of cup c 25 to 35 mm 26 mm or 27 mmdiameter of 2 to 5 mm 2 . 6 mmconduit ( at the tip ) length of cone cn 20 to 40 mm 20 mm or 35 mmoutside diameter 15 to 25 mm 20 mmof base cbof cone cnoutside diameter 3 to 6 mm 4 mmof tip ct of conecnoutside diameter 6 to 12 mm 7 mmof handle h ( may be oval ) length of 5 to 17 mm 15 mmcollar crdiameter of to seal - fit the outercollar cr surface of handle h______________________________________ various structural differences between the various illustrated embodiments are shown . for example , the cups of the first and second embodiments , c 1 and c 2 , have more curved or generally parabolic shape as compared to the cups with generally straight side walls of the third and fourth embodiments , c 3 and c 4 . accordingly , these cups , c 3 and c 4 , have a generally straight profiled side wall defining a frustum of a cone . furthermore , the shape and arrangement of the various perpendicular parts d varies between embodiments . for example , part d 3 is formed as part of an elongated conical saddle s 3 around nose cn 3 . part d 4 is affixed to cup c 4 , independent of cone cn 4 and of handle h 4 , so that upon movement of cup c 4 with respect to cone cn 4 , part d 4 will remain a constant spacing with respect to cup c 4 . part d 4 and the base of the cup define an annular space as 4 therebetween . this annular space is in front of the opening co 4 and serves to more evenly distribute the suction action of the vacuum around the inner circumference of the cup c 4 . similar annular spaces , as 1 , as 2 , and as 3 , in the other embodiments perform similar functions . also , note that in fig4 a , conduit cv 4 has been removed , showing the stainless steel cannula which partially defines opening co 4 . fig4 d shows an end view of the invention with the flexible handle h 4 and the flexible collar cr 4 flexed somewhat about the longitudinal axis of the handle . fig4 f shows an exploded detail view of one construction used to couple flexible , plastic collar cr 4 with cup c 4 . collar cr 4 is inserted through a hole cut in the base of cup c 4 , with handle h 4 positioned therein . ultrasonic welding is used to connect parts together . for example , in the fourth embodiment , fitting f 4 , bushing bu 4 , part pd 4 and part d 4 ( see fig4 f ) are ultrasonically welded together , helping to form the assembly connecting collar cr 4 , cup c 4 and perpendicular part d 4 together . gasket g 4 provides a fluid seal around handle h 4 . the various parts to be assembled together are preferably glued by suitable adhesives , such as loctite 401 , vc - 1 or the like . for example , in the third embodiment , fitting f 3 and perpendicular part d 3 are glued to handle h 3 with such adhesives . fluid tight seals around the cup may be provided by a sealant such as silicone ge rtv # 118 or similar sealants . also , it is preferable to remove , by cutting or abrasion , any sharp bead which may exist on the inside diameter of the cup , such as cup c 3 , near the outer lip thereof to provide for a better seal with the patient &# 39 ; s cervix . fig5 a , 5b , and 5c illustrate a method of this invention being performed on a patient . the patient &# 39 ; s vagina 21 , uterus 23 , and fallopian tube 25 is shown . fallopian tube 25 , as illustrated , is blocked by obstruction 27 . the device illustrated is the fourth embodiment of this invention having cup c 4 , handle h 4 , collar cr 4 , perpendicular part d 4 , and soft , plastic vacuum conduit cv 4 as previously described . the cup is preferably a soft or pliable plastic to better adapt to the cervix for sealing . the handle and the surrounding collar when used are preferably flexible plastic to allow bending for greater manipulation and control during use of the present invention . fig5 a illustrates the hysterography device seated on the patient &# 39 ; s cervix with handle h 4 and collar cr 4 positioned transvaginally . cup c 4 is suction seated due to the vacuum applied by vacuum device v connected to conduit cv 4 with luer lock ll 4b . vacuum device v may be , for example , a hand vacuum pump such as one offered by mityvac ; neward enterprises , cucamonga , calif . and disclosed in the july 1988 issue of radiographics , volume 8 , number 4 , pages 621 - 640 . cone cn 4 is shown recessed in cup c 4 . the coaxial catheters , catheter x , catheter y , and catheter z are shown in position to be inserted into conduit cc 4 . fig5 b illustrates cone cn 4 being moved away from cup c 4 and up into the cervical canal of the patient for the purposes of a more complete seal . movement of the cone cn 4 is accomplished by moving handle h 4 upward with respect to collar cr 4 . note that the collar , in the preferred embodiment , is affixed to the cup with , for example , adhesive ; and likewise , the cone is affixed to the handle with , for example , adhesive . fig5 b also illustrates catheters x , y , and z inserted in the conduit in handle h 4 , and into the uterus 23 . catheter z is inserted into fallopian tube 25 at its distal end , and is attached to a source of contrast media cm at its proximal end . contrast media is injected into the fallopian tube 25 to allow fluoroscopic examination thereof , including diagnosis of obstruction 27 . cup c 4 and cone cn 4 provide a seal with the cervix to contain the contrast media . fig5 c illustrates catheter z being detached from contrast media source cm , and having guide wire w inserted in the lumen of catheter z . the guide wire w is advanced in the lumen , out of the distal end of catheter z , and into the fallopian tube 25 . guide wire w is advanced against obstruction 27 with a poking action , working through the obstruction to open it . thus treatment of the obstruction , potentially causing infertility , is accomplished . thereafter , contrast media may be again injected , as set forth in the description accompanying fig5 b , to determine the extent of opening of the obstruction . as earlier described , the introduction of a fiberoptic device through the lumens of the catheters in conduit cc 4 may be done for direct visual inspection in the uterine cavity . the timing and sequence of injection of contrast media , advancing of guide wires , and introduction of fiberoptic devices may vary from case to case depending on the diagnosis and treatment required . all publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference . although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding , it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings of this invention that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims . | 0 |
exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and may be embodied in different ways , and that the embodiments are given to provide complete disclosure of the invention and to provide thorough understanding of the invention to those skilled in the art . the scope of the invention is limited only by the accompanying claims and equivalents thereof . like components will be denoted by like reference numerals throughout the specification . further , the size and relative sizes of elements may be exaggerated for clarity . it will be understood that when an element is referred to as being โ installed in or connected to โ another element , it can be directly disposed on the other element , it can be separated a predetermined interval from the other element , or a third element may also be present therebetween to fix or connect it to the other element . fig1 is a perspective view of a medical monitor including an antimicrobial case according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , and fig2 is a perspective view of the disassembled medical monitor including the antimicrobial case according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 and 2 , the medical monitor 100 according to the embodiment includes a liquid crystal display ( lcd ) panel 110 , a backlight unit 120 disposed behind the lcd panel 110 , a drive circuit unit 130 disposed behind the backlight unit 120 , a front case 140 having an opening 142 to expose the lcd panel 110 , and a rear case 150 coupled to the front case 140 and covering the lcd panel 110 , the backlight unit 120 and the drive circuit unit 130 . further , the lcd panel 110 is protected by a reinforced glass 180 . this configuration is general for an lcd monitor and a detailed description thereof will thus be omitted herein . in the present embodiment , antimicrobial functions are imparted to a monitor case among components of the medical monitor , which is exposed to the outside and comes into direct contact with medical workers and patients . the monitor case includes the front case 140 and the rear case 150 . in the present embodiment , antimicrobial properties are imparted both to the front case 140 and to the rear case 150 , thereby providing antimicrobial properties to the entire outside of the monitor touched by patients and medical workers . hereinafter , the front case 140 and the rear case 150 are collectively referred to as a case . the antimicrobial case for a medical monitor according to the present embodiment is manufactured by mixing a plastic resin with a small amount of zinc phosphate glass powder , thereby preventing growth of microorganisms such as bacteria or the like on the surface thereof . the zinc phosphate glass powder is a white powder and may have a true specific gravity of 2 . 45 to 2 . 55 , a bulk specific gravity of 0 . 78 to 0 . 82 , an average particle size 3 to 5 ฮผm , and a maximum particle diameter of 10 to 20 ฮผm . the zinc phosphate glass powder is a single product and provides material safety . that is , exposure of zinc phosphate glass powder to the eye does not cause any harm . further , the zinc phosphate glass powder does not cause any harm to the skin and can be washed off with water . if the zinc phosphate glass powder has too a large particle size , the glass powder functions as a crack point , thereby reducing durability and deteriorating the quality of the case surface . it is desirable that the plastic resin have formability , strength , durability , and thermal resistance . examples of the plastic resin may include , without being limited to , an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene ( abs ) resin , a polypropylene ( pp ) resin , a polycarbonate ( pc ) resin , and the like . the abs copolymer resin is a styrene resin comprised of styrene , acrylonitrile and butadiene . the abs copolymer resin generally has easy processability , high impact resistance and excellent thermal resistance . the abs copolymer resin has a heat resistance of 93 ยฐ c . and an impact resistance of 4 . 5 as compared with polyethylene having a heat resistance of 80 ยฐ c . and an impact resistance of 0 . 8 . the abs copolymer resin is generally prepared by mixing or blending a copolymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene and a copolymer of styrene and butadiene , so that a copolymer resin having properties of these copolymers is obtained . since different combinations of components of the copolymers cause a delicate change in product performance , combinations of the copolymer components may be changed depending on purposes . pp resin is produced along with ethylene when naphtha is decomposed in a petrochemical plant . the pp resin has an isotactic structure , in which methyl groups are regularly oriented in the same direction . the pp resin has a melting point of 165 ยฐ c . and can be successively used at 110 ยฐ under a load . the pp resin has a density of 0 . 9 to 0 . 91 and crystallinity , which is high but is decreased to 70 % or less after molding . pc resin is also referred to as polyester carbonate . an available thermoplastic resin is polycarbonate from bisphenol - a . pc resin is an engineering plastic which is transparent , non - toxic and self - extinguishable , has excellent mechanical properties , such as excellent impact resistance , and a good balance between thermal resistance , cold resistance and electrical properties . pc resin is prepared industrially by solvent polymerization through interfacial polycondensation of bisphenol - a and phosgene or by melt polymerization through transesterification of bisphenol - a and diphenyl carbonate . pc resin has a molecular weight of 20 , 000 or more . the antimicrobial case of the medical monitor according to the embodiment includes 99 . 4 to 99 . 8 % by weight ( wt %) of one plastic resin selected from the abs copolymer resin , the pp resin and the pc resin and 0 . 2 to 0 . 4 wt % of the zinc phosphate glass powder represented by formula 1 . the case is manufactured by adding the zinc phosphate glass powder to a molten plastic resin and thoroughly stirring the mixture to uniformly disperse the zinc phosphate glass powder in the resin , followed by injection molding . here , the term โ molten โ does not refer to a complete liquid state , but means a state in which the resin has fluidity to mix with the powder and to be subjected to injection molding . the zinc phosphate glass powder is used to impart antimicrobial properties to the plastic resin and is added in an amount suitable to provide antimicrobial effects without affecting mechanical properties . when the amount of zinc phosphate glass powder is below 0 . 2 wt % based on the total weight of plastic resin , antimicrobial effects are not exhibited . when the amount of zinc phosphate glass powder exceeds 0 . 4 wt % based on the total weight of plastic resin , mechanical properties can be changed , since the zinc phosphate glass powder functions as a defect in the case , decreasing strength and durability . further , since excessive addition of the zinc phosphate glass powder brings about cost increase , it is desirable that the zinc phosphate glass powder be added in a proper amount to impart antimicrobial properties to the case of the medical monitor . samples were prepared using a pure abs copolymer resin in comparative example and using a mixture of an abs copolymer resin and 0 . 4 wt % of a zinc phosphate glass powder represented by formula 1 in example , and quantitative analysis was performed using jis z 2801 on the samples to measure bacteriostatic activity . in example , 0 . 4 wt % of the zinc phosphate glass powder represented by formula 1 was added to 99 . 6 wt % of molten abs copolymer resin and thoroughly stirred by an agitator , followed by injection molding to prepare a sample . the samples of comparative example and example were inoculated with escherichia coli nbrc 3972 and left at 35 ยฐ c .ยฑ 1 ยฐ c . and at a relative humidity of 90 % for 24 hours , followed by measurement of the number of bacteria . the inoculated number of escherichia coli nbrc 3972 was 2 . 3 ร 10 5 / ml and the inoculated amount thereof was 0 . 4 ml . in comparative example , the number of bacteria ( a ) increased to 2 . 2 ร 10 7 / ml . in example , the number of bacteria ( b ) decreased to 6 . 6 ร 10 3 / ml . based on the standards , a material having an antimicrobial index of 2 . 0 or greater is deemed to have bacteriostatic activity . accordingly , the zinc phosphate glass powder - added abs copolymer resin is identified as having bacteriostatic activity against escherichia coli nbrc 3972 . in a conventional monitor case having no antimicrobial properties , bacteria attached to the surface of the case may multiply , causing infections in patients and medical workers since the monitor case is used near the patients and medical workers . according to the present invention , antimicrobial properties are imparted to medical monitors , thereby providing a safe and sanitary medical environment . as described above , according to the embodiments of the invention , antimicrobial properties are imparted to a monitor case to prevent multiplication of bacteria on the surface of the monitor which is used near medical workers and patients , thereby providing a sanitary medical environment . although some embodiments have been described herein , it should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are given by way of illustration only , and that various modifications , variations , and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . therefore , the scope of the invention should be limited only by the accompanying claims and equivalents thereof . | 0 |
fig1 a , 1 b , 2 , 3 a , and 3 b show an exemplary package 10 for retail sales of cellular telephones or similar high value objects or devices , such as computers , tablet computers , or collectible items . fig1 a shows the package 10 ( without any outer sleeve 95 ) positioned to be suspended by its hanger loop 11 from a hook in a retail sales display ( not shown ). fig1 b shows the package 10 in an opaque or transparent outer sleeve 95 , for example made of printed cardboard , bearing one or more service plans 93 and one or more brands 96 where the term brands is intended to be broadly understood to include not only conventional trademarks that indicate manufacturer , but also other identifying information such as language version . the sleeve 95 may include one or more product windows 97 cut from the outer sleeve 95 to expose areas of the package 10 or its contents . the sleeve 95 or the package 10 may bear one or more product identifiers 98 or other information about the product , such as serial numbers , radio frequency identification tags , bar codes , or universal product codes (โ upc โ) which may be visible through an product identification window 99 in the outer sleeve 95 . the package 10 may be made from a transparent or an opaque material such as a thermoformable plastic . however , if the package is at least partially made from a transparent material , then the product identifier 98 can be placed inside the package 10 , and yet remain visible through the product identification window 99 . this construction can deter or prevent a method of retail theft called โ upc switching โ in which a upc code for a less expensive product is affixed to a more expensive product in order to purchase the expensive product at a fraudulent price . the package 10 may have a hanger loop 11 for retail display , and is preferably at least partially sealed to protect its contents along a periphery 12 . the periphery 12 may terminate in a flange 13 . the package 10 has a front or frontispiece 14 ( best shown in fig1 ) and a rear , back , or posterior 15 ( best shown in fig3 a & amp ; 3b ). assuming for naming purposes that the package 10 is positioned in the orientation shown in fig1 , the package 10 has a top 16 , a right side 17 , a bottom 18 , and a left side 19 . as perhaps best shown in the exploded views of fig5 & amp ; 6 , the exemplary package 10 may comprise four pieces : an outer shell face 20 , an inner shell face 40 , an inner shell back 50 , and an outer shell back 60 . these components of the exemplary package 10 can each be made of any transparent or opaque sheet materials , for example using a thermoformable plastic and a vacuum thermoforming process . as perhaps best shown in the cross - section of fig4 , the front compartment 80 is formed between the outer shell face 20 and the inner shell face 40 , and may have front compartment contents 90 , for example an electronic product like a cellular phone , e - book reader , tablet computer , or any collectible item , toy , or similar device or object . the central compartment 82 is formed between the inner shell face 40 and the inner shell back 50 , and may have central compartment contents 92 , for example hardware accessories like a charger , power supply , carrying case , wrist loop , cables , or spare batteries . the rear compartment 84 is formed between the inner shell back 50 and the outer shell back 60 , and may have rear compartment contents 94 , for example printed or electronic media like a user &# 39 ; s manual , welcome kit , audio or video media or other data , coupon , promotional item , service agreement , software , required disclosures , product identification card bearing a product identifier 98 such as an upc code , or other content . as perhaps best shown in fig7 a - 7c , the outer shell face 20 has an exterior face 21 and an interior face 22 . the exterior face 21 may have a protrusion 23 shaped to fit or hold a product 90 for display , for example a cell phone . the protrusion 23 can be placed in a recess 24 to frame the displayed product 90 . the forward surface of the protrusion 23 can be flush with the front surface 25 of the exterior face 21 of the outer shell face 20 . the outer shell face 20 may include a perforation 26 partially or completely encircling the protrusion 23 or recess 24 , to facilitate easy removal of the displayed product 90 . the outer shell face 20 has a periphery that may include a rim 27 and a sealing wall 28 with one or more indentations 29 , adapted for mating with complementary structures on the outer shell back 60 . the indentations 29 shown in the exterior view of fig7 a correspond to bumps 30 in the interior view of fig7 b . the periphery of the outer shell face 20 terminates in a peripheral flange 31 that includes a top edge 32 , a right edge 33 , a bottom edge 34 , and a left edge 35 . as shown in fig8 a - 8c , the inner shell face 40 has an exterior face 41 and an interior face 42 . the exterior face 41 may have a recess 43 shaped and dimensioned to receive the recess 24 of the outer shell face 20 when the outer shell face 20 is nested together with the inner shell face 40 as shown in the cross - sectional view of fig4 . the inner shell face 40 includes a front surface 44 surrounding the recess 43 , and a top side wall 45 , a right side wall 46 , a bottom side wall 47 , and a left side wall 48 , all terminating in a peripheral edge 49 . as shown in fig9 a - 9e , the inner shell back 50 has an exterior face 51 and an interior face 52 , and includes a top side wall 53 , a ( lateral ) right side wall 54 , a bottom side wall 55 , and a ( lateral ) left side wall 56 , all terminating in a peripheral edge 159 . importantly , the left side wall 56 meets the exterior face 51 at a rounded corner 57 ( best shown in fig9 b , 9 c , & amp ; 9 e ). in contrast , the right side wall 54 meets the exterior face 51 at a relatively sharp corner 58 ( best shown in fig9 a , 9 d , & amp ; 9 e ). guide rails 59 pare preferably provided , for example as raised protrusions along the upper and lower ends of the inner shell back 50 . it is not required that the rounded corner and aperture appear on the left side , or that the sharp corner appear on the right side . each of these features could appear on different or multiple sides . as perhaps best shown in fig1 a - 10e , the outer shell back 60 has an exterior face 61 and an interior face 62 . the outer shell back 60 includes a central cavity 63 surrounded by a top side wall 64 , a ( lateral ) right side wall 65 , a bottom side wall 66 , and a ( lateral ) left side wall 67 . the periphery of the outer shell back 60 is formed to mate with complementary structures on the periphery of the outer shell face 20 , and includes a rim 68 , a sealing wall 69 with one or more indentations 70 , and terminates in a peripheral flange 71 extending to a peripheral edge 179 . as shown in fig1 e in a spread - apart position , the outer shell back 60 has an aperture 72 . as perhaps best shown in fig1 b , the aperture 72 can be formed as a flap 73 and a slot 74 , with the slot 74 formed as a vertical cut 75 and a hinge cut 76 . fig1 shows an alternative outer shell face 220 for the package of fig1 , where the perforations 226 are located closer to the periphery of the outer shell face 220 , providing easy - open access to the entire contents of the package . fig1 - 15 provide views of an exemplary retail phone package 110 according to a second embodiment of the invention . as perhaps best shown in the exploded view of fig1 , the second package 110 may comprise four pieces : an outer shell face 120 , an inner shell face 140 , an inner shell back 150 , and an outer shell back 160 made of thermoformed plastic . the outer shell face 120 has an exterior face 121 and an interior face 122 ( not shown ), with a protrusion 123 shaped and adapted to fit or hold a product framed in a recess 124 on the front surface 125 . the outer shell face may include a perforation 126 adjacent to the rim 127 , sealing wall 128 , and peripheral flange 131 . the sealing wall 128 includes one or more indentations 129 which form bumps 130 on the inside surface of the sealing wall 128 for mating with complementary structures on the outer shell back 160 . the outer shell face has a top edge 132 , a right edge 133 , a bottom edge 134 , and a left edge 135 . the inner shell face 140 has an exterior face 141 and an interior face 142 ( not shown ), with a recess 143 shaped and positioned to receive the recess 124 in the outer shell face 120 . the inner shell face 140 includes a front surface 144 , a top side wall 145 , a right side wall 146 , a bottom side wall 147 , and a left side wall 148 , all terminating in a peripheral edge 149 . the inner shell back 150 has an exterior face 151 , and an interior face 152 , with a top side wall 153 , a right side wall 154 , a bottom side wall 155 , and a left side wall 156 , all terminating in a peripheral edge 259 and peripheral flange 171 . the inner shell back 150 may also include a book receptacle 157 , for example to hold a book or other media , and an identification area 158 for placement of product identifiers 198 or other information about the product , such as serial numbers , radio frequency identification tags , bar codes , or a upc on either the interior face 152 or exterior face 151 . the inner shell back 150 may include indentations 170 that extend into a deep mating channel 173 . the inner shell back 150 may also include a notch 172 , as perhaps best shown in fig1 . the outer shell back 160 has an exterior face 161 , and an interior face 162 , with a ridge 163 configured and positioned to mate with the notch 172 of the inner shell back 150 . the outer shell back 160 includes a top side wall 164 , a right side wall 165 , a bottom side wall 166 , and a left side wall 167 , each terminating in a rim 168 , sealing wall 169 , peripheral flange 271 , and peripheral edge 279 . as shown in fig1 , the outer shell back 160 can be positioned for mating with the partially assembled package 196 comprising the outer shell face 120 , inner shell face 140 , and inner shell back 150 ( with package contents , if any ), to form the finished package 110 ( minus the outer sleeve 195 ). fig1 shows the finished package 110 comprising the components of fig1 , with the outer sleeve 195 in place . the outer sleeve 195 may include a upc or identifier window 199 . similar to the first package 10 , the second package 110 may have a hanger loop 111 for retail display , and may be sealed to protect its contents along an at least partially sealed periphery 112 with a flange 113 . the second package 110 has a front or frontispiece 114 , a rear , back , or posterior 115 , a top 116 , a right side 117 , a bottom 118 , and a left side 119 . as perhaps best shown in the cross - section of fig1 , the second package 110 may also include three compartments : a front compartment 180 between the outer shell face 120 and the inner shell face 140 , a central compartment 182 between the inner shell face 140 and the inner shell back 50 , and a rear compartment 184 between the inner shell back 150 and the outer shell back 160 . the package 110 may contain a product 190 in the front compartment 180 , accessories 192 in the central compartment 182 , and documentation or other rear compartment contents 194 in the rear compartment 184 . in the package 110 , both the outer shell face 120 and the outer shell back 160 have perforations 126 for easy - open . as perhaps best shown in fig1 , the second package 110 may include ears 191 , for example on the upper and lower ends of the right and left side edges , extending through slots 193 in the outer sleeve 195 , to help keep the sleeve 195 in place . while the exemplary packages 10 and 110 each comprise four separate pieces ( outer shell face , inner shell face , inner shell back , outer shell back ), this is not required and a different number of separate pieces could be used . for example , the outer shell face and outer shell back could be joined by a hinge into a unitary โ clamshell โ. the inner shell face and inner shell back , or some other combination of pieces , could similarly be joined . while the exemplary package 10 includes three compartments ( front compartment 80 , central compartment 82 , rear compartment 84 ), this is not required and a greater or fewer number of compartments could be used . for example , a compartment could be divided to form a different number of compartments for particular applications . the package as a whole or the individual compartments could be different sizes and / or shapes . instead of four separate pieces to form a package with three separate compartments , three separate pieces could be used to form a package with two separate compartments or greater number of pieces could be used to form a package with more compartments . the components of the packages 10 and 110 are preferably made using thermoforming methods , from a suitable thermoformable material , such as a thermoformable plastic such as oriented polystyrene ( ops ), talc - filled polypropylene ( tfpp ), polypropylene ( pp ), high impact polystyrene ( hips ), polyethylene terepthalate ( pet ), amorphous pet ( apet ), crystalline polyethylene ( cpet ) polystyrene copolymer blends , styrene block copolymer blends , and the like . the material is not necessarily homogeneous , but may be , for example , a laminate , co - extruded material , or multilayer material . in an appropriate case , one or more of these components could also be made of different formable , molded , or folded materials , for example metal , foil , or a cardboard or paper sheet material that is or could be recycled instead of , or in combination with , thermoformable plastic . the component pieces forming the package 10 may be made of different materials . for example , the outer shell face 20 and outer shell back 60 may be made of transparent material to allow viewing of the contents of the front compartment 80 and the rear compartment 84 . the inner shell face 40 and inner shell back 50 may be made of opaque material to obscure the contents of the central compartment 82 . while the packages 10 and 110 have been described in context of consumer electronic sales , this is not required and the packages could be used for other purposes . for example , a package according to the invention could be used for food products , with the front and / or central compartments holding non - perishable or perishable food items , and the rear compartment holding a different food or other meal - related materials . the rear compartment could also hold a removable hot or cold pack , either passive or chemically activated . it is understood that the invention is not confined to the embodiments set forth herein as illustrative , but embraces all such forms thereof that come within the scope of the following claims . | 1 |
the method of this invention involves contacting the boron halide impurity present in a chlorosilane solution with a molar excess of an organosiloxane , bringing about a reaction between the impurity and the siloxane to yield compounds of greater stability than the chlorosilane , and then removing the chlorosilane , leaving the siloxane - bound impurities behind to be analyzed . this method is very effective for assaying boron contaminates , especially from solutions of trichlorosilane . the boron concentration in a solution of trichlorosilane can be accurately measured by the method of the present invention at levels of 0 - 5 parts per billion . the siloxane compounds suitable for the purposes herein are any organosiloxanes which will react with the boron impurity present in the chlorosilane solution to form impurity - siloxane compounds ( e . g ., borosiloxane ) allowing removal of the silane and further analysis of the complexed boron . these siloxanes include alkyl , aryl , halogenated alkyl , halogenated aryl or hydrogen substituted alkyl or aryl cyclotrisiloxanes and cyclotetrasiloxanes such as hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane , octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane , polydimethylsiloxane fluids , dimethylmethyl hydrogen siloxane copolymers and other cyclic siloxane monomers . cyclotrisiloxanes , alkyl cyclotrisiloxanes , halogenated alkyl cyclotrisiloxanes are preferred ; hexamethyl cyclotrisiloxane is most preferred . the siloxanes are added to the chlorosilane sample to be analyzed in an amount which will ensure reaction of the siloxanes with the boron impurities . best results are obtained if this amount is a large molar excess to ensure that all of the impurity present in the sample is effectively bound by the siloxane . the amount of siloxane required of course will vary based on the purity of the sample , but for relatively pure samples ( boron content & lt ; 5 ppb ), 1 part siloxane per 100 of chlorosilane in the sample has produced good experimental results . however , any amount which effectively binds substantially all of the boron impurity present is contemplated . also to ensure complete binding of all the boron present , the sample is first treated with chlorine to convert any boranes present , such as b 2 h 6 , to the less volatile halide form , bcl 3 . after the siloxane is mixed with the sample , the chlorosilane can be drawn off so as not to affect subsequent analysis of the siloxane - complexed boron . this is best accomplished by evaporation in an inert , anhydrous environment , such as under dry , purified nitrogen . because chlorosilanes such as trichlorosilane and silicon tetrachloride are fuming liquids at room temperature and decompose on contact with water , the dry , inert purge prevents side reactions which could affect the analytical results . the siloxane residue remaining after elimination of the chlorosilane contains substantially all the boron which was originally present in the sample . the residue may be developed at this point for quantitative spectrophotometric analysis . for the purposes of this invention , &# 34 ; spectrophotometric analysis &# 34 ; refers to any means of detecting the presence or quantity in a sample of a particular chemical system by observing the chemical system &# 39 ; s characteristic absorptivity for radiant energy , including visible light , infra - red radiation , ultraviolet radiation , etc . &# 34 ; colorimetric analysis &# 34 ; refers to spectrophotometric analyses which involve the observation of a system &# 39 ; s absorption for radiation in the visible spectrum ( 400 - 750 nm ). samples prepared according to the present invention are suitably analyzed by a variety of spectrophotometric techniques , including but not limited to fourier transformation infra - red analysis , spark source mass spectrophotometry , and colorimetric spectrophotometry . in the latter method , which is preferred herein , the siloxane residue may be developed with a colorimetric reagent and the boron then quantitatively assayed by spectrophotometer . any reagent which forms a colored complex with boron suitable for spectrophotometric analysis , and is not inhibited by the presence of the siloxane , may be employed in the present invention . good results have been observed using the quinalizarin - concentrated sulfuric acid reagent in the aforementioned haas et al . article . it is prepared by dissolving 1 part by weight quinalizarin in 368 parts concentrated sulfuric acid ( sp . gr . 1 . 84 ). this reagent is stable for approximately 3 days , and unnecessary exposure to light and air should be avoided . in preparing a siloxane residue for boron assay , the entire residue is dissolved in a measured quantity of the quinalizarin - sulfuric acid reagent . in the presence of boron , the colored complex will develop and spectrophotometric analysis at 630 nm , using water as a reference , will indicate boron level when compared against a calibration plot . the calibration curve , prepared by analyzing reference solutions of bcl 3 added gravimetrically to hyperpure chlorosilane , has been found to be linear from about 0 up to 5 parts per billion by weight , making the analytical method of this invention especially accurate for extremely pure samples of chlorosilane . in order that those skilled in the art may better understand how to practice the present invention , the following examples are offered by way of illustration and not by way of limitation . to generate a calibration curve , reference solutions of boron trichloride in hyperpure trichlorosilane ( tcs ) are prepared at concentrations of 0 . 1 ppbw to 3 . 0 ppbw in increments of 0 . 2 ppbw . 100 . 0 grams tcs reference samples are each added to a reaction vessel and 1 . 0 gram of hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane mixed in . dry purified nitrogen is passed over the solution surface to slowly purge the vessel of tcs , leaving a solid siloxane residue . 10 . 0 ml . of freshly prepared quinalizarin - sulfuric acid reagent ( 1 pbw quinalizarin per 368 pbw concentrated sulfuric acid ) are added to the vessel , generating a colored solution which is spectrophotometrically analyzed at 630 nm in a 1 cm cell referenced with water . the absorbance of each reference solution at 630 nm is plotted to produce a calibration curve . a sample of tcs is analyzed for the presence of boron by adding 100 . 0 grams of the tcs to a vessel , bubbling chlorine gas through the sample for approximately 2 min ., adding 1 . 0 gram hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane to the solution , and purging the volatile tcs slowly with dry purified nitrogen . the residue is dissolved in 10 . 0 ml . of the quinalizarin - sulfuric acid reagent , and the resulting colored solution analyzed as above at 630 nm . comparison of the absorbance observed for the sample with the calibration plot is an indication of the level of boron present in the sample . obviously , modifications and variations in the present invention are possible in light of the foregoing disclosure . it is understood , however , that any incidental changes made in the particular embodiments of the invention as disclosed are within the full intended scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . | 6 |
the present invention as described here embodies a topple resistant modular and mobile signage assembly . the signage assembly can be for outside and inside use . the signage assembly as presented here is for an outside application . this signage assembly as presented on fig1 exhibits an electrically illuminated display module 25 . sign module 25 is coupled to base module 19 , by means of column attachment 23 . the brick fascia panels 20 , along with the painted top panel section 21 a , 21 b , 21 c create an illusion of permanence . fig2 a represents the top view of the structural frame to the base module assembly , fig2 b represents an elevation view of the structural frame to the base module . as indicated in fig2 a / 2 b there is a boxed sub - assembly consisting of eight posts 26 the perimeter of the box is connected together by means of standard structural shapes . post members 26 are connected at the top portion by angle shaped side and end members 28 . post members 26 are connected at the mid portion by channel or rectangular box section shaped member 29 . post members 26 are connected at the bottom portion by a smaller section of angle or flat stock shaped member 27 . all of the before mentioned post 26 and shaped members 27 , 28 , 29 can be of a metal construction . the internal structural sub - assembly of the base module as indicated fig2 a , has a top cross bracing 32 which is of a standard structural shape such as an angle , channel or box section so as to accommodate the required strength , this cross bracing 32 is connected to perimeter angle shaped member 28 and 33 . also , cross brace 41 is located between central pairs of posts 26 , 26 . component 33 is of standard structural shape such as an angle , channel or box section that in turn connected to the end perimeter angle shaped members 28 . all structural components are of a metal construction . all structural joint connections will be provided by threaded bolt and nut fasteners and when appropriate joint connections will be of a welded connection . a plurality of height adjustment and leveling devices 36 , 39 as shown on drawing ( s ) fig2 a / 2 b , fig5 are attached to horizontal structural members 29 . the height adjustment devices are normal to and are in bearing contact with an earthen surface 40 . fig5 illustrates a claw - leveling device attachment 39 attached to a height adjustment device 36 . height adjustment device 36 , has a cylinder shaped arrangement and is connected to 29 by means of u - bolt fastener sub - assembly 36 a . there are a total of four , height adjustment and leveling devices , as indicated in fig2 a / 2 b . height adjustment device 36 is a commercially procured screw jack that is actuated by a handle 35 . the turning of handle 35 induces the threaded mechanism internal to 36 to push or pull a separately male threaded shaft extension located at the end opposite to the handled end . this push and or pulling action provides the means to raise and lower the attached frame . this male threaded extension , is attached to a female threaded receptacle of a swivel joint 38 . swivel joint 38 is a commercially procured device and has two female threaded receptacles one of which as previously indicated is connected to 36 , the other receptacle is attached to a male threaded connection of a claw leveling foot 39 . claw leveling foot 39 is of a cast metal fabrication and has formed spikes integral to the casting . this spike arrangement can be pushed into the ground 40 by the transfer of load from the signage assembly and into the claw - leveling device . the function of claw foot 39 as indicated , is to become embedded into the surface of earthen ground 40 . the spiked configuration once embedded will resist lateral movement , thereby reinforcing the position of the signage assembly against destabilizing forces such as wind . this mechanism adds to the resistance to topple in that rotation is resisted . this swivel joint connection 38 is able to cause the claw foot 39 to conform to different angles of contact with the ground 40 . the earthen contact surface 40 to the bearing contact surface of 39 will be of sufficient area so as to properly transfer its proportioned load . this contact area will be sized according to the soil bearing requirements of the particular location so as to distribute the load properly to the soil - bearing plane . the raising and lowering mechanism 36 coupled with the conformity characteristics of the swivel joint 38 and claw foot 39 , create a stable terrain adhering , yet adaptable positioning capability for the signage assembly fig2 b along with fig4 indicates the location of the claw leveling assemblies and the wheel assemblies 30 , 31 , 35 , 37 . there will be at least three wheel sub - assemblies provided internal to a base module 19 . the wheel sub - assemblies will provide the mobility of the over all module signage assembly . the arrangement as shown on fig2 b and fig4 indicates a preferred arrangement but does not represent the only arrangement available . in that a total of three wheels are shown , more wheels may be required to provide better load distribution and transfer for soil bearing requirements . two wheel sub - assemblies 30 , 31 are indicated in fig4 . a leaf spring axle sub - assembly 30 and a wheel 31 are attached to a structural shaped member 29 . leaf spring axle sub - assembly 30 and a wheel 31 are commercially procured . this attachment of leaf spring axle sub - assembly 30 onto a structural shaped member 29 , may be of a welded or bolted construction . leaf spring sub - assembly 30 is of a metal construction and wheel 31 is of a rubber construction , which may or may not be inflatable . the wheel assembly 37 , 31 is a wheeled assembly that offers adjustability of height of the base module with respect to the wheel contacted ground 31 / 40 . this provides a flexibility in the control of the height frame at one end relative to the surface of the ground . this would be used to compensate for any interference of pitch that might arise from loading or unloading the assembly onto a ramp . this wheel height adjustable assembly 37 is similar to construction and function to the height adjustment device 36 . assembly 37 is a commercially procured device that is attached to a structural shaped member 34 of the module base assembly . wheel assembly 37 is positioned through structural shaped member 34 and is permanently fixed by means of a locking collar 37 a onto both sides of structural shaped member 34 as indicated on fig2 b . wheel assembly 37 is positioned through structural shaped member 34 and is permanently fixed by means of a locking collar 37 a . the outside body of assembly 37 is cylindrical in shape and can have a machined groove connection so as to accommodate a seated connection for locking collar 37 a . locking collar 37 a would be of a split collar configuration that would be connected into position within the machined grove seat . locking collar 37 a could have a sufficient inside diameter so as to allow the body of the mechanism to slide through for proper positioning and welding . this height adjustable wheel assembly 37 would be of similar mechanism of the claw leveling mechanism 36 , in that it would be adjustable by turning handle 35 . structural shaped member 34 is of a square box tubular configuration . the ends are supported at a connection to structural shape 29 . structural shaped member 34 is also supported at the center of the span by structural shape 41 . this reinforces the support for the load transfer requirements of the height adjustable wheel assembly 37 and load bearing requirement as transferred from 23 , as indicated in fig1 and fig1 . fig6 is a section elevation indicating the removable panel sections 21 a , 21 b , 21 c , and 42 while sections 21 d , 21 e , 21 f are seen in fig3 . fascia support panel 42 is located onto the proper position with base module post 26 by means of a keyed connection as indicated on fig9 . fig9 is representative of a section taken on fig6 . in addition to the connection of the fascia support panel 42 is the connection of the fascia 20 onto the fascia support panel 42 . this is accomplished by a riveted connection 49 . the fascia 20 could be of a fiberglass construction or other comparable material . the fascia support panel 42 is of a metal construction or other comparable material . fig6 indicates that panel 42 can be positioned so as to permit pivoting top panel 21 a , b , c to be swung in on top of the panel 42 . in the possibility that people would sit on top of 21 a , b , c a positioning and support reinforcement is provided by a complementary arrangement of metal formed seats 45 . the metal formed seats 45 would be of a mating triangular seat conformation as shown . there may be any number of shapes other than the triangular seated conformation . the metal formed seats 45 may be of any complimenting arrangement so as to provide positive placement and added support to the mating panel components 21 a , b , c . fig7 is the solar powered pivoting top panel . fig3 represents the contrast in appearance of the solar powered base module &# 39 ; s top pivot panels 21 d , e , f . it should also be noted that the brick fascia could be provided with both solar powered and non - solar powered signage assemblies . this would reinforce the visual effect of permanence . fig7 indicates the same method of capture of the fascia support panel 42 in that both sets of pivot panels 21 a , b , c and 21 d , e , f have the capacity to be locked in place . there are two metal locking tabs 44 that are located in parallel at the indicated location with panel 42 . here as indicated , pivot panels 21 a , b , c , d , e , f are inserted into position in compliment to pivot bar 53 and panel 42 . the pivot panel 21 a , b , c , d , e , f can thereby be swung in over fascia support panel 42 having the respective metal formed seats 45 connect . a single metal tab 43 is located onto pivot panel 21 a , b , c , d , e , f so as to knife into place between the two locking tabs located on fascia support panel 42 . once this knifed meshing of tab 43 into tab position with 44 is established , a padlock 50 can be assigned to the junction . a set of drill through holes will be machined onto the respective metal tabs to accommodate the bar stock diameter of padlock 50 . the capture mechanism as just described will hold both panels 21 and 42 in place once padlock 50 is locked . fig7 is a working elevation view of the pivot panel for the solar powered unit . a solar panel 47 is held into position by support structural shape 54 . support shape 54 is connected to support seats 45 by means of a welded connection . the solar paneled base module a presented with fig3 contains a top layer of electrical power generating solar cell panels . the arrangement in fig7 provides an ease of changing solar cells in that the cell plates can be slide in and out of the capture as created by structural shape 54 . fig7 also indicates two insulated wire conductor connections 47 a , 47 b . this representation of the battery 51 is only applicable to the solar powered unit as designated with fig3 . as indicated with fig8 a socket connection is made for wiring coming in 47 a , 47 b from the solar cell by means of 47 c and 51 c . two insulated wire conductors 51 a , 51 b lead to a power storage battery 51 as indicated on fig6 ,. in addinion there is a provision for two insulated wire conductors 51 d , 51 e leaving the battery . this wiring is connected to a socket 51 f , which is in turn connected to socket connection 57 c . this establishes power supply to the display junction box 57 by means of two insulated wire conductors 57 a , 57 b . fig8 is thereby representative of the wiring harness arrangement for the wired powered conductors 47 a , 47 b , 51 a , 51 b , 51 e , 51 f , 57 a , 57 b . the socket connectors 47 c / 51 c , 51 f / 57 c are of a watertight construction . the socket connectors are commercially procured and maybe of a male / female configuration and would have a plastic weatherproof , housing construction . the insulated wire conductors are constructed of a copper wire gage suitable for service requirements of the designed load demand . the copper wire of the wire conductors are to be encased in a protective dielectric material suitable to provide the protection that would be required as per design requirements . fig6 also indicates the relative location of the power storage battery as seated in a framed arrangement 52 . 52 , a structural shape of an aluminum construction or comparable material . the framed arrangement 52 is positioned internal to the base module unit and is assigned to structural shape 29 . this connection may be or a welded construction of a threaded fastener group . this battery containment as indicated 51 / 52 can be easily accessed . access is accomplished by removing the required 21 d , e , f / 42 panels and by removing the support access plates 22 a , b , c . the access plates 22 a , b , c are shown in support of the pivot panel 21 a , b , c , d , e , f reference fig6 and are shown in plan view on fig1 . the interchangeability of panels as indicated here adds to the modularity of the design . in that not only can base units be changed while keeping the same display module unit , the panel sections can be changed without moving any of the module sub - assemblies . fig1 also indicates access slots 22 d located on the access panels 22 a and 22 c . these slots provide access to adjustment handle 35 that provide the change in elevation of the module signage assembly as dictated by the requirements of the installed location . the access panels 22 a , 22 b , 22 c as shown in section elevation fig6 can be of a wooden construction and coated with a water repellent varnish . the access panels could also be of a plastic construction . fig6 also indicates the fascia 20 connected to the fascia support panel 42 . indicated is a fascia build out support component 20 a . the fascia support panel 42 is of a aluminum construction or comparable material . as indicated earlier the fascia 20 along with the fascia support component 20 a could be of a fiberglass material or plastic . the fascia support component is a formed rigid component that is configured to attach to and support the fascia panel 20 , as indicated . fig6 indicates a build out fabrication of the fascia panel near the surface of the ground . this build out is used to create an added visual texture such as the vertical soldiering of bricks to the above display of brick rows . the build out may or may not be used . with either case there will be a termination of the fascia 20 or fascia support member 20 a into a bent section 42 a near to the surface of the ground . the fascia support member 20 a can be connected to the fascia 20 by means of a riveted connection . fig1 indicates the connection of the display unit module 25 to the base unit module 19 by means of a connection of display module columns 23 to structural shape tube member 34 . the fastening and removal capability is provided by the fabricated seating arrangement as indicated on fig1 . a base plate 23 a is connected to the column by means of a welded construction . the base plate 23 a will have through holes . the structural shape tube member 34 will have weldment assembly 34 a that will be comprised of a set of two structural angle positioned to grip and track onto the structural shape tube member 34 while providing a bearing plate to receive the column base plate 23 a . the bearing plate along with the connecting angle legs will have through holes to complement to the base plate 23 a . a fastener group 23 b will thereby join the display module columns with the base module unit , to where the display unit can slide into the final position . the sliding function will be provided by the connected weldment 34 a . once final position has been attained weldinent 34 a will be welded onto structural tube 34 , thereby locking the display module unit to the base module unit 19 . fig1 also indicates the use of fluorescent lighting tubes 58 that are connected to the internal body of the display unit module 25 . as indicated before the display unit module is of a translucent plastic construction . the lighting tubes provide light that projects outward to highlight a message outline as scribed on the exterior of the display unit module 25 . the lighting tubes can also provide the luminescence to illuminate color filtered messages as connected to the display unit module 25 . as seen in fig1 , a plurality of precut and positioned characters 61 are appropriately mounted on the display module to provide whatever message is desired by the user . commercially procured track and fixtures position the lighting tubes 58 . the power supply can be introduced into the display unit module 25 either by an outside power source or by the solar power supply as previously described . in either case power will be brought in at socket connection 57 c . socket connection 57 c would be commercially procured and maybe of a male / female configuration and would have a , plastic weatherproof housing construction . socket connection 57 c is connected to insulated wire conductors 57 a , 57 b . insulated wire conductors 57 a , 57 b are thereby fed into a breaker junction box 57 . breaker junction box 57 and all related wiring is obscured from view by display module skirt 24 . the display unit module 25 is captured in a position with its center of gravity in close proximity to the center of gravity of the base unit module 19 . this fact in conjunction with the wide area displacement of the base module creates an inherent geometry . the inherent geometry of the signage assembly 19 / 25 along with the load distributing characteristics of the base module unit 19 provide resistance to toppling greater than other mobile sign currently available . the inter - changeable capability of the display unit module 25 and the base unit module 19 give the signage system an adaptability not found with any other permanent signage systems . illustrating the โ solar option โ a display module in connection with the solar panel , arrayed base module is shown on fig3 which may be utilized for power for the lighted display this โ solar option โ would be exercised as a means to conserve commercially procured power or to supply power to locations where power supply is not readily available . | 6 |
the present invention provides heat exchangers having plastic coils constructed from materials which permit the construction of complex geometries wherein the preferred geometry of the coil would be difficult to produce from existing metal tube and fin constructions . it further provides for specific coils and methods of manufacture of these coils which take advantage of the properties of these materials . in a preferred embodiment air - flow is through the sidewalls of the coil rather than through the faces . one advantage of this geometry is that there is no longer any wasted space in the center , as the fan is now in the center . according to the present invention , instead of winding tube layers concentrically , they are wound helically , like a spring or spiral staircase , starting on a flat plate or ring . the tubes are wound in a loop and when they reach the starting point , they are elevated to the next layer , to begin another revolution , and so on , building a higher and higher stack of tubing . a commercial winding operation could involve building a stack on a rotating disk . spacers are inserted between each layer at several locations around the circumference ( generally at 4 to 12 locations ) and provide the necessary spacing between tube layers . this design offers the further advantage that multiple circuits can be added more easily than with the concentric method of winding . additional circuits can be added , one circuit at a time , to make the stack as high as needed . this method is expected to make it easier to wind multiple parallel circuits , thus facilitating the development of larger prototypes and scale - up to commercial manufacturing operations . the combination of having the fan inside the coil , the use of stackable spacers to hold the tubes in place , and the use of this configuration , in which the coil is wound in a helical fashion , can provide polymeric tubing exchangers which are compact , efficient and relatively easy to construct . another potential feature is that the shape does not need to be circular , but can be , for instance , in a figure eight or racetrack shape or in other desired shapes . it appears that the new method offers much greater flexibility in design . a feature of some of the configurations of the invention may be that the tubes near the outer perimeter are longer than the inner tubes . this will mean the flow of refrigerant will be higher in the inner tubes than in the outer tubes in order to equalize the pressure drop . it is possible to equalize the tubing length by flipping over the tube array after half of the turns are completed , so that inside tubes then become outside tubes . although this difference in tube length could sometimes be a disadvantage , it may also be an advantage in some applications when understood . for example , if warm air is flowing through an evaporator coil from inside to outside , then it will have the greatest temperature difference when it hits the inside tubes , so the inner tubes may be able to make good use of the higher refrigerant flow , thereby improving overall performance . in order to make functional refrigerant - to - air heat exchangers , some means of joining the plastic tubes and connecting them to the copper piping is desirable . this can achieved by sealing the ganged tubes into a copper pipe using a suitable epoxy resin available from loctite or ciba - geigy , such as loctite e90fl toughened epoxy resin , a two part product with an amine hardener ; the copper pipe can then be joined to the expansion or compression device by conventional metal joining processes . any number of tubes may be brought together in this manner , depending on the dimensions of the tubes and the number of tubes required to effect heat transfer with minimal pressure drop . the outer ( surface ) layer of the tubing may be the same as the bulk of the tube , preferably a polyamide , or may be a polyamide modified to improve bonding , coextruded on to the main structural layer of polyamide . additional layers of thermoplastic can be incorporated into the tubing such as by coextrusion , including a layer of thermotropic liquid crystal polymer ( lcp ) to enhance the barrier of the structure . barrier layers could also be formed in other ways from other materials . the tubing structure may also contain layers of other materials , including inorganics , which may include coatings applied by various methods , to improve barrier properties . the tubes can be of any diameter and wall thickness , consistent with the need to separate inner and outer heat transfer fluids and to transfer heat . typical wall thicknesses are 0 . 005 - 0 . 015 in . ( 0 . 13 - 0 . 38 mm ). in general , a minimum inner diameter of 0 . 030 - 0 . 060 โณ ( 0 . 76 - 1 . 5 mm ) is desirable to avoid pluggage in use . the outer diameter is determined by the internal pressure needs of the tube , generally up to a maximum of 0 . 150 - 0 . 250 in . ( 3 . 8 - 6 . 4 mm ). for practical sizes and configurations of refrigerant heat exchangers , it is desirable to use tubes which are quite flexible and able to bend to a defined small radius without fracture or delamination , yet which also provide good barrier properties to keep in contained refrigerant and to keep out air and moisture . also , tubes which can be melt - bonded to the spacers after forming the heat exchangers can be desirable . the spacers can be made of a variety of materials , including nylon 6 or 66 , or of the same or similar materials as the tubes . other optional ingredients may be selected from flame retardants , anti - blocking agents , slip additives , pigments or dyes , processing aids , plasticizers and ultra - violet blocking agents . these may be used in suitable quantities as are well known to those skilled in the art . liquid crystal polymers are preferably used in forming layers in the tubes , including as one of the materials an isotropic thermoplastic ( itp ). it has been found that a layer of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer ( lcp ) used in the heat exchange surface material ( hesm ) often alleviates or eliminates a variety of potential problems . by an lcp is meant a polymer that is anisotropic when tested in the tot test described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 118 , 372 . an hesm is a material which is used as part of a heat exchanger or a component thereof , and which is the material through which the major portion of the heat that is exchanged between the two fluids ( gas or liquid ) is meant to flow . it also performs the function of keeping apart the two fluids between which heat is being exchanged . isotropic herein means that the polymer is isotropic when tested by the tot test described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 118 , 372 , which is hereby included by reference . any itp may be used so long as it meets certain requirements . it must of course withstand the temperatures to which the hesm is exposed , and should throughout that temperature range provide sufficient strength ( together with the lcp ) to the hesm to reasonably maintain its shape and contain the fluids in the heat exchanger , as needed . if it is exposed to one or more of the fluids in the heat exchanger ( or any other adventitious materials that may contact it ) it should be preferably reasonably chemically stable to those fluids so as to maintain its integrity . although various types of heat exchangers made simply of itps have been described , itps sometimes have serious drawbacks when the are the only materials in hesms . sometimes an itp may not be chemically stable to one or more of the fluids in the heat exchanger , for instance , many polyesters hydrolyze or otherwise degrade in the presence of water , water - alcohol , or water - glycol mixtures , especially at higher than ambient temperatures . many itps are relatively permeable to many liquids and / or gases , and therefore allow losses and / or migration of these materials in or from the heat exchanger . some itps may be swollen by one or more of the fluids used in the heat exchanger thereby changing their dimensions and / or physical properties . all of the above are of course problems in plastic heat exchangers . if the lcp layer is placed between a fluid and any particular itp in the hesm it usually protects that itp from chemical degradation by the fluid , and / or also often protects the itp from being swollen by that fluid . in addition , even if the itp is swollen , the lcp because of its high relative stiffness , and the fact that it is not swollen by many fluids , help the overall hesm maintain its shape and dimensions . also , the lcp acts as an excellent barrier layer to many fluids . for instance , in automotive heat exchangers which help cool the engine , the commonly used internal coolant is a mixture of a glycol and water , and the external coolant is air . with many itps diffusion of water and / or glycol is so rapid that frequent replenishment of the water / glycol mixture is needed . if an lcp layer is included , the diffusion is greatly decreased . in order to obtain rapid heat transfer through the hesm , thickness through the material between the heat transfer fluids should be a small as possible . this would be true with any material used for an hesm , but is especially important with plastics since their heat transfer coefficients are usually relatively low when compared to metals . since the lcp is usually the more expensive of the polymers present in the hesm , it is economically preferable to limit its use . therefore , in most constructions it is preferred that the lcp is present in relatively thin layer ( s ) and that layer ( s ) of the itp be relatively thick so as to carry much of the structural load of the hesm ( i . e ., pressure of the fluid ( s ), maintain structural shape and dimensions , etc .). the hesm is made up of one or more lcp layers and one or more layers of itp . if more than one layer of lcp or itp is present , more than one type of lcp or itp , respectively , can be used . in addition other layers may be present . for example , so called tie layers , also called adhesive layers , may be used to increase the adhesion between various lcp and itp layers , or between itp layers or between lcp layers . the number and placement of the various layers in the hesm will vary depending on the particular polymers chosen , the fluids used in or by the heat exchanger , temperature requirements , environmental needs , etc . most commonly , tie layers and lcp layers will be relatively thin compared to the itp layer ( s ). typical constructions are given below , wherein fluids 1 and 2 represent the fluids involved in the heat transfer : in all of the above constructions , tie layers may be present between all , some or none of the various polymer layers . some of the above constructions may be particularly useful in certain situations . if fluid 1 but not fluid 2 chemically attacked the itp , construction ( a ) may be particularly useful , but ( c ) and ( f ) may also be utilized . if both fluids 1 and 2 attacked the itp present construction ( c ) or ( f ) may be particularly useful . if one wanted to minimize diffusion of one fluid to another , a construction having two lcp layers , such as ( c ), ( d ) or ( f ) could be chosen . if a special surface is required to reduce abrasive damage on the fluid 1 side , but great stiffness is also required from the itp , a construction such as ( e ) could be chosen wherein itp - 1 and itp - 2 have the requisite properties . these and other combinations of layers having the correct properties for various applications will be obvious to the artisan . useful lcps include those described in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 991 , 013 , 3 , 991 , 014 4 , 011 , 199 , 4 , 048 , 148 , 4 , 075 , 262 , 4 , 083 , 829 , 4 , 118 , 372 , 4 , 122 , 070 , 4 , 130 , 545 , 4 , 153 , 779 , 4 , 159 , 365 , 4 , 161 , 470 , 4 , 169 , 933 , 4 , 184 , 996 , 4 , 189 , 549 , 4 , 219 , 461 , 4 , 232 , 143 , 4 , 232 , 144 , 4 , 245 , 082 , 4 , 256 , 624 , 4 , 269 , 965 , 4 , 272 , 625 , 4 , 370 , 466 , 4 , 383 , 105 , 4 , 447 , 592 , 4 , 522 , 974 , 4 , 617 , 369 , 4 , 664 , 972 , 4 , 684 , 712 , 4 , 727 , 129 , 4 , 727 , 131 , 4 , 728 , 714 , 4 , 749 , 769 , 4 , 762 , 907 , 4 , 778 , 927 , 4 , 816 , 555 , 4 , 849 , 499 , 4 , 851 , 496 , 4 , 851 , 497 , 4 , 857 , 626 , 4 , 864 , 013 , 4 , 868 , 278 , 4 , 882 , 410 , 4 , 923 , 947 , 4 , 999 , 416 , 5 , 015 , 721 , 5 , 015 , 722 , 5 , 025 , 082 , 5 , 086 , 158 , 5 , 102 , 935 , 5 , 110 , 896 , and 5 , 143 , 956 , and european patent application 356 , 226 . useful thermotropic lcps include polyesters , poly ( ester - amides ), poly ( ester - imides ), and polyazomethines . especially useful are lcps that are polyesters or poly ( ester - amides ). it is also preferred in these polyesters or poly ( ester - amides ) that at least about 50 percent , more preferably at least about 75 percent , of the bonds to ester or amide groups , i . e ., the free bonds of โ c ( o ) o โ and โ c ( o ) nr 1 โ wherein r 1 is hydrogen or hydrocarbyl , be to carbon atoms which are part of aromatic rings . included within the definition herein of an lcp is a blend of 2 or more lcps or a blend of an lcp with one or more itps wherein the lcp is the continuous phase . useful itps are those that have the requisite properties as described above , and include : polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene ; polyesters such as poly ( ethylene terephthalate , poly ( butylene terephthalate ), poly ( ethylene 2 , 6 - napthalate ), and a polyester from 2 , 2 - bis ( 4 - hydroxyphenyl ) propane and a combination of isophthalic and terephthalic acids ; styrenics such as polystyrene and copolymers of styrene with ( meth ) acrylic esters ; acrylonitrile - butadiene - styrene thermoplastics ; ( meth ) acrylic polymers including homo - and copolymers of the parent acids , and / or their esters and / or amides ; polyacetals such as polymethylene oxide ; fully and partially fluoropolymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene , polychlorotrifluoroethylene , poly ( tetrafluoroethylene / hexafluoropropylene ) copolymers , poly [ tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoro ( propyl vinyl ether )] copolymers , poly ( vinyl fluoride ), poly ( vinylidene fluoride ), and poly ( vinyl fluoride / ethylene ) copolymers ; ionomers such as an ionomer of an ethylene - acrylic acid copolymer ; polycarbonates ; poly ( amide - imides ); poly ( ester - carbonates ); poly ( imide - ethers ); polymethylpentene ; linear polyolefins such as polypropylene ; poly ( etherketoneketone ); polyimides ; poly ( phenylene sulfide ); polymers of cyclic olefins ; poly ( vinylidene chloride ); polysulfones ; poly ( ether - sulfones ); and polyamides such as nylon - 6 , 6 nylon - 6 , nylon - 6 , 12 , nylon - 6 , 12 , nylon 4 , 6 , and the polyamides from terephthalic acid and / or isophthalic acid and 1 , 6 - hexanediamine and / or 2 - methyl - 1 , 5 - pentanediamine . polyamides are preferred itps and preferred amides are nylon - 6 , 6 , nylon - 6 , and a copolymer of terephthalic acid with 1 , 6 - hexandiamine and 2 - methyl - 1 , 5 - pentanediamine wherein 1 , 6 - hexanediamine is about 30 to about 70 mole percent of the total diamine used to prepare the polymer . especially preferred polyamides are nylon - 6 , 6 , nylon - 6 and a copolymer of terephthalic acid with 1 , 6 - hexandiamine and 2 - methyl - 1 , 5 - pentanediamine wherein 1 , 6 - hexanediamine is about 50 mole percent of the total diamine used to prepare the polymer . included within the definition of itp herein are blends of 2 or more itps or blends of one or more itps with an lcp provided that the itp ( s ) is the continuous phase . one or more of the lcps and itps may be toughened . toughening is known in the art , and may be accomplished by adding one or more or a rubber , functionalized rubber , resin which reacts with the lcp or itp such as an epoxy resin , or other materials . toughened polyamides are preferred . the polymers may contain other materials conventionally found in polymers , such as fillers , reinforcing agents , antioxidants , antiozonants , dyes , pigments , etc . an especially useful material is a filler with high heat conductivity , which may increase the efficiency of the heat exchanger . between the layers of tubing made by coextrrusion , tie layers can be used to minimize the likelihood of delamination . the composition of a tie layer will depend on which two polymers are on either side of it . for instance the tie layer may be an itp functionalized or grafted to provide adhesion between the itp and lcp layers , or may be a blend of one or more itps and one or more lcps . preferably lcp used in the invention will be toughened , especially if it is to be used in tubes which will be wound to a fairly tight radius , such as down to 12 . 5 mm . such a small radius may be found either in the coils themselves , such as in a condenser without a fan in the center , or it may be found in a transition form the coil to the outside connection . lcps can be toughened as is known in the art in various ways , for example by melt blending an lcp with a rubber or other polymer having low crystallinity . in the melt blending it is preferred that the rubber or other polymer be dispersed into the lcp so that the lcp is the continuous phase and rubber or other polymer is present in relatively small particles . it is often preferred that the rubber or other polymer have reactive functional groups on it such as epoxide groups . it is known that this often improves the toughening of the lcp and also may improve the adhesion of the lcp layer to other polymer layers in the tubing . when toughening an lcp a useful amount of rubber or other polymer is about 2 to about 30 percent by weight of the total weight of the lcp and rubber or other polymer , preferably about 5 to about 20 percent by weight . relevant teachings may be found in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 997 , 765 โ furuta and yamaguchi ( 1999 ), ep appl . 0 380 112 a2 โ izumi et al . ( 1990 ) and pct publication wo 93 / 24574 โ heino et al . ( 1993 ) which are all hereby included by reference . typical thicknesses for itp layers will range from about 0 . 025 to about 0 . 25 mm . typical thicknesses for lcp layers will be about 0 . 01 to about 0 . 1 mm . tie layers will usually be as thin as possible , consistent with their providing adhesion between polymer layers . this is usually about 0 . 01 to about 0 . 1 mm . the total thickness of the structure is preferably less than about 0 . 7 mm , more preferably about 0 . 12 to about 0 . 5 mm , and especially preferably about 0 . 15 mm to about 0 . 4 mm . with reference to the drawings , fig1 illustrates the beginning of a process of making a plastic heat exchanger of the invention . a set of tubes 10 is laid on spacers 29 a (- c ) on a base plate 11 . a first end of tubes 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 and 26 extend out from base 10 where they can be gathered together in a header 20 , such as a copper tube . the second end of tubes 21 - 26 can be fed through a guide 30 from drums 31 - 36 , respectively . base 11 is provided with additional spacers , 29 b and c . preferably the spacers are attached to a column 27 a at their inner ends , and preferably they are also attached to another column 28 a (- c ) at their outer ends , to hold them in place . in the drawings , the heat exchangers illustrated are in a cylindrical shape , being formed around a surface 12 incorporating an aperture 13 . however , it will be apparent that heat exchangers of the invention can be formed in other curvilinear shapes , depending on where the columns are situated on the base . also , surface 12 can extend above the plane of base 11 in the form of a mandrel or other form , or it can simply be a surface shaped in space without any physical embodiment . if a mandrel is used , it can be removed after forming the heat exchanger , or it could be made of a porous material , such as a mesh or a perforated sheet , so that coolant can flow through it . removal of a mandrel could be done physically or chemically , by etching it away . furthermore , the tubes can be laid down on the spacers by hand or with whatever degree of automation is desired , with reels 31 - 36 supplying the tubes , or even with the tubes previously cut to the desired lengths and fed in by hand . fig2 illustrates a further step in the process of the invention , with the set of tubes 21 - 26 having been wound around surface 13 and columns 27 a and b , then rising above the first layer of tubes at 40 to overlay the first layer in forming the second layer . outer columns 28 a - c are not shown in fig2 to indicate that they are optional . fig3 shows a plastic tube heat exchanger of the invention after the winding of tubes has been completed and headers 44 and 45 have been put in place on the bundles of tubes 46 and 47 coming away from the exchanger . at the center of the exchanger is a fan 41 , to draw air or other gas in from the ends and cause it to flow out through the sides , as shown at 42 . spacers 29 and columns 27 and 28 are indicated , holding apart the tubes which can be 20 or more , or less , in each layer . fig4 shows an elevation of the heat exchanger of fig3 illustrating tubes at 10 , base 11 , spacers 43 , bundles of tubes 46 , and headers 44 . the spacers shown could be for inlet or outlet of coolant which will flow through the tubes . fig5 shows a spacer 29 with grooves 51 and 52 on its top and bottom , respectively , for holding tubes apart . fig6 is a side view of the spacer , also showing holes 53 and 54 for fitting on the columns . the selection of polymeric tubing for heat exchangers containing refrigerants must satisfy certain criteria : a ) it must withstand internal pressures appropriate to containment of refrigerants , including normal operating pressures , test pressures , and safety mandated overpressure capabilities b ) it must prevent or minimize egress of refrigerant and ingress of air or water c ) it must be amenable to coiling tightly without kinking or fracturing the lcp layer d ) the walls of the tubing must be thin enough so as not to substantially impede heat transfer these properties are affected by the tubing diameter , the thicknesses of individual layers , and the modification of the lcp with itp . as an example , the tube structure used to construct a refrigeration evaporator was as follows ; outer diameter 0 . 059 inch ( 1 . 5 mm ) inner layer โ 3 mils ( 76 micron ) of a compounded blend of the lcp of example 6 of u . s . pat . no . 5 , 525 , 700 โ samuels and waggoner ( 1996 ) ( 90 % w / w ), ethylene butylacrylate ( 5 % w / w )( such as is available from chevron as grade 1802 ( 18 % ba ) and elvaloy 3934 - 4 ( 5 % w / w )( ethylene / butyl acrylate / glycidyl methacrylate copolymer ). the lcp is a copolymer of biphenol , hydroquinone , terephthalic acid , 2 , 6 - naphthalenedicarboxylic acid , p - hydroxybenzoic acid and 6 - hydroxy - 2 - naphthoic acid in a molar ratio of 50 / 50 / 70 / 30 / 270 / 50 ). middle layer โ 1 mil ( 25microns ) of bynel 4206 ( ldpe grafted with maleic anhydride ) outer layer โ 5 mil ( 127 microns ) of zytel 42a nc010 ( nylon 6 , 6 ), containing minor additives including carbon black pigment , heat stabilizer and lubricant . elvaloy , bynel and zytel are trademarks of dupont company , from whom the products are available . the tubing of this example has a burst pressure in excess of 1500 psig ( 10 , 300 kpascals ) and can be coiled to a radius of curvature of 0 . 5 inches ( 12 . 3 mm ) without kinking ( all at 50 % rh ) and is therefore suitable for constructing coiled heat exchangers to handle refrigerants such as chlorodifluoromethane .โ | 5 |
referring now to fig1 there is shown a schematic of one type of solid state , interference fringe pattern type scanner in accordance with the invention . the scanner includes a solid state body 2 comprised of an n - type gallium - arsenide substrate 4 , an n - type gallium aluminum arsenide light confining layer 6 , a p - type gallium arsenide active region layer 8 , a p - type gallium aluminum arsenide light confining layer 10 , and an n - type contact facilitating layer 12 . a p - type region 14 extends through layer 12 to layer 10 to define therebeneath a straight light wave guide or emitting region which extends from the far face 2 &# 39 ; to the near face 2 &# 34 ; of the body 2 . branching from the region 14 is another p - type region 16 which also extends through layer 12 to layer 10 to define therebeneath a branching light wave guide or emitting region which also extends from face 2 &# 39 ; to face 2 &# 34 ;. electrode 20 contacts the p - type region 14 over its entire length to provide a means for electrical pumping of the straight light emitting region and electrode 22 contacts p - type portion 16 to provide , along with a portion of electrode 20 , a means for pumping the branch light emitting region . contacts 20 and 22 are separated at 23 . regions of electrical insulating material 18 insulate the n - type portions of layer 12 from the contacts 20 and 22 . the far face 2 &# 39 ; and the near face 2 &# 34 ; of the body 2 are cleaved or mirrored to provide a resonant cavity . referring now to fig1 and 2 , the wave guide pattern , as noted , consists of one straight light emitting region or wave guide and one curved or branched light emitting region or wave guide . the wave guides , which , for example , can be 4 microns wide , overlap completely at the far end of the laser for length l 1 . a bifurcation occurs at this distance from the rear face 2 &# 39 ;, the branching wave guide gradually separating from the straight wave guide over one portion of its length and then bending again to parallel the straight wave guide . for example , as shown in fig2 the radius r can be approximately 1 mm and the angle ฯ can be approximately 9 . 37 degrees . the length of the straight wave guide from the bifurcation to the face 2 &# 34 ; is l 2 , and the length of the branching wave guide from the bifurcation to face 2 &# 34 ; is l 3 . as shown , a pump current i a pumps both l 1 and l 2 via electrode 20 , whereas pump current i b is applied via electrode 22 only to l 3 . the separation between the two wave guides is denoted by d in fig1 such separation d must be sufficient to decouple the optical field intensity pattern in l 2 from the optical field intensity pattern in l 3 . under pulsed operation with i a = i b = 205 ma for a laser with l 1 = 140 um , l 2 = 350 um , l 3 = 351 um , and d = 25 um , the far field radiation pattern of fig3 will be produced by the device of fig1 . the peaks of the far field pattern , which is observed in a plane orthogonal to the plane of the pn junction between layers 6 and 8 , have an approximate angular spacing of ฮดฮธ โ 2 ยฐ. a laser similar to that of fig1 but with d approximately equal to 47 um produced far field peaks with ฮดฮธ โ 1 . 2 ยฐ. the far field patterns produced show conclusively that the peaks are produced by interference from two separate coherent sources . it is noted here that since the branching wave guide and the straight wave guide have a common portion l 1 , the light is only optically decoupled over portions l 2 and l 3 which occurs due to the separation d between l 2 and l 3 . further evidence that the fringes are produced by interference between two light waves is shown by fig3 . with i a approximately equal to i b , the fringe visibility depicted in fig3 is quite high ; specifically i max / i min . is approximately 10 . there are several reasons for the imperfect null . first , the scanner aperture resolution of 0 . 26 degrees is not infinitesimal . second , the laser output spectrum has a half - power width of approximately 14 angstroms , and the fringe spacing depends on wavelength . thirdly , the output optical intensities and phase fronts from l 2 and l 3 are not identical . obviously , with i b = 0 , no fringes are observed , but when both contacts 20 and 22 are excited and the relative currents varied , the fringes are observed to shift continuously . in effect , the fringe pattern angularly scans . the scanning of the interference pattern results from independently varying the pump current to each of the wave guides , the variation in pump current producing a relative change in refractive index between the straight and branching wave guides . as is well known , the relative change in refractive index induces a relative phase shift between the light in the straight and branching wave guides and that relative phase shifting causes the interference fringe pattern to rotate . it should also be noted that since the phase shifting elements are within the laser cavity wavelength modulation of the laser over a range of about 80 a is observed . this modulation is associated with changes in optical path length of the branched elements because of the index modulation . any laser structure of the type described which has its phase shifting elements within the laser cavity ( inside the mirrors ) will exhibit similar electrically controlled wavelength modulation . there are several ways to produce the relative change in refractive index that produces the relative phase shift resulting in a rotating interference fringe pattern and wavelength modulation . one way is that previously described , wherein electrical charges are injected into the wave guides . these extra charges cause a change in refractive index which is dependent on the number of the charges that are injected . another way to effect relative phase change is to remove electrical charge from the wave guides ; the charge removal occuring when a voltage is applied such that the charges in the wave guide layer migrate toward or away from the biasing electrode . this second effect is implemented by reverse biasing a rectifying junction or by a metal - insulator - semiconductor contact . other methods for modification of refractive index include the application of strain via acoustic waves and thermal effects . any of the described phase shifting techniques and others known to those skilled in the art can be used to effect the relative phase shift between the light in the straight wave guide and the light in the branching wave guide . as noted , the scanning of the interference pattern results from an electrically induced optical phase shift of the light in one wave guide relative to the light in the other wave guide . when i b is increased relative to i a , the interference pattern shifts toward l 3 , so that in effect the refractive index of l 3 has been increased relative to that of l 2 . to study the scanning effect , the far field intensity pattern was plotted ( fig4 ), by means of a split detector placed at an angle of approximately 4 degrees relative to one of the cleaved faces , as the ratio i a / i b was varied with i a + i b held constant at approximately 235 ma . aside from the periodic characteristic of the curve which indicates the movement of the fringes across the detector , the detected intensity also increases with i a . moreover , when i b is decreased below approximately 50 ma , the light intensity emitted from l 3 is so much less than that produced by l 2 that the interference fringe visibility becomes rather low . eventually , all that remains is the far - field pattern of the light in the straight wave guide . although the abscissa in fig4 is labeled with the total currents i a and i b , the current densities differ even when i a = i b , since the contact area for i a exceeds that for i b . specifically , with i a = 100 ma and i b = 135 ma , we estimate that j a โ 5 . 1 ka / cm 2 and j b โ 9 . 6 ka / cm 2 , and for i a = 150 ma and i b = 85 ma , j a โ 7 . 6 ka / cm 2 and j b โ 6 ka / cm 2 . the lowest null in fig4 appears to occur with i a = 140 ma and ib = 95 ma . these currents correspond to approximately equal current densities of 7 . 1 ka / cm 2 and 6 . 8 ka / cm 2 in l 2 and 1 3 , respectively . under these conditions one might expect approximately equal light emitted from the two wave guides . the total angular scan depicted in fig4 is roughly 4 . 2 degrees or two fringes . thus , the phase difference induced over this current range is approximately two wavelengths . since l 2 + l 3 = 700 um and this result implies k o ฮดn ( l 2 + l 3 )= 4ฯ , we find that the refractive index change must be ฮดn = 2 . 3 ร 10 - 3 . in the device of fig1 the straight wave guide and the branching wave guide have a common or coupling portion l 1 and hence the light produced in section l 1 of each wave guide is coherent . the coherent light source can be a plurality of light emitting regions so located relative to each other that their output radiation patterns overlap resulting in coupling and coherent operation of the plural light emitting regions at the same optical frequency . such a device is shown in fig5 wherein the light emitting waveguide regions of the n - type gaas layer pumped via p - type areas 30 are separated by a distance d 1 which permits the output radiation patterns of the pumped regions to overlap , as shown . accordingly , the plural pumped regions are optically coupled and the pumped regions of the coupling section produces light of the same frequency . in the device of fig1 the distance d separating l 2 and l 3 was sufficiently large that the light was decoupled in portions l 2 and l 3 . decoupling can be achieved by means other than distance , such as the decoupling structure shown in fig5 wherein the uncoupled light is guided by mesa - like structures 32 and 33 which are built up upon the semiconductor substrate and which are surrounded by air . the relatively low refractive index of air causes the light in the mesa structures of the phasing section to be decoupled thereby permitting relative phase shifting by electrodes 36 and 38 and interference pattern rotation . optical decoupling is also provided by the device of fig7 wherein parallel channels 45 are etched into the portion of the substrate 40 within the phasing section prior to growth of layers 41 , 42 , 43 , and 44 which can have the conductivity types and compositions indicated . the channels provide mesa regions 46 therebetween . the far face 2 &# 34 ; and the near face 2 &# 39 ; of the device of fig7 are cleaved or mirrored to provide resonant cavities . as explained in copending u . s . patent application ser . no . 806 , 395 , filed june 13 , 1977 in the names of robert d . burnham and donald r . scifres , when the structure of fig7 is pumped ( as explained hereinafter ) only the portions of the active region 42 above the etched channels 45 will lase and produce coherent optical waves ; the higher refractive index of the mesa regions 46 attenuate the optical waves above the mesa to provide decoupling of the optical waves at the output face 2 &# 39 ;. a coupling section is formed in the device of fig7 by etching the substrate in the coupling section so that there are no mesas in the coupling section as shown in fig7 a . carrier injection needed for lasing is provided by separate contacts 48 and 49 , each of which covers a segment of each portion of the active region that lases . by pumping electrodes 48 and 49 with currents i 1 and i 2 having different magnitudes , different indices of refraction are provided in the phasing section of the different lasing areas , with the difference in refractive index causing the relative phase shifting that provides output beam scanning in the manner previously described . the laser light sources of the devices of fig1 and 5 are of the double heterostructure type . other laser light sources can also be utilized including distributed feedback , buried heterostructure , single heterostructure and others well known in the art . also , the wave guides can be of a type other than those of fig1 and 5 , such as the graded index type , step index type and the gain type to note just a few examples . the wave guides can be formed by ion implantation diffusion , chemical etching , preferential crystal growth , sputtering , ion beam milling or any other suitable means . in all cases , the coherent light produced is split off and guided in different spatially displaced ( uncoupled ) regions of the semiconductor body . fabrication of the branching strip configuration of fig1 will follow conventional techniques , as will fabrication of the device of fig5 . referring to fig1 the layers 6 , 8 , 10 and 12 are grown on substrate 4 by liquid phase epitaxy or other equivalent growth techniques . after depositing the electrical insulating material 18 , such as silicon nitride , on the top face of the grown wafer , the branching strip pattern is formed in material 18 by photolithography and plasma etch techniques or equivalent techniques . next , a p - type impurity , such as zinc , is difused to a depth of approximately 0 . 5 microns to convert the n - type gallium arsenide top layer 12 to p - type in the region beneath the strip opening to form stripes 14 and 16 . a chrome ( 200 angstrom )/ gold ( 2500 angstrom ) contact layer , or a contact layer of any suitable material , is then evaporated onto the p - side of the device . finally , the portion of the contact layer that defines separation 23 is removed along the entire length of the laser , thereby allowing the contacts 20 and 22 of the interferrometric scanner to be independently pumped . the width of separation 23 can be three microns such that the resistance between contacts 20 and 22 is roughly 80 to 100 ohms for a 500 micron long device . although only a single branching is achieved by the device of fig1 multiple branching is contemplated with the achievement of 3 or more uncoupled light beams as shown in the wave guide array of fig6 which produces five uncoupled output beams when the voltage v 1 through v 6 are supplied . in all cases however , the light beams must originate from a single source or a plurality of sources that are optically coupled . also , the device of fig5 can have more than two mesa structures and more than two coupled light sources . also , the coupling section of the device of fig1 can be used with the phasing section of the device of fig5 and vis - a - versa . in the scanners described heretofore the resonant cavities are provided by cleaved or mirrored faces of the semiconductor body and the phasing section or phase shifting elements act internally of the resonant cavities . another type of scanner is one in which the phase shifting elements are external to the resonant cavities . fig8 shows one embodiment of a laser scanner in which the phase shifting electrodes 50 , 51 and 52 are external to the laser cavities . the scanner of fig8 can have the layer configuration and material types shown . to provide for pumping of only portions of the active region layer 56 and coupling of those pumped portions of the laser active region , the insulating layer 65 is etched to provide a branching contact structure 60 ( as best showing in fig8 and 8a ) and hence a branching laser cavity structure within the active region 56 . feedback for lasing is provided by distributed feedback gratings 57 , 58 , and 59 which are taper coupled at 61 to the active region 56 as shown in fig8 b . optically isolated or uncoupled output waveguides or regions beneath the phasing electrodes 50 , 51 and 52 allow each light beam to be independently phased so that scanning can result . an antireflection coating can be used on the output face 2 &# 34 ; to minimize coupling back into the laser . many variations of the type and configuration of couplers , feedback mechanisms , coupled laser geometries ( such as that of fig5 ), and phasing electrodes can be used to achieve phase shifting external to the light sources . with phasing provided external to the light sources , wavelength modulation is not achieved during phasing . also , with external phasing the pump current is not amplitude modulated ( as is the case with the scanner of fig1 ) and hence the output beams do not have a relative amplitude modulation . accordingly , external phasing is desirable where wavelength and amplitude control are desirable . | 7 |
in the following , an embodiment of a control system according to the invention for extraction and injection of steam in a turbine will be described , in which extraction of steam from the turbine and injection of steam to the turbine , respectively , are carried out , by describing , in the example , the function of the control system for two - point extraction and injection . the figure illustrates a steam turbine 1 , which symbolizes two or more turbine stages with a lowest tapping point 2 and a highest tapping point 3 for steam from and to the turbine 1 , respectively . consequently , the tapping points 2 , 3 in the turbine 1 serve as both injection point and extraction point and will be referred to in the following according to their current function . extraction and injection of steam at the tapping point 2 are performed by a lowest servo valve 5 with an associated servo 5a . in a corresponding way , extraction and injection of steam at the tapping point 3 are performed by a highest servo valve 6 with an associated servo 6a . the tapping points 2 , 3 of the turbine 1 for injection and extraction of steam are connected via the valves 5 , 6 to a connecting conduit common to the two valves , so called process conduit 4 , which in turn is connected to a process network . the process conduit 4 supplies steam to the process network during extraction or removes steam from the process network during injection . the steam pressure p3 in the process network is measured at the process conduit 4 by a pressure gauge 7 . the pressure difference between the steam pressure p3 in the process network and the pressure p1 at the lowest tapping point 2 , that is , the pressure across the lowest valve 5 , is measured by means of a differential pressure gauge 8 , which supplies an output signal dp i which indicates if p3 & gt ; p1 . in a corresponding way , the pressure difference between the steam pressure p3 in the process network and the pressure at the highest tapping point 3 , that is the pressure across the highest valve 6 , is measured with a differential pressure gauge 9 , which in turn supplies an output signal dp ii which indicates if p2 & lt ; p3 . the output signal from the pressure gauge 7 which measures the steam pressure in the process conduit 4 is supplied to a first control unit 10 and to a second control unit 11 . the first control unit 10 is active during extraction of steam from the turbine 1 , whereas the second control unit 11 is active during injection of steam to the turbine 1 . the two control units 10 , 11 have a common set value generator svg , which sets a reference value pressure level for the control units 10 , 11 through a dead - band unit db . the dead - band unit db provides a dead band in the control system , which dead band defines a certain small pressure interval within which activation of another control unit cannot take place to ensure for the control system a distinct switchover between the two control units 10 , 11 in dependence on the pre - set reference value pressure and the current pressure p3 in the process network for activation of the correct control unit 10 , 11 depending on whether extraction or injection of steam is called for . the two control units 10 , 11 act on the valves 5 , 6 through a maximum value selector max , which allows the greater of the two signals from the two control units 10 , 11 to be passed on to a split - range device 12 . the split - range device 12 operates according to the sequence a - b when the extraction unit 10 is activated , that is , extraction of steam from the turbine is to be carried out . this causes devices connected to the output a of the split - range device 12 to be controlled , in this case a servo position control unit 13 for the valve servo 5a for the lowest valve 5 , before devices connected to the output b of the split - range device 12 receive control signals from the split - range device 12 . the split - range device 12 operates in a corresponding way but in the sequence b - a when the injection control unit 11 is activated , which means that devices connected to the output b , in the present example a servo position control unit 14 for the valve servo 6a for the highest valve 6 , are controlled before devices connected to the output a receive control signals from the split - range device . switching between the two sequences of the split - range device 12 is carried out by a switching member 15 , which senses which of the control units 10 , 11 , monitoring extraction and injection , respectively , is active . the switching member 15 has a set - reset function , which is controlled by an active control unit 10 , 11 . in extraction mode the lowest valve 5 and the highest valve 6 operate sequentially controlled , the lowest valve 5 being opened first , provided that the pressure conditions are fulfilled , that is , that p3 & lt ; p1 . the highest valve 6 is opened only if the steam flow through the lowest valve 5 is insufficient to maintain the required process pressure p3 . if the process pressure p3 is greater than p1 , opening of the lowest valve 5 is prevented by a member for forced closing comprising the switches s1 , s2 and the and gate 20 , which influence the valve servo 5a to close the lowest valve via a min - value selector min1 . the entire extraction steam flow will then pass through the highest valve 6 . the blocking or forced closing of the lowest valve 5 can only be activated when the control unit 10 for extraction is active . if the lowest valve is blocked and the pressure difference across the lowest valve should change , so that p3 again becomes smaller than p1 , for example because of a change of the stated output or caused by a changed process steam consumption , that is , a change of p3 , sequential control will be resumed automatically , which means that the lowest valve which is first in the sequence opened is again . in injection mode the lowest valve 5 and the highest valve 6 operate sequentially controlled , the highest valve 6 being first opened and the lowest valve 5 being opened only if the steam flow through the highest valve 6 is insufficient to maintain the required process pressure , that is , if , for example , the highest valve is unable to swallow the required steam flow . if the pressure on the turbine side of the highest valve 6 should become too high to allow any injection at all , that is , if the pressure p2 becomes greater than p3 , the highest valve 6 is blocked or forcibly closed via a blocking member comprising the switches s3 , s4 as well as the and gate 25 , which influence the valve servo 6a to close the highest valve via a min - value selector min2 , the entire steam flow thus being controlled to the turbine 1 via the valve 5 during injection . the forced closing of the highest valve 6 can only be activated when the control unit 11 for injection is active . if the highest valve 6 is blocked and the differential pressure across the highest valve should change , caused , for example , by a change of the output , normal sequential control is automatically resumed , the highest valve 6 which lies first in the control sequence during injection thus being opened again . during extraction the first member for forced closing can block the lowest valve 5 , if necessary . the member comprises a switch s1 , which is controlled by the signal dp i from the differential pressure gauge 8 . the control signal influences a contact in the switch s1 , on the input of which there is permanently a logical one . when the signal dp i indicates that the pressure p3 is greater than p1 , the contact in the switch s1 is closed , whereby a logical one is fed via the output of the switch to an and gate 20 . on the other input to the and gate 20 there is a logical one if extraction is to be carried out . from this follows that the and gate passes on a logical one via its output to a switch s2 . the switch s2 receives this logical one from the and gate 20 as a control signal , the contact in the switch s2 thus being closed , which means that an analog zero bias is passed on via the contact in the switch s2 to the min - value selector min1 . since the min - value selector min1 senses this zero bias as the lowest applied signal voltage , the valve servo 5a will close the lowest valve 5 for extraction . if the pressure p3 in the process network is smaller than the extraction pressure p2 , the switch s1 is not closed , or if extraction is not to be carried out , such that a logical one is not fed from the control unit 10 to the and gate 20 , consequently in both cases no forced closing of the lowest valve 5 takes place , since zero bias is not present out from the switch s2 . in these cases , the position of the lowest valve 5 is determined by the split - range device 12 . in the same way as for the lowest valve 5 , during injection the highest valve 6 is controlled to forced closing if the injection pressure from the process network p3 is lower than the pressure p2 at the turbine side of the highest valve . the control system according to the description may be extended to control extraction and injection of steam at three or more common tapping points in a turbine . in such an extended control system with , for example , three valves , there is instead used a split - range device with the sequence a - b - c during opening of the valves in connection with extraction and the sequence c - b - a in connection with injection . at the same time , an additional forced closing device for the third valve is introduced in accordance with the solution described above , where the differential pressure across the third valve via the third forced closing device determines whether this third valve has to be closed . | 5 |
in accordance with embodiments of the invention , it has been determined that by applying a sacrificial phosphate coating that reacts with environmental contaminants and resulting contaminant compositions encountered on surfaces of thermal barrier coated parts during service operation , the melting temperature or viscosity of the contaminant composition can be increased . thus , the contaminant composition does not become molten and infiltration or viscous flow of the mixture into the thermal barrier is curtailed . in addition , the cmas does not react chemically with the tbc to accelerate thermal sintering or dissolve stabilizing components such as y 2 o 3 resulting in damage to the tbc coating . this reduces damage to the thermal barrier coating . increasing the melting temperature and viscosity of the contaminant composition reduces infiltration into the thermal barrier coating . as a result of the sacrificial coating being consumed or dissolved into the contaminant composition , the composition does not become liquid or has an increased viscosity at the operating temperature of the thermal barrier coating . infiltration or viscous flow of the contaminant composition into thermal barrier coating cracks , openings , and pores is diminished . embodiments of the invention also protect the ceramic thermal barrier coating from dissolution or spallation due to chemical and mechanical attack by the contaminant composition . this enhances the life of the thermal barrier coated part and reduces part failure . sources of environmental contaminants include , but are not limited to , sand , dirt , volcanic ash , fly ash , cement , runway dirt , fuel and air sources , oxidation and wear products from engine components , and the like . the environmental contaminants adhere to the surfaces of the thermal barrier coated parts . at the operating temperatures of the thermal barrier coating , the environmental contaminants then form contaminant compositions on surfaces of the thermal barrier coating , which may have melting ranges or temperatures at or below the component surface operating temperature . additionally , environmental contaminants may include magnesium , calcium , aluminum , silicon , chromium , iron , nickel , barium , titanium , alkali metals , and compounds thereof . the environmental contaminants may be oxides , carbonates , salts and mixtures thereof . the chemical composition of the contaminant composition typically corresponds to the composition of the environmental contaminants from which it is formed . for instance , at operational temperatures of about 1000 ยฐ c . ( 1832 ยฐ f .) or more , the contaminant composition typically corresponds to compositions in the calcium - magnesium - aluminum - silicon oxide systems or cmas . generally , the environmental contaminant compositions known as cmas comprise primarily a mixture of magnesium oxide , calcium oxide , aluminum oxide and silicon oxide . other elements , such as nickel , iron , titanium and chromium , may be present in the cmas in minor amounts , e . g . less than about 10 weight percent of total amount of contaminant composition present , when these elements or their compounds are present in the environmental contaminants . cmas may take the form of about 29 wt % calcium oxide , 7 wt % magnesium oxide , 11 wt % aluminum oxide , 43 wt % silicon oxide , 2 wt % nickel oxide , 8 wt % iron oxide and small amounts of titanium oxide and chromium oxide may be present up to about 10 wt % each which corresponds to a cmas melting point of about 1227 ยฐ c . ( 2240 ยฐ c .). the contaminant may also have a melting point of less than about 1315 ยฐ c . ( 2399 ยฐ f .). in accordance with embodiments of the invention , the protective coatings herein disclosed may be described as sacrificial or reactive in that they protect thermal barrier coatings by undergoing chemical or physical changes when in contact with a damaging contaminant composition . thus , the character of the protective coating is sacrificed . the result of this change is to increase either the viscosity or physical state of the contaminant composition , e . g . liquid cmas , by dissolving in the composition or reacting with it , to form a by - product material which is not liquid or at least more viscous than the original cmas . we have found that a sacrificial or reactive phosphate coating deposited on the outer surface of a thermal barrier coating reacts with the contaminant composition at the surface temperature of the thermal barrier coating . the reaction may be a chemical reaction in which the sacrificial coating is consumed , at least partially , and elevates the melting temperature or viscosity of the contaminant composition . the melting temperature of the contaminant composition is preferably increased at least to the surface temperature of the thermal barrier coating in the reaction zone between the cmas and the sacrificial coating material . this rise in melting point will make the cmas material sufficiently viscous that infiltration into or reaction with the thermal barrier coating is unlikely or limited to the immediate surface avoiding cracking and / or spallation of the coating material and loss of the thermal protection it provides to the underlying substrate . enough sacrificial material will be available to be capable of increasing the melting temperature by at least about 10 ยฐ c . ( 18 ยฐ f . ), more preferably by about 40 - 100 ยฐ c . ( 72 - 180 ยฐ f . ), above the surface temperature of the thermal barrier coating during its operation . thus , as an illustration of embodiments of the invention , if the surface temperature of the thermal barrier coating during operation is about 1230 ยฐ c . ( 2246 ยฐ f . ), then it is preferred to increase the melting temperature of the cmas composition to at least 1240 ยฐ c . ( 2264 ยฐ f .). the composition of the sacrificial phosphate coatings described herein may include any suitable phosphate coating , with aluminum phosphate being particularly advantageous . for example , the sacrificial phosphate coating may be selected from the group consisting of aluminum phosphate , magnesium phosphate , calcium phosphate and combinations thereof . the sacrificial phosphate coatings of the invention are preferably applied to a thermal barrier coating in an amount sufficient to effectively elevate the melting temperature or viscosity of substantially all of the liquid contaminant formed . thus , as little as about 1 micron of thickness of this coating on the surface of the thermal barrier coating may help prevent infiltration of molten contaminant compositions into the thermal barrier coating . preferably , about 1 micron to 75 microns thickness of this coating is deposited on the surface of the thermal barrier coating and , more preferably about 3 microns to 25 microns of thickness of this coating is deposited on the surface of the thermal barrier coating . advantageously , the sacrificial phosphate coatings of the invention are preferably deposited by air spraying , brushing , โ dip and dry โ techniques or other suitable application methods . liquid application methods significantly reduce the cost of application in comparison other deposition methods , including vapor deposition techniques of cvd and pvd . such liquid application methods followed by curing result in effective sacrificial phosphate coatings , which protect the tbc from spallation and other contaminant damage . the following sets forth examples of suitable deposition techniques for the sacrificial phosphate coatings described herein . these descriptions are meant to be merely illustrative and thus non - limiting . precursors that are liquid at room temperature may preferably be employed in the coating deposition process . for example , a mixture of hydrated aluminum dissolved in phosphoric acid may be air sprayed onto a desired substrate or the desired substrate may be dipped into the mixture . the liquid properties can be approximately 9 . 5 pounds per gallon with a viscosity of approximately 17 seconds on a # 2 zahn cup at 25 ยฐ c . ( 77 ยฐ f .). optionally , the coating thickness can be increased incrementally by repeating the application cycle until the desired thickness is achieved . suitable substrates include , but are not limited to , tbc coated nickel -, cobalt - and iron - based superalloys alone or in combination and in cast form such as provided by directionally solidified or single crystal casting processes , with or without a bond coat between the tbc and base metal substrate . upon deposition onto the tbc , the deposited coating typically has a tacky texture and may thus be dried by any suitable method . preferably , the deposited coating is dried at elevated temperatures by baking in an oven or other suitable drying device . temperatures of about 343 ยฐ c . ( 650 ยฐ f .) at a curing time of about 30 minutes and greater are preferred , but any time at temperature that drives off the water portion of the liquid precursor is sufficient . the time for curing will vary depending upon factors such as curing temperature and size of the part , as one skilled in the art would recognize . another suitable deposition technique for the sacrificial phosphate coatings is to use a metal dihydrogen phosphate in a โ dip and dry โ process . alfa aesar &# 39 ; s aluminum dihydrogen phosphate , 50 % w / w aqueous solution ( alfa aesar stock number 42858 ) is an example . the substrate is submersed in the metal dihydrogen phosphate solution to coat the desired surfaces . the metal dihydrogen phosphate is then dried by an elevated temperature bake . a bake temperature of about 538 - 982 ยฐ c . ( 1000 - 1800 ยฐ f .) for approximately 30 minutes is preferred , but any time and temperature that drives off the water of the liquid precursor is acceptable . optionally , during the dipping cycle , a vacuum can be utilized to pull the air from the tbc pores and openings allowing partial infiltration of the dihydrogen phosphate ( or phosphate precursor ). in contrary , an elevated pressure atmosphere , such as about 100 psi , can be used to force the metal dihydrogen phosphate ( or phosphate precursor ) into the tbc pores and openings . this will increase the volume of sacrificial phosphate coating present to react with the cmas without increasing the coating surface thickness that makes it susceptible to hard particle erosion or spallation due to the cte mismatch during thermal cycling . optionally , the coating thickness can be increased incrementally by repeating the โ dip and dry โ cycle until the desired thickness is achieved . the thickness of the sacrificial phosphate coatings may be of any suitable thickness to facilitate the afore - described reaction conditions with the contaminant compositions . for example , the thickness may typically vary between about 1 micron ( 0 . 04 mil ) to about 75 microns ( 3 mil ). preferably , the thickness is between about 3 micron ( 0 . 12 mil ) to about 25 microns ( 1 mil ). we have determined that these thinner coatings , including coatings of about 12 . 5 microns ( 0 . 5 mils ) and less , are particularly advantageous with respect to their spallation resistance . typically , the sacrificial phosphate coatings described herein will be applied over a tbc coated conventional bond coat ( s ), which has been applied to an underlying base metal component , such as a turbine blade . any conventional bond coat may be employed , including but not limited to diffusion aluminide bond coats , modified diffusion aluminides such as platinum aluminide , mcraly coatings , to name a few . for purposes of the present invention , however , it is not necessary to employ a bond coat . accordingly , in a preferred embodiment of the invention , a thermal barrier coating is applied over the afore - described bond coat or directly onto the base metal substrate depending upon the desired application . the thermal barrier coatings herein described may also be any suitable thermal barrier coatings . for example , the thermal barrier coatings may be a chemically stabilized zirconia selected from the group consisting of yttria - stabilized zirconia , scandia - stabilized zirconia , calcia - stabilized zirconia , magnesia - stabilized zirconia , and combinations thereof . a further example of a suitable ceramic thermal barrier coating is about 8 weight percent yttria - about 92 weight percent zirconia . suitable ceramic thermal barrier coatings may be applied to the base metal or bond coat using any method including , but not limited to , electron beam physical vapor deposition ( eb - pvd ) and air plasma spray ( aps ). embodiments of the invention will be described by way of examples , which are meant to be merely illustrative and therefore non - limiting . aluminum phosphate coatings of about 0 . 5 mil ( 12 . 5 microns ) in thickness may be deposited by air spraying . for example , a mixture of hydrated aluminum dissolved in phosphoric acid may be air sprayed onto a desired substrate . the liquid properties of the spray precursor can be approximately 9 . 5 pounds per gallon with a viscosity of approximately 17 seconds on a # 2 zahn cup at 25 ยฐ c . ( 77 ยฐ f .). the sprayed coating is then cured at about 343 ยฐ c . ( 650 ยฐ f .) for about 30 minutes . the coating thickness can be tailored by repeating the spray cycle until the desired thickness is achieved . aluminum phosphate coatings of about 5 to 10 microns in thickness may be deposited by dipping the substrate in aluminum dihydrogen phosphate at room temperature . alfa aesar &# 39 ; s aluminum dihydrogen phosphate , 50 % w / w aqueous solution ( alfa aesar stock number 42858 ) is an example . the aluminum dihydrogen phosphate may then be dried at room temperature for about 1 hour and cured in air at about 760 ยฐ c . ( 1400 ยฐ f .) for about 30 minutes . each โ dip and dry โ cycle forms an aluminum phosphate coating thickness of about 2 microns . the coating thickness can be tailored by repeating the โ dip and dry โ cycle until the desired thickness is achieved . while various embodiments are described herein it will be appreciated from the specification that various combinations of elements , variations or improvements therein may be made by those skilled in the art , and are within the scope of the invention . | 5 |
referring now to the figures of the drawing and particularly for the moment to fig1 , there will be seen an electrostatic system 10 for measuring the shape or pattern of an object by sensing the location of gauge pins or the like . the system of sensor devices 12 is conveniently fabricated in a printed circuit board matrix 13 by employing standard fabrication facilities to produce spaced holes or openings 14 for receiving the selectively inserted pins 16 . arranged with specially designed parts , the openings 14 function as cooperative sensor elements with the movable elements in the form of pins 16 . thus , an etched metal drive ring 18 surrounds the upper end of each hole 14 in the circuit board ( fig1 a ), ( the ring having , for example , 0 . 290 od and 0 . 230 id in inches . likewise , an etched metal sense ring 20 surrounds the lower end of each hole 14 ( fig1 c ). a metal shield layer 22 extends throughout the matrix 12 and is suitably provided with clearance holes 23 ( 0 . 240 id ) as indicated in fig1 b . it will be seen that a trace connection 30 ( fig1 a ) for operation of the system extends from the ring 18 to a suitable pulse drive source ( fig4 ), while a trace connection 32 ( fig1 c ) extends to a suitable sensing circuit ( fig7 ). each of the trace connections 30 and 32 would preferably be formed to have a width of approximately 0 . 040 inches . it will be appreciated that a sensor device 12 outputs a signal coupled by the capacitance between the two etched metal rings 18 and 20 ., as coupled through the dielectric printed circuit board material 13 , and the sense element , for example , in the form of a pin 16 ( fig1 ), placed in the sensing hole 14 . for the dimensions given , the output signal will change by about a ratio of 4 to 1 when the empty hole is filled with a metal cylinder 16 a formed in a zone of the pin which has a clearance all around of about 0 . 01 inch . this signal change can be sensed by a sensitive amplifier or comparator , and the result stored in a memory element for later use , as will be shown and explained in an embodiment . operation of the electrostatic sensor system begins with a drive pulse being used to excite the etched metal ring 18 on the top surface of the sensor area and surrounding the hole or opening 14 . the metal ring 18 is fabricated to have a small clearance , such as 0 . 015 inch , all around the hole drilled through the printed circuit board . this clearance prevents direct contact between a conductive cylinder and the ring , for more repeatable performance . the trace connection 30 on the top surface of the printed circuit board connects the ring 18 to a source of drive pulses , and to additional rings if desired . as seen in the side view ( fig1 b ) of the printed circuit board 13 , the ring is fabricated over a metal ground plane ( shield layer 22 ) buried in the middle of the printed circuit board &# 39 ; s thickness . the ground plane has a clearance hole 23 , already noted , surrounding the sensing hole 14 . the clearance hole is drilled through the printed circuit board , so it cannot directly touch the metal cylinder that is intended to be placed in the center of the sensing hole . the bottom of the circuit board has a similar ring 20 , used for sensing the amount of drive signal coupled by the electrostatic capacitance between the metal cylinder and the drive signal ring . a small capacitance exists between the cylinder and each ring , passing predominantly through the dielectric material and the air gap around the cylinder . a small amount of additional coupling occurs directly in the air above the ring to the cylinder on each side of the printed circuit board . note that the sense ring has a small clearance around the drilled hole , such as 0 . 015 inch as before . a trace connection 32 on the bottom surface connects the ring to a sense amplifier for monitoring coupled pulses , and additional rings if desired . when the center of the drilled sensing hole 14 is empty , there is still a small amount of coupling through the hole between the drive and sense rings . as an example , for the dimensions given and in a matrix array of 36 columns by 16 rows , the residual signal with a 10 - volt drive pulse will be about 14 millivolts . if now the hole is filled with a 0 . 18 inch diameter by 0 . 18 inch long metal cylinder on a dielectric support , the signal received by the sensor ring will increase to about 63 millivolts . this signal increase of more than a factor of 4 is sufficient for reliable sensing of the presence of the metal cylinder in the sensing hole . when the sensing hole is filled with a dielectric cylinder of 0 . 18 inch outside diameter , the signal received will increase to about 20 millivolts . thus the ratio of signal amplitudes between metal and dielectric cylinders is sufficient for reliable detection as before . partial entry of the metal cylinder into the sensing hole 14 produces a corresponding analog response , and the subsequent signal processing amplifier will make the distinction of how much signal is needed to produce a digital output . if the grounded shield plane in the center of the printed circuit board thickness is omitted , the stray coupling between the drive and sense rings increases greatly , and there is insufficient signal variation for reliable sensing . referring now to fig8 , the sensor elements disclosed above can be arranged , as previously alluded to , in a two - dimensional array or matrix , with the drive rings connected together along one array axis , and the sensing rings connected together along the other array axis . designate the drive rings connected together as being in rows , and the sense rings connected together as being in columns . then if m rows and n columns are used , it is seen that one of the great advantages of this design is that m times n sensor elements are accommodated by using only m drive pulse sources and n sense amplifiers . the sense elements themselves are simply etched patterns with holes drilled in the printed circuit board , so they can be inexpensively mass - produced . no special electronic circuitry is required , as in the prior art , at each sensor location , so a substantial cost saving can result . for the case of 16 rows and 36 columns , a total of 576 separate locations can be sensed and still require only 52 independent signals and sets of circuitry . in the case of interest here , the sensor elements are arranged in a uniformly spaced rectangular array with a spacing of 0 . 315 inch between centers in both row and column directions . with the ring outside diameter of 0 . 290 inch , this gives a clearance space of 0 . 025 inch between the outside diameters of rings in adjacent columns . it should be noted , in connection with fig8 , that during experimental measurements of prototype sensor elements , it was discovered that having the sensor rings closely spaced as above could lead to significant cross - coupling between adjacent columns . specifically , if a signal were induced in one column by an active sensor , the columns adjacent to it on either side could have induced signal amplitude of 3 . 7 percent of the signal on the active column . since the sensor operation is essentially analog , and distance measurements will be made according to when the sensor output crosses a reference threshold , this could cause errors in the measured distance values . this effect is possible on the sensor ring side of the sensor elements because the sense amplifier chosen for economic reasons permits significant signal voltage to be developed on each column line . stray coupling on the row drive side between rings is not of importance since the row drive signals come from a low impedance source , and the row lines are loaded with additional bypass capacitors . if an additional amplifier with a low input impedance were used for each column , then the parasitic coupling would have no effect as there would not be any signal voltage on the column lines . the experimentally chosen method to reduce this undesirable effect is to place a thin , grounded metal trace connection 30 on the surface of the printed circuit board . this trace connection is placed so as to run in between the ring edges of adjacent sensor ring columns . with a clearance space of 0 . 025 inch available , a shielding trace reduces the induced parasitic coupling to less than 1 . 6 percent , which was judged acceptable for this application . fig2 is a block diagram of a sensing system . an external source of drive pulses 50 sends 10 volt amplitude pulses of 100 to 500 microsecond duration to the m rows of the sensor element matrix 13 , one row at a time . the circuitry provided senses the presence or absence of a conducting cylinder , in the form of a metal zone 16 a on sensing pin 16 ( fig1 ), in each sensor location in a driven row , and outputs that data on the n digital column outputs 52 . operation begins when the pulse detector determines that a pulse has occurred on one of the m input row lines . the pulse detector triggers a clock pulse generator 56 , and the trailing edge of the clock pulse will be used to store the results of the sensing operation in a latch 58 . an amplitude reference generator 60 produces a voltage output vref during the pulse input that is a precise ratio fraction of the drive pulse amplitude . each column from the sensor array 62 goes to an amplitude comparator , within the digital sense amplifier 64 , which determines if the coupled signal from the sense ring on the driven row exceeds the vref value . if the reference value is exceeded , the corresponding digital sense amplifier 64 output goes high . otherwise , it stays low . finally , the separately generated clock pulse stores the sense amplifier outputs from all the columns into a latch for later use . the n columns digital outputs are held until the next row is driven with a pulse . a timing diagram for the sensing system operation is shown in fig3 . operation begins with the drive pulse rising edge , which produces an output from the pulse detector 54 and the clock pulse generator 56 . the column signal is proportionate to the drive pulse and coupling capacitance at its start , and varies according to the material occupying the sensing hole . because the coupling capacitance is very small ( typically 0 . 1 picofarad ), the row capacitance is typically 30 picofarad , and the sense amplifiers 64 have a finite input impedance of 470 kilohms , the column signal decays to zero with a time constant of about 15 microseconds . for this reason , the digital output of the sense amplifiers must be saved in a latch for later use . the clock pulse occurs about 2 microseconds after the drive pulse rising edge to do this data storage . no data is altered at the trailing edge of the drive pulse , although there is a signal coupled into the column lines . normally the drive pulses will have their width established such that the response caused by the trailing edge of one pulse will not interfere with the desired response from the leading edge of a following pulse . more than one pulse may be high at a time without causing problems because of the 15 microsecond time constant being short in relation to the drive pulse width . it is important to note that in the above description , the value of vref used for the sense amplifier comparison is derived from the input drive pulse and will have an exactly proportionate amplitude . in a similar manner , the signal from the sense column will depend on the capacitance matrix of the sensing element and the element being sensed . this capacitance matrix produces a division of the drive pulse which depends only on physical dimensions and the conductive cylinder location . therefore the use of a vref derived from the drive pulse amplitude to compare with a signal also derived from the drive pulse amplitude results in a system which to the first order is independent of the actual drive pulse amplitude . this operational feature substantially improves the quality of performance and operating margins for errors . it also permits the use of the sensing system in different machines with various values of drive pulse amplitude , such as 10 volts in one machine and 24 volts in another . each of the drive lines for the 16 row by 36 column sensor array has a circuit similar to the circuit schematic diagram shown in fig4 . the external drive pulse source can be represented as a voltage source 66 with its output going between 0 volts and + 10 volts , and having a rise time of 100 nanoseconds and a fall time of 300 nanoseconds . this voltage source has an output impedance of less than 10 ohms . the drive pulse goes first to r 1 , a 1 . 0k resistor to ground . this causes the drive line to go to ground if not connected , and puts a minimum load on the drive pulse source for better performance . it then goes through r 2 , a 100 ohm resistor in series with the array line . this limits the driver current output if a short occurs elsewhere in the circuit . in addition r 2 acts in conjunction with c 1 , a 470 pf capacitor as a low pass filter to limit high frequency noise from the drive pulse source being put on the drive line . the voltage on c 1 then drives the row line in the sensor array . at the far end of the sensor array , the row line 61 is terminated in a series combination of r 4 , 56 ohms , and c 3 , 220 pf . this serves to terminate high frequency waveforms in a load similar to the characteristic impedance of the trace structure for the drive rings and connecting traces . in addition to the above , each row line 61 has connections to bus a through a series combination of c 2 , 22 pf , and r 3 , a 15k resistor . this injects an impulse of charge into bus a whenever a row line makes a transition . a separate circuit described later uses the bus a signal to detect that a row pulse has occurred . each row line also has connections to bus b through diode d 1 , a silicon small signal switching diode . thus , whenever a row line is high , bus b will be pulled up to approximately the same voltage . this is used to generate the vref voltage used in each sense amplifier 64 , corrected in the respective columns of the array , for comparison with the sensor array output signals . each row line m in the sensor array has a total capacitance to the remaining circuitry of about 60 pf , for 36 drive rings and interconnecting traces . the transmission line surge impedance of this row line is approximately 56 ohms when constructed on fr4 epoxy - fiberglass printed circuit board material of { fraction ( 1 / 16 )} inch thickness . fig5 shows the pulse detector 54 and clock generator 56 circuits . the input charge pulses caused by the row drive inputs go through a series resistor r 5 , 100 ohms , to the base of transistor q 1 , a 2n3904 general purpose silicon amplifier . resistor r 8 , 2 . 2k , serves as the load resistor for q 1 to cause it to operate as an amplifier , with resistor r 7 , 15k , providing feedback . resistor r 6 , 4 . 7k , establishes the bias operating point so that the collector voltage will be about 4 times the value of vbe for the silicon transistor . at room temperature with typical parts , this gives a quiescent voltage on the transistor collector of about + 2 . 8 volts dc . when a + 10 volt row line positive transition occurs , the charge coupled through c 2 and r 3 previously shown causes the transistor to saturate with its collector at about + 0 . 1 volt . this saturation state remains for 700 nanoseconds , and the collector then returns to its quiescent voltage of + 2 . 8 volts with a time constant of 30 nanoseconds . the falling edge of the voltage at the q 1 collector is connected to the a input of the monostable multivibrator u 1 , causing it to begin outputting a pulse . the other inputs are tied to + 5 volts or ground as needed since they are not used . the output pulse width is set by the capacitor c 4 , 330 pf , and resistor r 9 , 4 . 7k ohms to a value of approximately 2 microseconds . the monostable output pulse is positive going at the pin q , and goes from h to l at pin qbar . since the data latches used later respond to a rising edge and it is desired that they clock in data when the monostable pulse terminates , the qbar output is used to drive the clock line to the latches . capacitor c 5 , 0 . 1 uf , is a noise bypass for power to u 1 as commonly practiced in the state of the art . the amplitude reference generator 60 is shown in fig6 . this circuit takes the voltage developed on bus b , which is approximately equal to the row drive pulse , and produces a voltage vref for use by the column sense amplifiers . first , capacitor c 6 , 1 . 0 nf , bypasses noise impulses to ground . then resistors r 10 and r 11 in series operate as a voltage divider with adjustable resistor r 12 to output a fraction of the bus b voltage as vref . diode d 2 , a silicon small signal switching diode , is connected to the tap between r 10 and r 11 to prevent its going below about + 5 volts . in this way , vref is kept from going to zero between row pulses , which would cause the sense amplifiers to receive both signal and reference inputs of zero . this prevents chatter and oscillations in the comparators used for the sense amplifiers . the sense amplifier 64 and latch circuit 58 are shown in fig7 . one of the 36 column lines 63 from the sense element array is connected to a resistor r 13 , 470k , to ground to define the average dc signal level . it also goes to the + input of a comparator u 2 , a tlv23521d , which serves as the sense amplifier . the comparator is a high gain amplifier which produces a digital output which is h if the + input is more positive than the โ input , and l for the reverse state . the โ input of the comparator receives the vref voltage which represents the best level for discrimination between sense holes filled by a metal cylinder , and sense holes filled by a dielectric rod . this level is normally set to 35 millivolts by resistor r 12 in fig6 . power for the comparator is + 5 volts provided to pin 8 , with a 0 . 1 uf noise bypass capacitor c 7 . the ground return is pin 4 . output from the comparator is taken out on pin 1 , which has a pull - up resistor r 14 , 10k , to + 5v . the comparator output is an open drain stage , so a source of current to pull it up to a logic h level is needed . output from the comparator also goes to the d input of the latch u 3 ( 58 ), a 74ac564 octal inverting edge triggered latch , on pin 2 . the inverting form of the latch is used in this particular application so that the latched outputs will go low when a signal is received to give compatibility with other equipment . a non - inverting latch could be used to give similar results . when the clock signal from fig5 makes a low to high transition on pin 11 , the latch will store the present value on its d input and present it at its qbar output on pin 19 . at all other times , the value of the qbar output is unchanged . the output enable bar for the latch on pin 1 is permanently connected to ground so the output always stays on , since this function is not needed . comparator u 2 comes in a package with two sections . the remaining section is used for a functionally identical circuit not shown here . latch u 3 comes in a package with 8 sections , and the other sections are used for other columns not shown . a total of 18 dual comparator packages and 5 octal latch packages are used to make the circuitry for sensing and latching the outputs of 36 columns . a portion of the sensor element array is shown in fig8 a and 8b . it is made with elements as shown previously in fig1 arranged in a uniformly spaced array with a center to center spacing of 0 . 315 inch . the array has 16 rows of 36 column , with shielding ground traces between each of the columns of sense rings to minimize parasitic coupling . the physical sensing array has the drive circuitry at one end of the drive rows , and the sense amplifiers located at one end of the columns . the arrangement is done so as to minimize the possibility of stray signals being coupled into the column sense lines and to minimize the length of traces on the column sense lines . a preferred form for the cooperating sensing pin 16 previously alluded to will now be described . fig9 shows a cross - section of the pin at any point along the constant diameter portion of its length , drawn with a magnification of 20 ร. the pin is made with a nominally constant diameter of 0 . 180 inch for use in a sensor hole of 0 . 200 inch internal diameter . two special features of the pin &# 39 ; s cross - section are flattened sides 70 where the mold halves mate together to reduce problems with spurious mold flash protrusions , and small longitudinal ribs 72 to minimize abrasion of the cylindrical surface . the longitudinal ribs are sized so that their outermost surfaces are approximately 10 percent of the total circumference . the ribs protrude only 0 . 010 inch so that they enforce an air gap around the pin , but do not excessively widen the air gap . equal spacing of the four ribs around the circumference provides support for all possible directions of abrasion . fig1 is a longitudinal view of the sensing pin 16 with one of the four longitudinal ribs detailed . at one end of the shaft , a button head 76 retains the pin in its equipment , preventing accidental loss of the pin . the pin normally protrudes through a metal sheet with appropriate holes for sliding motion . the other end of the shaft has a rounded shape to minimize the possibility of tissue damage when pressed against a soft surface . a special molding plastic is used for fabricating the pin that incorporates both fiberglass for strength and ptfe for built - in lubrication . the plastic has a very low conductivity , and behaves as an excellent insulator . at a location approximately halfway between the ends of the pin , a zone or region 80 of the plastic 0 . 18 inch long is made conductive with an evaporated metal coating . since the sensor being used is very sensitive to electrostatic fields and draws essentially no current through the pin , the metal coating can be very thin . the sensor will work correctly for metal layers with sheet - resistances of 10 , 000 ohms per square or less . a layer of chromium or aluminum with a thickness of only 4 microinches gives a sheet resistance of less than 0 . 5 ohm per square , and is partially transparent to the eye . for sturdiness , a chrome layer of 10 to 40 microinches is desired , but from the above numbers almost any layer thickness would do . the layer could be invisible and still be effective . it is important that the pin surface not intended to have conductive properties should not receive any evaporated metal , and the transition zone from metal to clear should not extend over more than about 0 . 02 inch of axial length at each end of the metal region . the longitudinal ribs are now seen to serve the purpose of keeping motion of the pin in the sensing hole from rubbing the thin metal layer off of the surface of the pin . friction will remove metal from the tops of the ribs , but they constitute a small portion of the total metal circumference . the overall sensor sensitivity should drop by less than 10 percent with wear and age . the plastic pin 16 is injection molded from a mixture of a thermosetting plastic with 15 percent of fiberglass short fibers and 15 percent of ptfe added to the mixture . the pin is treated as needed to promote adhesion of the evaporated metal , and placed in a metal evaporation system . a system of metal masks in the evaporation system prevents metal condensation on the pin anywhere except the desired region as marked in fig1 . the pin is then ready for use in the electrostatic sensor device it should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention . various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention . accordingly , the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives , modifications , and variances , which fall within the scope of the appended claims . | 6 |
fig1 is an example of a networking system 100 based upon a switch 102 configured to forward information between networks , computing entities , or other switching entities . in one embodiment , networking system 100 may be configured to provide dynamic service level agreement (โ sla โ) enforcement in metro multicast core networks using internet group management protocol (โ igmp โ) snooping and connection admission control (โ cac โ). switch 102 may be configured to selectively forward information , such as packets , frames , cells , or other data , in a network , between such entities as upstream switch 114 and downstream switch 112 , as well as more distant entities such as source server 116 or subscribers 118 . switch 102 may be configured to receive a request of information from source server 116 from downstream switch 112 that originating from subscribers 118 . upon receipt , switch 102 may be configured to calculate cac bandwidth usage dynamically , reserve space for resultant traffic on upstream 122 and downstream links 120 , pass the request upstream , and , if no igmp group query response to the request is returned within the time for response , or if not multicast data traffic for requested multicast group is received , deallocate the reserved space . otherwise , switch 102 may be configured to reply to the igmp group query , reply to igmp protocol messages in the standard way , or simply may send received traffic downstream . thus , switch 102 may be configured to dynamically enforce sla required capabilities while maximizing the usage of available bandwidth . switch 102 may contain an upstream interface card 110 , which may be used to communicatively couple the switch to one or more network destinations . for example , in networking system 100 switch 102 may be communicatively coupled to upstream switch 114 through an interface on upstream interface card 110 . such interfaces may include a port . likewise , switch 102 may be communicatively coupled to source server 116 through legacy metro ethernet switch 114 . upstream interface card 110 and upstream switch 114 may be communicatively coupled through upstream link 122 . although fig1 is shown as an example embodiment of networking system 100 , additional embodiments may contain other suitable configurations of the upstream network communicatively coupled to switch 102 , including other network entities such as switches , routers , backbones , or servers for sending information between switch 102 and an upstream network entity such as source server 116 . switch 102 may contain a downstream interface card 108 , which may be used to communicatively couple the switch to one or more network destinations . for example , in networking system 100 switch 102 may be communicatively coupled to downstream switch 112 through an interface or port on downstream interface card 108 . likewise , switch 102 may be communicatively coupled to subscriber 118 through downstream switch 112 . downstream interface card 108 and downstream switch 112 may be communicatively coupled through downstream link 120 . although fig1 is shown as an example embodiment of networking system 100 , additional embodiments may contain other suitable configurations of the downstream network communicatively coupled to switch 102 , including other network entities such as switches , routers , backbones , or servers for sending information between switch 102 and a downstream network entity such as subscriber 118 . upstream interface card 110 and downstream interface card 108 may be implemented in line cards . upstream interface card 110 and downstream interface card 108 may be implemented in any suitable manner to create the embodiments described in this disclosure . in one embodiment , upstream interface card 110 and downstream interface card 108 may each be implemented in a module including electronic circuitry , processors , and / or memory for handling communications . upstream interface card 110 and downstream interface card may each be configured to both send and receive information through upstream 122 and downstream 120 data links , respectively . upstream interface card 110 and downstream interface card 108 may each contain ports through which multiple connections are made to the rest of the network . upstream interface card 110 and downstream interface card 108 may be configured to exchange , for example , packets , cells , or frames of information with each other to forward information upstream or downstream . where multiple instances of such interface cards exist , or each such interface card contains multiple ports , upstream interface card 110 and downstream interface card 108 may be configured to route such information through a switching fabric . upstream interface card 110 and downstream interface card 108 may include network interfaces configured to forward and receive network traffic as described in this disclosure . such network interfaces may include a port . each interface on card 110 and card 108 may be associated with a cac value . the cac value may represent the capacity of the upstream or downstream network interface according to the techniques used in cac to estimate whether a network link can sustain an additional connection . the cac value may be determined by processor 106 , or another suitable portion of switch 102 . in one embodiment , such a cac value may be stored with the respective interface card . in another embodiment , such a cac value may be stored in a database that contains cac values for all interfaces of a card or of the switch 102 . in yet another embodiment , such a cac value may be stored elsewhere in the switch , such as in memory 108 . cac values may be measured , for example , in megabits - per - second ( mbps ), gigabits - per - second ( gbps ), or in any other suitable set of units . in one embodiment , the cac value may represent the capacity of the network link between switch 102 and the next network entity , such as upstream switch 114 or downstream switch 112 . the designation of a particular interface card as an โ upstream โ interface card 110 or โ downstream โ interface card 108 is shown for illustrative purposes of the particular elements shown in fig1 , wherein a subscriber 118 will typically request multicast information from a source server 116 . however , in some embodiments the interface cards of switch 102 as shown may reverse roles as necessary , wherein interface card 108 may forward and receive information with an upstream network destination and interface card 110 may forward and receive information with a downstream network destination . likewise , the designation of particular elements of the network to which switch 102 is communicatively coupled as โ upstream โ or โ downstream โ may change depending upon the requestor and source entity . further , in some embodiments one of interface cards 108 - 110 may be configured to serve as both an upstream and a downstream interface card , wherein such an interface card contains multiple ports , and one port is communicatively coupled to a downstream portion of the network and another is communicatively coupled to an upstream portion of the network . likewise , a line card may have both upstream and downstream interfaces or ports . in such a case , data between interfaces located on the same line card may still be switched through the switching fabric . source server 116 may be implemented in any configuration capable of providing data in response to a request for information over a network . in one embodiment , such a request may be a multicast request , and the data provided may be a multicast data stream . subscribers 118 may be network entities , users , or other requestors of information from source server 116 . upstream switch 114 and downstream switch 112 may be implemented in any suitable switch , router , or other network entity for forwarding information between a network destination and switch 102 . in one embodiment , upstream switch 114 and downstream switch 112 may be implemented in legacy metro ethernet switches . in another embodiment , upstream switch 114 and downstream switch 112 may be implemented in an embodiment of switch 102 itself . upstream switch 114 and downstream switch 112 may be configured to forward and receive information between switch 102 and network destinations such as source server 116 and subscribers 118 . upstream data link 122 and downstream data link 120 may be implemented in any network data link suitable for transporting data between switches . upstream data link 122 and downstream data link 120 may be measured in terms of mbps , gbps , or any other suitable unit of measure . switch 102 may include a processor 106 coupled to a memory 108 . processor 106 may comprise , for example , a microprocessor , microcontroller , digital signal processor ( dsp ), application specific integrated circuit ( asic ), or any other digital or analog circuitry configured to interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data . processor 106 may interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data stored in memory 108 . memory 108 may comprise any system , device , or apparatus configured to hold and / or house one or more memory modules . each memory module may include any system , device or apparatus configured to retain program instructions and / or data for a period of time ( e . g ., computer - readable media ). processor 106 may be coupled to upstream interface card 110 and downstream interface card 108 . processor 106 may be configured to control the switching fabric that controls the exchange of outbound and inbound information between ports on the interface cards . processor 106 may be configured to dynamically calculate the cac values of the interfaces based on the operation of networking system 100 as described herein . switch 102 may include a multicast forwarding table 104 . processor 106 may be coupled to multicast forwarding table 104 . multicast forwarding table 104 may include communication and forwarding information regarding network entities connected to ports of the interface cards of switch 102 . multicast forwarding table 104 may include information regarding a multicast data group whose identity has been learned by switch 102 and may be configured to receive multicast data from a server through switch 114 . multicast forwarding table 104 may include information about which ports of switch 102 may be utilized to access a server of multicast data , or , conversely , deliver traffic to an identified multicast data stream receiver . in one embodiment , multicast forwarding table 104 may be implemented in memory 108 . in another embodiment , multicast forwarding table 104 may be implemented in one or more interface cards of switch 102 . switch 102 may be configured to populate or depopulate multicast forwarding table according to the descriptions given herein , based in part upon the calculations of cac values in conjunction with service level agreements (โ slas โ), the bandwidth available , the requests for multicast data streams , and the results of those requests . switch 102 may be configured to determine the bandwidth requirements and / or other aspects required by an sla governing one or more services provided by switch 102 . switch 102 may be configured to communicate with any suitable network entity to receive and send information such as frames , packets , cells , or other data . such network entities may include , for example , a computer , router , switch , network device , subnetwork or network . in one embodiment , switch 102 may be implemented as a metro ethernet switch . in operation , switch 102 may receive a request for a data from a downstream network entity . in one embodiment , such a request may include a request for a multicast data stream . in such an embodiment , the request may be implemented in an igmp join message . in one example , the request may be for an iptv data stream . such a request may arrive from downstream switch 112 , and originate from a subscriber 118 . for example , subscriber a may make a request for a multicast data stream with a multicast group id of 229 . 5 . 7 . 9 . switch 102 may determine the level of service required by an sla , under which switch 102 is to provide networking services . such a level of service may include bandwidth availability , uptime , or other indicators of quality of service . switch 102 may determine the availability of bandwidth according to cac , such as the cac value , at the downstream interface on card 108 connected to downstream switch 112 . such a cac value may be evaluated in relation to the required service levels as designated under the sla . such a cac value may be determined in part by the network capacities available between switch 102 and a requesting entity . switch 102 may determine whether downstream transmission of the requested information , such as a multicast data stream , would exceed the available bandwidth as shown by the cac value of the downstream interface on card 108 connected to downstream switch 112 . for example , if the request associated with 229 . 5 . 7 . 9 requires 0 . 5 mbps , and the cac value of the downstream interface link is 1 . 0 mbps , then the downstream transmission may be accomplished . if the downstream transmission of the requested information would exceed the available bandwidth as shown by the cac value of the downstream link on card 108 , then no action may be taken with regards to sending a reply message to the requestor indicating a failure to support the transmission . similarly , switch 102 may determine the availability of bandwidth according to cac , such as the cac value , at the upstream interface on card 110 . such a cac value may also be evaluated in relation to the required service levels as designated under the sla . such a cac value may be determined in part by the network capacities available on the link 122 between switch 102 and the next hop , or networking device 114 towards the source of the information , such as source server 116 . switch 102 may determine whether transmission of the requested information from the upstream components , such as a multicast data stream , would exceed the available bandwidth as shown by the cac value of the upstream interface card 110 . for example , if the request associated with 229 . 5 . 7 . 9 requires 0 . 5 mbps , and the cac value of the upstream link 122 on interface card 108 corresponding to a valid route to the source server 116 is 4 . 0 mbps , then the transmission may be accomplished . if the transmission of the requested information would exceed the available bandwidth as shown by the cac value of the upstream link 122 interface card 108 , then no action may be taken by switch 102 , indicating a failure to support the transmission . if switch 102 determines that sufficient capacity in both upstream and downstream links exists to support transmission of the requested data stream , then switch 102 may reserve bandwidth according to bandwidth requirements for the requested multicast group . such a reservation may be implemented by lowering the cac values available at upstream interfaces on card 110 and downstream interfaces on card 108 . for example , if the multicast data stream requested by subscriber 118 requires 0 . 5 mbps , then such a value may be subtracted from the cac values of upstream interface on card 110 โ leaving 3 . 5 mbps โ and from downstream interface on card 108 โ leaving 0 . 5 mbps . if switch 102 determines that sufficient capacity in both upstream and downstream links exists to support transmission of the requested data stream , then switch 102 may communicate a request to upstream network entities . in one embodiment , switch 102 may forward an igmp join request upstream . the igmp join request may indicate a request for a multicast data stream to be delivered to a particular subscriber . the request may be forwarded through the upstream network interface . for example , switch 102 may send a request for a multicast data stream for the group id 229 . 5 . 7 . 9 , and a request for a multicast data stream for the group id 230 . 6 . 8 . 10 , to upstream switch 114 , which may , depending upon the implementation of upstream switch 114 , attempt to forward the requests upstream , possibly eventually reaching source server 116 . if switch 102 determines that sufficient capacity in both upstream and downstream links exists to support transmission of the requested data stream , then switch 102 may add a temporary entry into multicast forwarding table 104 corresponding to the information requested . in one embodiment , switch 102 may add a temporary entry with a group id corresponding to a requested multicast data stream . for example , an entry corresponding to a group with an id of 229 . 5 . 7 . 9 may be added to multicast forwarding table 104 . in another example , an entry corresponding to a request to a group with an id of 230 . 6 . 8 . 10 may be added to multicast forwarding table 104 . in one embodiment , switch 102 may temporarily add the entry to multicast forwarding table 104 . in such an embodiment , switch 102 may designate the entry added to multicast forwarding table 104 as temporary . such a designation may be implemented , for example , in a field of the entry in multicast forwarding table 104 , or in any other suitable data structure accessible by processor 106 . in another embodiment , the temporary basis of an entry added to multicast forwarding table 104 may be implemented by denoting the time at which the entry was added , which may be used for comparison at a later time as described below . switch 102 may wait for a response from source server 116 regarding the request for information . a positive response from the upstream portions of the network may be , for example , an acceptance of the original request , an igmp querier - initiated request for information about the original request or requesting entities in the form of a group specific igmp query , or packets of information of the requested data stream itself coming from the source server 116 . in one example , an igmp querier - initiated request for more information may include an igmp group specific query message . in another example , the packets of information of the requested data stream itself may arrive at upstream interface card 110 , ready to be forwarded to the requesting network entity . occurrence of any one of these two events may be treated as a confirmation that the request forwarded by switch 102 to the upstream networking device has been accepted . a negative response from the upstream portions of the network may , for example , be no response at all , a denial from source server 116 , or a denial from an upstream network device such as upstream switch 114 . in the case of no response , a request may be determined as not responded to if a timeout length of time has passed since the request was passed to the upstream portions of the network . in one embodiment , such a timeout may be sixty seconds . in another embodiment , such a timeout may set according to the maximum time expected for on igmp group specific query to be made . in such an embodiment , the timeout may be set to be sixty seconds . if switch 102 receives a positive response from upstream regarding the requested information , then switch 102 may change the associated temporary entry in multicast forwarding table 104 into a regular entry , which is then processed using standard multicast protocol rules . the designation of an entry as regular may still be subject to other rules for entries in such forwarding tables , such as deletion after an aging - out period using standard multicast protocol rules . switch 102 may make the associated entry regular by , for example , changing the temporary designation associated with the entry to a regular designation . in various embodiments , switch 102 may forward a received igmp group specific query or may forward packets of information of the requested data stream downstream towards the requestor . for example , if traffic for 222 . 5 . 7 . 9 is received at switch 102 , then such traffic may be forwarded to downstream switch 112 . in another example , if an igmp group specific query for 229 . 5 . 7 . 9 is received at switch 102 , then it is forwarded to the appropriate network destination , such as subscriber a . in either such example , the entry in multicast forwarding table 104 may be made regular . if switch 102 does not receive a positive response โ for example , by receiving no response at all within a designated time period โ then switch 102 may remove the associated temporary entry in multicast forwarding table . further , switch 102 may deallocate the bandwidth previously allocated to accommodate the requested information . switch 102 may deallocate such bandwidth by adjusting or recalculating the cac values associated with the paths to and from the data sources and requestors . for example , if no response arrives for the request associated with group 230 . 6 . 8 . 10 within sixty seconds , then switch 102 may remove the entry for group 230 . 6 . 8 . 10 from multicast forwarding table 104 , reallocate 0 . 5 mbps from both the cac values of downstream interface on card 108 and upstream interface on card 110 . downstream switch 112 , if implemented in a manner similar to switch 102 , may repeat the same process independently of deleting temporary entries from its own multicast forwarding tables and reclaiming the allocated bandwidth . consequently , switch 102 may be capable of dynamically computing the cac value for a multicast request . degradation of service for existing subscribers of a multicast data stream , such as subscriber a in fig1 , may be prevented by intelligently handling an additional request that would overburden the bandwidth capacity . if traffic arrives at switch 102 in response to the multicast request , switch 102 may be already configured to successfully forward such traffic downstream without errors due to bandwidth constraints . switch 102 may thus be capable to dynamically reserve bandwidth , as well as prune cac bandwidth allocated for igmp join requests which may be denied upstream . thus one advantage of particular embodiments of the present disclosures is solving stale bandwidth allocation issues related to requests within one igmp query duration , which may be denied at any point within a long multicast request path . switch 102 may thus be capable of working with existing multicast protocols , without changes to such protocols to accommodate the described features of switch 102 . switch 102 may thus be capable of interfacing with other protocol compliant switches , whether or not such switches are implemented in the same way as switch 102 with the features described herein . consequently , switch 102 may be able to act in a self - contained way , based on its capacity to interpret the protocol - compliant actions and messages of other network entities in networking system 100 . operations for an igmp leave message received by switch 102 may act as the reverse of an igmp join message . if a multicast group id is removed in response to an igmp leave message , then the cac bandwidth previously allocated for that group may be reclaimed and added to the available cac bandwidth for both upstream and downstream links . this process may be repeated on all network entities along the path of igmp leave message . thus switch 102 may be configured to enforce slas and ensure that no additional connection requests will be allowed if cac bandwidth is unavailable to support the connection . in addition , as shown in fig2 , additional benefits may be derived from a network made up of multiple instances of switch 102 . fig2 is an illustration of the operation of more than one switch 102 working together in a networking system 100 to dynamically calculate cac requirements , allow or deny multicast requests , and prune allocated bandwidth . switch a may be communicatively coupled to switch b . switches a and b may be implemented in embodiments of switch 102 . initially , the calculated cac bandwidth downstream of switch b may be eight gbps ; the bandwidth between switch a and switch b may be 4 gbps ; and the bandwidth upstream of switch a may be two gbps . at time t 1 , a request associated with group x may arrive at switch b , with a request for a multicast data stream requiring one gbps . switch b may determine whether sufficient cac bandwidth exists upstream and downstream of switch b to support the request . since such sufficient bandwidth exists , the one gbps requirement may be allocated and thus removed from the available cac bandwidth downstream of switch b and upstream between switches a and b . the request may then be sent to switch a , which also determines whether sufficient bandwidth exists , allocates the cac bandwidth , and sends the request upstream . thus , the available bandwidth upstream of switch a may be one gbps , between switch a and switch b may be three gbps , and downstream of switch b may be seven gbps . temporary entries associated with group x may be made in the multicast forwarding tables of switch a and switch b . at time t 2 , traffic associated with group x may be sent from upstream to switch a in response to the previous request . the traffic may be forwarded from switch a to switch b , and then further downstream to the requestor . if such traffic was received during the designated timeout period , then entries associated with group x may be made regular in switch a and switch b . the cac bandwidth required for transmitting such traffic may be made already allocated , and thus may not require changing . at time t 3 , a request associated with group y may arrive at switch b , with a request for a multicast data stream requiring one gbps . switch b may determine whether sufficient cac bandwidth exists upstream and downstream of switch b to support the request . since such sufficient bandwidth exists , the one gbps may be allocated and thus removed from the available cac bandwidth downstream of switch b and between switches a and b . the request may then be sent to switch a , which also determines whether sufficient bandwidth exists , allocates the cac bandwidth , and sends the request upstream . thus , the available bandwidth upstream of switch a may be zero gbps , between switch a and switch b may be two gbps , and downstream of switch b may be six gbps . temporary entries associated with group y may be made in the multicast forwarding tables of switch a and switch b . the multicast data traffic may immediately start flowing from the source to switch a , then to switch b , which then reaches the requestor of group y . at time t 4 , no positive response may have been received at switch a and switch b with regards to the request associated with group y . no response may be been received within the designated timeout period , or a denial or error may have been received . switch a and switch b may each independently determine that the request has failed . the entries associated with group y may be removed from the multicast forwarding tables of switch a and switch b within one igmp query interval . the cac bandwidth allocated for group y may be deallocated so as to be available for use by other multicast data streams . thus , the available bandwidth upstream of switch a may be one gbps , between switch a and switch b may be three gbps , and downstream of switch b may be seven gbps . at time t 5 , a request associated with group z may arrive at switch b , with a request for a multicast data stream requiring two gbps . switch b may determine whether sufficient cac bandwidth exists upstream and downstream of switch b to support the request . since such sufficient bandwidth exists , the two gbps may be allocated and thus removed from the available cac bandwidth downstream of switch b and between switches a and b . an entry for group z may be made in the multicast forwarding table of switch b . thus the available bandwidth upstream of switch a may be one gbps , between switch a and switch b may be one gbps , and downstream of switch b may be five gbps . at time t 6 , the request for group z may have arrived at switch a , which may determine that insufficient cac bandwidth is available to support the required two gbps multicast data stream requested for group z . since the request failed upstream , switch b might not receive an igmp query message from upstream nor the multicast data for multicast group z , so switch b may deallocate the bandwidth allocated for group z , and remove the temporary entry created in its multicast forwarding table . thus , the available bandwidth upstream of switch a may be one gbps , switch a and switch b may be three gbps , and downstream of switch b may be seven gbps . fig3 is an example embodiment of a method 300 for providing dynamic sla enforcement in metro multicast core networks using igmp snooping and cac . in step 305 , a request for information such as a multicast data stream may be received from a downstream requestor . such a request may be an igmp join request . in step 310 , the downstream and upstream cac bandwidth may be calculated . such calculations may be performed , for example , using the available data links to the source and requestor of the data , the required service levels according to an sla , and to cac bandwidth already designated for other data streams . in step 315 , it may be determined whether sufficient cac bandwidth is available upstream and downstream to support the requested data . if there is not sufficient cac bandwidth , then no information , such as multicast data or an igmp query , may be sent downstream . in step 325 , a downstream network entity that fails to receive such information within an expected duration may process the absence of such information . the downstream network entity may also be performing an embodiment of method 300 . if so , the recipient may be operating step 355 of the method , wherein a response is expected regarding the request . if sufficient cac bandwidth is available upstream and downstream , then in step 330 a temporary entry is created in a multicast forwarding table . the entry may correspond to the group for which the data is requested . the entry may be made temporary by designating it as such in a field of the table , a separate data structure , or by noting the time upon which the request was received via a timestamp . in step 335 , the bandwidth required to support the requested data may be reserved from the available upstream and downstream cac . in step 340 , the request may be forwarded upstream towards the source of the data . in step 345 , the upstream recipient , such as a switch , may be begin processing the request . the recipient may also be performing an embodiment of method 300 . if so , the recipient may be operating step 305 , wherein a request for data is received . in step 350 , a response to the request may be waited upon . in step 355 , it may be determined whether packets of the requested data or a positive response was received within a designated timeout period . in one embodiment , the timeout period may be set to one minute . in another embodiment , the positive response may be in the form of an igmp group specific query sent in response to the igmp join request . in yet another embodiment , instead of such data or positive response , no response or a negative response may have been received . if data or a positive response was not received , then in step 360 the temporary entry created in the multicast forwarded table may be removed , and in step 365 the allocated cac capacity may be released . subsequently , a downstream switch may continue processing , as in step 325 . if data or a positive response was received within the timeout period , then the method may proceed to step 375 . in step 375 , an igmp group specific query , or other request for more information , may be forwarded downstream . in some instances , such a request or query may be replied to , instead of forwarded , depending upon the nature of the query . in step 380 , if traffic was received , it may be forwarded downstream . in step 385 , the downstream recipient of such forwarded information from steps 375 or 380 may continue processing the received information . the recipient may also be performing an embodiment of method 300 . if so , the recipient may be operating step 355 , wherein a response is expected regarding the request . in step 390 , a multicast forwarding table entry associated with the requested information may be made regular and removed using regular igmp protocol rules . although fig3 discloses a particular number of steps to be taken with respect to example method 300 , method 300 may be executed with more or fewer steps than those depicted in fig3 . in addition , although fig3 discloses a certain order of steps to be taken with respect to method 300 , the steps comprising method 500 may be completed in any suitable order . method 300 may be initiated multiple times , and steps of one instance of the operation of method 300 may lead to or arise from steps of another instance of the operation of method 300 . method 300 may be implemented using the system of fig1 - 2 , or any other system , network , or device operable to implement method 300 . in certain embodiments , method 300 may be implemented partially or fully in software embodied in computer - readable media . for the purposes of this disclosure , computer - readable media may include any instrumentality or aggregation of instrumentalities that may retain data and / or instructions for a period of time . computer - readable media may include , without limitation , storage media such as a direct access storage device ( e . g ., a hard disk drive or floppy disk ), a sequential access storage device ( e . g ., a tape disk drive ), compact disk , cd - rom , dvd , random access memory ( ram ), read - only memory ( rom ), electrically erasable programmable read - only memory ( eeprom ), and / or flash memory ; as well as communications media such wires , optical fibers , and other tangible , non - transitory media ; and / or any combination of the foregoing . although the present disclosure has been described in detail , it should be understood that various changes , substitutions , and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims . | 7 |
referring to the drawings in detail , and particularly fig1 and 2 , reference character 10 generally indicates a baby bottle comprising a generally elongated container 12 preferably constructed from a suitable plastic material but not limited thereto , and having a central opening 14 extending therethrough . the opening 14 is preferably somewhat elongated , providing a pair of separate elongated tubular portions or elements 16 and 18 having the opposite ends thereof in open communication with each other at the opposite or upper and lower ends of the opening 14 . the bottom of the container 12 is closed by a plate or wall member 20 , as is well known , and the upper end thereof is open for removably receiving the usual nipple means 22 thereon in the normal manner of baby bottles . the longitudinal central portion of each element 16 and 18 is preferably of a somewhat smaller diameter than the end portions of each as shown at 24 and 26 , respectively , thus providing a concave configuration for the outer periphery of each element 16 and 18 . the reduced diameter portions 24 and 26 are preferably disposed substantially at the longitudinal center of the opening 14 , and the concave - type configuration in cooperation with the opening 14 provides a bottle portion which may be easily engaged by the hand of a baby or infant for supporting of the bottle during a feeding operation . the peripheral portion of the opening 14 which is disposed within the interior of the container 12 preferably terminates at the lower end thereof in a relatively sharp or pointed member 28 which is readily accessible from the interior of each element 16 and 18 . the upper end of the opening 14 may be of substantially any internal configuration , but it is preferably substantially arcuate . the termination of the interior of the opening 14 at the pointed member 28 facilitates the clearing of the interior of the container 12 when the usual bottle brush or the like ( not shown ) is inserted into and through the tubular portions 16 and 18 . thus , the bottle 10 may be efficiently and easily cleaned in the well known manner presently in widespread use in connection with baby bottles . in use , the elongated or tubular member 16 and 18 may be readily grasped by the small hands of a baby or infant whereby the baby may hold or support its own bottle during a feeding operation . the baby may grasp either a single tubular element , or may grasp a tubular element in each of its hands , as desired , thus greatly facilitating the feeding of the baby by releasing an attendant from constant tending of the infant during the feeding operation . this is not only of assistance to the attendant , but also may give the infant or baby a sense of well being . referring now to fig3 through 5 , reference numeral 30 generally indicates a modified baby bottle comprising a container 32 having a substantially triangular cross sectional configuration , as particularly shown in fig5 . the triangular cross sectional results in the formation of three circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending hollow rib portions 34 , 36 and 38 having walls 40 , 42 and 44 interposed between adjacent pairs thereof . the walls 40 , 42 and 44 are preferably of a concave configuration which provides a &# 34 ; relief &# 34 ; area along each longitudinal edge of the rib portion 34 , 36 and 38 . the bottom of the container 32 is closed by a suitable wall of plate member 46 and may be of an external dimension greater than the external dimension of the walls 40 , 42 and 44 , if desired , to provide stability for the container 32 when stored or not in use . the upper end of the container is open for receiving the usual nipple means 48 , as is well known in baby bottles . in use , the rib members 34 , 36 and 38 may be easily grasped by the small hands of a baby or infant , whereby the baby may manipulate or support the bottle without outside assistance . this facilitates the feeding of the infant and relieves the time of an attendant which might otherwise be substantially fully consumed by holding the bottle during the feeding of the infant . of course , the baby may hold the bottle 30 by grasping either a single rib member , or may grasp an individual rib member in each of its hands , as desired . from the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a novel baby bottle particularly configured to provide a bottle portion dimensioned for the small hand of the baby or infant using the bottle during a feeding operation . the baby may grasp the bottle by either one or two hands and can be fully independent of outside assistance during the use of the bottle . whereas the present invention has been described in particular relation to the drawings attached hereto , it should be understood that other and further modifications , apart from those shown or suggested herein may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention . | 0 |
an exemplary embodiment 101 is shown in fig1 . the container is a metal safe 102 of the type commonly used to store valuables , with a body and a door . the door panel 107 of the safe incorporates a display 103 , a keypad 104 , a bypass key lock 105 , and an opening knob 106 . the bypass key lock is shown with its removable cover plate removed . to open the container , the user presses one of the bottom row buttons (*, 0 , or #) on the keypad 104 , causing the display 103 to illuminate and display the status of the device . if the device is not time - locked , the display prompts the user to enter a numeric combination access code and press the # key . if the combination entered matches the combination stored in the device &# 39 ; s memory , the container permits access by electrically actuating its door releasing solenoid . the user then turns the knob 106 clockwise and pulls to swing the door open . to close the safe , the user pushes the door closed and turns the knob 106 counter - clockwise to engage the boltwork and internal latch . bypass lock 105 is a standard pin tumbler or tubular lock . if the safe &# 39 ; s battery is depleted or the user loses the combination , the bypass key may be inserted into the lock 105 and turned , then knob 106 turned to open the safe . since this safe is intended for self - control purposes , the user should store the key at a remote location or with a trusted third party . the user may also purchase the safe without a key . in this case , a lock number will be provided , so that a matching key can be cut later if one is required . while the device is unlocked , the user can press a special key combination to set the current time , the unlocking time , and other settings . the user can time lock the safe by pressing the # key . fig2 shows the mechanical and electrical components of the exemplary embodiment 201 , as seen from the inside of the safe door 202 , with its covers removed . hinges 204 and hinge pins 203 attach the door to the safe . bolts 205 are affixed to a movable plate 230 , and pass through holes in a fixed plate 231 which is affixed to the safe door 202 , so that when the door is closed and the bolts are extended , the door cannot be opened until the bolts are retracted . movable plate 230 is affixed at a right angle to sliding plate 216 . pin 217 is affixed to the safe door and passes through notch 219 in plate 216 . washer 218 holds plate 216 parallel to the safe door 202 while leaving it free to slide back and forth , thus moving the bolts . shaft 221 extends through a hole in the safe door and attaches to knob 106 on the front of the safe . wheel 220 is affixed to shaft 221 . notch 222 is cut in plate 216 , and pin 223 is affixed to wheel 220 . therefore , turning wheel 220 counter - clockwise ( facing fig2 ) causes plate 216 to move leftward , retracting the bolts 205 , while pin 223 moves upward in notch 222 . turning wheel 220 clockwise causes plate 216 to move rightward while pin 223 moves downward in notch 222 , engaging the bolts 205 . tab 224 extends downward from plate 216 . electromagnetic solenoid 225 is affixed to the safe door 202 . solenoid 225 has a plunger 227 , a return spring 228 , and a plate 229 . plate 229 is affixed to the plunger 227 . cable 226 connects solenoid 225 to circuit board 211 . circuit board 211 &# 39 ; s schematic is shown in fig3 . with the bolts extended , when a user turns the knob 106 to attempt to retract the bolts , tab 224 is blocked by plunger 227 , preventing plate 216 from moving , and so preventing the bolts from retracting . when the unlocking criteria are met , circuit board 211 energizes solenoid 225 , causing plunger 227 to move downward , compressing spring 228 . tab 224 is no longer blocked , and the user can turn the knob 106 to retract the bolts . when the current to solenoid 225 is turned off , tab 224 holds down plunger 227 until the knob 106 is turned to engage the bolts . spring 228 then lifts plunger 227 , thus blocking tab 224 again and locking the safe . bypass lock 105 passes through the safe door and is affixed in place by nut 214 . tab 215 is affixed to the cylinder of the lock . when the user inserts the correct key and rotates the lock cylinder , tab 215 rotates clockwise and presses against plate 229 , depressing the plunger 227 and permitting the safe to be opened . battery holder 208 contains four aa - type alkaline cells 209 in a series circuit . cable 210 connects the battery holder 208 to the circuit board 211 . reflective sensor 206 ( which may be replaced by a microswitch in an alternate embodiment ) is connected to circuit board 211 by cable 207 , and senses the open or closed state of the door 202 . ribbon cables 213 pass through a slot 212 cut in the door 202 and connect to the display 103 and keypad 104 on the front of the door 107 . fig3 shows the electrical schematic 301 of the exemplary embodiment . the device is controlled by microcontroller 303 , and is powered by four aa - type batteries 314 . cmos voltage regulator 315 provides a constant 3 . 3 volt supply to the microcontroller . alphanumeric display module 302 and matrix keypad 307 , mounted on the outside front of the safe door are in communication with the microcontroller to provide the user interface . ribbon cables 213 connect display 302 and keypad 307 to the circuit board 211 inside the safe . transistors 304 and 305 , and filter 306 control display 302 &# 39 ; s power , backlight brightness , and display contrast respectively . microcontroller 303 scans the buttons of keypad 307 one row at a time . the bottom row of the keypad is connected to an external interrupt line so that a keypress can wake microcontroller 303 from a low - power state . quartz crystal 311 , a standard watch crystal , along with an amplifier built into microcontroller 303 , provide a 32 , 768 hz oscillator for the timekeeping function . registers and instructions in the microcontroller count the cycles of the oscillator . power switching transistor 316 operates the door releasing solenoid 313 . energizing the solenoid mechanically permits the user to retract the safe &# 39 ; s boltwork as explained previously . diode 312 protects transistor 316 from over - voltage damage at turn - off , which could otherwise occur due to the inductance of solenoid 313 . reflective optical sensor 309 detects the open / closed state of the safe &# 39 ; s door . a microswitch may be used in place of sensor 309 . piezoelectric beeper 308 alerts the user if the safe door is left open when it should be closed . beeper 308 optionally clicks to confirm each keypress . switched voltage divider 310 provides a โ
scale sample of the battery voltage to the analog - to - digital converter built into microcontroller 303 , so that the microcontroller can detect a low battery condition and alert the user . the battery voltage is measured each time the door releasing solenoid 313 is actuated , and each time the unit is turned on . fig4 shows the mechanical and electrical components of an alternative embodiment 401 , as seen from the inside of the safe door 402 , with its covers removed . fig4 is similar to fig2 except that a motor - driven locking mechanism is shown . the embodiment 401 operates as embodiment 201 except where explained below . bolts 414 are affixed to movable plate 413 , which is affixed at a right angle to sliding plate 410 . pin 408 is affixed to the door 402 and passes through notch 411 in plate 410 . washer 409 holds plate 410 parallel to the door 402 while leaving it free to slide back and forth , thus moving the bolts . gear 412 &# 39 ; s bearing is affixed to the door 402 . pin 407 is affixed to gear 412 and passes through notch 406 in plate 410 . therefore , when gear 412 is driven clockwise , the bolts are extended . when gear 412 is driven counter - clockwise , the bolts are refracted . this is similar to the operation of the fig2 embodiment except that no shaft passes through the door 402 to the outside . gear 405 &# 39 ; s bearing is affixed to the door 402 . permanent - magnet dc motor 403 is affixed to the safe door 402 and is connected to the printed circuit board 416 by cable 415 . motor 403 has a worm gear 404 affixed to its shaft . worm gear 404 engages gear 405 , and gear 405 engages gear 412 . therefore , when the motor 403 is energized , it will drive the gears 405 and 412 , either extending or refracting the locking bolts 414 , depending on the polarity of the electric current . fig5 shows the electrical schematic of an h - bridge reversing motor driver 501 suitable for the alternative motor - driven lock in fig4 . the circuit in fig5 should be added to the circuit in fig3 in place of parts 312 , 313 , and 316 . inputs 510 and 511 are normally held at logic 0 ( 0 volts ) by the microcontroller 303 , therefore , all transistors are non - conducting and no appreciable current is drawn from the battery . when the microcontroller 303 applies a logic 1 ( 3 . 3 volts ) to input 510 , transistors 502 , 504 , and 507 conduct , energizing the motor 509 ( motor also shown as 403 in fig4 ) in the locking direction . when the microcontroller 303 applies logic 1 to input 511 , transistors 506 , 503 , and 505 conduct , energizing the motor in the unlocking direction . resistor 512 limits motor current and also provides a voltage proportional to motor current 513 to the microcontroller 303 . when the motor - driven lock reaches its mechanical stop , the motor will stall and the voltage at point 513 will increase , causing the microcontroller 303 to turn off the motor . diodes 508 protect the transistors against inductive transients from the motor . resistor values must be adjusted based on the current requirements of the specific motor type . it is important that inputs 510 and 511 are not simultaneously driven with logic 1 , as this will cause cross - conduction of the transistors and draw excessive current . fig6 shows the various status displays 601 of the exemplary embodiment . the user interface is displayed on a 20 - character - per - line , 4 - line led - backlit alphanumeric liquid crystal display . the user interface is implemented as a state machine in the microcontroller program , and runs in a separate software thread independent of the time - locking routines in fig8 . pressing one of the bottom row buttons (*, 0 , or #) on the keypad lights the display and shows a series of status displays , changing every 5 seconds by default . the status display sequence changes depending on the state of the device , as explained below . if the container is unlocked , the open time is later than the current time , and auto relock is not pending , pages 614 , 607 , 602 , and 603 are displayed sequentially . if the container is unlocked , the open time is later than the current time , and auto relock is pending , pages 608 , 614 , 607 , 602 , and 603 are displayed sequentially . if the container is unlocked and the open time has passed , pages 614 , 606 , 602 , 603 , and 626 are displayed sequentially . if the container door is left open , the top line of the display indicates โ vault door ajar โ as shown in page 617 . the beeper will also sound if this feature has been enabled in the setting 705 . if the container is locked , and cooldown mode is disabled or inactive , pages 612 , 602 , and 604 are displayed sequentially . if the cooldown mode is inactive , page 605 is also displayed . if the container is locked , cooldown mode is inactive , and the 5 * key combination is pressed , page 618 is displayed , then the cycle changes to pages 621 , 602 , 604 , 624 , and 612 . this sequence continues until the cooldown is canceled or the cooldown time arrives . if cooldown mode is active and the cooldown time has arrived , pages 614 , 622 , 602 , 604 , and 624 are displayed . the passcode can be entered in this state to open the container . if the container is opened in cooldown mode , page 620 is displayed , then two minutes later the sequence 612 , 602 , 604 , 623 is displayed . the cooldown feature is disabled until the time shown in 623 , and the door will not open . if cooldown mode is active , and the cooldown start / cancel ( 5 *) key combination is pressed , page 619 is displayed and the device exits cooldown mode . the display sequence returns to 612 , 602 , 604 , and 605 . if the container is unlocked or cooldown unlocked ( page 614 is shown ) and the user enters the correct passcode and presses #, page 616 is displayed for five seconds , while the unlocking solenoid 313 is energized . if an incorrect passcode is entered , page 615 is displayed and the door does not unlock . if the power off ( 2 *) key combination is pressed , the display turns off and the microcontroller enters low - power mode . this power - down also occurs after one minute of inactivity by default . the state of the user interface is maintained during power - down . the user interface thread is suspended , while the timekeeping interrupt and time - lock thread 801 continue to run once per second . if the quick lock ( 3 *) combination is pressed while the container is unlocked , the device displays the locking prompt 609 / 610 or the visible / audible locking countdown 611 , and starts the locking process . the open time will be set to the current time plus one day . quick lock has no effect while the container is locked . if the skip next open time ( 4 *) key combination is pressed , the device displays page 625 , with a new open time based on the repeat setting , or defaulting to one day forward . if the user presses #, the open time is updated . if the user presses *, the open time is not changed . either way , the device then returns to its normal display sequence . fig7 shows the various configuration pages 701 of the exemplary embodiment . if the user presses the settings ( 1 *) key combination from the status display , and the current time has already been set , page 702 will be displayed . if the current time has not been set , page 707 will be displayed to prompt the user to set the current time . page 707 is also displayed when the batteries are installed or replaced . if the user presses * ( lock vault ) from the status display , and the open time is earlier than the current time , page 702 will be displayed to prompt the user to set the open time . when one of the configuration pages is displayed , the user can press 4 to move counter - clockwise , or 6 to move clockwise , through the full loop of configuration pages . for example , from page 703 , the 6 key moves to page 704 and the 4 key moves to page 702 . the user can press * to exit to the status display . the user can press # to change the settings on the currently displayed configuration page . page 702 is used to set the open time . when the user presses #, the month is first highlighted . if the date was in the past , it is changed to the current date . the user must select the month , then press #, enter the day , press #, enter the year , press #, enter the hour , press #, enter the minute , press #, choose am / pm using 4 and 6 to select , then press # to save . when the date is changed , the day of week updates automatically . the screen &# 39 ; s bottom line displays a rotating series of prompts that show the user all his or her available options . pressing * at any time cancels the setting process . if the container is locked , the user can change the open time to a later time ( delaying opening ) but cannot change to an earlier opening time . the user may set a schedule of unlocking times with the repeat times feature . pages 703 , 718 , 719 , and 720 are used to set the repeat times . the user can select one of these four modes , and all but off ( page 703 ) have further settings . if the repeat times mode is set to off , the open time does not automatically update . if the repeat times mode is set to any of the other three options , 718 , 719 , or 720 , the open time is automatically updated at each unlocking . the options cannot be changed while the device is time locked . page 718 causes the open time to be advanced to the same time every day or every n days , where the user can enter the number of days . in the figure , it is set to open every other day ( displayed as โ every 2 days โ.) page 719 causes the open time to be advanced to the same time each day , while skipping deselected days of the week . for example , if monday , wednesday , and friday are selected , the device will unlock at the specified open time on each of those days , and will not unlock on other days of the week . page 720 allows the user to enter up to eight times of day . there are two pages of four times each , and the times are automatically sorted when the user makes changes . duplicate times are automatically discarded . the open time will advance , at each unlocking , to the next specified time . if the current time is later than the last specified time , the open time will advance to the first scheduled time on the next day . if page 704 is enabled , and the container door is not opened after the open time arrives , the device will automatically relock until the next open time as determined by the repeat settings . the user can set the relock delay in hours or minutes . when the relocking time arrives , the device will perform a visible countdown , with an optional tick - tock sound , giving the user an opportunity to cancel the relocking page 705 enables an alarm to remind the user to close the container door . if this feature is enabled , the device will wait the set number of minutes and then beep until the door is closed . the beep will increase in intensity after one minute . page 706 configures the cooldown mode . the cooldown mode can be enabled or disabled . if enabled , there are three settings : unlocking delay time period , relocking delay time period , and inhibit delay time period . the unlocking delay setting determines the time between a cooldown request ( 5 * key sequence ) and the container permitting access . the relocking delay setting determines how long the device remains in cooldown unlocked mode before automatically relocking the inhibit delay setting determines how often a cooldown open is permitted . if the user opens the door during the cooldown unlock period , the device relocks immediately when the door is closed , does not permit another cooldown unlock until the inhibit delay has passed , and displays page 623 in the meantime . if the user does not open the door , and the device relocks automatically , the cooldown can be requested again immediately . page 707 is used to set the current time . this page can be selected manually , and is also displayed automatically when batteries are installed . page 708 is used to set the passcode for opening the container door . the door must be open to change the passcode . the user is prompted for a new passcode , and then prompted to re - enter it to confirm . the passcode is also used to unlock the keypad when the keypad security feature ( page 711 ) is enabled . page 709 shows the battery voltage and status ( good , fair , low .) when the batteries are low , this page is displayed automatically , and the container will not time lock . the microcontroller retains and displays the lowest voltage measured during opening , as well as the present voltage . page 710 adjusts the display brightness and contrast . pressing the 1 and 3 keys adjusts the backlight brightness ; pressing the 7 and 9 keys adjusts the contrast . page 711 controls two options . if relock at close is enabled , the container door is closed after being opened , and the open time is later than the current time , the device will automatically begin the visible / audible locking countdown 611 . the container will lock when the count reaches zero , unless the user presses a key to abort . the container &# 39 ; s user interface can be secured . if this option is enabled , the passcode must be entered at each power - up before any operations can be carried out . this prevents unauthorized persons from tampering with or time - locking the container . if keypad security is enabled , all keypad functions are disabled at every power - up until the user enters the passcode and presses #. page 613 is displayed while the keypad is disabled . page 712 sets the confirm before lock prompt option . if this is set to always , page 609 or 610 is always displayed when locking , and the user must press # to proceed . if set to a number , the confirmation is displayed only if the container is being locked for that number of days or longer . this feature prevents an accidental prolonged lockout . page 713 determines whether the device automatically begins the locking process after the user finishes setting the open time on page 702 . if 713 is set to on , page 609 , 610 , or 611 appears after setting the open time . if 713 is set to off , page 702 remains after setting the open time . page 714 controls two sound - related options . if the key click sound option is set to on , the beeper emits a short click at each keypress . if the key click sound option is set to off , no click is produced . if the lock / unlock sound option is set to on , the beeper produces a โ tick - tock โ sound ( alternating high and low frequency clicks ) during the page 611 countdown . it also produces a locking tone ( three tones rising in frequency ) when the container time locks , and an unlocking tone ( three tones falling in frequency ) when the container unlocks . if the lock / unlock sound option is set to off , these sounds are not produced . page 715 controls two user interface options . the power save time determines how long the screen remains illuminated with no user input . when the corresponding number of seconds have passed , the screen turns off to save power , and the microcontroller goes into low power mode . pressing one of the bottom row keys (*, 0 , or #) will turn the display back on , leaving the user interface in the same state as before the display timed out . the help messages setting determines how quickly the screen cycles through messages . this controls the speed of the main menu status pages in fig6 , as well as the help messages displayed on the bottom line of the settings pages in fig7 . page 716 sets the duration in seconds of the locking countdown on page 611 . page 717 shows the software copyright notice , software version , and unit serial number . this page alternates between the software copyright notice and software version ( shown ) and serial number ( not shown ). there are no settings to be changed on this page . with the exception of the open time and current time values , all the fig7 settings are retained in the eeprom memory of the microcontroller 303 while the batteries are removed . fig8 shows the flowchart 801 of the exemplary device &# 39 ; s time - locking and alarm logic . this procedure should run multiple times per minute , and the exemplary embodiment runs it once per second . the procedure starts at entry point 802 and first branches at state 803 based on whether the container is time - locked . if the container is time - locked , branch 810 checks whether the open time has arrived . if the open time has arrived , action 829 clears the time lock flag . branch 830 checks the auto relock state , and if auto relock is enabled , sets the auto relock time at action 831 , and sets the auto relock state to active at action 832 . next , branch 833 checks the repeat time mode and setting , and if enabled , updates the open time at action 834 according to the repeat time mode and setting . finally , branch 835 checks the cooldown mode , and if it was previously unlocking or relocking , action 836 sets it back to inactive . the routine ends at endpoint 837 . if the device is time - locked at branch 803 and the open time has not arrived ( branch 810 ), the program proceeds to branch 811 for the specific case where the container door was opened during cooldown relocking mode . if the container was opened , the mode is set to inhibiting ( action 816 ), the cooldown event time is updated at action 817 , the program proceeds to the door alarm check 821 , and the user interface thread presents page 620 . if branch 811 is not taken , then branch 812 checks to see if the cooldown event time has been reached . if so , branch 813 checks the cooldown state . in the unlocking state , the cooldown state changes to relocking at action 814 , and action 815 sets the cooldown event time . in the relocking state 818 or inhibiting state 819 , the state is changed to inactive at action 820 . the user interface thread , in response to the 5 * cooldown open request 605 , sets the cooldown event time to the current time plus the cooldown unlocking delay , and sets the cooldown state to unlocking , thus starting the cooldown process . if the device is not time - locked at branch 803 , the software checks the relock on close state at branch 804 and the door recently closed flag at branch 805 . if both are true , the container is time - locked at action 808 and the auto relock mode is set to inactive at action 809 . the user interface thread will present page 611 . if the relock on close is not executed , the software checks the auto relock mode at branch 806 and auto relock time at branch 807 . if the auto relock mode is active and the auto relock time has arrived , execution proceeds to actions 808 and 809 as above . branch 821 checks the door alarm state . the user interface thread starts the beeper countdown when the door is opened . the initial value of the beeper countdown is the value in page 705 , converted to seconds , plus a 300 second maximum beeping duration . therefore , a one - minute door alarm setting would start this value at 360 . the counter is decremented once per second . if the door alarm state is off or inactive , execution ends at endpoint 837 . if the door alarm state is countdown or beeping , branch 822 compares the countdown time with the fixed beeping duration of 300 seconds . if the countdown is less than the duration , the beeper will sound until the countdown reaches 0 . this limits beeping to 5 minutes . branch 823 checks the countdown , and if it is zero , the beeper is silenced at action 824 . branch 825 checks the door state , and if the door is closed , the beeper is silenced at action 826 . branch 827 checks the beeper state , and if not beeping , the beeper is turned on at action 828 . this causes the beeper to sound if the door is open , the countdown is below the duration , and the countdown is not zero . the foregoing detailed description has disclosed , to those experienced in the relevant fields of electrical engineering , embedded software development , and mechanical engineering , how to make and use a time - locked container specifically optimized for self - control purposes , and has further disclosed the best methods currently known to the inventors for implementing such a container , including the electrical and user - interface aspects of the design . however , it will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the technology , that a precommitment container could be implemented in many other ways . for example , the display could show animated clock hands instead of a digital clock ; a different microcontroller architecture could be used ; different types of containers could be used ; and one or more dials could be used in place of a keypad as the input device . for all of the foregoing reasons , the detailed description is to be regarded as being in all respects exemplary and not restrictive , and the breadth of the device and method disclosed herein is to be determined not from the detailed description , but rather from the claims , as interpreted with the full breadth permitted by the patent laws . | 6 |
a system of the present invention is generally illustrated in fig1 . a user 55 can use a mobile telephone to transmit an image or images over a network to a processing server 65 for processing . alternatively , the user 55 can use a computer to transmit the images to the processing server 65 over the internet . as discussed in more detail below , the processing server 65 creates a feature vector from the image or images . the processing server can then access a database of digital photos 75 to determine if any of the digital photos can the image . if the database photos contain the image , information is generated for each image and stored on a database 70 . generally , a facial image is transmitted over a network to an image classification server or processing server , preferably over a wireless network . the facial image is preferably sent over the internet using http or e - mail to the image classification server . the facial image , preferably a compressed digital facial image such as a jpeg image , is sent to a wireless carrier as a mms , a sms , a smtp , or wap upload . alternatively , the facial image is uploaded to a computer from a digital camera , or scanner and then transferred over the internet to the image classification server as an e - mail attachment , or http upload . the facial image is analyzed at the image classifications server to determine if the facial image is of adequate quality to be processed for matching . quality issues with the facial image include but are not limited to a poor pose angle , brightness , shading , eyes closed , sunglasses worn , obscured facial features , or the like . processing of the image preferably comprises using an algorithm which includes a principle component analysis technique to process the face of the facial image into an average of a multitude of faces , otherwise known as the principle component and a set of images that are the variance from the average face image known as the additional components . each is reconstructed by multiplying the principal components and the additional components against a feature vector and adding the resulting images together . the resulting image reconstructs the original face of the facial image . processing of the facial image comprises factors such as facial hair , hair style , facial expression , the presence of accessories such as sunglasses , hair color , eye color , and the like . essentially a primary feature vector is created for the facial image . this primary feature vector is compared to a plurality of database of images preferably located on a social networking website . a more detailed description of generating feature vectors is disclosed in shah , et al ., u . s . pat . no . 7 , 450 , 740 , for an image classification and information retrieval over wireless digital networks and the internet , which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety . the present invention preferably uses facial recognition software commercially or publicly available such as the faceit brand software from identix , the facevacs brand software from cognetic , and others . those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize that there are many facial recognition softwares , including those in the public domain , that may be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . the operational components of the image classification server / processing server 65 preferably include an input module , transmission engine , input feed , feature vector database , sent images database , facial recognition software , perception engine , and output module . the input module is further partitioned into wireless device inputs , e - mail inputs and http ( internet ) inputs . a digital photo 100 of a facial image of an individual is shown in fig2 . the digital photo is sent to the processing server for creation of a feature vector for this individual . the feature vector is generated based on facial features , and this allows the image of the individual to be distinguished within other digital photos . such features include the hair color 102 , face shape 104 , distance between eyes 106 , hair style 108 , distance between eyes and mouth 110 , length of mouth 112 and nose shape 114 , and other like features . the primary feature vector is then used to identify other digital photos bearing an image of the individual . as shown in fig4 , a collection of digital photos bearing an image of the individual are identified . in fig4 a , a particular photo bearing an image of the individual is analyzed for location information which is preferably stored in a database 70 . an x - y position of the image is determined , along with the size of the image and tilt angle . this allows image to be quickly identified . a method 400 for tagging an image of an individual in a plurality of photos is shown in fig5 . in this method , at block 402 , a first set of digital photos is provided with each of the digital photos containing an image of an individual . the first set of photos is preferably provided to a processing server over a network . at block 404 , the image or images of the individual is / are processed , preferably at the processing server , to generate a feature vector for the image ( s ) of the individual . at block 406 , a second set of photos is analyzed , preferably by the server , to determine if any of the photos of the second set of photos has an image that matches the feature vector . the second set of photos is preferably located on a social networking website , such as the myspace ยฎ web site or the facebook ยฎ web site . at block 408 , photos of the second set of photos that contain an image that matches the feature vector are identified , preferably by the processing server . at block 410 , these identified photos are tagged to create a third set of photos . a method 500 for tagging a facial image of an individual in a plurality of digital photos , is shown in fig6 . for example , a user may want to create links to unorganized digital photos bearing an image of an individual or group of individuals . the present method allows the user to create such links . at block 502 , a feature vector for a facial image of an individual is created at a processing server . the feature vector is preferably created from a first set of photos containing the facial image of the individual . at block 504 , a second set of digital photos is analyzed , preferably by the processing server , to determine if any of the digital photos of the second set of photos has a facial image that matches the feature vector . the second set of photos is preferably located on a social networking website , such as the myspace ยฎ web site or the facebook ยฎ web site . at block 506 , photos of the second set of photos that contain an image that matches the feature vector are identified , preferably by the processing server . at block 508 , the location information of the facial image in each of the second set of digital photos is determined by the processing server . the location information is preferably the x and y coordinates , the size of the facial image and the tilt angle of the facial image in the digital photo . at block 510 , an identifier and the location information of the facial image for each of the identified digital photos is stored on a database , preferably at the processing server . from the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof , and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings , numerous changes modification and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claim . therefore , the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims . | 6 |
referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views , a portable pressurized container , such as an ordinary pressurized aerosol - type container can 10 has a remote delivery nozzle or wand 12 connected thereto by means of a cap assembly 14 and a flexible conduit 16 . the container 10 may be filled with any suitable contents under pressure , such as a cleaner or solvent , which is desired to be delivered to a remote location by means of the remote delivery nozzle 12 . container 10 is cylindrical in shape and is provided with inner and outer , annularly spaced , upstanding , concentric rims , 18 and 20 , respectively . a storage and shipping cap ( not shown ) may be installed on the can 10 in frictional engagement with the outer rim 20 when the cap assembly 14 and remote delivery nozzle 12 are removed during periods of non - use . the container 10 is provided with an upstanding hollow valve stem 22 which is centrally disposed in the top of the container 10 . the valve stem 22 forms a part of a valve arrangement which is manufactured integral with the container 10 and is well known in the art . such valve arrangement will typically include means ( not shown ) for biasing the valve stem 22 upwardly , such that a downwardly directed force on the valve stem 22 generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the container 10 produces downward displacement of the valve stem 22 , thereby opening the associated valve and allowing the pressurized contents to flow out of the container 10 through the valve stem 22 . cap assembly 14 includes substantially cylindrically shaped cap 24 which is adapted to clampingly engage an inner and outer portion of the upstanding inner annular rim 18 on container 10 . the cap 24 has an outer flange 26 which is resilient and spread to engage the outer diameter of the can rim 18 . a plurality of interior , resilient , downwardly extending prongs 28 , each terminating in a radially extending hook 30 , seat along spaced portions of the inner diameter of the can rim 18 , which along with the outer flange 26 , firmly clamps the cap 24 to the can rim 18 . the cap 24 also includes a downwardly extending , annular , interior flange 32 which surrounds valve 22 and serves as a shield against a spray emanating from the pressurized container 10 when the cap 24 is removed to &# 34 ; disarm &# 34 ; the container . the container 10 is &# 34 ; armed &# 34 ; by the cap 24 which has a central bore 34 therethrough having an annular shoulder 36 within the interior thereof which sealingly engages the end of the container valve stem 22 and urges the latter downwardly to release the pressurized contents when the cap 24 is fitted on the can rim 18 . an end of flexible connector or conduit 16 is received within the cap bore 34 . the cap 24 has an annular , externally threaded extension 38 which receives a nut 40 and an internal ferrule 42 surrounding conduit 16 within bore 34 to clamp the flexible connector 16 and ferrule 42 within the bore 34 of the cap 24 . the flexible connector or conduit 16 conducts the pressurized contents of the container 10 to the remote delivery nozzle or wand 12 connected to the opposite end of the connector 16 by a similar ferrule and nut assembly 44 for delivery at a site remote from the container 10 . the nozzle or wand 12 includes an elongated pencil - like member 46 having an octagonal cross - section . the flat surfaces 48 on the eight - sided member enables the wand 12 to be readily gripped by the user , who must maintain a proper orientation of the wand lip 50 . the wand 12 includes an elongated inlet passage 52 connected to the &# 34 ; armed &# 34 ; or pressurized container 10 through the flexible conduit 16 and an elongated outlet passage 54 in communication with a suitable attachment , such as a hollow tube 56 terminating in an application brush 58 . a manually operable valve assembly 60 is interposed between the pressurized inlet passage 52 and the outlet passage 54 . the valve assembly 60 includes a plug 62 welded to the top of the wand or nozzle 12 and a vertically reciprocable plunger 64 each housed within a transverse bore 65 between inlet passage 52 and outlet passage 54 . the plunger 64 is biased by a spring 68 held captive between facing bores 70 and 72 in the plug 62 and plunger 64 , respectively , to a position sealing communication between the inlet and outlet passages 52 and 54 . the seal is effected by an annular rib 74 having a lower portion 75 seated on an annular shoulder 76 surrounding bore 65 ( see fig8 ) to preclude communication of passage 52 with passage 54 through bore 65 or by an o - ring 78 disposed between an annular flange 80 and shoulder 76 ( see fig9 ). a thin button - like membrane 82 is provided on the wand 12 immediately below the plunger 64 , which when depressed or flexed will contact and move the plunger 64 upwardly against the bias of the spring 68 between the plug 62 and plunger 64 , establishing communication between the inlet and outlet passages 52 and 54 through transverse bore 65 by moving annular rib 74 ( fig8 ) or flange 80 ( fig9 ) away from shoulder 76 ( and o - ring 78 ) enabling pressurized fluid to be dispensed through the remote outlet passage 54 in the nozzle or wand 12 to the applicator brush 58 . release of finger pressure on the membrane 82 enables the plunger 64 to return to seal communication between the inlet and outlet passages under the return urging of spring 68 and fluid in inlet passage 52 . if desired , a cap 84 can be disposed about the membrane 82 to reinforce the membrane . cap 84 has an annular , inwardly directed flange 86 adapted to be received and snapped over diametrically opposed , radial lips 88 and 90 extending outwardly from membrane 82 to preclude the cap 84 from falling off the membrane . such a wand construction assures accurate application of the pressurized contents of the container 10 with a minimum of finger fatigue . the wand 12 , conduit 16 and cap assembly 14 can all be constructed from a suitable plastic material , such as polyethylene . it is also within the scope of the invention that the central bore 34 of cap 24 can be shaped to contact and open other types of container valve stems 22 to &# 34 ; arm &# 34 ; the container 10 . for example , the central bore 34 can be provided with a camming shoulder or shim to contact and cant or pivot downwardly the commonly used pivotable valve stem . | 1 |
it should be understood at the outset that although an illustrative implementation of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated below , the present system may be implemented using any number of techniques , whether currently known or in existence . the present disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations , drawings , and techniques illustrated below , including the exemplary design and implementation illustrated and described herein , but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents . when holding a handset to view a movie or some other video - based content , a user might need to maintain his or her hand in an awkward position to achieve a suitable viewing angle for the handset . holding a handset for an extended period of time can become tiresome . if the user chooses to rest the handset on a horizontal surface , such as a desk or tabletop , the resulting viewing angle may not be conductive to viewing or may not provide a high quality picture . if the user chooses to lean the handset against an object to achieve a proper viewing angle , the handset might be likely to slip or fall . in embodiments of the present disclosure , a stand is provided that can hold a handset in adjustable positions on a table , desk , or similar surface . the stand includes a cradle into which the handset can be inserted and which can be adjusted to allow the handset to be viewed at different angles . in this way , the viewing angle can easily be adjusted to suit the preferences of the user for comfort and picture quality . the handset can then be securely held in the selected position . fig1 illustrates an embodiment of such a stand 5 . the stand 5 includes a fixed portion 10 , or base , with a bottom surface that is substantially flat so that the stand 5 can be placed securely on a flat surface such as a desktop or tabletop . the stand 5 also includes an adjustable portion 20 that can hold a handset . fig2 illustrates a handset 30 that has been placed in the adjustable portion 20 of the stand 5 . in an embodiment , the adjustable portion 20 , or cradle , is capable of swiveling so that the handset 30 can be viewed at different angles . fig3 illustrates a mechanism 40 that can allow the cradle 20 to rotate through a range of angles . the mechanism 40 might be a hinge , an axle , a ball joint , or some other well - known apparatus for providing rotational motion . the mechanism 40 might allow rotation through a single axis or through multiple axes of rotation . for example , the handset 30 might rotate โ backwards / forwards โ about a horizontal axis 42 as shown in fig3 and might also rotate โ left / right โ about a vertical axis 44 as shown in fig2 . regardless of the precise nature of the mechanism 40 , the mechanism 40 can be provided with a means for holding the cradle 20 securely at a desired angle . for example , the mechanism 40 might be a friction hinge that holds the cradle 20 in a particular disposition by friction or might be a ratchet hinge that holds the cradle 20 in a particular disposition by a ratcheting action . one of skill in the art will recognize other ways in which the cradle 20 could be prevented from rotating away from the desired angle by the force of gravity pulling downward on the handset 30 . in an embodiment , the stand 5 can be provided with sufficient weight to counterbalance the weight of the handset 30 when the handset 30 is inserted into the stand 5 at the different possible angles . this can prevent the force of gravity from toppling the stand 5 when the handset 30 is inserted into the stand 5 at angles far from the vertical . fig4 a , 4 b , 4 c , and 4 d illustrate various angles at which the handset 30 could be positioned . one of these angles might provide a user of a portable streaming video player , for example , a comfortable viewing angle for watching a movie , a streaming video broadcast , or some other video content . a particular angle might also reduce glare to a minimum . if the user wished to change the viewing angle , the user could simply swivel the handset 30 forward or backward and the cradle 20 would hold the handset 30 in the desired position . it can be seen in fig5 that the cradle 20 can rotate in such a manner that the cradle 20 does not substantially protrude from the fixed portion 10 . that is , the fixed portion 10 might include an opening of such a size and shape that , when the cradle 20 is rotated to an appropriate angle , the cradle 20 is substantially contained within the interior of the fixed portion 10 . this can make the stand 5 more compact and more portable and can reduce the likelihood of the cradle 20 being exposed to damage when the stand 5 is being carried or transported . when the cradle 20 is in this storage mode , it may not be possible to insert the handset 30 into the cradle 20 . in one embodiment , the stand 5 is manufactured to be used with a particular brand , type , or model of handset 30 and the cradle 20 has a fixed size appropriate for the handset 30 for which the stand 5 was made . in an alternative embodiment , the size and shape of the cradle 20 may be adjustable to accommodate different sizes and shapes of handsets 30 . for example , the cradle 20 might contain moveable sides or a similar mechanism to hold different shapes and sizes of handsets 30 in the cradle 20 . alternatively , the cradle 20 might contain an insert of foam or similar material that can conform to different shapes and sizes of handsets 30 and thus hold the handset 30 in place . in still other embodiments , other techniques or configuration may be used to retain handsets of varying sizes , which will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art in view of the present teachings . in an embodiment , the stand 5 includes a component for providing an electrical charge to the handset 30 . this is illustrated in fig6 , where a charging cable 50 connects the handset 30 to the stand 5 . electricity can flow from the stand 5 to the handset 30 through the charging cable 50 to charge a battery in the handset 30 . while the charging cable 50 is shown in fig6 connecting the rear portion of the handset 30 to the rear portion of the stand 5 , in other embodiments the charging cable 50 can connect the handset 30 and the stand 5 in other locations . also , the charging connection may be a more direct connection than the connection via the cable 50 . for example , the handset 30 might have a charging port on its bottom surface and the cradle 20 might have a charging port on its upper surface such that , when the handset 30 is placed in the cradle 20 , the charging port on the handset 30 connects to the charging port on the cradle 20 . in an embodiment , the stand 5 includes at least one speaker that can play sounds generated by the handset 30 . a speaker cable 60 might connect an audio output port on the handset 30 to an audio input port on the stand 5 . when the speaker cable 60 is connected , sounds that would otherwise come from a speaker on the handset 30 might instead come from the speaker or speakers on the stand 5 . alternatively , sounds might be emitted simultaneously by both the speaker on the handset 30 and the speaker or speakers on the stand 5 . in an alternative embodiment , the handset 30 might have an audio output port on its bottom surface and the cradle 20 might have an audio input port on its upper surface such that , when the handset 30 is placed in the cradle 20 , the audio output port on the handset 30 connects to the audio input port on the cradle 20 . fig1 shows a single speaker 70 on the front portion of the stand 5 , but in other embodiments two or more speakers 70 might be present to provide stereo sound . also , the speaker 70 or speakers 70 might be located in other positions on the stand 5 or might be external to and attachable to the stand 5 . while several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure , it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure . the present examples are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive , and the intention is not to be limited to the details given herein . for example , the various elements or components may be combined or integrated in another system or certain features may be omitted , or not implemented . also , techniques , systems , subsystems and methods described and illustrated in the various embodiments as discrete or separate may be combined or integrated with other systems , modules , techniques , or methods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure . other items shown or discussed as directly coupled or communicating with each other may be coupled through some interface or device , such that the items may no longer be considered directly coupled to each other but may still be indirectly coupled and in communication , whether electrically , mechanically , or otherwise with one another . other examples of changes , substitutions , and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could be made without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein . | 7 |
fig1 , 1 a and 1 b show a containerized autopsy facility 20 . the facility 20 comprises an autopsy container 30 and a support container 60 . the autopsy container 30 and the support container 60 are each insulated ( refrigerated ) containers enveloping an air - tight , sealed compartment . the autopsy container 30 and the support container 60 may vary according to needs and requirements without departing from the basis of the invention . exemplary containers for use in the practice of this invention include , but are not limited to 20 - foot iso containers ( length of 20 ft and width of 8 ft ); 40 foot iso containers ( length of 40 ft and width of 8 ft ); super high cube containers ( oversize containers ); and air containers ( containers conforming to standards laid down for air transportation ). in a preferred embodiment , the autopsy container 30 and the support container 60 are of 40 ft in length ร 8 ft in width ร 9 . 5 ft in height . for the autopsy container 30 , a seamless and sealed compartment is formed before the installation of all essential mechanical , electrical and safety devices . the walls and floor are of stainless steel finish with epoxy coating . all services entering and exiting the autopsy container 30 are sealed and made gas tight . this configuration has the features of a โ box in box โ concept . the insulated ( refrigerated ) container forms the outer box , while another inner lining forms the inner box . this arrangement will therefore provide a double seal for the container 30 , for containment purposes at bsl - 4 level . the autopsy container 30 has a changing room 31 , a shower room 32 , a decontamination compartment 33 , comprising a microwave disinfecting / sterilization system compartment 34 , an autopsy room 35 and a filter room 36 . in another embodiment , the decontamination compartment 33 comprises an autoclave system . the support container 60 compartment is formed by lining the wall , floor and ceiling with steel plates and finished with heavy - duty seamless vinyl sheets . all services entering and exiting the support container 60 are also sealed . the support container 60 has a support office 61 and plant rooms 62 and 63 . the support container 60 is designed to work in close conjunction with the autopsy container 30 . connection between the autopsy container 30 and the support container 60 is via flexible duct connectors 85 a and 85 b . the rest of the services which includes , compressed air pipes 81 , water pipes 94 , chemical dosing pipes 95 , electrical wires / cables 96 , cctv cables 97 , and communication system cables 98 will be interconnected between the autopsy container 30 and the support container 60 by quick - joint / de - coupling systems ( not shown ). with reference to fig1 and fig2 , the autopsy room 35 , in the autopsy container 30 , is a room where autopsies are performed . it comprises a mobile autopsy trolley 40 , with a body tray 40 a , on which autopsies of the bodies will be carried out . this mobile autopsy trolley 40 , with the body tray 40 a , will also be used to transport the body , which is to be examined from the point of delivery ( at a security door 37 a ) to the autopsy room 35 . the body , which will be enclosed in double body bags and placed on the body tray 40 a of the mobile autopsy trolley 40 , will enter the autopsy room 35 via the security door 37 a . it will then be pushed through a gas tight door 38 b , which is for access to the decontamination compartment 33 and through another gas tight door 38 c , which is for access to the autopsy room 35 . the first gas tight door 38 b must be closed before the second gas tight door 38 c can be opened . thereafter , the mobile autopsy trolley 40 will be parked closest to a down draft workstation 43 , comprising of a sink 43 a . the body tray 40 a on the mobile autopsy trolley 40 will be placed to overlap the sink 43 a so that any fluid / blood / water so collected on the body tray 40 a will be directed to flow into the sink 43 a and then to a drain / waste treatment system / dilution tank 47 . โ vulcathene โ pipes will be used for the draining of all wastewater within the autopsy container 30 . all wastewater will be routed to the dilution tank 47 and treated before being discharged to the sewer ( not shown ). the down draft workstation 43 is for the dissection of body organs after they have been eviscerated from the body during the initial part of the autopsy . this down draft workstation 43 is located at the far end of the autopsy room 35 just next to the filter room 36 . the purpose of the down draft workstation 43 is to provide down draft exhaust air so that any fumes or airborne organisms released during the autopsy would be drawn from the source in a downward manner away from the operators . the exhaust duct 43 b from the down draft workstation 43 will be connected to a safe change filter 45 . in particular reference to fig2 , there is a need for running water during the autopsy process and the sink 43 a on the down draft workstation 43 is to facilitate this purpose . the filter room 36 in the autopsy container 30 houses the safe - change filter 45 for the exhaust system with exhaust duct 46 , a gas tight shut off damper 41 . with this arrangement , all contaminated air from the autopsy container 30 will have to pass through the safe change filter 45 before being directed to a plenum box 82 for discharge at exhaust air stacks 84 in a plant room 62 in the support container 60 . a gas tight shut off damper 48 ensures that in transportation mode , when the flexible connector 85 b is not connected , no air will escape from exhaust duct 46 . the safe - change filter 45 comprises hepa filters of 99 . 97 % efficiency at 0 . 3 microns , an ultraviolet light section and an activated carbon section for odor control . magnehelic gauges will be used to monitor the hepa filters . a formalin vaporizer dispenser 50 is installed in filter - room 36 for purposes of decontamination . this formalin vaporizer dispenser 50 can be activated remotely from a support office 61 in the support container 60 . a remote transmitter and receiver 86 is installed in the filter room 36 , close to where the pathologist operates in the autopsy room 35 . the remote transmitter receiver 86 will be hard - wired to an amplifier 87 in the support office 61 in the support container 60 . this is to enable the pathologist to communicate with the duty officer in the support office 61 . inside the support container 60 , the support office 61 houses a plurality of chairs 64 a , 64 b and 64 c , keyboards 65 a and 65 b , monitor screens 66 a and 66 b , a washing basin 67 , a locker 68 , a changing room 69 , a cabinet 70 , a wall mounted air conditioning unit 71 and a tabletop refrigerator 72 . the support office 61 is connected to the autopsy room 35 by a cctv system ( not shown ) for monitoring of autopsy services and also to keep watch on the safety of the autopsy personnel during the autopsy process . the plant - room 62 houses a condensing unit 73 for the wall - mounted air - conditioner 71 and a condenser discharge air duct 74 . it also houses two condensing units 76 a and 76 b for the first stage pre - cooled air conditioner ( ahu1 ) 75 a and a second stage air - cooled split type air - conditioner ( ahu2 ) 75 b , and a hot air duct 77 to expunge hot air . exhaust air fans 83 a and 83 b , a dosing station 78 , which comprises an atomizer 90 and an air compressor 91 , which is connected to the dosing pipes 78 a and 78 b in the autopsy container 35 for purposes of spraying disinfectant are also housed in plant room 62 . the plant room 63 houses ahu1 75 a and ahu2 75 b , two self - contained breathing apparatus ( scba ) systems 101 and 102 and their related air compressors 92 a , 92 b and 92 c . the scba system 101 is a self - contained breathing air system , which is designed to supply breathing air to the autopsy container 30 for air suits that are worn by autopsy personnel in a bsl - 4 environment . the breathing air is supplied by two compressors 92 b and 92 c in the plant room 63 in the container 60 to the scba air - lines connector 79 c in the autopsy container 30 . the compressors 92 b and 92 c act as backups for each other . in the event of one compressor 92 b failing , another compressor 92 c will automatically come into operation and vice - versa . in the event of failure of compressors 92 b and 92 c , another scba system 102 , which comprises the scuba compressor 92 a , and two scuba tanks 79 a and 79 b will then be automatically activated . the air from these two compressed air systems has to pass through a flow monitoring system 79 d before being distributed to the scba air - lines . in this way , there is a 100 % back up for the scba for the air suits . when the scba is in operation , autopsy personnel may plug into the pressurized air supply at convenient strategic points . in use , the air - conditioning system of the autopsy container 30 is designed to provide 20 - 25 air changes within the critical negative air pressure environments , namely the autopsy room 35 and the decontamination compartment 33 . the air - conditioning system is controlled within the plant room 63 and provides 100 % fresh air to be drawn from the atmosphere via an intake grille ( not shown ) on the exterior of the support container 60 . this 100 % fresh air will pass through a series of pre - and hepa filters before being drawn into an air - cooled split type pre - cooled air - conditioner 75 a and 75 b . the first stage pre - cool air - conditioner ( ahu1 ) 75 a will cool the fresh air before it is passed to a second stage air - cooled split type air - conditioner ( ahu2 ) 75 b . the second stage air - conditioner 75 b is for conditioning and cooling of the first stage air before it is supplied to the conditioned space . thus , all fresh air is hepa filtered and conditioned prior to entering the conditioned space . the condensing units 76 a and 76 b are interconnected to the fan coil unit of the air - cooled split type pre - cooled air conditioners , 75 a and 75 b by refrigerant pipes 75 c and the condensing air is discharged via hot air duct 77 on one side of the support container 60 , away from the supply air intake . the air - conditioning system is designed such that the air - conditioners will only operate when the exhaust system is operating . this is to prevent the positive pressurization of either of the negative pressure compartments . the control and alarm systems are connected to pressure gauges to monitor this pressure control system . within the autopsy room 35 , specially designed ducts to the safe change filter 45 connect exhaust ducts from the down draft work station 43 and the mobile autopsy trolley 40 . the exhaust air from the autopsy container 30 is drawn through the safe change filter system 45 in the filter room 36 by an exhaust fan , either 83 a or 83 b in the plant room 62 . two exhaust fans 83 a and 83 b are installed , with one as a 100 % standby unit for the purpose of exhausting air . should the duty fan fail , the standby fan will be initiated . each exhaust fan 83 a , 83 b has an exhaust duct to the removable exhaust air stack 84 to discharge the cleaned up exhaust air . by drawing exhausting air in this manner , a negative pressure is created in the autopsy room 35 as well as in the decontamination compartment 33 . the decontamination compartment 33 is a critical area that is maintained at a negative pressure . this compartment is used for the decontamination of bodies ( in double bags ) after post - mortem examination and thereafter by autopsy personnel for the decontamination of suits . decontamination spray outlets 33 c are provided within the decontamination compartment 33 . the nozzles on the spray outlets 33 c are designed to cover the angle of spray for the post - mortem bodies ( in double bags ) in one mode of operation and then for the decontamination of the pathologist and his or her assistant in air suits after the post - mortem in another . the dosing station 78 in the plant room 62 services the atomizing decontamination system used in the decontamination compartment 33 as well as the autopsy room 35 in the autopsy container 30 . atomizer spray guns ( not shown ) are used for disinfecting and decontamination purposes in the autopsy room 35 . container doors 100 are always closed during all autopsy and general laboratory work . each door is opened only to access the filter room 36 and plant room 62 and plant room 63 for maintenance of equipment and instruments as necessary . there will be provision for a standby independent diesel generator set outside the autopsy container 30 ( not shown ). this will be a stand - alone generator set on a skid with a sound attenuation system . this generator set will be designed to cater for all the electricity supply that both the autopsy container 30 and the support container 60 will require . in the event that temporary power supply is available at site , the generator set will be put on a standby mode . before the commencement of each autopsy session , the autopsy attendants will bring all instruments / equipment for cutting and dissection during the autopsy into the autopsy room 35 . hence , there is no need for any storage cabinets within the autopsy room 35 . some of the instruments / equipment may also be placed on the perforated shelf at the lower portion of the mobile trolley 40 accompanying the body into the autopsy room . the autopsy assisting attendants , after preparing all equipment and instruments for the autopsy , will then wheel in the body to be autopsied on the body tray 40 a , which is on the mobile autopsy trolley 40 , to position in the autopsy room 35 . the attendants , who should have donned the appropriate personal protection equipment ( ppe ), will enter the autopsy container 30 with the body by the security door 37 a . they will then pass through the gas tight door 38 b , which they will have to close before opening another gas tight door 38 c to gain access to the autopsy room 35 . when the body on the body tray 40 a placed on the mobile autopsy trolley 40 is in position , the autopsy assisting attendants will the leave the autopsy room 35 . they should leave by the same procedure as they enter , through the gas tight door 38 c , another gas tight door 38 b and then the security door 37 a , closing each door behind them . the autopsy room 35 is now ready for the pathologist and his or her assistant to enter . the pathologist and his or her assistant change into their โ scrubs โ in the changing room 69 in the support container 60 . they will enter the autopsy container 30 through the security door 37 b into the changing room 31 . they will then don ppe and the appropriate bsl 4 suits in the changing room 31 . prior to donning the air suit , the pathologist will be hooked up with a hands - free intercom set ( not shown ), comprising a hands - free microphone and a headphone ( with a transmitter / receiver ), to allow the pathologist to communicate with the duty officer in the support office 61 . the pathologist and his or her assistant , properly attired , enter the shower room 32 through door 39 . they then enter the decontamination compartment 33 , through the gas tight door 38 a . in a bsl 4 environment , a positive pressure air suit is required . this is to prevent personnel from coming into contact with any deadly viruses . the aforesaid type of pressure suits has a sealed closing system , an internal air control distribution system , a hepa filter and a pair of boots attached to the suit . the exhaust air for the suit is through two magnetic valves . this suit is made of fabric - backed polyvinyl chloride ( pvc ) assembled by high frequency welding designed not to be detrimental to the properties of the pvc . the suit is reusable . once the suit is put on , the pathologist and his assistant will have about 5 minutes of breathing air before hooking on to an air supply source . he will have to close the gas tight door 38 a after entering the decontamination compartment 33 . next , he will hook on his air supply to the scba line connector 79 c in the decontamination compartment 33 for his air pressure suit . his assistant will follow the same procedure to get into the decontamination compartment 33 . the pathologist and his or her assistant are now ready to enter the autopsy room 35 . once both the pathologist and his or her assistant enter the autopsy room 35 , they must close the gas tight door 38 c . both the pathologist and his assistant will now hook their air - lines onto to the scba line connector 79 c in the autopsy room 35 . they are now ready to perform the autopsy . for the purposes of maintaining flow of entry to and exit from the autopsy room 35 , all three gas tight doors , 38 a , 38 b and 38 c are interlocked in such a way , that only one of them will be allowed to open at a time . this interlock arrangement will also facilitate the maintenance of negative pressure between the autopsy room 35 and the decontamination compartment 33 . this arrangement will further facilitate the process of the decontamination of bodies and personnel within the decontamination compartment 33 . the pathologist and his or her assistant will then remove both the double body bags , ( which were used to seal the body for transportation ) in order to examine the body . the assistant will then transfer the used body bags to a biohazard disposal bag and then seal up the bag securely . this sealed biohazard disposal bag with its contents is to be put into another biohazard disposal bag , which is also to be securely sealed . the used body bags will now be securely sealed in double biohazard bags and will now be put aside in the autopsy room 35 . the pathologist and his assistant will proceed with the autopsy of the body . during the autopsy , internal and external examination will be carried out . this will include sampling of materials for testing and analysis . when the pathologist and his or her assistant have finished with the autopsy process , the body will first be cleaned and decontaminated . it will then be placed in a body bag . the external surface of the bag will then be decontaminated and another bag will then be applied . similarly , the samples collected will be placed in a sealed container . the external surface of the sealed container will then be decontaminated before placing it into another sealed container . these , plus double body bag , the used body bags , which were sealed in double biohazard disposal bags , and the instruments / equipment used will have to be decontaminated before they are moved out of the autopsy room 35 . the pathologist and his assistant will hook up atomizer spray guns ( not shown ) to the decontamination spray gun connector 80 to spray disinfectant onto the body bag and the body tray 40 a on the mobile autopsy trolley 40 . with particular reference to fig2 , the body ( sealed in double body bags ) on the body tray 40 a and the mobile autopsy trolley 40 plus the samples collected within sealed containers will then be wheeled out through the gas tight door 38 c by the pathologist &# 39 ; s assistant to decontamination compartment 33 and placed in the marked decontamination position . the instruments / needles / sharps used during the autopsy will be collected in special boxes . these are to be placed directly in a microwave container 34 a and the rest of the waste / tissues / parts will be placed in biohazard disposal bags for processing in the microwave waste disinfecting and sterilization system 34 in the decontamination compartment 33 . once the body on the body tray 40 a and the mobile autopsy trolley 40 are in the decontamination position , the pathologist &# 39 ; s assistant will close the gas tight door 38 c and re - enter the autopsy room 35 . he can then start the decontamination cycle . in another embodiment , the decontamination cycle is activated via the support office 61 . disinfectant sprays 33 c will be activated when the decontamination process in the decontamination compartment 33 starts . the pathologist and his or her assistant will remain in the autopsy room 35 to continue the decontamination of the area with the atomizer guns ( not shown ). when the decontamination cycle for the body ends , the autopsy assisting attendants will be called through the intercom system . the autopsy assisting attendants ( who have donned the appropriate ppe ) will then wheel a biohazard container with a fresh disposal bag into the decontamination compartment 33 via security door 37 a and gas tight door 38 b . the decontaminated double biohazard bags , which contain the used body bags , will then be placed in a fresh biohazard disposal bag and then tied up securely by the autopsy assisting attendants . he will then place these triple biohazard disposal bags into the biohazard container . one of the autopsy assisting attendants will then wheel the used body bags , which are now in triple biohazard disposal bags in the biohazard container , away for proper disposal . he will leave by gas tight door 38 b and then security door 37 a closing each door behind him . the other autopsy assisting attendant will then remove the body on the body tray 40 a , which is on the mobile trolley 40 from the decontamination compartment 33 via the gas tight door 38 b and security door 37 . in the interim , the pathologist and his assistant will gather up all the wastes for disposal and bag them in double biohazard bags . once the gas tight door 38 b is closed , the pathologist and his assistant can open the other gas tight door 38 c to gain access to the decontamination compartment 33 . they will now stand in specially marked positions . another set program of disinfectant spray 33 d will be initiated to operate to decontaminate them . when the decontamination cycle is over , the exhaust air cycle will start . after a programmed number of air changes in decontamination compartment 33 has taken place , and when it is deemed safe , the pathologist will remove his air suit , open the gas tight door 38 a and move into the shower room 32 in his โ scrubs โ. he will then take a shower and change into new scrubs in the changing room 31 before leaving the container 30 via the security door 37 b . his assistant will then follow this same procedure to exit the autopsy container 30 . when the microwave cycle is completed in the microwave disinfecting / sterilization system 34 , an indicating light with a buzzer ( not shown ) will be activated in the support office 61 . the autopsy assisting attendants will then gain access to the decontamination compartment 33 and then open up the door to the microwave disinfecting / sterilization system 34 to remove the microwave bags for disposal at proper disposal centers . the autopsy assisting attendants will also remove the decontaminated air suits for further cleaning . the microwave disinfecting / sterilization system 34 provides for the disinfecting and sterilization of biomedical waste for later disposal . it is also used for disinfecting the instruments used during the postmortem . all waste - water from the sinks and floor traps of the autopsy container 30 is collected at a common point in the dilution tank 47 , and treated before being discharged into the sewer lines 49 . the embodiment of the present invention may vary depending on the application . exemplary application for use in the practice of the invention include , but are not limited to veterinary medicine and animal examination , vivisection of research animals and research laboratory environment . while this invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof , it will be understood that it is capable of further modification ( s ). this application is intended to cover any variations , uses or adaptations of the invention following in general , the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth . as the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit of the essential characteristics of the invention , it should be understood that the above described embodiments are not to limit the present invention unless otherwise specified , but rather should be construed broadly within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims . various modifications and equivalent arrangements are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the invention and appended claims . therefore , the specific embodiments are to be understood to be illustrative of the many ways in which the principles of the present invention may be practiced . in the following claims , means - plus - function clauses are intended to cover structures as performing the defined function and not only structural equivalents , but also equivalent structures . for example , although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together , whereas a screw employs a helical surface to secure wooden parts together , in the environment of fastening wooden parts , a nail and a screw are equivalent structures . โ comprises / comprising โ when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features , integers , steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features , integers , steps , components or groups thereof . | 4 |
the present invention relates to compressed air systems . in particular , the present invention relates to an air compressor that uses lubricating oil and to a method and apparatus for preventing migration of oil from the compressor to the compressed air output . the present invention is applicable to air systems of differing constructions . as representative of the invention , fig1 illustrates schematically an air system 10 that is a first embodiment of the invention . the system 10 includes a compressor 12 for compressing inlet air from an inlet line 14 . compressed air from the compressor 12 flows through a discharge line 16 line to a reservoir 18 . the reservoir 18 is connected to various system devices as shown schematically at 20 , such as vehicle brake chambers , that use compressed air to operate . a governor 22 is operative to control operation ( loading and unloading ) of the compressor 12 , in response to sensed pressure in a line 26 from the reservoir 18 , via a control line 24 . fig2 shows schematically the compressor 12 and an apparatus 60 for removing oil from the compressed air output of the compressor 12 , being a first embodiment of the invention . the compressor 14 includes a block 32 and a cylinder head 34 . the cylinder head 34 includes portions not shown including an inlet passage connected with an inlet port , and a discharge passage connected with a discharge port . the inlet passage and the discharge passage are connected in fluid communication with the swept volume of a cylinder 36 in the block 32 . a piston 38 is reciprocable in the cylinder 36 , upon rotation of a crankshaft 40 , to compress air flowing between the inlet port and the discharge port . the compressor 12 has an unloader valve 50 that is normally closed . when the unloader valve 50 is closed , it blocks flow of air out of the cylinder 36 through an unloader passage 52 , so that the air in the cylinder 36 can be compressed by the piston 38 . the compressor 12 has an unloader port 54 for receiving an air pressure unloader signal over the control line 24 , to open ( actuate ) the unloader valve 50 . when the unloader valve 50 is actuated , in conjunction with operation of a discharge valve shut - off system , air can flow out of the cylinder 36 through the unloader passage 52 , thus disabling the flow of compressed air out of the compressor to the vehicle braking system air even when the piston 38 continues to reciprocate . the unloader port 54 also communicates with a discharge port shut - off valve to shut off the discharge port when in the unloaded mode . the compressor 12 , including the piston 38 and cylinder 36 , is lubricated by a lubricant ( not shown ) from a source , such as engine oil from the engine lubrication system 10 . typically a small amount of the lubricating oil flows out of the cylinder 36 ( migrates ) into the compressed air output of the compressor 12 . the system 10 includes an apparatus 60 for removing oil from the air in the system . in the illustrated embodiments , the apparatus 60 is shown as associated with the compressor 12 ; in other embodiments , the apparatus 60 could be located or associated elsewhere in the system 10 . the apparatus 60 includes an unloaded mode delivery chamber or oil removal chamber 62 . the chamber 62 is a volume defined by chamber walls 64 . the chamber 62 is in fluid communication with the unloader passage 52 when the unloader valve 50 is open as shown in fig2 . the chamber walls 64 may be formed as one piece with the compressor block 32 , as shown in fig2 . alternatively , the chamber walls 64 may be formed separately from the cylinder block 32 . a drain port or passage 66 at the bottom of the chamber 62 communicates with the compressor crank case 68 . a condensed oil drain valve 70 is located between the oil removal chamber 62 and the compressor crank case 68 . the valve 70 is controlled by an air pressure unloader signal from the governor 22 over the control line 24 . in the embodiment shown in fig2 , a filter element 74 is located in the chamber 62 . the filter element 74 may be any element suitable for filtering or coalescing oil from air . a regenerative aluminum filter is one example . when the pressure in the reservoir 18 is high enough that further supply of compressed air is not needed for the devices 20 , the discharge valve of the compressor 12 is closed , and air pressure is applied at the unloader port 54 , opening ( actuating ) the unloader valve 50 . air that would otherwise be compressed in the cylinder 36 and delivered out the discharge port is not so compressed . instead , air from the cylinder 36 is , on the piston up - stroke , delivered to the oil removal chamber 62 via the unloader passage 52 , which is open because of the opening of the unloader valve 50 . the air flows into the oil removal chamber 62 . as the air expands into the oil removal chamber 62 , it cools . some of the oil in the air condenses out and collects in the chamber 62 . the chamber 62 is preferably maintained at a lower temperature than the cylinder 36 , by being external to the cylinder . this can aid in the condensing of the oil . in addition , oil in the air can be filtered , that is , physically captured by the filter element 74 . on the piston down stroke of the piston 38 , the air in the chamber 62 expands back into the cylinder 36 . this process repeats with each cycle of the piston 38 . when the compressor 12 is thus in the unloaded mode , the pressure in the oil removal chamber 62 cycles constantly , at the frequency of the compressor operation , from one atmosphere to about 4 โ 6 atmospheres . in this manner , at least a portion of the oil is removed from the air that is discharged from the cylinder 36 on the piston up - stroke . this can reduce or minimize the amount of oil that migrates into the air flowing into the downstream parts of the system 10 . when the compressor 12 is in the loaded mode , the unloader valve 50 is closed and compressed air is delivered out of the discharge port . during the loaded cycle , oil that was entrained in the filter 74 , as well as oil collected in the chamber 62 , can drain back into the crank case 68 . specifically , when the compressor 12 is loaded , the unloader valve 50 is closed and the drain valve 70 is opened . oil collected in the chamber 62 is allowed to drain from the chamber to the compressor crank case 68 . fig3 and 4 illustrate oil removal apparatus 60 that are other embodiments of the invention . features or alternatives shown in these embodiments can be substituted for or combined with , in any suitable combination , features of the embodiment of fig2 . fig3 illustrates an oil removal apparatus 60 a associated with a compressor 12 a . parts of the apparatus 60 a and the compressor 12 a that are the same as , or similar to , parts of the apparatus 60 and compressor 12 , are given the same reference numerals with the suffix โ a โ attached . in the embodiment of fig3 , the oil removal chamber 62 a is defined by walls 64 a that are formed separately from the compressor block 32 a . in addition , the chamber walls 64 a are spaced apart from the cylinder block 32 a to define a space or air gap 80 between them . this air gap 80 helps to cool the chamber 62 a . further , the chamber walls 64 a are provided with cooling fins 82 to help promote cooling of the chamber 62 a . greater temperature differential between the chamber 62 a and the cylinder 36 a can help to increase oil removal . the apparatus 60 a also includes an oil drain passage 66 a that does not connect the chamber 62 a with the compressor crank case 68 a . rather , the oil drain passage 66 a opens to a port 84 on the exterior of the compressor 12 a . an oil line ( not shown ) can be connected to the port 84 to deliver removed oil back to the lubrication system from which it came , for example , the engine lubrication system . fig4 illustrates an oil removal apparatus 60 b associated with a compressor 12 b . parts of the apparatus 60 b and the compressor 12 b that are the same as , or similar to , parts of the apparatus 60 and compressor 12 , are given the same reference numerals with the suffix โ b โ attached . in the embodiment of fig4 , the oil removal chamber 62 b is defined by walls 64 b that are formed separately from the compressor block 32 b . in addition , the walls 64 b are spaced apart from the cylinder block 32 b . a water jacket 86 at least partially surrounds the chamber walls 64 b . the water jacket 86 can be connected with the cooling system of the compressor 12 itself . the water jacket 86 helps to cool the chamber 62 b . the water jacket 86 is one example of a cooling system that can be used . from the above description of the invention , those skilled in the art will perceive improvements , changes , and modifications in the invention . such improvements , changes , and modifications within the skill of the art are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims . | 5 |
fig1 shows a first embodiment of a charge magazine 1 from the feed - in position 2 of the charge magazine 1 . the charge magazine 1 is arranged at the feed - in position 2 with an openable and closable feed - in hatch 3 , on which one or more propellent charges 4 , also termed increment charges , can be applied . the feed - in hatch 3 is here arranged to hold at least one increment charge 4 in a predetermined position . the applied increment charges 4 are intended to be shifted into a charge container 5 by closure of the feed - in hatch 3 , this being described in greater detail below . the charge container 5 is provided with an openable and closable charge hatch 6 . in fig1 , the charge container 5 is shown with open charge hatch 6 , so that the increment charge 4 or increment charges can be parallel - shifted into the charge container 5 . the charge magazine 1 is provided on its outer side with an operating arm arrangement 7 for controlling the feed - in hatch 3 and the charge hatch 6 . the charge magazine 1 comprises a sensor for indicating a closed charge container 5 . when the feed - in hatch 3 is actuated into the closed position , the increment charge 4 or increment charges are parallel - shifted into the charge container 5 , whereafter the feed - in hatch 3 and the charge hatch 6 are assigned the closed position . the feed - in hatch 3 is provided with a handle 9 and a securing device 10 . in fig2 , the charge magazine 1 is shown from a feed - out position denoted by 11 . a charge container 5 is set in this feed - out position 11 . from fig2 it can be seen that a number of further charge containers are arranged , together with the charge container 5 , in a revolving track ( partially shown ) for the charge containers . four of the charge containers have been provided with reference notations , three charge containers having acquired the notations 5 โฒ, 5 โณ and 5 โฒโณ. the number of charge containers 5 in the revolving track is preferably between 10 and 25 units . in the illustrated case , 18 charge containers 5 , 5 โฒ, etc . are arranged in the revolving track . the charge containers 5 , 5 โฒ, etc . are driven round in the revolving track with the aid of a chain conveyor , the chain of which is marked with 12 , and a hydraulic motor 13 . the charge containers 5 , 5 โฒ etc . are arranged guidably in a groove 14 on the inner wall of the charge magazine 1 , more specifically on the inner end faces of the magazine 1 where the respective set of grooves extends round so that pins or studs can run in the grooves so that the charge containers are in this way guided in the revolving track . the charge magazine 1 also comprises at least one ejection member 15 , with which the increment charge 4 or increment charges in the charge container set in the feed - out position 11 are ejectably arranged . the ejection member 15 consists of two parallel ejection parts 15 โฒ and 15 โณ, which straddle a shaft 16 extending between the end walls of the charge magazine 1 parallelly with , inter alia , the charge containers 5 , 5 โฒ, 5 โณ. the two ejection parts 15 โฒ and 15 โณ straddle the said shaft 16 and are displaceable in their longitudinal directions from the position shown in fig2 down into the interior of the charge container 5 , where interaction takes place with one or more accompanying increment charges 4 ( not shown ). the charge hatch 6 , see fig1 , on the charge container 5 is in this case open , so that the ends of the ejection parts 15 โฒ and 15 โณ gain entry into the charge container 5 . the longitudinal displacement movement from the position shown in fig2 into a position in which the increment charge 4 or increment charges are ejected from the charge container 5 is achieved with a hydraulic cylinder 17 . the ejection of the increment charges from the charge container 5 takes place counter to the action of bracing members on the underside of the charge container 5 , which is essentially placed opposite to the opening via which the ejection parts 15 โฒ and 15 โณ gain entry . the ejection is realized from the charge container 5 down into the loading tray 18 of the gun . after the loading tray 18 has been filled with one or more charges , the loading tray 18 swings with the aid of a swivel arm 19 into a position in which the longitudinal axis 20 of the loading tray , following transport , coincides with the longitudinal axis of the artillery gun ( not shown ). in the illustrated case , ejection of the increment charge or increment charges takes place via opened charge hatches 6 of the respective charge container 5 , which charge hatches 6 form part of the control system of the respective increment charge 4 . the loading tray 18 is realized in an open construction , but can in an alternative embodiment also be realized in an openable and shuttable arrangement . the shaft 16 is mounted in the end faces of the charge magazine 1 and is provided with 2 chain wheels or gearwheels 21 and 21 โฒ. the various parts of the charge magazine 1 are controllable with a control unit 22 , which forms part of the internal control network of the gun , symbolized by 23 in fig3 . the control unit 22 can be constituted by a type which is known per se and reference is here made to the prior art in connection with artillery guns and other types of firearms . the said control unit 22 thus controls the driving of the revolving track for adjustment of the respective charge container 5 , 5 โฒ, 5 โณ, 5 โฒโณ into the said feed - in and feed - out positions 2 , 11 . one or more control signals can here exist . the control unit 22 is also arranged to control the ejection members 15 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 for the ejection of one or more increment charges 4 from the respective charge container 5 , 5 โฒ, 5 โณ, 5 โฒโณ. control signals for these control systems are denoted by i 2 . the control unit 22 is also arranged to provide control systems which choose the type and / or content and / or quantity of the increment charge in the various charge containers 5 , 5 โฒ, 5 โณ, 5 โฒโณ. signals for these control systems are in fig3 denoted by i 3 . charge containers which are to be placed in the feed - out position 11 in a certain sequence in the firing of shells or equivalent due to have simultaneous impacts are designated with signals i 4 . the arrangement comprising the openable and closable hatches can be controlled mechanically . the application of the control functions to the various controllable parts of the charge magazine can be realized in a manner which is known per se . in fig4 , the charge container 5 is shown in a detailed realization . the charge container 5 is provided with a charge hatch 6 consisting of two interlockable hatch parts 6 , 6 โณ and can fully enclose the increment charge 4 or increment charges and thereby provide protection against external influence , such as rain , for example . the charge container 5 is operated via a link 25 to an operating arm in a control arrangement 7 , according to the above . the hatch halves 6 โฒ, 6 โณ are kept closed with the aid of the bias from two springs 28 , arranged in the end faces of the charge container 5 . the linkage from the said operating arm actuates the charge holder 5 so that this opens its hatch halves 6 โฒ, 6 โณ. the movement of the charge container 5 in the revolving track is guided in the aforementioned grooves 14 on the inner sides of the magazine with the aid of two guide studs 27 , 27 โฒ arranged on one end face of the charge container 5 . the hatch halves 6 โฒ, 6 โณ are openable by virtue of the fact that they are rotatably arranged on fixedly mounted hinges on the long sides of the charge container 5 . opening and closing of the hatch halves 6 โฒ, 6 โณ is controlled under the influence of a bracing spring 28 , which is fixedly mounted between one of the hatch halves 6 โฒ 6 โณ and one of the end faces 29 . the inner sides of the hatches 6 โฒ, 6 โณ can act as in the aforementioned control system in the transfers of the increment charge or increment charges to the loading tray 18 . as is shown in a second embodiment , according to fig5 , a plurality of ejection members 15 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 can be arranged to straddle the shaft 16 . this case is utilized when the charge container 5 placed in the feed - out position comprises a number of increment charges arranged together with one another , and only a limited number of these are to be ejected from the charge container 5 down into the loading tray 22 of the gun . in this case , the interior of the charge container 5 is divided into a number of compartments along its longitudinal extent , and on the underside the charge container 5 can be provided with a corresponding number of hatch parts which are held in place with leaf springs 39 or clips . alternatively , the leaf springs 39 interact directly with the increment charges . the ejection members 15 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 can be controlled individually with hydraulic cylinders 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 . this control can be realized from the control unit 22 in fig3 . through the action of the various ejection members , different numbers of increment charges in the different compartments can be ejected from the charge container 5 . fig6 shows a detailed realization of the interior of the charge container 5 in fig5 . the interior of the charge container 5 is in principle divided into seven different compartments , two compartments having been denoted by 40 and 40 โฒ. the compartments are separated with partition parts 41 . as is shown in fig6 , one of the compartments 40 โณ is arranged to receive an increment charge of half length in relation to other increment charge lengths . the increment charges are held in place with bracing springs 39 on opposite sides of the respective increment charge 4 , a pair of bracing springs 39 being arranged on the respective compartment . the ejection devices eject the increment charges 4 from the charge container 5 under the influence of the resistance from the said bracing springs 39 . fig7 shows a variant of the interior of the charge container 5 according to fig6 . in this case , no half - length increment charges are utilized , so that compartment 40 โณ is empty . alternative or supplementary increment charges can be constituted by powder bags . various modules of increment charges can be utilized . a packeted increment charge or packeted increment charges is / are advantageous in poor weather conditions . the increment charges can be packeted in various numbers , for example two , three or four increment charges , a variety of combustible packing materials being able to be used , for example paper or plastic . the modules are used for different compositions in order to give different muzzle velocities of the projectiles , shells , etc . in the different module systems , different lengths and different contents are thus available . reference can thus be made to the bofors uniflex 2 system , which gives 12 different muzzle velocities from 315 to 960 m / s . the shells can be arranged in a further magazine , the charge magazine for shells and for increment charges being arranged on both sides of the loading tray of the gun . the further magazine , too , can be given a protected position on the gun and can be constructed similarly to or differently from the increment charge magazine . the invention is not limited to the above examples , but rather can be subject to modifications within the scope of the following patent claims . | 5 |
in one embodiment , the present invention relates to an improved stereoselective method for making 9 - deoxy - pgf 1 - type compounds comprising converting a compound of the formula : wherein z is o , s , ch , or nr 8 in which r 8 is h , alkyl or aryl ; x is h , cn , or 9 , or coor 9 in which r 9 is alkyl , thp or tbdms ; wherein y 1 is trans - ch โ ch โ, cis - ch โ ch โ, โ ch 2 ( ch 2 ) m โ, or โ c โก c โ; m is 1 , 2 , or 3 ; ( 1 ) โ c p h 2p โ ch 3 , wherein p is an integer from one to 5 , inclusive , ( 2 ) phenoxy optionally substituted by one , two or three chloro , fluoro , trfluioromethyl , ( c 1 - c 3 ) allyl , or ( c 1 - c 3 ) alkoxy , with the proviso that not more than two substituents are other than alkyl , with the proviso that r 7 is phenoxy or substituted phenoxy , only when r 3 and r 4 are hydrogen or methyl , being the same or different , ( 3 ) phenyl , benzyl , phenylethyl , or phenylpropyl optionally substituted on the aromatic ring by one , two or three chloro , fluoro , trifluoromethyl , ( c 1 - c 3 ) alkyl , or ( c 1 - c 3 ) alkoxy , with the proviso that not more than two substituents are other than alkyl , ( 1 ) ( c 4 - c 7 ) cycloalkyl optionally substituted by one to 3 ( c 1 - c 5 ) alkyl ; wherein m 1 is ฮฑ โ oh : ฮฒ โ r 5 or ฮฑr : ฮฒ โ oh , wherein r 5 is hydrogen or methyl ; and wherein l 1 is ฮฑ โ r 3 : ฮฒ โ r 4 , ฮฑ โ r 4 : ฮฒ โ r 3 , or a mixture of ฮฑ โ r 3 : ฮฒ โ r 4 and ฮฑ โ r 4 : ฮฒ โ r 3 , wherein r 3 and r 4 are hydrogen , methyl , or fluoro , being the same or different , with the proviso that one of r 3 and r 4 is fluoro only when the other is hydrogen or fluoro . preferably , the above conversion is carried out through cobalt - mediated cyclization , in which a complex is formed with the alkynyl group of the starting compound , which decomposes upon heating to form a tricyclic structure . more preferably , this cyclization is carried out by reacting co 2 ( co ) 8 with the above compound of the formula : using a suitable non - reactive solvent . preferably , the non - reactive solvent is a chlorinated solvent , a hydrocarbon solvent , or an aromatic solvent . more preferably , the non - reactive solvent is ch 2 cl 2 , toluene , isooctane , and heptane . in the case of carrying out the cobalt - mediated cyclization with ch 2 cl 2 , after reacting co 2 ( co ) 8 with the above compound of the formula : in the presence of ch 2 cl 2 to form a complex with the alkynyl group , preferably the ch 2 cl 2 is removed in a subsequent step and replaced with ch 3 cn followed by heating in an inert gas atmosphere , such as argon , nitrogen , or carbon monoxide , which decomposes the complex to form the above tricyclic compound . although co 2 ( co ) 8 contributes a carbonyl during the reaction , it is not necessary to react equal amounts of the starting compound of the above formula and co 2 ( co ) 8 . it is also possible to use the co 2 ( co ) 8 in a catalytic way , by introducing a relatively small amount of co 2 ( co ) 8 and also introducing co into the reaction mixture ( e . g ., by bubbling co into the reaction mixture ) in the presence of light which catalyzes the transfer of co through a co - mediated complex formed with the above compound of the formula : in another preferred embodiment , the present invention relates to an improved stereoselective method for making 9 - deoxy - pgf 1 - type compounds comprising the following reaction : wherein y , is trans - ch โ ch โ, cis - ch โ ch โ, โ ch 2 ( ch 2 ) m , or โ c โก c โ; m is 1 , 2 , or 3 ; ( 1 ) โ c p h 2p โ ch 3 , wherein p is an integer from one to 5 , inclusive , ( 2 ) phenoxy optionally substituted by one , two or three chloro , fluoro , trifluoromethyl , ( c 1 - c 3 ) alkyl , or ( c 1 - c 3 ) alkoxy , with the proviso that not more than two substituents are other than alkyl , with the proviso that r 7 is phenoxy or substituted phenoxy , only when r 3 and r 4 are hydrogen or methyl , being the same or different , ( 3 ) phenyl , benzyl , phenylethyl , or phenylpropyl optionally substituted on the aromatic ring by one , two or three chloro , fluoro , trifluoromethyl , ( c 1 - c 3 ) alkyl , or ( c 1 - c 3 ) alkoxy , with the proviso that not more than two substituents are other than alkyl , ( 4 ) cis - ch โ ch โ ch 2 โ ch 3 , ( 5 ) โ( ch 2 ) 2 โ ch ( oh )โ ch 3 , or ( 6 ) โ( ch 2 ) 3 โ ch โ c ( ch 3 ) 2 ; ( 1 ) ( c 4 - c 7 ) cycloalkyl optionally substituted by one to 3 ( c 1 - c 5 ) alkyl ; wherein m , is ฮฑ โ oh : ฮฒ โ r 5 or ฮฑ โ r 5 : ฮฒ โ oh , wherein r 5 is hydrogen or methyl ; wherein l 1 is ฮฑ โ r 3 : ฮฒ โ r 4 , ฮฑ โ r 4 : ฮฒ โ r 3 , or a mixture of ฮฑ โ r 3 : ฮฒ โ r 4 and ฮฑ โ r 4 : ฮฒ โ r 3 , wherein r 3 and r 4 are hydrogen , methyl , or fluoro , being the same or different , with the proviso that one of r 3 and r 4 is fluoro only when the other is hydrogen or fluoro . the present invention also relates to a method of making the following compounds utilizing the foregoing reaction : wherein r 1 is in each case an independently selected alcohol protecting group . preferred alcohol protecting groups are tertiary butyl dimethyl sily ( tbdms ) and tetra hydro pyranyl ( thp ). the present invention also relates to the following novel intermediate compounds : wherein x , z , y 1 , m 1 , l 1 , r 1 and r 7 are as defined above . the present invention is further illustrated by , though in no way limited to , the following examples . to a solution of imidazole ( 29 . 6 g , 434 mmol , 2 . 8 eq .) in 1 . 0 l of methylene chloride were added 25 g ( 181 mmol ) of 3 - methoxybenzyl alcohol ( u ) in 200 ml of methylene chloride . after all material was dissolved , 32 . 7 g ( 217 mmol , 1 . 2 eq .) of t - butyldimethylsilyl chloride was added in portions . the reaction was stirred overnight at room temperature . the mixture was filtered and washed with water and then brine . the organic layer was separated , dried over mgso 4 , filtered , and evaporated to afford 53 g of a clear yellow oil that was used in the next step without further purification . to a solution of 95 g ( 376 mmol ) of 2 dissolved in 400 ml of hexane under ar at room temperature were added dropwise 26 . 5 g ( 414 mmol , 1 . 1 eq .) of buli in 166 ml of hexane . the mixture was stirred for 2 hours at room temperature , and then the reaction was cooled in an ice bath and 54 . 6 g ( 452 mmol ) of allyl bromide were added dropwise . the reaction was allowed to warmn to room temperature overnight . after stirring for 24 hours , tlc indicated 60 % conversion , and the reaction was quenched with saturated nh 4 cl . the organic layer was separated and washed with brine , dried over mgso 4 , and filtered . evaporation of the solvent yielded a yellow oil which was used in the next reaction without further purification . to a solution 3 ( 110 g , 376 mmol ) in 2 . 0 l of thf were added 128 g ( 489 mmol , 1 . 1 eq .) of tetrabutyl ammonium fluoride ( tbaf ) in 489 ml of thf . the reaction was stirred at room temperature and was complete after 4 hours . the reaction was quenched by adding 500 ml of water . the organic layer was separated and washed with brine and dried over mgso 4 . filtration and evaporation of the solvent produced an orange oil which was purified by flash column chromatography , on silica gel using 10 - 30 % ethyl acetate in hexanes as the eluent . the fractions containing the desired product were evaporated to afford 24 g ( 36 % from 3 - methoxybenzyl alcohol ) of a yellow oil . to a solution of 20 . 6 g ( 162 mmol , 1 . 2 eq .) of oxalyl chloride in 250 ml of ch 2 cl 2 under ar at โ 78 ยฐ c . were added dropwise 24 . 2 g ( 310 mmol ) of dmso in 100 ml of ch 2 cl 2 . after โ 10 minutes , 24 g ( 135 mmol ) of 4 in 100 ml of ch 2 cl 2 were added dropwise . the mixture was stirred at โ 78 ยฐ c . for 30 min ., and then 68 . 3 g ( 675 mmol , 5 . 0 eq .) of etn were added . stirring continued as the reaction warmed to room temperature . the reaction was quenched with h 2 o , washed with saturated nh 4 c 1 solution and brine . the organic layer was separated and dried over mgso 4 . filtration and evaporation of the solvent produced a brown oil which was purified by flash column chromatography , on silica gel using 5 % ethyl acetate in hexanes as the eluent . the fractions containing the desired compound were evaporated to afford 20 . 5 g ( 86 %) of a brown oil . compound a may be synthesized according to s . takano et al ., chemistry lett ., 1987 , p . 2017 . to a solution of side chain ( a ) ( 1 . 6 g , 6 . 72 mmol ) in dry thf ( 10 ml ) which was heated to gentle refluxing under argon was added etmgbr ( 2 . 24 ml , 6 . 72 mmol , 3m solution ). after the addition was complete , the resultant solution was refluxed for 20 min . the solution was cooled to 0 ยฐ c . ( under argon ) and a solution of 5 ( 1 . 183 g , 6 . 72 mmol ) in thf ( 10 ml , dried over molecular sieves ) was added dropwise with stirring . after the complete addition , the reaction mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for 2 - 3 hrs . the reaction mixture was cooled to 0 ยฐ c ., diluted with saturated nh 4 cl solution , concentrated , extracted with ethyl acetate ( 4 ร 25 ml ), dried ( mgso 4 ) and the solvent distilled off in vacuo . the crude product ( 2 . 65 g ) was purified by flash chromatography using 10 - 30 % ether in hexane on silica gel to obtain a colorless oil 1 . 45 g ( 52 %) of 6 . to a solution of alcohol 6 ( 1 . 27 g , 13 . 07 mmol ) in dry ch 2 cl 2 ( 20 ml ) was added pyridinium chlorochromate ( pcc ) ( 1 . 32 g , 6 . 12 mmol ) and the mixture was stirred at room temperature . pcc slowly dissolved and the color of solution turned orange - black after approx . 5 min . stiring was continued for 3 hrs . the reaction mixture was diluted with ether ( 100 ml ) and filtered through a plug of silica gel . the solid was washed 3 times with ether ( 3 ร 50 ml ). after the solvent was removed , the crude product ( 1 . 3 g ) was purified by flash chromatography using 10 % ether in hexane on silica gel to give 900 mg light yellow oil ( 71 %). compound b may be synthesized according to d . s . mathre et al ., j . org . chem . 1991 , vol . 56 , p . 751 ; p . beak , org . synth ., 1997 , p . 23 . compound b ( 1 . 08 g , 4 . 26 mmol ) was dissolved in 30 ml of anh . toluene under argon . trimethylboroxine uc ( 0 . 357 g , 2 . 84 mmol ) was added dropwise and the resulting solution was stirred at room temperature . white solid separated out after 34 min . after stirring for 30 min ., toluene was distilled out at atmospheric pressure . again 20 ml of dry toluene were added and distilled out . this distillation was repeated for 2 more times . the solution of reagent in toluene was allowed to cool under argon . a solution of ketone 7 ( 0 . 88 g , 2 . 14 mmol ) in dry thf ( 20 ml ) was dried over molecular sieves for 2 hrs and added to the above reagent solution . the resulting solution was cooled to โ 30 ยฐ c . ( ch 3 cn , co 2 ) under argon and borane - methylsulfide complex ( 1 . 07 ml , 10 . 71 mmol ) was added dropwise with stirring . after stirring at โ 30 ยฐ c . for 1 hr , the reaction was quenched with methanol ( 10 ml ), diluted with ether ( 100 ml ), washed successively with saturated nh 4 cl , nahco 3 solution and brine , dried ( mgso 4 ) and concentrated in vacuo to yield a crude product ( 2 . 3 g ). the crude product was purified by flash chromatography using 10 % ether in hexanes on silica gel to give 770 mg of 8 as a colorless oil ( 87 %). tbdmscl ( 0 . 337 g , 2 . 23 mmol ) and imidazole ( 0 . 335 g , 4 . 65 mmol ) were added to the solution of 8 ( 0 . 770 g , 1 . 86 mmol ) in dmf ( 20 ml ) at room temperature under argon , and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 34 hrs . after the reaction was quenched with sat . nh 4 cl , the reaction mixture was extracted with ether ( 3 ร 50 ml ). the combined ether extracts were dried ( mgso 4 ) and concentrated in vacuo . the crude oil was purified by chromatography using 5 % ether in hexane on silica gel to yield 860 mg of 9 as a colorless oil ( 88 %). compound 9 ( 0 . 840 g , 1 . 59 mmol ) was dissolved in dry ch 2 cl 2 ( 15 ml ) under argon , and co 2 ( co ), ( 0 . 653 g , 1 . 91 mmol ) was added to it and stirred at room temperature under argon . carbon monoxide evolved out slowly , and the solution turned dark brown after 5 min . stirring was continued for 30 min . at room temperature . ch 2 cl 2 was distilled out from the above solution . the complex was dissolved in dry ch 3 cn ( 50 ml ), and the solution was refluxed under argon for 2 hrs . this solvent was distilled out , the crude mass was dissolved in ether and passed quickly through a short column of neutral alumina to yield 850 mg of light brown oil ( 96 %). compound 10 ( 0 . 850 g , 1 . 53 mmol ) was dissolved in absolute ethaol ( 50 ml ). anh . k 2 co 3 ( 0 . 020 g ) and pdlc ( 0 . 550 g , 10 %, wet ) were added and the mixture was hydrogenated at 20 psi pressure for 13 hrs . the reaction mixture was filtered through celite and concentrated in vacuo . the crude product ( 800 mg ) was purified by chromatography using 10 - 30 % ether in hexane on silica gel to yield 440 mg of colorless oil ( 67 %). a solution of ketone 11 ( 0 . 430 g ) in 95 % ethanol was cooled to โ 10 ยฐ c . 10 % naoh ( 6 ml ) and nabh 4 ( 0 . 080 g ) were added and the mixture was stirred at โ 10 ยฐ c . for 1 hr . then one more eq . of nabh 4 ( 0 . 080 g ) was added and stirring was continued for another 5 hrs . at โ 10 ยฐ c . after quenching carefully with glacial acetic acid , the solvent was removed under reduced pressure . resulting oil was dissolved in ethyl acetate , washed with aq . nahco 3 , brine , dried ( mgso 4 ) and concentrated in vacuo to obtain 430 mg of colorless oil ( 98 %) which has a single spot on tlc . further purification was not required . to 400 mg ( 0 . 93 mmol ) of compound 12 dissolved in methanol ( 10 ml ) was added p - tsoh ( 20 mg ), and the solution was stirred at room temperature until tlc showed completion of the reaction ( 2 hrs ). - the solvent was removed in vacuo , the residue was dissolved in ch 2 cl 2 , washed with sat . nahco 3 , dried ( mgso 4 ), and concentrated in vacuo . the crude product was purified by silica gel column chromatography ( 30 % ether in hexanes as eluent ) to give 250 mg 13 ( 78 %). n - buli ( 1 . 1 ml , 1 . 72 mmol )( 1 . 6 m in hexanes ) was added dropwise to a cold (โ 20 ยฐ c .) and stirred solution of diphenylphosphine ( 0 . 28 g , 1 . 5 mmol ) in anhydrous thf ( 8 ml ) under argon . the reaction mixture was warmed to room temperature ( 20 ยฐ c .). a solution of diol ( 1 ) ( 0 . 17 g , 0 . 49 mmol ) in dry thf ( 0 . 6 ml ) was added dropwise to the reaction mixture and the whole solution was heated to reflux for 3 hrs ( tlc shows starting material ), heating was stopped and the reaction mixture was cooled again to โ 20 ยฐ c . and diphenylphosphine ( 0 . 37 g , 1 . 96 mmol ) was added followed by dropwise addition of n - buli ( 1 . 5 ml , 2 . 38 mmol )( 1 . 6m in hexanes ) under argon . after complete addition , the reaction mixture was warmed to 20 ยฐ c . and then refluxed for 18 hrs . tlc shows 80 - 90 % conversion ( 14 ). the reaction mixture was cooled to โ 5 ยฐ c . and then an aqueous solution of nacl containing 5 % conc . hcl was added dropwise to quench the reaction . the reaction mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate 3 ร 20 ml and the combined organic layers were washed with brine and dried ( naso 4 ), filtered and concentrated . the crude product was purified by silica gel column chromatography ( 50 % etoac / hex . as eluent ) to give 0 . 12 g of product ( 75 %) ( 22 mg of starting diol was recovered ). a suspension of compound ( 14 )( 0 . 12 g . 0 . 37 mmol ), chloroacetonitrile ( 0 . 56 g , 7 . 4 mmol ) and k 2 co 3 ( 0 . 51 g , 3 . 7 mmol ) in dry acetone ( 15 ml ) was refluxed under ar for 20 hrs . the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and celite ( 0 . 5 g ) was added . after the mixture was filtered , the solvent was removed under reduced pressure . the crude product was purified by silica gel column chromatography using 1 : 1 etoac / hexanes as eluent to yield 0 . 12 g of product ( 95 %). aqueous koh ( 0 . 4 g , 7 . 12 mmol , water 1 . 2 ml , 35 % solution ) was added dropwise to a stirred solution of nitrile compound ( 15 ) ( 0 . 072 g , 0 . 21 mmol ) in methanol ( 4 ml ) and the reaction mixture was refluxed for 3 hrs . the reaction mixture was cooled to 10c , dilute aqueous hcl was added to ph 8 and the solvent was removed in vacua . ethyl acetate ( 20 ml ) and aqueous nacl solution ( 10 ml ) were added and the ph of the reaction mixture was acidified to between 2 and 3 by addition of 2 % hcl . the reaction mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate ( 2 ร 20 ml ). the combined ethyl acetate extracts were washed with brine , dried ( na 2 so 4 ) and concentrated under reduced pressure . the crude product was purified by silica gel column chromatography using a dichloromethane solution containing 3 % methanol and 0 . 1 % acetic acid as eluent to yield 0 . 076 g of product ( 95 %). it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the processes and novel intermediates of this invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations , provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . the disclosure of all publications cited above are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties to the same extent as if each were incorporated by reference individually . | 2 |
the subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements . the description itself , however , is not intended to necessarily limit the scope of claims . rather , the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways to include different elements or combinations of elements similar to the ones described in this document , in conjunction with other present or future technologies . when referencing the drawings , like reference characters designate like parts throughout the different views . referring now to fig1 , a sample handheld power tool 100 ( also referred to as โ power tool โ) is depicted . the handheld power tool 100 comprises a motor housing 102 , which encloses a motor ( not depicted ). in addition , the power tool 100 includes control buttons 104 and 106 that are used to control operations of the motor . when using the power tool 100 , a user might grasp near an upper surface 108 of the motor housing 102 to handle and maneuver the power tool 100 . the upper surface 108 might include mold - in features or a grip surface to facilitate easier grasping of the power tool 100 . the handheld power tool 100 might include other elements not depicted such as a battery or other power source , one or more tools , and a dust - collection compartment . it should be noted that while the depicted sample or exemplary power tool 100 is a sander , commonly referred to as a palm sander , the present invention is not limited to use with such a tool . the present invention could be used to couple accessories to other items and / or tools , including manually operated or non - powered tools . nonetheless , for the purpose of depicting a specific implementation or embodiment of the present invention , a handheld power sander is used . in this embodiment of the present invention , the power tool 100 includes a platen 110 to which tools and accessories are directly or indirectly attached . for example , if the power tool 100 were being used as a handheld sanding device , an abrasive sheet could be attached to a bottom of the platen 110 to sand a work piece . that is , the platen 110 includes other features ( not shown , but known in the art ) that allow the abrasive sheet to attach to platen 110 . based on the orientation of the power tool 110 in fig1 , the abrasive sheet would attach to a bottom surface ( see e . g ., fig2 ) of the platen 110 . in addition , the platen 110 is coupled with a drive mechanism of the motor , such that the motor transmits a motion provided by the drive mechanism of the motor to the platen 110 . for example , the motor and drive mechanism might transmit a regular or irregular oscillation or vibration to the platen 110 and , in turn , the abrasive sheet which would then work on the surface to be abraded or sanded . the power tool 100 also includes a removable accessory 112 that releasably attaches to or couples with the platen 110 , and a locking mechanism 114 that connects and locks the removable accessory 112 to the platen 110 . the removable accessory 112 might include various tools and shapes . for example , a first type of removable accessory 112 might have a triangular profile of a first width ( see , e . g ., removable accessory 112 in fig2 ), whereas a second type of removable accessory might have an elongate profile with a second width , which is narrower than the first width ( see , e . g ., removable accessory 112 โฒ in fig6 a ). as such , the first type of removable accessory might be usable to perform work across a larger surface area , whereas the second type of removable accessory might be usable to perform more detailed work . in another example , one type of removable accessory includes a substantially flat configuration for working on pieces ( e . g ., wood surface ) having a substantially flat surface ( see , e . g ., removable accessory 112 in fig2 ), whereas another type of removable accessory includes a concave configuration for working on pieces having a rounded surface ( see , e . g ., removable accessory 112 โณ in fig6 b ). if the power tool 100 is a sanding device , then an abrasive sheet might be coupled adjacent to a bottom surface ( hidden from view ) of the removable accessory 112 . in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , the different types of removable accessories are interchangeable using the connection features of the removable accessory 112 and the locking mechanism 114 . the removable accessory 112 and the locking mechanism 114 are described in more detail in other portions of this detailed description . referring now to fig2 , the platen 110 is depicted from a bottom perspective , which shows the platen bottom surface that was hidden from view in fig1 , and the removable accessory 112 is depicted from a top perspective . the terms โ bottom โ and โ top โ are relative based on the orientation of the tool 100 , and as such , the โ bottom surface โ might be the top surface of the platen 110 if the power tool 110 is rotated in a platen - upward orientation . the platen 110 includes a first bottom surface 116 and a second bottom surface 118 . in an aspect of the present invention , one or more tools are attached adjacent to the first bottom surface 116 and the second bottom surface 118 . in addition , the platen 110 includes a wall 120 connecting the first bottom surface 116 and the second bottom surface 118 . in the embodiment depicted in fig2 , the first bottom surface 116 is more recessed into a body portion of the platen 110 relative to the second bottom surface 118 . as such , the first bottom surface 116 and the wall 120 form a partially enclosed space into which a portion of the removable accessory 112 is insertable . the platen 110 further includes an aperture 122 extending through a thickness of the platen 110 , and in the illustrated embodiment , the aperture 122 is positioned in the wall 120 . in addition , the aperture 122 might also extend though the second bottom surface 118 . in another aspect , the platen 110 includes a channel 124 that connects with the aperture 122 . the channel 124 is constructed ( e . g ., molded ) into the first bottom surface 116 , and the channel 124 includes a first channel end 126 terminating in an interior portion of the first surface 116 . a portion of the channel 124 that opposes the first channel end 126 connects with , and is continuous with , the aperture 122 . in a further aspect of the present invention , the platen 110 includes a slot 125 , which also extends through a thickness of the platen 110 . in one embodiment , the slot 125 is constructed into the first bottom surface 116 and extends inward from a periphery of the platen 110 towards an interior portion of the first bottom surface 116 . the slot 125 includes a slot base 129 , which represents a terminating end of the slot 125 and , in some regards , is similar to the wall 120 . in the illustrated embodiment , the slot 125 , the channel 126 , and the aperture 122 are substantially aligned . in fig2 , the removable accessory 112 is depicted disengaged from the platen 110 . the removable accessory 112 includes a tab 113 having a cam - engaging surface 111 . the removable accessory 112 also includes a flanged tab 115 . in addition , the removable accessory 112 includes a finger 117 that extends from a base portion 119 and the tab 113 extends from the finger 117 . in accordance with an aspect of the present invention , the tab 113 is insertable into the channel 124 of the platen 110 . in addition , the tab 113 is traversable through the channel 124 and toward the aperture 122 . the finger 117 and the tab 113 include respective widths that are sized to allow the finger 117 and the tab 113 to pass through the aperture 122 . in an embodiment of the present invention , a portion 121 of a cam member , which is a component of the locking mechanism 114 , is rotated to not obstruct the aperture 122 , thereby providing an unobstructed path through the aperture 122 through which the tab 113 and finger 117 may pass . in a further embodiment of the present invention , the flanged tab 115 is insertable into the slot 125 . the flanged tab 115 includes a trunk 123 extending from the base 119 . in addition , one or more flanges 127 extends outward from the trunk 123 . as such , the one or more flanges 127 are spaced apart from the base 119 of the removable accessory . in an embodiment of the present invention , the trunk 123 of the flanged tab 115 may be slid from a periphery of the platen 110 into the slot 125 . when the flanged tab 115 is positioned in the slot 125 , the body 119 is positioned adjacent the first bottom surface 116 of the platen 110 and the one or more flanges 127 engage a top surface of the platen 110 that generally opposes the first bottom surface 116 . the top surface of the platen 110 is hidden from view in fig2 and is identified by reference numeral 144 in fig3 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the tab 113 and the flanged tab 115 are inserted through the aperture 122 and the slot 125 ( respectively ) near simultaneously when connecting the removable accessory 112 to the platen 110 . in an embodiment of the present invention , a t - shaped configuration of the flanged tab 115 also contributes to a rigidity of the connection between the removable accessory 112 and the platen 110 . that is , the flanges 127 engage the top surface 144 of the platen , thereby limiting movement in a vertical or first axis . in addition , the trunk 123 of the flanged tab 115 engages the slot base 129 , thereby limiting movement in a longitudinal or second axis , which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis . the trunk 123 of the flanged tab 115 also engages the sides of the slot 125 to limit movement in a lateral or third axis , which is perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis . referring to fig3 , the platen 110 is depicted from a top perspective . in fig3 , another view of the aperture 122 and the channel 124 is provided . fig3 depicts that the aperture 122 and a portion of the channel 124 are continuous with one another and extend through the platen 110 . the platen 110 further includes a screw boss 130 . the screw boss 130 includes a periphery wall 132 that circumscribes a hollow middle region 134 . the screw boss 130 mates with a pivot boss hole 136 passing through a body 138 of the locking mechanism 114 . a screw 140 or other appropriate fastener is fastened inside the hollow middle region 134 when the screw boss 130 is positioned in the pivot boss hole 136 . in addition , a washer 142 may be positioned between the screw head and the body 138 to reduce the risk of the locking mechanism 114 sliding off of , or otherwise breaking away from , the screw 140 . in an aspect of the present invention , a slider or cam member 146 extends from the body 138 of the locking mechanism 114 . when the body 138 is secured onto the screw boss 130 , the cam member 146 is movable to different positions relative to the aperture 122 and the channel 124 . for example , fig2 depicts an arrangement in which a portion 121 of the cam member 146 at least partially covers the aperture 122 and the channel 124 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the locking mechanism 114 rotates at least partially about the screw boss 130 in order to move the cam member 146 between selectable positions . as such , the locking mechanism 114 is rotatable to move the cam member 146 to a side of the aperture 122 and the channel 124 , such that the cam member 146 does not obstruct the aperture 122 and the channel 124 . an enlarged view of one embodiment of the cam member 146 is provided by fig3 , in which the cam member 146 includes various elements . for example , the cam member 146 includes a camming surface 156 . as will be described in other portions of the detailed description , the camming surface 156 is usable to engage the tab 113 of the removable accessory 112 when the tab 113 is inserted through the aperture 122 . in another embodiment , the cam member 146 includes a compressible member 158 , such as a rubber plug or other similar device . the compressible member 158 might also engage the tab 113 in a manner similar to the camming surface 156 . however , the compressible nature of member 158 allows for a greater tolerance between the cam member 146 and the tab 113 . in a further aspect of the present invention , a lever 152 extends from the body 138 of the locking mechanism 114 and is usable to rotate the body 138 about the screw boss 130 . in addition , the platen 110 includes various detent pockets 150 . the detent pockets 150 radially align with a detent ( identified in fig5 by reference numeral 164 ) of the locking mechanism 114 . the detent 164 engages one of the detent pockets 150 in order to bias the locking mechanism 114 in a selected position . when the aperture 122 and the channel 124 are not obstructed by the cam member 146 , an unobstructed path is provided through the aperture 122 and the channel 124 , and the tab 112 and the finger 117 of the removable accessory 112 may pass through the path . in addition , as described with respect to fig2 , the flanged tab 115 is insertable into slot 125 when the tab 113 is inserted through the aperture 122 . the top surface 144 of the platen 110 is shown in fig3 . when the flanged tab 115 is slid into the slot 125 , the flanges 127 of the flanged tab 115 engage the top surface 144 of the platen 110 , as discussed above . referring now to fig4 a and 4 b , an operation of the cam member 146 is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . in fig4 a , the locking mechanism 114 has been moved to an unlocked position in which the cam member 146 does not obstruct a path through the aperture 122 . in addition , the tab 113 of the removable accessory 112 has been inserted through the aperture 122 , and the flanged tab 115 has been inserted into the slot 125 . in fig4 a , a gap exists between the cam - engaging surface 111 ( fig2 ) of the tab 113 and the platen 110 . the gap intersects with a path that is traveled by the cam member 146 when the locking mechanism 114 is rotated about the screw boss 130 . in fig4 b , the locking mechanism 114 has been rotated counter - clockwise ( relative to fig4 a ) to a lock position , such that the cam member 146 fills the gap adjacent to the cam - engaging surface 111 of the tab 113 . in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , the camming surface 156 of the cam member 146 biases the tab 113 away from the aperture 122 . in addition , such biasing action of the camming surface 156 against the tab 113 also pulls the flanged tab 115 toward the platen 110 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the removable accessory 112 depicted in fig4 b is disconnectable from the platen 110 . for example , the locking mechanism 114 in fig4 b is rotatable in either a clockwise or counter - clockwise direction . rotating the locking mechanism 114 in either direction will disengage the cam member 146 from the tab 113 and will create an unobstructed path through the aperture 122 and into the channel 124 . when the tab 113 is moved through the aperture 122 and into the channel 124 , the flanged tab 115 is slid out of the slot 125 . when the tab 113 and the flanged tab 115 have substantially cleared the aperture 122 and the slot 125 , respectively , the removable accessory 112 may be disconnected from the platen 110 . referring now to fig5 , a fragmentary cross - section view is provided showing the removable accessory 112 coupled to the platen 110 via the locking mechanism 114 ( i . e ., the locking mechanism 114 is in the same position as in fig4 b ). the tab 113 of the removable accessory 112 has been inserted in the channel 124 and traversed through the channel 124 and the aperture 122 . in addition , the trunk 123 of the flanged tab has been inserted into the slot 125 ( not shown in fig5 ), such that the flanged tab is abuts the slot base 129 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the cam - facing surface 111 of the tab 113 and the trunk 123 of the flanged tab 115 are spaced a distance apart , which is identified by reference numeral 160 . in addition , the slot base 129 of the slot 125 is spaced a distance apart from the camming surface 156 , the distance represented by reference numeral 162 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the distance 160 and the distance 162 are substantially similar . as such , when camming surface 156 biases the tab 113 away from the aperture 122 , the trunk 123 of the flanged tab 115 is pulled into the slot base 129 of the platen 110 and into abutting contact with the slot base 129 , thereby creating a secure connection between the removable accessory 112 and the platen 110 . as described in other parts of this detailed description , an embodiment of the present invention includes a compressible member 158 that is coupled to the cam member 146 and that compressibly engages the cam - engaging surface 111 of the tab 113 . the compressible member 158 helps to account for different sized gaps between the cam - engaging surface 111 and the cam member 146 created by tolerances in the manufacturing process . fig5 also depicts one of the detent pockets 150 . in an aspect of the present invention , the detent 164 is received in and underneath of the lever 152 and a ball of the detent 164 that is biased downwardly engages the detent pockets 150 as the locking mechanism 114 is rotated . as such , the detent 164 provides a friction fit with the detent pockets 150 to bias the locking mechanism in a selected position . many different arrangements of the various components depicted , as well as components not shown , are possible without departing from the scope of the claims below . embodiments of the technology have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive . alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after and because of reading it . for example , while the illustrated embodiments are described herein as having a cam member , the use of the word cam should not be narrowly defined , but should be broadly interpreted to cover objects of any shape , which can rotate or move in an alternate path ( e . g ., such as a straight line ), and perform the function of closing the gap between the cam - engaging surface 111 ( fig2 ) of the tab 113 and the cam member 146 , as the cam member is moved and which bias the tab 113 in a direction to draw the accessory 112 into abutting contact with the platen 110 ( e . g ., a wedge or other item with an inclined face or surface ). alternative means of implementing the aforementioned can be completed without departing from the scope of the claims below . certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims . | 1 |
the present invention has utility in promoting plant growth and inhibiting pests through simultaneous broadcast distribution of a composition containing bait particles and fertilizer particles . the present invention was facilitated by an appreciation that fertilizer particle fragments adhering to a bait particle render the bait particles unattractive to a target pest . compositions and processes for practicing the present invention are disclosed hereinbelow . a composition according to the invention includes two or more particle types , one or more including a fertilizer component and one including a pest bait component . the particles included in an inventive composition are capable of delivering a fertilizer or bait to a desired site without any significant adhesion of the fertilizer to the bait during production , distribution or application so as to retain the attractive aspects of the bait . the commingled fertilizer and bait particles included in a composition according to the invention are resistant to crushing and aggregation , and are generally free flowing . crushing of fertilizer and bait particulate during mixing is inhibited through the use of a mechanical fluidizing blender to systematically entrain air into the mixture . a preferred composition provided by the present invention includes a non - tacky bait particle , such that contact between the bait and fertilizer does not cause the bait particle to adhere a layer of fertilizer thereon , fertilizer tending to be repugnant to pests . an inventive composition is preferably produced by mixing two particle types as described herein . optionally , more than two particle types are included in an inventive composition . for example , multiple bait particle types are included in one embodiment in order to attract multiple pest species . a composition according to the invention includes a mixture of two or more particle types , each particle type having a bulk density . particularly preferred is a composition in which fertilizer particle ( s ) and a bait particle are density matched . in general , particles are formulated to be density matched so as to favor maintenance of substantially homogeneous distribution of the two particle types in a container , such as during transport . also , density matching serves to support homogeneous distribution of the two particle types during application , such as by broadcast distribution of the composition . the term โ density matched โ as used herein indicates that two particle types included in an inventive composition are formulated such that their bulk densities are within 70 % of each other and preferably within 50 % of each other . further included in the definition of the term โ density matching โ is a provision for size adjustment of one or both particle types . in one embodiment , where the bulk densities of the two particle type are not within 50 % of each other , particle size is adjusted to provide a composition which resists separation of the two particle types , that is , for instance , movement of the heavier particle type to the bottom of a container with resulting displacement of the lighter particles and their concentration in the upper region of the container . thus , in one embodiment , in a composition which includes a first particle which has a lower bulk density than a second particle , the size of the lighter particle type is decreased . in a preferred embodiment , the size of the lighter particle is decreased such that it has a volume in the range of 50 - 99 . 9 % compared to the volume of the lighter particle . in a particular example , a first particle has a bulk density of 20 lbs / ft 3 and a second particle has a bulk density of 50 lbs / ft 3 . in order to provide an advantageous composition , the size of the second particle is decreased such that it has a volume in the range of 60 - 80 % compared to the volume of the lighter particle . a particularly advantageous composition includes fertilizer particle ( s ) and a bait particle which have substantially similar bulk densities . preferably , both the fertilizer particle ( s ) and bait particle have a bulk density in the range of 2 . 5 - 80 lbs / ft 3 , inclusive . more preferably , both the fertilizer particle ( s ) and bait particle each independently have a bulk density in the range of 20 - 60 lbs / ft 3 , inclusive , and within 50 % of each other . for example , in one embodiment , a first particle type has a bulk density in the range of 30 pounds per cubic foot โ 40 pounds per cubic foot , inclusive , and a second particle type has a bulk density in the range of 20 pounds per cubic foot โ 60 pounds per cubic foot , inclusive . typically , dimensionally averaged linear length of the particles is in the range of 0 . 0029 to 1 inch . in general , a preferred shape of particles included in an inventive composition is spherical or nearly spherical . however , other shapes may also be used illustratively including cylinders , rods , cones , discs , needles and irregular shapes . in one embodiment , the particles are preferably shaped to accommodate different types of spreaders , such as aerial spreaders and cyclone - type spreaders . preferred shapes for such spreaders include spheres , generally flat oval platelets and pellets . a fertilizer particle in an inventive composition includes a plant nutrient such as a macronutrient , secondary nutrient , micronutrient , nitrogen source , phosphorus source , potassium source , or combination thereof bioavailable in form initially or after decomposition to a plant . a bioavailable plant nutrient is in a form that fills a nutritional requirement of a plant either directly , where the plant is capable of physiological processing of an ingredient , or indirectly , where another organism such as a bacterium must first act on the ingredient to produce a form usable by the plant . illustrative examples of a bioavailable nitrogen sources operative as plant nutrient ingredients include methylene urea oligomers and / or polymers , nutralene , oxamide , urea formaldehyde - based compounds , dicyandiamide , crotilidiene diurea , nitrocellulose , metal ammonium phosphates , ammonium nitrate , ammonium sulfate , urea , coated urea , monoammonium phosphate , diammonium phosphate , calcium nitrate , isobutylidene diurea , urea - triazone , and other fertilizers as detailed herein . npk sources operative herein as single or multiple sources of nitrogen , phosphorus , and / or potassium include : ammonium phosphate , triple super phosphate , phosphoric acid , potassium sulphate , potassium nitrate , potassium metaphosphate , potassium chloride , dipotassium carbonate , potassium oxide and a combination thereof . in one embodiment of a fertilizer particle included in an inventive composition , a nitrogen source is present in an amount ranging from 30 % to 99 . 5 % by weight of the total dry weight of the fertilizer particle . in a further embodiment , the nitrogen source is present in an amount ranging from 50 % to 99 % by weight of the total dry weight of the fertilizer particle . preferably , included in a fertilizer particle is a binder component present in an amount ranging from 5 % to 75 % by weight of the total dry weight of the fertilizer particle . in a further embodiment , the binder component is present in an amount ranging from 1 % to 25 % by weight of the total dry weight of the fertilizer particle . a binder component is included in a fertilizer particle as necessary to produce or promote cohesion in forming a particle capable of retaining a specified form during transport and / or distribution . a binder component may be a carbohydrate , protein , lipid , synthetic polymer , glycolipid , glycoprotein , lipoprotein , lignin , a lignin derivative , a carbohydrate - based composition , and a combination thereof . in a preferred embodiment the binder component is a lignin derivative and is optionally calcium lignosulfonate . in another option , the binder component is selected from the group consisting of : a monosaccharide , a disaccharide , an oligosaccharide , a polysaccharide and combinations thereof . specific carbohydrate binders illustratively include glucose , mannose , fructose , galactose , sucrose , lactose , maltose , xylose , arabinose , trehalose and mixtures thereof such as corn syrup ; celluloses such as carboxymethylcellulose , ethylcellulose , hydroxyethylcellulose , hydroxymethylethylcellulose , hydroxyethylpropylcellulose , methylhydroxyethyl - cellulose , methylcellulose ; starches such as amylose , seagel , starch acetates , starch hydroxyethyl ethers , ionic starches , long - chain alkyl starches , dextrins , amine starches , phosphates starches , and dialdehyde starches ; plant starches such as corn starch and potato starch ; other carbohydrates such as pectin , amylopectin , xylan , glycogen , agar , alginic acid , phycocolloids , chitin , gum arabic , guar gum , gum karaya , gum tragacanth and locust bean gum ; vegetable oils such as corn , soybean , peanut , canola , olive and cotton seed ; complex organic substances such as lignin and nitrolignin ; derivatives of lignin such as lignosulfonate salts illustratively including calcium lignosulfonate and sodium lignosulfonate and complex carbohydrate - based compositions containing organic and inorganic ingredients such as molasses . suitable protein binders illustratively include soy extract , zein , protamine , collagen , and casein . binders operative herein also include synthetic organic polymers capable of promoting or producing cohesion of particle components and such binders illustratively include ethylene oxide polymers , polyacrylamides , polyacrylates , polyvinyl pyrrolidone , polyethylene glycol , polyvinyl alcohol , polyvinylmethyl ether , polyvinyl acrylates , polylactic acid , and latex . in a preferred embodiment , the binder is calcium lignosulfonate , molasses , a liquid corn starch , a liquid corn syrup or a combination thereof . a fertilizer component optionally includes an active ingredient such as a soil nutrient , an amendment material , a biostimulant , and a combination thereof . an active ingredient is typically present in an amount ranging from 0 . 05 % to 50 % by weight of the total dry weight of the particle . in a more preferred embodiment , the soil nutrient , amendment material , or biostimulant is present in an amount ranging from 0 . 1 % to 30 % by weight of the total dry weight of the particle . in a still more preferred embodiment , the soil nutrient , amendment or biostimulant is present in an amount ranging from 0 . 5 % to 10 % by weight of the total dry weight of the particle . exemplary soil nutrients include calcium , magnesium , sulfur , iron , manganese , copper , zinc ; oxides thereof ; salts thereof , and a combination thereof . exemplary amendment materials include humic acid , blood meal , bone meal , seed meal , feather meal , soy meal , meat meal , animal waste , activated sludge , hydrolyzed animal hair , a fish byproduct , chitin , composts and a combination thereof . in addition , a fertilizer particle optionally includes an additive to aid in particle formation illustratively including an anti - dust agent , an anti - caking agent , a filler , a preservative , and a combination thereof . a biological factor or biostimulant is optionally included as an active ingredient in an amount ranging from 0 . 05 % to 10 % by weight of the total dry weight of the particle . in a more preferred embodiment , the biological factor or biostimulant active ingredient is present in an amount ranging from 0 . 1 % to 5 % by weight of the total dry weight of the particle . in a still more preferred embodiment , the biological factor or biostimulant active ingredient is present in an amount ranging from 0 . 25 % to 1 % by weight of the total dry weight of the particle . biostimulants are substances that promote plant survival and health and illustratively include plant growth hormones and plant growth regulators such as cytokinins , auxins , gibberellins , ethylene , absisic acid and a combination of these . a fertilizer particle is formed by a process such as mechanical agglomeration , for instance as described in examples below . a bait particle included in an inventive composition includes a nutritive component attractive to a target undesirable organism . in a preferred embodiment , the nutritive component includes food waste , such as bakery waste , confectionery waste , snack waste and cereal waste , either alone or in combination with one another , as a bait carrier for pesticide chemicals . bakery waste is a mixture of bakery products such as bread , cookies , cakes , crackers , flours and doughs which have been mechanically separated from non - edible material , artificially dried and ground . confectionery waste is a mixture of confectionery products such as candy bars , hard candy , jelly beans , chocolates , chocolate syrup and flavored syrups that have been separated from non - edible material , artificially dried and ground . snack waste is a mixture of snack food products such as potato chips , pretzels , corn chips , popcorn , caramel corn and cheese curls that have been separated from non - edible material , artificially dried and ground . cereal waste is a mixture of cereal products such as wheat flakes , corn flakes , puffed rice , shaped oats , shredded wheat , oatmeal and rolled oats separated from non - edible material , artificially dried and ground . while the particles are usually composed of bakery , confectionery , snack and cereal wastes as ingredients to the overall final product , original food ingredients may be used to simulate such wastes . the mixture of original food ingredients may be prepared and processed the same as described above with respect to use of the wastes . in preparation for inclusion in a bait particle , the food waste product is crushed , ground and reduced in size to where the majority of the particles pass through a 6 mesh screen and passes over a 100 mesh screen ( u . s . standard sieve series ). the over 6 mesh screen particles are returned to the initial grinding process until the desired particle size is obtained or may be reconstituted to pass through the 6 mesh screen and over the 100 mesh screen . the preferred particle size is between a 10 mesh ( pass through ) and a 40 mesh ( pass over ). the resulting preferred product which passes through a 10 mesh screen and over a 40 mesh screen (โ 10 + 40 ) is controlled to have a bulk density between 6 and 40 pounds per cubic foot , with a density between 30 and 40 pounds per cubic foot being preferred . typically , the food waste includes a carbohydrate , a protein , a fat , a liquid , and a combination thereof . in some bait particles included in a composition according to the present invention , fats and oils such as soybean oil will be added to the processed waste product particles as a vehicle to carry the pesticide and to act as an added attractant to the pest . the particles have the ability to absorb up to 20 % soybean oil and still remain flowable for easy field applications using spreaders , hand application or aerial application . preferably , not more than 5 % soybean oil is added to the processed waste particles , if needed . other examples of fats and oils that can be used include vegetable oils , pine oils and animal fats . in one embodiment , the food waste includes a carbohydrate in an amount ranging from 40 - 70 percent by weight , inclusive ; a protein in an amount ranging from 5 - 20 percent by weight , inclusive ; a fat in an amount ranging from 10 - 20 percent by weight , inclusive ; and water in an amount ranging from 5 - 20 percent by weight , inclusive . optionally , a bait particle includes a further component illustratively including a filler , a coloring agent , a sweetener , a binder , a wood product , an anti - caking agent , an anti - dust agent and an antioxidant . the processed particles are often dyed to a predetermined color . this aids the identification of different end use products with no adverse effects . further optionally , the bait particle includes ash and / or fiber such as ash in an amount ranging from 3 to 8 percent by weight , inclusive and / or fiber in an amount ranging from 2 to 5 percent by weight , inclusive . edible granules are conventional to the art that include a methylene urea coating resulting in a non - tacky particle . these conventional bait particles lack a pesticide or pest reproductive control active agent . to a methylene urea coated conventional edible granule , an additional coating is added containing a pesticide or pest reproductive control active agent . typically , the pesticide or pest reproductive control active agent is added to a binder solution as detailed with respect to the fertilizer particle and applied to the granule . upon drying of the pesticide or pest reproductive control active agent and binder on the granule , an inventive bait particle is obtained . a bait particle further includes a pesticide for killing or inhibiting infestation by a target pest organism includes an arachnid ; a bacterium ; a bird ; a fungus ; an insect ; a mammal , such as a rodent ; a virus ; and a worm . the pesticide is typically present from 0 . 001 to 2 total weight percent of the bait particle . a pesticide includes such agents as an acaracide , an antimicrobial , a bactericide , an entomopathogen , a fungicide , an herbicide , an insecticide , a molluscicide , a nemacide ( or nematocide ,) a rodenticide , a pheromone , a chemosterilant , a viricide , an imagocide , a larvicide , an ovicide , a formicide , an aphidicide , a muscacide , a culicicide , an anophelicide , an arachnidcide , and a vespacide . preferably , an inventive bait particle containing a toxic invertebrate pesticide also contains a mammalian and / or avian ingestion repellant . more preferably , it also contains both mammalian and avian ingestion repellants to lessen the likelihood of incidental ingestion by bystander higher species . mammalian ingestion repellants illustratively include cadaverine , butyric acid , and capsacin . avian repellants include artificial grape flavorant . a pest reproductive control agent operative herein includes a pheromone , molting signaling compound or steroid that upon contact with the target pest decreases the reproductive capacity of the pest . a pest reproductive control agent is preferred over a pesticide since a reproductive control agent is specific to a species or narrower group of organisms , does not bioaccumulate , and is less detrimental to predatory or bystander organisms in the pest habitat . additionally , a reproductive control agent is unlikely to avoid the bait due to ill health effects associated with sampling , as is often the case with a lethal pesticide . a pest reproductive control agent is typically present from 0 . 0001 to 1 total weight percent of the bait particle . in some embodiments a solvent may be included in a bait particle , for instance in conjunction with solvation of a component such as a pest inhibiting agent . for instance , a solvent such as water , acetone , ethanol and the like may be used in order to facilitate inclusion of an ingredient in a bait particle . in general , an organic solvent may be evaporated following inclusion in a bait particle and has no adverse effects on the bait particle &# 39 ; s attractiveness to the target pest . optionally , a bait particle included in a composition according to the present invention includes a preservative to prolong shelf and field life . in addition , a preservative may be included as an aid in retarding the loss of oil when the bait particles are spread on hot concrete or soil . further optionally included ingredients include flavoring or nutritive additives such as sugar , molasses and wood flour . in a particular embodiment , such components may be included in a bait particle in addition to those described above . generally , such additives are included in an amount ranging between 1 % to 12 %, inclusive by weight of the total bait particle composition . for example , sugar broadens the olfactory range and is optionally added in an amount in the range of 1 % to 7 % by weight , inclusive , of the total bait particle composition . molasses is optionally included as an additive in an amount in the range of 3 % to 12 % by weight , inclusive , of the total bait particle composition . in a further option , a nutritive additive such as wood flour is added in an amount in the range of 1 % to 10 % by weight , inclusive , of the total bait particle composition , for instance to encourage ingestion by wood eating insects . in general , a bait particle included in an inventive composition is resistant to rainfall and high humidity when used in open areas . however , a water - repellent binder is optionally included to increase resistance to high moisture conditions without harming its attractiveness to a target pest . in one embodiment , a water - repellant binder is added in an amount in the range of 4 % to 15 % by weight , inclusive , of the total bait particle composition . typically , a bait particle formulated as described above is free flowing . however , in some embodiments an anti - caking agent is optionally added to reduce the tendency of individual particles to adhere to one another without harming the attractiveness of the bait particle to the target pest . in one embodiment , an anti - caking additive is added in an amount in the range of 4 % to 10 % by weight , inclusive , of the total bait particle composition . a bait particle as described above generally has inherent preservative characteristics which inhibit mold at moistures not above 14 %. however , an antioxidant is optionally added to prolong the shelf and / or field life of a bait particle included in an inventive composition . antioxidants protect against deterioration of the bait particle caused by oxidation , such as fat rancidity and color changes , without interfering with the attractiveness of the bait particle to a target pest . in a particular embodiment , an antioxidant is added in an amount up to 0 . 5 % by weight of the total bait particle composition . a method of promoting health of a target plant is provided by the present invention . an inventive method includes the step of applying an inventive composition as described herein to an area proximate to a target desirable plant . application of the composition fertilizes the target plant by supplying bioavailable nitrogen and other optional ingredients . further , delivery of the inventive composition attracts one or more target pests and inhibits infestation of the plant and the area proximate to the target plant by a pest by stimulating consumption of bait and thereby bringing the pest into contact with a pesticide or other pest inhibitor . the health of the target plant is promoted both by fertilization and by inhibition of pest infestation . in another an inventive method for promoting a desired environment in a specified region is provided . such a method includes the step of providing a composition having a fertilizer particle and a bait particle as described herein and applying the composition to the specified region in which the desired environment is to be promoted . for example , a specified region may include an area such as a golf course , park , lawn or the like wherein one or more desirable target plants , such as particular types of grasses , trees or shrubs are to be encouraged . in the same specified region it may be desirable to inhibit a target pest . for example , it may be desirable to discourage infestation and / or feeding by the pest in the specified region in order to limit harmful or unwanted effects of pest presence such as plant destruction , tunneling , disease , and the like . application of an inventive composition stimulates growth of a target plant by fertilization . further , application of an inventive composition acts to inhibit infestation and other activity by a target pest by delivering a pest attractive bait and subsequent ingestion or other contact with a pesticide . thus , application of an inventive composition promotes a desired environment in a specified region . a bait particle is formulated which includes : water : 7 . 5 % by weight of the total bait particle ; protein : 11 . 3 % by weight of the total bait particle ; fiber : 2 . 0 % by weight of the total bait particle ; ash : 3 . 5 % by weight of the total bait particle ; fat ( oil ): 11 . 2 % by weight of the total bait particle ; and carbohydrate : 64 . 5 % by weight of the total bait particle . bait particles were formed which had a size from about 6 mesh to about 50 mesh (โ 6 + 50 ), u . s . standard sieve series , and a density of about 35 pounds per cubic foot . using a pan agglomeration disk , particle ingredients are combined and mixed . the agglomeration disk is operated and adjusted to generate the desired size distribution of particles before the particles are conveyed to a fluid bed dryer where the material was dried at a temperature of 140 ยฐ f . to a moisture content of less that 0 . 5 %. the material is then separated into various size categories using conventional gyroscopic screeners . the range of sizing for each product stream can be varied to separate the desired material from the mixture of sizing . particles are fed to a blender ( such as a forberg fluidized zone blender ) or other coating equipment ( such as a coating drum ). the material is sprayed with a methylene urea , containing in the case of the bait particle , a 0 . 3 % by weight of the solution of methyl parathion and the coating is allowed to dry to a hard dry coating . the fertilizer and bait particles are mixed at an 8 : 1 weight ratio with a mechanical fluidizing blender for 30 minutes to achieve a homogenous mixture nearly devoid of broken particulate . apparatus : ro - tap sieve shaker with 8 - inch sieves , balance with 0 . 1 g sensitivity , 10 - min . timer , and 10 steel balls with smooth surfaces and 16 mm ( โ
in .) in diameter . 1 . using information from the screen analysis , choose your limiting screen size . 2 . place about 75 g of a representative sample onto the limiting screen . 4 . place the screen apparatus onto the shaker and run it for 10 min . ( use the hammer ). 6 . put ten ( 10 ) 16 - mm steel balls in the pan with the sample . 7 . reassemble the screen apparatus and place it onto the shaker and run it for 10 min . ( do not use the hammer ). 8 . remove the steel balls from the pan and transfer the sample back into the limiting screen . 9 . place the screen apparatus back onto the shaker and run it for 10 min . ( use the hammer ). 10 . weigh out the amount that remained on the limiting screen to the nearest 0 . 1 g and compare it to the original amount . percent resistance to attrition ={( 100 ยท a )/ b }, where a is the weight of the fraction that remained on the limiting screen in step 10 and b is total weight of the sample in step 5 . the particles of the present invention have an exemplary minimum resistance to attrition ( rta ) rating ranging from 60 % to 100 %. evaluation of inventive composition efficiency compared to conventional bait for control of red fire ants a bait particle formulation having an average mesh size of 6 is loaded to 0 . 5 total weight percent with application of a pyriproxyfen containing soybean oil solution ( comparative example a ). the bait particles have a bulk density of 25 pounds per cubic foot . the pyriproxyfen coated bait particle is then mixed with fertilizer particles containing a 14 - 0 - 27 nitrogen - phosphorus - potassium content . the fertilizer particles have a bulk density of 48 pounds per cubic foot and an average particle size of between 0 . 11 and 0 . 13 inches ( corresponding to โ 6 + 7 mesh ). the bait particles and fertilizer particles are mixed such that the bait particles make up 0 . 85 weight percent of the mixture with mixing occurring in a mechanical fluidized blender . one fertilizer particle sample is completely coated with calcium lignosulfonate to a level of 10 % by weight of the total dry weight of the fertilizer particle ( inventive composition 1 , abbreviated inv . 1 ). the coated fertilizer particles are then mixed with an equal weight amount of uncoated fertilizer particles and then combined with the bait particles to a loading of 0 . 85 weight percent bait particles of comparative example a ( inventive composition 2 , abbreviated inv . 2 ). a trial was performed commencing on jun . 21 , 2005 on grounds surrounding an office complex in fayetteville , n . c . tests plots were established along streets and fence lines to include at least ten fire ant mounds per plot . a comparative or inventive composition was uniformly spread throughout a test plot . the soil surface was dry at application with no rain occurring for the next 48 hours . the grass on the test plots was mowed every two weeks for the duration of the test . in addition to comparative example a and inventive compositions 1 and 2 , an untreated control set of plots was established with four replicates of each type of treatment plot being established . the counts for the four replicates of each treatment were averaged to obtain statistically meaningful data as to the total number of viable fire ant mounds . comparative composition a was treated with 1 . 5 pounds of bait particles per acre while inventive composition plots were treated 1 . 5 pounds of bait particles and 174 pounds of fertilizer particles per acre . the results as to the number of fire ant mounds were measured at 0 , 44 , 79 and 122 days after treatment . the results are summarized in fig1 . any patents or publications mentioned in this specification are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference . in particular , u . s . pat . no . 6 , 479 , 062 is incorporated herein by reference . one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned , as well as those inherent therein . the inventions described herein are presently representative of preferred embodiments . thus , they are exemplary and are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention or inventions . changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art . such changes and other uses are encompassed within the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the claims . | 0 |
referring now to the drawings and particularly to fig1 - 6 , there is illustrated an example of the desoldering attachment 10 of the present invention . as shown in fig1 there is a soldering instrument generally designated 11 which , as indicated before , may be the one disclosed and claimed in applicant &# 39 ; s prior patent . the soldering instrument 11 has an elongated housing about which is disposed a hose adaptor clip 12 for a supply vacuum hose 14 . spaced from the hose adaptor clip 12 is a trigger assembly 15 including a trigger button 16 . the trigger assembly includes a hollow housing through which extends a vacuum hose 17 . by depressing the trigger button 16 the vacuum line may be opened to apply vacuum to the desoldering tool 10 . it will , of course , be understood that the supply vacuum hose 14 is connected to a suitable source of vacuum . the desoldering tool 10 generally includes a sleeve or housing 20 , a rear end cap 21 , a desoldering head 22 and a desoldering tip 23 which is hollow for applying a vacuum thereto . a vacuum pipe 25 , rigid , in this example , is secured to and extends from the housing sleeve 10 . its main portion is parallel to the housing sleeve 20 , while it has a tip 26 extending through the sleeve into its interior . as clearly shown in fig1 the vacuum pipe 25 connects to the vacuum hose 17 of the soldering instrument . extending from the soldering instrument 11 is a hollow heater element sleeve 28 . the heater sleeve 28 carries a heating element 30 near its externally threaded outer end 31 . the heater sleeve 28 may also be provided with an external nut 32 , shown here as hexagonal , made integral therewith to facilitate a rotational grip thereon . adjacent the nut 32 external threads 33 are provided in the surface of the sleeve 28 which mesh with the internal threads of a knurled retaining nut or collar 34 . the rear end cap 21 may consist of a heat resistant plastic and is provided in this example , with a plurality of stand - off legs or columns 35 . the rear end cap 21 is of generally conical construction and has a reduced diameter , forward end cylindrical portion 36 forming a retaining shoulder into which fits the housing sleeve 20 . the end cap 21 also has a reduced diameter cylindrical rear end portion 37 forming another retaining shoulder onto which fits the outer end of the retaining collar or nut 34 . the rear bore or inner opening 38 of the end cap 21 is formed such that it will receive the heater sleeve 28 . a filter screen 39 fits within the housing 20 and over the heater sleeve 28 and bears axially between the stand - off legs 35 and a solder baffle ring disposed forwardly thereof and generally shown at 40 . the baffle ring has a shank portion 41 provided with vents to permit the flow of air and some solder particles to pass therethrough . it is followed by a portion 42 , l - shaped in longitudinal section , which bears against the filter screen 40 . thus the baffle ring supports the filter screen and aids in blocking the solder particles , particularly the larger ones which might otherwise unduly choke or fill the screen . the head 22 has a rearwardly extending cylindrical portion 44 provided with internal threads 45 for receiving and engaging the external threads of the heater sleeve 28 . it also is provided with an offset portion 47 which houses the desoldering tip 23 so that the common axis of both forms an angle with the longitudinal axis of the housing sleeve 20 . to this end the portion 47 is provided with a cylindrical inner opening 48 within which the desoldering tip is retained with freedom for axial adjustment . the tip 23 itself has a reduced diameter central portion 50 defined axially by two enlarged diameter cylindrical portions 51 and 52 . hence , the shoulder 53 defined between the enlarged portion 52 and the reduced portion 50 serves to limit the motion of the tip . the stop itself is formed by a set screw 54 which is threaded into a retaining engagement therewith by way of a threaded bore in an inclined portion 55 of the head 22 . the tip 23 is hollow , as indicated , to permit the application of a vacuum and has a rear portion 56 of much reduced diameter which slides in an opening 57 in the head 22 . functionally , then , the actual desoldering tip 60 extends from the head 22 and provides air flow communication from its extreme forward end to the solder collector chamber within the housing 20 . the attachment as shown particularly in fig2 is assembled in the following manner . the retaining collar 34 is screwed all the way rearwardly over the threads 33 of the heating sleeve 28 . subsequently , the rear end cap 21 is inserted over the heating sleeve 28 so that its reduced diameter portion 37 fits into the collar 34 . next the housing sleeve 20 is inserted over the end cap 21 and its cylindrical , retaining shoulder recess 36 making sure that the vacuum pipe tip 26 slides between the legs 35 . then the filter screen 39 followed by the solder baffle ring 40 , is dropped over the heating element sleeve 28 into the housing sleeve 20 . care should be taken that vacuum pipe 25 is properly aligned with the trigger button 16 and the vacuum hose 17 of the soldering instrument . next the head 22 is inserted into the sleeve 20 and is screwed by engagement of threads 31 , 45 , over the heating element sleeve 28 in a clockwise direction , as viewed in fig3 until it is stopped by the engagement therewith of enlarged portion 52 of the desoldering tip 23 . the tip 60 should now be in the position shown in fig3 that is , it should point downwardly while the vacuum pipe 25 and trigger 16 point upwardly . however , if the head is not in the proper position shown in fig3 but , for example , in the position of fig4 the head must be adjusted . in such case the head 22 has been stopped too soon by the heater sleeve 28 abutting the enlarged portion 52 of the tip 23 . in order to effect the necessary adjustment , the set screw 54 is threadingly moved outwardly in its recess 55 , to its position as shown in fig2 which permits the tip 23 to move further outwardly of the head 22 . the head 23 can then be rotated further in a clockwise direction over the heater sleeve 28 until it reaches the desired angular position of fig3 . in an alternate example , when the tip is in the position shown in fig5 it is rotated too far in a clockwise direction , as viewed in that figure ; and the heater sleeve 28 has moved too far rearwardly and must be backed up again . in this case , the set screw 54 should be tightened so that the head 22 is permitted to rotate less far into the threads of the heater sleeve 28 . the adjustment necessary in this example is illustrated in fig6 . here the set screw 54 is moved further inwardly hence pushing the tip 23 to the left or more inwardly into the head 22 . this will stop the heater sleeve 28 earlier thereby to force the desoldering tip 60 to stop in the proper position . when finally the instrument is properly aligned it can now be locked by rotating the knurled collar 34 forwardly against the rear end cap 21 . it should be noted that the vacuum pipe 25 , the housing sleeve 20 , the head 22 and the heater sleeve 28 are made of metal and preferably consist of stainless steel . of course , the tip 23 and the heater sleeve 28 should consist of a material which is relatively heat conductive and may be stainless steel . the end cap 21 may consist of a material which is heat resistant and thermally stable such , for example , as formica or phenolic . another feature of the present invention is that the heater sleeve 28 with its forward portion 31 is in heat conductive contact with the desoldering tip 23 , that is , specifically , with its enlarged cylindrical portion 52 . this will , of course , promote a rapid heating of the tip 60 of the desoldering tool . this is further promoted by the fact that the heating element 30 is disposed as close as possible to the forward end 31 of the heater sleeve 28 . in operation , when the solder to be removed has been heated properly , the trigger 16 of the trigger assembly is pressed , thereby to apply a vacuum impulse to the tip 60 . the solder is then drawn through the tip 60 into the solder collector interior of the sleeve 20 and is caught by the solder baffle ring 42 and , eventually , the filter screen 34 . the desoldering tip 23 fits fairly snugly into its retaining bore 48 of the head 22 , thereby minimizing the loss of the vacuum . this also minimizes solder getting into the recesses of the head 22 rather than into the collector chamber of the housing 20 . the entire desoldering attachment may be rapidly cleaned and the solder removed in the following manner . first the vacuum hose 17 is removed . then the forward end of the tip 60 is inserted into a suitable vacuum desoldering instrument which in turn draws out the solder through the tip 60 . this is preferably effected while the attachment is still hot . eventually the attachment may have to be opened and the solder baffle ring 42 and filter screen 39 removed and cleaned . fig7 to which reference is now made , shows an improved solder baffle device 70 . this consists of a coil spring tightly wound from a suitable metallic wire and of generally conical shape . it is made in such a fashion that it is slightly spaced from the heater sleeve 28 but fits fairly tightly upon the inner surface of the housing sleeve 20 . the baffle device 70 is inserted in such a manner that the large diameter , rearward portion 71 faces the filter screen 39 , and the reduced diameter , forward portion 72 faces the desoldering tip 23 . hence , any solder particles drawn rearwardly into the collector chamber are deflected outwardly toward the housing sleeve 20 and are there collected and retained . it is to be noted that normal variations in the winding of the coil spring 70 cause gaps to form between adjacent windings . these gaps are small enough to prevent most solder particles from passing through . on the other hand , they are large enough to permit adequately free passage of the air from the tip 60 to the vacuum source . this solder baffle 70 may most readily be cleaned by expanding it axially , whereby the solder simply drops off . it is particularly inexpensive and easy to make , while at the same time being rugged , reliable , and non critical in its composition . it will be understood that the coil spring 70 does not have to be exactly conical ; the surface of the coil spring may form some other type curve as long as it has a right - hand end 72 as shown in fig7 which is relatively narrow and a left - hand end 71 which fits relatively tightly into the sleeve 20 . there has thus been described a desoldering attachment for a soldering tool which achieves the objects and exhibits the advantages set forth hereinabove . the attachment is characterized by the ease of adjustment of the position of the desoldering tip . it also features a simplified construction . in addition , a new baffle for the solder has been shown which is particularly easy to manufacture and exceedingly easy to clean . | 1 |
referring initially to fig1 - 3 , a 90 ยฐ speed reducer assembly is generally referred to by reference numeral 1 . although this description is directed toward a 90 ยฐ speed reducer , it will be understood that it is applicable to other designs of speed reducer assemblies . assembly 1 includes a housing 3 having a front wall or side 5 , a back wall or side 7 , side walls 9 , a top 11 and a bottom 13 . side walls 9 have openings 15 in axial alignment to receive a worm assembly 17 . worm assembly 17 includes a shaft 19 , a worm 21 formed on shaft 19 , and two bearing assemblies 23 through which shaft is rotatably journaled . openings 15 are sized to receive bearing assemblies 23 which are secured against axial movement . a portion 25 of shaft 19 extends outwardly of housing 3 to be connected to a motor output shaft or another rotatable member to drive the worm shaft , as is known . front wall 5 is stepped outwardly , as at 27 and 29 , to define a front surface 31 . an opening 33 is formed in surface 31 . an inwardly extending annular flange 35 is radially spaced from opening 33 . a bearing shoulder 37 is formed inside of flange 35 at its base , and is stepped as at 39 to opening 33 . back wall 7 defines an opening 41 . a shoulder 43 is formed around opening 41 on an outer surface of back wall 7 . a flange 45 extends outwardly from shoulder 43 and defines an annular face 47 . a worm gear assembly 49 is received in housing 3 and is introduced through back wall opening 41 . worm gear assembly 49 includes a shaft 51 , a worm gear 53 which is rotationally fixed to shaft 51 , and front and back bearing assemblies 55 and 56 . bearing assemblies 55 and 56 are spaced from gear 53 by spacers 57 . shaft 51 includes a front portion 59 which forms an output shaft . when assembly 49 is introduced into housing 3 , front bearing assembly 55 is received within flange 35 , with the output shaft 59 extending through opening 33 . the back bearing assembly 56 is supported by a bracket 61 . opening 33 is vertically spaced from opening 15 a distance sufficient to allow worm gear 53 to mesh with worm 21 . shims 73 are placed in the housing within flange 35 prior to the introduction of worm assembly 49 thereinto . bracket 61 includes an inwardly extending annular wall 63 having a bearing shoulder 65 which receives rear bearing assembly 56 to support worm gear assembly 49 . shims 74 are also received in bearing shoulder 65 . shoulder 65 is axially aligned with bearing shoulder 37 . a circular flange 67 extends substantially outwardly from bracket 61 and includes an inner face 69 . face 69 rests against flange surface 47 of back surface 7 when assembly 1 is put together . to seal assembly 1 , an o - ring 71 is received in shoulder 43 surrounding back wall opening 41 . as can be seen in fig2 and 3 , worm gear 53 has a curvature c . for the reducer assembly 1 to operate smoothly , and to maximize its useful life , the worm 21 must mesh with worm gear 53 as close as possible to the center of curvature of gear 53 . worm 21 is substantially fixed , thus , the worm gear assembly is maneuvered to properly align the worm and worm gear . to accomplish this , front and back shims 73 and 74 are used . front shim 73 is positioned between shoulder 37 and front bearing 55 , and rear shim 74 is positioned between bracket shoulder 65 and rear bearing 56 . shims 73 and 74 are not single pieces , rather , they are made up of a plurality of thin rings of predetermined thicknesses . a plurality of rings are placed together to produce the appropriate shim width . shims 73 and 74 are preferably annular rings that have an outer diameter slightly less than the inner diameter annular walls 35 and 65 to fit within walls 35 and 65 . to prevent the trial and error method of aligning the worm gear and worm the width s1 and s2 of shims 73 and 74 respectively , must be known in advance . the combined width of the shims is essentially the difference in ( 1 ) the distance between housing shoulder 37 and bracket shoulder 65 , and ( 2 ) the distance between axially outer surfaces of the worm gear assembly , typically the outside faces of bearing assembly 55 and 56 . because the center of curvature of gear 53 is not necessarily at the center of the distance between the outer surfaces of the worm gear assembly , this distance ( 1 )-( 2 ) cannot be divided in two to arrive at the appropriate shim widths . rather , the widths of the shims are determined by the equations : l1 = the distance from the outer face of front bearing assembly 55 to the center of curvature of worm gear 53 ; l = the distance between the outer faces of bearing assemblies 55 and 56 ; ep = the end play or pre - load tolerance of axial movement of worm shaft 51 . end play has a positive value and pre - load has a negative value . ep and n are generally known distances . to determine s1 and s2 , the bracket 61 , worm gear assembly 49 and housing 3 are placed in gauges 75 , 77 , and 79 , all of which are operatively connected to a computer 81 . ( fig8 ) bracket gauge 75 measures the distance h and outputs it to the computer ; housing gauge 79 measures distance m and outputs it to the computer ; and worm gear assembly gauge measures l1 and l and outputs them to the computer . the computer then takes these values ( the values of n and ep having been previously stored in the computer ), and determines the appropriate width of shims 73 and 74 according to equations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ). with these values determined by the computer , the appropriate shims pieces can be gathered to assemble shims 73 and 74 . the reducer assembly 1 can then be put together in a single step without the human error involved in the trial and error method of the prior art . as can be appreciated , this can dramatically reduce the assembly time and labor involved in producing the speed reducers . although the process has been described with respect to a housing having one closed side and one open side , it is also applicable to a speed reduce housing having two open sides . in this case , the housing would have two brackets 61 . if such a housing were used , one of the brackets could be secured to one of the sides before the housing is inserted in the housing gauge . after this , the remainder of the procedure is the same as set out above . the procedure has also been described as using the outer faces of the bearing assemblies 55 and 56 as reference points in determining the distance l and l1 . although this is preferred because the bearing assemblies will usually be supported by bearing flanges as shown in the drawings , any axial outer surface , such as the ends of the worm gear shaft 49 can be used as reference points to determine the distances l and l1 . bracket gauge 75 and housing gauge 79 may be a linear encoders , or any other measuring device that will determine the distances h and m . because the center of curvature of the worm gear is not necessarily in line with the center of the worm gear plate , the distance l1 cannot be determined with a simple measuring device . a preferred embodiment of gauge 77 is shown in fig4 and 5 . gauge 77 includes a base 81 having a track 83 . a table 85 is mounted on slides 86 . slides 86 are slidably mounted on a track 83 . table 85 can thus move longitudinally relative to base 81 along the path defined by track 83 . front support block 87 is mounted to table 85 . back support block 89 is mounted to a slide 90 . each block includes a &# 34 ; v &# 34 ; shaped notch 94 ( fig5 ) which receives the front and back bearing assemblies of worm gear assembly 49 . stop plates 91 and 92 are secured to the outer faces of blocks 87 and 89 to hold assembly 49 in place . each stop plate has a &# 34 ; u &# 34 ; shaped cut out 93 which has approximately the same diameter as the outer ring of the bearing assemblies to accommodate the output shaft 59 . the inner faces of the stop plates 91 and 92 press against the outer surfaces of bearing assemblies 55 and 56 to clamp the worm gear assembly in place , preventing axial movement of the worm gear assembly relative to table 85 . to securely support assembly 49 on table 85 , support block 89 is movable axially with respect to table 85 , giving the block 89 its clamping capabilities . block 87 is fixed to table 85 and is not movable . this also allows the gauge 77 to accommodate various sized worm gear assemblies . a rail 88 having a slide 90 is mounted in table 85 . block 89 is mounted on slide 90 so that the block can be moved laterally with respect to table 85 . a piston 95 , linear actuator , or other linear motion system , is operatively attached to rear block 89 to control the movement thereof to clamp worm gear assembly 49 in place and to maintain it in a clamped position . when gear assembly 49 is placed on blocks 87 and 89 , rear block 89 can be moved axially forward ( to the right as shown in fig4 ) to securely hold assembly 49 in place to prevent axial movement of assembly 49 with respect to table 85 while the gauge 77 is operating . a linear actuator 96 is mounted on base 81 and operatively connected to table 85 to move table 85 with respect to base 81 for a purpose discussed below . a vertical support or column 97 ( fig5 ) is secured to base 81 and includes a bracket 99 which holds a master worm 100 above worm gear 53 . bracket 99 is mounted on a slide 102 which slides on a rail 104 mounted to column 97 , so that master worm 100 may be moved vertically toward and away from worm gear assembly 49 . weights 101 are attached to bracket 99 by way of a pulley system 103 and cord 105 . weights 101 carry sufficient weight to offset a majority of the weight of worm 27 placed on worm gear 53 , to control the meshing pressure of master worm 100 with worm gear 53 . if too much pressure is applied , worm 100 will not be able to freely move in response to movement of the worm gear . if not enough pressure is applied , master worm 100 will not be moved by the worm gear as it is moved . counterweight 101 therefore carries sufficient weight to allow master worm 100 to mesh with worm gear 53 so that it can freely rotate in response to movement of worm gear 53 . the weight contained on counterweight 101 may be altered to accommodate the weights of different master worms . this allows for more versatility of gauge 77 in measuring the parameters of a broad variety of worm gear assemblies . a linear actuator 106 is mounted on base 81 and operatively connected to weights 100 and is used to raise master worm 100 in bracket 99 so that worm gear assembly 49 may be places in v - blocks 87 and 89 . once worm gear assembly 49 is in place , master worm is lowered to mesh with the worm gear 100 . the worm 100 may be lowered using only weights 101 , or by use of linear actuator 106 . lastly , gauge 77 includes at least three linear encoders 107 , 109 , and 111 . linear encoder 107 and 109 are connected to v - blocks 87 and 89 respectively to locate the position of the worm gear relative to a starting or &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; point to determine the distances l and l1 . encoder 107 measures the distance from the center of curvature of worm gear 53 to the outer face of bearing assembly 55 to determine l1 . encoder 109 measures the distance between the center of curvature of worm gear 53 and the outer face of bearing assembly 56 to determine distance l - l1 . by adding the two numbers together , the distance l is determined . linear encoder 111 is fixed to slide 102 to determine the vertical position of the master worm 100 . as is explained below , the position of worm gear 53 when master worm 100 is at a low point is used to determine l and l1 . because the worm gear has a curvature c , as the master worm 100 is moved along the worm gear curvature it will follow a generally arcuate shaped pattern as can be seen in fig6 . the center of curvature of gear 53 is the point where master worm 100 is at its lowest point . using gauge 77 , the low point of the arcuate shaped path traveled by the worm can be determined in several ways . when the worm and worm gear in place , table 85 is slowly moved by a linear motion system 96 , such as a screw , piston , or other linear actuator . master worm 100 is horizontally fixed ; it can only move vertically . thus , as table 85 is moved , master worm 100 is raised and lowered as it follows the curvature of gear 53 . encoder 111 measures the vertical or y position of the center of worm 21 as the table is moved . further , as table 85 moves , the distance between the center of master worm 100 ( which remains horizontally fixed ) to the outside faces of bearing assemblies 55 and 56 changes . these distances are shown as a and b in fig4 . encoder 107 measures distance b and encoder 109 measures distance a . a + b = l , thus , the combined distance of a and b will be constant . as can be seen in fig7 when y is plotted against b ( x on the graph ), points on the curvature of gear 53 are produced . by taking any three points ( a , b , and c ) secants ab and bc may be drawn . by drawing a line perpendicular to the secants , from the midpoints of the secants , the center of curvature of the worm oww is found at a point where the lines intersect . the b ( or x ) coordinate of point oww will provide the distance l1 . the greater the number of points that are taken , the greater the accuracy of the determination of point oww will be and hence the determination of the distances l and l1 . the a coordinate of point oww is determined in the same manner as the b coordinate and provides the distance l - l1 so that the distance l may be determined . the use of the computer 81 allows for the use of many points so that a more accurate center of curvature ( l1 ) can be found . the center of curvature is determined from the following equations for points a , b , and c having coordinates a ( x a , y a ), b ( x b , y b ), and c ( x c , y c ). the line ab has a midpoint m a b with coordinates ( x m a b , y m a b ) and the line bc has a midpoint m b c with coordinates ( x m b c , y m b c ). the equation for the line m a b o w w perpendicular to line ab through point m a b is ## equ3 ## where ## equ4 ## the equation for the line m b c o w w perpendicular to line bc through point m a b is ## equ5 ## where ## equ6 ## the first center of curvature o a b c is : ## equ7 ## making all the substitutions , ## equ8 ## for a plurality of center of curvatures l 1 1 to l 1 n , the center of curvature l 1 is : ## equ9 ## the distance l1 can also be determined by plotting y v . b at small increments from one edge of the worm gear to the other . the center of curvature will be the lowest position of the worm gear . from this position , the b coordinate will provide the distance l1 . alternatively , if table 85 can slide on track 83 virtually friction free , the weight of master worm 100 on the curvature of worm gear 53 will cause the table to slide from side to side . the worm will come to rest at its lowest point , providing the center of curvature of gear 53 . at this point , measurements can be taken to determine l and l1 . as can be seen , gauge 77 provides a simple method of determining the distance from the center of curvature of a worm gear to an axial outer face of the worm gear assembly . this facilitates a quick and simple determination of the appropriate shim widths to use to properly position a worm gear with respect to a worm to provide a maximum life span of the reducer assembly . the foregoing descriptions set forth for illustrative purposes only . numerous variations within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art . although the use of gauge 77 is described for use with a master worm , the production worm may also be used as the testing worm to determine the distance l1 . this variation is merely illustrative . | 8 |
as shown in the drawings , a document scanning apparatus 10 includes a generally flat horizontally extending glass table or platen surface 12 for single sheet scanned having a region 14 at one end thereof through which a moving document to be scanned can be viewed by conventional document scanning components of the device . an inclined frame 20 is provided for supporting a stack 24 of documents to be fed to the scanning components . an inclined surface or guide 26 on the frame 20 and stationary media sheet guides 27 , 28 on the frame together define a sheet media path extending from the media stack 24 to the scan region 14 and thence around a scanning roller 40 and document output sheet transport roller assembly 50 to a scanned document output location at which a tray 34 is provided for receiving a stack of scanned documents . circumferentially spaced pinch rollers 42 hold the document sheet against the scanning roller . the apparatus for feeding individual sheets from the stack 24 to the scan region 14 includes the inclined media support or feed tray 22 , upper and lower opposed media pick rollers 30 , 32 and a suitable drive mechanism for moving the rollers 30 , 32 . the drive mechanism may be arranged to drive the rollers 30 , 32 in the same forward direction of rotation ( e . g ., clockwise ) for uppermost sheet picking and in the same reverse direction ( e . g ., counterclockwise ) for lowermost sheet picking as described in commonly owned co - pending application ser . no . 09 / 405 , 991 ( hp docket 10991829 - 1 ) filed sep . 27 , 1999 . fig2 a and 2 b respectively show perspective views of a transport roller assembly 50 comprised of a rotatable shaft 52 having a plurality of sheet transport rollers 54 affixed thereto at axially spaced locations along the shaft 52 . each of the rollers 54 is preferably identical to the other rollers 54 and has a rubberized or other frictional surface . as used herein , the term โ roller โ is intended to include a single elongated roller and the mechanical equivalents of two or more axially spaced rollers on a common shaft or axis as shown . the transport roller assembly may be molded of plastic with a plurality of elongated ribs 70 and circumferential rings 72 to provide support as necessary to the media sheet . pinch rollers 62 and 64 are respectively positioned above and below the transport roller assembly 50 and tangentially engage the rollers 54 to provide nips and media sheet delivery paths above and below the transport roller assembly 50 . only the upper pinch rollers 62 are shown in the perspective views of fig2 a and 2 b but the lower rollers 64 are also seen in fig1 a and 1 b as well as in fig3 and 4 . the lower pinch rollers 64 are , like the upper pinch rollers 62 , engaged tangentially with selected ones of the transport rollers 54 . preferably , the pinch rollers 62 , 64 are c on diametrically opposite sides of the transport roller assembly 50 although it is not essential to do so . a suitable power drive , not shown , is provided for rotating the transport roller assembly 50 in either the clockwise or the counterclockwise direction as desired . since rollers 54 are primarily used for transporting the sheet of media through nips defined between the rollers 54 and the pinch rollers 62 , 64 , preferably all of the transport rollers 54 and pinch rollers 62 , 64 are provided with traction surfaces suitable for gripping and transporting media sheets through the nips as is conventional . the pinch rollers 62 , 64 may be spring biased into engagement with the transport rollers 54 and comprise idlers which are only rotatable when the power driven transport roller assembly 50 is rotated . the opposed drive and pinch rollers 54 , 62 , 64 in surface contact provide one way of defining sheet transport nips as is well known ; however , in the context of referring top nips defined by rollers , the term โ roller โ is also intended and specifically defined to include mechanical substitutes having opposed surfaces which define nips such as opposed continuous belts trained around rollers or an opposed roller and belt which together define a nip . an active gate and drag clutch 70 best seen in fig2 a and 2 b is located in a space in the media transport path between an input to the gate and clutch 70 from the document drive roller 40 and first and second media output branches above and below the transport roller assembly 50 . the active gate and clutch 70 is comprised of a pair of end plates 72 , 74 rotatable about a common axis 76 which extends parallel to shaft 52 . the document path between the end plates 72 , 74 of the active gate and drag clutch 70 is bridged by upper and lower sheet guides 80 , 90 of plastic or light weight sheet metal affixed to the end plates whereby the guides 80 , 90 define a sheet routing or guide channel 82 ( fig3 ) therebetween for guiding the leading edge of a sheet from the top surface of the document drive roller 40 to either one of a lower nip or nips between the document delivery roller or rollers 54 and the lower pinch rollers 64 or to an upper nip between the document delivery roller or rollers 54 and the upper pinch rollers 62 depending upon the position of the gate and drag clutch 70 . an arcuate side edge 78 on each end plate 72 , 74 frictionally engages the cylindrical surface of the axially outermost transport rollers 54 or other similarly moveable portions of the transport roller assembly 50 such that rotation of the transport roller assembly 50 including the rollers 54 determines the position of the active gate and drag clutch 70 . clockwise rotation of shaft 52 causes counterclockwise pivotal motion of gate 70 about its axis 76 until gate 70 reaches its uppermost limit position shown in fig1 b , 2 b and 3 b following which slippage between the arcuate surfaces 78 of the gate end plates and the transport rollers 54 holds the active gate 70 in the selected position . gate motion limit stops ( not shown ) are provided at the desired locations on the scanning apparatus to limit the motion of the gate and drag clutch 70 between the positions shown in fig1 a and 1 b . the lower sheet guide 90 includes a lower portion 92 as shown for a purpose which will be described with reference to fig4 . fig4 a shows the initial movement of a sheet of paper or other media from the top or bottom of the stack 24 by the opposed pick rollers 30 , 32 . in the position shown in fig4 a , the leading edge of the sheet has been driven by the document drive roller 40 through the sheet processing location 14 , the leading edge of the sheet having reached a location in the sheet guide channel 82 between the gate sheet guides 80 , 90 . as the leading edge of the sheet , moved by the document drive roller 40 approaches the active gate 70 , but before it enters channel 82 , a timing circuit actuates the power drive to cause rotation of the transport roller assembly 50 in the counterclockwise direction as seen in fig4 a to move the gate 70 to its downward position . continued movement of the leading edge of the media sheet causes the leading edge to enter the lower nip or nips between the transport rollers 54 and the lower pinch rollers 62 to transport the leading edge of the sheet through the channel 82 into the lower output path between the stationary guide 27 and transport roller assembly 50 . the rotation of the nip between the sheet transport roller or rollers 54 and the lower pinch rollers 64 continues to move the sheet to the right below the transport roller assembly 50 thus causing the trailing portion of the sheet to move entirely through and away from the processing location 14 and document drive roller 40 toward the processed sheet location or tray 34 as seen in fig4 b . in fig4 c the direction of rotation of the transport roller assembly 50 is reversed such that the roller assembly 50 now begins to rotate in a clockwise direction before the trailing edge of the sheet has passed the nip between the transport rollers 54 and lower pinch rollers 64 from the sheet position seen in fig4 b . this causes the sheet to move back toward the processing location 14 in face inverted orientation so that the other face side of the document sheet can now be scanned or printed upon . clockwise rotation of the transport roller assembly 50 causes movement of the active gate and drag clutch 70 to the upper position seen in fig4 c . this causes movement of the lower portion 92 of the lower gate guide 90 to a position spaced from and generally parallel to stationary guide 27 to guide the sheet back to the document drive roller 40 . during scanning or printing of the second face side of the sheet , the document drive roller 40 continues to rotate in the clockwise direction moving the sheet through the sheet processing region 14 until the leading edge of the sheet ( previously the trailing edge ) enters the guide channel 82 between the gate guides 80 , 90 and moves into the nip or nips between the transport roller or rollers 54 and upper pinch rollers 62 so that the document sheet , now having been duplex scanned or printed , may be passed over the transport roller assembly 50 to the tray 34 . in its broadest aspects , the invention involves the use of the active gate and drag clutch 70 to guide the leading edge of a moving media sheet to one of two output paths which , in the arrangement shown , are above and below the transport roller assembly 50 . there is of course no reason that these teachings need be limited to a horizontally oriented transport roller assembly 50 since the principles of the invention will clearly be applicable to the handling of sheet media moving with its flat surfaces in a non - horizontal path provided that appropriate minor modifications are made . in the preferred embodiment shown , separate transport rollers 54 and associated pinch rollers 62 , 64 transport the sheet past the transport roller assembly 50 on the selected upper or lower side depending upon the direction of rotation of the transport roller assembly 50 . the active sheet guide gate and drag clutch 70 can be molded or otherwise fabricated of plastics or other light weight materials . the details of a suitable drive arrangement for rotating the roller assembly 50 in the desired directions of rotation at the desired time are well within the skill of persons skilled in the art and is therefore not described herein . persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that various additional modifications can be made in the preferred embodiment shown and described above and that the scope of protection is limited only by the wording of the claims which follow . | 8 |
this invention relates to a lightweight personal escape system worn and used by a fire fighter during an emergency situation . the system provides capability for a descent of approximately 50 feet without having to search for locations that provide basis for attachment of an escape rope . this lightweight system is worn by the fire fighter as an accessory that is securely attached to a belt . the system comprises a heat resistant outer pouch having a compartment for receiving and housing a lightweight specially shaped hook that is utilized as an escape hook and a heat shrink inner pouch . the outer pouch is composed of a heat resistant material . the inner heat shrink pouch houses a heat and abrasion resistant rope having a detachable device integrally associated therewith and being adapted to reduce the rate of descent of the escaping person . generally stated , the invention of personal escape system and method , which would be utilized by a fire fighter when descending from a high - rise building broadly comprises : ( i ) a multi - attachment escape hook : ( ii ) a heat and abrasion resistant rope ; ( iii ) a heat shrink internal or inner pouch ; ( iv ) a heat resistant external or outer pouch ; ( v ) wherein the device includes a descent control mechanism ; and ( vi ) wherein the device is appointed to be attached to a belt or harness . the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system has applications in safety and preventative measures in the safety of fire fighters and other first response rescuers , including law enforcement and military personnel . advantageously , the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system can be utilized to save lives , while providing a lightweight safety device that can be effortlessly worn on the person without being cumbersome or bulky . the device has a lightweight escape hook preferably made from a high strength iron , which can support more than 6000 pounds . optionally , the hook may be made from high strength titanium alloy material , which can support more than 6000 pounds . the hook is specially dimensioned with an opening of 2 . 125 to 3 . 5 inches at its widest point to fulfill multiple fastening methods . advantageously , the hook has a size and shape especially well suited to fit about the radius of most radiators , which are located near a window used for escape purposes . the shape of the hook facilitates its use as a choker , and facilitates placement of a halligan tool , or other firefighting hand tool , through the handle of the hook as a method to secure the hook to a wall . the sharp tip of the hook can make its own โ purchase โ point . for example , the tip can be driven into sheet rock , a wall , a chair , a mattress , or other penetrable object capable of acting as a support object . it doesn &# 39 ; t have to be wrapped around something to provide an anchoring function . the anchor point options provided by the hook provide a significant advantage . a strong anchor is expeditiously effected , markedly enhancing the system &# 39 ; s utility . the hook can be also used as a carabineer โ to put multiple pieces of hardware in combination with the system . for example , the hook can be thrown around the leg of a large bed , making a loop around the leg , to anchor the device before repelling from a window . in addition , preferably the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system is bar coded or assigned serial numbers for accountability . in this manner , all parts of the system are bar coded for readily identifying the components of any given system . that is to say , the rope , inner pouch , outer pouch , and hook each are provided with an inter - related bar code unique to a fire fighter &# 39 ; s individual escape system , so that one can readily identify each individual &# 39 ; s systems &# 39 ; components . the rope is preferably composed of two portions , including an outer sheath and an inner core . the outer sheath of the rope is composed of a high strength abrasion resistant material , such as kevlar โข aramid fiber , which exhibits a higher heat and ware resistance than nylon or polypropylene materials . kevlar โข is commonly used in bulletproof vests . the inner core of the rope is preferably composed of a material having a high tensile strength , such as vectran . the device comprises about 30 to 100 feet of rope , preferably comprises 40 - 50 feet of rope , and most preferably comprises 40 feet of rope . a length between 40 - 50 feet of rope is generally sufficient for most fire fighters to get out of harms way . the overall weight of the rope is up to 5 pounds , and preferably about 2 pounds , and is easy to carry as a personal escape device for a fire fighter . the rope is organized and laid in a manner similar to that of a parachute rope so that the rope is freely released from storage as needed by the fire fighter during an escape event . the organized rope is entirely contained in a pouch that is covered with a heat shrink material . conveniently , this pouch containing the organized rope may be fashioned as a belt that is worn around the waist of a firefighter with attachment on a class i , ii , or iii harness . preferably , the pouch is adapted to be attached to an existing belt or harness . moreover , the outer pouch , which is adapted to receive and house the inner pouch and rope , is preferably attached to a hook pouch , adapted to receive and house the hook , thereby forming a unilateral or one - piece pouch arrangement . optionally , the outer pouch and the hook pouch are two separate , discrete , pouches . the proximal end of the rope is attached to the hook . the hook may pass through a belay , a multiple aperture tab , or a friction generation element so that the friction generated at the rope facilitates a controlled descent of the fire fighter . the fire fighter reduces rope friction at the multiple aperture tab by moving the rope , or by squeezing the handle of the descender to increase the speed of the descent , thereby effecting a controlled descent . key components of the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system include , in combination , the components set forth below : 1 . a specially shaped lightweight high strength hook designed to capture radiators , bedposts , pipes and other attachment objects ; 2 . the hook having a pointed sharp tip that serves to create an anchor or purchase point in sheet rock , a mattress or other penetrable anchor locations ; 3 . the hook having a closed aperture to be used as a choker or as means for using other fire fighter hardware in conjunction therewith , including a halligan tool , in order to establish a secure attachment point ; 4 . the hook being attached to the proximal end of a strong lightweight heat resistant rope composed of a kevlar โข aramid fiber outer jacket and a vectran core , or other suitable materials ; 5 . the rope arranged as a set of parallel looped layers in a heat shrink inner pouch for easy snag - free one time delivery of the rope on demand during a fire fighter &# 39 ; s escape ; 6 . the distal end of the rope having a stopper knot to prevent the firefighter from going into free - fall ; 7 . the rope passing through a belay or friction generating element ; 8 . the inner pouch being placed in an outer pouch appointed to safely accommodate the inner pouch , and a further hook pouch being provided to house the lightweight hook having a pointed sharp tip , and said outer pouch and said hook pouch being further adapted to be attached to a belt worn by the fire fighter ; and 9 . the belay or friction device being attached to the belt associated with the outer pouch by a carabineer ; 10 . the belt being a class i , ii , iii harness . class i harnesses include devices generally comprising a waist belt ; class ii harnesses include devices generally comprising a waist belt and leg loops ; and class iii harnesses include devices having a waist belt , leg loops and an upper body shoulder straps . whereby the fire fighter is equipped with a personal escape system that affords reliable attachment of the escape system to readily available objects that are commonly present within a building , allows controlled descent of the fire fighter using a friction device , and has means to defeat the friction device , to thereby provide for fast descent . the hook of the system also has a closed elliptical aperture for using ( carrying ) a halligan tool or other fire fighting hardware to secure the hook to a structure ( and can be used to attach other system hardware ). fig1 a illustrates a front - view of the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system showing an embodiment wherein the outer pouch is connected to an optional hook pouch , shown generally at 100 . a belt portion of safety harness 11 is shown , appointed to be placed around a fire fighter &# 39 ; s waist . the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system 100 includes a high strength heat resistant rope 16 organized in a discrete parallel relationship held by readily breakable threads 17 providing reliable tangle free high speed deployment so that a fire fighter can escape a perilous situation with rapid descent . rope 16 is housed within an inner pouch 15 . in turn , inner pouch 15 and visa vie rope 16 , is housed within an outer pouch 14 . access into outer pouch 14 is achieved through flap 21 , herein shown on the horizontal top plane of outer pouch 14 . flap 21 remains securely closed by way of closure means , preferably hook and eye or velcro closure . outer pouch 14 includes attachment means 102 appointed to attach outer pouch 14 to a belt portion of safety harness 11 . herein , attachment means 102 is shown as straps which are fixed to the back portion of outer pouch 14 and extend around outer pouch 14 and close at strap closure 103 , preferably being a snap or a hook and eye velcro closure . attachment means 102 and closure 103 are shown in the open configuration at 102 a and 103 a as when the outer pouch 14 is not attached to safety harness 11 . continuing with fig1 a , outer pouch 14 herein is fixedly attached to a hook pouch 101 . hook pouch 101 includes a hook closure flap 104 , securing means 107 , and a pouch pocket 105 . securing means 107 is herein shown as a hook and eye configuration or velcro . preferably hook closure flap 104 opens laterally and exposes pouch pocket 105 . pouch pocket 105 is appointed to receive hook 13 . hook 13 is a lightweight hook adapted to engage with a substantial object and to act as a support structure so that the fire fighter can assume a secure , rapid descent . optionally , hook closure flap 104 includes an internal grasping portion 106 , such as an internal rope portion , so that hook closure flap 104 can be quickly and readily opened to gain immediate access to pouch pocket 105 and hook 13 . rope 16 has a proximal end 18 which is securely attached to hook 13 . in addition , in one embodiment , proximal end 18 of rope 16 engages with a belay or friction generating device 34 which may in turn engage with at least one easily detachable carabineer type fastener 35 a provided for additional safety ( see fig5 for discussion on this alternative embodiment ). hook pouch 101 is provided with hook pouch attachment means 103 in order to attach hook pouch 101 to the belt portion of safety harness 11 . preferably , hook pouch attachment means 103 includes at least one strap that removably receives the belt of the safety harness 11 and closed by way of hook and eye closure , or velcro . fig1 b illustrates a front - view of the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system showing the embodiment of fig1 a attached to a harness , shown generally at 200 . a harness and belt apparatus 201 comprises a belt portion 202 and leg portions 203 appointed to be placed around a fire fighter &# 39 ; s waist and legs . as set forth in the discussion on fig1 a , the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system 100 includes a high strength heat resistant rope 16 organized in a discrete parallel relationship held by readily breakable threads . rope 16 is housed within an inner pouch , which in turn is housed within an outer pouch 14 . outer pouch 14 includes attachment means appointed to attach outer pouch 14 to belt portion 202 of safety harness 201 . outer pouch 14 herein is fixedly attached to a hook pouch 101 . hook pouch 101 includes a hook closure flap , securing means , and a pouch pocket . the pouch pocket is appointed to receive hook 13 . fig2 illustrates an embodiment of the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system transported by a firefighter , shown at 10 . the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system is normally set up on the right side of the fire fighter , but the system is designed to be used on either the right or left side of the fire fighter . safety harness 11 is shown having leg portions 12 . the safety apparatus of the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system is removably attached to the harness 11 by way of attachment means , such as through a snap system , hook and eye , strap system , or the like . as shown , external or outer pouch 14 ( along with internal or inner pouch 15 and rope 16 ) is removably attached to the waist portion of harness 11 . escape hook 13 appends off a proximal end 18 of rope 16 . the belay or friction generating device is not included in this first embodiment and the fire fighter descends at the highest speed possible . fig3 illustrates the details of the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system , showing the escape apparatus generally at 20 . escape hook 13 comprises a first portion 13 a and a second portion 13 b . second portion 13 b is connected to heat resistant rope 16 by way of attachment means 20 , which is in turn interstitially attached to the heat resistant rope 16 by way of external rope portion or proximal end 18 . attachment means 20 is shown as a loop , fixedly attached to second portion 13 b of escape hook 13 . alternatively , the attachment means 20 can consist of a variety of attachment mechanisms . proximal end 18 extends out of internal or inner pouch 15 and transverses through internal or inner aperture 19 of inner pouch 15 , and further transverses through external or outer aperture 22 in flap 21 of outer pouch 14 . herein , outer pouch 14 is illustrated having flap 21 on a vertical end . alternatively , and as illustrated in fig1 , flap 21 is on a horizontal side edge of outer pouch 14 . both internal pouch 15 and external pouch 14 are composed of heat resistant , flame resistant materials . preferably , internal pouch 15 is further composed of a transparent material in order to allow a user to readily view heat resistant rope 16 located therein the internal pouch 15 . the heat resistant rope 16 is fixed within the internal pouch 15 , and is arranged in a โ parachute โ type arrangement . that is to say , heat resistant rope 16 has lateral sections arranged parallel to one another and fixedly positioned by threads 17 , to form uniform , arranged layers . these threads shown at 17 break off as the rope 16 is deployed . in this formation , heat resistant rope 16 remains in a manner that prevents tangling or knotting of the heat resistant rope 16 as it is deployed during an emergency situation . after the heat resistant rope 16 is deployed from the internal pouch 15 and visa vie the external pouch 14 , the system is not re - usable , but must be disposed of . this prevents unnecessary risks that can occur if the system has been damaged through use , such as a chafed heat resistant rope 16 or knotted heat resistant rope 16 which can cause malfunctioning in the deployment of the heat resistant rope 16 . fig4 illustrates the details of insertion of the inner pouch into an embodiment of the outer pouch of the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system . the figure shows generally at 30 , the outer pouch 14 and inner pouch 15 , positioned side by side . the outer pouch 14 is provided with an aperture for receiving and housing inner pouch 15 . the external pouch 14 has a flap 21 , shown on the top thereof in a vertical arrangement , adapted to be in a closed configuration and an open configuration ; herein flap 21 is shown in the open configuration . flap 21 is in the open configuration when the external pouch 14 is receiving the internal pouch 15 . otherwise , flap 21 is in the closed configuration . flap 21 and outer pouch 14 are provided with mating closure means , 42 and 43 , respectively . mating closure means , 42 and 43 are preferably comprised of a hook and eye or velcro arrangement . inner pouch 15 comprises a front , back , left and right sides , and a bottom to create an aperture for receiving and housing heat resistant rope 16 . inner pouch 15 has a cover 41 provided with an internal aperture 19 , from which proximal end 18 of heat resistant rope 16 extends from the internal or inner pouch 15 into the atmosphere . the proximal end 18 of heat resistant rope 16 is further provided with attachment means 20 , herein shown as a loop , alternatively may be a secure knot . preferably , a polymeric coating is applied to the secure knot , so that fraying or loosening of the knot is mitigated . attachment means 20 is adapted to fixedly attach to the second portion ( see 13 b in fig3 ) of the escape hook ( see 13 in fig2 and 3 ). the distal end of the heat resistant rope 16 is fixed within the internal pouch 15 , and the overall arrangement of the rope is arranged in a โ parachute โ type arrangement . that is to say , heat resistant rope 16 has lateral sections 44 arranged in a parallel conformation to one another . these lateral sections 44 of rope 16 are fixed in the parallel conformation by way of threads 17 . threads 17 are located on top end 45 and on bottom end 46 of each of the lateral sections 44 . these threads 17 break readily with the application of force created during deployment of the rope 16 . threads 17 are provided to prevent the heat resistant rope 16 from tangling or knotting during deployment and storage , so that the rope 16 glides effortlessly from the inner pouch 15 and outer pouch 14 bringing the fire fighter to safety . after the heat resistant rope 16 is deployed from the inner pouch 15 and the outer pouch 14 ; the system is not re - usable , but must be disposed of . this prevents unnecessary risks that can occur if the system has been damaged through use , such as a chafing or knotting of the rope 16 which can cause deployment malfunctioning of rope 16 . fig5 illustrates , at 40 , the second embodiment of the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system with a belay or friction generating element transported by a firefighter . safety harness 11 is shown having leg portions 12 and an outer hook pouch 33 to accommodate the escape hook 13 , hidden within the outer pouch . a belay or friction device 34 is attached to the safety harness 11 and outer pouch 14 using two easily detachable carabineer type fasteners 35 a and 35 b . the two carabineers are provided for additional safety , though one carabineer is sufficient to attach the belay or friction - generating element to the belt . the proximal end 18 of the rope 16 passes through the belay or friction device 34 limiting the rate at which the fireman descends . in an emergency , the fireman can release the fasteners 35 a and 35 b providing rapid decent . the safety apparatus of the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system is removably attached to the harness 11 by way of attachment means , such as through a snap system or the like . as shown , outer pouch 14 ( along with inner pouch 15 and rope 16 ) is removably attached to the waist portion of harness 11 . escape hook 13 appends off proximal end 18 of rope 16 and is now located within the outer pouch 33 . fig6 illustrates , at 50 , the escape hook 13 of the fire fighter &# 39 ; s personal escape system . escape hook 13 comprises a first portion 13 a and a second portion 13 b . second portion 13 b is adapted for connection to heat resistant rope 16 by way of attachment means 20 which is in turn interstitially attached to the heat resistant rope 16 by way of proximal end 18 . herein , attachment means 20 is shown as a loop fixedly attached to second portion 13 b of escape hook 13 . alternatively , the attachment means 20 can consist of a variety of attachment mechanisms such as knot , preferably secured by a polymeric coating . second portion 13 b has a hook aperture 51 adapted for receiving attachment means 20 and preferably , attachment means 20 is integrated by way of factory installation with hook aperture 51 and second portion 13 b . second portion 13 b may further comprise a carabineer , as is readily sold on the market . the hook aperture 51 of the second portion may be used to carry specific tools including a halligan tool . the hook aperture 51 preferably has a height โ z โ located centrally ( shown as a phantom line ) ranging from 3 to 5 inches , and preferably having a height โ z โ of 3โ
inches . hook aperture 51 preferably has a width โ y โ located centrally ( shown as a phantom line ) ranging from 1 to 3 inches , and preferably having a width y of 1โ
inches . the height โ z โ and width โ y โ of second portion 13 b are determined so that a hand , preferably that of a typical fire fighter having an average hand size , can readily fit into hook aperture 51 so that the fire fighter can have optimal force when engaging the escape hook 13 with an object by way of first portion 13 a . first portion 13 a has a hook tip 52 that has a sharp nature so that hook tip 52 can readily penetrate through an object , such as a couch , sofa , chair , or the like . first portion 13 a forms a hook opening extending towards the sharp tip point 52 and has a diameter x . the diameter x preferably ranges from 2โ
to 2ยผ inches so that the hook 13 can readily fit around most radiators and steam pipes associated with buildings and private dwellings . the second portion 13 b readily can be hooked around window studs , radiators , beams , piping , and the like , so that the firefighter can utilize the object as a grounding leverage as the fire fighter engages the rope 16 and propels out of the dangerous area to safety . hook 13 is composed of a lightweight material , yet has significant durability and strength to support the weight of a firefighter while descending at least 50 feet . the hook 13 is preferably made from a high strength iron , which can support more than 6000 pounds . optionally , the hook may be made from high strength titanium alloy material , which can support more than 6000 pounds . fig7 illustrates , at 60 , a carabineer configuration of the escape hook 13 . the second portion 13 b is provided with an integrated carabineer clip 61 . this clip may be disengaged to capture a rope that surrounds a substantial object or be used to attach other fire fighter &# 39 ; s tools . fig8 illustrates a photograph of a halligan tool , a forcible entry tool pro - bar . developed by a forcible entry instructor of the n . y . f . d , this halligan - type forcible entry tool is the result of years of re - search and countless interviews with fire chiefs and firefighters in the n . y . f . d . the halligan tool comprises at least one fork region and leverage region , with points that are designed with correct lengths and tapers to enable the firefighter to effect easy entry or penetration into a building . the tool provides maximum leverage for entry . the tool is a one - piece construction of alloy steel and is drop forged and is typically 30 inches long . this tool can be contained within the aperture 51 of the escape hook 13 of fig5 , and 7 and is used without a hook pouch as indicated in fig2 . having thus described the invention in rather full detail , it will be understood that such detail need not be strictly adhered to , but that additional changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art , all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims . | 0 |
[ 0014 ] fig1 is a block diagram of a message targeting system according to principles of the present invention . the message targeting system 10 is connected to the internet 15 where it is accessible to users 20 , publishers 25 and sponsors of targeted messages 30 . the system 10 has a processor 35 , a target profile builder 40 and a central repository 45 . the target profile builder 40 has a search system 50 and a target profile tree 55 . the central repository 45 has a user profile repository 60 and a targeted message repository 65 . in operation , the sponsor of targeted messages 30 provides a targeted message that is stored in the targeted message repository 65 . the sponsor of targeted messages also builds a target profile to be associated with the targeted message using the tools provided on the system 10 . the target profile is a profile of characteristics of the intended receiver of the targeted message . the target profile tree 55 is a database of characteristics with which to build the target profile . the target profile is stored in the targeted message repository 65 with the targeted message . the search system 50 searches user profiles in the user profile repository 60 for matches between user profiles and the target profile . all the users who meet the target profile characteristics are listed in the targeted message repository 65 in association with the targeted message . when a registered user , that is , a user 20 having a user profile , accesses the system through a publisher 25 , the user is identified and the search system 50 searches the targeted message repository 65 for any targeted messages to be shown to that user . the system 10 selects a targeted message from the messages found in the targeted message repository 65 and displays it to the user 20 through the publisher . [ 0017 ] fig2 is a block diagram of a portion of the target profile tree 55 . when a sponsor of targeted messages , such as an advertiser , is interested in sending a targeted message , such as an advertisement , to users , the advertiser must construct an advertisement campaign . one component of that campaign is the target profile . the target profile determines who sees the advertisement . in order to construct the target profile , the advertiser browses through the target profile tree , checking off all attributes that the target user should match . these profile points determine who is shown the advertisement . the profile tree works by successively dividing all things into categories . for example , โ vacations โ might be subdivided into caribbean and european , etc . there is no requirement that profiles draw from only one part of the tree so โ pizza lovers who drive bmw &# 39 ; s โ is a valid target profile . referring now to fig2 the portion 100 of the target profile tree 55 is given a โ local root โ 105 for illustration purposes . from the local root 105 extend the categories of sports 110 , vehicle 115 and computer 120 . from the vehicle category 115 extend the categories of motorcycle 125 , car 130 and bicycle 135 . from the category of car 140 extend the category of main car 140 and second car 145 . from the category of main car 140 extends the category of jaguar xk8 150 . the advertiser steps through the target profile tree and in this portion of the target profile tree , selects bicycle 135 , the jaguar xk8 150 under main car . the selected categories become the target profile which will be associated with the targeted message and will be used to search the user profiles for matching users . once a target profile is constructed , the system 10 can tell the advertiser how many people presently in the system match the profile so that the advertiser receives an estimate of the size of the target audience . the system updates the lists of users associated with particular targeted messages to keep the lists up - to - date . when new users join , or when a current user updates his or her profile , the lists of users associated with the various targeted messages are updated accordingly . in alternative embodiments of the system , the target profiles are periodically reviewed and compared to the user profiles . using the target profile , the advertiser can target a more specific set of people than is presently possible . also , this targeting method can grow more and more specific as the system grows and the user profiles become richer . the preferred implementation is a web site with a tree of web pages to allow profile construction . this is backed up by java servlets accessing the relational database that holds the profiles and the advertisement information . [ 0024 ] fig3 shows the targeted message repository 65 with a generic record 200 . the generic record 200 has a targeted message field 205 with a target profile field 210 and an associated list of users 215 created when the target profile is matched to the stored user profiles . [ 0025 ] fig4 is a flow chart of the operation of the system . the system receives a targeted message , block 300 , from for example an advertiser . the system enables the advertiser to create a target profile by providing the target profile tree , block 305 . once the advertiser has created the target profile , the user profiles stored in the system are compared to the target profile , block 310 . the resulting list of users is stored in the targeted message repository along with the targeted message , block 315 . whenever a registered user visits a publisher of targeted messages , the system first recognizes the user , block 320 , that is , the system confirms that a user profile is stored in the user profile repository . then the system searches for the user in the lists stored in the targeted message repository , block 325 . the system may find no appropriate targeted message or a plurality of targeted messages to display to the user , block 330 . one of the found targeted messages is then served to the user . in a first alternative embodiment of the invention , the system creates links from the user profiles to targeted messages in the targeted message repository when the user profiles are compared to the target profile . in this embodiment , when a user is recognized at a publisher , a list of targeted messages already exists . one of the targeted messages is then served to the user at the publisher . in a second alternative embodiment of the invention , the system recognizes a user at a publisher and compares that user &# 39 ; s profile to the target profiles stored in the central repository . if a matching target profile is found , the associated targeted message is served to the user . it is to be understood that the above - described embodiments are simply illustrative of the principles of the invention . various and other modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof . | 6 |
referring now to fig1 to 11 , the description will proceed to a device for engaging / disengaging cable connectors with connectors on printed circuit board or a card according to a preferred embodiment of this invention . referring to fig1 a cable connector 1 comprises an insulator housing 2 having a cable introducing hole at an upper end and a fitting portion 4 at the opposite or lower end , and a plurality of contact elements ( not shown ) fixed in the insulator housing 2 . a plurality of cables 3 are introduced in the insulator housing 2 and electrically and mechanically connected to the contact elements . the fitting end 4 is fitted and engaged with a mating connector . the insulator housing 2 has two locking grooves 2 a at opposite side ends and two stopping grooves 4 c in a lower end surface . in fig1 the insulator housing 2 is shown to be formed of two similar insulators fixed to each other by screws 5 . the connector engaging / disengaging device of this invention comprises a carrier assembly for carrying cable connectors having carrier plates . referring to fig2 a carrier plate 6 is generally rectangular in the shape . the carrier plate 6 has a generally u - shaped locking spring ( preserving portion ) 6 a on its surface at the central portion in the transverse direction thereof and fixed to the upper side of the rectangular , and two generally l - shaped locking springs ( preserving portions ) 6 b at opposite end portions of the rectangular , respectively , by bending the plate . the carrier plate 6 further has , on a lower side , a stopper ( positioning portion ) 6 c at the center in the transverse direction thereof and two small stoppers ( positioning portions ) 6 d at opposite end portions thereof , respectively , by bending the plate . the carrier plate 6 further has generally l - shaped projecting portions 6 e which project from opposite ends of the rectangular . a boss ( protrudent portion ) 6 f is press - fitted and fixed onto each of the l - shaped projecting portions 6 e . referring to fig3 the carrier assembly 7 comprises a plurality of the carrier plates 6 , a pair of side blocks 8 for supporting opposite ends of carrier plates 6 , a front plate 10 fixed to a front surface of each of the side blocks 8 , and a pair of upper plates 12 fixed to an upper surface of each of the side blocks . the opposite end portion of the front plate 10 is fixed to the side blocks 8 by screws 9 fastened therethrough to screw holes 8 a in the front surface of the side blocks 8 . the upper plates 12 are also fixed to the side blocks 8 by means of screws 11 fastened therethrough to screw holes 8 b on the upper surface of the side blocks 8 . the side blocks 8 further have a plurality of vertical guide grooves ( preserving portions for driving ) 8 c formed at regular intervals in the upper half wall portion of each side block 8 . projecting portions 6 e of carrier plates 6 are inserted into corresponding ones of the guide grooves 8 c and vertically slidable in the vertical guide groove 8 c . however , the projecting portions 6 e are prevented from falling off from the vertical grooves 8 c upwardly by the upper plates 12 . the side blocks 8 further have horizontal guide grooves 8 d formed outside and adjacent the vertical guide grooves 8 c and extending from the front to the rear of the side blocks 8 . the side blocks 8 further have support flange ( support portion ) 8 e projecting inwardly from the lower inside portions of the side blocks 8 for supporting the card . the side blocks 8 further have mounting tabs 8 f on the outside thereof by which the carrier assembly 7 is fixedly mounted on mounting pillars 14 by means of screws 13 as seen in fig4 . as shown in fig4 cable connectors 1 are mounted on carrier plates 6 successively . opposite locking grooves 2 a of each cable connector 1 engage with one side of the central locking spring 6 a and the locking spring 6 b , respectively , of each carrier plate 6 . opposite stopping grooves 4 c of each cable connector 1 come into contact with the large stopper 6 c and the small stopper 6 d , respectively , of the carrier plate 6 . thus , the cable connector 1 is stably held on the carrier plate . in the state , the cable can be bent adjacent the cable connector 1 with an angle shown at a in the figure , as it is necessary . since impedance matching is performed in the cable 3 , turbulence of the impedance does hardly occur even if the angle portion a is formed at the cable 3 . referring to fig5 all cable connectors 1 ( ten cable connectors are shown ) are disposed in two rows on the carrier assembly 7 . in the state , a pair of sliders 21 are slidably fitted in the horizontal guide grooves 8 d , respectively , and are attached to the carrier assembly 7 to connect the cable connectors 1 with header connectors on the card 15 . thus , the connector engaging / disengaging device is completed . referring now to fig5 and 9 , the description will proceed to the card 15 . the card 15 comprises a printed circuit board 16 , ten header connectors 17 all disposed on a surface of the printed circuit board 16 , a pair of flanges 19 fixed on opposite side portions of the printed circuit board 16 by means of screws 18 , and a pair of generally l - shaped guide members 20 is fixed to flanges 19 , respectively . the ten header connectors 17 are disposed in two rows each having five connectors . the guide members 20 are disposed adjacent to two header connector rows , respectively . thus , a gap 20 a is formed between the flange 19 and a foot of โ l โ of the l - shaped guide member 20 . referring to fig6 a - 6c in addition to fig5 the description will proceed to each slider 21 . each of the sliders 21 is a rectangular rod and has a slider groove formed in the inner side surface and extending in the lengthwise direction of the rod for receiving the bosses 6 f of the carrier plates 6 . the slider groove comprises a first straight groove portion 21 a , an inclined groove portion 21 b , and a second straight groove portion 21 c which are connected in series in this order , the second straight groove portion 21 c is offset upwardly from the first straight groove portion 21 a through the inclined groove portion 21 b . therefore , the inclined groove portion 21 b goes up from the first straight groove portion 21 a to the second straight groove portion 21 c . in the state shown in fig5 when each slider 21 is inserted into the horizontal guide groove 8 d of each side block 8 while the bosses 6 e of the carrier plates 6 are received in the slider groove , the carrier plates 6 and therefore the cable connectors 1 are moved upwardly as the bosses 6 f transit from the first straight groove portion 21 a to the second straight groove portion 21 c through the inclined groove portion 21 b . the state of the carrier plates 6 are elevated is shown in fig6 a and fig7 a . next , the card 15 is attached to the connector engaging / disengaging device by inserting the support flanges 8 e of the side blocks 8 into the gaps 20 a of the card 15 until each flange 19 of the card 15 runs against each pillar 14 , as shown in fig6 b . as a result , the card 15 is mounted on the carrier assembly 7 , and each cable connector 1 and each header connector 17 are positioned facing each other ., as shown in fig7 b . thereafter , when the sliders 21 are synchronously drawn out and slid to the direction shown by an arrow in fig6 b , bosses 6 f of the five carrier plates 6 are pushed down successively by engaging with the inclined groove portion 21 b of each slider 21 . thereupon , the ten cable connectors 1 are successively brought into engagement with the ten header connectors 17 . when all of bosses 6 f engage with the first straight groove portions 21 a , all of the cable connector 1 are brought into the completion of engagement with the all of the header connectors 17 , as shown in fig6 c and fig7 c . the connection completed state is maintained even if cable connectors 1 are pulled by cables 3 . this is because cable connectors 1 are locked to the carrier plates 6 by locking springs 6 a and 6 b while the carrier plates 6 are prevented from moving by engagement of the bosses 6 f with the first straight groove portions 21 a in the slider 21 . referring to fig1 which shows , in sectional views , a positional relation of the fitting portion 4 of the cable connector 1 and the header connector 17 in the state shown in fig6 b and 7b , the fitting portion 4 a of the cable connector 1 comprises a housing 4 a and contact elements 4 b preserved in the housing 4 a . the header connector 17 comprises an insulator housing 17 a and contact elements 17 b fixed in the housing 17 a . each of contact elements 17 b has contact portion to be connected to each of contact elements 4 b and a surface mounting terminal 17 c which is connected onto the printed circuit board ( 16 , in fig6 ). in transition of cable connectors 1 from the state in fig6 b and 7b to another state in fig6 c and 7c , the engaging portion 4 moves to a direction of an arrow shown in fig1 . referring to fig1 which shows , in sectional views , a positional relation of the fitting portion 4 of the cable connector 1 and the header connector 17 in the state shown in fig6 c and 7c , the fitting portion 4 of the cable connector 1 is fit to the header connector 17 . consequently , each contact element 4 b of the cable connector 1 comes into contact with each contact element 17 b of the header connector 17 . at this time , each contact element 17 b is elastically deformed to provide a contact pressure to the contact element 4 b . in operation for separating each cable connector 1 from each header connector 17 , the pair of sliders 21 are moved in a reversed direction and are drawn out from the carrier assembly 7 . as a result , cable connectors 1 are moved upwardly in transition of states from fig6 c and 7c to fig6 a and 7a through fig6 b and 7b . | 7 |
as shown in fig1 and 2 a first embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention comprises a relative temperature sensor 1 , an absolute temperature sensor 3 , and a processing unit 5 , which is connected to both sensors 1 , 3 . in this embodiment the absolute temperature sensor 3 is a platinum resistance thermometer , which below will be referred to as a pt - thermometer . the pt - thermometer 3 is preferred due to its good performance as to long term stability , which will be further explained below . in the following the relative temperature sensor 1 will be referred to as an rt - sensor . the rt - sensor 1 comprises a measurement body 7 , a reference body 9 and a difference temperature sensing means 11 , which is thermally , and , here , in fact physically , connected to both the measurement body 7 and the reference body 9 , and which senses a temperature difference between the reference body 9 and the measurement body 7 . preferably the difference temperature sensing means comprises a plurality of thermoelements ( thermo - piles ), which are attached to each other forming a block , and which are engaged with a respective surface area of each one of the bodies 7 , 9 . further , the rt - sensor 1 comprises a housing 13 . the housing 13 embraces said bodies 7 , 9 and said sensing means 11 , and it is attached with the measurement body 7 and is heat conducting . thus , the measurement body 7 is exposed to the surrounding environment , or substance , as regards the heat thereof . more specifically , it is arranged so that the measurement body and the substance have the same temperature within the measurement precision . further the housing 13 is not engaged with the reference body 9 , but rather it forms a cavity wherein the reference body 9 is arranged at a distance from the inner wall of the housing 13 and , thus , the reference body 9 is substantially heat insulated from the substance 25 . as shown most schematically in fig2 which substantially is a cross - sectional view , the sensors 1 , 3 are arranged in a tube 15 through which the substance 25 , which in this embodiment is a liquid , is flowing , driven by a circulation device 17 . thus , the sensors 1 , 3 are arranged in a bath , which is a typical application of the invention . in this embodiment there is a requirement in that the heat exchange between the measurement body 7 and the bath 25 is very high so that the temperature of the measurement body 7 accurately enough follows that of the bath 25 . with reference to fig3 a second embodiment of the apparatus comprises a difference temperature sensor 31 , an absolute temperature sensor 39 and a processing unit ( not shown ). the difference temperature sensor 31 comprises a reference body 33 , and a difference temperature sensing means 35 . this second embodiment is adapted to cases where the substance is a solid body 30 . thus , the measurement body , which was used above as an intermediate means for enabling a high resolution relative measurement where the substance is a liquid , is no longer necessary . in another view the substance 30 itself can be considered as embodying the measurement body . in the second embodiment the reference body 33 is attached to the temperature sensing means 35 , which in turn is attached to the solid body 30 . there is no separate housing , but rather the reference body 33 and the temperature sensing means 35 are arranged in a cavity of the solid body 30 . thus , in another view , the solid body 30 can be regarded as defining a housing . the reference body 33 is merely in physical contact with the temperature sensing means 35 and is substantially thermally isolated from the solid body 30 . the absolute temperature sensor 39 is attached to the solid body 30 . like in the first embodiment the sensors 31 , 39 are connected to the processing unit . in fig1 and 2 further an embodiment of a temperature control system according to this invention is shown . the control system comprises the first embodiment of the apparatus as well as the circulation device described above . additionally , the temperature control system comprises a regulator 19 , which is connected to said apparatus , and heating and cooling elements 21 , 23 respectively which are connected to the regulator 19 , and which are arranged in the bath 25 . the regulator 19 is connected to the processing unit 5 . it is to be noted that the temperature control system could be constructed on basis of the second embodiment of the apparatus as well . in an embodiment of a method employing the apparatus of the present invention , a difference value is generated by means of the rt - sensor 1 , 31 , which senses the relative temperature between the reference body 9 , 33 and the substance , either indirectly , such as via the measurement body 7 in the first embodiment , or directly , such as in the second embodiment . that is , the difference temperature sensing means 11 senses the temperature difference between the two bodies 7 and 9 or 30 and 33 . the rt - sensor 1 , 31 then generates a relative value associated with the temperature difference and feeds it to the processing unit 5 . in the disclosed embodiments the difference value is a voltage signal , which is generated by the thermopiles of the difference temperature sensing means 11 , and which below will be referred to as the first voltage signal . further , the absolute temperature of the substance 25 , 30 is sensed and an absolute value , which is associated therewith , is generated by means of the pt - thermometer 3 , 39 . the absolute value too is a voltage signal , which will be referred to as the second voltage signal . when controlling , by means of said temperature control system , the temperature of the substance 25 , 30 the absolute and difference values are both used so as to obtain a high resolution absolute temperature value of the bath . for many applications the resolution of the pt - thermometer alone is not good enough . this is because the voltage signal provided by the pt - thermometer is rather noisy . on the other hand , as discussed above , the resolution of the rt - sensor 1 , 31 is good , while the long term stability of the first voltage signal is not good enough for isothermal and near isothermal conditions . the absolute value and the difference value are generated continuously over time . the processing unit 5 receives the first and second voltage signals and determines an absolute temperature of the substance 25 , 30 while using both values . in the shown application a temperature signal representing the determined absolute temperature is fed to the regulator 19 , which in turn uses the temperature signal to regulate the temperature of the substance 25 , 30 . for example the regulator 19 can be a pid regulator . according to the present embodiment of the method the determination of the absolute temperature is performed as follows . in the equations below , for reasons of simplicity , the integrals are merely schematically indicated as to the range . however , it is to be noted that each integral covers a time interval from 0 to t . the basis for the determination of the absolute temperature is a model in accordance with : t = t 0 + gv diffnom + โซ g ฯ ๎ข v diffnom ( eqn ๎ข ๎ข 1 ) where t 0 is the initial absolute temperature of the bath at the beginning of a run , v diffnom is the nominal difference value , g is a transformation factor for , when necessary , transforming the difference value into temperature , and ฯ is a time constant for heat transmission between said measurement body 7 and said reference body 9 , or between the reference body 30 and the measurement body 33 , i . e . the solid substance . in the present embodiment the difference value is a voltage . thus a transformation into temperature is needed , why g = 1 / s , where s is the so called seebeck coefficient . in practice , as explained above , the difference value received from the rt - sensor 1 is subject to a minor error due to an offset voltage ฮดv diff . the offset voltage becomes a problem under certain circumstances , such as in isothermal conditions , i . e . when the temperature of the bath should be kept constant over a time period , or in conditions of a slowly changing temperature , such as when performing a slow scanning where the temperature is changed for example a few degrees or even parts of a degree per hour . thus , the sensed difference voltage v diff = v diffnom + ฮดv diff , resulting in a rewritten equation 1 of : t = t 0 + 1 s ๎ข ( v diff - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข v diff ) + โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ ๎ข ( v diff - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข v diff ) ( eqn ๎ข ๎ข 2 ) ฮดv diff is assumed to vary sufficiently slowly not to cause a significant error when brought outside of the integral . t approx = t 0 + 1 s ๎ข v diff - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข v diff s + โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ ๎ข v diff - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข v diff ๎ข โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ ( eqn ๎ข ๎ข 3 ) the sensed absolute value , i . e . the second voltage signal , is transformed into a temperature t pt , which is equated to t det in the least square error sense . then the known terms are gathered on the right hand side : t 0 - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข v diff s - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข v diff ๎ข โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ = t pt - 1 s ๎ข v diff - โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ ๎ข v diff ( eqn ๎ข ๎ข 4 ) with negligable error , we can group the first two terms to a constant c 1 = t 0 - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข v diff s and define a second constant c 2 =โ ฮดv diff to get c 1 + c 2 ๎ข โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ = t pt - 1 s ๎ข v diff - โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ ๎ข v diff ( eqn ๎ข ๎ข 5 ) next a least squares fit is employed for obtaining c 1 , and c 2 , by means of which t 0 and ฮดv diff can be calculated using the definition of said constants . the least squares fit is performed in a conventional way by setting up a matrix and a vector and solving the linear equation system thus obtained for each sample for providing a value of t det . using an orthodox least square error method would work nicely , except for the fact that ฮดv diff does vary , though slowly . it would eventually settle on an average ฮดv diff , but be wrong most of the time . this problem is overcome by continuously scaling down the matrix and vector , thus assigning lower weight to past data - samples and higher weight to recent ones . more specifically , the matrix and the vector are multiplied by e โ ฮดt / ฮฑ , where ฮฑ becomes a time constant of the coupling to the absolute temperature sensor . this could be expressed by : a i + 1 = a i ๎ข ๏ - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข t ฮฑ + [ 1 โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ ( โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ ) 2 ] ๎ข ( 1 - ๏ - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข t ฮฑ ) ( eqn ๎ข ๎ข 6 ) b i + 1 = b i ๎ข ๏ - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข t ฮฑ + [ 1 โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ ] ๎ข ( t pt - 1 s ๎ข v diff - โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ ๎ข v diff ) ๎ข ( 1 - ๏ - ฮด ๎ข ๎ข t ฮฑ ) ( eqn ๎ข ๎ข 7 ) ( c ฮฑ ) i = ( a i - 1 ๎ข b i ) ฮฑ ๎ข ๎ข and ๎ข ( eqn ๎ข ๎ข 8 ) ( t det ) i = ( c 1 ) i + ( c 2 ) i ๎ข โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ + 1 s ๎ข v diff + โซ 1 s ๎ข ๎ข ฯ ๎ข v diff ( eqn ๎ข ๎ข 9 ) finally , the absolute temperature is determined by equation 9 , whereby a value of higher resolution than the initially sensed absolute temperature value has been obtained . in a sense , the value of the absolute temperature as sensed by means of the pt - sensor has been optimised by means of the difference value . it is to be noted that , as understood by the man skilled in the art , the integrals are in fact best calculated as sums on basis of sampled values of the sensed absolute and difference temperatures . as can be seen from above , the second voltage signal is used for detecting a trend that occurs erroneously in the first voltage signal . the fact that the second voltage signal is stable over time , though noisy , and the first voltage signal is a low noise signal , though not fully stable over time , is used as described above in order to obtain a highly reliable high resolution value of the absolute temperature at a given point of time . above advantageous embodiments of the present invention have been described . these should be seen as merely non - limiting examples . many modifications will be possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims . | 6 |
a wheel for light vehicles and a disc member used therefor according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 through fig5 show a first embodiment according to the present invention . the wheel for the light vehicles in the first embodiment comprises a hub 1 provided with a pair of flanges 11 for fixing disc members 3 , a rim 2 including mounting holes 21 defined at prescribed pitches and passing therethrough in a radial direction and a pair of disc members 3 stretched between the hub 1 and the rim 2 . in this embodiment , the disc member 3 is composed of a circular - shaped thin metal sheet having a diameter substantially as large as the inside diameter of the rim 2 . the disc member 3 has an opening 31 defined at the center thereof to enable a rotational shaft 12 of the hub 1 to pass therethrough and through holes 32 defined around the inner circumferential edge thereof and corresponding to screw holes 13 defined to the flanges 11 at prescribed pitches . thus , as shown in fig1 after a screw 48 is inserted into each through hole 32 from the outside of the disc member 3 , it is threadedly engaged with a screw hole 13 of the flange 11 so that the inner circumferential edge of the disc member 3 is fixed to the flange 11 . further , as shown in fig1 the outer circumferential edge of the disc member 3 is fixed to the rim by a nipple 5 composed of a cylindrical locking member 5a with a female screw 51 defined therethrough and a screw member 5b threadedly engaged with the locking member 5a . as shown in fig2 and 3 , the locking member 5a is welded to a substantially triangular metal plate 52 with its one end projected , and then the metal plate 52 is fixed to the inner surface side of the disc member 3 by spot welding . note that the locking members 5a are disposed to the disc member 3 at pitches twice those of the mounting holes 21 defined to the rim 2 . conversely , the rim 2 to which the outer circumferential edge of the disc member 3 is fixed is a usual rim having thirty two mounting holes 21 , and , as shown in fig1 has an opening diameter on the side of the inner circumference thereof which is smaller than that of an opening diameter on the side of the outer circumference . the screw member 5b having a male thread defined thereto ( see fig5 ) is inserted into the mounting hole 21 . this screw member 5b is composed of a head portion 54 having a hexagonal hole 53 defined therein and the male screw 55 projecting from the head portion 54 , and when the screw member 5b is inserted into the mounting hole 21 , the head portion 54 is locked at the opening on the inner circumference side of the rim 2 . therefore , as shown in fig1 the threading engagement of the screw member 5b passing through the mounting hole 21 with the locking member 5a provided with the disc member 3 enables the outer circumferential edge of the disc member 3 to be fixed to the rim 2 . in addition , the increase in a threading amount of the screw member 5b into the locking member 5a causes the locking member 5a to be pulled toward the rim 2 side to stretch the disc member 3 . with the wheel for the light vehicles of this embodiment arranged as above , the wheel having the opposite sides thereof covered with the disc members 3 is completed in such a manner that each inner circumferential edge of a pair of the disc members 3 is fixed to the flange 11 of the hub 1 , and then , as shown in fig4 the locking members 5a provided with one of the disc member 3 and the locking members 5a provided with the other of the disc member 3 are alternately fixed to a series of the mounting holes 21 . in this wheel , the balance of tension exerted on the disc members 3 can be adjusted by adjusting a threading amount of the screw members 5b threadedly engaged with the locking members 5a so that the balance of the wheel can be adjusted in the same procedure as that of the conventional spoke wheel . although an allen wrench suitable to the hexagonal hole 53 is used to thread the screw member 5b , a minus driver may be used when a groove portion 56 is defined , as shown in fig5 . next , a second embodiment shown in fig6 through fig1 will be described . in this embodiment , a disc member 3 has a main portion thereof composed of synthetic resin sheets 34 and accommodates a reinforcing strand 33 made of a bundled fiber material . the disc member 3 has an opening 31 similar to that of the first embodiment defined at the center thereof and fixed to a hub through an auxiliary ring 4 , whereas the disc member has the outer circumferential edge thereof provided with sixteen through holes 35 defined at the same intervals and fixed to the rim 2 by nipples 8 comprised of a member 8a engaged with the through holes 35 and a screw member 8b . as shown in fig6 the reinforcing strand 33 is stretched in the synthetic resin sheets in such a manner that it coincides with the tangential direction of each through hole 35 and the opening 38 and the tangential direction between respective through holes 35 with a result that it can absorb almost all the tension exerted on the disc member 3 . as shown in fig8 and 9 , the auxiliary ring 4 has the outer circumferential edge thereof provided with a collar member 41 having one side serving as an annular surface 42 for fixing the inner circumferential edge of the disc member 3 . the annular surface 42 is provided with sixteen projections 43 for locking the reinforcing strand 33 . the inner circumferential edge of the disc member 3 is fixed to the auxiliary ring 4 by a pressing plate 45 mounted to the collar member 41 by screws . designated at numeral 46 are screw holes with which screws 44 are threadedly engaged to fix the pressing plate 45 . the auxiliary ring 4 has the inner circumferential edge thereof provided with a recessed portion 47 to be engaged with a flange 11 . the flange 11 is fixed in the recessed portion 47 by screws 39 to enable the outer surface of the flange 11 and the annular surface 42 to be located on the same surface , whereby the same tension as that of the case wherein the disc member 3 is directly fixed to the flange 11 is exerted on the disc member 3 . the auxiliary rings 4 of the same type are usually coupled with a pair of the disc members 3 . when , however , the center of the hub 1 in its axial direction must be displaced with respect to the center of the rim 2 in its width direction in such a case as a bicycle rear wheel , the auxiliary rings 4 cannot be used as the pair . as shown in fig7 in this case , the recessed portion 47 with which the flange 11 is engaged is defined deeper , and one of the auxiliary rings 4 is used such that when the hub 1 is fixed , the annular surface 42 is located inwardly of the outer surface of the flange 11 . further , the nipple 8 shown in fig7 is used to fix the disc member 3 to the rim 2 . this nipple 8 is composed of a cylindrical locking member 8a provided with a locking groove 57 to be engaged with the through hole 35 of the disc member 3 and and a screw member 8b to be threadedly engaged with this locking member 8b . the locking member 8b is engaged with the through hole 35 , whereas the screw member 8b is inserted into the mounting hole 21 of the rim 2 and the screw member 8b is threaded into the locking member 8a , whereby the outer circumferential edge of the disc member 3 is pulled toward the rim 2 side to exert tension to the disc member 3 . in addition , this arrangement wherein the locking member is engaged with the through hole of the disc member enables the disc to be uniformily stretched even if the mounting hole of the rim is slightly dislocated from the through hole . note that the rim 2 used in the wheel of this embodiment is a usual rim having the htiry two mounting holes 21 and the number of the nipples 8 engaged with one of the disc members 3 and the number of the projections of the auxiliary ring 4 are half of the number of these mounting holes . next , a method of fabricating the disc member 3 used in this embodiment will be described . when the disc member 3 is fabricated , a specially arranged jig 6 is used to stretch the reinforcing strand 33 , as shown in fig1 and 12 . this jig 6 is composed of a disc - shaped stretching table 62 rotatingly disposed on an xy table 61 movable in two directions along x and y axes on a plane . the stretching table 62 has the outer circumferetial edge provided with pins 63 corresponding to the respective through holes 35 of the disc members 3 and an annular recessed portion 64 and a holding shaft 65 disposed at the center thereof to mount and fix the auxiliary ring 4 . the engagement of the auxiliary ring 4 with the holding shaft 65 enables the annular surface 42 of the auxiliary ring 4 to coincide with the surface of the stretching table 62 . in a practical fabrication , first , the auxiliary ring 4 is set on the stretching table 62 after it is engaged with the holding shaft 65 in such a manner that the projections 43 are directed upward , and next the synthetic resin sheet 34 is placed on the stretching table 62 such that the opening 38 at the center of the disc member 3 is engaged with the projections 43 of the auxiliary ring 4 and the through holes 35 around the outer circumferential edge thereof are engaged with the pins 63 . this synthetic sheet 34 is composed of a thermoplastic synthetic resin , and a polyethylene terephthalate resin is used in this embodiment . next , the reinforcing strand 33 wound around a reel 66 is stretched between the projections 43 of the auxiliary ring 4 and the pins 63 of the stretching table 62 making use of the movement and rotation of the stretching table 62 . in this embodiment , the reinforcing strand 33 is composed of a fiber bundle made by bundling polyaramide fibers . first , an end of the reinforcing strand 33 is locked at one of the projections 43 , then hooked by the pin 63 dislocated one and half pitches clockwise from the position confronting this projection 43 and returned to the auxiliary plate 4 side . the strand 33 returned to the auxiliary plate 4 side is wound around the projection 43 dislocated three pitches clockwise from the projection 43 at which the end thereof is locked and then locked at the projection 43 located next to the start point by being wound clockwise therearound . when this procedure is repeated sixteen times thereafter , the thirty two pieces of the reinforcing strands 33 are stretched between the pins 63 and the projections 43 , as shown by a virtual line in fig1 . after the reinforcing strand 33 is stretched in the radial directions , the reinforcing strand 33 extended from the final end thereof is repeatedly stretched from the pins 63 to the pins 63 . in this embodiment , the disc member 3 is arranged to stretch six arcs of the strands 33 from one of the nipples 8 . to achieve this arrangement of the reinforcing strand 33 , first , the reinforcing strand 33 starting clockwise from one of the pins 63 is locked at every third pin 63 and travels around the stretching table 62 three times , as shown in fig1 . next , the reinforcing strand starting clockwise from one of the pins 63 is locked at every fifth pin 63 and travels around the stretching table 62 five times , as shown in fig1 . thus , the reinforcing strand 33 returns to the initial pin 63 . after that , the reinforcing strand 33 is wound in such a manner that it is locked at all of the pins 63 , 63 ... to complete the stretching of the reinforcing strand 33 , as shown in fig1 . note that the reinforcing strand 33 is stretched to the disc member 3 with a predetermined tension w so that uniform tension is exerted on the overall disc member 3 . when the reinforcing strand 33 has been stretched , the reinforcing strand 33 is covered by a synthetic resin sheet 34 similar to the above synthetic resin sheet 34 . the reinforcing strand 33 is integrally formed with these synthetic resin sheets 34 , 34 when the sheets are subject to a thermal or ultrasonic welding , as shown in fig1 . finally , the pressing plate 45 is mounted to the auxiliary ring 4 by the screws to complete disc member 3 . note that an opening 71 surrounded by a reinforcing ring 7 is provided with the disc member 3 assembled to any one side of the wheel at a position thereof corresponding to a tire valve v to facilitate the connection of an air pump to the tire valve v ( see fig1 ). the disc member 3 including the opening 71 can be fabricated like the disc member 3 without the opening 71 in such a manner that the reinforcing ring 7 ( fig1 and 19 ) having a groove 72 defined around the outer circumference thereof is fixed at a corresponding position of the stretching table 62 and the reinforcing strand 33 passing through the opening 71 is bypassed along the groove 72 of the reinforcing ring 7 . the hub 1 is mounted on the center of a pair of the disc members 3 fabricated as described above by fixing the auxiliary plates 4 to the flanges 11 at the opposite sides of the hub 1 by the screws . next , when the through holes 35 of the disc members 3 disposed at the opposite sides are alternately engaged with the locking members 8a of the nipples 8 disposed in the mounting holes of the rim 3 and the screw members 8b of the respective nipples 8 , 8 . . . are threaded into the locking members 8a , the disc members 3 are stretched between the rim 2 and the hub 1 , whereby the wheel having the opposite sides thereof covered by the disc members 3 is completed . the balance of tension exerted on a pair of the disc members 3 of the wheel of this embodiment can also be adjusted by adjusting a threading amount of the screw members 8b , 8b . . . like the above first embodiment . further , in this embodiment , the tension is also exerted to the eight reinforcing strands 33 extending in radial and arc directions from each through hole 35 by engaging the locking members 8a with the through holes 35 to enable the disc member 3 to be stretched . therefore , since a shock load exerted on the rim 2 is also absorbed by these respective reinforcing strands 33 , 33 . . . , the resistance to shock of the wheel is more improved . in the second embodiment , the resistance to shock is improved by the fiber material accommodated in the synthetic resin sheet 34 . when , however , the disc member 3 is arranged by using a thin metal plate as in the first embodiment , the disc member 3 having improved resistance to shock can be obtained like the second embodiment by providing a raised reinforcing portion 36 to define a substantially v - shaped cross section ( fig2 and 21 ) in the same fashion as fig6 . further , the nipples 5 and 8 in the above embodiments may be composed of a locking member 5a or 8a provided with a male screw and a screw member 5b or 8b provided with a female screw . with this arrangement , a screw member same as a spoke nipple used in the conventional spoke wheel can be employed . | 8 |
fig1 is a schematic illustration of a nuclear power plant in which the present invention can be implemented . it should be understood that the nuclear power plant shown in fig1 is highly simplified to clearly illustrate the invention . the nuclear power plant comprises a reactor tank 1 with fuel rods 2 and control rods 3 . steam used to operate a turbine 4 is generated in the reactor tank . the steam turbine 4 may contain several turbines , for example one high - pressure turbine and three low - pressure turbines . the turbine 4 in turn operates a generator 9 , which produces electric power . the generator is shown in more detail in fig7 . after the steam has passed through the turbine 4 , it is conveyed to a condenser 5 in which the water vapor is condensed , and then it is recirculated in the form of water to the reactor tank 1 by a pump 6 . the condenser 5 is cooled by water from a primary coolant source , the water being supplied to the condenser 5 through a first inlet 7 and discharged through a first outlet 8 . fig7 illustrates a generator 9 according to one embodiment of the invention . the generator 9 comprises a rotor 80 having a rotor winding 81 and a stator 82 having a stator winding 83 . the arrows 84 in the figure indicate the flow of a coolant through the machine . electric power is supplied from the generator at the connection designated u in fig1 . it should be understood that the output from the generator does not necessarily have to be single - phase ac voltage , but may just as well be three - phase voltage . the generator 9 is cooled by water and hydrogen gas . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , the generator is connected to a first heat exchanger 10 and a second heat exchanger 11 , each used in their respective cooling circuit . the first heat exchanger 10 has a second inlet 12 and a second outlet 13 and the second heat exchanger has a third inlet 14 and a third outlet 15 . the generator has an enclosure filled with hydrogen gas , which is cooled in the first heat exchanger 10 . the hydrogen gas primarily cools the rotor and the stator core . the stator winding is cooled by water . the winding is provided with ducts in which the cooling water flows . the cooling water is cooled in the second heat exchanger 11 . the cooling effect of the incoming cooling water can be controlled by means of controllable valves 16 provided on the inlets of the heat exchangers 10 and 11 . the valves 16 are controlled by a computerized control system 17 , which also controls the output power of the generator . according to one embodiment , the control system 17 is a computer provided with software . the control system 17 may consist of several interconnected computers . of course , a plurality of computers that are not interconnected may also be used to control different parts of the nuclear power plant . fig2 shows a flow chart illustrating the functioning of a control system for controlling a generator and the cooling system associated therewith according to the invention . the control system has a control module 30 , which has a first active power signal input 31 , a second reactive power signal input 32 , a first voltage signal input 33 , which receives a signal from a voltage transducer 34 , and a rotor current signal input 35 , which is adapted to receive a rotor current signal from a rotor current transducer 36 . the control system further has a stator current signal input 70 , which is adapted to receive a signal from a stator current transducer 71 . moreover , the control system has a temperature signal input 37 , which is adapted to receive a temperature signal from a temperature transducer 38 . the control system has a first active power calculation unit 41 , which is connected to a stator current transducer 71 and a stator voltage transducer 34 , and a second reactive power calculation unit 42 , which is connected to the stator current transducer 71 and the stator voltage transducer 34 . in addition , the control module 30 has a first cooling signal input 39 , which is adapted to receive a signal containing information on the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the first heat exchanger 10 shown in fig1 , and a second cooling signal input 40 , which is adapted to receive a signal containing information about the temperature of the water supplied to the second heat exchanger 11 shown in fig1 . the active power is calculated in the first calculation unit 41 , which is connected to both the stator current and the stator voltage . the reactive power is calculated correspondingly in the second calculation unit 42 , which is connected to both the stator voltage and the stator current . the calculation of the active power and the reactive power can be carried out in any one of a number of ways , which will all be obvious to the person skilled in the art and which are not described in more detail here . with reference to fig2 , a speed transducer 43 is provided which measures the rotor speed and feeds a speed signal to a speed signal input 44 of the control module . it should be noted , however , that in applications with little speed variation it is possible to leave out the speed transducer without any major - detrimental effect on the control system function . moreover , the control module comprises a memory 45 in which a model of the electric machine is stored . in addition , information on allowable temperatures in different parts of the machine is stored in the memory 45 . all the input signals to the computer and the information stored in the memory allow the control module to control the generator and the cooling thereof in such manner that the temperature in the different parts of the generator does not exceed set limits . the set limits of the different parts of the generator are dependent on the material used in the different parts of the generator . fig3 illustrates an automatic voltage regulator module according to the invention . the voltage regulator receives input signals from the control module 30 shown in fig2 . a first output 46 on the control module 30 is connected to the stator current limiter 47 , a second output 48 on the control module 30 is connected to the rotor current limiter 49 and a third output 50 on the control module 30 is connected to the voltage regulator 51 . the voltage regulator 51 has an output which is connected to the generator for controlling the excitation thereof . fig4 is a graphic representation of the service life of the generator insulation as a function of the insulation temperature . as shown , a mica - based generator insulation has a service life of about 10 5 years at a temperature of 50 ยฐ c . an increase in temperature of about 10 ยฐ c . reduces service life by a factor two . as shown in the figure , the service life of the insulation is about 40 years at a temperature of 155 ยฐ c . a service life of 40 years is considered to be sufficient for a generator and the temperature of 155 ยฐ c . is therefore used as the limit value for this kind of insulation . if the limit value is exceeded temporarily , the service life will be reduced in proportion to the period of time that the insulation is kept at this high temperature . the method for estimation of critical temperatures in a rotating electrical machine is illustrated by considering a big turbo - generator . the stator and rotor of the turbo - generator are illustrated schematically in fig5 and 6 , respectively . the stator winding is cooled by stator cooling - water while the rotor winding and the core is cooled by hydrogen . the stator cooling - water is cooled by intermediate cooling - water , which in turn is cooled by seawater . the stator cooling - water enters the machine at one end of the stator and leaves the machine at the other end of the stator . the hydrogen enters the machine at both ends of the machine and leaves the active parts of the machine at the mid - section of the generator . this means that the temperature in the stator winding and the rotor winding vary in axial direction . it is , however , a reasonable assumption that the temperature in the stator core and the rotor is assumed homogenous in tangential direction . to model this situation , the stator winding and the rotor winding are divided into a number of zones in the axial direction . the stator core and the rotor are divided into a number of cylindrical zones and the zones closest to the airgap are also divided into a set of zones in the axial direction . fig5 shows how the rotor may be divided into zones . the rotor 55 is divided into a number of zones 56 in which the temperature is estimated . fig6 shows how the stator 60 may be divided into an inner zone 61 and an outer zone 62 . the inner zone 61 is divided into a number of subzones 63 . the model may utilise different measured variables such as : ( i ) active power , ( ii ) reactive power , ( iii ) terminal voltage , ( iv ) stator current , ( v ) rotor current , ( vi ) seawater temperature , ( vii ) temperature of cold stator cooling - water , ( viii ) temperature of cold hydrogen ( ix ) the temperature of the intermediate cooling - water and ( x ) hydrogen pressure . it is then possible to determine the input variables to the model , namely : stator current , rotor - current , terminal voltage , temperature of cold stator cooling - water , and temperature of cold hydrogen . the dynamic model consists of a set of non - linear differential equations to estimate the temperature of each section in the machine from the input variables . the equations are given by fundamental physical laws and data for the physical properties of the materials used in the machine . some of the temperatures in the model can be measured and it is possible to improve the estimation of the temperatures by comparing the estimated and measured temperatures . the estimated temperatures are corrected by adding a correction term depending on the difference between the measured and estimated temperature . equation ( 1 ) gives the temperature of the i : th zone of the machine . a zone may be : ( 1 ) an axial zone of the rotor winding , ( 2 ) an axial zone of the stator winding , ( 3 ) an axial and / or radial zone of the rotor teeth , ( 4 ) an axial and / or radial zone of the stator teeth , ( 5 ) an axial and / or radial zone of the rotor body , ( 6 ) an axial and / or radial zone of the stator core , and ( 7 ) an axial and / or radial zone of the pressplates . m i ยท c p , i ยท โ
t i โ
t = p h , i - p c , i ( 1 ) m i the mass of the i : th zone of the machine [ kg ], c p , j the specific heat capacity of the i : th zone [ j /( kg ยท k )], p h , i the heating power of the i : th zone [ w ] and p c , j the cooling power of the i : th zone [ w ] equation ( 2 ) gives the heating power p h , j [ w ] of the i : th zone of a rotor or stator winding : p h , i =( 1 + k )ยท r i ( t i )ยท i i 2 ( 2 ) k a factor that takes into account the stray losses in the stator winding and which can be obtained by a theoretical analysis of the winding or by using the results from a heat run , r i the dc resistance of the i : th zone of a winding [ ohm ] given by equation ( 5 ) below , and i i the current through the i : th zone of a winding [ a ]. the current i i may be equal to the current in the rotor winding ( input variable ) or equal to the current in the stator winding ( input variable ). equation ( 3 ) gives the heating power p h , i [ w ] of the i : th zone of the stator core : f a ( non - linear ) function , which may be obtained from the magnetising curve of the core laminations or from the no - load tests , u the terminal voltage [ v ]. equation ( 4 ) gives the heat p p [ w ] developed in a pressplate : i the stator current [ a ], ( input variable ), ฯ the phase difference between stator current and terminal voltage tan ( ฯ )= q / p . ( input variable ), the function g (ยท) may be obtained by using formulas in โ new operating chart for large power turbogenerators โ by latek , w . ; partyka , w . & amp ; bytnar , a . presented in report 11 - 101 at the cigre session in paris on 26 th august to 1 st september 1990 or by using measured temperatures of the pressplates during steady state operation of the machine under various operating conditions . the cooling power of the pressplates are given by equation ( 6 ) below . the function g (ยท) above may have different parameters for the driven end and the non - driven end . equation ( 5 ) below gives the resistance r i ( t i ) [ ohm ] of the i : th zone of a winding when its temperature is equal to t i [ยฐ c .]. r i โก ( t i ) = r a โข t 0 + t i t 0 + t a ( 5 ) r a is the resistance [ ohm ] of zone at ambient temperature , which can be obtained from a theoretical calculation using the physical dimensions of the winding or from resistance measurements during workshop tests of the machine , t 0 is a temperature [ยฐ c .] typical for the winding material depending on the alloy used to manufacture the winding , and t a is a temperature [ยฐ c .] typical for the winding material depending on the alloy used to manufacture the winding . equation ( 6 ) gives the cooling power p c , i of the i : th zone : p c , i = h i โก ( p c ) ยท ( t i - t c , i ) + โ j = 1 n โข ฮป i , j ยท ( t i - t i , j ) ( 6 ) h i ( p c ) convection heat - transfer coefficient [ w /ยฐ c .] of the i : th zone when the coolant pressure is equal to p c , p c pressure of the coolant [ pa ], t i the temperature of the i : th zone of the machine [ยฐ c . ], t c , i the temperature of the coolant at the i : th zone [ยฐ c .]. equation ( 7 ) gives the outlet temperature of the coolant in the zones of a cooling duct : t d , 1 = t cc + q d , 1 ฯ c ยท c p , c ยท f d โข โข t d , 2 = t d , 1 + q d , 2 ฯ c ยท c p , c ยท f d โข โข t d , n = t d , n - 1 + q d , n ฯ c ยท c p , c ยท f d ( 7 ) t cc is the temperature of the cold coolant entering the cooling duct ( input variable ) [ยฐ c . ], q d , j is the heat flow to the j : th zone of the cooling duct [ w ]. the heat flow is equal to the cooling power of the i : th zone of the machine defined by equation ( 6 ). the relation between j and i depends on the actual subdivision of the machine into zones and the configuration of the cooling ducts . ฯ c is the density of the coolant in the cooling duct [ kg / m 3 ], c p , c is the specific heat capacity at constant pressure of the coolant in the cooling duct [ j /( kg ยท k )] and f d is the mass rate of flow of coolant in the cooling duct ( input variable ) [ kg / s ]. fig8 is a graphic representation of the allowable reactive power output as a function of the allowable active power output . the unbroken line 55 indicates the possible power outputs when the machine rating limits are maintained , while the first dashed line 56 indicates the possible power outputs when the machine temperature as a function of a lower coolant temperature is allowed to control the power output . the second dashed line 57 indicates the possible power output during a limited time interval , for example 15 minutes , when the temperature is allowed to reach the design values of the insulation temperature class . by continuously calculating , in the control module 30 , the estimated temperatures in the generator 9 , optimal control of the generator can be achieved to ensure optimal operation of the generator 9 . according to this embodiment , the temperatures in the generator are calculated using a model of the machine , which model allows non - measurable temperatures in the generator to be calculated on the basis of generator output and coolant temperature and / or cooling capacity . naturally the maximum allowable temperature in the generator is dependent on the kind of insulation used in the generator . thus , by measuring the load and the coolant temperature , the temperature of different parts of the machine may be calculated using the model of the machine stored in the memory 45 of the control module 30 . this means that , under most operating conditions , the machine can be subjected to a higher load than that specified by the machine rating , without exceeding the maximum allowable temperature for any part of the machine . thus , the additional margin available due to the fact that a lower coolant temperature affords improved cooling may be used , for instance , to increase the machine load . to increase the safety margin and the service life , the maximum allowable machine temperature is often set to a lower value than can be derived from the incorporated components . for example , in the case of a machine whose winding has a limit value of 155 ยฐ c ., the machine rating is often based on a maximum allowable winding temperature of 130 ยฐ c . by allowing the temperature to reach 155 ยฐ c . for short periods of time ( for example 15 minutes ), the machine can have a dynamic rating which allows a considerably higher load than that specified by the machine rating . provided that this dynamic capacity is not exploited too often in the service life of the machine , the effect on the service life will be very marginal . naturally the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , and may be modified in various ways within the scope of the appended claims . for instance , a calculating device based on discrete components may be used rather than an ordinary computer provided with a computer program . naturally it is possible to operate the generator at the higher temperature for more than 15 minutes . alternatively , the higher temperature may be determined by the generator operator and not by insulation temperature limits . in this case , the generator owner may relate the reduced service life to increased earnings from temporarily operating the electric machine at a higher temperature . it goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , and may be modified in various ways within the scope of the appended claims . for instance , temperature estimation may be used solely for monitoring purposes to ensure the service life of the machine or for the purpose of maintenance scheduling . monitoring and control may further be carried out by means of some form of communication from a remote location . for example , a machine may , of course , be remote controlled and monitored by using the internet to transmit information to and from the machine . although the above embodiments are based on a turbine connected to a generator , it is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the invention is also applicable to other synchronous machines such as synchronous compensators , motors or frequency converters . | 8 |
with reference to fig1 and 3 , a foot stepper exercise machine adapted to be operated for a user while sitting is disclosed , and the foot stepper comprises a base ( 10 ), two platform elements ( 20 ), and two resilient elements ( 30 ). the base ( 10 ) is a substantially rectangular plate and has four floor - stationary components ( 12 ) respectively secured at four corners of the base ( 10 ), wherein the floor - stationary components ( 12 ) are sucking plates . two pivot housings ( 13 ) are formed on a first end of the base ( 10 ) and each pivot housing ( 13 ) has an aperture ( 14 ) defined in an inner side face of the pivot housing ( 13 ) to receive the corresponding platform element ( 20 r / 20 l ) partially inside . two fixing posts ( 15 ) are formed inside each pivot housing ( 13 ) and each fixing post ( 15 ) has a threaded hole ( 150 ) defined in a bottom face thereof . two recesses ( 16 ) are oppositely defined in a second end of the base ( 10 ), and additionally , two through holes ( 130 ) are respectively defined in two side faces of the two pivot housings ( 13 ), wherein the two side faces are opposite with each other . the two platform elements ( 20 r , 20 l ), such as treadles , are adapted to accommodate feet of the user thereon and each platform element ( 20 r / 20 l ) has a pivot casing ( 21 ) secured on a first end . a pivot ( 22 ) is movably received inside the pivot casing ( 21 ) and has two connecting sheets ( 220 ) respectively formed at two distal ends of the pivot ( 22 ), wherein each connecting sheet ( 220 ) has a hole ( 221 ) defined therein . the connecting sheets ( 220 ) of the pivot ( 22 ) are secured on the corresponding fixing post ( 15 ) of the base ( 10 ) by screws ( 24 ) penetrating the hole ( 221 ) of the connecting sheet ( 220 ) to screw into the threaded hole ( 150 ) so as to enable the platform element ( 20 r / 20 l ) to pivotally move on the base ( 10 ). additionally , each platform element ( 20 r / 20 l ) has a pin ( 25 ) attached on a bottom face of a second end of the platform element ( 20 r / 20 l ). the resilient elements ( 30 ) are pleated tubes made of recoiling material and detachably clamped between the base ( 10 ) and the platform elements ( 20 r , 20 l ). each resilient element ( 30 ) has an opening ( 301 ) defined in a first end and secured on the corresponding platform element ( 20 r / 20 l ) by inserting the pin ( 25 ) of the platform element ( 20 r / 20 l ) into the opening ( 301 ) of the resilient element ( 30 ), i . e ., the pleated tube . each resilient element ( 30 ) has an insertion ( 303 ) formed on a second end and the insertion ( 303 ) is wedged into the corresponding recess ( 16 ) so as to secure the resilient element ( 30 ) on the base ( 10 ). because the resilient elements ( 30 ) are made of recoiling material , force for pressing the platform element ( 20 r , 20 l ) is not as large as the hydraulic press of the conventional stepper . therefore , the user does not need to stand up for using body weight to operate the foot stepper . as shown in fig4 and 5 , the user sits on a chair or similar and steps against the corresponding platform elements ( 20 r , 20 l ) of the foot stepper in a way of lifting the right foot or left foot alternatively in turn . another way of operating the foot stepper is of two feet simultaneously stepping against the two platform elements ( 20 r , 20 l ) or lifting at the same time . additionally , no interconnection between the two platform elements ( 20 r , 20 l ) results in a simple structure to achieve a low produce cost . in fig4 the user steps against the foot stepper , wherein toes of the feet are toward a direction to the pivot housing ( 13 ) of the base ( 10 ). in fig5 the user steps the foot stepper , wherein the toes of the feet are toward to an opposite direction to the pivot housing ( 13 ) of the base ( 10 ). with reference to fig6 in a second embodiment the resilient element ( 30 ) further comprises a spring ( 31 ) inside . the spring ( 31 ) has a first end sleeving the pin ( 25 ) of the platform element ( 20 r / 20 l ) and a second end secured inside the recess ( 16 ) of the base ( 10 ) so as to provide a compressible effect for the foot stepper . although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment , it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed . | 0 |
fig1 is a front view of a patient &# 39 ; s leg dressed and ready for cast preparation . fig2 is a front view of a patient &# 39 ; s leg with the first protective initial leg cover . fig3 is a front view of a patient &# 39 ; s foot with proprietary toe protector , trimmed to fit contour of the foot . fig4 is a front detail view of a patient &# 39 ; s leg prepared with proprietary felt lateral and medial offloading and maleoli strips . fig5 is a right detail view of a patient &# 39 ; s leg in prone position , prepared for casting . fig6 is a right detail view of a patient &# 39 ; s leg with initial roll of elastic plaster casting material . fig7 is a right detail view of a patient &# 39 ; s leg with first roll of fiberglass that is wet and rolled to cover to just below fibular head . fig8 is a right detail view of a patient &# 39 ; s leg with the proprietary extra strength pre - fabricated splint . fig9 is a right detail view of a patient &# 39 ; s leg and foot with final roll of fiberglass securing proprietary rubber rocker walker . fig1 is a right detail view of a patient &# 39 ; s leg with finished cast . since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art , the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure , and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention . referring to the figures , in which like reference numbers refer to like components thereof , fig1 shows the foot of the patient covered by wound dressing 101 . fig1 is an example of a wound dressing application . a high percentage of diabetic and neuropathic patients will develop foot ulcerations . these patients have little or no feeling resulting in insufficient sensory feedback so they are unable to adjust the gait for the insensate foot causing tissue damage and ulcerations on the plantar surface . if these types of defects are left untreated they often require subsequent amputation of the limb . there is science based evidence that supports the methodology of offloading pressure from the wound removing the propulsive forces that stall the healing process . in the late 1930 &# 39 ; s a method of applying a rigid cast with little padding was introduced and was recognized as the โ gold standard โ for treating plantar surface ulcerations . there have been many concerns and issues relating to this modality that have led to underutilization amongst clinicians . the apparatus and method of the present invention addresses all of these concerns making the application more comprehensive , leading to faster wound healing times . in addition , the present invention accommodates deformities such as valgus , varus , equinus , and charcot foot which make up a large percentage of patients with plantar ulcerations . fig2 , illustrates a patients leg with the first layer 102 , is the first protective layer , consisting of a cotton tube stocking that covers the leg circumferentially allowing subsequent components to be attached . the cotton tube stocking covers above the knee distally and folded over the toes . fig3 , illustrates the patients leg with protective self - adhesive perforated foam toe pad . 103 , the self adhesive perforated foam toe pad 103 , is applied over the distal toe area to protect the toes from potential cast abrasions . the self - adhesive foam toe pad 103 , is perforated to allow air to moisture transfer keeping the toes dry reducing risk of maceration and fungal infection . the self - adhesive perforated foam toe pad 103 , is placed over the distal toes covering distal end of cotton tube stocking 102 , evenly distributing the perforated self adhesive foam toe pad 103 , over the dorsum to the plantar surfaces and is trimmed to fit the contour of the lateral and medial sides of the foot . fig4 , illustrates the patients leg with the self - adhesive felt lateral and medial strips 104 , secured from the proximal tibia just below the tibial tuberosity to the bottom of the malleolus attached to the cotton tube stocking 102 , with the self - adhesive felt maleoli strips 105 , overlapping the distal end of the self - adhesive felt lateral and medial strips 104 , connecting to the proximal edge of the self - adhesive perforated foam toe pad 103 . the proximal tibia is lined with a self - adhesive felt tibial crest bridge 106 , and distally with additional self adhesive felt strips 107 , to protect the tibial crest to the talus area of the foot . the unique configuration of felt strips protects all of the bony prominences that typically become pressure points , causing tissue degradation and additional ulcerations . traditionally a single wide protective strip is applied over the tibial crest and patches are applied over the malleolus . by utilizing self - adhesive felt lateral and medial strips 104 , and overlapping the self - adhesive felt maleoli strips 105 , more of the patient &# 39 ; s surface area is protected reducing the risk of additional ulcerations , also making the cast removal much easier and faster . fig5 , illustrates the patients leg in the prone position consisting of the cotton tube stocking 102 , self - adhesive perforated foam toe pad 103 , self - adhesive felt lateral and medial strips 104 , self - adhesive felt maleoli strips 105 , self - adhesive felt tibial bridge 106 , and self - adhesive felt tibial crest strips 107 . the patient is placed in the prone position as it reduces the incidence of toe - drop which can lead to improper cast application . it is important that the foot is secured in a ninety degree position for proper application and offloading . the present invention is unique as it removes in a bi - valve configuration meaning that the cast can be removed with a cast cutting saw by making parallel cuts on the lateral and medial sides of the leg and down the center of the self - adhesive felt lateral and medial strips 104 , which can be easily identified by the ridges on either side of the cast . cuts are then made distally across the self - adhesive lateral and medial maleoli strips 105 , and over the distal toe area . the center of the cast is pulled free allowing for the cast to easily be removed from the patient &# 39 ; s leg . fig6 , illustrates the patients leg in the prone position prepared for the first rigid layer after the felt and cast padding which is fine plaster or fiberglass 108 , casting material commonly referred to as the egg shell layer . the first plaster layer 108 , is the basis for intimate contact and is the layer that contours to the protective components . the first layer 108 , eliminates the risk of the protective felt strips floating and creating a pathway for shear forces that can lead to secondary ulcerations . fig7 , illustrates the patients leg in prone position , with the said first layer of a fiberglass 109 , applied over the said plaster 108 , and is applied by hydrating the material , rolling circumferentially from the distal edge of the plaster first layer 108 , up the leg to the proximal edge of the first plaster 108 . the said first fiberglass layer 109 , of casting material is applied providing strength to the cast . the cotton tube stocking 102 at the proximal end of the cast is left exposed so it can later be folded down to create a soft collar . fig8 , illustrates the patients leg in prone position and the multi - layer prefabricated support splint 110 , being applied over the said first fiberglass layer 109 . the multi - layer prefabricated support splint 110 , is applied between the said first fiberglass layer 109 , and the said second fiberglass layer 112 . the multi - layer prefabricated support splint 110 , is applied starting at the proximal edge of the posterior side of the cast , down the leg , across the plantar surface , overhanging at the toes and around the self - adhesive perforated foam toe pad 103 . the excess cotton tube stocking 102 , is rolled over the top of the multi - layer prefabricated support splint 110 , to secure it in place and create a soft collar around the proximal rim of the cast . the excess multi - layer prefabricated support splint 110 , material overhanging at the toes can be trimmed off in strips to level the rocker / walker 111 , accommodating patients with specific anatomic foot defects . traditionally a clinician will fabricate a splint by taking a fiberglass roll , unrolling it and folding it into approximately 3 layers . the present invention contains a multi - layer prefabricated support splint 110 , that is prefabricated and the equivalent thickness of two and a half traditional support splints adding significant structural integrity . the added strength of the support splint reduces the number of layers needed to cast a patient as well as application times . fig9 , illustrates the patients leg in the prone position with rocker / walker 111 , in position for attachment after said second fiberglass layer 112 . the rocker / walker 111 , is positioned with the front of the back walker pad in alignment with the anterior tibia of the leg and sitting directly on the prefabricated multi - layer support splint 110 . there is front to back orientation to the rocker / walker 111 , designed to promote normal bio - mechanics during ambulation . typically a cast utilizes a plate that lies on the plantar surface to accept the walker heel . the current invention has eliminated the walker plate by designing an extremely thick multi - layer prefabricated support splint 110 , that will accept the rocker / walker 111 . the said second layer of fiberglass 112 , is utilized to secure the rocker / walker 111 , while adding additional strength the cast . the said second layer of fiberglass 112 , is applied by hydrating the material , starting at the styloid process distally around the toes , circling the heel and back around until fiberglass overlaps . when adjacent to the metatarsal head the fiberglass is rolled circumferentially over the dorsum , securing the loose end of the multi - layer prefabricated support splint 110 , than pinning the front of the rocker / walker 111 circumferentially around the foot and twisting the fiberglass to create a rope effect , running through the rocker / walker 111 , center , around the heel securing the back of the rocker / walker 111 , and proximally up the leg to the edge of the cotton tube stocking 102 . the elimination of the traditional walker plate lowers the length of limb or cast length significantly and promotes normal ambulation . fig1 , illustrates the patients leg in the prone position with the completed cast ready to receive the said self adhering dressing 113 , to finish the cast . the self adhering dressing 113 , is utilized to secure the loose end of said second fiberglass layer 112 , starting at the edge of the said cotton tube stocking 102 , rolling distally towards the said rocker / walker 111 , until roll is utilized . having thus described the invention , what is desired to be protected by letters patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims . | 0 |
in the figure , high purity ( 99 . 9 % pure ) carbon monoxide is provided in a container 10 , which is introduced through an inlet tube 12 made of teflon , pyrex or polyethylene , into a flow meter 14 , where the flow of the carbon monoxide is adjusted to a desired value , such as the 1 cc / sec previously described in the case of a reaction tube about 500 to about 2 , 000 cc in capacity . the carbon monoxide passes from the flow meter 14 , through a tube 16 , made of teflon , pyrex or polyethylene through a valve 18 and through a tube 20 , also made of teflon , pyrex or polyethylene into a pyrex chamber 22 which contains a condensed halogen source 24 such as liquid bromine , carbon tetrachloride or solid elemental iodine . the chamber 22 is heated to obtain a halogen partial pressure of about 40 mm hg , and this is accomplished by means of the heating element 26 . the resistance heating element may be made of nichrome and is activated by applying a controlled voltage thereto . a thermocouple ( not shown ) is inserted between the outside wall of the chamber 22 and the heating element 26 in order to monitor the temperature of the chamber 22 . the halogen vapor is mixed with carbon monoxide gas in the container 22 and the halogen / co gas mixture is then passed through a valve 28 to a teflon tube 30 . the halogen / co gas mixture is maintained at an elevated temperature by heating elements 32 which surround tubing 30 to prevent condensation or crystallization of the halogen , e . g ., crystallization of i 2 ( s ) if it is chosen as the reactant halogen gas . the valve 18 may be constructed as a gas bypass valve whereby carbon monoxide gas may bypass entry into the container 22 and be passed directly into the tube 30 via line 34 such that admixture with the halogen in the container 22 can be selectively prevented . valve 28 is provided in tube 30 to shut off the flow of halogen gas into the tube 30 , when such shut - off is desired . similarly , valve 18 can be placed in the closed position to prevent passage of carbon monoxide gas either to the container 22 or the tube 30 . the halogen gas mixed with the carbon monoxide gas in the container 22 passes through the tube 30 to a connecting , high purity ( 99 . 9 %) alumina tube 34 which passes through a vitreous silica cap 36 and then into a high purity alumina reaction tube 38 . within the reaction tube 38 are one or more platinum lined alumina boats 48 which contain the selected material to be processed . the metal oxide is processed in the form of a powder , in order to provide increased reaction contact surface for the rap . the reaction tube 38 is provided with a thermocouple ( not shown ) which is placed in close proximity to the selected powdered material in the boats 40 and is used to monitor the temperature at which the selected material is heated in the reaction tube 38 . the reaction tube 38 is contained within a furnace 40 provided with heating elements 42 which are used to heat the reaction tube to a predetermined elevated temperature at which water and other impurities will be removed from the material by the halogen / co gaseous mixture . the reaction tube 38 is also provided with alumina or vitreous silica tubing 44 through which gas reactants are exhausted from the reaction tube 38 and ultimately enter an exhaust chamber ( not shown ) where excess halogen is condensed or solidified and is trapped . from this exhaust chamber , the gas mixture passes to a scrubber ( not shown ) so that any uncondensed halogen or other environmentally undesirable gaseous products are removed before the exhaust gas is released to the surrounding atmosphere . in operation , gaseous high purity carbon monoxide from the container 10 is arranged to be metered by flow meter 14 at the rate of about 1 cc / sec . into the container 22 through tube 16 , the halogen contents 24 of the container 22 being heated to vapor form by the heater 26 . by way of example , if the halogen is elemental iodine , the container 22 is heated from about 86 ยฐ c . to about 90 ยฐ c . to vaporize the solid iodine crystals . the gaseous carbon monoxide is admixed with the vaporized iodine to provide an i 2 / co mixture containing about 5 percent iodine in carbon monoxide at a molar ratio of about 1 : 18 . thus , the molar amount of carbon monoxide is substantially greater than the stoichiometric amount necessary for carbon monoxide to react with halogen to form carbonyl halide . the material 46 to be purified by the i 2 / co gaseous mixture is placed in the platinum boats 48 as a powder and the boats , filled with the charge , are placed in reaction tube 38 and the assembly positioned in electric furnace 40 . the furnace temperature is so adjusted by the coils 42 that the boat temperature is elevated to a temperature of approximately 1000 ยฐ- 1500 ยฐ c . or more , at which temperature the i 2 / co gaseous mixture will attack both the water impurities present in the material and displace the oh - in the condensed phase , the halogen ion displacing the oh - in the lattice structure of the material . the reactive i 2 / co gaseous mixture is passed over the powder for approximately 16 to about 64 hours and preferably only for about 16 hours to effect the rap purification of the powder . if desired , such as in the case of fused silica ( ฮฑ - cristobalite ) after the water - free powder 46 has cooled to ambient temperature , the boats 48 containing the powder 46 are transferred to another furnace ( not shown ) which is alternately evacuated and purged with helium . the powder is then fused under a blanket of helium gas at a temperature of about 1900 ยฐ c . for about one hour and , upon cooling , the fused silica undergoes a polymorphic transition to fused cristobalite having a melting point in excess of 1800 ยฐ c . the following examples are set forth to illustrate the present invention . they should not be deemed as limiting the scope thereof . using the apparatus schematically shown in the figure , dehydrated ammonium alum ( nh 4 al ( so 4 ) 2 ) in powdered form was placed in a single platinum - lined alumina boat 48 . the water of hydration had been previously removed from the ammonium alum by heating the hydrated salt nh 4 al ( so 4 ) 2 . 12h 2 o in a vacuum oven at 100 ยฐ c . for 70 hours . the boat 40 loaded with the dehydrated ammonium alum was placed in reaction tube 38 which was then sealed with silica cap 36 and placed in the furnace 40 . the heating elements 42 , which were silicon carbide rods , were activated by applying a controlled voltage thereto , and the temperature was raised to 1070 ยฐ c . high purity co was metered from the container 10 through the flow meter 14 at a flow rate of about one cc / sec . into container 22 containing iodine vapor . the iodine vapor had been produced by activating the heating element 26 which was a nichrome wire by applying a controlled voltage to this wire , to raise the temperature in the container 22 to approximately 86 ยฐ- 90 ยฐ c ., to vaporize the i 2 . the mixture of i 2 and co mole ratio was 1 : 18 or about 5 % i 2 gas in the co gas . the i 2 / co gaseous mixture was passed through valve 28 in the open position into tube 30 and then into the reaction tube 38 , which had been heated to a temperature of 1070 ยฐ c . the dehydrated ammonium alum was exposed to the i 2 / co gaseous mixture for 16 hours at 1070 ยฐ c . thereafter the reaction tube 38 was cooled to room temperature and the platinum boat 40 and its contents removed therefrom . the contents of the boat were analyzed by x - ray powder diffraction . the results of these studies are recorded in table i below . the procedure of example i was repeated with the exception that al 2 ( so 4 ). 18h 2 o , dehydrated at 100 ยฐ c . for 70 hours , was substituted for the dehydrated ammonium alum . the results of the i 2 / co rap purification of the dehydrated aluminum sulfate , as determined by x - ray powder diffraction studies are also recorded in table i below . for purposes of contrast , the procedure of example i was repeated with the exception that either valve 18 was placed in the closed position so that only vaporized iodine was used for the rap treatment and helium gas from another source ( not shown in the figure ) was used as the carrier gas or valves 18 and 28 were adjusted so as to shut off passage of co gas into chamber 22 and passage of i 2 vapor into line 30 so that only co gas was used for rap treatment of the crystalline powder . in a separate series of comparative runs , the gaseous rap treating agent was a mixture of water vapor and oxygen . the results of these comparative i 2 or co singular rap treatments of ammonium alum and aluminum sulfate as well as h 2 o / co treatment are also recorded in table i below , these data being designated by the symbol &# 34 ; c &# 34 ;. table i______________________________________anhydrous aluminas obtained from the rap treatmentof aluminum sulfates ( 16 hours @ 1070 ยฐ c .) rap al . sub . 2 o . sub . 3run atmos - aluminum sulfate polymorphno . phere starting material product______________________________________1 . i . sub . 2 / co nh . sub . 4 al ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 2 ฮฑ - 2 . i . sub . 2 / co al . sub . 2 ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 3 ฮฑ - c . sub . 1 h . sub . 2 o / o . sub . 2 nh . sub . 4 al ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 2 ฮฑ - and some ฮบ - c . sub . 2 h . sub . 2 o / o . sub . 2 al . sub . 2 ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 3 ฮฑ - and some ฮบ - c . sub . 3 co nh . sub . 4 al ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 2 ฮฑ - and ฮด - c . sub . 4 co al . sub . 2 ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 3 ฮฑ - and some ฮด - c . sub . 5 i . sub . 2 / he nh . sub . 4 al ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 2 ฮฑ - and little ฮด - c . sub . 6 i . sub . 2 / he al . sub . 2 ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 3 ฮด - and some ฮฑ - ______________________________________ the x - ray power pattern results recorded in table i show the effect of impurity removal on polymorphic transitions in aluminum oxides . thus i 2 / co rap treatment of dehydrated ammonium alum and aluminum sulfate at 1070 ยฐ c . for 16 hours was effective in h 2 o / oh - removal and 100 % ฮฑ - al 2 o 3 was produced ( run nos . 1 - 2 ). rap treatment with h 2 o / o 2 was substantially ineffective for transformation to ฮฑ - al 2 o 3 ( runs c 1 - c 2 ). rap treatment with co alone had some effect on impurity removal , but was insufficient for 100 % transformation to ฮฑ - al 2 o 3 , ( run nos . c 3 - c 4 ) as was i 2 alone , which was marginally effective for impurity removal ( run nos . c 5 - c 6 ). the data in table i demonstrates that the gaseous i 2 / co reactive atmosphere is necessary for the removal of residual impurities in the metastable polymorphs of aluminum oxide that block the transformation to the ฮฑ - al 2 o 3 state . by the use of the i 2 / co rap treatment for the removal of impurities , a lower temperature and / or shorter processing time is required to attain 100 % transformation to the ฮฑ - al 2 o 3 state . thus , the data in table i therefore demonstrates that ฮฑ - al 2 o 3 can be obtained from aluminum salts such as nh 4 al ( so 4 ) 2 and al 2 ( so 4 ) 3 using an i 2 / co rap environment at 1070 ยฐ c ., a temperature considerably lower than that reported in the art , e . g . greater than 1600 ยฐ c ., as reported by yokokawa et al ., j . phys . chem ., vol . 68 , pps . 3246 - 3249 ( 1964 ) and 30 ยฐ c . lower than reported by wilson et al ., j . sol . state chem ., vol . 34 , pps . 314 - 322 ( 1980 ) using boehmite ( ฮฑ - alooh ) as the starting material . the procedure of example i was repeated , with the exception that the i 2 / co rap gas combination was passed over fused silica powder at about 1500 ยฐ c . for 10 hours which converted the fused silica powder into ฮฒ - cristobalite which on cooling was transformed into the ฮฑ - polymorph . the i 2 / co treated crystalline silica powder was transferred to another furnace which was alternatively evacuated and purged with helium . the crystalline powder was fused under helium at a temperature of about 1900 ยฐ c . to form fused cristobalite . the properties of the i 2 / co rap treated silica powder are recorded in table ii below . for purposes of comparison , the procedure of example ii was repeated with the exception that a gas mixture of i 2 / o 2 was substituted for the i 2 / co gas mixture . the absorption coefficient data for rap treated fused silica and commercially available fused silica , infrasil , are presented in table ii . both the i 2 / o 2 and i 2 / co treated materials exhibited a significant and desirable reduction in absorption over the commercially available infrasil . table ii______________________________________ rap gas mixtureabsorption coefficient i . sub . 2 / co i . sub . 2 / o . sub . 2 infrasil______________________________________path length , cm 0 . 426 * 0 . 303 * 2 . 896peak absorption 0 . 18 * 0 . 074 ** 0 . 22 *** coefficient , cm . sup .- 1______________________________________ * average of 2 runs ** average of 3 runs *** estimated while specific components of the present system are defined above , additional variables may be utilized to enhance or otherwise improve the system of the present invention . these variables are intended to be included herein . although variations are shown in the present application , many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the present disclosure . these , too , are intended to be included herein . | 8 |
with reference to fig1 the strip line assembly 11 is shown consisting of the stacked arrangement of the first strip line 10 and the second strip line 12 which are folded about the center holding plate 16 and are shown sandwiched between the first holding plate 14 and the third holding plate 18 . the ground planes 22 shown in fig2 which are fixed to the outer surface of the first dielectric layer 26 of the first strip line 10 and the second strip line 12 are seen in fig2 in sandwiched relation between first dielectric layer 26 and the first holding plate 14 and the third holding plate 18 . the ground plane cover 40 encloses the ground plane extension 20 of the center holding plate 16 and is secured to the first holding plate 14 by means of the bolts 46 in the threaded holes 15 , and secured to the third holding plate 18 by the bolts 46 in the threaded holes 19 , as shown in fig2 . the alternating conductive and dielectric layers in the stacked stripline assembly 11 are revealed in fig2 and 3 . thus ground plane 22 on the outer surface of the first dielectric layer 26 contacts the inner surface of both the first holding plate 14 and the third holding plate 18 on opposite sides of the second ( center ) holding plate 16 . the conductor strips 34 and 36 on opposite surfaces of the second dielectric layer 28 are in contact with the first and third dielectric layers 26 and 30 , respectively in first and second stripline layers 10 and 12 , observable clearly in fig3 . the ground planes 24 on the surfaces of the third dielectric layer 30 opposite the surfaces in contact with the conductor strips 36 and 38 are in contact with the opposite surfaces of center holding plate 16 . the strip line assembly 11 as it is fabricated with the first strip line 10 and the second strip line 12 separated by the central bend area 17 is shown in fig4 . the first strip line 10 consists of the second and center dielectric layer 28 sandwiched between the first dielectric layer 26 and the third dielectric layer 30 . the ground plane 24 is shown on the upper surface of the third dielectric layer 30 of the first strip line 10 . the ground plane 22 is shown attached to the lower surface of the first dielectric layer 26 . in a similar fashion the second strip line 12 consists of the center dielectric layer 28 sandwiched between the first dielectric layer 26 and the third dielectric layer 30 on the opposite side of the central bend area 17 from the connecting first strip line 10 . the second strip line 12 also has a ground plane 24 on the upper or top surface of the third dielectric layer 30 . as in the case of first stripline 10 , the ground plane 22 is shown attached to the lower surface of the first dielectric layer 26 . it is obvious from fig2 and 5 that the second or center dielectric layer 28 is the only dielectric layer extending through the central bend area 17 between first strip line 10 and second strip line 12 . also clearly shown in fig4 are the conductor strips 36 and 38 which continue through the central bend area 17 between the first strip line 10 and the second strip line 12 on both sides of the second or center dielectric layer 28 . the strip line assembly 11 is shown in folded condition in fig2 . it should be obvious that the flexible material used for center dielectric layer 28 permits a variety of curvatures for the central bend area 17 . in the present invention it has been found most desirable to have the bend curvature in the form of a semi - circle as the first strip line 10 and second strip line 12 are folded back upon each other for a one hundred - eighty degree turn around . during the fabrication of the strip line assembly 11 as the first strip line 10 and second strip line 12 are folded , as shown in fig2 the second or center holding plate 16 is inserted between the first strip line 10 and the second strip line 12 with the ground plane extension 20 of the holding plate 16 in contact with the upper surface of the second dielectric layer 28 in the central bend area 17 , and specifically centered within the central bend area 17 , so that , as the folding is completed , the center holding plate 16 is sandwiched between the first and second strip lines 10 and 12 , respectively . as can be seen with reference to fig5 the ground plane extension 20 of the central holding plate 16 contains axially separated conductor channels 21 for the purpose of accommodating the conductor strips 36 and 38 on the bottom side of the central , bend area 17 when the bending is completed . the conductor strips 36 and 38 are thus maintained in the air dielectric within each of the conductor channels 21 of the ground plane extension 20 . in the next stage of fabrication of strip line assembly 11 the first holding plate 14 is placed upon the ground plane 22 on the surface of the first dielectric layer 26 of the first strip line 10 within the stack . similarly , the third holding plate 18 is placed against the ground plane 22 on the surface of the first dielectric layer 26 of the second strip line 12 . thus , as seen in fig5 the entire strip line assembly 11 comprised of the first strip line 10 and second strip line 12 in the folded condition about the second or center holding plate 16 is sandwiched between the first holding plate 14 and third holding plate 18 . the strip line assembly 11 is completed upon the addition of the ground plane cover 40 about the end of the stacked strip line assembly 11 so that the ground plane cover 40 encloses the end extension 20 of the second or center holding plate 16 . the ground plane cover 40 contains a curved interior interrupted surface 42 which contains the axially spaced conductor channels 41 which will receive the conductor strips 32 and 34 on the outer or top side of the central bend area 17 when the ground plane cover 40 is affixed rigidly to the end surfaces 13 and 23 of the first holding plate 14 and third holding plate 18 , respectively , immediately adjacent to the bend of the strip line assembly 11 . the mating surfaces 13 and 45 , and 23 and 47 must be flat so that their contact is total and without fault in order to assure maximum continuity and minimum impedance . bolt holes are one means that has been used to attach the ground plane cover 40 to the first holding plate 14 and second holding plate 18 . as can be seen in fig2 and 5 , the threaded holes 15 and 19 in the holding plate 14 and the holding plate 18 , respectively , are located to receive bolts 46 inserted by way of the grooves 48 through the holes 43 and 44 in the mating surfaces of the ground plane cover 40 . the axially spaced conductor channels 41 are shown in the interior curved surface of the ground plane cover 40 in fig5 . when the ground plane cover 40 is affixed to the first holding plate 14 and third holding plate 18 , the conductor strips 32 and 34 of the strip line circuit 13 within the central bend area 17 are caused to be received within conductor channels 41 so that they are maintained within the air dielectric provided by those conductor channels . by setting the width of the channels 21 and 41 to slightly exceed the width of the stripline conductors 32 , 34 , 36 and 38 the stripline conductor width can be made the same in the bend area as in the first and second striplines 10 and 12 , respectively . it is only necessary that the strips be centered in the channels . the conductor strips 32 and 34 which are received within the conductor channels 41 of the ground plane cover 40 and the conductor strips 36 and 38 which are received and maintained within the air dielectric of the conductor channels 21 of the ground plane extension 20 of the center holding plate 16 are shown in fig3 . thus , assembled , the strip line assembly 11 is ready for electrical connection to other circuits required by specific applications . where flatness of the mating end surface 13 of first holding plate 14 and top end surface 45 of ground plane cover 40 or end surface 23 of third holding plate 18 and bottom end surface 47 of ground plane cover 40 is a problem , physical and electrical contact and continuity will be jeopardized . depending upon the application , the resultant effect on impedance may be unacceptable . the embodiment of the invention depicted in fig6 , and 8 provides efficient contact of the mating surfaces with maximum continuity . this embodiment permits secure enclosure of conductor strips 32 and 34 within the conductor channels 41 of the ground plane cover 40 and the conductor strips 36 and 38 within the conductor channels 21 of the ground plane extension 20 . in this embodiment the top end surface 45 of the ground plane cover 40 consists of spaced top end surfaces 45a , 45b , and 45c separated from each other by the recesses 50 . likewise , the bottom end surface 47 of the ground plane cover 40 consists of the spaced bottom end surfaces 47a , 47b , and 47c separated from each other by the recesses 52 . all are sized and configured , as shown in fig8 to extend beyond and about the channels 41 in the ground plane cover 40 . it should be noted from fig6 , and 8 that the spaced top and bottom end surfaces are individually planar and , further , they are coplanar as a group . configurations other than planar or coplanar may be used to accommodate specific applications as long as physical and electrical continuity is maintained adequately to minimize signal leakage and impedance . bolt holes 43 and 44 extend from the central area of each of the spaced top and bottom end surfaces through the ground plane cover 40 and out the adjoining grooves 48 . as shown , the number of spaced top or bottom end surfaces is consistent with the number of conductor channels 41 in the ground plane cover 40 . when the ground plane cover 40 is juxtaposed with the end surface 13 of the first holding plate 14 and the end surface 23 of the third holding plate 18 , the intimate contact between the spaced top and bottom end surfaces with the first and third holding plate end surfaces is secured by means of the bolts 46 extending through the grooves 48 and the adjoining holes 43 and into threaded relationship with the threaded holes 15 of the holding plates . by thus interrupting the top and bottom end surfaces of the ground plane cover 40 with spaced end surfaces 45a , 45b , 45c and 47a , 47b and 47c , respectively , physical and electrical discontinuities associated with surface irregularities of continuous , i . e . uninterrupted , mating surfaces are eliminated . the conductor strips 32 and 34 are securely contained in the channels 41 and undegraded circuit performance maintained . although the present invention has been described with some degree of particularity , it should be obvious to those skilled in the art that a variety of material selections and sandwiching combinations are possible for various types of applications requiring assembly of a strip line circuit or circuits so that stacking may be accomplished in a reliable and efficient manner . variations in material and structural arrangements to address these various applications should clearly follow in light of the description provided herein and are intended to be encompassed in the claims that follow . | 7 |
unless indicated to the contrary , the general and specific terms of the molecules and reaction conditions used hereinabove and hereinbelow preferably have the following meanings : enol form of dkt iii is 3 -[ 2 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - oxo - l - phenyl - ethyl ]- 3 - hydroxy - 4 - methyl - pent - 2 - enoic acid phenylamide of formula vii . the present invention provides a novel process for making 4 - fluoro - ฮฑ -[ 2 - methyl - 1 - oxopropyl ]- ฮณ - oxo - n - ฮฒ - diphenylbenzenebutanamide of formula i which in turn can be used for making atorvastatin with an improved impurity profile and isolation and characterization of an unknown new impurity . this invention also discloses a novel 10 times less time consuming method of making methyl 4 - methyl - 3 - oxopentaonate which is an intermediate for preparing dkt iii compound of formula i . the invention especially relates to a process for the preparation of a key intermediate for atorvastatin , 4 - fluoro - ฮฑ -[ 2 - methyl - 1 - oxopropyl ]- ฮณ - oxo - n - ฮฒ - diphenylbenzenebutanamide of formula i wherein leaving halogen group x is cl or br , preferably cl with methyl 4 - methyl - 3 - oxopentaonate of formula iii . the process of the present invention in its first aspect is outlined in scheme 1 x is cl , br or i ; preferably x is cl or br . more preferably x is cl . the base may be inorganic or organic like sodium carbonate , potassium carbonate , cesium carbonate , diisopropylethylamine , triethylamine , lithium diisopropylamide , sodium hydride , n - butyl lithium , sodium ethoxide , metal hydroxide , or a mixture thereof . wo2003004457 discloses the preparation of 4 - fluoro - ฮฑ -[ 2 - methyl - 1 - oxopropyl ]- ฮณ - oxo - n - ฮฒ - diphenylbenzenebutanamide by reacting 2 - bromo - 1 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - with 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - n - phenylpentamide in a polar solvents or solvent mixture or polar aprotic solvents especially ethanol or methanol or dmf . it is reported that when the reaction is carried out in dmf the product is a mixture of diastereoisomers in the ratio of 3 : 1 indicating 25 % impurities . when the same reaction is carried out in methanol the product contains about 50 % impurities . disclosed herein is an improved process for making 4 - fluoro - ฮฑ -[ 2 - methyl - 1 - oxopropyl ]- ฮณ - oxo - n - ฮฒ - diphenylbenzenebutanamide by reacting 2 - bromo - 1 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - with 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - n - phenylpentamide in an organic solvent in the presence of a base . process of this invention gives the dkt iii in at least 70 % yield with total impurities about 1 %. the organic solvent is c3 - c5 alcohol . preferably organic solvent is selected from n - propanol , isopropanol , n - butanol , iso - butanol , t - butanol , n - pentanol , iso pentanol , t - pentanol , a mixture thereof . more preferably organic solvent is isopropanol . the base may be inorganic or organic like sodium carbonate , potassium carbonate , cesium carbonate , diisopropylethylamine , triethylamine , lithium diisopropylamide , sodium hydride , n - butyl lithium , sodium ethoxide , metal hydroxide , or a mixture thereof . the organic solvent comprises methylethylketone , methylisobutylketone , dichloromethane , methanol , ethanol and the like and mixture thereof . also disclosed herein is a process for making atorvastatin . dkt iii of the present invention on reaction with ( 4r - cis )- 1 , 1 - dimethylethyl - 6 -( 2 - aminomethyl )- 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxane - 4 - acetate in presence of pivalic acid in cyclohexane as solvent results in the formation of ( 4r - cis )- 1 , 1 - dimethylethyl - 6 -{ 2 [ 2 - fluorophenyl )- 5 -( 1 - methylethyl )- 3 - phenyl - 4 -[( phenylamino ) carbonyl ]- 1h - pyrrol - 1 - yl ]}- 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxane - 4 - acetate . this compound on hydrolysis is converted into sodium salt which is then further converted into atorvastatin calcium by the process available in the literature . impurities are about 0 . 1 % ฮฑ -[ 2 - methyl - 1 - oxopropyl ]- ฮณ - oxo - n - ฮฒ - diphenylbenzenebutanamide ( hereinabove and hereinbelow referred as desfluoro of formula iv ), about 0 . 05 % difluoro ฮฑ -[ 2 - methyl - 1 - oxopropyl ]- ฮณ - oxo - n - ฮฒ - diphenylbenzenebutanamide ( hereinabove and hereinbelow referred as difluoro of formula v ) and about 0 . 01 % 3 -[ 2 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - oxo - 1 - phenyl - ethoxy ]- 4 - methyl - pent - 2 - enoic acid phenylamide ( hereinabove and hereinbelow referred to as o - alkylated of formula vi ). there is a probability that the other reactant used for the formation of dkt iii , halo - 1 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - phenone of formula ii can form any of the following 2 compounds of formulas vi and vii : the compound of formula vi is 3 -[ 2 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - oxo - 1 - phenyl - ethoxy ]- 4 - methyl - pent - 2 - enoic acid phenylamide which is formed as a result of ether formation of the enolic tautomeric form of 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - n - phenylpentamide and hereinbefore and hereinabove and herein below referred as o - alkylated impurity . in an embodiment the reaction between 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - n - phenylpentamide of formula iii and halo - 1 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - phenone of formula ii is carried out in methanol as a solvent in the presence of an inorganic base . the yield of dkt iii is lower and the impurities formed are about 50 %. the impurities are desfluoro , difluoro and o - alkylated and major impurity is o - alkylated . in a preferred embodiment the reaction between 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - n - phellylpentamide of formula iii and halo - 1 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - phenone of formula ii is carried out in acetone as a solvent using the same base and under same set of reaction conditions as for methanol as solvent . the yield of dkt iii is lower and the impurities formed are about 25 %. the impurities are desfluoro , difluoro and o - alkylated and major impurity is o - alkylated . in a especially preferred embodiment the reaction between 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - n - phenylpentamide of formula iii and halo - 1 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - phenone of formula ii is carried out in isopropanol as a solvent using the same base and under same set of reaction conditions when methanol , acetone or dmf is used as a solvent . the dkt iii is purified and isolated from isopropyl alcohol , methylene dichloride / hexane , ethyl acetate / hexane , or a mixture thereof . preferably dkt iii is purified and isolated from a mixture of isopropanol and methanol . the final product isolated from a mixture of isopropanol and methanol dkt iii is obtained in at least 70 % yield and the total impurities are up to 1 %. impurities are desfluoro about 0 . 1 %, difluoro about 0 . 05 % and o - alkylated about 0 . 1 %. the present invention discloses isolation and characterization of a new compound from the product mixture of reaction between 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - n - phenylpentamide of formula iii and halo - 1 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - phenone of formula ii to form dkt iii which has been referred hereinabove and hereinbelow as o - alkylated impurity of formula vi . o - alkylated impurity has been isolated and purified by traditional techniques such as column chromatography , crystallisation , preparative tlc and the like . it has been characterized by spectroscopic techniques such as ir , uv , mass , nmr , and the like . mass spectroscopy of o - alkylated impurity : di - ms : 418 , 417 , 399 , 366 , 345 , 325 , 294 , 276 , 252 , 216 , 206 , 177 , 131 , 123 , 93 , 77 , 103 . m + 1 at 418 and m + at 417 in mass spectroscopic analysis of impurity indicates that it contains both the reactant moieties 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - n - phenylpentamide of formula iii and halo - 1 -( 4 - fluorophenyl )- 2 - phenone of formula ii , therefore is an isomer of dkt - iii . infra red spectrum ( kbr ) of dkt - iii : 1720 cm โ 1 , 1681 cm โ 1 and 1647 cm โ 1 represent 3 carbonyl groups in dkt iii molecule . infrared spectra of o - alkylated impurity have 1685 cm โ 1 and 1711 cm โ 1 representing 2 carbonyl groups ., 1601 cm โ 1 represent c โ c stretching conjugated with c โ o = 1231 cm โ 1 represents ether group in the molecule . 1h - nmr ( 400 mhz , cdcl3 ): 1 . 027 ( 2h , d , j = 6 . 8 hz ), 2 . 174 ( 1h , s ,), 2 . 449 ( 1h . m ), 3 . 485 ( 1h , s ), 6 . 674 - 7 . 328 ( 14h , m ). 2 singlet proton nmr values at 2 , 174 and 3 . 485 represent methine and olefinic protons respectively which are characteristic for o - alkylated impurity . in another aspect this invention discloses a novel process for the preparation of 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - n - phenylpentamide in good yield with reaction time is significantly shortened by 10 times . this process makes the atorvastatin production economical and environmental friendly on an industrial scale . the process of the present invention in this aspect is outlined in scheme ii in an embodiment 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - pentaonate is taken in a in a liquid base without any solvent , such as pyridine , picolines , lutidines halogenated pyridines and the like . the reaction contents are heated and aniline is added in about 30 minutes to about 4 hrs . the reaction gets completed in 2 - 6 hrs . the liquid base and methanol produced as a byproduct are removed by distillation and the reaction contents are cooled and ph adjusted to about 0 . 5 to about 2 . on cooling about 99 % pure 4 - methyl - 3 - oxo - n - phenylpentamide of formula iii in about 75 % yield is obtained . the product is obtained in a single day compared to if the process is carried out in accordance with u . s . pat . no . 5 , 216 , 174 wherein the product is isolated in 10 days . the mixture containing 300 ml isopropanol and 100 g of the formula iii is cooled to 10 - 15 ยฐ c . potassium carbonate 94 g is charged into the above contents keeping the temperature 10 - 15 ยฐ c . a solution of 128 gm of formula ii in 125 ml isopropanol is then added slowly in 2 - 3 hrs keeping temperature at 10 - 15 ยฐ c . temperature is allowed to reach at 25 - 30 ยฐ c . temperature is further raised to 40 - 45 ยฐ c . and then maintained for 8 - 10 hrs with simultaneous monitoring on hplc . after hplc complies , isopropanol is removed under vacuum keeping temperature below 55 ยฐ c . followed by the addition of 600 ml ethyl acetate at 40 - 45 ยฐ c . 600 ml water is charged and the organic layer is collected . solvent is removed under vacuum when a solid mass is seen . this solid is purified by using isopropanol and methanol . purity 99 . 69 % with 0 . 047 % of desfluoro impurity , difluoro almost nil and o - alkylated impurity to be 0 . 1 % with yield of 73 %. the mixture containing 88 ml t - butyl alcohol and 29 g of the formula iii is cooled to 10 - 15 ยฐ c . potassium carbonate 27 g is charged into the above contents keeping the temperature 10 - 15 ยฐ c . a solution of 36 gm of formula ii in 35 ml t - butyl alcohol is then added slowly in 2 - 3 hrs keeping temperature at 10 - 15 ยฐ c . temperature is allowed to reach at 25 - 30 ยฐ c . temperature is further raised to 40 - 45 ยฐ c . and then maintained for 8 - 10 hrs with simultaneous monitoring on hplc . after hplc complies , t - butanol is removed under vacuum keeping temp below 55 ยฐ c . followed by the addition of 175 ml ethyl acetate at 40 - 45 ยฐ c . 175 ml water is charged and the organic layer is collected . solvent is removed under vacuum when a solid mass is seen . this solid is then purified by using isopropanol and methanol . resulting purity found to be 99 . 5 % with 0 . 042 % of desfluoro impurity , difluoro almost nil and o - alkylated impurity to be 0 . 12 % with yield of 35 g . the mixture containing 300 ml methanol and 100 g of the formula iii is cooled to 10 - 15 ยฐ c . potassium carbonate 94 g is charged into the above contents keeping the temperature 10 - 15 ยฐ c . a solution of 128 gm of formula ii in 125 ml methanol is then added slowly in 2 - 3 hrs keeping temperature at 10 - 15 ยฐ c . temperature is allowed to reach at 25 - 30 ยฐ c . temperature is further raised to 40 - 45 ยฐ c . and then maintained for 8 hrs with simultaneous monitoring on hplc . hplc revealed the progress of the reaction to be 39 %, unreacted compound of formula iii to be 46 . 0 % and o - alkylated impurity to be 7 . 9 %. looking at the unreacted starting material of formula iii , compound 11 is further added and reaction is pursued but it results in enhancing the o - alkylated impurity . the mixture containing 300 ml acetone and 100 g of the formula iii is cooled to 10 - 15 ยฐ c . potassium carbonate 94 g is charged into the above contents keeping the temperature 10 - 15 ยฐ c . a solution of 128 gm of formula ii in 125 ml acetone is then added slowly in 2 - 3 hrs keeping temperature at 10 - 15 ยฐ c . temperature is allowed to reach at 25 - 30 ยฐ c . temperature is further raised to 40 - 45 ยฐ c . and then maintained for 8 hrs with simultaneous monitoring on hplc . hplc revealed the progress of the reaction to be 65 %, unreacted compound of formula iii to be 10 . 0 %, 8 . 1 % of formula ii and o - alkylated impurity to be 14 . 7 %. looking at the unreacted starting material reaction is pursued but it results in enhancing the o - alkylated impurity . 58 g ( 4r - cis )- 1 , 1 - dimethylethyl - 6 -( 2 - aminomethyl )- 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxane - 4 - acetate is charged with 480 ml of cyclohexane at rt followed by the addition of 84 g of dkt iii and 12 g of pivalic acid at rt . the reaction mass is heated to reach at 78 ยฐ c . and water is removed azeotropically . reaction is maintained for 62 hrs and is monitored . after the completion , reaction mass is quenched with sodium bicarbonate solution . organic layer separated is washed thoroughly till it is free from acidity . cyclohexane from the organic layer is recovered under vacuum . residue so obtained is dissolved in isopropanol and product is isolated by the addition of water at 30 - 35 ยฐ c . product is further purified from isopropanol . 40 . 0 g ( 4r - cis )- 1 , 1 - dimethylethyl - 6 -{ 2 [ 2 - fluorophenyl )- 5 -( 1 - methylethyl )- 3 - phenyl - 4 -[( phenylamino ) carbonyl ]- 1h - pyrrol - 1 - yl ]}- 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxane - 4 - acetate is taken into 641 ml methanol . heat the contents to 45 - 50 ยฐ c . till it gives a clear solution . add 10 . 0 g at 20 - 26 ยฐ c . of hydrochloric acid . reaction is maintained for 6 hrs ., reaction is monitored on hplc . after complete conversion it is added with solution of 7 . 0 g naoh dissolved in 65 ml water at 23 - 26 ยฐ c . till the ph of 12 - 12 . 5 is reached . contents are slowly heated to reach at 35 - 40 ยฐ c . and then maintained for 6 hrs . completion of the reaction is followed by concentration of reaction mass under vacuum . concentrated mass thus obtained is diluted with aqueous methanol and extracted with methyl tert butyl ether at 30 - 32 ยฐ c . aqueous layer is collected and given the washing with mixture containing n - hexane and cyclohexane ( 1 : 1v / v ). ph of aqueous layer is adjusted to 8 . 2 - 8 . 4 using sodium hydroxide solution at 30 - 32 ยฐ c . finally calcium acetate 6 . 0 g dissolved in 194 ml water is added to aqueous at 47 - 50 ยฐ c . till turbidity is observed . contents are further heated till salt is precipitated . product is filtered off and dried . reaction mixture containing 100 g methyl isobutyryl acetate and 100 ml of pyridine is heated at temperature of 110 - 115 ยฐ c . 77 . 5 g aniline is added slowly in about two hrs keeping reaction mass at 110 - 115 ยฐ c . for 12 hrs . completion of the reaction is monitored by tlc . mixture of pyridine and methanol is distilled out at 85 - 90 ยฐ c . under reduced pressure . contents are cooled to 35 - 40 ยฐ c . and water is added followed by ph adjustment to 1 - 1 . 5 . mass is cooled further to 10 - 20 ยฐ c . and product is filtered off . wet cake obtained as 125 - 150 g ( moisture content 20 %, assay 98 . 5 % by hplc ). product is further dried to get 138 g product . | 0 |
a related application ( ser . no . 11 / 308 , 886 ), the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference , has been filed for examining a more sudden and transient impact of events &# 39 ; coverage in the media and subsequent movements of stock prices ( or other financial instruments ) triggered by the coverage . stocks of companies can trade well outside the range of analysts &# 39 ; target prices , which is known as โ spread โ. the disclosed methodology concerns that spread ; understanding , explaining , modeling and forecasting the component of the spread that is due to media - driven investor / seller confidence impact . the method uses historical analysis of the spread against coterminous media coverage , combining statistical analysis and human expertise to discover , weight , model and then predict the influential factors . securities analysts and investors employ quantitative valuation models of financial instruments to forecast . examples of such financial instruments are stocks , bonds , commodities , currencies as well as derivative structures thereof such as a hedge on the volatility of a composite index . important parameters of the financial instruments themselves may be ( but are not limited to ): stock / instrument trading ( or target fair market ) price , trading volume , volatility , yield curves and similar parameters . embodiments of the disclosed method besides valuation models determine the on - going influence of media coverage on the confidence of investors and other key stakeholders in a specific business , its leaders , products and trading prices of the related financial instruments . business in this context can be an individual company or a whole industry , and the same approach may also be used for other economic entities and their related financial instruments such as commodities , currencies , and government bonds . these influences of media coverage are termed in this document as confidence subjects and can fall into the following subject areas , ( which is for illustration purposes and is not meant to be exhaustive ): reputation of company leaders , such as ceo , cfo key products and factors such as quality , pricing , innovation corporate and industry specific issues such as corporate social responsibility ( csr ), transparency , activities and pricing in developing world . reporting financial items such as earnings / revenues , large contract wins confidence subjects can be subjects , related to public perception of a business , that influence the fiscal performance of the business . a business can include commodities , bonds , currencies or other financial instruments or institutions , the fiscal performance of which can be influenced by public perception . to make these confidence subjects amenable to a numerical approach , the entity under investigation or financial instrument of interest receives a real - numbered value or score s i ฮต ( where the sign of the value indicates a positive or negative rating ). the scores can be computed for certain time intervals and therefore a media trend over time can be observed . the score s i is typically computed with such media trend characteristics to be captured in quantitative terms , such as volume of articles published per day , the weight of the articles themselves ( to account for prominence ) and the publications in which the articles are published , the tonality of the articles . tonality is a parameter to capture the sentiment expressed in the media , for example in determining if an article on a particular issue as positive or negative from the perspective of the subject company . in order to apply tonality in the disclosed system methodology , it can be cast into quantitative terms . a hypothetical media trend can be the reputation and media coverage of a ceo of a company increasing markedly ( and as a consequence of the company becoming more popular the spread between fair value derived with financial fundamental analysis and trading price of the company stock is widening ). the score values making up media trends in the confidence subjects can be correlated against movements in the parameters of related financial instruments , such as stock price or volatility . ( 1 ) training : compiling correlation reference material from historical data ( fig1 ) data collection and preparation ( block 101 ) categorization of confidence subjects ( block 102 ) population of confidence subjects ( block 103 ) modeling the influence of confidence subjects on financial instruments ( block 104 ) evaluation of the modeling results and refining the model to enhance the precision ( block 105 ) ( 2 ) outputting values : prediction using correlations for analysis of current variance between stock price targets and market prices ( fig2 ) evaluate media coverage according to confidence subjects ( block 201 ) retrieve financial parameters of affected financial instrument ( s ) ( block 202 ) model execution : compile trends in confidence subject coverage and associated indications on spread ( block 203 ) retrospective analysis of the results and refinement of model ( block 204 ) an exemplary embodiment of the invention is described herein in the context of a company in the pharmaceutical industry . the exemplary methodology can predict a difference ( delta ) between a share price and an analysts &# 39 ; opinion of fair value based on present media coverage . for the purpose of illustration we can consider the needs of a fictitious pharmaceutical company , drugco , listed on the london stock exchange . a new ceo has been appointed replacing one who had presided over a period of underperformance driven by doubts over the research pipeline for new drug development and concerns over drugs whose patents are to expire in the near future . because of the nature of long lead times in the industry , the research pipeline is a key fundamental driver of fair share value . therefore โ other than financial manipulation or takeover activity โ stock price performance can only be improved short term , for example , by driving more effective communications around existing brands and products , company policy , and / or quality of management . table 1 presents the media coverage evaluation for each of the confidence subjects a - h related to a specific financial instrument of interest , which could be a stock , bond corporation or business . each of the impact values i i ( where i is an index for a - h ) is derived by summing the articles ( a j ) for a given period on the subject multiplied by their tonality and further multiplied by a corresponding prominence factor ( explained in more detail below ). each of the impact values is summed and an overall impact value i is determined by summing i i . the overall impact value i can be used as a multiplier against present share price to determine the impact or share price . the column โ change โ is a value representing the percentage change in value for each of the subjects in the two months , for example , march and april . the prediction of the impact i i performed by multiplying the change values c i for each of the confidence subjects by selected coefficients r i . the impact equation is i i = c i r i where the index i stands for a particular confidence subject a - h , c i represents the change values , r i are the coefficients ( which are derived in the training process . the coefficients ( r i ) expressing this relationship may be , but are not limited to , correlation coefficients , covariance coefficients , or path coefficients as determined by the statistical method employed . i i in an impact value which represents the impact of the particular confidence subject change to the share price delta . the final change in share price , in this example , is derived by summing the impacts on all of the confidence subjects ฯi i ( in the example presented in table 1 . a delta in share price against fair value determined by multiplying the summed impact values by the reset target value of โ 3 . 37 % is predicted ). the equation ฯi i = ฯฯฮด ( t i , j a i , j p i , j ) r i , where ฮด is the change in value of the term in parentheses over two points in time , t i , j is the tonality of an article j about confidence subject i , multiplied with an article weighting factor ( prominence ) a i , j , multiplied by a weighting factor p i , j of the publication source , r i is the coefficient for confidence subject i , and i i is the resulting impact on financial instrument for each confidence subject i . this equation is the same that is used to train the model . after comparing this outcome to the actual share price retrospectively ( either in ongoing operation or during testing with historical media and financial data ) the impact coefficients i i in the model are refined . for instance , to provide more context of how the approach can be used not only for financial transactions alone but also by the companies themselves , the example could be part of the wider activities of drugco to assess the performance of companies ( in its industry and beyond ) that have had new ceo &# 39 ; s and the messaging related to quality of management and especially the ceo him / herself that has been associated both with dramatic and surprising share price movements ; benchmarks drugco against its peer group over a considerable period with respect to media communications to establish if there are any legacy issues , positive or negative ; map out a ceo - led media communications plan to conduct a series of โ what if โ analyses to help test optimum messaging , frequency and media i . e . the combination most likely to move share price . details of the exemplary training process given in fig1 will now be described with respect to fig3 - 9 . an example using media coverage for three companies x , y , and z from the pharmaceutical industry has been monitored will be described . for the confidence subjects ( a - h ) under consideration in this example , the values for three consecutive months have been recorded . table 2 shows the percentage changes for the values of the confidence subjects ( a - h ) for the three monitored companies , table 3 shows the measured absolute values from which the changes in table 2 were derived . using structural equation modeling ( sem ) techniques , the model presented in fig3 has been derived . software sem applications such as eqs , lisrel or mplus can be used for establishing or training the model . the impact coefficients given in the corresponding column in table 1 are calculated from the model . it is important to note that the model , the actual confidence subjects , the impact coefficients and the prediction process are not limited to the ones presented in the examples . they can be obtained in various ways by the analysis of the historical media coverage for the corresponding industry , size of companies and zeitgeist . fig4 shows an embodiment of how one could narrow down the universe of companies to those that will form part of the training set . the top half shows a set of media coverage ( volume / type of publication ) and financial ( p / e ratios , volatility ) selection criteria , and the bottom half shows a list of candidate companies matching those criteria . while the processes described herein may be carried out manually , the preferred embodiment consists of a computer system such as depicted in fig5 . the system may comprise one or more workstations having a computer - readable medium embodied with a program for executing the disclosed method on which users enter certain data and instructions , typically via specially designed graphical user interfaces ( gui ) which can also display the results of the analysis . the data input is analyzed and the result is output , typically again in form of graphical output on a display of the workstation . the workstation can be connected with a central server that co - ordinates the various requests coming from the workstations and controls the running of the database ( or grid systems of multiple databases ). the databases can store historical data and results of the analysis , which can be updated . the same or a connected different server can be used to gather and transform the data received from the various service providers , typically through the internet . data collection and preparation of element 101 of fig1 can be implemented via the exemplary fig6 , which depicts the steps to gather media coverage and historical data regarding business subjects for training and for specific financial instruments of interests : there are various aspects to the task of data preparation , such as data gathering , storage & amp ; indexing , cleansing , and enrichment . these tasks are typically carried out by a computer system with features such as follows : data gathering can include retrieving media and financial data ( 601 and 602 , respectively ) from different providers . examples of such providers are reuters or thomson , but also specialists such as shadowtv who provide computer - searchable transcripts of tv broadcasts . an example of an embodiment of the gathering process is as follows : a human being specifies in a graphical user interface ( gui ) on the workstation the details of desired data sets , such as date ranges and companies . the workstation communicates this data to a server computer system . the server transforms the user entry to send an http request via the internet to the service provider , where the url used in the http request contains the query details such as the date ranges and desired objects . the service provider responds with delivering ( also via http through the internet ) an xml or comma separated value ( csv ) file ( the news or financial feed ). data storage & amp ; indexing ( 603 ) can include parsing the retrieved information and storing it in a structured way such as a computer database . the computer database can be either linked by a computer network to or is part of the computer system that gathered the data . the database can ensure by its design the connection between various data sub - sets organized in tables . for reasons set out in the description of the data processing in the latter section of this document , it can be beneficial to store and index articles according to such data elements as article title , the publication it appeared in , the date of publication , as well as a summary or article โ snippet โ or in any desired fashion . data cleansing ( 604 ) includes removing or adjusting parameter values that would hinder the correct subsequent processing of the data for a desired application . an example of a part of the cleansing is to properly account for stock splits and dividend payments . stock splits in particular are typically in a 2 to 1 or even higher ratio that could , if not accounted for , heavily skew analysis because of the drastic change in stock price on the day of the split . data enrichment ( 605 ) includes adding data elements that were not included in the data feed of the service providers . for example in an embodiment , the publications are identified in the news feed by name , but their distribution volume , geographical location of main readership , type of publication such as general daily newspaper or specialist weekly trade magazine are added to the database manually if unavailable . such a categorization allows for classifying and weighting the importance of articles by publication . a further example is the calculation of the present fair market value of a financial instrument based on analysts &# 39 ; 12 month target prices : npv =( t a + d )/( 1 + r e ) where npv = implied today &# 39 ; s net present value , t a = analyst 12 month target , d = dividends that are expected to be paid out in this interval , r e = expected return rate accommodating risk , which in turn can be calculated , using , for example , the known capital asset pricing model to discount for a firm - specific risk , as r e = ฮฑ + ฮฒ ( r m โ ฮฑ ), where ฮฒ =โ beta โ for a firm , r m = expected return rate of the market portfolio , ฮฑ = risk - free rate of return . data gathering also includes identifying a parameter value of a plurality of financial instruments that have a large spread between the fair value of the plurality of financial instruments estimated by financial analysts and the actual parameter value of the plurality of financial instruments at a particular time within the validity of the estimate . exemplary details regarding the categorization of confidence subjects in block 102 in fig1 , is shown in fig7 can include filtering to identify companies , commodities or currencies that have , over periods of time , had a spread exceeding a threshold between the market / trading price of the financial instrument and the analysts &# 39 ; price targets / fair value estimations of the financial instrument ( 701 ). the spread threshold can be predetermined by the user . given the available historical data of press coverage , the relevant media coverage about companies , commodities , or currencies is identified ( 702 ). a set of confidence subjects are proposed that make up a โ chart of accounts โ by analyzing the coverage ( 703 ). this โ chart of accounts โ can have confidence subjects such as those shown in table 2 , although other company , commodity or currency - specific confidence subjects can be monitored and characterized . the confidence subjects identified in the past media coverage are related to the historic parameters , such as past financial reporting , pricing , profit margins and the like . the confidence subjects for a particular company can be made up of general subjects in common with all companies ( such as reputation on company leaders ), industry specific subjects such as particular regulations , and / or firm - specific subjects which are unique to the company . population of confidence subject values ( 103 in fig1 ) can be performed for each of the confidence subjects by characterizing the first media coverage ( when training a model , or by characterizing present media coverage when using the model for a specific financial instrument of interest . the confidence subject values can be determined by analyzing the tonality and prominence factors of the media coverage with respect to the identified confidence subject . a โ score card โ of positive , negative , and neutral articles for a specific time period can be made . the score cards can include the volume of articles where the confidence subject is mentioned alongside an evaluation of the tonality ( an exemplary embodiment can use the scale โ 2 , โ 1 , 0 , 1 , 2 ). tonality is a subjective review of the media coverage , where a score of โ 2 is very negative , a 0 score is neutral , and a + 2 is very positive . these volume and tonality values can be weighted by the importance of the news source , for example the prominence of the article ( currently a factor of 2 , for example , for front page and less as the article moves back or where the related story appears in a television news broadcast ), and a scale of , for example , 1 - 10 for the reach of the newspaper ( for example with highest to financial times and wall street journal , lowest to local press ) and circulation . the overall value or score for a particular confidence subject can be the sum of all articles ( indexed i ) over a given period of time s i = ฯt i a i p i , where t i is the tonality of an article , multiplied with an article weighting factor ( prominence ) multiplied by a weighting factor of the publication source p i . the values s i is derived in such a way so the scorecards can be compared to a scorecard of a competitor and with the results of prior time intervals . an example of such scorecards making up the above mentioned chart of accounts is shown in table 1 and table 3 . the identification of the confidence subjects may be carried out by a media analyst or alternatively / additionally by computer - aided mechanisms , such as self - organizing maps ( som ), single - layer rectangular - shaped neural networks with unsupervised learning ) and linguistic rule - based approaches applying contextual grammar rules for subject recognition . fig8 shows an exemplary embodiment of a user interface for supporting the identification and evaluation of confidence subjects . the top half contains two curves over time : the stock price and the volume of articles for that particular company . the bottom half shows , on the right , the text of a particular article , and on the left , a small table of confidence subjects , on which the media analyst can populate the confidence subject values ( or โ n / a โ if that subject is not mentioned in the article ). practical experience has shown that for companies with small market capitalization , the media volume is within a range that every article can be analyzed . for large companies this can be impractical , and a selected sub - sample can be used and the results extrapolated . exemplary details regarding the modeling the influence of confidence subject as shown in block 104 of fig1 is shown in fig9 and can be performed by extracting the coefficients between confidence subjects ( in the example , changes c i on score values s i ) and the identified spread between trading prices and coterminous analyst target ( forecasted ) prices . analysis ( correlation , covariance , or any other type of statistical analysis ) between media trend characteristics and financial instrument parameters movements is performed in block 901 . based on the extracted coefficient values that indicate a high degree of correlation and statistical significance , a model of how the confidence subjects and their media coverage influence the price movement of the financial instrument ( in our example the values r i ) is built or refined in block 902 . the fields of psychometric and econometric modeling have provided known research on the actual details of an analytical extraction of coefficients ( r i ), and modeling cause and effects , for example , via factor analysis or structural equation models ( sem ) that can contain exogenous , endogenous , observed , and latent variables . alternatively , more numerically driven approaches can be performed using multilayered feed - forward neural networks ( or similar ) with supervised learning ( back - propagation , simulated annealing , genetic algorithm , and others ). the overall methodology for quantitative indication of the influence of certain confidence subjects to financial instrument value movements described herein is not limited to one specific choice of analysis correlation or covariance , for example . in block 903 , the model is tested against historical data that has not been used in the building of the model at 902 . a decision in sub - process 904 determines whether the model is deemed to fit the data sufficiently well ( if so , the process modeling ( 104 ) is complete ), or whether any discrepancies in the fit are sufficiently large as to warrant a further refinement of the model 902 . the existing embodiment of the invention currently does not include an automated feedback loop 904 to 901 whereby insights gained during testing are automatically adjusting the coefficients in the model . one possible approach to characterize a past or present media trend can be to use the following equation : ฯ i i = ฯฯฮด ( t i , j a i , j p i , j ) r i where ฮด is the change in value of the term in parentheses over two points in time , t i , j is the tonality of an article j about confidence subject i , multiplied with an article weighting factor ( prominence ) a i , j , multiplied by a weighting factor of the publication source p i , j , r i is the coefficient for confidence subject i and i i the resulting impact on financial instrument for confidence subject i . the methodology presented in this document here is not limited the use of the above equation , other forms , in particular non - linear differential equations , may also be used . when the latest trained model is used , the characterization of the present media trend is used to update the trained model . a user can continue to train a model by periodically , such as daily , characterizing media trends and inputting parameters related to financial instruments . this will provide specific media trend confidence subject data to the trained model related to the specific financial instrument of interest , or provide an analysis of the present media trend based on the characterized past media trends in the trained model . an exemplary embodiment of the invention uses a monthly change of stock prices movements vs . monthly average of analyst expectations ( even though the latter may not be shifting that frequently and other time intervals can be chosen ). a certain time span is required in order to achieve a statistically significant volume of press coverage and therefore meaningful values for the individual confidence factors . fig2 depicts an exemplary prediction process where the media evaluation 201 includes the extraction of the confidence subject values ( media trend characteristics ) described earlier in the section โ training process โ. along with the financial parameters 202 , one can use these values as inputs to calculate 203 ( also shown earlier in the example ) a confidence - driven influence on the stock price of the company in question or other financial parameter . an underlying assumption that media coverage can influence investor confidence significantly represents a valuable additional component to the existing factors in securities valuation models . in particular , the above mentioned coefficients can be used to correlate the media coverage factors with the spread between the mean analyst target stock price and the trading price for the same trading period . therefore , parameters of a specific financial instrument of interest can be input into the trained model , as well as data developed to a characterize present media trend related to the specific financial instrument or entity . a resulting output value is determined by performing an analysis of the data characterizing the present media trend and the parameters of the specific financial instrument using the trained model . the output result can be values correspond to parameters of the specific financial instrument or entity , such as predicted fair market value , or values corresponding to the characterization of the present media trend , such as market confidence in the performance of a ceo . the output result can be an overall impact value that is calculated using an equation : ฯi i = ฯฯฮด ( t i , j a i , j p i , j ) r i , where ฮด is a change in value of the term in parentheses over two points in time , t i , j is a tonality of an article j about confidence subject i , multiplied with an article weighting factor ( prominence ) a i , j , multiplied by a weighting factor p i , j of the publication source , r i is a coefficient for confidence subject i , and a resulting impact on financial instrument for confidence subject i . note that this is the same equation that is used to characterize a media trend . the methodology presented in this document here is not limited the use of the above equation , other forms , in particular non - linear differential equations , may also be used . as a prediction , the result can be a value corresponding to the parameters of the specific financial instrument , or a value corresponding to the characterization of the present media trend . for example , the overall impact value ฯi i can be normalized for use in determining the effect of the present media trend on the confidence subject ceo reputation from table 1 - 3 above . alternatively , the financial instrument fair market share price value can be multiplied by the overall impact value ฯi i and the percentage taken to determine the percentage decrease ( as in table 1 ) or increase in fair market share price value . the outputted result can be an input value into another financial model used to determine whether the specific financial instrument should be bought or sold . of course , the parameters of different financial instruments can be input into the system to determine the effect of the present media coverage based on the output values has on each of the different financial instruments . the output result values for each of the different financial instruments can be compared , and further analyzed . due to the quantifiable correlation of company - relevant issues discussed in the media with the aforementioned spread , it is possible to make visible the media influence on confidence , to serve as an indicator . it can be used as input into public relation strategies , such as media campaigns , investor relations , government relations , political campaigns and the like , or communication practices , such as advertising decisions , word usage in communications , and the like . companies and other entities can take more proactive and targeted measures to positively influence their confidence subject scores on the chart of accounts , and , by consequence , their stock price . of value here will also be easily derivable industry and company confidence volatility indices , which could inform the investment community and the companies themselves of their contextual reputation stability ( i . e . how much present media coverage will affect financial instruments or investor confidence in the reputation of the company ). an exemplary embodiment can include an automated feedback loop whereby insights gained during regular operations are used for automatically adjusting the coefficients ( 204 in fig2 ). studies in particular in the field of neural networks have described various approaches of implementing an automated feedback loop . it should be understood that the above only illustrates examples whereby the present invention , as defined by the appended claims , may be carried out , and that various modifications , and / or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims . | 6 |
the monomers methylmethacrylate ( mma ) ( 98 %) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate ( egdma ) ( 99 %) were purified by successive washing with 10 % w / w sodium hydroxide ( naoh ) solution to remove the free radical inhibitor . the inhibitor - free monomers were washed in distilled and deionized water to remove the naoh . the residual water in the monomers were removed by adding a small amount of magnesium sulfate ( mgso 4 ). after 12 - 15 hours , the monomers were filtered out . the monomers bisphenol - a , ( epon โข- 829 ), commercially available from shell chemical co ., and tetraethylene pentamine were used as is . the solvents , methylisobutylketone ( mibk ) and toluene were reagent grade . the non - solvents , butanol , methanol and heptane were also reagent grade . freon - 22 , carbon dioxide ( co 2 ) and propane were used as received without further purification . benzoylperoxide ( bpo ), reagent grade , and tertbutylperoxy pivalate ( tbpp ) ( 75 %) in mineral spirits were used as initiators for the methacrylates . the methacrylate polymerizations were free - radical polymerizations . these reactions involve three steps , initiation , propagation and termination . the initiation step yields a reactive species which is a free radical . this free radical then propagates by reacting with the monomers and later terminates to produce the polymer . in free radical polymerizations , high molecular weight polymer is formed immediately and the molecular weight of the polymer is relatively unchanged during the polymerization although the overall percent conversion of monomer to polymer increases with reaction time . therefore , the early stages of the polymerization consist of dilute solutions of very long chains dissolved in a monomer and diluent mixture . this stage of polymerization is distinctly different from a condensation polymerization where the entire solution polymerizes at the same rate and the solution consists of a large number of short oligomeric chains . in this application , the following set of abbreviations will be employed : ______________________________________mma methyl methacrylatepmma polymethyl methacrylateegdma ethyleneglycol dimethacrylatemibk methylisobutyl ketonetbpp tert - butylperoxy pivalatebpo benzoyl peroxidetp tetraethylpentamine______________________________________ a schematic representation of the copolymerization of mma with difunctional egdma is provided below . an additional complexity of the copolymer methacrylate system is the substantial crosslinking via the addition of ethylene glycoldimethacrylate ( egdma ). it has been shown that the density of the final product decreases monotonically as the percentage egdma increases to 40 wt %. ## str1 ## the epoxy polymerizations , by contrast , are condensation polymerizations . in the instant case , this indicates that the polymerizations occur by reaction of the epoxide with the amine , with sufficient activation energy ( i . e . temperature ) to subsequently react . this type of polymerization , tends to be slower and more uniform in conversion than free radical mechanisms . in rudimentary schematic form , one example of this type of condensation polymerization may be characterized as : ## str2 ## since the polymerizations are carried out in dilute solutions , the time for complete polymerization and complete crosslinking is longer than for free - radical polymerization , and the solution chemistry , ( i . e . phase behavior ), is significantly different . the long chains from the free radical polymerization tend to precipitate out of solution before extensive intermolecular crosslinking , simply due to size . the formation of polymeric sols in the epoxy systems , on the other hand , is closely related to the degree of crosslinking . mma and egdma are copolymerized in a diluent and cured at about 50 ยฐ- 75 ยฐ c . as used in this application , diluent is intended to mean a solvent which has a relatively strong interaction with the polymer and non - solvent means a diluent which has a weak interaction . strong solvents are capable of completely dissolving the monomer and non - crosslinked polymer . they are also capable of swelling the crosslinked polymer , often to remarkably large proportions depending on the strength of the interaction and degree of crosslinking . strong non - solvents cannot dissolve or swell the polymer and function to promote phase separation of the polymer from solution . toluene is an example of an acceptable diluent . the ratio of mma / egdma should be between 20 : 1 to 1 : 1 with 3 : 2 being near optimal . the ratio of diluent / monomer should be between 10 : 1 to 1 : 3 , where monomer refers here to both mma and egdma . after maintaining the solution at constant temperature between 50 ยฐ- 75 ยฐ c . for 24 - 48 hours , gelation takes place . the sample is removed from the oven and allowed to cool to room temperature . after cooling , the sample is placed in a high - pressure reactor which is cooled to 10 ยฐ- 15 ยฐ c . and filled with liquid carbon dioxide or other near - critical liquid . after 4 - 8 hours , the high - pressure reactor is vented enough to remove some of the liquid contents , but not so much as to expose the polymeric material to vapor . the reactor is then refilled with near - critical liquid . this process is repeated several times until the diluent in the polymer has been totally removed and replaced by near - critical liquid . the high - pressure reactor and its contents are then raised to a supercritical temperature ( 45 ยฐ c . for carbon dioxide is sufficient ) while maintaining the pressure well above the critical pressure . after holding the reactor and its contents at those conditions for 30 - 60 minutes , the vapors are vented until the pressure drops to ambient pressure and the reactor is opened and polymeric product collected . specifically , 0 . 005 g of bpo or 0 . 005 ml tbpp were used . the polymerization was performed at 60 ยฐ c . in an 11 ml glass ampule provided with a screw cap . the volume of mma + egdma was 5 ml . the ratio of monomer to solvents was 1 : 1 . the polymerization was allowed to proceed to about five times the half - life period of the initiators . the half - life of bpo is 10 h at 73 ยฐ c . and for tbpp is 10 h at 55 ยฐ c . after polymerization , the samples were cooled back to room temperature . the glass ampule was then carefully broken and the samples removed . the samples were swollen in toluene for 24 h . the degree of swelling gave a measure of crosslinking in the polymer . the polymers were then ready for washing and supercritical drying . for washing , the gels were placed in a high pressure reactor . the air trapped in the reactor was slowly removed by opening the exit valve and simultaneously filling the reactor with liquefied carbon dioxide at 900 psi and 8 ยฐ c . the temperature of the reactor was controlled to within ยฑ 4 ยฐ c . the gels were kept immersed in liquefied carbon dioxide by opening the exit valve . in this way , the sample was always immersed in liquid co 2 . thus , the diluents in the pores of the gel were replaced by co 2 . five flushes were conducted in 24 h to complete the washing phase . at the end of this phase , the inlet and outlet valves of the pressure reactor were closed and the temperature of the water bath raised to 45 ยฐ c . the critical point of co 2 is 1 , 100 psi at 31 ยฐ c . during heating , care was taken to insure that the pressure did not go beyond 1 , 500 psi . the co 2 was released at pressures greater than 1 , 200 psi . after 6 h , the reactor was brought to atmospheric pressure isothermally at 45 ยฐ c . the apparatus was then cooled and the samples removed . the results for various copolymer microcellular materials are found in tables i - iv . the ratios of solvent / non - solvent as well as the choice of solvents and non - solvents used are summarized in columns 2 - 3 . the density of the copolymer microcellular foams prepared by subsequent air drying of the product are tabulated in column 4 . the corresponding densities of the same material , which has been dried under supercritical conditions is listed in column 5 for comparative purposes . table i______________________________________ drying super - egdma toluene butanol air critical ( ml ) ( ml ) ( ml ) ( g cm . sup .- 3 ) ( g cm . sup .- 3 ) ______________________________________1 5 0 1 . 15 0 . 961 . 5 5 0 0 . 91 0 . 752 5 0 0 . 80 0 . 641 . 5 4 1 0 . 87 0 . 791 . 5 2 3 0 . 98 0 . 801 . 5 1 4 0 . 78 0 . 69______________________________________ table ii______________________________________ drying super - egdma toluene methanol air critical ( ml ) ( ml ) ( ml ) ( g cm . sup .- 3 ) ( g cm . sup .- 3 ) ______________________________________1 1 4 1 . 11 0 . 831 . 5 2 3 0 . 93 0 . 79______________________________________ table iii______________________________________ drying super - egdma toluene heptane air critical ( ml ) ( ml ) ( ml ) ( g cm . sup .- 3 ) ( g cm . sup .- 3 ) ______________________________________1 0 5 0 . 58 0 . 551 . 5 4 1 0 . 68 0 . 651 . 5 3 2 0 . 57 0 . 572 4 1 0 . 64 0 . 612 2 3 0 . 57 0 . 56______________________________________ table iv______________________________________ drying super - egdma mibk butanol air critical ( ml ) ( ml ) ( ml ) ( g cm . sup .- 3 ) ( g cm . sup .- 3 ) ______________________________________1 5 0 0 . 86 0 . 801 4 1 1 . 12 0 . 841 3 2 1 . 11 0 . 831 2 3 1 . 05 0 . 831 . 5 4 1 0 . 83 0 . 701 . 5 3 2 0 . 81 0 . 721 . 5 2 3 0 . 77 0 . 692 4 1 0 . 75 0 . 672 3 2 0 . 74 0 . 682 2 3 0 . 76 0 . 66______________________________________ the data obtained from the experiments indicates that supercritical drying results in about a 15 % reduction in density relative to air drying . methyl isobutyl ketone ( mibk ) is not as effective as toluene in decreasing the density and pore size . increasing the amount of egdma generally decreases the density of the final material . in cases where egdma was not included , the materials almost always collapsed . neither butanol nor methanol had a significant advantage in decreasing the density . among the non - solvents , heptane gave the lowest density . as seen in fig1 and 2 , scanning electron micrographs show a bead - like structure . the magnitude of the void space between beads depends on the type of solvent / non - solvent combination . additionally , sem photographs reveal that the pores are interconnected rather than closed - celled and that the pores are small and relatively uniform . when heptane was used as the non - solvent , the samples did not show any improvement on supercritical drying ( i . e ., the densities of the samples were nearly the same irrespective of the method of drying employed ). the sem micrographs of the samples that used heptane showed macrocellular structure and the average cell size was an order of magnitude higher than that obtained when the other non - solvents were used . this is clearly seen in fig1 which is a typical sem micrograph for the heptane runs . the cell size is greater than 10 ฮผm . fig2 shows another typical sem micrograph for the case where only toluene was used . the smallest cells obtained for the mma + egdma system were 1 ฮผm . there is a distinct difference in the cell structure for the two cases . it appears to seem that supercritical fluid ( scf ) percolates through the interconnected pores and the lack of a discrete phase change helps reduce capillary forces in the pores , thus preserving the polymer network . the high diffusivity of the scf solvent facilitates solvent removal . pore size is dependent on the affinity between the polymer and solvent used . larger pores are formed when the affinity goes down . while not wishing to be bound by theory , it is believed that this is due to easier phase separation . the affinity between polymer and solvent can be estimated using the flory interaction parameter and hildebrand solubility parameter . as the solubility parameter goes down , the pores become larger . this is probably the reason for the macrocellular bead - like structure obtained in the case of heptane . it should be noted that the pore size did not increase when the solvent &# 39 ; s solubility parameter was significantly larger than that of the polymer . naturally , this discussion assumes that the final structure is primarily controlled by the nature of the equilibrium phase diagram . because of the long times involved in the solvent replacement and subsequent drying , it is believed that the kinetics do not determine the structure of the microcellular product . for the toluene runs , the density decreased with an increase in amount of crosslinker used . it was observed that the best results were obtained when egdma represented 40 % of the monomeric liquid . when a higher percentage of egdma was used , the material cracked extensively during polymerization . roughly a 30 % reduction was possible at 40 % egdma . the benefit of supercritical drying was another 15 % reduction in density . the use of non - solvents in the diluent did not lead to any significant advantage . direct polymerizations in near - critical solvents to synthesize microcellular foams were also performed . as used in this application , a near - critical solvent is one that has a critical temperature low enough that it can be exceeded in the supercritical fluid drying process without damaging the substrate foam . in this way , the polymerization , washing , and drying was converted into a polymerization and drying process in a single reactor . previous attempts to apply a similar process to resorcinol - formaldehyde aerogels resulted in substantial changes to the polymer product . polymerization in supercritical fluids is a relatively recent field . the polymers which have been obtained have generally been variants on the original high pressure polyethylene process or the polymers have been of relatively low molecular weight ( 4 , 000 or less ). as for crosslinking during polymerization , this has apparently led to precipitation of the polymer from the supercritical fluid phase . the experiments were performed with mma as the monomer and egdma as the crosslinker and either freon - 22 or propane as the supercritical solvent . the monomer / solvent ratio was fixed at 1 : 1 , but the ratio of monomer / crosslinker was varied . tbpp was used as the initiator . the initiator concentration was 0 . 1 % of the monomer weight in all experiments . therefore , 0 . 005 ml of tbpp was used in all experiments . the reaction temperature was 70 ยฐ c . and 1 , 000 psig . this is below the critical temperature and above the critical pressure of either solvent and provides an optimum level of free radicals to the system . the critical temperatures and pressures of the solvents are given in table v . examples of other supercritical solvents which could be used are diethyl ether , methyl chloride , trimethylamine , chloropentafloroacetone , perfluoro acetone , ethyl chloride , ethyl fluoride , methyl formate , and acetaldehyde . in fact , almost any solvent with a relatively low critical temperature (& lt ; 200 ยฐ c .) is a candidate . the pertinent restriction which is applied to the solvent is that it be within its supercritical range in the phase diagram during the drying stage . it is not essential that the solvent be in this region of the phase diagram during the polymerization . table v______________________________________solvent t . sub . c ( k ) p . sub . c ( mpa ) t . sub . b ( k ) ______________________________________propane 369 . 8 4 . 25 231 . 1freon - 22 369 . 8 4 . 97 232 . 4______________________________________ the polymerization time was set at five times the half - life period of the initiator . the half - life of tbpp at 70 ยฐ c . is 100 minutes . the time was set to ensure that the reaction went to high conversions . consequently , the polymerization was allowed to proceed for about 8 hours before the conditions were changed for the drying step . each experiment could be divided into two stages ; ( a ) polymerization stage , and ( b ) drying stage . the polymerization was performed at 70 ยฐ c . and 1 , 000 psig . at these conditions , the diluents could be classified as near - critical liquids . the pure and dry monomers and initiator were loaded into the pressure reactor and the diluent added later . after loading the monomers , the high pressure reactor was cooled to a temperature below the boiling point of the solvent at atmospheric pressure using dry the boiling points of freon - 22 and propane are - 40 . 8 ยฐ c . and - 42 . 1 ยฐ respectively . a measured amount of the solvent which was previously collected as a liquid in a beaker was then added to the monomer mixture . a plug was installed into the end cap of the pressure reactor and immediately tightened to seal that end of the apparatus . the reactor was then placed in an oven and connected to the high pressure generator through a quick connect . the reactants were then pressurized to 1 , 000 psig quickly and held constant as the temperature increased to 70 ยฐ c . the polymerization was allowed to proceed for about 8 hours at about 70 ยฐ c . before heating it up for the drying step . the temperature of the system was then raised to 100 ยฐ c . at the constant pressure of 1 , 000 psig . this temperature is above the critical temperature of either solvent and below the glass transition temperature of polymethyl methacrylate which is 105 ยฐ c . although the crosslinked material had different thermal properties from pmma , the glass transition temperature of pmma was regarded as safe with respect to undesirable side effects . pmma is known to depolymerize at high temperatures . the condition were maintained at 100 ยฐ c . and 1 , 000 psig for about 6 hours . the pressure was then gradually reduced to atmospheric pressure at a temperature of 100 ยฐ c ., by backing out the piston of the high pressure generator . the polymer was then removed after cooling the apparatus to room temperature . the results of the experiments are summarized in table vi . table vi______________________________________sample % egdma diluent density______________________________________1 10 freon 0 . 9102 20 freon 0 . 6463 30 freon 0 . 5084 40 freon 0 . 4085 60 freon 0 . 4706 80 freon 0 . 5967 90 freon 18 10 propane 0 . 3789 20 propane 0 . 70010 30 propane 0 . 75311 40 propane 1 . 01712 60 propane 1 . 200______________________________________ as seen from table vi and fig3 - 4 , the morphology of polymers prepared in propane ( fig3 ) is different from the morphology of equivalent polymers prepared in freon - 22 ( fig4 ). in each case , the structure of the polymer prepared in the more polar freon is smaller than the structure of the polymer prepared in non - polar propane . unexpectedly , increasing crosslinking does not always lead to a lower density . as shown in table vi , increased crosslinking leads to lower density in the freon systems up to 40 wt % egdma , but higher densities result at 60 wt % and 80 wt % egdma . a similar trend is evident in the propane systems , but the minimum density appears at only 10 wt % egdma . while not wishing to be bound by theory , it is speculated that higher crosslinking leads to earlier phase separation and &# 34 ; squeezing &# 34 ; diluent out of the polymer phase . the resulting polymer would then be relatively dense because it never solubilizes enough diluent to permit a density reduction when drying . an advantage of the supercritical fluid process is that conditions and concentrations can be adjusted in order to tailor the morphology to a specific application . the major benefit of supercritical fluid processing is that the entire reaction can occur in one reactor . while the above discussion has focused on the methacrylate system , the procedure is general , and with minor variations , can be applied to other systems . in extending this procedure to other co - polymerization systems , it is envisioned that other supercritical fluids may be needed to be employed as solvents , and the need may arise , where it is critical to incorporate non - solvents into the polymerization , such as was described previously . the epoxy system is especially complex because the epoxy monomer , bisphenol - a ( epon - 829 resin ) and tetraethylene pentamine curing agent are chemically very different and their solubilities are different in different solvents . therefore , the choice of an optimum solvent and non - solvent is very important . an important factor considered for the selection of diluent mixture was the solubility parameter of the epoxy and that of the diluent mixture . the solubility parameters of the epoxy and diluents are given in table vii . table vii______________________________________ solubility solubilitycompound parameter compound parameter______________________________________epoxy 9 . 17 butanol 11 . 40toluene 8 . 90 toluene / butanol 10 . 15 ( 50 / 50 ) mibk 8 . 58 mibk / butanol 9 . 99 ( 50 / 50 ) ______________________________________ as shown in the table , the solubility parameters of the diluent mixtures that resulted in the lowest density foam were close to that of the epoxy . a number of other solvent / non - solvent mixtures with similar solubility parameters were tried , but in all cases , either a precipitate or a dense , hard gel was formed . butanol was found to be the most important non - solvent , not just because of its role in phase separation , but because of its role as a catalyst to the crosslinking reaction of the epoxy . since the crosslinking reaction was carried out in very dilute solution , the rate of crosslinking was very slow . the catalytic effect of butanol increased the rate of crosslinking such that a network of high molecular weight was formed before the polymer could phase separate out , and a foam was obtained . ethanol and propanol , which can also act as catalysts , were tried as non - solvents , but were too strong . the rate of phase separation was faster than the rate of crosslinking and a precipitate formed . these observations suggest that the porous structure is formed only if the rate of crosslinking and the rate of phase separation are balanced . the most important factor in determining the morphology of the product is the time of phase separation , which depends on the degree of crosslinking . the phase separation of the crosslinked polymer occurs either by macrosyneresis ( deswelling of the gel ) or by microsyneresis ( formation of a dispersion of the separated diluent and the gel phases ). microsyneresis prevails in lightly crosslinked gels , with slow relaxation times , while deswelling is dominant in highly crosslinked gels . although the dispersed phase is unstable initially , it gradually becomes fixed through subsequent gel crosslinking . in several experiments , a combination of macro - and micro - syneresis occurs , and depending on the prevailing method of phase separation , two different kinds of morphologies were obtained . these morphologies are shown in fig5 . the beaded morphology was obtained , when microsyneresis took place , whereas the bigger cellular morphology was obtained , when deswelling took place . the diluent must be a relatively strong solvent for the polymer and soluble in the comonomer solution . one key to the process is adjusting the ratio of hydrogen bonding in the diluent to obtain the highest possible dilution ratio for which viable products can be synthesized . the ratio of bisphenol - a / tp should be between 10 : 1 to 1 : 1 , with 7 : 1 being near optimal . the ratio of diluent / monomer should be between 9 : 1 and 3 : 1 , where monomer refers to both bisphenol - a and tp . no initiator is added because the polymerization begins immediately upon combination of the epoxy solution with the tp solution . after maintaining the solution at constant temperature between 40 ยฐ- 50 ยฐ c . for 5 - 7 days , gelation takes place , and crosslinking becomes extensive . depending on the choice of diluent , the removal of diluent is near critical , or by exchanging the diluent for a suitable near critical solvent with subsequent supercritical drying . supercritical drying is effected by holding the reactor containing the polymer samples and near - critical diluent at a pressure of roughly two times the critical while raising the temperature from subcritical to about 5 - 10 % above the critical temperature . after holding the reactor and its contents at those conditions for some time , 30 - 60 minutes , the vapors are vented until the pressure drops to ambient pressure and the reactor is opened and the polymeric product is collected . the product is a low - density polymer which appears to be smooth and uniform , even it is comprised of cross - linked polymer with void spaces of about 0 . 1 ฮผm in diameter . scanning electron micrographs reveal that the pores are interconnected instead of being closed - celled and that the pores are small and relatively uniform . the results of a series of experimental runs are summarized in table viii . the densities , and porosities when available , are given for a number of solvent / non - solvent diluent systems . table viii______________________________________monomersam - initial poro - ple conc . density sity toluene buoh mibk______________________________________101 10 . 0 0 . 20 0 . 83 40 % 60 % 102 12 . 5 0 . 27 0 . 78 40 % 60 % 103 15 . 0 0 . 32 0 . 73 40 % 60 % 104 17 . 5 0 . 39 0 . 68 40 % 60 % 105 20 . 0 0 . 44 0 . 63 40 % 60 % 106 22 . 5 0 . 50 0 . 58 40 % 60 % 107 25 . 0 0 . 55 0 . 54 40 % 60 % 108 10 . 0 0 . 19 0 . 83 50 % 50 % 109 12 . 5 0 . 29 0 . 75 50 % 50 % 110 15 . 0 0 . 39 0 . 66 50 % 50 % 111 17 . 5 0 . 48 0 . 58 50 % 50 % 112 20 . 0 0 . 54 0 . 53 50 % 50 % 51 10 . 0 0 . 16 0 . 86 50 % 50 % 52 15 . 0 0 . 23 0 . 80 50 % 50 % 53 20 . 0 0 . 33 0 . 71 50 % 50 % 54 25 . 0 0 . 43 0 . 63 50 % 50 % 55 30 . 0 0 . 54 0 . 53 50 % 50 % 56 40 . 0 0 . 72 0 . 37 50 % 50 % ______________________________________ the variation of the density of the foams with different variables is shown in table viii . the density of the foam increases with an increase in the polymer concentration , since the solids content increases . the density shows a linear variation with the initial concentration for foams with all different solvents . comparison of the densities with the same initial concentration , but different composition of solvent / non - solvents is shown in fig6 . as shown in the figure , the density is higher with a lower non - solvent content . the time of phase separation is delayed with a lower non - solvent content , the phase separation takes place at a higher degree of crosslinking , and hence , for the same initial concentration , the density is higher . the morphology of these foams was determined using scanning electron microscope . the sem &# 39 ; s of the foams are shown in fig7 ( a - c ). the microcellular foams show the beaded morphology , with a bead size less than 1 ฮผm . the foam has an interconnected structure . the holes in fig7 b are the solvent droplets that phase separated , but could not diffuse out of the gel . this morphology was obtained at high epoxy concentrations . in general , it is observed that the structure is more beaded with higher non - solvent diluent , which also explains lower density . a striking feature about all these morphologies is that , although the porosity and the density of the foams vary with dilution ratio and the diluent mixture composition , the size of the beads or the pores is almost in the same region of 0 . 1 ฮผm . it is believed that changes in the morphology can only be developed by making changes in the chemistry of the system . while the foregoing discussion has been limited to two component ( i . e . copolymer ) systems , it is envisioned that the process and synthetic steps described would be applicable to homopolymers with at least two reactive sites . it is essential that one of the reactive sites effect the polymerization reaction and that a second reactive site be capable of effecting the crosslinking reaction . in this way , it is possible to synthesize a rigid microcellular foam from a homopolymer solution . in order to maximize the synthetic potential of the present technique , it is critical to elucidate the mechanism of the formation of the microporous structure , as it is formed in - situ . previous scanning electron micrographs clearly indicate that the microcellular foams are comprised of tiny beads of polymer from 0 . 01 - 1 . 0 ฮผm in diameter . to control the morphology , it is important to know whether the beads are formed during the polymerization or during the drying stage . dynamic light scattering is ideal for studying this phenomenon . mma and egdma were used as the comonomers in this study . freon - 22 was used as the diluent . tbpp was used as the free radical initiator . to prepare a typical reaction mixture , mma and egdma were added to a 40 ml high pressure reactor in the proportions of 12 ml of mma and 8 ml of egdma . 20 ฮผl of tbpp were added and the high - pressure reactor attached to tubing with an open - shut valve . the reactor and contents were cooled in ice and connected to a supply of freon - 22 kept at room temperature . the freon valves were opened and freon allowed to condense into the bomb for 10 - 20 minutes . the valves were closed , the freon tank disconnected and the high - pressure reactor and its contents refrigerated until use . to charge the high pressure light scattering cell , the high - pressure reactor was raised to room temperature and the scattering cell was cooled to 5 ยฐ c . the high pressure light scattering cell was similar to conventional light scattering cells except that it was made of 3 / 4 &# 34 ; pyrex and the bottom was open to a mercury resevoir that permitted regulation of the pressure . the height of mercury in the cell was adjusted to keep reactive solution out of the cell &# 39 ; s mercury reservoir while keeping the mercury well below the light path . the high - pressure reactor was inverted and connected to the scattering cell and the monomer plus diluent solution was allowed to condense into the cell for 10 - 20 minutes . valves were sealed and capped and the pressure was adjusted to about 400 psig at room temperature . the temperature in the cell was raised to the designated value by heating tape . time - resolved scattering intensities were measured at 90 ยฐ angle using a thorn - emi photomultiplier tube and a brookhaven instruments amplifier / discriminator integral with the phototube housing . the data was analyzed using a brookhaven instruments corporation bi - 2030at correlator using brookhaven instruments nnls fitting software to estimate the particle size distribution as a function of reaction time . dynamic light scattering detects the presence and diffusion coefficients of disperse inhomogeneities in a bulk fluid . typically , diffusion coefficients can be measured for dispersions ranging in size from 1 nm - 10 ฮผm . in general , without being constrained to any particular theory , it is believed that there are at least three possible mechanisms by which monomer solution may evolve into a macroscopic bulk microporous material . first , the system may consist of steadily growing primary particles which grow until they fill the entire solution . the particle size histograms of such a system would show a broad polydisperse population of particles with the peak slowly moving to higher sizes . second , the system could grow in stages whereby small particles are generated , then flocculated into large particles that are eventually too big to grow , then a new population of small particles evolves and begins to flocculate . the particle size distributions in this case would appear as waves of particles size peaks when considered as a function of time . a third possibility would be that the primary particles grow to a certain size then stop growing until the concentration of particles becomes so great that the particles percolate at a gelation point and convert from disperse sols to the macroscopic material in a very short time . in this case , very monodisperse populations of the largest , but still small , particles , would be expected . however , the scattering count would change as more scatterers evolve until the solution gels . table ix summarizes the light scattering data for the methacrylate free radical polymerization . the reactions were terminated at the times indicated above columns 2 - 4 . table x summarizes the light scattering data for the condensation polymerization . as with the previous table , the reactions were terminated at the times indicated above columns 2 - 5 . table ix______________________________________mma + egdma free - radical polymerizationparticle population density % relative todiameter most populous particle size ( nm ) 30 min . 42 min . 43 min . ______________________________________1 . 0 60 0 01 . 5 100 0 02 . 0 60 0 02 . 5 0 0 03 . 0 0 66 03 . 5 0 100 04 . 0 0 66 06 . 0 0 0 07 . 0 0 0 010 . 0 0 17 013 - 14 . 0 0 34 3916 - 18 . 0 0 43 7921 - 22 . 0 0 34 10024 - 27 . 0 0 17 7932 - 34 . 0 0 0 3942 . 0 0 0 056 . 0 0 0 0______________________________________ table x______________________________________bisphenol - a + tp condensation polymerizationparticle population density % relative todiameter most populous particle size ( nm ) 1 . 0 hr . 1 . 5 hr . 3 . 5 hr . 5 . 0 hr . ______________________________________1 . 0 70 71 74 01 . 3 100 100 100 01 . 7 70 71 74 02 . 0 0 0 29 02 . 5 0 0 0 03 . 0 0 0 0 03 . 5 0 0 0 04 . 0 0 16 0 04 . 5 0 38 0 05 . 0 0 50 0 05 . 5 0 38 0 06 . 0 0 0 0 07 . 0 0 0 0 09 . 0 0 0 0 6710 . 0 0 0 16 10011 . 0 0 0 21 6712 . 0 0 0 16 013 . 0 0 0 6 015 . 0 0 0 0 0______________________________________ as is evident from table ix , the most plausible scenario for free radical polymerization is the third scenario described above . the initial appearance of the particles at ห 1 nm probably corresponds to the polymer backbone . the peak at 3 nm probably corresponds to assemblies which have been minimally crosslinked . the peak at ห 22 nm corresponds to the final beads of polymer which make up the polymer matrix of the polymer foam . the significance of this data lies in the observation that the primary particles are very small , and that they do not flocculate , but rather percolate at gelation . there probably is some transition in particle size , but there is not a large enough population of these intermediate size particles to show up in the scattering measurement . table x indicates a similar mechanism for the condensation polymerization , but the primary particles are much smaller . this all appears to indicate that certain particle sizes are more favored than others , and that the polymerization occurs by rapidly populating these favored sizes until three - dimensional connectivity occurs ( percolation ). this indicates that these same particles are preserved in the macroscopic material even through the supercritical drying process . thus , the drying process would appear to have little adverse impact on the morphology of the macroscopic material . this light scattering data can be cross - referenced with data on the total intensity and gelation times for the epoxy polymerizations . fig8 ( a ) shows a polymerization where gelation occurs before a large number of primary particles have been generated . the intensity tracks the concentration of primary particles whereas viscosity tracks gelation . fig8 ( b ) shows a case where gelation occurs shortly after the creation of a large number of primary particles . the polymer in fig8 ( a ) is a hard dense gel , whereas the polymer in fig8 ( b ) is a microcellular foam . as shown in the phase diagram given in fig9 when the concentration of solvent or monomer is too high , a hard dense gel is formed . additionally , when the concentration of non - solvent is too high , a precipitate is formed . when the combination is falls within the appropriate region , a microcellular foam is formed . with this chemistry , it is now possible to describe a methodology for producing a microcellular foam , and conditions which will optimize the chemistry and resultant foam morphology . the first step is to devise a chemistry which generates primary particles which are small , because the size of these primary particles controls the limit of the ultimate pore size . secondly , a solvent environment must be generated which causes these primary particles to separate just before gelation initiates . if the separation occurs too soon , a precipitate will form , and if separation occurs too late , a hard , dense gel will form . it is critical that the solvent environment be strong enough to swell the primary particles to as great an extent as possible after they have separated into their inhomogeneous regions in solution . while in accordance with the patent statutes , a best mode and preferred embodiment have been described in detail , the invention is not limited thereto , rather the invention is measured by the scope of the attached claims . | 2 |
referring to fig1 - 3 , there is shown a side , front and rear view , respectively , of a hernia model 10 according to the present invention . the hernia model 10 includes an anatomical portion 12 supported by a frame 14 . as seen most clearly in fig1 , the substantially planar anatomical portion 12 is maintained in a curved configuration such that the major part of the anatomical portion 12 is substantially c - shaped forming a half or open generally cylindrical configuration . the concavity formed inside the c - shaped disposition of the anatomical portion 12 advantageously simulates an insufflated space between an artificial muscular abdominal wall generally located at the top of the c shape and the simulated peritoneum 18 generally located at the bottom of the c shape . the simulated muscular abdominal wall forms approximately the top half or more than the top half of the c - shaped curve ; whereas , the bottom half or less than the bottom half of the c - shaped curve is formed by the simulated peritoneum 18 . the open clamshell - like configuration advantageously provides a realistic surgical approach to repairing a hernia when viewed by the user from the front of the hernia model 10 as in fig2 . the frame or stand 14 divides the hernia model 10 into an upper portion and a lower portion . the lower portion constitutes approximately one - third of the entire height of the hernia model 10 and simulates the abdominal cavity beneath the peritoneum . the lower portion contains that part of the anatomical portion 12 such as the simulated bowel that protrudes through the simulated peritoneum 18 and through the simulated muscular abdominal wall . the upper portion contains the anatomical portion 12 . fig1 - 3 illustrate a simulated bowel residing in the lower portion and extending upwardly through an opening in the peritoneum 18 into the concavity of the upper portion . the simulated bowel crosses the concavity of the insufflated space and exits through an opening in the muscular abdominal wall to simulate a hernia . one or more exit openings in the simulated muscular abdominal wall of the anatomical portion 12 is provided to simulate the possible spaces in the abdominal wall for the hernia to pass through . generally , there are three spaces through which a hernia may pass . these spaces are the direct space , the indirect space and the femoral space . if all three openings are provided in the hernia model , the distal end of simulated bowel is inserted into any one of the exit openings for practicing hernia repair through any of the three spaces . the surgeon practices approaching the simulated insufflated space of the hernia model 10 from the front , either from below the peritoneum or above the peritoneum for practicing tapp or tep , respectively . the surgeon visualizes the insufflated space , practices carefully dissecting simulated fascia layers , identifying a variety of visual anatomical markers , navigating around them to approach the bowel , resecting the hernia and placing mesh to patch and close any spaces . the anatomical portion 12 of the hernia model 10 will now be described in detail with reference to fig4 - 8 . turning to fig4 , there is shown a top view of an anatomical portion 12 of the hernia model 10 . the anatomical portion 12 is a substantially planar object having varying thickness and materials . the anatomical portion 12 includes a simulated muscular abdominal wall portion 16 interconnected in substantially the same plane to a simulated peritoneum portion 18 . aside from the relatively thicker abdominal wall portion 16 relative to the peritoneum portion 18 , both the abdominal wall portion 16 and peritoneum portion 18 are substantially coplanar . in human anatomy , the layers of the abdominal wall are from superficial to deep : 1 ) skin , 2 ) fascia , 3 ) muscle , which includes the rectus abdominis , external oblique muscle , internal oblique muscle and transverse abdominal muscle , 4 ) fascia transversalis , and 5 ) peritoneum . these abdominal layers are sandwiched or layered above each other to form part of the abdominal wall portion 16 . in the present invention , one or more layers representing muscle are positioned substantially coplanar with or otherwise adjacent to the simulated peritoneum portion . in this arrangement , the top side ( anterior facing surface ) of the simulated peritoneum 18 is substantially coplanar or adjacent to the bottom side ( posterior facing surface ) of the simulated muscular abdominal wall portion 16 such that when the substantially planar anatomical portion 12 is curved into a c - shape configuration the bottom side of the simulated muscular abdominal wall portion 16 faces and is spaced apart from the top side of the simulated peritoneum 18 . the interior portion of the c - shaped structure simulates an insufflated space . in real surgery , the insufflated space is created by inserting a trocar between the muscle layer and peritoneum and delivering fluid such as carbon dioxide gas under pressure from the proximal end of the trocar to the distal end of the trocar to spread apart the muscle layer from the peritoneum to create a working space . the simulated insufflation cavity of the present invention is the concavity of the c - shaped orientation which is approximately 5 inches in height and approximately 10 inches in length . as can be seen in fig4 , the simulated muscular abdominal wall portion 16 is approximately 8 inches long and approximately 7 . 5 inches wide and is adjacent to the simulated peritoneum 18 which is approximately 3 inches long and approximately 7 . 5 inches wide . when formed into a clamshell configuration , the simulated muscular abdominal wall portion 16 is disposed at the top of the hernia model 10 and follows the c - shaped curve down beyond the halfway mark of the c - shape . the simulated peritoneum 18 is disposed at the bottom of the c - shape and curves upwardly approximately a third of the way along the c - shape when the anatomical portion 12 is formed into a clamshell . overall , the substantially planar anatomical portion 12 is approximately 7 . 4 inches wide and approximately 11 inches long . the anatomical portion 12 further includes a simulated fascia layer 20 located on the inner surface of the anatomical portion 12 . the simulated fascia layer 20 is a thin layer that is partially translucent and draped over the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 . the simulated fascia layer 20 is glued with adhesive in one or more locations and generally does not extend to completely over the simulated peritoneum 18 when laid flat as shown in fig4 . the simulated peritoneum 18 includes an opening 22 simulating the location of a ruptured peritoneum through which a simulated bowel 24 protrudes above the inner or top surface of the peritoneum 18 . the simulated bowel 24 is part of the anatomical portion 12 although it is loosely connected thereto such that the simulated bowel 24 may be moved , pulled and pushed through the opening 22 and other spaces . turning to fig5 , there is shown a top view of the anatomical portion 12 with the simulated fascia layer 20 uncovering the underlying simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 . various anatomical structures are provided on the surface of the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 . these landmarks include but are not limited to cooper &# 39 ; s ligament 72 , vas deferens 88 , external iliac vessels 74 , 76 , spermatic vessels 78 , 80 , nerves 90 , and iliopubic tract 86 arranged as labeled in fig5 . a piece of hard plastic ( not shown ) may also be embedded to simulate a femoral bone . in addition to opening 22 in the simulated peritoneum 18 , one or more additional openings are formed through the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 . these additional openings define exit openings or spaces through which the bowel protrudes in a hernia . in fig5 , a first opening 26 and a second opening 28 are formed through the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 to simulate the direct space and indirect space , respectively . fig6 illustrates the first and second openings 26 , 28 more clearly . also visible in both fig5 and 6 is the curved intersection between the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 and the simulated peritoneum 18 . the simulated bowel 24 is passed through the opening 22 in the simulated peritoneum 18 such that the distal end resides above the inner surface and at least a portion of the simulated bowel 24 is above the top surface of the peritoneum 18 . the distal end of the simulated bowel 24 is then passed into either of the first opening 26 or second opening 28 to simulate a hernia located in the direct or indirect space , respectively . in fig4 , the simulated bowel 24 is shown passed into the second opening 28 representing the indirect space . the hernia model 10 simulates a portion of the anatomy lateral to the midline 45 of a patient . turning now to fig7 and 8 , there is shown a perspective and bottom view of the outer surface of the anatomical portion 12 . the anatomical portion 12 is built upon a layer of flexible wire mesh 30 such as chicken wire . the wire mesh material 30 is made of thin , flexible galvanized steel wire crisscrossing to form small square or other - shaped windows . the outer surface of the wire mesh layer 30 is covered with a first layer of silicone 32 which is glued to the wire mesh layer 30 . the inner surface of the wire mesh layer 30 is covered with a second layer of silicone 34 sandwiching the wire mesh layer 30 between the first and second layers of silicone 32 , 34 forming the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 at one end of the anatomical portion 12 . at the other end of the anatomical portion 12 , the inner surface of the wire mesh 30 is covered with a yellow foam layer 36 forming the simulated peritoneum 18 . the yellow foam layer 36 that is approximately 1 / 16 of an inch thick is adhered to inner surface of the mesh layer with adhesive with the outer edges of the yellow foam layer 36 being wrapped over the outer edges of the mesh layer 30 . the yellow foam layer 36 forms the finished inner surface of one end of the anatomical portion 12 . the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 comprising the first and second silicone layers 32 , 34 and wire mesh layer 30 is approximately 0 . 75 inches thick . the same wire mesh layer or frame 30 extends throughout the anatomical portion 12 defining the general plane of the anatomical portion 12 . the simulated peritoneum 18 is substantially thinner than the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 although still generally coplanar and adjacent to the simulated abdominal wall 16 . the thick simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 permits the surgeon to tack surgical mesh to the abdominal wall to practice patching the hernia . with reference back to fig5 - 6 , the inner surface of the second silicone layer 34 is populated with a variety of anatomical landmarks as mentioned above . the second silicone layer 34 is textured and additional silicone layers may be employed above the second layer 34 to complete the anatomical geography . the tubular simulated vessels and nerves are made of silicone and have diameters of approximately 0 . 185 inches . the simulated cooper &# 39 ; s ligament 72 , iliopubic tract 86 and vas deferens 88 are also made of silicone and have diameters of approximately 0 . 25 inches . the thick external iliac vessels 74 , 76 are made of silicone and have a diameter of approximately 0 . 25 - 0 . 375 inches . these tubular structures are made by pouring uncured silicone into straw like tubes and removed them after they solidify . the simulated bowel 24 is made from a thin layer of pink - colored silicone . the silicone comprising the iliopubic tract 86 , cooper &# 39 ; s ligament 72 and vas deferens 88 is colored white , the nerves are colored yellow , the external iliac vein 74 and spermatic vein 78 are blue , the external iliac artery 76 and the spermatic artery 80 are red and the remaining vessels are red or pink . turning now to fig9 , there is shown a perspective view of a frame 14 configured to hold the anatomical portion 12 of the hernia model 10 according to the present invention . the frame 14 includes a rectangular lower frame portion 38 and an upper frame receiving portion 40 . the lower frame portion 38 is configured to house excess simulated bowel 24 that is simulated to reside below the peritoneum . the lower frame portion 38 includes a base and two or more upwardly extending side walls to form a rectangular container with a top wall . at least one opening is provided , for example via an open side , into the lower frame portion 38 . the upper frame portion 40 is configured to receive the anatomical portion 12 and retain the anatomical portion 12 in a clamshell or c - shaped orientation . as such , the upper frame portion 40 includes a c - shaped receiving portion to receive and retain the anatomical portion in a c - shaped configuration . in fig9 , the c - shaped receiving portion is formed by two upwardly extending c - shaped claws or prongs 42 , 44 that are attached to a top wall of the lower frame portion 38 . any number of c - shaped prongs 42 , 44 including a wide singular prong may be employed to retain the anatomical portion 12 . the lower frame portion 14 is approximately 10 . 5 inches wide , approximately 4 inches deep and 3 . 5 inches tall . the c - shaped prongs 42 , 44 are approximately 6 inches in height and each have a concavity that is approximately 4 inches deep . as described above , the anatomical portion 12 is substantially planar and made of flexible silicone , flexible foam and flexible wire mesh . the wire mesh layer 30 advantageously imparts the anatomical portion 12 with a resiliency that permits the planar anatomical portion 12 to be bent into a substantially semi - cylindrical or c - shaped configuration and placed into the c - shaped receiving prong ( s ) of the frame 14 . the mesh layer 30 acts as a spring layer such that when the anatomical portion 12 is bent and inserted into the frame 14 , it exhibits a biasing force against the frame 14 advantageously keeping the anatomical portion 12 in position . removability of the anatomical portion 12 allows for interchangeability of the anatomical portion 12 after it has been used several times for replacement , repair , reconstruction and compact transport . when the anatomical portion 12 is removed from the frame 14 , the resilient mesh layer 30 aids in springing the anatomical portion 12 back to its substantially planar orientation . hence , the mesh spring layer advantageously keeps the silicone and foam layers 32 , 34 and 36 from collapsing onto itself while in the clam shape . although the hernia model 10 is described above to be comprised of an anatomical portion 12 that is separate from the frame 14 , one skilled in the art will recognize that , in an alternative variation , the hernia model 10 can be constructed such that the frame 14 and anatomical portion 12 is formed integrally as one piece . furthermore , although the hernia model 10 of the present invention may be used to practice hernia repair in a simulated open surgical procedure , the hernia model 10 is also advantageously configured for practicing laparoscopic hernia repair , in particular , employing the tep approach . as such , the hernia model 10 of the present invention is configured to function together with a specialized laparoscopic trainer which will now be discussed in detail . turning now to fig1 , there is shown a laparoscopic trainer 46 . the laparoscopic trainer 46 is described in co - pending u . s . patent application ser . no . 13 / 248 , 449 entitled โ portable laparoscopic trainer โ and filed on sep . 29 , 2011 by pravong et al . to applied medical resources corporation and published as u . s . patent publication no . 2012 / 0082970 , hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein . the laparoscopic trainer 46 includes a top cover 48 connected to a base 50 by a pair of legs 52 spacing the top cover 48 from the base 50 . the laparoscopic trainer 46 is configured to mimic the torso of a patient such as the abdominal region . the top cover 48 is representative of the anterior surface of the patient and the space between the top cover 48 and the base 50 is representative of an interior of the patient or body cavity where organs reside . the laparoscopic trainer 46 is a useful tool for teaching , practicing and demonstrating various surgical procedures and their related instruments in simulation of a patient . surgical instruments are inserted into the cavity through pre - established apertures 58 , 60 in the top cover 48 . these pre - established apertures may include seals that simulate trocars or may include simulated tissue 60 that simulates the patient &# 39 ; s skin and abdominal wall portions . various tools and techniques may be used to penetrate the top cover 48 to perform mock procedures on model organs placed between the top cover 48 and the base 50 such as the hernia model 10 . when placed inside the cavity of the trainer 46 , the hernia model 10 is generally obscured from the perspective of the user who can then practice performing surgical techniques laparoscopically by viewing the surgical site indirectly via a video feed displayed on a video monitor . a video display monitor 54 that is hinged to the top cover 48 is shown in a closed orientation in fig1 and in an open orientation in fig1 - 14 . the video monitor 54 is connectable to a variety of visual systems for delivering an image to the monitor 54 . for example , a laparoscope inserted through one of the pre - established apertures 58 , 60 or a webcam located in the cavity and used to observe the simulated procedure can be connected to the video monitor 54 and / or a mobile computing device to provide an image to the user . in another variation , the top cover 48 does not include a video display but includes means for supporting a laptop computer , a mobile digital device or tablet such as an ipad ยฎ and connecting it by wire or wirelessly to the trainer 46 . when assembled , the top cover 48 is positioned directly above the base 50 with the legs 52 located substantially at the periphery and interconnected between the top cover 48 and base 50 . the top cover 48 and base 50 are substantially the same shape and size and have substantially the same peripheral outline . although the trainer 46 has no sidewalls , the legs 52 partially obscure the internal cavity from view from an otherwise open - sided trainer 46 . the top cover 48 includes a first insert 56 removable and replaceable with respect to the top cover 48 , in particular , insertable into and removable from an opening formed in the top cover 48 . the first insert 56 includes a plurality of apertures 58 to serve as fixed insertion ports for a variety of instruments . the apertures 58 may include various seals . the first insert 56 also includes a tissue simulation region 60 for simulating the skin or several layers of tissue . in one embodiment , the tissue simulation region 60 is configured as a second insert provided within the first insert 56 . the second insert is removable and replaceable via snap - fit , friction fit or threaded engagement or other means with respect to the top cover 48 or with respect to the first insert 56 if provided . turning now to fig1 , the laparoscopic trainer 46 includes a top cover 48 that angulates with respect to the base 50 . the legs 52 are configured to permit the angle of the top cover 48 with respect to the base 50 to be adjusted . fig1 illustrates the trainer 46 adjusted to an angulation of approximately 30 - 45 degrees with respect to the base 50 and in another variation approximately 30 - 35 degrees . the angulation of the trainer 46 advantageously simulates a patient in a trendelenburg or reverse trendelenburg position . in the trendelenburg position the body is tilted such that it is laid flat on the back with the feet higher than the head or vice versa . the trendelenburg position allows better access to the pelvic organs as gravity pulls the intestines away from the pelvis to thereby prevent encroachment of the intestines upon the pelvic operating field to provide more working space inside the abdominal cavity in which the surgeon can more easily manipulate organs . the selected angulation of the top cover 48 is locked by tightening thumbscrews provided on the legs 52 . the angulation of the top cover 48 of the trainer 46 with respect to the base 50 is particularly advantageous with respect to accommodating the hernia model 10 of the present invention . with the top cover 48 angled as shown in fig1 , the hernia model 10 is inserted into the cavity of the trainer 46 and positioned between the top cover 48 and base 50 as shown in fig1 . the rear view of the trainer 46 with the hernia model 10 inserted is shown in fig1 . as described above , the anatomical portion 12 of the hernia model 10 is held in a c - shaped configuration in frame 14 such that the opening to the c - shape or opening to the clamshell is oriented approximately 90 degrees from the vertical . in other words , if the anatomical portion 12 is considered to be substantially u - shaped with the opening to the u facing upwardly , when the u is turned 90 degrees on its side , a substantially c - shaped configuration is created . with the hernia model 10 inserted into the trainer 46 , the opening of the c shape faces the front of the trainer 46 or , in other words , the opening or concavity of the c shape faces the top cover 48 . if the top cover 48 was not angled , the concavity of the c shape would not face the top cover 48 and , instead , the opening of the c shape would face the front side between the top cover 48 and the base 50 . the top cover 48 is angled such that the top cover 48 is positioned between the user and the hernia model 10 obscuring the opening of the c shape from the user . the direction of approach by the user is depicted in fig1 by the arrow 62 . it is substantially along this direction 62 that instruments will be inserted through the tissue simulation region 60 and apertures 58 in the top cover 48 to access the hernia model 10 . in one variation , the simulated fascia layer 20 is connected to the trainer 46 with clips ( not shown ) that are connected to the trainer 46 . the clips may be retractable and attached to the top cover 48 , base 50 , or legs 52 . when clipped with the clips , the simulated fascia layer 20 is suspended within the cavity of the trainer 46 between the top cover 48 and the base 50 such as from the top cover 48 . a gooseneck laparoscope holder 64 is provided on the trainer 46 to hold a scope ( not shown ). the scope is inserted into the trainer cavity via one of the apertures 58 or region 60 to capture video images of the obscured hernia model and display them to the user via the video monitor 54 . users practicing hernia repair will pass other instruments in addition to the scope into the cavity of the trainer to access the hernia model inside the trainer 46 . fig1 is a front view of the laparoscopic trainer 46 with the first insert 56 removed to provide a view of the hernia model 10 from the perspective of the user . the combination of the hernia model 10 and trainer 46 is particularly unique because it permits hernia repair training in a laparoscopic simulation . the hernia model 10 itself simulates an insufflation cavity formed between the muscular abdominal wall and the peritoneum via the c - shaped construct and without the need for any insufflation gas in the training simulation . this c - shaped construct is resiliently held in position by the reinforced metallic mesh layer 30 which provides support to the silicone tissue features attached thereto . the metallic mesh layer 30 and silicone layers 32 , 34 further provide a springy feel that is realistic to an abdominal wall distended outwardly by insufflation gas . the selected colors and materials employed in the anatomical portion 12 including the yellow foam for the peritoneum and the pink silicone and translucent fascia layer and bowel mimic a real live surgical situation . because the hernia model 10 includes an anatomical portion 12 that is angled 90 degrees , the resulting visual mimics the angles encountered in a real hernia repair situation . furthermore , the angled top cover 48 of the trainer 46 allows the tall hernia model 10 to be received with ease . also , the angled top cover 48 further mimics the outer anterior body of the patient with an insufflated abdominal region that is enlarged in the area of the hernia . the hernia model 10 combined with the angled trainer 46 provides a unique wedge - shaped approach to the target site of hernia repair via arrow 62 into a triangular or wedge - shaped cavity . this triangular shaped cavity is best seen in fig1 wherein one side of the triangle , generally the hypotenuse of the triangle , is formed by the top cover 48 . the base 50 of the trainer 46 forms the other side of the triangle that is substantially perpendicular to the hernia model 10 which forms the third side of the triangle . this triangle across the width of the trainer 46 defines a wedge - shaped cavity inside the trainer 46 . with the angle of the top cover 48 being less than 45 degrees , an elongated wedge is created having a confined approach following arrow 62 or narrow cavity near the front of the trainer 46 that expands towards the rear of the trainer 46 where the hernia model 10 is located . this wedge - shaped cavity provides for an extremely realistic , confined and challenging surgical approach for the surgeon to practice both tep and tapp hernia repairs . fig1 shows a view of the hernia model 10 as a surgeon practitioner would see in practice . the simulated fascia layer 20 is shown lifted by hand whereas , the surgeon practitioner would employ instruments to lift and dissect the simulated fascia layer 20 . fig1 illustrates a bowel portion 24 extending through the direct space 26 . fig1 illustrates a front view of the hernia model 10 with the simulated bowel portion 24 resected from the direct space 26 and still protruding through the opening 22 in the peritoneum 18 . turning now to fig1 - 21 , there is shown another variation of the hernia model 10 where like reference numbers will be used to describe like parts . the hernia model 10 is substantially similar to the one described above and is configured for both practicing both the tep and tapp approaches . the model 10 of fig1 - 21 has an inner surface and an outer surface and is also substantially c - shaped in which the inner surface is concave . a simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 is connected to a simulated pelvis 66 . the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 forms approximately the top half or more of the model 10 or c - shaped curve . instead of the bottom half or less than the bottom half of the c - shaped curve being formed by a simulated peritoneum as described above , it is formed by the simulated pelvis 66 . the pelvic base 66 is molded and is shown in the figures to represent approximately half of a human pelvis approximately lateral to the midline 45 of the anatomy to illustrate a right - sided hernia model 10 . the natural shape of the simulated pelvis 66 contributes to the curvature of the c - shape of the model 10 . the pelvic base 66 is connected to the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 which is made of foam material and reinforced and connected to the simulated pelvis 66 with wires 70 as can be seen in fig1 . the simulated pelvis 66 is covered with a first silicone layer 68 . the thin silicone layer 68 is not powdered and is cured after optionally being calendared over foam to impart the silicone layer 68 with at least one textured surface . the silicone layer 68 also covers the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 at the inner surface . the silicone layer 68 is adhered to both the simulated pelvis 66 and to the simulated muscular abdominal wall 16 with adhesive . the silicone layer 68 is formed around , conformingly applied and adhered to the contours of both the simulated pelvis 66 and the simulated abdominal wall 16 including the first opening 26 which simulates the direct space and the second opening 28 which simulates the indirect space through which a hernia may extend . the model 10 may also be provided with a third opening that would simulate a femoral space through which the hernia may extend . the first silicone layer 68 includes two holes that are aligned with the first and second openings 26 , 28 . a third opening is included in the first silicone layer 68 if a third opening is formed in the simulated abdominal wall 16 to simulate a femoral space . with particular reference to fig1 , a variety of anatomical structures or body tissue components are overlaid onto the first silicone layer 68 . included among them is a simulated cooper &# 39 ; s ligament 72 . the simulated cooper &# 39 ; s ligament 72 is made of a strip of silicone material that is white in color and overlaid onto the silicone layer 68 . a white tube 86 representing the iliopubic tract is laid over the silicone layer 68 . then a simulated external iliac vein 74 , simulated external iliac artery 76 , simulated spermatic vein 78 , simulated spermatic artery 80 are overlaid onto the silicone layer 68 and over the simulated iliopubic tract 86 . a simulated epigastric vein 82 and simulated epigastric artery 84 extend upwardly from the simulated external iliac vein 74 and simulated external iliac artery 76 , respectively , and are overlaid onto the silicone layer 68 . the model 10 includes a simulated vas deferens 88 made of translucent silicone and additional nerves 90 also made of silicone that are placed over the silicone layer 68 . the end of one or more of the simulated spermatic vein 78 , spermatic artery 80 and vas deferens 88 are placed inside the first opening 26 . a second silicone layer 92 is placed over the anatomical structures to sandwich them between the first silicone layer 68 and the second silicone layer 92 . the second silicone layer 92 includes two holes aligned with the two holes in the first silicone layer 68 and aligned with the first opening 26 and second opening 28 . the second silicone layer 92 includes a third hole in a variation that includes a third opening aligned with a third opening in the first silicone layer 68 and third opening in the simulated abdominal wall 16 for the femoral space : the second silicone layer 92 is wrapped around the model 10 as shown in fig2 and 21 and attached with adhesive to the first silicone layer 68 . the second silicone layer 92 may be selectively adhered along the edges such as to the back side of the model 10 and / or to the first silicone layer 92 between the anatomical landmarks and / or to the anatomical landmarks . in one variation , the second silicone layer 92 is attached to the spermatic vessels 78 , 80 and to the vas deferens 88 . the second silicone layer 92 is attached closely to the contours of the model 10 and the layer is formed through the first and second openings 26 , 28 as shown in fig1 - 18 . the second silicone layer 92 is translucent and thin and may include a textured outwardly - facing surface like the first silicone layer 68 . the layer 92 is unpowdered , clear , white or pink in color . the model 10 further includes a third layer 94 of silicone visible in fig2 and 21 . the third layer 94 is configured to simulate the peritoneum . the third layer 94 is also unpowdered , thin and red in color and may include a textured outer - facing surface formed by calendaring the uncured silicone between one or more foam surfaces . the third layer 94 is pushed through one of the first or second opening 26 , 28 or through the third opening that simulates the femoral space . in fig2 - 21 , the third layer 94 is shown with a portion of the third layer 94 pushed through the second opening 28 to simulate the appearance of a hernia extending through the indirect space . the third layer 94 is attached with adhesive to the rest of the model 10 . the third layer 94 is wrapped and glued around its edges to the backside of the model 10 as shown in fig2 . the third layer 94 may also be selectively adhered to portions of the underlying second silicone layer 92 . the first silicone layer 68 , second silicone layer 92 and third silicone layer 94 are all incisable with a blade and configured in thickness and tear strength to mimic real human tissue . with the model 10 assembled as described , it is then inserted into the laparoscopic trainer 46 with the trainer 46 top cover 48 being angled or not angled with respect to its base 50 or with respect to a table top . the model 10 is inserted into the trainer 46 such that the concavity of the c - shape is positioned facing the first insert 56 , apertures 58 , and / or tissue simulation region 60 such that instruments inserted through these locations may readily observe or approach the concavity of the c - shape . the user will practice incising the second silicone layer 92 from the spermatic vessels , 78 , 80 and vas deferens 88 . with the model 10 inserted into the trainer 48 , practitioners may practice resolving the hernia employing the tapp or tep procedures . for practicing tapp procedures , the trainer 46 includes clips and the third layer 94 or simulated peritoneum is clipped to the surgical training device . the top cover of the surgical trainer may be angled to form an inner acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane in order to simulate a trendelenburg positioning of the patient . the inner surface of the model faces the inner acute angle such that the inner surface of the model is approachable with instruments inserted into the internal cavity through the apertures 58 or penetrable simulated tissue region 60 . the hernia model 10 of the present invention is particularly suited for laparoscopic procedures ; however , the invention is not so limited and the hernia model of the present invention can be used in open surgical procedures equally effectively . it is understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments of the hernia model disclosed herein . therefore , the above description should not be construed as limiting , but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments . those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure . | 6 |
intravenous catheters are used to transport fluids , such as , medications , nutritional supplements , and blood to a patient &# 39 ; s blood stream . peripherally inserted central catheters ( picc ) are a type of intravenous catheters that are inserted into a vein within the patient &# 39 ; s right arm . generally , the picc is used for multiple intravenous treatments and once positioned within the patient body , a picc can be left in place up to about six months . in between treatments a clamp positioned on an external portion of the picc prevents leakage from the picc . [ 0022 ] fig1 shows an illustrative prior art picc 1 . the prior art picc 1 includes a catheter ( tubular member ) 2 , a hub 8 , and proximal tubing 18 . the catheter 2 is the portion of the picc 1 that is insertable into a patient &# 39 ; s body . the hub 8 and the proximal tubing 18 remain external to a patient &# 39 ; s body while the prior art picc 1 is in use . the catheter 2 extends between a distal end 4 to a proximal end 6 . the distal end 4 is open and is in fluid communication with a lumen extending within the catheter 2 . the proximal end 6 is also in fluid communication with the lumen and is secured to a hub 8 . the hub 8 includes a distal portion 10 and a proximal portion 12 . disposed between the distal portion 10 and proximal portion 12 are a pair of suture wings 14 that help to secure the hub 8 to the patient &# 39 ; s body via suture openings 16 . extending from the proximal portion 12 of the hub 8 is proximal tubing 18 . the proximal tubing 18 has a length long enough to support a clamp 20 and generally has a length ranging between about 3 . 81 centimeters ( 1 . 5 inches ) to about 15 . 24 centimeters ( 6 inches ). the clamp 20 when activated collapses a lumen extending through the proximal tubing 18 , thereby limiting leakage from the prior art picc 1 . at a proximal end 22 of the proximal tubing 18 is a luer end cap 24 . during medical treatments the lumen extending through the proximal tubing 18 is open and the luer end cap 24 is connected to a fluid introduction source , such as , for example , an intravenous bag , a cannula , or a syringe . referring to fig2 the prior art picc 1 is introduced into a patient &# 39 ; s body 30 through an entry site 34 located just above a bend in the patient &# 39 ; s right arm . other entry sites , such as , for example , the groin , neck , and back of the patient are also available sites to introduce the prior art picc 1 . a medical professional guides the distal tip 4 of the catheter 2 from the entry site 34 through the patient &# 39 ; s vein until the distal tip 4 is positioned within the right atrium of the patient &# 39 ; s heart 32 . the medical professional then secures the prior art picc 1 to the patient &# 39 ; s body via the hub 8 . once secured , the external portion of the picc 1 ( the hub 8 , proximal tubing 19 , clamp 20 , and luer end cap 24 ) extends about 5 . 08 centimeters ( 2 inches ) to about 20 . 32 centimeters ( 8 inches ) from the entry site 34 . one of the problems with the prior art picc 1 is that the proximal tubing 18 in combination with the clamp 20 and luer end cap 24 can be irritating to the patient &# 39 ; s skin . also , the length of the external portion ( about 2 inches to about 8 inches ) is awkward and inhibits the patient &# 39 ; s free movement . another problem with the prior art picc 1 is that the clamp 20 does not satisfactorily close the lumen extending through the proximal tubing 18 , resulting in leakage and infection at the entry site 34 . [ 0028 ] fig3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a picc 50 manufactured in accordance with the teachings of the present invention . the picc 50 includes a catheter ( distal tubing ) 52 and a valved hub 58 . the catheter 52 has an open distal end 54 , a proximal end 56 , and a lumen extending from the proximal end 56 to the open distal end 54 . attached to the proximal end 56 of the catheter is the valved hub 58 . when the picc 50 is in use , the valved hub 58 remains external to the patient &# 39 ; s body . referring to fig3 - 5 , the valved hub 58 includes a distal portion 60 , a proximal portion 62 , and a flexible , thin disk 70 including a slit 75 ( slit valve ). each of the distal and proximal portions 60 , 62 define a lumen extending therethrough . the proximal portion 62 can include a luer proximal end 68 for attaching the picc 50 to a fluid introduction source . disposed within the valved hub 58 between the distal and proximal portions 60 , 62 is the flexible , thin disk 70 including the slit 75 . the flexible , thin disk 70 with the slit 75 is used as a valve , which opens and closes depending on a pressure differential across the slit 75 . for example , if the pressure differential between the proximal portion 62 and the distal portion 60 is less than a threshold value , the slit 75 within the flexible , thin disk 70 will remain closed , thereby preventing liquid from leaking from the picc 50 . however , if the pressure differential across the flexible , thin disk 70 is greater than the threshold value , the slit 75 will open and fluid can be transported from the luer proximal end 68 to the distal tip 54 or alternatively , liquid can be transported from the distal tip 54 to the luer proximal end 68 . the flexible , thin disk 70 is positioned within the valved hub 58 , such that a portion the flexible , thin disk 70 is in contact with the proximal portion 62 and another portion of the flexible , thin disk 70 is in contact with the distal portion 60 of the valved hub 58 . in addition , when the flexible , thin disk 70 is positioned within the valved hub 58 , the slit 75 is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis l , 80 of the valved hub 58 . the flexible , thin disk 70 is typically made from silicone , but other biocompatible , flexible , elastomer materials can be used as well . the slit 75 , shown in fig5 is a latitudinal cut . however in other embodiments , not shown , the slit 75 can have other configurations , such as an โ h โ shape , or a sinusoidal shape . the valved hub 58 can also include a set of suture wings 64 extending off of the distal portion 60 . the suture wings 64 are used to secure the hub 58 to the patient &# 39 ; s body via suture openings 66 . specifically , the valved hub 58 can be secured by the use of an anchor including two vertical post spaced at a distance corresponding to the distance between the suture openings 66 . the anchor is attached to the patient &# 39 ; s skin via an adhesive pad . thus , when the posts of the anchor are inserted into the suture openings 66 the valved hub 58 is secured to the skin via the anchor and adhesive pad . [ 0034 ] fig6 shows the picc 50 after insertion into the patient &# 39 ; s body 30 . the picc 50 is inserted into a vein at the entry site 34 located on the patient &# 39 ; s right arm . when properly positioned , the distal end 54 of the catheter is located at a predetermined cardiac site , such as , within the right atrium of the patient &# 39 ; s heart 32 , the catheter 50 is within the patient &# 39 ; s vein , and the valved hub 58 is external to the patient &# 39 ; s body proximal and immediately adjacent to the entry site 34 ( e . g ., located less than about 3 . 81 centimeters from the entry site 34 ). thus , the catheter 50 spans a distance 85 commensurate with a distance from the patient &# 39 ; s right atrium of the heart 32 to the entry site 34 . the entry site 34 shown in fig6 is the patient &# 39 ; s right arm , however other possible entry sites include , for example , the groin , neck , and back . the medical professional can measure radiographically the distance 85 prior to inserting the picc 50 including catheter 52 . the medical profession can then either select an appropriately sized picc 50 having a catheter with a length corresponding to distance 85 , or alternatively , the medical profession can trim the catheter 52 to the measured length . it is important to note that the picc 50 does not include proximal tubing extending from the valved hub 58 , nor does picc 50 include a clamp disposed on the catheter 52 . thus , the picc 50 manufactured in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is less likely than the prior art picc 1 to irritate the patient &# 39 ; s skin , because the picc 50 does not include proximal tubing that extends about 5 . 08 centimeters ( 2 inches ) to about 20 . 32 centimeters ( 8 inches ) from the entry site 34 . instead , the picc 50 terminates at a distance less than about 3 . 81 centimeters and typically between about 1 centimeters and about 3 centimeters from the entry site 34 . in some embodiments , it is preferred that the picc 50 terminates at a distance less than about 2 . 54 centimeters from the entry site . thus , picc 50 is more tolerable to the patient than the awkward 5 . 08 centimeter to 20 . 32 centimeter length of the external portion of prior art picc 1 . in addition , picc 50 does not include a clamp to impede flow . instead , the valved hub 58 has an internal valve , the thin , flexible disk 70 including the slit 75 , to regulate flow . since there is no clamp or proximal tubing extending from the valved hub 58 , the picc 50 is less irritating to the patient than a similarly inserted prior art picc 1 . to supply fluids to the patient , the medical professional attaches the fluid introduction source to the luer proximal end 68 and then releases fluid from the fluid introduction source . the fluid entering into the proximal portion 62 of the valved hub 58 creates a pressure differential across the flexible , thin disk 70 including the slit 75 . the slit 75 responds to a pressure differential that is above threshold by opening to allow fluids to pass therethrough and into the lumen of the catheter 52 . in between treatments , the luer proximal end 68 is free of the fluid introduction source and can be covered with a transparent dressing 90 . the transparent dressing 90 further secures the valved hub 58 to the patient &# 39 ; s body 30 , while at the same time covers and protects both the entry site 34 and the valved hub 58 from infection . variations , modifications , and other implementations of what is described herein will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . the invention is not to be limited only to the preceding illustrative description . | 0 |
the following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention . furthermore , there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background or the following detailed description . housings are used to contain or store , and protect , a wide variety of items or devices and typically are a rigid or flexible material of a specific color . the term โ housing โ generally refers to a material at least partially covering or surrounding an item , and may assume other names such as a โ case โ, for example . items disposed within a housing range , for example , from keepsakes such as jewelry to electronic devices such as cell phones . the housing described herein includes a transparent support layer , a photoreactive coating , a radiation attenuating material , an optional background color layer , an optional activating radiation source , and an optional patterning layer . the transparent support layer provides structure to the housing . the radiation attenuating material , transparent to visible light , absorbs radiation , such as ultraviolet ( uv ) from sunlight , and prevents the unintentional changing of the color of the photochromic coating and degradation of the other layers beneath . the radiation attenuating material may be referred to as a blocking material when the uv radiation is substantially prevented from passing there through . when a slow color or design change is preferred , such as developing of patina effect , the uv blocking ability or efficiency can be engineered to allow , or attenuate , a limited amount of uv to reach the photoreactive layer to slowly activate the process . the photoreactive coating may be photochromic ink of a solution of a 1 , 2 - dihydroquinoline ( dhq ) in a polymer solution that irreversibly changes color when exposed to activating radiation such as uv radiation . the photoreactive material may also be a photosensitive layer containing silver oxalate and mercury ( i ) and / or mercury ( ii ) oxalate . another example is pyrrole derivatives , such as 2 - phenyl - di ( 2 - pyrrole ) methane , which becomes irreversibly red upon uv light exposure . the photoreactive coating may originally comprise a color or be clear , and is changed to a color , or from a color to clear , upon the application of radiation . as used herein when referring to the photoreactive coating , the word โ color โ includes a visible color or no visible color ( clear ). the optional background color layer provides an initial color to the housing , and may be a partially reflective layer of metallization . the background color may be provided alternatively by the transparent support layer or may be omitted altogether when a transparent housing is desired ( for displaying objects within the housing ). the radiation source may be for example , a light emitting diode ( led ), which emits light at specific wavelengths , for example ultraviolet or fluorescent black light , that activate the color changing process of the photoractive compounds . while uv radiation is preferred , other wavelengths may be used . referring to fig1 , housing 100 includes a transparent support layer 104 having a uv blocking coating 102 formed thereon . while the transparent support layer 104 may be any known transparent material , a polymer material is preferred . the transparent support layer 104 provides protection to items within the housing , and a surface on which to apply the uv blocking coating 102 and the photoreactive coating 106 . the uv blocking coating 102 is a material that contains compounds , such as benzotriazole or benzophenone , that absorbs uv radiation found in the ambient environment , for example , in the range of 280 to 400 that includes both uv - a and uv - b , and especially uv radiation within sunlight . the photoreactive coating 106 is a material of dye molecules that initially assumes a first color , then irreversibly changes to a second color upon the application of activating radiation . the second color remains when the activating radiation is removed . this material is , for example , preferably a matrix of 1 , 2 - dihydroquinoline ( dqh ) in polymer ( see u . s . pat . no . 4 , 812 , 171 ) or other materials such as a photosensitive layer containing silver oxalate and mercury ( i ) and / or mercury ( ii ) oxalates , pyrrole derivatives , such as 2 - phenyl - di ( 2 - pyrrole ) methane . an transparent colored layer 108 is disposed contiguous to the photochromic coating 106 . the outer surface 110 of the uv blocking layer 102 is considered the outside of the housing while the inside surface 112 of the transparent colored layer 108 is the inside of the housing in which items ( not shown ) may be contained . undesired uv radiation such as sunlight striking the surface 110 will not penetrate beyond the uv blocking coating 102 to the photochromic coating 106 . however , a user of the device viewing the outer surface 110 will view the color presented by the colored layer 108 since the uv blocking coating 102 , support layer 104 , and photochromic coating 106 are transparent to frequencies in the visual range of approximately 400 to 780 nanometers . note that the colored layer 108 is optional , in which case the housing 100 is transparent , enabling the contents of the housing 100 to be viewed . referring to fig2 , a light source 122 such as a light emitting diode provides activating radiation 124 to the inside surface 112 of the housing 100 . the activating radiation 124 passes through the transparent colored layer 108 and strikes the photochromic coating 106 , causing it to irreversibly assume a color as indicated by the crosshatching within photochromic coating 106 of fig2 . the color in which the photochromic coating 106 changes depends on the chemicals contained therein and its thickness . examples of chemicals for the irreversible photochromic coating 106 include 1 , 2 - dihydroquinoline ( dhq ) in a polymer solution , a photosensitive layer containing silver oxalate and mercury ( i ) and / or mercury ( ii ) oxalates , pyrrole derivatives , such as 2 - phenyl - di ( 2 - pyrrole ) methane . the thickness of the photochromic coating 106 preferably includes the range of 0 . 1 micron to 100 microns . the housing then exhibits the color , viewing towards the outside surface 100 , combined from the colors of the colored layer 108 and the photochromic coating 106 . for example , if the color of the colored layer 108 is blue and the color assumed by the photochromic coating 106 is yellow , a green color would be presented at the surface 110 . fig3 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a housing 300 including the uv blocking coating 102 , transparent support layer 104 , photochromic coating 106 , and transparent colored layer 108 as described for the housing 100 . a uv blocking layer 330 is patterned on the transparent colored layer 108 resulting in a light source 322 such as a light emitting diode provides activating radiation 324 through the patterned material 332 to the inside surface 112 in the gaps between the material 332 of the patterned layer 330 , causing the area 326 to change to a color ( as indicated by the crosshatching ). fig4 is taken along line 4 - 4 of fig3 , showing the patterned material 332 of the patterned layer 330 forming a fanciful pattern formed on the colored layer 108 . fig5 is the result showing the color and pattern looking at the surface 110 of the uv blocking coating 102 of the housing 300 in which the patterned material is distinctly seen through the transparent layers 104 and 102 . fig6 is a third exemplary embodiment of a housing 600 similar to the second exemplary embodiment of fig3 ; however , the colored layer 108 is disposed between the uv blocking coating 102 and the transparent support layer 104 . note in this third exemplary embodiment , the colored layer 108 need not be transparent to the activating radiation . instead of the light sources 122 , 322 , a fourth alternate exemplary embodiment includes a door , or sealable opening , that may be opened to allow sunlight to enter , striking the photochromic coatings 106 , causing it to change colors and / or pattern . referring to fig7 , a fifth exemplary embodiment includes a housing 700 having a uv attenuating layer 702 formed over the photochromic coating 106 , and the transparent support layer 104 disposed between the photochromic coating 106 and the colored layer 108 . the uv attenuating layer only partially blocks uv radiation , for example from sunlight , resulting in the color of the photochromic coating 106 slowly changing color over time . depending on the thickness and the chemical makeup of the attenuating layer and the photochromic coating 106 , this change in color may take days to weeks or more . additionally , the patterned layer 330 may be included to cause a change in pattern over time . there are many variations to the above described embodiments . as mentioned , the colored layer 108 is optional ( the housing may be transparent or the color may integrated within the transparent support layer 106 ) and may be disposed on either side of the support layer 104 or the photochromic coating 106 . the photochromic coating 106 may be disposed on either side of the support layer 104 or may be integrated within the support layer 104 . the disposition of the patterned layer 330 is also variable as long as it is disposed between the photochromic coating 106 and the source of radiation . although the housing 100 , 300 described herein may be used to house many types of devices , fig8 shows in schematic form a mobile communication device , which may be used with the exemplary embodiments of the housing 100 , 300 described herein , and includes a touchscreen display 812 formed within the housing 100 , 300 . conventional mobile communication devices also include , for example , an antenna and other inputs which are omitted from the figure for simplicity . circuitry ( not shown ) is coupled to each of the display 812 , and typically a speaker and microphone ( not shown ). an icon 814 is disposed below the touchscreen display 812 . it is also noted that the portable electronic device 800 may comprise a variety of form factors , for example , a โ foldable โ cell phone . while this embodiment is a portable mobile communication device , the present invention may be incorporated within any electronic device having a housing that incorporates an electro - optical module to change colors and / or patterns . other portable applications include , for example , a laptop computer , personal digital assistant ( pda ), digital camera , or a music playback device ( e . g ., mp3 player ). non - portable applications include , for example , car radios , stainless steel refrigerators , watches , and stereo systems . the low power requirements of the exemplary embodiments , specifically the light source providing uv radiation , presented herein make them particularly well suited to portable electronics devices . a sixth embodiment includes disposing an led so as to irradiate only of a portion of the housing 100 , 300 . for example , referring to the device 800 shown in fig9 , only the area 916 surrounding the touchscreen display 812 is irradiated ( as shown by the cross hatching ) by one light source 324 . another light source 324 may selective irradiate the icon 814 . although only two light sources 322 are described with the exemplary embodiment of device 900 , many more light sources 322 may be disposed within the housing 100 , 300 to irradiate various portions of the device 900 . additionally , the photochromic coating 106 may be disposed in selective positions , such as behind only the icon 918 , and then irradiated . the exemplary embodiments described herein provides an easy , inexpensive way for users to irreversibly customize the appearance of a device &# 39 ; s housing , while requiring little or no power requirements . while at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description , it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist . it should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples , and are not intended to limit the scope , applicability , or configuration of the invention in any way . rather , the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment of the invention , it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims . | 8 |
now in keeping with the objects of this invention , the detailed method is described for making small contact openings with high - aspect - ratios ( har ) and without damage to the shallow diffused areas on the substrate . although the method is described for n - channel fets on a p doped substrate , it should be understood by one skilled in the art that the method of this invention can be applied , in general , for making these har contact openings on integrated circuits having both n - channel and p - channel fets by including additional process steps . for example , by including p and n doped wells in and on the substrate both n and p channel fets can be formed from which cmos circuits can be made . also , the method is particularly useful for embedded dram circuits in which a multitude of har contact openings are etched to the substrate and to a patterned polycide layer . referring to fig2 the method for making these high - aspect - ratio ( har ) damage - free contact openings begins by providing a substrate 10 . the substrate 10 is preferably composed of a p - type single - crystal silicon having a & lt ; 100 & gt ; crystallographic orientation . a relatively thick field oxide 12 is formed around the active device regions to isolate the individual devices . the field oxide 12 is typically formed using the local oxidation of silicon ( locos ) method , but for future higher density circuits various shallow trench isolation ( sti ) methods are preferred . briefly , one method of forming the sti 12 is by recessing the substrate 10 in the field oxide regions , growing a thin thermal oxide to reduce surface damage and filling the recesses with a chemical - vapor - deposited silicon oxide . the sio 2 is then etched or polished back to form a planar surface with the substrate 10 as shown in fig2 . typically the sti 12 is between about 3000 and 5000 angstroms . a thin gate oxide 14 is then formed on the active device areas by thermal oxidation . the preferred thickness of the gate oxide is between about 20 and 100 angstroms . still referring to fig2 a polycide layer , having a hard - mask or cap layer , is deposited and patterned to form fet gate electrodes 2 over the device areas , and to form local interconnections 4 over the sti 12 . the polycide layer is formed by depositing a conductively doped poly - silicon layer 16 and an upper refractory metal silicide layer 18 . the polysilicon layer 16 is deposited by low - pressure chemical vapor deposition ( lpcvd ) using silane ( sih 4 ) as the reactant gas , and is doped either in situ during deposition or by ion implantation . for n - channel fets described here , polysilicon layer 16 is doped with arsenic or phosphorus to a concentration of between about 1 . 0 e 19 and 1 . 0 e 21 atoms / cm 3 , and the polysilicon is deposited to a thickness of between about 500 and 2000 angstroms . the silicide layer 18 is preferably a tungsten silicide ( wsi x ) deposited by cvd using tungsten hexafluoride ( wf 6 ) as the reactant gas . the wsi x layer 18 is deposited to a thickness of between about 500 and 2000 angstroms . next , a hard - mask or cap layer 20 is deposited on the wsi x layer 18 . layer 20 is preferably si 3 n 4 , deposited by lpcvd using a reactant gas such as dichlorosilane ( sicl 2 h 2 ) and ammonia ( nh 3 ), and is deposited to a preferred thickness of between about 500 and 2000 angstroms . continuing with fig2 conventional photolitho - graphic techniques and anisotropic plasma etching are used to pattern the si 3 n 4 hard - mask layer 20 and the polycide layer ( 16 and 18 ) to form fet gate electrodes 2 over the device areas and to form the local interconnections 4 over the sti areas 12 . a first ion implantation is used to form lightly doped source / drain areas 17 ( n โ ) adjacent to the fet gate electrodes 2 to minimize short - channel effects . then , a conformal si 3 n 4 layer 22 is deposited and etched back to form sidewall spacers , also labeled 22 , on the sidewalls of the gate electrodes 2 . the si 3 n 4 layer 22 is etched back using anisotropic plasma etching to form sidewall spacers having a width of between about 500 and 1500 angstroms . a second ion implantation is then used to form source / drain contact areas 19 ( n + ) to complete the fets . typically , for high - density circuits , the resultant junction depth x j of the source / drain contact areas 19 ( n + ) is relatively shallow , that is , x j is less than 0 . 1 micrometer ( um ). referring still to fig2 a key feature of this invention is the deposition of an anti - reflective coating ( arc ) layer 23 , which is used , in part , to protect the source / drain areas 19 ( n + ) when a portion of the hard mask 20 over the polycide interconnect 4 is removed . the anti - reflective coating layer 23 is preferably a polymer that is impervious to organic solvents and / or aqueous developers that are used in developing photoresist . the polymer is preferably a primary polyimide dissolved in a solvent such as cyclobexanone . the polyimide is then spin coated and baked at about 160 to 220 ยฐ c . for about 60 to 100 seconds to form a rigid polymer film . preferably polymer layer 23 is deposited to a thickness of between about 1000 and 3000 angstroms . since the polymer film is used as a protective layer , and not as an anti - reflective coating , it is not necessary to include a photosensitive chemical component that would chemically react when exposed to light . some polymers commercially available include barli , manufactured by hoechst of germany , xhri - 11 , manufactured by brower science of usa , and swk365d , manufactured by tok of japan . referring now to fig3 a photoresist layer 24 is coated on the anti - reflective layer 23 , and the photoresist is exposed and developed to form openings 6 over the patterned polycide layer ( layers 18 and 16 ) that is used to form the local interconnections 4 , while leaving essentially undeveloped the protective polymer layer 23 . referring to fig4 the anti - reflective coating ( protective polymer layer ) 23 exposed in the openings 6 is etched to the silicon nitride hard - mask layer 20 . this exposes the hard mask 20 , while the anti - reflective coating 23 protects the source / drain areas 19 in the region b at the interface with the shallow trench 12 . the anti - reflective coating 23 is etched preferably by plasma etching in a reactive ion etcher using an etchant gas mixture such as oxygen ( o 2 ) and nitrogen ( n 2 ). still referring to fig4 the si 3 n 4 hard mask 20 in the openings 6 is removed by anisotropic plasma etching to the silicide layer 18 , while the photoresist mask 24 and protective polymer 23 protect the diffused source / drain areas 19 from the plasma etching . the etching of the si 3 n 4 layer 20 is preferably carried out by reactive ion etching using an etchant gas such as sulfur hexafluoride ( sf 6 ). referring to fig5 the photoresist layer 24 and the anti - reflective coating ( arc ) that serves as a protective polymer layer 23 are now removed by stripping in a wet etch , such as in sulfuric acid ( h 2 so 4 ) and an oxidant , such as hydrogen peroxide ( h 2 o 2 ) or ammonium persulfate . alternatively , the photoresist layer 24 and anti - reflective coating 23 can be removed by plasma ashing in oxygen . referring to fig6 a relatively thick insulating layer 26 , commonly referred to as an interlevel - dielectric ( ild ) layer , is deposited over the fets and interconnections to provide electrical insulation for the next level of interconnections . the ild layer 26 is preferably silicon oxide ( sio 2 ) deposited by lpcvd using , for example tetraethosiloxane ( teos ) as the reactant gas . layer 26 is deposited to a preferred thickness of between about 10000 and 30000 angstroms . alternatively , the ild layer 26 can be a doped sio 2 layer , such as bpsg . when a bpsg layer is used , a thin silicon oxynitride ( sion ) or si 3 n 4 or undoped sio 2 layer is deposited first as a barrier layer to prevent unintentional doping of the substrate by the bpsg layer . the ild layer 26 is then planarized , for example by chemical / mechanical polishing ( cmp ). continuing with fig6 high - aspect - ratio contact openings 8 are now etched in the relatively thick insulating layer 26 to the source / drain areas 19 , while concurrently contact openings 8 โฒ are etched to the polycide interconnect lines ( 18 and 16 ). since the hard - mask layer 20 is removed over the patterned polycide interconnect layer ( 18 and 16 ), the contact openings 8 to the source / drain areas 19 can be etched without overetching and degrading the shallow diffused areas 19 , while the contact openings 8 โฒ are concurrently etched to the polycide interconnect layer ( 18 and 16 ). the removal of the si 3 n 4 hard - mask layer 20 allows the contact openings 8 โฒ to be completed without overetching in the contact openings 8 . while the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 7 |
the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings . [ 0032 ] fig1 is a schematic view showing an optical system of an optical pickup device in which diffraction elements according to the invention are disposed . as shown in fig1 the optical pickup device 1 records or reproduces the information on or from several kinds of optical recording medium 6 having a different substrate thickness or recording density , such as cd , cd - r or dvd , and comprises a two - wavelength laser light source unit 10 having a laser light source 11 for emitting a laser light beam l 1 with a wavelength of 650 nm as indicated by the solid line and a laser light source 12 for emitting a laser light beam l 2 with a wavelength of 780 nm as indicated by the dashed line that are contained within a common package , and a common optical system lo . the laser light beam l 1 and the laser light beam l 2 have the light emitting points separated by about 110 ฮผm , for example . the common optical system lo comprises an arrangement of a two - wavelength grating 2 for transmitting the laser light beam l 1 emitted from the two - wavelength light source unit 10 and separating the laser light beam l 2 into three beams to generate a tracking error signal , a plate - like beam splitter 30 for reflecting partially the laser light beam l 1 and the laser light beam l 2 separated into three beams , a collimator lens 40 for making the laser light beams l 1 , l 2 reflected from the beam splitter 30 parallel , and an objective lens 41 for converging the laser light beams l 1 , l 2 emerging from the collimator lens 40 onto a recording face 6 a of the optical recording medium 6 . the two - wavelength grating 2 is a diffraction element constructed according to the invention . also , the common optical system lo has a common light receiving element 13 arranged to receive the return light beams lr 1 , lr 2 of the laser light beams l 1 , l 2 having passed through the beam splitter 30 , after being reflected from the recording face 6 a of the optical recording medium 6 . between the beam splitter 30 and the light receiving element 13 , an optical path composition element 5 is arranged to lead the misaligned return light beams lr 1 , lr 2 to a common light receiving plane on the common light receiving element 13 . this optical path composition element 5 is also a diffraction element constructed according to the invention . in this embodiment , the optical axis of the laser light beam l 1 emitted from the laser light source 11 is made coincident with a system optical axis 41 a ( optical axis of the objective lens 41 ) for the optical pickup device 1 . accordingly , the laser light beam l 2 emitted from the other laser light source 12 passes through the common optical system lo while being misaligned with respect to the system optical axis 41 a , and is deflected slightly by the optical path composition element 5 and led onto the common light receiving plane of the common light receiving element 13 . in the optical pickup device 1 with the above constitution , in reproducing the information from a dvd as the optical recording medium 6 , the laser light beam l 1 with a wavelength of 650 nm is emitted from the laser light source 11 . this laser light beam l 1 is led to the common optical system lo , and converged as a light spot onto the recording face of the dvd by the objective lens 41 , and the return light beam lr 1 of the laser light beam l 1 reflected from the recording face of the dvd is converged via the beam splitter 30 and the optical path composition element 5 onto the common light receiving element 13 . the information of dvd is reproduced by a signal detected by the common light receiving element 13 . in contrast , in reproducing the information from a cd - r as the optical recording medium 6 , the laser light beam l 2 with a wavelength of 780 nm is emitted from the other laser light source 12 . this laser light beam l 2 is also led to the common optical system lo , and converged as a light spot onto the recording face of dvd by the objective lens 41 , and the return light beam lr 2 of the laser light beam l 2 reflected from the recording face of the cd - r is converged via the beam splitter 30 and the optical path composition element 5 onto the common light receiving element 13 . the information of cd - r is reproduced by a signal detected by the common light receiving element 13 . the optical path composition element 5 of this embodiment is a resin molded plate member . as shown in fig2 one face is made flat as an incident face 51 and a diffraction grating is formed on the other face as an emergent face 52 . the diffraction grating is formed such that each slant face constitutes a blazed diffraction grating is made stepwise by providing a plurality of stepped faces 52 a . this structure is referred to as a binary blazed diffraction grating . a step difference d of each step portion 53 , that is , a height d of step on each stepped face is so determined that a phase difference between light beams transmitting adjacent stepped faces occurred by the height d is equal to the wavelength for the laser light beam l 1 having a wavelength of 650 nm , so that the laser light beam l 1 is passed in straight manner as the zeroth - order diffracted light beam l 1 a , without bringing about the diffracting action . this height d can be calculated by the following expression , assuming that the refractive index for the first laser light beam l 1 having a wavelength of 650 nm is n1 , and the wavelength 650 nm is ฮป1 , since a step portion 53 is the blazed diffraction grating , whereby among the zeroth - order diffracted light beam l 2 a proceeding straightly , and the positive first - order diffracted light beam and negative first - order diffracted light beam that are deflected on both sides , the positive first - order diffracted light beam l 2 b has high diffraction efficiency for the laser light beam l 2 having a wavelength of 780 nm . herein , the diffraction efficiency can be determined in accordance with the number of steps on the stepped face . as shown in fig3 assuming that the number of steps on the stepped face is taken along the x - axis , and the diffraction efficiency is taken along the y - axis , the number of steps that is capable of decreasing the diffraction efficiency of negative first - order diffracted light and increasing the diffraction efficiency of positive first - order diffracted light is from 4 to 6 steps , in which the diffraction efficiency of positive first - order diffracted light is from 60 to 90 %. in this embodiment , six steps are set up . accordingly , the optical path composition element 5 allows the laser light beam l 1 having a wavelength of 650 nm to proceed straightly as the zeroth - order diffracted light beam l 1 a , and allows the laser light beam l 2 having a wavelength of 780 nm to be deflected as the positive first - order diffracted light beam l 2 b at a higher diffraction efficiency than the zeroth - order diffracted light beam l 2 a and converged onto the common light receiving element . also , the resin material of the optical path composition element 5 in this embodiment has a linear expansion coefficient in a range from 0 . 5 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . to 3 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . the typical resin materials and linear expansion coefficients are listed such as : polycarbonate 2 . 0 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . polystyrene 1 . 8 - 2 . 4 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . polymethyl methacrylate 1 . 3 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . herein , the inorganic materials used for the related optical path composition element and linear expansion coefficients are listed such as : optical glass 0 . 15 - 0 . 45 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . quartz glass 0 . 017 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . accordingly , the resin material used for the optical path composition element in this embodiment has a linear expansion coefficient about 10 times larger than the inorganic materials . as shown in fig4 when the environmental temperature is changed from 20 ยฐ c . to 60 ยฐ c ., the optical path composition element 5 constructed in this way is thermally deformed from the shape indicated by the dashed line to the shape indicated by the solid line , as shown by the arrows s , so as to elongate laterally . at this time , the resin material constituting the optical path composition element 5 of this embodiment is elongated about 10 times longer than the related inorganic materials . if the optical path composition element 5 is elongated , the grating pitch ( width of each stepped face ) on a grating face of the emergent side is also broadened . as a result , the diffraction grating pitch is broadened , and even if the second laser light beam l 2 having a wavelength of 780 nm has the wavelength increased from 780 nm as indicated by the dashed line to 790 nm as indicated by the solid line , due to a change in the environmental temperature , the variation in the diffraction angle for the positive first - order diffracted light beam l 2 b is reduced . the variation in the diffraction angle is stated such that the variation in the diffraction angle at an environmental temperature of 60 ยฐ c . can be reduced to 1 % or less of the diffraction angle at an environmental temperature of 20 ยฐ c ., if the resin material for the optical path composition element 5 has a linear expansion coefficient from 0 . 5 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . to 3 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . also , if the resin material has a linear expansion coefficient of 3 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c ., the variation in the diffraction angle can be fully canceled . as shown in fig5 the two - wavelength grating 2 of this embodiment is a resin molded plate member . one face is made a flat as an incident face 21 , and a concave and convex diffraction grating is formed on the other face as an emergent face 22 . this diffraction grating is consist of a concave face 22 a and a convex face 22 b formed periodically . the resin material for the two - wavelength grating 2 in this embodiment , like the optical path composition element 5 , has a linear expansion coefficient from 0 . 5 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . to 3 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . a height ( step difference ) d of the convex face 22 b from the concave face 22 a is determined in the same way as the optical path composition element 5 , such that supposing that a phase difference between light beams transmitting adjacent concave and convex faces occurred by the height d is equal to the wavelength for the laser light beam l 1 having a wavelength of 650 nm , so that the laser light beam l 1 is passed in straight manner as the zeroth - order diffracted light beam l 1 a , without bringing about the diffracting action . on the other hand , the laser light beam l 2 having a wavelength of 780 nm is separated into three beams of the zeroth - order diffracted light beam l 2 a proceeding straightly , and the positive first - order diffracted light beam l 2 b and the negative first - order diffracted light beam l 2 c that are deflected on both sides . accordingly , the two - wavelength grating 2 allows the laser light beam l 1 having a wavelength of 650 nm to proceed straightly as the zeroth - order diffracted light beam l 1 a , and allows the laser light beam l 2 having a wavelength of 780 nm to be separated into the zeroth - order diffracted light beam l 2 a , the positive first - order diffracted light beam l 2 b and the negative first - order diffracted light beam l 2 c to produce a tracking error signal . as shown in fig6 when the environmental temperature is changed from 20 ยฐ c . to 60 ยฐ c ., the two - wavelength grating 2 constructed in this way is thermally deformed from the shape indicated by the dashed line to the shape indicated by the solid line , as shown by the arrows s , so as to elongate laterally . at this time , the resin material constituting the two - wavelength grating 2 of this embodiment is elongated about 10 times longer than the related inorganic materials . consequently , the grating pitch is also broadened , and even if the laser light beam l 2 having a wavelength of 780 nm has the wavelength increased from 780 nm as indicated by the dashed line to 790 nm as indicated by the solid line , due to a change in the environmental temperature , the variation in the diffraction angle for the positive first - order diffracted light beam l 2 b and the negative first - order diffracted light beam l 2 c can be reduced . the variation in the diffraction angle is stated such that the variation in the diffraction angle at an environmental temperature of 60 ยฐ c . can be reduced to 1 % or less of the diffraction angle at an environmental temperature of 20 ยฐ c ., if the resin material for the two - wavelength grating 2 has a linear expansion coefficient from 0 . 5 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . to 3 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c . also , if the resin material has a linear expansion coefficient of 3 ร 10 โ 4 /ยฐ c ., the variation in the diffraction angle can be fully canceled . in the above example , the step difference d between the concave face 22 a and the convex face 22 b formed on the emergent face 22 is so small that the laser light beam l 1 having a wavelength of 650 nm is given no diffracting action . however , the laser light beam l 2 having a wavelength of 780 nm may be given no diffracting action . in this case , the step difference d 1 can be calculated by the following expression , assuming that the refractive index for the laser light beam l 2 having a wavelength of 780 nm is n2 , and the wavelength 780 nm is ฮป2 , whereby the laser light having a wavelength of 780 nm has a phase lag equal to the wavelength thereof due to the step difference d 1 , and is passed as the zeroth - order diffracted light without being affected by the diffracting action . in the above examples , the optical path composition element 5 and the two - wavelength grating 2 have a face on which diffraction grating is formed arranged as the emergent face , but the face on which the diffraction grating is formed may be arranged as the incident face . the two - wavelength grating 2 may be configured such that , a convex and concave structure with a step difference d 1 that has no diffracting action for the laser light having a wavelength of 780 nm is provided on the incident face 21 . as shown in fig7 a two - wavelength grating 2 a has a concave face 21 a and a convex face 21 b with the step difference d 1 formed on the incident face 21 to have no diffracting action with respect to the laser light beam l 2 having a wavelength of 780 nm , and has a concave face 22 a and a convex face 22 b with the step difference d formed on the emergent face 22 to have no diffracting action on the laser light beam l 1 having a wavelength of 650 nm . with the two - wavelength grating 2 a constructed in the above manner , the incident face 21 diffracts the laser light beam l 1 into three beams of the zeroth - order diffracted light beam l 1 a , the positive first - order diffracted light beam l 1 b and the negative first - order diffracted light beam l 1 c , and passes the laser light beam l 2 directly . the emergent face 22 passes three laser light beams l 1 a , l 1 b and l 1 c , and diffracts the laser light beam l 2 into three beams of the zeroth - order diffracted light beam l 2 a , the positive first - order diffracted light beam l 2 b and the negative first - order diffracted light beam l 2 c . accordingly , the two - wavelength grating 2 a can produce three beams with a desired diffraction angle for two - wavelengths l 1 and l 2 . the step differences d and d 1 may be a size of producing a phase difference ( 2ฯ , 4ฯ , . . . ) equal to the integral multiple of the respective wavelengths . as described above , according to the diffraction element of the present invention , a variation in the diffraction angle that is brought about by a wavelength variation of the laser light that arises along with a change in environmental temperature can be canceled or reduced by making positive use of a grating pitch variation caused by the change in environmental temperature . accordingly , it is possible to avoid or suppress any trouble that may occur with the variation in the diffraction angle caused by the wavelength variation . if the diffraction element of the invention is employed as a two - wavelength grating for generating three beams in an optical pickup device having a two - wavelength laser light source or an optical path composition element , the optical pickup device with the less number of parts and performance stability against the change in environmental temperature can be produced . although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to specific preferred embodiments , various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein . such changes and modifications as are obvious are deemed to come within the spirit , scope and contemplation of the invention as defined in the appended claims . | 6 |
while the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel , it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures . in one embodiment of the present invention , a pcb panel optimization method comprises a web based software tool that finds the optimal configuration of pcbs on arrays and arrays on panels which maximizes the panel utilization while at the same time enforcing all required design specifications from both the panel vendor and product manufacturer standpoints . although this embodiment will be discussed in relation to a web based software tool , the present invention can also be utilized in stand - alone , networked computer systems , or other hardware devices that can execute the panelization tool ( panelization method ). the panelization method can be used to optimize the panel dimension and array size selections and find the optimal solution that makes the cost per pcb minimum . in other words , the selected panel and array dimensions are selected to obtain the highest panel utilization , or that achieves the highest panel efficiency factor ( pef ), which is defined as : referring now to fig1 , there is shown a panel 102 having an array 104 shown therein . panel 102 has several dimensional specifications , including the panel length ( pl ), the panel width ( pw ), the panel border width 1 ( pbw 1 ), the panel border width 2 ( pbw 2 ), the panel border length 1 ( pbl 1 ), the panel border length 2 ( pbl 2 ), the array to panel width ( a2pw ) and the array to panel length ( a2pl ). one or more of the dimensions described are used as input information for the panelization method of the invention . panel 102 can be manufactured from any one of a number of different materials used to manufacturer pcbs as known in the art . in fig2 , there is shown a plurality of arrays 202 - 206 such as those that can be found within panel 102 . the array and array - to - array dimensional specifications include the array length ( al ), the array width ( aw ), the array to array length ( a2al ), the array to array width ( a2aw ), the array border length ( abl ), and the array border width ( abw ). in fig3 , a plurality of pcbs 302 - 306 located within array 104 are shown . the pcbs and pcb - to - pcb dimensional specifications include the board length ( bl ), the board width ( bw ), the board - to - board length ( b2bl ), the board - to - board width ( b2bw ), the board - to - array length ( b2al ) and the board - to - array width ( b2aw ). in fig4 , there is shown a flowchart highlighting some of the steps for determining the optimal panelization in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . in step 402 , the initial data is collected . the data collected for the analysis can include information such as the panel dimensions the user wants to consider or may be forced to use based on panel vendor constraints . some of the other data that can be inputted can include the minimum and maximum array length and width , pcb and array spacing requirements , array and panel border requirements and pcb outline requirements . the set of potential array sizes that are simulated include every possible combination of array lengths and widths which fall within the range allowed by the manufacturer &# 39 ; s array size specifications . the result is that the search for the optimal panelization solution typically involves over 50 , 000 separate panelization simulations . computerized linkage to pcb vendor manufacturing requirements as well as to the user &# 39 ; s own panelization specifications can also be included in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . for example , vendor panel specifications can be downloaded from the vendor &# 39 ; s computer system and the specifications can be used as inputs to the panelization analysis . in step 404 , the panel dimension is selected from a group of potential panel sizes , for example , those available from a particular pcb vendor . in decision step 406 , the routine determines if the panel search is completed . if the panel search is not completed , the routine moves to step 408 , where the array length is initialized . for example , the array length variable is cleared ( e . g ., set to zero ). if in decision step 406 , the routine determines that the panel search has been completed , the routine moves to step 424 , wherein the results for all panel utilization results are compared and the one with the best efficiency factor is selected as the optimized solution . the optimization process will provide the panel dimensions and array sizes , spacing , border and all other dimensional information relating to the utilization result or results that yielded the best efficiency factor . alternatively , in another embodiment , the optimization routine can provide a number of utilization results ( e . g ., top 5 utilization results based on the efficiency factors ) and their corresponding efficiency factors and dimensional information . this alternative approach would allow the person performing the utilization study to select from a number of available panalization solutions with information on their corresponding efficiency factors . it may be that a person may be willing to give up a bit of efficiency for some reason , and this multiple solution approach would allow the user to make such a cost - benefit analysis . in step 410 , the array length is indexed or increased by a predetermined amount , and in decision step 412 it is determined if the array length search is complete . decision step 412 may determine that the array length search is complete , if for example , the maximum array length is reached . if the array length search is not complete , the process moves to step 414 wherein the array width is initialized ( array width variable cleared ). if in step 412 , it is determined that the array length search is complete , the routine returns to step 404 . in step 416 , the array width is indexed or increased by a predetermined amount . in decision step 418 , it is determined if the array width search is complete , for example by determining if the array width dimension has been increased to the maximum array width previously entered as an input in step 402 . if in step 418 , it is determined that the array width search is complete ( maximum width reached ) the routine moves back to step 410 where the array length is indexed or increased by a predetermined amount . if the array width search is determined not to be complete , in step 420 , the pcb is panelized in an array and the array is panelized in the panel applying the spacing and border specifications . in step 422 , the total efficiency factor for a particular array width and length is computed and stored . after step 422 , the routine loops back to step 416 wherein the array width is indexed or increased in value by a predetermined amount ( e . g ., one millimeter , etc .). if in step 406 it is determined that the panel search is completed , the routine moves to step 424 , wherein the results are compared and the best panel efficiency factor is determined and its panel dimension and optimized array size and spacing information results are provided . the optimal panel search algorithm discussed in relation to fig4 includes a first loop or panel dimension loop where the routine goes through every possible panel dimension specified by the pcb vendor ( s ). a second loop or array length loop applies the minimum / maximum array length constraints by manufacturing requirements and every possible array length is analyzed . in the third loop or array width loop , minimum / maximum array width constraints by manufacturing requirements and every possible array width are analyzed . for every selected panel dimension and array size , as many as possible arrays are populated on the panel while applying the array spacing and panel border specifications provided . for every selected array size , as many as possible pcbs are populated on the array while applying pcb spacing and array border specifications provided . the total panel efficiency factor or cost per pcb is determined for every case and all of the above results are compared and the best solution or solutions are selected and reported to the user . the best solution has the highest total efficiency factor or lowest cost per pcb . the dimensions of the optimal panel and array sizes are reported to the user . also , the layouts of the optimal arrays on the optimal panel and the layout of pcbs on the optimal array are generated . in one embodiment of the invention , the ability to execute many panelization simulations is enabled by using a high speed rectangle nesting algorithm . in cases where complex polygon nesting is employed , the nested board set is modeled by its bounding rectangle in order to employ the high speed rectangle nesting algorithm . this approach enables true board outline polygon nesting ( typically a much slower calculation ) while still allowing for the use of the high speed nesting approach in order to find the optimal panelizaiton solution within a reasonable period of time ( e . g ., 4 minutes ). in a typical panelization optimization using the method described herein , it is not uncommon to perform 50 , 000 panelization simulations , with the panel utilization results calculated and saved for later analysis . preferably , the pcb outline description is imported using computer aided design ( cad ) files and non - overhanging parts located on the pcb are filtered out prior to commencing the optimization analysis . once all simulations are completed , the solution set is complete and ready to be used to find the optimal solution , as well as perform sensitivity analysis solutions that may provide superior results . for example , the routine may inform the person performing the analysis that if the panel could be increased by a certain amount , the efficiency factor could be increased by a predetermined amount more . it would be then up to the person performing the analysis if it is worthwhile to make such an adjustment . on occasions , there may be cases where multiple solutions yield the same panel utilization results ( e . g ., have equal efficiency factors ), in these cases , while all of the optimal solutions are provided to the user in order for a choice to be made , the typically recommended optimal solution is the solution which yields the highest panel utilization while at the same time maintaining the largest array size . this is the preferred solution since it gives the pcb designer the most flexibility for adding larger support ribs on the factory array and for adapting to potential board size increases in later design revisions . a graphical drawing ( see for example item 812 in fig8 ) of the optimal solution can also be presented to the user along with the panel utilization metrics and panel and array dimensions . the dimensional specifications mentioned above and other specifications that can be selected as inputs to the panelization algorithm can be entered using a graphical user interface ( gui ) such as that shown in fig5 and 6 . in fig5 , the first input block is the board outline specification block 502 which allows a user to manually enter the board length and board width , or import a board outline file (โ. emn file โ, etc . generated using design software such as proe , etc . ), in order to execute panelization simulations based on the complex polygon that defines the board outline . the next input block is the pcb panel size specification block 504 which highlights the different panel sizes the result will be selected from . the next block in the gui is the pcb factory array size specification block 506 , which lets the user select a fixed array size having a predetermined length and width , or allow the user to have the panelization software make an optimization determination using maximum and minimum information for both the array length and the array width . the user can also select if he / she wants the panelization algorithm to determine the maximum arrays that can be placed in a panel for optimal layout . in fig6 , the gui blocks continue with the clearance and spacing specifications and array border specification inputs . the panelization software allows the user to enter a particular pcb vendor he wants to use and a particular pcb technology that the user wants to be used . the vendor and technology inputs in block 602 may limit the different sizes of panels that will be analyzed in the optimization as well as dimensions that can be used . in block 602 , the user can enter information regarding the numerous specifications regarding the boards , arrays and borders . in block 604 , the user can also enter panelization orientation options such as allowing for 90 degree rotation and 180 degree rotation of boards in arrays , or not allowing for any array rotation . once all of the specifications have been entered , the user clicks on the โ run panelization utility โ button 606 to commence the panelization optimization routine . in fig7 , there is shown an overview of the inputs and outputs to the pcb panel optimization engine 702 . the inputs to the optimization engine 702 include pcb outline specifications 704 , array size boundary conditions 706 , linkage to pcb vendor manufacturing requirements 708 , manufacturer specifications for the array 710 and user selectable panelization preferences 712 . the inputs are processed by the pcb panel optimization engine which generates a report that includes the optimal array and panel configuration information 714 as well as a sensitivity analysis report 716 . referring now to fig8 , there is shown a graphical representation of an illustrative example of an area reduction that can be achieved when boards 816 - 822 are modeled by their true board outlines 812 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention , as compared to the prior art approach of using a bounding rectangle to represent each board , as represented by boards 802 - 808 in array 810 . as shown , the array 810 which represents each pcb as a rectangle requires a longer array , than the array 812 which uses the panelization technique of the present invention . the savings in array length 814 , translates into a lower cost pcb since each array is smaller , and correspondingly each panel used can carry more arrays or a smaller panel can be used . a unique feature of the panelization routine is its ability to import a component file generated by a board layout software tool in order to include any components that are overhanging from the board outline into the simulation . the optimization routine can analyze all parts in the bill of materials for a particular pcb in order to include any components that are overhanging from the board outline into the simulation . simulations have shown that the panel optimization routine leads to an approximately 5 % to 10 % improvement in panel utilization which translates into a 5 - 10 % reduction in pcb cost . while the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described , it will be clear that the invention is not so limited . numerous modifications , changes , variations , substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention as defined by the appended claims . | 7 |
reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention . as used herein , the term โ substrate โ can be used to describe either a substrate or a superstrate depending on the configuration of the photovoltaic cell . for example , the substrate is a superstrate , if when assembled into a photovoltaic cell , it is on the light incident side of a photovoltaic cell . the superstrate can provide protection for the photovoltaic materials from impact and environmental degradation while allowing transmission of the appropriate wavelengths of the solar spectrum . further , multiple photovoltaic cells can be arranged into a photovoltaic module . photovoltaic device can describe either a cell , a module , or both . as used herein , the term โ adjacent โ can be defined as being in close proximity . adjacent structures may or may not be in physical contact with each other . adjacent structures can have other layers and / or structures disposed between them . moreover , where a range of numerical values is recited herein , comprising upper and lower values , unless otherwise stated in specific circumstances , the range is intended to include the endpoints thereof , and all integers and fractions within the range . it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific values recited when defining a range . further , when an amount , concentration , or other value or parameter is given as a range , one or more preferred ranges or a list of upper preferable values and lower preferable values , this is to be understood as specifically disclosing all ranges formed from any pair of any upper range limit or preferred value and any lower range limit or preferred value , regardless of whether such pairs are separately disclosed . finally , when the term โ about โ is used in describing a value or an end - point of a range , the disclosure should be understood to include the specific value or end - point referred to . as used herein , the term โ about โ means that amounts , sizes , formulations , parameters , and other quantities and characteristics are not and need not be exact , but may be approximate and / or larger or smaller , as desired , reflecting tolerances , conversion factors , rounding off , measurement error and the like , and other factors known to those of skill in the art . in general , an amount , size , formulation , parameter or other quantity or characteristic is โ about โ or โ approximate โ whether or not expressly stated to be such . the term โ or โ, as used herein , is inclusive ; more specifically , the phrase โ a or b โ means โ a , b , or both a and b โ. exclusive โ or โ is designated herein by terms such as โ either a or b โ and โ one of a or b โ, for example . the indefinite articles โ a โ and โ an โ are employed to describe elements and components of the invention . the use of these articles means that one or at least one of these elements or components is present . although these articles are conventionally employed to signify that the modified noun is a singular noun , as used herein the articles โ a โ and โ an โ also include the plural , unless otherwise stated in specific instances . similarly , the definite article โ the โ, as used herein , also signifies that the modified noun may be singular or plural , again unless otherwise stated in specific instances . it is noted that one or more of the claims may utilize the term โ wherein โ as a transitional phrase . for the purposes of defining the present invention , it is noted that this term is introduced in the claims as an open - ended transitional phrase that is used to introduce a recitation of a series of characteristics of the structure and should be interpreted in like manner as the more commonly used open - ended preamble term โ comprising .โ as used herein , a glass composition having 0 wt % of a compound is defined as meaning that the compound , molecule , or element was not purposefully added to the composition , but the composition may still comprise the compound , typically in tramp or trace amounts . similarly , โ substantially free of alkali metal โ, โ substantially free of sodium โ, โ substantially free of potassium โ, โ sodium - free ,โ โ alkali - free ,โ โ potassium - free โ or the like are defined to mean that the compound , molecule , or element was not purposefully added to the composition , but the composition may still comprise sodium , alkali , or potassium , but in approximately tramp or trace amounts . these tramp amounts are not intentionally included in the batch but may be present in minor amounts as impurities in the raw materials used to provide the major components of the glass . 55 to 75 percent sio 2 ; 5 to 20 percent al 2 o 3 ; 0 to 15 percent b 2 o 3 ; 0 to 10 percent mgo ; 0 to 15 percent sro ; 0 to 16 percent cao ; and 0 to 9 percent bao . wherein mgo + cao + bao + sro is 13 to 20 percent , wherein the glass is substantially free of alkali metal , and wherein the glass has a liquidus viscosity of 100 , 000 poise or greater . 55 to 75 percent sio 2 ; 5 to 13 percent al 2 o 3 ; 0 to 15 percent b 2 o 3 ; 0 to 10 percent mgo ; 0 to 15 percent sro ; 0 to 16 percent cao ; and 0 to 9 percent bao . 55 to 75 percent sio 2 ; 0 to 20 percent al 2 o 3 ; 6 to 12 percent b 2 o 3 ; 0 to 10 percent mgo ; 0 to 15 percent sro ; 0 to 16 percent cao ; and 0 to 9 percent bao . 55 to 75 percent sio 2 ; 5 to 13 percent al 2 o 3 ; 6 to 12 percent b 2 o 3 ; 0 to 10 percent mgo ; 0 to 15 percent sro ; 0 to 16 percent cao ; and 0 to 9 percent bao . 55 to 75 percent sio 2 ; 8 to 13 percent al 2 o 3 ; 6 to 12 percent b 2 o 3 ; 0 to 7 percent mgo ; 0 to 12 percent sro ; 0 to 16 percent cao ; and 0 to 9 percent bao . 58 to 69 percent sio 2 ; 8 to 13 percent al 2 o 3 ; 6 to 12 percent b 2 o 3 ; 0 to 7 percent mgo ; 0 to 12 percent sro ; 0 to 16 percent cao ; and 0 to 9 percent bao . 73 to 75 percent sio 2 ; 6 to 9 percent al 2 o 3 ; 0 percent b 2 o 3 ; 1 to 3 percent mgo ; 0 percent sro ; 13 to 16 percent cao ; and 1 to 3 percent bao . 60 to 67 percent sio 2 ; 8 to 12 percent al 2 o 3 ; 6 to 12 percent b 2 o 3 ; 0 . 05 to 7 percent mgo ; 0 to 12 percent sro ; 0 . 5 to 9 percent cao ; and 0 . 5 to 8 percent bao . the glass is substantially free of alkali metal , for example , the content of alkali can be 0 . 05 mole percent or less , for example , zero mole percent . the glass , according to some embodiments , is free of intentionally added alkali metal . the glass is substantially free of sodium , for example , the content of sodium can be 0 . 05 mole percent or less , for example , zero mole percent . the glass , according to some embodiments , is free of intentionally added sodium . the glass is substantially free of potassium , for example , the content of sodium can be 0 . 05 mole percent or less , for example , zero mole percent . the glass , according to some embodiments , is free of intentionally added potassium . the glass is substantially free of sodium and potassium , for example , the content of sodium can be 0 . 05 mole percent or less , for example , zero mole percent . the glass , according to some embodiments , is free of intentionally added sodium and potassium . in some embodiments , the glass comprises 55 to 75 percent sio 2 , for example , 58 to 69 percent sio 2 , or , for example , 60 to 67 percent sio 2 , or , for example , 73 to 75 percent sio 2 . as mentioned above , the glasses , according some embodiments , comprise 0 to 15 percent b 2 o 3 , for example , 6 to 12 percent . b 2 o 3 is added to the glass to reduce melting temperature , to decrease liquidus temperature , to increase liquidus viscosity , and to improve mechanical durability relative to a glass containing no b 2 o 3 . the glass , according to some embodiments , comprises mgo + cao + bao + sro in an amount from 13 to 20 mole percent . mgo can be added to the glass to reduce melting temperature and to increase strain point . it can disadvantageously lower cte relative to other alkaline earths ( e . g ., cao , sro , bao ), and so other adjustments may be made to keep the cte within the desired range . examples of suitable adjustments include increase sro at the expense of cao . the glasses can comprise , in some embodiments , 0 to 15 mole percent sro , for example , greater than zero to 15 mole percent , for example , 1 to 12 mole percent sro . in certain embodiments , the glass contains no deliberately batched sro , though it may of course be present as a contaminant in other batch materials . sro contributes to higher coefficient of thermal expansion , and the relative proportion of sro and cao can be manipulated to improve liquidus temperature , and thus liquidus viscosity . sro is not as effective as cao or mgo for improving strain point , and replacing either of these with sro tends to cause the melting temperature to increase . bao has a similar effect coefficient of thermal expansion as sro , if not a greater effect . bao tends to lower melting temperature and lower liquidus temperature the glasses , in some embodiments , comprise 0 to 16 mole percent cao , for example , greater than 0 to 15 or , for example , 0 to 12 mole percent cao , for example , 0 . 5 to 9 mole percent cao . cao contributes to higher strain point , lower density , and lower melting temperature . the glass , according to one embodiment , further comprises 0 to 0 . 5 mole percent of a fining agent . the fining agent can be sno 2 . the glass , according to one embodiment , further comprising 0 to 2 mole percent of tio 2 , mno , zno , nb 2 o 5 , ta 2 o 5 , zro 2 , la 2 o 3 , y 2 o 3 , p 2 o 5 , or a combination thereof . these optional components can be used to further tailor glass properties . in some embodiments , the glass is substantially free of sb 2 o 3 , as 2 o 3 , or combinations thereof , for example , the glass comprises 0 . 05 mole percent or less of sb 2 o 3 or as 2 o 3 or a combination thereof . for example , the glass can comprise zero mole percent of sb 2 o 3 or as 2 o 3 or a combination thereof . accordingly , in one embodiment , the glass has a strain point of 600 ยฐ c . or greater , for example , 610 ยฐ c . or greater , for example , 620 ยฐ c . or greater , for example , 630 ยฐ c . or greater , for example , 640 ยฐ c . or greater , for example , 650 ยฐ c . or greater . in some embodiments , the glass has a coefficient of thermal expansion of from 35 ร 10 โ 7 /ยฐ c . to 50 ร 10 โ 7 /ยฐ c ., for example , 39 ร 10 โ 7 /ยฐ c . to 50 ร 10 โ 7 /ยฐ c . in one embodiment , the glass has a coefficient of thermal expansion of from 35 ร 10 โ 7 /ยฐ c . to 50 ร 10 โ 7 /ยฐ c . and a strain point of 600 ยฐ c . or greater . the glass can be fusion formed as known in the art of fusion forming glass . the fusion draw process uses an isopipe that has a channel for accepting molten glass raw material . the channel has weirs that are open at the top along the length of the channel on both sides of the channel . when the channel fills with molten material , the molten glass overflows the weirs . due to gravity , the molten glass flows down the outside surfaces of the isopipe . these outside surfaces extend down and inwardly so that they join at an edge below the drawing tank . the two flowing glass surfaces join at this edge to fuse and form a single flowing sheet . the fusion draw method offers the advantage that , since the two glass films flowing over the channel fuse together , neither outside surface of the resulting glass sheet comes in contact with any part of the apparatus . thus , the surface properties are not affected by such contact . glasses having a liquidus viscosity of greater than or equal to 100 kp , 100 , 000 poise , are usually fusion formable . glass having a liquidus viscosity in the range of from 10 kp to less than 100 kp are usually float formable but not fusion formable . some embodiments are alkali - free glasses with tstr & gt ; 630 ยฐ c ., ฮฑ in the range of 4 - 5 ppm /ยฐ c ., as well as liquidus viscosity ( ฮทliq ) in excess of 100 , 000 poise . as such , they are ideally suited for being formed into sheet by the fusion process . moreover , many of these glasses also have a 200 poise temperature ( t 200 ) that is well below 1550 ยฐ c ., making them ideal candidates for lower - cost versions of the fusion process . in one embodiment , the glass is in the form of a sheet . the glass in the form of a sheet can be strengthened , for example , thermally tempered . in one embodiment , as shown in fig1 , a photovoltaic device 100 comprises the glass in the form of a sheet 10 . the photovoltaic device can comprise more than one of the glass sheets , for example , as a substrate and / or as a superstrate . in one embodiment , the photovoltaic device 100 comprises the glass sheet as a substrate or superstrate 10 or 18 , a conductive material 12 adjacent to the substrate , and an active photovoltaic medium 16 adjacent to the conductive material . in one embodiment , the device comprises two glass sheets , one as the superstrate and one as the substrate , having the compositions described herein . the functional layer can comprise copper indium gallium diselenide , amorphous silicon , crystalline silicon , one or more crystalline silicon wafers , cadmium telluride , or combinations thereof adjacent to the substrate or superstrate . in one embodiment , the active photovoltaic medium comprises a cigs layer . in one embodiment , the active photovoltaic medium comprises a cadmium telluride ( cdte ) layer . in one embodiment , the photovoltaic device comprises a functional layer comprising copper indium gallium diselenide or cadmium telluride . in one embodiment , the photovoltaic device the functional layer is copper indium gallium diselenide . in one embodiment , the functional layer is cadmium telluride . the photovoltaic device 100 , according to one embodiment , further comprises one or more intermediate layer ( s ) 14 such as a sodium containing layer , for example , a layer comprising naf or a barrier layer disposed between or adjacent to the superstrate or substrate and the functional layer . in one embodiment , the photovoltaic device further comprises a barrier layer disposed between or adjacent to the superstrate or substrate and a transparent conductive oxide ( tco ) layer , wherein the tco layer is disposed between or adjacent to the functional layer and the barrier layer . a tco may be present in a photovoltaic device comprising a cdte functional layer . in one embodiment , the barrier layer is disposed directly on the glass . in one embodiment , the device comprises multiple intermediate layers such as a sodium containing layer , for example , a layer comprising naf , and an adjacent sodium metering layer located between the superstrate and the substrate . in one embodiment , the glass sheet is optically transparent . in one embodiment , the glass sheet as the substrate and / or superstrate is optically transparent . according to some embodiments , the glass sheet has a thickness of 4 . 0 mm or less , for example , 3 . 5 mm or less , for example , 3 . 2 mm or less , for example , 3 . 0 mm or less , for example , 2 . 5 mm or less , for example , 2 . 0 mm or less , for example , 1 . 9 mm or less , for example , 1 . 8 mm or less , for example , 1 . 5 mm or less , for example , 1 . 1 mm or less , for example , 0 . 5 mm to 2 . 0 mm , for example , 0 . 5 mm to 1 . 1 mm , for example , 0 . 7 mm to 1 . 1 mm . although these are exemplary thicknesses , the glass sheet can have a thickness of any numerical value including decimal places in the range of from 0 . 1 mm up to and including 4 . 0 mm . alkali - free glasses are becoming increasingly attractive candidates for the superstrate , substrate of cdte , cigs modules , respectively . in the former case , alkali contamination of the cdte and conductive oxide layers of the film stack is avoided . moreover , process simplification arises from the elimination of the barrier layer ( needed , e . g ., in the case of conventional soda - lime glass ). in the latter case , cigs module manufacturers are better able to control the amount of na needed to optimize absorber performance by depositing a separate na - containing layer that , by virtue of its specified composition and thickness , results in more reproducible na delivery to the cigs layer . table 1 , table 2 , table 3 , table 4 , table 5 , table 6 , and table 7 show exemplary glasses , according to embodiments of the invention . properties data for some exemplary glasses are also shown in table 1 , table 2 , table 3 , table 4 , table 5 , table 6 , and table 7 . in the tables t str (ยฐ c .) is the strain point which is the temperature when the viscosity is equal to 10 14 . 7 p as measured by beam bending or fiber elongation . ฮฑ ( 10 โ 7 /ยฐ c .) in the tables is the coefficient of thermal expansion ( cte ) which is the amount of dimensional change from either 0 to 300 ยฐ c . or 25 to 300 ยฐ c . depending on the measurement . cte is typically measured by dilatometry . ฯ ( g / cc ) is the density which is measured with the archimedes method ( astm c693 ). t 200 (ยฐ c .) is the two - hundred poise ( p ) temperature . this is the temperature when the viscosity of the melt is 200p as measured by htv ( high temperature viscosity ) measurement which uses concentric cylinder viscometry . t liq (ยฐ c .) is the liquidus temperature . this is the temperature where the first crystal is observed in a standard gradient boat liquidus measurement ( astm c829 - 81 ). ฯ liq is the liquidus viscosity expressed in kilopoise ; thus 100 kp = 100 , 000 p . this is the viscosity of the melt corresponding to the liquidus temperature . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . | 2 |
the embodiments of the memory device of the present invention enable the memory device to have defective columns without affecting the operation of the memory device . this is especially relevant if the memory device is a synchronous flash memory device that performs thousands of simultaneous read operations in which adjacent columns may be affected by a defective or over - erased column . preprogramming both the redundant column and the defective or over - erased primary column facilitates reducing or eliminating these effects . while the subsequent discussion of the embodiments of the present invention refers to synchronous flash memory , any type of memory device that has similar characteristics may be used . for example flash memory , non - volatile ram ( novram ), or electrically erasable programmable read only memory ( eeprom ) may be encompassed by the present invention . [ 0023 ] fig1 is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of a memory device ( 100 ) of the present invention . the memory device ( 100 ) may be coupled to a processor ( 110 ) to form part of an electronic system ( 120 ). the memory device ( 100 ) has been simplified to focus on features of the memory that are helpful in understanding the present invention . in one embodiment , the memory device is a synchronous flash memory device . the memory device includes an array of memory cells ( 130 ). the memory cells are non - volatile floating - gate memory cells and the memory array ( 130 ) is arranged in banks of rows and columns . in one embodiment , the array of memory cells is comprised of a block of memory that makes up a predetermined address range in the memory array . an address buffer circuit ( 140 ) is provided to latch address signals provided on address input connections a 0 - ax ( 142 ). address signals are received and decoded by a row decoder ( 144 ) and a column decoder ( 146 ) to access the memory array ( 130 ). it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , with the benefit of the present description , that the number of address input connections depends on the density and architecture of the memory array ( 130 ). that is , the number of addresses increases with both increased memory cell counts and increased bank and block counts . the memory device ( 100 ) reads data in the memory array ( 130 ) using sense amplifiers to sense voltage or current changes in the memory array columns using read / latch circuitry ( 150 ). the read / latch circuitry ( 150 ), in one embodiment , is coupled to read and latch a row of data from the memory array ( 130 ). data input and output buffer circuitry ( 160 ) is included for bi - directional data communication over a plurality of data ( dq ) connections ( 162 ) with the processor ( 110 ). write circuitry ( 155 ) is provided to write data to the memory array . command control circuit ( 170 ) decodes signals provided on control connections ( 172 ) from the processor ( 110 ). these signals are used to control the operations on the memory array ( 130 ), including data read , data write , and erase operations . in one embodiment , the control circuitry ( 170 ) is comprised of a state machine that executes the control functions of the memory device ( 100 ). an array of control registers ( 180 ) store the commands and the control data . some of the control registers are used for typical control functions and others are reserved for expansion and / or future use . the flash memory device illustrated in fig1 has been simplified to facilitate a basic understanding of the features of the memory as they relate to the present invention . a more detailed understanding of internal circuitry and functions of flash memories and synchronous flash memories are known to those skilled in the art . [ 0030 ] fig2 illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment of a more detailed view of the memory device of the present invention as illustrated in fig1 . in one embodiment , the memory device is a synchronous flash memory device . alternate embodiments use other types of memory . the memory device is comprised of a memory array ( 200 ), as described above , that has the primary columns . the memory array is coupled to the column decode circuitry ( 205 ) as described above . a plurality of sense amplifiers and latches ( 210 ) that are responsible for reading the state of the columns of the memory array ( 200 ) are coupled to the output of the column decode circuitry ( 205 ). the outputs of the sense amplifiers / latches ( 205 ) go to i / o circuitry and the dq outputs of the memory device . the memory device additionally has a redundant column area ( 201 ) that is coupled to the column decode circuitry ( 205 ). the redundant column area ( 201 ) provides the redundant columns for any defective primary columns when a particular column in the memory array ( 200 ) is defective . once a primary column in the memory array ( 200 ) is found to be defective , a redundant column from the redundant column area ( 201 ) is mapped to the defective primary column by the control circuitry of the memory device . this mapping function , in one embodiment , is executed by the memory device state machine and is well known in the art . [ 0033 ] fig3 illustrates a more detailed schematic diagram of the memory array and sense amplifiers of fig2 . the memory array ( 300 ) and redundant column area are comprised of a plurality of bit line and bit line * ( bl and bl *) sense lines that form the columns of the memory array ( 300 ). each bit line is coupled to a large number of memory cells ( 315 ) that form the memory array . fig3 shows only one such memory cell for purposes of illustration . a typical memory array of the present invention may be comprised of millions of these cells . for purposes of clarity , the row decode lines are also not shown but are assumed to be there to access a particular cell . when each cell is charged , that cell represents a logic zero and the bit line to which it is attached no longer conducts . conversely , when the cell is not charged it represents a logic one and the bit line to which it is attached conducts . the sense amplifier ( 310 ) senses the difference in voltage between the bit line ( bl ) and its reference bit line ( bl *). if one of the bit lines is defective or a cell on the bit line is over - erased , that will cause the voltage on that bit line to fall faster relative to the adjacent bit lines . this will show up as an extra coupling current in the adjacent columns . even after the defective or over - erased column is replaced by a redundant column from the redundant column area illustrated in fig2 the defective or over - erased column still has an effect on adjacent columns . [ 0036 ] fig4 illustrates a flowchart of one embodiment of an erase method of the present invention . this method , in one embodiment , is executed by the memory device &# 39 ; s controller / state machine . the memory device determines that a column is defective or has been over - erased . this column is replaced with a redundant column from the redundant column area ( 401 ). the method for determining when a column is defective is well known by those skilled in the art and is not discussed further . the memory device receives a command from a processor or other device to perform an erase operation on a block of memory ( 405 ). in response to the command , the memory device &# 39 ; s controller performs the preconditioning method ( 410 ) of fig5 as well as the erase function . [ 0039 ] fig5 illustrates a flowchart of one embodiment of a memory preconditioning method of the present invention . this method , in one embodiment is executed by the memory device &# 39 ; s controller / state machine . the method preprograms both the defective or over - erased column as well as the redundant column . this prevents the defective / over - erased column from becoming too over - erased such that it goes into a depletion mode . in one embodiment , the columns are preprogrammed with a logical zero . the method preprograms the defective / over - erased column ( 501 ). this step is accomplished , in one embodiment , by selecting that column and preprogramming the cells in the column . the redundant column is also preprogrammed ( 505 ). these steps are in addition to preprogramming the remainder of the non - defective columns in the memory block selected to be erased . after the initial pulse , the defective / over - erased column is checked to determine if the preprogrammed data is present ( 520 ). if the data is present , the method performs the normal erase function ( 510 ). if the data is not present , the counter that tracks the maximum number of attempts is checked ( 530 ). if the defective / over - erased column has been checked the maximum number of times , the method performs the normal erase function ( 510 ). if the maximum number of access attempts has not been performed , the counter is reduced by one ( 535 ) and the column is accessed again to determine whether the cells have been preprogrammed ( 520 ). this checking of the defective / over - erased column continues until the counter reaches zero or some other predetermined quantity . in another embodiment , the counter is incremented to a predetermined quantity . the verification of the preprogramming of the defective / over - erased column is only performed a small quantity of times . in one embodiment , the verification is performed four times . in an alternate embodiment , the verification is performed in a range of attempts that is less than ten . the present invention is not limited to any one quantity of preprogramming verification attempts . this is an improvement over the prior art preprogramming verification of non - defective columns that may require one thousand attempts . the memory block is erased ( 510 ) after the maximum attempts counter reaches zero or some other predetermined quantity . the erase operation modifies each cell &# 39 ; s contents such that a logical one is programmed into the cell . the erase operation is well known in the art and is not discussed further . the v t tightening operation is performed , as is typical in flash memory devices , in order to pull memory cells that are marginal back into the erase state . as discussed above , during this operation , the cells are pulsed and checked repeatedly . in summary , the embodiments of the present invention provide a preconditioning operation that preprograms the defective column as well as the redundant column of a memory device . if the column is found to be defective , the method only attempts to verify the preprogrammed data on the column cells a limited quantity of times , such as four , instead of the one thousand attempts that might be performed on a non - defective primary column . this reduces the time required to verify a defective column . numerous 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 herein . | 6 |
this invention generally provides devices that can be deployed into the annulus of the mitral valve , and be acted upon to reduce the annular circumference and / or desirably change the functional geometry of the mitral valve . a reduction in annular circumference can , for example , reduce the septal lateral dimension of the valve enough to ensure that functional leaflet coaptation returns . these devices can be delivered percutaneously , thus eliminating the need for open heart surgery . at the physician &# 39 ; s discretion , these devices can be delivered surgically , as well . the devices may also be used in other surgical procedures . an illustrative embodiment of a method of the invention involves placing two or more tissue fixation devices , referred to as anchors , on or near the posterior region of the mitral valve annulus . alternatively , the anchors can be positioned on or near both the posterior and anterior regions , or at other locations of the heart . in one method , the anchors are tensioned together to reduce the distance between them ( fig1 ). this effectively pulls the posterior annulus in closer proximity to the anterior annulus of the mitral valve , reduces the septal lateral dimension , facilitates coaptation of the valve leaflets , and reduces or eliminates the mitral regurgitation ( fig2 ). the specific anchor design is shown in fig3 ( two examples of suture pattern are illustrated ). it consists of a semi - rigid bar , ribbon of fabric and a suture . it is intended that the bar portion is anchored on one side of the tissue while the suture and fabric extend through the tissue . the sutures of two or more anchors are the means for tensioning the anchors together . a lock can be applied to the sutures in order to maintain the tension between the anchors in an alternative design ( fig4 ), the anchor could consist of two bars , located on opposing sides of a tissue structure . this configuration could serve to compress the tissue locally and increase the retention strength of the anchor . like the previous description , the respective sutures of the anchors are the means for tensioning the anchors together . the quantities and positions of these anchors can be adapted in response to anatomical and etiological variations . examples of typical configurations of these anchors are : set of two anchors , two or more sets of two anchors , set of three anchors , along the posterior annulus , along the anterior annulus , along both the posterior and anterior annuli . with respect to the components of the anchor , the bar could exist in a number of cross - sections ( e . g ., cylindrical , rectangular , i - beam , annular , etc .) and materials ( metals like platinum and its alloys , titanium , stainless steel , or polymers like polyester , polypropylene , or other materials that would provide the required functional properties and biocompatibility ). the fabric could also be a sheet , cord or other structure that would support the plication tensions of this tissue plication treatment and not damage the tissue . materials such as polyester , polypropylene and polytetrafluoroethylene can be used to fabricate this ribbon . the suture could be a monofilament or braided structure , a wire or other element that can connect and tension multiple anchors . typical suture materials are polyester , polypropylene , silk , and stainless steel . these anchors can be delivered to the mitral valve annulus through a delivery catheter with the anchor loaded inside the delivery catheter or mounted on the outside of the catheter . the mitral valve can be accessed with the catheter via trans - septal technique or retrograde approach . the catheter may be used in combination with guide wires and / or guide catheters per standard catheter technique , and guided and / or imaged with traditional visualization tools , such as echocardiography and fluoroscopy . while the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof 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 as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims . | 0 |
one or more aspects or embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures , wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout . it should be understood that the drawing figures and following descriptions are merely illustrative and that they should not be taken in a limiting sense . in the following description , for purposes of explanation , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding . it will be appreciated that variations of the illustrated systems and methods apart from those illustrated and described herein may exist and that such variations are deemed as falling within the scope of the present invention and the appended claims . turning to fig1 a controllable amplifier is illustrated with an input 1 for supplying a radio - frequency signal in to be amplified , and with a control input 2 for supplying a control signal ctrl in order to preset a desired overall gain for the controllable amplifier . an output 3 is designed to provide an amplified signal out , which is formed as a function of the supplied radio - frequency signal in to be amplified and the control signal for the desired overall gain ctrl . two current paths 6 , 7 are formed between a supply potential connection 4 and a reference - ground potential connection 5 . the current paths 6 , 7 are connected in parallel between the supply potential connection 4 and a common current source 8 , with the current source 8 being connected by its free connection to the reference - ground potential connection 5 . each of the current paths 6 , 7 comprises a transistor which is connected as a source follower . the first current path 6 thus comprises a first transistor 9 , which is connected as a source follower and has a control input and a controlled junction . the control input of the first transistor 9 is connected to the input 1 . one connection of the controlled junction of the first transistor 9 is connected to the supply potential connection 4 , while the other connection of the controlled junction is connected to the current source 8 and to the output 3 . the second current path comprises the second transistor 10 , which is connected as a source follower and likewise has a control input and a controlled junction . the control input of the second transistor 10 is likewise connected to the input 1 . one connection of the controlled junction of the second transistor 10 is connected to the current source 8 , to the output 3 and to a connection of the controlled junction of the first transistor 9 . a free connection of the controlled junction of the second transistor 10 in the second current path 7 is connected to the supply potential connection 4 via a switch 11 . a control connection of the switch 11 is coupled to the control input 2 of the controllable amplifier . the circuit shown in fig1 uses unipolar circuitry . by way of example , the switch 11 may likewise be in the form of a field - effect transistor . normally - off mos field - effect transistors of the p - channel type can be used for the transistors 9 , 10 which are connected as source followers , although other transistors can also be provided . the connection of the second current path 7 changes the effective channel - width to channel - length ratio . reducing the channel width reduces the gradient of the overall amplifier , while the gradient is increased by enlarging the channel width . in the circuit shown in fig1 , the power consumption is reduced as the attenuation increases . attenuation can be achieved by deliberately reducing the output impedance of the source follower in conjunction with the input impedance of the stage following it . switching of the active source - follower stages by means of the switch 11 can be carried out by digital driving in the pga mode , or alternatively by analog driving in the vga mode , for example , with the switch 11 being in the form of a controllable resistor . a switch , which is closed , can likewise be provided in the first current path 6 between the supply potential connection 4 and the controlled junction of the first transistor 9 in order to improve the balance characteristics of the circuit . fig2 illustrates an alternative to the controllable amplifier depicted in fig1 . in fig2 switch 11 is replaced by transistor 10 connected directly to the supply potential connection 4 . a controlled current source 12 is provided in fig2 , which connects the output 3 and thus the base point of the two transistors 9 , 10 to the reference - ground potential connection 5 . this additional , second current source 12 is thus connected in parallel with the first current source 8 . the second current source 12 is designed to be controllable and has a control input which is connected to the control input of the controllable amplifier 2 in order to supply the analog control signal ctrl . the channel - width to channel - length ratio is not varied in fig2 by disconnection of parallel - connected source followers , but instead the gradient of the overall amplifier is varied by means of so - called off - gating by means of the second current source 12 . the attenuation is achieved in a controllable manner as a function of the control signal ctrl by deliberately reducing the output impedance of the source follower in conjunction with the input impedance of a downstream stage at the output 3 . the switching of the current of the current source 12 or the analog proportional control of the current which is provided by the current source 12 can be carried out either by digital driving in the pga mode or by analog driving in the vga mode . it will be appreicaited that power consumption is reduced as attenuation increases in fig2 . it will be apprediated that the circuits illustrated in fig1 and 2 may also be designed with more than two stages . for example , in the case of the arrangement shown in fig1 , further current paths can be provided with further switches , and in the case of the arrangement shown in fig2 , further controlled current sources can be provided . the circuits shown in fig1 and 2 are also combinable in a single controllable amplifier . fig3 illustates a circuit similar to that illusrated in fig1 , but is balanced to carry differential signals . to this end , the inputs 1 , 1 โฒ in the same way as the outputs 3 , 3 โฒ are designed to have two connections to carry differential signals . the first transistor 9 together with a further first transistor 13 forms a first differential amplifier with a common connection node in the supply potential connection 4 . the control input of the first transistor 9 is connected to a first connection 1 of the input , and the controlled input of the further first transistor 13 is connected to a second connection 1 โฒ of the input of the controllable amplifier . the controlled junction of the further first transistor 13 is connected between the supply potential connection 4 and a connection 3 โฒ of the balanced output 3 , 3 โฒ. this connection 3 โฒ is connected via a further current source 14 to the reference - ground potential connection 5 . in the same way , the second transistor 10 , which is connected as a source follower , has a further associated second transistor 15 , which is likewise connected in the same way as the further first transistor 13 as a source follower . the further second transistor 15 together with the second transistor 10 forms a switchable differential amplifier . for this purpose , the control input of the further second transistor 15 is connected to the control input of the further first transistor 13 . the controlled junction of the further second transistor 15 connects the further connection 3 โฒ of the output 3 , 3 โฒ to the supply potential connection 4 via a further switch 16 . the controlled junction of the further second transistor 15 and the further switch 16 accordingly form a series circuit . the control input of the further switch 16 is connected to the control input of the switch 11 , so that switches 11 and 16 are operated concurrently . turning to fig4 another exemplary circuit is illustrated according to one or more aspects and / or embodiments of the present invention . the circuit in fig4 is similar to that depicted in fig2 in that it makes use of controlled current sources , but is balanced as in fig3 . in fig4 , all of the transistors 9 , 10 , 13 , 15 which are connected as source followers are connected by one connection directly to the supply potential connection 4 . accordingly , the two switches 11 , 16 are not needed , and they are replaced by fixed connections . in order to switch the overall gain and / or to control the gain level , two second current sources 12 , 16 are provided in addition to the two first current sources 8 , 14 included in fig3 . the two second current sources 12 , 16 are designed to be controllable . one of the two second current sources 12 is connected in parallel with the current source 8 . the further second current source 16 is connected in parallel with the further first current source 14 . the two second current sources 12 , 16 each have one control input , which is connected to the control input 2 of the controllable amplifier . the current sources 12 , 16 are either designed such that they can be connected and disconnected or have means for production of a current which is proportional to a control signal . either a pga function or a vga function , or a combination of them is thus achieved . with regard to the method of operation of the circuit shown in fig4 , in terms of the controlled current sources , reference should be made to the functional description relating to fig2 , in order to avoid repetitions . fig5 illustrates an exemplary controllable amplifier , which operates via differential cancellation , specifically by connection of source followers which are connected in antiphase . the circuit in fig5 is similar to that illustrated in fig3 , however , the differential amplifiers with the transistors 9 , 13 and 10 , 15 , respectively , are not connected in parallel . instead , the differential amplifiers 9 , 13 ; 10 , 15 are cross - coupled in the output 3 , 3 โฒ, so that their outputs operate in antiphase to one another . one connection of the controlled junction of the first transistor 9 is not connected to one connection of the controlled junction of the transistor 10 but to a connection of the controlled junction of the transistor 15 . similarly , one connection of the controlled junction of the second transistor 13 is not connected to one connection of the further second transistor 15 but to a connection of the controlled junction of the further first transistor 10 . in the circuit in fig5 , the gradient is not varied in order to control the overall gain , as in the case of the circuits shown in fig1 to 4 , but partial differential cancellation of the output currents is carried out , as a function of the control signal ctrl , by antiphase operation of the source followers . the differential signals in the output 3 , 3 โฒ are combined in a controlled form such that they are partially cancelled out . the switching of the antiphase source - follower stages via the switches 11 , 16 can be carried out either in a digital form to provide a pga function , or in an analog form to provide a vga function . in comparison to the circuits illustrated in fig1 to 4 , in the example illustrated in fig5 the maximum achievable attenuation does not depend on the input impedance of a downstream stage connected to the output 3 , 3 โฒ. rather , the maximum achievable attenuation depends on the scaling ratio between the in - phase and antiphase source - follower stage . it will be appreciated that if there are more than two stages , a control device may be connected between the control input 2 and the control connections of the switches or controlled resistors 11 , 16 , or of the controlled current sources 12 , 16 , to convert the control signal to a suitable drive for the current sources or switches . although the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to a certain aspect or various aspects , it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings . in particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components ( e . g ., assemblies , devices , circuits , etc . ), the terms ( including a reference to a โ means โ) used to describe such components are intended to correspond , unless otherwise indicated , to any component which performs the specified function of the described component ( i . e ., that is functionally equivalent ), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention . in addition , while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several aspects of the invention , such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other aspects as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application . furthermore , to the extent that the term โ includes โ is used in either the detailed description or the claims , such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term โ comprising .โ also , โ exemplary โ is merely intended to mean an example , rather than โ the best โ. | 7 |
while the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms , specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein by described in detail . it should be understood , however , that there is no intent to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed , but on the contrary , the intention is to cover all modifications , equivalents , and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . referring now to fig2 there is shown a general augmented glenoid component 10 in accordance with the present principles located between a glenoid surface 12 of a left scapula 14 and a humeral component 16 . the augmented glenoid component 10 is representative of ail embodiments of augmented glenoid components described herein . the humeral component 16 has been implanted or otherwise secured to a humerus 18 . as shall be discussed below in greater detail , the glenoid component 10 is configured to be secured to the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 with or without the use of bone cement in order to replace the natural glenoid surface 12 during a total shoulder replacement procedure . in such a manner , the augmented glenoid component 10 functions as a โ replacement โ bearing surface 44 for receiving a head portion ( a prosthetic head portion ) of the humerus 18 ( as shown , a prosthetic head portion 20 attached to a stem 17 of the prosthetic humeral component 16 implanted in the humerus 18 ). a surface 46 of the augmented glenoid component contacts the glenoid surface 12 . in fig2 the glenoid surface 12 has been prepared to receive the augmented glenoid component 10 . particularly , a notch 13 has been removed from the glenoid surface 12 to correspond in configuration to the augmented glenoid component 10 . additionally , a plurality of bores 15 have been prepared in the glenoid surface 12 . the bores 15 are configured to receive anchors or anchoring of the augmented glenoid component 10 as discussed below . referring to fig3 - 7 , there is shown an embodiment of the general glenoid component 10 shown in fig2 . the augmented glenoid component 10 includes a body 22 having a concave surface 26 on one end thereof . the concave surface 26 of the body 22 provides a smooth bearing surface for the head portion 20 of the humeral component 16 implanted into the humerus 18 . as such , the concave surface 26 is configured with the same or greater curvature ( with respect to the concavity thereof ) as the curvature ( with respect to the convexity thereof ) of the head portion 20 . the body 22 includes an interruption in the form of a buttress , step , ledge or the like 24 on or from a body or medial surface 32 that defines a top surface 28 and a side surface 30 . the top surface 28 is preferably substantially flat , but may be rounded or convex . the side surface 30 extends from the medial surface 32 to the top surface 28 . the medial surface 32 is preferably rounded or convex as best seen in fig5 but may be flat . the side surface 30 is shown substantially perpendicular to the top surface 28 and the medial surface 32 . the side surface 30 , however , may be angled relative to both surfaces 28 and 32 within an angle of 45 ยฐ to 135 ยฐ, inclusive . the augmented glenoid component 10 also includes an anchor peg 34 . the anchor peg 34 extends essentially perpendicular to the body surface 32 . the anchor peg 34 includes a rounded head 36 that provides easier insertion into a hole or bore that has been drilled or otherwise formed in the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 . while not necessary , the glenoid component 10 is shown to include a plurality of stabilizing posts or pegs 38 . two pegs 38 are shown extending substantially perpendicular to the medial surface 32 , while two pegs 38 are shown extending substantially perpendicular to the top surface 28 . the length of the pegs 38 is preferably less than the length of the anchor peg 34 . as well , the length of the pegs 38 , regardless of position , are preferably essentially the same length relative to the replacement bearing surface 46 , or of the ending length . the stabilizing pegs 38 are received into a number of respective stabilizing holes 15 ( see fig2 ) that are drilled or otherwise formed or prepared in the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 . although it is contemplated that the anchor peg 34 and / or any one or all of the stabilizing pegs 38 may be embodied as separate components that are secured to the body 22 , the anchor peg 34 and any stabilizing pegs are preferably integrally formed with one another and the body 22 . in one exemplary embodiment , the body 22 , the anchor peg 34 , and the stabilizing pegs 38 are integrally molded using a polymeric material such as polyethylene or ultra - high molecular weight polypropylene ( uhmwpe ). as well , the augmented glenoid component 10 may be formed of a plastic , a ceramic , or a composite material . examples of these materials include a polyethylene , alumina , zirconia , and alumina / zirconia composite or composite material . the buttress 24 extends a height or length relative to the body surface 32 that is preferably less than the length of the anchor peg 34 . it should be appreciated that the length or height of the buttress may be longer or shorter depending on design choices as well as outer configuration and / or size . the anchor peg 34 is herein shown in the figures to include two rings 40 . however , it should be appreciated that the anchor peg 34 may be embodied to include any number of rings or no rings at all . for example , the anchor peg 34 may be embodied to include only a single ( i . e . one ) ring 40 . in addition , although each of the rings 40 is herein shown in the figures to possess the same sized outer diameter , it should be appreciated that other ring or ring - like configurations such as fins ( see fig1 ) are also contemplated for use with the augmented glenoid component 10 . for example , the rings 40 may be provided in a tapered configuration in which the respective outer diameters of the rings 40 gradually increases from the distal end of the anchor peg 34 to the proximal end portion of the anchor peg 34 ( i . e . the ring positioned on the distal end of the anchor peg 34 has a smaller diameter relative to the ring positioned on the proximal end of the anchor peg 34 ). in such a configuration , an anchor hole drilled in the scapula 14 would be drilled in a similarly tapered manner so as to provide a corresponding sidewall configuration for engagement by the rings 40 . although it is contemplated that the rings 40 may be embodied as separate components that are secured to the anchor peg 34 , the rings 40 are preferably integrally formed with the anchor peg 34 . consistent with that described above , in one exemplary embodiment , the rings 40 are integrally molded with the anchor peg 34 ( and hence also integrally molded with the body 22 and the stabilizing pegs 38 of the glenoid component 10 a ). the rings 40 may be configured to slightly deform in a cementless application ( or in oversize holes for cementless applications ) when the anchor peg 34 is inserted into an anchor hole . this is caused when the rings 40 are advanced into the anchor hole since it is preferably drilled so as to have a diameter which is slightly larger than the diameter of a shaft portion 35 of the anchor peg 34 , yet smaller than the outer diameter of the rings 40 thereby causing deformation of the rings 40 upon contact with the sidewalls of an anchor hole as the rings 40 are โ forced โ into the anchor hole . such deformation of the rings 40 allows the rings 40 to secure the glenoid component 10 a to the scapula 14 by providing resistance to removal or โ pull out โ of the anchor peg 34 from the anchor hole much in the same way that the threads of a screw provide resistance to pull out of the screw from the material into which it is driven . in addition , over a period of time subsequent to securement of the augmented glenoid component 10 to the scapula 14 , bone tissue or other types of tissue will grow into the spaces between the rings 40 thereby providing further resistance to pull out of the anchor peg 34 from the anchor hole . such a configuration of the rings 40 and / or the buttress 24 as described above eliminates the need for the use of bone cement to secure the augmented glenoid component 10 to the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 thereby reducing the complexity of a typical total shoulder replacement procedure along with eliminating any potential shortcomings associated with the use of bone cement . in particular , the above - described configuration of the buttress 24 provides a glenoid component 10 that โ locks โ into place upon insertion into the glenoid component 10 in the scapula 14 . it is contemplated , however , that bone cement may be used if desired . the stabilizing pegs 38 are not necessary but are preferably provided to help prevent rotation or other types of movement of the body 22 of the augmented glenoid component 10 in addition to the buttress 24 relative to the scapula 14 once the glenoid component 10 has been secured to the glenoid surface 12 . the distal end of each of the stabilizing pegs 38 has a conical tip 39 . the conical tip 39 functions as a โ lead in โ to facilitate insertion of the stabilizing pegs 38 into respective stabilizing holes drilled in the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 . the stabilizing pegs 38 may be arranged in any orientation on the body 22 that fits the needs of an embodiment herein of an augmented glenoid component . in addition , it should be appreciated that any number of stabilizing pegs 38 may be utilized to fit the needs of a given augmented glenoid component . in particular , although the augmented glenoid component 10 is described herein as having four stabilizing pegs , and has significant advantages thereby in the present invention , it should be appreciated that the augmented glenoid component 10 may be alternatively embodied to include none or any number of stabilizing pegs 38 . referring now to fig8 - 11 there is shown another embodiment of an augmented glenoid component that is generally designated 10 a . the augmented glenoid component 10 a includes a body 50 having a concave surface 52 on one end thereof . the concave surface 52 of the body 50 provides a smooth bearing surface for the head portion 20 of the humeral component 16 implanted into the humerus 18 . as such , the concave surface 52 is configured with the same or greater curvature ( with respect to the concavity thereof ) as the curvature ( with respect to the convexity thereof ) of the head portion 20 . the body 50 includes an interruption in the form of a buttress , step , ledge or the like 54 on or from a medial or body surface 60 that defines a top surface 56 and a side surface 58 . the top surface 56 is preferably substantially flat , but may be rounded or convex . the side surface 58 extends from the medial surface 60 to the top surface 56 . the medial surface 60 is preferably rounded or convex as best seen in fig8 but may be flat . the side surface 58 is shown substantially perpendicular to the top surface 56 and the medial surface 60 . the side surface 58 , however , may be angled relative to both surfaces 56 and 60 within an angle of 45 ยฐ to 135 ยฐ, inclusive . the augmented glenoid component 10 a also includes a keel 62 . the keel 62 extends essentially perpendicular to the body surface 60 . the keel 62 includes a tapered end 64 that provides easier insertion into a like - configured hole that has been drilled or otherwise formed or prepared in the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 . although it is contemplated that the keel 62 may be embodied as a separate component that is secured to the body 50 , the keel 62 is preferably integrally formed with the body 50 . in one exemplary embodiment , the body 50 and the keel 62 are integrally molded using a polymeric material such a polyethylene or an ultra - high molecular weight polypropylene ( uhmwpe ). as well , the glenoid component 10 a may be formed of a plastic , a ceramic , or a composite material . examples of these materials include a polyethylene , alumina , zirconia , and alumina / zirconia composite or composite material . the buttress 54 extends a height or length relative to the medial surface 60 that is preferably less than the keel 62 . it should be appreciated that the length or height of the buttress 54 may be longer or shorter depending on design choices . it should also be appreciated that the augmented glenoid component 10 a does not show any stabilizing pegs . however , the augmented glenoid component 10 a may include stabilizing pegs that may extend from the top surface 56 of the buttress 54 . referring to fig1 - 16 , there is depicted another embodiment of an augmented glenoid component , generally designated 10 b . the augmented glenoid component 10 b includes generally the same features and / or components as the augmented glenoid component 10 of fig3 - 7 . in this embodiment , however , the anchor peg 34 extends from both the buttress 24 and the medial surface 32 . stated in another way , the anchor peg 34 straddles the buttress 24 and the medial surface 32 . additionally , the augmented glenoid component 10 b has three ( 3 ) pegs 38 . one of the pegs 38 extends from the medial surface 32 . another one of the pegs 38 extends from the buttress . another one of the pegs 38 straddles the buttress 24 and the medial surface 32 . fig1 depicts yet another embodiment of an augmented glenoid component , generally designated 10 c . the augmented glenoid component 10 c is essentially the same as the augmented glenoid component 10 b of fig1 - 16 , with the exception of the anchor peg 34 . the anchor peg 34 of the augmented glenoid component 10 c includes a plurality of radial fins or the like 66 . the fins 66 are deformable . this allows the anchor peg 34 to fit into an anchor bore in the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 , but aid in preventing the easy removal thereof . referring to fig1 - 20 , there is depicted another embodiment of an augmented glenoid component , generally designated 10 d . the augmented glenoid component 10 d is generally the same as the augmented glenoid component 10 a of fig8 - 11 . in this embodiment , however , the keel 62 straddles the buttress 54 and the medial surface 60 . the keel 62 is thus essentially centered on the medial surface 60 of the body 52 . referring now to fig2 - 25 , there is depicted another embodiment of an augmented glenoid component generally designated 10 c . the augmented glenoid component 10 c is formed of two pieces or components , namely a backing member 70 and a backing member insert 72 . the backing member 70 is adapted to be affixed or mounted to the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 , while the backing member insert 72 is adapted to be attached to the backing member 70 . the backing member 72 is preferably formed of a plastic , a ceramic , or a composite . examples of these materials may be a polyethylene , alumina , zirconia , and alumina / zirconia composite or composite material . the backing member 70 is preferably formed of a metal , a ceramic , a composite , or a biological material . examples of a biological material of the backing member 70 are bone , bone graft , or bone substitute material . examples of a metal of the backing member 70 are titanium alloy , cobalt alloy , cobalt chromium , or stainless steel alloy . an example of ceramic of the backing member 70 includes alumina , zirconia or an alumina / zirconia composite ceramic . an example of the composite of the backing member 70 includes a carbon fiber / peek composite . the backing member insert 70 includes a body 74 having a concave surface 76 on one end thereof . the concave surface 76 of the body 70 provides a smooth bearing surface for the head portion 20 of the humeral component 16 implanted into the humerus 18 . as such , the concave surface 76 is configured with the same or greater curvature ( with respect to the concavity thereof ) as the curvature ( with respect to the convexity thereof ) of the head portion 20 . the backing member insert 72 also includes a peripheral slot 78 that is adapted to allow the backing member insert 72 to be received and held by the backing member 70 in a manner as described below . the backing member 70 has a body 80 having an interruption formed as a buttress , step , ledge or the like 86 that defines a top surface 90 and a side surface 88 . the top surface 90 is preferably substantially flat , but may be rounded or convex . the side surface 88 extends from a body surface 92 to the top surface 90 . the body surface 92 is preferably rounded or convex as best seen in fig2 . the side surface 88 is shown substantially perpendicular to the top surface 90 and the body surface 92 . the side surface 88 , however , may be angled relative to both surfaces 90 and 92 within an angle of 45 ยฐ to 135 ยฐ, inclusive . as best seen in fig2 , the backing member 70 includes a horseshoe - shaped rim 84 that defines a horseshoe - shaped slot 82 . the rim 84 and slot 82 cooperate / are adapted to slidingly receive the backing member insert 72 . in particular , a portion 75 of the backing member insert 72 is received in the slot 82 while the rim 84 engages the slot 78 of the backing member 72 . it should be appreciated that the backing member 70 is first affixed to the scapula 14 before the backing member insert 72 is attached thereto . as explained in greater detail below , the backing member 70 is affixed to the scapula 14 via fasteners . of course , other types of connectors may be used for the backing member 70 and the backing member insert 72 . the backing member 70 also includes a plurality of bores 94 each of which is adapted to allow a screw , nail , or other fastener to extend therethrough . in this manner , the backing member 70 is secured to the glenoid area 12 of the scapula 14 . the backing member 70 is shown with three bores 94 through the buttress 86 , and three bores 94 through the body surface 92 . it should be appreciated that the backing member 70 may contain more or less bores , in various places . preferably , the middle two bores are substantially perpendicular to the buttress top surface 90 , while the outer bores are angled outwardly . such configuration provides a secure attachment of the backing member 70 to the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 . referring to fig2 , there is shown another embodiment of a backing member , generally designated 120 , in like kind to the backing member 70 of fig2 - 25 . the backing member 120 includes a body 122 having a horseshoe - shaped slot 124 surrounded by a horseshoe - shaped rim 126 . the slot 124 and rim 126 are configured to receive a backing member insert ( not shown ) in like kind to the backing member insert 72 of fig2 . in accordance with an aspect of the present invention , the backing member 120 has a buttress 128 that covers approximately one - half of the body 122 or of a medial surface 132 . the buttress 128 defines a side surface 129 that is preferably essentially perpendicular to a preferably , but not necessarily , convex or rounded medial surface 132 . the side surface 129 , however , may be within an angle of 45 ยฐ to 135 ยฐ, inclusive ( i . e . the side surface defines an angle ฮธ , wherein 45 ยฐโฆ ฮธ โฆ 135 ยฐ, with respect to the medial surface 132 ). the buttress 128 also includes a plurality of bores 130 . the bores 130 are configured to allow fasteners to extend therethrough and capture the ends thereof in order to affix the body 122 onto the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 . the backing member 120 further includes a keel 134 in like kind to the keel 62 of fig8 - 11 and fig1 - 21 . the keel 134 extends substantially perpendicular from the medial surface 132 and the buttress 128 in a straddling manner . fig2 provides another alternative embodiment of the backing member 120 . in particular , the backing member 120 a of fig2 includes many of the same features as the backing member 120 with the exception of the keel 134 . rather than a keel , the backing member 120 a includes an anchor peg or post 136 in like kind to the post 34 of fig3 - 7 . the anchor peg 136 is preferably configured in the same manner as the anchor peg 34 and extends substantially perpendicular to the medial surface 132 a and the buttress 128 a in a straddling manner . in addition , the backing member 120 a includes a pair of stabilizing posts or pegs 138 in like kind to the stabilizing posts 38 of fig3 - 7 . in the present case , however , one stabilizing post 38 extends outwardly from the medial surface 132 a , while another stabilizing post 38 straddles the buttress 128 a and the medial surface 132 a . the backing member 120 a further includes a bore 130 a extending through the buttress 128 a . the augmented glenoid component 10 of the present invention is utilized in the performance of a total shoulder replacement procedure in order to provide an artificial bearing surface for the head portion of the humerus with or without the use of bone cement . referring to fig2 , there is depicted a left scapula 14 in which an augmented glenoid component 10 will be affixed . in particular , an anchor hole 152 and stabilizing holes are drilled or otherwise formed in the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 by use of a suitable drilling tool ( as represented by the drill bit 150 ). for those augmented glenoid components having a keel or other type or style of main anchor or stabilizer , a complementary recess is formed in the glenoid surface 12 . it should be appreciated that a drill guide or pattern ( not shown ) may be utilized to properly position and align the holes on the glenoid surface of the scapula 14 . further , the anchor hole 152 is drilled to accommodate the anchor peg of the glenoid component , or a keel ( in which case the โ hole โ is shaped to accept the configuration of the keel ). alternatively , various holes may be formed in the scapula 14 to accommodate fasteners rather than pegs , when utilizing a two - part glenoid component having a backing member . in addition to any holes to accommodate pegs and / or a keel , a notch 154 is formed to accommodate the buttress of the glenoid component . this may be accomplished utilizing an appropriate saw , reamer , router or the like . typically , the notch 154 is formed at a posterior location of the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 . once any holes and the notch 154 have been formed in the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 , the glenoid component 10 is secured to the scapula 14 . in particular , the glenoid component 10 is oriented such that the buttress is received in the notch 154 and any anchor peg , keel , and / or stabilizing pegs are received in the respective holes ( or in the case of fasteners , that the holes in the backing member are oriented over the holes in the scapula ). thereafter , the glenoid component 10 is advanced toward the glenoid surface 12 . hence , insertion of the buttress into the notch 154 retains the body of the glenoid component 10 into contact with the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 . moreover , insertion of the anchor peg , keel and / or stabilizing pegs into corresponding holes in the manner described above prevents rotation or other types of movement of the body of the glenoid component 10 relative to the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 . once the glenoid component 10 has been secured to the glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 in the manner described , the concave surface 26 of the body 22 of the glenoid component 10 provides a bearing surface for receiving the head portion 20 of the humeral component 16 implanted in the humerus 18 . in such a manner , the concave surface 26 of the body portion 22 functions as a suitable artificial replacement for the natural glenoid surface 12 of the scapula 14 . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description , such an illustration and description is to be considered as exemplary 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 . there are a plurality of advantages of the present invention arising from the various features of the glenoid component described herein . it will be noted that alternative embodiments of the glenoid component of the present invention may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features . those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of a glenoid component that incorporate one or more of the features of the present invention and fall within the sprit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims . for example , the embodiment of one bearing component in accordance with the concepts of the present invention has herein been described in regard to the glenoid component 10 . however , it should be appreciated that the concepts of the present invention may also be incorporated into an acetabular , patellar , femoral , humeral , tibial , ulnar , radial , wrist , and / or ankle component for a prosthetic joint assembly . | 0 |
before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings . the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways . as shown in fig1 - 8 , the floor finish applicator generally 10 includes a cart 12 with a u - shaped tubular handle member 14 joined to a molded plastic base portion 16 with wheels 18 rotatably mounted thereon . a box 21 with a bag 23 containing floor finish is supported in housing 16 which provides a carrier member for the box 21 . a kickstand 22 supports base portion 16 of cart 12 . a spring 60 pivotally biases kickstand 22 toward the housing 16 . connected to the housing 16 is a frame member 20 with clamps 34 and 35 . a mop 28 having a handle 30 and a mop head 32 is removably attached to the frame member 20 by the clamps 34 and 35 . in a preferred manner , mop head 32 has a pad comprised of materials of different sizes for purpose of spreading and leveling the floor finish . it can be made of foam , flocked foam , woven or non - woven cloth . referring to fig3 , 6 & amp ; 7 a transmission assembly for transmitting power from the wheels to the pump 64 is shown . the transmission assembly includes a spring loaded clutch 38 for selectively controlling actuation of the pump 64 . the clutch includes a thrust washer 40 slideably received on drive shaft 42 . a spring 44 biases washer 40 against pivotal bar 48 . cable 66 is attached to pivotal bar 48 . a bevel gear 50 is connected to drive shaft 42 . the opposing end of drive shaft 42 is slideably received in drive shaft 52 which connects to pump 64 . a drive gear 54 is mounted on axle 56 . as seen in fig2 and 5 , cable 66 is also attached to bail 69 by the connecting peg 71 and is slideably secured in bracket 67 dispensed on handle 14 . bail 69 is pivotally attached to handle 14 . there is also a bail stop 73 connected to handle 14 . the pump 64 can include a variety of different pumps , such as piston pump , gear pump , diaphragm pump , peristaltic pump , and the like . while each pump can be utilized to deliver floor finish and can be operable via the transmission assembly described above , the peristaltic pump embodiment is a highly preferred embodiment . as explained in greater detail below , the peristaltic pump is preferred because it is substantially easier to clean since the floor finish does not contact the pump . referring to fig8 , the peristaltic pump is housed in compartment 75 . a floor finish feed conduit 25 is in fluid communication with the bag 23 by means of the connector 79 . feed conduit 25 is also in fluid communications with pump conduit 81 and is output conduit 83 . sleeves 85 provide connection between conduits 25 , 83 and pump conduit 81 . a spray conduit 87 with orifices 89 is attached to housing 16 by the brackets 90 . a further understanding of the floor finish applicator 10 can be had by a description of its operation as seen in fig1 - 8 . the bag 23 containing floor finish in placed in box 21 and the box loaded into the housing 16 of cart 12 as illustrated in fig1 . bag 23 is connected to flexible feed tube 25 as indicated in fig8 . mop 28 is clamped to the applicator 10 by means of clamps 28 and 29 , as shown in fig2 . when it is desired to dispense floor finish from bag 23 onto the floor surface 27 , the applicator 10 is moved in a direction indicated by the directional arrow 19 shown in fig2 . bail 69 is then moved in the direction shown by the directional arrow 17 , this causes pivotal bar 48 to move from the position shown in fig4 to that shown in fig6 whereby drive shaft 42 is moved by thrust washer 40 to move bevel gear 50 in engagement with drive gear 54 which is rotated by the rotation of axle 56 by wheels 18 . rotation of drive shaft 42 rotates drive shaft 52 through the pin 58 and slot 57 arrangement shown in fig7 . this affords linear movement of shaft 42 in shaft 52 while maintaining connection of the two shafts . rotation of shaft 52 effects a pumping action in pump 64 . as best seen in fig8 , floor finish flows through flexible feed conduit 25 into peristaltic pump 64 . it is pumped into output flexible conduit 83 and into spray conduit 87 where it is dispensed through orifices 89 . activation of the peristaltic pump 64 during movement of the cart 12 can be prevented by the roller clutch 94 in conjunction with wheels 18 . this is shown in fig5 . a roller bearing 92 is mounted on shaft 56 as is roller clutch 94 . a spacer 93 separates bearing 92 and housing 16 . in the event bail 69 is not moved to a position to place pivot bar 48 in the position shown in fig4 with the non - engagement of gears 50 and 54 , roller clutch prevents activation of pump 64 during movement of the cart 12 . an advantageous feature of some embodiments of the applicator is the disposable connector 79 and the disposable flexible conduits 25 , 81 , 83 and spray conduit 87 . when the application of the floor finish in complete , these components can be readily removed and replaced without any cleaning of the peristaltic pump 64 . in other words , through the use of a peristaltic pump , the floor finish never contacts the pump . as such , time consuming clean - up is not necessary . rather , the conduit is simply removed from the pump and replaced prior to next operation . another advantage of some embodiments the application 10 is the dual use of mop 28 . it acts as a spreader for the floor finish when attached to the cart 12 , yet allows use separately as a hand operated mop in order to apply floor finish to areas of floors not readily accessible when attached to the applicator . a roller clutch 94 has been described in conjunction with applicator 10 . if desired this could be eliminated as deactivation of the pump 64 can be effected during a forward motion of the applicator by placing bail 69 in the upward position shown in solid lines in fig2 . neither is it essential to have the mop 28 disengageable from the applicator 10 . all such and other modifications within the spirit of the invention are meant to be within the scope as defined by the appended claims . thus , the invention provides , among other things , a floor finish applicator . various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims . | 0 |
referring to fig1 ( prior art ), one of the problems associated with higher volumetric expansions of swellable materials is that the material itself when configured for use as an element such as an annular seal 10 for example ( hereinafter referred to as โ seal โ for simplicity ), is bonded or otherwise mounted to a mandrel 12 , generally in a way that reduces access of swelling fluid to the swellable material . in other words , the surfaces of an exemplary annular seal that are contactable by swelling fluid are an outside dimension surface 14 of the seal and end surfaces 16 and 18 at the axial ends of the seal . an inside dimension surface 20 of the seal is relatively protected from contact with swelling fluid applied to the annular seal 10 . this is due to whatever means has been used to mount the annular seal to the mandrel . resultantly , the exposed surfaces of the swellable material 14 , 16 , 18 must expand more significantly to achieve contact with an opposing structure ( not shown ) than they would have to have done if a greater proportion of the swellable material were โ wettable โ by the swelling fluid . more specifically , swelling would occur to a greater extent and more evenly if a greater percentage of the original volume of the material could be affected by the swelling fluid . greater distribution of the swelling fluid throughout the volume of the swellable material increases the potential contact pressure generatable by the swellable material , and reduces sponginess of the swelled swellable material . such sponginess can often be experienced when a greater expansion of some parts of the swellable material than others makes up for the lack of swelling in those other parts of the swellable material . a swellable material as contemplated herein may be an elastomeric material such as rubber , copolymers , plastics , thermoplastics , etc . in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and referring to fig2 , the wettable surface area of the swellable material is increased by creating at least one cut 140 in the material of element 110 . the at least one cut may be in any direction including orthogonally annular as shown and may be of any depth within the material with commensurate benefit with respect to increased wettability of the swellable material . the at least one cut creates additional surface area of the element exposed to surrounding environment including the swelling fluid applicable to the specific type of swellable material being used . the greater the depth and length of the cut the greater surface area of the swellable material ; the greater the surface area contactable by the swelling fluid , the greater the increase in wettability . in short , any configuration of the element that increases the surface area thereof while at the same time avoiding a reduction in the volume of the element will result in improved performance . configurations include , in addition to those noted above , axially spirally cutting the element along cut line 142 such that the element 110 is wrapped around the mandrel 112 similar to the configuration of a roll of tape ( fig3 ), axially helically cutting the element along cut line 144 ( fig4 ), axially parallel cut ( s ) along lines 146 ( fig5 ), zig - zag cuts along line 148 ( fig6 ), etc . furthermore , short cuts may be made in the element in the same direction or in different directions a plurality of which may together make up a geometrical form such as any of the foregoing forms or otherwise , if desired . in an alternate embodiment , and referring to fig7 , the swellable material is configured as a plurality of annular discs 260 that are then stacked axially adjacent one another on a mandrel 212 such that a swelling fluid is provided relatively easy access to a greater surface area of the swellable material . while the individual annular discs are in one embodiment each affixed , for example , glued , bonded , or similar at their respective inside dimensions 220 to the mandrel 212 thereby inhibiting swelling fluid access to that inside dimension , in another embodiment only the end positioned annular discs 262 are bonded or otherwise affixed to the mandrel while others of the discs remain unfixed . in this embodiment , the annular discs that are not themselves bonded or otherwise affixed to the mandrel are receptive to swelling fluid at their respective inside dimensions . this , of course , will further enhance the swellability of the element . while preferred embodiments have been shown and described , modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation . | 4 |
fig1 shows a block diagram of a camera . the lens ( 101 ) gathers light from a scene ( not shown ). the gathered light is redirected ( 102 ) to form an image of the scene on a sensor ( 103 ). the sensor may be an array of ccd elements , cmos sensors , or the like . the operation of the lens may be controlled by control signals ( 113 ) from a logic unit ( 110 ) which contains a microprocessor system . likewise the operation of the sensor may be controlled by control signals ( 105 ) from logic unit ( 110 ). image information signals ( 104 ) flow from the sensor to the logic unit ( 110 ). a flash , or strobe ( 106 ) may be utilized to supply additional light ( 107 ) to the scene . the strobe is operated by the strobe electronics ( 108 ), which in turn are controlled by the logic unit ( 110 ). the camera may comprise a display ( 109 ) on which image data may be shown . the camera may comprise a storage unit ( 111 ) for storage and recall of image data , as well as data interchange with other devices ( not shown ). the user of the camera may operate various control inputs ( 112 ) in order to affect the operation of the camera . fig2 shows a photograph of a scene that contains a small area of very bright light . in this case a lamp that is switched on is included in the picture . it is apparent from the photograph that the camera used to make the photograph has used settings that make the resulting picture too dark . the photograph could be significantly improved by a better method of selecting camera settings affecting exposure . a digital camera , or an exposure sensor for a film camera , by its nature , produces a numerical representation of each photograph it takes . for each location in the photograph , called a โ picture element โ or โ pixel โ, the camera records a numerical value indicating the brightness of the scene at that location . the resulting representation of the scene is then an array of numbers . locations in the array correspond to specific pixels , or locations in the scene , and the number stored at each array location represents the scene brightness at that location . optionally , the camera may also record information about the color at each pixel location of the scene being photographed . for the purpose of describing the present invention , we are concerned only with the brightness of each pixel . a measure of the brightness of a pixel may be computed from the color information . for example , many cameras represent the color of a pixel using three components indicating the contribution of red , green , and blue wavelengths of light to the brightness of that pixel . the overall brightness of a pixel may be computed as the sum of the red , green , and blue contributions , as a weighted sum , or as some other combination of the color information . a variety of methods for computing the brightness of a pixel from color information are well known in the art . it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention applies with equal facility to cameras that record only brightness information about each pixel and to cameras that also record color information . a common and useful tool for analyzing photographic exposure is the exposure histogram . fig3 shows the exposure histogram for the scene shown in fig2 . an exposure histogram is constructed by dividing the exposure range of the camera into different โ bins โ, and then counting how many pixels from an image fall into each bin . for example , the camera used to generate fig2 can express the brightness of a pixel as a value between 0 and 1 , 023 , inclusive . the histogram in fig3 divides this brightness range into 64 bins . therefore , bin 0 ( 301 ) collects a count of the pixels in the image whose brightness values fall between 0 and 15 , inclusive . bin 1 ( 302 ) collects a count of the pixels in the image whose brightness values fall between 16 and 31 inclusive . subsequent bins follow the same pattern , finishing with bin 63 ( 303 ), which collects a count of image pixels whose brightness values fall between 1 , 008 and 1 , 023 , inclusive . those pixels whose brightness values fall into bin 63 ( 303 ) are fully exposed , or saturated . adding more exposure to those pixels will not affect their placement in a bin . the camera cannot record brightness values beyond 1 , 023 . pixels brighter than a level that would result in a brightness value of 1 , 008 or higher will always be reported as falling in bin 63 ( 303 ). those pixels will not respond to increases in the exposure of the photograph . however , reducing the exposure of those pixels may lower the brightness values reported for them , and may cause some or all of them to be counted in lower - numbered bins . in general , it is desirable to minimize the number of pixels in the lowest - numbered bin , as well as minimize the number of saturated pixels in a photograph , as both of these conditions often represent loss of photographic information . a camera typically will adjust the strobe energy to place the bulk of the pixels in the photograph in bins representing an average brightness for a typical scene , while attempting to further adjust its strobe energy so as to minimize the number of pixels in the extreme bins . it is the desire to minimize the number of saturated pixels in an image that can lead conventional methods of strobe energy selection to result in poor quality photographs when the scenes being photographed contain small areas of very bright light . the photograph of fig2 was taken by the conventional method of taking a trial photograph with a known strobe energy setting , analyzing the exposure histogram of the resulting image , computing a new value for the strobe energy , and then taking a final photograph . the exposure histogram of the trial photograph is shown in fig4 . the bulk of the pixels in the image fall into low - numbered bins , but are well distributed between approximately bins 2 and 22 ( 401 ). this would indicate a well - exposed photograph , were it not for the 1 , 973 saturated pixels falling in bin 63 ( 402 ). in an effort to improve the photograph , the camera assumed that the saturated pixels were due to excessive strobe energy , and therefore reduced the strobe energy before taking the final photograph of fig2 . it is important to note that a trial photograph may have a different number of pixels than a final photograph due to ccd subsampling . the exposure histogram of the image in fig2 is shown in fig3 . we see that the resulting image has most if its pixels falling into histogram bins 6 and lower ( 304 ), indicating an underexposed photograph . however , a significant number of the image pixels still fall into bin 63 ( 303 ), indicating that the saturation of pixels was not eliminated by the reduction in strobe energy . this photograph could be manipulated using a digital computer to correct the exposure . however this approach is also often unsatisfactory , as the image modifications necessary to improve the exposure typically reveal or exaggerate objectionable noise in the image . a far better solution would be to find a way for the camera to expose the photograph properly at the time the photograph is taken . in an example embodiment of the invention , two trial photographs are taken โ one without using the strobe , using only ambient light from the scene , and one using a pre - set strobe energy setting . the exposure settings used for both of these trial photographs , such as exposure time , lens aperture , and system gain , may be the same as the settings that will be used when the strobe is used in the final image capture . it is also possible that these settings could be different , in which case adjustments may be made to the resulting exposure histograms for accurate comparisons . the exposure histogram of the ambient - light - only photograph is examined for the presence of saturated pixels . if saturated pixels are found , they cannot result from a trial strobe , because no strobe was used for this trial photograph . the saturated pixels must necessarily be due to very bright areas in the scene itself . therefore , those pixels will not respond to changes in strobe energy , and may be discounted or ignored when computing the strobe energy to use for the final photograph . for example , fig5 shows the exposure histogram of the scene shown in fig2 when taken without the strobe . this exposure histogram shows a generally underexposed image , but with 1 , 649 saturated pixels ( 501 ). because no strobe was used , these pixels are saturated due to light sources contained within the scene , and will not respond to changes in the strobe energy . this result is then combined with the information in fig4 the exposure histogram of the same scene taken with a trial strobe . only 324 more pixels are saturated in fig4 than in fig5 . the camera bases its strobe power computation on an exposure histogram containing only 324 saturated pixels ( along with the rest of the trial strobe exposure histogram ) and thus reduces the power only slightly before taking the final photograph . the exposure histogram of the final photograph is shown in fig6 . a similar proportion of the pixels are saturated ( 601 ) as were saturated in fig3 the exposure histogram of the scene photographed by the conventional method , but the photograph as a whole is much better exposed . although the sample embodiment adds a step to the procedure for computing the strobe energy , it may not necessarily add to the time required for the camera to take a photograph . typically , several trial photographs of a scene are taken in preparation for a final photograph for various reasons unrelated to strobe energy . it is likely that one of these other trial photographs could be used for determining the number of saturated pixels in the ambient - only image , and therefore the additional step does not necessarily require the camera to take an additional photograph . fig8 depicts a flow chart of an example embodiment of the invention . in step 801 , a trial photograph is taken of the scene without using the camera strobe . that is , the trial photograph is taken with only ambient illumination . in step 802 , the exposure histogram of the ambient - only trial photograph is constructed . in step 803 , the number of saturated pixels in the ambient - only trial photograph is noted . in step 804 , a trial photograph is taken of the scene using the camera strobe with a pre - set strobe energy . in step 805 , the exposure histogram of the trial strobe photograph is constructed . in step 806 , the saturated pixels from the ambient - only trial photograph are removed from the exposure histogram of the trial strobe photograph . in step 807 , the camera uses the resulting exposure histogram to adjust the strobe energy . in step 808 , the camera takes a final photograph . it should also be noted that while both the ambient - only and trial strobe photographs are taken before the final photograph , they may be taken in any order with respect to each other . the foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed , and other modifications and variations may be possible in light of the above teachings . the embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the appended claims be construed to include other alternative embodiments of the invention except insofar as limited by the prior art . | 7 |
fig1 is a schematic representation of an inventive reproduction device 1 comprising a screen 2 at whose surface 3 arbitrary information can be reproduced . this occurs by means of a control device 4 , which can take any form . the screen 2 has four speakers l 1 , l 2 , l 3 , l 4 that are each separately controlled with respect to sound generation by the control device 4 , and that are permanently integrated in the screen housing 5 in this case . in this embodiment , a cursor 6 is displayed on the surface 3 of the screen 2 . this cursor 6 represents user - relevant screen information as defined by the user . besides the possibility of letting the user define which image information is user - relevant , the control device 4 alternatively can automatically recognize screen information as relevant . this is appropriate particularly where critical information is displayed or where the reproduction device is utilized in a critical environment . in that case , user - relevant information is defined in advance in the control device 4 so that the control device 4 can immediately detect such information when it is displayed . the control device 4 controls the four speakers l 1 - l 4 such that the resulting acoustic signal perceived by the user who sits in front of the reproduction device receives direction information regarding where on the screen 2 , specifically on the surface 3 , the user - relevant information is located . in the example represented , the user - relevant information is the cursor 6 . as in fig1 , it is displayed in the upper left position , i . e . closest to speaker l 1 . in order to acoustically notify the user , who is searching for the cursor because of other activities during which the user was not continuously monitoring the screen , where to find the cursor 6 , only the speaker l 1 is actuated to emit a tone by the control device 4 . speakers l 2 - l 4 are silent . the user hears a sound signal coming from the top left corner of the screen and thus receives direction information as to where to find the cursor 6 . according to another possibility , this acoustic information is continuously emitted . to the extent that this is uncomfortable , another possibility provides for this acoustic direction information is emitted when there is no cursor movement for a predetermined period that can be set by the user , which indicates , for example , that the user has not looked at the screen for a longer period of time . this information can also be emitted when it is determined by means of a detection device ( not shown ) that the user has not looked a the screen for a long time , whereby , for that purpose , a small camera may be integrated on the housing side that has a suitable software based evaluation algorithm for the given image information , by means of which , for example , head movement and the eye position of the user are captured in the recorded image , and are detected and monitored . the acoustic information can be continuously emitted as a more or less loud tone but can also be emitted only once or intermittently at time intervals . fig2 represents another instance of a screen display and a resulting acoustic information presentation . fig2 shows an input field 7 that has been defined as user - relevant either by the user or by the control device 4 , into which the user has to enter suitable information . this can also be a dial key or button or the like . in fig2 this input field is disposed on the left margin of the screen surface 3 in the middle . the speakers l 1 and l 4 are driven by the control device 4 , while speakers l 2 and l 3 remain silent . the user perceives a resulting acoustic signal that is emitted as a superimposed total signal from the middle of the left side of the screen . her attention is thereby averted immediately to this screen area . it should be noted at this point that the respective volumes can be calibrated by the user . to that end , the cursor 6 is moved into each corner of the screen surface 3 with respect to the view in fig1 . the user now sets the respectively adjoining speaker so that the user hears it sufficiently and receives optimal direction information . based on this calibration , the resulting total signal is individually optimized to the user &# 39 ; s hearing even with respect to screen information that is not in one of the extreme positions of the corners . fig3 represents another possible screen display . here , danger information 8 is displayed on screen 2 , namely by a lightning symbol . this is located at a distance from the center of the screen more toward the right margin but is not displayed in the margin position . the control device 4 now drives the two speakers l 2 and l 3 to emit a relatively loud signal compared to the two speakers l 1 and l 4 , which are simultaneously driven but send a substantially quieter signal . this is represented by the correspondingly large or small sound waves . the resulting total signal formed from the four tones of the speakers l 1 - l 4 now has a directional bias toward the right side of the screen , but also a sound component coming from the left . the acoustic direction information perceived by the user indicates to the user that the relevant screen information is located in the right half of the screen at middle height . fig4 represents an alternative embodiment of a reproduction device 1 consisting of a screen 2 in whose housing 3 speakers l 1 - l 4 are integrated . however , the housing 3 is laterally elongated in the corner regions so that the speakers l 1 - l 4 are farther apart than in the embodiment according to fig1 - 3 . as a result , the resulting acoustic total signal can be resolved somewhat better with respect to the direction information because the individual tones are sent from points situated farther apart from one another . fig5 represents another embodiment of a reproduction device 1 having a screen 2 , whereby in this case the sound reproduction devices , the speakers l 1 - l 4 , are realized as separate speakers that can be moved relative to the screen 2 and correspondingly positioned . they are also driven by the control device 4 that controls the screen 2 . fig6 represents another inventive embodiment of a reproduction device 9 formed as an array of nine screens 2 mounted in a stand or the like ( not shown ). the display surfaces thereof form an overall display surface on which information can be displayed extending from screen to screen , or a separate independent item of screen information can be displayed at each screen 2 . four speakers l 1 - l 4 are disposed in the corners here as well , by means of which the corresponding acoustic direction information signals relating to the relevant screen information that is displayed on the overall surface of the screen array can be emitted . for improved resolution of the acoustics , particularly of the direction information , additional speakers l 5 , l 6 , l 7 , l 8 can optionally be provided , which in the present example are disposed centrally at the respective longitudinal sides . these too are separately driven together with the speakers l 1 - l 4 by means of the control device 4 . in this manner , the direction information relating to the substantially larger display area that is impressed on the acoustic signal can have better resolution compared to the above described examples . fig7 shows another embodiment of a reproduction device 10 , having three adjacent screens 2 in this case . four speakers l 1 , l 2 , l 3 , l 4 are provided in the corners here as well . additional speakers l 5 and l 6 , represented by dotted lines , can optionally be positioned at the top and bottom longitudinal sides respectively . each of the speakers l 1 - l 6 can be separately driven by the control device 4 . the invention achieves a new sensory modality for informing the user with respect to user - relevant screen information that is displayed on the screen . this provides additional help to the user while improving the ergonomics and user friendliness of the device . although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art , it is the intention of the inventor to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of his contribution to the art . | 7 |
the present invention is further illustrated with figures in the following . fig1 is a schematic diagram of a scanner paper - feeding mechanism adopting a de - skew mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention , which includes medium m stacked in a paper - feeding plate 210 . a paper - taking roller 230 is disposed on a start end of a medium - feeding path . the paper - taking roller 230 takes the medium m out from the paper - feeding plate 210 one by one , and feeds the medium m into a medium - conveying path 243 . a feeding roller 220 feeds the medium m in a direction f along the medium - conveying path 243 . after passing through a driving roller 246 and a pinch roller 247 , the medium m is scanned by a scanning module . the scanned medium is conveyed to a paper - exiting plate 260 by a paper - exiting roller 250 . the driving roller 246 , the pinch roller 247 , and a correcting member 251 connected to the driving roller 246 are disposed on the medium - conveying path 243 . please refer to fig2 . a rotary shaft 245 is disposed on a scanner frame , and the driving roller 246 is fixedly disposed on the rotary shaft 245 and rotated by a motor ( not shown ). the pinch roller 247 is disposed below the driving roller 246 and rotates oppositely to the driving roller 246 to form a nip portion to nip and convey the medium . the correcting member 251 is installed on the rotary shaft 245 and turns according to the rotary shaft 245 . the correcting member 251 is disposed on a side of the driving roller 246 and close to a frame 241 . a spring 252 is installed on the rotary shaft 245 and between the correcting member 251 and the driving roller 246 . two sides of the spring 252 are tightly connected to a connecting surface 257 of the correcting member 251 and a surface of the driving roller 246 , respectively . in this way , when the driving roller 246 rotates along the paper - conveying direction , the correcting member 251 rotates with the driving roller 246 by the spring 252 , due to the connection between them . the correcting member 251 disposed on the rotary shaft 245 has a correcting position and a releasing position . the correcting position can be perpendicular to a leading edge of the medium m from the paper - conveying direction , since the correcting portion 255 protruding on the surface of the correcting member 251 adjacent to the connecting surface is vertical . the bearing portion 256 protruding on the correcting member 251 can contact with a suppressing end 267 of suppressing torque spring 253 to suppress the correcting member 251 to prevent the correcting member 251 from turning with the driving roller 246 . please refer to fig3 . the correcting portion 255 is disposed near the connecting surface of the correcting member 251 , and the bearing portion 256 is disposed near the free surface of the correcting member 251 . meanwhile , the torque spring 253 is disposed above the correcting member 251 , and fixedly engaged with a protruding pillar 264 of the frame 241 . there are three protruding pillars 261 , 262 , 263 disposed on the frame 241 as an adjusting structure . the torque spring 253 has two functional ends including a fixing end 266 leaning against one of the protruding pillars 261 , 262 , 263 according to the medium thickness . in this embodiment , the fixing end 266 leans against the protruding pillar 262 . the suppressing end 267 of the torque spring 253 contacts the bearing portion 256 on the correcting member 251 and leans against the bearing portion 256 properly to prevent the correcting member 251 from continuously turning with the driving roller 246 . in this way , the correcting portion 255 can stop the medium m from skewing . please refer to fig4 . the driving roller 246 makes the correcting member 25 start to turn via the spring 252 in the paper - feeding process . when the suppressing end 267 of the torque spring 253 on the frame 241 leans against the bearing portion 256 on the correcting member 251 , the correcting member 251 stops turning . a free end 2551 of the correcting portion 255 is in the medium - conveying path 243 . when the conveyed medium m is skewed , a corner of the leading edge of the conveyed medium m contacts a flat surface 2552 of the correcting portion 255 first . when a common force of the conveyed medium m and the turning driving roller 246 to the correcting member 251 are not enough for the correcting member 251 to overcome the elastic force of the torque spring 253 to stop turning , the medium m will gradually form a curved portion since the medium m still moves by the force of the feeding roller 220 . please refer to fig5 . after the leading edge of the medium m stays completely in contact to the flat surface 2552 of the correcting portion 255 , the skew of the medium m is corrected . next , the pushing force of the medium m to the correcting portion 255 will gradually increase , and force of the driving roller 246 to the correcting member 251 will increase when the torque spring 253 is gradually deformed . when the common force of the medium m and the turning driving roller 246 to the correcting member 251 increases to be larger than the elastic force of the torque spring 253 to the correcting member 251 , the correcting member 251 will start to turn , and the leading edge of the medium m still stays close to the correcting portion 255 under the force of the feeding roller 220 . please refer to fig6 . when the correcting member 251 turns to a certain angle and the leading edge of the medium m reaches to the nip portion of the driving roller 246 and the pinch roller 247 , the suppressing end 267 of the torque spring 253 on the frame 241 will come off from the bearing portion 256 on the correcting member 251 , and the correcting member 251 keeps turning with the driving roller 246 under the force of the torque spring 253 . please refer to fig7 . the force that the bearing portion 256 on the correcting member 251 brings to the leading edge of the medium m will reduce to zero . the correcting member 251 moves to the releasing position from the correcting position . the driving roller 246 and the pinch roller 247 convey the de - skewed medium m to the scanning unit 200 and prevent the correcting member 251 from damaging the medium m . when the correcting member 251 turns and the bearing portion 256 thereon is leaned on by the suppressing end 267 of the torque spring 253 again , a correcting process for skew of the next medium m will be started . please refer to fig8 , 9 . a difference between a second embodiment of the present invention and the first embodiment is only in the structure of the correcting member 283 . the correcting member 283 has three bearing portions 100 , 101 , 102 , and three correcting portions 110 , 111 , 112 corresponding to the three bearing portions . when performing a correcting process for skew of a medium m , the suppressing end 267 of the torque spring 253 leans against the bearing portion 100 , and a side of the correcting portion 110 corresponding to the bearing portion 100 is in the medium - conveying path 243 . after correcting the skew of the medium m , the suppressing end 267 of the torque spring 253 leans against the bearing portion 101 , and a free end of the correcting portion 111 corresponding to the bearing portion 101 is in the medium - conveying path 243 to correct skew of the next medium m . please note that the de - skew mechanism of the present invention can not only be applied to a scanner paper - feeding mechanism , but also to printers , auto paper - feeding machines , and copiers . the de - skew mechanism of the present invention can be applied to single - side paper - feeding mechanisms and double - side paper - feeding mechanisms . the medium above can be paper or similar objects . the bearing portion 256 in this embodiment is a protruding object contacting the suppressing end 267 of the torque spring 253 . of course , the bearing portion 256 also can be a recessed fillister , and the suppressing end 267 of the torque spring 253 can insert into the recessed fillister to suppress the turning of the correcting member 251 . a common force of the feeding force of the medium and the torque force of the driving roller 246 to the correcting member 251 via the spring 252 can overcome the suppressing force on the correcting member 251 . thus , the recess fillister has the same effect as the protruding object does . of course , the torque spring also can be an elastic sheet having an end fixed on the frame and another end matching with the bearing portion on the correcting member . the torque spring also can be other elastic objects . in addition , the above number of the protruding objects can be adjusted according to different requirements . for example , the present invention can implement two pairs or four pairs of the correcting portions and the corresponding bearing portions . in any case , similar modifications and alterations of the mechanism above should fall into the disclosed scope of the present invention . those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention . | 1 |
fig1 illustrates a typical ophthalmic instrument system showing one potential use for a heavy duty support mechanism 10 and a light duty support mechanism 11 , each being constructed in accordance with principles of this invention . mechanisms 10 , 11 are shown affixed to one type of instrument stand 12 , however , it will be understood that many other supports may be used for mechanisms 10 and 11 , as shown in fig1 or mechanisms taking other forms in accordance with the invention . instrument stand 12 generally includes a base 14 which may hold a plurality of instruments 14a , 14b , 14c and which includes an upwardly extending pole 16 . pole 16 may have an overhead light 18 attached at the upper end . as further shown in dotted lines in fig1 support mechanism 11 may carry a lighter weight ophthalmic instrument , such as a vision tester 17 , while mechanism 11 may carry heavier weight structure such as a chin rest 19 and a slit lamp 21 or other instrument ( not shown ). referring now to fig2 instrument support mechanism 10 , which is suitable for heavier duty applications , includes a first arm 20 and a second arm 22 pivotally connected together by means to be described below . a cover 20a is preferably used to conceal the internal components and conventional wiring ( not shown ) associated with arm 20 . a similar cover may be used on arm 11 ( fig1 ) as mentioned below . first arm 20 comprises a first link member 24 and a second , lower link member 26 . link members 24 , 26 are respectively affixed by pivots 28 , 30 to a base member 31 . these pivots 28 , 30 allow the opposite end of arm 20 to be moved vertically with respect to base member 31 . referring briefly to fig3 respective pairs of links 36a , 36b and 38a , 38b assist with the locking of arm 20 in a desired vertical orientation relative to base member 31 . in this regard , links 36a , 36b and 38a , 38b are pivotally connected to first link member 24 . one pivot 40 for securing one end of links 36a , 36b is shown in fig2 with the understanding that a similar pivot connects links 38a , 38b to the same link member 24 . as best shown in fig3 the opposite ends of links 36a , 36b and 38a , 38b include respective slots 42a , 42b and 44a , 44b for reasons to be described below . still referring to fig2 along with the vertical pivoting movement allowed by the pivoting nature of link members 24 , 26 , first arm 20 may pivot about support pole 16 by a pivot connection 46 and second arm 22 may pivot with respect to both the first arm 20 and support pole 16 by a pivot connection 48 . more specifically , pivot connection 46 is made by way of a tube 50 that may be rigidly locked to support pole 16 and which receives a portion of base member 31 thereabout . to act as a stop for pivoting motion about pole 16 , a screw 52 is contained in base member 31 and extends into a slot 54 contained in tube 50 . a conventional screw operated clamp mechanism 56 is used to secure tube 50 rigidly to pole 16 . when lock 56 is in an unlocked position , tube 50 and the attached mechanism 10 may be height adjusted along support pole 16 . at the opposite end of first arm 20 , pivot connection 48 more specifically comprises a pivot support 58 which holds a pivot tube 60 for rotation therein . pivot tube 60 is held for rotation within bearing members or low friction bushings 62 , 64 . a retaining ring 68 holds pivot tube 60 in place within pivot support 58 . retaining ring 68 rests against a washer 66 as shown in fig2 to keep second arm 22 held in place within pivot support 58 . pivot tube 60 may also be used to accommodate wiring ( not shown ) to arm 22 . rotation of tube 60 and , therefore , arm 22 is limited by a screw 69 which engages a stop 71 at a desired limit of rotation . as further shown in fig2 and 2a , counterbalancing springs 70a and 70b help to counterbalance any weight being supported on second arm 22 , or on an additional arm attached thereto , in a generally conventional manner . specifically , springs 70a and 70b are connected to an adjustment screw 72 to allow adjustment of the counterbalancing force . ends 74a , 74b are each connected to a pin which includes an internally threaded bore receiving the adjustment screw 72 . the opposite ends of springs 70a and 70b are connected to pivot pin 34 . still referring to fig2 a locking mechanism 90 operates to lock each of the above described pivot connections in place after mechanism 10 has been adjusted vertically and rotationally to the desired orientation . locking mechanism 90 is operated by a lever 92 which may be moved in a simple and short push or pull manner in a direction extending along the length of first support arm 20 as generally shown by arrow 94 . lever 92 is connected by a pivot 96 to link member 26 and is further connected to a connecting link 98 by a pin 100 extending from connecting link 98 and into a slot 102 contained in the end of lever 92 . connecting link 98 is pivotally attached at opposite ends to respective short links 104 , 106 by respective pivots 108 , 110 . the opposite end of each short link 104 , 106 is connected to rotate a respective screw 112 , 114 . as will be described below , these screws operate to simultaneously lock pivot connections 46 and 48 as well as the general pivot connection formed by pivots 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 allowing arm 20 to move vertically with respect to base member 31 . referring now to fig3 to lock pivot connection 48 in place , a clamp member 116 is provided around pivot tube 60 . thus , it will be appreciated that when clamp member 116 is tightened against pivot tube 60 , pivot tube 60 will not be capable of rotating and , therefore , second arm 22 will not be capable of rotating with respect to first arm 20 . as more specifically shown in fig3 clamp member 116 includes a first portion 118 having an internally threaded insert 120 and a second portion 122 having a hole 124 . threaded insert 120 receives a threaded portion 112a of screw 112 , while hole 124 receives an unthreaded portion 112b of screw 112 with clearance to allow rotation of screw 112 . preferably , the threaded portion 112a is a double helical thread . most preferably , screws 112 , 114 are 3 / 8 &# 34 ;-- 10 double lead screws . additional clamp members 126 , 128 are provided for locking the above described vertical movement of first arm 20 with respect to base member 31 ( fig2 ). these clamp members 126 , 128 each include flange portions 126a , 128a that serve to clamp links 36a , 36b and 38a , 38b against a portion of pivot support 58 to prevent any movement of links 36a , 36b and 38a , 38b and thereby prevent any vertical movement of first arm 20 with respect to base member 31 ( fig2 ). it will further be appreciated that in an unlocked state , tubular portions 126b , 128b act as guides that ride within slots 42a , 42b and 44a , 44b during the vertical movement of first arm 20 with respect to base member 31 . the tubular portion 128b is preferably internally threaded and carries threaded member 130 to provide adjustment capability and a force bearing surface . washers 134 , 136 are located about tubular portion 126b and between pivot support 58 and link member 36b and link members 36a and 36b . likewise , washers 138 , 140 are located between pivot support 58 and link 38b and links 38a , 38b . turning now to fig4 pivot connection 46 more specifically comprises a clamp member 150 having a first portion 152 with a threaded insert 154 and a second portion 156 with a hole 158 . in a manner similar to pivot connection 48 , threaded insert 154 contains a double helically threaded portion 114a of screw 114 and hole 158 receives an unthreaded portion 114b of screw 114 with clearance to allow rotation of screw 114 . clamp member 150 is disposed about tube 50 and , therefore , when clamp member 150 is tightened , no rotation of base member 31 about tube 50 may take place . a set screw 159 allows adjustment in the clamping action . as further shown in both fig3 and 4 , short links 104 , 106 are rigidly connected to screws 112 , 114 at intermediate locations thereon with retainer pins 160 , 162 . thus , a review of fig2 - 4 will indicate that moving lever 92 away from base member 31 in the direction of arrow 94 will result in connecting member 98 moving toward base member 31 and short links 104 , 106 rotating screws 112 , 114 clockwise as viewed in fig2 . as shown in fig3 this will cause screw 112 to move in the direction of arrow 163 to urge clamp member 126 against links 36a , 36b until they are wedged against washers 134 , 136 and pivot support 58 . this will lock up and down motion of first arm 20 with respect to base member 31 ( fig1 ). simultaneously , clamp 116 will be rotated slightly around pivot tube 60 and move generally in the direction of arrows 164 , 165 . this will urge clamp member 128 against links 38a , 38b and clamp these links against washers 138 , 140 and against pivot support 58 to further assist in locking vertical movement of arm 20 . as clamp portion 118 moves further toward clamp portion 122 , pivot tube 60 is locked against any rotational movement . as long as short links 104 , 106 ( fig2 ) are maintained in the position shown , mechanism 10 will be locked completely in place by the friction of screws 112 , 114 . to unlock mechanism 90 , lever 92 is moved in the direction of arrow 95 toward base member 31 ( fig5 ). this moves short links 104 , 106 to an oppositely angled position and rotates screws 112 , 114 counterclockwise to reverse and unlock the various clamping movements discussed above . referring now to fig6 the lighter duty instrument support mechanism 11 is shown in more detail . mechanism 11 works on very similar principles to those discussed above with respect to mechanism 10 . mechanism 11 comprises a first arm 170 and second arm 172 which are pivotally connected to one another in a manner to be described below . first arm 170 may have a cover 170a ( fig7 ) to conceal internal components . first arm 170 is also pivotally connected to a base member 174 to allow vertical , pivoting movement with respect thereto as will also be described below . first arm 170 comprises a first link member 176 and a second link member 178 . first and second link members 176 , 178 are connected to base member 174 by respective pivots 180 , 182 which allow vertical pivoting motion with respect to base member 174 in a vertical orientation as shown in fig6 i . e ., when support pole 16 extends in a vertical orientation . links 188a , 188b are connected at a pivot 190 to first link member 176 as shown in fig6 . as further shown in fig7 links 188a , 188b include respective slots 192a , 192b for reasons similar to those described above with respect to mechanism 10 as will be described in more detail below . again referring to fig6 in addition to the pivot connections allowing generally vertical movement of the outer end of first arm 170 with respect to base member 174 , pivot connections 194 , 196 are provided to respectively allow pivoting motion of mechanism 11 about support pole 16 and pivoting motion of second arm 172 with respect to first arm 170 . for height adjustment , like the first embodiment , a tubular support member 198 is provided to hold mechanism 11 on support pole 16 and may be locked in place by a conventional screw locking clamp mechanism 200 when positioned at the desired height along pole 16 . referring now to fig6 and 7 , pivot connection 196 more specifically comprises a cylindrical rod 206 received within a pivot support or housing 208 and connected to second arm 172 by a connecting member 210 . as best shown in fig7 cylindrical rod 206 is preferably contained within a low friction sleeve or bearing member 211 which , in turn , is disposed within a clamp member 212 . as further shown in fig6 a retainer 214 keeps the cylindrical rod 206 held within pivot support or housing 208 . link members 176 , 178 of first arm 170 are attached to housing 208 by pivots 184 , 186 . still referring to fig6 like the first embodiment , a counterbalancing spring 216 is preferably provided and connected to an adjustment screw 218 at one end for allowing adjustment in the counterbalancing force to be made upon initial assembly or by the user . one end 220 of spring 216 is connected to a threaded member 222 which receives adjustment screw 218 for threaded adjustment therein . the other end 224 of spring 216 is connected to pivot pin 186 . as further shown in fig6 a locking mechanism 230 is provided for locking the various pivot connections of arm 11 . locking mechanism 230 is similar to locking mechanism 90 of instrument support mechanism 10 . specifically , a lever 232 operates generally in the direction of arrow 234 to lock pivot connections 194 and 196 as well as the general pivot connection made between base member 174 and first arm 170 which allows vertical adjustment of first arm 170 with respect to base member 174 . more specifically , lever 232 is connected by a pivot 236 to second link member 178 and is further connected to a connecting link by a pin 240 extending therefrom and into a slot 242 in the end of lever 232 . short links 244 , 246 are connected at respective ends of connecting link 238 by pivots 248 , 250 . the opposite end of each short link 244 , 246 is rigidly affixed to respective screws 252 , 254 by retainer pins 256 , 258 . thus , it will be appreciated that when lever is pulled away from base member 174 to the position shown in fig6 short links 244 , 246 will rotate screws 252 , 254 clockwise to simultaneously lock the various pivot connections as will be described . preferably , screws 252 , 254 are each 3 / 8 &# 34 ;-- 10 double lead screws . referring now more specifically to fig7 the locking mechanism 230 preferably operates clamp member 212 to selectively allow or prevent rotation of cylindrical rod 206 . specifically , a first portion 260 of clamp member 212 includes a threaded insert 262 for receiving threaded portion 252a of screw 252 . a second portion 264 of clamp member 212 interacts with an adjustable screw stop 266 . finally , similar to the first embodiment , a clamp member 268 including a flange portion 268a and a tubular portion 268b is operated by one end of screw 252 to selectively allow and prevent movement of links 188a , 188b . as also provided in the first embodiment , washers 270 , 272 are respectively disposed between pivot support housing 208 and link 188b and between links 188a and 188b . thus , when screw 252 is rotated by short link 244 to move in the direction of arrow 274 , clamp member 268 will move upwardly as viewed in fig7 and flange portion 268a will clamp links 188a , 188b against washers 270 , 272 and the inside of pivot support or housing 208 . this will prevent movement of links 188a , 188b by way of slots 192a , 192b riding along tubular clamp portion 268b and thereby prevent any articulating up and down movement of first arm 170 ( fig6 ). at the same time , portion 260 of clamp member 212 will move generally in the direction of arrow 276 and , as portion 264 is stopped against threaded stop member 266 , this will clamp cylindrical pivot rod 206 against any rotation . referring now to fig8 a clamp member 280 is provided at the opposite end of first arm 170 to selectively allow or prevent rotation of first arm 170 and any attachments about support pole 16 . specifically , clamp member 280 includes a first portion 282 having a threaded insert 284 for receiving threaded portion 254a of screw 254 . a second portion 286 of clamp member 280 includes a hole 286a which receives an unthreaded portion 254b of screw 254 with clearance for rotation . thus , when short link 246 is rotated by connecting link 238 in a clockwise direction as viewed in fig6 screw 252 will move in the direction of arrow 288 and bear against the inside of base member 174 . this will cause portion 282 of clamp member 280 to move in an opposite direction and , as portion 286 bears against adjustment screw 290 , a clamping action will take place against tubular support member 198 . like the other adjustment screws , screw 290 allows adjustment in the clamping action . therefore , base member 174 will not be able to rotate about tubular support member 198 . generally referring to fig6 - 8 , and to summarize the operation of mechanism 11 , when lever 232 is pulled in the direction of arrow 234 away from base member 174 , short links 244 , 246 will be rotated by connecting link 238 and thereby rotate screws 252 , 254 in a clockwise direction as viewed in fig6 . as shown in fig7 this will move screw 252 in the direction of arrow 274 to clamp links 188a , 188b against any movement and further move first clamp portion 260 in the direction of arrow 276 to prevent any rotational movement of pivot rod 206 . in this manner , pivoting of second arm 172 with respect to first arm 170 is prevented and vertical movement of first arm 170 with respect to base member 174 is also prevented . at the same time and referring more specifically to fig8 screw 254 will be moved in the direction of arrow 288 and thereby clamp member 280 against support tube 198 in the manner described above to prevent any rotational movement of mechanism 11 about support pole 16 . as schematically shown in fig9 movement of lever 232 in an opposite direction toward pole 16 will rotate screws 252 , 254 in a counterclockwise direction thereby unlocking all of the pivot connections described above and allowing readjustment of mechanism 11 to a desired position . while the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various embodiments and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail , it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail . as an example , the various features of the mechanisms described herein in detail may be combined or substituted in various manners . additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art . the invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details , representative apparatus and methods as shown and described . this has been a description of the present invention , along with the preferred methods of practicing the present invention as currently known . however , the invention itself should only be defined by the appended claims , wherein | 0 |
referring now to the drawings , wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views , the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig1 and 2 . according to fig1 the first embodiment of the present invention includes a painting tank 1 whose sides carry anodes 2 connected to positive terminals 32 of rectifiers 3 to supply direct current to the apparatus . the apparatus also has an overhead conveyor , not shown , which brings bodies 5 or metal parts to be treated in swingtrays spaced apart by a regular spacing ฮป . each body having a corresponding carriage 4 equipped with two contact slides 41 and 42 mounted on two parallel conductive rails 11 and 12 located above tank 1 . these rails 11 and 12 are divided regularly into divided rails or portions 111 and 121 , respectively , separated by an insulating material and connected to negative terminals 31 of rectifiers 3 , so that bodies 5 constitute the cathodes for the cataphoresis process . the dividing zones thus obtained made by the insulating material , 151 and 152 respectively , are spaced apart on each of rails 11 , 12 by spacing ฮป . dividing zones 151 are offset linearly in relation to dividing zones 152 , this linear offsetting being equal to ฮป / 2 . the number of rectifiers 3 used is preferably equal to the number of bodies 5 simultaneously present in tank 1 . however , it is possible to provide a reserve rectifier 3 &# 39 ; as represented in fig1 . negative terminals 31 of these rectifiers 3 are connected respectively to diodes 16 whose anodes 161 are connected to ground 17 of tank 1 so that the diode connected to the rectifier with the strongest potential becomes conductive , thus avoiding problems of corrosion . the supplying of current for each portion 111 , 121 of rails 11 and 12 is achieved by a group 20 of thyristors 21 each of which is connected by its cathode to the negative terminal of a different rectifier 3 so that it is possible to select , thanks to these thyristors 21 , any of rectifiers 3 to supply a divided rail . the dividing zones 151 and 152 have a length greater than that of a slide 41 , 42 to cause the thyristors to completely switch off , ( the thyristors located on the rail concerned when the carriages are located on said dividing zones of this rail ). however , the dividing zones 151 and 152 have a length less than ฮป / 4 for the purpose , when passing dividing zones 151 or 152 , of changing the switching of thyristors 21 of each group 20 connected to the rail concerned , while thus determining the conductive thyristor of each group 20 before the carriage enters into a new portion . thyristors 21 of a same group 20 are grouped together and located near rails 11 and 12 to minimize the sparking that is produced during the switching off of the thyristors by entry of carriages 4 in dividing zones 151 and 152 . actually , this sparking is due to the energy stored in the portion of wire containing the thyristor which was in operation and is therefore proportional to the inductance of the wire where the current , itself a function of the length of the latter , was circulating . an example of the first embodiment in operation will now be described . arrow i represents the direction of circulation of bodies 5 through tank 1 . the two portions 111 , 121 are in contact with slides 41 , 42 of the same carriage 4 and are supplied power by the same rectifier 3 . thyristors 21 continuously receive pulses to be started ( actually this arrangement makes it possible , during a possible false contact between a slide 41 , 42 and a rail portion 111 , 121 or in the circuit switching off the thyristor concerned , that the latter is immediately restarted ). during the passage of carriages 4 past dividing zones 151 of one of rails 11 , 12 , all thyristors 21 connected to the rail 11 are switched off and do not receive pulses . slides 42 in connection with portions 121 are still supplied , each of them being connected , by groups 20 connected to rail 12 , to a rectifier 3 . during this switching off period , an automatic or manual control makes it possible to select thyristors 21 of groups 20 of rail 11 so that slides 41 in contact with portions 111 coming from dividing zones 151 are supplied by the same rectifier as slides 42 . then , thyristors 21 are restarted when carriages 4 leave dividing zones 151 . the same is true for slides 42 in dividing zones 152 of rail 12 . thus , everything happens as if each rectifier 3 were connected to a particular body 5 and accompanies it during its movement in tank 1 and coating defects are prevented . according to fig2 the second embodiment of the present invention includes a painting tank 1 whose sides carry anodes 2 connected to positive terminals 32 of rectifiers 3 supplying direct current to the apparatus . the apparatus also has an overhead conveyor , not shown , which brings bodies 5 to be treated spaced apart by a regular spacing ฮป and which carries first current supply means consisting of mobile bodies in contact with a second current supply means mounted on at least one support , not shown , located above tank 1 . the mobile bodies are preferably carriages 4 equipped with at least one contact slide 41 mounted on the second current supply means ( i . e ., a rail 11 ) and carried by swingtrays which support bodies 5 . however , the mobile bodies may also be a shuttle in contact with a series of stationary slides which constitute the second supply means , the portions of said conducting means then corresponding to a group of stationary slides . the second embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention will be described by way of example , whose first current supply means includes of carriages and which have two conductive rails 11 and 12 . these rails 11 and 12 are divided regularly at an interval approximately equal to ฮป / 2 in portions or divided rails 111 and 121 , respectively , separated by an insulating material . the divided rails are connected to negative terminals 31 of rectifiers 3 of the current supplying the apparatus . the dividing zones 15 thus obtained by the insulating material , 151 and 152 respectively , for rails 11 and 12 , are opposite each other and have a length less than that of slides 41 and 42 to prevent an interruption of the supply to bodies 5 . the number of rectifiers 3 used is preferably equal to the number of bodies 5 simultaneously present in tank 1 , but may be of a different number . these rectifiers 3 are connected respectively to diodes 16 whose anodes 161 are connected to ground 17 of tank 1 so that a diode connected to the rectifier with the strongest potential becomes conductive thus avoiding problems of corrosion . portions 111 and 121 are supplied directly by a rectifier 13 and other portions 111 &# 39 ; and 121 &# 39 ; of rails 11 and 12 are supplied by two thyristors 22 and 23 in opposition , each of them being connected to a different rectifier 3 so that two juxtaposed portions 111 , 111 &# 39 ; or 121 , 121 &# 39 ; have different source of power . thyristors 22 , 23 of each portion 111 &# 39 ;, 121 &# 39 ; are located adjacent their corresponding portions . for example , thyristors 22 and 23 of two portions 111 &# 39 ; adjacent to the same portion 111 are supplied power directly by a rectifier 3 and are located nearby . supply wires produce bridgings 14 between the two rails 11 and 12 , connecting the divided rails 111 , 111 &# 39 ;, 121 and 121 &# 39 ; either directly by a rectifier 3 or indirect through a thyristor 22 , 23 . the operating principle of the apparatus resides in the fact that two adjacent portions 111 and 121 or 111 &# 39 ; and 121 &# 39 ; of rails 11 and 12 in contact with slides 41 , 42 of a carriage 4 are always supplied by the same rectifier 3 . however , it is easy to deduce from the above description an apparatus which comprises carriages 4 carrying a single contact slide 41 mounted on a rail 11 ( as described previously ) with the supply device differing from the preceding one only by the absence of the bridgings 14 . an example of the operation of the second embodiment during the passage of a carriage from one portion 111 to the next portion 111 will now be described . a carriage 4 passing through a portion 111 is directly supplied by a rectifier 3 . when carriage 4 reaches a dividing zone 151 , the voltage of rectifier 3 is increased so that its voltage is higher than that of the rectifier connected to thyristor 22 of portion 111 &# 39 ; located at the end opposite said portion 111 &# 39 ; compared with portion 111 . this command makes it possible to make thyristor 23 conductive and to block the preceding thyristor 22 so that current on both sides of the dividing zone 151 rail 11 is supplied by the same rectifier 3 . thyristors 22 and 23 continuously receive pulses to be started ( actually this arrangement makes it possible , during a possible false contact between a slide 41 , 42 and a rail portion 111 &# 39 ;, 121 &# 39 ; or in the circuit switching off the thyristor concerned , that the latter is immediately restarted ). when carriage 4 has entered into portion 111 &# 39 ; an increase in the voltage of rectifier 3 connected to thyristor 22 compared with the voltage of the previously used rectifier makes thyristor 22 conductive by transmitting starting pulses to it , portion 111 &# 39 ; then being supplied by rectifier 3 connected to thyristor 22 . passing by the following dividing zone 151 is performed automatically since the following portion 111 is already directly connected to the same rectifier 3 . it is possible in both embodiments at any moment to change the voltage of each rectifier 3 to modulate the polarization of body 5 as a function of its advance in tank 1 without unnecessarily shutting off current to any one body 5 at any time . these various instructions can be created by a suitable management system , such as a manual operator or a computer . the characteristics of bodies 5 to be painted such as the size can be detected by , for example , body tracking such as photoelectric cells or detectors . the present invention is not limited to the above - described embodiments . obviously , numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings . for example , the polarities of the tank 1 and the bodies 5 may be reversed . it is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . | 2 |
referring to fig1 the first step of the two step process of the present invention involves the fabrication of a fly &# 39 ; s eye lens with a desired number , pattern and spacing of lenslets of desired f - number . any suitable fly &# 39 ; s eye lens , such as a plastic lens , may be used to practice the present invention . in the preferred embodiment , a holographic fly &# 39 ; s eye lens with the desired specifications is fabricated because it can easily be fabricated to give the correct off - axis beams . a lens 10 is spaced distance 12 from spatial filter 14 . the lens 10 may be an ordinary spherical lens , a cylindrical lens , an anamorphic lens or any specially corrected aspheric lens . the spatial filter 14 may be any device which produces a simulated point light source . distance 12 and the focal length of lens 10 are chosen to give the desired f - number of the completed lens as explained later herein . a parallel beam from a coherent light source is split into two beams . one of these beams is used as reference beam 16 . the other beam is directed through the spatial filter 14 and the lens 10 and emerges as convergent beam 18 . angle 19 between beams 16 and 18 determines the off - axis angle of the fly &# 39 ; s eye lens ( fig2 ) and subsequently the off - axis angle of the final multiple lens ( fig3 ). in the preferred embodiment , a laser is used as a coherent light source . also reference beam 16 is a collimated beam , that is , a parallel beam with constant phase and amplitude throughout any transverse plane of propagation in the preferred embodiment . a first photographic plate 20 to which is applied a film emulsion 22 is placed behind a mask 24 , which is opaque to radiation from the coherent source , with the emulsion 22 facing forward , that is , so that beams 16 and 18 strike emulsion 24 before plate 20 . mask 24 is located so that its plane is normal to reference beam 16 and an opening 26 in mask 24 permits angle 28 of the convergent beam to strike emulsion 22 . by convention , the f - number of a lens is defined as the ratio of its focal length to its diameter . it may be readily shown that the f - number , f , of a lens is given by : where the diameter of the lens is subtended by angle ฮธ having a vertex at the focal point of the lens . thus , angle 28 ( fig1 and 2 ) determines the f - number of each lenslet in the fly &# 39 ; s eye lens and , in turn , of each lens in the final multiple lens . angle 28 may be changed to adjust to a desired f - number by changing distance 12 between spatial filter 14 and lens 10 . upon exposure , the area 30 of emulsion 22 on plate 20 behind opening 26 in mask 24 records the interference pattern of reference beam 16 and the convergent beam 18 . in the preferred embodiment , plate 20 and emulsion 22 are a photographic spectroscopic plate with an emulsion such as a kodak 649f or equivalent high resolution , however , in practice any suitable holographic recording medium such as photochromic crystals or a thermoplastic material may be used . also , it is not essential to the invention that the plate 20 be normal to reference beam 16 . a 90 degree angle is chosen in the preferred embodiment because it is easier to reproduce a right angle for reconstruction . after exposure , the plate 20 is moved or indexed parallel to its plane so that a new area 30 registers with opening 26 in mask 24 , and this new area 30 ( that does not overlap previously exposed areas 30 ) is exposed . the indexing and exposure steps are repeated until all the desired areas are exposed . indexing may be horizontal , vertical or on a bias as long as the exposure areas 30 do not overlap . the indexing of plate 20 between exposures determines the pattern and spacing of the areas 30 which become the lenslets on the fly &# 39 ; s eye lens . the pattern and spacing of lenslets on the fly &# 39 ; s eye lens determines , in turn , the pattern and spacing of playback beams of the completed multiple holographic lens . the shape and size of opening 26 in mask 24 determines the shape and size of the lenslets in the fly &# 39 ; s eye lens . non - overlapping of the lenslets insures that undesired cross product terms will not be introduced into the final multiple lens . when all the areas 30 have been exposed , plate 20 is developed by suitable means to form the completed fly &# 39 ; s eye lens . in the second step of the process of the present invention , the fly &# 39 ; s eye lens 20 is used to fabricate the multiple holographic lens with a single exposure . referring to fig2 the completed fly &# 39 ; s eye lens 20 is positioned so that its plane is normal to beam 16 , but it is turned around from its position in fig1 . that is , beam 16 now passes through the plate 20 before striking the emulsion 22 . again , any beam may be substituted for beam 16 , as long as it is identical to , exhibits the identical phase and amplitude characteristics across its plane of propagation to the reference beam used to record the fly &# 39 ; s eye lens 20 . also an angle of the beam 16 with the plane of the plate 20 other than a right angle may be used as long as it is identical to the angle formed by the reference beam used to record the lens . on striking the fly &# 39 ; s eye lens , beam 16 results in a multiple diverging beam array 32 , which illuminates a second photographic plate 34 with a second applied emulsion 36 , resulting in a region 38 where all beams overlap . an array 32 of three beams is shown by way of example . as in the case of the first plate 20 , in practice any suitable high resolution recording medium could be used in place of plate 34 . the distance 37 between plates 20 and 34 is selected for the desired focal length , l f ( fig2 and 3 ), of the multiple lens . it should also be noted that plates 20 and 34 need not be parallel as shown in fig2 . in practice , the off - axis angle of the focal points of the multiple lens may be changed from angle 19 by positioning plates 20 and 34 at some angle with respect to each other . a collimated reference beam 40 from the same source as beam 16 is directed toward area 38 on plate 34 . in practice , it is not essential that beam 40 be collimated , as long as it may be reproduced precisely . the stationary interference pattern from beam 40 and beams 32 is recorded on plate 34 in a single exposure . plate 34 is then developed by suitable means to form a multiple holographic lens . fig3 shows the set up for playback of the lens 34 . as shown , plate 34 is rotated 180 degrees from its configuration in fig2 . collimated beam 42 is directed at area 38 of plate 34 , the multiple holographic lens , resulting in beams 44 focused in focal plane 46 . while three beams 44 are shown by way of example , it is possible using the two step process of the present invention to fabricate multiple lenses which will split beams into hundreds of parallel beams focused in a two - dimensional pattern on a focal plane . other modifications and variations of the foregoing process are also possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention . for this reason , the preferred embodiment should be considered by way of example only , and not as limiting the scope of the invention . | 6 |
while this invention is illustrated and described in a preferred embodiment , the device may be produced in many different configurations , forms , and materials . 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 of the materials 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 . fig1 illustrates a multiple level concentric menu system . level 1 comprises a menu item 10 surrounded by a level 2 menu item 20 . throughout the drawings , menu items are labeled as numerals , however these numerals are implemented as text , icons or other symbols generally known and used as menu items . in the fig1 configuration , the menu item of greater importance , highest popularity based on predetermined criteria or highest frequency of use based on a historical analysis , is placed in the level 1 circle 10 . level 2 receives a secondary menu item 20 of less importance , frequency of use , etc . fig2 illustrates a multiple level pie menu . as with the concentric menu system of fig1 the menus are separated into multiple levels of importance . however , in this configuration level 1 is split into multiple menu selections 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 . each of the menu selections are of generally equal levels of importance and frequency of use . for example , menu items 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 are โ cut โ, โ copy โ, โ paste โ, and โ delete โ. level 2 menu items are also split into multiple selections 21 , 22 , 23 , and 24 , and are reserved for less frequently used selections such as โ margins โ, โ footers โ, โ headers โ, and โ line numbering โ, respectively . within each level , menu items of highest frequency of use are generally placed in the upper and right - most locations ( menu items 11 and 21 ) to facilitate the quickest recognition and selection thereof . in an alternative embodiment , the menu items in level 2 are made dynamic . for example , if 11 , 12 , 13 , and 14 are general menu headings such as โ file โ, โ edit โ, โ view โ, and โ insert โ, a selection of any one heading produces the related sub - headings in the level 2 menu selections . a selection by the user of menu item โ file โ 11 generates menu sub - items โ new โ 21 , โ open โ 22 , โ close โ 23 , and โ save โ 24 , respectively . while the number of level 1 and level 2 menu items is illustrated and described as four items each , the implementation of the invention should not be limited thereto . any number of divisions are possible for each level limited only by complexity and clarity considerations . fig3 illustrates a hierarchical multiple level menu system . in this preferred embodiment , level 1 menu items 31 , 32 , 33 , and 34 share a common sector with level 2 menu selections 35 , 36 , 37 , and 38 , respectively . menu items 31 and 38 , as well as other sector pairs , retain a hierarchical relationship . menu items of level 1 are parent menu items and level 2 are child menu items . in an example , menu item 31 is the โ help โ menu general heading and 38 is a subheading such as โ help table of contents โ. as with earlier embodiments , each of the levels are divisible by one or more divisions . a common application of the embodiment of fig3 is a tabbed card catalog implementation . menu items 31 , 32 , 33 , and 34 represent the tabs on a plurality of overlapping levels , much the same as cards in a card catalog . each level 2 menu item represents at least one listed item on each card . each level 2 sector is divisible into any number of choices . fig4 illustrates a hierarchical multiple level menu system with a second level of granularity . in this variation , level 1 comprises a plurality of menu item selections 41 , 42 , 43 , and 44 . each level 2 menu item within the same sector is then divided into two sections 45 / 46 , 47 / 48 , 49 / 50 , and 51 / 52 , respectively . this embodiment lends itself to the well known binary tree hierarchical relationship . additional concentric levels are divided to satisfy 2 n + 1 , where n = level number . menu items are selected based on a flow of two new choices for each level extending from the center . while the binary tree menu example has been described above , the two choices per level are not to be limited to such a hierarchical relationship , but rather , in an alternate variation , are two choices not related to each other or , in another variation , a non - binary family tree relationship ( i . e . more than two choices per level ). fig5 illustrates a hierarchical multiple level menu system with mixed second and third levels of granularity . level 1 menu item 53 forms a hierarchical relationship with level 2 menu items 54 and 55 . a series of nested level 3 menu items 56 , 57 , 58 , and 59 are formed in a hierarchical relationship with menu item 54 . in an alternative variation of fig5 level 1 menu item 53 is represented as an approval or submission button for an interactive dialog box or form . level 2 menu items 54 and 55 are various options which can be simultaneously and independently selected to define the action ( s ) which will be performed when the form is submitted . also , a series mutually exclusive options are represented by level 3 menu items 56 , 57 , 58 , and 59 . an example use of this variation is the process of submitting a printer job . the concentric dialog box displays the options available for selection and allows the user to easily find and click on alternatives such as paper size , paper orientation , printer destination and print resolution . fig6 also illustrates a hierarchical multiple level menu system with second and third levels of granularity . in this embodiment , two concentric levels surround a single level 1 menu item 60 . in this configuration , menu choices are configured in symmetrically patterned levels . fig7 illustrates a reverse hierarchical multiple level menu system with mixed second and third levels of granularity . in this alternative embodiment , the general guidelines for menu item placement within the concentric levels is reversed from that described heretofore . level 1 menu items are placed in the outermost ring . a general heading item 71 is placed in the outer ring . within the common sector of 71 is placed level two menu items 72 and 73 and level 3 menu items 74 , 75 , and 76 . fig8 illustrates a hierarchical multiple level menu system with distanced cursor control . in a typical embodiment , each menu item is selected by direct placement of a cursor over the item and activation by an input device input such as a right mouse click or double click . in fig8 cursor 80 is located at a distance from the pie menu system of the present invention . a first mouse click selects the pie menu . level 1 menu item 32 is highlighted when the cursor is located proximate to the sector . if the cursor is moved upward , sector 31 becomes highlighted , downward highlights sector 36 , and movement to the left highlights sector 34 . a second mouse click selects level 2 sectors 35 , 36 , 37 , and 38 in a similar manner . fig9 illustrates an irregularly shaped hierarchical multiple level menu system . the multiple level pie menus as illustrated in fig1 - 8 are , in alternative embodiments , implemented in various concentric geometric shapes . fig9 shows a rectangular level 1 comprising elements 90 , 91 , 92 , and 93 with surrounding rectangular level 2 menu items 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , 100 , and 101 . menu item 100 is shown with alternative triangle shape 100 a to illustrate that the menu items are selectable in size and shape according to the application chosen . geometric shapes including both straight and curved lines , as well as combinations and variations thereof , are considered within the scope of the present invention as long as they retain the multiple level pie menu item relationships of the present invention . in addition , sectors and / or levels are shaded with colors and / or textures to highlight commonly grouped menu items or distinguish between menu items . the present invention is equally implemented on ibm ยฎ compatible pc &# 39 ; s , mainframes , portable computers , macintosh ยฎ, unix ยฎ or other equivalent computer systems with computer displays or televisions screens adapted to process computer information . in addition , the pie menu systems of the present invention are universally applicable to all types of software including , but not limited to : operating systems , spreadsheets , word processors , e - mail , browsers , entertainment products such as games including virtual reality embodiments . a system and method has been shown in the above embodiments for the effective implementation of a multiple level pie menu gui . 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 and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims . the present invention should not be limited by size , shape , position on a computer display , number of levels , number of menu items , number of sectors , colors or textures , and can be implemented on any computer display . in addition , the pie menus are implemented as pop - up menus , fixed menus , context specific menus , dialog boxes or equivalent structures . | 8 |
more specifically , the present invention relates to a process for the industrial synthesis of compounds of formula ( i ), which process is characterised in that a compound of formula ( iii ): wherein r represents a linear or branched ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl group , wherein r โฒ represents a linear or branched ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl group , in the presence of a catalytic amount of a c 8 - c 10 - type quaternary ammonium compound , to yield , after drying of the powder thereby obtained , the compound of formula ( i ). a c 8 - c 10 - type quaternary ammonium compound is understood to be a compound of formula ( a ) or a mixture of compounds of formula ( a ): wherein r 1 represents a ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl group , r 2 , r 3 and r 4 , which are the same or different , each represent a ( c 8 - c 10 ) alkyl group , and x represents a halogen atom . c 8 - c 10 - type quaternary ammonium compounds to which preference is given are the catalysts adogen 464 ยฎ and aliquat 336 ยฎ. surprisingly , only the use of a c 8 - c 10 - type quaternary ammonium compound allows the compound of formula ( i ) to be obtained both with a greatly reduced reaction time and with very good selectivity , in contrast to other types of quaternary ammoniums , as the following table shows : duration content of reaction catalyst of reaction mixture tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulphate 12 hours 92 % ( tbahs ) n , n - bis ( 2 - hydroxyethyl )- n - methyl 18 hours 82 % 1 - dodecanaminium bromide adogen 464 ยฎ 5 hours 96 % aliquat 336 ยฎ 4 hours 95 % furthermore , the somewhat simplified isolation ( the precipitation step followed by filtration has been replaced by simple filtration of the reaction mixture ) allows , by virtue of the particular conditions developed , the compound of formula ( i ) to be obtained not only in a very good yield ( 89 %) but also with excellent purity ( greater than 98 %), whilst avoiding the burden on the environment that the aqueous saline waste represented . the amount of potassium carbonate is preferably from 2 to 3 mol per mol of compound of formula ( iii ). the amount of compound of formula ( iv ) is preferably from 2 to 3 mol per mol of compound of formula ( iii ). the initial volume of organic solvent is preferably from 6 to 12 ml per gram of compound of formula ( iii ). organic solvents that are preferred for the reaction are acetone and acetonitrile . methyl 5 -[ bis ( 2 - methoxy - 2 - oxoethyl ) amino ]- 4 - cyano - 3 -( 2 - methoxy - 2 - oxoethyl )- 2 - thiophenecarboxylate and methyl 5 -[ bis ( 2 - ethoxy - 2 - oxoethyl ) amino ]- 4 - cyano - 3 -( 2 - methoxy - 2 - oxoethyl )- 2 - thiophenecarboxylate , particular and preferred cases of the compounds of formula ( i ), are new compounds which are useful as synthesis intermediates in the chemical or pharmaceutical industry , especially in the synthesis of strontium ranelate and accordingly form an integral part of the present invention . the examples hereinbelow illustrate the invention but do not limit it in any way . introduce into a reactor 400 kg of 5 - amino - 3 -( carboxymethyl )- 4 - cyano - 2 - thiophenecarboxylic acid , 478 kg of potassium carbonate , 2810 litres of acetone , 16 kg of adogen 464 % and 529 . 6 kg of methyl bromoacetate . bring the temperature to 60 ยฐ c . after refluxing for 5 hours , cool the reaction mixture and then filter it . concentrate the filtrate obtained . add methanol ; cool and filter the suspension obtained , and then dry the powder . methyl 5 -[ bis ( 2 - methoxy - 2 - oxoethyl ) amino ]- 4 - cyano - 3 -( 2 - methoxy - 2 - oxoethyl )- 2 - thiophenecarboxylate is thereby obtained in a yield greater than 85 % and with a chemical purity greater than 98 %. methyl 5 -[ bis ( 2 - methoxy - 2 - oxoethyl ) amino ]- 4 - cyano - 3 -( 2 - methoxy - 2 - oxoethyl )- 2 - thiophenecarboxylate is obtained in the same manner as example 1 , but replacing adogen 464 ยฎ by aliquat 336 ยฎ. methyl 5 -[ bis ( 2 - methoxy - 2 - oxoethyl ) amino ]- 4 - cyano - 3 -( 2 - methoxy - 2 - oxoethyl )- 2 - thiophenecarboxylate is obtained in the same manner as example 1 , but replacing the acetone by acetonitrile . methyl 5 -[ bis ( 2 - ethoxy - 2 - oxoethyl ) amino ]- 4 - cyano - 3 -( 2 - methoxy - 2 - oxoethyl )- 2 - thiophenecarboxylate is obtained in the same manner as example 1 , but replacing the 529 . 6 kg of methyl bromoacetate by 578 . 1 kg of ethyl bromoacetate . | 2 |
the present invention is directed at an apparatus for sealing a conduit in order to facilitate maintenance and / or repair of the conduit and / or its associated fittings . a non - limiting exemplary embodiment of the apparatus is depicted in fig1 - 9 . in the exemplary embodiment , the apparatus ( 20 ) may be used to replace a fitting such as a valve ( 22 ) which is associated with a conduit ( 24 ). the conduit ( 24 ) is in fluid communication with a source of fluid . the source of fluid may be a storage tank , such as an oil storage tank ( not shown ). the fitting , the conduit ( 24 ) and the source of fluid do not form part of the invention . referring to fig1 - 3 , the apparatus ( 20 ) is comprised of a housing ( 30 ), a tube ( 32 ), a rod ( 34 ), a seal assembly ( 36 ), a proximal collar ( 38 ) and a distal collar ( 40 ). the housing ( 30 ) has a housing proximal end ( 46 ) and a housing distal end ( 48 ). a housing bore ( 54 ) extends through the housing ( 30 ) from the housing proximal end ( 46 ) to the housing distal end ( 48 ), thereby defining a housing proximal primary port ( 50 ) at the housing proximal end ( 46 ) and a housing distal primary port ( 52 ) at the housing distal end ( 48 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the housing ( 30 ) is constructed from a plurality of components which are temporarily or permanently connected together . moving from the housing proximal end ( 46 ) toward the housing distal end ( 48 ), the housing ( 30 ) is comprised of a hexagonal plug ( 56 ), a packing coupling ( 58 ), a crossover coupling ( 60 ), and a camlock coupling ( 62 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the camlock coupling ( 62 ) is selected to be compatible with a complementary camlock coupling ( 26 ) on or connected with the valve ( 22 ) so that the housing ( 30 ) is thereby adapted to be connectable with the valve ( 22 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the camlock coupling ( 62 ) may have a nominal diameter of about 4 inches ( about 10 centimeters ). in other embodiments , the camlock coupling ( 62 ) may be substituted with an alternative form of coupling which is compatible with the conduit and its associated fitting such as , by way of non - limiting examples , external threads , internal threads or a flange . in the exemplary embodiment , the crossover coupling ( 60 ) provides a transition between the relatively larger diameter of the camlock coupling ( 62 ) and the relatively smaller diameter of the packing coupling ( 58 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the crossover coupling ( 60 ) is welded to both the camlock coupling ( 62 ) and the packing coupling ( 58 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the packing coupling ( 58 ) contains a suitable packing ( 64 ) and a packing ring ( 66 ). the packing ( 64 ) provides a seal between the housing ( 30 ) and the tube ( 32 ). the packing ring ( 66 ) abuts the packing ( 64 ) and assists in maintaining the packing ( 64 ) in place inside the packing coupling ( 58 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the packing ( 64 ) consists of teflon ( trade - mark ), which allows the tube ( 32 ) to slide smoothly through the packing coupling ( 58 ) while maintaining the seal between the housing ( 30 ) and the tube ( 32 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the packing ring ( 66 ) is an annular steel washer . interior threads are provided in the packing coupling ( 58 ) to accommodate the hexagonal plug ( 56 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the packing coupling ( 58 ) may have an inner diameter of about 2 inches ( about 5 centimeters ) and the packing ( 64 ) may have a thickness of about 0 . 25 inches ( about 0 . 6 centimeters ). in the exemplary embodiment , the hexagonal plug ( 56 ) includes exterior threads so that the hexagonal plug ( 56 ) can be threadably coupled with the packing coupling ( 58 ). when coupled with the packing coupling ( 58 ), the hexagonal plug ( 56 ) abuts the packing ring ( 66 ). as a result , the hexagonal plug ( 56 ) assists the packing coupling ( 58 ) in maintaining a seal between the housing ( 30 ) and the tube ( 32 ) by providing support for the packing ring ( 66 ) and containment of the packing ( 64 ) within the packing coupling ( 58 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the hexagonal plug ( 56 ) may have a nominal size of about 2 inches ( about 5 centimeters ) to fit within the packing coupling ( 58 ) and may have a 1 . 8 inch ( about 4 . 5 centimeters ) hole machined through it to accommodate the tube ( 32 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the housing ( 30 ) further comprises a first auxiliary port ( 70 ) having a first auxiliary port valve ( 72 ) and a second auxiliary port ( 74 ) having a second auxiliary port valve ( 76 ). the auxiliary ports ( 70 , 74 ) communicate with the housing bore ( 54 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the auxiliary ports ( 70 , 74 ) are located on the crossover coupling ( 60 ) and the first auxiliary port ( 70 ) is larger than the second auxiliary port ( 74 ). more particularly , in the exemplary embodiment , the first auxiliary port ( 70 ) may have a nominal diameter of about 1 inch ( about 2 . 5 centimeters ) and the second auxiliary port ( 76 ) may have a nominal diameter of about 0 . 5 inches ( about 1 . 3 centimeters ). in the exemplary embodiment , the tube ( 32 ) is hollow , and extends through the housing bore ( 54 ) when the apparatus ( 20 ) is assembled . the tube ( 32 ) is not fixed to the housing ( 30 ) and may therefore reciprocate within the housing bore ( 54 ). the tube ( 32 ) defines a tube bore ( 80 ) and has a tube proximal end ( 82 ) and a tube distal end ( 84 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the tube ( 32 ) may have an outer diameter of about 1 . 75 inches ( about 4 . 4 centimeters ) and the diameter of the tube bore ( 80 ) may be about 1 . 1 inches ( about 2 . 8 centimeters ) to accommodate the rod ( 34 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the rod ( 34 ) is solid and has a rod outer surface ( 90 ), a rod proximal end ( 92 ) and a rod distal end ( 94 ). the rod ( 34 ) extends through the tube bore ( 80 ). the rod ( 34 ) is not fixed to the tube ( 32 ) and may therefore reciprocate within the tube bore ( 80 ). the rod ( 34 ) is longer than the tube ( 32 ) so that the rod proximal end ( 92 ) protrudes from the tube proximal end ( 82 ) and the rod distal end ( 94 ) protrudes from the tube distal end ( 84 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the rod ( 34 ) may have a diameter of about 1 inch ( about 2 . 5 centimeters ). at least the rod proximal end ( 92 ) is provided with external threads ( 96 ). in the exemplary embodiment as depicted in fig1 - 9 , substantially the entire rod outer surface ( 90 ) is provided with external threads ( 96 ). a threaded nut ( 98 ) with complementary internal threads is threadably connected with the rod ( 34 ) at the rod proximal end ( 92 ). the threaded nut ( 98 ) abuts the tube proximal end ( 82 ). the purpose of the threaded nut ( 98 ) is to enable an axial setting force to be applied to the seal assembly ( 36 ) by turning the threaded nut ( 98 ) and thereby advancing the threaded nut ( 98 ) toward the rod distal end ( 94 ) so that the rod ( 34 ) moves axially relative to the tube ( 32 ) in a proximal direction , and to enable the axial setting force to be released by retracting the threaded nut ( 98 ) toward the rod proximal end ( 92 ) so that the rod ( 34 ) moves axially relative to the tube ( 32 ) in a distal direction . the threaded nut ( 98 ) is sized to be compatible with the rod ( 34 ). in the exemplary embodiment the threaded nut ( 98 ) may have a nominal ( inner ) diameter of about 1 inch ( about 2 . 5 centimeters ) and a flat size of about 1 . 5 inches ( about 3 . 8 centimeters ). the seal assembly ( 36 ) slidably surrounds the rod outer surface ( 90 ) between the tube distal end ( 84 ) and the rod distal end ( 94 ). the seal assembly ( 36 ) may be comprised of a single seal element or a plurality of seal elements . in the exemplary embodiment , the seal assembly 36 is comprised of a plurality of seal elements . in the exemplary embodiment , the seal assembly ( 36 ) is more particularly comprised of a proximal seal element ( 110 ), a distal seal element ( 112 ), and a spacer ( 114 ) positioned between the proximal seal element ( 110 ) and the distal seal element ( 112 ). each of the components of the seal assembly 36 is capable of sliding along the rod outer surface ( 90 ) in order to facilitate actuation of the seal assembly ( 36 ). the proximal seal element ( 110 ) has a proximal seal element length ( 116 ) and the distal seal element ( 112 ) has a distal seal element length ( 118 ). each of the proximal seal element ( 110 ) and the distal seal element ( 112 ) has an unexpanded minimum diameter ( 120 ) and an expanded maximum diameter ( 122 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the proximal seal element ( 110 ) and the distal seal element ( 112 ) are substantially identical , so that the proximal seal element length ( 116 ) is substantially equal to the distal seal element length ( 118 ), the unexpanded minimum diameter ( 120 ) of the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) is substantially equal , and the expanded maximum diameter ( 122 ) of the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) is substantially equal . in the exemplary embodiment , the proximal seal element ( 110 ) and the distal seal element ( 112 ) are both constructed of natural rubber . in particular , in the exemplary embodiment , it has been found that the proximal seal element ( 110 ) and the distal seal element ( 112 ) may each be constructed from a 4 inch ( about 10 centimeter ) natural rubber pipeline ball which has been machined to the appropriate dimensions . in the exemplary embodiment , the lengths ( 116 , 118 ) of the proximal seal element ( 110 ) and the distal seal element ( 112 ) respectively may be about 3 . 5 inches ( about 9 centimeters ), the unexpanded minimum diameter ( 120 ) of the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) may be about 2 . 75 inches ( about 7 centimeters ), and the expanded maximum diameter ( 122 ) of the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) may be about 4 inches ( about 10 centimeters ). as a result , in the exemplary embodiment , the seal assembly ( 36 ) may provide an expansion ratio of about 1 . 45 : 1 . the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) fit snugly around the rod outer surface ( 90 ) in order to provide a seal between the rod ( 34 ) and the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ). accordingly , in the exemplary embodiment in which the rod ( 34 ) may have a diameter of about 1 inch ( about 2 . 5 centimeters ), the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) may have an inner diameter of about 0 . 75 inches ( about 1 . 9 centimeters ) so that the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) must stretch to accommodate the rod ( 34 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the spacer ( 114 ) is a flat metal washer , and functions to maintain separation between the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ). in the exemplary embodiment in which the rod ( 34 ) may have a diameter of about 1 inch ( about 2 . 5 centimeters ) and in which the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) may have an unexpanded minimum diameter ( 120 ) of about 2 . 75 inches ( about 7 centimeters ), the spacer ( 114 ) may have an inner diameter of about 1 . 05 inches ( about 2 . 7 centimeters ) to accommodate the rod ( 34 ) and may have an outer diameter of about 2 . 5 inches ( about 6 . 3 centimeters ). in the exemplary embodiment , the proximal collar ( 38 ) has a proximal collar outer surface ( 130 ), a proximal collar proximal end ( 132 ), a proximal collar distal end ( 134 ), and a proximal collar flange ( 136 ) extending radially from the proximal collar outer surface ( 130 ) at a position which is approximately midway between the proximal collar proximal end ( 132 ) and the proximal collar distal end ( 134 ). the proximal collar flange ( 136 ) has a proximal collar flange diameter ( 138 ), which is the outer diameter of the proximal collar flange ( 136 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the distal collar ( 40 ) has a distal collar outer surface ( 140 ), a distal collar proximal end ( 142 ), a distal collar distal end ( 144 ), and a distal collar flange ( 146 ) extending radially from the distal collar outer surface ( 140 ) at a position which is approximately midway between the distal collar proximal end ( 142 ) and the distal collar distal end ( 144 ). the distal collar flange ( 146 ) has a distal collar flange diameter ( 148 ), which is the outer diameter of the distal collar flange ( 146 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the proximal collar ( 38 ) and the distal collar ( 40 ) are substantially identical โ mirror images โ of each other . in other words , the proximal collar proximal end ( 132 ) corresponds with the distal collar distal end ( 144 ) and the proximal collar distal end ( 134 ) corresponds with the distal collar proximal end ( 142 ). in the exemplary embodiment , each of the collars ( 38 , 40 ) is constructed from a plurality of components which are welded together . these components consist of a first threaded collar ( 150 ), a second threaded collar ( 152 ) and a flange washer ( 154 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the first threaded collar ( 150 ) and the second threaded collar ( 152 ) are both eue threaded pipe nipples and the flange washer ( 154 ) is a conventional steel washer . the threads on the exterior of the first threaded collar ( 150 ) and the second threaded collar ( 152 ) provide texturing to the collar outer surfaces ( 130 , 140 ). the flange washers ( 154 ) provide the collar flanges ( 136 , 146 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the first threaded collar ( 150 ) may have an outer diameter of about 2 . 375 inches ( about 6 centimeters ), an inner diameter of about 2 inches ( about 5 centimeters ), and a length of about 1 . 2 inches ( about 3 centimeters ), the second threaded collar ( 152 ) may have an outer diameter of about 2 . 375 inches ( about 6 centimeters ), an inner diameter of about 2 inches ( about 5 centimeters ) and a length of about 0 . 9 inches ( about 2 . 3 centimeters ), and the flange washer ( 154 ) may have an outer diameter of about 2 . 75 inches ( about 7 centimeters ), an inner diameter of about 1 . 05 inches ( about 2 . 7 centimeters ), and a width or thickness of about 0 . 25 inches ( about 0 . 6 centimeters ). in the exemplary embodiment , the proximal collar ( 38 ) is fixed to the tube distal end ( 84 ) and the distal collar ( 40 ) is fixed to the rod distal end ( 94 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the proximal collar ( 38 ) may be assembled and fixed to the tube distal end ( 84 ) first , by welding the flange washer ( 154 ) to the tube distal end ( 84 ), second , by sliding the first threaded collar ( 150 ) over the tube ( 32 ) and welding the first threaded collar ( 150 ) to one side of the flange washer ( 154 ), and third , by welding the second threaded collar ( 152 ) to the other side of the flange washer ( 154 ). in the exemplary embodiment , the distal collar ( 40 ) may be assembled and fixed to the rod distal end ( 94 ) first , by welding the flange washer ( 154 ) to the rod distal end ( 94 ), second , by sliding the second threaded collar ( 152 ) over the rod ( 34 ) and welding the second threaded collar ( 152 ) to one side of the flange washer ( 154 ), and third , by welding the first threaded collar ( 150 ) to the other side of the flange washer ( 154 ). since the proximal collar ( 38 ) is fixed to the tube distal end ( 84 ) and the distal collar ( 40 ) is fixed to the rod distal end ( 94 ), axial movement of the rod ( 34 ) relative to the tube ( 32 ) which is caused by turning the threaded nut ( 98 ) will result in the collars ( 38 , 40 ) moving toward each other or away from each other ( depending upon the direction that the threaded nut ( 98 ) is turned ). if the rod ( 34 ) is moved relative to the tube ( 32 ) in a proximal direction so that the collars ( 38 , 40 ) are moved toward each other , an axial setting force will be applied to the seal assembly ( 36 ) by the collars ( 38 , 40 ) as the seal assembly ( 36 ) is compressed between the collars ( 38 , 40 ). the axial setting force and compression of the seal assembly ( 36 ) will result in the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) expanding radially . if the rod ( 34 ) is moved relative to the tube ( 32 ) in a distal direction so that the collars ( 38 , 40 ) are moved away from each other , the axial setting force will be gradually released and the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) will collapse radially . referring to fig4 - 9 , in some applications the apparatus ( 20 ) of the exemplary embodiment may be used to change a fitting , such as a valve ( 22 ), which is removably connected with a conduit ( 24 ) leading from a storage tank , such as an oil storage tank ( not shown ). in such applications , it is desirable to have the ability to change the valve ( 22 ) without first draining the storage tank . in some such applications , the valve ( 22 ) may have a relatively smaller diameter downstream outlet port ( such as , for example about 2 . 75 inches ( about 7 centimeters )), and the conduit ( 24 ) upstream of the valve ( 22 ) may have a relatively larger diameter ( such as , for example about 4 inches ( about 10 centimeters )), thereby requiring a seal assembly ( 36 ) which can provide an expansion ratio of at least about 1 . 4 : 1 . in such applications , the apparatus ( 20 ) of the exemplary embodiment may be used as follows , with reference to fig4 - 9 . first , the apparatus ( 20 ) is assembled for use . the tube ( 32 ), the rod ( 34 ), the seal assembly ( 34 ), the proximal collar ( 38 ) and the distal collar ( 40 ) will typically be preassembled as a tube assembly ( 160 ) having a tube assembly proximal end ( 162 ) and a tube assembly distal end ( 164 ). as a result , assembling the apparatus ( 20 ) may typically be accomplished by inserting the tube assembly proximal end ( 162 ) into the housing ( 30 ) at the housing distal end ( 48 ) and pulling the tube assembly ( 160 ) through the housing bore ( 32 ) in a proximal direction until the proximal collar ( 38 ) contacts the crossover coupling ( 60 ). second , the valve ( 22 ) is closed or the valve ( 22 ) is inspected to confirm and ensure that it is closed . third , the apparatus ( 20 ) is connected directly or indirectly to the valve ( 22 ) by connecting the camlock coupling ( 62 ) on the housing ( 30 ) with a complementary camlock coupling ( 26 ) on or associated with the valve ( 22 ). fourth , the valve ( 22 ) is opened fully and the tube assembly ( 160 ) is advanced through the housing bore ( 54 ) in a distal direction until only a short length of the tube assembly ( 160 ) protrudes from the hexagonal plug ( 56 ). fifth , the threaded nut ( 98 ) is turned with a wrench in order to move the rod ( 34 ) axially in a proximal direction , thereby applying an axial setting force to the seal assembly ( 36 ) and causing the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) to expand toward their expanded maximum diameter ( 122 ) until the seal assembly ( 36 ) is fully actuated to seal the conduit ( 22 ) upstream of the valve ( 24 ). sixth , one of the auxiliary port valves ( 72 , 76 ) may be temporarily opened in order to drain the apparatus ( 20 ) of fluid . seventh , the tube assembly ( 160 ) may be give a slight tug to confirm that the seal assembly ( 36 ) is actuated properly to seal the conduit ( 24 ). eighth , the housing ( 30 ) is removed from the valve ( 22 ) while leaving the tube assembly ( 160 ) in place sealing the conduit ( 24 ), by uncoupling the camlock coupling ( 62 ) and sliding the housing ( 30 ) along the tube assembly ( 160 ) in a proximal direction . ninth , the valve ( 22 ) is removed from the conduit ( 24 ) and a fully open new valve ( not shown ) is installed on the conduit ( 24 ). tenth , the housing ( 30 ) of the apparatus ( 20 ) is connected with the new valve ( not shown ) by reassembling the housing ( 30 ) and the tube assembly ( 160 ) while the tube assembly ( 160 ) remains in place sealing the conduit ( 24 ) and connecting the camlock coupling ( 62 ) with a complementary camlock coupling ( not shown ) on the new valve ( not shown ). eleventh , the threaded nut ( 98 ) is turned with a wrench in order to move the rod ( 34 ) axially in a distal direction , thereby releasing the axial setting force and causing the seal elements ( 110 , 112 ) to collapse toward their unexpanded minimum diameter ( 120 ) until only a short length of the rod ( 34 ) extends from the threaded nut ( 98 ). twelfth , the tube assembly ( 160 ) is retracted through the housing bore ( 54 ) in a proximal direction until the proximal collar ( 38 ) contacts the crossover coupling ( 60 ). thirteenth , the new valve ( not shown ) is fully closed and the apparatus ( 20 ) is removed from the new valve ( not shown ). fourteenth , the new valve ( not shown ) and the conduit ( 24 ) are checked for leaks . in this document , the word โ comprising โ is used in its non - limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included , but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded . a reference to an element by the indefinite article โ a โ does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present , unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements . | 5 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.