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the alkylidenenorbornenes used in the present invention are compounds represented by the formula ## str3 ## wherein r 1 denotes an alkyl group and r 2 denotes a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group . preferably , r 1 is a c 1 - 4 alkyl group and r 2 is a c 1 - 4 alkyl group or a hydrogen atom . more preferably , r 1 is a methyl group and r 2 is a methyl group or a hydrogen atom . as specific examples , mention may be made of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene , 5 - propylidenenorbornene , 5 - i - propylidenenorbornene , 5 - i - butylidenenorbornene and the like . these monomers can be easily obtained by the isomerization of alkenylnorbornene derivatives obtainable by the reaction of dienes , e . g . butadiene , isoprene , 1 , 3 - pentadiene , 3 - methyl - 1 , 3 - pentadiene and the like , with dicyclopentadiene . these monomers may be used either alone or as a mixture of two or more thereof . in the polymerization it is also possible , in order to improve the characteristic properties as processability , flexibility and mechanical strength of the polymer obtained , to polymerize mixtures of alkylidenenorbornes with other cationically polymerizable monomers than alkylidenenorbornenes . specific examples of such cationically polymerizable monomers which can be used as mixtures include monoolefins such as propylene , isobutene , 2 - methyl - 1 - butene , 2 - methyl - 1 - pentene and the like , diolefins such as butadiene , isoprene , 1 , 3 - pentadiene and the like , vinylaromatic compounds such as styrene , α - methylstyrene , vinylnaphthalene and the like , and cyclic ethers such as ethylene oxide , propylene oxide , trimethylene oxide , dioxane , trioxane , cyclohexene oxide , styrene oxide , epichlorohydrin , glycidyl phenyl ether , furan , tetrahydrofuran and the like . the content of the structural unit represented by the formula i in the alkylidenenorbornene polymer of the present invention is usually at least 50 % by weight , preferably at least 60 % by weight , more preferably at least 70 % by weight . as the content of the structural unit represented by the formula i in the alkylidenenorbornene polymer of the present invention decreases , the glass transition temperature of the polymer lowers . the cationic polymerization catalyst used in the present invention may be conventionally used ones . as specific examples , there may be mentioned , for lewis acids , metal halides such as alcl 3 , albr 3 , bcl 3 , bf 3 , ticl 4 , tibr4 , fecl 3 , fecl 2 , sncl 2 , sncl 4 and the like and , for protonic acids , hydroacids such as hcl , hf , hbr and the like and oxoacids such as h 2 so 4 , h 3 bo 3 , hclo 4 , ch 3 cooh and the like . particularly preferred are lewis acids , among which halogen compounds , particularly chlorides , of boron or titanium are more preferred . when a catalyst comprising at least one selected from lewis acids and protonic acids is used as the cationic polymerization catalyst , it is used in a range of amount of 0 . 000001 - 1 mole , preferably 0 . 00001 - 0 . 5 mole , per mole of the polymerizable monomer composition . particularly when a lewis acid is used , it is preferably used in combinations with an initiator compound which are known as so - called kennedy catalysts in cationic living polymerization of olefins . the initiator compound used herein is a compound represented by the formula ## str4 ## wherein r 3 denotes an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon group or a substitution product thereof , r 4 and r 5 each independently denote a lower aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group , x denotes a hydroxyl group , an alkoxyl group , an acyloxy group or a halogen . specific examples thereof include tert - butanol , 2 , 4 , 4 - trimethyl - 2 - methoxypentane , 2 - phenyl - 2 - propanol , 2 - methoxy - 2 - phenylpropane , 2 , 5 - dimethyl - dihydroxyhexane , 2 , 5 - dimethyl - 2 , 5 - diacetoxyhexene , 2 , 5 - dimethyl - 2 , 5 - dichlorohexyne , 2 , 4 , 4 , 6 - tetramethyl - 2 , 6 - dihydroxyheptane , 1 , 3 - bis ( 2 - acetoxy - 2 - propyl ) benzene , 1 , 4 - bis ( 2 - methoxy - 2 - propyl ) benzene , 1 , 3 , 4 - tris ( 2 - bromo - 2 - propyl ) benzene , 1 , 3 , 5 - tris ( 2 - methoxy - 2 - propyl ) benzene and the like . when the catalyst is used in the form of so - called kennedy catalyst , particularly when a titanium halide , in particular ticl 4 is used , it is more preferable to use an electron donative compound together therewith . the electron donative compound used in the present invention is a compound represented by the formula ## str5 ## wherein r 6 , r 7 and r 8 each independently denote a hydrogen atom , an aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group and w denotes n , no , p , po or ps , provided that said aromatic hydrocarbon group may be a heterocyclic ring containing a so - called hetero atom such as nitrogen , oxygen and sulfur and r 6 , r 7 and r 8 may form a ring structure , or the formula ## str6 ## wherein r 6 , r 7 and r 8 each independently denote a hydrogen atom , an aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group and y denotes co or so 2 , provided that said aromatic hydrocarbon group may be a heterocyclic ring containing a so - called hetero atom such as nitrogen , oxygen and sulfur and r 6 , r 7 and r 8 may form a ring structure , or the formula wherein r 1 and r 2 each independently denote a hydrogen atom , an aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group and z denotes o , co , coo , ocoo , s , so or so 2 , provided that said aromatic hydrocarbon group may be a heterocyclic ring containing a so - called hetero atom such as nitrogen , oxygen and sulfur and r 6 and r 7 may form a ring structure , or the formula ## str7 ## wherein r 7 , r 8 , r 9 and r 10 each independently denote a hydrogen atom , an aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group , provided that said aromatic hydrocarbon group may be a heterocyclic ring containing a so - called hetero atom such as nitrogen , oxygen and sulfur and r 1 , r 2 , r 3 and r 4 may form a ring structure . specific examples of the electron donative compound represented by the formula ( iv ) include diethylamine , triethylamine , pyridine , thiazole , guanidine , n - methylmorpholine oxide , triphenylphosphine , triphenyl phosphate and the like . specific examples of the electron donative compound represented by the formula ( v ) include acetamide , n , n - dimethylformamide , n , n - dimethylacetamide , n - methylpyrrolidone , maleimide , benzenesulfonamide , saccharin and the like . specific examples of the electron donative compound represented by the formula ( vi ) include diethyl ether , phenetole , tetrahydrofuran , pyran , dioxane , tetrahydrothiophene , benzaldehyde , acetic acid , benzoic acid , succinic anhydride , acetone , acetonitrile , ethyl acetate and the like . specific examples of the electron donative compound represented by the formula ( vii ) include tetramethylurea , dicyclohexylurea , n , n - dimethylimidazolidinone and the like . particularly preferred among these compounds are tertiary amines or aromatic amines such as triethylamine , pyridine and the like , phosphorus compounds such as triphenylphosphine , triphenyl phosphate and the like , carboxylic acid amides such as n , n - dimethylformamide , n , n - dimethylacetamide and the like , ethers such as diethyl ether , tetrahydrofuran and the like , sulfoxides such as dimethyl sulfoxide and the like , ketones such as acetone and the like , and esters such as ethyl acetate and the like . the amount of the initiator compound to be used is 0 . 01 - 1 mole in terms of the functional group of the initiator compound ( that is , the hydroxyl group , alkoxyl group , acyloxy group or halogen denoted by x in the formula ( iii )) per mole of the lewis acid . the amount of the electron donative compound to be used is 0 . 01 - 100 moles per mole of the functional group of the initiator compound . although the polymerization of the present invention may be performed without using a solvent , it is usually preferable to use halogenated hydrocarbon solvents such as methyl chloride , methylene chloride , 1 , 2 - dichloroethane , 1 , 1 , 1 - trichloroethane , 1 , 1 , 2 - trichloroethane , 1 , 1 , 2 - trichloroethylene and the like , hydrocarbon solvents such as pentane , hexane , heptane , octane , cyclopentane , cyclohexane , decalin , methylcyclohexane and the like , aromatic solvents such as benzene , toluene , xylene and the like , or other suitable solvents . the polymerization is usually conducted in a temperature range of - 150 ° c . to 100 ° c ., preferably - 100 ° c . to 50 ° c . the alkylidenenorbornene polymer of the present invention contains virtually no olefinic bonds , is amorphous , optically isotropic and transparent , and has a higher glass transition temperature as compared with ring - opening polymers of the same monomer . for example , in the case of polymers comprising solely the structural unit represented by the formula i , polymers having a glass transition temperature of 150 ° c . or more can be easily obtained . though the glass transition temperature can be adjusted by use of a suitable comonomer , it is preferably selected at 100 ° c . or more , more preferably 120 ° c . or more . the range of the molecular weight is , in terms of intrinsic viscosity determined in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) at 50 ° c ., 0 . 1 - 20 dl / g , preferably 0 . 2 - 10 dl / g , more preferably 0 . 4 - 5 dl / g . as the intrinsic viscosity decreases , the mechanical strength of the molded articles decreases . as the intrinsic viscosity increases , the melt viscosity increases and the processability becomes poorer . the polymer of the present invention contains substantially no gel and can be dissolved in suitable solvents . for example , it dissolves completely in decalin at 50 ° c . further , since the polymer of the present invention is obtained by polymerization of hydrocarbon monomers , it is excellent in moisture resistance . its water absorption after immersion in water at 25 ° c . for 24 hours is 0 . 2 % or less , preferably 0 . 1 % or less . the alkylidenenorbornene polymer of the present invention can be processed by conventional methods . in the processing , various additives may be added for the purpose of improving processability and properties of the product , which include , for example , fibrous or particulate fillers , antioxidants , light stabilizers , ultra - violet absorbers , antistatic agents , lubricants , flame retardants , pigment , dyes , antiblocking agents , other kinds of polymers , and oligomers . the alkylidenenorbornene polymer of the present invention is amorphous , has a high glass transition temperature and is excellent in heat resistance , light resistance , moisture resistance , and transparency , so that it is useful as various formed articles in a wide field of applications including optical materials . for example , it can be used for optical materials such as optical disks , optical lenses , optical cards , optical fibers , liquid crystal display device substrates , and the like , electric or lectronic uses such as printed boards , high frequency circuit boards , insulating materials and the like , medical uses , chemical materials , structural materials such as film , sheeting , various instrument parts and housings and the like , building materials , and in other various fields . the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples , in which &# 34 ; part &# 34 ; means part by weight unless otherwise specified . in a reactor flushed with nitrogen , were placed 900 parts of methylene chloride and 100 parts of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene . while the temperature was being kept at - 50 ° c ., 0 . 5 part of 2 - methoxy - 2 - phenylpropane and successively 3 . 8 parts of ticl 3 were added thereto , and the whole was reacted at - 50 ° c . for 2 hours . the reaction solution was poured into 5 , 000 parts of methanol at room temperature to coagulate the polymer formed . the precipitate was separated by filtration and dried under reduced pressure to obtain 63 parts of amorphous polymer . the polymer obtained dissolved completely in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ). it had an intrinsic viscosity of 0 . 57 dl / g as determined in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) at 50 ° c . and a glass transition temperature of 163 ° c . as determined by dsc analysis . its infrared spectrum showed a strong absorption band at 850 cm - 1 attributed to transannular polymerization ( cf . la chimica et l &# 39 ; industria , 45 , 1529 ( 1963 )). analysis by proton nmr spectrum in deutero chloroform showed at 0 . 4 - 2 . 6 ppm the presence of protons of saturated hydrocarbons amounting to 98 . 9 % of the total protons . though a very small amount of olefinic protons was observed at 4 . 8 - 5 . 6 ppm , the amount was only 1 . 1 % relative to the total protons , showing that the content of components having unsaturated groups was very small . the polymer was compression - molded at 210 ° c . to prepare test pieces 5 cm square and 2 mm thick . the molded plate was tough , colorless and transparent . the light transmittance at 830 nm was as good as 90 %. the water absorption after immersion in water at 25 ° c . for 24 hours was 0 . 01 % or less . in the same manner as in example 1 except for using 90 parts of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene and 10 parts of styrene in place of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene alone , 72 parts of amorphous polymer was obtained . the polymer obtained dissolved completely in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) and had an intrinsic viscosity of 0 . 61 dl / g as determined in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) at 50 ° c . its glass transition temperature determined by dsc analysis was a single point of 155 ° c . the infrared absorption spectrum showed at 850 cm - 1 a strong absorption band based on transannular polymer . analysis by proton nmr spectrum in deutero chloroform showed saturated hydrocarbon protons at 0 . 4 - 2 . 7 ppm and phenyl group protons at 6 . 8 - 7 . 1 ppm in an area ratio of 95 : 5 . virtually no olefinic protons were observed . from the fact that the glass transition temperature consisted of one point , it was revealed that the composition obtained was not a blend of homopolymers but a copolymer of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene with styrene . from the area ratio of saturated hydrocarbon protons to phenyl group protons , it was revealed that the ratio of the structural units derived from styrene to the structural units represented by the formula ( i ) in the copolymer was about 11 to 89 . test pieces 2 mm in thickness were prepared in the same manner as in example 1 . the molded plate was tough , colorless and transparent . the light transmittance at 830 nm was as good as 90 %. the water absorption after immersion in water at 25 ° c . for 24 hours was 0 . 01 % or less . in the same manner as in example 1 except for using 50 parts of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene and 50 parts of styrene in place of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene alone , 69 parts of amorphous polymer was obtained . the polymer obtained dissolved completely in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) and had an intrinsic viscosity of 0 . 59 dl / g as determined in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) at 50 ° c . its glass transition temperature determined by dsc analysis was a single point of 132 ° c . the infrared absorption spectrum showed at 850 cm - 1 a strong absorption band based on transannular polymer . analysis by proton nmr spectrum in deutero chloroform showed saturated hydrocarbon protons at 0 . 4 - 2 . 7 ppm and phenyl group protons at 6 . 8 - 7 . 1 ppm in an area ratio of 84 : 16 . virtually no olefinic protons were observed . from the fact that the glass transition temperature consisted of one point , it was revealed that the composition obtained was not a blend of homopolymers but a copolymer of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene with styrene . from the area ratio of saturated hydrocarbon protons to phenyl group protons , it was revealed that the ratio of the structural units derived from styrene to the structural units represented by the formula ( i ) in the copolymer was about 34 to 66 . test pieces 2 mm in thickness were prepared in the same manner as in example 1 . the molded plate was tough , colorless and transparent . the light transmittance at 830 nm was as good as 90 %. the water absorption after immersion in water at 25 ° c . for 24 hours was 0 . 01 % or less . in the same manner as in example 1 except for using 95 parts of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene and 5 parts of cyclohexene oxide in place of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene alone , 48 parts of amorphous polymer was obtained . the polymer obtained dissolved completely in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) and showed an intrinsic viscosity of 0 . 45 dl / g as determined in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) at 50 ° c . and a glass transition temperature of 148 ° c . by dsc analysis . the infrared absorption spectrum showed at 850 cm - 1 a strong absorption band based on transannular polymer . analysis by proton nmr spectrum in deutero chloroform showed saturated hydrocarbon protons at 0 . 4 - 3 . 0 ppm amounting to 99 . 3 % of the total protons . though a very small amount of olefinic protons was observed at 4 . 8 - 5 . 6 ppm , the amount was only 0 . 7 % relative to the total protons , showing that the content of components having unsaturated groups was very small . test pieces 2 mm in thickness were prepared in the same manner as in example 1 . the molded plate was tough , colorless and transparent . the light transmittance at 830 nm was as good as 90 %. the water absorption after immersion in water at 25 ° c . for 24 hours was 0 . 1 % or less . in the same manner as in example 1 except for using 90 parts of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene and 10 parts of α - methylstyrene in place of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene alone , 95 parts of amorphous polymer was obtained . the polymer obtained dissolved completely in decalin and had an intrinsic viscosity of 0 . 59 dl / g as determined in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) at 50 ° c . its glass transition temperature determined by dsc analysis was a single point of 160 ° c . the infrared absorption spectrum showed at 850 cm - 1 a strong absorption band based on transannular polymer . analysis by proton nmr spectrum in deutero chloroform showed saturated hydrocarbon protons at 0 . 4 - 2 . 7 ppm and phenyl group protons at 6 . 8 - 7 . 1 ppm in an area ratio of 96 : 4 . virtually no olefinic protons were observed . from the fact that the glass transition temperature consisted of one point , it was revealed that the composition obtained was not a blend of homopolymers but a copolymer of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene with α - methylstyrene . from the area ratio of saturated hydrocarbon protons to phenyl group protons , it was revealed that the ratio of the structural units derived from α - methylstyrene to the structural units represented by the formula ( i ) was about 12 to 88 . test pieces 2 mm in thickness were prepared in the same manner as in example 1 . the molded plate was tough , colorless and transparent . the light transmittance at 830 nm was as good as 90 %. the water absorption after immersion in water at 25 ° c . for 24 hours was 0 . 01 % or less . in the same manner as in example 1 except for using 75 parts of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene and 25 parts of α - methylstyrene in place of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene alone , 93 parts of amorphous polymer was obtained . the polymer obtained dissolved completely in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) and had an intrinsic viscosity of 0 . 56 dl / g as determined in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) at 50 ° c . its glass transition temperature determined by dsc analysis was a single point of 160 ° c . the infrared absorption spectrum showed at 850 cm - 1 a strong absorption band based on transannular polymer . analysis by proton nmr spectrum in deutero chloroform showed saturated hydrocarbon protons at 0 . 4 - 2 . 7 ppm and phenyl group protons at 6 . 8 - 7 . 1 ppm in an area ratio of 90 : 10 . virtually no olefinic protons were observed . from the fact that the glass transition temperature consisted of one point , it was revealed that the composition obtained was not a blend of homopolymers but a copolymer of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene with α - methylstyrene . from the area ratio of saturated hydrocarbon protons to phenyl group protons , it was revealed that the ratio of the structural units derived from α - methylstyrene to the structural units represented by the formula ( i ) was about 27 to 73 . test pieces 2 mm in thickness were prepared in the same manner as in example 1 . the molded plate was tough , colorless and transparent . the light transmittance at 830 nm was as good as 90 %. the water absorption after immersion in water at 25 ° c . for 24 hours was 0 . 01 % or less . in the same manner as in example 1 except for using 90 parts of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene and 10 parts of isobutene in place of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene alone , 80 parts of amorphous polymer was obtained . the polymer obtained dissolved completely in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) and had an intrinsic viscosity of 0 . 62 dl / g as determined in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) at 50 ° c . the glass transition temperature determined by dsc analysis was a single point of 142 ° c . the infrared absorption spectrum showed at 850 cm - 1 a strong absorption band based on transannular polymer . virtually no olefinic protons were observed . from the fact that the glass transition temperature consisted of one point , it was revealed that the composition obtained was not a blend of homopolymers but a copolymer of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene with isobutene . test pieces 2 mm in thickness were prepared in the same manner as in example 1 . the molded plate was tough , colorless and transparent . the light transmittance at 830 nm was as good as 90 %. the water absorption after immersion in water at 25 ° c . for 24 hours was 0 . 01 % or less . in the same manner as in example 1 except for using 75 parts of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene and 25 parts of isobutene in place of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene alone , 75 parts of amorphous polymer was obtained . the polymer obtained dissolved completely in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) and had an intrinsic viscosity of 0 . 58 dl / g as determined in decalin ( decahydronaphthalene ) at 50 ° c . the glass transition temperature determined by dsc analysis was a single point of 138 ° c . the infrared absorption spectrum showed at 850 cm - 1 a strong absorption band based on transannular polymer . virtually no olefinic protons were observed . from the fact that the glass transition temperature consisted of one point , it was revealed that the composition obtained was not a blend of homopolymers but a copolymer of 5 - ethylidenenorbornene with isobutene . test pieces 2 mm in thickness were prepared in the same manner as in example 1 . the molded plate was tough , colorless and transparent . the light transmittance at 830 nm was as good as 90 %. the water absorption after immersion in water at 25 ° c . for 24 hours was 0 . 01 % or less . from the results set forth above , it is apparent that the alkylidenenorbornene polymer of the present invention is excellent in light resistance , transparency , heat resistance and moisture resistance . | 2 |
referring to the drawings , and in particular to fig1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings , the optotype projector apparatus comprises a first projector ( or basic projector ) including a primary body 1 , having at a front end thereof , a cylindrical front terminal part provided with a ferrule 2 , thereon which ferrule 2 is slidably arranged on a guide 3 , for the translation of a support 4 which houses an objective lens 5 and translation of support 4 results in movement of lens 5 for focusing thereof . a stabilizer 6 has a front end and a rear end , and its front end is provided at and supported on a rear end of primary body 1 and is brought integral on the other terminal end of primary body 1 . a support 7 is provided at the other or rear end of stabilizer 6 for supporting a group of optical condensers 8 set axially and axially aligned along a common axis a . primary body 1 , support 4 , lens 5 , support 7 and condensers 8 are all axially aligned along central axis a . stabilizer 6 intermediate its front and rear ends also holds or contains a first light projector including a lampholder 9 for supporting a lamp 10 and a concave mirror 11 . the lamp 10 and concave mirror 11 are both also axially aligned with the group of optical condensers 8 along the common axis a . a frame structure 52 is also supported on stabilizer 6 and has a central axis substantially orthogonally arranged with respect to axis a , and parallel to an axis b of a secondary body 18 of an image projector , and supports first and second motor groups 12 , 13 arranged along a common axis substantially parallel to axis a and orthogonal to axis b . moreover , stabilizer 6 features , on an orthogonal prolongation of the frame structure , motor groups 12 and 13 in a symmetric diagram about the central axis parallel to axis b . motor group 12 supports a disk 14 coupled with a pinion 16 connected for rotation with motor group 12 , and in a similar manner motor group 13 is coupled with a pinion 17 for supporting a disk 15 for rotation therewith . the first motor group 12 provides for rotation of disk 14 which carries matrix forms , and the second motor group 13 provides for rotation of disk 15 with photoengraved optotypes . disks 14 and 15 have selected panels of optotypes and are countersituated to allow their position reference during the operative phase . their laying or positioning relative to each other is determined by pinion 16 located between motor group 12 and disk 14 , and by pinion 17 placed or located between motor group 13 and disk 15 . primary body 1 of the basic projector , in an intermediate thereof position , between objective lens 5 and support 6 is provided with the secondary body 18 of the image projector which is integral with primary body 1 and substantially intermediate the ends thereof , and having one end joined with primary body 1 , and its other end provided with another or second light projector which is positioned at the outer end of the secondary body 18 . this second light projector , like the previously described first light projector , and also includes a lampholder 19 , a lamp 20 and a concave mirror 21 . secondary body 18 is substantially orthogonally oriented relative to primary body 1 and has a longitudinal axis b which is substantially orthogonal to axis a . support 22 is contained within secondary body 18 and contains a group of optical condensers 23 to focus light emitted from lamp 20 onto a diaphragm 24 which are provided with panels of the same dimensions as the panels of engraved optotypes featured on disk 15 . within hollow primary body 1 and proximate to secondary body 18 in line with an extension portion indicated at 70 as to where secondary body 18 would extend , there is provided a mirror 25 . secondary body 18 in effect has an opening at the base thereof at the end thereof forming extension 70 joining body 1 and opens into body 1 so that rays projected from lamp 20 impinge onto body 25 provided with a mirrored surface facing lampholder 19 and objective lens 5 . primary body 1 at the outer surface thereof is also provided with an opening 72 in registry with an opening 74 of the secondary body 18 . mirror 25 is provided with a central hole 26 and is positioned at an angle of 45 ° to the opening of secondary body 18 at the intersection of axes a and b of the primary and secondary bodies , so that mirror 25 bends the rays from lamp 20 through an angle of approximately 90 ° so that they travel in direction of axis a towards objective 5 , while the rays from lamp 10 pass through opening 26 . a microprocessor 27 is provided with four output control lines 28 , 29 , 30 and 31 and input line coupled to an infra - red receiver 33 by means of line 34 . an infra - red remote control is provided to activate infra - red receiver 33 and thereby control microprocessor 27 . first line 28 is associated with lamp 10 ; second line 29 is associated with lamp 20 , third line 30 is associated with motor 12 and fourth line 31 is associated with motor 13 . these lines cause impulses and controls from microprocessor 27 to operate the elements with which they are associated . activation and control of microprocessor takes place in response to the infra - red remote control 32 which in turn causes the computer to send information along the output lines 28 , 29 , 30 and 31 . the system which is activated in response to infrared ray remote control unit 32 , transmits to infra - red receiver 33 connected to microprocessor 27 through line 34 to operate microprocessor 27 and thereby the two projectors , as well as the motor 12 and 13 . line 35 is coupled to power supply mains for feeding group 36 which is coupled to microprocessor 27 for powering thereof . line 28 is coupled to and controls lamp holder 9 , and line 29 controls lamp holder 19 . line 30 controls and is coupled to motor 12 for controlling disk 14 , and line 31 is coupled to and controls motor 14 for controlling disk 15 . in order to make an examination for visual acuity while also taking into consideration the varying aspects of the contrast effect , by means of remote control 32 , the system is activated to determine the quantity of light from lamp 10 forming part of primary projector housed in primary body 1 , and the positioning of disks 14 and 15 by control of motors 12 and 13 , respectively , on selected engraved optotypes . concave mirror 11 and optical condensers 8 aligned along axis a , cooperate with disks 14 and 15 which are rotatable by motors 12 and 13 so that the optotypes pass or traverse across the path along axis a . both disks 14 and 15 carry the engraved series of optotypes and the relative matrices for determining the formation of images on the background are lighted up by means of lamp 10 and light reflected from concave mirror 11 . then , by rotation of ferrule 2 , the focus of objective lens 5 is adjusted to transmit or allow the formation of optotype images onto screen 37 under conditions of maximum contrast . subsequently , remote control 32 used to activate lamp 20 of secondary projector in secondary body 18 , concave mirror 21 , the group of optical condensers 23 , and the diaphragm 24 direct light energy onto the face of mirror 25 which causes the rays to turn 90 ° towards objective lens 5 , and by means of objective lens 5 , the light image delimiting the optotypes is projected onto screen 37 . this image is provided or given by the matrix form present on disk 14 , which will move consequently to place itself exactly onto the preceding image . as a consequence , by means of remote control 32 , it is possible to operate both lamps 10 and 20 at the same time in a complementary way , so that when the intensity of one lamp diminishes the other one increases . thus obtaining on the screen 37 is provided with an optotype image , in presence of the same background brightness , while variation of the control value of the optotype image is obtained . in this way , the emanation of the visual acuity on different contrast levels is obtained on screen 37 . referring now to fig3 and 4 , and more particularly to fig3 which is a modification of the projector in fig1 and in which like parts , the same as those in fig1 were left unnumbered , and the additional and different parts are numbered , the optotype projector includes a rectilinear primary body 38 which is a modification of the primary body 1 shown in fig1 aligned on an axis c together with a main or primary projector 40 . in addition , there is provided a secondary squared up body 39 housing a secondary projector 41 aligned on an axis d which is parallel to axis c . primary body 38 is substantially similar to primary body 1 and contains all of the elements in fig1 including mirror 25 provided with central hole 26 . secondary body 39 is also generally similar to secondary body 19 and contains all of the elements as in fig1 and 2 . secondary body is an l - shaped member and includes a first section 39a and a second section 39b which are orthogonally connected with each other . first section 39a is coaxial with axis d , and second section 39b is orthogonal to axes c and d . positioned within the interior of secondary section 39 at the corner where first and second sections 39a , 39b join each other is a mirror 60 at an angle of 45 ° to axis d to turn the ray ; s projected the lamp in secondary projector 41 through an angle of 90 °. secondary section 39b is provided with an exit port or outlet opening 62 which is aligned with an opening 64 in primary body 38 so that rays from the secondary projector are rotated by mirror 60 through an angle of 90 ° and travel through first section 39a and impinge onto mirror 25 as they exit from outlet opening 62 and are rotated by mirror 25 through an angle of 90 ° and exit from primary body 38 through objective lens 5 . mirror 60 is located at an elbow of said l - shaped secondary body at the joinder of said first and second sections . both the primary body 38 and the secondary body 39 along second portion 39b are provided with a cut out portion 66 and 68 to receive a disk 42 which is coupled to group motor 45 to rotate disk 42 so that it rotates past axes c and d so that it rotates past the rays produced in primary projector 40 and secondary projector 41 . as best seen in fig4 disk 42 is shown , carrying a counterpoised double series of grey filters each having a different absorption gradation between a through hole 43 and a shutter 44 aligned along a diameter of disk 42 . disk 42 is orthogonally related to both axis c of primary body 38 and axis d of first section 39a secondary body 39 so that axis c will pass through the center of through hole 43 when the axis d passes through the center of shutter 44 . group motor 45 is operated by microprocessor 27 under the control of remote control 32 as in the fig1 embodiment to cause the rotation of disk 42 thus obtaining in a sequence , on a screen 46 , the image of the optotype with a contrast scalarity maintaining a constant brightness of the background . referring now to fig5 which illustrates another embodiment according to the invention , and includes primary body 47 and secondary body 48 having a longitudinal axis f orthogonal to axis e of primary body 47 . longitudinal axis e , and longitudinal axis f are orthogonal to each other . in this embodiment , the same elements which are described in fig1 and 2 remain un - numbered , but perform the same function as like or corresponding parts in fig1 and 2 . in this embodiment , the optotype projector in primary body 47 and secondary body 48 are generally similar to the embodiment shown in fig1 and 2 , include a glass beam separator 49 in lieu of mirror 25 with central hole 26 positioned at an angle of 45 °, at the intersection of axes e and f of bodies 47 and 48 , and making the contemporary light transmission and the image reflection at 50 % onto screen 50 . the microprocessor and the infra - red controls shown in fig1 have been omitted , but the same controls are used in this embodiment . glass beam separator permits the light transmission from the first lamp to pass therethrough and the light from the first lamp to be rotated through an angle of 90 ° for exiting through objective lens 5 . while there has been shown what are considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention , it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention . | 0 |
the numbering of nucleotides herein is given with reference to hepatitis a virus strain hm175 . however , the instant invention is applicable to any hepatitis a virus strain . numbering of nucleotides in strains of hepatitis a virus other than strain hm175 is accordingly carried out by alignment of other strains to hm175 for maximum homology within the regions flanking the py1 region in the 5 &# 39 ; and the 3 &# 39 ; direction , and then applying the numbering system for strain hm175 to these other strains within the py1 region . since some hepatitis a virus strains contain py1 regions shorter than hm175 , py1 regions missing or nut present under this numbering system are considered to be deleted . an example of such an alignment and numbering is shown in fig4 ( discussed below ). viruses used to carry out the present invention for the purpose of making vaccine formulations , immunizing subjects , or making antibodies are live viruses that are immunogenic ( i . e ., produce an immune response to hepatitis a virus in a subject ). the viruses may be viruses that are virulent but for the presence of the attenuating mutations described herein ( the term &# 34 ; virulent &# 34 ; meaning capable of causing disease in an infected subject ). illustrative strains of hepatitis a virus used to carry out the present invention include , but are not limited to , strain hm175 , strain cr326 , strain mbb , strain gbm , etc . attenuating mutations to the py1 region are preferably between nucleotides 94 and nucleotide 140 ( since the py1 region begins at nucleotide 99 and ends at nucleotide 138 , it will be appreciated that the deletion may begin 5 &# 39 ; to the py1 region and end 3 &# 39 ; to the py1 region ). the attenuating mutation is preferably at least 6 nucleotides in length ( i . e ., at least 6 are deleted ), and may be 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 , 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 , nucleotides in length or more , up to deletion of the entire py1 region . larger deletions are preferred . stated otherwise , viruses containing attenuating mutations of the instant invention have a py1 region of not more than 20 , 18 , 16 , 14 , 12 , 10 , 8 , 6 , 4 , or 2 nucleotides in length , total , up to the complete deletion ( i . e . complete absence ) of the py1 region . examples of hepatitis a viruses containing such deletion mutations are : the foregoing attenuating mutations may be combined with other attenuating mutations , such as deletion mutations to the 3 &# 39 ; flanking region , as discussed below . attenuating mutations may also be in the 3 &# 39 ; flanking region of the py1 region ( i . e ., nucleotides 141 - 144 in the hm175 genome or other strains when numbered with reference to the hm175 genome ; also sometimes designated nucleotides numbers 1 - 4 herein for convenience ). such attenuating mutations may be one , two , three , or four nucleotides in length . it is preferred that at least one , and more preferred that at least two , of nucleotides 142 , 143 , and 144 ( or nucleotides 2 , 3 , and 4 ) be deleted . most preferably at least all three of nucleotides 142 to 144 are deleted . examples of hepatitis a viruses containing such deletion mutations are : the foregoing deletion mutations may be combined with other mutations ( e . g ., as all are in a δ141 - 144 deletion mutant ), including deletion mutations to the py1 region as discussed above and below . attenuating mutations may be in both the py1 region and the 3 &# 39 ; flanking region thereof , in combination . where the attenuating mutation is in both regions , the attenuating mutation may be either continuous or discontinuous . an example of a discontinuous attenuating mutation would be a deletion of all but 10 nucleotides of the py1 region and the deletion of all but nucleotide 141 of the 3 &# 39 ; flanking region . examples of hepatitis a viruses containing such deletion mutations as continuous mutations are : the foregoing deletion mutations may optionally be combined with one or more other mutation ( s ), including other attenuating mutations , and / or other mutations that promote growth in cultured mammalian cells , elsewhere in the viral genome . other such mutations are not critical so long as the virus is live , infectious and immunogenic . examples of such other mutations include , but are not limited to , those described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 894 , 228 to purcell et al . ( the disclosure of all patent references cited herein is to be incorporated herein by reference ). in addition , minor substitutions mutations may also be made within or adjacent to the deletion mutations herein described , as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . attenuating mutations of the instant invention are introduced into cdnas encoding live , infectious , hepatitis a virus by any suitable means , such as by pcr mutagenesis ( discussed below ) and by site - directed mutagenesis ( see , e . g ., u . s . pat . no . 4 , 873 , 192 to kunkel ). virus carrying mutations of the present invention are made by conventional means . in general , a cdna encoding live virus carrying the desired attenuating mutation is introduced into a cell line and the cell line cultured to produce live virus in the culture . where the virus is to be used as a vaccine , the cell line is typically a continuous mammalian cell line that is certified for use in the production of human or veterinary vaccines ( e . g ., mmc5 cells , vero cells , etc .). once live virus containing the attenuating mutation is obtained , a seed stock of the rna virus can be established and infected cells used to initiate new cultures without the need for introducing a cdna into the cells . in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical formulation , virus is collected from the culture and combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier , as discussed in greater detail below . oral vaccine formulations may be made from a culture of cells producing live virus containing the desired deletions in accordance with known techniques . the culture itself may be administered to the subject ; the culture may be optionally filtered and / or clarified ; stabilizers such as sucrose , mgcl 2 , etc . may be added to the media . exemplary pharmaceutically acceptable carriers include , but are not limited to , sterile pyrogen - free water and sterile pyrogen - free physiological saline solution . pharmaceutically acceptable carriers for oral administration may be a syrup , elixir , lozenge , etc . the vaccine formulation may be prepared in accordance with known techniques , such as illustrated by r . purcell et al ., vaccine against hepatitis a virus , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 894 , 228 . subjects which may be administered the live attenuated viruses and vaccine formulations disclosed herein include both human subjects and animal subjects ( e . g ., the veterinary treatment of primates such as owl monkeys , marmosets and chimpanzees ). vaccine formulations of the present invention comprise an immunogenic amount of a live attenuated virus as disclosed herein in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier . an &# 34 ; immunogenic amount &# 34 ; is an amount of the attenuated virus sufficient to evoke an immune response in the subject to which the virus is administered . the particular dose employed is not critical , and depends upon the type and condition of the subject , the route of administration , etc . an amount of from about 104 to 107 radioimmunofocus forming units of the live virus per dose is typically suitable ( titration of radioimmunofocus forming units is as described in s . lemon et al ., j . clin . microbiol . 17 , 834 - 839 ( 1983 ). administration of the live attenuated viruses disclosed herein may be carried out by any suitable means , including both parenteral injection ( such as intraperitoneal , subcutaneous , or intramuscular injection ), by oral administration , and by topical application of the virus ( typically carried in the pharmaceutical formulation ) to an airway surface . topical application of the virus to an airway surface can be carried out by intranasal administration ( e . g ., by use of a dropper , swab , or inhaler which deposits a pharmaceutical formulation intranasally ). topical application of the virus to an airway surface can also be carried out by inhalation administration , such as by creating respirable particles of a pharmaceutical formulation ( including both solid particles and liquid particles ) containing the virus as an aerosol suspension , and then causing the subject to inhale the respirable particles . methods and apparatus for administering respirable particles of pharmaceutical formulations are well known , and any conventional technique can be employed . see , e . g ., u . s . pat . no . 5 , 304 , 125 to d . leith ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 299 , 566 to c . davis and r . snyder ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 290 , 550 to r . fisher and w . metzger ; and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 292 , 498 to r . boucher . while the viruses , methods and formulations of the present invention have been described above with reference to producing protective immunity , they may also be used to simply produce antibodies in animals , which antibodies may be used for the purpose of detecting and diagnosing hepatitis a virus in accordance with conventional diagnostic techniques . the present invention is explained in greater detail in the examples set forth in the following experimental section . cells . hav was propagated in continuous african green monkey kidney ( bs - c - 1 ) or fetal rhesus kidney ( frhk - 4 ) cells as previously described ( l . binn , et al ., j . clin . microbiol . 20 : 28 - 33 ( 1984 )). hav cdna plasmids . deletion mutations were constructed within an infectious , full length cdna clone of the hm175 strain of hav ( fig1 ). the parental clone was a chimeric infectious cdna , pg7 / 18fp2 , which was constructed by replacing the small saci / ecori fragment of pg3 / hav7 ( j . cohen , et al ., j . virol . 61 : 3035 - 3039 ( 1987 ), s . day , et al ., j . virol . 66 : 6533 - 6540 ( 1992 )) ( hm175 / p35 virus sequence ) with the corresponding cdna fragment from a rapidly replicating , cytolytic variant ( hm175 / 18f virus ) ( s . lemon , et al ., j . virol . 65 : 2056 - 2065 ( 1991 )), essentially replacing the p2 region of hm175 / p35 with that of hm175 / 18f virus ( s . lemon , et al ., j . virol . 65 : 2056 - 2065 ( 1991 )). transfections with pg7 / 18fp2 rna give rise to visible , macroscopic replication foci in radioimmunofocus assays ( s . lemon , l . binn , and r . marchwicki , j . clin . microbiol . 17 : 834 - 839 ( 1983 )) within 7 to 10 days , while transfections with pg3 / hav7 rna generally require 14 to 21 days . because the 5 &# 39 ; ntr of pg7 / 18fp2 is derived from hm175 / p35 virus ( j . cohen , et al ., proc . natl . acad . sci . usa 84 : 2497 - 2501 ( 1987 )), we refer to this plasmid as pp35 - py1 in this communication . compared with the wild type sequence , pp35 - py1 contains a 4 - nt deletion ( nt 131 to 134 ) and a single point mutation ( nt 124 , u to c ) within the py1 domain ( j . cohen , et al ., proc . natl . acad . sci . usa 84 : 2497 - 2501 ( 1987 )). for consistency , all nucleotide numbering is according to the wild - type hm175 virus sequence ( j . cohen , et al ., j . virol . 61 : 50 - 59 ( 1987 )). except where noted , manipulations of the py1 domain were carried out in pb1 . 0 , which contains a cdna copy of the first 2024 bases of the hm175 / p16 ( rather than hm175 / p35 ) virus sequence ( e . brown , a . zajac , and s . lemon , j . virol . 68 : 1066 - 1074 ( 1994 ), r . jansen , j . newbold , and s . lemon , virology 163 : 299 - 307 ( 1988 )). the py1 domain of hm175 / p16 is identical to that of the wild type virus . outside of the py1 domain , the sequence of the p16 and p35 variants of hm175 differ at only a single base position in the region manipulated during mutagenesis ( nt 25 to 632 , see below ). we have shown previously that these two 5 &# 39 ; ntr sequences are functionally identical with respect to their ability to support viral replication in cultured cells ( s . day , et al ., j . virol . 66 : 6533 - 6540 ( 1992 )). several different mutagenesis strategies were employed in constructing the deletion mutants shown in fig1 . the initial strategy involved construction of a subclone with unique restriction sites flanking the py1 domain . mutagenic oligonucleotide primers ( tttgcctaggctataggctccatt [ positive sense ]) and ( tgaacctgcaggaaccaatattta [ negative sense ]) were used to amplify the region between bases 78 and 168 of pb1 . 0 by polymerase chain reaction ( pcr ) and to create nlaiv sites immediately downstream of the second predicted pseudoknot of domain ii ( stem loop iib , nt 95 ) and immediately upstream of the first predicted stem loop of domain iii ( iiia , nt 154 ) ( not shown ) ( e . brown , et al ., j . virol . 65 : 5828 - 5838 ( 1991 )). the resulting 90 base pcr product containing the nlaiv sites was gel - purified and used as the negative strand primer in a second pcr reaction , in which the positive strand primer began at the - 7 position relative to the hav sequence and included the hindiii site at which the hav insert is cloned in the vector . the 0 . 17 kb product of the second pcr reaction was digested with hindiii and psti , and then ligated with a psti / bamhi fragment of pb1 . 0 ( nt 162 to 632 ), into hindiii and bamhi sites of pgem3zf (-) ( promega ) to create pg3znla . this clone contains the first 632 bases of the hm175 / p16 sequence with new nlaiv sites at nt 95 and nt 154 . several clones with specific mutations within the py1 domain were constructed by ligation of blunt - ended inserts into pg3znla following digestion with nlaiv and removal of the region spanning nt 95 to 154 . the three base changes which created the new nlaiv sites in pg3znla were at positions 96 , 97 , and 153 , and were thus removed prior to the ligations . a mutant insert containing a 46 - base deletion between nt 99 and nt 144 was created by annealing the two complementary oligonucleotides ( taaaaaatattgat [ positive sense ]) and ( atcaatatttttta [ negative sense ]), and ligating the duplex into pg3znla . the resulting subclone , containing the correct hav sequence ( hm 175 / p16 ) from 0 to 632 except for the deletion , was used to create a full - length cdna clone , pδ99 - 144 ( deletion spanning nt 99 to 144 ) ( fig1 ), by ligating the 0 . 61 kb bspei / bamhi fragment ( hav sequence between bases 25 and 632 ) with the 9 . 7 kb fragment of pp35 - py1 resulting from bspei and partial bamhi digestion . as a control for these manipulations , an insert which contained the sequence of hm175 / p16 virus spanning nt 96 to 155 ( hm175 / p16 numbering ) was created using pb1 . 0 as template in a pcr . this sequence was similarly introduced into pp35 - py1 to create pp16 - py1 , which contains the hm175 / p16 ( or hm175 / wt ) sequence within the py1 domain . pcr mutagenesis was subsequently used to create a series of full - length cdna clones with progressive deletions from the 5 &# 39 ; or 3 &# 39 ; end of the pyrimidine - rich tract . fifty to 60 base long negative - sense primers containing the psti site at nt 162 were used to add back either 14 or 17 bases of the deleted pyrimidine - rich sequence to the pcr template , pδ99 - 144 , which lacked the entire py1 domain . the positive sense primer in each of these reactions spanned the bspei site at nt 25 . the resulting pcr products were digested with bspei and psti , and ligated into the unique bspei / psti site of a subclone containing the 0 . 63 kb hindiii / bamhi fragment of hav ( hm175 / p16 sequence ). finally , a 0 . 61 kb product derived by digestion of this intermediate subclone with bspei / bamhi was ligated with the 9 . 7 kb bspei / bamhi fragment of pp35py1 , as above . clones obtained in this manner included pδ99 - 130 and pδ116 - 144 ( fig1 ). a similar strategy , using pδ99 - 130 and pδ116 - 144 as templates for pcr mutagenesis , was taken to add back or delete additional nucleotides creating pδ99 - 115 , pδ99 - 134 and pδ131 - 144 . dsdna sequencing confirmed the fidelity of pcr amplified segments and the mutations present in individual cdna clones . additional full - length mutant clones ( pδ96 - 134 , pδ93 - 134 , pδ96 - 137 , pδ96 - 139 , pδ96 - 140 , and pδ96 - 141 ) ( fig1 ) were created by heteroduplex site - directed mutagenesis ( s . inouye and m . inouye , academic press , orlando 181 - 206 ( 1987 )), using pδ99 - 134 , pδ96 - 134 , or pδ96 - 137 as templates , without construction of the intermediate subclone . template sequence between the bspei site ( nt 25 ) and the hpai site ( nt 353 ) was made single - stranded in heteroduplexes formed by dna which had been digested with bgli ( first strand ) or bspei / hpai ( second strand ). a mutagenic oligonucleotide primer was annealed to this region , the single - stranded regions of the heteroduplexes were filled in by the klenow fragment of dna polymerase i , and the ends ligated by t4 dna ligase . all cdna clones made by heteroduplex site - directed mutagenesis were sequenced between the bspei and hpai sites . physical mapping of rna secondary structure . rnas representing the first 1 kb of the hav genome were synthesized as runoff transcripts from dna clones linearized at the xmni site ( nt 980 ) or the ndei site ( nt 1108 ). reaction products were digested with dnase , extracted with phenol - chloroform , and ethanol precipitated . the rna transcripts were heated to 65 ° c . for 3 minutes and allowed to cool slowly to 4 ° c . in the presence of 10 mm mgcl 2 - 10 mm tris ( ph 7 . 6 , or at lower ph where indicated ). enzymatic modification of 3 μg rna by rnase t1 ( pharmacia ), rnase t2 ( brl ), rnase s1 ( pharmacia ), or rnase v1 ( pharmacia ) was carried out at room temperature in the presence of 20 μg of carrier trna and 10 mm mgcl 2 , 10 mm tris ( and 1 mm znso 4 for s1 nuclease ), at ph 7 . 6 ( except where noted ) in a total volume of 40 μl for 10 minutes . optimal rnase concentrations were determined empirically for each batch of rna . reactions were stopped by the addition of excess trna . the modified rna ( including mock digested rna not subjected to nucleases ) was ethanol precipitated , and analyzed by primer extension using a [ 32 p ]- labelled negative strand primer and 3 units of avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase ( life sciences ) at 42 ° c . ( unless otherwise noted ) for 30 minutes ( e . brown , et al ., j . virol . 65 : 5828 - 5838 ( 1991 )). the primers used in these reactions included a - 75 ( gcctatagcctaggcaaacg ), a - 170 ( agagaaacagatttaagaac ), a - 241 ( gccagagcctagggcaaggg ), and a - 324 ( gtgacgttccaaacatctgt ). reaction products were separated on a 6 % polyacrylamide gel , in parallel with dideoxy sequencing reactions using unmodified rna . rna transcription and transfection . transcription reactions with sp6 rna polymerase ( promega ) were carried out in 20 - μl reaction volumes , with 1 . 25 mm r130 nucleoside triphosphates and 1 . 5 μg of haeii - digested dna , for 90 minutes at 37 ° c . immediately upon termination of the reaction , 18 μl of the reaction mix was mixed with 30 μl ( 30 μg ) of lipofectin ( brl ), diluted to 100 μl according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s directions , and used to transfect one 60 - mm petri dish culture of bs - c - 1 or frhk - 4 cells . visual inspection of transcription products in 0 . 1 % sodium dodecyl sulfate ( sds ) agarose gels indicated that the quantity of full length 7 . 5 kb rna was approximately the same in each transfection . however , in one transfection , rna products were labelled with trace amounts of 32 p and the resulting 7 . 5 kb bands excised from the gel and counted in a scintillation counter . the amount of radioactivity in the 7 . 5 kb bands from different transcription reactions differed by less than 20 % ( results not shown ), confirming the validity of the visual quantitation . for transfections , cells were washed twice with serum - free medium , fed with 2 . 5 ml of serum - free medium and the rna - lipofectin mixture added dropwise . following an overnight incubation , 5 ml of medium containing 10 % fetal bovine serum were added to each culture . except where noted , transfections were carried out as direct transfection / radioimmunofocus assays ( s . day , et al ., j . virol . 66 : 6533 - 6540 ( 1992 ), s . lemon , l . binn , and r . marchwicki , j . clin . microbiol . 17 : 834 - 839 ( 1983 )). thus , twenty - four hours after the addition of serum - containing medium , the cells were overlaid with agarose . the cultures were incubated for 7 - 9 days at 31 - 32 ° c ., 35 . 5 ° c ., or 37 ° c ., and processed for detection of radioimmunofoci as described previously ( s . lemon , l . binn , and r . marchwicki , j . clin . microbiol . 17 : 834 - 839 ( 1983 )). where indicated , virus stocks were rescued from transfected frhk - 4 ( or bs - c - 1 ) cells maintained without agarose overlays . at harvest , cells were scraped into 4 ml of medium , and subjected to 3 freeze - thaw cycles followed by brief sonication . cellular debris was removed by low speed centrifugation followed by chloroform extraction , and first passage virus stocks were stored at - 70 ° c . higher titer ( second passage ) master seed stocks were prepared by inoculating 900 cm 2 roller bottle cultures of confluent frhk - 4 cells with first - passage virus and harvesting as described above after 7 to 9 days of incubation at 35 . 5 ° c . ( or 31 ° c . in the case of temperature - sensitive [ ts ] mutants ). working virus ( third passage ) stocks were recovered by similar passage of the master seed stock in bs - c - 1 cells . virus titers are reported as radioimmunofocus - forming units of virus ( rfu ) per milliliter ( rfu / ml ) ( s . lemon , l . binn , and r . marchwicki , j . clin . microbiol . 17 : 834 - 839 ( 1983 )). rna sequencing . to confirm the presence of mutations in rescued viruses , the genomic rna of working virus stocks was sequenced in the region of the py1 domain after reverse transcription and amplification of cdna ( nt 31 to 317 ) by an antigen - capture - pcr method ( r . jansen , g . siegl , and s . lemon , proc . natl . acad . sci . usa 87 : 2867 - 2871 ( 1990 )). the pcr product was gel - purified , and used as template in cycle sequencing reactions with δtaq dna polymerase ( u . s . biochemical corp .). a negative strand sequencing primer , sla - 229 ( ggggagagccctgg ), was used in these reactions . the same strategy was used to sequence hepatitis a virus strain cp . one - step growth curve analysis of rescued virus . approximately 2 × 10 5 bsc - 1 or frhk - 4 cells in individual , replicate wells of a 24 - well culture plate were inoculated at a high multiplicity of infection ( range , 2 to 5 ). at specified time points , supernatant fluids were removed from the cultures . the cells were washed twice and lysed by the addition of 1 ml 0 . 1 % sds as described previously ( s . day , et al ., j . virol . 66 : 6533 - 6540 ( 1992 )). the viral titer of supernatant fluids or cell lysates was subsequently determined by radioimmunofocus assays carried out in bs - c - 1 cells at 35 . 5 ° c . ( or 31 ° c . for ts mutants ). thermostability assay . normal and ts virus stocks were diluted to 6 . 8 log 10 rfu / ml in cell culture medium containing 3 % fetal bovine serum , divided into four aliquots , and placed at 0 ° c . individual aliquots of each virus stock were heated to 50 ° c ., 55 ° c ., or 60 ° c . for 10 minutes in an automatic thermal cycler . the residual infectious virus titer was determined by radioimmunofocus assay of bs - c - 1 cells at 31 ° c . secondary structure of the 5 &# 39 ; 300 nt of the 5 &# 39 ; ntr of hav . covariant nucleotide substitutions within the 5 &# 39 ; ntrs of different strains of hav predict double - stranded helices that are conserved in the secondary structure of the rna ( e . brown , et al ., j . virol . 65 : 5828 - 5838 ( 1991 )). the presence of numerous covariant substitutions provided a high level of confidence in predictions of the structure of the 3 &# 39 ; half of the 5 &# 39 ; ntr , but only a single cluster of covariant substitutions ( near the top of stem - loop iiia ) ( not shown ) has been identified upstream of nt 330 . thus previous predictions of the structure in this region of the 5 &# 39 ; ntr ( e . brown , et al ., j . virol . 65 : 5828 - 5838 ( 1991 )) ( not shown ) were based almost entirely upon thermodynamic considerations . to test the validity of these predictions , we determined the sites at which synthetic 5 &# 39 ; ntr rna was susceptible to cleavage by rnases which preferentially cleave single - stranded ( rnase s1 , rnase t1 , rnase t2 ) or double - stranded ( rnase v1 ) rna . the synthetic rnas utilized in these experiments represented the 5 &# 39 ; 980 or 1108 nucleotides of the hav genome and included 10 additional nucleotides at the 5 &# 39 ; terminus which were derived from the vector . these experiments generally confirmed the predicted secondary structure . each region within the 5 &# 39 ; 303 nts of the 5 &# 39 ; ntr was examined in at least two separate experiments . the most prominent single - strand - specific rnase cleavage sites were located precisely in the predicted loop regions of stem - loops i , iia , iib and iiib , and at the 5 &# 39 ; and 3 &# 39 ; ends of the extended region flanking the py1 domain ( nt 96 to 98 and 135 to 152 ). the most prominent sites at which the double - strand - specific rnase v1 cleaved the rna were located within the stems of stem - loops iib ( nt 81 to 84 ) and iiid ( nt 282 to 285 ). other v1 cleavage sites were at nt 74 to 76 , in a region between stem - loops iia and iib which would be base paired in the second predicted pseudoknot ( not shown ). surprisingly , rnase v1 cleaved the rna at multiple sites within the py1 domain , despite previous predictions that this region should be single stranded . these v1 cleavage sites centered on five groups of cytidylic acids that occur as part of the repetitive ( u ) uucc ( c ) motifs , but v1 cleavage also occurred at uridylic acids located just downstream of the py1 domain ( nt 141 and 142 ). significantly , no single - strand - specific enzymes cleaved the rna within the region containing the five repetitive ( u ) uucc ( c ) motifs ( nt 99 to 130 ), although relatively strong single - strand cleavage sites flanked this domain . these results indicate that the py1 domain does not exist as a randomly ordered single - stranded rna segment , but that it possesses an ordered structure . the v1 cleavages in this domain may reflect helical stacking of the rna , or possibly noncanonical hemiprotonated c -- c base pairing ( k . gehring , j . leroy , and m . gueron , nature 363 : 561 - 565 ( 1993 )) ( see discussion ). since hemiprotonated c -- c base pairing is more likely to occur at acidic ph , we carried out v1 digestions over a ph range of between 7 . 6 and 6 . 0 . there was no enhancement of v1 cleavage at low ph , as might be expected if c -- c base pairing were occurring ( data not shown ). parallel analysis of a different region of the 5 &# 39 ; ntr confirmed that the enzyme was fully active at ph 6 . 0 . these experiments also provided indirect evidence for the existence of the two pseudoknots predicted to involve stem - loops iia and iib ( not shown ). strong stops for reverse transcriptase were found to occur exactly at the 3 &# 39 ; end of these predicted stem - loop structures -( not shown ). a similar strong stop was not present at the 3 &# 39 ; end of the 5 &# 39 ; terminal hair - pin ( stem - loop i ), although a much weaker stop was sometimes observed within a g -- c rich region of this stem - loop ( nt 26 to 28 ), ( not shown ). although it is possible that the helical stems of stem - loops iia and iib are sufficiently stable to inhibit the progression of reverse transcriptase , the fact that a similar strong stop was not observed at the 3 &# 39 ; end of stem loop i , which is longer , more g -- c rich , and predicted to have a much lower free energy ( not shown ) ( a . jacobson , et al ., nucleic acids res . 12 : 45 - 52 ( 1984 )), suggests that stem loops iia and iib are further stabilized by their involvement in pseudoknots . deletion mutagenesis of the py1 domain . although the sequence within the py1 domain is more variable than that in any other region of the 5 &# 39 ; ntr ( e . brown , et al ., j . virol . 65 : 5828 - 5838 ( 1991 )), all human hepatovirus strains studied thus far contain a pyrimidine - rich sequence in this region which is 21 to 40 nt in length ( see fig4 ). each of these virus strains also preserves the repetitive ( u ) uucc ( c ) motif , although the number of these motifs varies from strain to strain . to determine whether deletion mutations within and flanking the py1 tract would impair replication , we constructed a full - length cdna clone with a large deletion ( pδ99 - 144 ) in this domain . this deletion mutant was subsequently used for construction of additional mutants with smaller deletions ( fig1 ) ( see materials and methods ). each of the deletion mutations was confirmed by double - stranded dna sequencing prior to rna transcription and transfection into permissive bs - c - 1 or frhk - 4 cells . results of transfections at 35 . 5 ° c . or 31 ° c . are summarized in fig1 . in direct transfection - radioimmunofocus assays carried out at 35 . 5 ° c ., transfection of rna derived from pp16 - py1 , which contains the wild - type hm175 sequence in the py1 domain , generated viral replication foci which were identical in size to those derived from rna transcribed from the parental construct , pp35 - py1 ( data not shown ). however , multiple transfections with pδ99 - 144 rna at standard temperature conditions of 35 . 5 ° c ., in either frhk - 4 or bs - c - 1 cells and including two blind passages of transfected cell harvests , never resulted in recovery of viable virus ( fig1 ). pδ99 - 144 dna was sequenced completely within the manipulated region ( nt 25 to 632 ). there were no changes from the parental sequence other than the expected 46 - nt deletion . to determine whether a lethal mutation may have occurred elsewhere in the genome , the bspei / bamhi fragment ( nt 25 to 632 ) from pδ99 - 144 was replaced with the corresponding fragment from the viable mutant pp16 - py1 . as expected , rna from the resulting clone generated replication foci that were identical in size to those of pp16 - py1 . thus , deletion of an extended sequence between stem - loops iib and iiia ( δ99 - 144 , fig1 ) resulted in the absence of successful rna transfection at physiologic temperature . rna derived from cdna clones with smaller deletions in the py1 domain proved to be infectious under these conditions ( fig3 ). however , two different replication phenotypes were observed among the rescued viruses ( not shown ). viruses rescued from pδ99 - 115 , pδ99 - 130 , pδ99 - 134 , pδ96 - 134 , pδ96 - 137 , and pδ96 - 139 produced replication foci which were similar in size to those of pp16 - py1 . thus , a 44 - nt - long deletion mutation which included the entire py1 domain ( δ96 - 139 ) resulted in no apparent impairment of virus replication . in contrast , virus rescued from pδ131 - 144 produced very small replication foci in radioimmunofocus assays carried out at 35 . 5 ° c . the small replication focus size observed with this virus prompted an examination of its temperature sensitivity . parallel titrations of δ131 - 144 virus in bs - c - 1 cells at 31 ° c . and 37 ° c . demonstrated a difference of 1 . 8 log 10 rfu / ml in the titer of the working virus stock determined in radioimmunofocus assays carried out at these two temperatures ( ts index ), confirming that δ131 - 144 virus had a temperature - sensitive ( ts ) replication phenotype ( table 1 ). in contrast , the ts index of p16 - py1 virus was 0 . 35 ± 0 . 08 log 10 rfu / ml in multiple assays . consistent with these results , replication foci of δ131 - 144 virus were nearly as large as those of p16 - py1 virus at 31 ° c . ( data not shown ). ts phenotypes of viruses with py1 deletions extending to nt 140 to 144 . recognition of the ts phenotype of δ131 - 144 virus led us to reevaluate the infectivity of rna transcribed from pδ99 - 144 and pδ116 - 144 , both of which failed to generate infectious virus in transfections of frhk - 4 or bs - c - 1 cells at 35 . 5 ° c . ( fig1 ). table 1______________________________________temperature sensitivity of 5 &# 39 ; ntr deletion mutantsradioimmunofocussize . sup . 1virus 31 ° c . 37 ° c . ts index . sup . 2 sequencing . sup . 3______________________________________p16 - py1 +++ +++ 0 . 35 ± 0 . 08 yesp35 - py1 +++ +++ 0 . 22 yes99 - 115 +++ +++ 0 . 11 yes99 - 130 +++ +++ 0 . 54 yes99 - 134 +++ +++ 0 . 21 yes96 - 134 +++ +++ n . d .. sup . 4 yes96 - 137 +++ +++ 0 . 29 ± 0 . 04 yes96 - 139 +++ +++ 0 . 40 n . d . 96 - 140 ++(+) + 0 . 73 ± 0 . 17 n . d . 96 - 141 ++(+) + & gt ; 1 . 40 yes99 - 144 ++ (+) 3 . 60 yes116 - 144 ++(+) (+) 1 . 90 yes131 - 144 ++(+) + 1 . 80 yes______________________________________ . sup . 1 the relative sizes of replication foci were scored subjectively : +++, equivalent to parental p16py1 virus ; ++(+), occasionally equivalent to p16py1 but tended to be smaller ; ++, almost always smaller than p16py1 +, small foci but always apparent ; (+), tiny foci not always apparent in radioimmunofocus assays . . sup . 2 ts index = log . sub . 10 [ titer 31 ° c .] - log . sub . 10 [ titer 37 ° c .] in radioimmunofocus assays carried out in bsc - 1 cells , s . e where 3 or more assays were carried out . the 96139 result is a mean of tw assays , and the 96141 result a mean of 3 assays ( see results ). . sup . 3 mutation confirmed by rna sequencing of rescued virus . . sup . 4 n . d . = not done . repeat rna transfections of frhk - 4 cells at 31 ° c . resulted in the rescue of viruses with marked ts phenotypes ( not shown ). the ts index of δ99 - 144 virus was 3 . 6 log 10 rfu / ml , while that of δ116 - 144 virus was 1 . 9 log 10 rfu / ml ( table 1 ). because the ts indices of the δ96 - 137 and δ96 - 139 viruses were 0 . 29 ± 0 . 04 and 0 . 40 log 10 rfu / ml respectively , similar to that of the parent p16 - py1 virus ( table 1 ), these results suggested that the 3 &# 39 ; extension of the deletion to include nt 140 to 144 was responsible for the ts replication phenotype . interestingly , although deletion of the region spanning nt 99 to 130 ( δ99 - 130 and δ99 - 134 viruses , table 1 ) had no significant impact on virus replication at 37 ° c ., the deletion of this region in association with the deletion of nt 131 to 144 resulted in a significant enhancement of the ts phenotype ( compare the ts indices of the δ99 - 144 and δ131 - 144 viruses , 3 . 6 versus 1 . 8 log 10 rfu / ml , respectively , table 1 ). because the ts index of the δ116 - 144 virus was only 1 . 9 , this enhancement of the ts phenotype was due primarily to deletion of the highly conserved first 2 . 5 ( u ) uucc ( c ) motifs located between nt 99 and 115 . in order to define more precisely the nucleotide deletions responsible for the ts phenotype , two additional mutant cdna clones were constructed , pδ96 - 140 and pδ96 - 141 . rna transfections at 35 . 5 ° c . produced viruses with moderate ts phenotypes . the ts index of δ96 - 140 virus was 0 . 73 ± 0 . 17 log 10 rfu / ml , greater than that of the parent virus p16 - py1 ( 0 . 35 ± 0 . 08 log 10 rfu / ml ) ( table 1 ). the ts index of δ96 - 141 virus was & gt ; 1 . 4 log 10 rfu / ml ( 1 . 5 , & gt ; 1 . 12 , and & gt ; 1 . 5 log 10 rfu / ml in three separate experiments ). thus , progressively greater ts indices were observed with viruses in which the py1 deletion mutations extended in a 3 &# 39 ; direction into the sequence spaning nt 140 to 144 ( guugu ). however , we do not yet know whether deletion of this sequence alone confers the ts phenotype . although these ts viruses replicated much more efficiently at the permissive temperature , the replication foci of viruses with very large deletions ( δ96 - 141 and δ99 - 144 ) were smaller than those of non - ts viruses ( e . g . δ96 - 137 ) at 31 ° c . double - stranded dna sequencing of the cdna region ( nt 25 to 632 ) manipulated during mutagenesis of two of the ts cdna clones ( pδ131 - 144 and pδ116 - 144 ) documented only the expected deletion mutations . replacement of this segment in the non - ts pp16 - py1 clone with the corresponding segment from pδ131 - 144 conferred the ts phenotype on the product virus , confirming that the reduced replication capacity at 37 ° c . was due to the engineered deletion and not to an adventitious mutation elsewhere in the genome . equally important , the expected deletions were confirmed in the rna sequence of each of the rescued viruses ( except δ96 - 139 and δ96 - 140 , which were not sequenced ) by antigen - capture - pcr of virus , followed by double - stranded dna sequencing of the amplified product ( table 1 ). in no case was there reason to suspect that any of the rescued virus stocks had developed revertant or pseudorevertant mutations to compensate for the engineered deletions , since replication foci were numerous and similar in size on primary passage in direct transfection / radioimmunofocus assays . the phenotype of individual mutants was the same following successful transfection of either bs - c - 1 or frhk - 4 cells . bs - c - 1 cells were consistently more difficult to transfect , but the replication foci of each of the rescued viruses was larger in bs - c - 1 cells than in parallel transfections carried out in frhk - 4 cells ( data not shown ). this observation is consistent with the fact that each of these viruses contains cell - culture adaptation mutations at nt 152 and 203 to 204 which have been shown to promote replication of the virus in bs - c - 1 but not frhk - 4 cells ( s . day , et al ., j . virol . 66 : 6533 - 6540 ( 1992 )). the phenotypes of the rescued viruses remained stable for up to four passages as judged by the size of replication foci in radioimmunofocus assays . further evidence for the stability of the ts phenotype was provided by experiments in which bs - c - 1 cells infected with ts variants ( δ99 - 144 and δ96 - 141 virus ) were maintained for up to 3 weeks at the nonpermissive temperature ( 37 ° c . ), after an initial 24 - hour incubation at the permissive temperature ( 31 ° c .). virus harvests prepared from these cells were subsequently tested in radioimmunofocus assays at the nonpermissive temperature in order to detect large focus revertants . no such revertants were isolated ( data not shown ). analysis of ts virus replication under one - step growth conditions . although radioimmunofocus size is an accurate measure of the replication efficiency of hav in cultured cells ( s . day , et al ., j . virol . 66 : 6533 - 6540 ( 1992 )), bs - c - 1 and frhk - 4 cells were infected under one - step growth conditions in order to quantitate better differences in the kinetics of replication of different deletion mutants . at the permissive temperature ( 31 ° c .) in bs - c - 1 cells , the replication of δ131 - 144 virus ( ts index , 1 . 8 ) was somewhat delayed compared with replication of the parental p16 - py1 virus or the large deletion mutant δ96 - 137 ( fig2 a - c ). the latter two viruses demonstrated similar replication kinetics , with virus yields approaching maximum by 72 hours postinoculation . in contrast , maximum yields of δ131 - 144 were not reached until 144 hours postinoculation . this difference in replication kinetics was reflected also in the somewhat smaller size of δ131 - 144 replication foci at 31 ° c . the higher intracellular virus titer immediately after adsorption of δ131 - 144 ( time 0 , fig2 a - c ) likely reflects a higher multiplicity of infection in cells inoculated with the δ131 - 144 virus . at the nonpermissive temperature ( 37 ° c . ), replication of δ131 - 144 virus was further delayed , with no increase over input virus noted until after 72 hours postinoculation . between 72 and 216 hours , the increase in the titer of δ131 - 144 virus paralleled that observed between 18 and 72 hours at the permissive temperature ( fig2 a - c ). in contrast , there was no difference in the growth kinetics of p16 - py1 and δ96 - 137 viruses at 31 ° c . and 37 ° c ., consistent with the low ts indices of these viruses ( table 1 ). the fact that the rate of intracellular accumulation of δ131 - 144 virus between 72 and 216 hours at the nonpermissive temperature paralleled the rate of accumulation between 12 and 150 hours at the permissive temperature suggests that the ts phenotype of δ131 - 144 might be due to a temperature - sensitive step occuring relatively early in the virus replication cycle . additional one - step growth experiments confirmed that the replication of δ131 - 144 virus was significantly delayed in comparison with p16 - py1 and δ100 - 131 viruses at 35 . 5 ° c . in both frhk - 4 and bs - c - 1 cells ( data not shown ). in general , in these one - step growth experiments , the final virus yield obtained with the ts δ131 - 144 virus was similar to that obtained with the non - ts viruses . contribution of p2 region mutations to the ts phenotype . all of the deletion mutants described above were constructed in a background which included the p2 genomic region of the rapidly replicating , cytopathic strain , hm175 / 18f ( see methods ). thus , it was possible that the ts phenotype of the mutants described above might be derived in part from one or more of the numerous mutations present in the p2 region ( s . lemon , et al ., j . virol . 65 : 2056 - 2065 ( 1991 )). to address this possibility , the p2 region from the cell culture - adapted hm175 / p35 variant ( phav / 7 ) ( j . cohen , et al ., j . virol . 61 : 3035 - 3039 ( 1987 )) was reintroduced into the ts cdna clone pδ131 - 144 to produce pδ131 - 144 / p2p35 . virus rescued from pδ131 - 144 / p2p35 rna demonstrated a ts phenotype similar to δ131 - 144 virus ( data not shown ), indicating that the ts phenotype was not codependent upon the presence of hm175 / 18f p2 region mutations . however , as expected , this virus replicated much more slowly than δ131 - 144 , requiring 2 - 3 weeks for demonstration of replication foci following rna transfection , even at the permissive temperature . thermostability of ts virus particles . we compared the thermostability of the δ131 - 144 virus with that of the p16 - py1 parent in order to determine whether the reduction in titer of this ts strain at the nonpermissive temperature might reflect increased thermolability of virions due to altered interactions between capsid proteins and genomic rna . the infectious titers of the p16 - py1 and δ131 - 144 viruses were reduced to a similar extent following brief incubation at temperatures ranging from 50 to 60 ° c . ( fig2 a - c ). thus the ts phenotype of δ131 - 144 virus is not related to reduced thermostability of the virus . deletion mutation involving stem - loop iib . all of the deletion mutations described above were located between stem - loop structures predicted to flank the py1 region . to determine the impact of extension of these deletions in a 5 &# 39 ; fashion into stem - loop iib , an additional cdna mutant ( pδ93 - 134 ) was constructed . compared with the viable pδ96 - 134 mutant , the deletion mutation in pδ93 - 134 extends in a 5 &# 39 ; direction by an additional 3 nt and includes the 3 &# 39 ; terminal 2 nt of stem - loop ( pseudoknot ) iib ( fig1 ). multiple transfections of frhk - 4 or bs - c - 1 cells with rna derived from pδ93 - 134 , at either 31 ° c . or 35 . 5 ° c . failed to yield infectious virus ( fig1 ). in addition , a serendipitously discovered second - site cdna mutant derived from the viable pδ99 - 134 mutant which had an additional , random mutation involving a g - to - u substitution at nt 85 , also failed to produce infectious virus after rna transfection ( data not shown ). the g - to - u substitution at nt 85 would be predicted to destabilize the putative pseudoknot involving stem - loop iib . these data suggest that retention of the secondary and possibly tertiary rna structure in this region of the 5 &# 39 ; ntr is essential for infectivity of the virus and provide further indirect support for the proposed structural model . virus mutants with deletions in the py1 region which were rescued from transfected cells demonstrated two distinctly different replication phenotypes . five mutant viruses with deletions ranging from 14 to 46 nucleotides in length and extending into the critical domain of nt 140 to 144 ( δ99 - 144 , δ116 - 144 , δ131 - 144 , δ96 - 140 , and δ96 - 141 ) were found to have a ts replication phenotype . if the entire sequence between nt 140 and nt 144 was removed , the resulting viruses were strongly ts ( δ99 - 144 , δ116 - 144 , and δ131 - 144 ). these viruses demonstrated a reduction in viral titer at the nonpermissive temperature ( ts index ) ranging from 1 . 8 to 3 . 6 log 10 rfu / ml ( table 1 ). in contrast , a second group of mutant viruses with equally large deletions , up to 44 nucleotides in length , but not involving nt 140 to 144 , replicated as efficiently as the parental virus at 37 ° c . and 31 ° c . these data indicate that the py1 domain ( nt 99 to 138 ) of hm175 virus is not required for replication in cultured cells , while the flanking single - stranded domain ( nt 140 to 144 ) is essential for efficient replication at physiological temperatures . the marked difference between the ts index of the δ99 - 144 mutant and those of the δ116 - 144 and δ131 - 144 mutants ( 3 . 6 versus 1 . 9 and 1 . 8 log 10 rfu / ml , respectively , table 1 ) demonstrates that the additional deletion of sequence elements within the py1 domain ( particularly nt 99 to 115 ) substantially enhances the ts phenotype of virus lacking nt 131 to 144 . the critical ts domain ( cuugu , nt 140 to 144 ) is located at the 3 &# 39 ; end of the py1 tract . these nucleotides are part of a larger single - stranded segment which is accessible on the surface of the tertiary structure of the folded rna , as evidenced by the ability of single - strand - specific rnases to cleave within the sequence spanning nt 135 to 152 ( not shown ). although it is apparently not involved in base - pairing interactions with other regions of the 5 &# 39 ; ntr , this short segment , especially the trinucleotide sequence ugu ( nt 142 to 144 ), is very well conserved among different hepatovirus strains . large py1 tract deletions which did not involve the critical nt 140 to 144 domain had no apparent effect on the replication of virus in frhk - 4 or bs - c - 1 cell cultures maintained at physiologic temperatures ( table 1 ). note the presence of smaller py1 deletions in the sequences of other hepatovirus strains ( fig4 ). the sequence of several of these strains , mbb ( a . paul , et al ., virus res . 8 : 153 - 171 ( 1987 )), cf53 and pa21 ( e . brown , et al ., j . virol . 65 : 5828 - 5838 ( 1991 )) was obtained from rna isolated from cell culture - adapted variants , and thus these deletions may have occurred during adaption and passage in cultured cells . as shown in fig1 a 4 - nt deletion ( nt 131 to 134 ) is known to have occurred in this domain during adaptation and passage of the hm175 strain in cell culture ( j . cohen , et al ., proc . natl . acad . sci . usa 84 : 2497 - 2501 ( 1987 )). the foregoing is illustrative of the present invention , and not to be construed as limiting thereof . the invention is defined by the following claims , with equivalents of the claims to be included therein . __________________________________________________________________________ # sequence listing - ( 1 ) general information :- ( iii ) number of sequences : 37 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 1 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 24 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 1 :# 24gctc catt - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 2 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 24 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 2 :# 24aata ttta - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 3 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 14 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 3 :# 14 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 4 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 14 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 4 :# 14 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 5 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 20 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 5 :# 20 aacg - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 6 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 20 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 6 :# 20 gaac - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 7 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 20 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 7 :# 20 aggg - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 8 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 20 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 8 :# 20 ctgt - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 9 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 14 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 9 :# 14 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 10 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 71 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 10 :- uaggcuaaau uuucccuuuc ccuuuucccu uuccuauucc cuuuguuuug cu - # uguaaaua 60 # 71 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 11 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 71 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 11 :- uaggcuaaau uuucccuuuc ccuuuucccu uuccuauucc cuuuguuuug cu - # uguaaaua 60 # 71 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 12 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 67 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 12 :- uaggcuaaau uuucccuuuc ccuuuucccu uuccaauucc cuuuugcuug ua - # aauauuga 60 # 67 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 13 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 54 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 13 :- uaggcuaaac ccuuuccuau ucccuuuguu uugcuuguaa auauugauuc cu - # gc 54 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 14 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 39 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 14 :# 39 ugcu uguaaauauu gauuccugc - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 15 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 35 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 15 :# 35 ugua aauauugauu ccugc - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 16 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 32 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 16 :# 32 aaau auugauuccu gc - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 17 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 29 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 17 :# 29 uauu gauuccugc - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 18 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 29 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 18 :# 29 uauu gauuccugc - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 19 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 27 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 19 :# 27 uuga uuccugc - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 20 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 26 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 20 :# 26 ugau uccugc - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 21 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 25 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 21 :# 25 gauu ccugc - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 22 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 25 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 22 :# 25 gauu ccugc - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 23 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 41 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 23 :# 41 uuuc ccuuuaaaua uugauuccug c - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 24 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 57 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 24 :- uaggcuaaau uuucccuuuc ccuuuucccu uuccuauucc caaauauuga uu - # ccugc 57 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 25 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 66 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 25 :- uaggcuaaau uuucccuuuc ccuuuucccu uuccuauucc cuuuguuuug cu - # uguaaaua 60 # 66 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 26 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 65 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 26 :- uaggcuaaau uucccuuucc cuguccuucc ccuauuuccc uuuguuuugc uu - # guauauau 60 # 65 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 27 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 65 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 27 :- uaggcuaaau uucccuuucc cuguccuucc ccuauuuccc uuuguuuugu uu - # guaaauau 60 # 65 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 28 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 64 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 28 :- uaggcuaaau uucccuuucc cugucccuuc ccuauuuccc uuguuuuauu ug - # uaaauauu 60 # 64 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 29 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 65 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 29 :- uaggcuaaau uucccuuucc cuguccuucc ccuauuuacc uuuguuuugc uu - # guauauau 60 # 65 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 30 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 64 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 30 :- uaggcuaaau uucccuuucc cugucccuuc ccuauuuccc uuuauuugcu ug - # uaaauauu 60 # 64 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 31 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 65 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 31 :- uaggcuaaau uucccuuucc cuguccuucc cuuauuuccc uuuguuuugc uu - # guaaauau 60 # 65 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 32 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 65 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 32 :- uaggcuaaau uucccuuucc cugucccucc cuuauuuccc uuuguuuugc uu - # guaaauau 60 # 65 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 33 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 57 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 33 :- uaggcuaaau uuucccuuuc cccuuccccu uccuuguuuu gauuguaaau au - # uaauu 57 - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 34 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 51 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 34 :# 51ccuuuuu cccuuucccu uuauuguugu aaauauuaau u - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 35 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 49 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 35 :# 49cuucc cuuuucccug uuuuguguaa auauuaauu - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 36 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 50 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 36 :# 50cuuuuc cuuuucccug uguuauugua aauauuaauu - ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 37 :- ( i ) sequence characteristics :# pairs ( a ) length : 50 base ( b ) type : nucleic acid ( c ) strandedness : single ( d ) topology : linear - ( ii ) molecule type : cdna to mrna - ( iii ) hypothetical : no - ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 37 :# 50cuuuuc ccuuucccuu uaauguugua aauauugauu__________________________________________________________________________ | 2 |
in the embodiments described herein and accompanying figures , a travel information scenario is depicted . it will be understood that the present invention is capable of performing similarly for other venues , such as mortgages , automobile sales and any other interactive exchange of information sought by information content seekers and potentially satisfied by information content providers . referring to the drawings in detail , fig1 illustrates a diagram showing the interface of the present system 200 with a user on a user access system 100 and various data sources . fig2 illustrates several of the datastore categories . the use of the present invention has at least five phases : a theme or definition of a class of information ( e . g ., central california travel and tourism or new automobiles ) is identified . data sources ( local datastores ( 500 . . . n ) and network accessible datastores ( 300 . . . n )) are screened for relevance , quality of information and appropriateness ( or may be included de facto based on their title or description ). these are indexed using a text indexing software tool 2981 and the indices stored on the system index datastore 220 . an initial set of preestablished software text agents are defined . these agents are words or combinations of words that form a word based search pattern . this initial set of agents is relevant to the searches that might be performed against the class of information that was indexed . ( i . e ., agents about automobiles would be developed to search a class of indexed information about new cars ). these are stored in the preestablished software text agent datastore 231 . the system 200 uses any multipurpose computer central processing units with the ability to handle multiple inputs and outputs with the necessary hard disk storage and to run world wide web ( www ) or other network server software . fig1 a illustrates a modified arrangement of the interface of the present system 200 with alternate user access systems and alternate network interface devices . the present system 200 is in communication with a limited band width limited character set system ( lblcs ) 289 which is a subsystem of input / output system 280 . although today &# 39 ; s www access is normally with broad band , high speed networks , many corporate intranets operate on limited capability , slow speed networks . the lblcs system 289 allows conversion of the rich media used on today &# 39 ; s www into text - only media with multi - media references as anchors that preserve the essential information to be passed in html or other tagged reference format to the user . for users with limited band width limited character set networks , the www datastore information which is returned to the user is altered . any graphics files are identified , eliminated and replaced with a text anchor . for example , certain networks or user access systems can not handle graphics files . a text page which is returned to the user 110 or 120 which contains graphic files will be identified . the graphic file itself will be eliminated and in its place a text reference , such as &# 34 ;( picture )&# 34 ;, is inserted . user access system 110 is connected through a limited private network to the lblcs 289 subsystem . fig1 b illustrates a block diagram of the lblcs subsystem . user interface system 120 illustrates a connection through a limited dial network into the lblcs subsystem 289 . the return datastream from the datastores to the user is modified to fit the bandwidth , character set and display limitations of the network and of the user access device . in one implementation of the present system , terminals for travel agents may be provided with access to the system 20 . in certain cases , travel agent terminals are much more limited than ordinary personal computer cpu &# 39 ; s . through the usage of present invention , agents will be provided access to the information aggregation and synthesization system 200 . advertisers , using a user access system 100 enter criteria that should be met for an advertisement / coupon placement . these criteria are in the form of the complex software text search agents described above . this includes a match &# 34 ; threshold &# 34 ;. when this threshold is met or exceeded , an ad / coupon will be appended to a system session . statistical analysis known as clustering is used to evaluate the data . the ad / coupon may be resident on the user access system 100 , an advertiser &# 39 ; s computer system ( 400 . . . n ) or stored in the advertising datastore 250 . additionally , the advertiser may include conditional criteria for ad / coupon placement ( available inventory , in stock levels , excess capacity , etc .). this criteria is referenced when the &# 34 ; threshold &# 34 ; is met and if satisfactory , the ad / coupon is appended . this criteria may be tested against data input through the user access system 100 , data on the advertising datastore 250 or data on the advertiser &# 39 ; s computer system ( 400 . . . n ). additionally , advertisers can input world wide web ( www ) referential information ( hot links ) to be displayed with ads / coupons or on geographic map displays . these are stored on the advertising datastore 250 . lead purchasers , using a user access system 100 enter criteria that should be met for the generation of a lead . these criteria are in the form of the complex software text search agents described above . this includes a match &# 34 ; threshold &# 34 ;. when this threshold is met or exceeded , information about the current user and the information being viewed is stored in the lead datastore 270 for variable output transmission to the lead purchaser . local datastores ( 500 . . . n ) and network accessible datastores ( 300 . . . n ) will change randomly and will become out of synchronization with the system index datastore 220 . the data monitoring system 2982 will periodically monitor local datastores ( 500 . . . n ) and network accessible datastores ( 300 . . . n ) and when there is a change , update the index datastore 220 . operators will add data to the local datastores ( 500 . . . n ) and users using a user access system 100 will nominate data from the network accessible datastores ( 300 . . . n ) to be added to the index datastore 220 . operators will update the indices using the data indexing service 2981 if the data passes the screening outlined in the initial setup for users above . users using a user access system 100 access the information aggregation and synthesization system 200 through the internet or other public or private network . the user either logs in by name or by pseudonym or from data previously stored in the user access system 100 . new users create an account on the user profile datastore 210 . previous users are identified to an existing account . the user is presented with a variety of options to create or update profile information in the user profile datastore 210 . this involves a single data entry option or many mini - options based on the browsing activity . the user is also presented with browsing options based on : activity from a previous session in the browsing activity datastore 240 ; predeveloped software text agents and personalized software text agents ( developed in the post session activity ) stored in the personal search text agent datastore 232 ; or combinations of all as well as situational opportunities developed by the user greeting subsystem 291 . the user selects the search options to be used ( or simply enters search criteria directly ). this search criteria is used to search the index datastore 220 and a list of data sources is presented to the user for selection . the user indicates the information to be viewed . the user will also be presented with options to refine his search through the altering of search agent criteria ( search reduction system 293 ). the requested data is retrieved either from local datastores ( 500 . . . n ) or network accessible datastore ( 300 . . . n ) and presented to the user via the session management system 292 . the user may jump to data referenced in the presented data . subject to the appropriate policies of the site operation , the session management system 292 will further retrieve and present this data to the user . the user may request that data be overlaid on a geographic display using the geographic display i / o system 287 so that referenced information may have geographic relevance . the user interrupt system 294 will periodically notify the user of specialized software text agents that they may want to pursue . these agents are stored in the agent datastore 230 and are derived by the real time session analysis system 295 which monitors the browsing activity datastore 240 during the user &# 39 ; s session . during the session , ads / coupons are inserted alongside displayed data ( text , picture or index displays ) from the ad datastore 250 , based on ad / coupon insertion agents 233 and inserted by the session management system 292 . a record of insertion along with appropriate user information ( may be general or precise to the name of the user ) is stored in the advertising activity datastore 260 . at any time , the user may establish a persistent software text agent ( using the persistent agent entry system 297 , stored in the unmet needs agent datastore 234 ) with criteria , if met sometime in the future , will cause the user to be notified through the i / o system 280 . these can be explicit or implicit query parameters . periodically , either due to a preset time interrupt , or user or advertiser event driven activity , the following can occur : users using the user access system 100 will be able to establish persistent ( stays in the system after the user quits using the system ) software text agents which describe some criteria , which , if met , will cause them to be notified . these are stored in the unmet needs agent datastore 234 . these unmet needs agents 234 are analyzed using the unmet needs analysis system 299 and reports are created through the i / o system 280 for suppliers who could potentially meet those needs . information about each ad / coupon appended to an information aggregation and synthesization system along with known information about the user is stored in the advertising activity datastore 260 . this is reported out periodically to the advertisers / couponers using the i / o system 280 . during a session or after a user discontinues use , the data viewed ( recorded in the browsing activity datastore 240 ) is analyzed by the session profile update 2921 and the user profile datastore 210 is updated with keywords or personal search text agent datastore 232 . periodically , the software text lead agents stored in the lead generation agent datastore 235 are used to analyze the data viewed ( recorded in the browsing activity datastore 240 ) and reports prepared for lead purchasers using the i / o system 280 . users through the user input system 100 will be able to designate information to be output and the format that the i / o system 280 will use . all output systems will provide for the addition of specials , ads and / or coupons . personalized page 281 -- this will create a page accessible through the www where the user can access requested information . smtp electronic mail 282 -- this allows the delivery of user requested information using the smtp capability of the internet and other popular electronic mail systems . ccitt class 3 or class 4 facsimile 283 -- this allows user requested data to be formed as a printed page and sent via fax to a fax receiver of the user &# 39 ; s choice . voice output direct or to a voice mail box 284 -- this translates the user requested data to audio , connects to the user or their voice mail system and transmits the audio . personal tv or video feed 285 -- this formats the data in a form compatible with transmitted video and allows viewing on demand . custom cd - rom 286 -- this places the requested data , indices , viewers and all necessary software on a user unique cd - rom for physical delivery . geographic display i / o system 287 -- this allows the user to view content geographically , to look at the geographic proximity of merchants and services and provides a vehicle for ads and hot links . mobile / portable system 288 -- this allows specially formatted genie information to be displayed or translated for a wide variety of mobile and portable devices . this is a network addressable interface device , such as a conventional personal computer capable of initiating and maintaining a network connection and sending , receiving and displaying data including a digitized data visual representation device such as a monitor and auxiliary storage , such as a floppy disk drive . it may also be a tv set , smart telephone or network appliance with similar capabilities . it will maintain a connection through a modem ( a modulator / demodulator device ) that enables data to be transmitted and received . fig2 illustrates datastores utilized as a part of the invention . the information aggregation and synthesization system includes : this contains data about the user , preferences , situational preferences , accounting information , psychographic profile , personal profile and other relevant information related to the user by individual identifier . it is established initially and updated as data changes or new data sources are added . it is queried by agents from the agent datastore 230 or by key words . these are complex software text search patterns predefined by the site subject matter experts using their extensive knowledge of information contained within the site &# 39 ; s indices . these are complex software text search patterns that may be individual words or word sets and / or combinations of words and preestablished software text agents 231 including the results of the post session analysis 2921 that provide individually customized searching of the index datastore 220 . these are complex software text search patterns that when matched within the text being reviewed within a given session , cause an advertisement / coupon to be added into the display . these can be direct insertion or conditioned from criteria on the advertiser &# 39 ; s computer systems ( 400 . . . n ) and / or the user &# 39 ; s profile from the user profile datastore 210 these are complex software text search patterns created by the user to persist after the end of the user session looking for patterns and / or specific events or data that are observed within the system 200 at some future time . these are complex software text search patterns that when matched within the text being reviewed within a given session , causes an addition to the lead datastore 270 for output to the lead purchaser using the i / o system 280 . this is the record of the &# 34 ; looking &# 34 ; activity of each user in each session . this is the storehouse of ads to be presented when a match is made by the ad / coupon insertion agent 233 this is the record or ads presented by the ad / coupon insertion system 296 and information about the user seeing the ads from the browsing activity datastore 240 and the user profile datastore 210 when a lead generation agent 235 makes a match , data about the user from the user profile datastore 210 and the browsing activity datastore 240 is stored here . these are the various ways that output can be channeled , for the user , the advertiser or the lead purchaser . this allows output text and associated objects to be formatted for general or selective viewing through any system using hypertext markup language ( html ), vrml ( virtual reality modeling language ) or other network compatible display based language either locally or over a network . this allows output text for whatever purpose to be formatted in a format compatible with the smtp ( simple mail transport protocol ) and transmitted to a designated addressee . this allows output text and associated objects for whatever purpose to be formatted to be compatible with the ccitt class 3 or class 4 fax standard and transmitted to a designated fax receiver . this allows output text for whatever purpose to be formatted into voice for transmission to a human receiver or a voice mail box . this allows output text and associated objects for whatever purpose to be formatted as a tv signal ( any international standard ) to be accessed and replayed using local or network capability at the request of an individual user ( or a class of users ). this allows the user to designate certain data to be placed onto a cd - rom along with all necessary search and viewing software as well as non user requested ads and promotions . this allows data requested by the user to be overlaid on a geographic reference system ( a map ). this allows output to be formatted for a variety of devices including but not limited to : pagers , personal digital assistants , mobile computing devices and other wireless devices . the software module input / output system identifies graphic files , removes them and replaces them with text anchors . the lblcs module may be resident on the i / o system 280 or be established on separate hardware . this is the subsystem that identifies users , customizes search screens , incrementally collects explicit profile information and formulates search agent screens and search specials which may be situational or seasonal or both . this tracks and records a user &# 39 ; s browsing activity , sets id tokens , establishes accounts , translates anonymous users to named users and manages the user &# 39 ; s implicit profile information . uses the browsing activity datastore 240 records , to analyze and update the user &# 39 ; s profile in the user profile datastore 210 this aids the search by suggesting changes to the complex software text search agents to refine the user &# 39 ; s search . based on the real time session analysis 295 of the users looking activity ( stored in 240 ), determines associated references , agents or other information to be offered to the user and interrupts the user &# 39 ; s session with an interactive data screen . this monitors the user &# 39 ; s browsing activity and analyzes the apparent interests to trigger the user interrupt system 294 . this looks at the current display requested by the user with a ad / coupon insertion agent 233 , determines which ads should be placed ( or rotated ) and makes the placement ( or establishes the rotation ). this is the mechanism whereby the user enters the unmet need agent 234 . this agent monitors text and data changes and if the requested data / pattern occurs , the user is notified via the i / o system 280 . this is the facility that indexes designated datastores ( either network accessible datastore ( 300 . . . n ) or local datastores ( 500 . . . n ) upon operator input or periodically and stores these indices in the index datastore 220 . this facility , periodically or on demand , checks indices stored in the index datastore 220 against actual data ( either network accessible datastore ( 300 . . . n ) or local datastores ( 500 . . . n )) and if it has changed , queues for operator review or updates indices . this analyzes the persistent agents for common patterns or specific requests that can be custom tailored . the results are outputted through the i / o system 280 . these are an infinite number of network data sources that are included in the scope of the information aggregation and synthesization . these are represented by these are datastores established by advertisers to store ads / coupons to be presented or to set additional conditions for display . these are similar to the 300 series but locally vs . wide area network accessible . each of the six aspects of the present invention will be discussed in detail . the present invention becomes a gateway to network data content provided by others . the present invention directs access which is controlled through an intermediary gateway system . the user , through a network addressable interface device such as the user access system 100 , will connect with a local or network accessible datastore . the user will select a page ( designated by a uniform resource locator or url ) to be used . the url will be modified or &# 34 ; munged &# 34 ; so that retrieval must go through the present invention when the user executes a retrieval request . this then permits return of requested data to the user from the datastore , at all times passing through the present invention 200 . the urls embedded in each page that pass through are indexed by the present invention or &# 34 ; munged &# 34 ; so that any hyper linking to another www site always goes through the present invention . as an example , &# 34 ; www . anywhere . com &# 34 ; is converted to &# 34 ; www . travelgenie . com ? www . anywhere . com &# 34 ;, even though the user will see a direct path to the distant site . accordingly , when the user clicks on a url ( or types it in a browser &# 39 ; s search request ), the user will connect to the requested site through the system 200 . the present invention may be utilized with a wide variety of network addressable interface devices . when the invention is utilized on a limited bandwidth , limited character set data network , the datastream returned to the user will pass through the lblcs network 289 . the datastream is modified to fit the bandwidth , character set and display limitations of the network and the limitations of the user access device . the user of a network addressable interface device will select world wide web ( www ) data content for retrieval using a search engine to return selected www references . the user will then select and designate certain of these references to be included in a custom cd - rom which will be burned or recorded onto a compact disc and then sent by express delivery to the user . the user will designate pages and other www data content including but not limited to html files , audio files , still images and other graphic files from the www . through the session management system 292 , selected material will be designated and retrieved . the retrieved data will be included in a custom cd - rom produced by a service bureau and then sent by a delivery service to the user . fig5 shows a process flow diagram . optionally , the designated data may be communicated to the user via automated telephone means , may be communicated to a user via electronic replication , or may be copied on to auxiliary computer storage such as through a floppy disk drive . advertising is provided which benefits the user while optimizing the advertiser &# 39 ; s expenditure by only presenting ads or coupons ( or ads and coupons in a rotation if multiple ads / coupons qualify ) that are pertinent to that particular user . certain criteria will be entered which delineates a pattern that is requested to be monitored . when this pattern is seen ( or is in close match ) in the user &# 39 ; s www activity , the insertion mechanism is activated . if a certain web page is requested , the present invention will display a particular advertisement . the ad will be inserted based on the content of the existing web page being read . an analysis of the text stream of the user &# 39 ; s interactive session will be performed online . when certain text patterns are observed ( or close matches are observed ), an advertisement is inserted into the display . the advertising may be static or connected to the advertiser &# 39 ; s computer datastore which designates specific ads or coupons based on the pattern match and other conditions which may be required . fig6 illustrates a flow diagram for the software agent advertising insertion . the software agent criteria is entered by the merchant in the agent data store 230 which delineates a pattern that needs to be monitored . as an example , if the user accesses web pages for &# 34 ; holiday inns on the west coast &# 34 ;, the insertion mechanism would be established to automatically insert ads for &# 34 ; hilton inns on the west coast &# 34 ;. browsing patterns of the user are analyzed and these patterns update profiles automatically . fig7 illustrates a flow diagram for the automated profile generation . the looking patterns of the user are monitored to develop a set of software text agent profiles that are integrated with explicitly collected profile information to assist the user in narrowing down information for future sessions as well as suggesting references , merchandise or services during the current session . this is accomplished by statistical analysis of the text stream . the searching patterns of the user on the internet are monitored by monitoring the text stream . a set of software text agent profiles is developed and may be integrated with explicitly collected profile information . the explicit information is gathered by queries to the user . the explicit and implicit data are merged to develop software text agents that support the user &# 39 ; s future shopping sessions . during a user &# 39 ; s session , advanced text analysis tools are used in real time to understand the interests of the user by synthesis of the text pages looked at . this synthesis is used as input for statistical correlation with similar interests of a larger population . the results of this correlation are used to predict extended interests of the user . these are matched using intelligent software text agents and a variety of reasoning techniques including case based reasoning and fuzzy logic to establish a recommended list of search ideas , promotions and specials . the use of collaborative filtering may also be employed . as an example , if the text analysis indicates that the user has looked at downhill and cross - country skiing , past usages from a larger population may indicate that the user will also be interested in ice skating . as seen in fig7 real time analysis of data is illustrated at box 295 . the real time session analysis is in communication with the user interrupt system 294 so that the session may be interrupted at an appropriate point . at the same time , a post session profile update 2921 will update profiles based on browsing activity from a past session and thereafter stored in user profile datastore 210 . it is known that suppliers will pay for information gathered about user &# 39 ; s specific interests . when tied to a specific user , these become &# 34 ; leads &# 34 ; that a supplier can use for off - line follow up . the automated lead generation aspect will analyze a user &# 39 ; s profile and session looking activity against a profile established by a supplier . when this profile is approximately matched , the supplier is notified so it can contact the user to offer goods or services . statistical analysis using complex software text agents is used to determine the match . in the present invention , the user &# 39 ; s www viewing patterns are monitored . these and optionally the user &# 39 ; s profile 210 are matched against software text agents entered by a supplier in an agent datastore 230 . when these agents match a pattern or profile , the supplier is notified . additionally , when this profile is approximately matched , the supplier is notified . lead purchasers , using a user access system 100 , will enter criteria that should be met for the generation of a lead . these criteria are in the form of complex software text search agents . when this threshold is met or exceeded , information is stored in the lead datastore 270 for variable output transmission to a lead purchaser . in the present invention , records will be maintained from user usage of the internet and other networks on what consumer queries are unmet by the www content retrieved . if the user does not find what they are looking for , a &# 34 ; watcher &# 34 ; agent may be set up to advise them if the object of their search occurs at some future time . an example would be a tour , a price or some other information . through the session management system 292 a threshold will be established on the user need . the invention will intuitively construct a profile from user inputted data . this will be done by recognizing unmet or unanswered queries and / or user initiated requests . from this , a profile will be developed to identify new markets . the system will thus be able to gather &# 34 ; negative &# 34 ; leads . this information may be extracted and sold to suppliers who will build new products and services and then use the system as a mechanism to notify the potential customer . whereas , the present invention has been described in 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 . | 7 |
referring to fig1 a preferred embodiment of the subscriber unit of the present invention includes a telephone interface circuit 10 , a slic and codec circuit 11 , a processor chip 12 , a fast memory 13 , a slow memory 14 , an address decoder 15 , a fir chip 16 , a dif chip 17 , a dac 18 , an a / d converter 19 , a radio 20 , a ringer circuit 21 , and an oscillator 22 . the fir chip 16 , which is an asic chip , is interfaced with the dif chip 17 by lines 23 and 24 , to the processor chip 12 by processor bus 25 and line 26 , to the aid converter 19 by line 27 , to the slic and codec circuit 11 by line 29 , to the radio 20 by line 30 , and to the ringer circuit 21 by line 31 . the telephone interface circuit 10 is interfaced with a telephone 32 , which converts sound waves into an input voice signal , and converts an output voice signal into sound waves . the slic and codec circuit 11 is coupled to the telephone interface circuit 10 for converting the input voice signal into a baseband digital input signal , which is provided to the processor chip 12 . in an alternative embodiment ( not shown ), the processor chip is also interfaced directly with an uart for alternatively receiving digital input signals directly from and sending digital output signals directly to a digital signal i / o device . the processor chip 12 includes a model tms320c25 digital signal processor , which transcodes the baseband digital input signal in accordance with a relp algorithm to provide tx data digital input symbols on the processor bus 25 . the use of a digital signal processor to perform a relp algorithm is described in international patent application no . pct / us85 / 02168 , international publication no . wo 86 / 02726 , published may 9 , 1986 . the fir chip 16 fir filters the digital input symbols and provides i , q data to the dif chip 17 on lines 24 . the dif chip 17 interpolates the filtered digital input symbols , and modulates a digital intermediate frequency signal with the interpolated input symbols to provide a modulated digital input signal . the dac 18 converts the modulated digital input signal into a modulated analog input signal . the radio 20 transmits the modulated analog input signal to the base station ; and receives and demodulates a modulated analog output signal from the base station . the oscillator 22 is a free running oscillator , that provides clock signals for the processor chip 12 . a description of the relationship between the subscriber unit and the base station is contained in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 777 , 633 . the a / d converter 19 converts the demodulated received analog output signal into a digital output signal containing digital output symbols . the processor chip 12 synthesizes a baseband digital output signal from the digital output symbols . synthesis of relp transcoded symbols by a digital signal processor also is described in international publication no . wo 86 / 02726 . the processor chip 12 further performs echo cancellation as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 697 , 261 to david t . k . wang and philip j . wilson . the slic and codec circuit 11 converts the baseband digital output signal into the output voice signal that is provided by the telephone interface circuit to the telephone 32 . the fir chip 16 consolidates circuit functionality into a vlsi device in order to reduce production cost of the subscriber unit by eliminating many separate medium scale integration parts . referring to fig2 the fir chip 16 includes a fanout buffer 33 , an internal decoding module 34 , an rx sample buffer 35 , control and status registers 36 , an external address decoding module 37 , a watchdog timer module 38 , an rx timing module 39 , a tx timing module 40 , a tx fir filter 42 , a codec timing module 44 , and a ringer control module 45 . the fir chip 16 provides 45 millisecond frame marker generation , 11 . 25 millisecond slot marker generation , 16 khz symbol clock generation , timing adjustment circuits , rx sample buffering , tx symbol buffering , 8 khz codec timing generation , processor interface decoding , ringer timing generation , external address decoding and watchdog timer reset generation . the fir chip 16 buffers two 5 - bit tx symbols at a 8 khz rate . the fir chip 16 converts and filters the tx symbols into i and q data symbols , with each such symbol being 10 - bits at a rate of 160 khz . the i and q data are interleaved and output to the dif chip 17 at a rate of 320 khz . the fir chip 16 also buffers rx data samples at a 64 khz rate ; and four rx data samples are read by the processor chip 12 at a 16 khz rate . timing clocks and signals are generated by the fir chip 16 from an incoming 3 . 2 mhz master clock signal . the processor chip 12 is synchronized to these data rates by slot and symbol interrupts generated by the fir chip 16 . the codec and processor 8 khz timing strobe and codec clock are generated by the fir chip 16 and synchronized to the time of the incoming rx samples . the fir chip 16 also generates control and timing signals for controlling the shape and timing of the ringing voltage provided by the ringer circuit 21 . the watchdog timer module 38 provides a reset signal in the event that the processor chip 12 does not execute instructions properly . the fanout buffer 33 buffers a 3 . 2 mhz master clock signal received on line 23 a from the dif chip 17 , an advanced 3 . 2 mhz clock signal received on line 23 b from the dif chip 17 , and a reset signal received on line 51 from the watchdog timer 38 . unless otherwise indicated , all timing within the fir chip 16 is derived from the 3 . 2 mhz clock signal on line 23 a . the advanced 3 . 2 mhz clock signal on line 23 b leads the 3 . 2 mhz clock signal on line 23 a by one cycle of a 21 . 76 mhz reference signal that is present within the dif chip 17 . the 3 . 2 mhz clock signal is derived from the 21 . 76 mhz reference in the dif chip 17 and the minimum pulse width is therefore 276 nanoseconds . the advanced 3 . 2 mhz clock signal from line 23 b is provided from the buffer 33 via internal line 47 to the tx fir filter 42 , and the codec timing module 44 . the tx fir filter 42 is implemented in part by a rom , which is pseudo - static and requires its enable input to be deactivated by , the advanced 3 . 2 mhz clock signal on line 47 between successive accesses . the hw reset signal on line 51 resets all internal circuits of the fir chip 16 and provides a hardware reset to the modules of fig1 . the internal clocks are either buffered versions of the 3 . 2 mhz master clock signal received on line 23 a or divisions of this clock . the internal address decoding module 34 allows the processor chip 12 to access the internal functions of the fir chip 16 for the purpose of controlling such functions and determining their status . the internal address decoding module 34 receives processor addresses and processor strobes on bus 25 . the internal address decoding module 34 provides output signals on internal bus 48 . the output signals on bus 48 from the internal address decoding module 34 include a read enable signal to the rx sample buffer 35 , a control write signal and status read signals to the control and status registers 36 , a write signal to the tx fir filter 42 , slot and clock write signals to the rx timing module 39 , a write signal to the tx timing module 40 , and control signals to the tx fir filter module 42 and the rx sample buffer 35 , and an am strobe signal , which causes the rx timing module 39 to reset slot timing . only one of the respective read or write signals on bus 48 from the internal address decoding module 34 is active at any one time . the rx sample buffer 35 receives four samples for each rx symbol time from the a / d converter 19 via line 27 a at a 64 khz rate ; buffers up to two symbols of data , which is eight samples total ; and then sends such data samples to the processor chip 12 via the processor bus 25 . the rx sample buffer 35 is implemented in a dual - page ram . the rx sample buffer 35 receives a read enable signal on internal bus 48 from the internal address decoding module 34 and a write strobe signal on internal line 49 from the rx timing module 39 . the control and status registers 36 allow the processor chip 12 to control the internal functions of the fir chip 16 , and allow the processor chip 12 to read the status of the tx fir filter 42 and rx sample buffer 35 , and other internal signals . the control signals are provided by the processor chip 12 via the processor bus 25 and the status indications are derived from various internal modules of the fir chip 16 . the status indications are provided to the processor chip 12 via the processor bus 25 . the status indications are rx underrun rx overrun , tx underrun , tx overrun , start - of - frame , rx start of slot , tx symbol clock , rx symbol clock and tx fir filter overflow . the control signals , which are provided by the control registers 36 to the internal circuits via the internal bus 48 , include the following : tx enable , modulation level , ringer enable , software reset , tristate , and watchdog strobe . the tx enable signal indicates the beginning of a tx slot based upon the tx delay established in the tx timing module 40 . the modulation level signal is provided to the rx timing module 39 and determines whether a slot length is 180 or 360 symbols . the software reset signal allows the processor chip 12 to reset internal functions within the fir chip 16 . the tristate signal allows the processor chip 12 to disable the outputs of the fir chip 16 . the ringer enable signal allows the processor chip 12 to turn the ringer circuit 21 on and off . this signal provides a two - second and four - second cadence for the ringing signal . the watchdog strobe allows the processor chip 12 to reset the watchdog timer module in order to keep a hardware reset from occurring . the processor chip 12 receives a rx clock interrupt ( rxclkint ) signal from the rx timing module 39 via line 26 c when data has been written into the first four locations of the dual - page ram of the rx sample buffer 35 . the processor chip 12 then reads the rx samples from the first four locations of the dual - page ram via processor bus 25 . at this time samples are being written into the next four locations of the dual - page ram at a 64 khz rate . the 16 khz event is a derivative of the 64 khz event , which keeps the read and write events synchronized . this ensures that read and write operations do not occur at the same time at any one memory location and also ensures adequate response time from the processor chip 12 . a tx symbol buffer in the tx fir filter 42 receives tx symbols from the processor chip . 12 via the processor bus 25 and buffers up to two tx symbols . the processor chip 12 is interrupted every other tx symbol time to write two more symbols into the tx symbol buffer . the tx symbol buffer in the tx fir filter 42 receives a write signal via the internal bus 48 from the internal address decoding module 34 . after each tx clock interrupt ( txclkint ) signal at 8 khz on line 26 a , the processor chip 12 writes out two 5 - bit tx symbols . the data is in a dpsk gray code format . the tx symbol buffer outputs a symbol every 16 khz for processing by the tx fir filter 42 . this data is double buffered due to an asynchronism between the fir chip 16 and the processor chip 12 . the last data value is repeated until new data is written . null data can be repeated in this manner . the tx symbol buffer is cleared during a reset . during training , a fixed sequence of symbols is sent to the fir chip 16 by the processor chip 12 . the fir chip 16 performs fir filtering on these symbols and outputs i , q pairs to the dif chip 17 . the radio 20 loops the data back to the aid converter 19 . the samples are read by the processor chip 12 as in the on - line mode and the coefficients of the processor rx filter implemented in the processor chip 12 are adjusted . the only timing critical for training is generated by the rx and tx timing modules 39 , 40 . the rx timing module 39 generates all reference clocks and strobes for processing the rx symbols . the timing is adjusted by the processor chip 12 so that processing can be synchronized to the rx samples received via line 27 a from the base station . the rx timing module 39 includes an rx clock fractional timing circuit and an rx slot timing circuit . the purpose of these two circuits is to synchronize the modem receive timing within the processor chip 12 to the rx samples received on line 27 a from the base station , and via the a / d converter 19 , and also to regulate the tx timing module 40 and the codec timing module 44 . the rx timing module 39 is clocked at a 3 . 2 mhz rate and receives the following control signal inputs from the processor chip 12 via the processor bus 25 : an am strobe signal , an rx slot clock write signal , and an rx bit tracking signal . several outputs are generated by the rx timing module 39 . a 64 khz write strobe is provided on line 49 to control writing to the rx sample buffer 35 . a 64 khz a / dsync strobe signal is provided on line 27 b to the a / d converter 19 to synchronize the operation thereof . a 8 khz strobe signal also is provided to the codec timing module 44 via line 52 . a 16 khz rx clock interrupt ( rxclkint ) signal on line 26 c and rx start - of - slot interrupt ( rxsosint ) signal on line 26 b are output to the processor chip 12 . a pre - rx slot timing strobe is provided on line 54 to control the tx timing module 40 . the fractional timing circuit in the rx timing module 39 is set by the processor chip 12 to generate the rx start of slot interrupt signal on line 26 b . the processor chip 12 determines the location of an am hole ( strobe signal ) transmitted by the base station during acquisition . when the processor chip 12 detects the am strobe signal , the slot timing circuit in the rx timing module 39 is reset by a reset signal from the processor chip 12 . this aligns the frame and slot markers to the am strobe signal . the frame marker is a 62 . 5 μsec pulse occurring every 45 milliseconds . the slot marker is a 62 . 5 μsec pulse repeating every 11 . 25 millisecond , or 22 . 5 milliseconds when in a qpsk mode . the incoming rx symbols are demodulated by the processor chip 12 and timing is further adjusted if necessary . to adjust the 16 khz rx symbol clock the processor chip forces the fractional timing ( bit tracking ) circuit to shorten or lengthen the 64 khz strobe by up to fifty 3 . 2 mhz cycles . the processor chip 12 monitors the relationship of the rx symbols to the frame timing and makes adjustments to the 16 khz rx clock accordingly . when the rx clock is adjusted the slot and frame markers are changed also because they are a derivative of the rx clock . to keep the number of pulse code modulated ( pcm ) samples provided to and from the slic and codec circuit 11 synchronized to the frame timing , the rx timing module 39 controls the codec timing module 44 . the tx timing module 40 includes a tx delay circuit and a tx control timing circuit . these circuits generate a tx clock interrupt ( txclkint ) signal which is provided to the processor chip 12 via line 26 a . the tx timing module 40 is synchronized to the rx timing module 39 by the pre - rx slot timing strobe , which is provided to the tx timing module by the rx timing module 39 on line 54 and used to reset the tx delay circuit , which in turn generates the tx slot marker . timing of the tx clock is based on the internal 3 . 2 mhz clock . the processor chip 12 also controls the tx delay and tx timing circuits by providing tx data write control signals over the processor bus 25 . the tx timing module 40 provides a t / r control signal on line 30 to the radio 20 . this signal determines whether the radio is transmitting or receiving data . the tx timing module 40 also controls tx symbol shifting , rom addressing , accumulation timing , and i , q product storage for output to the dif chip 17 . the tx timing module 40 provides control signals on line 56 for keeping the tx fir filter 42 synchronized to the tx symbol and slot timing . such synchronization is accomplished in accordance with the tx slot timing marker . after a reset , the tx timing module 40 actively generates control signals onto line 56 once a tx slot begins . the tx fir filter 42 module includes a rom , which implements a fir filter by providing i and q data products in response to the rom being addressed for lookup by a combination of tx symbols received from the processor chip 12 via the processor bus 25 and sine and cosine coefficient counts provided by a counter within the tx fir filter module 42 . the tx fir filter 42 accumulates six sequential i and q data produces and stores results for output to the dif chip 17 via line 24 a . the minimum frequency required for operation of the tx fir filter 42 is determined by the symbol rate ( 16 khz ) times the number of i and q samples ( 2 ) times the number of coefficients ( 10 ) times the number of taps ( 6 )= 1 . 92 mhz . the master clock of 3 . 2 mhz meets this minimum frequency requirement . wait periods are added to compensate for the faster execution time . the tx timing module 40 is clocked at a 3 . 2 mhz clock rate , which defines one state period . because this clock rate is greater than the required minimum of 1 . 92 mhz the tx fir filter 42 generates signals for the first six out of ten state periods . each new tx symbol must be loaded into a circular buffer in the tx fir filter 42 at the rate of 16 khz . the new tx symbol and the previous five tx symbols are stored in the circular buffer . the oldest tx symbol is dropped when a new tx symbol is shifted in . the tx fir filter 42 output rate is 320 khz . from each tx symbol , ten i data values are generated and ten q data values are generated . table 1 below shows how i , q and null information can be derived from each 5 - bit value . the data in the circular buffer is rotated every 6 out of 10 states . one new tx symbol and the five previous tx symbols reside in the circular buffer for twenty of these ten state periods . the coefficient portion of the rom address is also increased every six out of ten state periods . an accumulator in the tx fir filter 42 adds the results of each i - data product provided from the rom for each of the six state periods . therefore the accumulator register is cleared for the first addition , and each successive addition result is clocked into a feed back register of the accumulator so it can be added to the newly looked - up product . once six additions occur the result is clocked into an output shift register . the same process occurs for the same coefficients and the q - data products provided from the rom for each tx symbol . the rom address lines allow sixty cos coefficient and sixty sin coefficient lookups for four possible i , q data indexes . this requires seven address lines for coefficients and two address lines for i , q data . the output of the fir filter requires 10 bits . two extra bits are required to maintain accuracy of the fractional portion of the lookup value . this makes the rom size 512 . times . 12 . the msb of the i , q data index is passed around the rom to a 1 &# 39 ; s complement circuit which forces the output of the rom to be inverted or not inverted . if the symbol addressing the rom is a null symbol the null bit controls four of the seven coefficient address lines . since seven address lines are used for coefficient lookup this provides 128 locations . only 120 coefficients are needed . this leaves eight unused locations . zero values are stored in these locations so null information can be easily output from the rom . a 2 &# 39 ; s complement function is implemented by using a 1 &# 39 ; s complement and carrying in a logic 1 in the succeeding adder . the output of the adder is wrapped around to the input of the adder for successive additions or output through a mux to an output shift register . the output is rounded off by using only the ten upper bits . the circular buffer outputs of the tx fir filter are set to zero after a reset . this allows null information to be processed until new tx symbol values are loaded . i data is first processed followed by q data . the tx clock interrupt signal only occurs during a tx slot . the processor does not know when a tx slot begins or ends except by responding to this interrupt . the signal has an active low duration of one 3 . 2 mhz clock cycle to guarantee that the interrupt is not active once it has been serviced . the tx clock interrupt occurs every other symbol time ( 16 khz / 2 ). the rx clock interrupt occurs for a full frame . the processor chip 12 masks out this interrupt by using the rx slot marker as a mask . the rx clock interrupt has an active low duration of one 3 . 2 mhz clock cycle . the rx start of slot interrupt occurs every 11 . 25 milliseconds , and has an active low duration of one 3 . 2 mhz clock cycle . each interrupt signal is forced to an inactive high state upon reset . the codec timing module 44 generates timing strobes and sends the necessary clock signal via lines 29 to the slic and codec circuit 11 to cause 8 bits of data to be transferred between the codec and processor at an 8 khz rate . the codec 11 receives and transmits 8 bits of data every 8 khz . the codec timing module 44 sends a codec clock signal on line 29 a and a codec sync signal on line 29 b . the codec clock signal on line 29 a is generated at a rate of 1 . 6 mhz by dividing the advanced 3 . 2 mhz clock by two . an 8 khz pulse of one 3 . 2 mhz period is received from the rx timing circuit 39 and is reclocked to occur for one 1 . 6 mhz period , and thus is guaranteed to occur with respect to the 1 . 6 mhz clock rising edges . with these two signals , transfer of pcm data between the codec 11 and the processor chip 12 is accomplished . this allows the subscriber pcm data to be synchronized to the base station pcm data . the ringer control module 45 responds to a ring enable control signal originating in the processor chip 12 and provided from the control and status register 36 on internal bus 48 by generating a 20 hz square wave signal on line 31 a and two 80 khz phase control signals , phasea on line 31 b and phaseb on line 31 c and sending these signals to the ringer circuit 21 . the 20 hz square wave signal on line 31 a controls the polarity of the ringer voltage provided by the ringer circuit 21 to the telephone interface circuit 10 . the 80 khz phase signals on lines 31 b and 31 c control the pulse width modulated power source in the ringer circuit 21 . a reset or a slic ring command signal on line 29 c from the slic portion of the slic and codec circuit 11 turns off or overrides these signals on lines 31 a , 31 b , and 31 c after the ring enable signal originating in the processor chip 12 has turned them on . this ensures that the ringer is off if a reset occurs or the telephone hand set is taken off hook . since the ringer circuit 21 generates a high voltage and dissipates much power , this voltage is not generated except when requested by the processor chip 12 . the external address decoding module 37 generates chip selects onto the processor bus 25 that are used by the processor chip 12 to access the dif chip 17 , the uart hardware , and the slow memory eproms 14 in separate distinct address segments . the processor chip 12 provides eight msb address lines , data space , and program space signals . these are decoded to generate the appropriate chip selects . the watchdog timer module 38 generates a 50 millisecond hardware reset pulse on line 51 , which resets all fir chip 16 modules and all subscriber unit modules in fig1 . the watchdog timer module 38 generates a pulse if it is not reset within a 512 millisecond period by the watchdog strobe signal provided on bus 48 by the control and status registers 36 . the dif chip 17 is interfaced to the processor chip 12 by the processor bus 25 , to the fir chip 16 by lines 23 and 24 , to the dac 18 by line 71 and to an oscillator in the radio 20 by line 72 . the oscillator in the radio 20 provides a 21 . 76 mhz master clock signal on line 72 to the dif chip 17 . referring to fig3 the dif chip 17 includes a clock generator 60 , a processor decoding module 61 , a fir chip interface module 62 , an interpolator 63 , a control register 64 , tuning registers 65 , a dds phase accumulator 66 , a dds sin and cos generation module 67 , a modulator 68 and a noise shaper 69 . in combination the dds phase accumulator 66 and the dds sin , cos generator 67 constitute a direct digital synthesizer ( dds ) for digitally synthesizing a digital intermediate frequency signal . the dif chip 17 is an asic chip , which is mapped as processor data memory . the dif chip 17 operates in one of two operating modes , a modulated carrier generation mode , and a pure carrier mode . in the modulated carrier generation mode , baseband data is input in the i , q domain and this data is used to modulate the pure carrier generated by the dds function of the dif chip 17 . in the pure carrier generation mode , the baseband data inputs are ignored and an unmodulated carrier from the dds is provided to the dac 18 . the clock generator 60 generates all timing and clocks within the dif chip 17 and also generates the 3 . 2 mhz clock signal and the advanced 3 . 2 mhz clock signal that are provided to the fir chip 16 on lines 23 a and 23 b . the two primary timing signals used within the dif chip 17 are a 21 . 76 mhz clock and a 2 . 56 mhz interpolation gate signal . the 3 . 2 mhz clock is used internally to shift i and q data on line 24 a from the fir chip 16 into the fir interface module 62 . the clock generator 60 buffers the 21 . 76 mhz clock received on line 72 from the oscillator in the radio 20 and provides a buffered 21 . 76 clock signal on line 71 a . such buffering is done to provide sufficient drive capability for internal functions and to minimize clock skew . the buffered 21 . 76 mhz clock also provides a clock for the dac 18 and other external circuitry . the clock generator 60 provides the 3 . 2 mhz clock signal by dividing the 21 . 76 mhz clock by 6 and by 8 in the following sequence : 6 - 8 - 6 - 8 - 6 , which thereby results in an average divisor of 6 . 8 ( 21 . 76ψ6 . 8 = 3 . 2 ). the effect of this per cycle variation is a minimum period of 276 ns and a maximum period of 368 ns . an advanced version of the 3 . 2 mhz clock signal is also generated as the advanced 3 . 2 mhz clock signal on line 23 b . both clocks are identical with the exception that the rom deselect signal on line 23 b leads the 3 . 2 mhz clock signal on line 23 a by one 21 . 76 mhz clock cycle . the clock generator 60 provides the 2 . 56 mhz gate signal on internal line 74 by dividing the 21 . 76 mhz clock by 8 and 9 in an even sequence ( 8 - 9 - 8 - 9 - . . . ), which thereby results in an average divisor of 8 . 5 ( 21 . 76ψ8 . 5 = 2 . 56 mhz ). this signal is used by the interpolator 63 and the modulator 68 . the processor decoding module 61 allows the processor to control all internal functions of the dif chip 17 . the processor decoding module 61 decodes processor addresses and processor strobes received from data space on the processor bus 25 to provide internal write strobes , which are provided on internal bus 76 to the control register 64 and the tuning registers 65 to enable the processor chip 12 to write control and configuration data . only one output from the processor decoding module 61 is active at any given time . the processor addresses determine which output is generated . if a function within the dif chip 17 address space is chosen , a chip select signal on line 24 c from the fir chip 16 becomes active . the fir interface module 62 receives the i and q samples from the fir chip 16 on line 24 a in a serial format and converts them into 10 - bit parallel format in which they are provided to the interpolator module on line 77 . the i , q gate signal on line 24 b from the fir chip 16 is used to distinguish the i data from the q data . the fir interface module 62 also subtracts previous i and q samples from current samples to form a δi and δq samples which are then shifted right 4 places ( ψ 16 ) to form the correct increment for the interpolator module on line 78 . since the fir interface module 62 supplies data to the interpolator 63 , a sync signal is sent by the , fir interface module 62 to the clock generator 60 to synchronize the 2 . 56 mhz gate pulse provided on line 74 . the interpolator 63 accumulates the δi , q at a 160 khz ν 16 = 2 . 56 mhz rate and provides interpolated i and q samples to the modulator 68 on lines 80 and 81 respectively . the interpolator 63 performs a × 16 linear interpolation in order to reduce the 160 khz sampling spurs present in the baseband data received from the fir chip 16 . the interpolator 63 successively accumulates the δi and δq samples to generate an output at a 2 . 56 mhz rate . at the end of an accumulation cycle ( 16 iterations ), the output of the interpolator should be equal to the current i and q samples . this is critical since the next accumulation cycle starts its cycle with the current data . to ensure that the data is correct , during the last accumulation cycle the current i and q data are input directly to the interpolator output register in place of the output of the adder ( which should have the same data ). the control registers 64 are used to control and configure the dif chip 17 and to select the operating modes . all of the control registers 64 are loaded by the processor chip 12 via the processor bus 25 . there are three control registers 64 . the first control register registers a cw mode signal , an auto tune h - l signal , and an auto tune l - h signal . the second control register registers a sign select signal , an output clock phase select signal , an interpolator enable signal , a serial port clock select signal , a serial / parallel mode select signal and a quadrature enable signal . the control functions associated with these signals are described later at the conclusion of the description of the other modules of the dif chip 17 . the third control register enables and specifies the coefficients for the noise shaper 69 . there are three 8 - bit tuning registers 65 for storing 24 bits of phase increment data to specify the frequency of the dds . this provides a 24 - bit tuning word which allows a frequency resolution of ( sample rate )/ 2 24 = 21 . 76 mhz / 2 24 = 1 . 297 hz . the output frequency of the dds is equal to the resolution multiplied by the 24 - bit tuning word . the tuning registers 65 are loaded by the processor chip 12 via the processor bus 25 . the tuning word is double buffered by the tuning registers 65 so that the processor chip 12 can write data to these registers freely without affecting the current dds operation . the tuning word in loaded from buffer tuning registers into output tuning registers whenever a tune command is issued . the tune command is synchronized to the 21 . 76 mhz clock to provide a synchronous transition . the dds phase accumulator 66 performs a modulo 224 accumulation of the phase increment provided on line 82 by the tuning registers 65 . the output of the phase accumulator 66 represents a digitized phase value which is provided on line 83 to the dds sin and cos generator 67 . the dds sin and cos generator 67 generates a sinusoidal function . a dds works on the principle that a digitized waveform may be generated by accumulating phase chances at a higher rate . the tuning word , which will be different for different subscriber units , represents a phase change to the phase accumulator 66 . the output of the accumulator 66 can range from 0 to 2 24 − 1 . this interval represents a 360 degree phase change . although the accumulator 66 works in standard binary , this digitized phase representation can be input to a waveform generator to produce any arbitrary waveform . in the dif chip 17 , the dds sin and cos generators 67 produce sin and cos functions on lines 84 and 85 respectively . the period of the waveform function is based on the time required to perform a summation to the accumulator upper limit ( 2 24 − 1 ). this means that if a large phase increment is provided , then this limit will be reached sooner . conversely , if a small increment is given then a longer time is required . the phase accumulator 66 performs a simple summation of the input phase increment and can be represented by the following equation : i t f i1 n i inc { eq . 1 } where n is the number of iterations , and φ inc is simply the data provided on line 82 from the tuning registers 65 . in the embodiment of the dif chip 17 described herein , the value of . phi .. sub . t is constrained by the accumulator length to be a maximum of 2 . sup . 24 . therefore the current phase may be described as : i i ( i il i inc ) modulo 2 24 { eq . 2 } since the accumulation clock is fixed to be the master 21 . 76 mhz input clock this results in a complete cycle taking 2 . sup . 24 /. phi .. sub . inc iterations at a per iteration period of 1 / 21 . 76 mhz . so the entire cycle takes the following amount of time : 2 24 21 . 76 mh z ξ i inc since this period represents a 360 degree cycle , the reciprocal of this expression represents a frequency . the dds frequency is therefore f dds 21 . 76 mh z ξ i inc 2 24 { eq . 3 } in the dds sin , cos generation module 67 , the sin and cos waveforms are generated so a complex mixing may be performed in the modulator . each is generated by two lookup tables representing a coarse and fine estimate of the waveform . the two values are added to form composite 12 - bit signed 2 &# 39 ; s complement sin and cos data output signals on lines 84 and 85 . the lookup tables are implemented in rom &# 39 ; s that are addressed by the fourteen most significant bits of the signal on line 83 from the dds phase accumulator 66 . it is desired to have as much phase and amplitude resolution as is practical . in the dif chip 17 design , 14 bits of phase input and 12 bits of amplitude data output are provided in the waveform generation section . if a “ brute - force ” approach were taken to generate this data then very large tables would be needed to generate all possible phase and amplitude values ( e . g . 16k words ν 12 bits each ). to minimize the table size , the dif chip 17 makes use of quadrant symmetry and trigonometric decomposition of the output data . since sin and cos waveforms have quadrant symmetry , the two most significant bits of the phase data are used to mirror the single quadrant data around the x and y axis . for the sin function the amplitude of the wave in the σ to 2 σ interval is just the negative of the amplitude in the 0 to σ interval . for the cos function the amplitude of the wave in the σ / 2 to 3 σ / 2 interval is just the negative of the amplitude in the 3 σ / 2 to σ / 2 interval . the two msbs of the phase accumulator specify the quadrant ( 00 −& gt ; 1 , 01 −& gt ; 2 , 10 −& gt ; 3 , 11 −& gt ; 4 ). for the sin function , the msb of the phase data is used to negate the positive data generated for the first two quadrants . for the cos function , an xor of the two phase data msbs is used to negate the positive data generated for quadrants 1 and 4 . the above technique reduces memory requirements by a factor of 4 . this still results in a memory requirement of 4k words ν 12 bits to reduce the table sizes further , a trigonometric decomposition is performed on the angles . the following trigonometric identity is used : sin θ .= sin ( φ 1 + φ )= sin φ 1 cos φ 2 + sin φ 1 cos φ 1 { eq . 4 } letting φ 2 & lt ;& lt ;. φ 1 leads to the complete approximation as follows : it is not necessary to use all bits of φ 1 when computing the second term of the equation so φ 1 is a subset of φ 1 . to generate the cos function , the same approximation may be used since this results in a modification of the φ 1 & amp ; î 1 variables when computing the cos function . the data stored in the cos roms will incorporate this angle modification so no changes to the phase data are required . the modulator 68 mixes the interpolated i and q samples on lines 80 and 81 with the digital intermediate frequency signal represented by the complex sin and cos function data on lines 84 and 85 to produce a modulated digital intermediate frequency signal on line 87 . the interpolated i , q samples and dds output are digitally mixed by two 10 ν 12 multipliers . the outputs of the mixing process are then summed by a 12 bit adder to form a modulated carrier . it is possible to alter the operation of the modulator 68 by forcing the i input to all zeroes and the q input to all ones . the effect of this is that one multiplier will output all zeroes and the other will output the signal from the dds sin , cos generator 67 only . the sum of these two signals yields an unmodulated digital intermediate frequency signal . the modulator 68 creates a modulated digital intermediate frequency signal on line 87 according to the following equation : f ( t )= i · cos ( φ ( t ))+ q · sin ( φ ( t )) { eq . 7 } the 12 - bit output of the dds sin and cos generator 67 is multiplied by the 10 bit interpolated i and q samples from the interpolator 63 to generate two 12 - bit products . the two products are then added ( combined ) to generated a 12 - bit modulated output on line 87 . since both the i multiplier and the q multiplier generate 12 - bit products , it is possible that an overflow could occur when their outputs are combined . therefore it is necessary to ensure that the magnitude of the vector generated by i and q never exceeds 1 ( assuming | i |, | q | are fractional numbers ≦ 1 ). if this is not ensured then an overflow of the modulator adder is possible . the noise shaper 69 provides a filtered modulated or unmodulated digital intermediate frequency signal on line 71 to the dac 18 . the noise shaper 69 is designed to decrease the amount of noise power in the output spectrum caused by amplitude quantization error . the noise filter 69 works on the fact that the quantization noise is a normal random process , and the power spectral density of the process is flat across the frequency band . the desired output signal is overlayed on top of this quantization noise floor . the noise shaping device is a simple multitap finite impulse response ( fir ) filter . the filter creates a null which decreases the quantization noise power in a certain part of the frequency band . when the desired signal is overlayed on the filtered noise spectrum , the effective sqnr increases . h ( z )= 1 + bz − 1 − z − 2 { eq . 8 } a two adder stage creates a second tap value of b in the range of + 1 . 75 to − 1 . 75 ( in binary weights of 0 , 0 . 25 , 0 . 50 , 1 . 0 ) that will move the zero of the filter across the output frequency band , so that it may be placed as near as possible to the desired output frequency for maximum sqnr performance . the null frequency can be computed by solving for the roots of the above equation in the z - plane . the roots are a complex conjugate pair that reside on the unit circle . the null frequency is given by the relation : f null 4 360 θ ξ f sampling { eq . 9 } where θ is the angle of the root in the upper half plane . the conjugate root will provide a null reflected around the nyquist frequency . table 2 lists null frequencies generated by the binary weighted second tap . let b3 , b2 , and b1 correspond to the weights 1 . 0 0 . 5 0 . 25 , a “+” symbol means the tap is equal to its weight , a “−” symbol means that the tap is equal to the negative of its weight , and ‘ 0 ’ means that the tap has no weight . some of the null frequencies are equal to those of other combinations , simply because the possible combinations sometimes overlap ( e . g . 1 . 0 + 0 . 5 − 0 . 25 = 1 . 0 + 0 . 0 + 0 . 25 ). f sample is 1 . 00 . when the cw mode signal is set , the i input to the respective multiplier in the modulator 68 is forced to all zeroes , and the corresponding q input forced is to all ones . the net effect is that an unmodulated carrier will be generated . this function is double buffered and the loaded data will not become active until a tune command is issued . the interpolator enable signal enables the × 16 interpolator on the i , q samples . if the interpolator enable signal is not set then the i , q data is input directly to the multiplier . external memory required for the operation of the processor chip 12 is provided by a fast memory 13 and a slow memory 14 . the fast memory 13 is accessed by an address decoder 15 . the fast memory 13 is a cache memory implemented in a ram having zero wait states . the slow memory 14 is a bulk memory that is implemented in an eprom , having two wait states . the slow memory 14 is coupled to the processor chip 12 for storing processing codes used by the processor chip 12 when said codes need not be operated with zero wait states ; and the fast memory is coupled to the processor chip 12 for temporarily storing processing codes used by the processor chip 12 when said codes are operated with zero wait states . when procedures must be run with zero wait states , the code can be uploaded from the slow memory 14 to the fast memory 15 and run from there . such procedures include the interrupt service routines , symbol demodulation , rcc acquisition , bpsk demodulation , and voice and data processing . the processor chip 12 includes a single model tms320c25 digital signal processor , which performs four main tasks , a subscriber control task ( sct ) 91 , channel control task ( cct ) 92 , a signal processing task ( spt ) 93 , and a modem processing task ( mpt ) 94 , as shown in fig4 . these four tasks are controlled by a supervisor module 95 . the sct deals with the telephone interface and the high - level call processing . the cct controls the modem and relp operation and timing , and performs power - level and tx timing adjustments according to requests from the base station . the spt performs the relp , echo cancellation and tone generation functions . the supervisor calls these four tasks sequentially and communicates with them via control words . the sct 91 provides the high level control function within the subscriber unit and has three fundamental modes of operation : idle , voice and abort . the sct enters idle mode after power up and remains in that state until an actual voice connection is made . while in the idle mode , the sct monitors the subscriber telephone interface for activity and responds to base station requests received over the radio control channel ( rcc ). the primary function of the sct is to lead the subscriber unit through the setup and teardown of voice connections on a radio channel . before the unit can set up any kind of call , however , it must find the correct base station . the sct determines which rcc frequency to use , and sends the frequency information to the cct . a description of the initialization of a communication channel between the subscriber unit and the base station is contained in u . s . patent application ser . no . 07 / 070 , 970 filed jul . 8 , 1987 now u . s . pat . no . 4 , 811 , 420 . once the subscriber unit has gained rcc sync , it can set up a call by exchanging messages over the rcc with the base station , and by monitoring and setting hardware signals on the telephone interface . the following walk through briefly describe the events that take place during call setup . normal call setup for call origination begins with the subscriber taking the handset off hook to initiate a service request . the sct sends a call request message to the base station . the sct receives a call connect message . the sct signals the cct to attempt sync on the voice channel assigned via the call connect message . the cct attains sync on the voice channel . the subscriber receives a dial tone from the central office . call setup is complete . the central office provides the remaining call termination support . normal call setup for call termination takes place as follows : the sct receives a page message from the base station . the sct replies with a call accept . the sct receives a call connect message . the sct signals the cct to attempt sync on the voice channel assigned via the call connect message . the cct attains sync on the voice channel . the sct starts the ring generator to apply ring to the local loop . the subscriber takes the hand set off hook . the ringing is stopped . the voice connection is complete . the sct implements the call setup and teardown operations as a finite state machine . if a voice channel seizure is successfully completed , the sct switches to the voice mode and performs a very limited set of support functions . sct processor loading is kept to a minimum at this time to give the relp speech compression , echo cancellation and modem processing algorithms maximum processor availability . the sct enters the abort mode as a result of an unsuccessful call origination attempt or an unexpected call teardown sequence . during the abort mode , a reorder is sent to the handset . the sct monitors the subscriber telephone interface for a disconnect ( extended on - hook ), at which time the subscriber unit enters the idle mode . base station requests received over the radio control channel ( rcc ) are rejected until the disconnect is detected . the cct 92 operates as a link level channel controller in the baseband software . the cct has three fundamental states : rcc operation , refinement , and voice operation . at power up , the cct enters the rcc operation state to search for and then support the rcc channel . the rcc operation includes the following functions : am hole control ; monitoring sync and modem task status ; radio channel timing adjustment ; rx rcc message filtering ; tx rcc message formatting ; monitoring the pcm buffer i / o ; and link information processing . after a voice connection is established , the cct enters the refinement state to fine tune the modem &# 39 ; s fractional timing . refinement includes the following functions ; interpreting and responding to refinement bursts ; creating and formatting tx refinement bursts ; forwarding messages to the sct as appropriate ; monitoring the modem status ; and monitoring the pcm buffer i / o . following refinement , the cct begins voice operation , which includes the following functions : code word signalling support ; dropout recovery ; monitoring sync and modem status ; and monitoring the pcm buffer i / o . the cct 92 has three fundamental states of operation : idle , refinement and voice . the following is a walk through of the state transitions involved in cct operation . after a reset the cct enters the idle state and remains inactive until given channel assignment instructions by the sct . the sct provides the cct with a frequency upon which to search for the radio control channel ( rcc ). the cct then instructs the mpt to synchronize the receiver to the given frequency and to search for an am hole . failure to detect an am hole within a predetermined time period causes the cct to request another frequency upon which to search from the sct . this continues indefinitely until the am hole detection is successful . following a successful am hole detection , the cct begins to check received data for the unique word . a small window around the nominal unique word position is scanned since the am hole detection process may be off by a few symbol times . once the unique word is located and the crc error detection word is verified correct , the exact receive symbol timing can be determined . the tdm framing markers are then adjusted to the correct alignment and normal rcc support begins . if the unique word cannot be located , the am hole detection is considered false and the cct requests a new frequency assignment from the sct . during rcc operation the cct filters received rcc messages . the majority of the base station &# 39 ; s rcc messages are null patterns and these are discarded after link information is read from the link byte . rcc messages that contain real information are forwarded to the sct for processing . if rcc synchronization is lost , the cct again requests a new frequency from the sct . the sct will respond with the correct frequency according to the rcc frequency search algorithm . when the sct initiates a voice call , the cct is assigned a voice channel and time slot . the cct brings the subscriber unit active according to this assignment and begins the refinement process . during refinement , the base and subscriber units transmit a bpsk signal specifically designed to assist the modem in fractional bit time acquisition . the base station ccu relays the bit timing offset back to the subscriber unit as a two &# 39 ; s complement adjustment value . the cct maintains a time average of these fedback offsets . once the cct determines that the fractional timing value is within a required tolerance , it adjusts the subscriber unit &# 39 ; s transmit timing accordingly . the length of the time average is determined dynamically , depending upon the variance of the fractional time samples . after a timing adjustment , the time average is reset and the procedure is repeated . once the base station detects that the subscriber unit is within an acceptable timing tolerance , it terminates the refinement process and voice operation begins . the length of the refinement process is determined dynamically , depending upon the success of the subscriber unit &# 39 ; s timing adjustments . power and integer symbol timing are also monitored and adjusted as necessary during the refinement process . if the subscriber fails to find the base station &# 39 ; s refinement bursts after a period of time , or if the refinement process cannot yield acceptable timing , the connection is broken and the cct returns to rcc operation . following successful refinement , the cct enters voice operation at the assigned modulation level . the voice operation tasks include controlling relp and mpt operations , establishing voice synchronization and continuously monitoring the voice code words sent from the base station . local loop control changes , signalled via the code words , are reported to the sct as they occur . power and fractional timing incremental changes are also determined from the code words . transmitted voice code words are formulated by the cct based upon the local loop control provided by the sct and the channel link quality reported by the modem . the cct returns to the rcc when the sct executes a call teardown sequence . if voice synchronization is lost , the cct initiates a fade recovery operation . after ten seconds of failure to reestablish a good voice connection , the cct informs the sct of the condition , initiating a call teardown . this returns the cct to the idle state . during a channel test operation , a voice burst is replaced with channel test data . when a burst has just been received , it is analyzed for bit errors . the bit error count is passed to the base station via the reverse channel bursts . the spt 93 performs all of the digital signal processing ( dsp ) tasks within the subscriber unit . the various dsp functions are invoked as required , under the control of the supervisor module 95 . the spt includes a relp module which is executed from a high speed ram . the relp module performs relp speech compression and expansion with echo cancellation . the relp module transforms 180 byte blocks of 64 kbps pcm voice data to and from 42 bytes of compressed voice data using the relp algorithm . the spt also includes a signal processing control ( spc ) module , which determines if tone generation or relp should be invoked . if relp , spc determines whether to call the synthesis or analysis routines . the synthesis routine returns a parity error count , which is handled by the sptctl routine . if tone generation is required , it determines whether to output silence or reorder . the spt is controlled via commands from the sct and the cct . these commands invoke and control the operation of the various functions within the spt as they are required by the subscriber unit . relp and echo cancellation software , for example , are only executed when the subscriber unit is active on a voice call . call progress tones are generated anytime the subscriber unit &# 39 ; s receiver is off hook and relp is not active . the tones include silence and reorder . except for the idle mode , the interrupt service routine handling the pcm codec operates continuously as a foreground process , filling the circular pcm buffer . the control and modem functions are performed in between the analysis and synthesis processing . the mpt 94 demodulation procedure is divided into two procedures : demoda & amp ; demodb , thus allowing the relp synthesis to be executed on the rx data in buffer a right after the demoda procedure is completed . after demoda all internal ram variables should be stored in external ram , then reloaded to internal ram before performing demodb . this is because relp uses the internal ram . when the rxclk interrupt on line 26 c is received by the processor chip 12 , the mpt causes four received rx data samples to be read and then placed in a circular buffer , for processing by the demodulation procedure . this allows other tasks to be performed while receiving rx samples . the mpt receives the rxclk interrupt signal on line 26 c from the fir chip 16 every 62 . 5 . mu . sec during the receive slot . the rxclk interrupt signal is masked by the processor chip firmware during idle or transmit slots . the mpt receives the txclk interrupt signal on line 26 c from the fir chip 16 only during the transmit slot . the txclk interrupt signal tells the processor chip 12 when to send a new tx symbol to the fir chip . the mpt reads four samples from the rx sample buffer 35 in the fir chip 16 during each rxclk interrupt on line 26 c . the mpt resets the input and output address counters to the buffer at the start of the receive slot . the mpt sends tx symbols to the tx symbol buffer 36 in the fir chip 16 . the mpt provides the data to the fractional timing circuit in the rx timing module 39 in the fir chip 16 that is used to align the rxclk interrupt signal on line 26 c with the base station transmission . the mpt also synchronizes the dds frequency to the base station transmit frequency . referring to fig5 the mpt includes the following modules : a supervisor module 101 , a training module 102 , a frequency acquisition module 103 , a bit synchronization module 104 , a voice demodulation module 105 , a symbol receive module 106 , and a transmit module 107 . the supervisor module 101 is the mpt task supervisor . it reads the mpt control word ( ctrl0 ) from the ram , and calls other routines according to the control word . the training module 102 computes a vector of 28 complex fir filter coefficients . it is activated in the idle mode after power up and about every three hours . a training transmitter implemented by the mpt is activated in a loopback mode to send a certain sequence of symbols . this sequence is looped back to a training receiver implemented by the mpt , in a normal mode , in advanced and delayed timing modes , and in upper and lower adjacent channels . the training receiver uses the samples of the input waveform to create a positive definite symmetric matrix a of order 28 . also a 28 - word vector v is created from the input samples . the coefficients vector c is given by : the b coefficient is then calculated according to the algorithm : b = a − 1 given a . the training transmitter is activated in the loopback mode to transmit five similar pairs of sequences . each pair consists of the following two sequences : the “ i ” can be any symbol . the “ j ” is a symbol that differs from “ i ” by 90 degrees . adjust the agc so that the signal peak in the normal mode is 50 to 70 % of the maximum . the agc is increased by 23 db for the 4th and 5th modes . read and store the input samples . the first 32 samples are discarded and the next 64 samples are stored , for each sequence . build the matrix a ( 28 , 28 ). the following process is done in the normal mode : a ( i , j )= a ( i , j )+ σ x ( 4 n − i )· x ( 4 n − j ) { eq . 11 } for the advanced and delayed sequences , the same process is performed except that the term resulting from n = 8 is not added . in the upper and lower adjacent channel channel sequences , the following process is performed : a ( i , j )= a ( i , j )+ σ x ( 2 n − i )· x ( 2 n − j ) { eq . 13 } create the vector v ( 1 : 28 ) from the samples of the first pair of sequences : these processing steps are more fully described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 644 , 561 issued feb . 17 , 1987 to eric paneth , david n . critchlow and moshe yehushua . the frequency acquisition module 103 is run when receiving the control channel , in order to synchronize the subscriber unit rx frequency to the base station transmit frequency . this is done by adjusting the dds cw output until the energies of the received signal &# 39 ; s two sidebands are equal . afterwards , the dds tx frequencies are adjusted according to the computed frequency deviation . if the procedure fails to achieve frequency sync , an appropriate error code is placed in the status word . the bit synchronization module 104 is run when receiving the rcc and after completing the frequency acquisition . a certain pattern is transmitted in the first 44 symbols in the rcc transmission from the base station , and this is used by this module to compute the rxclk deviation from the correct sampling time . this deviation is used to adjust the rxclk timing . the voice demodulation module 105 is activated to demodulate a voice slot . it is resident in the slow eprom and its functions are divided between two procedures demoda and demodb . the demoda functions include initializing parameters for the symbol receive module 106 ; calling the symbol receive module to process the received symbols for buffer a ; and storing the variables in external ram before exiting . the demoob functions include loading the variables from external ram to internal ram ; calling the symbol receive module to process the received symbols for buffer b ; and determining link quality and other information after receiving all the symbols in the slot . the symbol receive module 106 is uploaded to the ram when the cct goes to the voice mode . it is called by demoda or demodb to perform the following : ( 1 ) read i and q samples from the circular buffer ; ( 2 ) fir filtering of the i & amp ; q samples ; ( 3 ) determine the transmitted symbols and and put them in a buffer ; ( 4 ) execute a phase - lock - loop to synchronize the dds to the incoming signal ; ( 5 ) execute the bit tracking algorithm ; ( 6 ) agc calculation ; and ( 7 ) accumulate data for link quality calculation . the transmit module 107 includes the interrupt service routine for the txclk interrupt signal received on line 26 c from the fir chip 16 , which occurs once per two symbols during a transmit slot . the functions of the transmit module 107 include : ( 1 ) unpacking the transmit symbol from the relp buffer ; ( 2 ) performing an inverse gray coding on it ; ( 3 ) adding it to the previous transmitted phase ( because of the dpsk transmission ); and ( 4 ) sending it to the tx buffer in the fir chip 16 . the interface of the mpt to the baseband tasks is accomplished via control and status words and data buffers in the shared memory . procedures requiring fast execution are uploaded into the cache memory when needed . these include the interrupt service routines symbol demodulation , rcc acquisition ; and bpsk demodulation . the mpt supervisor will not wait for rxsos to read and decode the control word , but will do that immediately when it is called . the tms320c25 goes to a powerdown mode when executing the idle instruction . in order to conserve power the firmware will be in the idle mode most of the time , when there is no phone call in progress . so after a reset the supervisor will acquire rcc sync then go to idle mode until a predetermined interrupt causes a corresponding service routine to be executed . when operated in the powerdown mode , the tms320c25 enters a dormant state and requires only a fracion of the power normally needed to supply the device . while in powerdown mode , all of the internal contents of the processor are maintained to allow operation to continue unaltered when the powerdown mode is terminated . upon receipt of an interrupt the processor chip 12 terminates the powerdown mode temporally and resumes normal operation for a minimum time of one main loop cycle . the requirements of the powerdown mode are checked at end of main loop every time to determine whether or not the subscriber unit to return to the powerdown mode . the slot clock is based on the hardware generated slot timing . when a slot marker triggers an interrupt , the routine increments the clock by one tick . each clock tick represents 11 . 25 ms in time . the receive and transmit functions of the uart are not interrupt driven , but are controlled by the background software ( this controls processor loading and prevents runaway interrupt conditions ). the processing code supports the xon / xoff protocol by intercepting these characters directly and immediately enabling or disabling uart transmission as appropriate . the rate of the receive and transmit operation is designed to be selective by an external dip switch device . the typical data reception rate is at 9600 baud . a circular buffer is used to control the uart &# 39 ; s transmission . the background software periodically checks the queue and initiates transmission if it is not empty . it does this by sending bytes to the uart one byte at a time until the queue is empty . the switch hook is sampled with the tms320c25 internal timer interrupt routine . to simulate dc signalling , a 1 . 5 ms sample period is used . this interrupt is aligned to frame timing at the beginning of each frame therefore its frequency is phase locked to the base station to prevent underrun or overflow of the switch hook buffer . for each interrupt , a bit representing the switch hook detect signal ( from the slic ) is entered in the 60 - bit switch hook sample buffer ( ssb ). the ssb is examined by the sct once every 45 ms during normal operation . this interrupt is enabled by the software at all times . | 7 |
the side dump body of this invention is referred generally by the reference numeral 10 and comprises one or more side dump units 12 mounted on a frame means 14 which may be incorporated into a trailer or into which is commonly called a straight truck . although the drawings illustrate the side dump body being mounted on a trailer 16 , the side dump body could be mounted on a truck as described . frame means 14 normally comprises a pair of longitudinally extending frame members 18 and 20 which are conventionally supported on a running gear 22 . for purposes of description , the frame means 14 will be described as including a forward end 24 , rearward end 26 , and opposite sides 28 and 30 . although the drawings illustrate the side dump bodies being able to be dumped to the driver &# 39 ; s side of the truck or trailer , the side dump bodies could easily be modified so as to dump to the passenger side of the truck or trailer . inasmuch as each of the side dump units 12 are identical , only a single side dump unit 12 will be described in detail . side dump unit 12 includes a body or tub 32 including a bottom wall 34 , rear wall 36 , front wall 38 , and side walls 40 and 42 . each of the walls 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 and 42 are vertically disposed and are preferably comprised of a high tensile strength steel material having a thickness of approximately 0 . 07 inches . the walls 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 and 42 may be secured together by any convenient means , but it is preferred that they be secured together by an adhesive or glue material to eliminate the need for welding the same together . bottom wall 34 is provided with an elongated , rectangular - shaped opening 44 formed therein which extends between side walls 40 and 42 , as illustrated in fig3 . reinforcing posts 46 and 48 are secured to the inside surfaces of rear wall 36 and front wall 38 by any convenient means such as by glue or the like and are preferably constructed of a steel material . the posts 46 and 48 have openings 50 and 52 formed therein , respectively , adjacent the upper ends thereof which communicate with openings formed in the rear wall 36 and the front wall 38 , respectively , for receiving pivot pins 54 and 56 therein , respectively . preferably , a steel angle member 58 is secured to the lower edge of rear wall 36 and the rearward end of floor 34 by any convenient means such as by glue or adhesive . similarly , angle members 60 and 60 ′ are secured to the lower ends of side wall 40 and one side of bottom 34 by glue or adhesive . preferably , steel angle members are also provided between the lower end of side wall 42 and the side of 34 and a steel angle member is provided at the lower end of front wall 38 and the forward end of bottom 34 . preferably , an elongated steel stiffening member 62 is secured to the outer upper surface of side wall 40 by glue or adhesive and an elongated steel stiffening member 64 is secured to the upper inner surface of side wall 42 by glue or adhesive . preferably , a pair of elongated support members 68 are secured to the underside of bottom wall 34 at the side edges of the rectangular opening 44 by glue or adhesive . preferably , a pair of elongated , longitudinally extending support members or stiffening members 66 and 68 are secured to the underside of bottom wall 34 by glue or adhesive and extend between rear wall 36 and front wall 38 . the numeral 70 refers to a hollow , steel casing member which is positioned in tub 32 over opening 44 . casing member 70 includes a front wall 72 , a back wall 74 , a tapered or inclined top wall 76 extending between the upper ends of walls 72 and 74 , ends 78 and 80 , and an open lower end 82 . ends 78 and 80 of casing member 70 are secured to the inside surfaces of walls 42 and 40 , respectively , by any convenient means such as glue or adhesive . the lower ends of walls 72 and 74 are secured to the bottom wall 34 by any convenient means such as glue or adhesive . reinforcing plates 84 and 86 are secured to the inside surfaces of walls 72 and 74 , respectively , adjacent the upper ends thereof inwardly of end 80 . plates 84 and 86 are provided with openings 88 and 90 formed therein , respectively , adapted to receive pivot pin 126 therein which extends therebetween . the numeral 94 refers to a pivot pin support assembly or end pivot support assembly which is provided at the rearward and forward ends of the tub 32 . each of the pivot pin support assemblies 94 includes a mounting plate 96 which is secured to the outside surfaces of frame member 18 by bolts or the like . as seen in fig3 , the pivot pin support assembly 94 includes support plates 97 and 98 which are welded together with the lower ends thereof being welded to plate 96 . the upper ends 99 and 100 of plates 97 and 98 have a bushing 102 mounted therein which is adapted to receive the pivot pin 54 which extends through bushing 102 and the opening 50 in post 46 . the pivot pin support assembly 94 which is positioned at the forward side of front wall 38 also has a bushing 102 provided at the upper outer end thereof which is adapted to receive the pivot pin 56 which is adapted to be received in the opening 52 of post 48 . if a body 32 is positioned forwardly of the forward pivot pin assembly 94 illustrated in fig3 , the pivot pin 76 would be received by the opening 50 in the post 46 in the container 32 positioned forwardly thereof . the numeral 104 refers to a support brace which extends between the upper end of support assembly 94 and a cross member 105 which is secured to frame members 16 and 18 and extends therebetween . the lower end of brace 104 is secured to cross member 105 by pin p 1 . the upper end of brace 104 has a bushing b which receives the pin 54 the numeral 110 refers to a cylinder base assembly having plates 112 and 114 at the opposite ends thereof which are secured to the frame members 18 and 20 , respectively , by bolts or the like . the number 115 refers to a support which is secured to the outside of frame 18 . the upper end of support 115 is provided with spaced - apart bushings 116 and 118 which are adapted to receive the pivot pin 92 therein . the base end 120 of hydraulic cylinder 122 is pivotally secured to the cylinder base assembly 110 by means of a pivot pin 111 . the rod end 124 of cylinder 122 is pivotally connected to the plates 84 and 86 by means of the pivot pin 126 extending therethrough and through the openings 88 and 90 in plates 84 and 86 , respectively . brace 128 has its lower end 130 secured to cylinder base assembly 110 by pin 132 . brace 128 has its upper end 134 secured to bushings 116 and 118 by pin 136 . if more than one of the bodies 32 are being utilized , a single pivot pin assembly 94 will be positioned between the bodies 32 . the fact that the walls and bottom of the tub 32 are glued together eliminates the need of welding the same together which not only reduces the weight of the tub but also results in the reduction of time and labor associated with the welding process . the fact that the walls and bottom are secured together by glue or adhesive also ensures that the tub will be leakproof . extension of the hydraulic cylinder 122 causes the body 32 to pivotally move from the solid line transport position of fig6 to the dotted line dumping position illustrated in fig7 . retraction of the hydraulic cylinder 122 causes the body 32 to be pivotally moved from the dotted line dumping position of fig7 to the transport position of fig6 . the fact that a single hydraulic cylinder 122 is required to pivotally move the body 32 eliminates the need of a second cylinder as is shown in applicant &# 39 ; s earlier patents which therefore reduces the cost and weight of the tub . if it is desired to increase the height of the body 32 , additional end wall sections and side wall sections may be glued to the upper end of the tub 32 , as illustrated by the broken lines in fig7 . preferably , the wall sections which are added to the existing wall sections will be six inches high or nine inches high or any number or combination thereof . the six inch sections are referred to by the reference letter a while the nine inch sections are referred to by the reference letter b . it is preferred that the upper ends of the end walls be cured to facilitate the extension of tarps thereover . thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives . | 1 |
fig1 illustrates a system s according to the present invention which includes a derrick 1 that extends vertically over a wellbore 2 . a tubular work string 3 extends into the wellbore 2 , and extends from the earth &# 39 ; s surface to a desired depth within the wellbore . a flow line 4 a is connected to the tubular work string 3 . a flow line 4 b is connected to annular space 5 formed between the outer surface of tubular work string 3 and the inner surface of wellbore 2 . drilling fluid ( or “ mud ”) for the system in a mud pit 6 is circulated through the overall mud system via a mud pump 7 . during typical drilling operations , fluid is pumped into the tubular work string 3 by the mud pump 7 through the flow line 4 a , circulated out a bottom end 3 a of the tubular work string 3 ( e . g ., but not limited to , out from a drill bit 9 ), up an annulus 5 of the wellbore 2 , and out of the annulus 5 via the flow line 4 b . spent ( or used ) fluid mud exiting the wellbore annulus 5 through the flow line 4 b includes drilling fluid , drill cuttings , lost circulation material ( and / or material of similar size ), and other debris encountered in the wellbore 2 . accordingly , the spent drill cuttings mixture leaving the well is directed to a separation device , such as one or more shale shakers 8 according to the present invention . the combined mixture of drilling fluid , added material ( e . g . solids and / or lost circulation material , etc . ), debris , and drilled cuttings are directed to the shale shakers 8 . liquid drilling fluid passes through screens 8 a , 8 b , 8 c , 8 d which are at four different levels of the shale shakers 8 and is directed into the mud pit 6 ( or the two lowermost screens are at the same level each receiving a portion of flow from the screen 8 b ). drill cuttings and other solids pass over the screens 8 a - 8 d of the shale shakers 8 and are discharged ( arrows 8 e , 8 f , 8 h ). with the proper selection of screen mesh for the screen 8 b , lost circulation material ( with some material of similar size , if present ) is separated by and discharged from the top of the screen 8 b ( see arrow 8 f ). the recovered lost circulation material ( and / or material of similar size ) flows and / or is pumped to a reservoir or to a further processing apparatus 8 k . optionally , the shale shakers 8 are like any other shale shaker disclosed herein according to the present invention . referring now to fig1 a , a shale shaker h according to the present invention has screens a 1 , a 2 , a 3 , a 4 , each of which is , according to the present invention , at one of four different levels ( with screen or screening cloth or mesh as desired ). the screens are mounted on vibratable screen mounting apparatus or “ basket ” b . the screens a 1 , a 2 , a 3 , a 4 , according to the present invention , may be any suitable known screen or screens , with the screen a 2 ( or the screens a 2 and a 3 ) used to separate lost circulation material ( and / or material of similar size ). the basket b is mounted on springs c ( only two shown ; two as shown are on the opposite side ) which are supported from a frame d . the basket b is vibrated by a motor and interconnected vibrating apparatus e which is mounted on the basket b for vibrating the basket and the screens . elevator apparatus f provides for raising and lowering of the basket end . fluid passing through the screens a 1 , a 2 , a 3 , a 4 flows into a receptacle r beneath the bottom screen a 4 . in certain aspects screen a 1 has the coarsest mesh of all the screens and acts as a scalping screen and the screens a 3 and a 4 provide fine screening . the exit feeds from the top sides of the screens a 1 , a 3 , a 4 may go to disposal or may be directed as described below for any embodiment of the present invention . the lost circulation material recovered from the top of the screen a 2 ( or , optionally , from the tops of the screens a 2 and a 3 ) may be flowed , processed and treated as described for any embodiment of the present invention . as shown , the screens a 3 , a 4 operate in series , i . e ., the underflow from the screen a 3 flows down to the screen a 4 . optionally , the screens a 3 , a 4 may be operated in parallel with each receiving a portion of screen a 2 &# 39 ; s underflow . fig2 a and 2b show a system 10 according to the present invention which includes a shale shaker 12 with a base 14 and a screen - supporting basket 16 . a vibrator apparatus 18 vibrates the basket 16 and screens mounted in it . four spaced - apart screens 21 - 24 are mounted in the basket 16 at different levels ( e . g . spaced - apart six to eight inches ) or put another way , at four different heights in the basket . in one particular embodiment the screen 21 is a scalping screen which , in one particular aspect removes relatively large pieces of material , e . g . with mesh sized so that pieces ⅛ ″ and 1 / 64 ″ is used . in one aspect , the screen 21 has a mesh size such that pieces greater than 1 / 16 ″ are removed ( and pieces of , among other things , solids and / or lost circulation material that are 1 / 16 ″ or smaller in largest dimension pass through the screen 21 ( e . g ., but not limited to graphite ball lost circulation material that are 1 / 16 ″ in largest dimension or slightly smaller ). the screen 22 has a mesh size as chosen for removing material of a certain largest dimension or larger , including , but not limited to solids , debris , drilled cuttings , desirable additives , and / or lost circulation material . in one aspect the mesh size is chosen in cooperation with the mesh size of the screen 21 so that the screen 22 removes lost circulation material ( and solids or pieces of similar size ) and , in one particular aspect the mesh size is chosen so that lost circulation material of a largest dimension of 1 / 16 ″ or greater does not pass through the screen 22 and flows from the top thereof in one aspect such lost circulation material is graphite balls . the screens 23 and 24 further filter out solids from the flow through the screen 22 and , in certain aspects , the screens 23 and 24 act as typical standard fine screening screens used to process a mixture of drilling fluid and solids . the exit streams from screens 21 , 23 , and 24 exit from the tops of their respective screens and flow down to a container , system or apparatus 20 for storage and / or further processing . drilling fluid flowing through the screens flows down to a sump or container 26 and from there to a reservoir or in one aspect , back to an active rig mud system . the exit stream from the screen 22 , in particular aspects , has wet lost circulation material ( or wet lost circulation material along with solids of similar size ) of at least 50 % by volume ; and in one particular aspect at least 75 % lost circulation material by volume ( in one example , the output is 50 % lost circulation material and 50 % solids of similar size ). in certain aspects , screen mesh size is chosen so that a relatively large percentage of the flow off the top of the screen is lost circulation material , e . g . by volume , up to 50 %, 75 %, or up to 90 %. fluid with some solids therein ( including the lost circulation material of a certain size , if present ) that flows through the screen 21 is directed to the screen 22 by a flowback barrier ( or plate ) 31 . optionally , the flowback barrier 31 is eliminated . the material ( including lost circulation material of a certain size , if present ) that exits from the top of the screen 22 is transferred to a reclamation system 40 ( which , in one aspect , is , has or includes an auger apparatus 42 for moving solids to and / or from the reclamation apparatus ). fluid with solids that flows through the screen 22 is directed to the screens 23 and 24 by a flowback barrier or plate 32 , a flow channel 32 a , and a weir 32 b . fluid with solids that flows through the screen 23 is directed to the sump 26 through a channel 51 by a flowback barrier 33 and a channel 33 a . when the level of fluid ( with material therein ) exceeds the height of the weir 32 b , part of the flow from the screen 22 flows into the flow channel 50 bypassing the screen 23 and flowing to the screen 24 ( thus , the screens 23 , 24 in this manner operate in parallel ). fluid flowing through the screen 24 flows into the sump 26 . optionally , the screen 21 includes an end weir 21 w and fluid and material on top of the screen 21 in a pool 21 p that exceeds the height of the weir 21 w bypasses the screen 21 and flows to the screen 22 via a channel 17 . the flowback barriers extend under substantially all of the surface of the particular screens under which they are located . any one , two , or three of the flowback barriers can , optionally , be eliminated . the screens 21 - 24 are at typical screen tilt angles , e . g . between 6 degrees to 12 degrees from the horizontal and in one aspect , about 8 degrees . a shale shaker 10 a shown in fig2 c is like the system 10 , fig2 a ( and like numerals indicate like parts ). two screens , the screens 22 and 23 , are used in the shale shaker 10 a to remove lcm material ( and / or material of similar size ) . the two screens 22 , 23 act in parallel with flow from the upper screen 21 flowing both to the screen 22 and , over a weir 22 w , to the screen 23 . fluid flowing through the screen 22 flows to a channel 50 a and then down to the screen 24 as does fluid flowing through the screen 23 . fig3 a and 3b show a shaker system 10 b like the system 10 , fig2 a ( like numerals indicate like parts ). the shaker 10 b has a collection chute 60 which receives material from top of a screen 21 a ( like the screen 21 , fig2 a ) and from which the material flows down to a cuttings ditch , pit , or collector 19 . an auger system 70 receives material from the top of a screen 22 a ( like the screen 22 ) and augers the material into a conduit 70 a from which it flows to storage or further processing apparatus 70 b . the flows from the tops of screens 23 a ( like screen 23 ) and 24 a ( like screen 24 ) flow to the cuttings ditch ( etc .) 19 . fluid flowing through the screens flows to a sump 26 a ( like the sump 26 ). in one aspect , the screen 22 a is used to recover lcm ( and / or material of similar size ), optionally , as in fig2 c , both screens 22 a and 23 a are used to recover lcm ( and / or material of similar size ). material recovered from the top of a second screen in systems according to the present invention ( e . g . from the top of the screen 8 b , 21 or 21 a ) can , according to the present invention , be sent to additional treatment apparatus for further processing ; including , but not limited to , a sprinkle - wash system for solids recovery , centrifuge ( s ), hydrocyclone ( s ), and / or magnetic separation apparatus . this material from the tops of these screens is , in one aspect , lost circulation material . in one aspect , considering the totality ( 100 %) of the lost circulation material in a drilling fluid mixture fed to a top scalping screen of a system according to the present invention , about 97 % of this lost circulation material flows to the second screen and about 95 % ( 95 % of the original totality of the material ) is recovered from the top of the second screen ; or optionally , a combination of similar sized material , including both lcm and other material is recovered . fig4 a and 4b illustrate a quad - tier system 100 according to the present invention which has screen decks 101 , 102 , 103 , and 104 . a feed 105 of a drilling fluid mixture is fed onto a first deck 101 with a plurality of screens 101 a , 101 b , 101 c ( may be any suitable number of screens ). drilling fluid ( with some solids ) flowing through the screens 101 a - 101 c flows to a chute 106 and from there down to the deck 102 . overflow 107 from the deck 101 flows over a weir 108 ( of a pre - determined height ) down to the deck 102 . oversized material 109 flows off the top of the screen 101 c . drilling fluid with some solids flowing through screens 102 a ( four shown ; may be any suitable number of screens ) flows to chutes 116 and from there to the deck 103 . oversize material 119 flows off the tops of screens 102 a . a weir 118 prevents any overflow from the top of the screens 102 a from flowing down to the deck 103 . drilling fluid with some solids flowing through screens 103 a ( size shown ; may be any number ) of the deck 103 flows to a diverter 126 and from there to a collection structure , e . g . a tank , sump or receptacle . overflow from the top of the screens 103 a flows to a channel apparatus 128 and from there to a channel apparatus 138 which directs this flow to the top of the deck 104 . oversized material 129 flows off the tops of end screens 103 a . drilling fluid flowing through screens 104 a ( four shown ; any number may be used ) flows down to chutes 136 and then to the tank , sump , or receptacle . oversized material 139 flows off tops of end screens 104 a . the oversized material flows , 109 , 119 , 129 and 139 flow to typical collection sump , pit tank , or receptacle or storage apparatus and / or to subsequent processing apparatus . in one particular aspect of the system 100 , the deck 101 is a coarse screening deck ( e . g . but not limited to the screen 8 a , screen a 1 , screen 21 or screen 21 a ); the deck 102 is a medium mesh screening deck ( e . g . but not limited to , like the screen 8 b , screen a 2 , screen 22 , or screen 22 a ); the deck 103 is a medium or fine screening deck ( e . g ., but not limited to , like the screen 8 c , screen a 3 , screen 23 or screen 23 a ); and the deck 104 is a fine screening deck ( e . g ., but not limited to , like the screen 8 d , screen a 4 , screen 24 or screen 24 a ). fig5 a and 5b illustrate a system 200 according to the present invention which is , in some ways , like the system 100 , fig4 a . in the system of fig4 a underflow from the deck 102 flows to both the deck 103 and the deck 104 . in the system 200 flow from the deck 101 flows to both the deck 102 and the deck 103 , with underflow from both of these decks flowing to the deck 104 . drilling fluid with some solids ( underflow from the deck 101 ) flows from the deck 101 down to the deck 102 . overflow from the deck 102 flows via the channel apparatus 128 a and channel apparatus 204 to the deck 103 . underflow from the deck 102 flows to the chutes 116 and is diverted to the deck 104 by a diverter 202 ( with handles 203 ) and via a channel apparatus 206 and a channel apparatus 208 to the deck 104 . in one aspect the diverter 202 is connected to the channel apparatus 204 ( indicated by the wavy lines on both ). underflow having passed through the deck 103 and chutes 116 a ( like the chutes 116 ) is diverted by a diverter 202 a ( like the diverter 202 ) to the deck 104 . underflow having passed through the deck 104 flows to the chutes 136 and then to collection , storage , tank , or receptacle . the various chutes , diverters , and channel apparatuses in the systems 100 and 200 are interchangeable , in one aspect , so that series or parallel flow to and from one or more selected decks is facilitated . in certain aspects , the chutes , diverters and channel apparatuses are made of metal , plastic , or composite material . in the system 100 , fig4 a , the channel apparatus 128 has three flow passages 128 a , 128 b , 128 c . the diverter 126 has two flow passages 126 a , 126 b . the channel apparatus 138 has flow passages 138 a , 138 b , 138 c . in the system 200 , fig5 a , the channel apparatus 128 a has flow channels 128 c , 128 d . the channel apparatus 204 has flow passage 204 a , 204 b . the channel apparatus 206 has flow passages 206 a , 206 b . the channel apparatus 208 has flow passages 208 a , 208 b . the present invention , therefore , provides in at least certain embodiments , a system for processing a mixture of drilling fluid and solid material to separate at least one component of the mixture by size from the mixture , the system including a vibratable basket ; a sump at a bottom of the basket ; a plurality of spaced - apart screens including a first screen deck , a second screen deck positioned below the first screen , a third screen deck positioned below the second screen deck , and a fourth screen deck positioned below the third screen ; the screens mounted in the vibratable basket and vibratable therewith ; the first screen deck having screen mesh of a first size to remove from a top of the first screen deck solids from the mixture with a largest dimension equal to and larger than a first dimension so that material with a largest dimension smaller than the first dimension is passable down through the first screen deck ; the second screen deck having screen mesh of a second size to remove from a top of the second screen solids from the mixture passing to the second screen deck from the first screen deck which have a largest dimension equal to or larger than the second size so that material with a largest dimension smaller than the second size is passable down through the second screen deck , material and fluid passing through the second screen deck comprising a secondary flow ; diversion apparatus connected to the basket positioned for providing at least a portion of the secondary flow to the third screen deck and , selectively , a portion of the secondary flow to the fourth screen deck ; the third screen deck having screen mesh of a third size , and the fourth screen deck having screen mesh of a fourth size for removing solids from the secondary flow on the top of the third screen deck and from the top of the fourth screen deck ; and drilling fluid flowing through the first screen deck , the second screen deck and one of the third screen deck and fourth screen deck flowing down into the sump . such a system may have one or some , in any possible combination , of the features and aspects described above for any system according to the present invention . the present invention , therefore , provides in at least certain embodiments , a system for processing a mixture of drilling fluid and solid material to separate at least one component of the mixture by size from the mixture , the system including : a vibratable basket ; a sump at a bottom of the basket ; a plurality of spaced - apart screens including a first screen deck , a second screen deck positioned below the first screen , a third screen deck positioned below the second screen deck , and a fourth screen deck positioned below the third screen ; the screens mounted in the vibratable basket and vibratable therewith ; the first screen deck having screen mesh of a first size to remove from a top of the first screen solids from the mixture with a largest dimension equal to and larger than a first dimension so that material with a largest dimension smaller than the first dimension is passable down through the first screen deck ; the second screen deck having screen mesh of a second size to remove from a top of the second screen solids from the mixture passing to the second screen deck from the first screen deck which have a largest dimension equal to or larger than the second size so that material with a largest dimension smaller than the second size is passable down through the second screen deck , material and fluid passing through the second screen deck comprising a secondary flow ; diversion apparatus connected to the basket positioned for providing at least a portion of the secondary flow to the third screen deck and , selectively , a portion of the secondary flow to the fourth screen deck ; the third screen deck having screen mesh of a third size , and the fourth screen deck having screen mesh of a fourth size for removing solids from the secondary flow on the top of the third screen deck and from the top of the fourth screen deck ; drilling fluid flowing through the first screen deck , the second screen deck and one of the third screen deck and fourth screen - deck flowing - down into the sump ; wherein the first screen deck is a scalping deck ; wherein the screen mesh of a second size is suitable for removing solids the size of lost circulation material , said solids including pieces of lost circulation material and pieces of material other than lost circulation material ; the drilling fluid mixture introduced to the system to be treated by the system includes a first amount of lost circulation material ; the second deck is able to remove a second amount of lost circulation material ; the second amount at least 75 % of the first amount ; and reclamation apparatus for receiving the lost circulation material . the present invention , therefore , provides in at least certain embodiments , a method for treating a mixture of drilling fluid and solid material to separate at least one component of the mixture by size from the mixture , the method including : feeding the mixture to a vibratable basket of a system , the system as any described herein according to the present invention , and the method further including flowing drilling fluid through a first screen deck , a second screen deck and one of a third screen deck and a fourth screen deck of the system down into a sump ; or flowing drilling fluid through a first screen deck , and one of a second screen deck and a third screen deck flowing down into a sump . in conclusion , therefore , it is seen that the present invention and the embodiments disclosed herein and those covered by the appended claims are well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends set forth . certain changes can be made in the subject matter without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention . it is realized that changes are possible within the scope of this invention and it is further intended that each element or step recited in any of the following claims is to be understood as referring to the step literally and / or to all equivalent elements or steps . the following claims are intended to cover the invention as broadly as legally possible in whatever form it may be utilized . the invention claimed herein is new and novel in accordance with 35 u . s . c . § 102 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in § 102 . the invention claimed herein is not obvious in accordance with 35 u . s . c . § 103 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in § 103 . this specification and the claims that follow are in accordance with all of the requirements of 35 u . s . c . § 112 . the inventors may rely on the doctrine of equivalents to determine and assess the scope of their invention and of the claims that follow as they may pertain to apparatus not materially departing from , but outside of , the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims . all patents and applications identified herein are incorporated fully herein for all purposes . in the claims , means - plus - function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents , but also equivalent structures . thus , 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 , in the environment of fastening wooden parts , a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures . it is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke 35 u . s . c . § 112 , paragraph 6 for any limitations of any of the claims herein , except for those in which the claim expressly uses the words ‘ means for ’ together with an associated function . in this patent document , the word “ comprising ” 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 “ a ” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present , unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements . | 1 |
in fig1 and 2 , a continuous glass - melting tank furnace comprises a melting compartment 1 including a tank 2 which is in melt flow communication with a tank 3 of a refining compartment 4 via a submerged throat 5 beneath a wall structure 6 which constitutes the downstream end wall of the melting tank 2 and the upstream end wall of the refining tank 3 . on the sole of the refining tank 3 is located a transverse sill 7 which divides the refining tank 3 into upstream and downstream refining cells 8 and 9 . in the embodiment illustrated , the length of the upstream refining cell 8 is greater than its depth , and that length is also greater than the width of the upstream refining cell 8 . at the downstream end of the refining tank 3 is provided a neck 10 giving communication with a conditioning tank 11 whence molten glass may be drawn off and fed to a glass shaping apparatus not shown . such a glass shaping apparatus may , and preferably does , comprise a float chamber and / or a flat glass drawing machine . the outlet of the conditioning tank 11 illustrated is in fact designed for feeding to a float chamber . the shaping apparatus may alternatively , or in addition , take the form of one or more rolling machines for the production of figured glass , or molding machines for the production of glass bottles or other hollow ware . it will however be appreciated that quality requirements for figured glass and hollow ware are not usually so high as those for sheet glass . a second optional sill 12 is provided a short distance downstream of the throat 5 to define a rising passageway 13 through which the melt enters the refining tank 3 . for this purpose , the top of that second sill 12 is located at a level which is higher than the top of the throat 5 . the melt surface level is represented in fig2 by the line 14 . a floater 15 is positioned at the downstream end of the refining compartment 4 in the entrance of the neck 10 . in fig3 and 4 , those parts which are also shown in fig1 or 2 are allotted the same reference numerals . fig3 and 4 also show how the wall structure 6 separates the atmospheres contained by superstructures 16 and 17 respectively of the melting and refining compartments 1 and 4 . also shown is the downstream end burner 18 for each melting compartment 1 , and three transverse burners 19 , 20 , 21 in each refining compartment 4 , of which the downstream one 21 is located over the transverse sill 7 . these burners 19 , 20 , 21 are located and adjusted to maintain a spring zone represented by arrow 22 in the upstream cell 8 of the refining tank 3 which is upstream of the transverse sill 7 , but closer to that sill than to the wall structure 6 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 and 3 , the sole 23 of the melting tank 1 is at the same level as the sole 24 of the upstream cell 8 of the refining tank 3 , upstream of the transverse sill 7 , and this level is slightly higher , for example about 0 . 3 m , than the level of the sole 25 of the refining tank 3 downstream of that transverse sill 7 which continues to form the sole of the neck 10 and the conditioning zone 11 . in operation of the embodiment shown in fig3 there will be a forward flow of melt through the throat 5 and up the rising passage 13 . because of the configuration of this rising passage , there can be substantially no return flow from the refining tank 3 to the melting tank 2 , provided that the refining tank is maintained hotter than the melting tank so that the melt in the refining tank is less dense than that entering it . melt flowing up the rising passage 13 will flow over the second sill 12 as a sub - surface current because it is cooler than the melt which has previously been exposed to the burners 19 to 21 , and it will therefore also form a falling current on the downstream side of that second sill 12 feeding a forward flow of melt in the upstream refining cell 8 between the two sills , leading towards the spring zone 22 . because the melt there is at its hottest and least dense , it will form a rising current which will flow outwards in all directions across the surface of the melt . part of that surface flow will be constituted by return surface currents flowing back towards the wall structure 6 . the angle subtended by the wall structure 6 at the spring zone 22 will clearly be smaller as the spacing between them increases . as a result , the surface return currents directed back towards the wall structure in the embodiment illustrated can have a sufficient component in the longitudinal direction of the furnace to confine against the wall structure any bubbles which rise to the surface of the melt in the upstream refining cell 8 upstream of the spring zone . surface return currents flowing to the wall structure will be cooled slightly by contact with that wall structure and / or by contact with melt entering the upstream refining cell from the melting tank , and they will therefore descend to join freshly introduced melt and circulate back down the second sill 12 and along the sole 24 to the spring zone 22 . surface currents flowing downstream from the spring zone 22 will flow over the transverse sill 7 into the downstream cell 9 of the refining compartment 4 and thence through the neck 10 to the conditioning tank 11 . in the conditioning tank 11 , ( not shown in fig3 ) melt coming into contact with the side and end walls will also be cooled to form sinking currents , and these will feed bottom return currents flowing along the sole 25 . flow of these currents back into the refining tank 3 will be restricted by the presence of the neck 10 , but nevertheless , there will be some melt in these currents which will flow to form a rising current at the downstream side of the transverse sill 7 and this will flow up over that sill and descend to feed the base of the spring zone 22 from the downstream end . the presence of this over sill return current forces a very shallow forward surface current over the sill so that melt in that forward current is well exposed to heat from the downstream burner 21 over the sill 7 . this system of currents promotes good mixing and refining of the melt in the refining tank . in the absence of the optional second sill 12 , melt flowing through the throat 5 will tend to flow as a forward bottom current directly to the base of the spring zone 22 . again return surface currents will be generated and maintained , but since these return currents will not be impeded by the presence of the second sill , they can descend to the base of the wall structure and then join the forward bottom current feeding the base of the spring zone . in this case , there might be a slight return current through the throat . with the presence of the second sill 12 , the sole 24 of the upstream refining cell 8 will tend to be hotter than when that sill is not present . this will of course lead to an increased rate of erosion of the sole 24 , even to such an extend as to shorten its working life to an unacceptable degree . it may not always be possible to compensate for this adequately by reducing the heating of the upstream refining cell 8 having regard to the temperatures which are necessary to effect adequate degassing of the melt . one way of compensating would be to make the sole 24 of a higher grade refractory than would be required if the second sill were not present . another way of compensating would be to drop the level of the sole 24 of the upstream refining cell 8 , for example to the level of the sole 25 of the downstream refining cell 9 . the additional depth of melt in the upstream refining cell 8 would then have an increased shielding effect on the sole 24 against radiant heat from the burners 19 to 21 . in the embodiment of fig4 the sole 23 of the melting tank 2 slopes down at its downstream end as shown at 26 to form a sunken throat 5 , below the level of the sole 24 of the upstream refining cell 8 . that throat sole 27 is connected to the upstream refining cell sole 24 by a wall 28 which , with the wall structure 6 defines a rising passage 13 for the melt to enter the refining tank from the melting tank . a sill 29 is provided in the melting tank 2 at the junction between the horizontal and sloping portions 23 and 26 of the tank sole to encourage a rising flow of melt in the melting tank 2 and thus impede any direct forward bottom flow of partially melted material from the melting tank into the throat . in this embodiment , the flow pattern downstream of the immediate vicinity of the throat is very similar to that of the fig3 embodiment without the optional second sill . it will be noted though that there will be very little , if any , possibility of glass forming a return current flowing back through the throat from the refining tank . it is to be noted that such a second sill could be provided in the embodiment shown in fig4 if desired , for example above the throat end wall 28 . in the fig4 embodiment , the soles 24 , 25 of the upstream and downstream refining cells 8 , 9 are at the same level , a level which is lower , for example 30 cm lower , than the level of the horizontal sole portion 23 of the melting tank . a specific embodiment of continuous glass - melting tank furnace designed in accordance with fig1 to 3 for the production of glass at a rate of 50 tonnes per day has the following dimensions . ______________________________________width of melting tank 2 4 . 0 mwidth of throat 5 0 . 7 mwidth of refining tank 3 4 . 0 mwidth of neck 10 1 . 2 mwidth of conditioning tank 11 3 . 6 mdepth of melting tank 2 0 . 9 mheight of throat 5 0 . 3 mdepth of upstream refining cell 8 0 . 9 mdepth of downstream refining cell 9 1 . 2 mdepth of neck 10 1 . 2 mdepth of conditioning tank 11 1 . 2 mdepth of melt above transverse sill 7 0 . 3 mdepth of melt above second sill 12 0 . 3 mlength of melting tank 2 4 . 5 mlength of throat 5 1 . 2 mlength occupied by passageway 13 0 . 6 mlength occupied by transverse sill 7 0 . 6 mlength between sills of upstream cell 8 3 . 5 mlength occupied by second sill 12 0 . 6 mlength of downstream refining cell 9 4 . 0 mlength of neck 10 3 . 0 mlength of conditioning tank 11 6 . 0 m______________________________________ for the production of highly refined soda - lime glass of ordinary composition , such a furnace may be run with a maximum melt temperature in the melting tank of about 1375 ° c . ( the 2 . 33 temperature ) while the maximum temperature of the melt in the refining tank is about 1475 ° c . ( the 2 . 0 temperature ). in the embodiment shown in fig5 and 6 , the melting compartment 1 is of the end - fired or horseshoe - flame type in which burner ports such as 30 are provided in the charging end wall 31 . a plurality of electrodes 32 are immersed in the melt in the melting tank 2 to provide supplementary heat energy for melting the batch . the sole 23 of the melting tank 2 and the sole 24 of the upstream refining cell 8 are on the same level so the melt enters that refining cell through a straight throat 5 . the sole 25 of the downstream refining cell 9 , the neck 10 and the conditioning tank 11 are also at that same level . the refining compartment 4 is cross - fired by using three burner ports 19 , 20 , 21 at each side . the downstream burner port 21 shown is located above transverse sill 7 separating the upstream and downstream refining cells 8 and 9 . additional heat energy is supplied to the upstream refining cell 8 using booster electrodes 33 projecting upwardly through the sole 24 of that cell , of which one electrode is located substantially in the center of the cell 8 and two are located towards the upstream end wall structure 6 of the refining compartment . the use of such booster electrodes 33 in the upstream refining cell 8 is beneficial for promoting a desirable and stable flow pattern of convection currents in the melt in that cell . the length of the upstream refining cell 8 , that is the distance between the transverse sill 7 and the upstream end wall 6 , is greater than its width , and its width is in turn greater than the depth of melt in that cell . the melting tank 2 and the refining tank 3 have the same width . the depth of melt above the transverse sill 7 is about one quarter of the total depth of melt in the tank furnace . refined melt leaving the downstream refining cell 9 passes beneath floater 15 to enter the neck 10 and thence flows into the conditioning tank 11 to the outlet end of the furnace , here shown as a pouring spout 34 for supplying molten glass to a rolling machine or float chamber ( not shown ). a specific embodiment of continuous glass - melting tank furnace designed in accordance with fig5 and 6 for the production of glass at a rate of 250 tonnes per day has a melting tank 2 which is 89 m 2 ( 8 . 5 m × 10 . 5 m ) in plan area , a refining tank 3 which is 148 m 2 ( 8 . 5 m × 17 . 4 m ) in plan area , and a conditioning tank 11 which is 120 m 2 in plan area . in the furnace of fig7 the melting compartment 1 is cross - fired , and electrodes 32 project up through the sole 23 to provide supplementary energy for melting the batch . the level of the melting tank sole 23 is dropped at its downstream end so that the throat 5 is beneath the level of the melting tank sole . the sole 24 of the upstream refining cell 8 is at the level of the sole of the throat as is the sole 25 of the downstream refining cell and the sole of the neck 10 and conditioning tank 11 . the refining compartment 4 of the furnace of fig7 is broadly similar design to that shown in fig5 and 6 , except for the arrangement of booster electrodes 33 in the upstream refining cell . in fig7 there is a row of four vertical electrodes 33 located closer to the sill 7 than to the upstream end wall 6 . the electrodes 33 may for example be located substantially along the neutral line of the cell 8 , that is , the transverse line passing through the spring zone ( as compared to 22 in fig3 and 4 ). the use of such electrodes promotes upward flow of melt at the spring zone and gives a better definition of , or redefines , the location of that spring zone , thus promoting good mixing and refining of the melt . on leaving the refining tank 3 , the melt enters the neck 10 passing beneath a bridgewall 35 which is clear of the surface of the melt , and then passes to the conditioning tank 11 whence it may be fed to any desired glass shaping apparatus . the length of the upstream refining cell 8 , that is the distance between the transverse sill 7 and the upstream end wall 6 , is greater than its width , and its width is in turn greater than the depth of melt in that cell . the melting tank 2 and the refining tank 3 have the same width . the depth of melt above the transverse sill 7 is about two - fifths of the total depth of melt in the upstream refining cell 8 . a specific embodiment of continuous glass - melting tank furnace designed in accordance with fig7 for the production of glass at a rate of 500 tonnes per day has a melting tank 2 which is 141 m 2 ( 10 m × 14 . 1 m ) in plan area , a refining tank 3 which is 234 m 2 ( 10 m × 23 . 4 m ) in plan area , and a conditioning tank 11 which is 160 m 2 in plan area . in the embodiment of fig8 and 9 , the design of melting compartment 1 is substantially as described with reference to fig1 and 2 . the sole of the entire furnace is at the same level and the melt enters the refining compartment 4 through a straight throat 5 . the refining compartment 4 is of broadly similar design to that described with reference to fig5 and 6 , the main differences being the arrangement of booster electrodes 33 and the provision of gas injectors 36 in the upstream refining cell 8 . along the neutral line of that cell , a row of three gas injectors 36 projects upwardly through the sole 24 . the central injector 36 is located to define the spring zone . vertically spaced pairs 33a , 33b of booster electrodes project into the melt in refining cell 8 through its side walls . at each side of the refining cell , one pair 33a of booster electrodes is located spaced slightly upstream of the neutral line , and the other pair 33b is located spaced slightly downstream of that line . this arrangement of gas injectors and booster electrodes is highly beneficial for obtaining a well - defined spring zone and a stable flow pattern in the melt for good mixing and refining . in a variant , the downstream pairs of booster electrodes 33b are omitted , and in another variant , additional upstream pairs of booster electrodes 33 are provided close to the indicated positions 33a . these arrangements are also highly beneficial for achieving good refining and mixing of the melt . on leaving the refining tank 3 , the melt enters a neck 10 which is narrower than the necks 10 of previously described embodiments . accordingly , no floater 15 or bridgewall 35 is provided at the entrance to the neck 10 in this embodiment . from the neck 10 , the melt passes into a conditioning tank 11 having twin outlets for feeding two glass shaping machines , for example drawing machines . a specific embodiment of continuous glass - melting tank furnace designed in accordance with fig8 and 9 for the production of glass at a rate of 100 tonnes per day has a melting tank 2 which is 36 m 2 ( 6 m × 6 m ) in plan area , and a refining tank 3 which is 59 m 2 ( 6 m × 9 . 8 m ) in plan area . fig1 and 11 illustrate an embodiment of a continuous glass - melting tank furnace which is particularly suitable for the manufacture of glass at rather high production rates , for example 600 tonnes per day . the entire furnace sole is at one level . the melting compartment 1 is of similar design to that described with reference to fig1 and 2 , and the melt passes from the melting tank 2 into the refining tank 3 via a straight throat 5 which is wider than the throats 5 of previously described embodiments . the refining tank 3 is wider than the melting tank 2 . the refining compartment 4 is cross - fired , and because of its high design capacity it is provided with four burner ports at each side . the downstream burner port 21 is located to heat melt downsteam of the transverse sill 7 as well as melt flowing over that sill . the sill 7 occupies some two - thirds of the total depth of the melt , and it is located at a distance from the upstream end wall 6 of the refining tank which is about twice the depth of the melt , and approximately five - sixths of the width of the refining tank . a row of four gas injectors 36 is arranged along the neutral line of the upstream refining cell 8 . a staggered transverse row of three booster electrodes 33 projects upwardly through the sole of that cell at a location which is close to but upstream of the neutral line . a second row of booster electrodes 33c is preferably provided upstream of the first . if desired , such a second row of booster electrodes could be located downstream of the neutral line . a specific embodiment of a continuous glass - melting tank furnace designed in accordance with fig1 and 11 for the production of glass at a rate of 600 tonnes per day has a melting tank 2 which is 150 m 2 in plan area , a refining tank 3 which is also 150 m 2 in plan area , and a conditioning tank 11 which is 160 m 2 in plan area . fig1 and 13 illustrate a continuous glass - melting tank furnace in accordance with this invention . in the melting compartment 1 , batch material is melted by continuously operating side burners 118 whose flames are constrained to lick the surface of the material in the tank by virtue of a lowered portion 116 of the melting tank superstructure . the fuel fed to the burners may be oil or gas . flames and fumes are then drawn up through chimney 117 . the flow of melt from the melting tank 2 to the refining tank 3 is controlled by a sill 29 in the melting tank and a dropped narrow throat 5 as described with reference to fig4 . the sole 23 of the melting tank is at the same level as the soles of the other compartments of the furnace . in the refining compartment , continuously operating side burners 119 , 120 , 121 are provided at each side , and fumes and flames are drawn off from the refining compartment through a chimney 122 . it is convenient to use gas burners in the refining compartment . the upstream end wall 6 of the refining compartment 4 is oblique . the transverse sill 7 is located so that the mean length of the upstream refining cell is greater than its width . the width of that cell is in turn greater than its depth . the sill occupies some four - fifths of the depth of the melt . a transverse row of three booster electrodes 33 projects upwardly through the sole of the cell 8 at the neutral line . a second row of booster electrodes may be provided upstream of the first if desired . molten refined glass leaving the refining tank 3 passes through the neck 10 , into a conditioning tank 11 and thence directly into the drawing tank 123 of a horizontal glass drawing machine . a specific embodiment of a continuous glass - melting tank furnace designed in accordance with fig1 and 13 for the production of glass at a rate of 50 tonnes per day has a melting tank 2 which is 20 m 2 ( 4 m × 5 m ) in plan area , and a refining tank 3 which is 33 ( 4 m × 8 . 3 m ) m 2 in plan area . fig1 illustrates a further embodiment of a furnace for the continuous production of molten glass . in fig1 , the melting compartment is of the cupola type , in which melting is effected by means of a plurality of vertical electrodes 124 leading through the sole 23 of the melting tank 2 to provide heat energy for melting batch material 125 which is uniformly spread over the surface of the molten material in the tank 2 . the melting tank 2 communicates with the refining tank 3 via a dropped throat 5 ( compare fig1 , through no sill is provided in the melting tank ). the design of the refining compartment 4 , the neck 10 and conditioning tank is the same as that of the embodiment shown in fig1 and 13 , though the outlet end of the furnace is shown as being provided with a pouring spout 34 for feeding a float chamber or casting machine . | 2 |
fig2 illustrates a point - of - sale ( or service ) system 200 incorporating an embodiment of the invention . the pos system 200 may include one or more peripherals — here , the pin pad 110 , the printer 120 , the scanner 130 , the signature - capture platform 140 , the check reader 150 — as well as the communications links 170 , 180 , 190 , 1 a 0 , 1 b 0 , all of the art . the system 200 may also include a peripheral 250 , a pos register 260 , a data center 270 , a protocol converter 280 and communications links 290 , 2 a 0 . the links 170 , 180 , 190 , 1 a 0 , 1 b 0 and 1 c 0 may communicatively and respectively connect the pin pad 110 , the printer 120 , the scanner 130 , the signature - capture platform 140 , the check reader 150 and another peripheral 250 according to respective legacy communications protocols to the protocol converter 280 . the links 170 , 180 , 190 , 1 a 0 , 1 b 0 and 1 c 0 are direct ( point - to - point ) connections . the link 290 may communicatively interconnect the pos register 260 , the protocol converter 280 and the controller 2 b 0 . the link 290 may be an ethernet , running tcp / ip . then the pos register 260 , the protocol converter 280 and the controller 2 b 0 may have tcp / ip as a native communications protocol . indeed , any peripheral 110 through 150 , 250 whose native communications protocol is the same as that of the link 290 may interconnect using the link 290 well . the signature - capture platform 140 is an example of such a peripheral . the link 2 a 0 may communicatively couple the controller 2 b 0 and the data center 270 . the link 2 a 0 may be an internet — even the internet . the protocol converter 280 may convert communications using the legacy protocols over the links 170 – 1 c 0 to communications using the protocol of the communications link 290 . example legacy protocols include rs485 , rs232 and usb . the link 290 protocol may be tcp / ip , for example . each peripheral 110 through 150 connects to the protocol converter 280 as it connected to the pos register 160 of the prior art . the cables enabling the communications links 170 , 180 , 190 , 1 a 0 , 1 b 0 may be the same in the two pos systems 100 , 200 . any peripheral 110 through 150 , 250 whose native communications protocol is the same as that of the link 290 may interconnect using the link 290 or the protocol converter 280 . in such an instance , the converter 280 may work more like a repeater . because all of the peripherals 110 through 150 , 250 — and the services they provide — are accessible over the link 2 a 0 , any processor 2 c 0 with access to the link 2 a 0 may use the services of any of the peripherals . the transaction computer 2 b 0 may mediate a processor 2 c 0 &# 39 ; s access to the peripherals 110 through 150 , 250 . the pos register 260 , the transaction controller 2 b 0 , the data center 270 or some other entity on the link 290 or the link 2 a 0 may maintain state regarding a service or transaction . the state information that one such entity maintains may be duplicative , overlapping or disjoint from that which another such entity maintains . in the pos system 200 , the intelligence to conduct a transaction may reside in the pos register 260 . the pos register 260 , however , may not be intelligent enough to communicate with one or more of the peripherals . such intelligence may now reside in any entity with access to the peripheral — the transaction computer 2 b 0 , for example . when a new service peripheral is added to the system 200 , the operating system or application software of the pos register 260 need not be rebuilt to interact with the new peripheral . for example , the intelligence of the transaction computer 2 b 0 may be sufficient or may be increased to interact with the new peripheral . accordingly , the pos register 260 need not be shut down to accommodate the new peripheral , and the transactions that the register 260 processes do not need to stop while the register is upgraded . ( of course , the pos register 260 may be upgraded in addition or in the alternative .) in one embodiment of the system 200 , a processor 2 c 0 or transaction computer 2 b 0 is programmed to interact with a new peripheral . the upgraded processor 2 c 0 , 2 b 0 mediates any interaction with the new peripheral . where , for example , the new peripheral replaces an old one and the pos register 260 continues to communicate on the expectation that the old peripheral is present , the transaction computer may filter the communications on the link 190 , reading transmissions destined for the old peripheral , supplying transmissions for the new peripheral . where the new peripheral is incapable of responding to the pos register 260 in the manner in which it expects , the transaction computer _ 2 b 0 may convert transmissions from the new peripheral for the benefit of the pos register 260 . the transaction computer 2 b 0 may abstract a service provided by a class of peripherals to be independent of the peripheral hardware . say there are multiple versions of the scanner 130 , each requiring different data formats . the intelligence of the transaction computer 2 b 0 may include a scanner interface with routines for initializing and resetting the scanner , retrieving data from the scanner , etc . now , at the appropriate point in the transaction , the pos register 260 invokes the scanner - initialization routine on the transaction computer 2 b 0 and later invokes the retrieve - data routine . the transaction computer 2 b 0 has the entire responsibility of converting the data received as parameters to its scanner routines into data in the format required by whichever data format the scanner associated with the pos register 260 requires . ( of course , such an abstraction works as well with multiple peripherals , all communicating with the same data format .) using the jini connection technology and its distributed - services paradigm , the services of a device may be further abstracted . where , for example , the transaction computer 2 b 0 provides the jini connection services , a peripheral may register with the jini services . later , when a processor 260 , 2 b 0 , 2 c 0 wants to access the peripheral &# 39 ; s service , that processor 260 , 2 b 0 , 2 c 0 would query the jini services . the jini services return such information as necessary to allow the processor 260 , 2 b 0 , 2 c 0 to communicate with the peripheral . ( the jini connection technology is available from sun microsystems , mountain view , calif . also , see www . sun . com / jini .) the pos services that the peripherals make available may include capturing and processing signatures , reading and processing magnetic strips , displaying and processing line - item information , reading and processing personal identification numbers ( pins ), processing payments , reading and processing smart - card information , recognizing and processing magnetic - ink characters ( on checks , for example ), printing , scanning and processing scanned information , serving advertisements and processing responses to them , serving and processing surveys , reading and processing scale information , displaying information , reading and processing biometric information , validating or verifying signatures , accessing storage ( local or distributed ), accessing corba services and providing wireless services . the preceding is by way of example and not limitation . the invention now being fully described , many changes and modifications that can be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art . a processor 260 , 2 b 0 , 2 c 0 may poll a peripheral to determine whether it has any data for transmission . alternatively , a peripheral may raise an interrupt when it is ready to transmit data . in the latter case , the system 200 becomes an event - driven transaction system . | 6 |
exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to an sldram memory system . however , the invention has applicability to other types of memory systems as well . an exemplary sldram system which may employ the invention is illustrated in fig1 . it includes a plurality of sldram modules 11 a . . . 11 n which are accessed and controlled by a memory controller 13 . memory controller 13 provides a command link to each of the sldram modules 11 a . . . 11 n which includes a clock signal cclk on inverted and non - inverted clock signal paths , a 1 bit flag signal and a 10 bit command bus cao - 9 . in addition , sldram input / output signals so , si are provided from memory controller 13 in daisy chain fashion to the sldram modules 11 a . . . 11 n . in addition , a bi - directional data bus dqo - 17 is provided between memory controller 13 and each of the sldram modules 11 a . . . 11 a . in , as are bi - directional data clocks dclko and dclkl . the clock dclko is used to strobe input / output data into and out of the sldram modules , a process for which the dclkl signal path is also intermittently used . fig2 illustrates a simplified relevant portion of one of the sldram modules 11 a . . . 11 n . it includes a control logic circuit 21 , latches 23 , 25 , 49 , 59 , delay devices 27 , 29 , 31 , 55 , 57 which may be ring delay devices , buffers 35 , 37 , 39 , 33 , 45 , 47 , 51 , 53 , a delay lock loop 41 , multiplexer 43 , pipeline circuits 61 , 63 , sram input / output circuits 65 and 67 , and respective memory banks bank 0 and bank 1 69 , 71 . it should be noted that although two memory banks are illustrated in fig2 this is just illustrative , as any number of memory banks can be used . control logic circuit 21 receives and analyzes commands on the cao - 9 bus and controls the input / output ( i / o ) access operations of the memory banks 69 , 71 . the control logic circuit 21 also receives the flag signal and the clock signal cclk . the signals on each of the command bus paths cao - 9 are passed through respective adjustable ring delay circuits 27 and into respective latches 23 where the signals are latched by a cclk signal , as buffered by buffer 39 , delayed by delay 31 and buffered by buffer 33 . the signal cclk also passes from buffer 39 into a delay lock loop circuit 41 which provides 16 clock signals into a multiplexer 43 . the multiplexer provides 18 clock output signals through respective buffers 45 to 18 latches 49 which latch data output from the memory banks 69 , 71 . the output data from memory banks 69 , 71 pass into srams 65 , 67 which act as i / o buffers and pass through pipeline circuit 61 before being loaded into latches 49 . the output data latched in latches 49 is provided to respective buffer amplifiers 47 and from there is passed back to memory controller 13 via data bus dq . data which is to be input to memory banks 69 , 71 is supplied by memory controller 13 on the dq data bus , is passed through gated buffers 51 through ring delays 57 on each path of the data bus , into latches 59 , through pipeline circuit 63 . from pipeline circuit 63 , input data on the dq bus passes into buffer sram 65 , 67 and into a memory bank 69 , 71 . the control logic circuit 21 also issues an enable command rxen whenever the memory controller indicates a memory access write operation by way of a write command in the data on the command bus cao - 9 . the rxen command enables the data input buffers 51 and a data clock input buffer 53 . the data clock dclk passes through gated buffer 53 , delay circuit 55 and is used to control latch 59 to latch in incoming data on the data bus dq . in order to ensure proper timing of the various memory operations performed by the sldram modules 11 a . . . 11 n , the fig2 circuit must be synchronized to ensure the incoming data is properly timed relative to the clock signals cclk and dclk . to this end , a 2 n bit synchronizing pattern of the type described in u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 568 , 155 , filed may 10 , 2000 is applied to each of the data input paths cao - 9 and flag while the data pattern is sampled in latches 23 and 25 by the delayed clock signal cclk . one specific 16 - bit synchronizing pattern described in that application is “ 1111010110010000 .” rather than trying to determine whether the entire 16 bit synchronization pattern is correctly received , the invention relies on predicting the next sequence of m - bits in the 16 bit synchronization pattern from a previous m - bit sequence . if the next bit sequence can reliably be correctly predicted one or more times , then the synchronization pattern is correctly received and calibration obtained . if the next m - bit sequence cannot be reliably correctly predicted one or more times , then the synchronization pattern has not been correctly received and calibration has not been attained , and a delay value in the data path under calibration is changed and synchronization is again attempted by predicting the next m - bit sequence from a prior m - bit sequence . this process repeats for all possible delay values with the control logic circuit tracking those delay values where data path calibration is achieved . the control logic circuit 21 then selects , as a final delay value , one which is at or near the center of those delay values which resulted in data path calibration . the invention also ensures that synchronization is obtained on a desired one of the positive and negative going transitions of the clock , e . g ., a positive going transition , by ensuring that the next m - bit sequence prediction of patterns associated with the undesired clock transition , e . g ., a negative going transition , will be an incorrect prediction (“ forced failure ”) and thus will always create a lack of calibration . to illustrate the calibration process , calibration of the data appearing on the flag path will now be described , it being understood that the same calibration process is also carried out on each path of the command bus cao - 9 and each receive path of the data bus dq , although calibration of the dq bus data paths is performed relative to the dclk data strobe clock signal . fig3 illustrates a simplified timing diagram of the clock signal cclk , the flag signal , the command bus signal ca / cmd , a data bus signal dq / dbus and a data strobe signal dclk . as shown , four bits ( m = 4 ) of data on a dq path of the data bus ( dbus ) are clocked in on four sequential positive and negative going transitions of the data clock signal dclk after an initial preamble portion of dclk appears . the data present on the command signal paths cao - 9 and on the flag path is clocked in in the same fashion by four sequential positive and negative going transitions of the command clock signal cclk . the synchronization pattern “ 1111010110010000 ” and its relationship to the clock signal cclk ( and to dclk ) is illustrated in fig7 . these signals are sent from memory controller 13 to each memory module 11 a . . . 11 n . returning to fig2 it can be seen that the data entering on the flag signal path passes through ring delay circuit 29 and is latched in latch 25 by the command clock signal cclk . this data is then serially applied to control logic circuit 21 . during the calibration period , the known 2 n bit synchronization pattern is applied to the flag path by memory controller 13 ( fig1 ), together with the free running clock signal cclk ( fig7 ). the relevant portion of control logic circuit 21 for obtaining calibration is illustrated in fig8 and will now be described . the control logic circuit 21 includes a four bit data capture register 101 , a negative sequence detector 103 , a next state generator 107 , a seed logic circuit 105 , a comparator 109 , a timing generator 111 and a logic circuit 113 . before describing the operation of the fig8 circuit , the applied synchronization pattern and its relationship to the clock signal cclk ( or dclk ) is first discussed with reference to fig7 . as shown , the synchronization pattern is keyed to positive and negative going edges of the clock signal ( cclk or dclk ). those four bit patterns which are initiated on positive going transitions of the clock signal and the immediately following next four bit patterns are shown in table 1 . those four bit patterns which are initiated on negative going transitions of the clock signal and the immediately following next four bit pattern is shown in the following table 2 . one aspect of the present invention is to achieve calibration of a data path by comparing an m - bit sequence which is predicted from an immediately prior m - bit sequence with the next arriving m - bit sequence . to perform this comparison , multiple m - bit sequences appearing on a data path are compared with predicted m - bit sequences generated from the immediately preceding m - bit sequence . if the predicted m - bit sequence matches the next arriving m - bit sequence , then calibration has been achieved for the data path under calibration . if the predicted m - bit sequence does not match the next arriving m - bit sequence , then calibration has not been achieved and the control logic circuit 21 alters a delay value in the data path undergoing calibration and again looks for a match between the predicted and next arriving m - bit sequence . to achieve more reliable operation , calibration is indicated when this prediction and comparison process yields a match for several m - bit sequences appearing on the data path . that is , when repeated comparisons yield a match , the present delay value is found to produce calibration . in a preferred embodiment , the control logic circuit 21 will actually step through all possible delay values for the data path under calibration , noting those delay values which produce calibration and then select as a final delay value for the data path that delay value which is at or near the center of those delay values which produced calibration . another aspect of the invention is ensuring that calibration occurs on a predetermined one of the positive and negative going transitions , e . g ., the positive going edge of the clock signal . this is achieved by generating valid predicted values for those m - bit sequences associated with the predetermined clock transition , e . g ., the positive going transition , and generating invalid predicted values for those m - bit sequences associated with the other clock transition , e . g ., the negative going transition . since the clock transition to which calibration is not desired will always have an invalid predicted next sequence , calibration to this clock edge will never be attained . returning to fig8 one data path , e . g . flag , undergoing calibration is shown . it should be noted that the input data to the data capture register 101 is taken from input latch for the flag data path , i . e . latch 25 in fig2 . also , in the example of the invention we assume that the arriving data comes in a four ( 4 ) bit burst ( m = 4 ), hence the four stages of the data capture register 101 . once a four bit sequence of the synchronization pattern is stored in register 101 , negative sequence detector 103 examines the stored four bits to see if they correspond to a bit sequence which begins on an undesired transition of the clock signal to which the system should not calibrate . in the example given , we assume that calibration should be achieved on a positive going transition of the clock signal . accordingly , if detector 103 recognizes a bit sequence that matches a value in the left column of table 2 , above , which is associated with a negative going clock transition , it sends a “ fail ” signal to next state generator 107 . the next state generator 107 also receives the current bit sequence stored in register 101 and predicts from that bit sequence what the next four bit sequence should be . tables 1 and 2 show the 16 possibilities for the four bit sequence in register 101 and what the next predicted four bit sequence is for each . if the next state generator 107 does not receive a “ fail ” signal from detector 103 , it will generate a correct predicted sequence . for example , if the current four bit sequence is “ 1111 ” ( table 1 ), the next state generator 107 will generate the “ 0101 ” pattern as the predicted next bit sequence . on the other hand , if the next state generator 107 receives a “ fail ” signal from detector 103 , it will generate an incorrect predicted sequence . for example , if the current four bit sequence is “ 1011 ” ( table 2 ), the correct predicted next bit sequence should be “ 0010 ;” however , the “ fail ” signal causes generator 107 to generate a four bit pattern other than “ 0010 ,” thus ensuring that calibration of the data path will not be achieved . next state generator 107 may be implemented as a four - bit shift register like that illustrated in fig6 . the ‘ seed ’ value received by the next state generator 107 from seed logic 105 causes its output to be the same repeating 2 n bit pattern , in m bit sequences , except that it is one m bit sequence ahead in phase than that appearing on the data path under calibration . for example , the seed logic 105 may seed next state generator 107 to produce an initial output of “ 0101 , ” or the first m bit sequence after the initial sequence , “ 1111 . ” thereafter , next state generator 107 , operating the same as the shift register generating the calibration pattern , will always be m bits ahead of the calibration pattern . the output of next state generator is transmitted to the compare circuit 109 as well as back to the memory controller 13 ( fig1 ). transmission to the memory controller 13 is required for calibration of the controller 13 . compare circuit 109 compares the predicted next bit sequence , received from generator 107 , with a next arriving or now current four bit sequence in register 101 . if coincidence of the compared data exists , this indicates that the arriving data on the data path being calibrated is properly timed with the correct edge of the clock signal . if coincidence does not exist , this indicates that such calibration has not been obtained . the comparison result is applied to a logic circuit 113 which , if data coincidence is present , notes the delay value for the ring delay , e . g . ring delay 29 for the flag data path , in the example given . as noted , in a preferred embodiment , the logic circuit 113 will actually control the ring delay such that it steps through all possible delay values with logic circuit 113 noting which of those delay values produced calibration of the data path . after all delay values have been stepped through , the logic circuit 113 will set as a final delay value for the ring delay , e . g . ring delay 29 , the delay value which is at or near the middle of the range of delay values which produced signal path calibration . fig8 also shows a seed logic circuit 105 which is used to seed a pattern generator within the next state generator 107 so that the latter may produce the same synchronization pattern which is incoming on the data path under calibration . the detector 103 and compare circuit 109 also receive enabling “ write calibrate ” signals generated by control logic circuit 21 when data path calibration is required . timing generator 111 receives the incoming clock signal ( cclk in the example shown ) and properly times the operation of the generator 107 and compare circuit 109 . while an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described with reference to calibrating to a positive going edge of the clock signal , it can also be calibrated to a negative going edge of the clock signal as well , in which case the patterns in the left hand column of table 1 are detected by detector 103 to generate a “ fail ” signal , and thus used to generate invalid four bit patterns in generator 107 , while the four - bit patterns in the left column of table 2 are used for prediction of the next arriving four - bit pattern . the four it patterns in the left column of table 2 may also be used in another aspect of the invention , timing calibration of a memory controller 13 shown in fig1 . the following discussion assumes that a similar control logic circuit to that shown in fig8 is included in the memory controller 13 . however , this is not required and other methods of calibrating the memory controller are possible using the memory devices and method in accordance with the invention . in order to ensure the proper timing of memory operations performed by the sldram modules 11 a . . . 11 n , the memory controller 13 must be calibrated so that signals , such as read or write data , are properly timed relative to the clock signals cclk and dclk . to this end , a 2 n bit synchronizing pattern of the type described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 568 , 155 , filed may 10 , 2000 is generated at a memory device at next state generator 107 ( fig8 ) and applied to each of the data paths back to memory controller 13 . as noted , one specific 16 - bit synchronizing pattern described in that application is “ 1111010110010000 .” referring to fig8 during calibration of the memory controller an m - bit sequence of the 2 n bit synchronizing pattern is generated at the next state generator 107 and transmitted back to the memory controller 13 . the memory controller 13 may include a similar control logic circuit to that shown in fig8 in order to adjust its corresponding ring delays to synchronize its own timing with the clock signals cclk and dclk for each of its corresponding command paths cao - 9 , data paths dqo - 17 and the flag path . fig4 illustrates the data envelope for consecutive bits of the 2 n bit synchronization pattern together with the clock signals cclk which latch the data in latch 25 . the relative timing of the data envelope and the control data clock cclk is illustrated as ten possibilities cclk 1 . . . 10 , that is , ten possible delay values for ring delay 29 . the beginning and end of the data envelope is where the data on the flag path is unstable which can lead to erroneous sampling of the data . as shown , reliable data capture occurs at the relative timing location c 4 through c 7 , while unreliable data capture occurs at the relative timing locations c 1 . . . c 3 and c 8 . . . c 10 . these are represented within control logic circuit 21 as delay values d 4 . . . d 7 , where the predicted four bits of the synchronizing pattern matched the newly arriving four bits . fig5 illustrates how this is represented in control logic circuit 21 where delay values d 1 . . . d 3 and d 8 . . . d 10 show a “ 0 ” logic state representing that the sequence matching was not recognized and the logic state “ 1 ” for delay values d 4 . . . d 7 , indicating a proper matching of the predicted and next - received four - bit sequences . it should be understood that although only 10 relative delay states of the data to the command clock signal cclk are shown for simplicity , in actual practice there may be many more possible delay stages for ring delay 29 and the delay state pattern illustrated in fig5 . once the delay state pattern shown in fig5 is developed by control logic circuit 21 , it selects as a final delay for ring delay 29 a delay value which is approximately in the center of those delay values , e . g ., d 4 . . . d 7 , which produced a match of the compared four bit sequences . in the example illustrated , the final delay would be selected as d 5 or d 6 . once this value is set for ring delay 29 , the flag data path has been calibrated . the same calibration procedure is also applied to each of the cmd data paths cao - 9 and to each of the data paths of the dq bus , except for the latter , the data clock dclk is used to latch the data in latch 59 which is present in each of the data paths of the dq data bus , thus the data paths of the dq data bus are aligned relative to the dclk clock signal . a circuit for generating and predicting a 2 n bit pattern , where n = 4 , to produce a repeating 16 bit pattern , is illustrated in fig6 . it includes a four stage shift register 151 having bit positions & lt ; 0 & gt ;& lt ; 1 & gt ;& lt ; 2 & gt ;& lt ; 3 & gt ;, nor gate 153 having three inputs respectively connected to the & lt ; 0 & gt ;& lt ; 1 & gt ;& lt ; 2 & gt ; outputs of shift register 151 , an exclusive or gate 155 having two inputs respectively connected to the output & lt ; 3 & gt ; of shift register 151 and the output of nor gate 153 , and an exclusive or gate 157 having a pair of inputs respectively connected to the output of exclusive or gate 155 and the first stage output & lt ; 0 & gt ; of shift register 151 . the output of exclusive or gate 157 is applied as an input to stage & lt ; 0 & gt ; of shift register 151 . the clock signal clk is applied to shift register 151 . the shift register 151 can initially be seeded with all zeroes “ 0 ” at stages & lt ; 0 & gt ;& lt ; 1 & gt ;& lt ; 2 & gt ;& lt ; 3 & gt ; and it will generate the repeating 16 bit pattern “ 1111010110010000 .” in lieu of generating the repeating bit pattern with a circuit , the pattern can also be stored in the memory controller 13 ( fig1 ) and the next state generator 107 ( fig8 ) and repeatedly read out during calibration . although the invention has been described with reference to an m - bit sequence where m = 4 for predicting the next four - bit sequence , this is only one example of how the invention may be implemented . the invention may be used with any number of bits less than the 2 n bits of the repeating synchronization pattern , with even numbered bit sequences being preferred . the calibration of one data path as described above can also be performed with in phase and out of phase cross talk components applied to adjacent data pins and / or data paths . in this manner , calibration can be obtained under conditions which more closely replicate conditions of actual use . thus , for example , when a particular data path , e . g ., flag , is being calibrated as described with reference to fig8 the same pattern can be applied to adjacent data pins and / or paths , e . g ., an adjacent path of the cao - 9 bus , in phase and / or out of phase . it is also possible to calibrate several data paths simultaneously using the techniques described above with the remaining data paths not under calibration using in phase and / or out of phase calibration signals . for example , half of the data paths can be designated as “ victims ” and undergo simultaneous calibration using the technique described above with reference to fig4 - 8 , while the remaining half of the data paths can be designated as noise sources . calibration would simultaneously occur on the “ victim ” data paths while the noise source data paths receive alternating in phase and out of phase calibration signals . after calibration of the “ victims ,” the “ victim ” and “ noise source ” pins and / or data paths would then be reversed and calibration now carried out on the new “ victims ” using the other data paths as noise sources as described above . a memory device containing the calibration structure and operating as described above may be used in a processor - based system of the type shown in fig9 . the processor - based system 90 comprises a processor 94 , a memory circuit 96 , and an i / o ( input / output ) device 92 . the memory circuit 96 may be an sldram memory circuit or any other type of memory circuit containing the calibration structure operating as described in accordance with the present invention . in addition , the processor 94 may itself be an integrated processor which utilizes on chip memory devices containing the calibration structure of the present invention . furthermore , memory controller 13 ( fig1 ) may be separate from the processor 94 , or may be integrated with the processor 94 , along with other elements of the memory circuit 96 described above in accordance with the invention , or the processor 94 itself may function as the memory controller 13 . in the preceding discussion , the apparatus and method of the invention has been described with regard to a memory device which clocks data ( i . e ., reads or writes data ) twice per clock cycle : on both the rising and falling edges of the clock . however , the present invention may be used in any memory device in which calibration is performed , including devices which clock data once per clock cycle , for example on one of either the rising or falling edge of the clock . while the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to exemplary embodiments , many variations can be made and equivalents substituted without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . accordingly , the invention is not to be understood as being limited by the foregoing description , but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims . | 6 |
for purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the inventions , reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same . it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation or loss of generality of the scope of the invention is thereby intended , such alterations and further modification in the illustrated embodiment , and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates . the preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed to the broad integration of the elements of the allocation process . since the physical separation of the allocation chain may span large distances , it is the preferred embodiment to arrange the system into a wide area network or client - server system of computer , communication , and software . alternative embodiments could include a mainframe as part of the system . in fig1 the common database warehouse server 16 represents a computer taken to consist of random access memory , a microprocessor , a permanent memory such as a magnetic disc drive which is connected to computers of similar constitution 11 , 15 , 18 , 19 , and 20 in fig1 which are designated as workstations . in fig1 these workstations show each of the essential functions that the overall allocation system implements . however any function can be accessed from any workstation . both server and workstations support compatible operation systems such as microsoft windows 95 . the workstations can support local databases and the server can support databases that are common to all workstations . it is the preferred embodiment of the present invention that the local databases be formed within microsoft &# 39 ; s visual foxpro and the server database engine be microsoft sql server that would support the common server databases . remote connections 17 to server 16 may be either direct cable , modem connections , or other similar means . there is also a need for complete separation between a workstation and server in the event that the workstation is part of a mobile site such as a front - end loader where it is costly or unnecessary to have a workstation 21 constantly connected to a server or when problems with links 17 such as modem connections would prohibit connection between workstation 21 and server 16 . it is the preferred embodiment of the present invention that this separation is contemplated and that the data collection of the allocation progress independently of server 16 connections . to this end , unique identification numbers ( hereinafter referred to as ids ) are generated for an allocation step from the workstation location number of the user that is collecting the data associated with the allocation step . other such information such as date , time , the number of such allocation steps for that date , and an offset number are used to define a unique id number . the offset number is used when an id number is integrated with the server database and a conflict of uniqueness arises . in this case the offset number can be adjusted to resolve uniqueness . with this mechanism in place for workstations collecting allocation data locally , data integration with the server 16 is assured . it is the preferred embodiment of the present invention to break up all allocation into a combination of base operations between the elementary legs of the allocation process . with these two mechanisms in place , the allocation method embodiment allows the tracking of most any resource allocation . all resources move from one point or stage to the next . these stages are captured by a location , level , stockpile and sub - stockpile category for each stage defined in the allocation chain . these serve as beginning points and endpoints of each basic allocation transfer that is itself defined as a composite of base allocation operations such as selection 207 , consolidation 209 , partition 211 and destination 213 ( see fig2 d ). taken together in most any combination , the composite of these operations between two basic steps or stages as defined by the location / level / stockpile / sub - stockpile beginning and endpoints can represent a resource allocation transfer 11 or resource beneficiation step 15 in the allocation of a resource . the sizing or washing of coal with its associated recoveries and changes to percent ash , sulfur , or btu / lb can be accommodated as easily as a more sophisticated step in the beneficiation of an industrial resource such as in preparing kaolin into a product ready form where multiple stages of beneficiation and blending have occurred to obtain a desired whiteness , brightness , particle size and viscosity . it is also the preferred embodiment of the present invention to track each elementary quantity of the resource by the data associated with its identity . if two identifiable resources become blended into one , then a new entity is identified as the sum of the constituents . the identity of the constituents remains in the database as a reference to this new identity but the new entity has its own definition in terms of quantity , quality , size etc . each entity &# 39 ; s position is located in a chronological order in the database and as a location / level / stockpile / sub - stockpile position designation . it is also the preferred embodiment to keep further physical account of the physical position of the resource element through a global positioning ( hereinafter referred to as gps ) reference , local position reference , or other physical site reference . with such identification and positioning of each resource element at its particular endpoint of the allocation chain , any later transfer can have a high degree of accuracy in identifying what element or combination of elements is being transferred . moreover , the identification of the quality of a group of such elements can be made for over a range of physical positions , chronology , or other desired groupings . to enable such detailed accounting of each element in the allocation chain , it is the preferred embodiment of the present invention to use a combination of radio frequency indentification , radio frequency data storage and radio frequency data retrieval to enable the automatic accounting and tracking of the data associated with the transfer of resources in the allocation process . it is the preferred embodiment of the present invention to use back scattering radio frequency technology to enable the ` hands off ` combining of the data associated with transferred resources onto a remote tag 12 on board a carrier of resources such as a truck . the remote tag 12 may be , for example , an inteletag manufactured by amtech corporation of santa fe , n . mex . alternative embodiments could use data accepting beeper technology that can also be retrieve from a beeper such as motorola &# 39 ; s &# 34 ; advisor &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; print pal &# 34 ;. with customer owned antennas , these could be made ready to accept data from a loader to a truck carrying resources or for other similar carriers . using satellite links for data transfers , mobile cellular phone technology , or other such technology would allow for such transfers but are currently cost prohibitive . using local infrared to transmit bar coded data from a loader to receptors on a truck could also be used , but may be awkward and subject to errors in the harsh mining environments of temperature , dirt , and vibration . although these alternative embodiments would work in theory , it is the preferred embodiment of the present invention to use the tag 12 as the radio frequency peripheral to allow for the radio frequency 22 identification of a truck and the radio frequency 22 transfer and local storage and removal of the data associated with the resource being transferred for the duration of such transfer . the origin and destination locations , weight , quality id &# 39 ; s , owner of resource , customer order number for resource , beneficiation required of resource , and other such information can be automatically ` attached ` to the resource via a local computer on board loader 21 that radio transfers 22 this data to a tag 12 acting as an effective electronic packing slip . in this manner the practical problem of manually keeping track of all base operations and transfers is automated and all operations can be easily accounted for . at other stages along the allocation route other workstations 11 can either radio frequency transfer 14 data onto the tag 12 or similarly remove data from the tag 12 to local databases on the workstation . physical position references of the location of the resources can also be determined by global positioning gps referencing means 13 . although this means can be attached to each carrier , it is the preferred embodiment of the present invention that the gps 13 be attached to a loader which can then determine the gps source and / or destination positions of a carrier and transfer such information to tag 12 via radio frequency connections 22 . in this way the expense of the requirement of a gps 13 and onboard computer 21 is required on a loader and not on all carriers . a tag 12 is required on a carrier only . with a sufficiently generic and elementary means of accounting for each stage of resource transfer , with a means of automating the otherwise manually time prohibitive task of accounting for such transfers embodied in the described radio frequency preferred means , and with a client - server database environment where the client ( e . g . front - end loader ) can act independently of other client workstations or server , but where on such server all elementary allocation transfers can be integrated , coordinated , analyzed , sorted , and indexed , wide ranging uses for such accurately integrated data can be used for many allocation requirements , such as optimizing 19 all the allocation paths for all subsequent allocations orders 20 . thus it is with these means that a broad and generic method is established to better enable the wide scale allocation of resources within a company to better enable more accurate information tracking of its resources , but in a form that can be used for many different purposes not the least of which is to promote the improved realization of resources by providing for a transfer method and means that can automatically acquire radio frequency transferred data of a resource &# 39 ; s identity , quantity , quality , costs , beneficiation response , and other such data that can be provided as input for the optimization means described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 033 , 004 . fig1 shows the primary functions of the allocation process . these consist of resources transaction tracking 11 , resource beneficiation ( partition ) tracking 15 , laboratory transaction tracking 18 , customer scheduling and tracking of customer &# 39 ; s orders , and specifications 20 , the optimal allocation of resources 19 via the technology described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 033 , 004 , and the radio frequency transfer 22 of resource data to an electronic tag 12 which can be later retrieved from a workstation 11 via similar radio frequency transfer 14 . all these functions are available through computer workstations and their connections to a common computer server . fig2 a describes how the user can select any of these functions from a keyboard or mouse control 102 of a workstation . fig2 a describes the resource transaction tracking function 103 , the resource benefication / partition tracking function 104 , the laboratory transaction tracking function 105 , the customer specification , scheduling and order tracking function 106 , and the optimal allocation of resources function 107 . the resource transaction tracking function 103 generally allows user to enter resource transaction information between source and destination locations ; updates stockpile and resource information ; and enters barge , train , vessel , or additional transaction information . these transaction entries are achieved through elementary allocation operations described in fig2 d - e . user also collects radio frequency transferred data from a computer workstation through radio frequency transfers from electronic tags 12 located on carriers . user also collects global positioning or other local coordinate information of the destination of such transfers from such electronic tags 12 . user can enter transactions at a local workstation independently of server but transactions are later merged and reconciled with server information . fig2 d - e describes the basic elements of the resource transaction tracking process 201 . it is the preferred embodiment of the present invention to implement a resource transaction between an origin and destination point for a particular stage in the allocation through basic allocation operations . fig2 d illustrates the selection operation 207 , consolidation operation 209 , partition operation 211 , and destination operation 213 . referring to fig1 and fig2 d - e , user first inputs into workstation 11 the current date , time , and the location from where the user is defining a particular allocation 202 . this information provides the elements to determine a unique allocation identification ( id ) so that user can proceed independently of server 16 . at a later time , when the resource record containing such id is integrated into the server databases , the above id structure assures uniqueness . user is prompted 203 by workstation 11 to issue resource transaction as a single or multiple transfer . user is prompted 204 to enter the transaction or to retrieve transaction information from electronic tag 12 connected to resource carrier through radio frequency means . if user enters transaction , user can define any allocation transfer from a composite of base allocation operations 205 . such allocation operations assemble resource records identified by user into an allocation identity buffer 206 located in ram or magnetic disc memory in workstation 11 . selection operation 207 is illustrated in greater detail in fig2 f - g . in fig2 f - g selection operation 301 begins with user inputting into workstation 11 the location and level 302 ( i . e . stage of processing or stage of storage at such location ) corresponding to a physical location where allocation transfer begins . if server database links 17 are available server automatically updates local databases residing on workstation with updated resource information 303 residing on server . workstation databases then include the latest information about the resources at the location designated by user . multi - window selection screen 304 displays three main windows for implementing the allocation selection . the bottom window displays resource records selected by user from the available resource records displayed in the middle window . the top window provides tabbed pages allowing selection of additional information associated with resource records located in either window . such additional information may include quality , quantity , weighted average qualities , stockpile coordinates , and other such information . selection operations 305 used to update or to select from available resources 307 by allowing user to choose 308 to select separate resource records 310 or to automatically select records 309 . if automatic record selection 309 is selected user can choose selection on a fifo , lifo , or weighted average basis . automatic selection of the first , last , or weighted average combination of resource records are then transferred to the selection identity buffer 306 in ram memory to meet the quantity criterion 311 specified by user &# 39 ; s entry . all location information and transfer origin information is transferred to the selection identify buffer 306 along with resources records . this provides a trail of each resource record &# 39 ; s origin . this information is also used to remove the selected records 312 from selection buffer and restore them in their original records if desired . user uses mouse and keyboard entry to implement all such selection operations 313 . user can choose to move records 307 , remove records 312 , or return 314 fig2 g return with the results from the selection operation 208 fig2 d in the allocation memory buffer 206 . consolidation operation 209 is illustrated in greater detail in fig2 h - j . in fig2 h - j consolidation operation 401 begins with a multi - window display 402 . the middle window displays records currently selected residing in the allocation identity buffer 206 fig2 d . the bottom window displays resource records selected from the allocation buffer for consolidation . the top window displays tabbed pages allowing the view and selection of additional information associated with the resource records in the previous windows . specific information is provided such as the weighted quality averages and total tons of the records selected for consolidation . as illustrated in fig2 h , consolidation operations 403 allow the user to select from records stored in the selection identity buffer 206 fig2 d and move these records 405 to the consolidation identity buffer 404 . user selections are initiated by keyboard entry or by means of clicking mouse on desired records . computer workstation automatically transfers such records . these records form the constituents of the consolidation . all information associated with the transfer of records selected for consolidation is stored in the consolidation identity buffer 404 which enables these records to also be removed 406 and returned to the selection identity buffer 206 fig2 d . when all constituent records designated for consolidation have been selected , user may select the option to save the consolidation 407 by clicking a mouse on this option . workstation automatically generates a consolidation id 408 which is unique to the location of the workstation used to initiate such consolidation . uniqueness is assured by using a combination of such location , date , time , the number of consolidations issued for current date and an offset number to resolve any later conflicts that may arise when the consolidation record is integrated with all such records on the server . several database buffers are updated 410 upon saving the consolidation 407 . the previous resource records in the selection identity buffer that were designated for consolidation are transferred to the consolidation constitution buffer and replaced with the new consolidated resource record that also remains in a database table of consolidated records . weighted average qualities , yields , and costs are determined from each partition of the constituent records . the weighted average of these values are stored in a new partition corresponding to the newly formed consolidation record . all such consolidation and constitution buffers are temporary and are cleared if the user selects to exit the consolidation operation 409 without saving such consolidation . upon saving such consolidation , the consolidated record with the other selected records are returned 210 to the allocation identity buffer 206 fig2 d . the partition operation 211 fig2 d is illustrated in greater detail in fig2 k - l . the partition operation 211 serves a dual function in that it can be used for the purpose of tracking division of a resource in the resource transaction tracking function 11 fig1 and it can be used for the purpose of resource beneficiation tracking 15 fig1 . in fig2 k the partition operation 501 begins with a multi - window display 502 . the middle window displays records currently selected residing in the allocation identity buffer 206 fig2 d . the bottom window displays resource records selected and partitioned into separate records from the allocation identity buffer . the top window displays tabbed pages which allows the viewing and selection of additional information associated with the resource records in the previous windows . in particular the current partition tables can be viewed and edited for each record . the partition table designates the response of each resource record to any possible partition alternative such as sizing or processing . a partition table for a selected record can be updated 503 with partition changes or the partition table can be selected from the partition operations 504 to determine how a specific resource record is to be partitioned . fig2 m illustrates how a partition table is updated 601 . a user selects a partition set 602 from a partition set currently associated with a selected resource record in the resource allocation table , the resource stockpile table , or for generic resources available at selected location - levels . user can add a new partition set 603 and define the number of constituent components corresponding to this new category . default partition ratios for each component are entered such that the sum of the ratios each 100 percent . a user can modify 604 any constituent component of a partition set by editing partition ratios for each component . a user can also delete 605 any partition set category and its corresponding partition set database records from selected partition set . a user is returned to the tabbed page where user requested 606 to update the partition table . to make use of the partition table for an allocated resource record , partition operations 504 fig2 k are used . a user selects a resource record 505 to partition from records displayed in the current allocation identity buffer containing the selected resource records by clicking mouse on record choice . then user selects 506 either the partition group label associated with selected record or selects a generic partition group label associated with generic resources for the current location - level . user continues by selecting 507 a partition set option from the set of options associated with the previous partition group label selection or original resource selection . the current selected resource record is stored in a temporary pre - partition buffer . the number of partition records to be generated are displayed in the bottom window along with the percentage ratios to be used to split the currently selected allocation record into its constituent components 508 . the user can edit these percentage ratios to correspond to actual values or use the default values previously displayed 509 . the user can also enter actual quantities of each constituent component of resource that occurred in the partitioning of the bulk resource to which the resource record corresponds . the resulting partition records are stored in a temporary partition constitution buffer . quality ids corresponding to quality values for each partition component refer to pre - defined default qualities for each record &# 39 ; s partition . user can select these 510 fig2 l , select linear least squares estimates between the pre - partitioned record and the partitioned quality values , or the user can choose to override such estimates by entering quality estimate values . quality ids associated with each resource record , partitioned or otherwise , allow for any laboratory generated quality values to be linked back to the source record from which the laboratory values were taken . that is each resource record has a quality id . any laboratory samples taken from the actual bulk resources represented by such resource records are tagged resources with the corresponding quality id . the qualities resulting from the evaluation of these laboratory samples are stored in database tables which automatically link these laboratory qualities to the proper resource records through their common quality id . least square estimates are derived from previous relationships between past similarly partitioned resource records stored in the databases locally or on the server . user can select to save partition 511 fig2 l . if user elects to save partition , a partition id is newly formed 513 from the user location , current date , time , the number of partitions issued for current date and offset numbers to assure uniqueness when partitioned resource record is integrated with server records . the identity allocation buffer is updated 514 to include the newly partitioned records and the pre - partitioned source record is deleted . a new partition table of partition sets is generated for each partition record transferred into the allocation identity buffer . this allows future partitioning of newly entered records . if user elected 512 to exit partitioning operation without saving partitioned records , all temporary database buffers associated with such partitioning are released . after exiting from partition operation user is returned to select addition allocation operations 205 with partitioned results 212 fig2 d . the destination operation 213 fig2 d is illustrated in greater detail in fig2 n - q . the destination operation 213 is used for the purpose of issuing the destination of a resource and thus ending the resource transaction . in fig2 n the destination operation 701 begins with a multi - window display 702 . the middle window displays records currently selected residing in the allocation identity buffer 206 fig2 d . the bottom window displays resource records , their quantity , and their destination location for records selected from the allocation identity buffer 206 fig2 d . the top window displays tabbed pages which allows the viewing and selection of additional information associated with the resource records in the previous windows . in particular the user can view and edit the current destination look - up tables established for each resource record and for destination locations allowed from current location - level . user can also view and edit customer order information associated with any customer for any destination location . user can add or update new customers , order information , or scheduling information . in fig2 n the destination operation 703 allows user to select 704 a resource record to route to destination from records displayed in current allocation identity buffer by clicking mouse on record of choice . from pop - up of single or multiple destination choices 705 user can select their choice . if user chooses multiple destinations for selected resource record , user enters the number of destinations associated with such resource record . such record is transferred 706 to a temporary destination buffer displayed in the bottom window . if multiple destinations are required then the resource record is duplicated as many times as required . the resource record is deleted from the temporary identity allocation buffer and user is prompted to edit the quantity transferred to each destination which user is also prompted to designate . for each record transferred , a unique id is formed for each record for the user location , current date / time , the number of destination records issued from user location on current date , and an offset number to assure uniqueness . the original resource record and all destination records are saved in temporary destination buffers . user selects 707 fig2 p from list of scheduled customer order / destination location combinations . if destination is a barge , rail vessel , or truck load - out , user is prompted for additional information such as barge drafting information for determining tons received at barge destination . both quantity and quality ids of shipped and received resource are input by user . both shipped and received quantities and other values are stored in the temporary destination buffers . user may elect to save 708 destination choices . if user elects to save such choices the allocation identity buffer is updated 709 with destination information for each resource record . if multiple destinations were chosen these new records together with destination information are transferred to the allocation identity buffer from temporary destination buffers . all quality ids , partition ids , consolidation ids , and destination ids are carried forward and are included in the resource records which now include their destination . if user elects to exit 710 without saving destination selections , all temporary destination buffers are released . upon exiting , the results of the destination operation 214 fig2 d are carried forward in the newly updated allocation identity buffer 206 . after all base allocation operations 205 fig2 d have been issued by user , a complete composite allocation is achieved . such composite allocation can be stored in the form of a macro 215 so that similar composite allocations can be automatically generated and allow user to enter only the necessary data to complete the composite allocation . such defined macros can be named and later selected by user from a list of such composite allocation macros . when a composite allocation is complete , user may exit 216 where the allocation identity buffer is stored permanently in a local database of composite allocations stored on the workstation 11 fig1 or on a similar database stored on the server 16 fig1 . fig1 illustrates the radio frequency ( rf ) transmission 22 of resource information from a loader 21 . this may include coordinates of source of such resource either in the form of gps coordinates 13 or other local coordinate definition . transmission of this rf encoded data to a receiver ` tag ` connected to resource carrier allows the carrier to retain the information of the resource it is carrying . fig3 a - b illustrates 800 a particular allocation scenario . in this illustration 800 a front - end loader 801 transmits resource origin information by rf link to a resource carrier - tag such as a truck with attached tag . later , the carrier is weighed at a scale house 812 and this weight information is transmitted by rf means to the same resource carrier - tag 808 . at another stage , an auger sampler 819 samples the resource contents of the carrier and the quality id of this sample is again transmitted by rf means to the same resource carrier tag 820 . at the final destination of this resource transfer , a loader operator 825 directs the deposit of the carrier &# 39 ; s contents to a pre - chosen location . the coordinates of the destination location are determined by a global positioning means 826 attached to the onboard computer 824 of this loader 825 . at this stage , the loader transmits rf information from the passive rf tag onboard the carrier containing all previously encoded allocation information for this transaction . it is the preferred embodiment of the present invention to use as the amtech inteletag rf transmission / passive tag technology 803 , 811 , 817 , 823 as a means to encode serial data into an rf form , actively transfer rf data 804 , 810 , 829 , 822 , to a passive tag 805 , 809 , 818 , 821 located on carrier . at any rf transmission point , data can be either transmitted to the passive rf tag or received from the passive rf tag depending on the preferred arrangement of a particular user . hence , resource origin data encoded on carrier tag 809 arriving at scale house 812 could just as easily be removed by a rf back scatter transmission / reception 811 from the passive tag 809 attached to carrier 808 . fig4 is a schematic block diagram of a radio frequency enable transaction tracking process of the present invention . 900 through 911 outline the steps of this process . the unique identification of a tag attached to a particular carrier is critical in that data ` written ` to a tag or ` read ` from a tag by rf means assumes that a particular tag is identified . this ability to uniquely identify a tag assures the continuity of resource information associated with a particular transaction . a polling means in the amtech transmission / reception identifies all tags within a proximity of about 100 feet . all such polling is automatic and does not require any operator but is controlled by the computer attached to the transmission / reception apparatus . hence , if there are multiple carriers containing multiple tags within this proximity , all such tags will be identified . a separate means is needed to discriminate between such uniquely identified tags . a loader operator can view a list of all identified tags within the polling proximity . a loader operator can then choose which tag is to have data ` read from ` or ` written to `. in an alternative embodiment of the present invention , a carrier operator could key in its tag id to a keyboard input outside of carrier and attached to polling computer . by this means , the carrier operator would identify itself and data could be automatically ` read from ` or ` written to ` carrier &# 39 ; s tag . by these rf means , a carrier - tag can be uniquely identified and resource information can be written to such tag at each stage of the transfer of a resource transaction . at any of these stages or at an additional final stage , such resource information can be read and removed from such tag by a transmission / reception means attached to a workstation and then stored in a local or server database . if the final removal of such tag encoded resource data is performed by an independent computer onboard a loader , such computer can be periodically removed from such loader and its data directly linked and transferred to a workstation or server database . data used to determine costs associated with overburden moved by haulers of overburden , bulldozer pushes of overburden , scrapers of overburden , drillers of overburden , and other such equipment used in the mine production process van be generated by a automatic ( or user - initiated ) counting of the number of such production passes made by the particular equipment in the field or by timing the duration of such production activity . timing or counting such passes is made by a digital counter connected on board such production equipment . a serial connection to a small onboard computer allows the storage of such counts made for each type of production pass made by a particular piece of such production equipment for a particular shift or day . thus , for example , if a bulldozer supports the production removal of overburden for a particular loader for part of a shift , the count of the passes made by such bulldozer for each respective function can be made . the particular loader or loaders supported , the particular section of a mine pit cleared of topsoil are additional information that can be entered into a small pc computer on board such equipment . the tracking and categorizing of such data allows the mining engineer to determine its costs for different methods of mining , collections of such mining equipment , and the labor required to support such equipment . such digital counts stored on a computer on board production equipment can be automatically read in quotes by rf back scatter means by production manager through rf tags serially connected to computer on each production equipment . with rf antenna on manager &# 39 ; s truck , manager can pass each piece of equipment and automatically have such production data , maintenance remarks , maintenance data , and / or any other data associated with such production equipment &# 34 ; read &# 34 ; by radio frequency back scatter means into computer on production manager &# 39 ; s truck . production manager can later download production data collected for each piece of production equipment to server databases by connecting his computer with workstation or remotely to databases on server . alternative embodiments for similar radio frequency means could include cellular technology , customer based beeper technology with data transfer capability , or other such radio frequency means . however , it is the preferred embodiment of the present invention to use such radio frequency back scatter means to achieve the radio frequency transfers . | 6 |
an indirect apparent marking of the water mark type paper has been made use of for a long time in order to provide a legitimacy check for documents and securities such as bank - notes , share warrants etc ., but marking of this type has also been used for identification of the manufacturer of a paper on company stationery and to a limited extent for private writing paper , and in the most part for handmade paper . the reason why marking of machinemade private paper with water mark fails to be economically justifiable is that it is hardly profitable by means of present methods prior to the present invention to manufacture less than 10 tons of paper with the same marking . with the help of the method in accordance with the present invention , however , it is possible in an economic manner to manufacture private writing paper , company stationery and document paper in considerably smaller quantities than if traditional water marking were to be used . it is another advantage that marking can be located on the individual sheets of paper with considerably greater accuracy and that the contours of the marking will be more distinct . in the attached fig1 are shown two sheets of paper 1 and 2 , of which sheet 1 has been provided with a printed marking 3 . this marking can be in the form of a text , an image or combinations of both and may be done , e . g . in color printing . furthermore , both paper layers may be provided with print if required . it is important , though , that the printed surfaces of the sheets 1 , 2 are facing one another and are laminated to one another so that one sheet is formed of both of the sheets 1 and 2 . in fig2 is shown a cross - section of a laminate of the type described and , as is evident from the drawing , the paper sheets 1 and 2 have been joined together by means of a thin bonding layer 4 which may be constituted , for example , of polyethylene , applied by means of extrusion in a thickness of layer of 5 - 20 g / m 2 . as can be seen from the figure , the printed marking 3 will be located between the two paper layers 1 and 2 so that the marking is scarcely perceptible when the ready - laminated sheet rests on a dark base or in some other manner is handled so that it is not subjected to light transmission . in contrast , if the sheet is placed in transmitted light , the marking 3 becomes distinctly visible . in fig3 is shown a variant of the invention . in this variant the two outer paper layers 1 and 2 are not provided with any printed marking but instead a separate , preferably transparent , thin layer 12 is the carrier of the desired marking , and this central layer 12 is laminated to the interior of the outer paper layers 1 and 2 with the help of thin extruded plastic layers 13 or by means of an adhesive . the central layer 12 advantageously may be constituted , for example , of a transparent plastic film which is provided with the desired marking by printing . in combination with the visually observable marking mentioned here , it is conceivable that optically readable , non - transparent markings or magnetic markings readable by electric methods may be provided in cases where the material in accordance with the invention is to be used for legitimacy checks . in order that the markings on the layer 12 are invisible when the material is not in transmitted light , the paper layers 1 and 2 in general must be provided with a certain inking and especially a certain reflectivity . the inking must not be so strong , of course , that the laminate becomes non - transparent . however , compromise has to be made so that a laminate is obtained in which the marking is apparent only to a small degree or not at all when the laminate is not in transmitted light but which is clearly discernible when the laminate is subjected to light transmission . the laminated material in accordance with the invention is preferably manufactured in the manner as shown in fig4 . in this schematic drawing two magazine rolls of weblike paper material are designated 5 and 6 , one or both of the webs 7 and 8 having been provided in advance with printed markings . the webs 7 and 8 are brought together between cooled press rollers 10 , and in front of the rollers 10 an extruder 9 is arranged through which a thin layer of molten plastic material , preferably polyethylene , is pressed out and is brought onto the web 7 . the extruded bonding layer of plastics is applied to the web 7 along its whole width in a thin uniform layer and when , directly after the application of the plastics , the webs 7 and 8 are brought together and compressed between the rollers 10 with simultaneous cooling , the webs 7 and 8 will be combined in a laminate 11 with the desired printed marking being located in the center of the laminate between the two layers 7 and 8 laminated together . it has been found that by means of the method in accordance with the invention clear and distinct markings of the &# 34 ; water mark type &# 34 ; can be achieved at relatively low cost , and it has been found moreover that the method in accordance with the invention also offers greater freedom inasfar as the choice of appearance , color and location of the markings is concerned . the invention can be used advantageously in the production of deeds which have to be readily checkable with , respect to their authenticity , that is to say cheques , identification documents , permits etc . as the marking can be easily read against a lit surface , e . g . a light table , the legitimacy or authenticity of documents can be readily checked , and as the text is present inside the laminate from which the document is made , the text cannot be altered without the document being destroyed . the principles , preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification . the invention which is intended to be protected herein should not , however , be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed , as these are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive . variations and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention . accordingly , the foregoing detailed description should be considered exemplary in nature and not limited to the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims . | 1 |
a cluster ( 1 ) of bananas ( 2 ) ( see fig1 ), with fruit stalks ( 3 ) that fan from the crown ( 4 ), is hung on the cable ( 5 ) that is threaded between bananas . as seen in fig1 , the point ( 6 ) of hanging the cluster on the cable is the place of convergence of fruit stalks . fig1 also shows a desirable direction ( 7 ) for cutting the fruit stalks , which , taking into account the shape of the cluster of bananas , is oriented at an angle ( α ). for bananas of different types , that angle constitutes approximately 25 - 45 °. fig1 also shows the force of gravity ( p ) on the freely hanging cluster , as related to the cluster &# 39 ; s center of gravity ( c ), which is on the same vertical line with the point of the hanging cluster . in the analyzed example ( see fig2 ), the cluster is hung on the cable in such a way that its convex side is oriented towards the cutter ( 8 ). the cutter is a hollow cylinder that revolves , its butt being the cutting edge ( 9 ). the cutter ( see fig3 ) is installed so its revolution axis is parallel to the cable , and the cable passes through the internal space of the cutter . the cutting edge of the cutter passes lower than the cable at the level where fruit stalks are cut . for the cutter to cut fruit stalks in the desirable direction , the cluster ( with respect to point of hanging ( 6 ) is deflected by the angle ( α ) from the position of freely hanging in the direction opposite to the cutter . this can be done , for example , due to forces f h and f v , applied to the lower part of the cluster and directed as shown in fig2 . as a result , the fruit stalks ( 3 ) are cut by the cutter in the desired direction . in one embodiment , the cut bananas fall under their own weight onto a branching conveyer or a banana collector box ( not shown in fig2 ), while the cut part of the crown ( 11 ) is removed from the cable . another way to attain the same result , does not require that the cluster be deflected ( as is shown in fig2 ). rather , the cable and cutter may be installed at an angle with respect to horizontal position , as shown in fig4 . in that embodiment , the cluster remains in a freely hanging position . a similar result can be attained if the cluster is hung on the cable in such a way as to orient the convex side of the cluster away from the cutter . this is shown in fig5 - 7 . the cluster ( see fig5 ) is hung on the cable that has been threaded between bananas . correspondingly , the point of the hanging cluster on the cable is the place of convergence of fruit stalks . fig5 also shows the desirable direction of cutting fruit stalks , which , with regard to the shape of the cluster is oriented at an angle , but in the opposite direction to the one shown in fig1 . for the cutter ( see fig6 ) to cut the fruit stalks in the desired direction , in a way similar to that shown earlier in fig2 , the cluster ( with respect to point 6 ) is deflected from its free - hanging position by the angle ( α ), towards the cutter . this can also be achieved due to forces f h and f v , applied to the lower part of the cluster and directed as shown in fig6 . as a result , the fruit stalks are cut by the cutter in the desired direction . in a way similar to that shown earlier in fig2 , it is possible to install the cable and cutter at an angle with respect to the horizontal position , as shown in fig7 . in that embodiment , the cluster remains in a freely hanging position . fig8 shows an alternative for implementation of this method with a dual - sided feeding of clusters to a cylinder - shaped cutter having two butt cutting edges ( 9 1 and 9 2 ). an equivalent scheme for cluster 1 1 , which is on the left in fig8 , is the one presented in fig4 ; an equivalent scheme for cluster 1 2 , which is on the right in fig8 , is the one presented in fig7 . clusters 1 1 and 1 2 are hung on the cable . on one side of the cutter , cluster 1 1 is hung with its convex side toward the cutter ; on the other side of the cutter , cluster 1 2 is hung with its convex side away from the cutter . pushers ( 12 ) installed on the cable ensure alternating feeding of clusters 1 1 and 1 2 to the cutter . fig9 shows an example of a device intended for the implementation of the method described here . a horizontally stretched cable , on which clusters are hung , is used as a carrier . a belt conveyer ( 13 ) with pushers installed on its belt is used for feeding the cluster to the cutter . pushers alternatively hook the cluster hung on the cable by the crown ( 4 ) and move it to the cutter . the cylinder - shaped cutter ( 8 ) is set into motion by an electric motor ( 14 ) through friction transmission ( 15 ). to deflect the cluster from its free - hanging position for the period necessary for cutting fruit stalks , the illustrated device includes another belt conveyer ( 16 ) installed in the cutting zone , under the clusters . the level and angle of positioning of the conveyer ( 16 ) with respect to the cable is determined based on the following considerations . when the cluster is fed to the cutter , the lower tip of the cluster gets to the conveyer ( 16 ). since the conveyer ( 16 ) is installed with a certain ascent towards the cutter , the lower tip of the cluster — while bearing against the belt of the conveyer ( 16 )— starts to ascend with the movement of the belt . correspondingly , the cluster starts to deflect to the opposite side from the cutter with respect to its hanging point . when the cluster reaches the cutter , this deflection should constitute the above - mentioned angle ( α ). linear velocity of movement of the conveyer ( 16 ) is coordinated with the linear velocity of the other conveyer ( 13 ). the cut bananas ( 10 ) fall onto the conveyer belt ( 16 ) and are delivered for further processing . use of the conveyer ( 16 ) is not essential . it is sufficient to install a support of similar profile , characterized by a low coefficient of gliding friction . if the requirements as far as the point of cutting fruit stalks are not strict , then , it is actually not necessary to orient the cluster with respect to the direction of the cut . in another embodiment , the cutter can have a less elaborate shape than that of a hollow cylinder . it can be a disk knife ( 17 ), as shown in fig1 and 11 . to avoid any interference with transportation of cut bananas , the drive ( 18 ) of the knife ( 17 ) can be positioned above the cable . then , the shaft ( 19 ) on which the knife is installed would be shifted laterally from the cable , which would not hinder the installation of the knife lower than the cable on the level of fruit stalks . the examples presented in fig1 - 11 are intended to be exemplary only and are not intended to describe all embodiments of the present invention . | 1 |
turning to fig1 it will be seen that we have shown an embodiment of our lift ring device 10 installed on a hatch lid 12 , such as in the deck 14 of a boat or the like . obviously we are not to be limited to the utilization of our lift ring on a hatch , or in connection with a boat . our lift ring principally comprises a base member 16 , which has a central recess 18 . the central recess is of a size to receive the bail or lift loop 20 , when the bail has moved out of the illustrated upright position , and into a non - lifting position . in this latter position , the bail or lift loop resides in the plane of the base member 16 , and within the angled sidewalls 26 that serve to define the periphery of the central recess 18 . as will be discussed hereinafter in connection with fig4 the bail 20 is equipped at each of its lower ends with a pintle ( or tang ) 22 , with each pintle being received in a respective hole of a pair of aligned holes 24 located in the angled sidewalls of the central recess 18 . the sidewalls at the end of the recess remote from the holes 24 shorten in height to define a depression 28 simplifying the user grasping the center portion of the bail 20 when the bail is in its flush position , and also facilitating the draining of any water that otherwise might tend to accumulate in the central recess 18 . it is to be noted in the embodiment of fig1 that we utilize a plurality of screw members 32 disposed at corner locations of the base plate or base member 16 . it is to be realized , however , that any number of fastener types other than screws would be acceptable for securing base member 16 to hatch 12 . turning to fig2 it will be seen that we have shown to a smaller scale , a base member 36 , which is very similar to base member 16 , but differing in having a key lock 38 disposed in its central portion . this key lock not only makes it possible to lock the hatch in which the base member 36 may be mounted , but also the body of the lock 38 may be utilized for securing the base member to the hatch , thus obviating the use of the screws 32 previously mentioned . however , on the other hand , we may on occasion desire to use screws in peripheral locations , preferably in corner locations of the base member , in addition to the lock device securing the base member 36 to the hatch lid . as seen in fig3 the key lock 38 has a threaded body portion 40 , upon which body portion a nut 42 and internal tooth lockwasher 49 are received . opposite side portions of the threaded body 40 are flattened , and the hole in the base member 36 is essentially circular , but with flattened portions matching the flattened side portions of threaded body 40 . the flattened portions of members 36 and 40 , when assembled in matching relation , prevent any rotation or twisting between lock 40 and body 36 . when the body member of this assembly is thereafter inserted through an appropriate circular hole in hatch lid 12 and secured tightly by the use of the lockwasher 49 and nut 42 , the assembly is prevented from rotation relative to its desired position on the hatch lid . as is obvious , lockwasher 49 serves to inhibit any loosening of the nut . it is quite important to prevent leakage of water in all instances , such as in the embodiment shown in fig2 where a hole has been cut or formed in the approximate center of the central depressed area of the member 36 . to this end , it is desirable for us to utilize a suitable gasket or sealing ring between the head 39 of the lock body 38 , and the base member 36 . we prefer to place a suitable o - ring 43 around the threaded body 40 , just below the head 39 , and thereafter the lock body is inserted into the hole in the base member 36 . then , upon the lock body being inserted through the hole in the hatch lid , the lock washer 49 and nut 42 are installed on the threaded portion of the lock body , and the nut tightened . the o - ring then forms a leak proof seal between the base member 36 and the underside of the lock nut head 39 . attached adjacent the bottom of the threaded body portion 40 is a cam member 44 , held on rotatable threaded spindle 48 by a nut 47 . the spindle and cam member are rotated with respect to the threaded body portion to a desired extent , upon the proper key being inserted into the key hole 46 . when the cam 44 is in a position extending under or into the adjacent structure of the boat or other craft or structure , the hatch lid may be regarded as locked , whereas when the cam has been swung to a position say 90 degrees from that position , the cam does not engage the adjacent structure and the hatch lid is regarded as unlocked . where adjustment is desired in the distance between the body 36 and the portion of the adjacent structure to be engaged by the cam 44 , the cam can be bent , or an alternative cam can be substituted , so that an appropriate offset will be achieved . also in fig3 a common washer 41 is depicted . this washer is optional , and is utilized when our novel lift ring is to be installed over carpeting . washer 41 has an outside diameter slightly less than the minimum inside width dimension of body 16 , and an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the lock body 40 . this washer serves to separate and relieve any interference of the pintles from carpet fibers , thus assuring the automatic return of the bail to its recessed position in the body when released . it is to be noted that washer 41 typically is not used when mounting our lift ring on hard or semi - hard surfaces . turning to fig4 it will be seen that we have shown to a substantially larger scale , a bail or lift loop 20 in accordance with this invention . in this figure it is to be seen that the upper or central portion of the bail possesses substantial curvature , but with pintles 22 in this view being shown at essentially right angles to the arms 23 upon which they are mounted . however , as will be seen hereinafter , this is not the finished configuration for the pintles . we bring about a controlled bending of the pintles , and to facilitate a discussion of the manner in which the pintles are bent , it will be noted in fig4 that we have established a bend line a , that may , for example , be located above the centerline of pintles 22 by a distance equal to approximately twice the cross - sectional diameter of pintles 22 . in addition , we have established longitudinal centerlines for the arms 23 , and we regard bend line b as taking place about these arm centerlines . for reasons later to be set forth , the bends about bend line a and bend line b in the illustrated configuration may each be in the vicinity of 15 °, and as depicted in fig4 these bend lines are preferably 90 ° away from each other . turning to fig5 it will be seen that we have shown a base member 16 that has been bisected by a cutting plane 50 , which passes equidistant between the holes 24 in the angled sidewalls , in which holes , the pintles are located . this cutting plane serves to divide the bail 20 into two halves . on the upper side of the longitudinal cutting plane 50 , as viewed in fig5 the bail 20 is shown in its flat or recessed position , in which it resides essentially completely in the recess 18 , and in contact with a portion of the sidewalls 26 . similarly , on the lower side of the cutting plane 50 , as viewed in fig5 it is to be noted that the bail is shown in a raised position , this being the position of the bail when , for example , a hatch lid is being raised . also visible in fig5 is a reference line or cutting plane 52 , that forms a right angle with the longitudinal cutting plane 50 . it is at the intersection of these two planes where radii associated with the contour of sidewalls 26 are centered , and these radii define both the upper and lower boundaries of angled sidewall 26 in the area where holes 24 are located . we find it advantageous for the holes 24 to be located on the arc portions of the angled sidewalls , and preferably in a plane 54 that bears an angle x ° to the plane 52 . the holes are disposed at this location in order to provide resistance to the pintle and bail when the bail is moved upward , and to cause the bail to stop short of a position 90 ° with respect to the body base plane . we prefer for the angle x ° to exceed 20 °/ it is to be realized that although one plane 54 is shown in fig5 there is a plane 54 associated with both of the holes 24 , and the same angle x applies thereto . although the two holes 24 in the base member 16 are initially circular , as a result of the drawing action by which the base member is configured , the holes become elongate in the direction perpendicular to the plane of base member 16 . fig5 and subsequent fig6 and 8 are illustrations to explain and clarify the factors and relationships which , in combination , produce the effect of limiting the travel of the bail to a position less than the perpendicular with respect to the plane of body 16 . these principal factors are : the location of holes 24 in the portion of the angled sidewall created by the aforementioned radii , and the diameter and angularity of pintles 22 about bend lines a and b . in fig6 through 8 , the pintles 22 are to be regarded as being disposed in their respective holes 24 , and in fig6 and 7 , the bail is in its lowered position , corresponding of course to the position shown in the upper part of fig5 . it is to be noted that in fig6 and 7 , a clearance exists between bail pintle and its respective hole 24 , thus illustrating that there is no initial resistance to upward movement of the bail . fig8 shows bail 20 in its maximum raised position , corresponding to the position shown in the lower part of fig5 . it is to be understood that the relationship of the bends in pintle 22 to the elongated hole 24 in the sidewall 26 restricts pintle movement to an angularity of less than 90 ° from the plane of base 16 , because of interference between the pintle 22 and sidewall of hole 24 at contact points cp1 and cp2 . an important feature of our invention may therefore be seen by comparing fig6 and fig8 . as shown now be clear , when the bail and pintle are at rest , there is considerable clearance around the periphery of pintle 22 with respect to its hole 24 , whereas in fig8 due to the four principal factors related above , there is substantial interference or binding , effectively preventing bail 20 raising to a position that is 90 ° with respect to the plane of body 16 . although we are not to be limited to particular dimensions in the construction of our novel self closing lift rings , in one preferred embodiment , the base member measured 21 / 8 &# 34 ; along the centerline residing in plane 50 , and 17 / 8 &# 34 ; in width , and a 5 / 8 &# 34 ; radius was used in the creation of the arcuate sidewalls . the material of which the base member 16 or 36 is stamped may be brass , which later typically receives a nickel - chromium plating . the thickness of the member 16 or 36 may be approximately 1 / 32 &# 34 ;, and the pintles may have a diameter of approximately 1 / 8 &# 34 ;. also , the bail or lift loop in one particular embodiment had a dimension of approximately 1 9 / 16 &# 34 ; between the extreme outer ends of the pintles , and the dimension of approximately 11 / 4 &# 34 ; from a line connecting the pintles , to the outer crest of the bail . the bail is preferably of stainless steel of a 1 / 8 &# 34 ; wire diameter , with the central part of the bail being flattened in the plane of the bail , to a width of say 5 / 32 &# 34 ;. after the forming or stamping process , the base member takes on a thickness of approximately 1 / 4 &# 34 ;, which is a sufficiently small dimension as to avoid the likelihood of tripping . also , and as previously mentioned , the bail or lift loop tends to remain in its recess , and not to protrude thereabove . as to the forming of our novel bail , by the use of a first die , the bail is caused to assume the configuration shown in fig4 . thereafter , it is bent about bend lines a and b . the further bending of the initially formed bail about the bend axes is preferably brought about at room temperature by the use of a forming die , configured to accomplish the bending about bend line a and bend lines b at substantially the same time . as will be apparent , the bending about bend lines b make it easier for the pintles to be inserted into their respective mounting holes 24 during assembly . the mounting holes typically are circular until the drawing process in which the central recess is created , at which time they become oval , with the long dimension perpendicular to the principal plane of the base member 16 . it should be obvious that in order to prevent the pintles from tending to pull out of their respective mounting holes , the normal configuration of the bail is one in which the pintles have a greater dimension between their outer portions , than is the distance between the holes 24 . because of this , it is necessary for the arms of the bail to be pinched together somewhat before the ends of the pintles can be inserted into the holes 24 . because the bail is made of appropriate and springy material , there is little if any tendency for the bail to sever its connection to the base member 16 . it should now be apparent that in accordance with this invention , we accomplish the goal of providing a self closing lift ring by the inexpensive procedure of configuring the base member to have a pair of bail mounting holes in the arcuate portions of its angled sidewalls , and causing the bail used with the base member to have pintles bent about specifically designated bend axes located in orthogonal relation to each other . as a result of this novel construction , the bail or lift ring automatically returns to a recessed position , thus solving the problem of how to eliminate the customary trip hazard posed by the use of prior art lift rings about a boat , or other vehicle or structure . advantageously , we accomplish the foregoing without the use of springs , or any other device prone to fail , corrode , or wear out . although we normally create both holes 24 to be non - circular , and bend both of the pintles 22 out of the plane of the lift loop , our device would still be operative in the intended manner if only one hole is non - circular , and only the one pintle associated therewith is bent out of the plane of the lift loop . | 8 |
referring initially to fig1 the anti - contamination or isolation valve 10 of this invention is illustrated in position within a powder delivery system 12 which includes a powder receiver unit 14 , a sieve 16 and a primary hopper 18 . for purposes of illustration , the powder receiver unit 14 is shown mounted by a bracket 19 atop a cross brace 20 of a support frame 22 having vertical legs 24 , 26 . the powder receiver unit 14 is connected by a line 28 to a supply hopper 30 containing virgin coating material . preferably , the powder receiver unit 14 is of the type fully disclosed in u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 320 , 921 to shutic et al ., filed oct . 11 , 1994 , the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein . the structural details of powder receiver unit 14 form no part of this invention , and are therefore not discussed in detail herein . the powder receiver unit 14 discharges powder coating material through a sleeve 32 having flexible end portions 34 , 36 . the end portion 34 of sleeve 32 is connected to the inlet of sieve 16 which is carried within a hanger 38 mounted to the cross brace 20 of support frame 22 . a sieve 16 , suitable for purposes of the powder delivery system 12 , is sold by nordson corporation of amherst , ohio , under part no . 287 , 494 . the details of the construction of sieve 16 form no part of this invention and are therefore not discussed herein . powder coating material discharged from the sieve 16 passes through a second sleeve 37 having a flexible end portion 39 connected to the sieve 16 and a flexible end portion 41 connected to the inlet of the valve 10 whose structure is described in detail below . the powder discharged from valve 10 enters primary hopper 18 which is connected by a line 40 to one or more spray guns associated with a powder spray booth ( not shown ). preferably , the primary hopper 18 is of a type such as disclosed in ser . no . 08 / 320 , 921 noted above , or a similar commercially available hopper device . referring now to fig2 - 5 , the structure and operation of valve 10 is shown in detail . in the presently preferred embodiment , the valve 10 comprises a valve body 42 having a hollow interior 44 defining an internal wall 46 . a flanged inlet adapter 48 is mounted by bolts 50 to one side of valve body 42 , and a flanged outlet adapter 52 is mounted by bolts 50 to the opposite side of valve body 42 . the inlet adapter 48 is connected to the end portion 41 of sleeve 37 , and the outlet adapter 52 is connected to an inlet 54 of the primary hopper 18 . in the open position , as discussed below , the valve 10 therefore provides a flow path for powder coating material from the sieve 16 into the primary hopper 18 . in the presently preferred embodiment , a circular disc 56 is mounted by screws 58 to a mounting block 60 located within the interior 44 of valve body 42 . the mounting block 60 is connected by a set screw 62 at one end of a shaft 64 whose opposite end extends exteriorly of the valve body 42 and mounts a handle 66 . see fig5 . as described below in connection with a discussion of the operation of valve 10 , the shaft 64 is rotatable within a bearing ( not shown ) carried within a bearing mount 65 to pivot the disc 56 between a closed position depicted in fig2 and 4 , and an open position depicted in fig3 . in the presently preferred embodiment , the internal wall 46 of valve body 42 is formed with a recess 68 which mounts an annular shaped , inflatable seal 70 formed of rubber or a similar resilient material . the annular seal 70 is formed with a stem 72 which extends toward the exterior of the valve body 42 , within a bore 73 , where it connects to an air line 74 leading to a source of pressurized air 76 , depicted schematically in the figs . as best shown in fig2 and 4 , the annular seal 70 is located within recess 68 along the internal wall 46 of valve body 42 in position to align with the peripheral edge 57 of disc 56 with the disc 56 in a closed position , as discussed below . when filled with pressurized air from source 76 , the annular seal 70 expands radially inwardly from the recess 68 toward the center of valve body interior 44 and into engagement with the peripheral edge 57 of disc 56 to create a seal therebetween . as shown in fig4 with the disc 56 in a closed position and the annular seal 70 inflated , the disc 56 is located vertically below a cleaning port 78 extending through the valve body 42 . the operation of the powder delivery system 12 and isolation valve 10 are as follows . initially , virgin powder coating material is withdrawn from the supply hopper 30 via line 28 into the powder receiver unit 14 . as discussed in detail in application ser . no . 08 / 320 , 921 , a negative pressure is created within the interior of powder receiver unit 14 to draw or suction the virgin powder coating material from supply hopper 30 into the powder receiver unit 14 . the powder coating material is allowed to fall by gravity from the powder receiver unit 14 through sleeve 32 into the sieve 16 . the sieve 16 functions to remove debris , contaminants , and particles of the powder coating material which are larger than desired from the air - entrained powder coating material , thus allowing the remaining virgin powder coating material to pass into the valve 10 . under normal operation conditions , when a flow of powder is desired to the spray guns , the shaft 64 is rotated by handle 66 to pivot the disc 56 to an open position wherein it is substantially vertical and parallel to the internal wall 46 of valve body 42 . see fig3 . as shown , with the valve 10 open , powder coating material 80 is allowed to fall by gravity , and / or under the influence of a negative pressure , into the primary hopper 18 from where it is supplied to one or more spray guns as discussed in ser . no . 08 / 320 , 921 . the valve 10 is maintained in this open position throughout normal operating conditions . from time to time , routine maintenance must be performed on the sieve 16 in order to clear away the debris , contaminants , and larger powder particles collected thereon . the valve 10 of this invention provides a means to allow for maintenance of the sieve 16 while maintaining the virgin powder coating material located downstream therefrom substantially isolated , i . e ., within primary hopper 18 , the line 40 , and any other powder feeder devices and lines leading to the spray guns associated with a powder spray booth . before performing such maintenance operation on the sieve 16 , the shaft 64 is rotated by handle 66 to position the disc 56 in a substantially horizontal , closed position wherein its peripheral edge 57 is aligned with the inflatable seal 70 in the recess 68 of the valve body 42 . with the disc 56 in this closed position , pressurized air from source 76 is transmitted through air line 74 and stem 72 into the interior of annular seal 70 . this causes the seal 70 to expand radially inwardly from the recess 68 , toward the interior 44 of valve body 42 , and into engagement with the peripheral edge 57 of disc 56 . as a result , a seal is created within the interior 44 of valve body 42 which isolates that portion of the powder delivery system 12 downstream from the outlet adapter 52 of valve 10 from the sieve 16 . the degree of expansion of the annular seal 70 , and , hence , the contact pressure it exerts against the peripheral edge 57 of disc 56 , can be precisely controlled by varying the pressure of the air introduced into the seal 70 . by controlling such contact pressure , agglomeration of powder material along the peripheral edge 57 of disc 56 is eliminated or at least substantially reduced . with the valve 10 closed and sealed in the manner described above , routine maintenance can be performed on the sieve 16 and any debris or other contaminants which are dislodged therefrom during maintenance can fall by gravity atop the valve disc 56 . after completion of the sieve maintenance is underway , the debris or contaminants 82 resting atop the disc 56 of valve 10 are removed by applying a suction through the cleaning port 78 of valve body 42 , as schematically depicted by arrows 84 in fig4 . the entire interior 44 of valve body 42 upstream from disc 56 is thus cleaned and free of contaminants . when the sieve 16 is closed and the maintenance completed , the pressurized air within inflatable seal 70 is then exhausted , allowing the inflatable seal 70 to deflate and move radially outwardly into the recess 68 , flush with the internal wall 46 of valve body 42 , as shown in fig2 and 3 . the shaft 64 is then rotated by handle 66 to pivot disc 56 back to the open position depicted in fig3 in preparation for the resumption of the supply of powder coating material to the primary hopper 18 . while the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment , it should 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 . for example , the anti - contamination or isolation valve 10 of this invention is illustrated in a powder delivery system 12 of the general type disclosed in patent application ser . no . 08 / 320 , 921 . it should be understood , however , that the isolation valve 10 is useful in other types of systems employing a sieve which may or may not include intermediate hoppers or powder feeder devices located between the sieve and powder spray guns associated with a powder spray booth . see , for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 078 , 084 owned by the assignee of this invention . therefore , it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims . | 1 |
the above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following details description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings . as the present invention may be embodied in several forms , it is to be understood that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of essential characteristics of the present invention . therefore , unless otherwise such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention hereinafter described , they should be construed as being included therein . an outline of a laser oscillator according to the present invention is explained with reference to fig1 . the laser oscillator according to the present invention is manufactured by forming a light - emitting element 105 composed of materials containing organic materials interposed between a pair of electrodes ( a first electrode 103 and a second electrode 104 ) over a substrate 106 , in which a light - emitting layer 100 containing a light - emitting substance in the light - emitting element is made to include a metal compound having a high refractive index ( such as a metal oxide or a metal sulfide ) to make the light - emitting layer 100 have a high refractive index as compared with the case that the metal compound is not included . the light - emitting layer 100 is interposed between functioning layers such as an electron injecting and transporting layer 101 and a hole injecting and transporting layer 102 . each of the functioning layers is made from an organic material . a refractive index of an organic material generally tends to be low . organic materials have the same refractive index as each other . therefore , the light - emitting layer 100 including a metal compound with a high refractive index has a higher refractive index than that of each functioning layer which interposes the light - emitting layer 100 . hence , light generated in the light - emitting layer 100 is reflected by an interface between the light - emitting layer 100 and each of the functioning layers ( the electron injecting and transporting layer 101 , the hole injecting and transporting layer 102 ). in the light - emitting element 105 having such the structure , a resonator structure can be manufactured by setting a thickness d e of the light - emitting layer 100 as d e = mλ /( 2n e ) ( m is an integer of 1 or more , n e is a refractive index of the light - emitting layer ) assuming that a wavelength of a desired laser beam is λ . current is applied to the light - emitting element 105 to obtain inverted population , induced excitation is occurred in the light - emitting layer 100 , and light which is inductively excited due to the resonator structure by the light - emitting layer 100 is further amplified , then , a laser beam is oscillated . according to the structure of the present invention , the resonator structure is provided by the light - emitting layer 100 for generating light emission , and so resonance is possible without light passing through an interface between the light - emitting layer and other layers . therefore , a super - efficient laser oscillator with a few loss of light can be manufactured . since an element can be manufactured by a vapor deposition method or a wet method over a large substrate , costs for manufacturing one element is extremely low . further , there is possibility of obtaining a large area laser beam since the element can be manufactured by the foregoing method . the laser oscillator can be manufactured to be smaller since an optical source is not required than an optically - pumped organic laser . further , the laser oscillator has high controllability . an organic thin film is supplied with a large amount of carriers in such the light - emitting element . according to a rough estimate , the number of carriers presented in the element while applying current is approximately the same as the number of molecules in the light - emitting element , or the former is larger . therefore , there is possibility that the number of molecules which have no carriers , that is , the number of molecules at a ground state is smaller than the number of molecules having carriers . in case that an excitation state is generated due to recombination of carriers in this state , there is possibility that the number of molecules at a ground state is relatively larger than the number of molecules at an excited state . that is , it can be predicted that low amount of current application is enough to produce inverted population . here , a resonator structure can be given to the element . by making a thickness of an organic film serving as a resonator be integral multiple of a half wavelength , laser oscillation becomes possible by amplifying light due to induced radiation generated from an inverted population state and due to resonance . when looking at correlation between current density and light emission intensity for the purpose of the possibility of laser oscillation from a light - emitting element , all or a part of the correlation between the current density and the light emission intensity are indicated by two direct lines with different gradients and a region of a large gradient is located at high current side with respect to a small gradient region . the current density at the two regions are contacted with each other ( hereinafter , threshold value ) is from several ma to several ten ma / cm 2 , which is extremely small . simultaneously , a half width of an emission spectrum is reduced by approximate 20 % at around the threshold value , and so the laser oscillator has the same behavior as that of current excitation laser equipment even if using an organic compound as a medium by forming a certain plurality of organic compound layers so as to be in contact with each other . therefore , realization of a laser oscillator employing a light - emitting element including an organic material by means of current excitation will be influenced by the possibility of manufacturing an appropriate resonator structure . hereinafter , embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail with reference to the drawings . in this embodiment , a structure which can emit laser light from a substrate side of laser equipment employing a light - emitting element formed by stacking an electrode layer and an organic material containing layer over a substrate is explained . fig2 illustrates laser equipment according to this embodiment constituted by stacking a plurality of layers over a substrate 106 . in this embodiment , any substrate having a light - transmitting property can be used as the substrate 106 since laser emission is extracted from a substrate side . specifically , glass , quartz , transparent plastic , and the like can be used as the substrate 106 . reference numeral 103 denotes a first electrode of the light - emitting element , whereas 104 denotes a second electrode of the light - emitting element . the light - emitting element emits light by applying high voltage to either of the electrodes . as the first electrode 103 and the second electrode 104 , metal , alloy , an electric conductive compound , or a mixture of the foregoing materials can be used . the electrode supplied with higher voltage than that supplied to the other electrode in order to obtain light emission is made from a material having a high work function ( 4 . 0 ev or more ). the other electrode supplied with lower voltage is made from a material having a small work function ( 3 . 8 ev or less ). since laser is output to the substrate side 106 in this embodiment , the first electrode 103 has preferably a light - transmitting property . therefore , it is preferable that metal having a weak to absorption in a visible region is used , and the metal is formed into a thin film in the case of using metal or alloy . in this embodiment , the first electrode 103 is supplied with higher voltage than that supplied to the other electrode . in that case , a transparent conductive oxide such as an indium tin oxide ( ito ), a zinc oxide ( zno ), or a titanium nitride ( tin ), or a nitride can be used . however , these materials absorb light to some extent , and so the electrode is preferably formed to be a thin film having a thickness of approximate 1000 nm or less . an organic compound layer includes a hole injecting layer 1011 having a good hole injection property , a hole transporting layer 1012 for transporting efficiently holes from the hole injecting layer 1011 to a light - emitting layer 100 , an electron injecting layer 1022 having a function of alleviating an electron injecting barrier , and an electron transporting layer 1021 for transporting efficiently injected electrons to the light - emitting layer . the injected carriers ( holes and electrons ) are recombined with each other in the light - emitting layer 100 . the mechanism of the carrier injection , the carrier transportation , and the carrier recombination is like that of a general light - emitting element . therefore , a material which can be used for a general light - emitting element can be used for each functioning layer except the light - emitting layer . in this embodiment , five functioning layers of the hole injecting layer 1011 , the hole transporting layer 1012 , the light - emitting layer 100 , the electron injecting layer 1022 , and the electron transporting layer 1021 are used as the organic compound layer . however , the present invention is not limited thereto . the number of functioning layers can be reduced to the extent of more than zero by forming one layer having a plurality of functions ; in that case , another functioning layer may be additionally formed . as the hole injecting material , materials having small ionization potential , which are classified broadly into low molecular organic compounds and high molecular compounds , are used . as examples of the low molecular organic compounds , starburst amine as typified by 4 , 4 ′, 4 ″- tris [ n -( 3 - methylphenyl )- n - phenylamino ] triphenylamine ( hereinafter , m - mtdata ), metallophthalocyanine , and the like can be used . as examples of the high molecular compounds , conjugated polymer such as polyaniline or polythiophene derivatives can be nominated . by using the foregoing materials as a hole injecting layer , a hole injecting barrier is reduced and holes are efficiently injected . as a typical example of the hole transporting layer 1012 , known materials such as aromatic amine is a preferable example . for example , 4 , 4 ′- bis [ n -( 1 - naphthyl )- n - phenyl - amino ]- biphenyl ( hereinafter , α - npd ), 4 , 4 ′, 4 ″- tris ( n , n - diphenyl - amino )- triphenyl amine ( hereinafter , tdata ), or the like can be used . as high molecular materials , poly ( vinyl carbazole ) having a good hole transportation property can be used . a known material can be used for the electron transporting layer 1021 . specifically , a metal complex having a quinoline skeleton or a benzoquinoline skeleton , or a mixed ligand complex thereof as typified by tris ( 8 - quinolinolate ) aluminum complex ( hereinafter , alq 3 ) is preferably used . alternatively , an oxadiazole derivative such as 2 -( 4 - biphenyl )- 5 -( 4 - tert - butylphenyl )- 1 , 3 , 4 - oxadiazole ( hereinafter , pbd ), or 1 , 3 - bis [ 5 -( p - tert - butylphenyl )- 1 , 3 , 4 - oxadiazole - 2 - yl ] benzene ( hereinafter , oxd - 7 ), a triazole derivative such as 3 -( 4 - tert - butylphenyl )- 4 - phenyl - 5 -( 4 - biphenylyl )- 1 , 2 , 4 - triazole ( hereinafter , taz ), or 3 -( 4 - tert - butylphenyl )- 4 -( 4 - ethylphenyl )- 5 -( 4 - biphenylyl )- 1 , 2 , 4 - triazole ( hereinafter , p - ettaz ), phenanthroline derivatives such as bathophenanthroline ( hereinafter , bphen ), or bathocuproin ( hereinafter , bcp ) can be used . the electron injecting layer 1022 can be formed by alkali metal , alkaline earth metal salt , or the like . specifically , calcium fluoride , lithium fluoride , cesium bromide , or the like is nominated . in the present invention , the second electrode 104 is formed over the electron injecting layer 1022 . in this embodiment , metal having a small work function , alloy , an electric conductive compound , a mixture of the foregoing materials , or the like is used for the second electrode 104 since lower voltage is applied to the second electrode than that applied to the first electrode 103 in order to obtain light emission in this embodiment . further , metal which has a weak to visible light absorption and large reflectivity is preferably used since a laser beam is emitted from the substrate 106 side in order to reduce loss of the beam as much as possible . specifically , aluminum , magnesium , or alloy of the materials is preferably used . since the cathode has preferably reflectivity of nearly 100 %, the cathode is required to have a thickness which does not transmit visible light . alternatively , a representative element belonging to the first group or the second group in the periodic table , that is , alkali metal such as lithium or cesium , alkali earth metal such as magnesium , calcium , or strontium , alloys including the foregoing materials , and transition metal including rare earth metal can be used . further alternatively , the foregoing material can be used to be stacked over metal such as aluminum , silver , or ito ( including alloy ) to form the second electrode 104 . with respect to the structure in which light emission is obtained by applying lower voltage to the first electrode 103 than that applied to the second electrode 104 , the first electrode 103 is made from a material having a small work function and is formed to be a thin film so as to have large transmittance to a wavelength of oscillated laser light as much as possible . for example , the first electrode 103 has a thickness of approximate 5 to 20 nm in the case of using alloy of magnesium and silver . in that case , the second electrode 104 can be formed by a material having a large work function . further , each layer interposed between the electrodes is stacked reversely . that is , assuming that the layers interposed between the electrodes have the same structure as that of this embodiment , an electron injecting layer , an electron transporting layer , a light - emitting layer , a hole transporting layer , and a hole injecting layer are stacked sequentially over the first electrode 103 . lastly , the second electrode 104 is stacked over the hole injecting layer . the foregoing organic compound layer can be formed by either wet or dry process . in the case of using high molecular materials , spin coating , ink jetting , dip coating , printing , or the like can be appropriately used . on the other hand , in the case of using low molecular materials , not only dip coating or spin coating , but also vapor deposition can be used . the electrode material may be formed by vapor deposition , sputtering , or the like . the light - emitting layer 100 is formed by a layer including a metal compound having a high refractive index and an organic material . a known material can be used as the organic material . for example , alq 3 , tris ( 4 - methyl - 8 - quinolinolate ) aluminum ( hereinafter , almq 3 ), bis ( 10 - hydroxybenzo [ η ]- quinolinato ) beryllium ( hereinafter , bebq 2 ), bis ( 2 - methyl - 8 - quinolinolate )-( 4 - hydroxy - biphenylyl )- aluminum ( hereinafter , balq ), bis [ 2 -( 2 - hydroxyphenyl )- benzooxazolate ] zinc ( hereinafter , zn ( box ) 2 ), bis [ 2 -( 2 - hydroxyphenyl )- benzothiazolate ] zinc ( hereinafter , zn ( btz ) 2 ), or the like can be used . alternatively , various types of fluorescent dye can be used . as the fluorescent dye , for example , coumarin pigment such as coumarin 102 , coumarin 334 , coumarin 6 , coumarin 30 , coumarin 545 , or coumarin 545t , rhodamine pigment such as rhodamine b or rhodamine 6g , a stilbene derivative such as 4 , 4 ′- bis [ 2 -( 4 - diphenylaminophenyl ) vinyl ] biphenyl ( hereinafter , dpavbi ), 4 , 4 ′- bis ( 2 , 2 - diphenylvinyl ) biphenyl ( hereinafter , dpvbi ), 1 , 4 - bis [ 2 -( 4 - diphenylaminophenyl ) vinyl ] benzene ( hereinafter , pavb ) can be nominated . further , a phosphorescent material such as a platinum octaethylporphyrin complex , a tris ( 2 - phenylpyridine ) iridium complex , or a tris ( benzylidene - acetonato ) phenanthrene europium complex can be efficiently used . since the phosphorescent material has longer excitation lifetime than that of a fluorescent material , inverted population , that is , the state in which the number of molecules in an excited state is larger that that in a ground state becomes to be formed easily , which is essential to laser oscillation . in addition , a light - emitting material can be used as dopant in the foregoing light - emitting layer 100 . therefore , a material having larger ionization potential and a band gap than those of the light - emitting material can be used as a host material , and a small amount of the foregoing light - emitting material ( approximately from 0 . 001 to 30 %) can be mixed into the host material . as a metal compound having high reflectivity , a bismuth oxide as typified by bi 2 o 3 , a titanium oxide as typified by tio , ti 2 o 3 , ti 3 o 5 , or tio 2 , a zirconium oxide as typified by zro 2 , a tantalum oxide as typified by ta 2 o 5 , a nickel oxide as typified by nio , or a metal oxide such as a zinc oxide as typified by zno . besides , metal sulfide such as zns or cds can be used . further , a compound oxide such as an indium tin oxide as typified by in 2 o 3 : sno 2 , or a zirconium titanium oxide as typified by zro 2 : tio 2 . there are adverse effects that a refractive index is not sufficiently increased in the case that an amount of metal compound is too small and that resistance is excessively increased in the case that an amount of metal compound is too large . therefore , a mol ratio between the all organic materials including the light - emitting material or hosts in the light - emitting layer , and all metal ions of the metal compound is preferably 0 . 01 or more and 100 or less , more preferably , 0 . 1 or more and 10 or less . the light - emitting layer can be formed by co - evaporation of each material or by a wet method such as a sol - gel method . a metal compound capable of being deposited by resistance heating can be co - evaporated together with an organic material by resistance heating . in the case that the light - emitting layer 100 is made to include a metal compound which is difficult to be deposited by resistance heating such as a zirconium oxide or a titanium oxide , co - evaporation can be carried out by depositing an organic material by resistance heating simultaneously depositing a metal oxide by electron gun evaporation ( eb evaporation ) which emits an electron beam to an evaporation material to be evaporated . further , the light - emitting layer according to the present invention can be formed by performing evaporation by resistance heating ( deposition of an organic material ) and sputtering ( deposition of a metal oxide ) in one chamber . a method for forming a light - emitting layer by a sol - gel method is hereinafter descried . a thickness d e of the light - emitting layer 100 preferably corresponds to a distance of an integral multiple of a half wavelength in order to amplify light by forming a stationary wave . for example , an optical distance ( refractive index × distance ) of at least 200 nm is required in order to amplify light of 400 nm . similarly , an optical distance of 400 nm is required in order to amplify light of 800 nm . an emission wavelength of the foregoing organic light - emitting material is presented mainly in a visible light region . therefore , a thickness of a layer which constitutes a resonator structure , that is , an optical thickness ( refractive index × thickness ) of the light - emitting layer 100 , is required to be 200 nm or more . since it should consider that the speed of light is reduced by a refractive index , the value obtained by multiplying a thickness by a refractive index is required to be larger than 200 nm . by applying current between electrodes of the laser equipment illustrated in fig1 , electrons injected from the second electrode 104 and holes injected from the first electrode 103 are recombined with each other within the light - emitting layer 100 in most . a part of the light emission which is obtained here is reflected within the light - emitting layer 100 to be amplified . therefore , inverted population is formed by applying current at current density no less than a threshold value and laser is oscillated . in this embodiment , laser light is extracted from the first electrode 103 side . laser light can be observed as a sharp emission spectrum centered on a wavelength which is allowed to be amplified in a resonator structure among spectra emitted from the light - emitting layer . the laser equipment is manufactured by sealing the substrate 106 provided with the foregoing light - emitting element with an opposing substrate ( not shown ) and a sealing agent . the laser equipment can be either composed of one light - emitting element or a plurality of light - emitting elements . in embodiment 1 , a structure in which laser light is extracted from a substrate 106 side , that is , a first electrode 103 side , is explained . in this embodiment , a structure in which laser light is extracted from a top face of a substrate , that is , a second electrode 104 side , is explained . in fig1 , reference numeral 106 denotes a substrate . any material can be used for the substrate 106 . not only glass , quartz , and plastic , but also a flexible substrate such as paper or cloth can be used . needless to say , these materials are not required to be transparent . reference numeral 103 denotes a first electrode . in this embodiment , a structure which can obtain light emission by applying voltage higher than that applied to another electrode is formed as with embodiment 1 . therefore , the first electrode 103 can be formed by a material having a large work function ( 4 . 0 ev or more ). the structure in accordance with this embodiment emits laser beam from a second electrode 104 side , and so the first electrode 103 is preferably in the form of a reflective mirror . as a material which fulfills these conditions , silver , platinum , or gold can be used . in the case that the first electrode 103 is used as a reflective mirror , the first electrode 103 is required to have a thickness of from several tens of nanometers to several hundreds of nanometers which does not transmit visible light . a structure which is the same as that of a light - emitting element employing a general organic material for each layer except for a light - emitting layer 100 can be formed over the first electrode 103 . that is , a hole injecting layer 1011 , a hole transporting layer 1012 , and an electron transporting layer 1021 are formed . these layers can be formed by known materials as explained in embodiment 1 . generally , an electron injecting layer 1022 is formed over the electron transporting layer 1021 . as the electron injecting layer 1022 , an organic compound doped with alkali metal such as lithium or cerium is preferably used . as the organic compound , an electron transporting material explained in embodiment 1 can be used together . the light - emitting layer 100 can be formed by a material having a structure as explained in embodiment 1 . the light - emitting layer 100 can be formed by have a thickness that fulfills mλ / 2n e ( m is an integer , n e is a refractive index of the light - emitting layer ) assuming that a wavelength of a desired laser beam is λ . thereafter , the second electrode 104 is formed . the second electrode 104 can be formed by a known material as explained in embodiment 1 . alternatively , mgag alloy having a good electron injection property can be directly stacked without forming the electron injecting layer 1022 . since laser light is extracted from a top surface in this structure , the second electrode 104 is formed to have a cathode which is formed to be thin so that transmittance with respect to a wavelength of oscillated laser light becomes increased as much as possible . in the case of alloy of magnesium and silver , the cathode has a thickness of approximately 5 to 20 nm . with respect to the structure in which light emission is obtained by applying lower voltage to the first electrode 103 than that applied to the second electrode 104 , the first electrode 103 is formed by metal having a small work function , alloy , an electric conductive compound , and a mixture of these materials . since a laser beam is emitted from the second electrode 104 side , metal which has a weak to visible light absorption and large reflectivity in order to reduce loss of the beam as much as possible . specifically , aluminum , magnesium , or alloy of these materials is preferably used . since it is preferable that reflectivity is almost 100 % in the cathode , the cathode is required to have a thickness which does not transmit visible light . besides , a representative element belonging to the first group or the second group in the periodic table , that is , alkali metal such as lithium or cesium , alkali earth metal such as magnesium , calcium , or strontium , alloys including the foregoing materials , and transition metal including rare earth metal can be used . alternatively , the foregoing material can be used to be stacked over metal such as aluminum , silver , or ito ( including alloy ) to form the first electrode 103 . further , the second electrode 104 can be formed by a material having a large work function . since a laser beam is extracted from the second electrode 104 , the second electrode 104 is preferably transparent as much as possible . in the case of metal or alloy , it is preferable that metal which has a weak to visible light absorption is used to be formed into a thin film . in the case of metal or alloy , metal having a weak to absorption in a visible light region is used and is formed to be a thin film . as the second electrode 104 , a transparent conductive oxide or nitride such as an indium tin oxide ( ito ), a zinc oxide ( zno ), or a titanium oxide ( tin ) can be used . however , these materials absorb light to some extent , and so the electrode is preferably formed to be a thin film having a thickness of approximate 1000 nm or less . further , each layer interposed between the electrodes is required to be stacked reversely . that is , assuming that the layers interposed between the electrodes have the same structure as that of this embodiment , an electron injecting layer , an electron transporting layer , a light - emitting layer , a hole transporting layer , and a hole injecting layer are stacked sequentially over the first electrode 103 . lastly , the second electrode 104 is stacked over the hole injecting layer . by applying current between electrodes of the laser equipment in accordance with this embodiment , light amplified by induced radiation resonates within the light - emitting layer 100 and laser light can be extracted from a top surface of a light - emitting element ( second electrode 104 side ). laser equipment is manufactured by sealing the substrate 106 provided with the foregoing light - emitting element with an opposing substrate ( not shown ) and a sealing agent . as the opposing substrate , a substrate having a light - transmitting property is used in order to extract light emission from the second electrode 104 side . specifically , glass , quartz , transparent plastic , or the like can be used . the laser equipment can be either composed of one light - emitting element or a plurality of light - emitting elements . in this embodiment , a laser oscillator having a double amplification structure in which a laser beam which is amplified in a light - emitting layer is emitted , the emitted laser beam is reflected by an electrode , the reflected laser beam is returned to the light - emitting layer , and the returned laser beam is further amplified in the light - emitting layer is explained . in this embodiment , the same structure as that in embodiments 1 and 2 is employed . a distance between the light - emitting layer and the electrode is defined . in the present invention , a refractive index of the light - emitting layer is made to be higher than those of the other functioning layers ( a hole injecting layer , a hole transporting layer , an electron transporting layer , and the like ) which are in contact with the light - emitting layer by means of including a metal oxide having a high refractive index . therefore , light which is emitted due to current excitation within the light - emitting layer is resonance in the light - emitting layer and is amplified to yield laser oscillation . however , a laser beam which leaks to the second electrode results in a loss in the case of a laser oscillator having a structure in which laser is emitted to a first electrode . even if a laser beam emits to the first electrode side , it cannot say that there is no laser beam reflected by an interface of the electrode , consequently , the reflected laser beam results in a loss . in this embodiment , the distance from the light - emitting layer to the electrode is set to fulfill ( 2 m − 1 ) λ /( 4n ) ( m is an integer of 1 or more , n is a refractive index of a functioning layer ) assuming that a wavelength of a desired laser beam is λ . here , reflection by an interface between the light - emitting layer and functioning layers which interpose the light - emitting layer therebetween is considered . since a refractive index of the light - emitting layer is larger than that of the functioning layer in the present invention , light reflection toward the functioning layer from the light - emitting layer is free end reflection . on the other hand , in the case that light passing through the functioning layer is reflected by an electrode , the light reflection is fixed end reflection since a refractive index of the electrode is extremely higher than that of the functioning layer . there is a phase lag between a reflected wave due to the free end reflection and an incident wave . however , there is a π phase lag between a reflected wave due to the fixed end reflection and an incident wave . in view of the foregoing , the condition of reinforcing when a reflected wave by the electrode is entered to the light - emitting layer is that a distance d between the light - emitting layer and the functioning layer fulfills ( 2 m − 1 ) λ /( 4n f ) ( m is an integer of 1 or more , n f is a refractive index of a functioning layer ). in the case that a plurality of functioning layers made from different materials is presented between the light - emitting layer and the electrode , sum of the value obtained by multiplying a refractive index of each functioning layer by thickness ratio of the functioning layer can be appropriately used assuming that a distance in which the functioning layer is presented between the light - emitting layer and the electrode is 1 . the distance between the light - emitting layer and the electrode is preferably defined at both sides of the light - emitting layers ; however , distance definition can be provided at either the electrode side . in the case that an electrode having a light - transmitting property is used as the electrode , the electrode is desired to be formed to fulfill mλ /( 2 n t ) ( m is an integer of 1 or more , n t is a refractive index of an electrode ) in the case that the refractive index nt is higher than that of a layer being in contact with one surface of the electrode , which is opposite to another side provided with the light - emitting layer , and fulfills ( 2 m − 1 ) λ /( 4 n t ) ( m is an integer of 1 or more , nt is a refractive index of an electrode ). a laser oscillator having such the structure can further efficiently oscillate laser . in this embodiment , a structure of laser equipment capable of extracting laser light from an edge face ( edge portion ) is described . in fig3 , a material for a substrate 61 is not especially selected . a material described in embodiment 2 can be used for the substrate 61 . a first electrode 62 is formed over the substrate 61 . here , a light emission component which is parallel to a film surface , that is , a longitudinal mode , is only attracted attention with respect to light amplification due to resonance , and so resonance of light emission component ( transverse mode ) as shown in embodiment 1 or 2 can be ignored . therefore , transparency or reflectivity of an electrode can be ignored ; accordingly , a work function can be selected as a main parameter . however , an electrode which has no transparency is preferable in consideration of light penetrating into a direction perpendicular to a substrate . the same structure as that of a light - emitting element employing an organic material for layers except for a light - emitting layer 65 which exhibits light emission by being applied with current is provided over the first electrode 62 . that is , a hole injecting layer 63 , a hole transporting layer 64 , an electron transporting layer 66 , and an electron injecting layer 67 are provided , each of which is formed by selecting a material and a method as explained in embodiment 1 . further , these organic compound layers and the electrode can be formed to have thicknesses selected to emit light efficiently . a second electrode 67 is formed over the electron injecting layer 67 . laser is oscillated from an edge surface between the electrodes , or the substrate in this embodiment . therefore , a width between the electrodes can be small . it is sufficient that the width between the electrodes is several micro millimeters and a length between the electrodes is several hundreds micro millimeters . the important thing is control of a plurality of longitudinal modes . in the case that the laser is oscillated from a transverse direction between the electrodes , a wavelength is shorter than a length between the electrodes , and so many longitudinal modes are generated . as a result , a number of longitudinal modes are entered into a spectrum shape curved line . in view of this , diffraction grating 69 is manufactured at the vicinity of the light - emitting layer as shown in fig3 . for example , a top surface of the hole transporting layer is formed not to be smooth but strip - shaped to form the diffraction grating . accordingly , light generated within the light - emitting layer is periodically reflected by grid intervals of the diffraction grating to be resonated and amplified . hence , light having a high monochromatic property can be amplified . assuming that a refractive index of the light - emitting layer is n and a wavelength to be oscillated is λ , diffraction grating ( λ / 2n ) can be manufactured . thus , a single longitudinal mode can be realized and laser light having a high monochromatic property can be obtained from a side face of an organic compound layer . a method for forming a light - emitting layer in a semiconductor device according to the present invention by a wet method is explained in this embodiment . firstly , a method for forming a light - emitting layer 100 by a sol - gel method with alkoxide is explained . in this embodiment , a light - emitting layer containing a metal oxide among metal compounds described in embodiment 1 can be formed . alcoxide of metal in a metal oxide which is hoped to be included in the light - emitting layer 100 is prepared . in addition , another metal alcoxide can be added in the case of using a plurality of kinds of metal compounds . sol is prepared by adding a chelating agent such as β - diketone as a stabilizer and water to alkoxide solution obtained by dissolving the alkoxide with appropriate solvent . thf , acetonitrile , dichloromethane , dichloroethane , or mixed solvent of these materials can be , but not exclusively , used as the solvent besides lower alcohol such as methanol , ethanol , n - propanol , i - propanol , n - butanol , or sec - butanol . for example , acetylacetone , ethyl acetoacetate , benzoylacetone , or the like can be nominated as an example of a compound which can be employed as the stabilizer . however , the stabilizer is used for preventing precipitation in the sol , and is not necessarily required . as an amount of adding water is preferably 2 equivalent weight or more and 6 equivalent weight or less with respect to alkoxide of metal since valency of metal of alkoxide is 2 to 6 . note that water is used to control a rate at which the reaction of metal alkoxide proceeds , and is not necessarily required . solution of an organic material as explained in embodiment 1 used for a light - emitting layer 100 is prepared , the solution is mixed into the prepared sol , and the mixed solution is stirred . accordingly , mixed solution containing alkoxide of metal and an organic material is obtained . thereafter , the solution is coated and baked to form a film used as the light - emitting layer 100 of a light - emitting element in a laser oscillator according to the present invention . as a method for coating the mixed solution , a wet method such as a dip coating method , a spin coating method , or an ink jet method can be , but not exclusively , used . in the case that molecular weight of the organic material is small ( specifically , a compound having molecular weight of 500 or less ), film quality can be improved by adding a binder substance to the mixed solution . of course , the binder substance can be added in the case of using a high molecular compound as the organic material . in the case of adding the binder substance to the mixed solution , the binder substance can be preliminarily added to metal alkoxide solution in either case . as the binder substance , polyvinyl alcohol ( abbreviated as pva ), polymethyl methacrylate ( abbreviated as pmma ), polycarbonate ( abbreviated as pc ), phenol resin , or the like can be nominated . alkoxide solution without being added with water is mixed to solution of an organic material as shown in embodiment 1 used for the light - emitting layer 100 , the mixed solution is coated , exposed to water vapor , and baked . then , a film used for the light - emitting layer 100 of a light - emitting element in the laser oscillator according to the present invention can be formed . hydrolysis reaction is occurred by exposing the coated solution to water vapor . then , the exposed solution is baked , and then , polymerization or cross - linking is proceeded to form a layer containing a metal oxide and an organic material . in the case of carrying out hydrolysis reaction with the foregoing water vapor , a stabilizer can be added to solution containing alkoxide of metal and an organic material . by adding the stabilizer , polynuclear precipitation of hydroxide of the first metal due to moisture in the atmosphere or the like can be restrained . further , the stabilizer is not necessarily required if the foregoing process is carried out without moisture until exposing to water vapor . a method for forming a film used as the light - emitting layer 100 of a light - emitting element in the laser oscillator according to the present invention by a sol - gel method which is different from that with the foregoing alkoxide is explained . a film containing a metal oxide and an organic material can also be formed by this method . firstly , ammonia solution is dropped to solution of acid salt including metal in a metal oxide which is to be included in the light - emitting layer 100 , then , polynuclear precipitation of hydroxide of the metal is obtained . in the case that a plurality kinds of metal oxides is made to be included in the light - emitting layer 100 , the metal salt can be added thereto . acid such as acetic acid is added to the obtained precipitation to be refluxed . peptization is occurred and sol can be obtained . solution of an organic material ( or an organic material ) used for a light - emitting layer is added to the obtained sol , and the solution is stirred . accordingly , sol of metal and the first solution containing an organic material can be obtained . thereafter , a film used as the light - emitting layer 100 of a light - emitting element in the laser oscillator according to the present invention can be formed by coating and baking the first solution . as a method for coating the first solution , a wet method such as a dip coating method , a spin coating method , or an ink jet method can be , but not exclusively , used . a binder substance can be preliminarily added to the first solution in the case of forming the light - emitting layer by adding the binder substance . this application is based on japanese patent application serial no . 2004 - 353451 filed in japan patent office on 2004 / 12 / 06 the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference . although the present invention has been fully described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be understood that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art . therefore , unless otherwise such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention hereinafter described , they should be construed as being included therein . | 7 |
with reference to fig7 a and 7b illustrating a field - emission type cold cathode 10 made in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention , a conical emitter electrode 1 having a pointed end is formed on an electrically conductive substrate 5 . there is formed an insulating layer 4 around the emitter electrode 1 , and an annular - shaped gate electrode 2 is formed on the insulating layer 4 so that the gate electrode 2 is disposed coaxially with the pointed end of the emitter electrode 1 . a focusing electrode 3 formed on the insulating layer 4 is located at the same level as the gate electrode 2 and surrounds the gate electrode 2 . namely , the emitter electrode 1 is surrounded by both the gate electrode 2 and the focusing electrode 3 . the emitter electrode 1 is connected to an exposed portion 6 of the substrate 5 situated at a surface or a bottom surface of the substrate 5 , and connected to external circuits through the exposed portion 6 . similarly , the gate electrode 2 is connected to a gate pad 7 situated at a surface of the substrate 5 through a feeder line 9 , and connected further to external circuits through the gate pad 7 . the focusing electrode 3 is connected to external circuits through a focusing pad 8 . in a structure where the gate electrode 2 and the focusing electrode 3 are disposed coaxially with each other , the gate feeder line 9 extending from the gate electrode 2 has to pass through the focusing electrode 3 to reach the gate pad 7 . to this end , the gate feeder line 9 is designed to be complementary in shape with the focusing electrode 3 . in other words , the focusing electrode 3 is partially cut to form a groove ( not referenced ). cutting edges of the focusing electrode 3 face complementarily with each other to thereby define a groove therebetween . the gate feeder line 9 extends just along the groove , and hence the gate feeder line 9 is also complementary in shape with the cutting edges of the focusing electrode 3 . the complementariness between the gate feeder line 9 and the focusing electrode 3 ensures that the focusing electrode 3 is present at every radial directions around the emitter electrode 1 . for example , the gate feeder line 9 includes a c - shaped portion or almost square bent portion 20 . the preferred of the focusing electrode 3 and the feeder line 9 are as follows . radially measured width of the focusing electrode 3 is 200 μm width of the square bent portion 20 in radial direction of the focusing electrode 3 is 70 μm length of the square bent portion 20 in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction is 100 μm it should be noted that the gate feeder line 9 is depicted in larger scale than actual scale for better understanding of the first embodiment . it is possible to form the field - emission type cold cathode illustrated in fig7 a and 7b by conventional field - emission type cold cathode fabricating methods having no focusing electrode . that is , by merely changing a pattern of a photomask used for patterning a gate electrode on a gate layer formed over an insulating layer , the gate layer can be divided into the gate electrode 2 and the focusing electrode 3 . hereinbelow is explained the operation of the field - emission type cold cathode illustrated in fig7 a and 7b . with reference to fig8 a , an anode electrode 11 is disposed facing the field - emission type cold cathode 10 . the anode electrode 11 consists of a glass substrate 12 , an electrically conductive , transparent film 13 formed on the glass substrate 12 , and a thin fluorescent film 14 formed on the transparent film 13 . a power supply 37 is disposed between each of the electrically conductive , transparent film 13 , the gate electrode 2 and the focusing electrode 3 and the substrate 5 . by applying voltages to the transparent film 13 , the gate electrode 2 , the focusing electrode 3 and the substrate 5 , electron beams are emitted from the pointed end of the emitter electrode 1 to thereby establish emission area on the fluorescent film 14 . specifically , assuming that the emitter electrode 1 is kept at 0 v , about 70 v is applied to the gate electrode 2 , about ( minus sign ) 20 v ( which is smaller than the voltage of the emitter electrode 1 ) is applied to the focusing electrode 3 , and a voltage ranging from 100 v to 1000 v is applied to the anode electrode 11 . fig8 b shows an emission area established by electron beams . the electron beams 15 are emitted from the pointed end of the emitter electrode 1 of the field - emission type cold cathode 10 illustrated in fig8 a by means of an electric field generated by the gate electrode 2 , and focused by an electric field generated by the focusing electrode 3 , to thereby establish the emission area 16 on the fluorescent film 14 of the anode electrode 11 . fig9 shows the results of two - dimensional simulation for the operation of a field - emission type cold cathode having the an annular - shaped focusing electrode 3 surrounding therein the gate electrode 2 . when the cathode is operated under the following conditions : there are obtained equipotential lines 26 and trajectory 25 of electron beams . electrons emitted from the emitter electrode 1 first outwardly spread , but are immediately made to turn inwardly by a repulsive force generated by an electric field produced by the focusing electrode 3 , and then focused . on the other hand , in a field - emission type cold cathode having a gate feeder line radially straight extending from an emitter electrode to a gate pad , a focusing electrode is absent in the plane passing through the emitter electrode , such as described above with reference to prior art fig4 b . thus , an electric field for focusing electron beams is weakened in a direction in which such a plane extends . in addition , since a gate feeder line having the same potential as a gate electrode extends in the same direction , electron beams are attracted to the gate feeder line , resulting in that electron beams spread towards the gate feeder line . as a result , as illustrated in fig8 c , an emission area 18 established by the above - mentioned cold cathode is rather focused than an emission area 17 established by a field - emission type cold cathode having no focusing electrode , but spreads in a direction in which the gate feeder line extends . on the other hand , the field - emission type cold cathode made in accordance with the first embodiment has little asymmetry with respect to a shape of the focusing electrode 3 due to the presence of the gate feeder line 9 , but makes it possible for the focusing electrode 3 to exist in all radial directions around the emitter electrode 1 to thereby accomplish superior focusing performance . as a result , as illustrated in fig8 b , the field - emission type cold cathode made in accordance with the first embodiment establishes the emission area 16 having high axis - symmetry on the fluorescent film 14 . in order to have highly axis - symmetrical electron beams , the focusing electrode 3 may be partially , three - dimensionally formed over the gate feeder line 9 so as not to partially cut the focusing electrode 3 , as illustrated in fig6 even in the field - emission type cold cathode illustrated in fig3 . however , the method of fabricating those cathodes becomes too complicated . accordingly , the first embodiment is superior to those cathodes in that the present invention can be fabricated by a simpler method , and in addition , at lower costs . in a display comprising a plurality of the cathodes illustrated in fig8 a , arranged in a plane in an array , the above mentioned focusing performance ensuring high axis - symmetry would accomplish high resolution . hence , when the field - emission type cold cathode illustrated in fig8 a is incorporated in an electron gun , there is obtained high axis - symmetry of electron beams and high quality performance of focusing electron beams . though the above - mentioned first embodiment includes only one emitter electrode 1 , the number of the emitter electrodes is not to so limited to . as illustrated in fig1 , a field - emission type cold cathode made in accordance with the present invention may include a plurality of emitter electrodes . the complementariness in shape between the gate feeder line 9 and the focusing electrode 3 is not to be limited to that in the first embodiment as illustrated in fig7 a . for instance , as illustrated in fig1 , the complementariness may be defined so that the feeder line 9 and the focusing electrode 3 include two c - shaped portions 20 . as an alternative , the complementariness may be defined so that there are three or more c - shaped portions 20 . in essence , the complementariness in shape between the feeder line and the focusing electrode may be comprised of linear segments , curved - line segments , or a combination of linear and curved - line segments . specific examples of the complementariness are depicted in fig1 a to 11c . as illustrated in fig1 a , the complementariness in shape between the gate feeder line 9 and the focusing electrode 3 may be comprised of a radially extending first linear segment 40 , a circumferentially extending first arcuate segment 41 having about 120 degrees apex angle , a radially , outwardly extending second liner segment 42 making about 120 degrees angle with the first linear segment 40 , and a circumferentially extending second arcuate segment 43 having about 120 degrees apex angle and reaching the gate pad 7 . as an alternative , as illustrated in fig1 b , the complementariness in shape between the gate feeder line 9 and the focusing electrode 3 may be comprised of a radially extending linear segment 44 and a circumferentially extending arcuate segment 45 having about 180 degrees apex angle and reaching the gate pad 7 . the complementariness in shape between the gate feeder line 9 and the focusing electrode 3 may be comprised of a horizontally , radially extending linear segment 46 and a linear segment 47 making an angle with the linear segment 46 and reaching the gate pad 7 , as illustrated in fig1 c . the complementariness in shape between the gate feeder line 9 and the focusing electrode 3 is not to be limited those depicted in fig1 a to 11c , but may be defined in any shape unless the complementariness ensures that the focusing electrode 3 exists in all radial directions around the emitter electrode 1 . fig1 a illustrates a field - emission type cold cathode made in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention . elements corresponding to those of the first embodiment have been provided with the same reference numerals . the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the second embodiment is further provided with compensation patterns . as illustrated in fig1 a , the complementariness in shape between the gate feeder line 9 and the focusing electrode 3 is comprised of a first linear segment 48 radially extending from the gate electrode 2 , a circumferentially extending arcuate segment 49 , and a radially extending second linear segment 50 reaching the gate pad 7 . the illustrated cold cathode is further provided with three compensation patterns 19 extending from the gate electrode 2 . each of the compensation patterns 19 has almost the same shape as the feeder line 9 . more specifically , each of the compensation patterns 19 is comprised of the first linear segment 48 radially extending from the gate electrode 2 , the circumferentially extending arcuate segment 49 , and a radially extending second linear segment 50 . the compensation patterns 19 and the gate feeder line 9 are disposed in rotational symmetry with one another . as a result , the gate feeder line 9 and the compensation patterns 19 cooperate with one another to form a windmill shape . the addition of the compensation patterns 19 diminishes the asymmetry in an electric field for focusing electron beams which could not be removed by the complementariness in shape between the gate feeder line 9 and the focusing electrode 3 . as a result , an emission area 29 established on the fluorescent film 14 by the cathode illustrated in fig1 a is improved with respect to axis - symmetry , as illustrated in fig1 b , which in turn ensures that axis - symmetry in electron beams is further improved . though the above mentioned second embodiment includes only one emitter electrode 1 , the number of the emitter electrodes is not to so limited to . similarly to the first embodiment , a field - emission type cold cathode made in accordance with the second embodiment may include a plurality of emitter electrodes . in addition , the number of the compensation patterns is not to be limited to three as exemplified in the second embodiment illustrated in fig1 a . any number of compensation patterns may be formed if those compensation patterns and a gate feeder line are disposed in rotational symmetry with one another . while the present invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that the subject matter encompassed by way of the present invention is not to be limited to those specific embodiments . on the contrary , it is intended for the subject matter of the invention to include all alternatives , modifications and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the following claims . | 7 |
turning to fig3 there is shown system 300 implementing an embodiment of the present pmdc parallel monitoring and control architecture . optical signal 301 is split between inline path 308 and branch path 309 , but the strength of signal 301 is not necessarily split between the paths . optical fiber 310 is used as an optical transmission medium in portions of the system and paths requiring well - controlled polarization transformation may employ free space optical beams 311 , planer optical waveguides or the like . herein the phrase “ free space path ” or the like is intended to denote optical paths which preferably have no polarization transformation or at least in which polarizations transformations are well characterized and known . such “ free space paths ” may in fact be free space optical beams or they may take the form of planer optical waveguides or the like . control parameters for inline path 308 may include control voltages applied to pc 302 and , if desired , a value adjustment of dgd 303 . preferably , within box 300 a , branch 309 and inline path 308 have matching polarization transformations . additionally , pcs 302 and 306 preferably match such that matching control voltages result in matching input sops at dgds 303 and 307 , respectively , for any incoming sop . this configuration allows controller 304 to determine the best inline pc voltages based on measurements in branch 309 . random problems with local minimal can then be handled in a deliberate manner , rather than relying on statistics of overall pmd over a period of time . in operation , the control parameters are fully swept in branch 309 for branch pc 306 . when the optimum parameters which provide the best pc output for pmd compensator by dgd 307 at mon 305 are found , the parameters of inline pc 302 are adjusted to match optimum parameters found in branch path 309 . alternatively , a branch path may not have a polarization transformation matching that of the inline path , as illustrated in fig4 through 8 . preferably , in these embodiments , the control parameters are fully swept in the branch , and when the optimum parameters are found , the parameters of the inline compensator are adjusted to emulate the settings in the branch pc ( s ) by means of sensors in both the inline and branch paths . this sensing can be done in a number of ways , some of which are illustrated in fig4 through 8 . [ 0029 ] fig4 shows embodiment 400 for a single section parallel architecture pmdc using sensors . a polarization transformer ( p - rot ) 412 modulates continuous wave ( cw ) reference signal 413 at wavelength λ ref to provide two different input sops . reference signal 413 is injected into optical fiber 410 carrying optical signal 401 at wavelength λ sig . optical signal 401 and reference signal 413 are tapped to form branch 409 parallel to inline path 408 . optical signal 401 and reference signal 413 are scrambled by a polarization controller acting as a polarization scrambler ( polscr ) 406 . the polarization controller making up polarization scrambler 406 need not necessarily be endless . control processor 404 may be used to control polarization scrambler 406 . however , a separate control processor may be used to cycle through control voltages for polarization scrambler 406 as there is no need for synchronization with inline pc 402 . the reference signal is monitored by polarimeter sop2 ref 414 via a filtering splitter filter2 415 . the polarization transformation in branch 409 can be uniquely identified by two sops measured at sop2ref 414 , corresponding to the two different input sops generated by p - rot 412 . the filtered scrambled signal is sent through compensator 407 in the form of a dgd and the signal distortion level is measured by monitor ( mon ) 405 . control processor 404 records the monitor signal and associated sops from sop2 ref 414 for the full range of polarization transformations induced by pscr 406 , and determines which transformation yields the least pmd after dgd 407 . control processor 404 , reads sop1 ref 416 , and dithers inline endless pc 402 so that the inline transformation matches the optimum found in branch 409 . to dither control parameters of endless pc 402 , each control parameter is varied to determine whether a new parameter results in approaching or diverging from the sop target . each control parameter is evaluated and the sop is optimized . for example , with three control voltages , the first one is optimized , then the second one is optimized , then the third , and then the first is optimized again , etc ., constantly . thus , a minimum separation from the target sop is maintained . pmd at the output should be at the optimal level as long as inline and branch dgds 403 and 407 are approximately equal . in embodiment 400 of fig4 the two branches do not need to match . the sops which are tapped off with filter2 415 and filter1 416 , can be used to ensure that the optimum polarization transformation found in branch 409 can be applied to endless pc 402 . while sweeping out parameter space with polarization scrambler 406 , sop2 ref 414 is preferably monitored twice for each combination of control voltages , to take two measurements in order to evaluate the polarization transformation . generally , a single sop measurement will not fully characterize a polarization transformation . so reference signal input has polarization rotator 412 which preferably generates two different sops . preferably , the two sops do not match and are not orthogonal to each other . by measuring the sop in branch 409 at sop2 ref 414 for the two reference signal polarization states , the polarization transformation for branch 409 , up to dgd 407 can be fully characterized . given the optimum polarization transformation in branch 409 , characterized by measurement at sop2 ref 414 , control processor 404 only has to compare measurement at sop2 ref 414 to measurements at sop1 ref 416 in inline path 408 to provide optimal pmd compensation control settings for endless pc 402 . the correct control parameters on inline endless pc 402 may not be the same as the optimal control parameters found for polarization scrambler 406 . to provide optimal control parameters to inline pc 402 , the two sops corresponding to the two different reference polarizations can be matched , thereby matching the polarization transformations in inline path 408 and branch path 409 . thusly , embodiment 400 avoids the use of matching pcs and many of the free space paths of embodiment 300 of fig3 . free space paths 411 are required at filter2 ( 415 ) and filter1 ( 417 ) to insure accurate measurement of sop2 ref 414 and sop1 ref 416 , respectively . dashed outlines 400 a and 400 b encompass free space optical beam paths or other well defined optical path in which the polarization transformation between sop ref measurements and the inputs of their respective dgds are known . preferably , no polarization transformation takes place within each of boxes 400 a and 400 b . [ 0031 ] fig5 shows single section pmdc embodiment 500 which does not require dithering of inline endless pc 502 . inline endless pc 502 should be well characterized and controlled for embodiment 500 , meaning an accurate mapping of control voltages to polarization transformations is required and stored in the memory of control processor 504 . a polarization transformer ( p - rot ) 512 modulates continuous wave ( cw ) reference signal 513 at wavelength λ ref to provide two different input sops . reference signal 513 is injected into optical fiber 510 carrying optical signal 501 at wavelength λ sig . optical signal 501 and reference signal 513 are tapped to form branch 509 and scrambled by a polarization controller acting as a polarization scrambler ( polscr ) 506 . the polarization controller making up polarization scrambler 506 need not necessarily be endless . control processor 504 may be used to control polarization scrambler 506 . however , a separate control processor may be used to cycle through control voltages for polarization scrambler 506 as there is no need for synchronization with inline pc 501 . the reference signal is monitored by polarimeter sop2 ref 514 via filtering splitter , filter2 515 . the polarization transformation in branch 509 can be uniquely identified by two sops measured at sop2 ref 514 , corresponding to the two different input sops generated by p - rot 512 . the filtered scrambled signal is sent through a compensator in the form of dgd 507 and the signal distortion level is measured by monitor ( mon ) 505 . sop1 ref 516 is measured at the input of inline endless pc 502 , and the control processor 504 calculates the correct setting so that the output of endless pc 502 matches the optimal value determined from measurements in branch 509 . after control processor 504 has found the optimum pair of sops to occur at inline dgd 503 , the sop1 ref 516 is measured in inline path 508 , via filter , 517 before endless pc 502 . processor 504 calculates what voltages or other control parameters need to be applied to endless pc 502 in order to obtain the desired sops after inline endless pc 502 . no dithering is required by embodiment 500 because endless pc 502 is well characterized . present embodiment 500 employs only a measurement , calculation and application of tabulated voltages found in memory of controller 504 . the preferred optimal reference sop , determined from measurements at sop2 ref 514 , is generated by endless pc 502 at the input of the dgd 503 . free space paths 511 a and 511 b , outlined by boxes 500 a and 500 b , respectively , are preferably regions in which there is no transformation on the polarization transformation is known . a measurement at sop1 ref , for example , uniquely identifies the reference sop entering endless pc 502 . [ 0032 ] fig6 and 7 show variations of the configuration in fig3 . instead of modulating the polarization of a single reference signal as embodiments 400 and 500 of fig4 and 5 , a second reference signal is added at a different wavelength . two filters and sop monitors are used both inline and in the branch . [ 0033 ] fig6 shows embodiment 600 of the present pmdc parallel monitoring architecture . rather than modulating polarization of a single reference signal , a second reference signal is added at a second wavelength ( λ ref ) to have two separate known states of polarization in order to uniquely identify the polarization transformation between tap 622 and the reference measurement at mon 605 . reference signal 613 having wavelengths λ ref1 and λ ref2 is injected into optical fiber 610 carrying optical signal 601 at wavelength λ sig . optical signal 601 and reference signal 613 are tapped into branch 609 and scrambled by a polarization controller acting as a polarization scrambler ( polscr ) 606 . the polarization controller making up polarization scrambler 606 need not necessarily be endless . control processor 604 may be used to control polarization scrambler 606 . however , a separate control processor may be used to cycle through control voltages for polarization scrambler 606 as there is no need for synchronization with inline endless pc 602 . the two wavelength of reference signal 613 are monitored by polarimeter sop2 ref1 614 via filtering splitter filter2 λ ref1 615 and polarimeter sop2 ref2 via filtering splitter filter2 λ ref2 619 . the polarization transformation in the branch can be uniquely identified by two sops measured at sop2 ref1 and sop2 ref2 , corresponding to the two different input reference wavelengths . the filtered scrambled signal is sent through a compensator in the form of a dgd 607 and the signal distortion level is measured by monitor ( mon ) 605 . the present embodiment has two independent measurements of two different wavelengths , instead of employing a time dependent multiplexing scheme as shown in fig4 and 5 employing a polarization rotator 412 or 512 . branch path 609 has polarization scrambler 606 and inline path 608 has endless pc 602 . in each path , before the dgd , two simultaneous sop measurements are taken . so in branch 609 , filter2 λref1 615 splits off λ ref1 for measurement by sop2 ref1 614 and filter2 λref2 619 splits off λ ref2 for measurements by sop2 ref2 618 . similarly , for inline path 608 , two sop measurements are taken . at inline filter1 λref1 617 , there is a measurement , sop1 ref1 616 which is λ 1 , and at filter1 ref2 621 , sop1 ref2 620 , whether measurement is at λ 2 . the polarization transformation is matched by the monitoring system all the way from tap 622 to the filters and from the filters to dgds 607 and 603 . preferably free space path 611 is employed from the filters to the dgds as polarization transformations can not be controlled or monitored beyond the filters . the parameter space is swept out in the branch to find the optimum sop , corresponding sop measurements are matched in inline path 608 to ensure the correct optimum in the inline path . dashed regions 600 a and 600 b denote free space optical beam paths 611 in which the polarization transformation between sop ref measurements and the inputs of their respective dgds ( 607 and 603 ) are known and preferably static with no polarization transformation . [ 0035 ] fig7 shows single section pmdc 700 which does not require dithering of endless pc 702 . endless pc 702 should be well characterized and controlled for embodiment 700 . the sop , of two reference wavelength , sop1 ref1 and sop ref2 are measured at the input of inline endless pc 702 , and control processor 704 calculates the correct setting so that the output of endless pc 702 matches the optimal value determined from measurements in branch 709 . reference signal 713 having wavelength λ ref1 and λ ref2 is injected into optical fiber 710 carrying optical signal 701 at wavelength λ sig . optical signal 701 and reference signal 713 are tapped to provide branch 709 and the signals are scrambled by a polarization controller acting as a polarization scrambler ( polscr ) 706 . the polarization controller making up polarization scrambler 706 need not be an endless pc . control processor 704 may be used to control polarization scrambler 706 . however , a separate control processor may be used to cycle through control voltages for polarization scrambler 706 as there is no need for synchronization with inline pc 702 . reference signal 713 is monitored by polarimeter sop2 ref1 714 and sop2 ref2 718 via filtering splitters filter2 λref1 715 and filter2 λref2 719 . the polarization transformation in the branch can be uniquely identified by two sops measured at sop2 ref and sop2 ref2 , corresponding to the two different reference wavelengths . the filtered scrambled signal is sent through dgd 707 acting as a compensator and the signal distortion level is subsequently measured by monitor ( mon ) 705 . for inline path 708 , two sop measurements are also taken . at inline filter1 λref1 717 , there is a measurement of sop1 ref1 716 which is at λ 1 , and at filter1 ref2 721 , sop1 ref2 720 is measured at λ 2 , both at the input of inline endless pc 702 . processor 704 calculates what voltages or other control parameters need to be applied to endless pc 702 in order to obtain the desired sops after inline endless pc 702 as determined in branch 709 . therefore , dithering is not necessary ; present embodiment 700 employs only a measurement , calculation and application of tabulated voltages found in memory of controller 704 . preferably , in order for branch sop ref measurements to match the inline states generated by endless pc 702 , there should be no polarization transformations within dashed line boxes 700 a and 700 b or any such transformations within boxes 700 a or 700 b are known . this may be facilitated by employing free space optical paths 711 a and 711 b , or the like alternatively , a multi - sequential section embodiment of the above disclosed parallel architecture embodiments may be employed to monitor and control pmd . by way of example , fig8 illustrates a two section embodiment 800 of pmdc parallel monitoring architecture embodiment 700 of fig7 . pmdc 800 does not require dithering of endless pcs 802 and 802 a . endless pcs 802 and 802 a should be well characterized and controlled for this embodiment . the sop , of two reference wavelength , sop1 ref1 and sop ref2 are measured at the input of each inline endless pc 802 or 802 a , and - control processor 804 calculates the correct setting so that the output of endless pcs 802 and 802 a match the optimal values determined from measurements in branch 809 for each of the respective endless pcs 802 and 802 a . reference signal 813 having wavelength λ ref1 and λ ref2 is injected into optical fiber 810 carrying optical signal 801 at wavelength λ sig . optical signal 801 and reference signal 813 are tapped to provide branch 809 and the signals are scrambled first by polarization scrambler ( polscr ) 806 , preferably comprised of a polarization controller . the polarization controller used as polarization scrambler 806 need not be an endless pc . control processor 804 may be used to control polarization scrambler 806 . however , a separate control processor may be used to cycle through control voltages for polarization scrambler 806 as there is no need for synchronization with inline pcs 802 or 802 a . reference signal 813 is first monitored by polarimeter sop2 ref1 814 and sop2 ref2 818 via filtering splitters filter2 λref1 815 and filter2 ref2 819 . the polarization transformation in branch 809 can be uniquely identified by two sops measured at sop2 ref and sop2 ref2 , corresponding to the two different reference wavelengths . the filtered scrambled signal is sent through a first compensator 807 in the form of a dgd . in inline path 808 , two sop measurements are taken at the input of inline endless pc 802 . at inline filter1 λref1 817 , there is a measurement of sop1 ref1 816 which is at λ 1 , and at filter1 ref2 821 , sop ref2 820 is measured at λ 2 ,. control processor 804 calculates what voltages or other control parameters need to be applied to endless pc 802 in order to obtain the desired sops after inline endless pc 802 as determined in first section 822 of branch 809 . exiting first section 822 and entering second section 823 optical signal 801 and reference signal 813 in branch 809 are again scrambled , by a second polarization controller acting as polarization scrambler ( polscr ) 806 a . the polarization controller making up polarization scrambler 806 a also need not be an endless pc . control processor 804 may also be used to control polarization scrambler 806 a . however , a separate control processor may be used to cycle through control voltages for polarization scrambler 806 a as there is no need for synchronization with inline pc , 802 or 802 a . reference signal 813 is monitored by polarimeter sop2 ref1a 814 a and sop2 ref2a 818 a via filtering splitters filter2 λref1 815 a and filter2 ref2 819 a , respectively . the polarization transformation in branch 809 can again be uniquely identified by two sops measured at sop2 ref and sop2 ref2 , corresponding to the two different reference wavelengths . the filtered scrambled signal is sent through compensator 807 a in the form of a dgd and the signal distortion level is measured by monitor ( mon ) 805 . again in inline path 808 , two sop measurements are taken at the input of inline endless pc 802 a . at inline filter1a λref , 817 a , there is a measurement of sop1 ref1a 816 a which is at λ 1 , and at filter1a ref2 821 a , sop1 ref2a 820 a is measured at λ 2 ,. processor 804 also calculates what voltages or other control parameters need to be applied to endless pc 802 a in order to obtain the desired sops after inline endless pc 802 a as determined in second section 823 of branch 809 . dithering is not necessary for embodiment 800 . measurements , calculations and application of tabulated voltages found in memory of controller 804 are employed to control endless pcs 802 and 802 a . preferably free space paths 811 a and 811 b are employed from the filters to the dgds in each section as polarization transformations can not be controlled or monitored beyond the filters . dashed outlines 800 a , 800 b , 800 c and 400 d encompass free space optical beam paths 811 a and 811 b , or other well defined optical path , in which the polarization transformation between sop ref measurements and the inputs of their respective dgds are known . preferably , no polarization transformation takes place within boxes 800 a , 800 b , 800 c or 800 d . by requiring two input reference sops or wavelengths . the embodiments of fig4 through 8 accomplish matching of polarization transformations between inline paths and branches by sensing output polarization states for two distinct input polarizations . herein , distinct means that the two sops are not only different , but are not orthogonal states either this distinction is due to the ambiguity of sop measurements ; an sop inherently contains two degrees of freedom . therefore , a single sop measurement cannot fully describe a polarization transformation . a second input sop will provide missing information , as long as the second sop is not orthogonal to the first sop . when plotted on a poincaré sphere , the second sop will ideally occupy a position 90 degrees relative to the first sop . “ orthogonal ” corresponds to a 180 degree relative position on the poincare sphere . the dashed line boxes 400 a , 400 b , 500 a , 500 b , 600 a , 600 b , 700 a , 700 b , 800 a , 800 b , 800 c and 800 d are regions in which polarization transformations are preferably known and are preferably static . within these boxes measured reference sops are intended to correlate to signal polarization orientation with respect to the subsequent dgd principal states . the polarization transformations within all fiber connections out side dashed boxes 400 a , 400 b , 500 a , 500 b , 600 a , 600 b , 700 a , 700 b , 800 a , 800 b , 800 c and 800 d are preferably free to drift . the present systems and methods are intended to adjust for such variations . in present parallel architecture embodiments 300 , 400 , 500 , 600 , 700 and 800 the branch and inline dgds do not need to match in terms of optical birefringence . this precludes the dgds from susceptibility to unequal thermal drifting , making design of a parallel monitoring architecture practical . additionally , as mentioned above , branch polarization scramblers need not be endless pcs in these embodiments . instead , the polarization scramblers can be components of lower cost . if desired , a third degree of freedom , tunability of dgds , can be added to these embodiments . this tunability is denoted by dashed control lines from controls to the dgds of each embodiment . preferably , pmd monitors ( mons 305 , 405 , 505 , 605 , 705 and 805 ) are distortion level monitors . for example , a degree of polarization ( dop ) measurement system can be employed as a monitor , such a dop measurement system may be a polarimeter which measures stokes parameters , from which a dop can be extracted . also , a polarization scrambler may be used in conjunction with a polarizer as a monitor . by finding the ratio of the minimum to maximum transmitted power using a scrambler and polarizer the dop may be extracted . rf measurements may be employed as a means of monitoring pmd . by filtering certain frequencies from a photo - detector which receives the branch or inline optical signal branch or inline distortion levels due to pmd can be extracted from the electrical signal . although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail , it should be understood that various changes , substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . moreover , the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process , machine , manufacture , composition of matter , means , methods and steps described in the specification . as one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention , processes , machines , manufacture , compositions of matter , means , methods , or steps , presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention . accordingly , the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes , machines , manufacture , compositions of matter , means , methods , or steps . | 7 |
as shown in fig1 , a lock arrangement comprising a pin tumbler cylinder is shown generally at 10 . as described in more detail below , the pin tumbler cylinder plug 20 includes one or more axially spaced pin tumbler bores 22 for housing a plurality of pin tumblers 40 , 42 . the pin tumblers 40 , 42 are oriented to intersect a keyway 24 and to operatively engage the blade 25 of a key 26 , as described in more detail . the cylinder plug 20 further includes one or more chambers 28 which intersect the keyway . as can be seen in fig2 a and 4a , when a proper key is inserted in the cylinder , the proper receptacle 52 or slots 72 , 73 in the key permit the locking member 50 to enter the key way . when locking member 50 enters the key way it contacts rib 60 . as can be seen by fig2 a and 4a , because the locking member is spherically shaped , the locking member 50 contacts the rib 60 at a center portion 80 of the locking member 50 . thus , the locking member 50 is effectively divided by center portion 80 , when it is in contact with rib 60 , into two different edge portions 82 and 84 that both intersect the key way when a proper key is inserted in the cylinder . the pin tumbler cylinder plug 20 is rotatably received in a cylindrical bore 29 of a shell 30 for rotation about an axis of the shell . the shell 30 comprises a first cylindrical portion 31 including the cylindrical bore 29 and a second portion 33 extending radially from said first cylindrical portion . the shell second portion 33 includes one or more shell bores 32 aligned with the one or more pin tumbler cylinder bores 22 of the pin tumbler cylinder 20 when the pin tumbler lock is in a first or locking position . as shown in fig1 , the shell bores 32 and pin tumbler bores 22 are spaced in parallel planes along the shell longitudinal axis . a plurality of pin tumblers 40 , 42 are received in respective portions of the bores 32 , 22 . spring 44 biases the pin tumblers 40 , 42 inward for mating engagement with a key blade 25 . the keyway 24 of the pin tumbler cylinder plug 20 extends radially inward from the outer surface of the pin tumbler cylinder plug and is aligned in the same plane as the pin tumbler cylinder bores 22 . the key blade 25 is received in the keyway 24 for axial movement toward and away from the fully inserted , locking position . the key 26 comprises an edge portion 27 having a bitted surface 27 a which cooperate with the pin tumblers 40 , 42 in the conventional manner . thus when the proper bitted key blade 25 is inserted into the keyway 24 , the pin tumblers held in the cylinder plug terminate at the interface 29 of the shell and cylinder plug creating a shear plane so that the pin tumblers do not block rotation of the cylinder plug . grooves 46 extend over the key sidewalls over its entire inserted length , wherein the grooves conformingly engage aligned sidewalls 48 of the keyway 24 to guide entry of the key blade into the keyway . the pin tumbler cylinder plug 20 further comprises one or more chambers 28 for housing a locking member 50 . preferably , the locking member is a ball bearing . more preferably , the locking member includes at least two ball bearings . the locking member may also comprise a cylindrical shape preferably having opposed spherically shaped ends ( fig1 a ). the locking member may also comprise a pin having opposed spherically shaped ends . however , ball bearings have an advantage over other shaped locking members in that the ball bearings provide significantly less friction , wear and do not require a bevel at the tip of the key to overcome resistance . the chamber 28 is preferably sized to have a depth d equal to or greater than the combined length of the locking member . if ball bearings are utilized , then the chamber depth should preferably be about equal to or greater than the combined diameters of the ball bearings . the chamber 28 is positioned to intersect a portion of the keyway 24 so that the locking member or ball bearings cammingly engage a receptacle 52 located in a sidewall of the key . the receptacles 52 of the key are preferably arcuately shaped , and thus have a radius of curvature which closely matches the ball bearing curvature . the chamber 28 is additionally aligned with a cavity 54 in the shell interior surface when the cylinder plug 20 is oriented in a locked position . thus if a fully inserted key has a properly aligned receptacle 52 which aligns with the chamber 28 , the locking member will be forced into the key receptacle and chamber by rotational torque applied to the key . if the fully inserted key does not have a receptacle , the locking member will be forced into the cavity 54 and the cylinder plug will be prevented from turning by a portion of the locking member being trapped in the cavity . the pin tumbler cylinder plug 20 preferably further includes a rib 60 which extends in a longitudinal direction and is positioned to prevent the locking member from entering and blocking the keyway . preferably , the rib 60 is located adjacent the keyway and the chamber , and more preferably , is located between the keyway 24 and the chamber 28 . see fig3 and 4 which show different positions of the rib 60 . the rib may comprise any desired cross - sectional shape such as a triangle , etc . the key includes a complementary shaped notch 62 which is in mating engagement with the rib 60 . preferably , the notch 62 is a v shaped groove . the key cross - sectional shape is not limited to what is shown in fig2 and 3 , as other shapes would also work for the invention as shown in fig2 b . however , the key must be shaped to engage the locking member and the rib . it is preferred that the locking member have a width or diameter less than the diameter of the pin tumblers so that the pin tumblers cannot be trapped in the chamber upon rotation of the cylinder . further , the chamber 28 need not be oriented perpendicular to the keyway as shown in fig2 and 3 . for example , see fig4 in which the orientation of the chamber intersects a portion of the keyway in a non - orthogonal angle ø . it is preferred that the orientation of the chamber be angularly inclined an angle ø in the range of about 45 degrees to about 135 degrees with respect to the plane of the keyway . with this different orientation of the chamber as shown in fig4 , the key receptacles are located on the opposite side of the key on the upper key groove 46 as shown in fig6 . a plurality of chambers 28 are preferably utilized in the cylinder plug 20 of the pin tumbler cylinder 10 and which are uniformly laterally spaced on intervals of the ball bearing radius or larger in the direction of the cylinder axis on either side of the keyway . the shell cavity 54 is preferably sized to have a diameter equal to or greater than the diameter of the ball bearings . the cavity may preferably be dish - shaped or arced as shown in fig2 in discrete locations or along the entire length of the shell . the cavity may also be a cast , broached , drilled or milled hole as shown in fig7 a - 7c and which is aligned with the bottom edge of the chamber when in the locked position . the invention also provides an improved locking system comprising a plurality of locks . each lock preferably has two chambers with a minimum of two ball bearings in each chamber . for each of the locks in the improved locking system , the chambers 28 are spaced on intervals along the plug cylindrical axis , preferably slightly larger than the radius of the ball bearings . the chambers may be located on one side of the keyway or on both sides of the keyway . the chambers may also be oriented at different angles . each key in the locking system has a corresponding receptacle which is also spaced on the same intervals as the chambers . if the chambers are located on the same side of the keyway , then it is preferred that adjacent positions not be used because of the close proximity of the ball bearings to each other . the improved locking system further provides for a service key 70 as shown in fig9 - 11 . the service key 70 has the same characteristics as described above , except that it has one or more slots 72 , 73 instead of receptacles 52 . the slots 72 , 73 are positioned to cooperate with the locking member or ball bearings so that they may be partially received within the slot so that the pin tumbler cylinder plug 20 can rotate . the slots may be sized or arranged to service a plurality of lock cylinders which have different combinations or arrangements of the locking member and chambers 28 . the length of the slot 72 , 73 dictates the number of locks which may be serviced . an example of the locking system of the present invention is as follows . a plurality of locks may be provided with each lock providing for five potential chamber positions located adjacent each other and labeled sequentially a , b , c , d , and e . each lock would have two chambers . it is preferred that adjacent chamber positions on the same side of the lock not be used . thus the a and b positions would not be used , however , it would be possible to use a and c on a first lock , chamber positions a and d on a second lock , positions a and e on a third lock . thus as set forth in table i below , having only five potential chamber / receptacle positions in a lock system will have the potential of producing six different unique combinations of receptacles on the key . for example , in a lock having four standard pin tumblers that use 8 depths of cut there are 4 , 096 potential depth combinations . the lock system having five chamber locations as described above offers the ability to increase that number six - fold to a total potential of 24 , 576 unique combinations . thus by increasing the number of available chamber positions in a lock system , it is possible to increase the potential for different combinations of non - adjacent receptacles . for example , adding just one more chamber position to the five mentioned above will allow four additional position combinations of a - f , b - f , c - f , and d - f which would increase the number of positional combinations to ten and the overall potential combinations from 4 , 096 to 40 , 960 unique combinations . if the lock system having five chamber positions is used in conjunction with a six pin cylinder with the same bitting specifications , the number of unique combinations can be increased to 1 , 572 , 864 from 262 , 144 standard combinations . if six chamber positions are used , the number of possible combinations increases to 2 , 621 , 440 unique combinations . it is also possible to use in combination a plurality of chambers having different orientations ( i . e ., different φ &# 39 ; s ). each different orientation of the chamber would require a mating receptacle on the key . for example it is possible to intermix the chamber configurations as shown in fig2 and 4 . as shown in fig4 and 6 , if thirteen receptacle positions of a first type were utilized in conjunction with thirteen receptacle positions of a second type for the four pin tumbler described above , there would be a total of 301 additional unique arrangements which could be used . combining the 301 additional arrangements with the 4096 standard combinations for a 4 pin tumbler results in a total of 1 , 232 , 896 combinations . if a six pin tumbler is used , a total of 78 , 905 , 344 unique combinations may be realized . although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof , other embodiments are possible . therefore , the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment contained herein . | 8 |
citation of “ a specific embodiment ” or a similar expression in the specification means that specific features , structures , or characteristics described in the specific embodiments are included in at least one specific embodiment of the present invention . hence , the wording “ in a specific embodiment ” or a similar expression in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same specific embodiment . hereinafter , the present invention and various embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . nevertheless , it should be understood that the present invention could be modified by those skilled in the art in accordance with the following description to achieve the excellent results of the present invention . therefore , the following description shall be considered as a pervasive and explanatory disclosure related to the present invention for those skilled in the art , not intended to limit the claims of the present invention . citation of “ an embodiment ”, “ a certain embodiment ” or a similar expression in the specification means that related features , structures , or characteristics described in the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present invention . hence , the wording “ in a embodiment ”, “ in a certain embodiment ” or a similar expression in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same specific embodiment . fig1 shows an illumination system of an embodiment of the present invention , which includes illumination apparatuses and the illumination system thereof , and may provide a mechanism / system for control / alert . when a light bulb has a failure or damage , the user or manager may be timely notified in a highly efficient scheme for replacements . fig2 shows a function block diagram of the illumination apparatus of fig1 . referring to fig1 , the illumination system 100 includes illumination apparatuses 104 , 106 , and 108 , which may be light - emitting diode ( led ) lamps , light bulbs , fluorescent lamps , table lamps , ceiling lamps , street lamps , indicating lamps , or other light - emitting devices . although fig1 shows three led lamps , there may be any number of lamps and the invention is not limited thereto . the illumination system 100 also includes a communication unit 112 and a display unit 116 . the communication unit 112 may be , for example , a radio - frequency ( rf ) transceiver module or other equivalent devices to receive a signal 114 transmitted from the illumination apparatuses 104 , 106 , and 108 . the illumination apparatus 104 includes an illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 ( shown in fig2 and described later ), and the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 includes a rf transceiver 304 ( shown in fig3 and described later ) that may transmit the signal 114 of the illumination apparatuses 104 , 106 , and 108 to the corresponding communication unit 112 , and the communication unit 112 may also transmit signals to the rf transceiver 304 to achieve bidirectional communication purposes . the display unit 116 provides a typical monitoring function , such as a display , but the invention is not limited thereto . in one embodiment , the communication unit 112 and the display unit 116 may be further modularized together . fig1 also shows an information processing system 120 , which may communicate with the communication unit 112 by a signal 118 ( such as a rf signal , but the invention is not limited thereto ). in one embodiment , the illumination apparatuses 104 , 106 , and 108 are led lamps ; as shown in fig2 , the led lamp 104 includes a reflection unit 204 , a light - emitting unit 208 , an illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 , a light - emitting unit power supply driving unit 216 , and an ampere - meter 224 . the reflection unit 204 may be a typical reflector . the light - emitting unit 208 may be a typical packaged led having an housing and multiple led chips . the light - emitting unit power supply driving unit 216 is electrically connected to the light - emitting unit 208 , and may be a power supply driving circuit implemented on a printed circuit board assembly ( pcba ) or other electronic devices that may be used to drive the light - emitting unit 208 to emit light . in one embodiment , the light - emitting unit power supply driving unit 216 is implemented on a printed circuit board assembly which integrates a logic integrated circuit ( ic ) 316 ( shown in fig3 ) and other related circuits . the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 may be a circuit detecting whether the illumination apparatus 104 is damaged or has depreciation reaching inadequacy , and the details and operations thereof shall be described later . in one embodiment , the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 may have an identifier id 220 , and the exclusive identifier id 220 of the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 of a certain illumination apparatus may be transmitted to the communication unit 112 by the rf transceiver 304 ( fig3 ) of the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 . in another embodiment , the identifier id 220 may also be embedded in other electronic circuit devices of the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 , and the invention is not limited to that shown in the figure . each of the illumination apparatuses 104 , 106 , and 108 of the illumination system 100 correspond to different identifier ids , respectively , for identifying each of the illumination apparatuses 104 , 106 , and 108 . in other words , the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 and the communication unit 112 collectively operate to transmit and communicate the corresponding identifier id of a certain illumination apparatus . in other embodiments , the identifier id 220 may be implemented on other components of the illumination apparatus 104 in suitable configurations . in fact , the identifier id 220 may be a unique identifier related to the illumination apparatuses 104 , 106 , 108 , or other illumination apparatuses of the illumination system 100 . in one embodiment , the identifier id 220 may be any combination of numerals , alphabets , and special characters . in one embodiment , the ampere - meter 224 of the illumination apparatus 104 may be a typical ampere - meter implemented in the light - emitting unit power supply driving unit 216 which is mainly used for measuring the current passing through the illumination apparatus 104 or the light - emitting unit 208 or other physical quantities , and for providing current - related or other information . the ampere - meter 224 may be implemented on the printed circuit board assembly of the light - emitting unit power supply driving unit 216 . in other embodiments , the ampere - meter 224 may be implemented on other components of the illumination apparatus 104 in suitable configurations . the identifier id 220 may be stored in a non - volatile memory ( not shown ) of the light - emitting unit power supply driving unit 216 , which may be a flash read - only memory ( rom ), a non - volatile electrically - erasable programmable read - only memory ( eeprom ), etc ., but the invention is not limited thereto . the non - volatile memory includes a protected area and a flashable area . the protected area stores non - erasable codes , such as , but not limited to , the identifier id 220 , additional function information , etc . the flashable area may store other erasable information . the above technology is already well known to those skilled in the related art . in addition , the identifier id 220 may be implemented on other components of the illumination apparatus 104 in suitable configurations . fig3 shows a circuit diagram of the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 of an embodiment of the present invention . the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 includes a rf transceiver 304 , a battery 308 , an ampere monitor 312 , a logic ic 316 , and a ground 320 . the ampere monitor 312 is electrically coupled to the ampere - meter 224 and the logic ic 316 , the logic ic 316 is electrically coupled to the rf transceiver 304 and the battery 308 , and the rf transceiver 304 is electrically coupled to the battery 308 . referring to fig3 , the circuit of the light - emitting unit 208 and the ground 320 is also shown in addition to the above circuit . the logic ic 316 includes components of a controller 324 , a switch 328 , and a fuse ( not shown ). the logic ic 316 is implemented to control operations of the rf transceiver 304 such as transmitting the identifier id 220 in response to a current level , voltage level , or power level outputted by the ampere - meter 224 . the switch 328 is a typical electronic device that opens a circuit , stops a current , or redirects a current to other circuits . on the other hand , the fuse is mainly for protection by preventing overvoltage , such as during lightening when light bulbs are used , for example . the battery 308 is mainly for supplying power when the illumination apparatus 104 is damaged to transmit the aforementioned signals . the battery 308 , the switch 328 , and the fuse are well known to those skilled in the related art and the details are not described here . referring to fig3 , the ampere monitor 312 may be implemented as a control logic ic . the ampere - meter 224 has an initial output value and a signal of the ampere - meter 224 passes through the ampere monitor 312 . the switch 314 is conducting when the ampere monitor 312 detects that the signal of the ampere - meter 224 satisfies a certain condition . the certain condition may be that the output power of the ampere - meter 224 is zero , such as , but not limited to , when the illumination apparatus 104 is damaged and requires to be replaced . the certain condition may also be that the output of the ampere - meter 224 is lower than a certain proportion ( such as 50 %, but the invention is not limited thereto ) of the initial output value of the ampere - meter 224 , which indicates that the illumination apparatus 104 has depreciation reaching inadequacy and requires to be replaced . the certain condition may also be other situations in which the illumination apparatus 104 requires to be replaced . in the above situations , the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 may be operated , yet it should be noted the operations of the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 are not limited thereto . in one embodiment , the ampere monitor 312 detects the output current level of the ampere - meter 224 , and when the detected current level is lower than a certain level ( or when the detected current level is lower than or equal to a certain level ), a corresponding signal is triggered to operate the controller 324 . in actual practices , the ampere monitor 312 detects the current passing though the illumination apparatus 104 or the light - emitting unit 208 in amperes which represents the power of light emission . in an example using led lamps , if the replacement provision of led lamps is that a failure rate of led chips above 50 % requires replacement , when the passing current in amperes is 50 % than that of the rated current , the led lamp may be considered to be at the threshold of damaging and replacement should be prepared . when the passing current in amperes lower than 50 % than that of the rated current ( i . e ., the failure rate of led chips in the led lamp is above 50 %), the led lamp may be considered requiring replacement . however , the above embodiments should be understood as only illustrative and not restrictive in every aspect . in fact , the certain proportion by which the passing current is lower than the rated current in amperes ( or the certain proportion by which the passing current is lower than or equal to the rated current in amperes ) to trigger the replacement event of the illumination apparatus 104 may be determined according to actual environments and requirements , such as between 10 % and 50 %, but the invention is not limited thereto . in another embodiment , when the output power of the ampere - meter 224 is zero , the illumination apparatus 104 is damaged and requires to be replaced . according to the present invention , the corresponding signal is triggered to operate the controller 324 . as described in above , the ampere monitor 312 may detect the proportion of the output of the ampere - meter 224 to the initial output value of the ampere - meter 224 , or detect whether the output of the ampere - meter 224 is zero , so that the ampere monitor 312 may trigger the controller 324 to transmit a control signal to control the switch 314 to operate and conduct , and the rf transceiver 304 subsequently transmits a signal , such as , but not limited to , the identifier id 220 of the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 . in response to the signal of the ampere - meter 224 , the ampere monitor 312 triggers the transmission of the control signal by the above mechanism , and the damage and aging of the illumination apparatus 104 may be transmitted to the communication unit 112 by a method that is highly efficient and has low cost ; the steps and details thereof shall be further described later . referring to fig1 to fig3 , in one embodiment , a plurality of illumination systems 100 is used to serve a larger area , such as , but not limited to , a building area ( not shown ). the building area includes a plurality of illumination systems 100 , and each illumination system 100 includes a plurality of illumination apparatuses , which is shown here as the illumination apparatuses 104 , 106 , and 108 as an example . the plurality of illumination systems 100 are controlled to manage the plurality of illumination apparatuses of the building area . as described in above , when the illumination apparatus is damaged or has lumen depreciation , the rf transceiver 304 of the illumination apparatus being damaged or having lumen depreciation is automatically operated to transmit a corresponding signal of the illumination apparatus being damaged or having lumen depreciation to the communication unit 112 or to an adjacent illumination apparatus to be recursively transmitted to subsequent illumination apparatuses until the signal is transmitted to the closest or corresponding communication unit 112 , and is subsequently transmitted to the information processing system 120 for subsequent overall control and management of the system , such as management by a central control information processing system ( not shown ; such as a central management server , but the invention is not limited thereto ). in other embodiments , the area may be an illumination area of a street , an illumination area of a market , an illumination area of a park , etc . ; however , the above embodiments should be understood as only illustrative and not restrictive in every aspect . fig4 shows a flow chart of an exemplifying embodiment of the present invention , which describes an illumination control method 400 of the present invention in accordance with the examples in fig1 to fig3 . as shown at block 404 , the method 400 starts . next , as shown at block 408 , the method 400 includes determining whether the illumination apparatus 104 functions properly ; if not ( such as , but not limited to , due to power failure ), the flow proceeds to block 428 ; if yes , the flow proceeds to block 412 . as shown at block 412 , the method 400 includes determining whether the illumination apparatus 104 needs to be replaced ; if not , the method 400 proceeds to block 428 ; if yes , the method 400 proceeds to block 416 . in one embodiment , the illumination apparatus 104 is conducting and current passes through the illumination apparatus 104 , which may be measured by the ampere - meter 224 , and the ampere - meter 224 has an initial output value . the signal of the ampere - meter 224 passes through the ampere monitor 312 . when the ampere monitor 312 detects that the signal of the ampere - meter 224 satisfies a certain condition , the illumination apparatus 104 is determined to be replaced . in one embodiment , the certain condition may be that the output power of the ampere - meter 224 is zero , such as , but not limited to , when the illumination apparatus 104 is damaged and requires to be replaced . in another embodiment , the certain condition may be that the output of the ampere - meter 224 is lower than a certain proportion ( such as 50 %, but the invention is not limited thereto ) of the initial output value of the ampere - meter 224 , which indicates that the illumination apparatus 104 has depreciation reaching inadequacy and requires to be replaced . next , as shown at block 416 , the method 400 includes conducting the switch 314 of the illumination apparatus 104 to be replaced . in one embodiment , the switch 314 is conducting when the output power of the ampere - meter 224 is zero . in another embodiment , the switch 314 is conducting when the output of the ampere - meter 224 is lower than a certain proportion ( such as 50 %, but the invention is not limited thereto ) of the initial output value of the ampere - meter 224 . next , as shown at block 420 , the method 400 includes periodically transmitting an identification signal by the rf transceiver 304 of the illumination apparatus 104 to be replaced . in one embodiment , the identification signal may be the identifier id 220 of the illumination apparatus 104 to be replaced . next , as shown at block 424 , the method 400 includes the communication unit 112 receiving the identification signal . in one embodiment , the communication unit 112 receives the identifier id 220 of the illumination apparatus 104 to be replaced . next , as shown at block 432 , the method 400 includes the communication unit 112 transmitting a control signal to the rf transceiver 304 so that the rf transceiver 304 stops transmitting the identification signal ( the identifier id 220 of the illumination apparatus 104 to be replaced ) in response to the communication unit 112 receiving the identifier id 220 . next , as shown at block 428 , the method 400 ends . subsequently , the maintenance personnel may locate the illumination apparatus 104 to be replaced by the transmitted signal in above and carry out subsequent processes . fig5 shows a light bulb 500 of an embodiment of the present invention . the light bulb 500 includes a glass bulb 504 , a cap 508 , a screw thread base 512 , and contacts 516 and 520 . the illumination apparatus status detection unit 212 may be configured in the screw thread base 512 or other components of the light bulb 500 , but the invention is not limited thereto . the light bulbs are well known to those skilled in the related art and the details are not described here . the present invention may be implemented in illumination systems of any extent and any area , especially to timely manage large extents of illumination apparatuses or wide areas . in various embodiments , the illumination system may be domestic or building illumination systems , factory illumination systems , park illumination systems , street lamp systems , etc ., and the invention is not limited thereto . it should be noted that , for applications in large extents and wide areas , the usage of rf transceivers reduces the costs in software and hardware and provides highly efficient identification of illumination apparatuses . the foregoing detailed description of the embodiments is used to further clearly describe the features and spirit of the present invention . the foregoing description for each embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention . all kinds of modifications made to the foregoing embodiments and equivalent arrangements should fall within the protected scope of the present invention . hence , the scope of the present invention should be explained most widely according to the claims described thereafter in connection with the detailed description , and should cover all the possibly equivalent variations and equivalent arrangements . | 7 |
fig1 shows a feed pump 1 comprising a pump housing 2 that is essentially configured as a cylindrical pipe , the lower end of which is closed with an inlet valve 3 that is configured as a check valve . the inlet valve 3 is configured and arranged in such a way that a fluid can flow into the pump housing 2 but not out of the pump housing 2 . the pump housing 2 is sealed at its upper end in fig1 with a connecting head 4 . an outlet valve 5 that is also configured as a check valve branches off the connecting head 4 and is configured and arranged in such a way that a fluid can flow out of the pump housing 2 but not into the pump housing 2 . the connecting head 4 further contains a threaded section , into which a screw - in sleeve 6 is screwed in a sealed fashion . two seals 7 a and 7 b that are configured as lip seals are arranged in the screw - in sleeve 6 and are spaced apart from one another . a piston 8 is guided in the screw - in sleeve 6 such that it can be displaced in the axial direction of the pump housing 2 and is sealed relative to the surroundings by the two seals 7 a and 7 b . the piston 8 can be moved vertically upward from the position illustrated in the figure such that a negative pressure is created in the pump housing 2 . this causes the outlet valve 5 to close and the inlet valve 3 to open against the force of a spring or the like such that a medium , for example a uv paint or another high - viscosity medium , is drawn into the pump housing 2 . the inlet valve 3 is reclosed when the piston 8 is subsequently moved downward in the figure and shifted into the pump housing 2 . the pressure being built up in the pump housing 2 causes the outlet valve 5 to open against the force of a spring or the like such that a medium can be conveyed out of the pump housing 2 through the outlet valve 5 . a bore 9 through the screw - in sleeve 6 and the connecting head 4 is arranged between the two seals 7 a and 7 b . the bore 9 is connected via a line 10 to a container 11 holding a coolant , lubricant and / or solvent . if applicable , it would also be possible to correspondingly connect several containers to the connecting head 4 and to the screw - in sleeve 6 . the intermediate space inside the screw - in sleeve 6 situated between the two seals 7 a and 7 b is configured in such a way that the inside diameter of the screw - in sleeve 6 is increased at least in certain areas . in the embodiment illustrated in the figure , a groove 12 is provided on the inside of the screw - in sleeve 6 . in this case , the groove 12 is arranged in the screw - in sleeve 6 in such a way that it is connected to the line 10 and therefore to the container 11 via the bore 9 . the movement of the piston 8 creates a slight negative pressure in the intermediate space ( gap ) between the two seals 7 a and 7 b , wherein this negative pressure draws in small quantities of a lubricant or the like from the container 11 . consequently , a permanent film of lubricant is applied to the piston 8 in the region of the seals so as to minimize the friction and the temperature of the piston 8 . in addition , the hardening tendency of the media to be pumped can be additionally diminished by utilizing special oils with a solvent additive . this makes it possible to pump uv paints and other media with strong polymerization ( hardening ) tendencies such as , for example , high - viscosity media , by means of the feed pump 1 . the service lives of the seals 7 a and 7 b used can be extended many times over in this fashion . alternatively or additionally to the groove 12 in the screw - in sleeve 6 , the intermediate space between the two seals 7 a and 7 b may also be configured as an annular gap or in another suitable fashion such that a movement of the piston 8 creates a sufficient negative pressure for drawing a medium such as a coolant or lubricant from an external container 11 into the sealing arrangement via a line 10 . it will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention is based on the objective of making available a feed pump and a sealing arrangement therefor which make it possible to pump media with a strong polymerization tendency , particularly uv paints , due to the reduced friction , while simultaneously ensuring an adequate seal and long service lives of the seal . according to the invention , this objective is essentially attained in that the piston of a feed pump of the initially cited type is guided in at least a section of the pump housing such that it is sealed relative to the surroundings by two seals that are arranged one behind the other in the axial direction of the piston , wherein an intermediate space , particularly a gap - like intermediate space , is formed between the at least two seals and is fluidically connected to a coolant and / or lubricant container . due to the connection of the intermediate space situated between the two seals to a coolant and / or lubricant container , a permanent coolant and / or lubricant film that minimizes the friction of the piston in the sealing arrangement forms on the piston due to its movement in the pump housing . the piston and the sealing arrangement are simultaneously cooled due to the supply of a coolant and / or lubricant such that the risk of hardening of the media to be pumped is minimized . the inventive feed pump therefore is particularly suitable for pumping uv paints and similar high - viscosity media , even if they have a strong polymerization tendency . in addition , the lubrication and / or cooling of the sealing arrangement and of the piston make it possible to substantially extend the service life of the seals . consequently , extended standstill times for exchanging seals can be prevented with the inventive feed pump . according to one preferred embodiment of the invention , the at least two seals , between which the intermediate space is formed , are configured as lip seals . alternatively , it would also be possible to provide other suitable seals in the pump housing and / or on the piston . if the intermediate space of the pump housing situated between the two seals has an increased inside diameter at least in certain areas , an annular gap or a groove is defined between the piston and the pump housing . the coolant and / or lubricant of the coolant and / or lubricant container is able to flow into this annular gap or into this groove to minimize the friction and to lower the temperature of the piston and the sealing arrangement . according to the invention , it is proposed that the piston and the intermediate space of the pump housing situated between the two seals be configured in such a way that a negative pressure is created in the intermediate space during an axial displacement of the piston . this makes it possible to draw in small quantities of the coolant and / or lubricant from the external container . during the operation of the feed pump , coolant and / or lubricant therefore is automatically supplied to the sealing arrangement and to the piston of the feed pump . consequently , an additional drive for the lubricant supply can be eliminated . the connection between the feed pump and a coolant and / or lubricant container is preferably produced by fluidically connecting the intermediate space of the pump housing situated between the at least two seals to the coolant and / or lubricant container by means of a bore or the like in the pump housing and a line connected thereto . alternatively or additionally , the intermediate space of the pump housing situated between the two seals may also be fluidically connected to a solvent container . due to this measure , the piston and / or the sealing arrangement is / are wetted with a solvent so as to further lower the risk of the pumped medium hardening . the intermediate space of the pump housing situated between the two seals therefore needs only to be connected to a single container to reduce the friction and the temperature and to simultaneously lower the risk of hardening of the medium to be pumped . according to one preferred embodiment of the invention , the pump housing essentially consists of a cylindrical pipe that is closed by the inlet valve in the form of a check valve on one end and by a connecting head on the opposite end . this represents a particularly simple design of the pump housing and consequently allows an economical manufacture of the feed pump . according to an additional refinement of this embodiment , it is proposed that the pump housing feature a connecting head , in which the piston is guided and the outlet valve in the form of a check valve is arranged . in this case , the piston may be guided in a screw - in sleeve of the connecting head , in which the at least two seals are also accommodated . it is therefore possible , if so required , to easily exchange individual components of the feed pump for repair purposes or to adapt these individual components to different operating conditions . the inventive design of the feed pump also allows a cost - efficient manufacture of the pump . the objective of the invention is further attained with a sealing arrangement that is suitable , in particular , for a feed pump of the initially cited type , and features a piston or the like that is guided in a sleeve - like component . at least two seals are arranged in the sleeve - like component and are spaced apart from one another in such a way that an intermediate space is formed between the seals and is fluidically connected to a coolant and / or lubricant container . the inside diameter of the intermediate space is increased at least in certain areas such that an annular gap or a groove is defined between the piston and the sleeve - like component . this makes it possible to introduce a lubricant , a coolant or the like into the sealing arrangement such that at least the piston is wetted in certain areas . the friction between the piston and the sleeve - like component of the sealing arrangement is minimized in this fashion such that no increased thermal stress occurs due to friction . the service lives of the seals can also be extended due to the reduced friction . the sealing arrangement and the piston may also be additionally cooled with a coolant . it may even be practical to heat rather than cool the piston and the sealing arrangement , depending on the operating conditions . according to one preferred embodiment of the invention , the piston and the intermediate space of the sleeve - like component of the sealing arrangement situated between the two seals are configured in such a way that at least a slight negative pressure is created in the intermediate space during an axial displacement of the piston . the negative pressure suffices for drawing a medium from the coolant and / or lubricant container into the intermediate space . this makes it possible to automatically convey a coolant and / or lubricant into the sealing arrangement during a movement of the piston . | 5 |
the compounds of the present invention are prepared by reacting an appropriately substituted 7 - amino - cephalosporin ( 1 ) with a chosen electrophilic n - heterocyclic reagent ( 2 or 3 ) calculated to provide the species of the present invention i . the following reaction diagram conveniently summarizes this process and introduces the precise identity of such electrophilic reagents and the nature of the products of this reaction ( i , above ). ## str8 ## wherein : b is , inter alia , the residue of a 5 -, or a 6 - membered aromatic heterocycle ; or a 5 , 5 -, 6 , 5 -; or 6 , 6 - bicyclic aromatic heterocycle ; wherein the additional ring atoms are chosen either entirely as carbon , or include one or more atoms selected from s , n and o . the carbon and nitrogen atoms of any such ring may carry substituents such as substituted and unsubstituted : alkyl and alkenyl having 1 - 6 carbon atoms , phenyl , phenylalkyl having 1 - 6 carbon atoms in the alkyl moiety , 5 - or 6 - membered heterocyclyl wherein the hetero atom or atoms are selected from o , n or s , -- or 2 , -- nr 2 , -- coor , -- conr 2 , -- cn , halo , -- nhconh 2 , -- so 3 r , -- so 2 nr 2 ( r is defined immediately below ), ## str9 ## ( r ° is hydrogen or alkyl having 1 - 6 carbon atoms ); wherein the substituent or substituents are selected from halogen such as chlorine or fluorine , hydroxyl , phenyl , alkyl , alkoxyl , carboxyl and phenylalkyl ( each alkyl having 1 - 6 carbon atoms ); r is selected from h ; substituted and unsubstituted : alkyl , having 1 - 10 carbon atoms , alkenyl having 2 - 10 carbon atoms , phenyl , phenylalkyl , phenylalkenyl having 7 - 12 carbon atoms , 5 - or 6 - membered heterocyclylalkyl wherein the hetero atom or atoms are selected from o , n or s and the alkyl has 1 - 6 carbon atoms , nr 2 , or , coor , cn , and conr 2 ( r is defined here ); wherein the substituent or substituents on r are selected from halogen such as chloro and fluoro , hydroxyl , or , nr 2 , coor , conr 2 , cn , ## str10 ## ( r ° is hydrogen or alkyl having 1 - 6 carbon atoms ), and alkyl having 1 - 6 carbon atoms ; r and b together may be joined to yield 6 , 5 - and 6 , 6 - bicyclic heterocycles in which the n is at a bridgehead ; x ° is a leaving group such as halogen , preferably fluorine ; other leaving groups include : och 3 , sch 3 ; oso 2 och 3 oso 2 ocf 3 , ## str11 ## ( r ° is hydrogen or c 1 - 6 alkyl ) y is a non - critical counter anion and representatively is : cl . sup .⊖, br . sup .⊖, i . sup .⊖, ## str12 ## . sup .⊖ oso 2 or °, bf 4 . sup .⊖, clo 4 . sup .⊖ and the like ; wherein r ° is h , loweralkyl or phenyl ; m . sup .⊕ is h , or an alkali or alkaline earth metal cation such as na + or k + , a tertiary amine salt , or the like ; r 2 is hydrogen or lower alkoxyl such as methoxyl ; x is as defined above : o , ch 2 or nr 7 . in general words relative to the above reaction diagram , an appropriately substituted 7 - amino cephalosporin nuclear analogue ( 1 ) or a salt thereof in a solvent such as water at ph 7 to 8 , tetrahydrofuran ( thf ), dimethylformamide ( dmf ) or the like or aqueous mixtures thereof ( ideally such nonaqueous systems contain a base such as triethylamine , methyldiisopropylamine , or the like , to neutralize the acid hx produced by the addition / elimination reaction ) is treated with a stoichiometric to four - fold excess of the illustrated electrophilic reagent ( 2 or 3 ) calculated to provide the desired product . typically , the reaction is conducted at a temperature of from 0 ° to 40 ° c . and is accomplished within 1 to 4 hours . as demonstrated by the follwoing examples , there are no undue criticalities in the parameters of reaction . more specifically , relative to the above reaction scheme , a set of representative conditions may be recited to illustrate a convenient preparation of the compounds of the present invention ( i ); such recitation , however , is solely for purposes of demonstration and is not to be construed as introducing any undue criticalities of reaction . using a ph meter coupled to an automatic burette containing 1 . 0 to 2 . 5 n aqueous sodium hydroxide , a magnetically stirred suspension of the appropriate 7 - aminoceph - 3 - em - 4 - carboxylic acid in water is solubilized at ph 7 to ph 7 . 5 at 20 ° c . the heterocyclic reagent ( stoichiometric to two - fold excess ) is dissolved in water at 20 ° c . and added to the above solution . alkali is automatically added to maintain the selected ph in the range 7 to 7 . 5 , the rate of addition being a measure of the extent of reaction . the reaction may also be monitored by removing aliquots at timed intervals for analysis . a particularly suitable analytical scheme is liquid chromatography , for example , high pressure liquid chromatography ( hplc ) over a reverse phase column of octadecylsilane ( ods ) bonded to silica , using a u . v . detector and aqueous thf ( tetrahydrofuran ) solution ( 1 to 30 %) as the mobile phase . the reaction typically takes from 15 minutes to 5 hours at 20 ° c . the resulting reaction solution at ph 7 is worked up by partition chromatography over a column of amberlite xad - 2 resin , eluting with aqueous thf solutions ( up to 20 %) and monitoring the fractions by hplc as above . however , with the increasing availability of large scale ods silica columns , the preferred method of product isolation is by preparative reverse phase hplc directly on the reaction solution at ph 7 . the appropriate fractions are combined , evaporated to small volume and lyophilized to yield the product , which is conveniently characterized by i . r ., u . v ., nmr ., and analytical hplc . in certain cases , the products are sufficiently insoluble in water to separate from the reaction solution at ph 7 , and may be isolated simply by filtration . again , in reference to the above reaction diagram , the reaction when r 2 is alkoxyl , such as methoxyl , is sluggish . thus a preferred preparation for species wherein r 2 is not hydrogen involves operating upon the product i ( r 2 = h ) in the following manner to provide desired species i wherein r 2 is , for example , -- och 3 : ## str13 ## an analogous reaction is known for conventional cephalosporins and penicillins ; see g . a . koppel and r . e . koehler , j . a . c . s . 2403 , 95 , 1973 and j . e . baldwin , f . j . urban , r . d . g . cooper and f . l . jose , j . a . c . s ., 95 , 2401 , 1973 . according to this scheme , the starting material , in a solvent such as methanol , is treated with lithium methoxide at a temperature of - 68 ° to 0 ° c . ; followed by addition of the t - butylhypochlorite . the instant scheme differs from the reported procedures in that there is no need to protect the carboxyl group . it should be noted that the 3 - substituent &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; may be established subsequent to the above addition / elimination reaction : ## str14 ## wherein r &# 39 ;, r 2 are as defined ; and ac is ## str15 ## this basic scheme , ia → ib , for the establishment of any desired 3 - substituent a is , of course , well known in the related cephalosporin art . representative examples are included below . finally , a special circumstance should be mentioned . in the basic reaction , first described , the condensation of the cephem starting material and the reagent of choice does not occur readily when the group , r , attached directly to the ring nitrogen of the reagent is hydrogen in such circumstance , it is preferred to employ a quaternized ring nitrogen prior to reaction . the quaternizing group may be removed after the amino heterocycle bond has been formed to yield species of the present invention , i , wherein r is hydrogen : ## str16 ## wherein r is -- ch 2 och 3 , -- ch 2 ococh 3 or the like . according to the above scheme , ic → id , the group r is conveniently removed by treating ic in anhydrous sulpholane at 20 ° c . with a 3 - to 4 - fold molar ration of i si ( ch 3 ) 3 , followed by hydrolysis to yield id . a representative example is included below . the reaction may schematically be shown as follows : ## str17 ## the product id is then isolated directly from the reaction solution at ph 7 by preparative reverse phase hplc as already described . the necessary electrophilic , n - heterocyclic reagents 2 and 3 are known and commercially available or may be prepared according to known procedures ; see , for example : advances in heterocyclic chemistry , pp . 1 - 56 , vol . 3 ( 1964 ) and pp . 71 - 121 , vol . 22 ( 1978 ); academic press . the following list representatively illustrates such reagents . ## str18 ## wherein all symbols have previously been defined ; the dotted line indicates both saturated and unsaturated rings . relative to the above - listed reagents , the preferred values for the radical r which is directly attached to the ring nitrogen atom are : hydrogen ; loweralkyl having from 1 - 10 carbon atoms ; substituted alkyl wherein the substituent is chloro , fluoro , hydroxyl , carboxyl , amino , sulfo and mono - and dialkylamino wherein each alkyl has 1 - 6 carbon atoms ; phenylalkyl ( alkyl moiety having 1 - 6 carbon atoms ) and substituted phenylalkyl wherein the substituents are selected from chloro , fluoro , carboxyl , amino , hydroxyl , lower alkoxyl having from 1 - 6 carbon atoms , sulfo , ## str19 ## and ## str20 ## ( r ° is hydrogen or alkyl having 1 - 6 carbon atoms ). the quinolizinium and indolizinium examples are a special category of preferred values of r , in that r is there an integral part of a bicyclic system ( r &# 39 ;, defined above ). the preferred values for the other , non - position - specific ring substituent r are : chloro , fluoro , carboxyl and loweralkyl having from 1 - 6 carbon atoms ; substituted lower alkyl wherein the substituent is carboxyl , cyano , alkoxyl having 1 - 6 carbon atoms , phenyl , and phenyloxy ; the preferred value for n is 0 or 1 . the preferred leaving group x is chloro or fluoro . the preferred species of the present invention ( structure i , above ) are those wherein x is oxygen : ## str21 ## as previously mentioned , the group a in structure i embraces all known 3 - substituents in the cephalosporin art . the following references are incorporated herein by reference to the extent that they recite preferred values of a in structure i : u . s . pat . no . 4 , 138 , 486 ( feb . 6 , 1979 ); and british pat . no . 1455016 ( nov . 10 , 1976 ). especially preferred values for a include : ## str22 ## ( y is as previously defined and may be , inter alia , acetate ; and m . sup .⊕ is a pharmaceutically acceptable cation , such as na + , k t or the like . the compounds of the present invention ( i ) are valuable antibiotics active against various gram - positive and gram - negative bacteria and accordingly find utility in human and veterinary medicine . representative pathogens which are sensitive to antibiotics i include : staphyloccus aureus , escherichia coli , klebsiella pneumoniae , bacillus subtilis , salmonella typhosa , pseudomonas and bacterium proteus . the antibacterials of the invention are not limited to utility as medicaments ; they may be used in all manner of industry , for example : additives to animal feed , preservation of food , disinfectants , and in other industrial systems where control of bacterial growth is desired . for example , they may be employed in aqueous compositions in concentrations ranging from 0 . 1 to 100 parts of antibiotic per million parts of solution in order to destroy and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria on medical and dental equipment and as bactericides in industrial applications , for example in waterbased paints and in the white water of paper mills to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria . the products of this invention may be used in any of a variety of pharmaceutical preparations . they may be employed in capsule , powder form , in liquid solution , or in suspension . they may be administered by a variety of means ; those of principal interest include : orally , topically or parenterally by injection ( intravenously or intramuscularly ). such tablets and capsules , designed for oral administration , may be in unit dosage form , and may contain conventional excipients , such as binding agents , for example , syrup , acacia , gelatin , sorbitol , tragacanth , or polyvinylpyrrolidone ; fillers , for example , lactose , sugar , cornstarch , calcium phosphate , sorbitol , or glycine ; lubricants , for example , magnesium stearate , talc , polyethylene glycol , silica ; disintegrants , for example , potato starch ; or acceptable wetting agents such as sodium lauryl sulphate . the tablets may be coated according to methods well known in the art . oral liquid preparations may be in the form of aqueous or oily suspensions , or solutions , or they may be presented as a dry product for reconstitution with water or other suitable vehicle before use . such liquid preparations may contain conventional additives such as suspending agents , for example , sorbitol , methyl cellulose , glucose / sugar syrup , gelatin , hydroxyethylcellulose , or carboxymethyl cellulose . suppositories will contain conventional suppository bases , such as cocoa butter or other glycerides . compositions for injection , the preferred route of delivery , may be prepared in unit dosage form in ampules , or in multidose containers . the compositions may take such forms as suspensions , solutions , or emulsions in oily or aqueous vehicles , and may contain formulatory agents such as suspending , stabilizing and / or dispersing agents . alternatively , the active ingredient may be in powder form for reconstitution , at the time of delivery , with a suitable vehicle , such as sterile water . the compositions may also be prepared in suitable forms for absorption through the mucous membranes of the nose and throat or bronchial tissues and may conveniently take the form of liquid sprays or inhalants , lozenges , or throat paints . for medication of the eyes or ears , the preparation may be presented in liquid or semi - solid form . topical applications may be formulated in hydrophobic or hydrophilic bases as ointments , creams , lotions , paints , or powders . the dosage to be administered depends to a large extent upon the condition and size of the subject being treated as well as the route and frequency of administration -- the parenteral route by injection being preferred for generalized infections . such matters , however , are left to the routine discretion of the therapist according to principles of treatment well known in the antibiotic art . in general , a daily dosage consists of from about 5 to about 600 mg of active ingredient per kg . of body weight of the subject in one or more treatments per day . a preferred daily dosage for adult humans lies in the range of from about 10 to 240 mg . of active ingredient per kg . of body weight . another factor influencing the precise dosage regimen , apart from the nature of the infection and peculiar identity of the individual being treated , is the molecular weight of the chosen species of this invention ( i ). the compositions for human delivery per unit dosage , whether liquid or solid , may contain from 0 . 1 % to 99 % of active material , the preferred range being from about 10 - 60 %. the composition will generally contain from about 15 mg . to about 1500 mg . of the active ingredient ; however , in general , it is preferable to employ a dosage amount in the range of from about 250 mg to 1000 mg . in parenteral administration , the unit dosage is usually the pure zwitterionic compound in sterile water solution or in the form of a soluble powder intended for solution . the ph of such solutions typically will correspond to the zwitterionic point ; however , consideration of individual properties of solubility and stability may require such aqueous solutions to have a ph other than that of the zwitterionic point , for example in the range of 5 . 5 to 8 . 2 . the following examples , illustrate but do not limit the product , process , compositional or method of treatment aspects of the present invention . all reaction temperatures are in ° c . example 1 ## str23 ## with an end - point set at ph = 7 . 5 , aqueous 1 . 0 n - naoh is added from an automatic burette to a vigorously magnetically stirred suspension of 1 ( 7 - aca ; 200 mg , 0 . 73 mmole ), in distilled , deionized water ( 3 . 0 ml ) at 20 ° c . ( initial ph ˜ 4 . 1 ). the solid slowly dissolves giving a clear yellow solution at ph = 7 . 5 . the reagent 2 , 4 - fluoro - 1 - methylpyridinium iodide is added ( 261 mg , 1 . 10 mmole ) in one portion to the above stirred solution ; it dissolves instantly , causing a rather slow response from the automatic burette to maintain ph 7 . 5 . the addition of base from the automatic burette practially ceased after 2 . 0 hours , thus signaling completion of the reaction 1 + 2 → 3 . the resulting reaction solution is put on a 3 . 6 × 46 cm column of amberlite xad - 2 resin prepared in distilled , deionized water ; eluting with the same solvent , water . with the flow rate set at 1 drop / sec ., individual fractions comprising 200 drops each are collected . absorbance at 254 nm is observed . unreacted starting materials 1 and 2 come off first , their departure being signaled by a long minimum in absorbance at 254 nm . at fraction no . 77 , the eluting solvent is changed to aqueous 5 % tetrahydrofuran ( thf ). fractions no .&# 39 ; s 117 - 124 are pooled and lyophylized to yield pure product 3 as an off - white , fluffy powder ( 242 mg ; 90 % yield ). the pooled fractions are known to contain pure 3 on assay by hplc , using a c 18 reverse phase column and aqueous 10 % thf as the mobile phase . ir : strong β - lactam at 1775 cm - 1 and ## str24 ## at 1727 cm - 1 . nmr : ( t - 60 ): d 2 o ; 2 . 07 ( s , 3h ; ch 3 . co . o ), 3 . 53 ( abq , 2h , j = 18 hz ; s -- ch 2 ), 3 . 98 3h ; n -- ch 3 ), 4 . 83 ( abq , 2h , j = 12 . 5 hz ; ch 2 -- oac ), 5 . 31 ( d , 1h , j = 5 hz ; h 6 ), 5 . 70 ( d , 1h , j = 5 hz ; h 7 ), 7 . 06 ( d , 2h , j = 7 hz ; pyridinium h 3 + h 5 ), 8 . 16 ( d , 2h , j = 7 hz ; pyridinium h 2 + h 6 ) nmr -- 300 mhz ; shows pyridinium h 2 + h 6 as a broad singlet uv : λ max ( h 2 o ) 196 ; 214 ; and 279 nm ( ε15 , 650 ; 14 , 210 ; and 27 , 710 , respectively ). example 2 ## str25 ## the product of example 1 ( 1 , above ), n -( 1 &# 39 ;- methyl - 4 &# 39 ;- pyridinium )- 7aca ( 200 mg 1 . 0 mol ) is dissolved in anhydrous methanol ( 1 . 0 ml ) at r . t . ( 20 ° c .) and the pale yellow solution is cooled to - 68 ° c . under an atmosphere of dry n 2 , in an acetone / solid co 2 bath . the solution becomes turbid at - 68 ° c . a solution of lithium methoxide in methanol ( 1 . 83 ml , 5 . 0 mol ., of 1 . 5 n - liome / meoh ) is added by syringe through a rubber septum to the magnetically stirred solution which at once becomes clear and orange colored . after 2 minutes t - butylhypochlorite (&# 34 ; t - buocl , 79 μl , density = 0 . 91 , 1 . 2 mol .) is added by syringe as above ; the solution rapidly becomes a very pale yellow . stirring is continued for 5 minutes at - 68 ° c . ; whereupon the reaction is quenched by adding acetic acid ( 315 μl 10 . 0 mol ). the solution is evaporated at 25 ° c . under reduced pressure to yield a yellow gum ( 557 mg ) which is redissolved in water ( 20 ml ) and lyophilized to give a pale brown foam ( 405 mg ). the resulting product is chromatographed in pure distilled water over a 3 . 1 × 43 cm . column of amberlite xad - 2 resin . initial elution was by water at a flow rate of 2 drops / sec . ; individual fractions comprising 400 drops each (˜ 26 ml ) are collected . absorbance at 254 nm is observed . at fraction no . 24 , the solvent is changed to aqueous 5 % thf . on the shoulder of increasing absorbance , the fraction volume from no . 38 on is cut to 100 drops (˜ 6 ml ). fractions no .&# 39 ; s 56 - 67 are pooled and lyophylized to yield 136 mg of an off - white fluffy powder judged to be 81 % product 2 and 19 % starting material . a 30 mg fraction is purified by preparative reverse phase liquid chromatography to yield the desired product 2 as a colorless foam ( 18 mg , 98 % pure ). nmr -- 300 mhz : ( d 2 o ): 2 . 09 ( s , 3h , oac ); 3 . 30 ( d , 1h , j = 18 hz s -- ch . sub . β ); 3 . 67 ( d , 1h , j = 18 hz , s -- ch . sub . α ); 3 . 55 ( s , 3h , 7α -- och 3 ); 4 . 06 ( s , 3h , . sup .⊖ n -- ch 3 ); 4 . 72 ( d , 1h , j = 13 hz , 3 -- ch a -- oac ); 4 . 87 ( d , 1h , j = 13 hz , 3 -- ch a , -- oac ), 5 . 39 ( s , 1h , h 6 ) 7 . 31 ( d , 2h , j = 8 hz , py h 3 + h 5 ); 8 . 27 ( d , 2h , j = 8 hz , py h 2 + h 6 ). uv : γ max ( h 2 o ) 195 ; 212 and 277 nm ( ε16 , 450 ; 16 , 090 ; and 28 , 840 ) example 3 ## str26 ## with the end - point set at 7 . 5 ph , aqueous 1 . 0 n naoh is added from an automatic burette to a vigorously magnetically stirred suspension of 7 - amino - 3 -( 1 &# 39 ;- methyltetrazol - 5 &# 39 ;- ylthiomethyl ) ceph - 3 - em - 4 - oic acid ( 1 ; 200 mg ; 0 . 61 mmole ) in distilled water ( 2 . 5 ml ) ( initial ph = 4 . 0 ; 20 ° c .). the solid readily dissolves giving a clear brown solution at ph = 7 . 5 . a quantity ( 175 mg ; 0 . 73 mmole ) of 4 - fluoro - 1 - methylpyridinium iodide ( 2 ) is dissolved in distilled water ( 0 . 5 ml ), added in one portion at 20 ° c . to the above stirred solution . the automatic burette responds at once to maintain ph = 7 . 5 . after 1 . 0 hour , more pyridinium reagent 2 ( 43 mg ; 0 . 18 mmole ; i . e ., 0 . 91 mmole total ) is added directly to the reaction solution ; and after 1 hour additional reaction , the entire solution at ph = 7 . 5 is put directly on to a 3 . 1 × 45 cm . amberlite xad - 2 resin column prepared in distilled water . initially , distilled water is used as the eluting solvent . the flow rate is adjusted to 4 drops / sec ., and individual fractions comprising 400 drops each ( 26 ml ) are collected . absorbance at 254 nm is observed . at fraction no . 45 , the solvent is changed to aqueous 5 % thf . at fraction no . 60 , the fraction volume is reduced to 100 drops ; fractions nos . 79 - 120 are combined and lyophylized to yield a pale yellow powder ( 122 mg ). this product is shown by analytical liquid chromatography ( c 18 reverse phase column using aqueous 10 % thf as the mobile phase ) to be a two component mixture . separation is achieved by preparative reverse phase liquid chromatography , yielding a faster moving component [ x ] as a colorless fluffy powder ( 43 mg ), which by ir , uv and nmr is shown to be the desired product , above . the slower moving component [ y ] is similarly obtained as a colorless fluffy powder ( 33 mg ) which is shown by ir , uv , and nmr to be the 7 - epimer of [ x ]. characterization ( nmr ; ir ; uv ) of the desired product 3 ( isomer &# 34 ; x &# 34 ;) and is 7 - epimer &# 34 ; y &# 34 ; is given below . nmr : ( 300 mhz ) ( d 2 o ) 3 . 51 ( d , 1h , j = 18 hz , ring s -- ch . sub . β ); 3 . 84 ( d , 1h , j = 18 , ring s -- ch . sub . α ); 4 . 01 ( s , 3h , n -- ch 3 ); 4 . 05 ( d , 1h , j = 14 hz , position 3 -- ch a ); 4 . 07 ( s , 3h , tetrazole n -- ch 3 ); 4 . 35 ( d , 1h , j = 14 hz , position 3 -- ch a , 5 . 30 ( d , 1h , j = 5 hz , h 6 ); 5 . 67 ( d , 1h , j = 5 hz , h 7 ) 7 . 06 ( d , 2h , j = 6 hz , pyridinium h 3 + h 5 ); 8 . 16 ( broad s , 2h , pyridinium h 2 + h 6 ). uv : γ max ( h 2 o ) 197 ; 211 ; 279 . 5 nm ( ε20 , 770 ; 19 , 790 ; and 36 , 170 ) nmr : 300 mhz ( d 2 o ) 3 . 52 ( d , 1h , j = 18 hz , ring s -- ch . sub . β ); 3 . 84 ( d , 1h , j = 18 hz , ring s -- ch . sub . α ); 4 . 00 ( s , 3h , n -- ch 3 ); 4 . 03 ( d , 1h , j = 14 hz , position 3 -- ch a ); 4 . 07 ( s , 3h , tetrazole n -- ch 3 ); 4 . 28 ( d , 1h , j = 14 hz , position 3 -- ch a &# 39 ; ); 4 . 93 ( d , 1h , j = 1 hz , h 7 ); 5 . 20 ( d , 1h , j = 1 hz , h 6 ); 7 . 02 ( d , 2h , j = 6 hz , pyridine h 3 + h 5 ); 8 . 14 ( broad s , 2h , pyridine h 2 + h 6 ) uv : γ max ( h 2 o ) 196 ; 213 ; 283 . 5 nm ( ε19 , 960 ; 18 , 380 ; and 34 , 410 ) example 4 ## str27 ## with the end point set at ph = 7 . 5 , aqueous naoh ( 2 . 5 n ) is added from an automatic burette to a magnetically stirred suspension of 7 - aca ( 1 ; 0 . 500 g ; 1 . 836 mmole ) to form a clear brown solution . the reagent 2 , 4 - chloro - 1 - methylquinolinium iodide ( 0 . 673 g ; 2 . 203 mmole ), is added in one portion to the above solution producing a rather slow response from the automatic burette to maintain ph = 7 . 5 . progress of the reaction is monitored by analytical liquid chromatography , using a c 18 reverse phase column , aq . 10 % thf as the mobile phase , and a uv detector . at 11 / 2 hours the reaction is not complete . more 4 - chloro - 1 - methylquinolinium iodide ( 2 ) ( 168 mg , 0 . 55 mmole ) is added to the now almost black reaction solution and stirring at 20 ° c ./ ph 7 . 5 continued , for a total of 3 hours . thereafter , the solution is diluted to 40 ml with distilled water and worked up directly by preparative reverse phase liquid chromatography using a 5 × 30 cm c 18 column , aq . 2 . 5 %/ thf as the mobile phase and a variable wave length uv detector . the first 6 . 2 liters of eluate is discarded and the product is collected in the next 3 . 5 liters . this solution is evaporated at 35 ° c ./ 0 . 1 mm to 100 ml then lyophylized yielding ( 3 ) as a pale brown fluffy powder ( 402 mg . 53 %) characterized by ir , uv and nmr . uv : γ max ( h 2 o ) 216 ; 233 ; 334 ; 345 ( ε22 , 195 , 26 , 965 ; 18 , 750 ; 17 , 325 ) nmr 300 mhz ( d 2 o ) 2 . 12 ( s , 3h , oac ); 3 . 42 ( d , 1h , j = 18 hz , s -- ch . sub . β ); 3 . 85 ( d , 1h , j = 18 hz , s -- ch . sub . α ); 4 . 24 ( s , 3h , n -- ch 3 ); 4 . 75 ( d , 1h , j = 13 hz , ch a -- oac ); 4 . 91 ( d , 1h , j = 13 hz , ch a &# 39 ;-- oac ); 5 . 46 ( d , 1h , j = 5 hz h 6 ); 5 . 89 ( d , 1h , j = 5 hz , h 7 ); 6 . 98 ( d , 1h , j = 7 hz , h 3 &# 39 ;) 7 . 84 ( m , 1h , h 6 &# 39 ; or h 7 &# 39 ;); 8 . 09 ( m , 2h , aromatic ); 8 . 39 ( d , 1h , j = 9 hz , aromatic ); 8 . 56 ( d , 1h , j = 7 hz , h 2 &# 39 ;). example 5 ## str28 ## with the end - point set at ph 7 . 5 , aqueous naoh ( 1 . 0 n ) is added from an automatic burette to a magnetically stirred suspension of 7β - amino - 3 -( 1 &# 39 ;- methyltetrazol - 5 &# 39 ;- ylthiomethyl ) ceph - 3 - em - 4 - oic acid ( 1 , 200 mg ; 0 . 609 mmole ) is distilled deionized water ( 2 . 5 ml ) at 20 ° c . the initial ph is 3 . 3 ; the solid readily dissolves to give a clear brown solution at ph 7 . 5 after the addition of 0 . 552 ml 1 . 0 n naoh . the reagent 2 , 4 - fluoro - 1 - ethylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate ( 378 mg , 70 % purity , 1 . 22 mmole ) is dissolved in distilled deionized water ( 0 . 5 ml ) and added in one portion to the above solution at 20 ° c . producing a rapid response from the auto burette to maintain ph 7 . 5 . after 1 hour , the reaction solution is extracted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 2 × 20 ml ) and ether ( 20 ml ) to remove some dark colored contaminants . the polar , zwitterionic product is then isolated from the ph 7 . 5 aqueous phase by reverse phase liquid chromatography yielding a pale yellow fluffy powder 3 ( 188 mg , 71 %). nmr -- 300 mhz ( d 2 o ) 1 . 48 ( 3h , t , j = 7 . 2 hz , ch 3 of ethyl ); 3 . 49 ( 1h , d , j = 18 hz , ring s -- ch . sub . β ); 3 . 82 ( 1h , d , j = 18 hz , ring s -- ch . sub . α ); 4 . 04 ( 1h , d , j = 14 hz , hetero s -- ch a ) 4 . 06 ( s , 3h , tetrazole n -- ch 3 ); 4 . 26 ( 2h , q , j = 7 . 2 hz . sup .⊖ n -- ch 2 ); 4 . 32 ( 2h , d , j = 14 hz , hetero s -- ch a &# 39 ; ); 5 . 28 ( 1h , d , j = 4 . 5 hz , h 6 ); 5 . 65 ( 1h , d , j = 4 . 5 hz , h 7 ) 7 . 06 ( 2h , d , j = 7 hz , h 3 ,+ h 5 ) 8 . 22 ( 2h , broad s , h 2 + h 6 ) uv γ max 198 ; 213 ; 280 ( ε18 , 440 ; 18 , 220 ; and 34 , 300 ) example 6 ## str29 ## with the end - point set at ph 7 . 0 aqueous naoh ( 2 . 5 n ) is added from an automatic burette to a magnetically stirred suspension of 7β - amino - 3 -( 1 &# 39 ;- methyltetrazol - 5 &# 39 ;- ylthiomethyl ) ceph - 3 - em - 4 - oic acid ( 1 ; 1 . 0 g ) in distilled deionized water ( 8 . 0 ml ) at 20 ° c . at ph 7 . 0 almost all the solid dissolves in 10 minutes , giving a brown opaque solution . the reagent 2 , 4 - fluoro - 1 -( 2 &# 39 ;- methylphenyl ) pyridinium p - toluenesulphonate ( 1 . 095 g ) is dissolved in distilled , deionized water ( 2 . 0 ml ) giving a clear pale pink solution which is added rapidly ( 1 / 2 min ) to the above sodium cephalosporate solution with magnetic stirring at 20 ° c . instantaneous reaction ensues as evidenced by a marked fall in ph , formation of a clear brown solution and a rapid response from the burette to restore ph = 7 . 0 . in 20 minutes crystals begin to separate from solution . in 2 hours the mixture is filtered with some difficulty because of the extremely gelatinous nature of the solid . this material is dried at 25 ° c ./ 0 . 1 min . to yield a pale brown powder ( 842 mg ) shown by nmr to be the desired product contaminated with 22 % of sodium p - toluene sulphonate and a trace of 1 -( o - tolyl )- 4 - pyridone . purification is accomplished by preparative reverse phase l . c . using a 2 . 0 × 61 cm . bondapak c 18 ( 37 - 75μ ) column , a u . v . detector and aq . 5 % thf as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 19 . 8 ml / minute . the maximum loading of the column under the above conditions is 120 mg . the combined eluates from repetitive injections were evaporated to 150 ml and lyophilized to yield 3 as a yellow fluffy solid ( 357 mg ) work up of the filtrate from the initial crystallization using the same conditions yields additional desired product 3 ( 372 mg ). total yield 48 %. nmr 300 mhz : ( d - dmso ) 2 . 18 ( s , 3h , tolyl -- ch 3 ); 3 . 55 ( d , 1h , j = 18 hz , ring s -- ch . sub . β ); 3 . 87 ( d , j = 18 hz , 1h , ring s -- ch . sub . α ); 4 . 06 ( d , j = 14 hz , 1h , position 3 -- ch a ); 4 . 08 ( s , 3h , tetrazole -- ch 3 ); 4 . 36 ( d , j = 14 hz , 1h , position 3 -- ch a &# 39 ; ) 5 . 76 ( d , j = 4 hz , 1h , h 6 ) 5 . 36 ( d , j = 4 hz , 1h , h 7 ); 7 . 24 ( d , j = 6 hz , 2h , h 3 &# 39 ; + h 5 &# 39 ; py .) 7 . 44 - 7 . 62 ( m , tolyl aromatic ) 8 . 26 & amp ; 8 . 34 ( broad , h 2 + h 6 - py .) u . v . : γ max ( h 2 o ) 222 ; 288 nm ( ε29 , 780 ; and 39 , 970 ) to a solution of 4 - chloropyridine ( 5 . 90 g , 1 . 0 mmole ; 1 ) in nitromethane ( 10 ml ) cooled to 0 ° c . in an ice bath , is added rapidly ( over 3 minutes ) a solution of triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate ( 2 ; 9 . 87 g ) in nitromethane ( 20 ml ) forming an intensely orange solution . after 10 minutes at room temperature , 20 ° c ., the solution is evaporated at 60 ° c ./ 1 . 0 mm leaving a partially crystalline orange gum . acetonitrile ( 10 ml ) is added and the solution heated to 60 ° c . the solution becomes pale yellow and shows some very finely divided material in suspension . this mixture is left at 20 ° c . overnight with no change in appearance . it is then filtered , the solid washed with ch 3 cn , and discarded . evaporation of the filtrate leaves a viscous oil which slowly crystallized at ˜ 60 °/ 0 . 5 mm . acetonitrile ( 10 ml ) is added and the solution heated at 60 ° c . for 5 minutes , cooled to 20 ° c ., some insolubles filtered off and the solution evaporated at 60 °/ 0 . 5 mm , leaving an off - white slightly oily solid ( 10 . 16 g 64 %), m . p . wide range 70 °- 98 °, shown by nmr to be the correct product : 4 - chloro - 1 - ethylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate ( 3 ) nmr -- t60 ( d 2 o ) 1 . 63 ( t , j = 7 . 5 hz , 3h , -- ch 3 ); 4 . 63 ( q , j = 7 . 5 hz , 2h , n -- ch 2 --); 8 . 14 ( d , j = 7 hz , 2h , h 3 + h 5 ); 8 . 83 ( d , j = 7 hz , 2h , h 2 + h 6 ). a portion , ( 10 . 0 g , 1 . 0 mol ) of 3 , 4 - chloro - 1 - ethylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate , is dissolved in sieve - dried dmf ( 30 ml ) and commercial anhydrous kf ( 8 . 86 g 3 . 5 mol .) added , producing a yellow brown mixture . the solution / suspension is stirred at 20 ° c . under n 2 over the weekend , remaining a suspension and becoming dark brown . ether is added ( 100 ml ) to the above mixture , precipitating a dark brown oily solid which is separated by decanting the clear orange supernatant layer . the insoluble product is washed with more ether ( 2 × 25 ml ) and is then extracted with nitromethane ( 3 × 20 ml ) with filtration to remove the inorganic salts . the combined ch 3 no 2 filtrates are combined and evaporated at 50 ° c ./ 1 mm . leaving a dark brown viscous oil ( 6 . 062 g ) shown by nmr to be a mixture of the desired 1 - ethyl - 4 - fluoropyridinium tetrafluoroborate 4 ( 70 %) nmr [ a ] and 1 - ethyl - 4 - pyridone . nmr [ b ] nmr t60 ( d 2 o ) nmr [ a ] ( nch 2 4 . 68 ( q . ); h 3 + h 5 7 . 94 ( m ); h 2 + h 6 8 . 96 ( m ) nmr [ b ] n -- ch 2 4 . 22 ( q ); h 3 + h 5 6 . 86 ( d ); h 2 + h 6 8 . 10 ( d ) j = 7 hz ). 1 -( o - tolyl )- 4 - pyridone ( 1 ; 1 . 0 g ) is dissolved on heating in toluene ( 10 ml ) and the solution is dried by boiling out the azeotrope . to the solution at gentle reflux is added recrystallized p - toluenesulphonyl chloride ( 2 ; 1 . 03 g ) in one portion . the solid dissolves immediately , forming an opaque white suspension , which in a few more seconds changes to a pale brown oil precipitated from a clear solution . after a total of 5 minutes at reflux , the mixture is cooled to 20 ° c . ; the supernatant toluene decanted , the oil washed with more toluene ( 5 ml ) with decantation , then heated at 50 ° c ./ 0 . 1 mm to remove the last traces of toluene , becoming a glass on cooling ( 3 ; 2 . 054 g ) nmr : ( t - 60 , d - dmso ): 2 . 18 ( s , 3h , tolyl -- ch 3 ); 2 . 31 ( s , 3h , tosyl -- ch 3 ); 7 - 7 . 7 ( aromatic ) 8 . 58 ( d , 2h , j = 7 . 0 hz , h 3 + h 5 py . ); 9 . 30 ( d , 2h , j = 7 . 0 hz , h 2 + h 6 py .) commercial anhydrous kf ( 1 . 255 g , 4 . 0 mol ) is added to the above product 3 ( 2 . 054 g , 1 . 0 mol ) followed by sieve - dried dimethylformamide ( dmf ) ( 5 . 0 ml .). the mixture is magnetically stirred at room temperature 20 ° c . under n 2 becoming a pale pink suspension of kf in the dmf as the chloropyridinium tosylate slowly dissolves . after 45 minutes , the mixture , unchanged in appearance is filtered ; solids are washed with dry dmf ( 2 × 0 . 5 ml ) and the combined pinkish brown filtrate is evaporated at 50 ° c ./ 0 . 1 mm . leaving a pale brown gum , which is extracted with hot ( 70 ° c .) toluene ( 3 × 10 ml ; previously azeotroped dry ) with decantation . some flocculent white solid ( probably kf ) is decanted off with the toluene and is filtered off . the combined toluene extracts are evaporated at 50 ° c ./ 0 . 1 mm leaving a colorless crystalline solid ( 141 mg ) which is shown by nmr ( t60 ; d - dmso ) to be starting material 1 , 1 -( o - tolyl )- 4 - pyridone . material insoluble in the hot toluene is a pale brown syrup which gradually solidifies at 50 ° c ./ 0 . 1 mm to a pale pink mass , which is broken up and left at 20 ° c ./ 0 . 1 mm overnight to remove all traces of solvents . the resulting product 4 is finally obtained as a pale pink powder ( 1 . 596 g ). nmr - t60 ( d - dmso ) 8 . 39 ( dd , 2h , j . sub . ( 3 , 5 )( 2 , 6 ) = 7 . 0 hz , j . sub . ( 3 , 5 ) f = 7 . 0 hz ) 9 . 41 ( dd , 2h , j . sub . ( 3 , 5 )( 2 , 6 ) = 7 . 0 hz j . sub . ( 2 , 6 ) f = 5 . 0 hz nmr - t60 ; ( d 2 o ) 8 . 04 ( dd , h 3 h 5 ); 9 . 02 ( dd , h 2 h 6 ). sieve - dried triethylamine is added to a suspension of 7β - amino - 3 -( 1 &# 39 ;- methyltetrazol - 5 - ylthiomethyl ) ceph - 3 - em - 4 - oic acid ( 1 ; 25 mg ) in d - dmso ( 0 . 5 ml ) at 20 ° c . forming a clear , light brown solution . the reagent 2 , 4 - fluoro - 1 - methylpyridinium iodide ( 22 mg ) is added in one portion reacting instantly ; nmr ( t60 ) shows complete conversion to the desired product 3 . the solution is then shaken with excess of ether ( 3 × 2 ml ) with decantation . the precipitated product is dried in vacuo to yield the desired product 3 . the 3 - acetoxymethyl pyridinium cephem ( 1 ) ( 1 . 0 mmole ) is dissolved in water ( 5 - 50 ml ) at ph 7 containing the alkali metal salt of the heterocyclic thiol 2 ( 1 . 0 mmole ). this solution is maintained at 25 ° c . for 2 hours , following the progress of the exchange by analytical l . c . of aliquots over a 0 . 4 × 30 cm μc 18 reverse phase column , using a u . v . ( 254 nm ) detector and aqueous thf ( 5 - 30 %) as mobile phase . the product 3 is isolated by partition chromatography over amberlite xad - 2 resin with aqueous thf ( 0 - 10 %) as mobile phase , monitoring the eluate by analytical l . c . as above . the appropriate fractions are combined , evaporated at 30 °/ lmm to small volume ( 50 - 100 ml ) and lyophilized . following the procedure exactly as described , except that the final isolation is accomplished by preparative reverse phase l . c . using c 18 columns up to 5 × 30 cm ., the appropriate fractions are again combined , evaporated to small volume and lyophilized to provide 3 . one gram of 7 - aminocephalosporanic acid is suspended in 10 ml . water and dissolved by addition of 1 n naoh from an automatic burette set at a ph of 7 . 1 - benzyl - 4 - fluoro - pyridinium bromide , 1 . 46 grams in 5 ml . of water is added . the ph is maintained at 7 . after 2 . 5 hours the reaction is filtered . the filtrate is washed with etoac and cooled to 0 ° c . overnight . after thawing 0 . 46 grams of precipitate is collected by filtration . this precipitate is dissolved in methanol , filtered to remove insolubles and concentrated under reduced pressure to a solid . after trituration with dimethylformamide and then ether , a portion of the precipitate is chromatographed in 5 % tetrahydrofuran / water on 30 - 70μ bondapak reverse phase column . the eluent is concentrated to a small volume and lyophilized yielding 0 . 151 grams product . nmr 300 mhz ( d 2 o ): 2 . 10 ( s , 3h , ococh 3 ); 3 . 41 ( d , 1h , j = 18 hz , ring s - ch . sub . β ) 3 . 68 ( d , 1h , j = 18 hz , ring s - ch . sub . α ); 4 . 74 ( d , 1h , j = 13 hz , position 3 - ch a ); 4 . 90 ( d , 1h , j = 13 hz , position 3 - ch a &# 39 ; ); 5 . 32 ( d , 1h , j = 5 hz , h 6 ); 5 . 43 ( s , 2h , benzylic ch 2 ); 5 . 70 ( d , 1h , j = 5 hz , h 7 ); 7 . 08 ( d , 2h , j = 8 hz , h 3 &# 39 ; + h 5 &# 39 ; pyridinium ); 7 . 42 - 7 . 54 ( m , aromatics ); 8 . 27 ( broad s , h 2 &# 39 ; + h 6 &# 39 ; pyridinium ). preparation of : ## str35 ## one gram of 7β - amino - 3 -( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ) methyl )- 3 - cephem - 4 - carboxylate is suspended in water ( 10 ml ) and dissolved by the addition of 1 n naoh from an automatic burette set at a ph of 7 . 5 . the mixture is filtered and the filtrate is added to 2 . 9 mmoles of 1 -( 4 &# 39 ;- bromobenzyl )- 4 - fluoropyridinium bromide . the ph is maintained at 7 . 5 with 1 n naoh . after about half the theoretical amount of base is added a dark sticky precipitate begins to form . based on the consumption of alkali the reaction is complete in about one hour . the precipitate is isolated by filtration and dried . this solid is extensively washed with 100 ml . of methanol to extract the desired product . this methanol solution is concentrated under reduced pressure to a solid which is triturated with water and then acetone . the remaining solid is dissolved with difficulty in 30 % tetrahydrofuran and water , and chromatographed on μc 8 chromegaprep reverse phase column in 30 % thf / water . the eluted fractions are concentrated under reduced pressure and lyophilized to yield the desired product . one gram of 7β - amino - 3 -((( 1 methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ) methyl )- 3 - cephem - 4 - carboxylate is suspended in 6 ml . water and dissolved by the addition of 1 n naoh from an automatic burette set at a ph of 7 . 5 . 2 - fluoro - 1 - methyl - pyridinium iodide , 1 . 30 grams in 2 ml . of water is added . the ph is maintained at 7 . 5 with 1 n naoh . after five hours the reaction is diluted with water and washed with five equal portions of ethylacetate . the aqueous phase is filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure to remove remaining etoac . this dark brown solution is chromatographed on a waters prep 500 reverse phase column eluting with 1 . 25 % tetrahydrofuran water and monitoring fractions with a variable wavelength u . v . detector . the main fraction of 3 . 5 l . is concentrated and lyophylized yielding 0 . 70 grams of the desired product . nmr 300 mhz ( d 2 o ); 3 . 51 ( d , 1h , j = 17 hz , ring s - ch . sub . β ); 3 . 83 ( d , 1h , j = 17 hz , ring s - ch . sub . α ); 3 . 96 ( s , 3h , n - ch 3 ); 4 . 03 ( d , 1h , j = 13 hz , position 3 - ch a ); 4 . 04 ( s , 3h , n - ch 3 ); 4 . 31 ( d , 1h , j = 13 hz , position 3 - ch a &# 39 ; ); 5 . 31 ( d , 1h , j = 4 hz , h 6 ); 5 . 70 ( d , 1h , j = 4 hz , h 7 ); 7 . 17 ( dd , 1h , j 5 , 4 = 7 hz , j 5 , 6 = 7 hz , h 5 &# 39 ; ); 7 . 29 ( d , 1h , j 3 , 4 = 8 hz , h 3 &# 39 ; ); 8 . 13 ( m , 2h , h 4 &# 39 ; + h 6 &# 39 ; ). one gram of 7β - amino - 3 -((( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ) methyl - 3 - cephem - 4 - carboxylate is suspended in h 2 o ( 10 ml ) and dissolved by the addition of 1 n naoh from an automatic burette set at a ph of 7 . 5 . solid 1 - benzyl - 4 - fluoropyridinium bromide , 1 . 2 grams , is added . the ph is maintained at 7 . 5 with 1 n naoh . after two hours the thick precipitate which had formed is collected by filtration , washed with water and dried under reduced pressure . the solid ( 1 . 0 g ) is twice crystallized from hot water . the resulting crystals are washed consecutively with small volumes of h 2 o , acetone and ether yielding 0 . 2 grams product . nmr 300 mhz ( d 2 o ); 3 . 49 ( d , 1h , j = 17 hz , ring s - ch . sub . β ); 3 . 82 ( d , 1h , j = 17 hz , ring s - ch . sub . α ); 4 . 04 ( d , 1h , j = 14 hz , position 3 - ch a ); 4 . 05 ( s , 3h , n - ch 3 ); 4 . 32 ( d , 1h , j = 14 hz , position 3 - ch a &# 39 ; ); 5 . 28 ( d , 1h , j = 5 hz , h 6 ); 5 . 42 ( s , 2h , benzylic ch 2 ); 5 . 64 ( d , 1h , j = 5 hz , h 7 ); 7 . 06 ( d , 2h , j = 7 hz , h 3 &# 39 ; + h 5 &# 39 ; pyridinium ); 7 . 40 - 7 . 50 ( m . aromatics ); 8 . 26 ( broad s , 2h , h 2 &# 39 ; + h 6 &# 39 ; pyridinium ). a solution of 7 . 2 g . ( 56 . 6 mmoles ; 6 . 25 ml .) of 4 - chloro - 3 - methyl pyridine in 39 . 4 g . ( 283 mmoles ; 17 . 3 ml .) of cold methyl iodide is kept at 5 ° for 20 hours . the mixture is diluted with 30 ml . of ether and filtered . the solid is washed with ether and dried yielding 11 . 2 g . of 4 - chloro - 1 , 3 - dimethyl - pyridinium iodide . nmr ( 60 mhz - dmso - d 6 ): 2 . 5 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 3 ( s , 3h ), 8 . 3 ( d , 1h ), 8 . 9 ( dd , 1h ), 9 . 1 ( d , 1h ). ## str39 ## a solution of 5 . 4 g . ( 20 mmoles ) of 4 - chloro - 1 , 3 - dimethyl - pyridinium iodide in 30 ml . of dimethylformamide is treated with 4 . 1 g . ( 70 mmoles ) of anhydrous ki and stirred at 55 ° for 24 hours . stirring is continued at 25 ° for 48 hours . the mixture is filtered and the filtrate is diluted with an equal volume of ether . the solid which separates is filtered , washed with ether and dried to yield 3 . 57 g . of 4 - fluoro - 1 , 3 - dimethyl pyridinium iodide . nmr ( 60 mhz . dmso - d 6 ) 2 . 2 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 3 ( s , 3h ), 8 . 1 ( t , 1h ), 9 . 1 ( m , 2h ). a mixture of 1 g . ( 3 mmoles ) of 2 - carboxy - 3 -([( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl )- 7β - amino - 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 3 . 0 ] oct - 2 - ene in 10 ml . of h 2 o is neutralized to ph 7 . 4 with 1 n naoh in a ph - stat . complete solution is obtained in 30 minutes and 1 . 14 g ( 4 . 5 mmoles ) of 4 - fluoro - 1 , 3 - dimethyl - pyridinium iodide is then added . reaction requires a total of 6 hours , and a total of 2 . 44 ml . of 1 n naoh is required to obtain a final ph of 7 . 0 . the reaction solution is diluted to 100 ml . with water and freeze - dried yielding 2 . 2 g . of crude product . the crude is purified by high performance liquid chromatography and the fraction containing the product ( identified by a u . v . maximum at 282 nm ) is concentrated . the concentrate ( 250 ml .) is freeze - dried to give 460 mg . of the subject compound . nmr 300 mhz -( d 2 o ) 2 . 25 ( s , 3h ), 3 . 7 ( q , 2h ), 4 . 0 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 05 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 2 ( q , 2h ), 5 . 34 ( d , 1h ), 5 . 7 ( d , 1h ), 7 . 05 ( d , 1h ), 8 . 1 ( s , 1h ), 8 . 17 ( d , 1h ). a solution of 1 . 1 g . ( 10 mmoles ; 0 . 95 ml .) of 4 - chloropyridine in 10 g . ( 60 mmoles ) of ethyl bromoacetate is kept at 5 ° for 48 hours . the mixture is diluted with 15 ml . of ether , filtered and the solid is washed well with ether . nmr ( 60 mhz - dmso - d 6 ): 1 . 3 ( t , 3h ), 4 . 3 ( q , 2h ), 5 . 9 ( s , 2h ), 8 . 6 ( d , 2h ), 9 . 3 ( d , 2h ). a mixture of 1 g . ( 3 mmoles ) of 2 - carboxy - 3 -([( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl )- 7β - amino - 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - ene in 10 ml . of h 2 o is stirred and neutralized to ph 7 . 4 with 1 n naoh in a ph - stat . complete solution requires 60 minutes and 2 . 96 ml . of naoh is used . a 840 mg . ( 3 mmoles ) sample of 4 - chloro - 1 - carboethoxymethylpyridinium bromide is added and titration continued with 1 n naoh to ph 7 . 0 . the reaction takes 4 hours and uses 2 . 96 ml . of naoh . the reaction solution is washed with three 10 - ml . portions of ethyl acetate , diluted to 50 ml . with water and freeze - dried to yield 1 . 9 g . of crude product . a 500 - mg . portion of the crude product is partially dissolved in 10 ml . of water . after centrifugation , the supernatant is purified by high performance liquid chromatography . fractions containing product are concentrated and freeze - dried to yield 19 mg . of the subject compound . nmr ( 300 mhz - d 2 o ): 1 . 3 ( t , 3h ), 3 . 7 ( q , 2h ), 4 . 1 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 2 ( q , 2h ), 4 . 32 ( q , 2h ), 5 . 18 ( s , 2h ), 5 . 3 ( d , 1h ), 5 . 72 ( d , 1h ), 7 . 15 ( d , 2h ), 8 . 2 ( d , 2h ). a solution of 25 mg . ( 0 . 05 mmoles ) of 4 -(( 2 - carboxy - 3 -([( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl )- 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - ene - 7β - yl ) amino )- 1 - carboethoxymethyl ) pyridinium hydroxide inner salt in 2 ml . of h 2 o is titrated in a ph - stat with 0 . 05 n naoh to ph 9 . over a period of 45 minutes , 1 . 02 ml . of naoh is consumed . the ph of the reaction solution is adjusted to 7 and freeze - dried to yield 18 . 9 mg . of 4 -(( 2 - carboxy - 3 -([( 1 - methyl - 1 - h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl )- 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - en - 7β - yl ) amino )- 1 -( carboxymethyl ) pyridinium hydroxide inner salt , sodium salt . nmr ( 60 mhz - d 2 o ); 3 . 8 ( q , 2h ), 4 . 2 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 3 ( q , 2h ), 4 . 95 ( s , 2h ), 5 . 4 ( d , 1h ), 5 . 8 ( d , 1h ), 7 . 2 ( d , 2h ), 8 . 2 ( d , 2h ). a cold solution of 200 mmoles of 4 - methoxybenzyl bromide in 100 ml . of benzene is treated with 5 g . ( 50 mmoles ; 4 . 6 ml .) of 4 - chloropyridine and kept at 5 ° for 48 hours . the precipitate is filtered , washed well with ether and dried to give 7 . 2 g . of 1 -( 4 - methoxybenzyl )- 4 - chloropyridinium chloride . nmr ( 60 mhz - dmso - d 6 ): 3 . 7 ( s , 3h ), 5 . 8 ( s , 2h ), 6 . 9 ( d , 2h ), 7 . 5 ( d , 2h ), 8 . 3 ( d , 2h ), 9 . 2 ( d , 2h ). ## str45 ## a mixture of 1 . 25 g . ( 4 mmoles ) of 1 -( 4 - methoxybenzyl )- 4 - chloropyridinium bromide and 0 . 93 g . ( 15 mmoles ) of anhydrous kf in 10 ml . of dry dimethylformamide was stirred at 25 ° under n 2 . after 2 . 5 hours the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated to a residual 2 . 2 g . of oily 1 -( 4 - methoxybenzyl )- 4 - fluoropyridinium bromide . nmr ( 60 mhz - d 2 o ): 3 . 9 ( s , 3h ), 5 . 9 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 15 ( d , 2h ), 7 . 7 ( d , 2h ), 8 . 1 ( t , 2h ), 9 . 1 ( q , 2h ). a suspension of 1 . 35 g . ( 4 mmoles ) of 2 - carboxy - 3 -([( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl )- 7β - amino - 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - ene in 8 ml . of h 2 o is stirred and titrated with 2 . 5 n naoh in a ph - stat to ph 7 . 5 . after the addition of 1 . 7 ml . of 2 . 5 n naoh complete solution is obtained . a solution of 4 mmoles of 1 -( 4 - methyloxybenzyl )- 4 - fluoropyridinium bromide in 5 ml . of water is added and titration at ph 7 is continued . after the addition of 1 . 5 ml . of 2 . 5 n naoh the reaction is complete and the precipitated product is filtered and washed with water and dried to yield 1 . 87 g . of 4 -(( 2 - carboxy - 3 -([( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl )- 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - en - 7β - yl ) amino )- 1 -( 4 - methoxybenzyl ) pyridinium hydroxide inner salt . nmr ( 300 mhz - dmso - d 6 ): 3 . 5 ( q , 2h ), 3 . 75 ( s , 3h ), 3 . 9 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 32 ( q , 2h ), 5 . 13 ( d , 1h ), 5 . 38 ( s , 2h ), 5 . 65 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 0 ( d , 2h ), 7 . 2 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 42 ( d , 2h ), 8 . 43 ( d , 1h ), 8 . 63 ( d , 1h ), 9 . 5 ( d , 1h ). a solution of 5 g . ( 40 mmoles ; 3 . 35 ml .) of bromomethyl methyl ether in 20 ml . of ether is cooled to - 10 ° and treated dropwise over 20 minutes while being stirred with a solution of 2 g . ( 20 mmoles ; 1 . 9 ml .) of 4 - chloropyridine in 8 ml . of ether . an immediate precipitation of a white solid occurs . stirring is continued an additional 20 minutes and the solid is filtered and washed with ether and dried to yield 3 . 8 g . of 1 - methoxymethyl - 4 - chloropyridine . nmr ( 60 mhz - d 2 o ): 2 . 5 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 85 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 3 ( d , 2h ), 8 . 0 ( d , 2h ). a suspension of 340 mg . ( 1 mmole ) of 2 - carboxy - 3 -([( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl )- 7β - amino - 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - ene in 5 ml . of water is neutralized to ph 7 . 0 with 1 n naoh in a ph - stat . complete solution is obtained in 5 minutes after the addition of 1 ml . of 1 n naoh . the solution is treated with 250 mg . ( 1 mmole ) of 1 - methoxymethyl - 4 - chloropyridinium bromide and titration with 1 n naoh is continued . after an uptake of 1 ml . of alkali , the reaction is complete and is diluted to 25 ml . with water and freeze - dried to give 556 mg . of crude product . a solution of the crude product in 25 ml . of water is purified by hplc on 2 . 0 × 61 cm . bondapak column in the system 2 . 5 % tetrahydrofuran in water . the combined product fractions are concentrated and the concentrate is freeze - dried to give 71 mg . of 4 -(( 2 - carboxy - 3 -([( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl )- 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - en - 7β - yl ) amino )- 1 - methoxymethylpyridinium hydroxide inner salt . nmr ( 300 mhz - d 2 o ): δ3 . 2 ( s , 3h ), 3 . 65 ( q , 2h ), 4 . 05 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 18 ( q , 2h ), 5 . 3 ( d , 1h ), 5 . 5 ( s , 2h ), 5 . 7 ( d , 1h ), 7 . 15 ( d , 2h ), 8 . 35 ( d , 2h ). a solution of 4 g . ( 40 mmoles ; 3 . 5 ml .) of furfuryl alcohol in 40 ml . of ether is cooled to 5 °, stirred and treated dropwise with a solution of 4 g . ( 14 . 8 mmoles ; 1 . 4 ml .) of pbr 3 in 6 ml . of ether over a period of 30 minutes . after an additional 15 minutes the ether solution is decanted from a dark insoluble oil and stirred for 15 minutes at 5 ° with one gram of k 2 co 3 ( anhydrous ). the mixture is filtered and the filtrate is treated with 2 g . ( 20 mmoles ; 1 . 9 ml .) of 4 - chloropyridine . the precipitate which forms immediately is filtered and the filtrate is treated with an additional 2 g . ( 20 mmoles ; 1 . 9 ml .) of 4 - chloropyridine and is kept at 25 ° for 5 days . the solid which separates is filtered and washed well with ether and dried to give 1 . 7 g . of 1 - furfuryl - 4 - chloropyridinium bromide . nmr ( 60 mh z - d 2 o ) 5 . 9 ( s , 2h ), 6 . 6 ( q , 1h ), 6 . 95 ( d , 1h ), 7 . 7 ( d , 1h ), 8 . 25 ( d , 2h ), 8 . 95 ( d , 2h ). a suspension of 670 mg . ( 2 mmoles ) of 2 - carboxy - 3 -([( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl )- 7β - amino - 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - ene in 5 ml . of water is neutralized to ph 7 . 0 with 1 n naoh in a ph - stat . after 1 . 5 hours , 550 mg . ( 2 mmoles ) of 1 - furfuryl - 4 - chloropyridinium chloride is added and titration is continued with 1 n naoh . after an uptake of 1 . 2 ml . of alkali , the reaction solution is diluted to 50 ml . with water and freeze - dried to give 1 . 19 g of crude product . the crude product is dissolved in 20 ml of water and purified by hplc on a 2 . 0 × 61 cm bondapak c 18 reverse phase column in the system 3 . 75 % tetrahydrofuran in water , using a u . v . detector . the fractions containing product are combined and concentrated and the concentrate is freeze - dried yielding 123 mg . of 4 -( 2 - carboxy - 3 -([( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl )- 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - en - 7β - yl ) amino )- 1 - furfurylpyridinium hydroxide inner salt . nmr ( 300 mh z - d 2 o ): 3 . 7 ( q , 2h ), 4 . 05 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 2 ( q , 2h ), 5 . 3 ( d , 1h ), 5 . 45 ( s , 2h ), 5 . 65 ( d , 1h ), 6 . 55 ( q , 1h ), 6 . 7 ( d , 1h ), 7 . 05 ( d , 2h ), 7 . 6 ( d , 1h ), 8 . 15 ( d , 2h ). example 25 ## str51 ## iodotrimethylsilane ( 3 . 0 mmoles ) is added by syringe through a rubber septum to a solution of 4 -[ 2 - carboxy - 3 -[( 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl - 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - en - 7β - yl ] amino - 1 - methoxymethylpyridinium hydroxide inner salt ( 1 ) ( 1 . 0 mmole ) in dry tetramethylenesulphone ( 5 ml ) at 20 ° c . in an atmosphere of dry nitrogen . the mixture is magnetically stirred at 20 ° c . for 24 hours and is then diluted with an equal volume of water . the product is isolated directly from this solution by preparative high performance liquid chromatography over a 5 × 30 cm c 18 bondapak reverse phase column with aqueous 2 % tetrahydrofuran as the mobile phase and monitoring the eluate with a variable wavelength u . v . detector . the appropriate eluate fraction is evaporated at 25 ° / 1 mm to approximately 100 ml . then lyophylized to yield 4 -[ 2 - carboxy - 3 -[ 1 - methyl - 1h - tetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio ] methyl - 8 - oxo - 5 - thia - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - en - 7β - yl ] aminopyridinium hydroxide inner salt ( 2 ), characterized by u . v . ir ., and nmr , the latter in particular missing the two sharp singlets at δ3 . 2 and 5 . 5 for the n - methoxymethylene group of the starting material . example 26 ## str52 ## the product of example 25 ( 2 mmole ) is dissolved in water ( 20 ml ) and the ph of the solution adjusted to 9 by adding aq . 2 . 5 n naoh from an automatic burette controlled by a ph stat . the solution is cooled to 2 ° in an ice bath and hydroxylamine o - sulphonic acid ( 4 mmole ) added with magnetic stirring . the mixture is stirred at 20 ° / ph = 9 for 10 hours . the ph is then adjusted to 7 by adding aq . 2 . 5 n - hcl and the product is isolated directly from this solution by preparative reverse phase hplc over a 5 × 30 cm c 18 bondapak column with aq . 2 % tetrahydrofuran as the mobile phase and monitoring the eluate with a variable wavelength detector . the appropriate eluate fraction is evaporated at 25 ° / 1 mm to approximately 100 ml then lyophylized to yield the desired product characterized by u . v ., ir , and nmr . following the procedure of examples 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 9a , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 20 , 22 , 24 , 25 and 26 the following compounds of the present invention are obtained , respectively , when the indicated cephalosporin starting material is replaced by an equivalent amount of its 1 - oxadethia analogue : ## str53 ## following the procedure described in the foregoing text and examples , the following compunds listed in table i are detailed . in table i , appropriate remarks are entered to signal any departure from established procedure . also listed under &# 34 ; remarks &# 34 ; in table i are the necessary reagents . table i__________________________________________________________________________ ## str54 ## com - pound r . sup . 2 r &# 39 ; a remarks__________________________________________________________________________1 h ## str55 ## ## str56 ## ## str57 ## 2 h ## str58 ## &# 34 ; ## str59 ## 3 h ## str60 ## &# 34 ; ## str61 ## 4 h ## str62 ## ## str63 ## ## str64 ## 5 h ## str65 ## &# 34 ; ## str66 ## 6 h ## str67 ## &# 34 ; ## str68 ## 7 h ## str69 ## ## str70 ## ## str71 ## 8 h ## str72 ## &# 34 ; from compound 7 by reaction with ( a ) isi ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 3 then ( b ) h . sub . 2 o . 9 h ## str73 ## &# 34 ; ## str74 ## 10 h ## str75 ## &# 34 ; from compound 9 by hydrolysis at ph = 9 then titration to ph = 711 h ## str76 ## &# 34 ; ## str77 ## 12 h ## str78 ## &# 34 ; from compound 11 by hydrolysis at ph = 9 then titration to ph = 713 h ## str79 ## ## str80 ## ## str81 ## 14 h ## str82 ## &# 34 ; from compound 13 by hydrolysis at ph = 9 then titration to ph = 715 h ## str83 ## &# 34 ; ## str84 ## 16 h ## str85 ## &# 34 ; ## str86 ## 17 h ## str87 ## &# 34 ; ## str88 ## 18 h ## str89 ## &# 34 ; ## str90 ## 19 h ## str91 ## ## str92 ## ## str93 ## 20 h ## str94 ## &# 34 ; ## str95 ## 21 h ## str96 ## &# 34 ; from compound 8 by reaction with h . sub . 2 n . o . so . sub . 3 h22 h ## str97 ## ## str98 ## ## str99 ## and subsequent hydrolysis at ph = 9 and titration to ph = 723 h ## str100 ## &# 34 ; ## str101 ## and subsequent cleavage by cf . sub . 3 cooh24 h ## str102 ## &# 34 ; ## str103 ## and subsequent cleavage by cf . sub . 3 cooh25 h ## str104 ## &# 34 ; ## str105 ## 26 h ## str106 ## &# 34 ; from compound 25 by reaction ith ( a ) isi ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 3 then ( b ) h . sub . 2 o27 h ## str107 ## &# 34 ; ## str108 ## 28 h ## str109 ## &# 34 ; from compound 27 by reaction ith ( a ) isi ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 3 ; ( b ) h . sub . 2 o ; then m . sup .⊕ oh . sup .⊖ to ph 7 isolating the product as the cephem coo . sup .⊖ m . sup .⊕ 29 h ## str110 ## &# 34 ; ## str111 ## 30 h ## str112 ## &# 34 ; ## str113 ## 31 h ## str114 ## &# 34 ; ## str115 ## 32 h ## str116 ## &# 34 ; ## str117 ## 33 h ## str118 ## &# 34 ; ## str119 ## 34 h ## str120 ## &# 34 ; ## str121 ## 35 h ## str122 ## &# 34 ; ## str123 ## 36 h ## str124 ## &# 34 ; ## str125 ## 37 h ## str126 ## &# 34 ; from compound 36 by hydrolysis at ph 9 . then titration to ph 738 h ## str127 ## &# 34 ; ## str128 ## and subsequent hydrolysis at ph = 9 and titration to ph = 739 h ## str129 ## ## str130 ## ## str131 ## 40 h &# 34 ; ## str132 ## &# 34 ; 41 h ## str133 ## ## str134 ## ## str135 ## 42 och . sub . 3 &# 34 ; ## str136 ## from compound 35 by reaction ith ( a ) lioch . sub . 3 then ( b ) clobu . sup . t43 och . sub . 3 ## str137 ## ## str138 ## from compound 39 by reaction ith lioch . sub . 3 then ( b ) clobu . sup . t44 h ## str139 ## ch . sub . 3 ## str140 ## and subsequent hydrolysis at ph 9 and titration to ph 745 h &# 34 ; ## str141 ## ## str142 ## and subsequent hydrolysis at ph 9 and titration to ph 746 h ## str143 ## ## str144 ## ## str145 ## 47 h ## str146 ## &# 34 ; ## str147 ## 48 h ## str148 ## &# 34 ; from compound 47 by hydrolysis at ph 9 then titration to ph 749 h ## str149 ## ## str150 ## ## str151 ## 50 h ## str152 ## ch . sub . 2 . o . co . nh . sub . 2 &# 34 ; 51 h ## str153 ## ch . sub . 2 o . coch . sub . 3 ## str154 ## 52 h ## str155 ## ## str156 ## ## str157 ## 53 h ## str158 ## &# 34 ; ## str159 ## by reaction in anhydrous dmf with et . sub . 2 npi as base . 54 h ## str160 ## &# 34 ; ## str161 ## 55 h ## str162 ## &# 34 ; from compound 54 by hydro - lysis at ph 9 then titration o ph 756 h ## str163 ## &# 34 ; ## str164 ## 57 h ## str165 ## &# 34 ; from compound 56 by hydrolysis at ph 9 then titration to ph 758 h ## str166 ## &# 34 ; ## str167 ## 59 h ## str168 ## &# 34 ; ## str169 ## 60 h ## str170 ## &# 34 ; ## str171 ## 61 h ## str172 ## &# 34 ; ## str173 ## 62 h ## str174 ## &# 34 ; ## str175 ## 63 h ## str176 ## &# 34 ; from compound 62 by reaction ith ( a ) isi ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 3 then ( b ) h . sub . 2 o64 h ## str177 ## &# 34 ; ## str178 ## 65 h ## str179 ## &# 34 ; ## str180 ## 66 h ## str181 ## &# 34 ; from compound 63 by reaction ith h . sub . 2 no . so . sub . 3 h67 h ## str182 ## &# 34 ; ## str183 ## 68 h ## str184 ## &# 34 ; from compound 67 by hydrolysis at ph 9 then titration to ph 769 h ## str185 ## &# 34 ; ## str186 ## and subsequent cleavage by cf . sub . 3 . cooh70 h ## str187 ## &# 34 ; ## str188 ## and subsequent hydrolysis at ph 9 and titration to ph 771 h ## str189 ## &# 34 ; ## str190 ## 72 h ## str191 ## &# 34 ; ## str192 ## and subsequent hydrolysis at ph 9 and titration to ph 773 h ## str193 ## &# 34 ; ## str194 ## 74 h ## str195 ## &# 34 ; from compound 73 by hydro - lysis at ph 9 then titration o ph 775 h ## str196 ## &# 34 ; ## str197 ## 76 h ## str198 ## ## str199 ## ## str200 ## 77 och . sub . 3 ## str201 ## &# 34 ; from compound 76 by reaction ith ( a ) lioch . sub . 3 then ( b ) clobu . sup . t78 h ## str202 ## &# 34 ; ## str203 ## 79 h ## str204 ## ## str205 ## ## str206 ## 80 och . sub . 3 ## str207 ## &# 34 ; from compound 79 by reaction with ( a ) lioch . sub . 3 then ( b ) clobu . sup . t81 h ## str208 ## ## str209 ## ## str210 ## 82 h ## str211 ## ## str212 ## ## str213 ## and subsequent hydrolysis at ph 9 and titration to ph 783 h ## str214 ## ch . sub . 2 o . co . nh . sub . 2 ## str215 ## 84 h ## str216 ## ## str217 ## ## str218 ## 85 h ## str219 ## ## str220 ## from compound 84 by hydro - lysis at ph 9 then titration o ph 786 h ## str221 ## &# 34 ; ## str222 ## 87 h ## str223 ## &# 34 ; from compound 86 by hydrolysis at ph 9 then titration to ph 788 h ## str224 ## &# 34 ; ## str225 ## 89 och . sub . 3 ## str226 ## &# 34 ; from compound 88 by reaction ith ( a ) lioch . sub . 3 then ( b ) lobu . sup . t90 h ## str227 ## &# 34 ; ## str228 ## 91 h ## str229 ## &# 34 ; ## str230 ## 92 h ## str231 ## &# 34 ; ## str232 ## 93 h ## str233 ## ## str234 ## ## str235 ## 94 h ## str236 ## ## str237 ## ## str238 ## 95 och . sub . 3 ## str239 ## ## str240 ## from compound 92 by reaction ith ( a ) lioch . sub . 3 then ( b ) clobu . sup . t96 h ## str241 ## &# 34 ; ## str242 ## 97 h ## str243 ## ## str244 ## ## str245 ## 98 h ## str246 ## ## str247 ## ## str248 ## 99 och . sub . 3 ## str249 ## &# 34 ; from compound 98 by reaction ith ( a ) lioch . sub . 3 then ( b ) lobu . sup . t100 h ## str250 ## &# 34 ; ## str251 ## 101 h ## str252 ## ## str253 ## ## str254 ## 102 h ## str255 ## &# 34 ; ## str256 ## 103 h ## str257 ## &# 34 ; ## str258 ## 104 h ## str259 ## &# 34 ; ## str260 ## 105 h ## str261 ## &# 34 ; from compound 104 by hydro - lysis at ph 9 then titration o ph 7106 h ## str262 ## ## str263 ## ## str264 ## 107 och . sub . 3 ## str265 ## &# 34 ; from compound 106 by reaction with ( a ) lioch . sub . 3 then ( b ) clobu . sup . t108 h ## str266 ## ## str267 ## ## str268 ## 109 h ## str269 ## &# 34 ; ## str270 ## 110 h ## str271 ## &# 34 ; ## str272 ## 111 h ## str273 ## &# 34 ; ## str274 ## 112 h ## str275 ## &# 34 ; ## str276 ## 113 h ## str277 ## &# 34 ; ## str278 ## 114 h ## str279 ## &# 34 ; ## str280 ## 115 h ## str281 ## &# 34 ; ## str282 ## 116 h ## str283 ## &# 34 ; ## str284 ## 117 h ## str285 ## &# 34 ; ## str286 ## 118 h ## str287 ## ## str288 ## ## str289 ## 119 och . sub . 3 ## str290 ## &# 34 ; from conpound 118 by reaction with ( a ) lioch . sub . 3 then ( b ) clobu . sup . t120 h ## str291 ## ch . sub . 2 . o . co . ch . sub . 3 ## str292 ## 121 h ## str293 ## ## str294 ## ## str295 ## 122 h &# 34 ; ## str296 ## ## str297 ## 123 och . sub . 3 ## str298 ## ch . sub . 2 . o . co . ch . sub . 3 from compound 120 by reaction with ( a ) lioch . sub . 3 then ( b ) clobu . sup . t124 och . sub . 3 &# 34 ; ## str299 ## ## str300 ## 125 h ## str301 ## ## str302 ## ## str303 ## 126 h ## str304 ## &# 34 ; prepared from compound 125 by reaction with ( a ) isi ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 3 then ( b ) h . sub . 2 o127 h ## str305 ## &# 34 ; ## str306 ## 128 h ## str307 ## &# 34 ; ## str308 ## 129 h ## str309 ## &# 34 ; ## str310 ## 130 h ## str311 ## &# 34 ; ## str312 ## 131 h ## str313 ## ## str314 ## ## str315 ## 132 h &# 34 ; ## str316 ## &# 34 ; __________________________________________________________________________ one such unit dosage form comprises a blend of 120 mg of 4 -[{ 3 -[{( 1 - methyltetrazol - 5 - yl ) thio } methyl ]- 2 - carboxy - 8 - oxo - 5 - oxa - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - en - 7β - yl } amino ]- 1 - benzylpyridinium hydroxide inner salt with 20 mg of lactose and 5 mg of magnesium stearate which is placed in a no . 3 gelatin capsule . similarly , by employing more of the active ingredient and less lactose , other dosage forms can be prepared ; should it be necessary to mix more than 145 mg of ingredients together , larger capsules may be employed . equivalently , compressed tablets and pills can be prepared . the following examples are further illustrative of the preparation of pharmaceutical formulations : ______________________________________tablet per tablet______________________________________4 -[{ 3 -[{( 1 - methyltetrazol - 5 - yl )- thio methyl ]- 2 - carboxy - 8 - oxo - 5 - oxa - 1 - azabicyclo [ 4 . 2 . 0 ] oct - 2 - en - 7β - yl } amino ]- 1 - benzylpyridinium hydroxideinner salt 125 mg . dicalcium phosphate 200 mg . cornstarch , u . s . p . 6 mg . lactose , u . s . p . 200 mg . magnesium stearate 270 mg . ______________________________________ the above ingredients are combined and the mixture is compressed into tablets , approximately 0 . 5 inch in diameter each weighing 800 mg . | 2 |
the technical terminology with reference to biological , clinical , electronic , mathematical and statistical expressions used herein conform to conventionally accepted definitions . the terms “ sample ” or “ specimen ” are interchangeably used herein and refer to biological material obtained from tissue , spinal fluid , bone marrow , blood , or other sources . a sample can also include viruses , bacteria , or other pathogens . a typical example of a biological specimen would be blood drawn from a subject . as utilized herein the term “ cells ” refers to animal or plant cells , cellular bacteria , fungi , which are identifiable separately or in aggregates . for example , cells can be human red blood cells ( rbc ) and white blood cell ( wbc ) populations , cancer , or other abnormal cells . the terms “ target ” or “ target population ” refers herein to biological entities of interest that may be present in a biological specimen that is being analyzed . a typical example of members of a target population would be cd4 positive cells in a blood sample . conversely , the terms “ non - target ” or “ non - target population ” as used herein refer to entities present in a biological specimen , are not the subject of the analysis . the different components of the apparatus ( sometimes referred to herein by its project name , “ easycount ”) are shown in fig1 . the imaging part of the apparatus is based on an epi - illumination fluorescence microscope . the surface of the sample chamber is illuminated by a light emitting diode with a central wavelength of 470 nm ( nspb500s , nichia corp ., japan ). the light emitted from the fluor - labeled cells at the inner surface of the chamber is collected by an objective and focused onto a ccd camera ( edc2000 - n , electrim corp , princeton , n . j .). this results in an image of 652 × 494 pixels , corresponding to a sample area of 0 . 55 mm 2 , in which the cells appear as bright spots against a dark background . the term “ specific binding pair ” as used herein refers to molecules that have binding affinity for each other to the substantial exclusion of other molecules or entities . examples of specific binding pairs include antigen - antibody , receptor - hormone , receptor - ligand , agonist - antagonist , lectin - carbohydrate , nucleic acid ( rna or dna ) hybridizing sequences , fc receptor or mouse igg - protein a , avidin - biotin , streptavidin - biotin and virus - receptor interactions . the phrase “ to the substantial exclusion of ” refers to the specificity of the binding reaction between the biospecific ligand or biospecific reagent and its corresponding target determinant . biospecific ligands and reagents have specific binding activity with relatively high affinity for their target determinant , yet may also exhibit a low level of non - specific binding with substantially less affinity to other sample components . the term “ determinant ”, when used in reference to any of the foregoing target bioentities , refers broadly to chemical mosaics present on macromolecular antigens that often induce a heterophilic immune response . therefore , determinants may be specifically bound by a “ biospecific ligand ” or a “ biospecific reagent ,” and refer to that portion of the target bioentity involved in , and responsible for , selective binding to a specific binding substance ( such as a ligand or reagent ), the presence of which is required for selective binding to occur . in fundamental terms , determinants are molecular contact regions on target bioentities that to are recognized by agents , ligands and / or reagents having binding affinity therefore , in specific binding pair reactions . the term “ detectably label ” is used to herein to refer to any substance whose detection or measurement , either directly or indirectly , by physical or chemical means , is indicative of the presence of the target bioentity in the test sample . representative examples of useful detectable labels , include , but are not limited to the following : molecules or ions directly or indirectly detectable based on light absorbance , fluorescence , reflectance , light scatter , phosphorescence , or luminescence properties ; molecules or ions detectable by their radioactive properties ; molecules or ions detectable by their nuclear magnetic resonance or paramagnetic properties . included among the group of molecules indirectly detectable based on light absorbance or fluorescence , for example , are various enzymes which cause appropriate substrates to convert , e . g ., from non - light absorbing to light absorbing molecules , or from non - fluorescent to fluorescent molecules . the terms “ magnetically responsive ” and “ magnetically labeled ” are used interchangeably herein , and refer to entities that have magnetic particles bound thereto . for example , these magnetic labels may bind to the surface of cells present in a biological specimen , or may bind to intracellular entities . in most of the embodiments described herein , the magnetic particles bind specifically to members of the desired target population , to the substantial exclusion of non - target entities . the term “ magnetic manipulation ” refers to placing the biological specimen in a magnetic field gradient with the intent to separate magnetically labeled entities from non - magnetically labeled entities . magnetic manipulation may also occur when a magnetic field gradient is generated around the biological specimen , such as with an electromagnet . to select and separate the target cells of interest , for example , from a whole blood sample , they are immunomagnetically labeled with a target specific antibody conjugated to magnetic particles , ferrofluids or superparamagnetic particles , as disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 579 , 531 and 5 , 698 , 271 and u . s . application ser . no . 10 / 208 , 939 , each of which are incorporated by reference herein . the magnetic particles are typically about 180 nm in diameter and consist of a magnetic iron oxide core surrounded by a first polymeric layer to which streptavidin is conjugated . target - specific antibodies can then be coupled to streptavidin by means of biotinylated antibodies . however , superparamagnetic particles made from other ferromagnetic materials , for example nickel , of similar or larger sizes of up to about 5 μm , can be similarly coated and used for magnetic labeling of target cells . finally alternative binders , such as lectins and boronate derivatives , recognizing glycosidic receptors on target cells may also be used in lieu of or in addition to antibodies on such magnetic capture particles . for example , if the cells of interest are the total leukocyte population , a pan - leukocyte cd45 monoclonal antibody can be used that binds substantially specifically to all leukocyte populations in the blood sample . the cell labeling reaction can be conducted in test tubes or vials and an aliquot transferred to the sample chamber . alternatively , the chamber itself can be used for incubations of specimen volumes of up to about 200 μl . the unbound non - magnetic materials are readily removable in the supernatants after magnetic separation . to enhance magnetic labeling efficiency of target cells one can use magnetic incubation or in - field incubation ( pct / us00 / 02034 , which is incorporated by reference herein ). to accomplish this , the sample is mixed with the magnetic ferrofluid in a test tube , and placed briefly inside a quadrupole high - gradient magnetic separator ( hgms ) magnet ( u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 186 , 827 ; 5 , 466 , 574 ; 5 , 641 , 072 , incorporated by reference herein ) after which it is removed from the magnet and remixed by vortexing . this step is repeated twice more . the quadrupole magnet delivers a radial magnetic gradient during the incubations , thus forcing the magnetic particles to move laterally as bead chains that sweep through the sample before accumulating at the wall surface . this multiple forced migration of magnetic particles increases the probability that the magnetic particles collide with or encounter the larger , substantially immobile , cells as compared to mere diffusional or brownian collision of the magnetic particles and the target cells in the sample . other magnetic configurations can be used that homogenously sweep through the sample . as used herein , the term “ observation surface ” refers to an optically transparent wall of the sample chamber . when a biological specimen is to be visually analyzed , it is necessary for the target population to be adjacent to the observation surface . this allows the optical arrangement to clearly focus on the target population in order to provide an accurate analysis . once the members of the target population have been magnetically labeled , they can be manipulated to the observation surface for visual analysis . the chamber and the magnetic yoke holder have been previously described ( u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 985 , 153 ; 6 , 136 , 182 ; pct / us02 / 04124 , which are each incorporated by reference herein ). the chamber consists of a molded body of inner dimensions 30 × 2 . 7 × 4 mm , length × width × height respectively . it has an optically transparent planar top surface of pyrex glass ( 7740 pyrex ®; corning international , germany ) that is sealable , if required , by w means of a removable plug cap . the sample chamber is shown ( fig2 ) oriented in the horizontal plane for probing with a vertical light beam . however , an alternative instrument design would accommodate an uncapped detection chamber or other suitable sample cuvet with the magnetic holder oriented vertically and the light beam oriented horizontally . the magnetic chamber holder or yoke is designed such that the chamber is positioned 2 mm below the top of two magnetic pole pieces . the pole pieces are made of neodymium iron boron alloy with an internal magnetization of 13 , 700 gauss ( crumax magnetics inc , elizabethtown , kt ). the two pieces are mounted to form a 3 mm gap between their faces that are an angled 70 ° relative to the z - axis . this arrangement , depicted in fig2 a and b , creates a magnetic gradient inside the chamber , which is pointing in the z - direction and has a negligible component in the x - direction . therefore , the immunomagnetically - labeled cells and unbound ferrofluid particles move in the vertical direction to the upper surface . the imaged surface area correlates directly with the volume fraction underneath the imaged area ( fig2 b ). to obtain a representative and accurate number of cells per unit volume , it is important that the cells are uniformly distributed and immobilized over the viewing surface , which requires that the magnetic field conditions also are uniform over the full area of the glass surface . a further improvement to the magnetic arrangement described above was to “ spring load ” the yoke assembly . this positions each sample cartridge into a repeatable location . because of this , the specimens that are being analyzed are always in focus in the z - axis as they are being imaged . this is extremely important for using the apparatus of the invention as a fast analyzer because independent focusing for each sample cartridge is no longer necessary . as the sample cartridges are manufactured with precision , the yoke assembly can position every sample to always be in focus . since it is critical that all the cells in the sample are magnetically collected , it is important to know the time needed for the cells to arrive at the collection surface . the motion of an immunomagnetically - labeled cell , placed in the magnetic field , is dependent on the total force , f , exerted on the cell . this force is given by equation ( 1 ): the total force is the result of the magnetic force , the gravitational force and the viscous drag force . in this expression , | m | is the magnetic moment magnitude of the cell and b is the magnetic induction . m ′ is the mass of the cell minus the mass of an equivalent volume of the serum in which the cell is suspended , g is the gravitational acceleration . the drag force is estimated by stokes law , where η is the viscosity of the medium , r is the cell radius and v is the velocity of the cell . the corresponding equation of motion in the y - direction for a cell is expressed by equation ( 2 ): this second order differential equation can be solved for a cell with initial position y ( 0 )= 0 and initial velocity v ( 0 )= 0 as shown in ( 3 ): the mass and radius of the cell and the viscosity of the medium are given values . the magnetic moment of the cell depends on the number of magnetic particles present on the cell membrane and thus dependent on the type of antibody used for magnetic labeling . for the calculation of the magnetic moment of the cells , a number of 100 magnetic particles per cell has been assumed . the magnetic induction is determined by the material and the geometry of the magnetic poles . the parameters used for the calculation of the forces acting on magnetically labeled cells and their motion in the magnetic field are the cell radius , r , of 4 the relative cell density , m ′, of 77 kg / m 3 , the magnetic moment , m , of 9 . 32 × 10 − 14 am 2 , the viscosity of blood plasma , η , of 1 . 8 × 10 − 3 pa and the magnetic gradient , ∇ b , ranges from 250 gauss / mm at the bottom to 400 gauss / mm at the top of the chamber , and he lower value is used in the calculations . from equation ( 3 ), it can be calculated that a cell reaches its terminal velocity within a few microseconds . the velocity of a cell , v i , in the chamber is therefore essentially constant . obviously the velocity of a cell depends on the number of magnetic particles present on the cell surface . since not all cells have the same epitope densities or number of antigens on their surfaces , there will be a distribution in the number of magnetic particles ( and thus in velocities ) of the cells . the velocities of a certain subpopulation of cells in the chamber can be represented by a normal distribution with mean velocity , v 0 , and standard deviation σ . for a particular cell in the sample with initial position y 0 , i and velocity , v i , the position in the chamber at time t can be written as ( 4 ): the probability that the cell has reached the surface of the chamber is a function of time and the velocity of the cell . the latter is a stochastic parameter determined by a normal distribution ( 5 ): at a certain time t , the probability that a cell i has reached the surface , is given by ( 6 ): p i ( y i = y surf , y 0 , i , t ) = p i ( v i ≥ ( y surf - y 0 , i ) t , y 0 , i , t ) = 1 σ π ∫ y surf - y 0 , i t ∞ exp ( - ( v i - v 0 ) 2 σ 2 ) ⅆ v ( 6 ) the distribution of cells in the sample can be assumed to be uniform , since the sample is exposed to the magnetic field immediately after insertion in the chamber . for a large population of cells , the expected number of cells ( n ) at the surface can be found by integration of the individual probabilities p i for all the cells in the chamber given by ( 7 ): n ( t ) = n 0 y surf ∫ 0 y surf p i ( y i = y surf ) ⅆ y 0 = n 0 y surf σ π ∫ 0 y surf ∫ y surf - y 0 t ∞ exp ( - ( v - v 0 ) 2 σ 2 ) ⅆ v ⅆ y 0 ( 7 ) where n 0 is the total number of cells present in the sample . the expected number of cells , present at the surface as a function of time for a given cell population ( n 0 = 500 ), is plotted in fig3 wherein the different curves represent different velocity distributions . in fig3 a , the average cell velocity v 0 is constant , but different values for σ are used . in fig3 b , σ is kept constant and different average cell velocities are used . it should be observed that the initial slope of the curves corresponds to the average cell velocities in the chamber and , in fact , equation ( 8 ) follows from the solution of equation 7 : other sample chamber designs are envisioned as well . for example , cartridges that are shallower may enable shorter separation times and may result in the analysis to be more selective of the target entities . it has been observed that non - target entities that become magnetically labeled , possibly through low level of antigen expression or through non - specific binding of the magnetic particles . however , these magnetically labeled non - target entities are much less magnetically responsive than the target entities that are specifically labeled . if the sample chamber were sized differently , these weaker magnetic entities would not travel to the sample chamber &# 39 ; s observation surface , and would not contribute to “ false positive ” counts . to avoid introducing air bubbles into the viewing or image capture area of the sample chamber , the magnet / chamber assembly was placed at about an 8 ° angle with respect to the horizontal plane . the influence on cell count was then evaluated at angles of about 0 , 10 , 20 and 90 degrees . no significant differences were observed at the various elevation angles . in order to make the nucleated cells detectable , the sample is stained with acridine orange ( ao ; molecular probes , inc ., eugene , oreg . ), a vital dye that stains the nucleus of live cells as well as several constituents of the cytoplasm . acridine orange has its absorption peak at 490 nm , and emits at 520 nm when bound to dna . other fluorescent dyes , such as hoechst 33258 , and hoechst 33342 may be used . in general , any fluorescent dye that non - specifically stains cells , cytoplasm , cellular nucleic material , or the nucleus itself can be used . these dyes are referred to herein as “ non - specific fluorescent dyes .” in general , illumination in fluorescence microscopy is achieved by mercury arc or quartz - halogen lamps . in some microscopy systems , more expensive lasers are used for illumination . however , recent advances in semiconductor technology have lead to the development of low - power , high - brightness light emitting diodes that can compete with incandescent light sources and lasers . the advantages of using leds as light source are that they are relatively compact and inexpensive , have a long lifetime , and are easily replaced . the spectral power distribution of a led is fairly narrow , with half - bandwidths of about 20 to 50 nm , depending upon the substrate material . leds produce highly saturated , nearly monochromatic light and are ideal for constructing the compact and inexpensive cytometer devices of this invention . the light from an led is collected by a condenser lens with a focal distance of 27 mm , passes a 455df70 band - pass filter ( omega optical inc ., brattleboro , vt . ), reflected by a 515drlp dichroic mirror ( omega optical ) and focused at the back focal plane of a 10 ×, 0 . 25 na objective ( nikon corporation , japan ). this optical configuration results in a homogeneous illumination of the sample area . the light emitted from the fluorescent cells collected at the underside of the glass surface of the chamber is collected by the objective , after which it is filtered by a 550df30 band - pass filter ( omega optical ) and focused onto a ccd camera ( edc2000 - n , electrim corp , princeton , n . j .). fig1 a shows the conventional epi - illumination mode . fig1 b shows a direct side illumination of the viewing surface with one or more leds in a “ floodlight ” arrangement , which provides sufficient excitation energy , and may be a simpler and less expensive illumination mode . the ccd used in this set - up ( edc2000 - n , electrim corp , princeton , n . j .) has a dynamic range of 0 - 30 , 000 electrons . the r . m . s . ( root mean square ) of its readout noise , as given by the manufacturer , is 20 electrons . no data are supplied concerning dark current noise and amplifier noise . the image is retrieved from the camera by software and stored in a computer memory as 8 - bit tif images . algorithms were developed to count the cells in the images obtained from the optical system . first , a model is presented to describe the cell images . then , a method for spot detection in the images is introduced . initially , these algorithms were performed on a desktop computer . an improved embodiment of the invention uses an imbedded processor within the ccd camera to analyze the images . in this system , fluorescently labeled cells are located at random positions in the object plane . these cells are imaged as spots covering about 20 - 50 pixels in the image plane . samples of cell images are presented in fig4 a cell in the image can be modeled as a two - dimensional gaussian with a width , σ p ( equation ( 9 ): the whole image f ( x , y ) with randomly distributed cells , including background and noise signals , is described by the following model : f ( x , y ) = c 0 ( x , y ) + ∑ i c i p ( x - x i , y - y t ) + n ( x , y ) _ ( 10 ) where c i are the peak intensities of the cells . c 0 represents a slowly varying background level , which adds to the cells . this background signal is caused by free , unbound dye in the sample and can slowly fluctuate as a result of inhomogeneous illumination . a stochastic white noise component is modeled by the component n . sources of noise include thermal and readout noise from the ccd camera . based on this model we can define the signal - to - noise ratio ( snr ) of cell i in the image : snr i = c i - c 0 _ σ n ( 11 ) where σ n is the standard deviation of the noise component n . the image model contains parameters that can be estimated by analyzing existing cell images . for this purpose , 10 images were analyzed , which represent typical images obtained by the instrument . in table 1 , the image parameters for the 10 test images are shown . the images contain cells with different peak intensities . the mean snr is the signal - to - noise ratio of the cell that has the average peak intensity in the image . as shown in table 1 , the signal - to - noise ratios ( about 22 ) of the images are surprisingly high and nearly constant over the full viewing area . this suggests that counting of the cells could be accomplished with high specificity . the optimized method consists of the application of a threshold to create a binary image in which cells get the value 1 ( white ), background and noise gets the value 0 ( black ) and the “ white ” spots in the image are counted . obviously , the easiest way to count the cells is by using a preset threshold level , which is constant for all images . in practice , however , this method was found to be very dependent on the chosen threshold level . this is visualized in fig5 , which contains curves that are defined as threshold level curves . these curves show the number of counted objects in a cell image , plotted against the applied threshold level . three threshold level curves of typical cell images are presented . the curves in fig5 show an initial increase in number of counted objects , where the threshold level is in the same range as the noise level of the image . this is because many of the noise pixels are assigned a 1 . by increasing the threshold level further , a maximum is reached followed by a plateau . at this plateau , the noise is below threshold and all the cells are above threshold . this plateau thus corresponds to the actual number of cells . however , there is only a limited threshold level range where this plateau is relatively flat . this is the result of : 1 . the intensity distribution of the cells . dim fluorescent cells are just above noise level , while the brighter cells have large signal to noise ratios , resulting in a gradually decreasing number of counted cells at increasing threshold levels . 2 . the presence of atypical artifacts such as bright ( broken ) pixels in the ccd camera . the curve gradually decreases to zero as the threshold level increases to 255 , the maximum pixel intensity of the image . fig5 shows that only a narrow range is available where a preset level results in an accurate cell count . furthermore , variations in background intensity would shift the curves horizontally , thus making the cell count very dependent on the chosen threshold level . hence , a method is desired to make the counting more robust and less dependent on the chosen threshold level . therefore , it was necessary to develop methods to elongate the plateau corresponding to the actual number of cells in fig5 and the selected approach uses a matched filter algorithm to enhance the image prior to thresholding . this algorithm was extended with a non - linear laplacian prefiltering step to further improve the cell counting process . it was also unexpected to observe that the following methods for image analysis were extremely successful at discriminating individual cells when they appeared close together in clusters . the matched filter algorithm calculates the correlation between the observed image f ( x , y ) and a suitably chosen template h ( x , y ). the correlation is a measure of the similarity between the template and the image . the correlation between the image f ( x , y ) and a h ( x , y ) is calculated by convolving the two functions : g ( x , y ) = ∫ - ∞ ∞ ∫ - ∞ ∞ f ( x - ξ , y - η ) h ( ξ , η ) ⅆ ξ ⅆ η ( 12 ) the correlation should be maximized at the positions of the cells , where : good detection of cells means low probability of missing real cells and low probability of counting image points that are not real cells . this is expressed mathematically in terms of signal - to - noise ratio ( snr ). both probabilities are monotonically decreasing functions of the snr . hence , good detection requires maximizing snr . ignoring for the moment the background , the snr of spot i in the image is defined by to the quotient of the cell peak intensity and the standard deviation of the noise : convolving the image with a template h ( x , y ) will change the snr to : it can be shown by using the schwartz inequality that the snr is maximized when h ( x , y )= p (− x ,− y ). this means that the optimal template is simply the mirror image of the cell . this is why the method is usually referred to and defined as matched filtering or template matching . for our cell model , in the case without background signal , c 0 ( x , y ), h ( x , y ) is symmetrical and therefore equal to p ( x , y ): h ( x , y ❘ c 0 ( x , y ) = 0 ) = 1 πσ p 2 exp [ - ( x 2 + y 2 ) σ p 2 ] ( x , y ) ∈ [ - w , w ] ( 16 ) where the volume under the gaussian is normalized to unity . a cross - section of the template is presented in fig6 . in order to eliminate the influence of the slowly varying background level c 0 ( x , y ), dc removal is required . this can be achieved by normalizing the template h ( x , y ) in such a way that it has a zero average value ( see fig7 ). h ( x , y ) = h ( x , y ❘ c 0 ( x , y ) = 0 ) - 1 4 w 2 ∫ - w w ∫ - w w h ( x , y ❘ c 0 ( x , y ) = 0 ) ⅆ x ⅆ y = 1 πσ p 2 exp [ - ( x 2 + y 2 ) σ p 2 ] - e h ( x , y ) ∈ [ - w , w ] ( 17 ) where e h is the average value of h ( x , y | c 0 ( x , y )= 0 ). a constant signal yields a zero value after filtering , which can easily be shown by convolving h ( x , y ) with a constant value . since c 0 ( x , y ) is the result of inhomogeneous illumination , dc removal can also be performed by determining the illumination profile and subtracting it from the image f ( x , y ). however , the fact that dc removal can be accomplished simultaneously with the spatial filtering makes it the preferred method . c 0 ( x , y ) will be eliminated as long as the spatial frequencies of the background are sufficiently low , so that c 0 ( x , y ) is approximately constant within the area of the template . the integrations of h and f are from − w to w , because the template is finite . in the following calculations infinite integrals will be used to approximate the effect of the ( finite ) matched filter . this introduces a truncation error . however as long as w & gt ; 2σ p , which is the case as will be shown later , the error will be negligible because the area under the gaussian at | x |& gt ; w is relatively small . the error that is made by calculating infinite integrals while using a finite template is shown in fig8 . applying the matched filter h ( x , y ) on the image f ( x , y ) yields the filtered image g ( x , y ): g ( x , y ) = h ( x , y ) ⊗ f ( x , y ) = ∫ - ∞ ∞ ∫ - ∞ ∞ [ c 0 + c i p ( x - ξ , y - η ) + n ( x - ξ , y - η ) ] h ( ξ , η ) ⅆ ξ ⅆ η ( 18 ) the signal part of g ( x , y ) at the central position of cell i can be written as the dot product of f and h : g s , i ( 0 , 0 )= h ( x , y )· f s , i ( x , y )= h ( x , y | c 0 ( x , y )= 0 )· f s , i ( x , y )− e h · f s , i ( x , y ) ( 19 ) recognizing that e h ≈ ¼w 2 for w & gt ; 2σ p , we can estimate the peak value of cell i after filtering : in fig9 the result of the convolution is presented . in this case , σ p = 2 and w = 4 . 5 . the maximum value of g is approximately 0 . 34 times the maximum of f as is expected from the model . negative side lobes appear as a result of the negative parts of the filter template . the constant background off is suppressed in g . the noise is assumed stationary , signal - independent , white gaussian noise with zero expectation value . its standard deviation σ n after application of the filter can be written as : the filter suppresses the high frequency component of the noise , thereby reducing σ n . this is shown in fig1 where gaussian white noise is simulated before and after filtering . the standard deviation after filtering is 0 . 17σ n , in accordance to the model . snr i = c i ( 1 2 - πσ p 2 4 w 2 ) σ n ( 1 2 πσ p 2 - 1 4 w 2 ) ( 22 ) for w & gt ; 2σ p . before filtering , snr i = c i / σ n and thus the gain in snr is : in the case of σ p = 2 and w = 4 . 5 , a = 2 . 1 , the gain in snr is proportional to the width of the gaussian , σ p . it was observed that more noise tends to be filtered out when the width of the gaussian increases . filtering the image with a matched filter thus was found to enhance the signal - to - noise ratio . additionally , the filter enhanced the detection because objects that do not match the template , like isolated bright pixels , are effectively suppressed . although the cells in the sample may be shaped and sized differently , all the cells in the cell image are of similar shape and are approximately of equal size . this is due to the magnification factor of the optical system , and the resultant influence of the point spread function . since the approximate width σ p of the cells in the image is known , it can be directly used in the matched filter algorithm . it has been shown in the previous section that the filter performs best if it exactly matches the cell sizes . by visual inspection of several cells in the cell images , an average value of σ p = 2 has been determined . the final parameter left to optimize is the width of the template window , w . the contribution of pixels at the border of the template will have little effect , if w & gt ; 2σ p , since they are close to zero . when a small template is used , less noise and artifacts will be filtered out . empirically , w = 4 . 5 was found optimal for cell detection . this results in a 9 × 9 pixel template . since w & gt ; 2σ p , the approximation condition of the previous section is satisfied . fig1 is a line trace from the original and the filtered version of a typical cell image . the effect of the matched filter for w = 4 . 5 and σ p = 2 is shown . notice that negative values are set to zero in fig1 . the filtered image is now ready for thresholding , a necessary step , since object counting can only be performed in binary images . the following operation is applied on g ( x , y ): g th = { 1 g ≥ t 0 0 g & lt ; t 0 0 & lt ; t 0 & lt ; 255 ( 24 ) which should separate the cells from the background and the noise . it is clear that the choice of t 0 is crucial in the cell counting process . too small t 0 will introduce objects not corresponding to real cells , whereas a too high t 0 results in an underestimated or incorrect cell count . the effect of the template - matching algorithm is presented in fig1 . again the counted number of objects in the image is plotted against the threshold level . in this case , a 9 × 9 pixel template was used with σ p = 2 . the filter was applied on three different cell images . the figures show that the threshold range , for which there are a constant number of cells , is longer than in the unfiltered case . also , the curves have shifted to the left as a result of the dc removal . this is an unexpected advantage since the plateau always has the same starting point regardless of the background level in the original image . this discovery makes it much easier to establish a predetermined threshold level that is applicable to all images . the threshold curves presented in the previous section indicate that the counting process is made more robust by the matched filter alone , but still a gradual decrease of the curves is observed at higher threshold levels . this is due to the fact that there is a significant variance in cell intensities in the image . the linear matched filter does not alter this variance . one way to further improve the robustness of the algorithm is to apply a prefiltering step before the matched filtering , which reduces the variation in cell intensities . this was accomplished by a laplacian filter , which strongly amplifies edges in the image . it has the following 5 × 5 kernel : this filter will strongly enhance the cells in the image , and it increases the standard deviation of the noise . indeed , the snr decreases slightly by applying this filter . the reason why this filter is useful , however , is that the shape of the cells was found to remain more or less unaltered , and the amplification is so high that most cells clip onto the highest intensity level of the image . this implies that after applying the filter , the variance in intensities of the cells is reduced , i . e . all cells have approximately the same peak intensity . the matched filter was again applied , but this time to the prefiltered image . the matched filter extracts the cells from the slightly increased noise level , because it only amplifies objects that ‘ match ’ the filter . the cells are matched to the filter , whereas the noise is largely of high frequency . this is observed in fig1 where a line trace of the image at three different steps is presented . the fact that the peaks are clipped did not really affect the performance of the matched filter . fig1 shows the threshold level curve after application of the laplacian prefilter and the matched filter . the plateau is now longer , resulting from the cells having more or less the same intensities . although the threshold level curves of only three images are shown , numerous images have been analyzed and the algorithm was surprisingly found to very robust in all cases . counting objects in binary images is a well - known method , easily implemented with software . therefore only a brief description of the counting algorithm will be given : 1 . the binary image is scanned , pixel - by - pixel ( from top to bottom and left to right ). 2 . when the scanning operator hits a pixel p with value 1 , it is assigned a label . the first p found gets label 1 . 3 . the operator examines the neighbors of p , which have already been encountered in the scan ( i . e . the neighbors to the left of p , above p , and the two upper diagonal terms ). based on this information , the labeling of p occurs as follows : if all four neighbors are 0 , assign a new label to p , else if only one neighbors has value 1 , assign its label to p , else if one or more of the neighbors have value 1 , assign one of the labels to p and make a note that the labels of the two neighbors are equivalent . after completing a scan , a second pass is performed in which all equivalent labels are replaced with unique labels . now , the number of labels corresponds to the number of regions to in the image . a schematic representation of the complete cell counting algorithm is presented in fig1 . after the first convolution with the laplacian filter , the image values are restricted to values between 0 and 255 ( 8 - bit format ). then the matched filter is applied . as a result , negative values and values above 255 were observed to occur . the image was then scaled back to 8 - bit format to make it compatible with the original image and to enable is comparison of the original and the filtered images . fig1 shows a typical unprocessed cell image , as well as the resulting dramatically improved images after different processing steps of the cell counting process . these imaging steps were surprising and unexpectedly highly effective in improving the image quality and resolution , which are essential in the algorithms of the present invention . an alternative method for image analysis was developed and applied as follows . after the image has been acquired ( ccd camera equipped with a sony icx085al sensor ) and stored in memory , the image size is 1300 × 1030 pixels . the optical arrangement allows each pixel to represent a 6 . 7 × 6 . 7 μm area . then , dedicated image analysis routines are applied to find bright objects ( cells ) against a less bright background ( white is 255 , black is 0 ). this image analysis method relies on analyzing two regions , an inner rectangle ( kernel ) and a surrounding region . with the current magnification , the kernel is 7 × 7 pixels and the outer region is a 13 × 13 pixel rectangle surrounding the inner kernel rectangle . first , the average brightness of the outer area , without including the kernel , is calculated . next , the average brightness of the kernel is calculated . these averages are calculated for regions surrounding every pixel ( center of the kernel identifies the pixel number ). next , the average of the inner kernel area is subtracted from the average of the outer area . if the difference is larger than the threshold value , an event has been found and is recorded . the analysis area is then shifted by one pixel , and the averages are calculated again . if the difference is larger than the threshold value a new event will be found . then , if the distance between the events is smaller than 7 pixels , the two events belong to the same object . the center of the object is found by determining the pixels where the difference between the average intensities of the kernel region and outer region is largest ( best fit ). since the size of the surrounding region is 13 × 13 pixels , the minimum distance of the center of an object to the edge ( horizontal and vertical ) of the image is 13 / 2 = 7 pixels . events present in the first 7 pixels are not detected . this modified template matching method has a few advantages over the previous template matching methods . first , it requires less computational power and time . because the typical template matching algorithm looks at full gaussian profiles of object shapes , times for processing an image are on the order of an hour using a desktop workstation . however , when the simplified template matching algorithm ( the inner rectangle and outer surrounding area ) is used , the analysis time is a matter of minutes . further , this analysis can be performed on a processor that is internal to the ccd camera . another benefit to the simplified template matching algorithm is that pre - filtering is no longer necessary . the simplified method inherently removes background noise as it compares the kernel region to the surrounding region . the reduction in analysis time using the simplified method is also a result of not needing the pre - filtering step . in one embodiment , the data from the processed images is evaluated through conventional labview user interfaces . several other dedicated interfaces have been developed , each with its own application . one such interface allows the user to load an image , adjust filter parameters , perform filtering and thresholding steps , obtain threshold curves and evaluate the number of cells in the image . other user interfaces have been developed for other purposes , including processing of multiple images , obtaining image histograms and real - time capturing of images from the camera . initially , a desktop computer was required to process the images obtained from the camera . however , in applications such as cell counting in resource - poor settings , it is preferable to use a system , which does not depend on an ac power supply and extensive computer knowledge , and is easily performed . a possible component that may replace the computer currently used is a “ smart camera ,” i . e ., a digital camera with on - board integrated image processing hardware and software . such a camera should be able to perform the image processing algorithms and output the results to , for instance , a palmtop computer or to a digital display . such smart digital cameras are currently commercially available . they usually consist of a ccd and a digital signal processor allowing programming of image processing tasks . when such a camera replaces the computer , it is possible to use batteries as power supply for both the light source and the electronics . also , the physical dimensions and the footprint of the apparatus is significantly reduced in the process , thereby enabling construction of the compact apparatus disclosed in this invention . the emission spectra of two different leds were measured using a monochromator ( hr460 , jobin yvon s a , france ) in combination with a cooled ccd camera ( princeton instruments inc ., monmouth junction , n . j .). the monochromator is equipped with a grating of 1200 lines / mm , which diffracts the led light and projects it onto the ccd camera . spectral lines of a neon lamp were used for calibration of the wavelength scale . measurements were performed at driving currents of 1 , 25 , and 50 ma . the measured spectra show that led 1 ( nspb500s , nichia corp , japan ) and led 2 ( 110106 , marl international ltd ., ulverston , uk ) have almost the same spectral characteristics . this suggests that although the leds were obtained from different companies , both contain the similar diodes . visual inspection by microscopy supports this speculation : both diodes are identical in structure and shape . a spectral blue - shift from 470 nm to 467 nm as well as a broadening of the spectra is observed at increasing driving currents . this can be attributed to band filling of localized states in the gan material . a schematic representation of the illumination optical pathways is shown in fig1 . the epoxy lens in front of the diode collimates the light emitted by the diode chip . this results in a beam with an emission angle of 15 °. a condenser lens ( f = 27 mm , ø 30 mm ) creates an image of the light - emitting area of the diode at the back focal plane of a 10 × objective with an entrance pupil a obj of 5 mm , which results in a parallel beam illumination of the sample plane . the distance between the diode and the epoxy lens is less than the focal distance of this lens , resulting in a magnified virtual image of the diode in front of the epoxy lens . since the diode and epoxy lens are fixed in the led housing , one can treat the magnified and virtual image of the diode as the source object in the rest of this analysis . the object distance of the next lens , the condenser lens , can be written as : where d is the distance between the epoxy lens and the condenser lens . this results in the following expression for the image distance b condenser : b condensor = ( b led + d ) f condensor b led + d - f condensor . ( 27 ) it follows from equation 27 that b condenser will go to infinity if b led + d = f condenser (= 27 mm ). by determining b condenser at different values for d , b led was experimentally found to be 19 mm . the only parameter to be varied whilst conserving homogeneous illumination is bb ′, the size of the diode image in front of the objective . to maximize the light intensity at the sample plane , it is necessary to determine the optimal value for bb ′. two limiting situations can be distinguished : 1 . bb ′& gt ;& gt ; a obj : the diode image is much larger than the entrance pupil of the objective and incident angles are small . this implies that all the light entering the objective is confined within the field of view . however , part of the light is actually lost in front of the objective , outside the entrance pupil ( fig1 a ). 2 . bb ′& lt ;& lt ; a obj : the diode image is like a point source . light enters the objective at large angles , but only light with small incident angles end up in the field of view . part of the light is lost in the sample plane ( fig1 b ). it is not easy to establish an analytical expression for the illumination efficiency , since we are dealing with an extended light source , resulting in off - axis rays . also , different aperture stops are used at the epoxy lens , the objective entrance pupil and the field of view at the sample plane . these aperture stops block part of the light , but the actual amounts depends on the configuration of the optical components . since an analytical solution is difficult to obtain , a basic geometric ray - tracing algorithm was developed to predict the efficiency of the illumination . the source was modeled as a circular disk with a diameter of 2 mm ( equal to vv ′). the source emits homogeneously over its area and in every direction . to calculate the efficiency , a large number of rays originating from the source were traced through the optical system , and at every aperture stop it was checked whether the rays were obstructed or could pass through . the efficiency was defined as the number of rays that reached the sample plane divided by the total amount of rays leaving the epoxy lens of the led . a visualization of the algorithm is shown in fig1 where both the obstructed rays and the rays reaching the sample plane are shown . it was observed in fig1 that the maximum angle of the light rays from the led is determined by the epoxy lens , and that some of the rays are blocked in front of the objective . furthermore , some rays end up outside the field of view at the sample plane . the illumination efficiency was calculated for different sizes of bb ′. to control bb ′, the object distance v condenser and the image distance b condenser were varied . there is indeed an optimal value for bb ′, where the illumination is the brightest and this optimum is found at bb ′= 4 mm . calibration sample chambers containing known amounts of synthetic fluorescent beads have been produced and shown to be detectable by the system &# 39 ; s ccd . these control chambers have the beads embedded in a polymer matrix . by imaging these cartridges , the instrument can be tested to ensure each system ( illumination , optics , detection , enumeration , and reporting ) is functioning properly . furthermore , these cartridges will be very useful for quality control and initial calibrations during instrument production . a description of various experiments is given that were performed to optimize and characterize the system . extensive experiments and measurements were carried out to determine the spectral characteristics of the light source , the optimal method of illumination and the performance of ccd cameras . furthermore , the performance of the image analysis algorithms described in the previous section was tested and found to be highly effective . the experiments described in the following examples are used to illustrate the capabilities of the present invention . they are not intended to limit the scope or use . to evaluate the theoretical predictions , the following experiment was done . a photodiode was placed in front of the objective , at the sample plane . a diaphragm restricted the illuminated area on the photodiode to a disk with a diameter of 1 . 6 mm . the led and the condenser lens were placed in different configurations , so that an image of the diode chip was created at the back focal plane of the objective , and the size of this image was varied from almost a pin - point source to 25 mm . the result of the experiment is presented in fig2 where the curve obtained from the ray - tracing algorithm is shown together with the experimental data . as was predicted by the algorithm , an optimal value was found for the size of the image at the back focal plane of the objective . the shape of the curve resembles the situation predicted by the algorithm , except for large values of bb ′, where the experiment shows an efficiency of almost zero . this may be the result of the fact that the real light source is inhomogeneous and square instead of homogeneous and circular . the results of both the model and the experiment agree both showing that the optimal value for bb ′ is 4 mm . this was realized using the following parameters , v condenser = 46 mm and b condenser = 83 mm . the physical dimensions of the set - up to allow these parameters , so they were chosen in order to obtain optimal illumination . the magnification of the optical system is determined by imaging a calibration grid . the spacing of the grid is 25 μm / line . the field of view is therefore 0 . 65 mm × 0 . 85 mm and the image size is 494 × 652 pixels , hence a single pixel corresponds to 1 . 7 μm 2 in the sample plane . the total area of the sample plane that is contained by the image is 0 . 55 mm 2 . free and unbound dye in the sample causes a background signal in the ccd camera . this signal is dependent on the sample volume that is illuminated by the led and also was found to depend on the optical properties of the sample . to determine the illuminated volume for a sample of 10 × dilution of whole blood , for example , acridine orange was added to a final concentration of 5 μm and the sample was placed in a wedge - shaped chamber . this chamber was imaged at different positions , and the average intensities of the resulting images were measured . the background signal was found to increase with depth to a depth of 4 to 5 mm . at larger chamber depths , the background signal remained constant . this indicates that the measurement depth is about 4 mm , which coincidentally is the same as the depth of the standard chambers that is normally used . it is desirable to determine the relationship between the input signal of the camera ( i . e . photons from the sample plane ) and the output signal ( intensity level in the 8 - bit image ). if this relationship is known , we can determine the fluorescence intensity of , for instance , cells in the sample based on the measured intensity of the pixels in the digital image . in case of a linear camera response , the intensity level of a pixel in the image can be described by : i pixel ( p , t )= ap pixel t + bt + n ( t ) ( 28 ) where a is the gain of the camera , p pixel is the radiant power over the pixel area , t is the integration time , b is the dark current , c is the readout noise and n is shot noise , a function of the integration time . the unit of pixel intensity is dn ( digital number ). the dark current and readout noise parameters are easily determined by covering the camera aperture and measuring the average output signal of all the pixels of the ccd . the relationship between b and t is presented in fig2 . the dark noise variance σ b is also shown in the figure . it is observed from fig2 that the average dark current noise level increased linearly with the integration time , as is expected for thermal noise , and has an offset , due to the readout noise of the camera . from the figure we derive the parameters : at integration times longer than 20 sec , the camera was saturated by noise . the standard deviation of the dark current noise is expected to be a function of the square root of the integration time , since the distribution of thermal electrons is a poisson process . however , the data in fig2 unexpectedly showed a slightly different behavior , and the dependency on the integration time was found to be rather linear . the reason for this finding remains unclear , but may it be caused by other noise sources in the camera or electronics . the standard deviation decreases at t & gt ; 20 sec , again due to saturation of the camera . for σ b , the following expression is obtained : to determine the gain parameter a , we needed to measure the camera response to a known input signal . if the input signal is controlled by either intensity or by exposure time , we could derive a by estimating the slope of the resulting straight - line curve . the standard light source of the set - up , a blue led , was used to generate an input signal to the camera . to accomplish this , the ccd camera was placed in the sample plane directly in front of the objective ( see fig2 ). the radiant power was controlled by varying the driving current to the led . the relationship between the driving current and the radiant power of the led at the sample plane was calibrated first using a silicon photodiode with known responsivity that was placed directly in front of the objective . once this relationship was established , the pixel intensity in the ccd image was measured as a function of the radiant power of the led light . grey filters with a known attenuation factor were used to attenuate the signal from the led . this was necessary to prevent the camera from getting saturated . to confirm the assumption that the camera output signal increases linearly with the integration time , a dye solution ( ao ) was used as a sample and imaged at different integration times . the result was indeed a linear relationship . since the characteristics of the camera with respect to the sensitivity and noise are now defined , the parameters were used to determine the minimum radiant power that is required to yield a detectable signal in the image . the signal - to - noise ratio ( snr ) for a single pixel in the image can be written as : a single pixel in the image receives light from 1 . 7 μm 2 in the sample plane , so that the corresponding power density in the sample plane is : we can write the relation between the signal - to - noise ratio and the power density as : fig2 shows the combinations of m and t required to yield signal - to - noise ratios of snr = 3 , snr = 5 and snr = 10 . it has been shown that the filters applied to the images result in a robust counting algorithm , which are not significantly dependent on the threshold level . to ensure that the algorithm performs well in all situations , a large number of images with different numbers of cells were analyzed . to further investigate the accuracy and stability of the image processing steps , simulated cell images were used . the simulated images resemble the real cell images obtained from the ccd camera , but their properties are known . analysis of both the real and simulated images makes it possible to select the optimal threshold level . to determine the optimal threshold level , 45 cell images with cell numbers ranging from 7 cells / image to 1150 cells / image were analyzed and threshold curves were calculated . three images without cells were also analyzed . the result is presented in fig2 . in the figure , the valid threshold level range is indicated . the lower limit is determined by the position where the zero images do not further contribute to the cell count , while the upper limit is determined by the shape of the threshold curves , because of their gradual decay . to control the signal - to - noise ratio in the images and to investigate the effect of the signal - to - noise ratio on the counting accuracy , simulated images were used . the simulated cell images consist of a known number of cells n with a normal intensity distribution with mean i 0 and standard deviation σ . the cells are modeled as two - dimensional gaussians . the images also have a constant background level c 0 , a noise component n and a number of bright isolated pixels similar the real cell images . a number of cell images were simulated with different signal - to - noise ratios , varying from 1 to 25 . several of the simulated images are presented in fig2 ( snr = 3 , snr = 10 , snr = 20 ). the image parameters for the simulated images were derived from the parameters of the real cell images . this resulted in de values : i 0 = 110 , σ = 20 , c 0 = 50 and n = 600 . the simulated images were then analyzed by the image processing software . fig2 shows the threshold curves for two simulated cell images : an image without cells and one with 600 cells . the signal - to - noise ratio was 20 , similar to the real images . as can be observed in the figure , the shape of the threshold curves of the simulated images is similar to the shape of the real image curves in fig2 . the simulated images were analyzed to evaluate the performance of the counting algorithm . the detection error was defined as : fig2 shows the results for four different threshold levels : 80 , 100 , 120 and 140 . the error decreases with increasing signal - to - noise ratio . the signal - to - noise ratio in the real cell images is typically 20 . these findings demonstrate that , based on these simulations , the error due to image processing inaccuracy is expected to be about 2 %. isolated white blood cells were spiked into a leukocyte - depleted red cell concentrate at known leukocyte concentrations , which ranged from 5 to 30 , 000 cells / μl . the samples were then processed according to the following total leukocyte selection protocol . to 100 μl of edta anti - coagulated whole blood in a 12 × 75 mm glass tube , 20 μl 100 μ / μl biotinylated cd45 monoclonal antibodies were added . after 30 minutes of incubation at room temperature , 10 μl of 0 . 4 mg / ml streptavidin - ferrofluid was added . then , the sample was placed in and out of a hgms magnetic quadrupole ( qms13 , immunicon ® corp ., pa ) three times ( 10 seconds each time ). after standing for another 30 minutes , 5 μl of 3 mg / ml acridine orange was added and the sample was diluted to a final volume of 2 ml with cell buffer ( immunicon corp , comprised of mainly phosphate buffered saline or pbs ) and a 320 μl aliquot of the sample was then inserted into the sample chamber . the chamber was capped and immediately placed in the magnetic chamber holder . three images were made of every sample . in an alternative mode , the sample chamber would consist of an uncapped cuvet , bearing optically flat surfaces that can be oriented vertically rather than horizontally for illumination with a horizontal light beam . the number of cells per μl of blood can vary significantly between different persons , and in some diseases this number can decrease or increase dramatically . this means that in some applications , a range of at least three orders of magnitude can be expected . the performance of the system with respect to linearity over a wide range of leukocyte concentrations needed to be evaluated by measuring blood samples with known numbers of leukocytes . the result of an associated experiment is presented in fig2 . a slope of 0 . 90 ( r 2 = 0 . 99 ) was observed . this low slope shows the result of including the three deviant measurements at the highest cell concentrations of about 1500 cells / image . if these high data points are disregarded , the slope of the line significantly increases to 0 . 98 ( r 2 = 0 . 99 ). about 1500 cells / image can thus be regarded as the upper limit at which the system performs accurately . the error bars increase significantly at low numbers of cells per image thus setting the lower limit of the dynamic range of the system . the density of cells at the surface is based on the dilution of the blood sample . if the approximate concentration of cells in the sample is known , the dilution can be increased or decreased in order to yield an optimum surface cell density . however , since the dilution factor cannot be smaller than 1 , the minimum number of cells / μl that can be counted with a statistical accuracy of & lt ; 5 % is about 180 cells / μl , unless more than one surface position is imaged . the reproducibility of a cell count corresponds to the variance in the number of cells counted when a sample is recounted repeatedly . the magnetic configuration is designed in such a way that along the centerline of the chamber , the cells on a surface segment surface originate from the fractional chamber volume below that surface segment . it is expected , however , that there may be some variation in cell densities along the lateral position of the chamber . additionally , there may also be variations when the sample is analyzed at different surface positions or segments or in different types of chambers . in an ideal system , these variations are subject to poisson distribution statistics , and the variance will depend on the number of counted cells . other factors may also contribute to variations in the cell counts . the distribution of cells in lateral positions was determined by taking four ( partly overlapping ) images at different lateral positions or segments and calculating the moving average of the number of cells . the result is presented in fig2 . as can be observed from the figure , there are indeed variations in the cell surface densities depending on the lateral position on the surface . these variations do not appear to be significant as long as one measures along the central line of the chamber . the variation in cell density on the surface along the longitudinal line was also measured , by taking images at different positions along this line . this variation was about 5 %, compared to the expected value of 3 % for the poisson statistics . the higher variation of 5 % may be caused by an initial heterogeneity of cells in the sample , inaccuracies in the chamber dimensions , lack of homogeneity in magnetic configuration or by the image analysis itself . in this experiment , the accuracy of the system with respect to cell counting was evaluated by correlating the cell counts of 15 different blood samples to the data obtained by a commercial haematology analyser . fifteen edta - anti - coagulated blood samples from different patients were collected and analyses were performed on the same day . from each sample an aliquot was taken for analysis in a 5 - part differential haematology analyser ( sysmex ® se 9500 , sysmex ® corp ., long grove , ill .) and an aliquot for analysis on the described system . to 100 μl of edta anti - coagulated whole blood in a 12 × 75 mm glass tube , 40 μl 25 μg / ml biotinylated cd45 monoclonal antibodies were added . after 30 minutes of incubation at room temperature , 25 μl of 0 . 4 mg / ml streptavidin - ferrofluid was added . then , the sample was placed in and out of the magnetic quadrupole ( qms13 , immunicon corp ., pa ) three times for 10 seconds each time . after standing for another 30 minutes , 5 μl of 3 mg / ml acridine orange was added and the sample was diluted to a final volume of 2 ml with cell buffer ( immunicon ® corp ). an aliquot of 320 μl of the sample was then inserted into the sample chamber . after capping the chamber , it was directly into the magnetic holder . after 10 minutes , three images were made at different positions on the surface of the chamber , and the number of cells in the images was measured using the cell counting software . the correlation between the counts on the cell analysis system and the counts on the haematology analyser was calculated . the correlation between the two systems is presented in fig3 . the r 2 was 0 . 95 and the regression line had a slope of 0 . 98 when the number of cells varied in the range of 100 and 15 , 000 cells / μl . the vertical error bars represent the measuring errors as discussed in the previous experiment . the number of cd4 + lymphocytes in 95 % of all normal individuals fall between 355 to 1298 cells / μl . in aids patients , a cd4 count of 500 cells / μl is often used to initiate antiretroviral therapy , a count of 200 cd4 / μl is used to start prophylactic anti - microbial treatment , a count of 100 cd4 / μl is often associated with an increase in opportunistic infections and a count below 50 cd4 / μl has a high occurrence of hiv related death . it is therefore important to accurately determine the number of lymphocytes expressing cd4 . cd4 counts were measured in whole blood samples from ten donors by becton dickinson &# 39 ; s trucount ® flow cytometer and the method of the invention outlined below . whole blood ( 200 μl ) was added to 12 mm × 75 mm polystyrene test tubes and mixed with 20 ul 0 . 1 mg / ml 10 × biotinylated - anti - cd4 mab ( 2 μg added mab ) and 8 . 5 μl 0 . 47 mg / ml streptavidin ferrofluid ( 4 μg added iron ). the sample was mixed and incubated for 10 minutes in a qms13 . after incubation 40 μl of 1 mm acridine orange dye ( final concentration = 20 μm ) and 1731 μl of cell buffer , i . e . final volume = 2 ml was added , mixed and ˜ 350 μl of sample was placed into chamber . the chamber was inserted into magnetic yoke and after 10 minutes a count was obtained number ( cells / μl ) at 5 different chamber locations . the correlation coefficient r = 0 . 96 , the slope was 1 . 15 with an intercept of 53 indicating that the method of the present invention counted more cells than the reference method . the data are plotted in fig3 . the cd4 marker is expressed on both monocytes and lymphocytes . therefore , using cd4 monoclonal antibodies for magnetic separation will result in the presence of both monocytes and lymphocytes on the chamber surface . to obtain absolute counts of both cell populations , it is possible to distinguish them on the basis of differences in staining with acridine orange . acridine orange , the dye also used in the total leukocyte count , is known to be metachromatic . the dye shows a large shift in its emission spectrum when bound to double - stranded ( ds ) versus single - stranded ( ss ) nucleic acids ( table 2 ). acridine orange binds to ds - nucleic acids by intercalation , and the intercalated form fluoresces green when excited by blue light . the maximum absorption of acridine orange bound by intercalation to dna is at 500 to 506 nm and the emission is at 520 to 524 nm . interaction of acridine orange with ss - nucleic acids is a complex , multi - step process initiated by acridine orange intercalation between neighboring bases , neutralization of the polymer charge by the cationic dye , and subsequent condensation and agglomeration ( precipitation ; solute - to - solid state transition ) of the product . the absorption spectrum of acridine orange in these precipitated products is blue - shifted compared to that of the intercalated acridine orange , with maximum absorption ranging between 426 - 458 nm , depending on the base composition of the nucleic acid . the emission of acridine orange in these complexes also varies , between 630 - 644 nm , also depending on the base composition . this metachromatic behavior of acridine orange can be used for distinguishing monocytes from lymphocytes , since monocytes have a larger amount of rna than lymphocytes , although the concentration of the dye is also critical to obtain accurate differentiation . therefore , the emission of acridine orange in the range of about 630 - 644 nm to is expected to be larger in monocytes than in lymphocytes . the following experiment was performed to investigate whether cd4 + monocytes and lymphocytes could be counted separately using a single labeling step by making use of the metachromaticity of acridine orange and the difference in rna content of the two subpopulations of cells . the same labeling protocol was used as for total white blood cell counting , but now anti - cd4 monoclonal antibodies were used to label the cd4 + lymphocytes and monocytes instead of cd45 antibody . after the 10 minutes collection inside the magnetic separator , an image of the chamber surface was made using a 455df30 band - pass filter . in this image only the fluorescence of dye conjugated to the dna content of the cells ( which is also used for all white blood cells ) is detected . then another image was made using a 640df20 band - pass filter , which was used to measure the rna content in the cells . the first image was used to locate the positions of all the cells , and these positions were stored in computer memory . in the second image , the average pixel intensity due to the rna content of the cells at all positions was measured . fig3 shows a scatter plot obtained from a sample of magnetically labeled cd4 + cells . the dna content , measured as the average pixel intensity of cells in the image of the green channel , is plotted against the rna content , measured as the average pixel intensity in the image of the red channel . two populations can be distinguished , with monocytes having higher intensities in the red channel than lymphocytes . the number of monocytes and lymphocytes can be retrieved from the scatter plot as is commonly done in flow cytometry . discrimination between cd4 + monocytes and lymphocytes based on differences in magnetic loading / antigen density one can determine the average velocity of the cells during magnetic collection in the chamber , if the number of cells arriving at the surface is measured as a function of time . this can be done using a real - time image - processing algorithm that continuously processes the images obtained from the ccd camera . such an algorithm was developed , enabling cell count measurements at a maximum rate of 0 . 25 images / sec . based on the predicted dynamics ( see eq . 7 ), a time trace can be fitted to equation 7 to estimate the average velocity of the cells ( v 0 ), the standard deviation of the velocity distribution ( σ ) and the total number of cells that were present in the volume under the imaged surface ( n 0 ) prior to collection . fig3 shows a typical time trace obtained in a total white blood cell count together with the result of a non - linear least - square fitting algorithm is shown ( dotted line ). the average velocity of the cells was estimated as v 0 = 0 . 24 mm / sec , the standard deviation σ = 0 . 21 mm / sec and the total number of cells n 0 = 1113 . using this curve - fitting algorithm , it is possible to get an estimate of the total number ( cells / μl ), even if not all the cells are sufficiently magnetic to reach the surface . however , it must be noted that antigen expression ( and thus the magnetic moment ) may differ for subpopulations of leukocytes and the model may not be strictly applicable to all leukocyte populations without further refinements . when using monoclonal cd4 + antibodies to label the leukocytes magnetically , both cd4 + monocytes and lymphocytes are labeled . since only the cd4 + lymphocyte count is clinically relevant in monitoring the progression of hiv - infection , methods are needed to distinguish the number of monocytes and lymphocytes in the total cd4 + count . because the cd4 antigen expression is different on cd4 + monocytes and lymphocytes , the amount of magnetic labeling will also differ , thus resulting in a lower magnetic moment and lower mean velocity for the labeled monocytes . when counting the number of cells as a function of time , the number of monocytes and lymphocytes can be deduced from the shape of the n ( t ) curve . the normal antigen density on cd4 + lymphocytes is reported to be 47 ± 14 × 10 3 / cell , and 17 ± 5 × 10 3 / cell on cd4 + monocytes . assuming that the same percentage of surface antigens on both monocytes and lymphocytes are occupied and that both have similar weight and shape , the antigen density can be related to their average collection rate . from earlier experiments , the average rate for cd4 + monocytes was found to be 0 . 2 mm / sec , thus predicting an average rate of 0 . 07 mm / sec for monocytes . in fig3 the total cell count is shown , together with the number of monocytes and lymphocytes . if n1 , n2 , t1 and t2 are determined , n monocytes and n lymphocytes can be calculated as follows : using the standard deviation in antigen density , the standard deviation in the rates is predicted to be 0 . 02 mm / sec for monocytes and 0 . 06 mm / sec for lymphocytes . in fig3 b , the same cell count simulation is shown , with these deviations in the velocity . it is clear from the figure that the values of n 1 , n 2 , t 1 and t 2 cannot be determined accurately . a better option is to apply a non - linear curve fitting algorithm , based on the analytic solution of the n ( t ) for two cell - types . for one cell type , the solution is : n ( t ) = 1 2 ( ( ysurf π + t v 0 erf ( v 0 σ 0 ) π + σ 0 t ⅇ ( - v 0 2 σ 0 2 ) + ysurf π erf ( v 0 t - ysurf σ 0 t ) - π v 0 t erf ( v 0 t - ysurf σ 0 t ) - σ 0 t ⅇ ( - ( v 0 t - ysurf ) 2 t 2 σ 0 2 ) ) n 0 ) / ( ysurf π ) ( 38 ) where ysurf is the size of the chamber , v0 is the mean speed of the cells , σ0 is the deviation , and erf is the error function . this algorithm is based on the newton iteration method . in fig3 a ( simulated ) fit is shown , with v 0 , v 1 , σ 0 and σ 1 set as ‘ known ’, and n1 and n2 to be estimated . however , in real measurements one cannot assume that v 0 and v 1 are known accurately , due to dependence of v on the viscosity of the biological sample , differences in percentage of labeled surface antigens , and differences in the magnetic moment of the magnetic particles . assuming all these relations are linear , the ratio of v 0 / v 1 should remain constant . the fitting algorithm is therefore modified to also estimating a viscosity constant c v , which is placed before v 0 , v 1 , σ 0 and σ 1 . in fig3 , a simulation is shown with all labeled cells starting at the bottom of the compartment . this can be done by reversing the magnetic field for a sufficient time period . n1 and n2 can be estimated quite accurately from the figure . when applying the same non - linear curve fitting method , the results are overall better than the curve fitting done with the homogeneous sample , as can be observed from fig3 . in this figure , the differential of the number of counted cells is also shown . while the gaussian functions can be distinguished at low sigma values , the function with expected sigma is noisy due to large variations in cells arriving at the surface during the small time - segments that are used ( 0 . 57 sec ). further means of discriminating the clinically relevant cd4 + lymphocytes from monocytes are enumerated below : 1 . differential magnetic loading with magnetic particles of different sizes to enhance the migration rates of cd4 + lymphocytes ; 2 . optimizing the gap width in the magnetic arrangement and thus the magnetic field strength to increase the differential binding of cd4 + lymphocytes relative to monocytes ; 3 . adding free cd4 mab to help inhibit cd4 - specific magnetic particles from binding monocytes ; 4 . introducing non - magnetic beads that are specific for monocytes ; 5 . altering the antibody density on the magnetic capture particles to favor cd4 + lymphocytes ; and 6 . using an additional labeled cd45 , e . g . anti cd45 - fluorescein in combination with cd45 magnetic capture and acridine orange to enhance lymphocyte detection . in a previously described embodiment , a led generates the illumination light . the light passes through a condenser lens , a 455df 70 bandpass - filter , and is reflected by a 515 drlp dichroic mirror in the direction of the sample . the condenser lens focuses the light on the back focal plane of the objective , resulting in parallel illumination of the sample . a straightforward way to eliminate most of the components is direct sample illumination , where the light of two leds is directly projected onto the sample . the performance compared to the previous system can be affected by a decrease in the intensity and homogeneity of the illumination , and an increase in the background signal . because the light is no longer focused , the illumination intensity is limited by the directivity of the led . the led that is currently used ( nspb500s , nichia corp ., japan ) has a directivity ( 2θ 1 / 2 ) of 30 °. this means that the intensity decreases by 50 % at a 15 ° angle of the led axis . assuming a gaussian intensity distribution , the normalized intensity distribution function i ( θ ) for ( d & lt ; 1 ) is given by : the factor op the total light power ( p / ptot ) projected onto a surface of size d ( m ) at a distance i ( m ) is : one can also define a homogeneity - factor h as h = i ( θ = θ max )/ i ( θ = 0 ), defining the ratio between the intensity at the center to the intensity at the edge of the surface . h = i ( θ = θ max ) i ( θ = 0 ) = exp ( - d 2 ln ( 2 ) 4 l 2 θ 1 2 2 ) ( 41 ) a small portion of the emitted light of the led ( see fig2 . 4 ) is in the spectral region of the emitted fluorescence of acridine orange ( ao ). without using a low - pass filter , illumination light will be detected as a background in the fluorescent signal . a long - pass or band - pass filter ( central wavelength 550 nm band pass 30 nm used in the previous illumination embodiment ) can reduce this background . a 530 nm longpass filter was found to be optimal for the current illumination embodiment . the mathematical treatment above assumes a homogeneous illumination field of the led , which is not very realistic ; the structure of the led and the focusing properties of the epoxy encapsulation produce a very irregular field at close range (& lt ; 1 cm ). therefore , the optimal position is found empirically , at ˜ 4 mm from the surface . two leds were used in this setup , since this produces a more homogeneous illumination than a single led . also , higher illumination intensity can be reached . depending on the illumination required by the application , more leds can be used . to test the performance of both methods of illumination , they were tested using a solution of acridine orange and a non - fluorescent , absorbing sample . in both methods , the leds were driven at their maximum recommended current of 40 ma . the number of digital units as output from the ccd camera , as a measure of intensity , divided by the electrical energy consumption [ du &# 39 ; s / joule ]. since this value is dependent on the ao concentration in the sample , it can only be used for relative comparison . the minimum intensity divided by the maximum intensity that was found in the image , indicated in % ( fluorescent sample ). the maximum intensity of the non - fluorescent sample , indicated in du &# 39 ; s . the results are shown in table 3 indicate that the efficiency and homogeneity are similar for both types of illumination , while the background level is slightly higher ( 2 du &# 39 ; s for the tested sample ). further examples and applications of the algorithms and methods of this invention enable accurate cell enumeration , in a compact , rugged and low - cost system that is suitable for use in poor - resource settings . the performance of the system has been established in a number of clinically relevant applications including the analysis of blood cells , but numerous other applications can be envisioned . for example , as has been mentioned before , counting bovine leukocytes in milk ( somatic cell count ) may be an important application . the analysis of milk is currently performed by flow cytometry systems , requiring transport of the milk samples to specialized laboratories , which is both expensive and time consuming . the analyses described herein can be readily performed on - site , in a field setting , or in a conventional laboratory . further broadly defined applications include detection of bacterial , fungal and viral pathogens in humans or animals , water supplies , and air samples . objects other than cells can also be counted by the system of the methods and algorithms of this invention by using appropriate fluorescent staining reagents . the system would be ideal for performing fast immunoassay analysis . for example , a magnetic particle specific for an analyte could be used for magnetic labeling , similar to the methods described for cells . a detectable label could then be added , such as a fluorescent polystyrene bead . as the magnetic particle - analyte - detectable label complex is magnetically manipulated to the observation surface , the instrument would be able to detect and enumerate the analyte . the lack of fluidics or pumps , performance in sealed or sealable vessels and the compactness of the devices of this invention permits operation under low - g conditions and in confined spaces as prevail in space vessels and other extraterrestrial applications . the preferred embodiments of the invention which incorporate these improvements , as described previously have also been found , unexpectedly , to enable the invention to be employed in many fields and applications additional to those cited above . general cell counter of immunological defined subsets in fluids , for example cell viability , cd20 , b - lymphocytes ; cd3 t - lymphocytes ; cd8 suppressor t - lymphocytes , cd14 monocytes , cd83 dendritic cells while particular embodiments of the present invention have been herein illustrated and described , they are not intended to limit the invention to such disclosure . changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the following claims . | 6 |
systems and methods of predicting branches provide more flexible global branch prediction , which results in substantial performance improvements . fig1 shows a plot 10 of global branch history length versus misprediction for multiple program traces , where the program traces correspond to program trace curves 12 , 16 . the illustrated program trace curves 12 , 16 may represent phases of different applications or different phases of the same application . in general , the plot 10 shows that the applications are leveraging information from the global history as bits are added to the global branch history until a minimum number of mispredictions is reached . beyond the minimum point , branches that are not related to a given prediction begin to map to the same prediction . such a condition is commonly referred to as aliasing . specifically , a first program trace curve 12 represents the number of mispredictions during the execution of a first program trace for different history lengths . curve 12 has an optimum history length 14 that is relatively short ( i . e ., eight bits ). on the other hand , a second program trace curve 16 has an optimal history length 18 that is relatively long ( i . e ., thirty - six bits ). conventional branch prediction architectures , however , have only a single global predictor and therefore must select a “ medium ” history length 20 that is optimum to neither curve 12 nor curve 16 ( i . e ., sixteen bits ). by utilizing multiple global predictors , embodiments of the present invention exhibit better adaptation to different types of program code and / or applications . simply put , since different applications contain branches that correlate to other branches at varying distances , the use of multiple history lengths enables a more accurate predictor where both useful history is maximized and branch aliasing is minimized . turning now to fig2 , a branch prediction architecture 22 is shown . architecture 22 has a prediction selector 24 and a bimodal predictor 26 coupled to the prediction selector 24 , where the illustrated selector 24 functions as a plurality of cascaded multiplexers . the bimodal predictor 26 generates a bimodal prediction 52 for a branch instruction . architecture 22 also has a plurality of global predictors 28 ( 28 a - 28 n ) coupled to the prediction selector 24 . each global predictor 28 generates a corresponding global prediction 54 , 56 for the branch instruction , where the prediction selector 24 selects a branch prediction 100 from the bimodal prediction 52 and the global predictions 54 , 56 . with continuing reference to fig2 and 3a , it can be seen that each global prediction 54 , 56 is to be generated based on a different amount of global branch history information . in the illustrated example , a most recent branch bit 30 is shifted into a previous first stew and a previous second stew to obtain a current first stew 34 and a current second stew 36 , respectively . it should be noted that separate stews are shown only for ease of discussion , and that the same stew can be the source of index 35 as well as index 37 . indeed , sharing the global branch history information helps to minimize processor area . an exclusive or ( xor ) operation is performed between the current stews 34 , 36 and one or more portions 31 , 33 of an instruction address ( or instruction pointer / ip ) 32 . the result is a first index 35 and a second index 37 . the first index 35 is used to index into an array of a first global predictor 28 a , and the second index 37 is used to index into an array of a second global predictor 28 b . in the illustrated example , the second index 37 is folded into a folded index 39 based on the size of the array of the second global predictor , where the folded index 39 is substituted for the second index 37 during the indexing operation . the size of the global arrays with regard to folding is discussed in greater detail below . thus , the plurality of global predictors 28 includes the first global predictor 28 a having an index 35 associated with a first amount l1 of global branch history information , such as eight bits , and the second global predictor 28 b having an index 39 associated with a second amount l2 of global branch history information , such as twenty - four or thirty - six bits . thus , the smaller amount / shorter length is tailored to branch instructions that correlate to instructions that are in relatively close proximity , whereas the larger amount / longer length is tailored branch instructions that correlate to instructions that are farther away . with continuing reference to fig2 and 3b , an alternative approach to generating global array indices is shown . in the illustrated example , the most recent branch bit 30 is shifted into a previous first global branch history and a previous second global branch history to obtain a current first global branch history 34 ′ and a current second global branch history 36 ′, respectively . as noted above , a common global branch history can be used . an xor operation is performed between the current global branch histories 34 ′, 36 ′ and one or more portions 31 , 33 of the instruction address 32 . the result is a first index 35 ′ and a second index 37 ′. thus , index 35 ′ is associated with the first amount l 1 of global branch history information and index 37 ′ is associated with the second amount l 2 of global branch history information . the first index 35 ′ is used to index into the array of the first global predictor 28 a , and the second index 37 ′ is used to index into the array of the second global predictor 28 b . in the illustrated example , the second index 37 ′ is folded into a folded index 39 ′ based on the size of the array of the second global predictor , where the folded index 39 ′ is substituted for the second index 37 ′ during the indexing operation . since the amount of global branch history information associated with the first global predictor 28 a is less than the amount associated with second global predictor 28 b , the first global array can be viewed as a “ little ” global , or “ g ”, array . likewise , the second global array can be viewed as a “ big ” global , or “ g ”, array . thus , combining the bimodal , little global and big global arrays into a common branch prediction architecture yields a “ bgg ” branch prediction architecture . table i shows the relevant parameters for the global arrays in comparison to the conventional global array of a bg architecture . as already noted , the first global predictor 28 a includes a first global array , where the first global predictor 28 a generates a first global prediction 54 by indexing into the first global array based on index 35 ′. the second global predictor 28 b includes a second global array , where the second predictor 28 b generates a second global prediction 56 by indexing into the second global array based on index 39 ′. the predictions 52 , 54 , 56 include a predicted direction ( i . e ., taken / not taken ) and may include an instruction target address of the current branch instruction . as also already noted , the second global predictor 28 b can fold the index 37 ′ if l 2 is larger than log 2 ( number of entries ) of the second global array . for example , an array with 256 entries can be indexed with log 2 ( 256 )= eight bits . in order to capture as much information as possible from the index 37 ′, folding is implemented . simply put , the folded index 39 ′ allows large amounts of global branch history information to be comprehended in smaller more implementable arrays . folding can be achieved by performing an exclusive or ( xor ) operation between the top half of the index 37 ′ and the bottom half of the index 37 ′. alternatively , the index 37 ′ can be divided into four parts and xor &# 39 ; ed accordingly , and so on . the above discussion also applies to indices 35 , 37 ( fig3 a ), which are based on stews 34 , 36 ( fig3 a ). it should be also noted that the amount of resolution to be achieved by the plurality of global predictors 28 can be adjusted by increasing or reducing the number of global predictors 28 . thus , the plurality of global predictors 28 can include a third global predictor having a third history length , etc . the illustrated prediction selector 24 has a first multiplexer 38 that generates an intermediate prediction 50 based on the bimodal prediction 52 , the first global prediction 54 and a signal 55 that indicates whether a hit has occurred in the first global array . a second multiplexer 40 can select the branch prediction 100 based on the intermediate prediction 50 , the second global prediction 56 and a signal 57 that indicates whether a hit has occurred in the second global array . the number of multiplexers in the prediction selector 24 can be increased based on the number of global predictors and will generally be one less than the total number of predictors or equal to the total number global predictors . thus , a third multiplexer 42 can also be included , and so on . in accordance with a cascaded prediction policy , the second multiplexer 40 selects the second global prediction 56 if a hit notification is received from the second global array and selects the intermediate prediction 50 if a hit notification is not received from the second global array . the hit notification for the second global array is provided by signal 57 . the first multiplexer 38 selects the first global prediction 54 if a hit notification is received from the first global array and selects the bimodal prediction 52 if a hit notification is not received from the first global array . the hit notification for the first global array is provided by signal 55 . the cascaded prediction policy therefore leverages each predictor as a filter . the array of the bimodal predictor 26 is direct mapped in order to provide a “ default ” prediction . all predictions are invalid unless we receive a hit from a tagged target array 47 ( fig2 and 6 ), which provides the address for the target of the branch instruction when the branch is predicted taken . combining the array of the bimodal predictor 26 with the target array 47 enables tag space savings and can be seen as a design system optimization . turning now to fig6 , a processor 44 having an instruction fetch ( if ) pipeline stage with improved branch prediction architecture 46 is shown . other stages of a typical pipeline include instruction decode ( id ), execute ( ex ), memory ( mem ), and writeback ( wb ), where an execute stage jump execution unit 48 includes allocation logic and update logic . the execute stage update is sooner in the pipeline , but typically less accurate than retirement ( or writeback ) stage update . retirement stage update is able to distinguish correct path from wrong path instructions which could pollute the predictors . the allocation logic provides for generating new ( or allocating ) entries in the prediction arrays in response to branch mispredictions , and the update logic provides for updating current predictions based on actual outcomes . it should be noted that the trend toward higher speed processors typically results in more stages between instruction fetch and execution . as a result , the advantages associated with the illustrated branch prediction architecture have a significant effect an overall processor performance . with continuing reference to fig4 and 6 , the operation of the allocation logic will be described in greater detail . specifically , allocation process 58 provides for allocating an entry in the first ( or little ) global array at processing block 60 if it is determined at block 62 that the branch prediction originated from the bimodal predictor and it is determined at block 64 that the branch prediction resulted in a misprediction . block 60 also provides for updating the bimodal array . it should be noted that predictions are taken from the bimodal predictor only when all other arrays have missed . accordingly , the bimodal predictor has the lowest priority . it should also be noted that block 60 assumes that there will always be a hit in the target array . if such is not the case , then a decision block can be readily inserted between blocks 64 and 60 in order to detect tag array misses . if it is determined at block 66 that the branch prediction originated from the little global predictor and it is determined at block 68 that the branch prediction resulted in a misprediction , an entry in the second ( or big ) global array is allocated to the branch instruction at block 70 . thus , the cascaded allocation process 58 uses each level of prediction as an aliasing filter . if the branch prediction is correct , the current prediction is updated at block 72 . it should be noted that block 70 also provides for updating the bimodal and little global arrays . the little global update represents an optimization that enables the little global predictor to generate more accurate predictions while the big global predictor is “ warming up .” failing to update the little global array as illustrated in block 70 may negatively impact performance . with continuing reference to fig4 - 6 , the update logic can use update process 74 to update the current prediction . thus , update process 74 can be readily substituted for block 72 . specifically , the bimodal array and the big global array are updated at block 76 based on the actual outcome associated with the branch prediction at block 76 , if it is determined at block 78 that the tag of the branch instruction matched a tag in the big global array ( i . e ., a hit occurred in the big global array ). if it is determined at block 80 that the tag of the branch instruction matched a tag in the little global array , the bimodal array and the little global array are updated at block 82 based on the actual branch outcome . if a hit occurred in neither of the global arrays , the bimodal array is updated at block 84 . thus , the bimodal array is always updated . furthermore , it should be noted that the little global array is not updated when a hit has occurred in the big global array , except on allocation . such a “ partial update ” can significantly improve performance as it minimizes pollution in the array of lesser precedence — the little global in this situation . the little global array is updated while allocating into the big global array in order to achieve more accurate prediction while the index associated with the big global array is fluctuating . turning now to fig7 , a computer system 86 is shown . computer system 86 includes a system memory 88 such as random access memory ( ram ), read only memory ( rom ), flash memory , etc ., that stores a branch instruction and a system bus 90 coupled to the system memory 88 . processor 44 includes branch prediction architecture 46 , which is coupled to the system bus 90 . as already discussed , the branch prediction architecture 46 can include a prediction selector , a bimodal predictor coupled to the prediction selector , and a plurality of global predictors coupled to the prediction selector . the bimodal predictor generates a bimodal prediction for the branch instruction , where each global predictor generates a corresponding global prediction for the branch instruction . the prediction selector chooses or selects a branch prediction from the bimodal prediction and the global predictions . while the illustrated system 86 retrieves the branch instruction from system memory 88 , the branch instruction may also be retrieved from any appropriate “ on chip ” memory such as a trace cache , instruction cache , etc . thus , the use of a plurality of global predictors enables a number of advantages to be achieved over conventional approaches . bgg branch prediction can be more accurate because it is able to adapt to specific application behavior . a global predictor with very long history is able to predict loops and other application branches that cannot be predicted in conventional global predictors . more accurate branch predictors have a first order effect on overall application performance . thus , microprocessors incorporating a plurality of global branch predictors can outperform those with a single global predictor . other mechanisms are also described to most effectively leverage the plurality of global branch predictors . for example , the use of cascaded allocation for prediction filtering increases the effective predictor capacity . partial update eliminates aliasing in lower level branch predictors . furthermore , optimizations are described which minimize processor area and improve processor efficiency : the sharing of global histories enables a big global array to leverage data from the small global array to minimize the impact of the feature on processor area . folding enables predictor arrays to be maintained at a reasonable size without sacrificing the additional global branch history information . in addition , tag sharing between the bimodal and target enhance efficiency by removing duplicate information . those skilled in the art can appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad techniques of the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms . therefore , while the embodiments of this invention have been described in connection with particular examples thereof , the true scope of the embodiments of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings , specification , and following claims . | 6 |
all chemicals and reagents were commercially available and obtained from aldrich chemical co . ( st . louis , mo .). lipase ps ( pseudomonas cepacia ) and lipase ak ( pseudomonas fluorescens ) were from amano enzyme usa ( lombard , ill .). all carotenoids and their precursors were fully characterized by 1 h and 13 c - nmr , ms , and uv - vis , and circular dichroism ( cd ). combination of nmr and cd was employed to assign the relative and absolute stereochemistry of all synthetic carotenoids and their precursors . the purity of all compounds was determined by hplc employing eluents a , b , c , and d . eluent a ( hexane , 75 %; ch 2 cl 2 25 %; meoh , 0 . 5 %; 0 . 7 ml / min ) was used with a silica - based nitrile bonded column ( 25 - cm length × 4 . 6 mm id ; 5 - μm spherical particle ; waters corporation , milford , mass .). this eluent was employed to monitor the course of most reactions and determined the diastereomeric ratios of 3 , 6 - trans - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone and 3 , 6 - cis - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone . the column was protected with a brownlee nitrile bonded guard cartridge ( 3 - cm length × 4 . 6 mm id ; 5 - μm particle size ). the column flow rate with all eluents was 0 . 7 ml / min and the separations were monitored at 226 nm for 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone and at 286 nm for 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone . the stereoisomers of zeaxanthin and β - cryptoxanthin were monitored by hplc at 450 nm . the optical purity of all carotenoids and their precursors was assessed by chiral hplc on a chiralpak ® ad column ( 25 - cm length × 4 . 6 mm internal diameter ) purchased from chiral technologies ( exton , pa .). the column packing consisted of amylose tris -( 3 , 5 - dimethylphenylcarbamate ) coated on 10 μm silica gel substrate and the column was protected with a silica gel guard cartridge ( 3 - cm length × 4 . 6 mm id ; 5 μm particle ). the optical purity of ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone and its ( 3s )- enantiomer was determined by chiral hplc with eluent b that consisted of an isocratic mixture of hexane ( 90 %) and isobutanol ( 10 %). the optical purity of ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- zeaxanthin and its stereoisomers was monitored by eluent c . for eluent c , a two pumps system with a combination of isocratic and gradient hplc was employed . pump one pumped a mixture of hexane ( 95 %) and 2 - propanol ( 5 %) and pump two pumped a mixture of hexane ( 85 %), and 2 - propanol ( 15 %). at time zero , 95 % solvents from pump one and 5 % solvents from pump two were pumped isocratically for 10 minutes . after 10 minutes , a linear gradient was run for 15 minutes during which the solvents from pump two were linearly increased from 5 % to 40 % while that of pump one were reduced from 95 % to 60 %. at the end of each run , the column was re - equilibrated under the original isocratic conditions for 20 minutes . the optical purity of ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin and its ( 3s )- isomer was determined with eluent d that consisted of an isocratic mixture of hexane ( 98 %) and isopropyl alcohol 2 %. the absolute configuration of ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone and its ( 3s )- enantiomer was established by comparison of their nmr and cd spectra with those of an authentic sample of ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone prepared from oxidative cleavage of naturally occurring ( 3r , 3 ′ r , 6 ′ r )- lutein . synthesis of 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) from ( rac )- α - ionone via α - ionone ketal ( 18 ). the carbonyl group of ( rac )- α - ionone protected was first protected with ethylene glycol in the presence of trimethylformate and catalytic amount of p - toluenesulfonic acid to afford α - ionone ketal 18 in nearly quantitative yield which was used in the following step without purification ( scheme 6 ). ketal 18 was first prepared from ( rac )- α - ionone by pommer in 1958 ( de 1031301 , basf patent , 1958 ). in one embodiment of the present invention , the crude ketal 18 was oxidized with tbhp and household bleach and catalytic amounts of k 2 co 3 in acetonitrile at − 5 to 0 ° c . to 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) in 83 % isolated yield ( scheme 6 ). while this reaction can be carried out in other solvents such as ethyl acetate , ethylene glycol , and hexane , the highest isolated yield of 57 % was obtained with acetonitrile and ethanol . this water - based oxidation system , using household laundry bleach and aqueous tbhp , has been shown to convert steroidal olefins to α , β - enones by an economical and environmentally friendly methodology ( marwah , green chem ., 2004 , 6 , 570 - 577 ). however , this method has not been applied to the synthesis of 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ). there are three reported procedures for preparation of ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone ( 17 ) in the literature . the first procedure employs tert - butyl chromate to oxidize ( rac )- α - ionone to ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone in only 14 % isolated yield and the second uses ac 2 co . 4h 2 o / nh 4 br / o 2 to improve the yield to 31 %. more recently , another procedure for allylic oxidation of ionone - like dienes with tbhp catalyzed by cacl 2 and mgcl 2 . 6h 2 o at 60 ° c . has also been reported that can afford ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone in yields comparable to ours ( yang et al . synlett 2006 , 16 : 2617 - 2620 ). synthesis of ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 + 9 ) from 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) via 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ketal ( 16 ) and 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 15 ). as shown in scheme 7 , ketal 18 was first reduced to ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ketal ( 16 ) which was deprotected 0 . 3n hcl to ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 15 ). the reduction of 17 to 16 was carried out with a number of reagents and after deprotection afforded 15 in 58 - 90 % yield ; the results are summarized in table 1 . among these reducing agents , dibal - h , n - selectride ™, and k - selectride ™, after deprotection , produced the highest yield of 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 15 ). because of the presence of two chiral centers in 15 , this key intermediate is formed as a racemic mixture of four stereoisomers ( two pairs of enantiomers ). in one pair of enantiomers , the oh at c3 and the c6 - enone side chain are trans with respect to one another and in the other pair these groups are in a cis geometry . in the following step , the base - catalyzed double bond isomerization of 15 to ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 + 9 ) was shown to proceed much more readily with the 3 , 6 - trans - isomer than that with the 3 , 6 - cis - isomer ( scheme 7 ). however , the reduction of ketoketal 17 with the reagents listed in table 1 showed no selectivity with respect to the relative stereochemistry at c3 and c6 . nonetheless , among these , k - selectride ™ provided the highest ratio of the 3 , 6 - trans - to the 3 , 6 - cis - isomer and was therefore selected as the reagent of choice for the reduction 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ). the base - catalyzed double bond isomerization of 15 to ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 + 9 ) was accomplished with methanolic koh ( 10 % wt / v ) in thf at 50 ° c . in one hour . after column chromatography , a racemic mixture of 8 and 9 was obtained in 65 % isolated yield . therefore , in one embodiment of the present invention , ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 + 9 ) was synthesized from commercially available ( rac )- α - ionone in 5 steps and in 46 % overall yield according to the pathways shown in schemes 6 and 7 . in 1992 , broom et al . ( tetrahedron lett . 1992 , 33 : 3197 - 3200 ) reported on the synthesis of 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone from β - ionone according to the reaction pathways shown in scheme 12 . the key starting material for this synthesis was 3 , 4 - dehydro - β - ionone that was prepared from β - ionone according to a published procedure ( findlay & amp ; mackay , can . j . chem . 1971 , 49 : 2369 - 71 ). this ketone was then protected as a 1 , 3 - dioxolane to yield 3 , 4 - dehydro - β - ionone ketal that was hydroborated with borane - dimethyl sulfide to afford a mixture of ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ketal ( 75 %) and ( 4r )- 4 - hydroxy - β - ionone ketal ( 25 %). ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ketal was isolated from the mixture in 32 % yield and was subsequently deprotected with oxalic acid to afford ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone . although the authors claimed that the hydroboration of 3 , 4 - dehydro - β - ionone ketal with borane - dimethyl sulfide was stereospecific and afforded ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ketal as a single enantiomer , neither cd nor chiral hplc data were provided to confirm the absolute configuration of the product . we have recently repeated this work and have shown that this hydroboration is not stereospecific and leads to a racemic mixture of 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone . this was accomplished by analysis of the product by chiral hplc employing eluent b . therefore , while the method of broom et al . provides an alternative route to ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone , it fails to produce the optically active 3r or 3s stereoisomer of this hydroxyionone . enzyme - mediated acylation of ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 + 9 ). the racemic mixture of 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone 8 and 9 were separated by enzyme - mediated acylation with immobilized lipase ps ( pseudomonas cepacia ) in etoac in the presence of vinyl acetate within 20 h at r . t . while ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone 8 was acylated to ( 3r )- 3 - acetoxy - β - ionone ( 14 ), ( 3s )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone 9 remained unreacted ( scheme 8 ). due to the large difference in their solubility properties , 14 and 9 were readily separated by column chromatography . acetoxyionone 14 was nearly quantitatively hydrolyzed to hydroxyionone 8 with koh / meoh at 0 ° c . to prevent the degradation of this somewhat sensitive end - group . according to chiral hplc ( eluent b ), ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone and its ( 3s )- isomer were each obtained in 96 % enantiomeric excess ( ee ). similar results were also obtained by employing immobilized lipase ak ( pseudomonas fluorescens ). transformation of ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 ) and its 3s - isomer ( 9 ) to ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- zeaxanthin , ( 3s , 3 ′ s )- zeaxanthin , and ( 3r , 3 ′ s ; meso )- zeaxanthin via wittig salts 12 and 13 . as mentioned earlier , ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 ) and its 3s - isomer ( 9 ) were separately converted to the wittig salts 12 and 13 , respectively via vinyl - α - ionols 10 and 11 according to the reported procedure by rüttimann and mayer ( helv . chim . acta , 1980 , 63 : 1456 - 62 ) ( scheme 9 ). in separate experiments , wittig salts 12 and 13 were condensed with c 10 - dialdehyde 6 according to the published procedure by widmer et al . ( helv . chim . acta , 1990 , 73 : 861 - 67 ) to afford ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- and ( 3s , 3 ′ s )- zeaxanthin , respectively ( scheme 10 ). each of these stereoisomers was shown by chiral hplc ( eluent c ) to have an enantiomeric excess ( ee ) of 96 %. similarly , for the synthesis of ( 3r , 3 ′ s ; meso )- zeaxanthin ( 3 ), c 10 - dialdehyde 6 was first coupled with 1 equivalent of wittig salt 12 to yield ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - apo - 12 ′- carotenal ( 19 ) which was further elongated to 3 with wittig salt 13 . ( scheme 10 ). because these transformations have already been published , our detailed presentation of these reactions is not relevant to the present invention . however , we have carried out these experiments to simply demonstrate that ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 ) and its 3s - isomer ( 9 ) that we have prepared by a novel methodology can be applied to the synthesis of ( 3r , 3 ′ r )-, ( 3s , 3 ′ s )-, and ( 3r , 3 ′ s ; meso )- zeaxanthin according to published procedures . synthesis of ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin and ( 3s )- β - cryptoxanthin . as discussed earlier , the total synthesis of ( rac )- β - cryptoxanthin was first reported by loeber et al . [ j . chem . soc ( c ), 1971 , 404 - 408 ] as shown in scheme 2 . therefore , for the synthesis of the optically active ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin and its ( 3s )- isomer we followed the same methodology . the only exception was that we condensed optically active wittig salts 12 and 13 in separate experiments with β - apo - 12 ′- carotenal ( 20 ) and obtained ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin and its ( 3s )- enantiomer , respectively . each of these stereoisomers was shown by chiral hplc ( eluent d ) to have an enantiomeric excess ( ee ) of 99 %. it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant arts that other suitable modifications and adaptations to the methods and applications described herein are obvious and may be made without departing from the scope of the invention or any embodiment thereof . having now described the present invention in detail , the same will be more clearly understood by reference to the following examples , which are included herewith for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to be limiting of the invention . freshly distilled ( rac )- α - ionone ( 23 . 5 g , 110 mmol ) was transferred into a 250 ml three necked flask with 10 ml hexane and was treated with ethylene glycol ( 18 ml , 323 mmol ) and trimethylorthoformate ( 14 ml , 128 mmol ). p - toluenesulfonic acid ( 285 mg , 1 . 5 mmol ) was added and the mixture was stirred at r . t . under nitrogen overnight . the progress of the reaction was monitored by nmr . the product was partitioned between water and hexane , and the organic layer was washed water ( 3 × 300 ml ), dried over na 2 so 4 , and evaporated to dryness to yield a 29 . 7 g pale yellow oil . the product was identified by nmr as ( rac )- α - ionone ketal ( 18 ) and was used in the next step without purification . ( rac )- α - ionone ketal ( 29 . 7 g , from example 1 ) was transferred into a 1 l three - necked flask using acetonitrile ( 105 ml , 82 . 53 g , 2 . 0 mol ). k 2 co 3 ( 1 . 8 g , 13 mmol ) was added and the mixture was cooled down in an ice - salt bath to 0 ° c . under n 2 . a 70 % solution of tbhp in water ( 108 ml , 97 . 2 g 70 % ≈ 68 . 0 g , 0 . 755 mol ) was added dropwise to the mixture under n 2 at 0 ° c . in 30 min . household bleach containing 5 . 25 % naocl ( 356 g , 18 . 7 g naocl , 0 . 251 mol ) was then added over a period of 8 h at − 5 to 0 ° c . after the addition was completed , the reaction mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for an additional hour . the product was treated with 2 g nahco 3 at 0 ° c . and then extracted with hexane ( 2 × 150 ml ). the combined organic layer was washed with water ( 3 × 150 ml ), dried over na 2 so 4 , and evaporated to dryness to give 30 . 3 g of pale yellow oil . the crude product was purified by column chromatography ( hexane : ethyl acetate , from 98 : 2 to 85 : 15 ) to yield ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) ( 19 . 0 g , 91 . 0 mmol , 83 %) as a pale yellow oil . to a solution of ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) ( 16 . 5 g , 66 mmol ) in 100 ml ethanol was added nabh 4 ( 3 . 75 g , 99 mmol ) at 10 ° c . the mixture was kept at 10 ° c . and allowed to warm up to room temperature , stirred for 4 h , and the product was partitioned between water ( 400 ml ) and ethyl acetate ( 150 ml ). the organic layer was removed and the aqueous layer was extracted with 100 ml of ethyl acetate . the combined organic layer was washed with brine and water , dried over na 2 so 4 , and evaporated to dryness . the crude product ( 10 g ) was deprotected in the following step without purification . deprotection of ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ketal ( 16 ). the deprotection of ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ketal ( 16 ) to ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 15 ) was carried out according to the following general procedure in all subsequent reduction reactions . the crude product ( 10 g ) was transferred into a 500 ml round bottom flask with 100 ml acetone and 20 ml water and the mixture was kept under nitrogen . the solution was treated with 16 . 5 ml of 0 . 3n hcl with dropwise addition in 10 minutes and stirred at r . t . for 3 h . the course of deprotection was monitored by nmr . the crude ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone was partitioned between 300 ml water and 150 ml ethyl acetate . the organic layer was washed with saturated nahco 3 , dried over na 2 so 4 , and evaporated to dryness to obtain 13 . 1 g of a yellow oil . the crude product was purified by column chromatography ( hexane : acetone , from 95 : 5 to 85 : 15 ) to afford ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 15 ) ( 7 . 9 g , 38 mmol , 58 %) as a yellow oil . a solution of dl - tartaric acid ( 1 . 8 g , 12 mmol ) in ethanol ( 10 ml ) was cooled down to 0 ° c . under n 2 and solid nabh 4 ( 0 . 46 g , 12 . 2 mol ) was added slowly in small portions . an exothermic reaction began with evolution of h 2 . the mixture was stirred at r . t . for 20 minutes and was then cooled down to − 15 ° c . ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) ( 2 . 5 g , 10 mmol ) in 8 ml ethanol was added and the mixture was stirred at − 15 ° c . for 10 minutes . this was followed by the addition of solid nabh 4 ( 0 . 23 g , 6 . 08 mmol ) to the suspension at − 15 ° c . the mixture was allowed to warm up to r . t . and the course of the reaction was followed by hplc ( eluent a ). the product was worked up by pouring the reaction mixture into crushed ice and extraction with ethyl acetate ( 50 ml ). the organic layer was washed with water ( 2 × 100 ml ), dried over na 2 so 4 , and evaporated to dryness to give 2 . 4 g of a colorless oil identified as ketal 16 . the oil was dissolved in acetone ( 25 ml ) and water ( 14 ml ) and treated with 1 . 8 ml of 0 . 3n hcl to deprotect the ketal as described in example 3 . after work up and purification by chromatography , 1 . 6 g of a colorless oil was obtained that was identified as ( 3 , 6 )- trans - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone and ( 3 , 6 )- cis - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone in diastereomeric ratio of 1 : 1 ( 1 . 6 g , 7 . 7 mmol ; 77 %). a solution of ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) ( 0 . 32 g , 1 . 28 mmol ) in methanol ( 20 ml ) was cooled down to − 15 ° c . under n 2 and was treated with solid cecl 3 ( 0 . 73 g , 1 . 96 mmol ). nabh 4 ( 80 mg , 2 . 11 mmol ) was added at − 15 ° c . and stirred at this temperature for 2 h . the course of the reaction was followed by hplc ( eluent a ). the product was poured into a solution of nh 4 cl ( 10 %) and extracted with ethyl acetate ( 25 ml ). the organic layer was washed with water ( 2 × 80 ml ), dried over na 2 so 4 , and evaporated to dryness to give 0 . 2 g of ketal 16 as a colorless oil . the oil was dissolved in acetone ( 2 ml ) and water ( 4 ml ) and treated with 0 . 15 ml of 0 . 3n hcl to deprotect the ketal as described in example 3 . after work up , the crude product was purified by chromatography to afford 15 ( 106 mg , 0 . 51 mmol ; 40 %) which was shown by hplc ( eluent a ) and nmr to consist of a mixture of ( 3 , 6 )- trans - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 34 %) and ( 3 , 6 )- cis - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 66 %). a solution of ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) ( 0 . 2 g , 0 . 81 mmol ) in tbme ( 6 ml ) was cooled down to − 35 ° c . under n 2 and a 2m solution of 9 - bbn in thf ( 4 ml , 2 mmol ) was added . the mixture was stirred at − 40 ° c . for 45 min . the reaction was quenched by addition of water ( 1 ml ) and the mixture was allowed to warm up to r . t . 3n naoh ( 1 . 5 ml ) followed by 30 % h 2 o 2 ( 1 . 5 ml ) were added and the mixture was stirred for 15 min at r . t . the product was washed with water , dried over na 2 so 4 and evaporated to dryness to yield ketal 16 as a colorless oil . the oil was dissolved in acetone ( 5 ml ) and water ( 1 . 5 ml ) and treated with 0 . 2 ml of 0 . 3n hcl to deprotect the ketal as described in example 3 . after work up with ethyl acetate , the crude product was shown by hplc ( eluent a ) to consist of a mixture of 3 - keto - α - ionone ( 80 %), ( 3 , 6 )- trans - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 8 . 4 %), and ( 3 , 6 )- cis - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 11 . 6 %). a solution of ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) ( 13 . 3 g , 53 mmol ) in tbme ( 30 ml ) was cooled down to − 20 ° c . under n 2 and a solution of red - al ™ in toluene ( 25 ml of 65 wt %, 16 . 84 g , 83 mmol ) was added dropwise in 40 minutes . the mixture was allowed to warm up to 0 ° c . and stirred for 1 h at this temperature . the reaction was quenched by addition of water ( 10 ml ) at − 10 ° c . and stirring for 10 minutes . the product was filtered through celite using acetone . the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure and the residue was partitioned between tbme ( 120 ml ) and water ( 300 ml ). the organic layer was removed and sequentially washed with brine and water . after drying over na 2 so 4 and solvent evaporation , the crude product was dissolved in acetone ( 50 ml ) and water ( 20 ml ) and stirred with 5 ml of 0 . 3 n hcl at r . t . for 2 h to deprotect the ketal 16 . after work - up 10 . 8 g of a yellow oil was obtained . the oil was purified by column chromatography ( hexane : ethyl acetate from 90 : 10 to 70 : 30 ) to yield ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 15 ) ( 6 . 27 g , 30 mmol , 57 %) as a pale yellow oil which was shown by hplc ( eluent a ) and nmr to consist of a 1 : 1 mixture of ( 3 , 6 )- trans - and ( 3 , 6 )- cis - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone . a solution of ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) ( 0 . 98 g , 3 . 9 mmol ) in ch 2 cl 2 ( 7 ml ) was cooled down to − 30 ° c . under n 2 and a solution of dibal - h ( 7 ml of 1m in ch 2 cl 2 , 7 mmol ) was added with a syringe in 5 min . the mixture was stirred at − 30 ° c . to − 20 ° c . for 1 h . the reaction was quenched by adding water ( 20 ml ) at − 10 ° c . followed by 1 g of silica gel . the mixture was allowed to warm up to r . t . and stirred for 1 h . the mixture was filtered through celite and ch 2 cl 2 was removed under reduced pressure . the residue was dissolved in 10 ml acetone and 5 ml water and was stirred with 0 . 3n hcl ( 0 . 4 ml ) at r . t . for 30 min . after work up with ethyl acetate and column chromatography purification , hydroxyionone 15 ( 0 . 73 g , 3 . 50 mmol , 90 %) was shown by hplc ( eluent a ) and nmr to consist of a mixture of ( 3 , 6 )- trans - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 34 %) and ( 3 , 6 )- cis - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 66 %). a solution of ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 17 ) ( 50 mg , 0 . 2 mmol ) in tbme ( 5 ml ) was cooled down to − 20 ° c . under n 2 and a 1m solution of n - selectride ™ in thf ( 0 . 52 ml , 0 . 52 mmol ) diluted with tbme ( 1 ml ) was added by a gas - tight syringe . the mixture was stirred at this temperature for 0 . 5 h and the product was worked up and deprotected as described in example 3 to give 15 ( 33 . 3 mg , 0 . 16 mmol ; 80 %). this was shown by hplc ( eluent a ) and nmr to consist of a mixture of ( 3 , 6 )- trans - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 41 %) and ( 3 , 6 )- cis - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 59 %). a solution of ( rac )- 3 - keto - α - ionone ketal ( 0 . 445 g , 1 . 78 mmol ) in tbme ( 5 ml ) was cooled down to − 30 ° c . under n 2 and a 1m solution of k - selectride ™ in thf ( 2 . 5 ml , 2 . 5 mmol ) was added with an air - tight syringe in 15 min . the mixture was stirred at − 30 ° c . for 1 h and was then treated with 1 . 5 ml of 3 n naoh followed by 1 . 5 ml of 30 % h 2 o 2 . after stirring at r . t . for 30 min , the product was extracted with tbme ( 10 ml ) and washed twice with water , dried over na 2 so 4 , and evaporated to dryness to give ketal 16 as a pale yellow oil . after deprotection with 0 . 3n hcl and purification by chromatography , the product was shown by hplc ( eluent a ) and nmr to consist of a mixture of ( 3 , 6 )- trans - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 55 %) and ( 3 , 6 )- cis - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 45 %) ( 0 . 315 g , 1 . 51 mmol , 85 %). a solution of 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 15 ) ( 1 . 93 g , 9 . 27 mmol ) in thf ( 7 ml ) was treated with 0 . 5 ml of a solution of koh in methanol ( 10 % wt ./ vol ) under n 2 . the mixture was heated to 50 ° c . for 1 h and the product was partitioned between water and ethyl acetate . the organic layer was washed with water ( 2 × 100 ml ), dried with na 2 so 4 , and evaporated to dryness to give 1 . 8 g of a yellow oil . the product was purified by column chromatography ( hexane : ethyl acetate , from 98 : 2 to 90 : 10 ) to give a yellow oil which was identified as ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 1 . 26 g , 6 . 03 mmol ; 65 %). enzyme - mediated acylation of ( rac )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 + 9 ) with lipase ps ( pseudomonas cepacia ) to a solution of rac - 3 - hydroxy - α - ionone ( 3 . 26 g , 15 . 65 mmol ) in 25 ml of ethyl acetate was added 5 . 0 g of immobilized lipase ps ( pseudomonas cepacia ) and vinyl acetate ( 1 ml , 0 . 934 g , 10 . 85 mmol ). the mixture was stirred at r . t . under n 2 and the course of the enzymatic acylation was monitored by chiral hplc ( eluent b , hexane : isobutanol = 9 / 1 ). after 20 h the enzyme was filtered through celite and the filtrate was evaporated to dryness to give a yellow oil ( 4 . 0 g ). column chromatography ( hexane : ethyl acetate , 98 : 2 to 80 : 20 of the product gave two major fractions . the first fraction was identified from its 1 h nmr and uv spectrum as ( 3r )- 3 - acetoxy - β - ionone ( 14 ) ( 2 . 0 g , 7 . 99 mmol ). this fraction was dissolved in ch 2 cl 2 ( 30 ml ) and treated with koh / meoh ( 5 . 5 ml , 10 % wt / v ) for 2 hours at 0 ° c . the product was treated with 23 ml of 0 . 3n hcl to bring the ph to 5 . the organic layer was sequentially washed with a saturated solution of nahco 3 ( 100 ml ) and water ( 100 ml ), and dried over na 2 so 4 . after solvent evaporation , 1 . 6 g of a yellow oil ( 7 . 68 mmol ) was obtained which was shown by chiral hplc ( eluent b ) to be ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 ) ( 96 % ee ). a small sample of this was fully characterized from its uv , cd , 1 h - and 13 c - nmr , and mass spectra . the second fraction ( 1 . 7 g , 8 . 16 mmol ) was shown by chiral hplc ( eluent b ) to consist of ( 3s )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 9 ) ( 96 % ee ). these hydroxyionones were fully characterized from their uv , cd , 1 h - and 13 c - nmr , and mass spectra . the absolute configuration of hydroxyionones 8 and 9 was determined by comparison of their cd spectra with that of ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone which was prepared by oxidative cleavage of naturally occurring ( 3r , 3 ′ r , 6 ′ r )- lutein . preparation of ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy -( β - ionylideneethyl ) triphenylphosphonium chloride ( 12 ) from ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 ) via ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - vinyl - β - ionol ( 10 ) a solution of ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 8 ) ( 0 . 852 g , 4 . 1 mmol ) in toluene ( 15 ml ) was cooled down to − 20 ° c . under argon . a 1m solution of vinyl magnesium bromide ( 10 ml , 10 mmol ) was added dropwise in 30 min and the mixture was stirred at this temperature for 1 h . the reaction was quenched with addition of 10 ml saturated ammonium chloride solution at − 20 ° c . and stirred at r . t . for 10 min . the product was partitioned between water ( 100 ml ) and ethyl acetate ( 50 ml ). the organic layer was washed with water ( 100 ml ), dried over na 2 so 4 , and evaporated to dryness . the crude product ( 0 . 78 g ), ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - vinyl - β - ionol ( 10 ), was dissolved in 5 ml meoh and directly used without purification in the next step for the preparation of the wittig salt 12 . triphenylphosphine hydrochloride was prepared fresh by adding 0 . 44 ml of concentrated hcl to triphenylphosphine ( 1 . 288 g , 4 . 91 mmol ) in 5 ml methanol at 0 ° c . the salt was stirred at r . t . for 20 min and was treated with a solution of crude ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - vinyl - β - ionol ( 0 . 78 g ) in meoh ( 5 ml ) by dropwise addition in 5 min at 0 ° c . the reaction was kept at 0 ° c . for 1 h and was allowed to stir to r . t . overnight . the product was partitioned between hexane ( 50 ml ) and methanol : water = 1 : 1 ( 50 ml ). the aqueous layer was washed with hexane ( 3 × 50 ml ) to remove the excess triphenylphosphine and the aqueous layer was extracted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 3 × 50 ml ). the combined ch 2 cl 2 layer was washed with water ( 100 ml ), dried over na 2 so 4 , and evaporated to dryness to give 1 . 4 g crude product that was crystallized from 1 , 2 - dichloroethane ( 11 ml ) and ethyl acetate ( 25 ml ) at − 20 ° c . the crystals were washed with ethyl acetate and hexane and dried under high vacuum to give ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy -( β - ionylideneethyl ) triphenyl - phosphonium chloride ( 12 ) ( 1 . 27 g , 2 . 46 mmol ; 60 %) as a grayish powder . preparation of ( 3s )- 3 - hydroxy -( β - ionylideneethyl ) triphenylphosphonium chloride ( 13 ) from ( 3s )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 9 ) via ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - vinyl - β - ionol ( 11 ) employing the same procedure outlined in example 13 , ( 3s )- 3 - hydroxy - β - ionone ( 9 ) ( 0 . 852 g , 4 . 1 mmol ) was transformed into ( 3s )- 3 - hydroxy -( β - ionylideneethyl ) triphenyl - phosphonium chloride ( 13 ) ( 1 . 17 g , 2 . 26 mmol , 55 %). a mixture of ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy -( β - ionylideneethyl ) triphenylphosphonium chloride ( 12 ) ( 300 mg , 0 . 58 mmol ), c 10 - dialdehyde 6 ( 45 . 4 mg , 0 . 28 mmol ), 1 , 2 - epoxybutane ( 0 . 5 ml ) in ethanol ( 5 ml ) was refluxed under n 2 and the course of the reaction was monitored by hplc ( eluent a ). after 22 h , hplc showed the completion of the reaction . the product was filtered and the solids were washed with ethanol . crystallization from ch 2 cl 2 and hexane gave a red solid that was identified from its nmr , cd , uv - vis , and ms spectra as ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- zeaxanthin ( 1 ) ( 68 mg , 0 . 12 mmol , 43 %). the product was shown by chiral hplc ( eluent c ) to have an enantiomeric excess ( ee ) of 96 %. a mixture of ( 3s )- 3 - hydroxy -( β - ionylideneethyl ) triphenylphosphonium chloride ( 13 ) ( 300 mg , 0 . 58 mmol ), c 10 - dialdehyde 6 ( 45 . 4 mg , 0 . 28 mmol ), 1 , 2 - epoxybutane ( 0 . 5 ml ) in ethanol ( 5 ml ) was refluxed under n 2 and the course of the reaction was monitored by hplc ( eluent a ). after 22 h , hplc showed the completion of the reaction . the product was filtered and the solids were washed with ethanol . crystallization from ch 2 cl 2 and hexane gave a red solid that was identified from its nmr , cd , uv - vis , and ms spectra as ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- zeaxanthin ( 2 ) ( 63 mg , 0 . 11 mmol , 39 %); according to chiral hplc ( eluent c ) this product was obtained in 96 % ee . a mixture of ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy - β - apo - 12 ′- carotenal ( 19 ) ( 100 mg , 0 . 27 mmol ), ( 3s )- 3 - hydroxy -( β - ionylideneethyl ) triphenylphosphonium chloride ( 13 ) ( 109 mg , 0 . 30 mmol ), 1 , 2 - epoxybutane ( 0 . 25 ml ) in ethanol ( 5 ml ) was refluxed under n 2 and the course of the reaction was monitored by hplc ( eluent a ). after 6 h , hplc showed the completion of the reaction . the product was filtered and the solids were washed with ethanol . crystallization from ch 2 cl 2 and hexane gave a red solid that was identified as ( 3r , 3 ′ s ; meso )- zeaxanthin ( 3 ) ( 91 mg , 0 . 16 mmol , 59 %). a mixture of β - apo - 12 ′- carotenal ( 20 ) ( 158 mg , 0 . 45 mmol ), ( 3r )- 3 - hydroxy -( β - ionylideneethyl ) triphenylphosphonium chloride ( 12 ) ( 269 mg , 0 . 52 mmol ), 1 , 2 - epoxybutane ( 0 . 39 ml ) in ethanol ( 5 ml ) was refluxed under n 2 . after 6 h , the product was filtered and the solids were washed with ethanol . crystallization from ch 2 cl 2 and hexane gave a red solid that was identified as ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin ( 4 ) ( 177 mg , 0 . 32 mmol ; 70 %) by comparison of its nmr , cd , and uv - vis spectra with those of standard sample of this carotenoid . the product was shown by chiral hplc ( eluent d ) to have an optical purity of 99 % ( ee ). β - apo - 12 ′- carotenal ( 20 ) ( 158 mg , 0 . 45 mmol ) was allowed to react with ( 3s )- 3 - hydroxy -( β - ionylideneethyl ) triphenylphosphonium chloride ( 13 ) ( 269 mg , 0 . 52 mmol ) in the presence of 1 , 2 - epoxybutane ( 0 . 39 ml ) under reflux in ethanol ( 5 ml ). after 6 h , the product was worked up and crystallized as described in example 18 to afford ( 3s )- β - cryptoxanthin ( 5 ) ( 177 mg , 0 . 32 mmol ; 70 %). the product was shown by chiral hplc ( eluent d ) to have an optical purity of 99 % ( ee ). having now fully described this invention , it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the same can be performed within a wide and equivalent range of conditions , formulations and other parameters without affecting the scope of the invention or any embodiment thereof . all patents , patent applications and publications cited herein are fully incorporated by reference herein in their entirety . | 2 |
in one embodiment , situation - based management ( sbm ) refers to a process of : identifying a domain ; identifying the classes of typical situations and their properties that are needed to manage the domain ; the classes of typical situations include start situations , transit situations , goal situations , preferred situations , safe situations , threat situations , fault situations , terminal situations ; identifying the criteria for evaluating situations and prioritizing situations ; instrumenting the domain with sensors , measurement agents , and event collection apparatus which provide events to an event correlation engine ; producing situation reports based on the situations , situation transitions , and events from the domain ; and ( optionally ) taking action in the domain based on the evaluation of the situations . a domain is any recognizable area of human activity which can be described as a set of domain entities , set of constraints defined for domain entities , set of relations between domain entities , set of actions over domain entities , set of events happening with domain entities , and set of situations . important properties of a domain for situation - based management include : the domain &# 39 ; s situations and their properties may be instrumented and observed or may be not directly instrumented and inferred from other observable situations the domain &# 39 ; s situations and their properties vary over time ; the situations can be evaluated using one or more criteria for preference . the goal of sbm is to recognize , evaluate , and manage the current domain so that ( a ) a historic sequence of situation transitions can be constructed that lead to the current situation ( diagnostic situation management ); ( b ) the current situation can be defined in the context of associated domain entities and their relations ( explanatory situation management ); ( c ) the current situation can be transformed into preferred , goal , or safe situations —( control situation management ); and ( d ) potential future situations will determined as transitions from the current situation ( predictive situation management ). an sbm method 11 , shown in fig1 , is one way to accomplish this . in fig1 , a domain 1 is instrumented with sensors and agents which measure attributes of the domain . event collection 3 provides events provided from the domain &# 39 ; s instrumentation for correlation by the event correlation 6 . event correlation 6 in turn ( a ) extracts the essential properties of the events collected by event collection 3 ; ( b ) tests the existence of essential constraints attached to the extracted properties of the events ; ( c ) tests the existence of essential relations between the events ; ( d ) tests the existence of essential constraints attached to the domain entities associated with the events ; ( e ) tests the existence of essential relations between the domain entities associated with the events ; ( f ) evaluates the correlation predicates defined over the tests ( b )-( e ); and ( g ) generates of an event corresponding to the correlation predicate . the situation manager 9 creates and updates situations using the essential events , synthetic events and other knowledge of the domain . the situation manager 9 evaluates the situations using some evaluation criteria . the situation viewer 14 uses the situations constructed by the situation manager 9 , and the situation evaluation criteria . the situation manager may take action 10 on the domain to positively influence the domain &# 39 ; s situations or mitigate the impact of the domain &# 39 ; s situations . information provided by event correlation 6 via communications channel 5 provides the means for reactive sbm , wherein there is relatively limited time and knowledge available for reacting to information provided by event collection 3 via communications channel 4 . information provided by situation manager 9 via communications channel 10 provides the means for deliberative sbm wherein there is relatively unlimited time and knowledge required for reacting to information provided by correlation 6 via communications channel 7 . fig2 shows example collection of events 15 , including events 15 . 1 - 15 . 7 provided by the event collection 3 for use by situation - based management 11 via communications channel 16 . the events 15 . 1 - 15 . 7 may include an indication of the time at which the event occurred . the events 15 . 1 - 15 . 7 contain observations from the domain . these observations may be measurements such as event 15 . 2 . these observations may be sensory oriented such as event 15 . 5 . events may contain modality such as “ it is suspect that sensor 123 exceeded threshold ”. fig3 shows example situations 17 and 18 created by situation - based management 11 . the situations have a summary description or type such as “ power disruption ” or “ chemical release ”. situations contain a set of properties which may be unique to the situation or common to different types of situations . the properties may contain actual values , values with likelihood estimates , incomplete values , default values , calculated values , inherited values , inferred values , or the values maybe unknown . the situation may contain evaluation criteria , such as “ priority ”. the situation may include relationships to other situations . the situations may have embedded actions . the situations may have component situations . the situations may have links to other situations . situations may have access authorization and authentication information . situations may have activation and expiration dates . situations may have comments and explanatory texts . the situation may be represented in several formats and may be structured or un - structured fig4 . shows that the situation viewer 14 may be a human observer 14 . 1 , an information system 14 . 2 , or a user interface 14 . 3 . a human observer 14 . 1 may be provided situations , situation reports , extracts of situations , abstracts or summaries of situations , or descriptions of situations through communications channel 12 such as a user interface , an instant message , an email , and a voice , image , or video input system . an information system 14 . 2 may interface to situation - based management 11 through various means for distributed information systems to exchange information such as messages , remote procedure calls , and shared databases . an information system 14 . 2 may be provided a situation , situation report , an extract of a situation , an abstract or summary of a situation or a description of a situation from situation - based management 11 by methods such as polling , subscription , retrieval , or function call . the situation , situation report , extract of a situation , abstract or summary of a situation , or description of a situation may be converted to a different format prior to or during the step of providing it to the information system 14 . 2 . in fig4 , the user interface 14 . 3 provides at least one modality by which situations , situation reports , extracts of situations , descriptions of situations , and events are presented . user interface modalities include visual , textual , tactile , and auditory . there may be various means to control the presentation such as a keyboard , a pointing device , or voice input . in fig4 , the situation viewer 14 may also operate on situation - based management 11 via communications channel 13 . these operations include changing properties of situations , creating new situations , modifying the knowledge base of situation - based management , and modifying the ontology of the situation manager . the situation viewer 14 may access , create , and change policies stored in a policy repository 20 that affect the behavior of the situation manager , including the situation evaluation criteria . the situation viewer 24 may take action on the domain of interest 1 via communications channel 19 . in another embodiment , sbm maps multi - level multi - sensor events to situations . in fig5 , the domain 1 is instrumented with sensors and agents which communicate through sensor networks 3 . 1 to provide sensor information and agent information to fusion elements 3 . 2 and 3 . 3 . the data provided by sensors may be unprocessed or raw , and it may be in digital or analog format . the sensor data may be provided asynchronously or synchronously . it may be provided through single channel or multiple channels . it may be unicast , multicast or broadcast . the sensors may be sensing single parameters or multiple parameters . the sensors may be sensing one - dimension or multi - dimensional . the sensors may be sensing continuously or discretely . in fig5 , fusion element 3 . 2 performs signal fusion . signal fusion operates on the sensor data to convert it to a digital format , to filter the sensor data , to enhance the sensor data at the signal level , to combine the signal data with related signal data , or to perform other signal processing operations on the data . in fig5 , fusion element 3 . 3 performs data fusion . data fusion operates on digital sensor data which may already be processed by signal fusion 3 . 2 . data fusion operates on the sensor data to clean the data , alias the data , convert the data to a uniform format , to aggregate the data , to persist the data , and other data fusion operations . in fig5 , situation - based management 11 may be provided information from stored data sources 22 such as data repositories , file systems , database management systems , textual retrieval systems , and data warehouses via communications channel 24 . situation - based management 11 may provide information to stored data sources 22 such as data repositories , file systems , database management systems , textual retrieval systems , and data warehouses via communications channel 23 . in fig5 , the sbm 11 may direct the operation of signal fusion 3 . 2 and data fusion 3 . 3 via communications channel 5 . the signal fusion 3 . 2 and data fusion 3 . 3 may be embedded in the sensor network or sensors . the signal fusion 3 . 2 and data fusion 3 . 3 may be omitted for some sensors and sensor networks . the methods of signal fusion and data fusion are described in many sources , and are known to those familiar with the art . in fig6 , one preferred embodiment for realizing sbm 11 is shown . instrumented system or domain of interest 1 provide signal and data to signal fusion engines and data fusion engines 3 . 1 - 3 . 4 . the sbm system 11 is composed of an event correlation engine 6 and a situation manager 9 . the event correlation engine 6 may use a general - purpose rules engine such as clips ( c language integrated production system ) to execute the correlation rules . the types of rules used by the event correlation engine 6 include : event compression ( 1 ) is the task of reducing multiple occurrences of identical events into a single representative of the events . the number of occurrences of the event is not taken into account . the meaning of the compression correlation is almost identical to the single event a , except that additional contextual information is assigned to the event to indicate that this event happened more than once . event filtering ( 2 ) is the most widely used operation to reduce the number of events . if some parameter p ( a ) of event a , e . g ., priority , type , location , time stamp , etc ., does not fall into the set of predefined legitimate values h , then event a is simply discarded or provided to a log file . the decision to filter event a out or not is based solely on the specific characteristics of event a . in more sophisticated cases , set h could be dynamic and depend on user - specified criteria or criteria calculated by the system . event suppression ( 3 ) is a context - sensitive process in which event a is temporarily inhibited depending on the dynamic operational context c . the context c is determined by the presence of other event ( s ), available resources , management priorities , or other external requirements . a subsequent change in the operational context could lead to delivery of the suppressed event . temporary suppression of multiple events and control of the order of their exhibition is a basis for dynamically focusing the event correlation . another type of correlation ( 4 ) results from counting and thresholding the number of repeated arrivals of identical events . event escalation ( 5 ) assigns a higher value to some parameter p ( a ) of event a , usually the severity , depending on the operational context , e . g ., the number of occurrences of the event . event generalization ( 6 ) is a correlation in which event a is replaced by its super class b . event generalization has high utility for situation management . it allows one to deviate from a low - level perspective of events and view situations from a higher level . event specialization ( 7 ) is an opposite procedure to event generalization . it substitutes an event with a more specific subclass of this event . correlation type ( 8 ) uses temporal relation t between events a and b to correlate depending on the order and time of their arrival . event clustering ( 9 ) allows the creation of complex correlation patterns using boolean operators over conditional ( predicate ) terms . the terms in the pattern could be primary events or the higher - level events generated by the correlation process . in fig6 , the event correlation rule “ unit - support - correlation - rule ” 6 . 1 shows the practice of event correlation in sbm . suppose an event of type a was provided at time t1 from a some tank labeled as ? tank1 , but during the following 1 - minute ( 60 second ) interval an expected event of type b was not provided from some tank ? tank2 . it is also noted that tanks ? tank1 and ? tank2 form a unit , where ? tank1 is the leader and tank ? tank2 is the deputy supporting tank ? tank1 . the prefix ‘?’ refers to a variable . the events to be correlated , then , are a and not - b . note that not - b is treated as an event . the additional constraints are that ( i ) a temporal constraint that the event not - b comes 60 seconds later than a ; this constraint is implemented using the temporal relation after , and ( ii ) tanks are in a unit , where the second tank supports the first one ; this constraint is implemented using a domain specific relation supported_by . if the conditions of the rule unit_support_correlation_rule are true , then the event unit_contact_lost_situation with the attribute values msg1 , ? tank1 , ? msg2 , ? tank2 , and ? t are provided to the situation manager 9 . the temporal relation after is defined as shown below , along with definitions of other temporal relations . those versed in temporal logic and temporal reasoning will readily understand these and similar frameworks for dealing with time - based events . let e1 and e2 be two events where e1 =( msg1 , [ t1 , t1 ′]) and e2 =( msg2 , [ t2 , t2 ′]). event e2 by an interval of h starts after event e1 : e 2 after ( h ) e 1 12 & gt ; t 1 + h ( 1 ) e 2 follows ( h ) e 1 t 2 ≧ t 1 ′+ h ( 2 ) if e 2 follows ( h ) e 1 then e 2 after ( d + h ) e 1 ( 3 ) event e2 by an interval h ends before event e1 ends : e 2 before ( h ) e 1 t 1 ′≧ t 2 ′+ h ( 4 ) if e 2 during e 1 , then e 2 after e 1 and e 2 before e 1 ( and vice versa ) ( 7 ) if e 2 after ( h ) e 1 and e 1 after ( h ) e 2 then e 1 starts e 2 ( and vice versa ) ( 9 ) e 2 coincides with e 1 t 1 = t 2 and t 1 ′= t 2 ′ ( 12 ) as a consequence of the definition of coincident events , the following is true : if e 2 coincides with e 1 then e 2 starts e 1 and e 2 finishes e 1 ( and vice versa ) ( 13 ) if e 2 during e 1 and e 1 during e 2 then e 1 coincides with e 1 ( and vice versa ) ( 14 ) if e 1 overlaps e 2 then e 2 after ( h ) e 1 and e 1 before ( h ) e 2 . ( 16 ) in fig6 , correlated events are provided by the event correlation engine 6 to the situation manager 9 which is constructed using a cbr engine 9 . 1 . when correlated events 9 . 1 . 2 are provided to the cbr system 9 . 1 , four steps 9 . 1 . 3 - 9 . 1 . 6 are performed by the cbr engine 9 . 1 . first , the set of events is compared to a library of case templates 9 . 1 . 7 , and a set of maximally similar cases is retrieved in the retrieve step 9 . 1 . 3 . in the practice of cbr , a number of retrieval algorithms have been proposed . the simplest and weakest algorithm is key - term matching ; the most complex but strongest algorithm is analogy - based matching . the case library can be thought of as a set of former experiences with situations that are potentially similar to the situation at hand . typically a former situation has to be adapted in some way to render it applicable to the nuances of a current situation . this is the task of an adapt step 9 . 1 . 4 . in the practice of cbr , a number of adaptation algorithms have been proposed . null adaptation covers those episodes wherein a past situation is exactly like a current situation ; adaptation by substitution covers those episodes in which an object that occurs as a descriptor in the current situation should be substituted throughout for an object that occurs as a descriptor in the retrieved case . in the execute step 9 . 1 . 5 , a command or action recommended by the retrieved / adapted case may be executed . the execution may be conducted manually or may be carried out automatically by the operator 14 . 1 , either in supervised or unsupervised mode . the execution of an action or plan may involve cooperation with other individuals . the results of the execution are recorded in the case and the case is entered back into the case library 9 . 1 . 7 by the organize step 9 . 1 . 6 . in most cbr systems , the case library is structured as a sequential list , much like a stack of paper forms . in the practice of cbr , there have been several proposals for more complex memory structures . one proposal is the concept of a master case . a master case is one in which all the problem - solving experiences with a particular , well - defined situation are subsumed in one case . this is in contrast with the sequential memory in which each problem - solving experience is confined to a unique case . in addition to using the cbr engine 9 . 1 to create situations and adapt situation templates for later use , the situation manager 9 manages the situations 17 , 18 including determining when to remove a situation and when to update a previously created situation based on an event 9 . 1 . 2 . in fig6 , the situations 17 , 18 are viewed by a situation viewer such as a user 14 . 1 . the practice of software architecture for distributed systems includes using standard middleware services or components with well - defined functionality and standard inter - component communication protocols . this type of distributed software architecture allows the building of open , scalable , and customizable systems . the encapsulation of the idiosyncrasies of components and the addition , replication , and replacement of components provide an effective environment for developing multi - paradigm , fault - tolerant , and high - performance systems . various software technologies can be used as the infrastructure of distributed systems , including corba ( common object request broker architecture ), jini , web services , j2ee ( java 2 enterprise edition ), jain slee ( service logic execution environment ) and dcom ( distributed component object model ). in fig7 , one preferred embodiment for realizing sbm using middleware services is shown 25 . the core services are naming , directory , time , subscription , logging , and scripting 42 , which are building blocks to build the application services . there are four real - time application services : signal fusion 31 , data fusion 32 , event correlation 33 , and cbr 34 . these services are connected to a fast real - time event channel 29 . the event channel 29 transports events between services , in which the transport is reliable , fast , and secure . event mediation 28 performs the connectivity and protocol conversion functions so that sensor and intelligence data can reach the signal fusion 31 , data fusion 32 , and event correlation 33 services . event notification 30 provides facilities for subscribing to and filtering events . in fig7 , sbm is implemented using event correlation service 33 , case - based reasoning service 34 , ontology service 39 , and knowledge service 40 . the ontology service 39 and knowledge service 40 provide domain modeling , knowledge representation , and reasoning facilities used by the event correlation service 33 and the case - based reasoning service 34 . other services available for application use include ( i ) topology 37 to store , represent , and manipulate information about connectivity , containment , and structural relationships , ( ii ) data adaptation 42 to perform data and knowledge translation functions , ( iii ) security 38 , ( iv ) presentation 35 to support the user interface . in fig7 , sensor data 26 is carried by the real - time event channel 29 to signal fusion 31 and data fusion 32 . the fused events are carried by the real - time event channel 29 to the event correlation service 33 , which may reference the ontology service 39 and knowledge service 40 via the data and knowledge transfer channel 36 to produce correlated events for the cbr service 34 . the cbr service 34 produces situations which are presented to situation monitoring clients 27 using the presentation service 35 . in agent - based software architecture , system function is distributed into modules of autonomous or semi - autonomous software objects called agents . the collective set of communicating agents forms a multi - agent system . a common communication paradigm for multi - agent systems is message passing . in order for agents to cooperate and to enable certain problem solving paradigms , agents may be implemented using a common agent framework . example agent architectures using the fipa ( foundation for intelligent physical agents ) framework include agent development kit ( adk ), lightweight extensible agent platform ( leap ), and java agent development framework ( jade ). fig8 shows an sbm system implemented as a multi - agent system . each oval such as 44 and 45 represents a collection of collaborating agents performing a common functional task . in fig8 , arrows between ovals represent information flow between agents , which may be carried by messages . real - time data 54 from sensors , field observations , and other sources is provided to signal and data fusion agents 52 . signal fusion agents 52 filter , enhance and combine signal data or perform other signal processing operations . data fusion agents 52 clean , alias , convert , aggregate , and persist real - time data . data fusion agents 52 produce events which are provided to event correlation agents 50 which perform the event correlation functions in sbm . synthesized and correlated events are provided by event correlation agents 50 to situation model construction agents 48 which create situations corresponding to the synthesized and correlated events . these situations are analyzed by situation analysis and prediction agents 45 to identify potential future situations . agents 50 and 48 correspond to the event correlation and situation management functions in sbm . presentation of the situations to analysts 43 is coordinated by information presentation and user interface agents 44 . ontology management agents 47 and knowledge discovery agents 49 maintain knowledge bases which are used by the situation analysis and prediction agents 45 . the ontology knowledge base provides semantic information to sbm having to do with the representation of entities in a domain of interest , including synonyms , antonyms , specific - to - general relationships , general - to - specific relations , sibling relationships , and other semantic relationships . the ontology knowledge base may be considered a semantic net that provides information to sbm . situation modeling and construction agents 45 may also request data from query planning agents 51 which query various distributed data repositories . fig9 shows situation templates 9 . 1 . 7 . 1 - 9 . 1 . 7 . 4 as they might be stored in a situation template library 9 . 1 . 7 for use by the situation manager . these templates may have fields or elements such as : situation template identifier , threat type , related situations , location of situation , date & amp ; time when situation occurred , history of the situation , projections or predications of this situation , known information ; expected information ; recommended action ; executable action ; information needing to be acquired about the situation ; information needing to be verified about the situation ; situation attribute conflicts with other situation attributes ; and priority of this situation . the values of the fields or elements in situation templates may be unconstrained , represented by a value of “?”. the values of the fields in situation templates may be constrained to a specific value or to satisfy an arbitrary relationship such as these constraints from situation template 9 . 1 . 7 . 4 : power level by circuit : {& gt ; 400 w , & gt ; 2000 w , & gt ; 900 w }; threshold by circuit : {= 500 w , = 1800 w , = 1000 w }; and power use change rate : & gt ; 100 w / minute . when the situation manager evaluates the use of a situation template , these constraints must be satisfied by the events that the new situation encompasses . situation templates can be predefined by the designers of the sbm system or created from pre - processing a set of situations . these templates can be unconstrained , partially constrained , or completely constrained . the sm can adapt situations that it has recognized into situation templates and store these new situation templates in the situation template library 9 . 1 . 7 . for example , situation template 9 . 1 . 7 . 4 is adapted from situation template 9 . 1 . 7 . 4 via adaptation step 9 . 1 . 4 by the addition of constraints for “ power level by circuit ”, “ threshold by circuit ”, and “ power use change ”. when the situation uses case - based reasoning , the situation templates are cases and the situation template library is a case library . in fig1 the four steps of cbr are shown : retrieve 9 . 1 . 3 , adapt 9 . 1 . 4 , execute 9 . 1 . 5 , and organize 9 . 1 . 6 . one or more events 9 . 1 . 2 are provided to the retrieve step 9 . 1 . 3 . the retrieve step 9 . 1 . 3 is also provided one or more situation templates from the situation template library 9 . 1 . 7 whereupon the retrieve step 9 . 1 . 3 matches candidate situation templates with the set of events , using matching techniques 9 . 1 . 3 . 1 such as : the result of the retrieve step 9 . 1 . 3 is to select one or more situation templates . if no situation template is selected , then cbr may wait for further events 9 . 1 . 2 or may query the user to select a situation template . when the retrieve step 9 . 1 . 3 selects a situation template from the matching process , the adapt step 9 . 1 . 4 follows and performs one or more of the modification steps 9 . 1 . 4 . 1 on the situation template such as : null adaptation , adaptation by substitution , parameterized adaptation , procedural adaptation , abstraction / respecialization , and critic - based adaptation . when the retrieve step 9 . 1 . 3 . 1 selects a situation template that exactly matches the events 9 . 1 . 2 , then no adaptation is needed , and the situation template is directly instantiated . the result of the adapt step 9 . 1 . 4 is to instantiate the adapted situation template with information from the events 9 . 1 . 2 . the instantiated or populated situation template is a situation . the situation may contain actions to perform . if there are no actions to perform , the instantiated or populated situation may be available to the situation manager . the execute step 9 . 1 . 5 follows the adapt step 9 . 1 . 4 . if actions are present in the situation , and conditions for performing the actions are satisfied , then the execute step either performs the actions , provides notifications to users or agents or systems to perform the actions , or if an action manager is present in the situation manager , may provide notifications to the action manager to perform the actions . the execute step 9 . 1 . 5 may perform actions in different modes 9 . 1 . 5 . 1 including manual execution , unsupervised execution , supervised execution , and cooperative execution . the results of the execute step 9 . 1 . 5 are stored in the situation . after the execute step 9 . 1 . 5 , the instantiated or populated situation is available to the situation manager . the organize step 9 . 1 . 6 enters adapted situation templates into the situation template library 9 . 1 . 7 for future use . the situation template library 9 . 1 . 7 may be organized in a number of ways 9 . 1 . 6 . 1 , including sequential memory , hierarchical memory , meshed memory , belief network , and master cases . in fig1 , sbm 11 for one domain 1 may be coordinated with sbm 62 for another domain 57 along communications channels 55 and 56 . the types of coordination including providing situation templates , adapted situation templates , situations , events , actions , and other information from one sbm to another . this type of coordination may be important when two sbm systems manage two related domains . in fig1 , sbm 11 and sbm 76 may provide situation templates , adapted situation templates , situations , events , actions , and other information to another sbm 73 along communications channel 67 . this type of coordination may be important when one sbm 73 is managing a domain that is a superset or hierarchically superior to the domains managed by sbm 11 and sbm 76 . in fig1 , sbm 73 and other sbms may provide situation templates , adapted situation templates , situations , events , actions , and other information to another sbm 86 . further , sbm 86 and other sbms may provide situation templates , adapted situation templates , situations , events , actions , and other information to another sbm 93 . the situation viewer 85 may view , manage , modify , and execute situations produced by sbm 73 and other sbms . likewise situation viewer 92 may view , manage , modify , and execute situations produced by sbm 86 as well as by sbm 73 other sbms . this may correspond to the practice of sbm in hierarchical or multi - layered configuration . such practice might occur if sbm 73 and other sbms manage different neighborhoods or areas of a city a , if sbm 86 manages city a and other sbms each manage other cities in a region r , and sbm 93 manages region r and other sbms manage other regions in a state or province or country . ii . coordination of a situation manager and event correlation in situation - based management according to another aspect of the invention , a method and apparatus are provided for coordination of a situation manager and event correlation in situation - based management . in fig1 , ec 6 provides a collection of events 15 , including for example events 15 . 1 - 15 . 7 , to the sm 9 . each event has a date and time indication and contains the description , properties and other attributes of the event . the ec &# 39 ; s 6 schedule of providing events to the sm 9 may be asynchronous or synchronous with the sm &# 39 ; s schedule of processing events . in the asynchronous case , the ec 6 may provide events immediately upon synthesizing them or may temporarily buffer such events depending on resource availability or the relative priority of activities the ec is performing . in the synchronous case , the ec 6 and sm 9 operate on the same periodic schedule of providing events from the ec 6 to the sm 9 . the number of events provided in a periodic schedule may be zero or more . in fig1 , the sm first is provided one or more events 95 from the ec . the sm then determines if a situation corresponding to these events already exists ( 96 ). for each such situation , the sm selects ( 99 ) and updates ( 100 ) the situation with information from the event . in updating the situation , the sm may use various reasoning paradigms , collect additional information , refer to situation transition graphs , and provide information to the user . if no situation corresponding to these events already exists , then the sm selects ( 97 ) one or more templates from the situation template library and then populates ( 98 ) the situation template to create a situation . the sm may also adapt the situation , execute actions , and organize the situation template library . in addition to the steps shown in fig1 , the sm may also update the situation transition graph and develop projected situations . in fig1 , the sequence of steps 101 is shown in time order , corresponding to the steps : one or more events provided 95 , situation already exists : y 96 , select situation 99 , and update situation 100 . the steps are sequential and non - overlapping . similarly , the sequence of steps 102 are shown in time order , and are sequential and non - overlapping . in fig1 , the sequence of steps 95 - 96 - 99 - 100 - 103 are shown as sequential and possibly overlapping . similarly , the sequence of steps 104 - 96 - 97 - 98 - 105 are shown as sequential and possibly overlapping . the amount of overlap of a step varies by the operation , available resources , and synchronization constraints between successive steps . the benefit of overlap is increased performance due to more steps being performed in a given time segment . in fig1 , there are three parallel sequences of operations ( labeled 106 , 107 , and 108 ). operation 106 is the sequence 95 - 96 - 99 - 100 - 104 - 96 - 97 - 98 . operation 107 is the sequence 109 - 110 - 111 - 112 - 113 - 114 - 115 - 116 . operation 108 is the sequence 117 - 118 - 119 - 120 - 121 - 122 - 123 - 124 . these parallel sequences are concurrent activities , which might be realized on a multiprocessor computer or using distributed processing in a data processing network . these parallel sequences might be implemented in separate computer operating system tasks or processes , in a single process with one thread per activity , or using some other computer system concurrency paradigm . each sequence of operation 106 , 107 , and 108 has sequential and possibly overlapping steps . fig1 teaches that concurrent sequences of sm operations can be active , where each sequence may have sequential overlapping steps . according to another aspect of the invention , a method and apparatus are provided for the providing context - sensitive information from the situation manager to the event correlator . as an example , consider a current situation that is believed to be in effect . the parameter values of the situation may be partially instantiated so that the confidence level of the situation is less than perfect . the situation may contain parameters which , if provided , may increase the confidence level of the situation . thus , the sbm may take action to be provided the missing information or provide instructions to external resources , such as the ec , to provide such information . as a more concrete example , suppose a retrieved situation holds a particular decision for a problem where the decision is based on the value of a variable x in some event message : retrieved situation given situation sand parameter x , then perform action a ( x ) perform action b ( x ) make decision d = c ( a ( x ), b ( x )) here , a , b , and c may be functions that take a numeric x as a parameter or they may be inferences from a symbolic x . in practice , a user might find that the decision is inadequate because an additional parameter y appears that renders the decision unworkable . the introduction of a new parameter y , forces us to modify the initial function b ( x ) and define a new function b ′( x , y ). further , parameter x in the current situation might be some new value of x , say x . the user can adapt the situation using parameterized and critic - based adaptation as follows : adapted situation given situation s , and parameters x and y perform action a ( x ) if x = x then perform z = b ( x ) else if x = x and y then perform action z = b ′( x , y ) make decision d = c ( a ( x ), z ) the adapted situation that is organized in the situation repository will cover future problem - solving situations in which only x is available and in which both x and y are available . also , it is expected that further experiences with situation swill enhance the knowledge required to perform tasks in future situation that are similar to s . in this way , the system &# 39 ; s knowledge is improved with experience . this example demonstrates three features : first , it demonstrates how the system exhibits a degree of learning with use . second , it demonstrates how alternative situations can be ranked with certainty factors based on the available information . the situation produced when both x and y are available would have higher rank than a situation produced when only x is available , all else being equal . third , it demonstrates how the system may uncover impediments or opportunities . the situation may be retrieved when only x is available , whereupon the system provides instructions or other information regarding the need for y . fig1 shows an apparatus with event correlation 6 and situation manager 9 . fig1 also shows the flow of information between situation manager 9 and event correlation 6 via communication channels 7 and 8 respectively . the events that are provided from event correlation 6 via communications channel 7 are used to invoke situations by situation manager 9 . such situations may be considered as hypotheses with some degree of confidence , probability , or certainty . in reverse direction , via communications channel 7 , a hypothesized situation may suggest further information which , if it were available , would strengthen the hypothesis . situation manager 9 may provide information to event correlation 6 whereupon event correlation 6 takes some actions . additionally , situation manager 9 may alert the operator of an opportunity to provide information via the situation viewer 14 via communications channel 12 . fig1 shows a scenario in which situation manager 9 provides information 126 , including information 126 . 1 , 126 . 2 , and 126 . 3 to event correlation 6 via communications channel 8 . in the case of fig1 , information 126 . 1 , 126 . 2 , and 126 . 3 have to do with the need for additional information based on the context provided by the current situation in affect . for example , in situation 125 , “ security perimeter ” value is “ unknown ” and “ crime in vicinity ” value is “ none reported .” information 126 . 1 and 126 . 2 call for a need of information , whereas information 126 . 3 calls for a query to an external source for additional information . information 126 . 1 , 126 . 2 , and 126 . 3 may be provided by situation manager 9 individually , or they may be provided in a batch . further , situation manager 9 may schedule the providing of information to event correlation 6 . fig1 shows another scenario in which situation manager 9 provides information to event correlation 6 via communications channel 8 . in the case of fig1 , information 126 . 4 calls for the withdrawal of a query . in other embodiments , information may call for the withdrawal of a need for information or the withdrawal of an instruction . fig2 shows another scenario in which situation manager 9 provides information 126 , including information 126 . 5 and 126 . 6 to event correlation 6 via communications channel 8 . in the case of fig2 , information 126 . 5 and 126 . 6 indicate information that has been inferred by situation manager 9 and provided for event correlation 6 . fig2 likewise shows situation manager 9 providing information 126 . 2 to event correlation 6 via communications channel 8 . fig2 furthers shows event correlation 6 providing information to data repository 128 via communications channel 129 and being provided information from data repository 128 via communications channel 130 . fig2 furthers shows event correlation 6 providing information 127 , including information 127 . 1 and 127 . 2 to external signal fusion process 3 . 2 and data fusion process 3 . 3 via communications channel 5 and being provided information from same via communications channel 4 . fig2 further shows situation manager 9 providing information to situation viewer 12 and situation viewer 12 providing information directly to the instrumented system or domain of interest 1 via communications channel 19 . in fig2 , event correlation 6 performs the function of brokering or managing the context - sensitive information provided by situation manager 9 . in one embodiment , event correlation 6 performs a pass - through function in which context - sensitive information is provided directly to data repository 128 , signal fusion process 3 . 2 , or data fusion process 3 . 3 . in such embodiment , event correlation 6 may act as event manager or event broker . in a second embodiment , event correlation performs a “ pre - processor and decision - maker ” function in which context - sensitive information provided by situation manager 9 is combined with other known information in ec &# 39 ; s memory , and as a result information is provided to data repository 128 , signal fusion process 3 . 2 , and data fusion process 3 . 3 . such information may not necessarily be the same as the context - sensitive information provided by situation manager 9 . in yet a third embodiment , event correlation 6 may perform a “ pre - processor , decision maker , and event correlation ” function in which the total collection of events known by event correlation 6 are combined to infer a new event or a new quality of an event . according to another aspect of the invention , a method and apparatus are provided for creating and utilizing a situation transition graph ( stg ) in situation - based management . while considering dynamic and evolving situations over time , we are interested not only in the parameter values of some situation at some particular time , but also in the nature of how situations change . the dynamics of situations are reflected by situation transitions . a situation transition is a relationship between two situations in which one situation is the start of the transition , hereafter start - situation , and the other is the end of the transition , hereafter end - situation . a situation transition represents a sequential , iterational or serial progression from one situation to another situation . a situation may be a start - situation for one or more end - situations . a situation may be an end - situation for one or more start - situations . a situation may be both a start - situation and an end - situation . theoretically , it is possible to use the model of finite state machines ( fsm ) or state transition graphs to describe these transitions ; however , the simplicity of state specifications and augmentation of transitions with simple input / output variables make these approach ineffective for situation management . using dynamic situations for describing situations and using event correlation and other techniques for determining situation transitions provide a more powerful tool for defining the dynamics of the situation changes over time . in sbm , situation transitions may involve complex logical and modal conditions defined over multiple events and situations which are not effectively represented in fsm . the overall process of modeling the dynamics of situations over time involves a means by which to cause a transition from one situation to another as shown in fig2 . in fig2 , it is seen that situation 1 . 1 ( 131 ) is a current situation that has been recognized by sbm 11 . in addition to sbm recognizing situation 1 . 1 , the sbm provides events that may cause the movement from situation 1 . 1 ( 131 ) to situation 1 . 2 ( 132 ) or situation 1 . 1 . 1 ( 133 ). events 15 that are processed by sbm 11 may include sensor events , intelligence events , environmental events , and the like , and the presence of same or inferences therefrom by sbm 11 may cause the movement from one situation to a possible future situation , as shown by the dotted line from sbm 111 to the arc connecting situation 1 . 1 ( 131 ) and situation 1 . 2 ( 132 ). this process can be performed repeatedly , depending upon the events that are processed by sbm 11 , as shown by a second dotted line from sbm 11 to the arc connecting situation 1 . 2 ( 132 ) and situation 1 . 3 ( 134 ). during this modeling process certain situations are identified as the start , target , undesirable , and transitional situations . other types of situations can be introduced depending on the objectives of the modeling process and the characteristics of the domain under consideration . for example , one of the tasks in dynamic battle - space situation modeling is the identification of enemy threats and actions to avoid catastrophic situations or reach winning situations . in fig2 , situations indicated by darkened circles , namely 1 . 1 . 1 ( 133 ), 1 . 3 . 1 ( 135 ), 1 . 3 . 1 . 1 ( 136 ), and 1 . 3 . 2 . 1 ( 137 ) could be considered as potential threat situations . the transitions between situations may be driven by various methods , including : event driven situation transition ; assumption driven situation transition ; statistical correlation driven situation transition ; analogical reasoning driven situation transition ; and action driven situation transition . event driven situation transition determines the next situation based on the presence of certain events issuing from sbm 11 , which may result from sbm processing as described earlier . assumption driven situation transition is similar to event driven transition ; however , in this case the transition is not undertaken due to incomplete , missing , or inexact information . the objective is to hypothesize or assume the occurrence of an event and to project the possible movement from some current situation to a future situation based on the hypothesis . the result of this aspect of the embodiment should be interpreted as a method of providing an early warning of potential threat situations if such - and - such events were to be provided by sbm 11 . action driven situation transition is similar to the event driven situation transition , where an action is provided by an sbm internal scheduling process , defined by a user , instructed by external system , or inflicted by an adversary . statistical correlation driven situation transition provides transitions from one situation to another situation by first determining transition triggers based on a history of past known situations . for example , statistical correlation methods may determine that to some degree of probability , or to some degree of certainty , or to some degree of confidence , situation 1 . 2 ( 132 ) follows situation 1 . 1 ( 131 ) upon the occurrence of one or more events provided by sbm 11 . analogical reasoning driven situation transition provides the transitions from one situation to another situation by comparing a current situation in one domain to a situation in a second domain . fig2 shows an stg involving situation 1 . 1 ( 131 ), 1 . 2 ( 132 ), 1 . 3 ( 134 ), and 1 . 3 . 1 ( 135 ) in one domain . fig2 also shows a situation 9 . 3 ( 141 ), situation 9 . 4 ( 142 ) and situation 9 . 4 . 1 ( 143 ) in a second domain . for purposes of illustration , we may presume that leading numerals 1 and 9 indicate separate , but analogical domains such as a physical domain and a cyber - domain . situations in each domain are compared for similarity along some number of possible dimensions , including structural , semantic , temporal , and cause - and - effect dimensions . if such comparison determines a similarity beyond some pre - defined threshold , for example between situation 1 . 2 ( 132 ) and situation 9 . 3 ( 141 ), then it may be inferred that a movement from situation 9 . 3 ( 141 ) to situation 9 . 4 ( 142 ) will be similar to the movement of situation 1 . 1 ( 131 ) to situation 1 . 2 ( 132 ). the three arrows 138 , 139 , and 140 in fig2 illustrate that projected movements from situation 9 . 3 ( 141 ) to situation 9 . 4 ( 142 ) and then to situation 9 . 4 . 1 ( 143 ) follow the same pattern as the movement from situation 1 . 2 ( 132 ) to situation 1 . 3 ( 134 ) to situation 1 . 3 . 1 ( 135 ). in fig2 , the situation manager in sbm may create and manage multiple stgs . these may be disjoint , or as in the case of stg 144 and stg 145 which share situation 1 . 1 , overlapping . the sm may also combine or merge situations , as in the case of stg 146 which is a merger of the stg 144 and stg 145 . the sbm may also remove nodes from an stg , or prune an stg . stg 147 is a pruned version of stg 146 after removal of situation 1 . 3 . 1 . 1 , situation 1 . 3 . 1 . 2 and the transitions to these situations from situation 1 . 3 . 1 . as will be apparent to those familiar with the art , the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . although certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically illustrated and described herein , it is to be understood that variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . thus all variations are to be considered as part of the invention as defined by the following claims . | 6 |
attention is initially directed to fig1 and 2 which illustrate a preferred feedthrough pin subassembly 10 utilized in accordance with the present invention . the subassembly 10 is comprised of an elongate pin 12 , preferably formed of a solid electrically conductive material , having low electrical resistance and high corrosion resistance such as platinum iridium , preferably 90pt / 10ir . the pin 12 extends through , and is hermetically sealed to a header 14 . the header 14 is comprised of dielectric disks , e . g ., ceramic , 16 and 18 which sandwich a glass hollow cylinder 20 therebetween . the glass hollow cylinder is hermetically sealed to the pin 12 . the outer surface of the glass hollow cylinder 20 is sealed to the inner surface of an electrically conductive hollow member 22 , e . g ., titanium - 6ai - 4v . as will be seen hereinafter , the conductive hollow material 22 functions as a battery case endcap in the final product to be described hereinafter . attention is now directed to fig3 , and 5 which illustrate a preferred positive electrode strip 30 which is utilized in the fabrication of a preferred spirally wound jellyroll electrode assembly in accordance with the present invention . the positive electrode strip 30 is comprised of a metal substrate 32 formed , for example , of aluminum . positive electrode active material 34 , 36 is deposited , respectively on the upper and lower faces 38 and 40 of the substrate 32 . note in fig3 , and 5 that the right end of the substrate 32 is bare , i . e . devoid of positive active material on both the upper and lower faces 38 , 40 . it is to be pointed out that exemplary dimensions are depicted in fig1 - 5 and other figures herein . these exemplary dimensions are provided primarily to convey an order of magnitude to the reader to facilitate an understanding of the text and drawings . although the indicated dimensions accurately reflect one exemplary embodiment of the invention , it should be appreciated that the invention can be practiced utilizing components having significantly different dimensions . [ 0039 ] fig6 depicts an early process step for manufacturing a battery in accordance with the invention utilizing the pin subassembly 10 ( fig1 ) and the positive electrode strip 30 ( fig3 - 5 ). a topside electrode insulator ( not shown ), which may comprise a thin disk of dupont kapton ® polyimide film , is slipped onto the pin 12 adjacent the header 14 . in accordance with the present invention , the bare end of the electrode strip substrate 32 is electrically connected to the pin 12 preferably by resistance spot welding , shown at 44 . alternatively , substrate 32 may be ultrasonically welded to the pin 12 . the thinness , e . g . point 0 . 02 mm of the substrate 32 , makes it very difficult to form a strong mechanical connection between the substrate and the pin 12 . accordingly , in accordance with a significant aspect of the present invention , an elongate c - shaped mandrel 48 is provided to mechanically reinforce the pin 12 and secure the substrate 32 thereto . the mandrel 48 preferably comprises an elongate titanium or titanium alloy such as ti - 6ai - 4v tube 50 having a longitudinal slot 52 extending along the length thereof . the arrow 54 in fig6 depicts how the mandrel 48 is slid over the pin 12 and substrate 32 , preferably overlaying the line of spot welds 44 . the mandrel 48 , pin 12 , and substrate 32 are then preferably welded together , such as by resistance spot welding or by ultrasonic welding . alternatively , the mandrel 48 may be crimped onto the pin 12 at least partially closing the “ c ” to create a strong mechanical connection . in the case of forming only a mechanical connection and not necessarily a gas - tight electrical connection between the mandrel 48 and the pin and substrate , the mandrel material is preferably made of a material that will not lead to electrolysis . when used with electrolytes that tend to contain hydrofluoric acid , the mandrel is preferably made of 304 , 314 , or 316 stainless steels or aluminum or an alloy thereof chosen for its compatibility with the other materials . fig7 is an end view showing the step of crimping the mandrel 48 to the pin 12 and substrate 32 . supporting die 126 is used to support the mandrel 48 and crimping dies 124 and 125 are used to deform the edges of the mandrel 48 to bring them closer together and mechanically connect the mandrel 48 to the pin 12 and substrate 32 . by crimping in the direction of arrows 127 and 128 , a strong connection is formed without damaging the thin electrode or disturbing the electrical connection between the pin and the electrode . [ 0041 ] fig8 is an end view showing the slotted mandrel 48 on the pin 12 with the substrate 32 extending tangentially to the pin 12 and terminating adjacent the interior surface of the mandrel tube 50 . the tube 50 is preferably sufficiently long so as to extend beyond the free end of the pin 12 . as depicted in fig9 this enables a drive key 56 to extend into the mandrel slot 52 . [ 0042 ] fig1 schematically depicts a drive motor 60 for driving the drive key 56 extending into mandrel slot 52 . with the pin subassembly header 14 supported for rotation ( not shown ), energization of the motor 60 will orbit the key drive 56 to rotate the mandrel 48 and subassembly 10 around their common longitudinal axes . the rotation of the mandrel 48 and subassembly 10 is employed to form a jellyroll electrode assembly in accordance with the present invention . more particularly , fig1 depicts how a jellyroll electrode assembly is formed in accordance with the present invention . the bare end of the substrate 32 of the positive electrode strip 30 is electrically connected to the pin 12 as previously described . the conductive mandrel 48 contains the pin 12 and bare substrate end , being welded to both as previously described . a strip of insulating separator material 64 extending from opposite directions is introduced between the mandrel 48 and positive electrode substrate 32 , as shown . a negative electrode strip 70 is then introduced between the portions of the separator material extending outwardly from mandrel 48 . the preferred exemplary negative electrode strip 70 is depicted in fig1 - 15 . the negative electrode strip 70 is comprised of a substrate 72 , e . g . titanium , having negative active material formed on respective faces of the substrate . more particularly , note in fig1 that negative active material 74 is deposited on the substrate upper surface 76 and negative active material 78 is deposited on the substrate lower surface 80 . fig1 depicts the preferred configuration of the inner end 82 of the negative electrode strip 70 shown at the left of fig1 and 13 . fig1 depicts the configuration of the outer end 83 of the negative electrode strip 70 shown at the right side of fig1 and 13 . note in fig1 that one face of the substrate inner end 82 is bared . this configuration can also be noted in fig1 which shows how the negative substrate inner end 82 is inserted between turns of the separator strip 64 . after the strip 70 has been inserted as depicted in fig1 , the aforementioned drive motor 60 is energized to rotate pin 12 and mandrel 48 , via drive key 56 , in a counterclockwise direction , as viewed in fig1 . rotation of pin 12 and mandrel 48 functions to wind positive electrode strip 30 , separator strip 64 , and negative electrode strip 70 , into the spiral jellyroll assembly 84 , depicted in fig1 . the assembly 84 is comprised of multiple layers of strip material so that a cross section through the assembly 84 would reveal a sequence of layers in the form pos / sep / neg / sep / pos / sep / neg / . . . , etc . [ 0046 ] fig1 depicts a preferred configuration of the outer end 83 of the negative electrode strip 70 . note that the outer end 88 of the substrate 72 is bared on both its top and bottom faces . additionally , as shown in fig1 , a flexible metal tab 90 is welded crosswise to the substrate 72 so as to extend beyond edge 92 . more particularly , note that portion 94 of tab 90 is cantilevered beyond edge 92 of negative electrode strip 70 . this tab portion , as will be described hereinafter , is utilized to mechanically and electrically connect to an endcap for closing a battery case . attention is now called to fig1 , which illustrates a preferred technique for closing the jellyroll assembly 84 . that is , the bared end 88 of the negative electrode substrate 72 extending beyond the negative active material coat 78 is draped over the next inner layer of the jellyroll assembly 84 . the end 88 can then be secured to the next inner layer , e . g ., by appropriate adhesive tape 96 . one such suitable adhesive tape is dupont kapton ® polyimide tape . it is important to note that the outer end configuration 88 of the negative electrode strip 70 enables the outer radius dimension of the jellyroll assembly 84 to be minimized as shown in fig1 . more particularly , by baring the substrate 72 beyond the active material 78 , the tape 96 is able to secure the substrate end without adding any radial dimension to the jellyroll assembly . in other words , if the outer end of the substrate were not sufficiently bared , then the tape 96 would need to extend over the active material and thus add to the outer radius dimension of the jellyroll 84 . furthermore , the bare substrate 72 is more flexible than the substrate coated with active material 78 and conforms more readily to the jellyroll assembly 84 , making it easier to adhere it to the surface of the jellyroll . these space savings , although seemingly small , can be clinically important in certain medical applications . it should be noted that the electrode need only be bared at an end portion long enough to accommodate the tape 96 , as shown in fig1 . because the uncoated substrate does not function as an electrode , it would waste space in the battery to bare any more than necessary to accommodate the tape . in a preferred embodiment , the length of uncoated substrate is between 1 and 8 mm , and more preferably about 2 mm . [ 0048 ] fig1 depicts the completed jellyroll assembly 84 and shows the cantilevered tab portion 94 prior to insertion into a battery case body 100 . the case body 100 is depicted as comprising a cylindrical metal tube 101 having an open first end 104 and open second end 106 . arrow 107 represents how the jellyroll assembly 84 is inserted into the cylindrical tube 101 . fig2 depicts the jellyroll assembly 84 within the tube 101 with the cantilevered negative electrode tab 94 extending from the case open second end 106 . the case open first end 104 is closed by the aforementioned header 14 of the pin subassembly 10 shown in fig1 and 2 . more particularly , note that the metal hollow member 22 is configured to define a reduced diameter portion 108 and shoulder 110 . the reduced diameter portion 108 is dimensioned to fit into the open end 104 of the cylindrical tube 101 essentially contiguous with the tube &# 39 ; s inner wall surface . the shoulder 110 of the hollow member 22 engages the end of the case tube 101 . this enables the surfaces of the reduced diameter portion 108 and shoulder 110 to be laser welded to the end of the case 100 to achieve a hermetic seal . attention is now directed to fig2 - 24 , which depict the tab 94 extending from the second open end 106 of the case tube 101 . note that the tab 94 extends longitudinally from the body close to the case tube adjacent to tube &# 39 ; s inner wall surface . in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention , the tab 94 is welded at 110 to the inner face 112 of a circular second endcap 114 . in accordance with a preferred embodiment , the tab 94 is sufficiently long to locate the weld 110 beyond the center point of the circular endcap 114 . more particularly , note in fig2 - 24 that by locating the weld 110 displaced from the center of the cap 114 , the tab 94 can conveniently support the endcap 114 in a vertical orientation as depicted in fig2 misaligned with respect to the open end 106 . this end cap position approximately perpendicular to the end 122 of the case 100 is a first bias position wherein the end cap advantageously tends to remain in that orientation with the case end open prior to filling . to further describe the relationship between the weld location and the various components , fig2 shows a front view with various dimensions . l represents the length from the weld 110 to the top of the case 100 as measured parallel to the edge of the case . r is the radius of the end cap 114 . for the preferred geometry , l ≦ 2r . weld 110 is preferably made above the center point 111 of the end cap 114 . preferably , the end cap 114 overlaps the case 100 by approximately r / 2 . by configuring the tab 94 and weld 110 as indicated , the endcap 114 can be supported so that it does not obstruct the open end 106 , thereby facilitating electrolyte filling of the case interior cavity via open end 106 . a filling needle or nozzle can be placed through open end 106 to fill the case . this obviates the need for a separate electrolyte fill port , thereby reducing the number of components and number of seals to be made , thus reducing cost and improving reliability . furthermore , for small medical batteries , the end caps would be very small to have fill ports therein . in a preferred embodiment in which the case wall is very thin , for example , 0 . 002 inches , providing a fill port in the side wall of the case would be impractical . even in the case of larger devices where space is less critical and the wall is more substantial , providing a fill port in the side of the case would mean the electrolyte would have a very long path length to wet the jellyroll . note that while the case could be filled with electrolyte prior to welding tab 94 to endcap 114 , it would be difficult and messy to do so . therefore , it is advantageous to configure the tab 94 and weld 110 as described to allow the weld to be made prior to filling . preferably before filling , a bottomside electrode insulator ( not shown ), which may comprise a thin disk of dupont kapton ® polyimide film , is installed into the case between the rolled electrode assembly and the still open end of the battery case . in a preferred filing method , there is a channel of air between the pin and the crimped or welded c - shaped mandrel , which is used as a conduit for quickly delivering the electrolyte to the far end of the battery and to the inside edges of the electrodes within the jellyroll . filling from the far end of the battery prevents pockets of air from being trapped , which could form a barrier to further filling . this facilitates and speeds the filling process , ensuring that electrolyte wets the entire battery . thereafter , the flexible tab 94 can be bent to the configuration depicted in fig2 . note that the endcap 114 is configured similarly to header hollow member 22 and includes a reduced diameter portion 118 and a shoulder 120 . the reduced diameter portion snugly fits against the inner surface of the wall of tube 101 with the endcap shoulder 120 bearing against the end 122 of the cylindrical case 100 . the relatively long length of the tab 94 extending beyond the center point of the endcap surface 112 minimizes any axial force which might be exerted by the tab portion 94 tending to longitudinally displace the endcap 114 . the end cap position covering the end 122 of the case 100 is a second bias position wherein the end cap advantageously tends to remain in that orientation prior to welding . with the endcap in place , it can then be readily welded to the case wall 101 to hermetically seal the battery . with tab 90 welded to negative substrate 72 and with the negative electrode strip 70 as the outermost layer of the jellyroll , the endcap 114 becomes negative . in turn , welding the endcap 114 to the case 100 renders the case negative . from the foregoing , it should now be appreciated that an electric storage battery construction and method of manufacture have been described herein particularly suited for manufacturing very small , highly reliable batteries suitable for use in implantable medical devices . although a particular preferred embodiment has been described herein and exemplary dimensions have been mentioned , it should be understood that many variations and modifications may occur to those skilled in the art falling within the spirit of the invention and the intended scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
operation of the present invention is first explained in general terms in connection with the simplified block diagram of fig1 . in fig1 the device according to the present invention is shown as consisting substantially of an analysis unit 1 , a scanning device 2 , an active unit 3 , a cell feed device 4 , and a detector unit 7 . in this arrangement , the cell feed device 4 can suitably be connected upstream from a cell preselector 5 . the analysis unit 1 produces at least one light beam 6 with a power harmless to cells , especially for blood cells . this light beam 6 is projected by the scanning device 2 onto an image plane of an optical system and is advantageously scanned there in two directions ( x and y of a cartesian coordinate system ) if the image plane itself is stationary ; or is scanned only in one direction of such coordinate system , while the image plane is moved in the other direction . alternatively , it is also possible for the light beam 6 to be projected only onto the image plane by the scanning device 2 , and only the image plane is moved in a preset direction , so that no surface , as in the two preceding scanning cases , but only a line is scanned by the light beam 6 . the detector unit 7 detects the fluorescence emitted by individual cells successively stimulated by light beam 6 in the image plane and / or the light radiation reflected on these cells and / or the radiation scattered on these cells and / or the radiation emitted by the cells . in fig1 said emitted fluorescence and other response light beams are identified by the path 8 . the detector unit 7 generates at least one detector signal 9 , which corresponds to the detected emission and / or certain scattered or reflected radiation 8 . at least one detector signal 9 is applied to control devices within active unit 3 , and an activation signal is generated which activates a light source contained in active section 3 . this light source produces power light beam 10 , whose power is so high that it is sufficient for destroying or inactivating cells . this power light beam 10 is preferably fed to the optical system of scanning device 2 , so that it is projected on the same point of the image plane as was light beam 6 . this means that with stimulation of a cell by light beam 6 and with reception of a predetermined fluorescence emitted by this cell , or of a predetermined radiation reflected or scattered on this cell , the activation signal and power light beam 10 are produced ; since in the case of the cell a labeled relevant cell responsible for a syndrome is involved . this cell is then destroyed by the power light beam 10 . it is also possible for the analysis steps ( projection of light beam 6 ) and the steps of active intervention ( power light beam 10 ) to be performed separately in space and time . the cell feed device 4 feeds the cells to be examined or treated into an image plane within scanning device 2 . in this case the fed cells , if blood cells are involved , can be taken via pathway 16 from a patient &# 39 ; s blood circulation 11 as shown diagrammatically , and can be fed back in this blood circulation after therapy or examination has been performed . in the case shown , cell preselector 5 can be used . it draws out from the blood fed to it , illustratively by a centrifugal operation , an individual cell group , which may contain the cells relevant for the syndrome to be treated . in this case , only the removed relevant blood cells are brought by the cell feed device 4 into the image plane of the scanning device 2 . the remaining blood cells of the blood branched off from the blood circulation 11 are fed back to it immediately after cell preselector 5 via pathway 12 , while the treated blood cells are fed back into the blood circulation 11 from the image plane via pathway 13 . by means of this preselection , not all the blood cells of the blood supply but only the blood cells of an individual cell group , in which preferably the cells responsible for the syndrome to be treated are contained , must be scanned . consequently , the entire scanning procedure can be substantially accelerated . preferred embodiments of this invention are now explained in more detail in connection with fig2 . elements shown in fig2 which were explained in connection with fig1 are correspondingly designated . in the analysis unit 1 , a laser source is preferably used as a light source 51 , since in this case a particularly sharp and small focal spot can be produced in an image plane 21 of the scanning device 2 . this leads , for example , to the production of well defined fluorescences of the cells successively scanned in the image plane 21 . an argon laser is particularly well suited as laser light source 51 , whose stimulation frequency corresponds , illustratively , to 488 nm . antibodies labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate , if they are stimulated with 488 nm of the corresponding stimulation frequency , then emit a fluorescence at 550 nm . with laser sources , focal spots can easily be produced whose diameter is about 10 microns or less . instead of a single light source 51 , several light sources can be provided , e . g ., two light sources 51 and 52 , which produce light beams 61 and 62 , respectively , whose power is harmless to the cells . when two light sources 51 and 52 are used , the cells can be stimulated in the image plane 21 at the same time with different frequencies so that , for example , two fluorescences with different wavelengths are produced . this can be advantageous for special problems or therapy . moreover , this can be especially important for generation of trouble - free detector signals 9 , since , by subtraction of the two signals detected by corresponding sensors of detector unit 7 , in which fluorescence signals , illustratively , are involved , background signals can be eliminated . the two light beams 61 and 62 are brought together into one beam and are picked up together by the optical system of scanning device 2 . the optical system of scanning device 2 projects a focal spot of light source 51 , or light sources 51 and 52 , onto the image plane 21 . scanning device 2 includes two deflection mirrors 57 and 58 , known in the art , one of which is shifted by a drive device for the deflection in an x direction , and the other is shifted by another drive device for deflection in a y direction while oscillating . instead of deflection mirrors 57 and 58 , so - called electrooptical deflectors can alternatively be provided , which also are known in the art . in addition , deflection in the x and y directions can be achieved in a way known in the art by other rotating optical means . by using only one deflection mirror or only one electrooptical deflector , the deflection of light beam 61 or light beams 61 and 62 can occur in only one direction ( for example , in the x direction ). in this arrangement there is the possibility that image plane 21 itself may be moved in the other direction ( for example , in the y direction ). this can suitably take place by means of a belt conveyor 22 . in this arrangement , the image plane corresponds to a part of the surface of belt 23 and the deflection of light beam 61 , or light beams 61 and 62 , preferably takes place perpendicular to the direction of movement of the belt 23 . by providing a transparent belt 23 , a sensor device 71 of detector unit 7 , which is explained below in greater detail , can be provided on the side of belt 23 opposite image plane 21 . in case of use of a belt conveyor 22 , the blood from a suitable storage 24 is properly put on the surface of belt 23 together with nutrient medium that keeps the blood cells alive ; viewed in the direction of movement of belt 23 , before the place on which light beam 61 , or beams 61 and 62 , is scanned . referring now to fig3 an illustrative belt conveyor device is described in which the blood is put on one end of belt 23 , and in which the blood cells during the movement of belt 23 to a scanning site 25 are so settled that they are placed exactly at scanning site 25 in the image plane on the belt surface . to achieve this , the rate of movement of belt 23 is set as a function of the settling process . to prevent lateral flowing off of the blood from belt 23 , the belt includes side walls 26 , so that the belt surface corresponds to the bottom of a formed , approximately u - shaped duct . in a preferred alternate embodiment of the present invention as shown in fig4 the image plane is formed by the surface of a transparent plate 27 and the scanning device 2 is alternately configured so that light beam 61 , or beams 61 and 62 , impact from below onto the plate 27 . then the blood which may be contained in a transparent plastic bag 28 , or the like , or the blood cells selected by cell preselector 5 contained in the bag 28 can be placed on the opposite surface of plate 27 . in this alternate embodiment , light beam 61 , or beams 61 and 62 , are focused on the plane of the cells resting on the bottom of bag 28 . in this case , it is advantageous that the power light beam 10 focused on the individual cells with power leading to the destruction of relevant cells in the area , in going through the wall of bag 28 , is not yet focused , so that the power density is so low that the bag is not destroyed or damaged . light beam 61 , or beams 61 and 62 , can also be focused on a stationary point of image plane 21 , and the blood or blood cells flow through the areas of the point , as is known in connection with the so - called flow chambers . referring now back to fig2 it is seen that the detector unit 7 includes sensors 71 and 72 corresponding , illustratively , to the pair of light sources 61 and 62 . these sensors receive the fluorescence emitted by the cells 73 and 74 , or radiation reflected or scattered on the cells , and generate detector signals 75 and 76 upon receiving a certain fluorescence or certain radiation . preferably the fluorescence emitted by the cells or the radiation reflected on the cells is fed back by the optical system of scanning device 2 , and the fluorescence signals or reflected light signals 73 and 74 are suitably supplied by beam dividers 77 and 78 from the beam path of the optical system to sensors 71 and 72 . but it is also possible to provide sensors 71 and 72 of detector unit 7 at the side of image plane 21 . this is especially suitable in the case of analysis of the radiation scattered on the cells . additionally , glass fibers can also be used for guiding the various light beams , as is known in the art . detector signal 75 , or detector signals 75 and 76 , are fed to a control device 31 within the active unit 3 , in which a central processing unit ( cpu ) is involved , to generate an activation signal from the detector signal ( s ). preferably , photomultiplier tubes are used as sensors 71 and 72 , upstream from which one or more filters 79 are installed . these filter ( s ) pass only one wavelength , which corresponds precisely to the emitted fluorescence or other radiation of interest . the activation signal from the control device 31 is fed to a light source 32 of active unit 3 , which produces the power light beam 10 with the power and wavelength which are suitable for destruction or inactivation of the cells . for this light source 32 , a laser source , especially an argon laser , is preferably involved . it is also possible to produce uv light by this light source 32 . power light beam 10 of light source 32 is supplied by a beam divider 33 into the beam path of the optical system of scanning device 2 . in an alternate embodiment , instead of the aforementioned light source 51 with low power , and the light source 32 with high power , a single light source 15 can also be provided . this single light source 15 normally produces a light beam 14 with low power which is harmless to the cells , and the power of this light beam 14 in the presence of the activation signal from the control device 31 can momentarily be so increased that it is sufficient for destruction or inactivation of cells . after a preset period , which may be from about 30 to 40 nsec , the energy of light beam 14 in each case is again reduced to the low energy level and the scanning process is continued . for the light source 15 , a known laser device of the so - called acoustooptic cavity dumping type may be used ; which in the presence of the activation signal can produce in a rise time of 7 nsec , a high - energy pulse of 36 nsec . possible solutions are explained below by which even with great deflections of the focal spot of light beam 61 , or beams 61 , 62 and 10 in the image plane 21 , a correction of the spherical aberration is achieved . a novel idea for solving this problem consists in the use of a lens rotating on a disc , which is synchronized with the movement of deflection mirrors 57 and 58 or with the control of the alternate electrooptical deflectors . fig5 shows such an arrangement . a disk 81 eccentrically carrying a lens 83 is so rotated , and deflection mirrors 57 and 58 ( or the electrooptical deflectors ) were so driven or controlled , that it is always assured that light beams 61 , and 62 or 10 , all guided by the common optical system of scanning device 2 , always accurately follow the rotation of lens 83 during a preset period . since the lens 83 describes a circular path , a deflection in the x - y direction is necessary . then in the image plane 21 a circular deflection line 84 of the focal spot or spots occurs . scanning in the other direction ( y direction ) is achieved by the image plane 21 being shifted in the direction of arrow 80 relative to deflection line 84 . this occurs , for example , with belt conveyor 22 already mentioned . especially preferred in this arrangement is an embodiment in which two lenses 83 and 83 &# 39 ; are placed equally distant from the center on a diameter of rotating disk 81 so that with a suitable synchronization of disk 81 and of deflection mirrors 57 and 58 ( or of the electrooptical deflectors ) a lens 83 or 83 &# 39 ; is always rotated exactly into beam 61 and 62 or 10 returned to a beginning position a to follow the beam to an end position e . broken line 86 shows the return of the beam from end position e to beginning position a . it is also possible , instead of rotating disk 81 with lens 83 , or lenses 83 and 83 &# 39 ;, to provide a lens 87 on an oscillating plate 88 , which is moved back and forth in a straight line 89 , as shown in fig6 . in this arrangement , only one deflection mirror or one electrooptical deflector is necessary , which is synchronized with the back and forth movement of plate 88 so that the light beam always goes through lens 87 . straight deflection line 80 then is produced in image plane 21 . the advantage of using rotating disk 81 and oscillating plate 88 reside in the fact that lenses of high aperture can be used and thus a great sensitivity can be achieved . it is further possible for correcting the above described spherical aberration , to place a dynamic lens 91 ( as shown in fig2 ) known in the art , in the beam path such a lens can be shifted in the beam direction as a function of a signal that shows that the focal spot is not in the image plane 21 . in this way , it is possible for dynamic lens 91 to be automatically guided so that the focal spot is always exactly in image plane 21 . such dynamic lenses are known , for example , in connection with cd phonographs . additionally , in lieu of rotating disk 81 , in the beam path ahead of image plane 21 a so - called flat field lens ( f lens ) can be provided , whose characteristics in the x deflection direction and / or y deflection direction change so that it is always assured that the deflected focal spot is always in image plane 21 . such a flat field lens is shown diagrammatically as lens 92 in fig2 . instead of the described laser source producing the power light beam 10 , sources producing shock waves can also be used . moreover , certain cells can be labeled with photolabile substances , which release intracellular poisons if light of suitable wavelength and energy strikes them as beam 10 . in the detection and evaluation of the light reflected or scattered on the blood cells an image or special optically detectable features can be recorded and these can be compared with a previously stored image or previously stored optical features which characterize certain blood cell or cells to be destroyed . in the case of agreement of the detected and stored data , destruction of the blood cells present at the moment can be triggered by generation of the activation signal . in an illustrative contemporary usage of the present invention , a possible aids therapy is described . t4 lymphocytes infected with rtlv - iii viruses incorporate ( after activation with interlencin i and antigen ) virus protein in the t4 cell membrane . therefore , it seems possible selectively to label the infected cells with fluorescence labeled antibodies relative to the virus proteins . illustratively , an assumption is made that 5 liters of blood , which contains 8000 leukocytes per microliter , is treated . this means that 5 × 10 6 × 8000 = 4 × 10 10 leukocytes are in 5 liters of blood . it is further assumed that 50 %, i . e ., 2 × 10 10 , are t - lymphocytes . the blood cells have a diameter of about 10 microns . this means that the focal spot of laser beam 10 used for selective cell destruction is to have a diameter of about 10 microns . such focal spot sizes are easily attainable . if the assumption is that 10 10 cells are closely pressed against one another , an area of about 10 10 × 10 × 10 - 6 × 10 × 10 - 6 = 1 m 2 is covered . each cell is to be selectively illuminated within 10 , 000 sec ., i . e ., about 2 . 7 hours . this corresponds to a frequency of 10 10 cells / 10 4 equal to 10 6 hertz . for the scanning of a blood cell about 1 microsecond is available which is technically possible . during the scanning , the cells can be cooled , for example to 4 ° c ., by a moderating device , not shown . thus , e . g ., the fluorescence is stabilized . | 0 |
reference will now be made in detail to the description of the invention as illustrated in the drawings . while the invention will be described in connection with these drawings , there is no intent to limit it to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed therein . on the contrary , the intent is to cover all alternatives , modifications , and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . as illustrated in fig1 is a computer system 12 which generally comprises a processor 21 , a storage device ( s ) 22 , and system memory 31 with an operating system 32 . both the storage device 22 and memory 31 include instructions that are executed by the processor 21 . storage device ( s ) 22 can be , for example , in any one or combination of the following : compact disc read only memory ( cd - rom ), disk , diskette , cartridge , cassette , rom or the like . the memory 31 can be either one or a combination of the common types of memory such as for example , but not limited to , erasable programmable read only memory ( eprom ), electronically erasable programmable read only memory ( eeprom ), flash memory , programmable read only memory ( prom ), random access memory ( ram ), read only memory ( rom ), flash memory , dynamic random access memory ( dram ), static random access memory ( sram ), system memory , or the like . the processor 21 accepts data from memory 31 or storage device 22 over the local interface or bus 23 . direction from the user can be signaled by using an input device ( s ) for example , a mouse 24 , keyboard 25 , or the like . the action input and result output are displayed on the display terminal 26 . parent process 61 executes an old version of the program 62 and child process 65 is used to save and transfer the state data . parent process 61 , the old program 62 , the new program 63 , a checkpoint and swap management library 64 , a child process 65 , and a registry 68 , all of which can be implemented in hardware , software , firmware , or a combination thereof . in the preferred embodiment ( s ), the parent process 61 , old program 62 , new program 63 , checkpoint and swap management library 64 , child process 65 and the registry 68 are implemented in software or firmware that is stored in a memory and that is executed by a suitable instruction execution system . illustrated in fig2 is a well known method of updating a running process . normally , when a process 41 is to be updated on - line , the program calls a state saving routine 42 that saves the state information of the program executing in process a 41 . once the state data is saved , process a 41 terminates and process b 51 is executed . process b 51 retrieves the state data utilizing the retrieve state data routine 52 . then , while process b 51 is not done , it performs the program task , and if an update is requested , then it is done and it continues the loop processing and repeats the steps in program running in process b at 51 . this method is time consuming and requires an extra data storage area for saving the state information . illustrated in fig3 is online replacement of a program running in a process using the checkpoint system of the present invention . as parent process 61 executes the old program 62 , the old program 62 executes code which periodically checks to see if old program 62 is done . if the old program 62 is not done , parent process 61 continues to perform the program 62 tasks checks if program update is requested 71 and continues loop processing . in the preferred embodiment , the check if a program update is requested is accessing the checkpoint and swap management library 64 via 71 , which further checks the registry file 68 via link 72 . checkpoint and swap management library 64 , when accessed , checks the registry file or program version service number 68 , via the check registry communication 72 . if the registry file or program version service 68 indicates that no new program version has been put in service , then the checkpoint in swap management library 64 returns to the old program 62 via return of check 71 . in the event that a new program version is to be placed in service , the checkpoint and swap management library 64 forks a child process 65 via link 74 . the child process 65 is created with a complete copy of the parent process 61 , including variables and state data information . the checkpoint and swap management library 64 terminates the old program 62 and executes the new program 63 , via the exec command 75 . the new program 63 may contain new or deleted variables and / or routines . the new program 63 initializes its data and retrieves the state data from the child via communication link 76 . the new program 63 performs any needed data transformations on the retrieved state data . the new program 63 continues processing from the checkpoint utilizing the state information acquired from the child process 65 , and , while not done , performs the registry check 71 , and the program task , and loops until done as described above with regard to program 62 . the apparatus and method for online replacement of a program running in a process using checkpoints will be explained further with regard to fig6 a and 7 b . illustrated in fig4 is the memory map of each user process for the system illustrated in fig1 . the kernel 33 provides interprocess communication 78 facilitator interprocess communications via link 76 . process a memory 81 includes a stack area 82 , a heap area 83 , an uninitialized data area 84 , an initialized data area 85 , and a text or program code area 86 . process b memory 91 and any other processes also include stack area 92 , heap area 93 , the uninitialized data area 94 , initialized data area 95 , and the text or program code area 96 in their process . the process b ( i . e . the child process ) is an exact copy of the parent process a memory 81 when the fork command is executed , and explained above with reference to fig3 . illustrated in fig5 is the prior methodology of performing an online update of a program version . the current process 41 is initialized at step 111 and executed at step 112 . a check for updates or changes to an application in the current process 41 is performed at step 113 . if the update or change to current process check is negative at step 114 , then the current process 41 continues executing at step 112 . if the update / change to the current process 41 is affirmative at step 114 , then the state information is saved to a file at step 115 . next , the current process 41 is terminated at step 116 . execution of the new version of a program in the new process 51 is performed at step 121 . the new version of a program in the new process 51 with a new process id first retrieves the state information from a file at step 122 . the new version of the program in the new process 51 then initializes the new process 51 with the saved state information retrieved from the stack or file at step 123 , and thereafter the new process 51 attempts to restart from the termination point of the old process 41 at step 124 . finally , the new process 51 is set as a current process in step 129 and continues execution at step 112 . as illustrated in fig5 the prior art requires execution of the new version of the program in a new process . the flow charts of fig6 - 10b show the architecture , functionality , and operation of a possible implementation of the replacing a running program code and data within the same process software . in this regard , each block represents a module , segment , or portion of code , which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function ( s ). it should also be noted that in some alternative implementations , the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order . for example , two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order , depending upon the functionality involved , as will be further clarified hereinbelow . illustrated in fig6 is the apparatus and method of the present invention . the apparatus and method provides a distinct advantage in that the termination of the old program and process is not required in order to execute a new version of a program . first , the parent process 61 ( fig3 ) is initialized at step 131 and , in step 132 , the parent process 61 executes the old program 62 while not done at step 132 . at step 133 , the old program 62 checks the registry 68 ( fig3 ), via link 72 ( fig3 ), for updates or changes to the old program 62 . the check for updates or changes to the old program 62 , also includes accessing a program version service as described with regard to fig3 . if , in step 134 , there is not an update or change to the old program 62 , the parent process 61 returns to step 132 to continue execution of old program 62 . if at step 134 , the update or change to a old program 62 ( fig3 ) within the parent process 61 is indicated , then the old program 62 runs a checkpoint 73 and saves the state information by forking a child process 65 ( fig3 ) at step 135 , herein further defined with regard to fig7 a . next , the parent process 61 replaces the entire memory area 81 ( fig4 ) with the code and data of the new version of the program 63 ( fig3 ) at step 141 . next , the new program version 63 , in the parent process 61 , is executed at step 142 . in the preferred embodiment , this is performed by utilizing the exec system call within the unix operating system . it is well known that there are equivalent system calls in other operating systems that would perform the same function . the new program 63 in the parent process 61 then progresses to block 143 in which the state information is retrieved from the child 65 , using a state retrieval routine 160 , herein further defined with regard to fig7 b at step 143 . once the state information has been retrieved and the new program 63 is initialized within parent process 61 , the new program 63 then jumps to the checkpoint code , at step 149 , for subsequent execution and then returns to step 132 to execute within the parent process 61 and repeats the foregoing method . the transfer of the process state from the old process ( parent ) to the new process ( child ) can be accomplished using several means . these include sun &# 39 ; s xdr / rpc , the open group &# 39 ; s dce rpc and asn . 1 compilers . since the present invention doesn &# 39 ; t require the remote capabilities of the rpc methods , so the present invention is a simplification of those processes . in fact , the use of the sun xdr methodology used in conjunction with a simple , local interprocess communication mechanism is sufficient . other similar methods can be constructed that take advantage of the local nature of the transfer . the greater area of difficulty is automating the transfer of the process state so that an application programmer does not have to be made aware of the details of the transfer . illustrated in fig7 a is the initialization of the child state transfer routine 150 of the preferred embodiment . the child state transfer routine 150 is initialized at step 151 . next , the child process 65 ( fig3 ) tries to detect the parent at step 152 . if no parent 61 ( fig3 ) is detected , the child process 65 then continues to repeat the check until a parent process 61 is detected . once a parent process 61 is detected at step 152 , the child process 65 checks if all data has been sent at step 153 . if all the data is not sent , the child process 65 sends the next data identifier , type , size and value at step 154 , herein further defined with regard to fig8 a , 9 a or 10 a . the child process 65 then returns to step 153 to again check if all data has been sent . once all the data has been sent , the child process 65 terminates at step 159 . illustrated in fig7 b is the state transfer routine 160 of the parent process 61 ( fig3 ), according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention . first , the parent process 61 state transfer routine 160 tests if there is a child process 65 ( fig3 ) present at step 161 . if no child process 65 is detected at step 161 , the state transfer routine 160 progresses to continue step 169 where the new program 63 ( fig3 ) is executed . if a child process 65 is detected , the parent process 61 state transfer routine 160 moves to step 162 and establishes contact with the child process 65 by setting up interprocess communication 76 and 78 between the parent process 61 and the child process 65 . in the preferred embodiment , the interprocess communication 76 ( fig3 ) and 78 ( fig4 ) is facilitated using sockets . thereafter , the parent state transfer routine 160 establishes an identifier hash table 211 ( fig9 b ), a mapping address table 256 ( fig1 ), and a reference list 261 ( fig1 ). then , at step 164 , parent process 61 state transfer routine 160 tests to determine if all data has been retrieved . if there is more data to be retrieved , then at step 165 , parent process 61 state transfer routine 160 retrieves the data identifier 204 ( fig9 a ), type 205 ( fig9 a ), size 206 ( fig9 a ) and value 207 ( fig9 a ) from the child process 65 . the parent process 61 receives data routine 165 is herein further defined with regard to fig8 b or 10 b . the parent state transfer routine 160 then returns to step 164 to again check if all data items have been retrieved , and loops between steps 164 and 165 until all data items have been retrieved . once all the data items have been retrieved , then the parent process 61 state transfer routine 160 progresses to step 166 and checks if there is reference list data 261 ( fig1 ) to be processed . if there is reference list data 261 to be processed at step 166 , then the parent state transfer routine 160 takes the old address 262 / 265 ( fig1 ) and finds a corresponding new address 258 ( fig1 ) and updates that reference since it has the reference address 263 / 266 ( fig1 ) at step 167 . the updating of the reference list 261 is further defined with regard to fig1 . after the next reference new address is determined and the reference updated at step 167 , the routine then returns to check if there is more reference data to be processed at step 166 , and repeats the steps 167 and 166 loop if there is more reference data to be processed . if there is no more reference data to be processed , parent process 61 state transfer routine 160 then continues to step 169 , which returns for continued execution of the new program 63 . illustrated in fig8 a is the flowchart of the send next data item subroutine 154 a , in which the data variable is sent from the child process 65 ( fig3 ) to the parent process 61 ( as referenced in fig7 a , step 154 ). first , the child process 65 retrieves the id of the next variable in step 181 . the child process 65 converts the variable data into a data packet 201 ( fig9 a ) using the address and size to retrieve the data value at step 182 . the data packet 201 is further defined in detail with regard to fig9 a . the child process 65 then sends the data packet to the parent process 61 at step 183 and then exits the send next data subroutine 154 a at step 189 . the send next data item subroutine called from fig7 a , step 154 . illustrated in fig8 b is the flowchart of the parent process 61 retrieve data subroutine 165 a . first , in step 191 , the parent process 61 reads a data packet 201 ( fig9 a ) into a memory . the parent process 61 performs a hash table lookup using the id string at step 192 . thereafter , the parent process 61 next checks to see if the data item has a data type or size change at step 193 . if the data item has changed its data type or its size , the parent process 61 executes a conversion or mapping routine 254 ( fig1 ) at step 194 . after the conversion or mapping routine 254 is executed at step 194 or if the data item or size has not changed in step 194 , then the parent process 61 replaces the variable value with a new value at step 195 . the parent process retrieve data subroutine 165 a is then exited at step 191 and returns to step 165 ( fig7 b ). illustrated in fig9 a is the block diagram of the variable data packet 201 ( fig9 a ) used by the child process 65 ( fig3 ) to send the parent process 61 ( fig3 ) the data items to be transferred from the child process 65 to the new parent process 61 . the first data segment within the variable data packet 201 is the packet type field 202 , used to indicate the type of packet and format ( e . g ., control data ). the next data field is packet size field 203 , which indicates the length of the variable data packet 201 . this data packet size field 203 allows the parent process 61 to identify the actual length of the variable data packet 201 . the next item in the variable data packet 201 is the identifier field 204 . the identifier field 204 indicates the data item reference or identification name . the data type field 205 indicates the type of data for the variable . as known in the art , there are numerous different data types , including , but not limited to , integer , real number , text character , floating point numbers , arrays , linked lists , and the like . the size field 206 indicates the size of the variable . the value of the variable is identified in the value field 207 . illustrated in fig9 b is the block diagram for the hash table static data translation process 210 . the hash table 211 contains numerous addresses of verification data structures 213 . the parent process 61 ( fig3 ) uses the variable packet 201 identifier 204 to find the corresponding data variable utilizing the hash table 211 . the hash table determines the address of 213 based on the hash of id 204 . the parent process 61 next verifies that the data type 205 , data size 206 , and data type from 213 match and the size from 213 match before using the value address in 213 to update the actual variable residing in the parent process 61 data segment 212 . one alternative embodiment method for automating the transfer uses variable description information from a compiler ( not shown ) usually made available to a debugger . using this information , the state transfer mechanism can transfer all variables allocated in the global data portion of the process . the transfer of heap allocated data values needs to be handled as part of the processing of the global values that reference the heap . the transfer mechanism needs to traverse all data structures allocated in the heap and transfer them as a hierarchy of components . this transfer might require programmer supplied descriptions of the data structures involved or explicit management of the data transfer depending on the data types used . using the system described in the commonly - assigned and co - pending u . s . patent application entitled “ memory management techniques for on - line replaceable software ”, ser . no . 09 / 120 , 261 filed on jul . 21 , 1998 , herein incorporated by reference , to show how the heap allocated data can be transferred when all data to be preserved in the transfer is allocated using the system described therein . in summary , an allocation of enduring memory , that is memory to be preserved , includes an application specific id that the application can use for future reference to indicate the allocated data &# 39 ; s type . the system described therein also includes routines for iterating through all of the memory allocated using the system . illustrated in fig1 a is a flowchart of an alternate heap data send subroutine 154 b for sending heap data as performed within step 154 in fig7 a . first , the child process 65 ( fig3 ) reads the heap allocation data at step 221 . if there is more heap allocation data to be processed , the child process then transfers the heap allocation data using the appropriate packet conversion function 274 at step 222 . thereafter , the child process 65 encodes each reference with the old address at step 223 . the child process 65 then packages and sends the data to the parent process 61 ( fig3 ) at step 224 . the process then transfers to step 229 which exits the subroutine and returns to step 154 in fig7 a . illustrated in fig1 b is a flowchart of an alternate heap data receive subroutine 165 b for receiving heap data as referenced in fig7 b , at step 165 . first , the parent process 61 ( fig3 ) reads the data packet 201 ( fig9 a ) at step 231 . the parent process 61 then decodes the received heap object at step 232 , using the conversion function 254 ( fig1 ). next , the parent process 61 allocates new storage utilizing the e - malloc function ( tags and tracks malloc &# 39 ; d data ) at step 233 . the parent process 61 then stores the received heap object at step 234 . the parent process 61 saves the new address created in the e - malloc function at step 235 in a mapping address table 256 , herein described in further detail with reference to fig1 . the parent process 61 saves the old references and reference addresses in a reference list 261 herein defined in further detail with regard to fig1 , at step 236 . it then exits the subroutine at step 239 . illustrated in fig1 is the block diagram for the heap allocation data translation process of the parent process 61 ( fig3 ) and child process 65 ( fig3 ) utilizing parent process translation apparatus 251 and child process translation apparatus 271 . for every data type that is to be allocated , the application program 62 ( fig3 ) creates a heap type dispatch table 252 between the id 253 used when allocating that type and the conversion routine 254 used to convert that data type to and from a data packet 201 ( fig9 a ). the transfer mechanism , utilizing the iteration method , will find all heap allocated objects as shown in fig4 convert them to data packets 201 ( fig9 a ), and transfer them using the appropriate conversion routine 254 applying the reverse conversion in the parent process variable translation 251 . since it is likely that data will not be placed at the same address in the new program 63 , pointer linkages need to be updated in the parent process translation apparatus 251 . this is handled by sending a tag , consisting of the old location , along with every pointed to object as shown in fig9 a . the old address 257 is placed in a table 256 in the new process 251 as part of the transfer . the data contents of the table are the new addresses 258 in the new process 251 . all pointers references are transferred as a special type that is placed into a linked list 261 in the new process 251 with the original address 262 and a pointer to the new pointer 263 . when the transfer is complete , the linked list 261 is processed an element at a time . the old address 262 is used as the key to the table 256 where the new address 258 is retrieved and placed into the new referencing pointer . the on - line replacement of a running program comprises an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions , can be embodied in any computer - readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system , apparatus , or device , such as a computer - based system , processor - containing system , or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system , apparatus , or device and execute the instructions . in the context of this document , a “ computer - readable medium ” can be any means that can contain , store , communicate , propagate , or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system , apparatus , or device . the computer readable medium can be , for example but not limited to , an electronic , magnetic , optical , electromagnetic , infrared , or semiconductor system , apparatus , device , or propagation medium . more specific examples ( a nonexhaustive list ) of the computer - readable medium would include the following : an electrical connection ( electronic ) having one or more wires , a portable computer diskette ( magnetic ), a random access memory ( ram ) ( magnetic ), a read - only memory ( rom ) ( magnetic ), an erasable programmable read - only memory ( eprom or flash memory ) ( magnetic ), an optical fiber ( optical ), and a portable compact disc read - only memory ( cdrom ) ( optical ). note that the computer - readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed , as the program can be electronically captured , via for instance optical scanning of the paper or other medium , then compiled , interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary , and then stored in a computer memory . the foregoing description has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed . obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings . the embodiment or embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . all such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly and legally entitled . | 6 |
an exemplary embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings . fig1 illustrates the system configuration of an information processing system 1 according to an exemplary embodiment . as illustrated in fig1 , the information processing system 1 includes an information management apparatus 10 , a document edition apparatus 20 , and one or more information terminals 40 . the information management apparatus 10 , the document edition apparatus 20 , and the information terminals 40 are able to perform data communication with each other via a network 50 . also , the document edition apparatus 20 is connected to a printer 30 . the following describes the overview of processes performed in the information processing system 1 . the document edition apparatus 20 places a marker ( marker image ) in a portion of a document to be edited ( a document to be registered ). the document edition apparatus 20 also sets marker information ( for example , a link such as uniform resource locator ( url )) to be associated with the placed marker . the document edition apparatus 20 transmits a document to be registered and marker information ( containing , for example , a marker placed area and marker link information ) to the information management apparatus 10 . the information management apparatus 10 associates a marker id that identifies the marker information received from the document edition apparatus 20 , image features of a marker placed area , and a link of the marker with each other , and sets the initial status associated with the marker id to trial disclosure . here , the term “ trial disclosure ” indicates a state in which a disclosure target is limited so that information associated with the marker id is to be disclosed only to users having a predetermined privilege . the document edition apparatus 20 causes the printer 30 to print the document in which a marker is placed . the resulting printed material is distributed to the user . the user who has received the distributed printed document captures an image of an image area of the printed material containing a marker by using the information terminal 40 equipped with a camera , for example . the information terminal 40 then transmits the captured image and the user id to the information management apparatus 10 . the information management apparatus 10 extracts a marker placed area from the captured image received from the information terminal 40 , and searches for corresponding marker ids on the basis of image features of the extracted marker placed area . at this time , in the case where the retrieved marker ids include a marker id associated with a trial disclosure status , the information management apparatus 10 determines whether or not disclosure to the user identified by the user id transmitted from the information terminal 40 along with the captured image is permitted . if the disclosure is not permitted , the information management apparatus 10 removes the marker id associated with the trial disclosure status from the search result . then , the information management apparatus 10 transmits link information associated with the retrieved marker ids to the information terminal 40 . the information terminal 40 obtains information on the basis of a link selected from the link information received from the information management apparatus 10 , and displays the obtained information . note that in the case where the status associated with the marker id is changed from trial disclosure to disclosure , the marker id is no longer removed from the search result . the status associated with the marker id may be changed in response to a request from the user or when the search history of the marker id satisfies a predetermined condition . now , configurations of the information management apparatus 10 , the document edition apparatus 20 , and the information terminal 40 for implementing the above - described processes will be described . first , an example of the hardware configuration of the information management apparatus 10 will be described . as illustrated in fig2 , the information management apparatus 10 includes a controller 11 , a memory 12 , and a communication unit 13 . the controller 11 includes a central processing unit ( cpu ). the controller 11 performs various kinds of arithmetic processing in accordance with programs stored in the memory 12 , and controls each component of the information management apparatus 10 . the memory 12 stores data and programs of the operating system of the information management apparatus 10 or the like . the memory 12 is also used as a work memory of the controller 11 . the programs may be supplied to the information management apparatus 10 with stored on an information storage medium , such as an optical disc , a magnetic disk , a magnetic tape , a magneto - optical disk , or a flash memory ; or may be supplied to the information management apparatus 10 via a data communication network , such as the internet . the following describes examples of data stored in the memory 12 . the memory 12 stores , for example , a user information management table that manages information regarding users . fig3 illustrates an example of the user information management table . as illustrated in fig3 , the user information management table stores a user id , a password , a group id , and a user &# 39 ; s role in association with each other . the user id identifies a user . the group id identifies a group ( such as an organization or department ) to which the user belongs . the user &# 39 ; s role indicates whether or not a privilege of the editor is assigned to the user ( for example , whether the user is an editor having the privilege of the editor or a general user not having the privilege of the editor ). the memory 12 also stores , for example , a marker information management table that manages information regarding markers . fig4 illustrates an example of the marker information management table . as illustrated in fig4 , the marker information management table stores a marker id identifying a marker , a link ( url ) associated with the marker , the status associated with the marker id , feature point information , the number of times the marker id has been retrieved ( or the number of times information has been provided ), and information on a registrant of the marker id in association with each other . the status associated with the marker id indicates a disclosure status in which disclosure to general users is permitted or a trial disclosure status in which disclosure only to editors is permitted but disclosure to general users is not permitted . the feature point information is based on image features of a marker placed area . the communication unit 13 is implemented by , for example , a network interface card . via the network interface card , the communication unit 13 performs data communication with the document edition apparatus 20 and the information terminals 40 connected thereto via the network 50 . next , an example of the hardware configuration of the document edition apparatus 20 will be described . as illustrated in fig2 , the document edition apparatus 20 includes a controller 21 , a memory 22 , a communication unit 23 , an input unit 24 , and a display unit 25 . the controller 21 includes a cpu . the controller 21 performs various kinds of arithmetic processing in accordance with programs stored in the memory 22 , and controls each component of the document edition apparatus 20 . the memory 22 stores data ( for example , document data ) and programs of the operating system of the document edition apparatus 20 or the like . the memory 22 is also used as a work memory of the controller 21 . the programs may be supplied to the document edition apparatus 20 with stored on an information storage medium , such as an optical disc , a magnetic disk , a magnetic tape , a magneto - optical disk , or a flash memory ; or may be supplied to the document edition apparatus 20 via a data communication network , such as the internet . the communication unit 23 includes , for example , a network interface card . via the network interface card , the communication unit 23 performs data communication with the information management apparatus 10 and the information terminals 40 connected thereto via the network 50 . the communication unit 23 also performs data communication with the printer 30 connected thereto via a local area network , a serial cable , or the like . the input unit 24 is implemented by input devices , for example , a touch screen , a keyboard , and a mouse , and receives an input operation performed by the user . the display unit 25 is implemented by a display device , such as a liquid crystal display , and displays a result ( screen ) of information processing performed by the controller 21 . next , an example of the hardware configuration of the information terminal 40 will be described . as illustrated in fig2 , the information terminal 40 includes a controller 41 , a memory 42 , a communication unit 43 , an input unit 44 , a display unit 45 , and an image capturing unit 46 . the controller 41 includes a cpu . the controller 41 performs various kinds of arithmetic processing in accordance with programs stored in the memory 42 , and controls each component of the information terminal 40 . the memory 42 stores data ( for example , document data ) and programs of the operating system of the information terminal 40 or the like . the memory 42 is also used as a work memory of the controller 41 . the programs may be supplied to the information terminal 40 with stored on an information storage medium , such as an optical disc , a magnetic disk , a magnetic tape , a magneto - optical disk , or a flash memory ; or may be supplied to the information terminal 40 via a data communication network , such as the internet . the communication unit 43 includes , for example , a network interface card . via the network interface card , the communication unit 43 performs data communication with the information management apparatus 10 and the document edition apparatus 20 connected thereto via the network 50 . the input unit 44 is implemented by input devices , for example , a touch screen , a keyboard , and a mouse , and receives an input operation performed by the user . the display unit 45 is implemented by a display device , such as a liquid crystal display , and displays a result ( screen ) of information processing performed by the controller 41 . the image capturing unit 46 is implemented by , for example , a camera built in or externally connected to the information terminal 40 , and obtains a captured image by capturing an image of a subject with the camera . now , details of processes performed by the information management apparatus 10 , the document edition apparatus 20 , and the information terminal 40 included in the information processing system 1 will be described with reference to sequence diagrams and a flowchart illustrated in fig5 to 10 . fig5 is a sequence diagram of a marker information registration process that is performed when the document edition apparatus 20 registers marker information in the information management apparatus 10 . as illustrated in fig5 , the document edition apparatus 20 obtains a to - be - registered document on the basis of operation information received from a user ( editor ), for example ( s 101 ). the document edition apparatus 20 then places a marker ( marker image ) in the to - be - registered document in accordance with operation information received from the user ( editor ) ( s 102 ). the document edition apparatus 20 also sets marker information which contains a link associated with the placed marker and a color of the marker ( s 103 ). thereafter , upon receipt of a marker registration request from the user ( editor ) ( s 104 ), the document edition apparatus 20 transmits the set marker information ( containing an image of the marker placed area and information on the link and the color ) and user information ( user id ) to the information management apparatus 10 ( s 105 ). the information management apparatus 10 assigns a marker id to the marker information received from the document edition apparatus 20 ( s 106 ), and registers the marker information in association with the assigned marker id ( s 107 ). for example , the information management apparatus 10 may register the marker information by storing the link contained in the marker information received in s 105 as the link associated with the marker id , trial disclosure as the initial status value , zero as the number of times retrieved , and the user id received in s 105 as the registrant in the marker information management table illustrated in fig4 . further , the information management apparatus 10 extracts image features of the image of the marker placed area , and obtains feature point information that is based on the extracted image features ( s 108 ). the information management apparatus 10 registers the obtained feature point information in association with the marker id ( s 109 ). for example , the information management apparatus 10 may register the feature point information by storing the feature point information obtained in s 108 as the feature point information associated with the marker id in the marker information management table illustrated in fig4 . after finishing registration of the marker information , the information management apparatus 10 transmits the marker id assigned during registration to the document edition apparatus 20 ( s 110 ). the document edition apparatus 20 stores the marker id received from the information management apparatus 10 ( s 111 ). the document edition apparatus 20 then causes the printer 30 to print the to - be - registered document for which the marker information has been registered ( s 112 ). the resulting printed material output from the printer 30 may be distributed to editors on a trial basis or to general users . referring next to a sequence diagram illustrated in fig6 , details of an information providing process that is performed when the information terminal 40 requests the information management apparatus 10 to provide information based on a marker formed on a printed material will be described . as illustrated in fig6 , the information terminal 40 captures an image of an image area that contains a marker formed on a printed material , on the basis of operation information received from the user ( s 201 ). upon receipt of a search request in the normal mode from the user ( s 202 ), the information terminal 40 transmits the captured image , the user id , the mode of the search request ( normal mode ) to the information management apparatus 10 ( s 203 ). the information management apparatus 10 detects a marker from the captured image received from the information terminal 40 , and extracts a marker placed area in which the detected marker is placed ( s 204 ). for example , the information management apparatus 10 may extract a circumscribed rectangle of the marker as the marker placed area . then , the information management apparatus 10 obtains feature point information that is based on image features of the extracted marker placed area ( s 205 ), and searches the marker information management table for corresponding marker ids using the obtained feature point information as a search key ( s 206 ). for example , the information management apparatus 10 may calculate similarity scores between the feature point information serving as the search key and pieces of feature point information stored in the marker information management table , and may obtain a predetermined number of marker ids in descending order of the calculated similarity scores as the search result . if the user identified by the user id received in s 203 does not have the privilege of the editor ( no in s 207 ), the information management apparatus 10 removes , from the search result , a marker id associated with the trial disclosure status among the marker ids retrieved in s 206 ( s 208 ). note that the information management apparatus 10 may determine in s 207 whether or not the user identified by the user id has the privilege of the editor by referring to the user &# 39 ; s role associated with the user id in the user information management table . if the user identified by the user id received in s 203 has the privilege of the editor ( yes in s 207 ) or after s 208 , the information management apparatus 10 updates search histories of the marker ids obtained as the search result ( s 209 ). for example , in the case of yes in s 207 or after s 208 , the information management apparatus 10 may add one to the number of times retrieved ( or the number of times information has been provided ) associated with each of the marker ids obtained as the search result in the marker information management table illustrated in fig4 . note that the information management apparatus 10 does not add one to the number of times retrieved ( or the number of times information has been provided ) for the marker id removed from the search result in s 208 . subsequently , the information management apparatus 10 obtains links associated with the marker ids obtained as the search result by referring to the marker information management table ( s 210 ), and transmits the obtained links to the information terminal 40 ( s 211 ). the information terminal 40 selects at least one link from among the links received from the information management apparatus 10 , accesses the selected link to obtain information , and displays the obtained information ( s 212 ). the above is an example of the information providing process performed in the information processing system 1 according to the exemplary embodiment . it should be noted that the information providing process is not limited to the above - described sequence . for example , the information management apparatus 10 may remove , from the search result , a marker id associated with the registrant user id that is different from the requestor user id , among the marker ids that have been retrieved in s 206 and are associated with the trial disclosure status . alternatively , the information management apparatus 10 may remove , from the search result , a marker id for which the registrant user id and the requestor user id are not associated with the same group id , among the marker ids that have been retrieved in s 206 and are associated with the trial disclosure status . the above - described process permits the user having the privilege of the editor , such as the user who has registered a marker , to conduct a test ( examination ) regarding the marker in an actual operation environment before the marker is disclosed to general users . next , a marker status updating process will be described . the following sequentially describes two examples : the case of updating the status of a marker in response to an instruction of an editor , and the case of updating the status of a marker in accordance with a search history of the marker . referring to a sequence diagram illustrated in fig7 , a first marker status updating process that is performed in response to an instruction of an editor will be described first . as illustrated in fig7 , the document edition apparatus 20 receives from the editor a marker id specifying a marker whose status is to be updated ( s 301 ). upon receipt of a status update request which contains a specified status ( disclosure / trial disclosure ) to which the status is to be updated ( s 302 ), the document edition apparatus 20 transmits the marker id , the status , and the user id to the information management apparatus 10 ( s 303 ). if the user identified by the user id received from the document edition apparatus 20 does not have a privilege to update the status associated with the marker id related to the request ( no in s 304 ), the information management apparatus 10 notifies the document edition apparatus 20 of an error ( s 305 ) and terminates the process . for example , the information management apparatus 10 may determine whether or not the user identified by the user id has the privilege to update the status associated with the marker id by determining whether or not the user &# 39 ; s role associated with the user id is the editor . if the user identified by the user id received from the document edition apparatus 20 has the privilege to update the status associated with the marker id related to the request ( yes in s 304 ), the information management apparatus 10 updates the status associated with the marker id in the marker information management table to the status ( disclosure / trial disclosure ) received in s 303 ( s 306 ). the information management apparatus 10 then notifies the document edition apparatus 20 of completion of updating ( s 307 ), and terminates the process . it should be noted that the first marker status updating process is not limited to the above - described sequence . for example , when the user id received from the document edition apparatus 20 specifies the registrant of the marker id related to the request , the information management apparatus 10 may determine that the user identified by the user id has the privilege to update the status associated with the marker id ; otherwise , the information management apparatus 10 may determine that the user identified by the user id does not have the privilege to update the status associated with the marker id . alternatively , for example , when the user id received from the document edition apparatus 20 specifies the editor and is associated with the same group id as that of the registrant of the marker id related to the request , the information management apparatus 10 may determine that the user identified by the user id has the privilege to update the status associated with the marker id ; otherwise , the information management apparatus 10 may determine that the user identified by the user id does not have the privilege to update the status associated with the marker id . the above - described first marker status updating process permits the editor to limit a target to which information associated with the marker id is to be disclosed , at a timing desired by the editor . referring to a flowchart illustrated in fig8 , a second marker status updating process performed by the information management apparatus 10 on the basis of a search history of each marker will be described next . as illustrated in fig8 , if a timing for updating the status of a marker has not come yet ( no in s 401 ), the information management apparatus 10 waits for the timing . if the timing for updating the status of the marker has come ( yes in s 401 ), the information management apparatus 10 extracts and obtains marker ids ( m 1 to m n ) associated with the trial disclosure status from the marker information management table ( s 402 ). the information management apparatus 10 then initializes an index i to one ( s 403 ). if the information management apparatus 10 determines that the number of times the marker id m i has been retrieved is greater than or equal to a threshold ( yes in s 404 ) by referring to the marker information management table , the information management apparatus 10 updates the status associated with the marker id m i to the disclosure status ( s 405 ). if the number of times the marker id m i has been retrieved is less than the threshold ( no in s 404 ) or after s 405 , the information management apparatus 10 increments the index i by one ( adds one to the index i ) ( s 407 ) when the index i has not reached the value n ( no in s 406 ). the process then returns to s 404 . if the index i has reached the value n in s 406 ( yes in s 406 ), the information management apparatus 10 terminates the process . in the above - described second marker status updating process , the status associated with the marker id is automatically updated from the trial disclosure status to the disclosure status when the number of times the marker id has been retrieved becomes greater than or equal to the threshold . therefore , updating of the status to the disclosure status is no longer forgotten . note that one of the above - described first and second marker status updating processes may be employed or both may be employed . it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment above . for example , as described below , the work load of the editor for performing trial search of a marker id may be reduced . referring first to a sequence diagram illustrated in fig9 , details of an information providing process that is performed when the information terminal 40 requests the information management apparatus 10 to provide information based on a marker formed on a printed material in a test mode will be described . as illustrated in fig9 , the information terminal 40 captures an image of an image area that contains a marker formed on a printed material , on the basis of operation information received from the user ( s 501 ). upon receipt of a search request in the test mode from the user ( s 502 ), the information terminal 40 transmits the captured image , the user id , the mode of the search request ( test mode ) to the information management apparatus 10 ( s 503 ). the information management apparatus 10 detects a marker from the captured image received from the information terminal 40 , and extracts a marker placed area in which the detected marker is placed ( s 504 ). for example , the information management apparatus 10 may extract a circumscribed rectangle of the marker as the marker placed area . the information management apparatus 10 generates k images p l to p k based on image information of the marker placed area ( s 505 ). the images p l to p k may include an image of the marker placed area extracted in s 504 and images obtained by performing image processing , such as projective transformation , rotation , brightness conversion , blurring , size conversion , clipping , and noise addition , on the image of the marker placed area . subsequently , the information management apparatus 10 initializes an index i to one ( s 506 ). then , the information management apparatus 10 obtains feature point information that is based on image features of the image p i ( s 507 ), and searches the marker information management table for corresponding marker ids using the obtained feature point information as a search key ( s 508 ). for example , the information management apparatus 10 may calculate similarity scores between the feature point information serving as the search key and pieces of feature point information stored in the marker information management table , and may obtain a predetermined number of marker ids in descending order of the calculated similarity scores as the search result . if the user identified by the user id received in s 503 does not have the privilege of the editor ( no in s 509 ), the information management apparatus 10 removes , from the search result , a marker id associated with the trial disclosure status among the marker ids retrieved in s 508 ( s 510 ). note that the information management apparatus 10 may determine in s 509 whether or not the user identified by the user id has the privilege of the editor by referring to the user &# 39 ; s role associated with the user id in the user information management table . if the user identified by the user id received in s 503 has the privilege of the editor ( yes in s 509 ) or after s 510 , the information management apparatus 10 updates search histories of the marker ids obtained as the search result ( s 511 ). for example , the information management apparatus 10 may add one to the number of times retrieved ( or the number of times information has been provided ) associated with each of the marker ids obtained as the search result in the case of yes in s 509 or after s 510 in the marker information management table illustrated in fig4 . note that the information management apparatus 10 does not add one to the number of times retrieved ( or the number of times information has been provided ) for the marker id removed from the search result in s 510 . subsequently , the information management apparatus 10 obtains links associated with the corresponding marker ids obtained as the search result by referring to the marker information management table ( s 512 ), and transmits the obtained links to the information terminal 40 ( s 513 ). the information terminal 40 selects at least one link from among the links received from the information management apparatus 10 , accesses the selected link to obtain information , and displays the obtained information ( s 514 ). if the index i has not reached the value k ( no in s 515 ), the information management apparatus 10 increments the index by one ( adds one to the index i ) ( s 516 ). the process then returns to s 507 . if the index i has reached the value k ( yes in s 515 ), the information management apparatus 10 notifies the information terminal 40 of end of the process ( s 517 ), and terminates the process . in the sequence above , test images are generated . this saves the editor capturing an image , and thus reduces the load for performing trial search . referring next to a sequence diagram illustrated in fig1 , details of a process of appropriately selecting the test mode in the case where the test mode is not specified will be described . as illustrated in fig1 , the information terminal 40 captures an image of an image area that contains a marker formed on a printed material , on the basis of operation information received from the user ( s 601 ). upon receipt of a search request without any specified mode from the user ( s 602 ), the information terminal 40 transmits the captured image and the user id to the information management apparatus 10 ( s 603 ). the information management apparatus 10 detects a marker from the captured image received from the information terminal 40 , and extracts a marker placed area in which the detected marker is placed ( s 604 ). for example , the information management apparatus 10 may extract a circumscribed rectangle of the marker as the marker placed area . then , the information management apparatus 10 obtains feature point information based on image features of the extracted marker placed area ( s 605 ), and searches the marker information management table for corresponding marker ids using the obtained feature point information as a search key ( s 606 ). for example , the information management apparatus 10 may calculate similarity scores between the feature point information serving as the search key and pieces of feature point information stored in the marker information management table , and may obtain a predetermined number of marker ids in descending order of the calculated similarity scores as the search result . if the retrieved marker ids include a marker id associated with the trial disclosure status ( yes in s 607 ), the process proceeds to s 505 of fig9 . on the other hand , if the retrieved marker ids include no marker id associated with the trial disclosure status ( no in s 607 ), the process proceeds to s 209 of fig6 . in the sequence above , test images are generated if trial search is possibly conducted for the marker id associated with the trial disclosure status . this saves the editor capturing an image , and thus reduces the load for performing trial search . in the exemplary embodiment described above , the information management apparatus 10 may obtain the user id and the password upon receipt of a request from the document edition apparatus 20 or the information terminal 40 , and may perform the information registration process or the information providing process only when the set of the user id and the password matches one of the sets stored in the user information management table . the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed . obviously , many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art . the embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications , thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents . | 7 |
referring now to the drawings , fig1 illustrates an exemplary network environment in which the present invention may be utilized , particularly to combat malicious service request being submitted to a web server . a client computer submitting a service request to a server , is engaged by the server in such a way that it must pay a stamp fee in terms of cpu processing time in order to communicate with the server . this stamp fee is determined as a function of either the client id and the request content , or the destination email id and the message included in the service request . the cost of the stamp fee is negligible when the client is submitting a limited number of service requests . however , as the number of service requests received from a particular client , and / or the number delivery addresses included in the service request increases , the greater the cost to the client in terms of processing time . in other words , the invention discourages malicious service requests by imposing an artificial slow down of the processing speed of the clients initiating such requests , thereby minimizing the damaging effects of denial of service ( dos ) attacks and spam email . in this instance , fig1 diagrammatically shows cross - internet collaboration between a server and one or more client computers . such servers provide a user with the ability to access one or more participating web sites or resources . in the example of fig1 , the invention is described in the context of preventing service request into web applications associated with dynamic web sites allowing the exchange of data between the client computer and the web site . an originating client computer system ( client ) 162 is coupled to a data communication network 164 in fig1 . in this example , the network 164 is the internet ( or the world wide web ). however , the teachings of the present invention can be applied to any data communication network . one or more remote , or destination , client computer systems ( remote clients ) 166 and one or more servers 170 , also referred to as “ web servers ” or “ network servers , are also coupled to network 164 . in turn , the client 162 can communicate with one or more remote clients 166 ( e . g ., send e - mail ) or access the one or more servers 170 via network 164 . fig1 also illustrates a malicious user at a client computer system 168 . malicious users , for example , such as the one at client computer 168 , attempt to submit service requests to web servers for a variety of undesirable purposes ( e . g ., disrupting internet commerce , attempting to guess passwords , mass harvesting of public information such as e - mail addresses , abusing mail services for spam , free advertising in chat rooms , and the like ). as shown in fig1 , the server 170 is coupled a content source 172 such as content database or content server . the server is responsive to a service request from the client 162 to retrieve requested content from the content source 172 , and transfer the retrieved content to the client . alternatively , the server 170 is responsive to a service request from the client 162 to deliver content ( e . g ., e - mail ) to one or more of remote clients 166 , that correspond to address data include in the service request . for example , the server 170 may be component of a communication network in which e - mail messages from a particular originating client computer are received and processed for delivery to one or more destination clients 166 . thus , a service request may be a content request to retrieve information from a server 170 such as a content server or a distribution request from a client computer to distribute an e - mail to one or more clients via a server 170 such as an e - mail server . the server 170 may be a front end server that allows communication between itself and client computer systems 162 and one or more back - end servers ( e . g ., content source ). in this example , server 170 and client 162 communicate data among themselves using the hypertext transfer protocol ( http ), a protocol commonly used on the internet to exchange information between clients and servers , or the simple mail transfer protocol ( smtp ) commonly used for sending e - mail from an originating client to a destination client . although the content database 172 is shown as a single storage unit separate from server 170 , it is to be understood that in other embodiments of the invention , content source 172 may be one or more memories contained within or separate from server 170 . the present invention involves the use of a throttling layer 174 , which is coupled to the server 170 for throttling ( i . e ., controlling ) malicious service requests being submitted to a web site by one or more by client computers 162 . in this example , the malicious client , represented by client computer system 168 , attempts to submit multiple bogus service requests to a web application 176 operating on server 170 . as explained in more detail in reference to fig2 below , after receiving a service request from a client ( e . g ., client 168 ), the throttling layer 174 requests the client 168 to submit an additional service request that includes stamp data , which is calculated by the client . the throttling layer may be implemented via a stand software alone application , as part of another application , as part of an operating system , or by hardware . after receiving the additional web request , the throttling layer 174 assigns processing priority to additional web requests that include stamp data that corresponds to verification data generated by the server 170 . if a web request is assigned processing priority , the throttling layer 174 submits that particular web request to the web application 176 for processing . on the other hand , if a web request is not assigned priority status , either because the retrieved stamp data does not correspond to the verification data or the client 168 is not configured to calculate stamp data , the throttling layer 174 segregates such additional web request for future processing or excludes such additional web request from further processing . as will be explained in greater detail below , as the number of web requests received by the server 170 increases ( i . e ., load increases ), the processing time the client 168 must employ to calculate the stamp data increases . by requiring the client 168 to calculate stamp data and giving low priority or excluding web requests that fail to include stamp data that corresponds to the verification data generated by the server 170 , the invention effectively manages and / or discourages clients 168 from initiating service attacks and spam . notably , clients computer systems 162 , 166 , 168 can be personal desktop computers handheld devices , or any other device configured for submitting web request over a communication network such as the internet . the system is designed in such a way that the client systems 162 effectively get complete service , the malicious systems 168 little service if they behave themselves by computing stamps and no service if they do not compute stamps and dividing the remaining server resources to client systems 166 . referring next to fig2 , an exemplary block diagram illustrates components of a client 202 ( e . g ., client computer system 162 ) and a server 204 ( e . g ., server 170 ) according to one embodiment of the invention . a client application 206 allows a user 208 to retrieve html documents 210 such as a web page or web form via a communication network 212 ( e . g ., network 164 ). the client application 206 is executable by the client 202 and responsive to user input for initiating the retrieval of such html documents ( web form ) 210 . one skilled in the art will appreciate that the client application 206 may be a web browser such as the internet explorer ® browser offered by microsoft corporation . frequently , the user 208 uses the client application 206 to contact a web site to retrieve a web form 210 accepting input data from the user 208 . alternatively , a client application 206 such as microsoft outlook ® offered by microsoft corporation allows a user to transfer message data ( e . g ., e - mail ) to one or more destination client computers ( e . g ., remote clients 166 ). a user - interface ( ui ) 214 linked to the client 202 allows the user 208 to interact with the retrieved web form 210 . for example , the ui 214 may include a display 216 such as a computer monitor for viewing the web form and an input device 218 such as a keyboard or a pointing device ( e . g ., a mouse , trackball , pen , or touch pad ) for entering data into the web form 210 . in other words , the ui 214 allows user 208 to interact with the web form 210 to define a web request , as indicated by reference character 220 . the client may be also be configured to execute a malicious application that generates a plurality of web requests ( e . g ., service attacks or spam e - mail ) for submission to a web server 204 . a web application 222 ( e . g ., web application 176 ) is responsive to web requests received from the client 202 , and executable by server 204 , to perform actions requested by the web requests . for example , the requested action may include retrieving content specified by message data included in the web request for return to client 202 via the client application 206 . in one embodiment , client application 206 uses http to transfer the web request from client 202 and to transport data back to client 202 . alternatively , the requested action may include distributing message data included in the web request to one or more remote client computers located at addresses included in the service request . the web application 222 can be any program executable by server 204 and capable of interfacing with client 202 via the client application 206 . a throttling layer 224 ( e . g ., throttling layer 174 ) is executed by the server 204 to throttle web requests before being provided to the web application 222 . that is , the throttling layer 224 intercepts malicious web request received from a client 202 before they have the opportunity to initiate a denial of service attack or spam e - mail distribution , and thus lock up valuable server resources . referring now to fig3 a , a block diagram illustrates components of a throttling layer 224 being executed in response to a content request received from a client 202 . the ui 214 linked to the client 202 allows a user 208 to submit a content request 302 ( see fig3 b ), as indicated by arrow 303 , to the server 204 via the client application 206 and communication network 212 . alternatively , a malicious application 304 executable by the client 202 generates and submits a plurality of content requests 302 to the server 204 . referring briefly to fig3 b , the components of an exemplary content request 302 are shown . as known to those skilled in the art , a content request 302 ( sometimes called http page request ) generally has two parts , a header 306 and a body 308 . the header 306 of the content request 302 includes command data 309 ( sometimes called a method ) that tells the server 204 a specific action it wants to perform . in this case , a get command is used to request content ( e . g ., documents ) from the particular content server 204 identified by an assigned url ( e . g ., & lt ; get msn . com / news / sports / index . html & gt ;). the header 306 may also include a message id 310 and a client id 312 . the message id 310 is a unique identifier used to track particular message data 314 included in the body of that particular content request . in this case , message data 314 included in the body 308 of the content request 302 defines the information or content to be retrieved by the server 204 . each message id 310 can have a local portion and a domain portion separated by an @ sign ( e . g ., 12345 . 67890 @ host . example . com ). the local portion ( e . g ., 12345 . 67890 ) of the message id 310 is different for different message data 314 , and the domain part is usually the name of the host ( i . e ., the computer sending mail or requesting data ) that generated the message id . in other words , although a first content request and a second content request are received from the same particular client 202 , if message data 314 included in the body 308 of the first content request is different from message data 314 included in the body 308 of the second content request , each of the first and second content request will include different message ids in their headers . the client id 312 identifies the location ( i . e ., ip address ) from which the content request 302 was initiated . for example , when the server 204 receives a content request 302 , the originating ip address of the request is made available by the simple act of connecting to the server 204 with the tcp / ip or transmission control protocol / internet protocol . the term “ tcp / ip ” refers to the layered combination of tcp and ip protocols , on which many higher - level application protocols ( like http ) have been built . the following is an example of content request 302 sent by the client 202 to a server 204 : get http :// msn . com / news / sports / index . html http / 1 . 0 host : 101 . 103 . 5 user - agent : mozilla / 4 . 0 ( compatible ; msie 4 . 0 ; windows nt ; . . . / 1 . 0 ) messageid : 12345 . 67890 @ host . msn . com in this example , “ msn . com ” identifies the server where the particular document ( i . e ., content ) is stored . the “/ news / sports /” is a folder , and identifies the location of the requested content on the server 204 . the “ index . html ” indicates the particular file or document to retrieve . the http :// msn . com / news / sports / index . html is the document requested and the protocol is http version 1 . 0 . the user - agent header contains information about the client program originating the request , and can be used , for example , to identify the browser software . the host 101 . 103 . 5 is the server id , and “ 2345 . 67890 @ host . msn . com ” is the message id . the client id can be the ip address of the client that the server can find out from the tcp / ip connection . referring back to fig3 a , the throttling layer 224 is responsive to the content request 302 received from the client 202 to execute a sending component 316 to send a reply message , as indicated by arrow 318 , to the client 202 for each content request 302 having a different message id 310 or a different client id 312 . the reply message includes transformation data and instructions for the client 202 to compute stamp data as a function of the transformation data . the client application is responsive to the transformation data included in the reply message to calculate a first stamp data value as and a second stamp data value b s by executing transformations known as hash functions to calculate the following first and second stamp data values : where m is the message id 310 , c is the client id 312 or ip address of the client 202 submitting the request , and f and g are inexpensive hash functions . the reply message also includes data defining a finite field f from which a and b must be members . in this embodiment , the first and second stamp data values a s , b s are determined based on finite - field ( i . e ., galois field ) arithmetic . as described above , a galois field is a finite field with pˆn elements where p is a prime integer . as will be explained below in more detail , the size ( i . e ., number of elements ) of the galois field is determined by the 2 n elements , where n is the number of bits the server uses to calculated the stamp data values a and b and is determined by the load the server 204 is experiencing in one preferred embodiment , the client application 206 running on the client 202 is configured to generate a stamp by first executing an algorithm in an iterative fashion to identify a mathematical relationship between the two stamp data values a s , b s . for example , the client application 206 is configured to solve for the exponent value x in the following equation : to calculate the exponent value x , the first verification data value , a s , is iteratively raised to the power of integers ( 1 , x - 1 ) until the equation is satisfied , which requires significant iterations when x is large . after determining the exponent value x that satisfies the above equation , the client 202 generates a stamp which is a tuple of ( a , x ). thereafter , the client application 206 uses , for example , javascript to prepend the header 306 of the content request 302 to include the generated stamp 324 , and submits a prepended content request 326 ( see fig3 c ), as indicated by arrow 327 , to the server 204 . a stamp is generated for each client computer 202 submitting an identical content request ( e . g ., contains same message id 310 and client id 312 ). alternatively , if content requests 302 originate from the same client 202 but lexical modification are made to message data included in the body of each of the content requests 302 to escape a rate filter ( e . g ., by adding white spaces ), a stamp is generated for each content request including modified message data 314 the throttling layer 224 is responsive to the stamp 324 included in the header of the prepended content request 326 to execute a generating component 328 that generates verification data values as a function of header data included in the content request 302 . the generating component 316 executes the same hash functions to calculate the following first and second verification data values : where m is the message id 310 , c is the client id 312 or ip address of the client 202 submitting the request , and f and g are inexpensive hash functions . the generating component 320 stores the calculated verification data values in a memory 318 . the throttling layer 224 then executes a comparing component 329 to verify that the first stamp data value as , included in the header of prepended content request 326 is equal to the first verification data value a v , and that the first verification data value a v raised to the exponent value x equals the second verification data value b v . if the first verification data value , a v , raised to the exponent value , x , equals the second verification data value , b v , the throttling layer 224 executes a processing component 330 to submit the prepended content request 326 to the web application 222 . the web application 222 is responsive to the prepended content request 326 to retrieve the requested content from a content source 332 such as a content database or content server and transfers the request content to the client as indicated by arrow 334 . on the other hand , if the first verification data value , a v , raised to determined exponent value x is not equal to the second verification data value , b v , or the client application 206 is not configured to generate a stamp , the processing component 330 transfers the prepended content request 326 to a general data pool 336 for future processing . for example , the prepended content request 326 stored in general data pool 336 are submitted to the web application 222 in a first in first out ( fifo ) manner for processing after all prepended content requests having stamp data that corresponds to calculated verification data have been processed . referring now to fig4 a , a block diagram illustrates components of a throttling layer 224 being executed in response to a distribution request received from client 202 . although the embodiment of the invention shown in fig4 a operates substantially the same as the embodiment in fig3 a , the following description relates to an exemplary operation of the invention in response to a distribution request such as an e - mail , received from the client 202 , rather than a content request . in this embodiment , the ui 214 linked to the client 202 allows user 208 to submit a distribution request 402 ( see fig4 b ), as indicated by arrow 403 , to the server 204 via the client application 206 and communication network 212 . alternatively , a malicious application 404 executable by the client 202 generates and submits a plurality of distribution request 402 to the server 204 . referring briefly to fig4 b , the components of an exemplary distribution request 402 are shown . as known to those skilled in the art , a distribution request 402 generally has two parts , a header 406 and a body 408 . the header 406 of the distribution request 402 includes simple mail transfer protocol ( smtp ) command data 409 that instructs the server 204 to perform a specific action . in this case , in addition to a message id 410 and a client id 412 , the header 406 of the distribution request 402 includes a “ rcpt to ” command followed by one or more addresses specifying a location of one or more destination mailboxes 411 , assessable via the communication network 214 , at which to deliver message data 414 included in the body 408 of the distribution request 402 . referring back to fig4 a , the throttling layer 224 is responsive to the distribution request 403 received from the client computer 202 to determine if a stamp is included in the request for each address specified in the header 406 of a single distribution request 402 , or for each distribution request 402 with a different message id 408 in the header 406 . in this embodiment , the client application 206 is responsive to the users instructions to send the distribution request to calculate a first stamp data value a s , a second stamp data value b s , and an exponent x such as described above in reference to fig3 a . ( see equation 3 above ). however , in this embodiment , the client application includes data defining a finite field f from which a and b must be members . prior to sending the distribution request , the client generates a stamp which is a tuple of ( a , x ). in this embodiment , a stamp is required for each destination mailbox 411 corresponding to an address specified in the command data 409 at which the message data 412 is to be delivered . a stamp is also required for each received distribution request that includes different message data ( i . e ., different message id ). for example , if the distribution request 402 originates from a single source ( i . e ., same client id ) but lexical modification are made to message data 412 included in the body 408 of the distribution request 402 to escape a rate filter ( e . g ., by adding white spaces ), a stamp is required for each distribution request that includes modified message data . after computing the stamp , the client application 206 uses special program code ( e . g ., java script ) included in the client application 206 to prepend the header 406 of the distribution request 402 to include the generated stamp 422 ( i . e ., a s , x ) and submits the prepended distribution request 424 ( see fig4 c ), as indicated by arrow 403 to the server 204 . the throttling layer 224 is responsive to the stamp 422 included in the header 406 of the prepended distribution request 424 to execute a generating component 416 that generates first and second verification data values a v , b v , such as described above in reference to fig3 a as a function of header data included in the distribution request 302 . the throttling layer 224 executes a verification component 420 to verify that the first stamp data value as included in the header of prepended distribution request 424 is equal to the first verification data value a v respectively . the throttling layer 224 then executes a comparing component 428 that compares the first verification data value a v raised to the exponent value x , included in the stamp , to the second verification data value b v . if the first verification data value , a v , raised to the exponent value , x , is equal to the second verification data value , b v , the throttling layer 224 executes a processing component 430 to submit the prepended distribution request 422 to a e - mail server application 432 . the e - mail server application 432 delivers the message content to one or more destination computers corresponding to one or more address specified by the rcpt to command . on the other hand , if the first verification data value , a v , raised to the exponent value , x , is not equal to the second verification data value , b v , or the client application 206 is not configured to generate a stamp , the processing component 430 transfers the prepended content request 424 to a general data pool 434 for future processing . for example , after processing all distribution requests 424 having valid stamp data and the server load ( e . g ., number of request being supplied to the server ) falls below a threshold value , the prepended distribution request 424 stored in the general data pool 434 are submitted to the email application 432 in a first in first out ( fifo ) manner for processing . notably , as the number of requests received by the server increases ( i . e ., load increases ), the number of bits the server uses to calculate the first and second stamp data values a s , b s increases . for example , if the load ( i . e ., number of request being submitted to the server ) is less than or equal ten ( 10 ) percent of the maximum load capacity of the server , the server may use four bits to determine the first and second verification data values a , b , which indicates 16 ( i . e ., 2 4 ) different possibilities . however , when the load is eighty ( 80 ) percent of the server &# 39 ; s maximum load capacity , the throttling component may use eight bits to determine the first and second verification data values a , b , which indicates 254 ( i . e ., 2 8 ) different possibilities . as another example , throttling only occurs after the server reaches a predetermined percentage ( e . g ., 90 %) of its maximum load . after the predetermined load is reached , the server uses 16 bit numbers to ward off dos attacks . if the load does not fall bellow the predetermined percentage within a predetermined period of time , the server doubles the number of bits being used after every interval and so on . thus , as the load increases the processing time required for the client to calculate x increases because the number of iterations that must be performed by the client to calculate x increases . by requiring the client to calculate verification data and excluding search requests that fail to match the calculated verification data , the invention effectively prioritizes web request and discourages service attacks from a client because of the increased processing time that will be required . in another embodiment , an optional filter component ( see reference character 340 in fig3 a and reference character 440 in fig4 a ) maintains a rate filter for web request ( content or distribution request ) based on data included in the header of the web request . that is , when the same web request , also know as a replay attack , is submitted to the server from different sources , such web request are identified and dropped at the very beginning of processing . for example , by storing the client id and first verification data value , a , in memory , and comparing stamp data in the header of subsequently received search requests to the first verification data value data and client id stored in memory , reoccurring search requests can be identified and dropped from processing or placed in a pool with other non - priority requests . moreover , as described above , if an attacker makes lexical modification to message data to escape the rate filter ( e . g ., by adding white spaces ) the client ( s ) providing the request will have to re - compute the stamp , which will slow the processing of the client . although the arrows in fig3 a and 4a show direct data transfer occurring between client and server , it is to be understood data transfer occurs via a communication network such as the internet . referring now to fig5 , a flow diagram illustrates a method for throttling a plurality of content requests being supplied to a server from one or more clients . each content request includes a header specifying a client id and a message id and a body specifying message data . at 502 , a server executes a throttling layer in response to a content request received from a client computer . the throttling layer compares the client id included in the header of the request to a list of invalid client ids stored in memory to determine if there is a match at 504 . if the client id is determined to match an invalid client id stored in memory at 504 , then the throttling layer drops the request from further processing at 506 . if the client id does not match any of the invalid client ids stored in memory at 504 , the throttling layer determines if stamp data ( i . e ., a s , x ) is included in the header data at 508 . if the throttling layer determines that stamp data is included in the header at 508 , the throttling layer determines if the stamp data is valid at 510 . for example , as described above in reference to fig3 a the throttling layer generates first and second verification data values a v , b v , and verifies that the first verification data value a v raised to the exponent value x equals the second verification data value b v . determining if the stamp is valid includes determining if the service request is a replay message . for example , the throttling layer verifies that the message id included in the header of the content request does not match any previous message ids stored in a memory . if the throttling layer determines that the stamp data is valid at 510 ( e . g ., valid stamp and not a replay message ), the server immediately processes the content request to provide the requested content to the client at 511 . in other words , content requests that have a valid stamp are processed with high priority . the throttling layer processes content requests that include stamp data in the header before processing content requests that do not include stamp data . if the throttling layer determines that the stamp data is not valid at 510 , the client id is added to the list of invalid client ids stored in memory at 512 . if the throttling layer determines that stamp data is not included in the header at 508 , the throttling layer determines if the request is from a new client at 514 . for example , the throttling layer compares the client id included in the header of the content request to a list of client ids stored in a memory that each corresponds to a client computer from which a content request was previously received . if the throttling layer determines that the request is not from a new client at 514 , the throttling layer adds the client id to the list of invalid client ids stored in memory at and drops the content request from further processing at 512 . if the throttling layer determines that the request is from a new client at 514 , the throttling layer marks the client id as old at 518 . at 520 , the throttling layer transfers the content request to a general data pool for future processing . in other words , a content request received from a new client that does not include stamp data is processed with a lower priority . the throttling layer transmits a response message to the client supplying a content request at 522 . the response message includes transformation data and instructions for the client 202 to compute stamp data as a function of the transformation data . for example , as described above in reference to fig3 a , a client application on the client computer is responsive to the transformation data included in the reply message to calculate a first stamp data value as and a second stamp data value b s , and identify a mathematical relationship between the two stamp data values a s , b s . more specifically , the client application computes the exponent value x in equation 3 . the throttling layer receives an additional content request including computed stamp data from the client and again executes the throttling layer at 502 . referring now to fig6 , a flow diagram illustrates a method for throttling distribution requests being supplied to a server . at 602 , a server executes a throttling layer in response to a distribution request received from client computer . each distribution request includes a header specifying a message id , a client id and one or more addresses of destination mailboxes at which to deliver message data included in a body of the distribution request . the throttling layer compares the client id included in the header of the request to a list of invalid client ids stored in a memory at 604 . if the client id is determined to match an invalid client id stored in memory at 604 , then the throttling layer drops the request from further processing at 606 . if the client id does not match any of the invalid client ids stored in memory at 604 , the throttling layer determines if stamp data ( i . e ., a s , x ) is included in the header data at 608 . if the throttling layer determines that stamp data is included in the header at 608 , the throttling layer determines if the stamp data is valid at 610 . for example , as described above in reference to fig4 a . the throttling layer generates a first and second verification data values a v , b v , and verifies that the first verification data value a v raised to the exponent value x equals the second verification data value b v . determining if the stamp is valid includes determining if the service request is a replay message . for instance , the throttling layer verifies that the message id included in the header of the distribution request does not match any previous message ids stored in memory . if the throttling layer determines that the stamp data is valid at 610 ( e . g ., valid stamp and not a replay message ), the server immediately processes the distribution request to deliver the message data included in the body of the distribution request to the to the one or more addresses of destination mailboxes specified in the header of the distribution request at 611 . in other words , distribution request that include a valid stamp are processed with a higher priority . the throttling layer processes distribution requests that include stamp data in the header before processing distribution requests that do not include stamp data . if the throttling layer determines that the stamp data is not valid at 610 , the client id is added to the list of invalid client ids stored in memory and the distribution request is drop from processing at 612 . if the throttling layer determines that stamp data is not included in the header at 608 , the throttling layer transfers the distribution request to a general data pool for future processing by the email application at 614 . in other words , distribution request that do not include a valid stamp are processed with a lower priority . fig7 shows one example of a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer 130 . in one embodiment of the invention , a computer such as the computer 130 is suitable for use in the other figures illustrated and described herein . computer 130 has one or more processors or processing units 132 and a system memory 134 . in the illustrated embodiment , a system bus 136 couples various system components including the system memory 134 to the processors 132 . the bus 136 represents one or more of any of several types of bus structures , including a memory bus or memory controller , a peripheral bus , an accelerated graphics port , and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures . by way of example , and not limitation , such architectures include industry standard architecture ( isa ) bus , micro channel architecture ( mca ) bus , enhanced isa ( eisa ) bus , video electronics standards association ( vesa ) local bus , and peripheral component interconnect ( pci ) bus also known as mezzanine bus . the computer 130 typically has at least some form of computer readable media . computer readable media , which include both volatile and nonvolatile media , removable and non - removable media , may be any available medium that may be accessed by computer 130 . by way of example and not limitation , computer readable media comprise computer storage media and communication media . computer storage media include volatile and nonvolatile , removable and non - removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions , data structures , program modules or other data . for example , computer storage media include ram , rom , eeprom , flash memory or other memory technology , cd - rom , digital versatile disks ( dvd ) or other optical disk storage , magnetic cassettes , magnetic tape , magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices , or any other medium that may be used to store the desired information and that may be accessed by computer 130 . communication media typically embody computer readable instructions , data structures , program modules , or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and include any information delivery media . those skilled in the art are familiar with the modulated data signal , which has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal . wired media , such as a wired network or direct - wired connection , and wireless media , such as acoustic , rf , infrared , and other wireless media , are examples of communication media . combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope of computer readable media . the system memory 134 includes computer storage media in the form of removable and / or non - removable , volatile and / or nonvolatile memory . in the illustrated embodiment , system memory 134 includes read only memory ( rom ) 138 and random access memory ( ram ) 140 . a basic input / output system 142 ( bios ), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between components within computer 130 , such as during start - up , is typically stored in rom 138 . ram 140 typically contains data and / or program modules that are immediately accessible to and / or presently being operated on by processing unit 132 . by way of example , and not limitation , fig7 illustrates operating system 144 , application programs 146 , other program modules 148 , and program data 150 . the computer 130 may also include other removable / non - removable , volatile / nonvolatile computer storage media . for example , fig7 illustrates a hard disk drive 154 that reads from or writes to non - removable , nonvolatile magnetic media . fig7 also shows a magnetic disk drive 156 that reads from or writes to a removable , nonvolatile magnetic disk 158 , and an optical disk drive 160 that reads from or writes to a removable , nonvolatile optical disk 162 such as a cd - rom or other optical media . other removable / non - removable , volatile / nonvolatile computer storage media that may be used in the exemplary operating environment include , but are not limited to , magnetic tape cassettes , flash memory cards , digital versatile disks , digital video tape , solid state ram , solid state rom , and the like . the hard disk drive 154 , and magnetic disk drive 156 and optical disk drive 160 are typically connected to the system bus 136 by a non - volatile memory interface , such as interface 166 . the drives or other mass storage devices and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated in fig . 7 , provide storage of computer readable instructions , data structures , program modules and other data for the computer 130 . in fig7 , for example , hard disk drive 154 is illustrated as storing operating system 170 , application programs 172 , other program modules 174 , and program data 176 . note that these components may either be the same as or different from operating system 144 , application programs 146 , other program modules 148 , and program data 150 . operating system 170 , application programs 172 , other program modules 174 , and program data 176 are given different numbers here to illustrate that , at a minimum , they are different copies . a user may enter commands and information into computer 130 through input devices or user interface selection devices such as a keyboard 180 and a pointing device 182 ( e . g ., a mouse , trackball , pen , or touch pad ). other input devices ( not shown ) may include a microphone , joystick , game pad , satellite dish , scanner , or the like . these and other input devices are connected to processing unit 132 through a user input interface 184 that is coupled to system bus 136 , but may be connected by other interface and bus structures , such as a parallel port , game port , or a universal serial bus ( usb ). a monitor 188 or other type of display device is also connected to system bus 136 via an interface , such as a video interface 190 . in addition to the monitor 188 , computers often include other peripheral output devices ( not shown ) such as a printer and speakers , which may be connected through an output peripheral interface ( not shown ). the computer 130 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers , such as a remote computer 194 . the remote computer 194 may be a personal computer , a server , a router , a network pc , a peer device or other common network node , and typically includes many or all of the components described above relative to computer 130 . the logical connections depicted in fig7 include a local area network ( lan ) 196 and a wide area network ( wan ) 198 , but may also include other networks . lan 136 and / or wan 138 may be a wired network , a wireless network , a combination thereof , and so on . such networking environments are commonplace in offices , enterprise - wide computer networks , intranets , and global computer networks ( e . g ., the internet ). when used in a local area networking environment , computer 130 is connected to the lan 196 through a network interface or adapter 186 . when used in a wide area networking environment , computer 130 typically includes a modem 178 or other means for establishing communications over the wan 198 , such as the internet . the modem 178 , which may be internal or external , is connected to system bus 136 via the user input interface 184 , or other appropriate mechanism . in a networked environment , program modules depicted relative to computer 130 , or portions thereof , may be stored in a remote memory storage device ( not shown ). by way of example , and not limitation , fig7 illustrates remote application programs 192 as residing on the memory device . the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used . generally , the data processors of computer 130 are programmed by means of instructions stored at different times in the various computer - readable storage media of the computer . programs and operating systems are typically distributed , for example , on floppy disks or cd - roms . from there , they are installed or loaded into the secondary memory of a computer . at execution , they are loaded at least partially into the computer &# 39 ; s primary electronic memory . the invention described herein includes these and other various types of computer - readable storage media when such media contain instructions or programs for implementing the steps described below in conjunction with a microprocessor or other data processor . the invention also includes the computer itself when programmed according to the methods and techniques described herein . for purposes of illustration , programs and other executable program components , such as the operating system , are illustrated herein as discrete blocks . it is recognized , however , that such programs and components reside at various times in different storage components of the computer , and are executed by the data processor ( s ) of the computer . although described in connection with an exemplary computing system environment , including computer 130 , the invention is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations . the computing system environment is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention . moreover , the computing system environment should not be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment . examples of well known computing systems , environments , and / or configurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include , but are not limited to , personal computers , server computers , hand - held or laptop devices , multiprocessor systems , microprocessor - based systems , set top boxes , programmable consumer electronics , mobile telephones , network pcs , minicomputers , mainframe computers , distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices , and the like . the invention may be described in the general context of computer - executable instructions , such as program modules , executed by one or more computers or other devices . generally , program modules include , but are not limited to , routines , programs , objects , components , and data structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types . the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network . in a distributed computing environment , program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices . an interface in the context of a software architecture includes a software module , component , code portion , or other sequence of computer - executable instructions . the interface includes , for example , a first module accessing a second module to perform computing tasks on behalf of the first module . the first and second modules include , in one example , application programming interfaces ( apis ) such as provided by operating systems , component object model ( com ) interfaces ( e . g ., for peer - to - peer application communication ), and extensible markup language metadata interchange format ( xmi ) interfaces ( e . g ., for communication between web services ). the interface may be a tightly coupled , synchronous implementation such as in java 2 platform enterprise edition ( j2ee ), com , or distributed com ( dcom ) examples . alternatively or in addition , the interface may be a loosely coupled , asynchronous implementation such as in a web service ( e . g ., using the simple object access protocol ). in general , the interface includes any combination of the following characteristics : tightly coupled , loosely coupled , synchronous , and asynchronous . further , the interface may conform to a standard protocol , a proprietary protocol , or any combination of standard and proprietary protocols . the interfaces described herein may all be part of a single interface or may be implemented as separate interfaces or any combination therein . the interfaces may execute locally or remotely to provide functionality . further , the interfaces may include additional or less functionality than illustrated or described herein . in operation , computer 130 executes computer - executable instructions such as those illustrated in fig5 and 6 . the order of execution or performance of the methods illustrated and described herein is not essential , unless otherwise specified . that is , components of the methods may be performed in any order , unless otherwise specified , and that the methods may include more or less components than those disclosed herein . for example , it is contemplated that executing or performing a particular component before , contemporaneously with , or after another component is within the scope of the invention . when introducing components of the present invention or the embodiment ( s ) thereof , the articles “ a ,” “ an ,” “ the ,” and “ said ” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the components . the terms “ comprising ,” “ including ,” and “ having ” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional components other than the listed components . in view of the above , it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained . as various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention , it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense . | 6 |
referring to fig1 and 2 showing a first embodiment of the present invention , the wiper blade comprises a base section 1 having a concave cross section , a neck section 2 , a turning section 3 having a substantially triangular cross section and a lip section extending from the ridge of the turning section 3 . the base section has a symmetrical cross section and consists of , from the top downward , a head 10 , a neck 11 having a width smaller than that of the head 10 , first wings 12 extending in opposite directions , respectively , beyond the neck , a body 13 having a width smaller than the distance between the longitudinal side edges of the wings 12 , and second wings 14 extending in opposite directions , respectively , beyond the body 13 . flanges 5 , which feature the present invention , extend upward from the longitudinal side edges of the upper surfaces of the first wings 12 of the base section 1 , respectively . the respective upper ends of the flanges 5 are directed inward as shown in fig1 . incidentally , the height h of each flange 5 from the upper surface of the wings 12 is about 2 mm , while the width t of the inwardly directed portion of the flange 5 is about 1 mm , and the thickness t of each flange 5 is about 1 mm . the overall height of the wiper blade , namely , the distance between the edge of the lip section 4 and the edge of the head 10 , is approximately 12 mm , the distance between the side edges of the first wings 12 , namely , the overall width of the wiper blade , is approximately 9 mm , and the thickness of the lip section 4 is about 0 . 8 mm . this wiper blade is manufactured through extrusion molding . fig1 shows the wiper blade in the first embodiment as mounted on a wiper holder 8 . in this state , a backing plate 9 is inserted between the lower surface of the head 10 and the upper surfaces of the first wings 12 with part of the upper surface 9b of the backing plate 9 exposed . the longitudinal side edges 8a of the blade holder 8 are received in grooves between the first wings 12 and the second wings 14 . the wiper blade and the backing plate can be removed from the blade holder 8 by longitudinally sliding the wiper blade relative to the blade holder 8 . the backing plate 9 can be separated from the wiper blade by longitudinally sliding the backing plate 9 relative to the wiper blade . thus the wiper blade is moved longitudinally relative to the blade holder in replacing an old one with a new one . the action and effect of this embodiment will be described hereunder . when the wiper is operated , the turning section 3 turns in opposite directions alternately on the root of the neck section 2 to wipe the surface of a glass plate with the lip section 4 . since the side edges 9a of the backing plate 9 are covered with the rubber flanges 5 extending upward from the first wings 12 of the base section 1 and portions of the upper surface 9b of the backing plate 9 in the vicinity of the side edges 9a are covered with the inwardly directed portions of the flanges 5 , the direct impact of the side edges 9a of the backing plate 9 on the blade holder 8 is prevented during the operation of the wiper . naturally , the direct impact of the upper surface 9b of the backing plate on the blade holder 8 also is prevented . therefore , even if the blade holder 8 and the backing plate 9 are metallic members , generation of a harsh metallic sound , namely , click - clack noises , is obviated . if obviation of generation of such click - clack noises is the only purpose , it is possible to form a combination of a wiper blade and a backing plate through insert molding to bury the backing plate within the base section so that the backing plate is covered entirely with the wiper blade . however , if the wiper blade and the backing plate are combined in such a manner , it is practically impossible to separate the backing plate from the wiper blade in order to replace the wiper blade with a new one . according to the present invention , the wiper blade can be removed from the blade holder 8 by longitudinally moving the wiper blade relative to the blade holder 8 and the backing plate 9 can be separated from the wiper blade by longitudinally moving the backing plate 9 relative to the wiper blade . accordingly , when the neck section 2 or the lip section 4 of the wiper blade of the present invention is damaged or deteriorated , the wiper blade is removed from the blade holder 8 and the backing plate 9 and a new wiper blade is joined to the wiper holder 8 and the backing plate 9 . fig3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention . in the second embodiment , flanges 35 extend perpendicularly to the upper surface of first wings 12 so as to cover the side edges 9a of a backing plate 9 . the upper ends 35a of the flanges 35 project above the upper surface 9b of the backing plate 9 by a distance d . ordinarily , the distance d is about 0 . 2 to 0 . 5 mm . the second embodiment also is capable of preventing click - clack noises which are generated by the impact of the metallic backing plate 9 on a metallic blade holder 8 . in the second embodiment , since the upper ends 35a of the flanges 35 project by a distance d above the upper surface 9b of the backing plate 9 , the impact of the upper surface 9b of the backing plate 9 on the blade holder 8 is obviated , though the upper ends thereof are not directed inward as the flanges 5 of the first embodiment . fig4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention . in the third embodiment , flanges 45 extend from the outer edges of the upper surfaces of first wings 12 so as to project above the upper surface 9b of a backing plate 9 by a distance d and so that the upper ends thereof approach each other . ordinarily , the inclination of the flanges 45 is an angle in the range of 60 to 90 . when the flanges 45 are thus inclined , the flanges 45 are able to hold the backing plate 9 at the side edges 9a . accordingly , the backing plate 9 is held firmly so that the backing plate 9 will not rattle . | 1 |
the following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit application and uses . furthermore , there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background or summary or the following detailed description . the motor vehicle 1 shown in fig4 comprises a self - supporting motor vehicle body 2 . in the schematic representation of fig1 , merely two arbitrary body components 11 , 12 are exemplarily indicated , which can be non - positively connected to one another with a connecting arrangement 10 described in the following . the body components 11 , 12 can for example be formed as side members running in vehicle longitudinal direction ( x ) and spaced from one another in vehicle transverse direction ( y ), for example in the floor region of a motor vehicle passenger cell 3 . it is also conceivable that the merely schematically indicated body components 11 , 12 are formed for example as a lateral support structure for an instrument panel carrier , which for example extends in between in vehicle transverse direction ( y ). preferably , at least one of the body components 11 , 12 is formed as fiber composite material or as carbon fiber material . in order to be able to connect the relevant fiber - based body component 11 , 12 for example to a metal component of the motor vehicle body 2 , the body component 12 , as shown in fig3 , comprises a passage opening 28 for receiving a pulling device 44 . aligned with the passage opening 28 of the body component 12 , a passage opening 30 of a pressure distributor 14 that can be arranged on the outside of the body component 12 is provided . the pressure distributor 14 , as is shown in both fig1 and fig2 , can comprises a type of hemispherical support profile , which on its lower side facing the body component 12 comprises a plurality of support webs 40 , 42 formed in the manner of a framework or ribbed . in a central region of the pressure distributor 14 provided with flange portions 38 projecting to the outside , a passage opening 30 is formed , which is adjoined by a plurality of support webs 40 , 42 in this case a total of eight which are evenly distributed in circumferential direction and radially extend to the outside . through the support webs 40 running approximately in horizontal direction as well as through the support webs 42 extending obliquely in the plane of the pressure distributor 14 , the central force introduction region of the pressure distributor 14 in particular can be adequately reinforced structurally . the outer marginal flange portions 38 projecting upwards and downwards , the pressure distributor 14 can support itself in the manner indicated in fig1 on the outer surface of the body component 12 facing it . on the outside 13 of the pressure distributor 14 , a spherical cap - like or hemispherical receptacle 20 in the form of a depression is provided , which is designed for the accurately fitting receiving of a flexible clamping element 18 . here , the clamping element 18 likewise comprises a central passage opening 32 , which upon the assembly as intended on the pressure distributor 14 comes to lie approximately aligned with the passage opening 30 of the pressure distributor 14 . the outer contour 22 of the clamping element 18 facing the pressure distributor 14 has a shape which corresponds to the contour or geometry of the receptacle 20 of the clamping element 14 , so that the clamping element 18 located in the receptacle 20 can support itself substantially over the full area on the inner wall of the receptacle 20 . the spherical cap - like configuration of receptacle 20 and clamping element 18 serves for a homogeneously and spatially largely evenly distributed force introduction in the pressure distributor 14 thus also in the body components 12 . the clamping element 18 is formed in particular as an elastic clamping element , which comprises a thermoplastic or which is formed of such . preferably , at least one urethane , one polyamide , one polystyrene or one polypropylene as well as material mixtures arbitrarily formed thereof are possible for the clamping element . in a preferred configuration , the clamping element has a shore - d hardness of approximately 60 to approximately 110 . in this hardness range , the clamping element 18 on the one hand can provide an adequate force transmission between a pulling device 44 acting on the outside of the clamping element 18 and the pressure distributor 14 adjoining the clamping element 18 on the opposite side . the pulling device 44 penetrating the clamping element 18 , the pressure distributor 14 and the at least one body component comprises an elongate pulling element 24 , for example in the form of a wire cable or a pull rod , which for example at its end located at the bottom right shown in fig3 comprises a connecting portion 26 , for example in the form of an external thread . the pulling device 44 furthermore comprises a headpiece 16 with a shank 15 receiving the connecting portion 26 of the pulling element 24 and with a radially expanded flange portion 17 . the radially expanded flange portion 17 in this case can be inserted flush with the surface into an opening rim formed as a depression on the outside of the clamping element 18 facing away from the pressure distributor 14 . in addition , the opening rim 36 schematically shown in fig1 as well as the outer edge 36 each comprise an anti - rotation structure 34 , 37 corresponding to one another . thus , the headpiece can have a type of serration on the outer edge of its flange portion , which can be inserted in a correspondingly serrated structure of the opening rim 36 of the clamping element 18 . through the anti - rotation structures 34 , 37 of headpiece 16 and clamping element 18 which correspond to one another , a rotary movement of the headpiece 16 relative to the clamping element 18 can be substantially prevented , so that a rotary movement of the headpiece 16 relative to the pulling element 24 can be effectively prevented , which could otherwise possibly result in the connecting arrangement 10 being disconnected . as is shown , furthermore , in fig3 , the pulling device 44 serves for exerting a pulling force marked with reference number 46 . in this way , a holding or fixing force acting on the outside of the clamping element 18 can be provided via the pulling device 44 , which is transmitted via the elastic clamping element 18 , via the force distributor 14 and finally to the body component 12 . although in the present figures it is not explicitly show , the further body component 11 can comprise a corresponding pressure distributor 14 with a clamping element 18 likewise on its outside facing away from the body component 12 , which can interact in an identical or similar manner with the pulling device 44 coupling or connecting the two body components 11 , 12 together . while at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing summary and 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 in any way . rather , the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment , 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 as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents . | 8 |
the following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings . the same reference numbers in different drawings identify the same or similar elements . also , the following detailed description does not limit the invention . instead , the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof . fig1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system for inspecting optical devices . the system includes a camera 10 coupled to a processor 12 . the camera 10 is preferably an infrared camera that obtains an image of the optical device under test 16 . the processor 12 may be implemented using a general - purpose computer implementing the processes described herein . the general - purpose computer may operate in response to a computer program stored in a storage medium 13 ( e . g ., hard drive ) accessible by the computer . a display 14 is provided to allow a user to view images generated by camera 10 and to provide a graphical user interface to operate the system . suitable input peripherals ( not shown ) such a keyboard , mouse , etc . may be coupled to processor 12 . the optical device under test 16 receives infrared light from an ir source 18 or has ir source internally . the optical device may be a component ( e . g ., a fiber , a spliced fiber , an optical filter , etc .) or may be an optical assembly ( e . g ., amplifier , transceiver , etc .) including a plurality of optical components . in an exemplary embodiment , the optical device under test is designed to be part of an optical communications system carrying an information signal at or about a communications wavelength . the ir source emits infrared light at a wavelength substantially equal to the communication wavelength . in an exemplary embodiment , the ir source 18 is a laser generating infrared light at a wavelength of 1550 nm . a second ir source 18 ′ may be used to test transmission characteristics of the device under test at a second wavelength . again , the optical device under test is designed to be part of an optical communications system . this second wavelength is used in the optical communications network as a service channel , transmitting commands and other control information between network elements . in an exemplary embodiment , the second ir source 18 ′ generates infrared light at a wavelength of about 1310 nm . alternatively , the second ir source 18 ′ generates infrared light at a wavelength of about 1625 nm . the inspection system may be used to inspect a variety of optical devices for defects . one type of optical device that may be inspected is optical fiber . certain types of fiber ( such as recoated fiber ) may include defects such as incomplete filling of epoxy , scratches , air bubbles , and / or contamination that cause the infrared light to leak out . the system of fig1 may be used to detect such defects . fig2 depicts and exemplary two - dimensional image 5 of a spliced and recoated fiber 7 . as described above , ir source 18 is coupled to the fiber and the camera 10 acquires an image 5 as shown in fig2 . in other words , image 5 shown in fig2 is the raw or base image from camera 10 and clearly shows the ir light leaking through the fiber . the image 5 is processed by processor 12 to locate areas of high intensity that indicate that a defect is present . when the infrared light passes through the fiber and encounters a defect ( e . g ., poor recoating , scratches , air bubbles , contamination ) the infrared light is leaked or scattered causing an emission or bright spot in the image . processor 12 process the image 5 to detect such defects . fig4 is a flowchart of a process implemented by processor 12 to detect a defect in an image 5 of a fiber 7 such as that shown in fig2 . the process begins at step 110 where the image 5 is acquired . the inspection process may be performed in real time as the image 5 is acquired by camera 10 or may be performed on images stored in storage device 13 . the image 5 is generated by applying an ir source to the fiber and then imaging the length of the fiber 7 with camera 10 . an image plot 6 , such as that shown in fig3 is obtained at step 110 . the image plot 6 provides a three - dimensional representation of the raw data in the form of a plot of ir intensity ( i . e ., a z component ) for x , y locations in the image 5 . at step 112 , peaks in the image plot 6 are located which may correspond to defects in the fiber 7 because the peaks correspond to the maximum ir light leakage areas . this may be performed through a profile analysis routine that analyzes profiles in the image plot 6 and derives profile characteristics . for example , as shown in fig5 profiles may be located by applying a threshold to the image 6 . fig5 is a simplified representation showing one dimensional axis and intensity such as in image plot 6 . the profile analysis is preferably performed on three - dimensional data , namely x , y position and intensity . profile characteristics such as peak height , peak width , height - to - width ratio , leading edge slope , trailing edge slope etc ., may be derived to characterize the profile as either a defect or noise at step 114 . defects such as poor recoating , scratches , air bubbles , and contamination may be detected based on the profile of the infrared signal . a report may then be generated at step 116 notifying an operator of the defect and the results stored in a database . the processing described above with respect to fig2 - 4 may be applied to a section of fiber , a fiber splice or a fiber splice within a splice protection device . often , spliced fibers are positioned within a splice protection device which protects the fiber splice from , for example , tension on the splice region . by using an ir source 18 with sufficient power ( e . g ., 50 mw ), defects in a splice encased in an ir - permeable splice protection device ( e . g ., plastic ) can be imaged by camera 10 . in another embodiment of the invention , the system of fig1 may be used to inspect more complex optical devices such as an optical subassembly . fig6 depicts an exemplary optical device under test in the form of an optical subassembly 30 . optical subassembly 30 includes incoming fibers 31 that are wrapped around spools 32 to store excess fiber . the incoming fibers are spliced to input fibers for amplifiers 36 at splices 34 . the output of amplifiers 36 are coupled by additional fiber to output ports 38 . testing the optical subassembly 30 using conventional techniques would be difficult . conventional techniques would involve applying an input at incoming fibers 31 and monitoring an output at output ports 38 . if the signal is degraded , this indicates that a defect exists in the optical subassembly 30 , but the location of the defect cannot be determined . to individually test the splices 34 , each end of the spliced fiber must be destroyed and each splice must be inspect one by one . to individually test amplifiers 36 and output ports 38 , the transmission path would need to be interrupted proximate to each component which is time - consuming . using the system of fig1 optical devices such as optical subassembly 30 can be tested quickly and non - invasively . the inspection process is depicted in the flowchart of fig7 . the process begins at step 210 where the image is acquired . the inspection process may be performed in real time as the image is acquired by camera 10 or may be performed on images stored in storage device 13 . the image is generated by applying an ir source to the optical device and imaging the optical device with camera 10 . additionally , if the device under test is an active device , the device is activated ( e . g ., power is applied ). the image provides three - dimensional data in the form of x , y coordinates defining locations in the image and a third dimension ( e . g ., z coordinate ) of pixel intensity proportional to the infrared light detected by camera 10 . in the example shown in fig6 the ir source is applied to incoming fibers 31 . at step 212 , three - dimensional pattern analysis is performed to distinguish noise from potential defects . the pattern analysis step locates profiles in the three - dimensional data to isolate potential defects . the profile information of the data such as peak height , peak width , height - to - width ratio , leading edge slope , trailing edge slope etc ., may be derived to characterize a profile as either a defect or noise at step 212 . noise peaks are eliminated from further consideration . at step 214 , candidates for inspection are located in the image . these candidates are identified by profile pattern matching of three - dimensional data from the image that does not correspond to noise . the profiles from the image are analyzed and classified as defect candidates based on a database that stores information concerning patterns of defects . at step 216 , the candidates located in step 214 are compared to reference patterns in a database . the candidates may correspond to individual components located in the optical subassembly 30 . for example , candidates may include splices 34 , amplifiers 36 and ports 38 . the optical subassembly 30 may include indicia 42 that define a coordinate system for the image from which areas of interest may be referenced . thus , intensity peaks located outside predefined areas of interest may be ignored . at step 220 , the degree of correlation between the candidate image and the reference image is used to detect defects . if the two images have a predetermined degree of correlation , then no defect is present . for certain components , an intensity peak may be expected . for example , amplifiers 36 may be erbium - doped fiber amplifiers ( edfa &# 39 ; s ) that typically emit light when the amplifier is operating properly . to properly detect defects , processor 12 compares the acquired image to a reference image stored in the storage device 13 . differences between the acquired image and the reference image are indicative of a defect . at step 222 , a report is generated identifying any defects that are present and where the defects are located . as noted above , the coordinate system for the image is detected so that defect location can be determined and associated with a component ( e . g ., a specific amplifier ) in the optical device . this allows a technician to troubleshoot a single component rather than an entire subassembly . fig8 depicts an alternate embodiment where the device under test is an end face of an optical fiber connector 232 coupled to an optical fiber 230 . camera 10 is directed towards the mating face of optical connector 232 . shown in fig8 is an exemplary power distribution 234 of the light emitted from connector 232 . often such connectors are abutted face - to - face through an adapter to join to fiber paths . in operation , an ir source 18 is applied to fiber 230 and the light emitted from connecter 232 captured by camera 10 and processed by processor 12 . a number of characteristics of the light emitted by the connector 232 may be determined . the system of fig8 can detect a variety of characteristics of the light emitted by connector 232 . a first characteristic is the numerical aperture of the connector . numerical aperture ( na ) is associated with the angular spread of light from a central axis , as in exiting a fiber , emitting from a source , or entering a detector . as shown in fig8 the na may be expressed as sin ( a ). the detected na may be compared to a reference na to determine that the connector 232 meets standards . if two connectors having different na &# 39 ; s are abutted face - to - face , na mismatch losses may occur . the arrangement of fig8 allows detection of other characteristics of connector 232 . fig9 depicts an end view of connector 232 where the connector housing 240 is visible along with the cladding 242 and core 244 of optical fiber 230 . the core position is determined by light emitted from the end of connector 232 and concentricity of the core with respect to the cladding 242 can be detected . as seen in the example of fig9 the light emitted from core 244 is offset from the center of the cladding 242 . a lack of concentricity between the light emitted by core 244 and the cladding 242 will result in signal loss when the connector 232 is mated with a similar connector . the system of fig8 determines the concentricity of the light emitted by core 244 and reports an error if concentricity fails to meet a reference value . another characteristic detected using the system of fig8 is ellipticity of light emitted by core 244 . ellipticity is a measure of the distortion from a circular pattern of light emitted by the core 244 . ellipticity may be determined based on known measurements , such as the ratio of the major and minor axis of the ellipse . as seen in the example of fig1 , the light emitted from core 244 is elliptical . ellipticity in the light emitted by core 244 will result in signal loss when the connector 232 is mated with a similar connector . the system of fig8 determines the ellipticity of the light emitted by core 244 and reports an error if ellipticity fails to meet a reference value . a variety of defects may be detected using the system and methods described herein . as noted above , recoated fiber and / or spliced fibers may be inspected for defects . in addition , orientation of a splice may be confirmed by examining the infrared emissions of spliced fibers . in splices made up of two different types of fiber , one fiber will emit more light thus providing the ability to confirm the orientation of the splice . fibers exceeding a minimum bend radius may also be detected as this condition causes the fiber to leak infrared light . for certain components , the intensity of the image is used to provide quantitative information about the component . in one embodiment , the intensity of an image of a spliced fiber indicates that amount of signal loss at the splice . a high intensity in an image of a fiber splice indicates that a large amount of light is escaping the splice and thus signal loss is high . measured brightness is correlated to signal loss through techniques such as mathematical formulae , look - up tables , etc . the measured intensity provides a measure of signal loss to determine if the fiber splice meets signal loss thresholds . in addition to fibers , an optical subassembly containing a number of optical components may be inspected at one time . operation of individual components may be confirmed through the inspection system ( e . g ., an operating amplifier emits certain amount of infrared light ). the invention being thus described , it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as departure from the spirit and scope of the invention , and all such modificafions as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims . | 6 |
as used herein , the term &# 34 ; comprising &# 34 ; means various components can be conjointly employed in the pharmaceutical composition of this invention . accordingly , the terms &# 34 ; consisting essentially of &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; consisting of &# 34 ; are embodied in the term comprising . as used herein , a &# 34 ; pharmaceutically acceptable &# 34 ; component is one that is suitable for use with humans and / or animals without undue adverse side effects ( such as toxicity , irritation , and allergic response ) commensurate with a reasonable benefit / risk ratio . as used herein , the term &# 34 ; safe and effective amount &# 34 ; refers to the quantity of a component which is sufficient to yield a desired therapeutic response without undue adverse side effects ( such as toxicity , irritation , or allergic response ) commensurate with a reasonable benefit / risk ratio when used in the manner of this invention . the specific &# 34 ; safe and effective amount &# 34 ; will , obviously , vary with such factors as the particular condition being treated , the physical condition of the patient , the type of mammal being treated , the duration of the treatment , the nature of concurrent therapy ( if any ), and the specific formulations employed and the structure of the compounds or its derivatives . as used herein , a &# 34 ; pharmaceutical addition salts &# 34 ; is salt of the anti - cancer compound with an organic or inorganic acid . these preferred acid addition salts are chlorides , bromides , sulfates , nitrates , phosphates , sulfonates , formates , tartrates , maleates , malates , citrates , benzoates , salicylates , ascorbates , and the like . as used herein , a &# 34 ; pharmaceutical carrier &# 34 ; is a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent , suspending agent or vehicle for delivering the anti - cancer agent to the animal or human . the carrier may be liquid or solid and is selected with the planned manner of administration in mind . as used herein , &# 34 ; cancer &# 34 ; refers to all types of cancers or neoplasm or malignant tumors , including leukemia , found in mammals . as used herein , the &# 34 ; anti - cancer compounds &# 34 ; are the 1 , 3 - bis - triazolyl - 2 - propanols , and their salts . the exact 1 , 3 - bis - triazolyl - 2 - propanols are described in detail below . the preferred materials are the products sold under the names &# 34 ; fluconazole ®&# 34 ; by pfizer . as used herein , &# 34 ; viruses &# 34 ; includes viruses which cause diseases ( vital infection ) in man and other warm blooded animals such as hiv virus , herpes , influenza and rhinoviruses . the anti - cancer compounds are 1 , 3 - bis - triazolyl - 2 - propanol derivatives which are known for their antifungal activities . they are systemic fungicides used to prevent and eradicate fungi . the compounds have the following structure : ## str2 ## wherein r 1 is an optionally substituted alkyl , cycloalkyl ( e . g . cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl ), aryl or haloaryl ( e . g . phenyl or 2 , 4 - dichlorophenyl ) or aralkyl ( e . g ., benzyl ); and salts and metal complexes and ethers or esters thereof , and the non - toxic , pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts with both organic and inorganic acids . specifically , such bis triazole derivatives as 2 -( 2 , 4 - dichloropheyl )- 1 , 3 - bis ( 1h - 1 , 2 , 4 - triazole - 1 - yl ) propan - 2 - ol and its corresponding 2 - and 4 - chlorophenyl analogs and 2 , 4 - diflourophenyl analogs are useful herein . preferably the composition is 2 -( 2 , 4 - difluorophenyl ) 1 , 3 - bis ( 1h - 1 , 2 , 4 - triazol - 1 - yl ) propan - 2 - ol and its pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts with both organic and inorganic acids . these compounds are prepared according to the method described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 404 , 216 issued to richardson , sep . 13 , 1983 and british patent application no . 2 , 078 , 719a published jan . 13 , 1982 and european patent application no . 44 , 605 published jan . 27 , 1982 ( both assigned to imperial chemical industries ltd ). it is believed that these particular fungicides have the capability of reducing tumors or decreasing their growth significantly because of their ability to inhibit the synthesis of sterols . any suitable dosage may be given in the method of the invention . the type of compound and the carrier and the amount will vary widely depending on the species of the warm blooded animal or human , body weight , and tumor , virus , cancer or disease being treated . generally a dosage of between about 2 milligrams ( mg ) per kilogram ( kg ) of body weight and about 400 mg per kg of body weight is suitable . preferably from 15 mg to about 150 mg / kg of body weight is used . generally , the dosage in man is lower than for small warm blooded mammals such as mice . a dosage unit may comprise a single compound or mixtures thereof with other compounds or other cancer inhibiting compounds . the dosage unit can also comprise diluents , extenders , carriers and the like . the unit may be in solid or gel form such as pills , tablets , capsules and the like or in liquid form suitable for oral , rectal , topical , intravenous injection or parenteral administration or injection into or around the tumor . the anti - cancer compounds are typically mixed with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier . this carrier can be a solid or liquid and the type is generally chosen based on the type of administration being used . the active agent can be coadministered in the form of a tablet or capsule , as an agglomerated powder or in a liquid form . examples of suitable solid carriers include lactose , sucrose , gelatin and agar . capsule or tablets can be easily formulated and can be made easy to swallow or chew ; other solid forms include granules , and bulk powders . tablets may contain suitable binders , lubricants , diluents , disintegrating agents , coloring agents , flavoring agents , flow - inducing agents , and melting agents . examples of suitable liquid dosage forms include solutions or suspensions in water , pharmaceutically acceptable fats and oils , alcohols or other organic solvents , including esters , emulsions , syrups or elixirs , suspensions , solutions and / or suspensions reconstituted from non - effervescent granules and effervescent preparations reconstituted from effervescent granules . such liquid dosage forms may contain , for example , suitable solvents , preservatives , emulsifying agents , suspending agents , diluents , sweeteners , thickeners , and melting agents . oral dosage forms optionally contain flavorants and coloring agents . parenteral and intravenous forms would also include minerals and other materials to make them compatible with the type of injection or delivery system chosen . specific examples of pharmaceutical acceptable carriers and excipients that may be used to formulate oral dosage forms of the present invention are described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 903 , 297 to robert , issued sep . 2 , 1975 . techniques and compositions for making dosage forms useful in the present invention are described in the following references : 7 modem pharmaceutics , chapters 9 and 10 ( banker & amp ; rhodes , editors , 1979 ); lieberman et at ., pharmaceutical dosage forms : tablets ( 1981 ); and ansel , introduction to pharmaceutical dosage forms 2nd edition ( 1976 ). the method of treatment can be any suitable method which is effective in the treatment of the particular cancer or tumor type or virus that is being treated . treatment may be oral , rectal , topical , parenteral or intravenous administration or by injection into the tumor and the like . the method of applying an effective amount also varies depending on the tumor being treated . it is believed that parenteral treatment by intravenous , subcutaneous , or intramuscular application of the 1 , 3 - bis - triazolyl - 2 - propanol compounds , formulated with an appropriate carrier , additional cancer inhibiting compound or compounds or diluent to facilitate application will be the preferred method of administering the compounds to warm blooded animals . | 0 |
fig1 a shows an example of a prior art handler commonly referred to as a vacuum chuck 100 . the chuck 100 is for holding a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer 110 workpiece and for rotating it to a desired position of rotary alignment . often the semiconductor wafer 110 has a physical feature such as a flat 118 that bears a known orientation to a crystal plane of the semiconductor . for many processes it is desirable to know the orientation of the flat 118 of the wafer 110 during the process , and a chuck 100 similar to that shown in fig1 a is used to hold the wafer 110 while positioning the flat 118 to a known position . the chuck 100 has a chuck head 102 that has a generally flat upper surface upon which the wafer 110 may be set . the chuck head 102 is mounted on and attached to a rotary shaft 106 that has a rotary motion 116 capability provided by drive means not shown . the chuck head has a network of circular and radial grooves 104 communicating with an evacuation hole 114 that communicates with a bore through the shaft to an opening 108 in the shaft through which air can be evacuated in the direction 112 by evacuation means not shown . thus when the wafer 110 is placed on the chuck head 102 , evacuation of air through opening 112 results in a reduced pressure in the network of grooves 104 so that wafer 110 is held in tight contact with the chuck head 102 so that rotary motion 116 can be imparted to the wafer 110 without slipping . when the wafer 110 has been repositioned as required , evacuation through opening 112 is discontinued , pressures equalize , and the wafer may be removed from the chuck for further processing . fig1 b shows a side view 150 wherein the wafer 110 is in contact with the chuck head 102 attached to rotary shaft 106 , and undergoing rotary positioning by rotary motion 116 . fig2 a shows a top view 200 of the prior art chuck head 102 of fig1 a and 1b . fig2 b shows additional details in cross section taken along line iib — iib of fig2 a . the network of grooves 104 in the chuck head 102 communicates through hole 114 and cylindrical passageway 204 so as to permit evacuation of air in the direction 202 , which would be through the rotary shaft 106 of fig1 a and 1b . the network of grooves 104 defines a number of lands 206 that lie approximately in a plane 208 upon which it is intended that a flat surface of the workpiece wafer 110 ( shown in fig1 a and 1b ) rest and be held . fig2 c shows a top view 300 of an alternate prior art chuck head 302 . a sectional view in fig2 d shows additional details . the chuck head 302 is similar in function to the chuck head 102 shown in fig2 a and 2b , but having a different design . rather than the network of grooves in chuck head 102 , the chuck head 302 has a number of holes 306 communicating with a manifold 308 and a cylindrical passageway 312 so as to permit evacuation of air in the direction 314 . the holes 306 have chamfers 310 . the manifold 308 is formed between chuck head 302 and chuck bottom 304 . the top surface 316 of the chuck head 302 lies approximately in a plane 318 upon which it is intended that a flat surface of the workpiece wafer 110 ( as shown in fig1 b ) rest and be held . chuck heads 102 and 302 shown in fig2 a and 2c , respectively , are shown as examples of prior art workpiece holders that can be improved by the present invention in a manner discussed in greater detail below . although these examples are circular and intended for rotary positioning and utilize vacuum assisted holding , these characteristics are for example only and not for limitation . it is recognized that chucks , picks , and other workpiece holders for workpieces having a flat surface can be of many shapes including , but not limited to , round , rectangular , elongated , or irregular , and may use differing means for holding including , but not limited to , gravity , vacuum assist , electrostatic attraction assist , or mechanical clamping . the invention is applicable to all such shapes and holding means provided the intent of the holder is to hold or move a workpiece having a flat side such as , for example , a semiconductor wafer . however , these examples serve to illustrate the nature of the prior art problem that is solved by the invention . as machined , the chuck surfaces may be on the order of 3 to 8 micro - inches average surface roughness ( r a ). prior to receiving a hard coating ( dlc film deposition , for example ) the upper surfaces have been flattened and smoothed . some prior art methods have been : 1 ) to electropolish the surface to a small - scale average roughness of approximately 50 angstroms r a , or a peak - to - peak roughness , r , of a few hundred angstroms . this results in good small - scale smoothness , but leaves poor larger - scale smoothness that results from impurity inclusions in the metal and from other reasons , and it does not improve the overall flatness of the surface . 2 ) to lap the surface with a diamond slurry on a hard lap to a smoothness of approximately 100 angstroms r a . this has been unsatisfactory because the hard lap tends to leave a smoothed and flat surface that has diamond particles imbedded in it and has residual scratches produced by the diamond particles of the slurry . the projecting imbedded diamond particles and the projecting portions of the scratches , producing projections in the subsequently deposited hard dlc film coating , which results in later abrading and scratching of the workpiece . 3 ) to polish the surface to an optical polish using a rotating pitch plate and a diamond slurry . the softer pitch plate does not imbed diamond particles in the polished surface , but the resulting dubbing rounds sharp corners and produces large - scale shallow depressions in the lands . these prior art methods 1 ) and 3 ) result in acceptably smooth (& lt ; 100 angstroms r a , and less than a few hundreds angstroms peak - to - peak roughness , r ) small - scale roughness , but poor flatness , with deviations from flatness of more than some thousands of angstroms over distances on the order of an inch . method 2 ) results in an acceptably smooth and flat surface , but with imbedded particles projecting thousands of angstroms above the surface . fig3 a shows a detailed magnified cross sectional view 400 of a portion of a prior art chuck head 102 of fig2 b , processed according to prior art method 3 described above . the magnified view of a portion of one of the lands 206 , although shown in detail , is not to scale . a dlc film coating 402 with a thickness on the order of 5000 angstroms has been deposited on the surfaces of the lands and grooves . the corners 410 of the lands 206 show the rounding resulting from the dubbing effect of the pitch plate polishing . the central portions of the land 206 surface shows shallow depressions 408 ( on the order of some thousands of angstroms ) resulting from the dubbing effect of the pitch plate polishing . this leaves a few elevated spots ( 404 and 406 , for example ) where contact between the wafer 110 workpiece and the chuck head 102 occurs . the existence of these elevated spots results in concentrated contact forces , and hence , enhanced wear at the elevated spots . this concentration results in premature wear - through of the dlc film coating in these areas , followed by degeneration of the performance of the chuck , including scratching , abrasion , wear and particle production . fig3 b shows a detailed magnified view 500 of a portion of an alternative prior art chuck head 302 as shown in fig2 d , processed according to prior art method 3 described above . the magnified view of a portion of the top surface 316 and the chamfer 310 of one of the holes 306 is shown in detail , but is not to scale . a dlc film coating 502 having a thickness on the order of 5000 angstroms has been deposited on the top surface 316 and the chamfer 310 of the hole 306 . the corners 510 of the holes show the rounding resulting from the dubbing effect of the pitch plate polishing . regions of the tip surface 316 show shallow depressions 508 ( on the order of some thousands of angstroms ) resulting from the dubbing effects of the pitch plate polishing . this leaves a few elevated spots ( 504 and 506 , for example ) where contact between the wafer 110 workpiece and the chuck head 302 occurs . excessive premature wear occurs at these elevated spots as in the previous example . the premature wear - through of the dlc film coating in the elevated areas is followed by degeneration of the performance of the chuck , including scratching , abrasion , wear and particle production . in order to avoid these problems , the invention makes use of an improved process to produce a smooth handler surface with improved flatness and freedom from depressions and elevated spots . in this process , the handler surface , the surface of a chuck as illustrated , for example , in the prior art chuck shown in fig1 a , 1 b , 2 a and 2 b is first lapped ( flattened ) flat using a hard lap and diamond slurry to a flatness having variations significantly less than ( not more than half of ) the desired thickness of dlc coating that will be applied . the preferred range of thickness , t , of the dlc coating to be applied is from approximately 2000 angstroms thick to approximately 10 , 000 angstroms thick . for example , for a dlc film coating of desired 5000 angstrom thickness , t , the lapping of the handler surface should be to an overall flatness , f , of 2500 angstroms or better ( f less than or equal to t / 2 ), with smaller values of f being preferred . fig4 shows ( not to scale ) a detail 550 of a portion of a handler surface 206 , including the relationship of peak - to - peak roughness , r , and the flatness , f , of the handler surface to the thickness , t , of a dlc film coating , 402 , thereon . as shown in fig4 in this invention , flatness , f , means maximum deviation between the high points , 552 , and the low points , 554 , of the handler surface , and the peak - to - peak roughness , r , means the maximum deviation between the high and low points of the small scale roughness 556 of the surface . the lapping of the handler surface also produces handler surface average roughness , r a , on the order of 100 angstroms , but with an undesirably large peak - to - peak roughness typically more - than 1000 angstroms due to scratches and imbedded bits of diamond lapping abrasive . the lapping process has proven to be capable to achieve overall flatness on the order of one wavelength of helium light ( approximately 600 angstroms ) as measured by conventional fringe techniques . following the lapping , additional smoothing takes place by way of a short optical polish using , for example , but not limited thereto , a rotating pitch plate with diamond slurry to remove scratches and diamond particles imbedded by the lap . the polish is short ( typically on the order of 2 minutes with conventional equipment ) so as to avoid significant dubbing , such that any dubbing produces depressions and elevated spots that deviate considerably less than the desired dlc film coating thickness . the polish produces an average roughness , r a , of less than 100 angstroms , preferably on the order of 50 angstroms or less , and having a peak - to - peak roughness of 600 angstroms or less , preferably on the order of 300 angstroms or less . it has proven to be practical to limit the dubbing effects to the order of one wavelength of helium light , while providing the necessary polish ( r less than or equal to 600 angstroms ). following the polishing , the surfaces to be coated are cleaned by conventional methods and dlc film of the desired thickness , t , for example , on the order of 5000 angstroms is applied . for best results , the substrate flatness , f , plus the substrate roughness , r , should not exceed three quarters of the value of the thickness , t , of the desired hard film coating for the handler surface . a variety of hard coatings can be applied to the handler substrate , such as aluminum oxide , titanium nitride , or hard carbonaceous films sometimes referred to as diamond - like - carbon ( dlc ) films . in the preferred embodiment of the invention , a dlc film is applied after flattening and smoothing of the substrate . although a variety of conventional methods can be used to apply the dlc film to the prepared handler surface , in a preferred method of this invention , an approximately 5000 angstrom thick dlc film is deposited by conventional argon ion beam assisted vapor deposition of silicone oil vapor , from a silicone - oil precursor , such as dc — 702 diffusion pump fluid , manufactured and supplied by dow corning corporation . this results in a smooth durable wear resistant surface that has low internal stresses with strong adherence to metal and ceramic substrates . fig5 shows a cross section of a chuck head 600 similar to the prior art chuck head 102 shown in fig1 a , 1 b , 2 a and 2 b clearly illustrating the benefits of the improvements of the invention . a magnified view of a portion of one of the lands 206 is shown in detail , but is not to scale . a dlc film coating 602 with a preferred thickness on the order of 5000 angstroms has been deposited by conventional argon ion beam assisted vapor deposition of silicone oil vapor from a silicone oil precursor . compared to the prior art ( in fig3 a ) there is considerably less rounding of the corner 604 and that the deviation between elevated spot 608 and shallow depression 606 is greatly reduced and considerably less than the 5000 angstrom thickness of the dlc film coating . consequently forces between the wafer 110 workpiece and the chuck head 102 having the improvements of the invention are distributed much more uniformly over the total surface areas of all the lands 206 . since there is not concentration of forces , any wear occurs uniformly over the surface of the holder with a consequent long service lifetime . the smoothness of the hard surface results in a lowered level of scratching , abrasion , wear and particulate generation . although the invention has been described with respect to various embodiments , it should be realized this invention is also capable of a wide variety of further and other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
referring to fig1 the improved vertically slidable pivotal window unit 10 of present invention , and the cooperative component parts thereof comprising the same are shown in a front elevation view , which component parts consist of a frame having a fixed jamb 12 connecting an upper frame section 14 and a lower frame section 16 with a spring loaded jamb member 18 in turn having upper and lower spring loaded jamb latch assemblies respectively 20 and 22 which cooperate with said spring loaded jamb member 18 to latch or release for horizontally pivotal swinging upper and lower sash members respectively 24 and 26 each being pivotal about an upper and lower hinge member 28 and 30 , wherein said upper and lower sashes 24 and 26 are also vertically displaceable slidably within sash guides 32 in said jambs 12 and 18 each of said sashes being controlled in vertically displaceable movement by a constant force counterbalance spring assembly 34 . referring again to fig1 to consider generally at this time the mechanically cooperative aspects of each of the above mentioned assemblies , and considering first among them the spring loaded jamb member 18 . the spring loaded jamb member 18 is horizontally moveable within the frame structure into the spring well channel 36 when manually pushed to effect deflective displacement of the leaf springs 38 and thereby release the free vertical edges 40 of the upper and lower sashes 24 and 26 for horizontally pivotal displacement inwards of the frame for purposes , of say , facilitating the ease and safety with which the panes 42 thereof may be cleaned . it will be noted , as illustrated in fig1 the upper sash 24 is shown in the vertically and horizontally closed position and the lower sash 26 is shown in a vertically displaced and pivotally open horizontal position , with the upper and lower spring loaded jamb latch assemblies 20 and 22 being shown in the spring flexed lock position to effect latching of the upper sash member 24 against horizontal movement by securing the free vertical edge 40 therof within the sash guide 32 of the extended spring loaded jamb member 18 . as is typical with a double hung window assembly such as illustrated in fig1 the window sashes are locked by securing the window locking latching cam assembly 44 affixed to the lower sash upper frame member 46 of the lower sash 26 rotatably within the latching cam keeper 48 affixed to the upper sash lower frame member 50 of the upper sash 24 . the upper and lower sash members 24 and 26 are slidably secured within the fixed jamb for vertical displacement and horizontally pivotal swinging by the upper and lower hinge members 28 and 30 , which are affixed to and displaceable with the respective sashes 24 and 26 by means of pivot pins 52 to thereby utilize the secured vertical edges 54 of the respective sash members 24 and 26 in forming a single hinge stile structure for effecting the horizontally pivotal sash swinging capability . as is also shown in fig1 the lower hinge member 30 of the respective sashes 24 and 26 is assembled to a counterbalance spring assembly connection block 56 by means of a connector rivet 58 , whereby the spring coil ribbon 60 of the constant force counterbalance spring 62 is affixed to its respective sash 24 or 26 to effect a stabilized vertical displacement counterbalance control thereof . as illustrated in fig1 the improved vertically slidable pivotal window unit 10 is shown as a double hung window profile , which is to be considered as exemplary only for purposes of convenience in depiction and discussion . however , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a further number of sashes may be used in making a window embodying the instant features by simply alternating multiple vertical sashes from one jamb track to the other and modifying the sash locking hardware . thus in public buildings such as schools , or in churches or the like , a plurality of sash members could be employed depending on the height of the frame and the size of the sash employed . regardless of the window unit 10 sash profile , the frame members and sashes thereof are typically fabricated from either aluminum or plastic extrusions which are cut to the desired lengths for use in forming the frame and sash assemblies , although it is to be understood that any other suitable material or combinations thereof may be used . referring now to the enlarged side sectional elevation view of the upper and lower window sash counterbalance spring assemblies 34 and the interconnecting blocks 56 as well as the upper and lower hinging hardware 28 and 30 therefor in further explaining utilization of the secured vertical edge 54 of the respective sash members 24 and 26 in forming a single hinge stile structure for effecting horizontally pivotal sash swinging capability , wherein for purposes of added ease in explanation the upper and lower sash members 24 and 26 are phantomed in the illustration of fig2 to show more clearly their respective relative positions and structural relationships to the various hardware components presently being discussed . in the foregoing regard , assembly mechanics are accomplished first through a fixed connection of the constant force counterbalance springs 62 to the fixed jamb member 12 by means of spring mounting screws 64 insertably through openings in the spring base mounting plate 66 and threadably into screw bosses 68 provided in the fixed jamb 12 structure at positions which are located near the upper ends of the respective sashes 24 and 26 when in the closed vertically secured positions . second , the spring coil ribbon 60 is extended and insertably engaged through a spring connection assembly slot 70 provided in the counterbalance spring assembly connection block 56 , which block 56 as previously pointed out is fixedly assembled to the lower hinge member 30 by means of the connector rivet 58 . thus , the counterbalance spring 62 assembles from a fixed elevated position within the fixed jamb 12 by means of extending the coil ribbon 60 thereof to connect by way of the block 56 with the lower hinge member 30 corresponding to the respective sash therefor , which hinge member 30 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the subject sash by insertion of the pivot pin 52 therethrough and into the lower sash frame member along the secured vertical edge 54 thereof , so that when the subject sash is vertically displaced within the sash guides 32 both the spring coil ribbon 60 and the lower hinge member 30 with rivet connected block 56 displace therewith . third , the upper hinge member 28 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the subject sash by insertion of its pivot pin 52 therethrough and into the upper sash frame member along the secured vertical edge 54 thereof so that it likewise moves with the subject sash cooperatively along with the lower hinge member 30 when the sash is vertically displaced . by this sash connection method , the horizontally pivotal displacement hardware therefor , being the upper and lower hinge members 28 and 30 move with the sash upon vertical displacement thereof , and the secured vertical edge 54 of the sash thereby structurally functions as a single hinge stile . the views respectively shown in fig3 and 4 illustrate both the horizontal pivot profile capabilities of the upper and lower sash members 24 and 26 as therein seen in phantom , but more particularly they further illustrate the manner in which the upper and lower hinge member frame guide followers 72 and 74 operate to slidably engage the fixed jamb frame guide stiles 76 by means of recesses 78 to thereby effect retention and guidance of the sashes 24 and 26 for vertical displacement as well as frame disposed retention of both the upper and lower hinge members 28 and 30 upon horizontally pivotal displacement of said sashes 24 and 26 . turning now to a consideration of fig5 which gives an enlarged top plan sectional view of the upper spring loaded jamb latch assembly 20 and showing the spring loaded jamb member in solid line rendition in the spring flexed lock position 18 and in phantom line rendition in the spring compressed release position 18 &# 39 ;, both of which profiles are further shown in enlarged side sectional elevation views respectively in fig6 a and 6b to be herein also discussed in detail . the jamb latch assemblies 20 and 22 , whether upper or lower , are structurally and operationally identical and consist of the leaf spring 38 and the jamb latch and release keeper 80 that is retained in detent position within the jamb member 18 by means of a mounting screw 82 that insertably retains the latch and release keeper 80 through an elongated slot 84 therein by means of the screw head shoulder 86 overlie relationship to said slot 84 elongated opening . also , in order that the latch and release keeper 80 may be suitably spaced for jamb latch and release operation it is backed by a spacer block 88 , likewise being retained in operable position by insertable engagement thereof with said mounting screw 82 through an opening therein . when the leaf spring is in the flexed 38 position as shown in fig5 and 6a , it bears against the rear surface of the jamb member 18 and urges it forward so that the jamb retaining lip 90 is stoppably engaged by the keeper lip 92 when the keeper 80 is disposed in the detent position , which is the sash latching profile where the jamb 18 sash guides 32 are in an extended disposition to retain the sashes 24 and 26 in the vertical plane . when the spring loaded jamb member is displaced inward by appropriately applied manual pressure , as depicted in fig5 by the spring loaded jamb member 18 &# 39 ; being shown in phantom in the spring compressed release position , so that the face of the jamb trough 94 clears the rear keeper lip 96 , as shown in fig6 b , then the keeper 80 gravity drops guided by the elongated slot following of the mounting screw 82 and being retained by overlie of the screw head shoulder 86 thereof so that the rear keeper lip 96 then engages the jamb retaining lip 90 and holds the spring loaded jamb member in the spring compressed release position 18 &# 39 ;. to return the spring loaded jamb member to the spring flexed lock position 18 , the keeper 80 is simply pushed upward until it snaps into the detent position when the compressed spring 18 &# 39 ; then flexes and returns the jamb member to the lock position 18 as previously illustrated in fig6 a . although the improved vertically slidable pivotal window unit invention hereof , the structural features and method of utilization and the uses thereof have been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment , it is recognized that departures may be made respectively therefrom within the scope of the invention , which is not to be limited per se to those specific details as disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent such units and devices . | 4 |
referring to fig1 and 2 , an unshielded twisted pair cable 10 in a communication system typically comprises a length of unshielded twisted pair cable from 20 - 330 feet , terminated at each end with e . g ., standard male rj45 connectors 12 and 14 . to test cable 10 , a cable testing apparatus 16 and remote unit 18 are coupled to the near - end and far end of cable 10 , respectively . more specifically , test apparatus 16 and remote unit 18 include correspondent ( e . g ., female ) connectors 20 and 22 , for engaging cable connectors 12 and 22 . in the context of a data transmission system , signals are typically transmitted in unshielded twisted pair cable in a balanced full duplex differential fashion . as best seen in fig2 cable 10 includes 8 conductors , 201 - 208 , forming four twisted pairs , 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 . conductors 201 - 208 are connected to the respective terminals 201a - 208a of connector 12 , in a conventional manner . more specifically , in accordance with standard practices , to terminate a four - pair cable in a male rj45 connector , the respective pairs of conductors are untwisted , and laid out in parallel and flattened , with the conductors reordered in accordance with the following pin assignments : conductors 101 and 102 of pair 210 are routed to pins 1 and 2 of connector 12 ; conductors 203 and 204 of pair 212 are routed to pins 3 and 6 , respectively ; conductors 205 and 206 of pair 214 are routed to pins 4 and 5 , respectively ; and conductors 207 and 208 of pair 216 are routed to pins 7 and 8 . routing is accomplished by inserting the respective conductors in channels formed in the plastic housing of connector 12 . thus , the relative disposition of the untwisted conductors tends to be standardized from connector to connector . as previously noted , the present inventors have determined that crosstalk in a terminated connector system is a result of unbalance in the differential capacitance between conductor pairs . while a component of crosstalk is due to imbalance in inductive coupling effects , the capacitive coupling effects are the primary source of crosstalk . the imbalance in coupling between conductor pairs is caused primarily by the physical proximity of the conductors in the connectors , and in particular by the close physical proximity of the untwisted parallel conductors within connector 12 . the extent that there is coupling within the twisted cable , the coupling tends to be balanced , and thus perceived as a common mode signal ( present in each conductor of the pair ). such common mode signals are eliminated through the differential signal detection techniques employed in the system . however , within the connector , due to the physical proximity of the untwisted parallel conductors , the signal from a conductor is coupled into the conductors of other pairs in unequal amounts ( i . e ., unbalanced coupling is encountered ). such crosstalk , since unbalanced , is not perceived as common mode signals , and instead is perceived as deleterious noise . however , since the crosstalk is in large part dictated by the physical disposition of the conductors , which is in turn dictated by the standardized physical attributes of the connector , the crosstalk generated within the connector tends to be the same from connector to connector . referring now to fig3 a , crosstalk between two pairs of conductors can be modeled as a capacitance bridge , with capacitance distributed between the transmit plus and receive plus conductors ( c t + r + ), the transmit plus and receive minus conductors ( c t + r - ), the transmit minus and receive plus conductors ( c t - r + ) and between the transmit minus and receive minus conductors ( c t - r - ). when the ratios of capacitance in the respective legs of the bridge are equal , the crosstalk approaches zero : the zero crosstalk condition can be approached by the addition of a crosstalk cancellation capacitor ( c + or c -) in fig3 a to achieve the requisite balance in differential capacitance . adding capacitance to balance the differential capacitance , in effect , injects an out - of - phase signal to cancel the crosstalk . however , in high speed data communication networks , crosstalk occurs between a plurality of pairs of conductors . for example , the standard pair combinations for which next is to be measured on a standard rj45 modular jack are : table 1______________________________________transmit pair receive pair______________________________________pins 1 , 2 pins 3 , 6pins 1 , 2 pins 4 , 5pins 1 , 2 pins 7 , 8pins 3 , 6 pins 4 , 5pins 3 , 6 pins 7 , 8pins 4 , 5 pins 7 , 8______________________________________ thus , as shown schematically in fig3 b , there are six different capacitive bridges to be balanced . a simplified schematic showing the respective pairs as single conductors and the respective distributed capacitances between the individual conductors as a single capacitance ( e . g ., capacitors c 13 , c 16 , c 23 , and c 26 are shown as a single capacitor c 12 . 36 in fig3 c ). thus , when , in practice , multiple pairs are considered , the cancellation of crosstalk by addition of a cancellation capacitor between respective conductor pairs is complicated by interactive effects between cancellation paths . for example , interposing a cancellation capacitor into the pins 1 , 2 / 3 , 6 bridge , will effect the balancing of the bridge between pins 1 , 2 and 4 , 5 since there is also a capacitive coupling between pins 3 , 6 and pins 4 , 5 . the interaction between cancellation capacitors tends to make convergence on a set of compensation capacitors which will cancel crosstalk in all of the desired paths difficult . however , since the next measurement involves only two conductor pairs at a time , the cancellation capacitors can be selectively switched into the operative circuit ; by selectively enabling and disabling the crosstalk cancellation paths , each cancellation capacitor value can be made independent of any other . a switching matrix for providing selective connection of the cancellation capacitors into the operative circuit is shown schematically in fig3 d . a cancellation capacitor corresponding the capacitive imbalance between each of the respective sets of conductor pairs is provided , together with an associated switch . only the cancellation capacitance associated with the particular set of pairs under consideration is connected into the operative circuit . for example , when crosstalk between pins 1 , 2 ( corresponding to conductor pair 210 ) and pins 3 , 6 ( corresponding to conductor pair 212 ) is to be measured , only the cancellation capacitance c 12 / 36 would be connected into the circuit ; the switches associated with all of the other capacitances would remain open . as will be more fully described , in accordance with another aspect of the present invention , the cancellation capacitors are integrated into relay matrices employed in test apparatus 16 and remote unit 18 to select the respective transmit and receive pairs under consideration for near - end crosstalk measurement . referring now to fig4 test apparatus 16 suitably comprises a processor control unit 402 cooperating with : a conventional length measurement circuit 404 ; a conventional noise detection circuit 406 ; a conventional resistance measurement circuit 408 ; a suitable near - end crosstalk ( next ) measurement circuit 410 ; a suitable remote unit interface circuit 412 ; a conventional display 414 ; a suitable key pad 416 ; a suitable input - output circuitry 418 for communication with external devices such as printers and computers ; and in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , a crosstalk compensating interface 420 . processor control circuit 402 suitably comprises a hitachi 64180 microprocessor , and provides computational support and control to the various circuits of test unit 16 . length circuit 404 , and resistance measurement circuit 308 are suitably of the type described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 970 , 466 issued to bolles , et al , on nov . 13 , 1990 . noise measurement circuit 406 is suitably a circuit for measuring steady state noise ( 0 - 1 . 0 volts rms ) in various frequency bands ( e . g ., 60 hz to 150 khz , 150 khz to 1 mhz , 1 mhz to 10 mhz , as is understood in the art ). next measurement circuit 410 suitably generates a test signal ( v ref ) at terminal 425 for transmission on a selected transmit pair , receives at terminal 433 a received signal ( v rec ), then effectively generates a signal indicative of next in decibels ( next = 20 log ( v rec / v ref )). next measurement circuit 410 suitably comprises a variable frequency ( programmable ) sinewave signal generator 422 , a suitable balanced differential output drive amplifier 424 , and a relative signal strength ( decibel ) measurement circuit 426 . frequency generator 422 suitably generates sinewaves over a predetermined frequency range , e . g ., 0 . 2 - 20 mhz in , e . g ., 100 khz steps under control of processor control unit 402 , which are amplified by amplifier 424 and provided in balanced differential form at terminal 425 . relative signal strength measurement circuit 426 suitably comprises a conventional log detector 428 motorola mc13055 wide band fsk receiver , an analog - to - digital converter 430 , and a conventional four conductor - to - two conductor multiplexer ( mux ) 432 , controlled by processor 402 . mux 432 is disposed to alternatively apply the transmitted test signal ( v ref ) at terminal 425 or received signal ( v rec ) at terminal 433 to log detector 428 . as will be explained , compensating switching interface 420 , under control of processor control unit 402 , selectively applies the test signals ( v ref ) at terminal 425 to selected pins of connector 20 ( corresponding to a first ( transmit ) pair of conductors ), and applies the signals received at the pins of connector 20 ( corresponding to a second ( receive ) pair of conductors ) at terminal 433 ( for application to circuit 426 ) of next circuit 410 . as will be explained , switching interface 420 selectively connects compensation capacitance between one of the conductors of the transmit pair and one of the conductors of the receive pair to cancel crosstalk attributable to connectors 12 and 20 . remote unit 18 suitably comprises : a conventional processor for 50 ( e . g ., a signetics 8052 microcontroller ); a suitable frequency generator 452 capable of controllably generating a plurality of discrete frequencies from , e . g ., 256 khz to 20 mhz ; a suitable communications interface 454 for facilitating communications between remote unit 18 and test apparatus 16 , preferably operating in an asynchronous half duplex mode and capable of operations over any two conductors in the cable ; and a compensating interface switching matrix 456 , similar to interface 420 , but including a mechanism to terminate the selected pairs in their characteristic impedance . compensating interface switching matrix 420 suitably comprises matrix of ultra - small polarized relays , for example , aromat tq2e - l2 - 5v ultra - small polarized relays , configured to operate as electronically controlled single pole , double throw switches . the use of relays , as opposed to silicon switches , is advantageous in that the relays manifest extremely low impedance when in the conductive state , and an extremely high impedance when in non - conductive states . referring to fig5 interface 420 includes : respective relay switches 501 - 508 , each relay including a pair of pole terminals ( c - 1 , c - 2 ) and respective sets of throw terminals ( s - 1 , s - 2 ; r - 1 , r - 2 ); and respective capacitances c12 / 36 , c36 / 45 , c12 / 45 , c45 / 78 , and c12 / 78 . relays 501 - 508 selectively effect connections between the pole terminals and one or the other of the throw terminals in accordance with signals applied thereto by process control unit 402 ( fig4 ). the capacitances are disposed for selective interconnection into the operative circuit to cancel crosstalk attributable to the near - end connectors ( 12 , 20 ) and to switching circuit 420 . as shown in fig5 relays 501 - 508 are interconnected such that selective actuation of different combinations of relays effect application of the test signal from next measurement circuit 410 to a selected transmit conductor pair , apply the signals received on a selected receive conductor pair to next circuit 410 for measurement , and operatively interconnect an appropriate compensation capacitance between the respective selected conductor pairs . the relay switch states for effecting crosstalk measurement between the respective pairs ( 1 , 2 / 3 , 6 ; 1 , 2 / 4 , 5 ; 1 , 2 / 7 , 8 ; 3 , 6 / 4 , 5 ; 3 , 6 / 7 , 8 ; 4 , 5 / 7 , 8 ) in the preferred embodiment are shown in table 2 : table 2______________________________________trans - mit / receiveconduc - switch statestor pairs 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508______________________________________1 , 2 / 3 , 6 r s r r s s s r1 , 2 / 4 , 5 r r r s s r r r1 , 2 / 7 , 8 r r r s s s r r3 , 6 / 4 , 5 r r r s r r r r3 , 6 / 7 , 8 r r r s r s r r4 , 5 / 7 , 8 r s s s r s r s______________________________________ for example , to measure crosstalk between conductor pairs 210 ( terminals 1 , 2 ) and 212 ( terminals 3 , 6 ), processor 402 generates control signals to connect the pole of switch 401 to its r - throw terminal , the pole of switch 502 to its s - terminal , the pole of switch 503 to its r - terminal , the pole of switch 504 to its r - terminal , the pole of switch 505 to its s - terminal , the pole of switch 506 to its s - terminal , the pole of switch 507 to its s - terminal , and the pole of switch 508 to its r - terminal . thus , connector pair 210 would be connected from connector 20 terminals 1 , 2 through relay switches 501 , 505 and 508 to the transmitter output terminals 425 providing balanced differential sinewave signals of predetermined frequency at output terminal 425 . conductor pair 212 is connected from terminals 3 and 6 of connector 20 through switches 502 , 504 , and 507 to receive terminals 433 . it should also be noted that capacitance c12 / 36 is operatively interconnected between one of the transmit connectors , and one of the receive conductors . since the particular arm of the bridge to which capacitance must be added is not initially known , the printed circuit board for switching interface 420 is laid out with a capacitance site to accommodate either instance . in addition , to accommodate instances where the necessary cancellation capacitance is not equal to a standard component value , provisions are made to permit series connections of standard value capacitors to achieve the desired cancellation capacitance . for example , to cancel crosstalk between conductor pairs 210 ( terminals 1 , 2 ) and 212 ( terminals 3 , 6 ) sites for three capacitors ( c 12 , c 14 , and c 15 ) are provided on the circuit board . one end of the site for capacitor c 14 is connected to the conductor between the s 1 output of switch 502 and the r 1 output of switch 504 ( i . e ., connected to conductor 203 of pair 212 ). one end of the site corresponding to capacitor c 15 is connected to the conductor between the s 2 terminal of switch 502 and r 2 terminal of switch 504 ( i . e ., connected to conductor 204 of pair 212 ). the other side of the sites for capacitors c 14 and c 15 are interconnected , and the cite capacitor c 12 interposed between the juncture and the conductor between the r 2 output of switch 501 and the s 2 terminal of switch 505 ( i . e ., connected to conductor 202 of pair 210 ). thus , the interjection of a cancellation capacitor c - between the transmit minus conductor ( conductor 202 ) and receive minus conductor ( conductor 204 ) ( in analogy to the bridge shown in fig3 a ) is accommodated by connecting capacitors c 12 and c 15 into the operative circuit ( the site for capacitor c 14 is left vacant . conversely , if a cancellation capacitance ( c +) was required between the transmit plus and receive plus conductors ( conductors 201 and 203 , in this instance ), a capacitor would be connected into site c 14 , and site c 15 would be left vacant , and hence open . in practice , the values of the cancellation capacitances are determined empirically . it has been found that , because of the standardized configuration of the rj45 modular jack connector and fixed crosstalk contributions from the relay and printed circuit board , the values of the respective cancellation capacitances tend to be approximately the same ( within 10 %- 15 %) from connector to connector . such standard values are shown in table 3 : table 3______________________________________cancellation capacitor value c +/ c - ______________________________________c . sub . 12 / 36 1 . 8 pf c - c . sub . 12 / 45 1 . 4 pf c - c . sub . 12 / 78 0c . sub . 36 / 45 6 . 4 pf c + c . sub . 36 / 78 2 . 1 pf c - c . sub . 45 / 78 1 . 5 pf c - ______________________________________ employing two capacitors in series ( e . g ., capacitors c 12 and c 15 ) to form the desired capacitance accommodates the implementation of nonstandard capacitance values with standard components . for example , as shown in table 3 , capacitance c 12 / 36 has a desired value of 1 . 8 picofarads , which is implemented by a 2 . 7 picofarad capacitor c 12 in series with 5 . 5 picofarad capacitor c 15 . integrating the capacitance into the relay matrix for selecting the transmit and receive pairs is additionally advantageous in that the cancellation capacitor cancels not only crosstalk attributable to the connector ( 12 , 20 ) but also crosstalk due to the relay matrix and printed circuit board routing . referring now to fig6 in effecting the near - end crosstalk measurement , processor control unit 402 generates control signals to relay switches 501 - 508 in accordance with table 2 to connect the selected transmit and receive pairs to next measurement circuit 410 ( step 602 ). processor control unit 402 then generates the appropriate control signals to set signal generator 422 at an initial frequency , and enable output drive amplifier 424 ( step 604 ). multiplexer 432 applies a sample of the transmitted signal to log detector 428 , which generates a reference log value for digitization by a / d converter 430 , and temporary storage in processor control unit 402 ( step 606 ). processor control unit 402 then generates a signal to toggle multiplexer 432 to apply the signal received on the selected receive pair to log detector 428 , which generates a log signal for digitization by a / d converter 430 and storage by processor control unit 402 ( step 608 ). processor 402 then computes the near - end crosstalk value ( step 510 ): the near - end crosstalk value , and frequency at which it was measured , are then stored ( step 612 ) and the frequency tested against the upper bound of the test frequency range ( step 614 ). assuming that the upper limit has not been reached , the frequency is incremented by a predetermined step ( e . g ., 100 khz ), and steps 606 , 608 , 610 , 612 and 614 are repeated . when the upper limit frequency is attained , a search for the worst case near - end crosstalk value is effected ( step 618 ), and indicia of the worst next case value provided on display 414 . as previously noted , the insertion of a cancellation capacitor into the operative circuit , in effect , injects an out - of - phase signal to cancel the connector crosstalk . alternative methods of canceling the connector crosstalk can also be employed . one alternative is to determine the magnitude and phase ( relative to the transmit ( test ) signal ), i . e ., the in - phase and quadrature components , of the connector crosstalk at each of the incremental test frequencies , store the values in a look - up table and effect a vector subtraction from the received signal . since the crosstalk is due in main part to standardized physical aspects of the connector , the magnitude and phase of connector crosstalk would be approximately the same for all of the connectors of the standard configuration and can be empirically determined ( measured ). the magnitude and phase relative to the transmit ( test ) signal , i . e ., the in - phase and quadrature components , of the received signal can then be detected , and the stored value of the in - phase and quadrature components of the connector crosstalk subtracted from the corresponding component of the received signal to cancel signal components due to connector crosstalk . as illustrated schematically in fig7 the crosstalk ( v nxt ) generated in the receive pair comprises an in - phase component ( i nxt ) and a quadrature component ( q nxt ), with reference to the transmit ( test ) signal . additional crosstalk is interjected ( v con ) into the system through the rj45 connector ( 12 , 20 ) and , to a lesser extent , a ( conventional uncompensated ) switching matrix . the received signal ( v rec ) presented to the next detector circuit 410 at terminal 433 comprises the vector sum of the cable crosstalk v nxt and connector crosstalk v con . referring now to fig8 the uncompensated received signal ( v rec ) is applied to an alternative relative signal strength measurement circuit 426a comprising : multiplexer 432 ; respective conventional quadrature detectors 802 and 804 ; a 90 ° phase shifter 806 ; and conventional analog to digital converters 808 and 810 . the uncompensated received signal is applied through multiplexer 432 to quadrature detectors 802 and 804 . quadrature detector 802 is also receptive of a sample of the transmit ( test ) signal ( v ref ), and generates a signal indicative of the in - phase component of the received signal ( i rec ), which is digitized by an analog digital convertor 808 and communicated in a conventional manner to processor 402 . a sample of the transmit ( test ) signal is also applied through a 90 ° phase shifter 806 to quadrature detector 804 . quadrature detector 804 thus generates a signal indicative of the quadrature component ( q rec ) of the received signal , which is digitized by a analog to digital convertor 810 and communicated in a conventional manner to processor 402 . in operation , multiplexer 432 alternately applies a sample of the transmit ( test ) signal ( v rec ) and the uncompensated received signal ( v rec ) to quadrature detector 802 and 804 to facilitate computation of near - end crosstalk next = 20 log ( v rec / v ref )!. compensation is effected by subtracting predetermined in - phase and quadrature components of the connector crosstalk from the corresponding components of the received signal . more specifically , predetermined in - phase and quadrature components of connector crosstalk ( i con , q con ) for each incremental test frequency are stored in a conventional programmable read only memory 812 . referring to fig9 in operation , after the transmit and receiver pairs are selected , programmable frequency generator 422 initialized , and amplifier 424 enabled ( see fig6 ), processor 402 generates signals to multiplexer 432 to apply a sample of the transmit signal to quadrature detectors 802 and 804 , to generate indicia of the reference voltage v ref for the next calculations ( step 910 ) ( the output of quadrature detector 804 is 0 ). control signals are then generated to mux 432 to apply the received signal ( provided at terminal 433 ) to quadrature detectors 802 and 804 . the in - phase ( i red ( f )) and quadrature ( q rec ( f )) components are then read . ( step 912 ). assuming that connector crosstalk is to be canceled , the connector crosstalk in - phase ( i con ( f )) and quadrature ( q con ( f )) components for the instantaneous test frequency are retrieved from prom 812 , and indicia of the cable crosstalk ( v next ) calculated ( step 916 ): the next value in decibels for the transmit frequency is then calculated ( step 918 ) and stored together with indicia of the instantaneous frequency ( step 920 ). the frequency is then checked against the maximum test frequency ( step 922 ). assuming that the maximum frequency has not been attained , the frequency is incremented ( step 924 ) and the sequence repeated . provisions can be made for selectively effecting compensation for connector crosstalk . if desired , a check of an operator set parameter ( e . g ., a flag ) can be made ( step 914 ). if the cancellation option is not chosen , the in - phase and quadrature components of the received signal can be combined without subtracting the connector crosstalk components ( step 926 ) and that figure used in the next calculation . any technique for developing the in - phase and quadrature components of the received signal may be employed . for example , standard digital signal processing techniques may be utilized . referring to fig1 , an alternative relative strength measurement circuit 426b utilizing digital signal processing suitably comprises respective conventional digitizing samples 1002 and 1004 , a conventional multiplexer ( mlx ) 1006 and a suitable digital filter 1008 for generating indices of the in - phase and quadrature components of the applied signals . it should be appreciated that the present invention provides a particularly advantageous mechanism for accurately certifying a cable in high speed data communication systems . cancellation of the connector crosstalk permits the test instrument to accurately measure the next characteristic of the cable . in addition , cancellation of connector crosstalk provides for more accurate measurement of attenuation , when the loop back method is employed . the embodiment of the invention employing cancellation capacitors integral to the relay matrix is also particularly advantageous in that the relay matrix not only provides the required switching paths for performing next measurements on six pair combinations , but also achieves the desired selective interposition of cancellation capacitors , without requiring additional relays . the embodiment employing subtraction of predetermined in - phase and quadrature components of connector crosstalk is particularly advantageous for its flexibility . it will be understood that while various of the connections between elements are shown in the drawing ( and in particular fig4 and 8 ) as single lines , they are not so shown in a limiting sense , and comprise plural conductors or connections as is understood in the art . similarly , power connections , various control lines and the like to the various element are , in many instances , omitted from the drawing for the sake of clarity . further , the above description is of preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention , and the invention is not limited to the specific form shown . modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the elements within the scope of the invention , as expressed in the claims . | 6 |
fig1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a protective handbag cover in accordance with principles of the present invention . as depicted in fig1 , the protective handbag cover 10 comprises a bag 11 , a stretchable elastic band 12 and a pliable trim piece 13 . the elastic band 12 substantially encircles the circumference of the bag 11 along a line that typically a few inches removed from the opening 14 of the bag 11 . the pliable trim piece 13 also substantially encircles the circumference of the bag 11 along a line that is substantially coincident with the perimeter of the opening 14 of the bag 11 . the elastic band 12 may be sewn , glued , or otherwise attached to the inner or outer surface of the bag 11 . in an alternative embodiment , the bag 11 has a hem ( not shown ), and the elastic band 12 is contained within the hem of the bag 11 , so that the elastic band 12 is sandwiched between two layers of the bag 11 . in another alternate embodiment , the bag 11 has a gusset ( not shown ) substantially encircling the circumference of the bag 11 , and the elastic band 12 is contained within the gusset , which is sealed by stitching , adhesive or other suitable means . one skilled in the art will recognize that a bag 11 may be comprised of two or more attached panels , as an alternative to the single bag depicted in fig1 . furthermore , alternate embodiments of the protective handbag cover 10 include more than one elastic band 12 ( not shown ). the more than one elastic bands 12 may be roughly parallel to each other , each substantially encircling the circumference of the bag 11 . to use a protective handbag cover 10 , a handbag 20 or other handled carrying container is placed inside the protective handbag cover 10 , with the handles 21 of the handbag 20 left protruding from the opening 14 of the bag 11 . after the handbag 20 has been placed inside the protective handbag cover 10 , the elastic band 12 contracts ( i . e ., relaxes ) to form a first closure around the handles 21 of the handbag 20 , thereby protecting the handbag 20 from the weather . a protective handbag cover 10 in such a partially closed configuration is depicted in fig2 . once the protective handbag cover 1 0 is in this partially closed configuration , the pliable trim piece 13 is then wrapped around the handles 21 of the handbag 20 . in this fully closed configuration of the protective handbag cover 10 , depicted in fig3 , the pliable trim piece 13 serves as an additional , reinforcing closure to further protect the handbag 20 from the weather . the protective handbag cover 10 can be made of an inexpensive plastic or any suitable waterproof or water - resistant material and can be either be reused or disposable after one or more uses . in some embodiments , the protective handbag cover 10 can be made of transparent or translucent , clear or light - colored plastic , so that the contents inside the protective handbag cover 10 can be seen while inside of the protective handbag cover 10 . the elastic band 12 , which can be made of elastic , rubber or other suitable stretchable elastic material forms a closure that will open when pulled and spring back and close by itself , thereby allowing easy access to the handbag 20 without removing it from the protective handbag cover 10 . furthermore , the elastic band 12 allows the protective handbag cover 10 to maintain its position of covering the handbag 20 while at the same permitting the contents of the handbag 20 to be accessed . the protective handbag cover 10 can optionally be folded to allow it to be carried in the handbag 20 during fair weather conditions . the inner and outer surfaces of the bag 11 can be made of different materials and / or finishes , in which case the protective handbag cover 10 can be reversible to provide a choice of decorative appearance of the protective handbag cover 10 . one or more pockets ( shown in fig1 ) can be attached to the inner or outer surfaces of the bag 11 , thus permitting storage within the pockets of various items , such as umbrellas , gloves , rain hats , snacks , drinks , cell phones , etc . furthermore , additional items may be stored within the protective handbag cover 10 as space permits , in between the handbag 20 and the inner surface of the bag 11 . the pliable trim piece 13 can be made up of wire material combined with a decorative ribbon , or a metal and plastic combination . an alternate embodiment ( not shown ) of the protective handbag cover 10 does not include the pliable trim piece 13 . in such an embodiment , the elastic band 12 still serves a closure to protect the handbag 20 from the weather , and the opening 14 of the bag 11 can be folded around the handle 21 of the handbag 20 . in another embodiment of the protective handbag cover 10 , the pliable trim piece 13 can be made of or include velcro or similar hook - and - loop fasteners material , suitable for adhering to itself or to a complementary velcro or similar material on the outside of the bag 11 , to provide additional protection for the handbag 20 . in some embodiments , the bag 11 can be made of stretchable material , thus making the protective handbag cover 10 able to accommodate handbags of various sizes . furthermore , the protective handbag cover 10 is not limited in size and can be used to carry additional items if needed . the pliable trim piece 13 can also can be combined with a decorative ribbon , thereby serving a decorative purpose in addition to serving as a second closure of the protective handbag cover 10 . in addition , rhinestones , ribbon and other decorations can be used to make the protective handbag cover 10 appear more stylish . furthermore , the protective handbag cover 10 , or any of its constituent elements , may be imprinted with a company &# 39 ; s logo or other design for marketing or advertising purposes . a protective handbag cover 10 may be packaged in a small pouch or a clear plastic ball , either of which may include a snap or hook to attach the packaged protective handbag cover 10 to an umbrella , stroller , handbag or other convenient item . the protective handbag cover thus addresses the problem of protecting a handbag in such a way that the handbag can easily be placed within , accessed or removed from the protective handbag cover , and permitting the handbag to be carried by its handles or straps while protecting the handbag from the weather . while a particular form and use of the present invention has been described above , the invention is not limited to the specific arrangement of parts or manner of use described . one skilled in the art understands that modifications to the construction and use of the present system may be made without departing from the scope of the invention . although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments , it is not limited thereto . rather , the appended claims should be construed broadly to include other variants and embodiments of the invention which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention . this disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein . | 0 |
the present invention is implemented by semiconductor devices which are well known in the art as insulated gate field effect transistors , hereinafter referred to as igfets . each igfet has first and second current conducting electrodes which define the extremities of a current conducting semiconductor region and a controlled electrode whose applied potential controls the conductivity in the conduction region . the two current conducting electrodes of an igfet are referred to as the source and drain electrodes , respectively , while the control electrode is referred to as the gate . for a p type igfet , the source electrode is defined as that one of the first and second electrodes having a relatively positive potential applied thereto , while for an n type igfet , the source electrode is defined as that one of the first and second electrodes having a relatively less positive or negative potential applied thereto . conduction occurs when the applied gate to source potential is in a direction to turn on the transistor i . e . become conductive and is greater in magnitude than a given threshold value . to turn on a p type enhancement igfet , its gate voltage has to be more negative than its source voltage . to turn on an n type enhancement igfet , its gate voltage must be more positive than the source voltage . it should also be pointed out that igfets are bi - directional in a sense that when an enabling signal is applied to the gate electrode , current conduction flows in either direction in the region intermediate the source and drain electrodes . in the detailed description which follows , a potential level at or near ground potential is defined as a binary 0 or &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; value and any potential level at or substantially near the positive supply potential + v dd is defined as a binary 1 or &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; value . referring now to fig1 there is disclosed a basic form of a typical prior art driver circuit which forms a part of the subject invention and which includes an output stage 10 comprised of a p type igfet 12 and an n type igfet 14 coupled in series by their respective drain and source electrodes between a terminal 16 to which is applied the positive supply potential + v dd and ground . a circuit node 18 between the drain electrodes is coupled to an output terminal 20 for providing a binary output signal across a load capacitor 19 of a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; value when igfet 12 is conducting and igfet 14 is non - conducting and a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; value when igfet 12 is non - conducting and igfet 14 is conducting . the igfets 12 and 14 of the output stage 10 are controlled by first and second signal control paths 22 and 24 which operate in accordance with a binary &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; input data signal applied to a data input terminal 26 and a binary enabling signal applied to terminal 28 . the first control path 22 is comprised of a two input nor gate 30 , one input ( f ) of which is coupled to the data input terminal 26 while its other input ( s ) is coupled to the enabling signal terminal 28 through an inverter 32 . the output of the nor gate 30 is coupled to the gate of igfet 12 by means of a second inverter 34 . the second signal control path 24 , on the other hand , is comprised of a two input nand gate 36 having one of its inputs ( f ) coupled to the data input terminal 26 while its other input ( s ) is directly coupled to the enabling signal terminal 28 . the output of the nand gate 36 is coupled to the gate electrode of igfet 14 by means of an inverter 38 . the inverters 32 , 34 and 38 are typically comprised of well - known complementary converters such as illustrated in the above - mentioned u . s . pat . no . 4 , 242 , 738 , entitled , &# 34 ; look ahead high speed circuitry &# 34 ;. accordingly , each inverter is comprised of an igfet of p type conductivity having its source and drain electrodes connected in series with the source and drain electrodes of an igfet of n type conductivity between a supply potential + v dd and ground . the gate electrodes of the two igfets are connected in common to the inverter input and the drain electrodes of the two igfets are connected in common to the inverter output . the shape of the transfer curve and hence the switching point of such a complementary inverter is dependent , among other things , on the characteristics and impedances of the n and p transistors forming the inverters . the impedance of each transistor , in turn , is a function of the ratio of its channel length and width . the switching point of the inverters accordingly are controlled by proper selection and design of the width to length ratios of the igfets forming the inverters . this assumes that the other parameters such as threshold voltages , oxide thicknesses , doping levels , etc . remain the same . accordingly , by making the p type igfets smaller than the n type igfets , the switching point of the inverter is set close to ground while conversely making the p type igfets larger than the n type igfets , the switching point is set closer to v dd . the relative sizes of the p and n igfets are illustrated in fig1 by the integer values of the respective p / n ratios . thus a positive going signal at the input of inverter 34 causes the ground side n type igfet to go &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; quickly , while a negative going signal having the same slope will take relatively longer time to reach the same switching point . also once the switching point is reached , it takes longer for the p type device , since it is a small device , to charge its output capacitance than it takes the n igfet to discharge this capacitance to ground . hence , the output voltage of inverter 34 , for example , will rise towards the &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; level relatively slowly compared to the faster falling low going level . where the p type device is made larger than the n type device , as indicated with respect to inverter 38 , the switching point of inverter 38 is set closer to + v dd so that the inverter output goes &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; relatively quickly and &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; relatively slowly . with respect to the nor gate 30 , it is preferably comprised of a well known two input f ( fast ) and s ( slow ) complementary nor gate comprised of two p type transistors connected in series between + v dd and the gate output and two n type transistors connected in parallel between the gate output and ground . the ( f ) input is indicative of the input terminal coupled to the serial transistor connected to the output while the ( s ) input is indicative of the relatively slow transistor connected to a power rail . the p type transistors of nor gate 30 are relatively larger than the n type transistors as indicated by the p / n ratios at fig1 . accordingly , the switching point of nor gate 30 is set close to + v dd so that its output goes &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; quickly and &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; relatively slowly . with respect to the nand gate 36 , it is preferably comprised of a two input complementary nand gate , also well known , comprised of two p type transistors connected in parallel between + v dd and the gate output , and two n type transistors , connected in series between the gate output and ground . as shown in fig1 the n transistors , as indicated by the p / n ratios , are relatively larger than the p type transistors and therefore the switching point of the nand gate 36 is set close to ground potential , so that its output goes &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; quickly and &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; slowly . in operation , when the signal level at the data input terminal 26 is &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; indicative of a &# 34 ; not data &# 34 ; signal data and the enabling signal applied to terminal 28 is &# 34 ; high &# 34 ;, the two inputs of the nor gate 30 will be &# 34 ; low &# 34 ;, however its output will be &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; in accordance with the well known function of a nor gate . this signal is inverted by the inverter 34 and applied as a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; signal to the gate of the output drive transistors 12 causing it to become conductive . this in turn causes circuit node 18 and the output terminal 20 to go &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; i . e . to + v dd . simultaneously the output of the nand gate 36 goes &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; because both inputs are &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; and the inverter 38 provides a low going signal to the gate of output transistor 14 which is rendered non - conductive . on the other hand , when a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; data signal is applied to input terminal 26 along with a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; output enabling signal to terminal 28 , the output of the inverter 32 goes &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; but due to the &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; level at the ( f ) input of nor gate 30 , its output goes &# 34 ; low &# 34 ;. the inverter 34 provides a high going output signal which is applied to the gate of output transistor 12 which is driven non - conductive thereby . at the same time , the output transistor 14 is rendered conductive by the low going output of nand gate 36 which is inverted by the inverter 38 , causing a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; signal to be applied to the gate of transistor 14 . when the output transistor 14 becomes conductive , the circuit node 18 and accordingly the output signal level at output terminal 20 is pulled to ground and accordingly goes &# 34 ; low &# 34 ;. this operation is conventional and well known to those skilled in the art . bearing the foregoing in mind , reference is now made to fig2 wherein there is disclosed the preferred embodiment of the invention which includes not only an output stage 10 , but also first and second data signal control paths 22 &# 39 ; and 24 &# 39 ;, and wherein the ( s ) input of nor gate 30 &# 39 ; is connected to the output enable terminal 28 &# 39 ; via inverter 32 &# 39 ; while the ( s ) input of nand gate 36 &# 39 ; is directly connected to terminal 28 &# 39 ;. additionally , however , there is now included an anticipation or predriver circuit 40 which is comprised of , inter alia , an n type transistor 42 whose drain and source electrodes are respectively connected to circuit node 44 and ground . the gate of the fet transistor 42 is connected to the output of a two input nor circuit 46 which has its fast ( f ) input connected to feedback signal path 48 connected to the output node 18 . the slow ( s ) input of the nor gate 46 is connected to the output of a relatively fast high going inverter 50 whose input is coupled to the output of a relatively fast low going inverter 52 as indicated by the respective p / n ratios . the input of the inverter 52 is connected to a terminal 54 which is adapted to receive an externally applied look ahead or precharge signal p or p . it can be seen by reference to fig2 that the igfet transistor 42 comprises a transistor whose conductive state will affect the signal level at circuit node 44 as well as the circuit lead 56 connecting the first signal control path 22 &# 39 ; to the gate of the output transistor 12 . the circuit 40 also includes p type igfet transistor 58 whose source and drain electrodes are respectively coupled between the + v dd supply terminal 60 and circuit node 62 . the gate of the transistor 58 is connected to the output of a two input nand gate 64 whose fast ( f ) input is connected to the feedback signal path 48 and whose slow ( s ) input is connected to the output of a relatively fast high going inverter 66 whose input is coupled to the output of the inverter 50 . in a manner similar to that of transistor 42 , the conductive state of transistor 58 affects the signal level at circuit node 62 and on the circuit lead 68 connecting the second control signal path 24 &# 39 ; to the gate of output transistor 14 . with respect to the two signal control paths 22 &# 39 ; and 24 &# 39 ;, they differ slightly with respect to the two data signal control paths 22 and 24 shown in fig1 in that the first signal control path 22 &# 39 ; of fig2 includes an inverter 34 &# 39 ; which is comprised of an inverter having p type transistors which are relatively large in comparison to the n type transistors , thus making it an inverter which operates to go &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; quickly while going &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; relatively slowly . the nor gate 30 &# 39 ; is like the nor gate 30 . as before , the fast ( f ) input is coupled to the data signal input terminal 26 while its slow ( s ) input is coupled to the output of inverter 32 &# 39 ;. as to the second signal control path 24 &# 39 ;, it is comprised of an inverter 38 &# 39 ; comprised of p type transistors which are relatively small in comparison to the n type transistors , thus rendering the inverter a circuit which goes &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; quickly but &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; relatively slowly . the nand gate 36 &# 39 ; is similar to the nand gate 36 with the exception that it is comprised of a relatively large and small p type transistor and a relatively small and a relatively large n type transistor as evidenced by the p / n ratios shown . as before , the fast input ( f ) is coupled to the data signal input terminal 26 while its slow ( s ) input is coupled to the output enable terminal 28 &# 39 ;. operation of the circuit shown in fig2 is as follows . assuming , for example , that the data input signal applied to input terminal 26 is &# 34 ; high &# 34 ;, the output level at output terminal 20 will be &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; due to the fact that two &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; inputs appear at the nand gate 36 &# 39 ; which outputs a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; signal . however , the inverter 38 &# 39 ; couples a high going signal to the gate of transistor 14 , causing it to become conductive and pull circuit node 18 down to ground potential . simultaneously , the &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; input signal is applied to the ( f ) input terminal of the nor gate 30 &# 39 ;, whose output goes &# 34 ; low &# 34 ;. but due to the presence of the inverter 34 &# 39 ;, the gate of transistor 12 is driven high , causing the transistor to be or remain non - conductive . such action occurs in absence of a precharge signal p appearing at terminal 54 . when a p signal is applied , however , it is twice inverted and applied as a p or &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; signal to the ( s ) input to the nor gate 46 , which provides a high going output which is applied to the gate of n type transistor 42 , which becomes conductive and accordingly tries to pull circuit node 44 to ground potential due to the fact that its source electrode is connected to ground . however , as long as the input signal data remains &# 34 ; high &# 34 ;, the conductive transistor 42 is opposed by the inverter 34 &# 39 ; which , as noted before , goes low relatively slowly . this causes the voltage level on circuit lead 56 and node 44 to settle to an intermediate level close to the threshold or turn - on point of the non - conducting output transistor 12 . the output terminal 20 , meanwhile , remains &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; and virtually at ground potential since output transistor 14 is fully conductive . however , as soon as the data signal applied to the data input terminal 26 switches from &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; to &# 34 ; low &# 34 ;, the output of the nor gate 30 &# 39 ; goes &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; which reduces the current through the inverter 34 &# 39 ; sufficiently to allow transistor 42 to discharge node 44 to ground and thus turn on the output transistor 12 which was already on the verge of conduction . the conduction of transistor 12 starts to pull circuit node 18 to supply voltage + v dd and thus make the output terminal go &# 34 ; high &# 34 ;. this must be accompanied by a rapid turn off of transistor 14 , however . this is provided by the output of inverter 38 &# 39 ;, which due to its small p / n ratio , goes &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; extremely fast in response to a high going output from the nand gate 36 &# 39 ; as its ( f ) input goes &# 34 ; low &# 34 ;. once the output has responded and circuit node 18 goes &# 34 ; high &# 34 ;, the feedback signal path 48 couples a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; signal to the ( f ) inputs of both the nor gate 46 and nand gate 64 . the output of the nor gate 46 is driven &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; which renders transistor 42 non - conducting . however , the output of the nand gate 64 goes &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; which drives transistor 58 into conduction causing the supply potential + v dd to be applied to circuit node 62 , which in turn operates in conjunction with the inverter 38 &# 39 ; to bring the voltage level at node 62 and at the gate of transistor 14 close to the conduction point of transistor 14 in the same manner as described with respect to the other output transistor 12 . circuit node 62 in effect starts at the voltage + v dd and overshoots all the way to ground to turn off transistor 14 and thus expedite the low to high transition of the output signal appearing at output terminal 20 and then rapidly returns to an intermediate level as transistor 58 turns on in preparation for a fast reverse transition . having thus shown and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention , it should be noted that the foregoing detailed description has been made by way of illustration and not limiation . accordingly , all modifications , alterations and changes coming within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims are herein meant to be included . | 7 |
with reference to fig3 the disclosed programmable controller has the usual direction keys . select and start keys , and keys a and b as conventional controllers and does not have additional keys ( such as p 1 and p 2 ). as shown in fig2 the switches 11 are digital switches with two levels h / l . when an individual digital switches 11 is depressed independently , a distinct instruction is output , just like one in a conventional controller . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the game controller contains a control circuit , which is in electrical communications with a plurality of digital switches and the status of each switch is output to a game host . when a plurality of predetermined digital switches 11 is simultaneously depressed ( such as keys a and → together ), the control circuit is triggered to execute a prog setting mode ( programmable planning ). before a detailed operational explanation of the disclosed prog function , we have to first define the following two symbols : ‘+’ means that the two keys on both sides of the symbol are depressed simultaneously . for example , [ a + b ] means that the keys a and b are depressed together . ‘→’ means that the two keys on both sides of the symbol are depressed successively . referring to fig3 the prog key is preserved in the first preferred embodiment . the setting procedure is as follows : when the control circuit 12 receives the first prog key signal , it enters the prog setting mode and receives the key signals of assigned keys . after receiving the second prog key signal , the control circuit 12 stores the special effect and finishes the prog setting procedure . for example , [ prog ]→[ a + b ]→[ up → right → a → b ]→[ prog ] means that the function of a + b is set as the instruction combination [ up → right → a → b ]. therefore , if one depresses a + b during the game , the programmable controller 2 outputs the programmable instructions [ up → right → a → b ] to the game host . in a second embodiment of the invention , the prog key is removed and replaced by combinatorial keys . the setting procedure is as follows : when the control circuit 12 receives the first [ a −→] key signal , it enters the prog setting mode and receives the key signals of assigned keys . after receiving the second [ a −→] key signal , the control circuit 12 stores the special effect and finishes the prog setting procedure . for example , [ a −→]→[→−↓]→[ up → right → a → b ]→[ a +→] means that the function of the key combination [→+↓] is set as the combination [ up → right → a → b ]. therefore , if one depresses [→+↓] during the game , the programmable controller 2 outputs the programmable instructions [ up → right → a → b ] to the game host . in this method , the original functions of the keys → and ↓ are not lost while fewer keys are needed to enter the instructions for a special effect . with reference to fig4 the control circuit 12 is implemented by a jch08231 ic ( integrated circuit ). it is a general programmable controller , which receives the level changes of a plurality of switches to output the instruction of each key to the game host . according to this embodiment , the control circuit 12 is controlled by program codes to run the prog setting mode . after completing the prog setting procedure through key operations , the control circuit 12 outputs the key combination for the special effect to the game host when the user simultaneously depress the assigned key combination . with reference to fig5 in another embodiment of the invention , the control circuit can become an independent game control signal converter 10 , electrically connected between the game host 3 and the game controller 2 . the control circuit in the game control signal converter 10 receives the statuses of whether keys on the game controller 2 are depressed . the control circuit can run the prog setting mode . it is featured in that the prog setting follows the procedure of entering a prog switch key , assigned keys , special effect keys , and the prog switch key . the special effect keys include a plurality of instructions . the prog switch key can be a single key or a predetermined key combination consisting of at least two keys . the assigned keys contain at least two keys in action . when the control circuit completes the setting in the prog setting mode , the special effect keys are output to the game host 3 when the control circuit receives the signal that the assigned keys on the game controller 1 are depressed . the game controller disclosed herein uses a plurality of digital switches to set different programmable instructions , simplifying the key operations of the game controller and providing more instruction outputs . it is particularly useful in assigning some particular key combination to a set of keys without replacing their original functions . the invention does not need unnecessary keys and thus effectively reduces the manufacturing cost . although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments , this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense . various modifications of the disclosed embodiments , as well as alternative embodiments , will be apparent to persons skilled in the art . it is , therefore , contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention . | 0 |
in the following , embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings . fig1 is a front view of a mounting structure of a three cylinder engine according to the present invention mounted in a vehicle , and fig2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating key portions of a main movement system of a three cylinder engine 1 to which the invention is applied . an engine unit 1 comprises a three cylinder in - line engine 1 a and a transmission 1 b , and is supported on a vehicle body 12 through a plurality of supporting members such as engine mounts 10 a and 10 b and a torque rod 11 . in the embodiment , the engine unit 1 is transversely mounted on the vehicle body in such a manner that a crankshaft 2 of the engine 1 a extends in the direction of the width of the vehicle . in this specification , a plurality of movement directions ( viz ., pitch direction , yaw direction , roll direction ) of the engine unit 1 will be defined using a center axis ( x - axis ) of the crankshaft 2 as a reference . more specifically , the direction around a y - axis ( viz ., an axis extending in a fore - and - aft direction of the vehicle ) that is perpendicular to the crankshaft axis and extends horizontally will be defined as the pitch direction , the direction around z - axis that is perpendicular to the crankshaft axis and extends in an up - and - down direction will be defined as the yaw direction and the direction around the crankshaft axis will be defined as the roll direction . each of both ends of the engine unit 1 in the direction of the crankshaft axis is provided with a bracket 13 a or 13 b . specifically , the bracket 13 a is positioned above the crankshaft 2 and provided on a lateral end face of a vehicle widthwise end portion of the engine 1 a , and the other bracket 13 b is provided on an upper end face of a vehicle widthwise end portion of the transmission 1 b . each of the brackets 13 a or 13 b is connected to a corresponding one of the engine mounts 10 a and 10 b by means of a bolt or the like . that is , the engine unit 1 is supported on the vehicle body 12 through the engine mounts 10 a and 10 b that are arranged at both ends of the engine 1 a along the direction of the crankshaft axis . the engine mounts 10 a and 10 b are respectively attached to front side members 14 that extend in a fore - and - aft direction of the vehicle along both sides of a front space ( viz ., engine room ) of the vehicle body . in this embodiment , a spring constant k v of each of the engine mount 10 a in an up - and - down direction ( which corresponds to the crankshaft axis pitch direction ) of the vehicle is set larger than a spring constant k h of the same in a fore - and - aft direction ( which corresponds to the crankshaft axis yaw direction ). that is , by making the spring constant k v in the up - and - down direction of the vehicle comparatively large , the engine unit 1 , which has a large mass , can be supported more stably and durability of the engine mount 10 a can be improved . additionally , since a resonance frequency in an up - and - down direction of the vehicle due to provision of the engine unit 1 and the engine mounts 10 a and 10 b is increased , the riding comfort of the vehicle can be improved by decreasing the up - and - down shaking of the engine . moreover , by decreasing the spring constant k h in the fore - and - aft direction of the vehicle , attenuation of the vibration in such direction is increased . it is to be noted that the spring constant can be suitably adjusted by changing shape and material of a resilient member ( not shown ) that is used in the engine mount 10 a and made of a resilient body such as rubber material or the like . the torque rod 11 is positioned below the crankshaft 2 and arranged to support the engine unit 1 on a front cross member 15 that extends in a widthwise direction of the vehicle in a lower portion of a front space of the vehicle body , and thus the torque rod 11 functions to mainly restrain the movement of the engine unit 1 in the roll direction . if , among transfer sensitivities of vibration from the engine mount 10 a to a floor of the vehicle , a transfer sensitivity in the crankshaft axis pitch direction ( viz ., the up - and - down direction of the vehicle ) is represented by h v and a transfer sensitivity in the crankshaft axis yaw direction ( viz ., the fore - and - aft direction of the vehicle ) is represented by h h , the relation “ h v & gt ; h h ” is usually established because the vehicle body is longer in a fore - and - aft direction and moves more readily in response to input oriented in an up - and - down direction than input oriented in a fore - and - aft direction at the position of the engine mount 10 a . denoted by references wb 1 to wb 3 in fig2 are a plurality of counterweights 3 ( see fig4 which will be explained hereinafter ) schematically depicted as point masses , which constitute a part of a balance weight ( viz ., vibration alleviation unit ) that cancels a force produced due to reciprocating movement of moving portions including pistons . if , in case of a three cylinder engine , an unbalanced pitch moment is produced due to a primary couple of forces produced under reciprocating movement of moving portions including pistons , a pitch vibration of the engine can be reduced by adding a counterweight to a balance mass , for example , so as to produce a pitch moment that has a phase reversed to that of the unbalanced pitch moment . however , although the pitch vibration is suppressed , a yaw vibration is produced and the engine 1 undergoes a so - called processional movement . if now the balance weight is so adjusted ( see solid line of fig5 that will be described hereinafter ) as to equalize a pitch moment produced by the engine 1 a , i . e ., a component m v of a primary couple produced by the engine 1 a oriented in the crankshaft axis pitch direction , with a yaw moment produced by the engine , i . e ., a component m h of the primary couple produced by the engine 1 a oriented in the crankshaft axis yaw direction , then the equation m v / m v0 = 0 . 5 is established as is shown in fig3 , which improves the vibration displacement of the engine 1 a . m v0 is the sum of the pitch moment m v and the yaw moment m h ( viz ., m v0 = m v + m h ). while , in the embodiment , considering that the condition k v & gt ; k h is set and h v & gt ; h h is generally satisfied , further reduction of the vehicle vibration is realized by setting a balance weight of a crankshaft system ( viz ., the crankshaft and portions that rotate as an integral unit with the crankshaft ) in such a manner that the yaw vibration of the engine 1 a is larger than the pitch vibration . more specifically , as shown in fig4 , among the counterweights 3 , additional weights 31 and 33 are added to the counterweights 3 corresponding to the # 1 and # 3 cylinders of the engine , and a pair of balance masses 6 and 7 each constituting part of a balance weight are respectively provided on a crank pulley 4 and a drive plate 5 which rotate as an integral unit with the crankshaft 2 , so that 0 & lt ; m v / m v0 & lt ; 0 . 5 is established . it is to be noted that in the embodiment , the additional weights 31 and 33 and the balance masses 6 and 7 are arranged at positions displaced by 90 degrees with respect to a rotation phase of the # 2 cylinder under rotation of the crankshaft 2 , and the additional weights 31 and 33 and the balance masses 6 and 7 are arranged in positions spaced from each other by 180 degrees in terms of crank angle . thus , even though the yaw vibration becomes higher than the pitch vibration as shown in fig5 a to 5c ( see the broken line in fig5 a to 5 c ), a vehicle floor vibration acceleration caused by the vibration through the engine mount 10 a is reduced on the whole as is seen from fig6 . in other words , by adjusting the additional weights 31 and 33 and the balance masses 6 and 7 connected to the crank pulley 4 and the drive plate 5 in such a manner as to make the yaw moment larger than the pitch moment produced by the engine 1 a , the vehicle vibration can be reduced as a whole while restraining an increase of weight of the balance weight . with this , particularly , a vehicle vibration level during idling of the engine can be reduced . since the primary couple produced by the engine is a force that is produced by an inertial force of moving portions including pistons , the vehicle body vibration during idling is not changed largely by the engine speed . however , the sensitivity of a human being to a vibration becomes high as the vibration frequency becomes low ( that is , the engine speed becomes low ). accordingly , by reducing the vehicle body vibration level under idling of the vehicle , it becomes possible to reduce the engine speed during idling and thus , it becomes possible to improve the fuel consumption during the idling . the line v v of fig6 depicts an acceleration of a vehicle floor vibration resulting from a vibration that is caused by the pitch moment produced by the engine 1 a and transferred through the engine mount 10 a , and the line v h of the drawing depicts an acceleration of a vehicle floor vibration resulting from a vibration that is caused by the yaw moment produced by the engine 1 a and transferred through the engine mount 10 a . assuming now that a displacement in an up - and - down direction of engine mount 10 a caused by the pitch moment produced by the engine 1 a is represented by x v and a displacement in a fore - and - aft direction of the engine mount 10 a caused by the yaw moment produced by the engine 1 a is represented by x h , the values v v and v h are expressed by v v = x v × k v × h v and v h = x h × k h × h h . since k v & gt ; k h and h v & gt ; h h are satisfied , the sensitivity to the vehicle floor vibration acceleration is higher with respect to the displacement x v in the up - and - down direction of the engine mount 10 a than with respect to the displacement x h in the fore - and - aft direction of the engine mount . accordingly , as is seen from fig6 , the value v v occurring when m v / m v0 = 1 ( that is , m h = 0 ) is greater than the value of v h occurring when m v / m v0 = 0 ( that is , m v = 0 ). accordingly , as is seen from fig6 , the vehicle floor vibration acceleration v v + v h , which results from a vibration that is caused by the pitch moment and yaw moment produced by the engine 1 a and transferred through engine mount 10 a , exhibits a minimum value in the range 0 & lt ; m v / m v0 & lt ; 0 . 5 and is smaller in that range than in the range 0 . 5 ≦ m v / m v0 ≦ 1 . regarding a vehicle floor vibration acceleration resulting from a vibration that is caused by the pitch moment and yaw moment produced by the engine 1 a and transferred through the engine mount 10 b , the exact same thing can be said as has been explained regarding the vehicle floor vibration acceleration caused by the vibration transferred through the engine mount 10 a , and the vehicle floor vibration acceleration v v + v h caused by the vibration transferred through the engine mount 10 b exhibits a minimum value in the range 0 & lt ; m v / m v0 & lt ; 0 . 5 and is smaller in that range than in the range 0 . 5 ≦ m v / m v0 & lt ; 1 . accordingly , when the balance masses of the crank pulley 4 and the drive plate 5 are so adjusted as to make the yaw moment larger than the pitch moment produced by the engine 1 a ( viz ., 0 & lt ; m v / m v0 & lt ; 0 . 5 ), the vehicle floor vibration can be reduced by only setting the spring constant of at least one of the engine mounts 10 a and 10 b such that k v & gt ; k h . when both the spring constants are set such that k v & gt ; k h , the effect of reducing the vehicle floor vibration can be enhanced even further . next , the value of m v / m v0 at the minimum value ( or smallest value ) of v v + v h will be derived . if a vibration angular acceleration in a pitch direction of the crankshaft caused by the vibration of the engine , a vibration angle amplitude , and a crankshaft rotation angular speed are represented by a v , y v and ω , respectively , and a moment of inertia in a crankshaft axis pitch direction and a moment of inertia in a crankshaft yaw direction are represented by i v and i h , respectively , then the value av is represented by the following equation ( 1 ). since the value a v is a value provided by differentiating y v twice by time , the value y v is expressed by the following equation ( 2 ). from equations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ), the value y v is expressed by the following equation ( 3 ). when now the distance from the center of gravity of the engine unit 1 to the engine mount 10 a as viewed from the front of vehicle is represented by l , the value x v is expressed by the following equation ( 4 ). from equations ( 3 ) and ( 4 ), the value x v is expressed by the following equation ( 5 ). since v v = x v × k v × h v as has been mentioned hereinabove , the following equations are derived based on this and equation ( 5 ), namely v v = α × m v × k v × h v / i v and m v =( v v × i v )/( α × k v × h v ). similarly to this , m h =( v h × i h )/( α × k h × h h ) is derived . accordingly , the value m v / m v0 is represented by the following equation ( 6 ). m v / m v0 = m v /( m v + m h )=(( v v × i v )/( k v × h v )/(( v v × i v )/( k v × h v )+( v h × i h )/( k h × h h )) ( 6 ) since an equation v v = v h is established when the value v v + v h shows the smallest value ( or minimum value ), the value m v / m v0 at this time is represented by the following equation ( 7 ). m v / m v0 =( i v × k h × h h )/( i h × k v × h v + i v × k h × h h ) ( 7 ) although the above derives the value m v / m v0 that causes the minimum value of the vehicle floor vibration acceleration v v + v h resulting from a vibration that is caused by the pitch moment and yaw moment produced by the engine 1 a and transferred through the engine mount 10 a , exactly the same derivation can be made regarding the vehicle floor vibration acceleration resulting from a vibration transferred through the engine mount 10 b . in the above - mentioned embodiment , the weights of the additional weights 31 and 33 and the weights of the balance masses 6 and 7 respectively provided on the crank pulley 4 and the drive plate 5 are so set as to establish the inequality 0 & lt ; m v / m v0 & lt ; 0 . 5 . thus , as the weights of such weight members increase , the value m v / m v0 reduces , and , thus , as is seen from fig7 , if , in engine mount 10 a or engine mount 10 b , the weights of the additional weights 31 and 33 and the weights of the balance masses 6 and 7 provided on the crank pulley 4 and the drive plate 5 are so set as to establish the inequality ( i v k h h h )/( i h k v h v + i v k h h h )≦ m v / m v0 & lt ; 0 . 5 , then it is possible to reduce the vehicle floor vibration with a relatively small amount of balance masses . as is seen from fig8 , if the value m v / m v0 is set to the value ( i v k h h h )/( i h k v h v + i v k h h h ) at the engine mount 10 a , then the vibration transferred to the vehicle floor through the engine mount 10 a is minimized , and if the value m v / m v0 is set to the value ( i v k h h h )/( i h k v h v + i v k h h h ) at the engine mount 10 b , then the vibration transferred to the vehicle floor through the engine mount 10 b is minimized . accordingly , if the weights of the balance masses 6 and 7 respectively connected to the crank pulley 4 and the drive plate 5 are so set as to cause the value m v / m v0 to take a value between the value ( i v k h h h )/( i h k v h v + i v k h h h ) corresponding to the engine mount 10 a and the value ( i v k h h h )/( i h k v h v + i v k h h h ) corresponding to the engine mount 10 b , then the vehicle floor vibration can be reduced even further . in the above - mentioned embodiment , the counterweights 3 and the two balance masses 6 and 7 provided on the crank pulley 4 and the drive plate 5 , respectively , serve to adjust the balance weight of the engine 1 a . however , if desired , as seen from fig9 , a balance weight of the engine 1 a like the balance weight explained above can be achieved by arranging the balance masses 8 and 9 on the crankshaft at the positions of the # 1 cylinder and the # 3 cylinder , respectively . in this case , too , the two balance masses 8 and 9 are arranged at angular positions displaced by 90 degrees relative to a rotation phase of the # 2 cylinder in rotation of the crankshaft 2 and the balance masses 8 and 9 are spaced from each other by 180 degrees in terms of the crank angle . instead of arranging the balance masses 8 and 9 , the additional weights 31 and 33 may be enlarged in size , which brings about the same effects . it is to be noted that fig9 shows a three cylinder engine of which the firing order is # 1 cylinder -# 2 cylinder -# 3 cylinder . in the above - mentioned embodiment , further reduction of the vehicle vibration is achieved by providing the balance masses and the additional weights so as to adjust the balance weight that constitutes the vibration alleviation unit . however , the balance weight can also be adjusted in the manner of other embodiments that will now be explained . in the other embodiments that will now be explained , elements that are the same as those described in the above - mentioned embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and duplicated explanation on the elements will be omitted . in a three cylinder internal combustion engine equipped with a manual transmission ( not shown ) according to a second embodiment of the present invention that is shown in fig1 , a flywheel 20 provided on one end portion of the crankshaft 2 has two through bores 21 and 21 that are formed adjacent to each other in a side face of a peripheral portion of the flywheel , are spaced from each other in a circumferential direction of the flywheel 20 , and have equal diameters . thus , the portion of the flywheel 20 where the bores 21 and 21 are provided is reduced in weight thereby inducing the same effects as those that would be obtained if balance masses were provided at positions spaced 180 degrees in crank angle away from the bores 21 and 21 . that is , in the second embodiment , adjustment of the vibration alleviation unit is achieved by providing bores in the crankshaft system ( viz ., the crankshaft and the portions that rotate as integral unit with the crankshaft ). in the second embodiment , the crank pulley 4 provided on the other end portion of the crankshaft 2 is a cast part , and an inwardly projected plate - like balance mass 41 is formed integrally on an inner surface of the crank pulley 4 when the crank pulley 4 is cast . a middle position between the balance mass 41 provided in the crank pulley 4 and the bores 21 and 21 provided in the flywheel 20 is arranged in a position offset by 90 degrees relative to a rotation phase of the # 2 cylinder under rotation of the crankshaft 2 , and the middle position between the balance mass 41 and the bores 21 and 21 is the same position in terms of crank angle as the position where the additional weights 31 are provided . although , in the above - mentioned second embodiment , the bores 21 are through bores that pierce through the flywheel 20 , the bores 21 do not necessarily need to pierce through the flywheel 20 . that is , a notch or other structure may be used so long as it reduces the weight . furthermore , instead of providing bores 21 in the flywheel 20 , a bolt or other member serving as a balance mass can be connected to the flywheel at a position separated by 180 degrees in terms of crank angle from the position where the bores 21 would be formed . a third embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to fig1 and 12 . in a three cylinder internal combustion engine equipped with an automatic transmission ( not shown ) according to this third embodiment , attachments fixed to the drive plate 5 are configured to have asymmetrical shapes such that the same effects are obtained as those obtained when balance masses are provided on the drive plate in this third embodiment , a signal plate 51 for detecting a rotation angle of the crankshaft 2 is attached to the drive plate 5 , which is provided on one end portion of the crankshaft 2 . the signal plate 51 comprises an annular main body portion 52 on which a plurality of teeth 52 a are formed at intervals and a plurality ( even number ) of flange portions 53 that are formed to extend perpendicular to the main body portion 52 for fixing the signal plate 51 to the drive plate 5 . the flange portions 53 are arranged in pairs spaced apart from each other by 180 degrees in terms of crank angle , and the shapes of the flange portions 53 making up each pair are the same except for one pair . of this one pair , a flange portion 53 a is configured to be larger than a flange portion 53 b positioned 180 degrees away in terms of crank angle such that the flange portion 53 a and the flange portion 53 b are shaped differently from each other . that is , in this third embodiment , by making the shapes of one pair of the flange portions 53 a and 53 b , which are spaced apart from each other by 180 degrees in terms of crank angle , asymmetrical , the same effects are obtained as those that would be obtained if a balance mass were provided at the position of the flange portion 53 a . like the above - mentioned second embodiment , the crank pulley 4 in the third embodiment is a cast part and a plate - like balance mass 41 is integrally cast to an inner surface of the crank pulley 4 . the balance mass 41 and each of the flange portions 53 a and 53 b are displaced by 90 degrees with respect to a rotation phase of the # 2 cylinder under rotation of the crankshaft 2 , and the balance mass 41 and the flange portion 53 a are spaced from each other by 180 degrees in terms of crank angle . in this third embodiment , by making the shapes of the paired flange portions 53 a and 53 b , which are two of the plurality of flanges 53 provided by the signal plate 51 and spaced from each other by 180 degrees in terms of crank angle , asymmetrical , there are obtained the same effects as those that would be obtained if a balance mass were provided on the drive plate 5 . however , in case wherein the shape of the signal plate 51 , which is an attachment fixed to the drive plate 5 , is symmetrical ( that is , in a case wherein all of the flange portions 53 of the signal plate 51 are configured such that flange portions 53 spaced apart from each other by 180 degrees in terms of crank angle are symmetrical ), providing a through bore at a position corresponding to the aforementioned flange portion 53 b of the drive plate 5 ( that is , at a position that is displaced by 90 degrees with respect to the rotation phase of the # 2 cylinder under rotation of the crank shaft 2 and is the same as the position of the balance mass 41 in terms of crank angle ) brings about a reduction in weight of the portion where the bore is provided and induces the same effects as those that would be obtained if a balance mass were provided at a position that is spaced from the through bore by 180 degrees in terms of crank angle . in the above - mentioned embodiments , there is employed an arrangement in which the crank pulley 4 is provided with balance masses . however , as is seen from fig1 , if a plurality of bores 42 are provided in an outer circumferential portion of the crank pulley 4 , then the weights of the portions where the bores 42 are provided will be reduced , and thus , without providing balance masses on the crank pulley 4 , the same effects can be obtained as those which would be obtained if balance masses were provided at portions that are spaced from the bores 42 by 180 degrees in terms of crank angle . although , in the above , preferred embodiments of the invention have been described , the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and various modifications are possible . for example , the balance masses and the bores may take other positions and the number of the balance masses may change so long as they generate the same inertial force . furthermore , the balance masses , the additional weights and bores may take any combination so long as they generate the same inertial force . furthermore , it is acceptable to use another engine mounting configuration , e . g ., engine mounts can be provided at front and rear portions of an associated vehicle in addition to the above - mentioned engine mounts . furthermore , the present invention can be applied in the same manner to a three cylinder engine in which the firing order is # 1 cylinder -# 3 cylinder -# 2 cylinder . | 5 |
referring to the drawings , and more particularly to fig1 , a display apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally shown at 10 . the display apparatus 10 generally comprises a drive 20 , an actuator 30 , a first connector 40 and a second connector 50 to displace sheets ( i . e ., advertisement sheets , support sheet for advertisement posters , etc .) such as that illustrated by a to a display position . as an example , a display window is schematically shown at w . thus , in the display position , an image i on the sheet a ( e . g ., sheet a being an advertisement sheet in fig1 ) is in register with the display window w so as to be seen by an observer through the display window w . the drive 20 is provided to displace the advertisement sheet a to the display position . components of the drive 20 will bear reference numerals from 20 to 29 . the drive 20 has a drive roller 21 and an idler roller 22 . the drive roller 21 and the idler roller 22 are parallel and spaced from one another . the drive roller 21 has an axle 21 a about which it rotates . similarly , the idler roller 22 has an axle 22 a about which it rotates . the drive roller 21 and the idler roller 22 are operatively interconnected by a pair of drive belts 23 ( or , alternatively , chains , moving carpet or the like ), by which an actuation of the drive roller 21 will be transmitted to the idler roller 22 . in the preferred embodiment , the drive belts 23 ensure that the drive roller 21 and the idler roller 22 have the same rotational speed . the outer surfaces of the drive roller 21 and the idler roller 22 may be the drive belts 23 , or may be equipped with sprockets when the drive belt 23 is a chain . as seen in fig2 to 4 , the drive belts 23 are provided with connection pins 24 and connection plates , one of which is shown at 25 in fig3 and 4 . referring to fig1 and 2 , the actuator 30 is provided for actuating the drive 20 . components associated with the actuator 30 will bear reference numerals from 30 to 39 . the actuator 30 has a motor 31 . the motor 31 has an output shaft 32 , which is operatively connected to the axle 21 a of the drive roller 21 by way of a drive belt or chain 33 or the like , and appropriately equipped for the drive transmission from the actuator 30 to the drive 20 . therefore , the drive roller 21 will be actuated by the motor 31 . the actuator 30 also has a sensor 34 and a controller 35 . the controller 35 is wired to the motor 31 so as to control the actuation of the motor 31 as a function of signals from the sensor 34 . accordingly , once an advertisement sheet is in the appropriate display position , the sensor 34 , having detected this position , will signal to the controller 35 to pause the actuation of the motor 31 to hold the advertisement sheet a in the appropriate display position for a predetermined amount of time . a light source may be provided in the gap 36 between opposed sides of the actuation circuit , to illuminate the advertisement sheet a in the display position ( fig1 ). referring to fig2 , the first connector 40 is provided to connect a first edge portion a 1 of the advertisement sheet a to the drive 20 . the components of the first connector 40 will bear reference numerals from 40 to 49 . the first connector 40 has a longitudinal support member 41 having connector ends 41 a at opposed ends thereof one of which is shown in fig3 ), by which it is connected to the drive 20 . more precisely , the connector ends 41 a each define a slot 42 that will receive therein a pair of connection pins 24 of the drive 20 . the connection pins 24 are fitted without play in the slots 42 , such that the longitudinal support member 41 is fixed between drive belts 23 , as shown in fig1 . an elongated spacer 43 defining a longitudinal channel 43 a , and a bracket 44 ( i . e ., a removable cover ) having connector ends 44 a ( one of which is shown in fig2 ), are provided to anchor the first edge portion a 1 of the advertisement sheet a to the longitudinal support member 41 . the first edge portion a 1 of the advertisement sheet a is preferably provided with a pleat . the first edge portion a 1 is positioned onto the longitudinal support member 41 , the latter being connected to the drive 20 . the elongated spacer 43 could optionally be positioned on the longitudinal support member 41 to act as a cushion for the first edge portion a 1 and increase the adherence thereon . the bracket 44 is installed thereafter to squeeze the first edge portion a 1 against the spacer 43 to fix the first edge portion a 1 of the advertisement sheet thereto . the elongated spacer 43 would reduce the risk of tear of the advertisement sheet a , at the pleat , and increase the adherence between the advertisement sheet a and the bracket 44 . referring to fig2 , the bracket 44 is provided with a spring pin 45 that is biased outwardly to engage a hole 46 in the connector end 41 a of the first connector 40 . the opposite end of the bracket 44 is similarly mated to the respective connector end 41 of the first connector 40 , yet a biasing action is not required thereat . the locking of the bracket 44 onto the longitudinal support member 41 is thus readily performed by manual actuation of the spring pin 45 . it is preferred to have the pleat at the first edge portion a 1 , as it has the effect of a hook for the advertisement sheet a on the longitudinal support member 41 . however , if suitable clamping is provided by the abutment portion ( i . e ., the bracket 44 ), the first edge portion a 1 can simply be retained between the bracket 44 and one of the surfaces of the longitudinal support member 41 . referring to fig3 and 4 , the second connector 50 is provided to connect a second edge portion a 2 of the advertisement sheet a to the drive 20 . the second connector 50 is relatively similar to the first connector 40 . hence , components of the second connector 50 having an equivalent on the first connector 40 will bear the same reference numeral with a prime . the second connector 50 has a longitudinal support member 41 ′, with connector ends 41 a ′ each defining a slot 42 ′ for being connected to the drive 20 . the second connector 50 also has an elongated spacer 43 ′ defining a longitudinal channel 43 a ′, and a bracket 44 ′ with connector ends 44 a ′ ( one of which is shown at fig3 and 4 . referring to fig3 , the second edge portion a 2 of the advertisement sheet a is initially provided with a pleat . in similar fashion to the steps described above for connecting the first edge portion a 1 to the longitudinal member 41 , the second edge portion a 2 is positioned onto the longitudinal support member 41 ′, the latter being connected to the pair of connection pins 24 of the drive 20 . the elongated spacer 43 ′ could optionally be positioned on the longitudinal support member 41 ′ to act as a cushion for the second edge portion a 2 and increase the adherence thereon . the bracket 44 ′ is installed thereafter to squeeze the second edge portion a 2 against the spacer 43 ′ to fix the second edge portion a 2 of the advertisement sheet thereto . the bracket 44 ′ is provided with a pin 45 ′ spring biased outwardly to engage a hole 46 ′ in the connector end 41 a ′ of the second connector 50 . the spacers 43 and 43 ′ preferably consist of a resilient material , such as a rubber or a similar polymeric material , to provide suitable friction and to act as a cushion . as mentioned above , the second edge portion a 2 is preferably initially provided with a pleat , knowing the distance between the longitudinal support members 41 and 41 ′ of the display apparatus 10 . however , it is also contemplated to provide advertisement sheets free of pleats at the second edge portion , with the second edge portion being folded to define the pleat on site . referring to fig4 and 5 , the slots 42 ′ of the second connector 50 , unlike the slots 42 of the first connector 40 , are sized to allow a play of the second connector 50 in the directions illustrated by v 1 and v 2 . the second connector 50 has fingers 51 on each of the connector ends 41 a ′. each finger 51 is connected to a tensioner 52 having an end fixed to the connection plate 25 of the drive 20 . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the tensioners 52 are tension springs , but may also be any type of elastic resilient member . the tensioners 52 , in combination with the play of the second connector 50 with respect to the drive 20 ( allowed by the size of the slot 42 ′ versus the spacing between the connection pins 24 ) will keep the advertisement sheet a in a taut condition with a desired tension . preferably , the second connector 50 is the leading connector in the displacement of the advertisement sheet a in the display apparatus 10 , whereas the first connector 40 is the following connector . it is also contemplated to have the second edge portion a 2 secured to the display apparatus 10 first . in an alternative embodiment of the present invention , a single connection pin 24 is provided for each slot 42 of the first connector 4 q and / or for each slot 42 ′ of the second connector 50 . in this alternative embodiment , the single connection pin 24 serves as pivot for the connectors 40 and 50 . this alternative embodiment is advantageously used for rollers ( e . g ., such as the drive roller 21 and the idler roller 22 ) of relatively smaller radius , typically used in thinner assemblies , allowing for thinner sign constructions as opposed to bulkier constructions . on the other hand , the embodiment using pairs of connection pins 24 ensures an alignment between the connectors 40 and 50 , and the plane of the sheet a , for straight portions of the pathway . the embodiment using pairs of connection pins 24 is advantageously used for rollers of relatively larger radius , typically used with thicker / larger assemblies . the tensioners 52 enable a problem of typical display apparatuses 10 to be overcome . as is the case in the present display apparatus 10 , the advertisement sheets follow arcuate paths at some point in their displacements in the display apparatus 10 . when either one of the first connector 40 and the second connector 50 passes over either one of the rollers 21 and 22 , the distance between the first connector 40 and the second connector 50 will decrease or increase slightly . the increase is due to the fact that the connectors 40 and 50 are flat and thus do not follow perfectly the arcuate path portions of the drive 20 . the decrease is due to the fact that the advertisement sheets tend to follow a tighter arcuate path than the connectors 40 and 50 , thereby causing some looseness in the advertisement sheets . therefore , in combination with the play between the slots 42 ′ and the connection pins 24 , the tensioners 52 will keep the advertisement sheets taut during the slight variations in the distance between the connectors 40 and 50 , by contracting to absorb the looseness , or by extending to absorb the tensioning , that would otherwise be produced on the advertisement sheets ( such as a in fig1 ). this reduces the risk of possible damages to the advertisement sheets . the desired tension in the tensioner 52 is sufficient to maintain the advertisement sheets in a taut condition when absorbing the variation in distance between the connectors 40 and 50 . it is pointed out that the interconnection between the drive 20 and the first connector 40 and the second connector 50 can have other suitable configurations as alternatives to the connections pins 24 / slots 42 and 42 ′ ( e . g ., flat plates , hooks , or the like ). in an alternative embodiment , in which the display apparatus 10 has the sheets a displaced in a vertical direction ( i . e ., with the rollers 21 and 22 parallel to the ground ), the tensioners 52 could be removed , in which case the weight of the bottom connector ( i . e ., the first connector 40 in fig1 ) keeps the sheet a in a taut condition . in such an embodiment , it is contemplated to provide some play between both connectors 40 and 50 and the pins 24 , to enable a simultaneous back - and - forth motion between both connectors 40 and 50 and their respective connection pins 24 . this play is provided by the length of the slots 42 and 42 ′, which is determined as a function of the pathway ( e . g ., arcuate portions ). in this embodiment , it is contemplated to use either single connection pins 24 or pairs of connection pins 24 . it is contemplated to use a semi - rigid self - standing panel for the advertisement sheets ( e . g . a in fig1 ), in which case only the second connector 50 ( i . e ., the leading connector ) would be required . in such a case the panel should be flexible enough to curve in the arcuate path portions of the display apparatus 10 , while regaining its planar shape for the display position . referring to fig6 , an alternative embodiment is shown , in which the sheet a is a support sheet upon which an advertisement sheet ( not shown ) will be supported . the support sheet a is selected to as to be able to sustain the tension caused by the tensioners 52 , and may be permanently secured to the longitudinal support members 41 and 41 ′. the support sheet a is , for instance , a clear polycarbonate sheet , or of a similar material . the polycarbonate sheet a ( e . g ., thickness of 0 . 007 ″) is capable of withstanding the tension caused by the tensioners 52 , and is relatively stable in thermal expansion / contraction for the temperatures to which the display apparatus 10 or 10 ′ will be exposed . the support sheet a is of a smaller length than the advertisement sheet it will support , if the advertisement sheet is also retained by the connectors 40 and 50 , such that the support sheet a will absorb the tension caused by the tensioners 52 , thereby lessening the risk of tearing of the advertisement sheet . it is also contemplated to provide the support sheet a in the form of a pocket ( e . g ., a pair of polycarbonate sheets superposed with an opening ) for accommodating an advertisement sheet a . other means may be used to lessen the tension to which the advertisement sheet a of fig1 is exposed . for instance , strips ( e . g ., of polycarbonate ), wire braiding ( e . g ., of nylon ) or thin metal wiring ( e . g ., of steel ) could be used to interconnect the connectors 40 and , 50 so as to reduce the exposure of the advertisement sheet a to the tension . as shown in fig6 , the idler roller 22 is held in position by a pair of biasing members 60 . although illustrated as being connected to the idler roller 22 , these biasing members 60 could be connected to the drive roller 21 . the biasing members 60 will help to keep the drive belt 23 in a taut condition . it is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the embodiments described herein , provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims . | 6 |
it is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention described herein have been simplified to illustrate the elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention , while eliminating , for purposes of clarity many other elements found in illuminating headsets . however , because these elements are well - known in the art , and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention , a discussion of such element is not provided herein . the disclosure herein is directed to also variations and modifications known to those skilled in the art . fig1 represents an illuminating headset assembly . headband assembly 10 includes generally two light emitting units , or illumination devices , 100 , 200 within housing 300 . illumination devices 100 , 200 are supported relative to one another with housing 300 , which is attached to assembly 10 by bar 400 . illumination devices 100 , 200 are adapted to emit light in relatively narrow beams that intersect and entirely or substantially overlap at a selected distance from the illumination devices . headband 500 supports housing 300 including illumination devices 100 , 200 . although headband assembly 10 is shown to include two light - emitting devices , it would be appreciated that assembly 10 may also be constructed to include only a single light - emitting device . as the principles of operation of the light - emitting devices 100 , 200 are generally identical ; a description of only one of the devices will be described in detail herein . fig2 a represents a single one of the light - emitting devices 100 , 200 of an illuminated headset in accordance with the principles of the invention . fig2 b represents an exploded view of the device 100 ( or 200 ) shown in fig2 a . referring to fig2 a , device 100 is an illuminating device having an opaque housing 105 having a distal end 106 and a proximal end 107 , an opening 110 at the distal end 106 and a tapering portion 112 intermediate the distal end 106 and the proximal end 107 . referring to fig2 b , a light emitting diode 120 is mounted within a mounting 150 that is positioned in housing 105 near the proximal end 107 . the light emitting diode is positioned to emit light toward opening 110 . lenses 131 , 132 are positioned in housing 105 distally from the light emitting diode 120 to receive and retransmit through opening 110 a portion of the emitted light . lenses 131 , 132 allow the focusing or defocusing of light emitted from light emitting diode 120 . lenses 131 , 132 may be adjusted to provide a zone of substantially uniform illumination at a known distance from the distal end of device 100 . referring to fig2 b , lenses 131 , 132 may be held in place by sleeve 133 , o - ring 134 and closing - ring 135 . lenses 131 , 132 may be spherical or aspherical and may be of a glass composition with or without a plastic coating . epoxy may be employed to fix lenses 131 , 132 to sleeve 133 . although only two lenses are illustrated , it would be recognized that the number and selection of lenses may be varied without altering the scope of the invention . mounting bracket 140 is attached to housing 105 near the proximal end of assembly 100 . mounting bracket 140 is an example of a bracket adapted to be attached to a headband 500 ( fig1 ) so that device 100 may be mounted on the head of a user . mounting bracket 140 is shown having a body with an opening therethrough to receive the proximal end 107 of housing 105 . mounting pin 142 may be inserted into bore 146 and into corresponding bores in housing 110 and a bore 144 in led mount 150 ( see fig8 ) to secure housing 105 , mounting bracket 140 and led mount 150 relative to one another . led mount 150 may be in physical contact with housing 105 or otherwise configured to provide good heat conduction from mount 150 to housing 105 . led mount 150 may be selected from a material that is a good heat conductor . for example , mount 150 may be a copper or a tellurium copper alloy . housing 105 may be made of a similarly good heat conductor , e . g ., copper or aluminum . in one aspect , an uneven outer surface of housing 105 may be provided , as illustrated . such uneven surface may be represented as grooves defined in the outer surface of housing 105 . the uneven surface increases the surface area and , hence , the spread the heat over a greater surface area . in any event , the surface can also be smooth . although device 100 shown in fig2 a and 2b is shown having a conical shape , it would be recognized by those skilled in the art that this illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention and that other shapes , e . g ., cylindrical , are currently contemplated and considered to be within the scope of the invention . fig3 a - 3c represent simplified exemplary ray diagrams associated with the device shown in fig2 a and 2b . it will be appreciated that lenses associated with lens 130 are merely schematic and may include a plurality of lenses and / or reflectors . emitter 120 represents a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in an array 605 . array 605 may have a pattern as shown in , and described in further detail with regard to a discussion of , fig4 . referring to fig3 a , lens 130 is positioned relative to array 605 with its focal point on array 605 so as to project a focused image of array 605 on an incident or target area 330 . because of the placement of array 605 at the focal point of lens 130 , details of the array may be seen in within the target image . this focused image is undesirable as it fails to provide a substantially uniform illumination within the target area . referring to fig3 b , lens 130 is configured so that its focal point , identified as 332 is behind array 605 . in this case , the defocusing of the light generated by array 605 causes a defocused image 331 to be projected on a target area at the same distance as shown in fig3 a . the defocused image provides a distinct zone of substantially uniform illumination without displaying the pattern of array 605 . the illuminated area of image 331 is larger than the focused image 330 shown in fig3 a and has a higher intensity of illumination . image 331 has a generally rectangular form , as array 605 is generally rectangular , in this illustrated example . examples of a focused image of an array and a defocused image of an array projected on a target area are shown in fig6 a and 6b , respectively . fig3 c illustrates a configuration wherein the focal point 332 of lens 130 is positioned in front of array 605 . this arrangement provides a blurred image of the array with indistinct edges and great variation in intensity . the image provides less uniformity and lower intensity than the defocused image shown in fig3 b . as shown in fig3 a - 3c and fig6 a and 6b , a defocused image has a larger area , a more even illumination and a higher intensity of illumination when compared to a focused image of emitter array 605 . it will be appreciated that superposition of defocused images of multiple arrays results in both higher illumination intensity and better uniformity of illumination across the illuminated area . in an exemplary embodiment shown , an intensity of about 7 , 000 foot - candles may be obtained across a field . devices for providing such intensity are manufactured by cree with headquarters located in durham , n . c . the device is sold as the cree p3 led : p / n xrewhtl1 - 0000 - 07 - 01 which provides intensity of 7 , 000 fc at 13 ″ working distance . the intensity is measured with a gossen panlux light meter . p / n 3b14095 ( gossen is located in germany ). fig4 represents an exemplary led emitter assembly 600 incorporated into the optical device shown in fig2 a . individual leds maybe a cree xlamp high - power led , available from arrow electronics , manalapan , n . j . array 605 is a two - dimensional array having an overall generally rectangular shape . the array 605 may be on a single die or on more than one die . generally rectangular sub - arrays 610 , 612 , 614 and elongated sub - array 616 , 618 emit light . these sub - arrays may include individual diode elements that are relatively closely spaced together . for example , the diodes may be spaces at 400 dots per inch ( dpi ) or 1200 dpi . relatively narrow areas 620 , which may contain controllers and other devices , for example do not emit light . as discussed with regard to fig3 a , a focused projection of array 605 will result in an image with projections of sub - arrays 610 , 612 , 614 , 616 and 618 being bright with dark lines corresponding to areas 620 . furthermore , variations in light output intensity within sub - array areas may occur . such variation may occur as a result of errors in manufacturing of the led sub - arrays . as a result of the pattern of variations in intensity , when a focused image of array 605 is projected onto an incident or target area , noticeable variations in illumination intensity occur ( see fig6 a ). however , when a defocused image , as discussed with regard to fig3 b , is projected onto a target area , variations in illumination intensity are reduced so as to create a zone of substantially uniform illumination as seen in fig6 b . fig5 illustrates a method for providing a zone of substantially uniform illumination utilizing the optical devices as shown in fig2 a when incorporated into the illuminated headset shown in fig1 . in this exemplary process , an incident plane , such as an opaque sheet , is placed at a desired distance from the illuminated headset 10 . the illumination device 100 ( 200 ) is activated and an image projected onto the incident place is paced into focus . the projected image of the emitting array may appear to include at least one distinct illuminated area and may have relatively sharp edges . ( block 705 ). the lens or lenses ( 130 , 132 ) are then adjusted until a defocused image is obtained , as indicated by block 710 and fixed at block 715 . lens adjustment may include changing the distance between the lens 130 ( fig2 a ) and the array 605 , changing the distance between lenses 131 and 132 , substituting different lenses or adding or removing lenses . as shown n fig3 b , the adjustment causes the focal point of the lenses to be behind the array 605 ( defocused ). in one aspect , a light meter may be positioned at the desired distance and the lenses may be adjusted until the illumination intensity detected by the light meter is substantially at a maximum . with each lens adjustment , the area of illumination at the selected distance may also be checked to determine when the area is a minimum desired size . it will also be appreciated that different leds may be selected . fig6 a illustrates the projection 900 of a focused image of array 605 onto a target area at a desired distance from optical device 100 . as discussed previously , narrow , non - light emitting regions 910 of array 605 are discernable from the illuminated area 905 . in addition , the edges of the illuminated area are less intense than that of the center region . fig6 b illustrates the projection 920 of a defocused image of array 605 onto a target area at a desired distance from optical device 100 . as discussed previously , the illumination across the target area is substantially uniform as denoted by the intensity at the center point 922 and edge point 924 . fig7 a illustrates a front view of the exemplary optical device 100 shown in fig2 a . in this exemplary illustration , the orientation of emitter array 605 is preferably selected be to at an angle of substantially 45 degrees to a transverse axis ( not shown ) of the devices . the angle of 45 degrees is selected to illuminate an area at a selected distance from the assembly to project an image that is substantially square . otherwise , the projected illumination may have a wider range in one direction ( e . g ., horizontal ) as opposed to another direction ( e . g ., vertical ). if the angle is changed , then other geometric configurations can be accommodated . for example , at an angle of 90 degrees , the configuration would be a square . fig7 b illustrates a front view of the incorporation of the optical device shown in fig2 a in an assembly 300 shown in fig1 . in this embodiment , the optical devices 100 , 200 are oriented along a horizontal axis of assembly 300 . in this illustrated embodiment , the diode arrays 605 , 606 are shown having the same orientation to the horizontal axis of assembly 300 . the preferred orientation of the array 605 with regard to an axis of assembly 300 is selected for the reasons similar to that discussed above . although , the arrays 605 , 606 are shown in the same orientation , it would be understand that the orientation of the arrays 605 , 606 may be independently selected and that other orientations , as well as other emitter array shapes , within the optical device have been contemplated and considered to be within the scope of the invention . fig8 illustrates an exemplary mount 150 in accordance with the principles of the invention . mount 150 is preferable selected from materials that act as a good heat conductor , e . g ., copper or tellurium copper alloy . mount 150 is generally a cylindrical hollow body , closed at one end by wall 1108 , which provides a platform for emitter array 605 , and open at the other end . major cylindrical wall 123 has a bore 144 through a central axis and a corresponding opposite bore ( not shown ) along an axis through the central axis of end cylindrical wall 124 . end cylindrical wall 124 is coaxial with , and of lesser diameter than major cylindrical wall 123 and the two walls are joined by a shoulder . end wall 1108 has upstanding members 1105 , 1106 at opposite sides , positioned to retain a led array 605 at a selected orientation relative to bore 144 . end wall 1108 lies in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of bore 144 . bore 125 provides for wiring that allows connection of array 605 ( not shown ) to a power source . upstanding members 1105 , 1106 on surface 1108 are positioned to provide a selected orientation of a led array ( not shown ) having a rectangular base and a generally rectangular shape , so that the sides of the led array are parallel to the sides of the base and that the sides of the array are at an angle substantially 45 degrees relative to the central axis of bore 144 and the bore opposite thereto through major wall 123 . as a result of the orientation of pins 321 , 322 ( fig9 a ) in bore 144 ( and corresponding not shown opposite bore hole ) of emitter mount 150 , the angle between the axis of bore 144 ( and corresponding not shown opposite bore hole ) and the sides of array 605 ( not shown ) when mounted on emitter mount 150 , is fixed at a substantially 45 degree angle relative to a horizontal axis . fig9 a - 9c illustrate views of the attachment of mount 150 within the optical device 100 shown in fig2 a and an exemplary orientation of the array 605 with regard to the vertical axis of optical device 100 . pins 321 , 322 provide means for attaching mount 150 to device 100 and setting the orientation of array 605 . fig9 a illustrates the insertion of mounting 150 in a distal end of the device 100 and is attachment by pins 321 , 322 . fig9 b illustrates a front view of the positioning of array 605 on surface 1108 ( fig8 ) at a preferred angle of substantially 45 degrees to the axis of pins 321 , 322 . fig9 c illustrates a front view of a blueprint representation of the positioning of array 605 on surface 1108 . fig9 c further illustrates a preferred tolerance for the orientation angle of array 605 . fig1 a - 10d illustrate an alternative emitter mounting 1222 . emitter mount 1222 , similar to mount 150 ( fig8 ) is a good heat conductor . in this alterative embodiment , emitter mount 1222 is generally in the form of a hollow body , open at one end and closed at the other . emitter mount 1222 has a major cylindrical wall 1223 at its open end and a bore hole 1244 through outer wall 1223 . bore 1244 may be adapted to receive pins 321 , 322 ( fig9 a ). emitter mount 1222 has a generally rectangular hollow body 1232 defining the closed end of emitter mount 1222 . hollow body 1232 is narrower than major cylindrical wall 1223 and the two are joined by a shoulder 1234 . hollow body 1232 is centered on the axis of major cylindrical wall 1223 . a bore hole 1238 through rectangular hollow body 1232 accommodates wiring to an emitter array ( not shown ) positioned on surface 1236 . end wall 1236 is so oriented as to accommodate an emitter at a specified orientation relative to bore hole 1244 . in the illustrated example , as may be particularly shown in fig1 d , the sides of end wall 1236 are at angle of substantially 45 degrees relative to bore 1244 . similarly , bore 1238 in rectangular body 1236 is at an angle , which in the illustrated embodiment is oriented substantially 45 degrees from bore 1244 in main cylindrical wall 1223 . while there has been shown , described , and pointed out fundamental novel features of the present invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the apparatus described , in the form and details of the devices disclosed , and in their operation , may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention . it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements that perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention . substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another are also fully intended and contemplated . | 5 |
fig5 is a schematic diagram which explains an internal mechanism of an electrostatic copying apparatus which is equipped with an automatic duplex copying function . the electrostatic copying apparatus is provided with a transparent platen 11 and an original document cover 12 on the upper part of a body 1 , and an optical section 2 , a copying section 3 and a copy paper conveying section 4 inside the body 1 . the above optical section 2 comprises an exposure lamp 21 , mirrors 22 , 23 , 24 , a lens 25 , and a mirror 26 . an original document ( not shown in the diagram ) set on the above transparent platen 11 is exposed by the exposure lamp 21 , so that the reflected light from the original document can be guided into the copying section 3 through the mirrors 22 , 23 , 24 , the lens 25 , and the mirror 26 . the above copying section 3 has a structure in which a charging corona discharger 32 , a developer 33 , a transferring corona discharger 34 , a separating corona discharger 35 , and a cleaner 36 are arranged in that order over the circumference of the photosensitive drum 31 which rotates in one direction . by introducing a reflected light from an original document onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 31 which caused to be charged uniformly by the charging corona discharger 32 , an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image of an original document is formed , this electrostatic latent image is formed into a toner image by the developer 33 , the toner image is transferred on the surface of the copy paper p by the transferring corona discharger 34 , and the toner remaining after copy paper p is caused to be peeled from the surface of the photosensitive drum by the separating corona discharger 35 is collected and removed by the cleaner 36 . the copy paper conveying section 4 comprises an ordinary copy paper conveying section 4a and a copy paper conveying section for feedback 4b . the ordinary copy paper conveying section 4a comprises paper feeding cassettes 13a , 13b which are extractably installed on a specified position of the body 1 of the electrostatic copying apparatus or paper feeding rollers 41a , 41b , 41c which feed the copy paper p one by one from a stacking bypass 14 , paper feeding paths 42a , 42b , 42c , a registration roller 43 , a conveying roller 44 , a conveying belt 45 , a heating and fusing device 46 , a conveying roller 47 , and a discharging roller 48 . the copy paper conveying section 4b comprises a switching claw 49 which is installed between the above conveying roller 47 and the discharging roller 48 , a first guide space 50 which is formed into a curve , a conveying roller 51 , a second guide space 52 , a secondary paper feeding roller 53 , an intermediate tray 54 , and a paper feeding path 55 . when carrying out only one copying operation for one sheet of the copy paper p , the copy paper is conveyed only by the copy paper conveying section 4a , and discharged toward a sorter 8 . when carrying out two copying operations for one sheet of the copy paper p , the copy paper conveying is caused to be carried out alternately by the above copy paper conveying sections 4a , 4b . in addition , in the intermediate tray 54 of above , a limit switch 56 for detecting copy paper is provided . the sorter 8 is installed with a change - over member 82 which operates in correspondence with the sort status and non - sort status and changes the guiding direction of the copy paper and this sorter 8 is installed at a specified position of the first guiding member 81 which guides the copy paper p sent out from the above discharging roller 48 . reference numeral 83 represents a suction type belt which guides the copy paper p upward in the sort status and reference numeral 84 represents a second guiding member which is vertically movable over the entire range of the suction type belt 83 . in the sort status , it is possible to discharge the copy paper p selectively into a specified sort bin 85 by means of the suction type belt 83 and the second guiding member 84 . in the non - sort status , the copy paper p is caused to be discharged into the non - sort bin 87 by means of the third guiding member 86 whose installing position is fixed . now , the copying functions adopted for the present invention will be explained . the sort mode is a function for sorting the copy paper p automatically to each sort bin which is equal in number to the set number of the paper to be copied , when carrying out the copying of a plurality number of the copy paper with respect to an original document . to execute the sort mode , an original document is set on the transparent platen 11 , a sort mode selection key is operated , the number of paper setting key is operated to set the number of the copy paper , and finally the print key is operated . the non - sort mode is a function for discharging the copy paper p into one sort bin ( usually into the non - sort bin which is provided separately from the above sort bin ), when carrying our the copying of one sheet of or a plurality number of sheet with respect to an original document . to execute the non - sort mode , an original document is set on the transparent platen 11 , a non - sort mode selection key is operated if necessary , and finally the print key is operated . the non - sort mode selection key is used for releasing the sort mode or the grouping mode . when the power source of the electrostatic copying apparatus is turned on , the non - sort mode is usually effected . in this case , it is not necessary to operate the non - sort mode selection key . the grouping mode is a function for dividing the copy paper p into a desired number of sheet when carrying out the copying of a plurality number of sheets . for example , when copying the same original document to produce thirty five copies , the thirty five sheets of the copy paper p are divided into a group of twenty sheets , ten sheets , and five sheets . to execute the grouping mode , an original document is set on the transparent platen 11 , a grouping mode selection key is operated , the number of sheet setting key is operated to set twenty sheets to be copied , and finally the print key is operated . then , the twenty sheets are discharged into the first sort bin . then , the number of sheet setting key is operated to set ten sheets to be copied ( at this time , an original document may be changed ), and the print key is operated . consequently , the ten sheets are discharged into the second sort bin . and finally , the number of sheet setting key is operated to set five sheets to be copied ( at this time , an original document may be changed ), and the print key is operated . and , the five sheets are discharged into the third sort bin . continuous coping mode is a mode which is use for copying sequentially a plurality number of original documents by using an automatic original document feeding device . to execute the continuous copying mode , an original document is set on the automatic original document feeding device , and a continuous copying mode selection key is operated . an then , when the print key is operated , the first original document is copied . when the copying of the first original document is completed , the original document is automatically discharged and the second original document is automatically set . the second original document is automatically copied without the operation of the print key . afterward , the third and fourth and so forth of the original documents are copied automatically . fig4 is a block diagram showing a structure of an apparatus for carrying out the discharge control of the copy paper p . a microcomputer 6 is provided with a continuous copying mode signal which is generated by operating the continuous copying mode selection key , a one side / both side copying mode signal which is generated by operating a one side / both side copying mode selection key , a number of sheet setting signal which is generated by operating the number of sheet setting key , a non - sort mode , sort mode or grouping mode selection signal which is generated by operating the non - sort mode , sort mode or grouping mode selection key , a number of completed copying operation signal which is generated by the counter , a print key signal which , is generated by operating the print key , and a signal which corresponds to the status of the limit switch 56 . an output signal from the microcomputer 6 is supplied to a copying process driving section 61 , a copy paper conveying driving section 62 , a sorter driving section 63 , and an indicator driving section 64 . an intermediate tray indicator 65 is connected to an indicator driving section 64 . fig1 is a flowchart which explains the operation of an electrostatic copying apparatus having the above structure . in step s1 , the program waits until the print key is operated , and in step s2 , it is determined whether the duplex copying mode is selected . if the duplex copying mode is selected , the copying operation is carried out in step s3 , and it is determined in step 4 whether the number of the copying operation equal to the preset number of sheet is carried out . if the number of copying operation equal to the preset number of sheet is carried out , it is determined in step s5 whether the copy paper p exists in the intermediate tray 54 . if the copy paper p exists in the intermediate tray 54 ( if an overlapped feeding has occurred while the first copying operation is being carried out ), the forced taking out and copying operation of the copy paper p are carried out in step s6 . thereafter , it is determined in step s11 whether the continuous copying mode is selected , and if it is not selected , a series of copying operations is completed . if it is determined in the step s2 that the both side copying mode is not selected , the program moves to step s7 to carry out the copying operation , in step s8 , the program waits until the number of the copying operation equal to the preset number of sheet is carried out , and the determination of step s11 is carried out . if it is determined in step 4 that the number of the copying operation equal to the number of sheet preset is not carried out ( in the case an overlapped feeding has occurred while the copy paper p is being taken out from the intermediate tray 54 ), it is determined in step s9 whether the copy paper p exists in the intermediate tray 54 , and if it exists , the program returns to the step s3 . if it does not exist , the sorter 8 is forcibly returned to the initial status in step s10 and the determination of step s11 is carried out . if it is determined in step s5 that there does not exist the copy paper p in the intermediate tray 54 , the determination of step s11 is carried out . if it is distinguished in step s11 that the continuous copying mode is selected , the program waits until a new original document is set in step s12 , and then the determination of step s2 is carried out . if an overlapped feeding occurs while the first copying operation is being carried out in accordance with the above procedure , the copy paper p will remain in the intermediate tray 54 , and therefore , the forced taking out and copying operation are caused to be carried out with respect to all sheets of the copy paper p which remain in the intermediate tray 54 , and then a series of duplex copying operations will be carried out with respect to the next original document . if an overlapped feeding occurs while the second copying operation is being carried out , the copy paper p to be taken out from the intermediate tray 54 becomes short , and therefore , the sorter 8 is caused forcibly to be restored to the initial status , and then a series of duplex copying operations will be carried out with respect to the next original document . fig2 is a flowchart which explains in detail the forced taking out and copying operation of the copy paper p of the step s6 . in step 61 , the copying operation is caused to stop temporarily . in step s62 , the intermediate tray indicator 65 is caused to turn on and off in order to indicate that the copy paper p is remaining in the intermediate tray 54 . in step 63 , the program waits until the print key is operated , and in step s64 , the intermediate tray indicator 65 is caused to turn off , and in step s65 , the copy paper p remaining in the intermediate tray 54 is taken out and the copying operation is carried out . in step s66 , it is determined whether the sorter 8 is in non - sort mode . if in the non - sort mode , the copy paper p is guided into the first sort bin 85 in step s67 , and it is determined in step s69 whether the copy paper p in the intermediate tray 54 does not exist . if there is no copy paper p in the intermediate tray 54 , the sorter 8 is caused to be restored to the original mode in step s70 , and a series of the forced discharging operations is completed . in the above step s66 , if it is determined that the non - sort mode is not selected , that is , if the sort mode or the grouping mode is selected , the copy paper p is guided into the non - sort bin 87 in step s68 , and then the determination of step s69 is carried out . in the above step s69 , if it is determined that the copy paper p exists in the intermediate tray 54 , the determination of step s63 and so on is carried out . in a manner as described above , the second copying operation is performed on the copy paper p which remained in the intermediate tray 54 so that it becomes possible to guide the copy paper p into the sort bin of the sorter 8 which has not been used until then . after all the copying operation has been completed , it is possible to easily replace the copied paper where incorrect copying has occurred because of an overlapped feeding with the copied paper accommodated in the above sort bin which has not been used . in a manner as described above , it is possible to obtain a prescribed number of sheets of perfect copied paper . however , if the above intermediate tray indicator 65 is not turning on and off , and if the copy paper is not accommodated in the above sort bin which has not been used , in can be determined that an overlapped feeding has not occurred , and therefore , the time and labor such as the above can be saved . fig3 is a flowchart which explains in detail the forced control of the sorter 8 in step s10 . in step s101 , the copying operation is temporarily stopped and in step s102 , the intermediate tray indicator 65 is caused to turn on and off in order to indicate that the copy paper p is insufficient in the intermediate tray 54 . in this case , in order to distinguish from the turning on and off in step s62 in fig2 the intermediate tray 65 may turn on and off in a different manner . further , an embodiment in which another indicator is provided separately from the intermediate tray indicator 65 is also possible . in step s103 , the program waits until the print key is operated , the intermediate tray indicator 65 is turned off in step s104 , and it is determined in step s105 whether the sorter 8 is in the grouping mode . if determined as being in the grouping mode , the receiving sort bin of the sorter 8 is caused to move to the position of the next sort bin 85 in step s106 , and the forced control of the sorter 8 is completed . if it is determined in the above step s105 that the grouping mode is not selected , it is determined in step s107 whether the sorter 8 is in the sort mode . if the sorter 8 is in the sort mode , in step s108 , the receiving sort bin of the sorter 8 is caused to move to the position of the first sort bin 85 , and the forced control of the sorter 8 is completed . conversely , if it is determined in step s107 that the sort mode is not selected , the program completes the forced control of the sorter 8 as it is . in a manner as described above , when an overlapped feeding occurs while taking out the copy paper p from the intermediate tray 54 , even if a series of the next duplex copying is carried out , a series of the duplex copying operations can be entered with respect to the succeeding original documents after providing a status wherein the order of the duplex copy paper discharged so far into the sort bin 85 is not influenced , that is , a status where there is no need for truing up the copy paper . after all the copying operations are completed , the copied paper is inspected and the incorrect copies ( the copied paper which is copied with an image only on the obverse side thereof ) are taken out from a sort bin where two sheets are stored , and by simply carrying out later the copying operation with respect to the above incorrect copies the required number of perfect copied sheets can be obtained . however , if the intermediate tray indicator 65 is not turning on and off , it can be understood that an overlapped feeding has not occurred , therefore the time and labor as described above can be saved . the present invention has been described in detail referring to the above embodiments , it is , however , apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments but can be applied to an electrostatic copying apparatus which has an editing function , instead of an electrostatic copying apparatus which has a duplex copying function for example . in addition to the electrostatic copying apparatuses , it is possible to apply the present invention to an image forming apparatus such as a printer . further , it is possible that various changes and modifications in design may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . as have been described above , when the paper remains in the intermediate tray at the time the image forming operation of a prescribed number of sheet is carried out , the present invention is capable of taking out the paper from the intermediate tray without resetting the set data , and providing the image forming operation , and further , discharging the paper into a bin which is not in use , therefore , the replacement of the image - formed paper which is obtained finally can be easily accomplished . also , because the receiving sort bin of the sorter is forcibly reset into the initial status to correspond with a series of image forming processes when there is no paper in the intermediate tray before carrying out the image forming operation of a prescribed number of sheet , it is possible to prevent the condition in which an overlapped feeding occurs while taking out the paper from the intermediate tray and the number of image formation is reduced , from influencing upon the sorting of the image - formed paper which is obtained from a series of other image forming processes , and consequently it is possible to reduce considerably the time and trouble for truing up the sheets of imageformed paper obtained finally . | 6 |
fig1 is a block diagram illustrating a portion of a programmable logic block that includes freeze logic for freezing the outputs of the programmable logic block during configuration mode according to an embodiment of the present invention . fig1 illustrates a programmable logic block referred to as a logic element ( le ). a logic element is one type of programmable logic block that can be used with the techniques of the present invention . it should be understood that the present invention can be applied to numerous types of programmable logic blocks . the logic element ( le ) of fig1 includes a register 101 , an output block 102 , and a lookup table or lut ( not shown ). register 101 receives input signal regin , clock signal clk , and clear signal nclr . register 101 generates two output signals nregcsout and nregout . the first register output signal nregout is transmitted to output block 102 . the second register output signal nregcsout is transmitted to a register cascade and a q feedback input ( not shown ). output block 102 includes three multiplexers and three drivers . the first multiplexer includes nand gate 121 a , transmission gates 131 a and 141 a , and inverting driver 151 a . the second multiplexer includes nand gate 121 b , transmission gates 131 b and 141 b , and inverting driver 151 b . the third multiplexer includes nand gate 121 c , transmission gates 131 c and 141 c , and inverting driver 151 c . inverting drivers 151 a – 151 c are typically large inverters that drive long lines . output block 102 has three outputs that generate three output signals localout , leout 0 , and leout 1 . the localout , leout 0 , and leout 1 output signals are the output signals of the logic element . one input of each of the nand gates 121 a – 121 c is coupled to receive a cram bit ( labeled r in fig1 ). the cram bits are configuration data that is loaded during the configuration mode . the configuration data programs the functionality of the fpga during the user mode . the second input of each nand gate 121 a – 121 c is coupled to receive a freeze logic signal nfrzlogic . the inputs of the transmission gates 131 a – 131 c are coupled to receive the le register output signal nregout . the inputs of transmission gates 141 a – 141 c are coupled to receive the output lutout of the lookup table . the freeze logic in the embodiment of fig1 includes nand gate 111 and inverter 112 . these two logic gates are the only freeze logic circuits added to the logic element to freeze the logic element outputs during configuration mode in the example of fig1 . the present invention provides a reduction in die area ( about 3 %) relative to the previous freeze methodology described in the background of the invention section . by reducing the silicon die area using the freeze logic of the present invention , the cost of a programmable logic ic can be reduced without incurring additional constraints . the freeze methodology is a non - speed critical feature . therefore , timing constraints do not provide significant limitations on how the freeze logic can be implemented . details of how the freeze methodology of fig1 functions will now be described . the freeze mode is initiated by the freeze logic signal nfrzlogic . the freeze logic signal nfrzlogic can be generated by configured logic ( not shown ) during the configuration mode . in one example embodiment , the freeze logic signal is generated from a central point on a programmable logic ic and transmitted to each logic element . during the configuration mode , the freeze logic signal nfrzlogic is driven to a logic low , causing nand gate 111 to pull its output signal frz_regout high , regardless of the logic state of input 115 . the freeze logic signal disables the normal output signal path of register 101 through nand gate 111 . when the frz_regout signal is high , inverter 112 drives the register output signal nregout low . the nregout output signal remains low during the configuration mode as long as nfrzlogic is low . the freeze logic signal does not effect the nregcsout output signal . the freeze logic signal nfrzlogic also causes nand gates 121 a – 121 c to pull their output signals high , regardless of the state of the cram bits coupled to the second inputs of nand gates 121 a – 121 c . when the output signals of nand gates 121 a – 121 c are high , transmission gates 131 a – 131 c are forced to couple register output signal nregout to drivers 151 a – 151 c , and transmission gates 141 a – 141 c are forced to decouple lutout from drivers 151 a – 151 c . thus , the lut output lutout cannot be coupled to the logic element outputs as long as nfrzlogic is low . because nregout is forced to remain low by nfrzlogic , inverting drivers 151 a – 151 c drive the three logic element output signals localout , leout 0 , and leout 1 high . the output signals localout , leout 0 , and leout 1 of the logic element remain high during the configuration mode as long as the freeze logic signal nfrzlogic is low . thus , the freeze logic signal prevents the configuration data ( i . e ., the cram bits ) from effecting the output signals of the logic element during the configuration mode ( which is when the cram is being configured ). by preventing the cram bits from effecting the le output signals , contention between circuit elements is eliminated during the configuration mode . the freeze logic circuitry 111 and 112 of the present invention can be replicated in other logic elements on a programmable logic ic . the freeze logic and the freeze signal can keep the logic element output signals high during configuration mode . alternatively , the freeze logic and the freeze logic signal can drive the logic element output signals low during configuration mode . maintaining the logic element output signals in defined states during configuration mode eliminates contention between circuit elements . after all of the configuration data has been loaded , and the ic is ready to function in user mode , the freeze logic signal is de - asserted . after the configuration mode has ended , the freeze signal nfrzlogic in fig1 is driven high . when the freeze signal nfrzlogic is high , input 115 controls the output voltage frz_regout of nand gate 111 and the output voltage nregout of inverter 112 . thus , input signals regin , clk , and clr can control the register output signal nregout during user mode . also , the cram bits control the output signals of nand gates 121 a – 121 c during user mode when freeze signal nfrzlogic is high . during user mode , the cram bits control whether the multiplexers in block 102 select the register output signal nregout or the lut output signal lutout . fig2 is a simplified partial block diagram of one example of fpga 200 that can include aspects of the present invention . it should be understood that the present invention can be applied to numerous types of integrated circuits such as field programmable gate arrays ( fpgas ), programmable logic devices ( plds ), complex programmable logic devices ( cplds ), programmable logic arrays ( plas ), and application specific integrated circuits ( asics ) that have at least one programmable logic block . fpga 200 is an example of a programmable logic integrated circuit in which techniques of the present invention can be implemented . fpga 200 includes a two - dimensional array of programmable logic array blocks ( or labs ) 202 that are interconnected by a network of column and row interconnects of varying length and speed . labs 202 include multiple ( e . g ., 10 ) logic elements ( or les ). an le is a programmable logic block that provides for efficient implementation of user defined logic functions . a fpga has numerous logic elements that can be configured to implement various combinatorial and sequential functions . the logic elements have access to a programmable interconnect structure . the programmable interconnect structure can be programmed to interconnect the logic elements in almost any desired configuration . fpga 200 also includes a distributed memory structure including ram blocks of varying sizes provided throughout the array . the ram blocks include , for example , 512 bit blocks 204 , 4k blocks 206 , and a block 208 providing 512k bits of ram . these memory blocks can also include shift registers and fifo buffers . fpga 200 further includes digital signal processing ( dsp ) blocks 210 that can implement , for example , multipliers with add or subtract features . i / o elements ( ioes ) 212 located , in this example , around the periphery of the device support numerous single - ended and differential i / o standards . it is to be understood that fpga 200 is described herein for illustrative purposes only and that the present invention can be implemented in many different types of plds , fpgas , and the like . while fpgas of the type shown in fig2 provide many of the resources required to implement system level solutions , the present invention can also benefit systems wherein a fpga is one of several components . fig3 shows a block diagram of an exemplary digital system 300 , within which the present invention can be embodied . system 300 can be a programmed digital computer system , digital signal processing system , specialized digital switching network , or other processing system . moreover , such systems can be designed for a wide variety of applications such as telecommunications systems , automotive systems , control systems , consumer electronics , personal computers , internet communications and networking , and others . further , system 300 can be provided on a single board , on multiple boards , or within multiple enclosures . system 300 includes a processing unit 302 , a memory unit 304 and an i / o unit 306 interconnected together by one or more buses . according to this exemplary embodiment , an fpga 308 is embedded in processing unit 302 . fpga 308 can serve many different purposes within the system in fig3 . fpga 308 can , for example , be a logical building block of processing unit 302 , supporting its internal and external operations . fpga 308 is programmed to implement the logical functions necessary to carry on its particular role in system operation . fpga 308 can be specially coupled to memory 304 through connection 310 and to i / o unit 306 through connection 312 . processing unit 302 can direct data to an appropriate system component for processing or storage , execute a program stored in memory 304 or receive and transmit data via i / o unit 306 , or other similar function . processing unit 302 can be a central processing unit ( cpu ), microprocessor , floating point coprocessor , graphics coprocessor , hardware controller , microcontroller , field programmable gate array programmed for use as a controller , network controller , and the like . furthermore , in many embodiments , there is often no need for a cpu . for example , instead of a cpu , one or more fpgas 308 can control the logical operations of the system . in an embodiment , fpga 308 acts as a reconfigurable processor , which can be reprogrammed as needed to handle a particular computing task . alternately , fpga 308 can itself include an embedded microprocessor . memory unit 304 can be a random access memory ( ram ), read only memory ( rom ), fixed or flexible disk media , pc card flash disk memory , tape , or any other storage means , or any combination of these storage means . while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof , a latitude of modification , various changes , and substitutions are intended in the present invention . in some instances , features of the invention can be employed without a corresponding use of other features , without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth . therefore , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular configuration or method disclosed , without departing from the essential scope and spirit of the present invention . it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed , but that the invention will include all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the claims . | 7 |
the ester urethanes to be used in accordance with the invention may be prepared , for example , by reaction of the glycerol ester ( a ) with the diisocyanate ( b ) and reaction of the resulting addition compound with the diol compound ( c ) ( that is , dimethylolpropionic acid , also known as 2 , 2 - bis ( hydroxymethyl ) propionic acid ). the carboxyl groups of dimethylolpropionic acid may be neutralized before or after the reaction of compound ( c ). suitable neutralizing agents include alkali and alkaline earth metal hydroxides , carbonates , and hydrogen carbonates , such as sodium hydroxide , potassium hydroxide , sodium carbonate , sodium hydrogen carbonate , potassium carbonate , magnesium hydroxide , calcium hydroxide , and barium hydroxide , and ammonia and primary , secondary and tertiary amines containing 1 to about 30 ( preferably 3 to 18 ) carbon atoms , such as methylamine , ethylamine , propylamine , isopropylamine , butylamine , isobutylamine , hexylamine , cydohexylamine , methylcyclohexylamine , 2 - ethylhexylamine , octylamine , isotridecylamine , tallow fatty amine , stearylamine , oleylamine , dimethylamine , diethylamine , dipropylamine , diisopropylamine , dibutylamine , diisobutylamine , dihexylamine , dicyclohexylamine , dimethyicyclohexylamine , di -( 2 - ethylhexyl ) amine , dioctylamine , diisotridecylamine , di ( tallow fatty ) amine , distearylamine , dioleylamine , ethanolamine , diethanolamine , propanolamine , dipropanolamine , and morpholine . preferably at least 50 % ( more preferably at least 80 %) of the carboxyl groups originating from component ( c ) are neutralized . the reactions may take place in the presence or absence of organic solvents . preferred organic solvents are inert to the starting compounds used and include , for example , acetone , methyl ethyl ketone , tetrahydrofuran , dichloromethane , chloroform , perchloro - ethylene , ethyl acetate , dimethylformamide , and dimethyl sulfoxide . the reaction of compounds ( a ) and ( b ) can be catalyzed , for example , by cobalt naphthenate , zinc octoate , dibutyltin dilaurate , dibutyltin diacetate ( preferably dibutyitin dilaurate or dibutyltin diacetate ) and by tertiary amines , such as triethyl amine or 1 , 4 - diaza [ 2 . 2 . 2 ]- bicydooctane . the ester urethanes to be used in accordance with the invention may be dispersed in water , for example , by adding the neutralizing agent in the form of an aqueous solution and then removing any organic solvent present . the ester urethanes are best used in the form of aqueous preparations having an ester urethane content of about 1 to about 40 % by weight . they are used in a quantity of about 0 . 2 to about 10 % by weight ( ester urethane solid ), based on shaved weight of the leather . the ester urethanes to be used in accordance with the invention are excellently absorbed from the liquor onto the leather and make the leather hydrophobic and soft , as well as resistant to grain cracking , without adversely affecting its dyeability . the following examples further illustrate details for the process of this invention . the invention , which is set forth in the foregoing disclosure , is not to be limited either in spirit or scope by these examples . those skilled in the art will readily understand that known variations of the conditions of the following procedures can be used . unless otherwise noted , all temperatures are degrees celsius and all percentages are based on the pared weight of the leather and dilution ratios are based on weight . all commercial products ( unless otherwise identified ) are commercial products of bayer ag , leverkusen . preparation of an ester urethane for use in accordance with the invention . a heatable 500 - ml capacity three - necked round - bottomed flask equipped with a stirrer , reflux condenser , a drying tube , and a dropping funnel was used as the reaction vessel . after 17 . 9 g ( 0 . 05 mol ) of glycerol monostearate were introduced into the flask , 45 mg dibutyltin diacetate , 50 ml anhydrous acetone , and 14 . 72 ml ( 17 . 9 g , 0 . 1028 mol ) of 2 , 4 -/ 2 , 6 - toluene diisocyanate ( isomer ratio of 80 : 20 ) were then successively added and the mixture was heated for 30 minutes to the boiling temperature . 11 . 75 g ( 0 . 05 mol ) of the triethylamine salt of 2 , 2 - bis ( hydroxymethyl ) propionic acid dissolved in 50 ml of anhydrous acetone were then added dropwise over a period of 10 minutes . after a reaction time under reflux of i hour , formation of the ester urethane was terminated . the solution was clear , moderately viscous , and pale yellow in color . for dispersion . 250 ml of deionized water were then added dropwise while maintaining a gentle reflux of the acetone . removal of the acetone by vacuum distillation left an approximately 17 % clear solution of the ester urethane . 2 . 4 kg of a pared chrome - tanned leather ( pared thickness 1 . 1 mm ) were treated for 30 minutes with 250 % ( based on pared weight ) of water at 40 ° c ., 0 . 5 % of an 8 . 5 % aqueous formic acid , 0 . 1 % of a neutral emulsifier ( baymol ® an flussig ( liquid ) diluted with water in a ratio of 1 : 5 ) and 2 % of a light - stable tanning agent ( tanigan ® 3 ln ). after the liquor had been drained off , the leather was rinsed for 10 minutes with 300 % water at 40 ° c ., after which the liquor was again drained off . the actual retanning process began with 150 % water at 40 ° c ., 1 % of a 33 % basic chrome tanning agent ( chromosal ® b ) and 3 % of a neutralizing mixed chrome / syntan tanning agent ( blancorol ® rc ). after 45 minutes , 7 % chromopol ® afs ( stockhausen ) diluted beforehand with water in a ratio of 1 : 4 were added and , after 30 minutes , another 1 . 5 % of a neutralizing synthetic tanning agent ( tanigan ® pak - n ), 4 % of a light - stable substitute tanning agent ( tanigan ® ld - n ) and 3 % of a resin - based tanning agent ( retingan ® r7 ) were added and the leather was treated for another 15 minutes . in this comparison example , the leather was then treated for 45 minutes with 2 % of an acrylate tanning agent ( baytigan ® ar diluted beforehand with water in a ratio of 1 : 3 ). the liquor had a ph of 5 . 3 . 1 . 5 % sodium formate and 0 . 5 % sodium carbonate were then added , after which the leather was treated for another 40 minutes ( ph of liquor now being 6 . 1 ). the cross - section of the leather with bromocresol green was now blue . after another 40 minutes , the leather was washed for 10 minutes with 300 % water at 44 ° c ., the liquor was drained off , and dyeing was commenced as follows : after 5 minutes in a 30 % water at 25 ° c . and 0 . 8 % ammonia ( 25 % aqueous solution diluted beforehand with water in a ratio of 1 : 5 ), a mixture of 2 % of a light - stable dispersing auxiliary tanning agent ( baykanol ® sl ), 3 % of a light - stable yellow metal complex dye ( baygenal ® beige l - ngr ) and 0 . 3 % of a light - stable metal complex dye ( baygenal ® grau l - ng ) were added . after 30 minutes , 10 % chromopol ® afs ( diluted beforehand with water in a ratio of 1 : 4 ) were added ; after another 30 minutes , 150 % water at 70 ° c . were added ; and after another 5 minutes , another 2 % baytigan ® ar ( diluted beforehand with water in a ratio of 1 : 3 ) were added . after 30 minutes , 2 . 5 % formic acid ( 85 % aqueous solution diluted in a ratio of 1 : 10 and 1 . 25 % in two portions ) was added for 20 minutes ( liquor ph now being 4 . 12 ) and the liquor was drained off . the leather was then washed once more ( with 300 % water at 40 ° c .) and after 10 minutes was rinsed for 10 minutes with water at 25 ° c . with the cover removed . the leathers were then removed , wet - stretched and dried , conditioned , staked , milled and stretched , and then evaluated . the baytigan ® ar was replaced by the ester urethane used in accordance with the invention , all other process parameters remaining constant . evaluation of the two leathers produced the following results : the comparison leather produced in accordance with the prior art was not quite as soft as the leather in accordance with the invention . the grain fall of the leather according to the invention was distinctly better than that of the comparison leather . when a drop of water was applied to the comparison leather , it immediately sank into the leather whereas for the brown leather produced in accordance with the invention water penetrated only slowly into the substrate after some time . eight 1 . 3 mm thick wet blue split halves that had been chrome tanned were washed for 10 minutes in water at 50 ° c . ( 200 %) and the liquor was discarded . 100 % ( based on pared weight ) of water at 40 ° c ., 2 % of a neutralizing synthetic tanning agent ( tanigan ® pak - n ), and 0 . 5 % sodium bicarbonate were then added . after another 90 minutes , the ph was 5 . 82 . preliminary oiling was started with 2 % of a synthetic oil ( coripol ® dx 902 ( stockhausen ) diluted beforehand with water in a ratio of 1 : 4 ) and continued for 15 minutes . the leather was then retanned as follows : 2 % of a partly neutralized polyacrylic acid ( baytigan ® ar diluted beforehand with water in a ratio of 1 : 3 ) and 1 . 5 % of an acidic polyether ester ( levotan ® c ) were added . after another 45 minutes , 6 % of a synthetic light - stable substitute tanning agent ( tanigan ® ld - n ) were added . after another 15 minutes , the ph was 5 . 36 . 0 . 5 % formic acid ( 85 % diluted beforehand with water in a ratio of 1 : 10 ) were then added and after 15 minutes the liquor was drained off ( ph 4 . 6 ). the leather was washed for 10 minutes with 200 % water at 60 ° c . and the liquor was discarded . the leather was then oiled as follows : 100 % water ( 60 ° c . ), 6 % of a light - stable synthetic oil ( coripol ® dx 902 ) mixed with 1 % of a synthetic neatsfoot oil substitute ( coripol ® ica ) were left in contact with the leather for 45 minutes . the ph was 4 . 62 . 1 . 5 % of an acrylate binder ( euderm ® grund 25a diluted beforehand with water in a ratio of 1 : 4 ) was then added and after 30 minutes the liquor was acidified with 0 . 5 % formic acid ( 85 %, diluted with water in a ratio of 1 : 10 ). after 20 minutes , the ph was 4 . the leather was then rinsed for 5 minutes with water at 20 ° c ., after which the leathers could be removed . after drying in vacuo for 3 minutes at 70 ° c ., the leathers were hung out to dry , conditioned , staked , aired , and then restaked . part of the leathers were then coated with levacast ® ( two - component reactive coating of leathers with an isocyanate prepolymer and a partly blocked oligomeric curing agent in methyl ethyl ketone solution applied by the reversal process ). example 2 ( a ) was repeated with 3 . 5 % of the ester urethane to be used in accordance with the invention instead of the partly neutralized polyacrylic acid ( baytigan ® ar ). the comparison skiver that had been produced in accordance with the prior art and tested after 24 hours was distinctly harder than the skiver according to the invention . after 24 hours , the same leathers subsequently coated with levacast ® showed a better grain fall in the case of the leather according to the invention than in the case of the comparison leather . grain fall is the behavior of a leather on folding . a good grain fall is distinguished by the fact that only small creases appear when the leather is folded . the leather produced in accordance with the prior art was more hydrophilic than the leather according to the invention . in the case of the comparison leather , a drop of water immediately sank into the substrate . leather produced in accordance with the invention held the drop of water for a relatively long time . surprisingly , however , this effect did not adversely affect the adhesion of the coating subsequently applied . | 2 |
the preferred compression ignition engine is powered by diesel fuel , but other forms of fuel are also possible including natural gas ( ng ) and blends of diesel and biofuel or fischer - tropsch process derived fuels . the honeycomb substrate monolith can be made from a ceramic material such as cordierite or silicon carbide , or a metal such as fecralloy ™. the arrangement is preferably a so - called flow - through configuration , in which a plurality of channels extend in parallel from an open inlet end to an open outlet end . however , the honeycomb substrate monolith may also take the form of a filtering substrate such as a so - called wall - flow filter or a ceramic foam . in one embodiment , the thermal mass in the first , upstream washcoat zone is greater than the thermal mass in the second , downstream washcoat zone . however , in a presently preferred embodiment , the thermal mass in the first , upstream washcoat zone is less than the thermal mass in the second , downstream washcoat zone . in either of the preceding embodiments , the honeycomb substrate monolith has a total length . in embodiments , the first , upstream washcoat zone is defined at an upstream end by an inlet end of the honeycomb substrate monolith and at a downstream end by point between 10 % and 90 %, optionally between 15 % and 80 % such as between 20 % and 30 % or 20 % and 40 %, of the total length of the substrate monolith measured from the inlet end . in preferred embodiments , the length of the inlet zone is less than the length of the outlet zone . a desirable feature of a low washcoat loading is that its relatively low thermal mass enables it to heat up more quickly and hence to “ light - off ” more efficiently following cold - start . however , because of the lower thermal mass , the catalyst can also cool down more quickly and in this regard “ lighting - out ” in the middle of a drive cycle after initially warming up ( i . e . post -“ light - off ”) is an undesirable feature . higher washcoat loadings have the advantage that there is more support material present to support precious metal , and higher precious metal dispersions are possible . the higher washcoat loading can provide greater resistance to thermal ageing in use , i . e . higher thermal durability . in a particular embodiment , the different thermal mass in the first or second zone relative from the second or first zone respectively is provided by a thicker washcoat layer than is used in the other zone . in this embodiment , a washcoat loading in the thicker washcoat layer may be 4 to 10 gin − 3 , such as from 5 to 8 gin − 3 . conversely , in the other zone a washcoat loading in the relatively thinner washcoat layer can be from 1 to 3 . 5 gin − 3 , such as from 2 to 3 gin − 3 . alternatively , according to another embodiment , the different thermal mass in the first or second zone relative from the second or first zone respectively may be provided by a washcoat component having a density of at least 3 . 50 gcm − 3 . materials having the suitable density may be selected from the group consisting of densified alpha alumina , densified lanthana , densified cerium ii oxide , densified cerium iii oxide and densified zirconia . in preferred embodiments , a total precious metal loading , measured as unit weight of precious metal per unit volume of washcoat , in the first , upstream washcoat zone is greater than a total precious metal loading in the second , downstream washcoat zone . in one embodiment , for example , the first , upstream washcoat zone comprises 55 to 90 % of a total precious metal loading of the honeycomb substrate monolith . in another embodiment , the first , upstream washcoat zone comprises 60 to 80 % of the total precious metal loading of the honeycomb substrate monolith . a total precious loading on the honeycomb substrate monolith can be from 15 to 300 gft − 3 , such as from 30 to 150 gft − 3 , e . g . 40 to 120 gft − 3 . precious metals for use in the present invention include one or more selected from platinum , palladium , rhodium , gold , silver or mixtures of any two or more thereof . a preferred embodiment subset of precious metals for use in the present invention is the platinum group metals . particularly preferred selections of precious metals include platinum per se , palladium per se , a mixture of both platinum and palladium ( optionally present as an alloy ) or a combination of palladium and gold , either as a mixture , an alloy or both a mixture and an alloy . in a particular embodiment , the precious metal or combination of precious metals in the first , upstream zone is different from the precious metal or combination of precious metals in the second , downstream zone . generally , the or each precious metal is supported on a high surface area refractory oxide component . suitable precious metal support components include alumina , silica , amorphous aluminosilicates , molecular sieves such as aluminosilicate zeolites , titania , magnesia , magnesium aluminate , ceria , zirconia etc . and mixtures , composite oxides and mixed oxides of any two or more thereof , optionally stabilised with one or more rare earth elements . particularly preferred mixed oxides include ceria - zirconia , which ( depending on the content of ceria ) may also include one or more rare earth metals , and alumina doped with silica . the catalyst for use in the present invention can be located at any convenient point on the vehicle , taking account of packaging and space constraints on the vehicle . common locations are in the close - coupled location as close to the engine exhaust manifold as possible to take advantage of the hottest possible exhaust gas temperatures . common alternative locations include the so - called “ underfloor ” position . the following example represents the results of a computer model , wherein a cylindrical 400 cells per square inch cordierite flow - through honeycomb monolith substrate having dimensions 143 × 98 × 135 mm and a volume of 1 . 50 l is coated throughout with an homogeneous diesel oxidation catalyst washcoat layer of low ( 2 . 5 gin − 3 ) or high ( 7 . 0 gin − 3 ) washcoat loading and a uniform platinum loading ( comparative example ). zoned diesel oxidation catalysts according to the invention were prepared using the same bare honeycomb substrate monolith and are shown in table 1 . methods of preparing zoned honeycomb substrate monoliths are known in the art and include the applicant &# 39 ; s wo 99 / 47260 , i . e . comprising the steps of ( a ) locating a containment means on top of a support , ( b ) dosing a pre - determined quantity of a liquid component into said containment means , either in the order ( a ) then ( b ) or ( b ) then ( a ), and ( c ) by applying pressure or vacuum , drawing said liquid component into at least a portion of the support , and retaining substantially all of said quantity within the support . the percentage figures shown in the “ washcoat loading ” column of table 1 represent the length of the first , upstream zone ( far left - hand column ) and second , downstream zone relative to the total substrate length as measured from the inlet end of the substrate monolith . the “ pt loading ” column represents the platinum metal loading in the first , upstream zone ( left - hand column ) and the second , downstream zone from left to right , respectively . the co ( g ) and hc ( g ) figures are for carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon present measured at the outlet to the diesel oxidation catalyst . the “ normalised co ( g ) conversion ” and “ normalised hc ( g ) conversion ” is relative to the homogeneously coated low washcoat loaded , 40 gft − 3 ( comparative example 2 ). the total platinum content in all of the examples was constant . the mass flow , temperature and engine - out carbon monoxide ( co ( g )) and total hydrocarbon ( hc ( g )) content of the exhaust gas from the 2 . 4 liter euro iv bench - mounted vehicular diesel engine was recorded using a vehicle dynamometer fitted in the so - called close - coupled position as close to the engine exhaust manifold as practically possible ( given the space constraints on the vehicle ), and these data were used to construct the computer model using modelled catalyst configurations . although the engine used was not fitted with “ stop - start ” technology , the effect of such a system was mimicked by turning off the engine whenever the mveg - b european drive cycle reached idle . the results for mass flow , catalyst inlet temperature carbon monoxide ( co ) and total hydrocarbon ( thc ) content in the exhaust gas is shown in fig1 . the results are shown in table 1 , from which it can be seen that using the homogeneous high washcoat loading ( comparative example 1 ) instead of the homogeneous low washcoat loading ( comparative example 2 ) lowers the co and hc conversion over the whole mveg - b cycle . one plausible explanation for this result is that the catalyst is slower to light - off for co and hc conversion at the start of the test because of the increased thermal mass of the catalyst . an improvement in co oxidation was obtained where the upstream half of the substrate monolith was coated with a low washcoat loading while the downstream half remained coated with a high washcoat loading ( example 3 ), without adjusting the relative platinum metal loadings between the zones . for the vehicle tested , the reverse arrangement of this configuration ( wherein the upstream 50 % zone is high washcoat loaded and the downstream half is low washcoat loaded ( i . e . example 4 )) gives worse activity than the control . however , the vehicle tested has a particularly cold - running engine and the inventors still believe that the configuration of example 4 may be particularly useful for a vehicle having an engine that runs hotter ( the product offerings of different vehicle manufacturers can vary in mveg - b on - cycle exhaust gas temperature ). hence , the example 4 configuration is still regarded as falling within the scope of the present invention . however , the remaining results shown in table 1 ( i . e . for examples 5 - 8 inclusive ) concentrate on configurations featuring a low loaded upstream zone but varying the length and platinum metal loading of the upstream zone . it can be seen that by shortening the length of the upstream low washcoat loaded zone to 25 % ( example 5 ), a further improvement in co oxidation is obtained over the example 4 configuration . the remaining embodiments ( examples 6 - 8 inclusive ) retained the 25 % length inlet zone low washcoat loading / 75 % length outlet zone high washcoat loading arrangement and investigated changing the platinum metal loading split between the two zones . a higher ( 100 g / ft 3 ) inlet zone platinum loading relative to a lower ( 20 g / ft 3 ) outlet zone platinum loading gave an improved co conversion , but slightly poorer hc conversion than the homogeneous loaded embodiment ( see results in table 1 for example 6 ). however , further iterations of the platinum split ( 70 g / ft 3 upstream zone / 30 g / ft 3 downstream zone ( example 7 ); and 85 g / ft 3 upstream zone / 25 g / ft 3 downstream zone ( example 8 )) gave similar hc conversion results to those of the homogeneously loaded catalyst but surprisingly improved the co conversion relative to the higher pgm loaded upstream zone embodiment ( i . e . the 100 g / ft 3 upstream zone embodiment ). for the avoidance of any doubt , the entire contents of documents cited herein are incorporated herein by reference . | 1 |
in fig1 and 2 , a cushioning conversion machine 100 according to the present invention is shown . the machine 100 converts an essentially two - dimensional web of sheet - like stock material ( the thickness thereof being negligible compared to the width and length thereof — thus the phrase “ essentially two - dimensional ) into a three - dimensional cushioning product of a desired length . the preferred stock material consists of plural plies or layers of biodegradable and recyclable sheet - like stock material such as 30 to 50 pound kraft paper rolled onto a hollow cylindrical tube to form a roll r of the stock material . more preferably , the stock material consists of two plies of paper which are intermittently glued together with small drops of glue up the center of the paper plies , the glue drops being spaced approximately one foot apart . the preferred cushioning product has lateral accordion - like or pillow - like portions and is connected , or assembled , along a relatively thin central band separating the pillow - like portions . the cushioning conversion machine 100 includes a housing 102 having a base plate or wall 103 , side plates or walls 104 , a downstream end plate or wall 105 , a top cover 106 , and a downstream cover , or wall 107 . the base , side , and end walls 103 - 105 collectively form the machine &# 39 ; s frame structure . the top cover 106 , together with the base , side and end walls 103 - 105 , form an enclosure for the interior assemblies of the machine 100 . ( it should be noted that the terms “ upstream ” and “ downstream ” in the context of the present application correspond to the direction of flow of the stock material through the machine 100 .) the walls 103 - 107 of the housing 102 are each generally planar and rectangular in shape . the upstream edges of the base wall 103 and sides walls 104 are turned in to form , along with a top bar 108 , a rectangular border defining a centrally located , and relatively large , rectangular stock inlet opening . the rectangular border may be viewed as an upstream end plate or wall extending perpendicularly from the upstream edge of the base wall 103 . the end plate 105 extends perpendicularly from a location near , but inward from , the downstream end of the base wall 103 and defines a dunnage outlet opening . the downstream cover wall 107 is attached to the downstream edges of the base wall 103 , with the side walls 104 and a downstream portion of the top cover 106 forming a box - like enclosure for certain components of the machine 100 . preferably , the cover wall 107 may be selectively opened to provide access to these components . the downstream portion of the top cover preferably is fixedly secured in place while an upstream portion of the top cover may be in the form of a hinged door which may be opened to gain access to the interior of the housing and particularly the below mentioned forming assembly to facilitate loading of the stock material in a well known manner . the cushioning conversion machine 100 further includes a stock supply assembly 109 , a forming assembly 110 , a feeding / connecting assembly 111 , a severing assembly 112 , and a post - severing assembly 113 . during the preferred conversion process , the stock supply assembly 109 supplies stock material to the forming assembly 110 . the forming assembly 110 causes inward folding of lateral edge portions of the sheet - like stock material into an overlapping relationship . the feeding / connecting assembly 111 advances the stock material through the machine 100 and also crumples the folded over stock material to form a dunnage strip . as the dunnage strip travels downstream from the feeding / connecting assembly 111 , the severing / aligning assembly 112 severs or cuts the dunnage strip into sections , or pads , of a desired length . the cut pads then travel through the post - severing assembly 113 . the stock supply assembly 109 includes support brackets 114 which are laterally spaced apart and mounted to the upstream end of the machine &# 39 ; s housing 102 . the stock supply assembly 109 also includes first and second guide rollers 115 and 116 which are rotatably mounted between the support brackets 114 , and a dancer roller 117 which is pivotally suspended from the support brackets 114 via swing arms 118 . as paper is unwound from the stock or supply roll r , it travels around the dancer roller 117 so that the pull of the paper upward on the dancer roller 117 , combined with the pull of gravity downward on the dancer roller and swing arms 118 , helps maintain a uniform tension on the paper . the paper then travels over and under the two guide rollers 115 and 116 to guide the paper into the forming assembly 110 . the forming assembly 110 consists of a central plate 119 , a pair of fold - down rollers 120 , with folding elements 121 and 122 forming a chute - like passage , or chute , for lateral edge portions of the stock material . the central plate 119 is mounted on a pedestal 123 attached to the base wall 103 and slopes slightly downwardly , and tapers inwardly , going from the upstream end to the downstream end of the central plate . the rollers 120 are mounted on a shaft 124 a extending between the ends of a pair of swing arms 124 b that are pivotally connected at their opposite ends to a support bar 124 c extending between the side walls 104 . the folding elements 121 and 122 are mounted , in a cantilever - like fashion , from a mounting plate 125 . as the paper enters the forming assembly 110 , the central portion of the paper ( preferably about ⅓ of the paper width ) will be positioned on the central plate 119 and its remaining lateral edge portions ( preferably each about ⅓ the paper width ) will be urged , or folded , downward by the rollers 120 . as the paper contacts the folding elements 121 and 122 , the folding elements will fold the lateral edge portions of the paper inward one over the other , whereby they will overlap in a folded arrangement . this overlapped paper , or strip , advances to the feeding / connecting assembly 111 . the feeding / connecting assembly 111 includes a support structure 126 , a wheel ( or roller ) network 127 , a drive system 128 , and a guide chute 129 . the feeding / connecting components 126 - 129 feed the stock material , for example by pulling it from the stock supply assembly 109 and through the forming assembly 110 . the feed / connecting assembly 111 longitudinally crumples the strip of stock material and then connects , or assembles , overlapped portions of stock material together to lock in a desired three - dimensional geometry of the resultant pad . with additional reference to fig3 and 5 a - 5 c , the support structure 126 includes a pair of vertical side plates 130 , and a horizontal cross bar 131 . the downstream edges of the side plates 130 are coupled to the machine &# 39 ; s housing 102 , and more particularly to the end wall 105 . the cross bar 131 extends between and is secured to the side plates 130 . as best shown in fig3 and 5 a - 5 c , the wheel network 127 includes a feed ( or input ) wheel 132 , a support wheel 133 for the feed wheel 132 , a compression ( or output ) wheel 134 , a support wheel 135 for the compression wheel 134 , and shafts 137 - 140 for each of the wheels 132 - 135 , respectively . the lower wheels 132 and 134 are secured to the shafts 137 and 139 , respectively , and the upper wheels 133 and 135 are rotatably mounted on their shafts 138 and 140 , respectively . during operation of the feeding / connecting assembly 111 , the lower shafts 137 and 139 are positively driven by the drive system 128 to rotate the lower wheels 132 and 134 which will in turn rotate the upper , or “ idler ”, wheels 133 and 135 . the lower shafts 137 and 139 extend between , and are rotatably journalled in the support side plates 130 . ( see fig3 and 5 a - 5 c .) the upper shaft 140 extends between the side plates 130 and has its opposite ends positioned within a vertical guide slot 130 a in the corresponding side plate 130 . ( see fig3 and 5 a - 5 b .) the upper shaft 138 has opposite ends thereof terminating short of the side plates . a pair of laterally spaced apart shaft connectors 142 are connected between the upper shafts 138 and 140 , and each shaft connector is attached , at about the middle thereof , to the lower end of a respective suspension pin or member 143 . each pin extends vertically though a respective guide opening in the cross bar 131 and carries thereon a compression spring 144 interposed between the cross bar and shaft connector . in this manner , the upper or “ idler ” wheels 133 and 135 will be resiliently biased towards the corresponding lower wheels 132 and 134 , while being able to vertically “ float ” relative thereto during operation of the machine 100 . as seen in fig4 a - 4d , the wheels 132 and 133 are both generally cylindrical in shape . the feed wheel 132 includes a middle portion 145 separating opposite axial end portions 146 . the middle portion 145 is in the form of an annular groove which , for example , may have an approximately rectangular ( as shown ) or semi - circular cross section . the cylindrical periphery of the opposite axial end portions 146 is interrupted by flat faces 147 . the flat faces 147 on one end portion 146 are staggered relative to the flat faces on the other end portion 146 . in other words , the flat faces 147 on one axial end portion 146 are aligned with the “ non - flat ”, or arcuate , knurled areas 148 on the other axial end portion 146 . the support wheel 133 for the feed wheel 132 also includes a middle portion 149 separating opposite axial end portions 150 . the middle portion 149 is in the form of a radially outwardly protruding annular rib which is preferably rounded at its radial outer side , while the end portions 150 have knurled radial outer surfaces . the radial outer surfaces of one or both of the wheels 132 and 133 , or portions thereof , may be manufactured from an elastomeric material , such as rubber ( neoprene or urethane ) thereby reducing the cost and complexity of the wheels while still providing a high level of friction - enhancement for relatively slip free engagement with the stock material . as seen in fig4 e - 4h , the wheels 134 and 135 are also both generally cylindrical in shape . the compression wheel 134 includes a middle portion 151 separating opposite axial end portions 152 . the middle portion 151 is radially relieved and has a smooth radial surface . the end portions 152 are ribbed to form rectangular , circumferentially spaced apart teeth . the support wheel 135 for the compression wheel 134 includes a continuous , knurled outer diameter surface . the radial outer surfaces of one or both of the wheels 134 and 135 , or portions thereof , may again be manufactured from an elastomeric material such as rubber ( neoprene or urethane ) thereby reducing the cost and complexity of the wheels while still providing a high level of friction - enhancement for relatively slip free engagement with the stock material . as seen in fig1 , the drive system 128 for the feeding / connecting assembly 111 includes an electric motor 153 , and motion - transmitting elements 154 - 159 ( fig3 , 3 a and 5 a ). the motor 153 is mounted to the base plate 103 on one side of the forming assembly 110 . the motion - transmitting elements transfer the rotational power of the motor 153 to the wheel network 127 , or more particularly the lower shafts 137 and 139 . as seen in fig3 , 3 a and 5 a , the motion - transmitting elements include a drive chain 154 and sprockets 155 and 156 . the sprocket 155 is secured to an output shaft 153 a of a speed reducing gear box 153 b driven by the motor 153 ( see fig1 ), and the sprocket 156 is secured to the compression wheel shaft 139 . the drive chain 154 is trained around the sprockets 155 and 156 to rotate the compression wheel shaft 139 . the motion transmitting elements 157 - 159 are gears forming a gear train between the compression wheel shaft 139 and the feed wheel shaft 137 . the gear 157 is secured to the end of the compression wheel shaft 139 opposite the sprocket 156 , the gear 158 is rotatably mounted to support side plate 130 , and the gear 159 is secured to an adjacent end of the feed wheel shaft 137 . in this manner , the feed wheel shaft 137 and the compression wheel shaft 139 will rotate in the same direction . however , the gears are selected so that the shaft 137 ( and thus the feed wheel 132 ) is rotating at a faster feed rate than the shaft 139 ( and thus the compression wheel 134 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the set speed ratio is on the order of about 1 . 7 : 1 to about 2 . 0 : 1 . as seen in fig1 and 2 , the guide chute 129 extends from the exit end of the forming assembly 110 to the outlet opening in the housing end wall 105 . in fig3 , the guide chute 129 can be seen to be substantially rectangular in cross - section . the upstream bottom and / or side edges of the chute preferably flare outwardly to form a funnel or converging mouth inlet 160 ( fig5 b ). the top and bottom walls of the guide chute 129 each include an opening 161 through which the wheels 132 - 135 extend into the interior of the guide chute ( fig5 a - 5c ). it will be appreciated that the cross - sectional dimensions ( i . e ., width and height ) of the guide chute 129 approximate the cross - sectional dimensions of the cushioning product . the strip formed in the forming assembly 110 is urged into the guide chute 129 through its funnel inlet 160 whereat it is engaged and fed forwardly ( or downstream ) by the feed wheel 132 and its support wheel 133 . the staggered arrangement of the flat faces 147 on the end portions 146 of the wheel 133 will cause the strip to be fed alternately from each side of its longitudinal axis , instead of just being pulled only axially . that is , the strip will be fed alternately from each side of its longitudinal axis , instead of being pulled only axially . this advance by successive pulls from one side and then the other side back and forth makes it possible to have at the center a surplus of paper with respect to its flat configuration , this surplus being generated by the rib 159 fitting in the mating groove in the wheel 132 . the strip is then engaged by the compression wheel 134 and its support wheel 135 . because the wheels 134 and 135 are rotating at a slower speed than the wheels 132 and 133 , the strip is longitudinally crumpled between the upstream and downstream pairs of wheels with the latter compressing folds in the strip . ( for further information regarding an assembly similar to the feeding / connecting assembly 111 , reference may be had to european patent application no . 94440027 . 4 , filed apr . 22 , 1994 and published on nov . 2 , 1995 under publication no . 0 679 504 a1 , which is hereby incorporated herein by reference .) the strip then exits the guide chute 129 and passes through the dunnage outlet opening in the end wall 105 . as the strip exits the feeding / connecting assembly 111 and passes through the dunnage outlet opening in the end wall 105 , the severing assembly 112 severs its leading portion into a desired length . the illustrated severing assembly 112 includes cutting components 162 preferably powered by an electric motor 163 ( fig1 ). the cutting components 162 are mounted on the downstream surface of the end wall 105 are contained within the enclosure closed by the downstream cover 107 . the severing motor 163 is mounted on the base wall 103 on the side of the forming assembly opposite the feed motor 153 . ( see fig1 and 2 .) a suitable severing assembly is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 569 , 146 , which is hereby incorporated by reference . the cut sections of dunnage then travel through the post - severing assembly 113 . as seen in fig1 and 2 , the post - severing assembly 113 is mounted to the downstream cover 107 . the inlet and outlet of the assembly 113 are aligned with the dunnage outlet opening in the end wall 105 . the post - severing assembly 113 is rectangular in cross - sectional shape and flares outwardly in the downstream direction . as the cut section of the dunnage strip , or pad , emerges from the outlet of the assembly 113 , the pad is ready for use as a cushioning product . referring now to fig1 and 18 , a modified form 109 u of stock supply assembly is shown . the stock supply assembly 109 u operates to layer the stock material prior to its entry into the forming assembly 110 . while the stock supply assembly 109 u could be used with multi - ply stock material to double the number of layers of material , it is preferably used with single - ply stock material , in that it eliminates the need for rewinding single - ply stock material into multi - ply rolls . the stock supply assembly 109 u includes a pair of support brackets 114 u which are vertically spaced ( as opposed to laterally spaced like the brackets 114 ) and support the stock roll r u in a vertical orientation ( the stock roll will usually be twice as wide as the normal width because the stock material is folded over on itself to provide a two layer web ). the stock supply assembly 109 u further includes a layering plate 1001 which is vertically positioned upstream of the fold - down rollers 120 u , via a bracket suspending it from a pedestal on the base wall 103 . the layering plate 1001 is generally triangular except that it includes a rounded entry edge 1002 . as the stock material is unwound from the roll r u in a vertical plane and pulled over the layering plate 1001 into the forming assembly 110 , it is folded in half into a web having two layers . this web is positioned in a horizontal plane ready for receipt by the forming assembly 110 . if desired , the stock roll may be supported in a horizontal orientation with its axis oriented perpendicular to the entry path into the forming assembly 110 and an angled turner bar employed between the stock roll and the layering plate to guide the sheet material from a horizontal plane as it is payed off the stock roll to a vertical plane for passage to the layering plate 1001 . it will also be appreciated that a horizontal disposition of the stock roll may also be obtained by rotating the entire machine embodiment of fig1 and 18 by 90 degrees about its longitudinal axis . in addition , additional layers may be provided by supplying stock material from one or more additional rollers , as schematically illustrated by the stock roll r v . two , three or more stock rolls may be used with the other embodiments herein described if desired . according to another aspect of the invention , a modified version of the feeding / connecting assembly 111 may include interchangeable quick change gear sets are provided to provide respective different feed rate ratios between the input and output wheel of the wheel network . these gear sets would be similar to the gears 157 - 159 ( fig5 b ), except they would be of different sizes or tooth number to produce a corresponding change in feed rate ratio and thus the pad characteristics as may be desired . by employing appropriate marking on the gear sets corresponding to desired packaging applications , changes in the speed ratio could be accomplished with minimal training on the part of a machine operator by substituting the proper gear set for a given application . as explained herein , the speed ratio between the feed wheel 132 ( fig5 c ) and compression wheel 134 affects the characteristics ( such as density , compactness , cushioning ability , etc .) of the pad produced during the conversion process . while the set speed ratio provided by the gear train 157 - 159 may be appropriate in many situations , it may be desirable to selectively change this speed ratio to alter pad characteristics specifically , if the speed differential is increased , a stiffer , more dense pad will be produced for use in , for example , the packaging of heavier objects . on the other hand , if the speed differential is reduced , a less dense pad will be produced ( possibly resulting in greater yield from a given amount of stock material ) for use in , for example , the packaging of lighter objects . in another modified form of the feeding / connecting assembly , two separate feed motors could be used , one for the feed wheel shaft 137 ( fig5 a and 5c ) and one for the compression wheel shaft 139 . either or both of the motors could have a variable speed option to allow selective adjustment of the speed ratio . it is noted that if these motors are directly coupled to the shafts 137 and 139 , the need for the motion - transmitting elements 154 - 159 ( fig5 a ) would be eliminated . in any event , this modification would eliminate the need for the gear train 157 - 159 ( fig5 a ). in another modified version of the feeding / connecting assembly , shown partially in fig7 , the gear train 157 - 159 ( fig5 a ) of the drive system 128 u is replaced with a variable pitch pulley assembly 1010 . in the drive system 128 u , the variable pitch pulley assembly 1010 controls the speed ratio between the feed wheel shaft 137 and the compression wheel shaft 139 . the illustrated pulley 1010 includes a sl - sheave 1011 coupled to the feed wheel shaft 137 , a mc - sheave 1012 coupled to the compression wheel shaft 139 , and a v - belt 1013 trained therebetween . an adjustment device 1014 allows manual control ( via a control knob 1015 preferably positioned outside the machine &# 39 ; s housing for easy access ) of the position of the v - belt 1013 on the sheaves 1011 and 1012 to thereby vary the speed ratio between shafts 137 and 139 , in well known manner . another modified form of the feeding / connecting assembly is shown in fig8 and 9 which is designed to provide for a convenient , and even dynamic , selective change in the biasing force between the compression wheel 134 and its support wheel 135 . the support structure 129 t of the wheel network 127 t includes a pair of horizontal cross bars 131 a t and 131 b t which extend between , and are secured to , the side plates 130 . the cross bar 131 a t is vertically aligned with the shaft 138 and the cross bar 131 b t is vertically aligned with the shaft 140 . a first pair of pins 143 a t ( similar to the suspension pins 143 ) couple the shaft connectors 142 to the first support cross bar 131 a t . the pins 143 a t extend from the ends of the shaft - connectors 142 adjacent the shaft 138 . another pin 143 b t is coupled to the shaft connectors 142 via a yoke 1020 connected to the ends of the shaft connectors 142 adjacent the shaft 140 . the pin 143 b t is attached to the cross bar 131 b t via an adjustment device 1021 . the adjustment device includes an adjustable stop 1021 a into which the pin 143 b t is threaded such that rotation of the pin will move the adjustable stop towards and away from the shaft 140 . a spring 1021 b is interposed between the adjustable stop 1021 a and the cross member 131 b t of the yoke 1020 . accordingly , rotation of the pin will increase or decrease the biasing force acting on the yoke and in turn on the shaft 140 and wheel 135 , it being noted that the pin is free to rotate relative to the yoke . as is preferred , the end of the pin projecting above the cross bar has secured thereto a knob 1022 . as will be appreciated , the knob provides for easy manual adjustment of the biasing force acting on the shaft 140 . the knob preferably is located external to the machine &# 39 ; s housing , or at least at a conveniently accessible location within the machine &# 39 ; s housing . if the knob 1022 is tightened , the biasing force between the compression wheel 134 and its support wheel 135 will be increased , thereby creating a more dense pad . if the knob 1022 is loosened , the biasing force will be decreased , thereby creating a less dense pad . dynamic changes could be made while the machine is operating to change pad characteristics “ on the fly .” if desired , the knob may be replaced by other drive mechanisms , such as an electric motor that may be remotely controlled for adjustment of the biasing force . the drive system 128 w of another modified form of the feeding / connecting assembly is shown in fig1 . the drive system 128 w includes a reversing device 1030 which allows the reverse movement of the feeding / connecting assembly to , for example , clear paper jams in the machine . the device 1030 includes a clutch 1031 and a hand crank 1032 . the clutch 1031 allows selective disengagement of the shaft of the motor 153 w from the compression wheel shaft 139 . the hand crank 1032 is coupled to the compression wheel shaft 139 so that , upon disengagement of the motor drive shaft , the shaft 139 may be manually turned in the reverse direction . the hand crank 1032 can be permanently fixed to the machine as shown , or can be “ folded away ,” or even removed during normal operation . alternatively , the motor could be reversed to effect reverse movement of the feeding / connecting assembly . another modified form of the feeding / connecting assembly is shown in fig2 and 21 , this assembly incorporating a modified drive system 128 x . in the modified drive system 128 x , the feed wheel shaft 137 ( and thus the feed wheel 132 and its support wheel 133 ) is directly driven by the motor 153 at a constant speed . however , the compression wheel shaft 139 ( and thus the compression wheel 134 and its support wheel 135 ) are driven intermittently , rather than continuously , by an indexing device 1040 which replaces the gear train 157 - 159 . when the indexed wheels 134 and 135 are not rotating , the stock material is crumpled as the rotating wheels 132 and 133 continue to advance stock material downstream . when the indexed wheels 134 and 135 are rotating , the stock material will be emitted from the feeding / connecting assembly . the indexing device 1040 is a conventional “ geneva ” gear mechanism and , in the illustrated device , the compression wheel 134 rotates a quarter of a revolution for every half revolution of the feed wheel 132 . the device 1040 includes a driver disk 1042 mounted to the support wall 130 , a cam pin 1041 mounted to the driver disk 1042 , a gear 1043 coupled to the end of the feed shaft 137 , and a four - slotted disk 1044 coupled to the end of the compression wheel shaft 138 . the driver disk is indexed with the compression shaft 139 so that upon every half revolution of the feed wheel shaft 137 , the driver disk 1042 will also make one revolution . as the driver disk 1042 makes one revolution , it will cause the four - slotted disk 1044 to rotate a quarter of a revolution via the cam pin 1041 . another modified form 111 y of the feeding / connecting assembly is shown in fig1 a - 19c . the wheel network 127 y of this assembly includes a “ stretching assembly ” comprised of a stretch wheel 1050 , its support wheel 1051 , and corresponding shafts 1052 and 1053 . during operation of the feeding / connecting assembly 111 y , the wheels 1050 and 1051 are rotated at a faster feed rate speed than the wheels 134 and 135 whereby the strip will be “ stretched ” prior to passing through the outlet opening in the end wall 105 . the wheels 1050 and 1051 may be essentially identical in design and size as the wheels 134 and 135 , respectively . the addition of the wheels 1050 and 1051 necessitates changes in the support structure 126 y , the wheel network 127 y , and the drive system 128 y . the support structure 126 y includes extended side walls 130 y each with an additional slot to accommodate the shaft 1053 , and a cross bars 131 y positioned between each adjacent set of support wheels . in the wheel network 127 y , shaft - connectors 142 y connect all three shafts 138 , 140 , and 1053 , and two sets of suspension pins 143 y couple the shaft - connectors 142 y to the cross bars 132 y . in the drive system 128 y , gears 1054 and 1055 are added to the gear train , gear 1054 being mounted to the stretch wheel shaft 1052 and gear 1055 being mounted to the side wall 130 y to convey motion from the gear 157 to the gear 1054 . the gears 1054 and 1055 may be sized so that the stretch wheel 1050 is rotated anywhere between a feed rate speed just slightly faster than the compression wheel 134 to a feed rate speed equal to the feed wheel 132 . also , although not shown in fig1 a - 19c , the guide chute 129 ( fig5 a - 5c ) is preferably elongated and its slots modified to accommodate the wheels 1050 and 1051 . in a further modified form 111 z of the feeding / connecting assembly shown in fig2 - 24 , a movable barrier 1060 replaces the compression wheel 134 , its support wheel 135 , and the compression wheel shaft 139 . the barrier 1060 is spring biased towards the feed wheel 132 so that as the strip of cushioning is expelled therefrom , it will be restricted by the barrier 1060 , thereby crumpling the strip in a longitudinal direction . as pressure applied by the crumpling strip increases , the spring bias of the barrier 1060 will be overcome , and it will open to allow the crumpled strip to pass through the outlet opening in the end wall 105 . the illustrated barrier 1060 is made from a circular ( in cross - section ) bar formed into a rectangular loop having rounded corners . the loop is perpendicularly bent at a central portion to form a rounded corner 1061 between an upper portion 1062 and a lower portion 1063 of the barrier 1060 . the corner 1061 of the barrier 1060 is rotatably attached around the shaft 140 ( previously used for the support wheel 135 ). when in a rest position , the barrier &# 39 ; s lower portion 1063 extends into the guide chute 129 z in a downward and downstream sloping direction with its upper portion 1062 extending upwardly therefrom . in the wheel network 127 z , a guide pin 1064 is connected to , and extends horizontally from , cross bar 131 . the pin 1064 is attached at its other end to a bracket 1065 secured to the top portion 1062 of the barrier , and a spring 1064 a is carried on the pin 1064 and interposed between the bracket 1065 and the cross bar 131 . as the pressure of the crumpling strip increases behind the lower portion 1063 of the barrier , the upper portion of the barrier 1062 will be pushed towards the cross - bar 131 thereby pivoting the lower portion 1063 upward to allow release of the strip . in the guide chute 129 z , the upper slot 161 z is extended to the downstream edge of the guide chute , which extends beyond the outlet opening in the end wall 105 . ( see fig2 .) the drive system 128 z is essentially the same as the drive system 128 , except that the gear train 157 - 159 is eliminated . in fig6 a and 6b , a cushioning conversion machine 200 is shown . the machine 200 converts sheet - like stock material into a three - dimensional cushioning product of a desired length . as with the machine 100 , the preferred stock material for the machine 200 consists of plural plies or layers of biodegradable and recyclable sheet - like stock material such as 30 to 50 pound kraft paper rolled onto a hollow cylindrical tube to form a roll r of the stock material . however , the stock material would preferably consist of three plies of paper and , in any event , would not be intermittently glued together . as with the machine 100 , the preferred cushioning product of the machine 200 has lateral accordion - like or pillow - like portions and is connected , or assembled , along a relatively thin central band separating the pillow - like portions . the machine 200 is similar to the machine 100 discussed above , and includes an essentially identical housing 202 , feeding / connecting assembly 211 , severing assembly 212 , and post - severing assembly 213 . however , the stock supply assembly 209 and the forming assembly 210 of the machine 200 differ from these assemblies in the machine 100 . the stock supply assembly 209 includes two support brackets 214 which are laterally spaced apart and mounted to the machine &# 39 ; s frame , or more particularly the upstream wall ( or rectangular border ) 208 . the stock supply assembly 209 also includes a sheet separator 216 , and a constant - entry roller 218 . the sheet separator 216 includes three vertically spaced rollers which extend between , and are connected to , the support brackets 214 . ( the number of separator rollers corresponds to the number of plies or layers of the stock material whereby more or less rollers could be used depending on the number of layers .) the constant - entry roller 218 also extends between , and is connected to , the support brackets 214 . as the paper is unwound from the supply roll r , it travels over the constant - entry roller 218 and into the separating device 216 . in the separating device , the plies or layers of the stock material are separated by the separator rollers and this “ pre - separation ” is believed to improve the resiliency of the produced cushioning product . the constant - entry roller 218 provides a non - varying point of entry for the stock material into the separator 216 regardless of the diameter of the roll r . ( details of a similar stock supply assembly are set forth in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 322 , 477 , the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference .) the forming assembly 210 includes a shaping chute 219 and a forming member 220 . the shaping chute 219 is longitudinally converging in the downstream direction and is positioned in a downstream portion of the enclosure formed by the machine &# 39 ; s housing . its entrance is outwardly flared in a trumpet - like fashion and its exit is positioned adjacent the feeding / connecting assembly 211 . the chute 219 is mounted to the housing at the bottom wall 103 and at 221 . the forming member 220 has a “ pinched u ” or “ bobby pin ” shape including a bight portion joining upper and lower legs . the lower leg extends to a point approximately coterminous with the exit end of the shaping chute 219 . the rearward portion of the forming member 220 preferably projects rearwardly of the entry end of the shaping chute by approximately one - half its overall length . also , the radius of the rounded base or bight portion is approximately one - half the height of the mouth of the shaping chute . this provides for a smooth transition from the separating device 216 to the forming member and then into the shaping chute . the lower leg 220 a of the forming member 220 extends generally parallel to the bottom wall 219 a of the shaping chute 219 . however , the relative inclination and spacing between the lower leg of the forming member and bottom wall of the shaping chute may be adjusted as needed to obtain proper shaping and forming of the lateral edges of the stock material . such adjustment may be effected and then maintained by an adjustment device 223 which , as best shown in fig6 c , extends between the legs of the forming member at a point midway along the length of the lower leg , it being noted that the upper leg may be shorter as only sufficient length is needed to provide for attachment of the top wall of the shaping chute . the adjustment device 223 includes a rod 224 having a lower end attached to the lower leg of the forming member 220 by a rotation joint 225 ( such as a ball - and - socket joint ). the upper threaded end of the rod 224 extends through a threaded hole in the top wall of the shaping chute as well as through a threaded hole in a upper leg of the forming member 220 and is held in place by a nut 224 a secured to the shaping chute 219 . to adjust the gap between the lower leg of the forming member and the bottom wall of the shaping chute , the top of the threaded rod is turned the appropriate direction . the rod &# 39 ; s top may be provided with a screwdriver slot or wrench flats , to easily accomplish this turning with standard tools . further details of the preferred chute 219 and shaping member 220 are set forth in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 891 , 009 , the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference . however , it should be noted that other chutes and shaping members are possible with , and contemplated by , the present invention . by way of example , the chutes and / or shaping members set forth in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 026 , 198 ; 4 , 085 , 662 ; 4 , 109 , 040 ; 4 , 717 , 613 ; and 4 , 750 , 896 , could be substituted for the forming chute 219 and / or the shaping member 220 . as the stock material passes through the shaping chute 219 , its lateral end sections are rolled or folded inwardly into generally spiral form and are urged inwardly toward one another so that the inwardly rolled edges form a pillow - like portions of stock material disposed in lateral abutting relationship as they emerge from the exit end of the shaping chute . the forming member 220 coacts with the shaping chute 219 to ensure proper shaping and forming of the paper , the forming member being operative to guide the central section of the stock material along the bottom wall of the chute 219 for controlled inward rolling of the lateral side sections of the stock material . the rolled stock material , or strip , then travels to the feeding / connecting assembly 211 . another cushioning conversion machine 300 , formed from modular units 300 a and 300 b according to the present invention , is shown in fig1 a , 11 b , 11 c and 12 . the machine 300 converts sheet - like stock material into a three - dimensional cushioning product of a desired length . as with the machines 100 and 200 , the preferred cushioning product of the machine 300 has lateral crumpled pillow - like portions and is connected , or assembled , along a central band separating the pillow - like portions . as with the machines 100 and 200 , the preferred stock material for the machine 300 consists of plural plies or layers of biodegradable and recyclable sheet - like stock material such as 30 to 50 pound kraft paper rolled onto a hollow cylindrical tube to form a roll r of the stock material . the first modular unit 300 a includes a housing 302 a similar to the downstream portion of the housing 102 of the machine 100 . ( see fig1 a .) a feeding / connecting assembly 311 , a severing assembly 312 and a post - severing assembly 313 , which are essentially identical to the corresponding assemblies in the machine 100 , are mounted to the housing 302 a in the same manner as they are mounted the downstream portion of the housing 102 . however , an expanding device 370 occupies the space in the machine housing 102 that had been occupied by the forming assembly 110 and requires less space . ( see fig1 a .) additionally , a guide roller 372 is mounted to the upstream end of the housing 302 a via brackets 374 . the expanding device 370 includes a mounting member 378 to which a separating member 380 is joined . ( see fig1 b and 11c .) the mounting member 378 includes a transverse support or mounting arm 381 having an outwardly turned end portion 383 and an oppositely turned end portion 385 to which the separating member 380 is attached . the outer end portion 383 is mounted to the housing 302 a by a bracket 387 and suitable fastening elements . the separating member 380 includes a transverse support 393 and fold expansion elements 395 at opposite ends of the transverse support 393 that are relatively thicker than the transverse support 393 , with respect to the narrow dimension of the stock material . in the illustrated expanding device , the mounting member 378 is formed by a rod or tube , and the fold expansion elements are formed by rollers supported for rotation on the transverse support at opposite ends thereof . the transverse support 393 is attached near one end thereof to the adjacent end portion 385 of mounting member 381 for support in cantilevered fashion . the expanding device 373 is designed for use with flat - folded stock material which is formed by the second modular unit 300 b . during the conversion process , the layers of the stock material ( formed by the edge and central portions of the ply or plies ) travel through the expanding device 373 . more particularly , the central section of the folded stock material travels over the sides of the rollers 395 opposite the mounting arm 381 , while the inner edge portion of the stock material travels in the narrow v - shape or u - shape slot formed between the transverse support 393 and the mounting arm 381 and the other or outer edge portion of the travels over the side of the mounting arm 381 furthest the separating member 380 . as a result , the lateral end sections are separated from one another and from the central section , thereby introducing loft into the then expanded material which now takes on a three dimensional shape as it enters the guide chute of the feeding / connecting device 311 . further details of the expanding device 370 are set forth in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 015 , 374 , which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the second modular unit 300 b includes a housing 302 b similar to the upstream portion of the housing 102 of the machine 100 . ( see fig1 .) a forming assembly 310 is essentially identical to , and is mounted to the housing 302 b in the same manner as , the corresponding assembly in the machine 100 . however , a stock roll r may be supported by a floor mounted stand or stock roll support 2002 . additionally , a guide roller 398 is mounted to a downstream end of the housing 302 a via bracket 399 . a packaging system 2000 incorporating the cushioning conversion machine 300 is shown in fig1 . in addition to the machine 300 , the system includes a table 2001 and a floor - mounted stock support 2002 . the first modular unit 300 a is located on top of the table 2001 and the second modular unit 300 b is located below the table . as the stock material is unwound from the roll r , it travels from the support 2002 , over the plate 119 through the forming assembly 310 , under the guide roller 398 ( positioned between the legs of the table ), over the guide roller 372 , through the expanding device 370 and into the feeding / connecting assembly 311 . the strip is then severed by the severing assembly 312 and the cut section travels through the post - severing assembly 313 . a modified version 2000 u of the packaging system is shown in fig1 . in the packaging system 2000 u , the folded stock material from the unit 300 b passes through an opening 2003 in the table 2001 u . this arrangement allows a more central positioning of the units 300 a and 300 b relative to the table 2001 u and also protects the folded strip from interference as it travels between the units . another modified version 2000 w of the packaging system is shown in fig1 . in the packaging system 2000 w , the first unit 300 a is stacked on top of the second unit 300 b below an elevated ( when compared to tables 2001 and 2001 w ) table 2001 w . additionally , the post - severing assembly 313 w is curved upwardly towards an opening 2003 w in the table whereby the cut section of cushioning will be deposited on the table top . this arrangement allows the table top to be clear of all machine components during the production of cushioning products . another packaging system 2000 x according to the present invention is shown in fig1 . this packaging system incorporates a machine 300 x which is similar to the machine 300 except for its first modular unit 300 a x . specifically , the unit 300 a x has manual , rather than motor - powered , severing assembly 312 x . additionally , the housing 300 b x is in the form of a two part casing . the other components , such as the expanding device 370 and the feeding / connecting assembly 311 , operate in essentially the same manner as described above . for further details of the unit 300 b x , reference may be had to u . s . pat . no . 6 , 015 , 374 . one may now appreciate that the present invention provides an improved cushioning conversion machine related methodology . although the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments , it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification . the present invention includes all such equivalent alterations and modifications . accordingly , while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one of the illustrated embodiments , such feature may be combined with one or more features of the other embodiments , as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application . it is noted that the position references in the specification ( i . e , top , bottom , lower , upper , etc .) are used only for ease in explanation when describing the illustrated embodiments and are in no way intended to limit the present invention to particular orientation . also , the terms ( including a reference to a “ means ”) used to identify the herein - described assemblies and devices are intended to correspond , unless otherwise indicated , to any assembly / device which performs the specified function of such an assembly / device that is functionally equivalent even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention . | 8 |
the piezoelectric switch according to the present invention is designed to provide a simple , inexpensive switch which can be used in a wide number of applications . for example , individual switches , can be used to construct a computer keyboard , a telephone keypad , a cash register terminal , a control panel for machinery , elevator buttons , or any other device which requires a user to input information . piezoelectric switch 20 of the present invention is shown in an exploded view in fig2 . housing 22 forms a receptacle into which the remainder of the circuit elements are inserted . housing 22 is formed of a material which is rigid but somewhat flexible , for example , plastic or stainless steel . one example of such a plastic material is the product sold under the trademark lexan ® manufactured by general electric company . the material must be sufficiently flexible so that it is deformable in response to external pressure which is applied to activate the switch . for example , if the switch is to be used as a telephone keypad , the person would press the indicia for the number he is entering . the pressure caused thereby would deform the housing , which transformation in turn would be transmitted to the piezoelectric ceramic 24 . it also must be sufficiently flexible to allow such fitting of the various switch elements within the housing and to allow such fitting of the housing in the device in which it is to be used . the material must also be sufficiently rigid so as to protect the piezoelectric ceramic from damage . housing 22 includes a ring shaped support 210 on which all other portions of the housing are attached . support 210 has a substantially circular shape , however , two portions form flattened portions 214 . descending from one surface of support 210 , at portions 214 , are two clips 216 which can be used to removably secure the switch to the device in which it is being used . these clips 216 are squeezed toward one another during insertion and , when in place , flange 218 acts to secure the switch to the device ( not shown ). also descending from support 210 at approximately the position of the flattened portions 214 are supports 220 which form supports for bridge 202 . four posts 204 are attached to bridge 202 on the inside of support 210 . two of the posts 204 are positioned adjacent to each flattened portion 214 and are spaced from one another along the respective flattened portion . the amount of spacing is sufficient to allow an anisotropic conductive rubber element 26 ( described below ) to be inserted therebetween . groove 212 is formed in the inside surface of bridge 202 . posts 206 extend from the opposite surface of support 210 at positions 90 ° from flattened portions 214 . posts 206 include inwardly facing flanges 208 which act to keep printed circuit board 28 in place when the switch is assembled . the printed circuit board 28 snaps into place within the housing 22 . cutouts 280 on printed circuit board 28 engage portions 222 of posts 206 when the switch is assembled to assure correct positioning of the switch elements within housing 22 . piezoelectric ceramic element 24 is fixed to the undersurface of bridge 202 by an insulating adhesive 244 ( fig3 ). both the positive and the negative contacts , 240 and 242 , respectively , are located on the side of the ceramic which is not fixed to bridge 202 . a gap 243 is formed between poles 240 and 242 . in this way , by providing both contacts on one side , the ceramic is easily electrically connected to the remainder of the circuit elements . the polarity of the poles is interchangeable . the ceramic element 24 can be made from a standard ceramic material . in the preferred embodiment , ppk21 is used , manufactured by stettner & amp ; co . of lauf , federal republic of germany . the piezoelectric ceramic exhibits a high coupling factor , high permittivity , high piezoelectric strain constant and broadband behavior through low mechanical q - factor . the anisotropic conductive elastomeric connector 26 is disposed so as to have one longitudinal edge extend across the longitudinal exposed face of the piezoelectric element 24 . the connector 26 is inserted into the housing 22 in the space formed by posts 204 . the connector is held within the housing by the printed circuit 28 when the board is snapped into place . connector 26 may be any anisotropic conductive elastomeric material but is preferably a series 1000 / 2000 zebra ® connector manufactured by tecknit co ., of cranford , n . j . such a connector is formed as a sandwich , in which a conductive portion 264 is layered between two insulating layers 262 . conductive portion 264 is constructed of strips of insulating material 266 alternating with strips of conductive material 268 , shown in fig3 . in this particular case the positive pole 240 of the piezoelectric ceramic is linked electrically through the conductive portions 268 of connector 26 to contact 284 of printed circuit board 28 . negative pole 242 is linked electrically to contact 282 . the anisotropicity caused by the alternating conductive and insulating strips 268 , 266 permits electrical connection of the respective contacts without permitting short - circuiting of contacts of opposite polarity . the use of such an elastomeric connector facilitates the snap fitting of the component into the housing 22 and protects the piezoelectrc ceramic 24 from physical shock which may come from the direction of the open side of the housing 22 . furthermore , the combination of the elastomeric connector with the piezoelectric ceramic having both poles on one side allows all electrical connections between the ceramic and the printed circuit board to be solder - free . fig4 is a schematic of the circuit of printed circuit board 28 . the circuit 1 forming the piezoelectric switch according to the present invention is shown outlined in broken lines . the circuit prevents any electrical signal from passing from the printed circuit board through anisotropic conductive elastomeric connector to the piezoelectric ceramic 24 and also transmits any electrical signal received from the ceramic 24 to the outside world . in particular , the circuit includes two resistors 290 and 292 , two transistors 286 and 288 and a diode 294 . when an electrical signal develops within the piezoelectric ceramic , from a mechanical force exerted on the switch , the gates of the transistors 286 and 288 are polarized positively . the impedance between the source and the drain of transistors 286 and 288 falls from 5 mω ( typ ) to approximately 0ω . this will enable any external circuit which includes a source ( battery 296 ) and a load 298 to be switched on . the signal from the piezoelectric crystal 24 is sufficiently high to open the gates of the transistors 286 and 288 . however , sometimes this signal is too high , which will overload the two transistors . diode 294 is included to maintain the signal at a safe level . contacts 30 are provided on the outside surface of printed circuit baord 28 to provide contact with the external device . the contacts may be plug terminals as shown in fig2 or they may be formed as straight pin contacts . one embodiment of the switch is shown and described herein . a number of switches could be connected together to form a keyboard or other similar device , for example in the keyboard shown in fig5 . the individual switches would be connected together to form a keyboard according to known principles of keyboard construction . it is understood that it would be possible to construct other embodiments of the switch which are designed to implement a particular application . for example , it would be possible to provide a single housing which would form the entire keyboard , with indicia for the keyboard characters on one side of the housing , and , for each area having an indicia , an individual piezoelectric element , elastomeric conductor and printed circuit board could be fixed thereto . it is understood that the shape of the housing 22 may be adapted to the particular needs of the application . for example , it may be square , rectangular or oval . the construction of the switch , and the ease with which the parts of the switch are assembled in the housing , yields a switch which is fully modular . it is a self - contained element which has no moving parts , is easy to assemble and easily snaps into place in the system in which it is to be used . the foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can , by applying current knowledge , readily modify and / or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept , and , therefore , such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments . it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation . | 7 |
as shown in fig1 , a vehicle controller 100 is configured to appropriately control a braking force ( brake fluid pressure ) applied to each wheel w of a vehicle cr . for example , the vehicle controller 100 is provided inside the engine room of the vehicle . the vehicle controller 100 has a hydraulic unit 10 and a control unit 20 . the hydraulic unit 10 includes fluid passages ( hydraulic passages ) and various components , and the control unit 20 controls the components of the hydraulic unit 10 . the control unit 20 is , for example , equipped with a cpu , a ram , a rom and input / output circuits , and performs control with various arithmetic processing based not only on the input from a wheel speed sensor 91 , a steering angle sensor 92 , a lateral acceleration sensor 93 and a yaw rate sensor 94 , but also on programs and data stored in the rom . the wheel speed sensor 91 is provided for each wheel w to detect the rotation speed thereof . the steering angle sensor 92 is provided on the rotation shaft of the steering wheel st to detect the steering angle thereof . the lateral acceleration sensor 93 is integrally provided on the control unit 20 to detect the acceleration ( lateral acceleration ) exerted in the lateral direction of the vehicle cr . the yaw rate sensor 94 is integrally provided on the control unit 20 to detect the turning angular velocity ( actual yaw rate ) of the vehicle cr . each of wheel cylinders h is a hydraulic device for converting the brake fluid pressure generated by a master cylinder mc and the vehicle controller 100 into the actuating force of each of the wheel brakes fr , fl , rr and rl provided for each wheel w . the wheel cylinders h are respectively connected to the hydraulic unit 10 via pipes . as shown in fig2 , the hydraulic unit 10 is disposed between the master cylinder mc and the wheel brakes fr , fl , rr and rl . the master cylinder mc serves as a hydraulic source for generating brake fluid pressure depending on the driver &# 39 ; s depressing force applied to the brake pedal bp . the hydraulic unit 10 is formed of a pump body 10 a serving as a base body having fluid passages through which brake fluid flows , plural input valves 1 and plural output valves 2 disposed in the fluid passages , etc . the pump body 10 a has inlet ports 121 and outlet ports 122 . the inlet ports 121 are connected to two output ports m 1 and m 2 of the master cylinder mc , and the outlet ports 122 of the pump body 10 a are respectively connected to the wheel brakes fr , fl , rr and rl . in the pump body 10 a , the inlet ports 121 and the outlet ports 122 are usually communicated so that the depressing force applied to the brake pedal bp is transmitted to each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr . the fluid passage starting from the output port m 1 leads to the front left wheel brake fl and the rear right wheel brake rr , and the fluid passage starting from the output port m 2 leads to the front right wheel brake fr and the rear left wheel brake rl . in the following description , the fluid passage starting from the output port m 1 is referred to as a “ first system ,” and the fluid passage starting from the output port m 2 is referred to as a “ second system .” the first system of the hydraulic unit 10 includes two control valve units v respectively corresponding to the wheel brakes fl and rr . similarly , the second system of the hydraulic unit 10 includes two control valve units v respectively corresponding to the wheel brakes rl and fr . each of the first and second systems includes a reservoir 3 , a pump 4 , an orifice 5 , a pressure regulating unit ( regulator ) r and a suction valve 7 . a common motor 9 is provided for driving the pump 4 of the first system and the pump 4 of the second system . the rotation speed of the motor 9 is controllable . in the first embodiment , a pressure sensor 8 is provided only for the second system . in the following description , the fluid passage from the output port m 1 / m 2 of the master cylinder mc to the pressure regulating unit r is referred to as an “ output hydraulic passage a 1 .” the fluid passage from the pressure regulating unit r to the corresponding wheel brakes (“ fl and rr ” or “ rl and fr ”) is referred to as a “ wheel hydraulic passage b .” the fluid passage from the output hydraulic passage a 1 to the pump 4 is referred to as a “ suction hydraulic passage c .” the fluid passage from the pump 4 to the wheel hydraulic passage b is referred to as a “ discharge hydraulic passage d .” and , the fluid passage from the wheel hydraulic passage b to the suction hydraulic passage c is referred to as an “ open passage e .” the control valve unit v controls the flow of the fluid under pressure between the master cylinder mc or the pump 4 and each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr ( each wheel cylinder h ), and can increase , retain or decrease the pressure of the wheel cylinder h . the control valve unit v includes an inlet valve 1 , an outlet valve 2 and a check valve 1 a . the inlet valve 1 is a normally - open solenoid valve provided between the master cylinder mc and each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr , that is , in the wheel hydraulic passage b . since the inlet valve 1 is normally open , the pressure of the brake fluid is allowed to be transmitted from the master cylinder mc to each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr . when the wheel w is likely to lock , the inlet valve 1 is closed by the control unit 20 , so that the transmission of the brake fluid pressure from the brake pedal bp to each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr is shut off . the outlet valve 2 is a normally - closed solenoid valve provided between each reservoir 3 and each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr , that is , between the wheel hydraulic passage b and the open passage e . although the outlet valve 2 is normally closed , it is opened by the control unit 20 when the wheel w is likely to lock , so that the brake fluid pressure applied to each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr is relieved to each reservoir 3 . the check valve 1 a is connected in parallel with each inlet valve 1 . the check valve 1 a is a one - way valve for allowing the brake fluid to flow only from each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr to the master cylinder mc . even when the input from the brake pedal bp is released while the inlet valve 1 is closed , the check valve 1 a allows the brake fluid to flow from each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr to the master cylinder mc . the reservoir 3 is provided in the open passage e to absorb the brake fluid pressure that is relieved when each outlet valve 2 is opened . a check valve 3 a is provided between the reservoir 3 and the pump 4 to allow the brake fluid to flow only from the reservoir 3 to the pump 4 . the pump 4 is provided between the suction hydraulic passage c communicating with the output hydraulic passage a 1 and the discharge hydraulic passage d communicating with the wheel hydraulic passage b to suck the brake fluid stored in the reservoir 3 and to discharge the brake fluid to the discharge hydraulic passage d . as a result , the brake fluid sucked from the reservoir 3 can be returned to the master cylinder mc . even when the driver does not operate the brake pedal bp , brake fluid pressure is generated , and a braking force can be applied to the wheel brakes fl , rr , rl and fr . the discharge amount of the brake fluid from the pump 4 depends on the rotation speed of the motor 9 . for example , when the rotation speed of the motor 9 becomes high , the discharge amount of the brake fluid from the pump 4 increases . the orifice 5 attenuates the pulsation of the pressure of the brake fluid discharged from the pump 4 . since the pressure regulating unit r is normally open , the brake fluid can flow from the output hydraulic passage a 1 to the wheel hydraulic passage b . when the pressure on the side of the wheel cylinder h is raised by the pump 4 , the pressure regulating unit r adjusts the pressure on the side of the discharge hydraulic passage d , the wheel hydraulic passage b and the wheel cylinder h to a preset value or less while shutting off the flow of the brake fluid . the pressure regulating unit r includes a change - over valve 6 and a check valve 6 a . the change - over valve 6 is a normally - open linear solenoid valve provided between the output hydraulic passage a 1 communicating with the master cylinder mc and the wheel hydraulic passage b communicating with each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr . when the valve element of the change - over valve 6 is electromagnetically energized to the side of the wheel hydraulic passage b and the wheel cylinder h and when the pressure of the wheel hydraulic passage b becomes higher than the pressure of the output hydraulic passage a 1 by a predetermined value ( this predetermined value depends on the energization degree of the change - over valve 6 ) or more , the brake fluid escapes from the wheel hydraulic passage b to the output hydraulic passage a 1 , whereby the pressure on the side of the wheel hydraulic passage b is adjusted , although the details are not shown in the figure . the check valve 6 a is connected in parallel with each change - over valve 6 . the check valve 6 a is a one - way valve for allowing the brake fluid to flow from the output hydraulic passage a 1 to the wheel hydraulic passage b . the suction valve 7 is a normally - closed solenoid valve provided in the suction hydraulic passage c . the suction valve 7 switches the suction hydraulic passage c to an open state or a closed state . when the change - over valve 6 is closed , that is , when the brake fluid pressure is to be applied to each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr while the driver does not operate the brake pedal bp , the suction valve 7 is opened by the control unit 20 . the pressure sensor 8 detects the brake fluid pressure of the output hydraulic passage a 1 of the second system , and its detection result is input to the control unit 20 . next , the details of the control unit 20 will be described below . as shown in fig1 to 3 , the control unit 20 controls the open / close operations of the control valve unit v , the change - over valve 6 ( the pressure regulating unit r ) and the suction valve 7 and the operation of the motor 9 inside the hydraulic unit 10 based on the signals input from the sensors 91 to 94 , for example , thereby controlling the operation of each wheel brake fl / rr / rl / fr . in the first embodiment , the control unit 20 functions as an abnormality judgment device for judging whether the steering angle sensor 92 is normal . in the first embodiment , the steering angle sensor 92 includes known judging means thereinside for judging whether the steering angle sensor 92 is normal . the judging means outputs a signal (“ sensor side signal ”) indicating whether the steering angle sensor 92 is normal ( see fig5 a ) to the control unit 20 . in other words , in the first embodiment , each of the steering angle sensor 92 and the control unit 20 performs abnormality judgment for the steering angle sensor 92 . as shown in fig3 , the control unit 20 includes a first diagnosing section 21 configured to perform a first diagnosis for judging whether the steering angle sensor 92 is normal and a behavior controller 22 for controlling the behavior of the vehicle cr . the first diagnosing section 21 includes a first change amount calculator 21 a , a first storage section 21 b , a reference setting section 21 c , a first timer 21 d , an incrementing section 21 e , a deviation comparator 21 f , a first counter 21 g , a first preparatory timer 21 j , and a first judgment section 21 h . the first change amount calculator 21 a calculates the absolute difference between the current value and the previous value of the steering angle obtained from the steering angle sensor 92 and outputs the calculated change amount to the reference setting section 21 c . the first storage section 21 b is a storage device , such as a memory , for storing , as a normal threshold value , the maximum change amount that can be calculated by the first change amount calculator 21 a when the steering angle sensor 92 is normal . “ the maximum change amount that can be obtained by the first change amount calculator 21 a when the steering angle sensor 92 is normal ” can be determined by experiments , simulations , etc . the reference setting section 21 c compares the change amount obtained from the first change amount calculator 21 a with the normal threshold value obtained from the first storage section 21 b , and sets the previous value ( the steering angle at time t 1 in fig5 b ) of the steering angle to a reference steering angle when the change amount becomes more than the normal threshold value ( time t 2 in fig5 d ). the reference setting section 21 c sets the reference steering angle , and then outputs the set reference steering angle to the deviation comparator 21 f and activates the first timer 21 d . at this time , the reference setting section 21 c counts up the value of the first counter 21 g and resets the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j . when the change amount is less than the normal threshold value , the reference setting section 21 c transmits a signal indicating this state to the first judgment section 21 h and activates the first preparatory timer 21 j . the first timer 21 d sets a first judgment time , and gradually decrements the set first judgment time ( see fig5 f ) upon receiving an activation signal from the reference setting section 21 c . the incrementing section 21 e gradually increments the normal threshold value at a predetermined timing during a period until the set first judgment time becomes zero ( a period until the first judgment time passes from the time when the change amount became more than the normal threshold value ) referring to the value of the first timer 21 d ( see fig5 c ). more specifically , the incrementing section 21 e adds a constant value to the normal threshold value each time the deviation comparator 21 f performs comparison so that the normal threshold value becomes proportional to the number of comparisons performed by the deviation comparator 21 f . in other words , the incrementing section 21 e adds the constant value to the normal threshold value each time the time corresponding to the cycle of the comparison by the deviation comparator 21 f passes referring to the value of the first timer 21 d . the incrementing section 21 e outputs the normal threshold value obtained from the first storage section 21 b or the normal threshold value obtained by adding the constant value each time the comparison is performed . the deviation comparator 21 f obtains the steering angle ( the current value ) and the reference steering angle from the reference setting section 21 c , and calculates the absolute deviation (“ deviation ”) between the steering angle and the reference steering angle . also , the deviation comparator 21 f compares the calculated deviation with the normal threshold value obtained from the incrementing section 21 e , and counts up the value of the first counter 21 g when the deviation is larger than the normal threshold value ( see fig5 c and 5e ). and , the deviation comparator 21 f performs the above - mentioned comparison between the deviation and the normal threshold value and the above - mentioned counting up only during the first judgment time referring to the value of the first timer 21 d . the first preparatory timer 21 j increments the value thereof upon receiving the activation signal from the reference setting section 21 c ( see fig7 g ). after being incremented to a first preparatory judgment time , the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j is not incremented further . the first judgment section 21 h judges whether the steering angle sensor 92 is abnormal by judging whether the value of the first counter 21 g has reached a predetermined value referring to the value of the first counter 21 g . when the value of the first counter 21 g has reached the predetermined value , the first judgment section 21 h judges that the steering angle sensor 92 is abnormal . also , the first judgment section 21 h determines whether the value of the first counter 21 g is reset referring to the signal ( the signal indicating that the change amount is less than the normal threshold value ) transmitted from the reference setting section 21 c , the value of the first timer 21 d and the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j . more specifically , the first judgment section 21 h judges whether the first judgment time has passed referring to the value of the first timer 21 d and also judges whether the change amount is less than the normal threshold value referring to the signal from the reference setting section 21 c . when the first judgment time has passed and that the change amount is less than the normal threshold value , the first judgment section 21 h judges whether the first preparatory judgment time has passed after the passage of the first judgment time referring to the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j . and , the first judgment section 21 h resets the value of the first counter 21 g when the first preparatory judgment time has passed . when the value of the first counter 21 g is less than the predetermined value even after the first judgment time has passed , the first judgment section 21 h resets the reference steering angle and the normal threshold value to their initial values ( see fig7 b and 7c ). then , the first judgment section 21 h outputs a signal (“ judgment section side signal ”) indicating whether the steering angle sensor 92 is abnormal to the behavior controller 22 . the behavior controller 22 judges whether the known vehicle behavior control is to be performed based on the judgment section side signal obtained from the first judgment section 21 h and the sensor side signal transmitted from the steering angle sensor 92 . more specifically , the behavior controller 22 inhibits behavior control when at least one of the judgment section side signal and the sensor side signal indicates abnormality , and performs behavior control when both the judgment section side signal and the sensor side signal indicate normality . hence , for example , even when the steering angle sensor 92 is misjudged as normal due to the abnormality of the judging means thereinside and the sensor side signal indicating normality is output , or even when the value output from the steering angle sensor 92 becomes abnormal before reaching the vehicle controller 100 due to the transmission error , the first diagnosing section 21 inside the control unit 20 can perform a judgment again as to whether the steering angle sensor 92 is abnormal . as a result , the accuracy of abnormality judgment can be improved . next , the operation of the control unit 20 will be described below referring to fig4 . as shown , in fig4 , the control unit 20 calculates the change amount based on the current value and die previous value of the steering angle ( at s 1 ), and judges whether the value of the first timer 21 d is more than 0 ( at s 2 ). when the value of the first timer 21 d is 0 ( no ) at step s 2 , the control unit 20 resets the reference steering angle and the normal threshold value ( at s 3 ) and judges whether the change amount calculated at step s 1 is more than the normal threshold value ( at s 4 ). when the change amount is more than the normal threshold value at step s 4 ( yes ), the control unit 20 sets the previous value of the steering angle obtained at the time as the reference steering angle and sets the first judgment time ( at s 5 ). after step s 5 , the control unit 20 resets the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j ( at s 6 ) and counts up the value of the first counter 21 g ( at s 7 ). when the value of the first timer 21 d is more than 0 at step s 2 ( yes ), the control unit 20 decrements the value of the first timer 21 d ( at s 8 ), and increments the normal threshold value by a constant value ( at s 9 ). after step s 9 , the control unit 20 judges whether the deviation ( absolute difference ) between the current value of the steering angle and the reference steering angle is more than the normal threshold value ( at s 10 ). when the deviation is more than the normal threshold value at step s 10 ( yes ), the control unit 20 counts up the value of the first counter 21 g ( at s 11 ), and the processing advances to step s 12 . when the deviation is less than the normal threshold value at step s 10 ( no ), the control unit 20 does not count up the value of the first counter 21 g , and the processing advances to step s 12 . at step s 12 , the control unit 20 judges whether the value of the first counter 21 g has become equal to or more than the predetermined value ( has reached the predetermined value ). when the value of the first counter 21 g is less than the predetermined value at step s 12 ( no ), the processing of the control unit 20 returns to step s 1 . when the value of the first counter 21 g is equal to or more than the predetermined value at step s 12 ( yes ), the control unit 20 judges that the steering angle sensor 92 is abnormal ( at s 13 ). when the change amount is less than the normal threshold value at s 4 ( no ), the control unit 20 increments the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j ( at s 14 ) and judges whether the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j is equal to or more than the first preparatory judgment time ( whether the first preparatory judgment time has passed after the passage of the first judgment time ) ( at s 15 ). when the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j is less than the first preparatory judgment time at step s 15 ( no ), the processing of the control unit 20 directly returns to step s 1 . when the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j is equal to or more than the first preparatory judgment time ( yes ), the control unit 20 resets the value of the first counter 21 g ( at s 16 ), and the processing returns to step s 1 . next , referring to fig5 a to 5g to fig9 a to 9g , examples of diagnosis ( normal / abnormal judgment ) for the steering angle sensor 92 using the control unit 20 will be described . in an example of fig5 a to 5g , the output steering angle of the steering angle sensor 92 is changed and fixed to a large value ( see fig5 b ) different from the actual steering angle although the sensor side signal indicates normality ( see fig5 a ). in such case , as shown in fig5 c to 5g , when the change amount becomes more than the normal threshold value ( at time t 2 ), the steering angle at time t 1 is set as the reference steering angle and the difference between the steering angle and the reference steering angle is calculated . in addition , at this time , the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j being incremented to the first preparatory judgment time is reset . then , since the deviation is fixed to the large value , even when the normal threshold value becomes larger gradually during the first judgment time , the deviation always exceeds the normal threshold value . hence , the value of the first counter 21 g reaches the predetermined value ( at time t 3 ) during the first judgment time . as a result , the steering angle sensor 92 is judged as abnormal . in an example of fig6 a to 6g , the output steering angle of the steering angle sensor 92 is different from the actual steering angle , and the output steering angle is offset to a larger value and to a further larger value in two steps ( see fig6 b ), although the sensor side signal indicates normality ( see fig6 a ). in such case , as shown in fig6 c to 6f , during a predetermined time ( between time t 4 to time t 5 ) from the time ( time t 4 ) when the change amount becomes more than the normal threshold value , since the deviation is more than the normal threshold value , the value of the first counter 21 g is counted up . after time t 5 , that is , after the normal threshold value being incremented gradually becomes equal to or more than the deviation , the value of the first counter 21 g is not counted up and the value of the first timer 21 d is decremented . then , when the deviation is changed to the further larger value at time t 6 , the deviation becomes more than the normal threshold value , and the counting up of the value of the first counter 21 g is resumed . thereafter , when the value of the first counter 21 g reaches the predetermined value ( at time t 7 ), the steering angle sensor 92 is judged as abnormal . in an example of fig7 a to 7g , the output steering angle of the steering angle sensor 92 is different from the actual steering angle , and the output steering angle is not changed largely , although the sensor side signal indicates normality ( see fig7 a ). in such case , as shown in fig7 b to 7g , during a predetermined time ( between time t 9 to time t 10 ) from the time ( time t 9 ) when the change amount becomes more than the normal threshold value , since the deviation is more than the normal threshold value , the value of the first counter 21 g is counted up . after time t 10 , that is , after the value of the normal threshold value being incremented gradually becomes equal to or more than the deviation , the value of the first counter 21 g is not counted up and the value of the first timer 21 d is decremented . then , when the value of the first timer 21 d becomes zero ( at time t 11 ) while the value of the first counter 21 g does not reach the predetermined value , the calculation of the deviation is ended , the reference steering angle and the normal threshold value are reset , and the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j is incremented . then , when the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j reaches the first preparatory judgment time ( at time t 12 ), the value of the first counter 21 g is reset . hence , the steering angle sensor 92 is not judged as abnormal . in an example of fig8 a to 8g , noise is input temporarily from the steering angle sensor 92 , although the sensor side signal indicates normality ( see fig8 a ). in such case , as shown in fig8 b to 8g , during a predetermined time ( between time t 13 to time t 14 ) from the time ( time t 13 ) when the change amount becomes more than the normal threshold value , since the deviation is more than the normal threshold value , the value of the first counter 21 g is counted up . after time t 14 , that is , after the noise is not input and when the deviation having been more than the normal threshold value becomes equal to or less than the normal threshold value , the value of the first counter 21 g is not counted up , and the value of the first timer 21 d is decremented . then , when the value of the first timer 21 d becomes zero ( at time t 15 ) while the value of the first counter 21 g does not reach the predetermined value , the calculation of the deviation is ended , the reference steering angle and the normal threshold value are reset , and the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j is incremented . then , when the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j reaches the first preparatory judgment time ( at time t 16 ), the value of the first counter 21 g is reset . hence , the steering angle sensor 92 is not judged as abnormal . in an example of fig9 a to 9g , noise is input temporarily from the steering angle sensor 92 and then the steering angle becomes abnormally large and fixed to the abnormally large value while the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j is incremented , although the sensor side signal indicates normality ( see fig9 a ). in such case , as shown in fig9 b to 9g , during a predetermined time ( between time t 17 to time t 18 ) from the time ( time t 17 ) when the change amount becomes more than the normal threshold value , since the deviation is more than the normal threshold value , the value of the first counter 21 g is counted up . after time t 18 , that is , after the noise input for the first time disappears and when the deviation having been more than the normal threshold value becomes equal to or less than the normal threshold value , the value of the first counter 21 g is not counted up , and the value of the first timer 21 d is decremented . then , when the value of the first timer 21 d becomes zero ( at time t 19 ) while the first counter 21 g does not reach the predetermined value , the calculation of the deviation is ended , the reference steering angle and the normal threshold value are reset , and the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j is incremented . then , when noise is input for the second time before the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j reaches the first preparatory judgment time ( at time t 20 ), the value of the first preparatory timer 21 j is reset , and the value of the first timer 21 d is set to the first judgment time again . at this time , the reference steering angle is set again and the deviation is calculated . thereafter , when the deviation becomes more than the normal threshold value , the counting up of the value of the first counter 21 g is resumed . when the value of the first counter 21 g reaches the predetermined value ( at time t 21 ), the steering angle sensor 92 is judged as abnormal . in other words , in the example of fig9 a to 9g , the abnormality judgment is interrupted once since the first judgment time for the first time has passed . at the time , the value of the first counter 21 g is not reset and the value of the first counter 21 g is maintained during the first judgment time . hence , when the steering angle becomes abnormal again during the first preparatory judgment time , the value of the first counter 21 g can be counted up from the maintained value , whereby the abnormality can be judged easily . even when the change amount temporarily becomes more than the normal threshold value , if the value of the first counter 21 g has not reached the predetermined value , the steering angle sensor 92 is not judged as abnormal ( see fig7 a to 7g ). hence , in the diagnosis for the steering angle sensor 92 , misjudgment can be prevented . when abnormality occurs because the steering angle is maintained , fixed or offset to an abnormally high value , the value of the first counter 21 g reaches the predetermined value ( see fig5 a to 5g and fig6 a to 6g ), whereby the abnormality can be judged securely . the normal threshold value is determined by simple increment wherein the normal threshold value is incremented by a constant value . hence , it is not necessary to prepare complicated calculating formulas and complicated maps . even when the steering angle sensor 92 is misjudged as normal due to the abnormality of the diagnosis function ( judging means ) therefor , or even when the value output from the steering angle sensor becomes abnormal before reaching the vehicle controller 100 due to the transmission error , the diagnosis can be performed by the control unit 20 ( abnormality judgment device ) inside the vehicle controller 100 . hence , the accuracy of abnormality judgment can be improved . next , a second embodiment will be described below . this embodiment is obtained by modifying part of the structure of the control unit 20 according to the first embodiment . components similar to those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference codes , and their descriptions are omitted . as shown in fig1 , a control unit 30 according to the second embodiment has a behavior controller 22 and a second diagnosing section 31 . while the behavior controller 22 is similar to that in the first embodiment , a second diagnosing section 31 performs second diagnosis different from the first diagnosis in the first embodiment . the second diagnosing section 31 includes a second change amount calculator 31 a , a second storage section 31 b , a change amount comparator 31 c , a second counter 31 d , a second judgment section 31 e , and a second timer 31 f . the second change amount calculator 31 a calculates the change amount as the first change amount calculator 21 a , and outputs the calculated change amount to the change amount comparator 31 c . the second storage section 31 b stores , as the normal threshold value , the maximum change amount that can be calculated by the second change amount calculator 31 a when the steering angle sensor 92 is normal , as the first storage section 21 b in the first embodiment . the change amount comparator 31 c compares the change amount obtained from the second change amount calculator 31 a with the normal threshold value obtained from the second storage section 31 b , and counts up the value of the second counter 31 d when the change amount becomes more than the normal threshold value . also , the change amount comparator 31 c restarts increment of the value of the second timer 31 f from zero each time the value of the second counter 31 d is counted up . the second judgment section 31 e judges whether the value of the second counter 31 d has reached the predetermined value each time the value of the second counter 31 d is counted up , and judges that the steering angle sensor 92 is abnormal under the condition that the value has reached the predetermined value . also , the second judgment section 31 e judges whether a second judgment time has passed after the current counting of the value of the second counter 31 d , and resets the value of the second counter 31 d under the condition that the second judgment time has passed . more specifically , the second judgment section 31 e judges whether the value of the second counter 31 d has reached the predetermined value and also judges whether the second judgment time has passed after the count - up time referring to the values of the second counter 31 d and the second timer 31 f . when the value of the second counter 31 d has reached the predetermined value before the second judgment time passes , the second judgment section 31 e judges that the steering angle sensor is abnormal ( see fig1 d and 12e ). when the second judgment time has passed , the second judgment section 31 e resets the value of the second counter 31 d ( returns the value to zero , see fig1 d and 13e ). next , the operation of the control unit 30 will be described below referring to fig1 . as shown in fig1 , the control unit 30 calculates the change amount based on the current value and the previous value of the steering angle ( at s 21 ) and judges whether the calculated change amount is more than the normal threshold value ( at s 22 ). when the change amount is more than the normal threshold value at step s 22 ( yes ), the control unit 30 counts up the value of the second counter 31 d ( at s 23 ) and resets the value of the second timer 31 f ( at s 24 ). after step s 24 , the control unit 30 judges whether the value of the second counter 31 d has become equal to or more than the predetermined value ( at s 25 ). when the value of the second counter 31 d has become equal to or more than the predetermined value at step s 25 ( yes ), the control unit 30 judges that the steering angle sensor 92 is abnormal ( at s 26 ). when the value is less than the predetermined value ( no ), the processing directly returns to step s 21 . when the change amount is less than the normal threshold value at s 22 ( no ), the control unit 30 increments the value of the second timer 31 f ( at s 27 ). after step s 27 , the control unit 30 judges whether the second judgment time has passed referring to the value of the second timer 31 f ( at s 28 ). when the second judgment time has passed ( yes ) at step s 28 , the control unit 30 resets the value of the second counter 31 d . when the second judgment time has not passed ( no ), the processing returns to step s 21 without resetting the value of the second counter 31 d . next , referring to fig1 a to 5e to fig1 a to 13e , examples of diagnosis ( normal / abnormal judgment ) for the steering angle sensor 92 using the control unit 30 will be described . in an example of fig1 a to 12e , the output steering angle of the steering angle sensor 92 is different from the actual steering angle , and the output steering angle is changed largely while having a large amplitude ( see fig1 b ), although the sensor side signal indicates normality ( see fig1 a ). in such case , as shown in fig1 c to 12e , the value of the second counter 31 d is counted up and the value of the second timer 31 f is reset each time the change amount becomes more than the normal threshold value ( between time t 31 to time t 35 ). hence , since the change amount becomes more than the normal threshold value frequently , the value of the second counter 31 d reaches the predetermined value ( at time t 35 ) before the value of the second timer 31 f reaches the second judgment time . as a result , the steering angle sensor 92 is judged as abnormal . in an example of fig1 a to 13e , the output steering angle of the steering angle sensor 92 is different from the actual steering angle although the sensor side signal indicates normality ( see fig1 a ), but the steering angle has an abnormally large value only at first and becomes coincident with the actual steering angle thereafter ( see fig1 b ). in such case , as shown in fig1 b to 13e , the change amount becomes more than the normal threshold value only when the steering angle is changed largely at first ( at time t 36 ) and only when the steering angle is returned to its original value ( at time t 37 ). hence , the value of the second counter 31 d is counted up and the value of the second timer 31 f is reset only at these times . after time t 37 , the steering angle is changed so as to be coincident with the actual steering angle , whereby the change amount does not become more than the normal threshold value . hence , the value of the second timer 31 f is not reset but is counted up . when the value of the second timer 31 f reaches the second judgment time ( at time t 38 ), the value of the second counter 31 d is reset . therefore , the steering angle sensor 92 is not judged as abnormal . even when the change amount temporarily becomes more than the normal threshold value , if the value of the second counter 31 d has not reached the predetermined value , the steering angle sensor 92 is not judged as abnormal . hence , in the diagnosis for the steering angle sensor 92 , misjudgment can be prevented ( see fig1 a to 13e ). when the value obtained from the steering angle sensor 92 oscillates or continuous noise is generated , since the value of the second counter 31 d reaches the predetermined value , the abnormality can be judged securely ( see fig1 a to 12e ). the present invention is not limited to the above - mentioned embodiments but can be applied to various embodiments exemplified below . in each embodiment described above , the control unit performs only the first diagnosis or only the second diagnosis . however , both the above - mentioned first diagnosing section 21 and the above - mentioned second diagnosing section 31 can be provided for one control unit . in this case , the first diagnosing section 21 and the second diagnosing section 31 may perform the first diagnosis and the second diagnosis simultaneously by using common values as the steering angle and the change amount . with this configuration , the first diagnosis and the second diagnosis can be performed collaterally by using the common values as the steering angle and the change amount . hence , since two different diagnosing methods according to information on a single steering angle is used , for example , by judging the steering angle sensor to be abnormal when one of the two diagnosing section judges that the steering angle sensor is abnormal , the abnormality can be judged rapidly . alternatively , by judging the steering angle sensor to be abnormal when both the two diagnosing section judge that the sensor is abnormal , careful judgment can be performed even in a situation where noise is likely to be introduced . in each embodiment described above , the abnormality judgment device ( the first diagnosing section 21 or the second diagnosing section 31 ) is provided in the vehicle controller 100 . however , the abnormality judgment devices may be provided inside the steering angle sensor , for example . in the above - mentioned embodiments , the values of the first counter 21 g and the second counter 31 d are respectively counted up . however , the values thereof may be counted down . | 1 |
fig1 - 2 show generally the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 10 . heat exchanger 10 includes a vessel 11 having a high pressure inlet 12 , a high pressure outlet 13 , a lower pressure inlet 14 and a low pressure outlet 15 . a pair of &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; shaped tanks 16 , 17 are positioned at opposing ends of vessel 11 . each &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; tank 16 , 17 has a curved tank wall . the &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; tank 16 has curved tank wall 18 , the &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; tank 17 has a curved wall 19 . each tank 16 , 17 has a tank interior . the tank 16 has an interior 20 . the tank 17 has an interior 21 . the interiors 20 , 21 contain fluid under high pressure as will be described more fully hereinafter . further , the tanks 16 , 17 function in combination with gusset plates 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 to hold a plurality of inner tank elements and manifolds together . as shown in fig3 the vessel 11 has a flat side wall on each side that communicates with the &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; tank 16 , 17 curved wall portions 18 , 19 . vessel 11 thus includes vessel wall sections 22 , 23 each integrally connected at its ends to the curved side walls 18 , 19 of tanks 16 , 17 . upper and lower manifolds 24 , 25 as seen in fig1 are used to convey high pressure fluid to and from the heat exchanger 10 . the manifolds 24 , 25 are shown in fig1 and 2 . an additional outlet manifold 24a can optionally be placed opposite outlet manifold 24 . the additional manifold 24a can have a fluid outlet 13a as shown in fig2 . in fig1 gusset plates 26 , 28 are used to form a structural connection between tank 16 and manifold 24 . gusset plates 27 , 29 are used to form a structural connection between tank 16 and manifold 25 . the gusset plates 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 are preferably affixed using welding . fluid flow through the d tanks is permitted by having fluid inlets and fluid outlets . in the embodiment of fig1 the tank fluid inlet for tank 16 is designated as 30 , the fluid outlet is 31 . similarly , tank 17 has a fluid inlet 30 and a fluid outlet 31 . this fluid is held at the same pressure as the high pressure fluid flowing through the tanks and manifolds . the apparatus 10 of the present invention includes a plurality of inner tank elements 32 that convey fluid under low pressure through a plurality of small cylindrically shaped openings 33 . the tank wall elements 33 can be hot rolled steel to form beam like load carrying structural elements . upon assembly , the flat rectangular surfaces 44 abut onto the same flat rectangular surfaces 44 of the adjacent tank 32 . the flow through the various openings 33 is via inlet 14 then upwardly from the bottom of heat exchanger 10 to the top thereof in the direction of the arrows 34 in fig1 . in fig2 and 3 , the flow of low pressure fluid flow through openings 33 is in a direction out of the page for those figures . in fig2 a plurality of tanks are shown that are rectangular in horizontal cross - section upon assembly . a slightly different shape tank 32a is shown in fig3 . the interiors 20 , 21 of the tanks 16 , 17 carry high pressure fluid ( e . g ., water plus steam ). the manifolds 24 , 25 and 24a are water manifolds that likewise carry high pressure fluid ( e . g ., water and steam ). a process gas flows in the cylindrically shaped openings 33 . as shown in fig3 the side walls 22 , 23 are connected integrally with the curved walls 18 , 19 so that the walls 22 , 23 define tension legs . the present invention provides end tanks 16 , 17 that function to carry high pressure fluid while also participating in structural force balancing for the apparatus . high pressure fluid is carried in each interior 20 , 21 to help load the tension legs 22 , 23 and thus provide an apparatus that functions with a very high pressure differential between fluids . in fig2 and 3 , the high pressure fluid that flows in interior tanks 32 . the wall 35 is a transverse flat wall that is connected to the ends of walls 22 , 23 and to the curved wall 18 of the tank 16 as shown in fig3 . thus , the walls 35 in combination with the walls 22 , 23 provide contact portions for forming load transfer contact areas . the walls 22 , 23 are tensile members while the walls 35 are load carrying beam portions . the combination of walls 22 , 23 , and 35 hold the tanks 32a together . another transverse wall 35 extends between and forms a connection to the ends of walls 22 , 23 and the curved wall 19 of tank 17 . the tanks 32 form high pressure fluid channels 37 as shown in fig3 . in fig4 a wall portion of an interior tank 32 is shown , namely the aforementioned tank stock designated as 34 . one section 34 is welded to another section 34 in order to construct the individual tank members 32 as shown in the drawings . in the embodiment shown , the wall 34 has sides 38 , 39 of different shapes . the side 38 is formed of a plurality of parallel grooves or troughs 40 , each generally semicircular in transverse cross section . the opposing side 39 is shown as flat along the majority of its length , but may have waves with the same period as the channels on the opposite side . this surface communicates with a pair of curved ends 42 , each having a flat surface 43 . a recess 41 is formed at surface 43 between ends 42 . upon assembly of two walls 33 , the surfaces 42 define a v - shape therebetween that can receive a weld . in fig1 a - 17b these welds are indicated as 48 . once welded together , the tanks 32 assume the shape shown in fig3 and 17b . the troughs 40 are separated by flat rectangular surface areas 44 that abut together when two adjacent tanks are assembled . this configuration is shown in the file assembly of fig3 and in fig5 . when the tanks are assembled in the configuration of fig3 the troughs 40 form the circular channels 33 . the flat surfaces 44 of adjacent tanks abut up against each other as they are correspondingly sized and shaped . this forms flow channels 37 as two recesses 41 align when two wall sections 34 are welded together . each tank 32 has an inlet 45 and an outlet 46 . an additional opening 47 and manifold 25a can be used as a blowdown outlet for cleaning purposes . fig1 - 16 shows a fragmentary view of the heat exchanger / boiler 10 of fig1 - 3 illustrating more particularly the construction of the individual tanks 32 manifolds , &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; tanks and vessel 11 . fig1 - 13 show more particularly the construction of the vessel 11 and its manifolds 24 , 24a , 25 and 25a as they communicate with the inlets and outlets of a single tank 32 . fig1 a - 17c show cross - sections of the tank element of fig1 as indicated in fig1 . in fig1 a - 18b , there can be seen an alternate construction of the embodiment of the present invention showing heat exchanger tank element 50 . tank element 50 is comprised of a pair tank plate stock elements 49 , 51 . the tank plate 49 has flat opposed surfaces 49a , 49b . the tank plate element 51 has opposed flat surfaces 51a , 51b . the plate 49 has curved end portions 52 , 53 . the plate 51 has curved end portions 54 , 55 as shown in fig1 a . each of the curved end portions 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 provides a weld surface 52 that forms an acute angle with the surface 49a , 51a . a plurality of compressive inserts 57 are positioned in between the plates 49 , 51 as shown in fig1 a . upon assembly , a conduit 60 is formed in between each pair of compressive inserts 57 as shown in fig1 a . the conduit 60 are each elongated and may be generally cylindrical , each being parallel to the other . a compressive insert 57 provides flat surfaces 61 , 62 that engage a corresponding flat surface 49b , 51b of the plate stock elements 49 , 51 upon assembly as shown in fig1 a . in order to form a heat exchanger , tanks such as 50 are arranged side by side so that the curved end portions 54 , 55 of one plate 51 abut the curved end portions 52 , 53 of the plate 49 of the next tank 50 . weld surfaces 56 of ends 54 55 are positioned at weld surfaces 52 , 53 . the tanks 50 are then welded together at surfaces 56 . in fig1 a - 19c , a method is shown for constructing a single tank element so that it provides a guard against the tendency to develop cracks that often accompany welded areas that are exposed to high heat flux application . the present invention provides an improved method for forming a tank element so that no welds will be exposed to the low pressure fluid until after it has been through a majority of the exchanger and so it is closer to the main temperature of the exchanger than it is at the inlet . in fig1 a - 19c , a tank element 63 is bent to the shape shown in fig1 c . prior to bending , a notch 65 is cut so that a central portion of each longitudinally extending projecting portions 64 is removed . fig1 b is a section taken at ninety degrees ( 90 °) with respect to fig1 a . the element 63 is then bent approximately in half ( e . g . over a mandrel ) so that the region of the plate near the bend 66 looks u - shaped , similar to that in fig1 c . after bending the plate element 63 to the configuration shown in fig1 c , it may be desirable to pre - heat the plate element 63 in the region of the bend 66 to prevent excess strain hardening , or cracking . this shape of fig1 c then forms the majority of the tank element and is now ready to have its opposing seams welded . such a welded portion will be on the sides and the top and high fluid pressure fluid inlets and outlets . alternatively , the plate could be bent in the form of a &# 34 ; j &# 34 ; and welded along the bottom . this would provide a weld exposed to the low pressure fluid inlet . however , it would not be at the point of maximum heat flux which is there immediately around the low pressure fluid channel inlets . fig1 a is thus a depiction of the cross - section of the tank plate stock 63 used in the present invention . in fig1 b , there is a depiction of cross - section of the plate stock 63 shown in fig1 a taken at ninety degrees ( 90 °) with respect to fig1 a . fig1 b indicates how the tank plate stock 63 will be notched to allow bending . in fig1 c , the bending has taken place about a mandrel . the following table lists the parts numbers and parts descriptions as used herein and in the drawings attached hereto . ______________________________________parts listpart number description______________________________________10 heat exchanger11 vessel body12 high pressure inlet13 high pressure outlet14 low pressure inlet15 low pressure outlet16 d tank17 d tank18 tank wall19 tank wall20 interior21 interior22 vessel wall section23 vessel wall section24 manifold . sup . 24a manifold25 manifold . sup . 25a manifold26 gusset plate27 gusset plate28 gusset plate29 gusset plate30 d tank fluid inlet31 d tank fluid outlet32 inner tank element33 interior tank wall34 transverse wall35 transverse wall36 open space37 channel38 side of wall39 side of wall40 groove41 recess42 weld surface43 flat surface44 flat surface45 inlet46 outlet47 opening48 weld49 tank plate stock . sup . 49a flat surface . sup . 49b flat surface50 heat exchanger tank element51 tank plate stock . sup . 51a flat surface . sup . 51b flat surface52 curved end portion53 curved end portion54 curved end portion55 curved end portion56 weld surface57 compressive insert58 concavity59 concavity60 conduit61 flat surface62 flat surface63 tank stock element64 projection65 notch66 bend______________________________________ because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught , and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirement of the law , it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense . | 5 |
for the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention , reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same . it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended , and alterations and modifications in the illustrated device , and further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein are herein contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates . with reference to fig1 a - e , there are shown left and right side elevational views of a preferred embodiment electronic paintball gun of the present invention , indicated generally at 11 . front and rear end elevational views of the paintball gun 11 are illustrated in fig2 a - b , respectively . the paintball gun 11 includes a gun body 17 , preferably formed from extruded aluminum ( but which may be formed from any suitable material ), which include three chambers a , b and c formed axially parallel to one another and arranged such that lines drawn connecting the axis of each of the three chambers in a plane perpendicularly intersecting the three axes form a triangle , and preferably an equilateral triangle . arrangement of the three chambers in this manner provides significant performance benefits to the various gun functions , as described in greater detail hereinbelow . the preferred embodiment electronic paintball gun 11 includes a grip frame 12 mounted to the body 17 , the grip frame 12 including a trigger 14 . the grip frame 12 is adapted to be easily gripped by a human hand , such that the index finger rests upon the trigger 14 . the grip frame 12 attaches to the body 17 by means of any convenient attachment mechanism , such as bolts engaging the threaded bolt holes 77 . the body 17 further includes a barrel 13 through which a paintball p is ejected when the gun 11 is fired . the paintballs p enter the gun body 17 through a paintball hopper feed tube h . the body 17 further includes a vertical mount 16 machined therein , and adapted to receive a main pressure regulator 15 . a supply of compressed gas ( not shown ) is attached to the main pressure regulator 15 , which regulates the pressure of this gas to a predetermined level ( preferably approximately 180 psi ). compressed gas exiting the main pressure regulator 15 flows up through the vertical mount 16 , filling the valve chamber 56 and the high pressure side of the pneumatics regulator 25 . chamber a carries the hammer 41 and low pressure chamber 59 . chamber b carries the pneumatics regulator 25 and the ram tube 34 . the chamber c carries the bolt 60 . referring now fig3 , the electronic paintball gun 11 of the present invention is illustrated schematically with all three chambers a , b and c laid side - by - side for ease of illustration and discussion . as noted hereinabove , the preferred embodiment of the electronic paintball gun 11 arranges the chambers a , b and c in a triangular relationship . at the front end of the gun , a pneumatics pressure regulator 25 screws into the chamber b by means of interengaging threads 18 or other convenient attachment means . the pneumatic regulator 25 is shown apart from the gun 11 in fig4 . as with each of the subsystems of the electronic paintball gun 11 , the pneumatics regulator 25 is formed as a self - contained module which may be screwed into one of the exposed ends of the chambers a , b and c , thereby allowing for simplified replacement in the field . the pneumatics regulator 25 includes an endcap 78 . the pneumatics regulator 25 may be threaded into the chamber b by gripping the endcap 78 . the endcap 78 forms the high pressure side of the pneumatics regulator 25 , while an attached body section 26 forms the low pressure side of the pneumatics regulator 25 . as best shown in fig1 d and 4 , high pressure air from the vertical mount 16 enters the high pressure side of the pneumatics regulator 25 through channels 79 formed in the endcap 78 . by use of an o - ring 21 to seal the end of the chamber b , high pressure air can be stored within the endcap 78 . a regulator adjusting screw 27 and regulator seat 28 fit within the high pressure cavity formed inside the endcap 78 . a cavity 79 is provided so that an allen wrench may be used to adjust the position of the adjusting screw 27 with respect to the endcap 78 . the regulator body 25 compresses a regulator disk 29 and regulator o - ring 30 as the body 25 is tightened onto the regulator body 26 . regulator piston 31 , regulator piston spring 32 and regulator piston o - ring 33 are held within regulator body 26 by a snap ring 93 . the high pressure air entering through the channels 79 flows through the center of regulator piston 31 and builds up pressure within chamber 94 . this pressure acts upon regulator piston 31 , pushing it to the left ( and thereby compressing regulator piston spring 32 ) until the piston 31 seats against regulator seat 28 on adjusting screw 27 . this prevents further air flow through the center of regulator piston 31 until the pressure in chamber 94 is released , allowing spring 32 to push piston 31 off to the seat 28 . this creates a regulated supply of air within the chamber 94 of ( preferably ) 80 psi . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that adjustment of the seat 28 position by turning the screw 27 will allow any desired air pressure to be achieved . this low pressure air supply is used for the other pneumatics systems of the electronic paintball gun 11 . the low pressure regulated air exits the pneumatics regulator 25 by means of the low pressure channel 80 ( see fig3 ). with reference now to fig3 and 5 , the remainder of the chamber b is filled with the pneumatic ram , consisting of the ram tube 34 , and the ram endcap 35 which preferably screws into the ram tube 34 . the pneumatic ram slides back and forth within the space of chamber b during operation of the gun 11 . the end of chamber b is sealed with chamber b endcap 40 , which also preferably threadingly engages chamber b . the ram endcap 35 holes a u - cup 23 and ram plate 37 in place inside the ram tube 34 . a ram rod 36 slides back and forth through the center of the ram tube 34 . the ram rod 36 also has two u - cups 23 on one end , facing back to back , to provide a seal between the two sides of the pneumatic cylinder thereby formed with the ram tube 34 . the ram tube 34 is held in place within the gun body 17 by means of a ram tube end plug 95 and a retaining pin 38 , which also acts as the vent hole for the pneumatic regulator 25 . the ram rod 36 is threadingly engaged to an h - tube 39 . as discussed in greater detail hereinbelow , the h - tube 39 pulls the bold 60 back and forth during cycling of the gun 11 by use of the bolt retention pin 64 ( see fig9 b ). air enters the left side of the ram rod 36 through undercut surfaces 91 and channels 81 . the undercut surfaces 91 are formed around the outside of ram tube 34 and line up with air passages from the solenoid valve 69 ( see fig1 ). the air pressure acting upon the end of the ram rod 36 causes the ram rod 36 to slide upon u - cups 23 within the ram rod 34 . this motion causes the h - tube 39 to move back and forth within the chamber b . o - rings 22 act as bumpers to keep the ram rod 36 from damaging the other components by preventing metal - to - metal contact . with reference now to fig3 and 6 a , the pneumatic hammer 41 slides within a hammer tube 43 and a hammer tube endcap 45 which is preferably threadingly engaged with the hammer tube 43 , which is in turn preferably threadingly engaged ( by means of threads 19 ) to chamber a with o - ring 21 therebetween . the hammer 41 incorporates a sliding front u - cup 24 and rear u - cup 23 , allowing the hammer 41 to slide within the hammer tube endcap 45 and hammer tube 43 , respectively . the hammer tube 43 also houses a hammer plate 46 , a hammer bumper 47 ( preferably made from rubber , urethane or soft plastic ), a hammer spring 49 and a hammer weight 48 , which provides a surface upon which the hammer spring 49 pushes . when the hammer 41 is at rest , air from solenoid 70 ( as discussed hereinbelow ) enters air passage 82 and pushes the hammer 41 and hammer weight 48 back against the hammer bumper 47 , compressing the hammer spring 49 ( see fig3 ). when solenoid 70 is turned on , it releases the air from the front side of the hammer 41 , causing the compressed hammer spring 49 to throw the hammer 41 forward . forward movement of the hammer 41 pulls a vacuum on the back side of the hammer 41 , which is vented by the vent hole 96 . the hammer 41 stops against the hammer plate 46 , which is held in place by the hammer tube endcap 45 screwed into the hammer tube 43 . the sudden stopping of the hammer 41 against the hammer plate 46 transfers all of the forward momentum of the hammer 41 to the valve stem 55 of the valve body 52 ( see fig3 ). this opens the valve stem 55 , once again supplying air to the front of the hammer 41 , moving it back against the hammer bumper 47 and recompressing the hammer spring 49 . the use of the sliding front u - cup 24 reduces the sliding friction below that achieved by the use of a stationary seal , as in prior art designs . the prior art stationary seal requires a highly polished and smoothed surface on the hammer . use of the sliding u - cup 24 removes the need for polishing and grinding the shaft of the hammer as is done on all prior art pneumatic hammer systems , thereby simplifying the construction of the hammer 41 of the present invention . referring now to fig6 b , a second embodiment pneumatic hammer of the present invention is illustrated . the second embodiment pneumatic hammer includes a hammer 42 that utilizes two u - cups 23 to seal both ends of the hammer 42 . the hammer 42 is housed in hammer tube 44 , which also houses the hammer plate 46 , the hammer bumper 47 and the hammer spring 50 . when the hammer 42 is at rest , air from the solenoid 70 enters the air passage 92 and pushes the hammer 42 and the hammer weight 48 back against the hammer bumper 47 , thereby compressing the hammer spring 50 . when the solenoid 70 is turned on , it releases air from the front side of the hammer 42 through the front hammer air channel 82 , and supplies air to the back side of the hammer 42 through back hammer air channel 83 at the same time that the hammer spring 50 throws the hammer 42 forward . the hammer 42 stops against the hammer plate 46 , which is held in place by the hammer tube endcap 45 preferably screwed into the hammer tube 44 . this sudden stop of the hammer 42 transfers all of the forward momentum to the valve 52 , thereby opening it . the solenoid 70 then releases air from the back side of the hammer 42 and again supplies air to the front side of the hammer 42 , thereby moving the hammer 42 back against the hammer spring 50 . as discussed hereinabove with respect to fig6 a , with use of the sliding u - cup 24 provides significant advantages over the stationary seal design used in prior art pneumatic hammers . referring now to fig7 , there is illustrated a valve body 52 having a moveable valve stem 55 therein . the valve stem 55 is actuated by the pneumatic hammer , as described in more detail hereinabove . the valve 52 , 55 is of the type described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 791 , 328 , the specification and drawings of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . as shown in fig3 , the valve body 52 is held in place within the chamber a by means of a valve body set screw 53 , which penetrates the gun body 17 . excess air between the valve body 52 and the hammer endcap 45 is vented through vent hole 51 . o - ring seals 21 seal the valve body 52 against the sides of the chamber a . with reference to fig3 and 8 a , the other end of chamber a is sealed by a valve chamber endcap 57 which preferably threadingly engages the chamber a by means of threaded surface 20 . an o - ring 21 provides an air - tight seal . the endcap 57 preferably includes a recess 58 to allow the use of an allen wrench to tighten the endcap 57 . the endcap 57 seals the valve chamber 56 and holds a valve spring 54 in place against the valve stem 55 , thereby sealing off air from escaping through the valve body 52 until the hammer 41 strikes the valve stem 55 . an alternative for the endcap 57 is the valve chamber endcap 59 illustrated in fig8 b . the valve chamber endcap 59 includes an extended air reservoir 84 , allowing the gun 11 to store a larger volume of low pressure air and thus allowing the paintball gun 11 to shoot a paintball p at the normal velocity of 300 fps , but at a lower pressure than with the endcap 57 . the use of a low pressure chamber in this fashion is explained in greater detail in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 904 , 133 , the drawings and specifications of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . referring now to fig9 a , there is illustrated a bolt from a prior art pneumatic paintball gun . because air enters the bolt through a side passage 85 and exits the bolts through a front air outlet 86 , the air is forced to execute a 90 degree turn therebetween , thereby causing turbulent flow of the air and greatly decreasing the power of the air charge . in contrast , a bolt 60 of the present invention is illustrated in fig9 b . the bolt 60 uses a new airflow channel shape which increases performance over the prior art bolt illustrated in fig9 a . the bolt 60 has a slanted inlet hole 61 preferably tilted at an angle of between 15 and 45 degrees , and more preferably at an angle of 30 degrees with respect to a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bolt 60 . the bolt 60 further includes a generally conically shaped outlet path 63 . a radiused section 62 provides a transition between the slanted inlet 61 and the conical outlet 63 . provision of the slanted inlet 61 helps the air transition through its approximately 60 degree change of direction with less turbulence and therefore with less loss of energy . the conical outlet 63 keeps the air contained and focuses the air forward to expand evenly in a cone shape instead of allowing the air to expand all at once as it exits the bolt , as in prior art bolts . with reference to fig3 and 9 b , the bolt 60 resides within the chamber c of the gun 11 . the bolt 60 includes a bolt retention pin 64 extending therethrough , wherein a distal end 87 of the bolt retention pin 64 extends through a groove ( not shown ) joining the chambers b and c , such that the distal end 87 is captured by the h - tube 39 of the pneumatic ram . this causes the bolt 60 to reciprocate within chamber c in unison with the reciprocation of the ram rod 36 and h - tube 39 within chamber b . the bolt retention pin 64 proximal end 88 extends through a groove ( not shown ) formed in the chamber c , thereby allowing it to protrude from the exterior of the gun body 17 . by grasping the proximal end 88 and pulling the retention pin 64 away from the gun body 17 , the distal end 87 of the retention pin 64 may be disengaged from the h - tube 39 , thereby allowing the bolt 60 to be freely slid out of the back end of chamber c . this allows the bolt to be removed quickly and easily . the retention pin 64 has a groove 89 built into it with a divot 90 at each end of the groove 89 . a ball bearing 65 rides in the groove 89 and is held in place by the force of a spring 66 . the ball bearing 65 can only move between the two divots 90 in the groove 89 . a stop 67 in the form of a turned down nose of a set screw keeps the ball bearing 65 from backing out of the groove 89 . this system allows the retention pin 64 to be pulled up but not out of the bolt 60 . pulling the retention pin 64 toward the proximal end 88 causes the ball bearing 65 to move to the second divot 90 , freeing the retention pin 64 of the h - tube 39 , allowing disassembly of the bolt from the chamber c . installation of the bolt 60 back into the gun 11 follows the reverse procedure . with reference to fig1 a - e and 10 , the solenoid system of the paintball gun 11 of the present invention is illustrated . regulated air from the pneumatic regulator 25 flows through air passages 80 and 68 inside the bottom of the gun body 17 to the electronic solenoids 69 and 70 . air passages 68 and 80 are coupled by a tube ( not shown ) exterior of the gun body 17 . electronic solenoids 69 and 70 are 4 - way valves manufactured by mac valves in michigan . they are a low voltage , low wattage valve . the model number is 44b - aaa - gdsa - 1ba with a special modification . the air ports are normally located on the sides of the valve with one input port , 2 output ports and 2 exhaust ports . the valves were modified by adding 1 new inlet and 2 new outlet ports to the large flat surfaces of the valve body ( see fig1 ). the existing inlet and output ports are plugged with set screws while the exhaust ports are left open to allow the valve to vent the air . the solenoids 69 , 70 direct regulated air to the pneumatic ram , pulling the bolt 60 forward and sending air to the hammer system , pushing the hammer 41 back to the ready - to - fire position . the gun 11 includes and an on - off switch 75 that allows the user of the gun 11 to turn the game 11 off in order to extend the battery 72 life . the batteries 72 are preferably housed within the grip frame 12 . the grip frame cover plate 76 covers the two solenoid valves 69 , 70 and forms a storage compartment 76 for the electronic circuit board 71 that controls the guns functions . referring once again to fig1 a and 3 , the paintball gun 11 is shown with all components at rest and in the ready - to - fire position . at rest , air pressure pushes the hammer 41 back , compressing the hammer spring 49 inside the hammer tube 43 , which is housed inside chamber a of the main gun body 17 . in chamber b , air pressure pushes the ram 36 forward , keeping the bolt 60 forward . this keeps the paintball p in chamber c . air pressure also pushes the regulator plunger 28 against the regulator set 29 , sealing the high pressure air from the low pressure side 33 of the regulator . air pressure also keeps the valve stem 55 sealed against the valve body 52 , thereby keeping the air inside the valve chamber 56 . with reference to fig1 b and 3 , when the trigger 14 is pulled and activates the microswitch 73 , the electronic control circuit 71 activates solenoid 70 , releasing the air from the front of the hammer 41 , thereby allowing spring 49 to push the hammer 41 at a high speed . hammer 41 hits the valve stem 55 , opening the valve 52 and releasing air from the valve chamber 56 into the slanted inlet hole 61 of the bolt 60 . as the air exits the conical outlet hole 63 , the paintball p is pushed down the barrel 13 . with reference to fig1 c and 3 , the circuit board 71 keeps the solenoid 70 turned on for a predetermined amount of time , then turns the solenoid 70 off . this returns the air to the front of the hammer 41 , pushing the hammer to its ready - to - fire position compressing hammer spring 49 . with reference to fig1 d and 3 , at a predetermined time interval after hammer solenoid 70 is turned off , the electronic circuit board 71 turns on the bolt solenoid 69 . turning on the bolt solenoid 69 releases air from behind the ram 36 and supplies air to the front side of the ram 36 . this in turn pushes the ram 36 backwards , pulling the bolt 60 back to its rearward position . this allows another paintball p to drop into the chamber c . the electronic circuit board 71 waits a predetermined amount of time so that the paintball p can drop into the breach and then turns off the solenoid 69 , storing energy from the solenoid 69 on the circuit board 71 and allowing the air to vent out of the front side of the ram 36 and returning air to the back side of the ram 36 . this air pushes the ram 36 back to its rest position , which in turn pulls bolt 60 forward to close the breach , thereby sealing the paintball p inside chamber c . in fig1 e , the paintball gun 11 has returned to the ready - to - fire state of fig1 a . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description , the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character , it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected . | 5 |
the present invention will be now described in detail referring to the accompanying drawings . fig1 generally shows the basic construction of an embodiment according to the present invention . in fig1 numeral 1 represents an engine speed detector circuit connected to an ignition means of an engine , said circuit serving to output pulses corresponding to the speed of the engine as detected rotation numbers of engine from ignition operations of engine . numeral 2 denotes a frequency - voltage converter circuit to which output pulses are applied from the engine rotation detector circuit 1 , said converter circuit serving to supply voltages having such magnitudes as to correspond to counts of input pulse ( or numbers of engine rotation ) and therefore supply low voltage when the number of engine rotation is small but increase output voltage as the number of engine rotation is progressively increased . to the frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 is arranged a means or volume 3 , for example , to preset the number of engine rotation when the clutch is to be connected . converting ratio in the frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 can be therefore varied by the operation of volume 3 . in addition , the frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 is arranged to supply a certain low voltage enough to drive a servomotor even if input frequency , that is , the number of engine rotation is zero . numeral 9 denotes a switching means for increasing and decreasing voltage applied from the frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 using voltage drop due to a resistor 91 . said switching means 9 also includes a normally closed type switch 92 connected parallel to the resistor 91 which is arranged on a voltage supply line 8 . the switch 92 is turned on and off by manually operating a push button arranged to a shift lever , for example , to thereby increase and decrease voltage supplied to a servomotor mechanism 4 using voltage drop due to the resistor 91 so as to positively and reversely rotate the servomotor . the servomotor mechanism 4 is attached to a car body 10 and forwardly and reversely rotates the servomotor depending upon increase and decrease of voltage applied from the frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 , to thereby operate a clutch pedal 6 operatively coupled to clutch 20 . numeral 5 represents a movable arm attached to the rotating shaft of servomotor and numeral 7 a rod for connecting the movable arm 5 to the clutch pedal 6 . the servomotor mechanism 4 uses a certain voltage as its reference voltage and positively rotates the servomotor to return the clutch pedal to its original position rendering the clutch disconnected when voltage supplied is lower than reference voltage while reversely rotates the servomotor to put the clutch pedal to its operational position rendering the clutch connected . numeral 11 represents a limit switch attached to the back side of clutch pedal and said limit switch 11 serves to disconnect the voltage supply line 8 when a foot of driver or other material is caught between the clutch pedal 6 and a floor 14 and enables the system of the present invention to be used in safety . the present invention provides an automatic control system for operating the clutch of car and having such arrangement as described above . accordingly , when the switch 92 is operated , voltage supplied to the servomotor mechanism 4 is immediately reduced following voltage drop due to the resistor 91 so that the servomotor is reversely rotated to drive the clutch pedal 6 in the direction in which the clutch is disconnected . gear change can be therefore attained only by operating the switch 92 and shift lever without any troublesome operation of clutch pedal which was conventionally required every gear change . particularly when the present invention is directed to this use , it is quite desirable that the push button for operating the switch 92 is arranged on the shift lever for the convenience of operating the switch 92 . fig2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention in which , instead of manually operating switching means , a switch 93 connected parallel to the resistor 91 is turned on and off following the operation of an accelerating pedal 12 to render the clutch pedal 6 operated . when the car is under stopped condition , no current is supplied to the servomotor mechanism 4 and the clutch pedal 6 is returned by spring force leaving the clutch connected . the gear is brought into neutral position by operating the shift lever . after selecting by the volume 3 the rotation number of engine ( 1200 rotations , for example ) when the clutch is to be connected and setting the converting ratio of frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 , the engine is started and a switch 2a in the frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 is turned on . the frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 is adapted to supply a certain low voltage even if the rotation number of engine , that is , input frequency is zero . therefore , such low voltage is applied to the servomotor mechanism 4 and the movable arm 5 attached to the rotating shaft of servomotor in the servomotor mechanism 4 is rotated to draw the clutch pedal 6 via the connecting rod 7 so as to disconnect the clutch immediately . as the accelerating pedal 11 is progressively pressed after the gear is put into low position by the shift lever , the switch 92 is turned on and the rotation number of engine is increased to progressively increase output voltage supplied from the frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 . therefore , the movable arm 5 is reversely rotated to bring the clutch pedal 6 to its operational position . when the rotation number of engine reaches 1200 previously selected , the output voltage of frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 also reaches a predetermined value ( 12 v , for example ) and the clutch pedal 6 is brought to a position at which the clutch is completely connected , so that the car starts to run . when gear change is further intended in the car starting to run , force pressing the accelerating pedal 12 is lightened . the switch 93 is then turned off causing output of frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 to flow through the resistor 91 . drop in voltage is thus generated through the resistor 91 . although the rotation number of engine is kept large and output voltage of frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 high accordingly , voltage applied to the servomotor mechanism 4 is quickly reduced and the movable arm 5 is rotated to draw the clutch pedal 6 in the direction in which the clutch is disconnected . gear change can be therefore carried out with the clutch disconnected . when the rotation number of engine is changed by the volume 3 from 1200 rotations to 1500 rotations , the converting ratio of frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 is also changed . namely , when the rotation number of engine reaches 1500 , predetermined voltage of 12 v is supplied to bring the clutch into connection . the rotation number of engine at which the clutch is to be connected can be therefore adjusted to any desired one . according to the second embodiment of the present invention , the operation of accelerating pedal is associated with that of clutch pedal and when the accelerating pedal is released from pressing force , voltage drop due to the resistor 91 causes voltage supplied to the servomotor mechanism 4 to be reduced to render the clutch disconnected . when the accelerating pedal is pressed , short is caused between both terminals of resistor 91 and high voltage corresponding to the pressing force of accelerating pedal is supplied to the servomotor mechanism 4 to keep the clutch connected . gear changes can be therefore achieved only by releasing the accelerating pedal from pressing force and operating the shift lever . fig3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention in which clutch operation is associated with the operation of brake pedal so as not to render the clutch disconnected when braking operation is attempted in the running car . numeral 94 represents a switch connected parallel to the switch 93 which is operated by the accelerating pedal 12 , and said switch 94 is turned on and off by operating a brake pedal 13 . the switch 94 similar to the switch 93 and operated by the brake pedal 13 causes a short between both terminals of resistor 91 to supply to the servomotor mechanism 4 high voltage corresponding to the rotation number of engine so as to render the clutch connected while causes voltage drop through the resistor 91 to supply low voltage to the servomotor mechanism 4 . when the present invention is intended to this mode of use , the clutch is kept connected even if the driver puts his foot off from the accelerating pedal 12 and thus turns the switch 93 off to brake his running car , because the switch 94 can be closed by the operation of brake pedal 13 . therefore , both of engine and foot brakes are actuated by the operation of brake pedal 13 to brake the running car while reduce the rotation number of engine . as the brake pedal 13 is progressively pressed , the speed of running car is reduced and when the rotation number of engine becomes smaller than 1200 , output of frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 is lowered and voltage applied to the servomotor 4 is reduced causing the clutch to be disconnected . thereafter , only the foot brake is effective in operation and it will be therefore understood that the third embodiment of the present invention is desirable from the viewpoint of safety . according to the present invention , the circuit shown in fig1 is not put into operation unless the switch 2a of frequency voltage converter circuit 2 is turned on , and it is therefore certain that the clutch can be still be operated by the foot of the driver . in the case where the clutch is to be operated by the foot press of the driver , the connecting rod 7 between the clutch pedal 6 and the movable arm 5 is divided to two parts and a cylinder 7d is fixed to a rod 7a connected to the clutch pedal 6 while a collar 7c is attached to the foremost end of a rod 7b which is inserted like a piston rod into the cylinder 7d , as shown in fig4 . when the clutch pedal 6 is pressed by the foot of the driver , a predetermined amount of depression is absorbed by the cylinder section and not transmitted to the movable arm 5 . therefore , the car to which the system of the present invention is attached can be still used as manual car . in the case where the system of the present invention is attached to a diesel engine car , rotation numbers of engine may be determined from some appropriate means other than the ignition circuit and converted to pulses . as apparent from the above , the operation of clutch pedal to connect and disconnect the clutch is controlled associating with the operation of accelerating pedal in the second embodiment unless the power switch for the system of the present invention is turned off . it is therefore more desirable for the convenience of operation that a control or stop switch is arranged on the head of shift lever . particularly when an emergency stop button is arranged on the head of shift lever , it is quite advantageous for the driver to meet the case where his foot is caught between the clutch pedal and the floor . as described above , the present invention enables a car to have automatic clutch function similar to that of automatic car , that is , the operation of clutch to be automatically achieved by the manual or foot operation of switching means , thus making it unnecessary for the driver to operate the clutch pedal at the time of car start and gear changes . in addition , automatic clutch operation according to the present invention is attained by directly operating the clutch pedal and the system of the present invention can be therefore easily attached to manual cars . further , when the converting ratio for converting frequency to voltage in the frequency - voltage converter circuit 2 is variable as described on embodiments of the present invention , it is also possible for the driver to set the rotation number of engine to his desired one by adjusting the converting ratio at the time when the clutch is to be connected . | 1 |
in an embodiment of the present invention , the mobile water - analyzing system is provided with a mobile basic unit and a removable disposable test - element which is insertable into the basic unit . the test - element is a complex prefabricated part , whereby the test - element is provided with a sample - line with an inlet opening which is positioned at the distal end of the test - element . a measuring section is provided in line of the sample - line , the sample - line being provided with a measuring track for an analyzer . a pump opening at the other end of the sample - line can furthermore be connected with a pump mimic of a different nature , the pump mimic of the basic unit comprising the pump actuator . the water - sample can be transported in the sample - line in both directions and can be exactly positioned by using the pump actuator or the pump mimic , respectively . all other parts of the analyzer can , for example , be in the basic unit but outside of the test - element . the test - element is furthermore provided with a key - reagent positioned inside the sample - line , the key - reagent being , for example , in a dry state . the key - reagent can be positioned between the inlet opening and the measuring section or between the measuring section and the pump opening . the basic unit is provided with a test - element slot for holding the inserted test - element . the basic unit is provided with an analyzer to measure the water - sample inside the measuring section photometrically or electrochemically . the basic unit is also provided with a pump actuator which is connected cooperatively with the pump opening of the inserted test - element . the pump actuator sucks the water - sample into the sample - line and transports the sucked water - sample inside the sample - line . the determination of an analyte of a water - sample is performed by first inserting a test - element manually or automatically into the basic unit . the inlet opening is then immersed manually into the water to be analyzed and the pump actuator is activated . the activation can be performed manually or automatically . by activation of the pump actuator , a water - sample is pumped through the inlet opening toward the measuring section . a defined volume of the water - sample is sucked and is segregated as a sample - column whereby the sample column at both ends is terminated by air . by limiting the sample - column with a defined volume , a defined ratio between the water - sample and the key - reagent is provided . in addition , by pumping the segregated water - sample column repeatedly back and forth , the water - sample is mixed with the key - reagent in the sample - line , whereby the contact of the water - sample column with the sample - line wall causes a turbulence flow , so as to provide a homogeneous mixing of the water - sample with the key - reagent . the limitation of the water - sample portion to a defined portion can be realized by giving the customer a signal after the pump actuator has stopped after sucking a defined volume of the water - sample so that the customer obtains the information that the sampling is finished and that the inlet opening can be taken out of the water to be analyzed . alternatively , the segregation of the water - sample can also be made automatically by using an appropriate valve which conducts air into the sample - line after the defined water - sample volume is sucked . if the key - reagent is , seen from the inlet opening , positioned before the measuring section , the water - sample is mixed with the key - reagent by flowing from the inlet opening toward the measuring section . if the key - reagent is positioned between the measuring section and the pump opening , the water - sample can be first pumped to the measuring section to determine in a first step a background value with the analyzer . the water - sample can thereafter be pumped to the section between the measuring section and the pump opening to react with the key - reagent , and subsequently pumped backwards to the measuring section to quantitatively determine the analyte in the water - sample . on the way from the inlet opening towards the measuring section , the water - sample is mixed with the key - reagent in the sample - line . this can be provided , for example , by a relatively long mixing section between the key - reagent position and the measuring section . the homogenous mixing can also be intensified by pumping the mixture repeatedly back and forth through the sample - line . the key - reagent reacts with the analyte in the water - sample so that the optical and electrochemical properties of the water - sample change . referring to the example of a photometrical analyzer , the absorption spectra of the water - sample changes particularly at defined spectra lines or defined spectra areas , respectively . the treated and mixed water - sample is measured in the measuring section by the analyzer in the basic unit electrically or optically . the result of the measurement is evaluated and , when necessary , displayed and / or saved . as soon as the result is obtained , the test - element can be removed manually or automatically . the test - element can have a size of a flat match stick so that the sample - line can have a corresponding small cross - section , which is in a range between 0 . 01 mm 2 and some square millimeters . the photometrical section or the measuring track , respectively , should be as long as possible , for example , in the range of some millimeters to some centimeters . therefore , the volume of the water - sample in the photometrical section is in the range of one to circa fifty cubic millimeters . according to the dimensions , the amount of the key - reagent is small so that the potential danger for health and environment is also small . as a consequence , the need for an appropriate disposure can be avoided so that a considerable effort for appropriate disposure or recycling to the distributor or producer , respectively , is avoided . all steps which are relevant for the quality of the measurement results of the water analysis , such as the dosage of the key - reagent , the mixing of the key - reagent with the water - sample and the waiting for the reaction time etc ., are performed semi - or full - automatically , respectively , and air - tight . errors and hazards resulting from inaccurate handling can therefore be almost completely excluded . in an embodiment of the present invention , the disposable test - element can be provided with a bottom part and a separate cover part , whereby both parts form the sample - line therebetween . for instance , the bottom part is made out of plastic via injection die - casting whereby the bottom part is provided with an open u - shaped groove . the cover part can , for example , be a clear - transparent plastic film which is adhered or welded to the bottom part after all the reagents and substances have been inserted into the sample - line . the two - part embodiment of the test - element allows for a precise placement of the reagents and substances into the sample - line . this is especially so because the cross - section of the sample - line are a maximum of several square millimeters . in an embodiment of the present invention , the analyzer can , for example , be a photometer with a light source for generating a measurement beam and a light detector for receiving the measurement beam , whereby the measuring section which is passed through by the beam is formed by a photometer section . the photometer can , for example , be provided as a transmission - photometer . a transmission - photometer has , compared with a reflection - photometer , a better information signal . the transmission - photometer allows a more precise quantitative determination of an analyte at a relative short measuring track . the measuring section is provided with at least one photometrical - window for the inlet and the outlet of the measuring beam . with the photometrical method , different ions , for example , chlorine , phosphate and ammonium , can be measured . the analyzer can alternatively be an electrochemical analyzer which determines an electrical parameter in the measuring section . the measuring section is provided with at least one electrode or sensor area , respectively , which is connected through electric lines with contacts or contact areas of the test - element , respectively . the contacts of the test - element are connected with the basic unit through contacts or through contact areas , respectively , and therefore with the analyzer of the basic unit . the electrode or sensor area , respectively , has an area of some square micrometers to some millimeters . different parameters , such as conductivity , redox potential , ph - value and oxygen content , can be measured with the electrochemical method . the analyzer is alternatively able to measure turbidity or scattering , respectively . the basic unit can be provided with a photometrical , an optical or an electrochemical analyzer , respectively , so that photometrical , optical and also electrochemical test - elements can be used alternatively via the basic unit . in an embodiment of the present invention , the measuring track of the measuring section can , for example , be formed by a longitudinal section of the sample - line . the measuring track is thereby arranged in longitudinal direction , not in a cross direction . in this way , the measuring track is much longer as it would be the case if the measuring track would be in cross direction . the longer the measuring section , the more precise the measurement . the test - element can be provided with a positioning element , which provides an exact positioning of the test - element in the basic unit . the measuring section of the test - element should be exactly in line with the photometer of the basic unit to provide a photometrical measurement without errors . the test - element can therefore be provided with at least one separate positioning element , which provides the positioning in addition to the lateral surface of the test - element in the basic unit . the test - element can , for example , comprise a groove , a cavity or an opening in which a respective snap element of the basic unit snaps in , to position and fix the test - element into the basic unit . the key - reagent can , for example , be provided in a dry state in the sample - line . in an embodiment of the present invention , the sample - line can be provided with an auxiliary - reagent in addition to the key - reagent . the auxiliary - reagent can be arranged between the inlet opening and the measuring section or between measuring section and pump opening , depending on the function . the auxiliary - reagent can , for example be an activator which activates the key - reagent once the auxiliary - reagent is mixed with the water - sample . this can improve the durability , the non - hazardous and / or the insensibility abilities of the key - reagent . the auxiliary - reagent can be a separate reagent which serves to analyze a second analyte in the water - sample . the auxiliary - reagent can cause a multi - stage reaction based on or after the key - reagent has reacted with the water - sample . the support - reagent can also be an analyte - standard , which , for example , can be used to perform a standard addition . the auxiliary - reagent can also be a neutralization - reagent which can be arranged between the measuring section and the pump opening . after the water - sample has been analyzed in the measuring section , the water - sample can be pumped to the auxiliary - reagent which reacts with the key - reagent so that the key - reagent is neutralized . the auxiliary - reagent can also gelatinize and / or color the water - sample after the water - sample has been analyzed . changing the color of the water - sample shows the customer that the test - element is used . gelatinizing caused a fixation of the water - sample in the sample - line so that leakage is avoided . it is also possible to arrange numerous of different reagents in series in the sample - line to analyze different analysts of the same water - sample . once the water - sample arrives at the respective reagent , the reagent can be dissolved in the water - sample so as to react with the analyte , for example , by changing the color . the analyte can be determined in the measuring section and subsequently , the water - sample can be mixed with the second reagent to determine a second analyte in the water - sample . in an embodiment of the present invention , the test - element can be provided with a pump - membrane which seals the pump opening fluid - tight and gas - tight , whereby the pump - membrane encloses a pump volume which can be higher than the total pump - channel volume . this allows a precise transport and placement of the water - sample with only one stroke of the pump - membrane at the complete length of the sample - line . the pump - membrane can be controlled via the pump actuator of the basic unit , whereby the pump actuator can be provided with a rod which pushes the pump - membrane . for example , by pushing the rod , the water - sample can be pumped backwards in direction to the inlet opening and by pulling the rod , the water - sample can be pumped forward in direction to the pump opening . in an embodiment of the present invention , the pump actuator can , for example , be a part of the sample - pump whereby the sample - pump is connected with the pump opening of the inserted test - element . all movable parts of the sample - pump can be arranged at the basic unit . the basic unit and / or the test - element can provide an elastic seal in the pump opening section which provides a sealed connection between the pump opening and the sample - pump . a gas - tight and fluid - tight connection between the pump opening and the sample - pump allows for an accurate and fail - safe operation . an elastic seal provides a sealed fluidic connection between the sample - pump and the sample - line of every test - element . this embodiment provides an accurate and fail - safe analyzing operation even after a long life time and after many measurements . the test - element can be provided as a multi - analyte - test - element with two separate sample - lines with different key - reagents so that the test - element is able to analyze two or more different analysts . the test - element comprises , for each analyte , a complete analyzing - mimic which comprises a sample - line with an inlet opening , a measuring section and a respective key - reagent . this allows the determination of numerous analysts with only one measurement . the test - element can be provided as a stripe . the stripe shaped test - element can , for example , be made out of an elongated and flat casting - component in which the sample - line and the measuring section is formed as a groove . the groove which forms the sample - line can be filled with the key - reagent before the stripe is closed by a clear - transparent plastic film . the photometer window ( s ) of the photometrical section can be made out of a separate transparent window . the elongated and flat casting - component can alternatively be completely made out of a transparent plastic . it is also possible to arrange numerous of the test - elements in a removable cartridge which can be inserted into the basic unit . the cartridge can , for example , have the shape of a drum with numerous drum chambers , whereby each drum chamber houses a test - element which is inserted air - tight . the removable cartridge allows the use of numerous test - elements in line by using an appropriate manual , semiautomatic or fulllyautomatic load and unload mechanism . in an embodiment of the present invention , an absorption body can , for example , be arranged between the measuring section and the pump opening . the absorption body serves to absorb the water - sample after the measurement has been finished and the sample has been pumped to the absorption body . the water - sample is thereby immobilized and a leakage of the water - sample is avoided . the absorption body can , for example , be a fleece body , a clay body like bentonite or can be a so called super - absorber . the body can additionally comprise a neutralizing reagent . in an embodiment of the present invention , the sample - line can , for example , be provided with a sample filter which filters the water - sample which is sucked through the inlet opening of the test - element . the filtration can be performed before the water - sample is transported to the measuring section to be measured . the sample filter can be made of mineral wool . according to an embodiment of the present invention , the basic unit can be provided with a heating and / or cooling element to heat or to cool the test - element . the heating or cooling can be controlled so that an adjustment of the temperature of the test - element is possible . a temperature of , for example , 40 ° c . can significantly accelerate the reaction of the key - reagent with the analyte in the water - sample or can stabilize the reaction , respectively . a cooling of the test - element or the water - sample in the sample - line of the test - element , respectively , reduces the outgassing or the formation of disturbing gas bubbles which can cause errors during photometrical measurements . in an embodiment of the present invention , the sample - line can be provided with a hydrophobic stopper capillary . the stopper capillary can be arranged close to the pump opening so that the stopper prevents the transportation of the water - sample through the pump opening into the basic unit . according to an embodiment of the present invention , the sample - line can be provided with a dose capillary arranged between the inlet opening and the measuring section . the dose capillary can , for example , be arranged adjacent to the inlet opening . by using a dose capillary , the water - sample can be sucked , basically by the capillary force , into the test element so that a defined water - sample volume can be segregated . the water - sample can thereafter be pumped repeatedly forth and back inside the sample - channel by using the pump actuator . the reagent can be arranged adjacent to the inlet opening to prevent an interaction of unreacted analyte with the sample - line wall . this is reasonable for the determination of chlorine , if the test - element or the sample - line wall is made of plastic . the test - element can be provided with a drying agent to protect the key - reagent against humidity . for example , the drying agent can be separated in the sample - line by using a hydrophobic stopper capillary , whereby the humidity can flow through the stopper capillary to the drying agent . the inlet opening and / or the pump opening can be sealed with a humidity - tight transport - seal , which can be opened manually or automatically by inserting the test - element into the basic unit , for example , by piercing . alternatively or additionally , the single test - element can be sealed in a humidity - tight package . fig1 and fig3 schematically show a mobile water - analyzing system 10 , 10 ′ for a quantitative determination of an analyte in a water - sample . with the described embodiment of a photometrical analyzing system 10 , 10 ′ chlorine , phosphate or ammonium can be determined . alternatively or additionally , the analyzing system can be provided as an electrochemical analyzing system . the analyzing system of fig1 comprises a basic unit 14 and a removable disposable test - element 16 , which is presently inserted into the basic unit 14 . the test - element 16 is provided with a test - element body 18 made out of plastic . the test - element body 18 has a sample - line 20 which is formed as a groove . the side with the groove opening of the test - element body 18 is closed with a transparent plastic film or aluminum cover , respectively ( not shown ). the sample - line 20 is provided with an inlet opening 22 which is positioned at the distal referring to the basic unit 14 and through which a water - sample is sucked from a water - reservoir 12 . the distal area of the sample - line 20 is provided with a dry key - reagent 24 arranged in the sample - line 20 . adjacent to and , in the flow direction , behind the key - reagent 24 is a meander like mix section 26 of the sample - line 20 in which the key - reagent 24 and the sucked water - sample are mixed homogeneously . adjacent to the mix section 26 is a measuring section 28 in which the analyte is determined quantitatively . the present measuring section 28 is a photometrical section , whereby the measuring section 28 forms a measuring track for the respective photometrical analyzer 30 of the basic unit 14 . both sides of the measuring section 28 comprise a clear - transparent photometrical window 44 , 46 as shown in fig2 . the test - element body 18 can be completely made out of a clear transparent plastic which allows the measuring beam 35 to pass the measuring section 28 . the measuring track of the measuring section 28 is formed by a linear longitudinal section of the sample - line 20 , i . e ., the measuring track is running along an imaginary longitudinal axis of the sample - line 20 in the measuring section 28 . this provides substantially much longer measuring track as it would be the case , if the track would run in cross - direction through the sample - line 20 . at the sample - line end opposite to the inlet opening 22 , a pump opening is provided 40 which is connected with a pump actuator of the sample pump of the basic unit when the test - element is inserted . the basic unit 14 is provided with an analyzer 30 which is a transmission photometer with two light sources 32 , 33 and a light detector 34 . the light - sources 32 , 33 emit light of different wavelengths . the basic unit 14 ; 114 is furthermore provided with a heat and cooling element 140 which is a peltier - element and is used to heat or to cool the test - element ( fig7 ). the heating or cooling is controlled , so that a constant temperature of the test - element 16 ; 116 is adjusted . a temperature of , for example , 40 ° c . can significantly accelerate the reaction between an analyte in the water - sample and a key - reagent 24 , or can stabilize the reaction , respectively . a cooling of the test - element 16 or the water - sample in the sample - line 20 of the test - element , respectively , reduces the outgassing or the formation of disturbing gas bubbles which cause errors during photometrical measurement . the test - element 16 is provided with two positioning elements 48 , 48 ′ which are realized as openings . the positioning element 48 , 48 ′ cooperates with a respective snap element of the basic unit 14 so that the test - element 16 is fixed reproducibly and exactly . this provides that the measuring beam 35 generated by the light source 32 , 33 is exactly in line with the photometrical measuring section 28 . the test - element receptacle of the basic unit 14 is formed as a slot 15 in which the test - element 16 fits without any clearance . fig3 shows an embodiment of a mobile water - analyzing system 10 ′ including a removable cartridge 60 which is formed as a drum with 15 drum chambers 62 , whereby each drum chamber 62 carries a test - element 16 . the plastic drum body 64 is sealed axially with a circular sealing foil 66 so that the chambers 62 are sealed gas - tight and fluid - tight . as showed in fig3 , the removable cartridge 60 is inserted into a respective cartridge slot of the basic unit 14 ′. the basic unit 14 ′ is provided with a cartridge rotary actuator 67 and a test - element shifter 70 . the shifter 70 can shift a test - element 16 automatically from a chamber 62 into the measuring position as shown in fig3 . as soon as the measurement is finished , the shifter 70 moves the test - element 16 out of the measuring position and ejects it out of the basic unit 14 ′. in a next step , the shifter 70 is completely removed from the cartridge 60 . the rotary actuator 67 then turns the cartridge 60 by one chamber angle so that the next chamber 62 with the test - element 16 is in line with the shifter 70 . as soon as a measurement request is signalized by the customer , the shifter 70 moves the test - element 16 from the chamber 62 into the measuring position so that the measurement can start . fig5 and fig6 show the respective front view and the rear view of two embodiments of a test - element 80 . the test - element 80 is an electrochemical test - element which is provided with an electrochemical measuring section 82 in the sample - line 84 . the measuring section 82 is provided with two electrodes 86 , 88 in positioned opposed to each other , the electrodes being connected through electric lines 90 , 92 with contacts 94 , 96 . the contacts 94 , 96 are arranged in line to respective contacts of the basic unit whereby the contacts are connected with the electrochemical analyzer of the basic unit . the rear view of the test - element in fig6 shows the pump opening 40 . a circular seal element 41 is provided surrounding the pump opening 40 to provide a vacuum - tight connection between the sample - line 84 and a sample - pump realized as a pump actuator 42 . fig7 schematically shows a side view of a part of an embodiment of a mobile water - analyzing system 10 ″. the water - analyzing system 10 ″ is provided with a disposable test - element 116 which is provided with a convex and vesicular pump membrane 118 above the pump opening 40 . the pump element which is formed as a pump membrane 118 has a pump volume which is higher as the total volume of the sample - line 84 . the basic unit 114 is provided with a pump actuator 120 with a motor 122 whereby the pump actuator 120 controls a rod 124 . the rod 124 pushes against the pump membrane 118 of the inserted disposable test - element 116 . the water - sample can be moved over the complete length of the sample - line forward and backward by the rod 124 deforming the pump membrane 118 . to determine an analyte in a water - sample , first a test - element 16 is inserted into the test - element receptacle 15 of the basic unit 14 . this can , if given , activate the basic unit 14 . in a next step , the inlet opening 22 of the test - element is immersed manually into the analyzing water - reservoir 12 so that the sample - pump 42 sucks a water - sample into the measuring section 28 of the sample - line 20 . the analyzer 30 determines the background signal of the water - sample in the measuring section . as soon as the background signal determination is finished , the water - sample is pumped forward from the measuring section 28 into the reagent section 23 . the water - sample meets with the key - reagent 24 in the reagent section 23 so that the key - reagent 24 is mixed with the water - sample . the key - reagent 24 reacts with the analyte in the water - sample so that the optical properties of the water - sample change . by pumping backwards , the water - sample flows back from reagent section 23 to the measuring section 28 . the water - sample is analyzed photometrically by the analyzer 30 . the result of the measurement is a gross - value . subtracting the background from the gross - value leads to a net concentration of the analyte in the water - sample . with the test - element 80 of fig5 and fig6 , an even more precise determination of the analyte in a water - sample can be realized by using standard addition . after the determination of the analyte in the measuring section 82 , the water - sample is pumped again forward to the section with the support - reagent 25 , whereby the water - sample is mixed with the first auxiliary - reagent 27 which forms a first analyte standard . the water - sample is then pumped backwards from the section with the auxiliary - reagent 25 into the measuring section 82 , whereby the water - sample is analyzed again photometrically . the water - sample is transported again forward to the section with the second auxiliary - reagent 29 , whereby the water - sample is mixed with the second auxiliary - reagent 31 which forms a second analyte standard . finally , the water - sample is transported again backwards from the section with the second auxiliary - reagent to the measuring section , whereby the water - sample is measured by the photometer . both photometrical analyte standard measurements lead to a concentration - absorption characteristic line which allows an exact determination of the analyte concentration of the water - sample by using the net concentration value . fig8 shows an embodiment of a test - element 130 in which the key - reagent 132 is arranged close to the inlet opening 22 . this positioning of the key - reagent 132 is particularly useful for a chlorine reagent to prevent a reaction of the analyte chlorine with the plastic wall of the sample - line 20 . the sample - line 20 or the complete body of the test - element 130 , respectively , is made out of a material inert for chlorine , such as polystyrene . between the measuring section 28 and the pump opening 40 , an auxiliary reagent 134 is provided . the auxiliary reagent 134 can be a separate reagent for analyzing a second analyte in the water - sample . the auxiliary reagent 134 can cause a multi - stage reaction with the water - sample , based on or after the key - reagent 132 has reacted with the water - sample . the auxiliary - reagent 134 can also be an analyte - standard which , for example , can be used to provide a standard addition . the auxiliary - reagent 134 can also be a neutralization - reagent . after the water - sample has been analyzed in the measuring section 28 , the water - sample is transported to the auxiliary - reagent 134 , which reacts with the key - reagent 132 . the key - reagent 132 is neutralized so that the test - element can be disposed in the community waste . the auxiliary - reagent 134 can also gelatinize and / or color the water - sample after the water - sample has been analyzed . changing the color of the water - sample shows the customer that the test - element 130 has been used . by gelatinizing , the water - sample is fixed in the sample - line 20 so that the water - sample cannot leak . fig9 shows an embodiment of the test - element 140 . the key - reagent 142 and the auxiliary - reagent 144 are positioned relatively close to each other between the inlet opening 22 and the measuring section 28 . for instance , the auxiliary - reagent 144 is an activator which activates the key - reagent 142 once the auxiliary - reagent 144 is mixed with the water - sample . both reagents 142 , 144 can alternatively be arranged between the measuring section 28 and the pump opening 40 . the sample - line 20 is provided with an absorption body 146 which is a fleece body and is arranged between the measuring section 28 and the pump opening 40 . the sample - line 20 is provided with a dose capillary 148 adjacent to the inlet opening 22 . adjacent to the pump opening 40 , the sample - line 20 can be provided with a stopper capillary 150 which prevents any leakage out of the sample - line 20 . the sample - line 20 is also provided with a sample filter 152 between the inlet opening 23 and the measuring section 28 , and in particular close to the inlet opening 23 , to filter the sucked water - sample . fig1 shows , as an example , a cross section of the test - element 140 of fig9 . the test - element 140 comprises basically two parts : a plastic bottom part 150 which is made by injection die - casting and a separate cover part 152 which is a clear - transparent plastic film adhered or welded to the bottom part . the bottom part 150 is , in the cross section , provided with a u - shaped sample - line groove 21 which is closed by the cover part 152 . in this way , the bottom part 150 and the cover part 152 form the sample - line 20 . the present invention is not limited to embodiments described herein ; reference should be had to the appended claims . | 1 |
fig1 illustrates an isometric exploded view of a poke - thru assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention . the assembly 10 includes a bottom plate 12 , an intumescent insert 14 , a top plate 16 , a trim ring 18 , and access doors 20 . the bottom plate 12 includes an upper surface 22 and a lower surface 24 . an electrical opening 26 is formed from the upper surface 22 through the lower surface 24 and into a channel 27 defined by a cylindrical electrical conduit 28 . a communication opening 30 is formed from the upper surface 22 through the lower surface 24 and into a channel 32 defined by a cylindrical communication conduit 34 . the intumescent insert 14 includes a generally cylindrical main body 36 defined by an outer wall 38 and upper and lower surfaces 40 and 42 . an electrical opening 44 and a communication opening 46 extend from the upper surface 40 to the lower surface 42 . the top plate 16 includes a generally circular main body 48 with upwardly extending support legs 50 . the main body 48 includes an electrical receptacle mounting structure 52 that is configured to receive and retain an electrical receptacle 53 ( such as a duplex receptacle ). similarly , a communication mounting structure 54 is formed through the main body 48 and is configured to receive and retain a communications device 56 ( such as a telephone , data , audio / visual connector , jack or device ). the electrical receptacle mounting structure 52 and the communication mounting structure 54 are configured to securely retain the electrical receptacle 53 and the communication device 56 , while at the same time , allowing cabling or wiring connected to each of the electrical receptacle 53 ( such as wiring 58 ) and the communication device 56 to pass therethrough . the intumescent insert 14 is configured to be sandwiched between the bottom plate 12 and the top plate 16 . when the assembly 10 is fully assembled , electrical wiring ( such as wiring 58 ) connected to the electrical receptacle 53 passes through an electrical passage defined by the mounting structure 52 , the electrical opening 44 , the electrical opening 26 and the channel 27 . similarly , communication / data cables pass through a communication passage defined by the mounting structure 54 , the communication opening 46 , the communication opening 30 , and the channel 32 . each upwardly extending leg 50 includes an upright portion 60 having a first end 62 secured to the main body 48 of the top plate 16 and a second end 63 having a mounting tab 64 . the mounting tab 64 includes a fastener through - hole 66 . the mounting tabs 64 are configured to securely support the trim ring 18 . the trim ring 18 includes fastener through - holes 68 that are configured to align with the fastener through - holes 66 of the mounting tabs 64 . the trim ring 18 may be secured to the mounting tabs 64 through screws , nails , rivets , and the like . alternatively , the trim ring 18 may include latching members , clasps , barbs , or the like that are configured to securably engage reciprocal structures formed on the mounting tabs 64 . the trim ring 18 includes an annular body 70 defining a central passage 72 . the fastener through - holes 68 are positioned proximate an internal edge 74 of the annular body 70 , but may be formed at different areas of the annular body 70 . the trim ring 18 is configured to be securely mounted slightly above , or flush with , a top surface of a floor ( not shown ). the trim ring 18 also includes hinge - mounting structures 76 configured to retain hinges 78 formed on the access doors 20 . the hinges 78 are pivotally secured within the hinge - mounting structures 76 . thus , the access doors 20 may be pivoted between open and closed positions by way of the hinges 78 pivoting about the hinge - mounting structures 76 relative to the trim ring 18 . each access door 20 may be held in a closed position against the trim ring 18 with at least one spring clip 79 mounted thereto . the access doors 20 define a cover for the poke - thru assembly 10 when in the closed position . each access door 20 includes a semi - circular main body 80 having egress door openings 84 formed at an interior edge 85 . an egress door 86 is configured to be movably secured within at least one egress door opening 84 on each access door 20 . that is , the egress doors 86 may slide , pivot , or otherwise move relative to the egress door openings 84 . fig2 illustrates an isometric view of a poke - thru assembly 10 with one access door 20 in an open position . as shown in fig2 , each access door 20 includes two egress door openings 84 but pivotally retains one egress door 86 . an egress door 86 secured to one of the access doors 20 covers an opening defined by the egress door opening 84 of the access door 20 to which the egress door 86 is secured , and an egress door opening 84 of the access door 20 to which the egress door 86 is not secured . that is , each access door 20 includes an egress door opening 84 for the egress door 86 to which the access door 20 is connected to , and an egress door opening 84 that is a reciprocal opening for the egress door 86 of the other access door 20 . as shown in fig2 , the access doors 20 may be spring biased such that pressing down on the access doors 20 may deactivate a spring activated latch mechanism , thereby allowing the access door 20 to be pivoted into an open position in the direction of arrow a . the egress doors 86 may be pivoted into an open position by pushing downwardly thereon so that the egress door 86 is positioned below the surface of the access door 20 . that is , instead of opening upwardly above the surface of the access door 20 , the egress doors 86 are pushed downwardly below the access doors 20 . in order to close the egress doors 86 , the access doors 20 are opened and the egress doors 86 are swung back into a closed position . the access doors 20 have latching members that snapably , latchably , or otherwise removably secure the egress doors 86 into a closed position , but that also allow quick and easy opening of the egress doors 86 . once the access doors 20 are open , electrical and communication cables ( not shown ) may be guided into the cavity formed between the upper surface of the intumescent insert and the central passage 72 . the cables may be electrically connected to the electrical receptacle 53 ( i . e ., a plug mating with an electrical outlet of the electrical receptacle ) and the communication device 56 . as shown in fig2 , the top surface of the electrical receptacle 53 and the communication device 56 are substantially flush with an upper surface 73 of the intumescent insert 14 . that is , the bulk of the electrical receptacle 53 and the communication device 56 are housed within electrical opening 44 and the communication opening 46 ( fig1 ), respectively , of the intumescent insert 14 . the legs 50 support the trim ring 18 and access doors 20 a distance d above the upper surface 73 ( and hence the electrical receptacle 53 and the communication device 56 ). the distance d is adequate to allow an entire plug portion of an electrical cable , or large audio / video type connectors , to be housed within the central passage 72 ; below the surface of the trim ring 18 and the surface of the floor . fig3 illustrates an isometric view of a poke - thru assembly 10 with the access doors 20 in a closed position . as shown in fig3 , the access doors 20 and the egress doors 86 are substantially flush with an upper surface of the trim ring 18 . fig4 illustrates an isometric view of a poke - thru assembly 10 with the access doors 20 closed and a cable 90 passing through an egress door opening 84 . the cable 90 is positioned within the central passage 72 when at least one of the access doors 20 is in an open position ( as shown in fig2 ). fig5 illustrates an isometric view of a poke - thru assembly 10 with both access doors 20 in an open position . referring again to fig4 , after the cable is positioned within the central passage 72 , an egress door 86 proximate the cable 90 is then depressed into an open position . once the cable 90 is mated to an appropriate structure ( e . g ., the electrical receptacle 53 of the communication device 56 ), the access doors 20 are closed around the cable such that the cable 90 is positioned within an egress door opening 84 . the egress door opening 84 ( defined by the aligned egress door openings 84 of the two access doors 20 ) is sized to allow the cable to pass therethrough , while at the same time ensuring that the closed access doors 20 are flush with the top surface of the trim ring 18 . hence , the poke - thru assembly 10 does not include any components that protrude above a top surface of the trim ring 18 , or substantially above the top surface of the floor . likewise , another cable can be positioned in the poke - thru assembly 10 with the plug received in the central passage 72 and mated to the communications device 56 and the cable extending through an egress door opening 84 such that the access doors 20 are flush with the top surface of the trim ring 18 . both cables may be positioned within the poke - thru assembly 10 at the same time . alternatively , one of the receptacles of the recessed in - floor fitting may be a receptacle , jack , device , or power receptacle for being connected to an audio / visual connector or plug . alternatively , embodiments of the present invention may be used with a split dome configuration , as shown and described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 545 , 215 , entitled “ split dome cover assembly for an in - floor fitting ,” which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety . thus , the egress doors may slide into open and close positions . also , alternatively , embodiments of the present invention may be used with various in - floor fittings , such as afterset fittings , preset fittings , poke - thru fittings , and the like . while the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted 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 its scope . therefore , it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
referring to the drawings , resonators are typically high q devices in that they achieve an amplitude peak and valley within a narrow frequency range in the impedance spectrum . a typical one - port resonator response 100 is shown in fig1 , with the x - axis representing the nominal frequency 110 and the y - axis representing the nominal amplitude 115 . the one - port resonator response 100 is fixed at frequency f o 120 . communication systems including digital radios have utilized ladder and lattice type structures as filters for a number of years . numerous publications , such as lakin et al , thin film resonator technology , ieee 2003 fcs - eftf , paper we1a - 4 ( invited ) may 5 - 8 , 2003 , describe how such ladder and lattice structures benefit the communications industry . a similar approach is made with this invention to benefit the sensor industry . fig2 ( a ) shows a ladder structure configuration 200 which comprises several resonator elements . each of the series resonator elements , namely f 11 element 210 and f 12 element 212 , are individual resonators configured such that each of their resonant peaks are at a frequency f o 120 , as shown in fig1 . similarly , each of the shunt resonator elements namely as f 21 element 220 and f 22 element 222 , are individual resonators configured such that each of their resonant peaks are at a frequency f 1 which is slightly offset from frequency f o 120 . thus , in the ladder structure configuration 200 , a total of four resonator elements are utilized . it should be noted however that a fundamental ladder configuration can be constructed with a single series element and a single shunt element , and further derivations of ladder configurations can be constructed with several series elements and several shunt elements suitably configured . fig2 ( b ) shows a related lattice structure configuration 230 . each of the series resonator elements , namely f 13 element 240 and f 14 element 242 , are individual resonators configured such that each of their resonant peaks are at a frequency f o 120 , as shown in fig1 . similarly , each of the cross - shunt resonator elements , namely f 23 element 250 and f 24 element 252 , are individual resonators fashioned such that each of their resonant peaks are at a frequency f 1 , which is slightly offset from frequency f o 120 . thus , in the lattice structure configuration 230 , a total of four resonator elements are utilized . it should be noted that further derivations of lattice configurations can be constructed with several series elements and several cross - shunt elements suitably configured . a common design requirement for filter applications in the communications industry is to achieve a smooth pass band such that a signal of one particular frequency within the desired frequency band will be regarded with the same attenuation as other signals at different frequencies within the same pass band . in typical communications ladder filter design , the zero of the series resonator must be directly aligned with the pole of the shunt resonator along with other matching techniques to ensure a flat pass band . the tolerance for the resonant frequencies of the components is typically very stringent , therefore reducing overall manufacturing yield . however , for sensor applications , not only is a smooth pass band not required , it is actually less desirable because the ripples in the pass band will aid in the detection process . when the frequency response of a ladder or lattice sensor structure is shifted slightly either up or down in frequency due to perturbation effects , the combination of the shifted response along with a non - shifted reference response from a similar reference ladder or lattice structure results in an overall different signal response characteristic of the frequency shift and can be used in identifying sensor detection events . also , within a sensor configuration , tolerances can be less stringent since a difference between a reference and measured responses is required . this will lower the cost of such sensing devices , since the manufacturing yield will be higher . the general shape of the frequency responses of multi - element ladder structures 300 is illustrated in fig3 , with the center frequency of approximately 1 ghz chosen for illustrative purposes . a comparison is made between the responses of a two - element ladder response 310 similar to that the ladder structure configuration 200 shown in fig2 ( a ), a 4 - element ladder response 320 and a 6 - element ladder response 330 . the pass band ripple , the depth of the nulls and the attenuation of the out of band response are a function of the number of ladder elements selected for the configuration . how the ladder or latter structure responds to a perturbation of an elemental resonator depends on where the elemental resonator is placed within the ladder or lattice structure . unlike ladder , lattice or other filter structures such as acoustic wave filters used in communication applications , such multi - element structures are not symmetrical in operation when used for sensor applications . resonator structures positioned nearer to the input stimulus have more impact , when perturbed , on the outcome of the sensor frequency response than resonator structures positioned further away from the input stimulus . this leads to a selection of where in the multi - element structure certain perturbations should take place , for example placing the most sensitive perturbation closest to the input stimulus to maximize its affect . the perturbations can occur on the series element resonators 210 , 212 , the shunt element resonators 220 , 222 , or a combination thereof . the effect on the multi - element ladder frequency response 400 with ( a ) series perturbations 410 and ( b ) shunt perturbations 420 is shown in fig4 ( a ) and 4 ( b ). the series perturbations 410 illustrate a comparison between an unperturbed response 412 and a perturbed response 414 of the series elements of a 4 - element ladder structure similar to that shown in fig2 ( a ). the low frequency side , up to the beginning of the pass bands of the unperturbed response 412 and the perturbed response 414 remain relatively unchanged . the high frequency side beyond the beginning of the pass bands begins to show a difference between the unperturbed response ( 412 ) and the perturbed response ( 414 ), indicating that a measurement of this difference would correlate to the amount of perturbation which took place on the series elements of the perturbed 4 - element ladder structure . similarly , the shunt perturbations 420 illustrate a comparison between an unperturbed response 422 of the shunt elements of a 4 - element ladder structure similar to that shown in fig2 ( a ). the high frequency side , beyond the pass bands of the unperturbed response 422 and the perturbed response 424 , remain relatively unchanged . however , the response below the upper pass band edge begins to show a difference between the unperturbed response 422 and the perturbed response 424 , indicating that a measurement of this difference would correlate to the amount of perturbation which took place on the shunt elements of the perturbed 4 - element ladder structure . similar perturbed and unperturbed effects of an n - element ladder structure would likewise occur . one example of an acoustic wave sensor utilizing a multi - element detection system 500 is shown in fig5 . a frequency stimulus 510 excites a multi - element structure configuration 520 . the preferred frequency stimulus 510 is a swept frequency in which the start frequency and stop frequency of the frequency stimulus ( 510 ) include the nominal frequency range of the individual elemental resonators and the potential perturbed frequency responses of the multi - element structure . one method of providing the frequency stimulus 510 is to construct a saw frequency modulated ( fm ) chirp generator as described in , edmonson et al ., “ mode selection in a multimode saw oscillator using fm chirp mixing signal injection ,” ieee trans . on ultrasonics , ferroelectrics and frequency control , vol . uffc - 35 , no . 3 , pp . 390 - 395 , may 1988 . the output of the multi - element structure configuration 520 functions as the input to a mixer 530 , which also uses a signal input from a voltage controlled oscillator ( vco ) 540 to produce a modified down converted signal 550 at a lower frequency range than the resonant frequencies of the multi - element structure configuration 520 . this down converted signal 550 is then suitably conditioned , sampled and digitised within a sampling and digitising system 560 . the binary equivalent of the down converted signal 550 then acts as the input to a digital processor 570 . the processor 570 can then utilize a suitable algorithm to detect the magnitude and phase features of the frequency response characteristics of the multi - element structure configuration 520 or any changes to the response . the multi - element detection system 500 can be modified to produce a paired multi - element configuration 600 shown in fig6 . instead of a single multi - element configuration , paired sets of two separate multi - element structure configurations are used . typically , one multi - element structure configuration comprises series resonators sf 11 620 and sf 12 621 and shunt resonators sf 21 622 and sf 22 623 and has the purpose of sensing the physical , chemical and biological effects . the other multi - element structure comprises series resonators sf 11 r 624 and sf 12 r 625 and shunt resonators sf 21 r 626 and sf 22 r 627 and has the purpose of providing a reference signal . even though this paired multi - element configuration depicts a total of two series and two shunt elements per structure , the same kind of arrangement can be used for an n - element structure . also , the individual resonator elements may be located on the same body of substrate material or may be located independently on their own separate body of substrate material or a combination thereof . according to one embodiment of the invention , suitable sensitive areas , such as molecular recognition element ( mre ) material , can be placed on each of the multiple series elements sf 11 620 and sf 12 621 , and may be placed on each of the multiple shunt elements sf 21 622 and sf 22 623 . these sensitive areas associated with the multiple series elements sf 11 620 and sf 12 621 need not be identical in nature and may be different . this is because of the configuration of a ladder or lattice structure in which the frequency response changes differently if each of the multiple series elements sf 11 620 and sf 12 621 were to independently change . the processor 570 of fig5 may utilize a suitable algorithm to detect the independent changes of the frequency response and determine which of the sensitive areas , including both , were perturbed . this same analogy can also be applied to the multiple shunt elements sf 21 622 and sf 22 623 and to ladder and lattice structures comprising n - elements . a matrix of switches sw 1 a 682 , sw 1 b 684 , sw 2 a 686 and sw 2 b 688 are controlled by the processor 670 via a switch controller bus ( sw - con ) 689 , to divert the frequency stimulus 610 to each of the paired multi - element structures and to direct the outputs from the paired multi - element structures to the input of the mixer 630 . the mixer 630 uses another suitable frequency input from a vco 640 , to produce a modified down converted signal 650 at a lower frequency range than the resonant frequencies of the paired multi - element structures . this selected down converted signal 650 is then suitably conditioned , sampled and digitised within a sampling and digitising system 660 . the binary equivalent of the selected down converted signal 650 then acts as the input to a digital processor 670 . the processor 670 can then detect the frequency response characteristics of each of the paired multi - element structures and produce data indicating a change due to the interaction of the sensitive areas within the detecting multi - element structures . it may not appear initially to be clear why a reference multi - element structure configuration is required in that it would appear that the processor would measure and store the data at the initialisation of the detecting sequence and then use this digital stored data as the reference to any further change . the advantage of utilizing a paired multi - element configuration 600 with one of the pairs acting as a reference is that this can null out any global attributes that all of the acoustic wave resonators are subjected to within the detection sequence . the paired multi - element configuration 600 shown in fig6 can be extended to include a general multi - structure configuration 700 such as shown in fig7 . a reference structure 722 comprises reference series multi - elements refse 731 and reference shunt multi - elements refsh 732 . the reference structure 722 and its multi - elements refse 731 and refsh 732 would typically not have sensitive areas within them . the remaining multi - element ( me ) structures , namely me structure # 1 724 and up to and including me structure # n 726 would have sensitive areas such as mres on each of their series and shunt elements . these sensitive areas would detect the same effects or different effects depending upon the sensor &# 39 ; s application . me structure # 1 724 comprises series multi - elements , namely series 1 733 and its shunt multi - elements , namely shunt 1 734 . similarly , me structure # n 726 would have series multi - elements , namely series n 735 and shunt multi - elements , namely shunt n 736 . a matrix of switches , namely swra 781 , swrb 782 , swma 783 , swmb 784 and continuing to swmn − 1 785 and swmn 786 are controlled by the processor 770 to divert the frequency stimulus 710 to each of the multi - element structures , namely reference structure 722 , me structure 1 724 continuing to me structure n 726 . also , to direct the outputs from the multi - element structures to the input of the mixer 730 . the mixer 730 uses another frequency input from a vco 740 , to produce a modified down converted signal 750 at a lower frequency range than the resonant frequencies of the multi - element structures which are used to form a general multi - structure configuration 700 . a selected down converted signal 750 is then suitably conditioned , sampled and digitised within the sampling and digitising system 760 . the binary equivalent of the selected down converted signal 750 then acts as the input to a digital processor 770 . this processor can then detect the magnitude and phase features of the frequency response characteristics of each of the multi - element structures , namely reference structure 722 , me structure 1 724 continuing to me structure n 726 , and produce data indicating a change due to the interaction of the sensitive areas within the detecting multi - element structures . remote interrogation of an acoustic wave sensor utilizing a multi - element structure in accordance with the invention can be obtained by modifying the multi - element detection system 500 shown in fig5 to that of a remote multi - element transponder detection system 800 as shown in fig8 . the processor 870 controls the frequency stimulus 810 and a diverter 815 . the diverter 815 changes the direction of the signal path so that , when a remote multi - element transponder 820 is interrogated , the diverter 815 enables the signal path to proceed from the frequency stimulus 810 , through an antenna 1 817 , via a free - space path 819 to an antenna 2 827 which is electrically connected to the remote multi - element transponder 820 . the remote multi - element transponder 820 will return a signal which is dependent upon the perturbations occurring within the sensitive areas located within the remote multi - element transponder 820 . the returned signal leaves the remote multi - element transponder 820 via antenna 2 827 , propagates through the free - space path 819 to antenna 1 817 and is then directed through the diverter 815 by the processor 870 to a signal conversion module 850 and on to the processor 870 for further processing . this method of interrogating a remote multi - element transponder 820 permits more than two sensitive areas , such as mres and more specifically antibodies , to be place on the remote multi - element transponder 820 . an acoustic wave sensor utilizing a multi - element structure in accordance with the invention may comprise saws , baws or fbars , depending on the intended use of the sensor . for remote sensing , the use of baw and fbar devices for transponder applications is more challenging compared to the use of saw rfid sensors such as described by p . j . edmonson et al , a surface acoustic wave sensor or identification device with biosensing capability , u . s . pat . no . 7 , 053 , 524 b2 issued may 30 , 2006 . a remote multi - element transponder 900 as shown in fig9 utilizes a nested saw type structure , such that saw type of propagation devices along with baw and fbar type devices can be assembled as multi - element configurations . an antenna 902 receives an interrogation signal and , using antenna interconnects 904 , the signal passes through main idt interconnects 906 which are located on a suitable piezoelectric material 910 . the main idt # 1 921 and the main idt # 2 922 are also located on the piezoelectric material 910 and are electrically connected to the main idt interconnects 906 . the interrogation signal on the main idt interconnects 906 then excites both of the main idts 921 , 922 , and acoustic waves propagate bi - directionally from the main idts 921 , 922 . a second saw device is located in the propagation path of the acoustic waves and comprises an inner idt # 1 931 and an inner idt # 2 932 located on the piezoelectric material 910 and electrically connect to a multi - element structure 940 . the multi - element structure 940 may include baw , fbar and saw type resonators , depending on the intended use of the sensors . the multi - element structure 940 is spaced from the piezoelectric material 910 but is electrically connected to the inner idts 931 , 932 . an acoustic wave propagating from the main idt # 1 921 interacts with the inner idt # 1 931 to cause an electrical signal to interact with the multi - element structure 940 . an electrical signal , modified by interaction with the multi - element structure 940 , causes an acoustic wave to propagate from the inner idt # 2 932 and interact with the main idt # 2 922 , causing a modified electrical signal to connect to the antenna 902 via the main idt interconnects 906 and the antenna interconnects 904 and be returned back to the interrogator . even though a single interrogation signal is presented to the remote multi - element transponder 900 , several modified returned signals result , due to the nature of the acoustic waves propagating bi - directionally from the main idts 921 , 922 and from the inner idts 931 , 932 . another feature of this embodiment is the asymmetry of the nested saws comprising inner idts 931 , 932 ) and the multi - element structure 940 . the acoustic wave propagation distance from the main idt # 1 921 to the inner idt # 1 931 is defined as gap # 1 951 , and the acoustic wave propagation distance from the main idt # 2 922 to the inner idt # 2 932 is defined as gap # 2 952 . gap # 1 951 differs from gap # 2 952 such that , during any one time event , there is only one set of electrical signals generated from either the inner idt # 1 931 or from the inner idt # 2 932 within the multi - element structure 940 at one time . another feature of the remote multi - element transponder 900 is the ability of utilizing harmonic features within the main idts 921 , 922 and the inner idts 931 , 932 . harmonic idts , such as described by c . k . campbell and p . j . edmonson , “ an empirical method for obtaining the harmonic response coefficients of a saw interdigital transducer ,” 2002 ieee ultrasonics symposium , munich , germany , october 2002 , can operate at multiples of a center frequency f o . this feature permits , for example , an fbar multi - element structure 940 , spaced from the piezoelectric material 910 , to operate at 3 , 000 mhz center frequency , while the main idts 921 , 922 and the inner idts 931 , 932 located on the piezoelectric material 910 , can be geometrically structured at a frequency equal to 3 , 000 mhz divided by “ n ”, where “ n ” is the harmonic value . this feature permits simplification of the photolithographic process used to construct the main idts 921 , 922 and the inner idts 931 , 932 . one use for an acoustic wave sensor utilizing a multi - element structure in accordance with this invention is for the rapid detection of sepsis . sepsis is a cascading failure of organ systems , usually initiated by infection of the blood , then exacerbated by a massive , injurious inflammatory response . typically there are about 18 million cases of severe sepsis per year worldwide . the present invention enables two different types of biomarkers to be detected simultaneously in real time from a subject &# 39 ; s breath . the first type of biomarker is representative of the earliest physiological responses to infection , where blood circulation is re - distributed at the expense of the gut . the gut responds by sending out several secreted signaling biomarkers in response to relative low oxygenation . the signaling biomarkers include but are not limited to , endothelin - 1 ( et - 1 ), erythropoietin ( epo ) and tumour necrosis factor - alpha ( tnf - α ). the second type of biomarker is representative of bacteria which includes , but is not limited to , lipopolysaccharide ( lps ), a bacterial wall component . an example of how an acoustic wave sensor utilizing a multi - element structure in accordance with this invention can be used as a multi - element sepsis detector 1000 is shown in fig1 . three separate and different shunt elements contain an et - 1 resonator and receptor 1020 , an epo resonator and receptor 1021 and a tnf - a resonator and receptor 1022 . the series elements lps - 1 resonator and receptor 1010 and lps - 2 resonator and receptor 1011 are also separate but contain the same lipopolysaccaride receptor . this duplication maintains the integrity of the ladder structure and also provides a method of redundancy . sensitive bedside measures of biomarkers for the early detection of sepsis can give clinicians time to initiate therapies which prevent disease progression . monitoring the contents of breath for diagnostic and treatment purposes is not new , but has mostly been considered for lung diseases , since breath is an ideal window into lung function . the recognized need for better sensors of breath contents prompted a consensus study by horvath , et al ., “ exhaled breath condensate : methodological recommendations and unresolved questions ” eur respir j , vol . 26 , no . 3 , pp . 523 - 548 , 2005 , highlighting the potential for clinical use in myriad lung diseases , as well as current technical limitations . an acoustic wave sensor utilizing a multi - element structure in accordance with the present invention can be arranged to check the breath of a subject and provide a rapid diagnosis of sepsis . similarly , an acoustic wave sensor utilizing a multi - element structure in accordance with the invention could be used for the detection of biological or chemical molecules in any biological fluid including , but not limited to , blood , saliva , and urine . other embodiments and advantages of the invention will now be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art from the foregoing description , a scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims . | 6 |
the description of the preferred embodiment uses the invention in a gaming device of the type usually referred to as a “ slot machine .” it could be used in any desired gaming or entertainment device , including but not limited to such things as a video poker game , a video keno game , a combination gaming machine , or even a coin - operated or bartop amusement device . by referring to fig1 , the basic concept of the invention may be easily understood . gaming unit 100 comprises cabinet 109 , which contains user control array 104 and display 106 , which are controlled by the segmented memory control system . ( see fig2 .) fig2 details a potential embodiment of the invention . central processor 102 uses instructions , graphics , sound and other customary data stored on primary memory 108 to conduct play by displaying graphics on display 106 and allowing interaction ( game selection , wagering , etc .) by the player via user control array 104 . it is preferred , but not required , that primary memory 108 be a rom , prom , or e - prom chip as customarily used in the field of electronics . primary memory 108 could also comprise a flash ram chip , a hard drive , an optical disc in an optical disc reader , or any other non - volatile means of storing data as required to conduct game play . while it is not required , a random - access memory means , such as a ram chip or a hard drive ( not shown ) will greatly facilitate the operation of gaming unit 100 by allowing the unit to temporarily store information such as the size of the current wager , the results of prior games conducted by the current player , personal data about the current player for customized game play , or any other desired temporary information . reader units 101 and 103 are capable of reading removable memory units 105 and 107 . it is preferred , but not required , that the reader units be usb - based flash ram readers , and that removable memory units be flash ram cards , as both of those items are customarily used in the field of electronics . the reader units could also be optical disc readers , dip or zif sockets for dip chips , or any other configuration allowing the insertion and removal of corresponding appropriate removable memory units . it is strongly preferred , but not required , that the reader units be such that if there is no removable memory unit present , the reader units do not suffer degradation and can be disregarded by the central processing unit without any interference in the operation of the gaming unit . fig3 details the operation of the preferred embodiment . at an appropriate time or times ( preferably , at bootup of the gaming unit ) the segmented memory evaluation process begins as in step 200 . first , the device determines , whether by inquiring of a central server , reading back a non - volatile memory location , asking for user input , or any other reasonable means , how many data types are to be evaluated as in step 202 , up to a constant which is referred to as ymax . ymax represents the number of times the entire segmented memory evaluation procedure will be executed . each data type represents a class or subclass of computer code , computer graphics , digitized sound , algorithms , localized language text , or other suitable type of electronic data . specific data in the form of machine - readable text , code , sound or graphics is referred to as a data set . in the example given , there are two removable memory units and one primary memory unit to be evaluated . it is required that the primary memory unit contain a data set for each data type , even if it is only a default “ zero value ,” or else that the code controlling the unit set a default value for any data type for which a data set is not found . after setting the data type to “ 1 ” as in step 204 , where a location of “ 1 ” corresponds to the first data type to be set , the unit establishes the priority of data sets according to their location in memory locations , beginning with memory location 1 as in step 208 . the priority of each memory location ( removable or primary ) is set according to a predetermined scheme . in the example given , the lower the number of the address of the memory location , the higher priority data sets from that location receive in the segmented memory evaluation process . the actual method and means of prioritization is not specific , only that there be such a prioritization . it is permissible , although not preferred or required , that the removable memory units contain prioritizing data sets which independently establish their priority , e . g . under a priority system using a hierarchy patterned after the greek alphabet , a removable memory unit could contain a data set which gave its priority as “ beta ,” which would mean it would override any removable memory unit with a priority of “ delta ” but would be overridden by a removable memory unit with a priority of “ alpha ,” using a hierarchy following the greek alphabet . if this technique is used , it is required that some means of either preventing or dealing with duplicate priority claims , such as assigning the higher priority to a data set with a more recent write date , or in the lowest - positioned reader unit , or other sufficiently identifiable criteria . once the prioritization has been established — here , simply using locations referred to by ascending roman numerals — the unit first looks for a data set in memory unit address location 1 , which corresponds to removable memory unit 105 in reader unit 103 ( not shown : see fig1 ) as in step 210 . if it does not find a data set to put in the current data type , it increments the location to search by one as in step 212 and repeats step 210 . this process repeats until a data set is found or the lowest - priority location has been evaluated . it is , as previously stated , required that either the primary memory 108 ( not shown , see fig1 ) or whatever corresponds to the lowest - priority memory location contain default data for all data types , or some process for dealing with non - specified data sets be implemented . here , it is assumed that the former is true and therefore at some point , an appropriate data set will be located . when this occurs , the unit sets the contents of the current data type to equal the current data set as in step 214 . after setting the contents of the current data type , the unit checks to see if it has filled all data types — in other words , to see if the segmented memory evaluation process has executed ymax times . if the answer is no , the unit increments the data type to be evaluated by one as in step 218 , and then the unit returns to step 206 , and the process repeats . if the answer is yes , the process is complete , and the process terminates as in step 220 . to cite an example which is not preferred or required , but well illustrates the practice of the invention to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art , the means of prioritizing the memory units , including both primary and removable memory units , could be as straightforward as assigning each a volume or device identifier and using what is typically referred to in most modern operating systems as the path variable to allow reference to otherwise - identical file specification paths in the order in which the devices are referred to in the path variable . then , if the data required for any particular data set is normally stored in a data file identified as device / foo / bar / file . ext , the gaming unit looks for it in each device in turn according to the priority set forth in the path variable such that if the highest priority device is identified as device_ 0 , the next highest is identified as device — 1 , and so forth until the primary device is identified as device_x , the gaming unit will first look in device_ 0 / foo / bar / for the data file it needs , then device_ 1 / foo / bar /, and so on until it reaches device_x / foo / bar /, at which point it will either find default data or respond as desired to a lack of defined data for that data set . while the description above details the preferred and best mode ( s ) of practicing the invention , many other configurations and variations are possible . for example : 1 ) the invention need not be practiced as a gaming unit , but could be a coin - operated amusement device , a home gaming system , or any other appropriate system . 2 ) the various memories need not comprise physical ram , flash ram , or other similar devices , but could comprise optical discs , floppy discs , or even remote memory locations accessible through a network . accordingly , the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment ( s ) illustrated , but by the claims below and their equivalents . | 6 |
the preferred oligomer of the invention can be produced by a reaction scheme in which the diisocyanate and catalyst ( e . g ., dibutyltin dilaurate ) are added to hea , followed by heating to about 80 ° c . and maintenance of that temperature for a period of about two hours . the behenyl alcohol is then added , the reaction mixture is held at a temperature of about 70 ° c . to 80 ° c . for an additional one - hour period and , after reduction of the temperature to about 60 ° c ., the polyol is introduced ( together with an antioxidant ), the 60 ° c . temperature then being maintained to completion of the reaction . as an alternative , more generalized reaction scheme , a selected amount of polyol is added , at ambient temperature , to a glass reactor containing a stirrer and thermocouple , placed in a water bath . an amount of tmxdi is added to the reactor such that the ratio of equivalents of isocyanate to polyol is between 1 . 3 : 1 and 2 . 2 : 1 . mixing is commenced and heat is applied to the reactor ; when the reaction mixture reaches 50 ° c . dibutyl tin dilaurate is added in an amount equal to 500 parts per million , based upon the weight of polyol . the reaction mixture is allowed to heat to 80 ° c . and is maintained at that temperature for two hours , at which time a monofunctional alcohol is added as a partial capping agent , in an amount selected to be at an equivalent weight ratio of the alcohol to unreacted isocyanate of between 0 . 1 : 1 and 0 . 8 : 1 , but preferably between 0 . 3 : 1 and 0 . 5 : 1 . the reaction is allowed to continue for one hour , at 80 ° c . ; then the temperature is reduced to 60 ° c ., and a conventional monomeric acrylate capping agent is added in an amount equal , on an equivalency basis , to the theoretical amount of isocyanate groups remaining after all the hydroxyls of the polyol and alcohol had been reacted ; about 300 to 1000 parts per million of an antioxidant , such as 4 - methoxyphenol , is also added to the reaction mixture . reaction is continued at 60 ° c . for eight additional hours , and the mixture is then allowed to cool to room temperature . confirmation of the structure of the resultant oligomer is obtained using infrared spectroscopy , gel permeation chromatograpy , or another standard analytical technique . as another alternative , a so - called “ reverse addition ” technique can be employed in which the end - capping compounds are added incrementally to a quantity of tmxdi heated to about 60 ° c . and containing a catalyst , followed , after a period of about two hours , by the addition of the polyol . the reaction is brought to completion at a temperature of 60 ° c . to 70 ° c . the preferred tmxdi - based oligomer described above is mixed , in both 70 : 30 and 50 : 50 ratios , with isobornyl acrylate ( iboa ), and two weight percent of irgacure 184 photoinitiator ( ciba specialty chemicals , of tarrytown , n . y .) is added to each of the formulations ( which are hereinafter identified as xp - 1 , and xp - 2 , respectively ), curing thereafter being effected by uv initiation . for comparison , the same two formulations , in which however the tmxdi - based oligomer is replaced by the br - 3741ab oligomer hereinabove described ( the resulting prior art formulations hereinafter being identified as br - 1 and br - 2 , respectively ), are prepared and cured . the viscosities of the uncured formulations ( measured at 25 ° c . using a brookfield viscometer fitted with a small - sample adapter ), the measured elongation - to - break values ( expressed as percentages ), and the levels of adhesion to certain substrates exhibited by the cured samples , are set forth in table one below : table one xp - 1 br - 1 xp - 2 br - 2 viscosity , cp 12 , 000 22 , 800 2 , 350 5 , 150 elongation ( astm d882 ) 5 , 284 1 , 050 3 , 926 1 , 022 spot adhesion ( astm d3808 ) stainless steel m h h h steel ( crs ) m m h h aluminum l - m l - m h m - h glass l - m l - m h m polycarbonate l l - m l m - h hdpe ( untreated ) m l m l as can be seen , the oligomer embodying the invention effects dramatic reductions in the viscosities of the formulations prepared , as well as increases in the elongation - to - break values exhibited by the cured products . it also produces improved adhesion to certain substrates ( albeit resulting in reduced adhesion to others ), most notably to high density polyethylene and ( at the 50 : 50 level ) to aluminum and glass (“ h ” indicates that the cured adhesive will not release from the substrate ; “ m ” indicates that it will release , but with great difficulty ; and “ l ” indicates that the adhesive will release with some resistance ). six tmxdi - based oligomers are produced ( exp . no . 1 - 6 ) by introducing 600 g ( 0 . 298 equivalent ) of a polypropylene oxide based diol ( 4000 g / mol molecular weight oh # 28 , from bayer chemical ) into a glass reaction vessel , to which is added 54 . 56 g ( 0 . 447 equivalent ) of tmxdi ( cytec industries corp ), and mixing is started . the reaction mixture is heated to 50 ° c ., and 0 . 30 g of dbtdl catalyst is added . the temperature of the reaction mixture is then raised to 80 ° c . and maintained for two hours , after which time 0 . 0491 equivalent of a selected alcohol is added , and the reaction mixture is maintained for one hour at temperature ; the alcohols used , and the weights thereof , are set forth in table two , below . the temperature of the reaction mixture is then reduced to 60 ° c ., and 0 . 0997 equivalent of hea plus 0 . 34 g of mehq are added to the reactor and the reaction is continued for eight additional hours at 60 ° c ., after which time the mixture is allowed to cool to room temperature . table two equivalent exp . no . alcohol weight grams 1 n - butanol 74 . 1 g / mole 3 . 64 2 1 - octen - 3 - ol 128 . 2 g / mole 5 . 60 3 1 - dodecanol 186 . 3 g / mole 9 . 15 4 2 - octyl dodecanol 298 . 6 g / mole 14 . 67 5 behenyl alcohol 322 . 7 g / mole 15 . 75 6 tetradecyl eicosanol 495 . 0 g / mole 24 . 31 each of the resulting oligomers is tested for its effect upon tensile and elongation ( astm d882 - 01 ), viscosity ( astm d2196 - 99 ), and spot adhesion , in comparison with two urethane acrylate oligomers , br - 3741 and br - 3042 , available from bomar specialties co . and widely used in commercial free radical cured ( ultraviolet , electron beam , or peroxide - initiated ) polymerization . it is to be noted that br - 3741 and br - 3042 are similar to the oligomers of the invention described hereinabove in that they are based upon 4000 molecular weight propylene oxide polyols , diisocyanates , and hea endcaps , and are chain extended ; they do not however contain the tmxdi component , or alcohol partial endcaps . to enable tensile , elongation and spot adhesion tests to be performed , 70 parts of each of the foregoing oligomers is admixed with 30 parts of isobornyl acrylate and 2 parts of irgacure 184 photoinitiator . curing is effected in a single pass , under a fusion f - 300 uv lamp , equipped with a six - inch “ h ” bulb , at a belt speed of 20 feet / minute . seven substrates are used for adhesion tests : aluminum , steel , stainless steel , polyacrylic , hdpe , abs , and glass . spot adhesion is graded from 0 to 5 , with 0 being no adhesion and 5 being the maximum level , usually showing cohesive failure . samples used for tensile / elongation are prepared by casting films on glass which had been previously treated with a release agent ; they are usually 4 mils thick and are cut into ½ inch wide strips ; because the cured films exhibit high elongation the samples used are usually ¼ to ½ inch long ( rather than being of the standard two - inch lengths ). a cheminstruments tt - 1000 analyzer is used for data generation . the results of the spot adhesion tests are set forth in table three below , and the percent elongation data are set forth in table four : the data presented in table three demonstrate that oligomers embodying the invention effect improved adhesion , as compared to conventional products . the data presented in table four demonstrate that the instant oligomers afford increased elongation values , again as compared to the conventional oligomers . while the invention is predicated upon the use of tmxdi as the isocynanate component , considerable compositional and quantitative variation is possible in the other ingredients , and hence in the oligomers produced . the polyol employed is a linear or branched hydrocarbon molecule containing a plurality of hydroxyl end groups and providing a hydrocarbon backbone to the oligomer . the hydrocarbon portion ( i . e ., a non - aromatic portion containing a majority of methylene groups , which may contain internal and / or pendent unsaturation ) of the polyol will usually have a molecular weight of about 600 to about 4 , 000 g / mol , as determined by gel permeation chromatography using methylene chloride as the solvent and as measured against polystyrene molecular weight standards . because long - term stability of the cured resin increases as the degree of unsaturation decreases , fully saturated ( i . e ., hydrogenated ) hydrocarbons are preferred . suitable hydrocarbon polyols include , in addition to the propylene oxide - based polyol hereinabove identified , hydroxyl - terminated , fully or partially hydrogenated 1 , 2 - polybutadiene ; 1 , 2 - polybutadiene polyol hydrogenated to an iodine number of from 9 to 21 ; fully or partially hydrogenated polyisobutylene polyol ; and mixtures of such polyols . one of the two endcapping agents employed will be an hydroxyl - terminated aliphatic acrylate or methacrylate conforming to the formula : wherein r 3 , r 4 and r 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , methyl , ethyl or propyl , m is an integer from 1 to 10 , and p is 0 or 1 . suitable hydroxyl - terminated monoacrylates which may be used as the endcapping monomer include , in addition to the preferred hea , 2 - hydroxyethyl methacrylate , 3 - hydroxypropyl acrylate , 3 - hydroxypropyl methacrylate , and 4 - hydroxyethyl acrylate , as well as other ( meth ) acrylates having hydroxyl functionality and mixtures of the foregoing . the other endcapping monomer is provided by one or more straight chain or branched alcohols containing one to 36 carbon atoms . as indicated above , 1 - docosanol preferred . the molar ratio of the polyol , diisocyanate and endcapping monomer mixture is preferably approximately 1 : 2 : 2 . the molar ratio of the acrylate and alcohol endcapping monomers is broadly 0 . 5 : 1 to 3 : 1 ; preferably , the ratio will be at least 1 : 1 , and the most desirable ratio will generally be 2 : 1 . a catalyst will be employed , typically in the amount of 100 to 200 ppm , to increase the reaction rate among the polyol , the end - capping compounds , and the diisocyanate . suitable catalysts include , in addition to dibutyltin dilaurate , dibutyltin oxide , dibutyltin di - 2 - hexoate , stannous oleate , stannous octoate , lead octoate , ferrous acetoacetate , and amines such as triethylamine , diethylmethylamine , triethylenediamine , dimethylethylamine , morpholine , n - ethylmorpholine , piperazine , n , n - dimethylbenzylamine , n , n - dimethyl - laurylamine , and mixtures thereof . radiation - curable formulations embodying the invention will usually comprise about 10 to 90 weight percent of the tmxdi - based oligomer and , conversely , about 90 to 10 weight percent of an alkyl acrylate or methacrylate monomer . as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , a wide variety of monofunctional and polyfunctional acrylate and methacrylate nonomers can be employed in the instant formulations art ( see for example u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 429 , 088 and 4 , 451 , 523 ). nevertheless , the following acrylates and corresponding methacrylates , used alone or in combination with one another , might be identified : hydroxyethyl ( meth ) acrylate , hydroxyproply ( meth ) acrylate , ethylhexyl ( meth )- acrylate isobornyl acrylate , tetrahydrofurfuryl acrylate , diethyleneglycol diacrylate , 1 , 4 - butanediol diacrylate , butylene glycol diacrylate , neopentyl glycol diacrylate , octylacrylate and decylacrylate ( normally in admixture ), polyethyleneglycol diacrylate , trimethyl - cyclohexyl acrylate , benzyl acrylate , butyleneglycol diacrylate , polybutyleneglycol diacrylate , tripropyleneglycol diacrylate , trimethylolpropane triacrylate , di - trimethylolpropane tetraacrylate , pentaerythritol tetraacrylate , phenyl glycidyl ether acrylate , neodecanoate vinyl ester , ethoxylated phenoxy ethyl acrylate , and di - pentaerythritol pentaacrylate . the properties imparted to the composition will generally vary in proportion to the amount used and number of acrylate groups present in the molecule , and optimal concentrations will consequently be selected accordingly . the formulations will normally include about one to ten weight percent a suitable initiator , especially a uv photoinitiator , and they may contain other materials such as organosilane adhesion promoters , chain - transfer agents , and stabilizers . thus , it can be seen that the present invention provides a novel isocyanate - based oligomer that leads to desirable properties in cured products in which it is employed , and novel formulations containing the oligomer . more specifically , the invention provides such an oligomer that is well suited for use in formulations that are curable to films , coatings , adhesives , and the like ; that is of reduced viscosity in comparison to similar isocyanate - based oligomers ; that affords significantly enhanced adhesion to certain substrates , such as polyethylene , polypropylene , and other substrates of low surface tension ; and that may impart increased elongation - to - break values to products produced from formulations in which it is incorporated . | 2 |
fig1 shows in section a concrete form element 1 of which the particular shape allows an easy assembly used for pouring the wall of the building such as shown in fig8 . the assembly comprises two forms 70 , 71 of which the coffering faces are opposed . these two forms are positioned with the aid of rods 72 passing through the two surfaces to maintain a constant spacing between the surfaces of each form element . each part of the form element comprises lateral and vertical sections which will now be explained in detail . the section shown in fig1 is made by extrusion from an aluminium alloy giving it a lightweight which facilitates handling . the press used during the extrusion makes it possible to obtain a section shape whose characteristics and advantages will be described . the form section comprises a flat face 2 , 2 . 5 mm thick . perpendicularly to this surface are located longitudinal stiffening fins 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 . in a preferred embodiment , the width of the section will present a form surface of 20 cm . for such a width , the section will be provided with four fins in the form of two lateral fins 3 , 6 at each end and two central fins 4 , 5 . the central fins 4 , 5 have a &# 34 ; t &# 34 ;- section of which the foot extends from the form surface and of which the ends which are constituted by the head bar of the &# 34 ; t &# 34 ; are parallel to the form surface in the same plane as the two ends of the lateral fins . the two lateral fins 3 , 6 present a c - section , the opening being oriented laterally towards the outside on the edge of the section . it will be understood that the number of central stiffening fins may vary if the dimensions of an element are enlarged in order that the fins are regularly spaced apart to give the assembly resistance and to limit the forces applied on the form surface . the production by extrusion of two lateral fins and of two central fins makes it possible to define open cavities 7 , 8 , 9 of which the openings are located on the face of the section opposite the form surface in alignment with the rear ends of the two fins 3 , 6 . the lateral fins 3 , 4 of &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; section are cast so that their opening 12 , 13 is oriented towards the outer edge of the section . in a preferred embodiment , a form element as shown in section in fig1 has a height of 2 . 50 m , a width of 20 cm and an edge thickness of 5 cm . this section is furthermore provided with longitudinal reinforcements 14 , 15 each located on a fin , constituting a gutter performing two functions : on the one hand an additional mass for at limiting the forces applied to the element and thus avoiding any rupture and , on the other hand , to allow by the end openings of the gutter the introduction of fastening means such as screws to ensure positioning of another form section which will be explained hereinbelow . these longitudinal reinforcements are alternately offset in the succession of fins so that , when the adjacent section is placed on the edge of this section , fasteners , then engaged in the gutters , are not aligned and therefore offset the pressure exerted on the section . the production of such an element for dimensions cited hereinabove makes it possible to obtain , by the use of aluminium , a weight of 3 . 5 kg , which implies a light , easily maneuverable element , unique up to the present time in the domain of concrete forms . moreover , the use of aluminium avoids any problem of corrosion thus giving the element an exceptionally long life . from such a basic element , complementary form elements may be obtained by a simple operation , such as in particular sections for obtaining exterior or interior angles . with reference to fig2 a form element section making an exterior angle 20 is obtained by folding longitudinally to the center of the form surface . this middle of the form surface lies in the central cavity 28 and the center of the form surface coincides with the edge of the 90 ° angle formed by folding the form surface 22 . the two lateral fins 23 , 26 still have their opening towards the outside of the edge of the section . the cavities 27 and 29 have not been modified , only the cavity 28 defined by the central fins 24 , 25 has had its volume increased . the longitudinal reinforcements 14 , 15 are also found in the same manner as set forth hereinabove . fig3 presents a form element section 30 making an interior angle . this angle element is made from the basic element set forth hereinabove , by folding the median part longitudinally of the form surface but as in the case of an exterior angle , a folding involving a 90 ° approach of the two faces making the angle ; however , in such case , it is a question of a 90 ° spacing of the two faces involving a movement of approach of the two lateral fins . in order to obtain a folding towards the rear part of the section with reference to the support of the fins , it is necessary to prepare , by cut - out , the two central fins so that they do not come into abutment against each other . such cut - out is effected at the level of the middle of the two central &# 34 ; t &# 34 ;- shaped fins so that , when the section is folded towards the inside , the two remaining fin parts 34 , 35 do not block the movement . an interior angle for the form is then produced by cut - out and folding . the prior cut - out of the fins involves an elimination of the fin 34 of the gutter for insertion of the fasteners , but a longitudinal reinforcing gutter 14 is maintained on the fin 35 . the two lateral c - sectioned fins are intact and their openings on the edge are oriented at 90 ° with respect to each other . from the basic element delivering a rectilinear smooth form surface , form element sections may easily be obtained for particular applications such as corner forms . this passage from the basic element is easily effected by a simple folding and possibly cut - out of the fins . of course , in the description of fig2 and 3 , the transformation was described for obtaining a right - angled form , but it may be readily understood that it would be possible to obtain an intermediate obtuse or acute angle by limiting the approach by folding of the two ends of the section . from a form element section as previously described , large surfaces are easily obtained by lateral association and by superposition of these different elements . fig4 shows in section a lateral association of these various elements . the elements 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 are laterally joined to one another so that their surface is in the same plane . a lateral fin of a first element cooperates with a lateral fin of a second element so that their openings are opposite . when these lateral fins are joined , a closed volume is obtained in which is inserted a connecting element 54 , 55 , 56 formed by an aluminium section of square cross - section . fig7 shows the cooperation between this connecting element and the ends of two sections in which it is inserted . a first section 50 is joined by its lateral fin to a second section 51 at its lateral fin . a connecting element 62 is inserted , which is blocked , on the one hand at the bottom of the cavity against the fins and , on the other hand , laterally by the return flanges of the c - section , avoiding any front - to - rear clearance . once this connecting element is inserted in the two cavities of the lateral fins of the sections 50 , 51 , the connecting element is fixed by screws 63 , 64 to the two form element sections . in a preferred embodiment , the fasteners 63 , 64 will pass through the rear surface of the form element in order to reach the connecting element 62 . fig5 shows an assembly of form element sections 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 joined to one another , as seen in section in fig4 . referring now to fig6 the manner of associating a vertical arrangement the sections on one another will be discussed . to that end , a receiving channel 42 made by an aluminium section of &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; cross - section , is placed horizontally on the upper edge of a first section . on the rear inner face of this &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; section , the receiving channel is provided with orifices allowing the passage of fasteners which are engaged in the longitudinal reinforcements located on each fin . the fasteners may , for example , be screws . the positioning of this receiving channel on the upper edge of the element allows , on the one hand , a rigidification of the assembly and , on the other hand , reconstitutes a shape of the section comparable to that located laterally on the section . on the form element which will be joined in superposition on the first element previously described , a receiving element or channel 43 comprising the same c cross - section will be fixed on the lower edge of the section . when the receiving elements 42 , 43 are placed on the lower and upper edges of the two form channels to be joined , a connecting element 44 is engaged in the opening made by the &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; shape of the first section and , in the same manner as described previously for lateral joints , this connecting element cooperates with the other opening of the receiving element associated in the vertical cooperation . all that will remain , for a definitive assembly of the two elements , is to place screws traversing the base of the &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; section channels and the connecting element . in the case of a form element section for an interior or exterior angle , it will be readily understood that the connecting element has a square shape as well as the section making the receiving channel so as to allow a corner cooperation of the two superposed form elements . a form may therefore be easily made by lateral association of a basic element as well as by vertical association . when the totality of the shuttering surface required has been produced , steel walers 45 are positioned on the rear face of the form element sections by securing the &# 34 ; t &# 34 ;- shaped stiffening fins with the aid of screws 47 . referring again to fig5 it is seen that these steel walers 59 , 60 cooperate laterally with the assembly of the joined form element sections . these walers 59 , 60 include openings for passage of spacing elements coinciding with the orifices made in the cavities defined by stiffening fins . the upper edge of the form made is defined by a receiving element 57 and the lower edge by another receiving element 58 . the present invention therefore makes it possible to produce form element sections entirely of aluminium , benefitting from a total weight of 19 kg to the m 2 and responding to all uses and needs in building and public works , not requiring the use of machines since they can be manipulated by hand . the use of aluminium avoids all the problems of corrosion and therefore implies an exceptionally long useful life . the easy assembly with the aid of the connecting elements and the receiving sections allows use by unqualified manpower . the particular shape of the different elements automatically ensures square levelling and vertical orientation . the shape of these elements further allows easy packing and transport in container form . these forms therefore benefit from a mechanical assembly within reach of all , thus avoiding the servitudes of a conventional assembly employing sophisticated welding and complicated manufacturing techniques . of course , the invention is in no way limited by the particular features which have been set forth in the foregoing or by the details of the particular embodiment chosen to illustrate the invention . variations may be made to the particular embodiment which has been described by way of example and to its elements without departing from the scope of the invention . | 4 |
fig1 illustrates a tube shell 10 being axially drawn through a fixed die 11 in the direction of arrow 12 by well known means ( not shown ) such as a draw carriage . a stationary mandrel 13 is disposed within the tube shell 10 . the mandrel 13 has a mandrel plug 14 , constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention , fastened to a mandrel rod 15 by a retaining bolt 16 having a threaded end 17 that passes through a central longitudinal bore 20 in the plug 14 and threadably engages a threaded recess 21 in the end of the mandrel rod 15 . the mandrel plug 14 of the preferred embodiment has stepped working surfaces including a larger diameter cylindrical working section 22 angularly joined to a smaller diameter cylindrical working section 24 by a frusto - conical section 23 . the section 23 has an angle 30 of inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plug . the leading end 25 of the plug 14 is on the larger working section 22 and is beveled in the preferred embodiment , as is known in the art , to facilitate positioning of the plug 14 within the tube shell 10 . the trailing end 26 of the plug 14 is on the smaller diameter working section and abuts the mandel rod . in the preferred embodiment , each section 22 , 23 , 24 of the plug 14 has a common central longitudinal axis . the die 11 is provided with a die opening which includes a conical approach zone 31 , a cylindrical die land 32 , and a countersunk exit or relief zone 33 at the exit side of the die opening and , as represented in fig1 is conventional . the conical approach zone has a half - angle 34 relative to the axis of the die opening . the longitudinal axis of the tube shell 10 is parallel , and preferably coaxial , with the axis of the die opening . in operation , the tube shell 10 is positioned within the die opening and the mandrel plug 14 is held fixed in position within the die and the tube shell 10 . as shown , the exterior surface of the tube shell contacts the surface of the die opening , and the interior surface of the shell contacts the mandrel plug . the tube shell 10 is axially drawn through the die opening by conventional means in the direction of arrow 12 to cold work the shell . fig2 is respresentative of a similar cold working operation using a conventional mandrel 113 including a cylindrical mandrel plug 114 fastened to a mandrel rod 115 , and fixed within the die 11 . as illustrated in both fig1 and 2 , diametrical ( inner and outer ) reduction of the tube shell 10 commences as the tube shell 10 comes into contact with the surface of the conical approach zone 31 . reduction of the outer diameter continues as the tube shell 10 passes through the conical approach zone 31 , but reduction of the inner diameter ceases , and reduction of the wall thickness is initiated , when the inner surface of the shell contacts the mandrel plug -- in the case of the inventive plug , at the smaller diameter working surface ( 24 ) ( see fig1 ). in the prior art , as illustrated in fig2 the inner diameter of the moving tube shell 10 remains essentially unchanged after contacting the plug 114 . as best shown in fig1 however , the tube shell 10 , in accordance with the invention , is reduced to its final inner diameter and wall thickness dimensions within the cylindrical die land 32 upon traversing the frusto - conical section 23 and contacting the larger diameter working section 22 . it has been found that the smoothness of the inner surface of a tube cold drawn with a stepped mandrel , as described , is improved . as the tube shell 10 passes over the frusto - conical section , the inner diameter is expanded forcing the tube material radially outward . the combination of selective metal working at the inner surface and radial compression work to produce an improved smoothing on the inner surface . thus , any surface roughness on the inner surface of an ingoing tube shell , such as would normally be present in a hot finished seamless tube , would be greatly diminished , if not completely eliminated . in contrast , appreciable roughness would remain on the inner surface of a hot finished tube drawn with a conventional mandrel plug having a constant diameter cylindrical plug . the following example exemplifies , the details of a tube drawn with a mandrel constructed in accordance with the invention : a steel tube shell having an outside diameter of 5 . 500 - inches and a wall thickness of 0 . 600 - inches was cold drawn to a tube heating an outer diameter of 5 . 000 - inches and a wall thickness of 0 . 512 - inches . the initial surface roughness of the inner surface of the tube shell ranged from 250 to 300 rms microinches . the resulting inside surface roughness ranged between 20 and 30 rms microinches . the surface resulting with the use of a conventional cylindrical mandrel to produce the same finished tube size would have been approximately 100 rms microinches . the mandrel plug utilized has the following dimensions : smoother surfaces may be achieved , moreover , for a given wall reduction by subjecting the tube shell to multiple draw passes in order to incrementally reach the utimately desired wall reduction . as used in the specification and claims , the term &# 34 ; working section &# 34 ; shall be understood as capable of imparting cold work to a tube being drawn in contact with a surface portion of the working section . | 1 |
referring to fig1 , a method and apparatus for separation of chemical materials from feces is generally indicated by reference numeral 10 . feces is brought into the plant and sent to a feces holding tank 100 . at this point the fecal material may be from 4 % to 50 % solids as the remainder is water and water soluble minerals . from the feces or waste collection point 100 the feces is pumped 102 through a screen filter 104 or other commercially common filtering media to remove large objects and any large debris such as sticks , leaves , plastic bottles and cans , for example . the remaining water and solids are mixed either inline or in a mix tank 106 or other commercially common mixer including a mix tank with a motor driven shaft and impeller . from here the blended material is sent through a pressurized filter 108 to remove as much water as possible . this operation could be a belt press filter or other commercially available pressure filter that squeezes or somehow releases as much water or aqueous solution as possible from the solid material . the water filtrate is pumped to an aqueous filtrate holding tank 110 . the water may be processed further or disposed . generally , the water is low in sugars but , depending on the source of the feces or waste , the water may be further processed to remove the sugars and carbohydrates to be fermented to produce ethyl alcohol . additionally , the water filtrate typically includes nitrogen , phosphorus and amino acids , for example , which may be used as a fertilizer . from here the dewatered solids may be sent to a dryer where almost all of the water is dehydrated from the solids , leaving the solids as a granular or powder material . to obtain the most surface area for the material it may be put through a grinder , ball mill or other commercially available unit operation to make smaller particles and increase reactive surface area . the solids are then delivered , either by pump or auger elevator or pneumatically 112 to a solids cake holding tank 114 . from here the material is delivered either by auger or pump 116 to a mix tank 118 where the solids are mixed with a small amount of acid 120 and solvent 122 mixture or solvent alone . tank 118 is a closed mix tank where the solids are mixed with an acid solvent blend consisting of an acid where the ph may be between 0 . 0 and 6 . 5 . depending on the composition of the solids , the ratio of acid to solvent in the acid solvent blend may be one acid to 100 solvent by weight or may be 100 acid to one solvent . the solids may be mixed with either this acid solvent blend or with a pure solvent or a mixture of solvents without adding any acid . the solvent may be an aromatic , aliphatic , ketone , ether or alcohol , for example . the solvent may also be a mixture of the solvents mentioned . the ratio of the weight of acid solvent blend or solvent ( now called the liquid to weight of dry solids ) may be one to one or as high as one part dry solid to eighty parts liquid . the mixture at this point may be heated to speed the reaction of the solids with the acid and / or solvent . at this point oxygen or other gases released from the mixture through the reaction with acid may be driven from the closed mix tank 118 by flushing with nitrogen or an inert gas , for example , or the gases be left in the tank . the mixture is stirred in the tank by a mixing device such as a motor with a shaft and propeller or by recirculating with a pump or by an inline pump . the time of mixing may be from one minute to twenty four hours depending on the reaction speed of the mixture . the fecal material can be mixed anywhere from one to four times with this liquid and allowing the mixture to rest between mix cycles , or a countercurrent continuous wash may be used . after mixing , the material is filtered , either in the same mix tank , or a tank specifically designed for filtering . pressure filtering or centrifugation may also be used . the mixture is pumped 124 to a filter tank 126 to filter out any material that is not in solution which is pumped or augured to a solids holding tank 128 for further processing or disposal . from here the liquid material is pumped or augured 130 to a liquids holding tank 132 for further processing . the liquid at this stage now contains the extracted material released from the feces during the mixing stage . from here the liquid containing material extracted in solution from the feces is pumped 134 to a distillation unit 136 where the liquid can be separated from the material extracted from the feces . the extracted material is the product desired . solvent is distilled off through a distillation line 138 to a solvent holding tank 140 . the solvent is condensed and may be pumped 142 to the mix tank 118 for reuse in the cycle . the solids left after distillation are pumped or augured to the solids holding tank 144 . it should be understood that the solids may include viscous liquids or oils that have a higher boiling point than the distilled solvent , and thus remain with the solids . this tank also acts as a surge tank to allow the proper amount of solid material to be sent to the next step , which is mixing with a metal hydroxide solution . solids from the solids holding tank are sent to a mix tank 146 to be mixed with the metal hydroxide dissolved in water . certain acidic components of the solids will react with the metal hydroxide to form the metallic salt of the acidic components . these will be in solution in the water stage with the excess metal hydroxide . there will also be some other organic materials that will not react or be affected by the metal hydroxide . these will stay in the organic phase and there will be a phase separation . after the reaction with the metal hydroxide , the material is pumped to a separation tank 148 . there are many ways of separating a two phase system . centrifugation may be utilized . another type of separation is settling , where the two components will separate due to their differences in polarity and density . in this case the polar phase will float atop of the aqueous phase containing the unused metal hydroxide and acidic salts in solution . the solids are then pumped or augured to the solids holding tank 150 for shipping or further treatment . the fats or fatty acids in the solids may be reacted with potassium to create a water soluble lubricant , for example , or reacted with magnesium or calcium to form a grease . the oils resulting from the reaction may be used as a lubricant or may be further reacted with sodium hydroxide , commonly known as lye , and methanol to create biodiesel . the aqueous phase containing the metal hydroxide and acidic salts in solution are sent to another tank 152 for shipping or further processing . the long chain alcohols remaining in the liquid may be used for fuel or emulsifiers , for example . referring to fig2 , alternatively or additionally processing may be made on the solids or pretreated feces in the solids holding tank 144 . the solids may include viscous liquids or oils that have a higher boiling point than the distilled solvent , and thus remain with the solids . additionally , some of the solvent may be contained in the solids . the oils and some or all of the minerals are separated by filter 160 with the minerals being sent to a storage tank 162 . these minerals may be sold as a fertilizer or further separated into their individual components by crystallization or competitive saturation . the oils are then transferred to a mix tank 164 . acid and water are added to the mix tank 164 from tank 166 . this mixture is continuously mixed as additional oil is added from filter 160 , and water and acid is added from tank 166 . the contents of mix tank 164 may be transferred to another mix tank 168 where a caustic solution is added from tank 170 to neutralize the mixture . the neutralized mixture is transferred to evaporator 172 . the evaporated water is transferred to tank 174 and the separated minerals are transferred to tank 176 . these minerals may be sold as a fertilizer or further separated into their individual components by crystallization or competitive saturation . alternatively , the mixture may be pumped or other wise transferred to coalescer 178 . the acid / water and mineral salts leave the bottom of the coalescer 178 and are transferred to an evaporator or distillation apparatus 182 . the acid / water may be evaporated to a holding tank 184 for reuse and separated from the mineral salts which are transferred to tank 186 . these minerals may be sold as a fertilizer or further separated into their individual components by crystallization or competitive saturation . the oil with its residual acid / water content is transferred from coalescer 178 to another mix tank 188 . a caustic solution is added to the mix tank 188 from tank 190 and the two are mixed . the overflow is then pumped or transferred to coalescer 192 . the neutral water and mineral salts leave the bottom of the coalescer 192 and are transferred to an evaporator or distillation apparatus 196 . the neutral water may be evaporated to a holding tank 198 for reuse and separated from the mineral salts which are transferred to tank 200 . these minerals may be sold as a fertilizer or further separated into their individual components by crystallization or competitive saturation . the oil with its residual neutral water content is transferred from coalescer 192 to a third mix tank 202 . clean or pure water is added to the mix tank 202 from tank 204 and the two are mixed . this step removes any neutral salts from the oil . the overflow is then pumped or transferred to a third coalescer 206 . oil with its water content is transferred to an oil dryer 130 , which may be an evaporator or other combination of heat , mixing and vacuum necessary to remove the water from the oil . the water leaving the bottom of coalescer 206 is pumped or otherwise transferred to a discard or reuse tank 208 . it is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described , it is not limited thereto , except in so far as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof . | 8 |
referring now to fig1 there is shown a schematic of a belt casting apparatus 3 for casting molten metal including reservoir or tundish 2 for molten metal 4 which is introduced through conduit 6 and metered through downspout 8 using control rod 10 . molten metal is introduced through opening 12 in reservoir 2 to nozzle tip 14 held in place by clamps 16 . molten metal passes through nozzle tip 14 to revolving belts 18 which form a continuously advancing mold with revolving end dams ( not shown ) at both edges of belts 18 . belts 18 are turned by rolls 20 , and molten metal is solidified between belts 18 which may be chilled to form a solid 22 such as a sheet , slab or ingot . with respect to fig2 there is shown another casting apparatus 23 referred to as a roll caster including rolls 24 which rotate as shown to provide said continuously advancing mold . that is , as noted with respect to belt caster 3 , there is provided a tundish 2 containing molten metal 4 , and an inlet 6 which transfers or meters molten metal to tundish 2 through downspout 8 using control rod 10 . a nozzle assembly , which includes nozzle tip 14 and clamps 16 , transfers molten metal through opening 12 and tip 14 to the continuously advancing mold defined by rolls 24 . the rolls may be chilled to aid in solidification of molten metal 4 to form solid 22 which may be in sheet , slab or ingot form . in fig3 is shown another schematic of a casting apparatus 26 in the form of belts 30 formed by blocks 28 which are connected to form said belts and often referred to as a block caster . as described with respect to the belt caster and roll caster , there is provided a tundish or reservoir 2 containing molten metal 4 which is metered to the tundish along conduit 6 and along downspout 8 . the molten metal passes through opening 12 and through the nozzle assembly including tip 14 and tip clamps 16 . block belts 30 and end dams ( not shown ) provide a continuously advancing mold therebetween as the belts are turned by rolls 20 wherein the molten metal is contained until solidification occurs to provide a solid 22 in the form of slab , ingot or sheet . the block belts may be chilled to facilitate solidification of the metal . in fig1 and 16 there is shown yet another continuous caster referred to as a wheel caster which comprises a tundish 2 containing molten metal 4 which is introduced through conduit 6 and metered through downspout 8 using control rod 10 . molten metal is introduced through opening 12 in tundish 2 nozzle 14 held in place by clamps 16 . molten metal passes through nozzle 14 into trough shaped hollow 25 of wheel 24 where the molten metal is held in place by belt 27 until it solidifies by internal cooling , for example . solidified metal passes over roller 31 and belt 27 is separated therefrom at roller 33 . it will be appreciated that the nozzle may be used for other casting operations such as other continuous casting operations wherein molten metal is introduced to a mold such as a four - sided mold and withdrawn therefrom in solidified form . nozzle or tip 14 provides a stream of molten metal to the continuously advancing mold . tip 14 can have an exit opening width 32 ( fig4 and 7 ) which can range from 3 or 4 inches to 72 inches , depending on the width of the continuously advancing mold and whether several openings are used . further , tip 14 can have an exit opening height 34 which can range from about 1 / 4 inch to about 1 inch , depending on the application . for purposes of casting quality products free of surface defects , for example , the flow rate of molten metal from the exit entrance of tip 14 along with molten metal temperature must be uniform . that is , flow in tip 14 should be substantially free of molten metal recirculation , detention ( sometimes referred to as helmholz flow ) or boundary layer separation or thick laminar boundaries . it is believed that boundary layer separation or recirculation , detention of molten metal in nozzle tip 14 , particularly adjacent nozzle exit 36 , can lead to surface defects such as streaking on the surface of the slab or other products produced , particularly in the case of aluminum alloys . in accordance with the invention , there is provided a tip 14 shown ( fig4 ) which has sidewalls 40 which first have a converging portion 42 and then have a diverging portion 43 . converging portion 42 starts at entrance 38 of the tip , as seen by metal 4 entering the tip from the tundish ( fig9 ). diverging portion 43 ends at exit 36 of the tip ( fig1 ). there can be a straight portion ( not shown ) joining converging portion 42 and diverging portion 43 with the provision that the transition between said portion be made smoothly and without points or protuberances which would cause molten metal recirculation or wakes and subsequent surface defects on the solidified product . in a preferred embodiment , converging portion 42 connects to diverging portion 43 with a smooth transition at the point where these portions join . further , it is preferred that converging portion 42 be defined by an arc section starting at entrance end 38 and ending at the beginning of diverging portion 43 . further , it is preferred that diverging portion 43 of sidewalls 40 be defined by a straight line from the end of the converging portion to exit end 36 . a smooth transition is obtained if diverging portion 43 connects converging arc portion 42 so as to make a right angle with the radius of the arc defining converging portion 42 . when sidewall diverging portion 43 is substantially straight , the angle of divergence is in the range of about 0 . 1 ° to 10 ° with a preferred range being 1 ° to 7 °, with a typical angle being about 1 ° to 4 °. further , it is preferred that sidewalls 40 converge and diverge about equal amounts from a centerline of the tip . that is , the oppositely disposed sidewall is preferred to be a mirror image of the other sidewall . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , inside surface 48 of top wall 44 and inside surface 50 of bottom wall 46 can be substantially flat from entrance 38 to exit 36 . in a preferred embodiment , inside surface 52 of top wall 44 and inside surface 54 of bottom wall 46 ( fig5 ) first converge from tip entrance 38 and diverge to exit 36 . thus , top wall inside surface has a converging portion 56 and an inside surface diverging portion 60 . similarly , bottom wall inside surface 54 has a converging portion 58 and a diverging portion 62 . as with sidewalls 40 , converging portions 56 and 58 connect to diverging portions 60 and 62 with a smooth transition at the point where these portions join . further , it is preferred that converging portions 56 and 58 be defined by an arc section starting at entrance end 38 and ending at the beginning of diverging portions 60 and 62 . further , it is preferred that diverging portions 60 and 62 of top and bottom walls 52 and 54 be defined by a straight line from the end of the converging portion to exit end 36 . a smooth transition zone is obtained if diverging portions 60 and 62 connect converging arc portions 56 and 58 so as to make a right angle with the radius of the arc converging arc portions 56 and 58 . when top and bottom walls diverging portions 60 and 62 are substantially straight , the angle of divergence is in the range of about 0 . 1 ° to 10 ° with a preferred range being 1 ° to 7 °, with a typical angle being about 1 ° to 4 °. further , it is preferred that inside surfaces of top and bottom walls 52 and 54 converge and diverge about equal amounts from a centerline of the tip . that is , the oppositely disposed top and bottom walls are preferred to be mirror images of the other . top and bottom walls 44 and 46 illustrated in fig5 can be used with sidewalls 40 when sidewalls 40 do not converge or diverge and are substantially flat or straight from entrance 38 to exit 36 . when width 32 of exit 36 is relatively narrow , e . g ., 3 or 4 inches , then several tips may be joined together to provide the desired width . or , a nozzle tip may be fabricated wherein several passages are provided as shown in fig6 . sidewalls 66 of multiple passage nozzle tip 71 are provided in converging / diverging relationship , as described with respect to fig4 . further , top wall and bottom wall of each passage in multiple passage nozzle 71 of fig6 can be substantially parallel , as noted with respect to fig1 . preferably , top and bottom walls converge and diverge , as described with respect to fig5 . sufficient passages may be added as desired . in order to maintain a uniform molten metal velocity and uniform thermal profile across the direction of flow of the band or ribbon of molten metals leaving nozzle tip exit 36 , molten metal flow stabilizers or energizers 70 may be provided in molten flow path through tip 14 . molten metal flow stabilizers or controllers 70 have the effect of aiding in achieving the uniform molten metal velocity and thermal profile in the ribbon of molten metal leaving exit 36 by providing mixing and homogenizing molten flow within slot 64 by minimizing , reducing or even avoiding molten metal recirculation or detrimental thick laminar boundary effects within slot 64 . the molten metal flow controllers 70 preferably have a circular column configuration , as shown in fig7 where rows 72 , 74 and 76 and circular columns 70 are shown for illustration purposes . it will be appreciated that the number of columns and the number of rows can vary , depending to some extent on the nozzle tip configuration and the viscosity of the molten metal . for example , for molten aluminum , three rows have been found to be suitable . the rows can also be varied , depending on the velocity of molten metal through slot 64 . location of flow stabilizers 70 within slot 64 is important . thus , it is preferred that first row 72 of stabilizers 70 be positioned at or after the apex or transition zone 78 between converging and diverging portions . the number of columns 70 can be varied across the width of slot 64 , depending to some extent on the diameter of the columns used . preferably , 1 to 6 columns are used for every inch of width of slot 64 . for example , if slot width 32 was 16 inches , then 32 columns can be used in row 72 . circular columns 70 can have a diameter ranging from 1 / 16 to 3 / 4 inches in diameter , and preferably 1 / 8 to 1 / 2 inches in diameter , with a typical column diameter being about 3 / 8 inches . further , preferably , when multiple rows of columns are used , for example , three rows , as shown in fig7 it is preferred that third row 76 have a larger diameter than rows 72 and 74 . for example , column diameter in row 78 can be 20 to 125 percent greater than the diameter of columns in rows 72 and 74 . further , it is preferred that the bank or rows of flow stabilizers or controllers be located more than half way back from tip exit 36 . when multiple rows are utilized , as shown in fig7 and 8 , it is preferred that circular columns 70 in second row 74 are positioned half way between column centers in first row 72 . further , it is preferred that circular columns 70 in third row 76 be placed half way between column centers in second row 74 . the same arrangement should be applied to additional rows . the rows of energizers or stabilizers have the effect of controlling the flow of molten metal through slot 64 by maximizing uniformity of flow velocity and thermal profile across the width of the tip . thus , the velocity at any random section across the width at exit 36 would be substantially the same as any other random section taken at exit 36 . molten metal flow controllers 70 may be used in conjunction with a nozzle or tip having converging / diverging top and bottom walls , as shown in fig5 and wherein the tip has sides which are substantially straight sides , which preferably are diverging . in addition , molten metal flow controllers 70 may be used in conjunction with converging / diverging sidewalls 40 , as shown in fig4 and wherein the top and bottom walls are substantially straight but preferably are diverging after flow controllers 70 . however , in a preferred embodiment , molten metal flow stabilizers 70 are used in conjunction with both converging / diverging sidewalls and top and bottom walls , in accordance with the invention . providing uniform velocity and thermal profile utilizing the molten metal flow controllers has the advantage of producing slab stock , particularly aluminum slab stock substantially free of surface streaking or surface defects . the novel nozzle or tip designs of the present invention may be fabricated out of any refractory board material such as the marinite or marimet referred to earlier because the subject design alleviates some of the problems attendant the use of such material . however , the preferred material for fabrication of nozzle tip 14 is a metal or metalloid material suitable for contacting molten metal and which material is resistant to dissolution or erosion by the molten metal . a metal or metalloid coated with a material such as a refractory resistant to attack by molten metal is suitable for forming into the novel nozzle . in addition , a suitable material has a room temperature yield strength of at least 10 ksi and preferably in excess of 25 ksi . further , the material of construction should have a thermal conductivity of less than 30 btu / ft 2 / hr /° f . and preferably less than 15 btu / ft 2 / hr /° f . with a most preferred material having a thermal conductivity of less than 10 btu / ft 2 / hr /° f . another important feature of a desirable nozzle is thermal expansion . this is important to maintain dimensional stability and tolerances when the tip is positioned with respect to the continuously advancing mold . thus , a suitable material should have a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 15 × 10 - 6 in / in /° f ., with a preferred thermal expansion coefficient being less than 10 × 10 - 6 in / in /° f . and the most preferred being less than 5 × 10 - 6 in / in /° f . another feature important of the material useful in the present invention is chilling power . chilling power is important , for example , when the material is used in a nozzle to prevent the molten metal from freezing at the start of a cast . chilling power is defined as the product of heat capacity , thermal conductivity and density . thus , preferably the material in accordance with the invention has a chilling power of less than 500 , preferably less than 400 and typically in the range of 100 to 360 btu 2 2 / ft 4 hr ° f . further , preferably , the material is capable of being heated by direct resistance or by passage of an electrical current through the material . additionally , it is preferred that the material does not give off gases when subjected to operating temperatures . in addition , it is important that the material not permit growth or build - up of intermetallic compounds , for example , at nozzle exit edge 66 . further , it is important that the inside surfaces are smooth and free of porosity . for purposes of re - using , it is preferred that the tip can be cleaned to remove residual solidified metal . the preferred material for fabricating into nozzles is a titanium base alloy having a thermal conductivity of less than 30 btu / ft 2 / hr /° f ., preferably less than 15 btu / ft 2 / hr /° f . and typically less than 10 btu / ft 2 / hr /° f . and having a thermal expansion coefficient less than 15 × 10 - 6 in / in /° f ., preferably less than 10 × 10 - 6 in / in /° f . and typically less than 5 × 10 - 6 in / in /° f . when the molten metal being cast is lead , for example , the titanium base alloy need not be coated to protect it from dissolution . for other metals , such as aluminum , copper , steel , zinc and magnesium , refractory - type coatings should be provided to protect against dissolution of the metal tip or metalloid tip by the molten metal . the titanium alloy which can be used is one that preferably meets the thermal conductivity requirements as well as the thermal expansion coefficient noted herein . further , typically , the titanium alloy should have a yield strength of 30 ksi or greater at room temperature , preferably 70 , and typical 100 ksi . the titanium alloys useful in the present invention include cp ( commercial purity ) grade titanium , or alpha and beta titanium alloys or near alpha titanium alloys , or alpha - beta titanium alloys . the alpha or near - alpha alloys can comprise , by wt . %, 2 to 9 al , 0 to 12 sn , 0 to 4 mo , 0 to 6 zr , 0 to 2 v and 0 to 2 ta , and 2 . 5 max . each of ni , nb and si , the remainder titanium and incidental elements and impurities . specific alpha and near - alpha titanium alloys contain , by wt . %, about : ( b ) 8 al , 1 mo , 1 v , the remainder ti and impurities . ( c ) 6 al , 2 sn , 4 zr , 2 mo , the remainder ti and impurities . ( d ) 6 al , 2 nb , 1 ta , 0 . 8 mo , the remainder ti and impurities . ( e ) 2 . 25 al , 11 sn , 5 zr , 1 mo , the remainder ti and impurities . ( f ) 5 al , 5 sn , 2 zr , 2 mo , the remainder ti and impurities . the alpha - beta titanium alloys comprise , by wt . %, 2 to 10 al , 0 to 5 mo , 0 to 5 sn , 0 to 5 zr , 0 to 11 v , 0 to 5 cr , 0 to 3 fe , with 1 cu max ., 9 mn max ., 1 si max ., the remainder titanium , incidental elements and impurities . ( b ) 6 al , 6 v , 2 sn , the remainder ti and impurities . ( e ) 6 al , 2 sn , 4 zr , 6 mo , the remainder ti and impurities . ( f ) 5 al , 2 sn , 2 zr , 4 mo , 4 cr , the remainder ti and impurities . ( g ) 6 al , 2 sn , 2 zn , 2 mo , 2 cr , the remainder ti and impurities . ( h ) 10 v , 2 fe , 3 al , the remainder ti and impurities . the beta titanium alloys comprise , by wt . %, 0 to 14 v , 0 to 12 cr , 0 to 4 al , 0 to 12 mo , 0 to 6 zr and 0 to 3 fe the remainder titanium and impurities . ( a ) 13 v , 11 cr , 3 al , the remainder ti and impurities . ( b ) 8 mo , 8 v , 2 fe , 3 al , the remainder ti and impurities . ( c ) 3 al , 8 v , 6 cr , 4 mo , 4 zr , the remainder ti and impurities . ( d ) 11 . 5 mo , 6 zr , 4 . 5 sn , the remainder ti and impurities . when it is necessary to provide a coating to protect the nozzle tip base layer 80 ( fig1 ) of metal or metalloid from dissolution or attacked by molten metal , a refractory coating 82 is applied to protect inside surfaces of slot 64 . the refractory coating can be any refractory material which provides the tip with a molten metal resistant coating and the refractory coating can vary depending on the molten metal being cast . thus , a novel composite material is provided permitting use of metals or metalloids having the required thermal conductivity and thermal expansion for use with molten metal which heretofore was not deemed possible . the refractory coating may be applied both to the inside and outside of the nozzle . when coated on the outside , it aids in protection from oxidation . in addition , the refractory coating minimizes heat transfer and also can resist growth of intermetallic compounds which would interfere with flow . further , the refractory coating minimizes skull or metal buildup on nozzle trailing edges . cleaning of the nozzle may be achieved by dilute acid or alkaline treatment , for example . further , to facilitate cleaning , the nozzle of the invention can be constructed from individual parts and the parts held together with fasteners . when the molten metal to be cast is aluminum , magnesium , zinc , or copper , etc ., a refractory coating may comprise at least one of alumina , zirconia , yittria stabilized zirconia , magnesia , magnesium titanite , or mullite or a combination of alumina and titania . while the refractory coating can be used on the metal or metalloid comprising the nozzle , a bond coating 84 ( fig1 ) can be applied between the base metal and the refractory coating . the bond coating can provide for adjustments between the thermal expansion coefficient of the base metal alloy , e . g ., titanium and the refractory coating when necessary . the bond coating thus aids in minimizing cracking or spalling of the refractory coat when the nozzle is heated to the operating temperature . when the nozzle is cycled between operating temperature and room temperature , for example , when the nozzle is reused , the bond coat can be advantageous in preventing cracking , particularly if there is a considerable difference between the thermal expansion of the metal or metalloid and the refractory . typical bond coatings comprise cr - ni - al alloys and cr - ni alloys , with or without precious metals . bond coatings suitable in the present invention are available from metco inc ., cleveland , ohio , under the designation 460 and 1465 . in the present invention , the refractory coating should have a thermal expansion that is plus or minus five times that of the base material . thus , the ratio of the coefficient of expansion of the base material can range from 5 : 1 to 1 : 5 , preferably 1 : 3 to 1 : 1 . 5 . the bond coating aids in compensating for differences between the base material and the refractory coating . the bond coating has a thickness of 0 . 1 to 5 mils units with a typical thickness being about 0 . 5 mils . the bond coating can be applied by sputtering , plasma or flame sprayed , chemical vapor deposition , spraying or mechanical bonding by rolling , for example . after the bond coating has been applied , the refractory coating is applied . the refractory coating may be applied by any technique which provides a uniform coating over the bond coating . the refractory coating can be applied by aerosol sputtering , plasma or flame spraying , for example . preferably , the refractory coating has a thickness in the range of 4 to 22 mils , preferably 5 to 15 mils with a suitable thickness being about 10 mils . the refractory coating may be used without a bond coating . positioning a metal nozzle such as a titanium nozzle requires care because at operating temperature , the metal nozzle tends to glow and thus adjustments with respect to the casting belts are difficult . if the metal nozzle tip touches the belts , this can adversely abrade the belt surface because of the hardness of the refractory coating and render the belt unusable . thus , the nozzle tip must be positioned adjacent the casting belt with care . in this embodiment of the invention , wear strips 83 ( fig1 and 12 ) can be provided on top wall 44 and bottom wall 46 substantially as shown . wear strips 83 can be continuous as shown or can be divided into individual portions . wear strips 83 can be attached to top and bottom walls 44 and 46 using fasteners . wear strips 83 can be fabricated from board material such as marinite , marimet or sodium silicate bonded kaowool or a material which will withstand the operating temperatures and yet will not abrade or damage the belts . wear strips 84 have the advantage that they provide the caster operator with additional guidance when adjustments are being made during operation . prior to passing molten metal from the tundish or reservoir to nozzle 14 , it is preferred to heat the nozzle or tip to a temperature close to the operating temperature . the temperature to which it is preferred to heat the nozzle is in the range of 750 ° to 950 ° f . however , heating to a temperature range of 400 ° to 1300 ° f . is contemplated and is beneficial particularly at the higher end of the range . the subject invention permits the use of electrical heating . that is , metal nozzle 14 can be heated electrically by indirect resistance or by the use of microwaves ( not shown ). or , metal nozzle 14 can be heated by the direct passage of an electrical current through the metal . it will be appreciated that the indirect resistance heating units may be embedded in nozzle clamp 16 or in nozzle 14 . when the metal nozzle is titanium , the nozzle can be heated electrically by this method to the desired temperature before molten metal is introduced thereto . for resistive heating , connectors ( not shown ) are provided on the metal nozzle for purposes of connecting an electric supply thereto and heating the metal nozzle by direct passage of an electric current therethrough . for purposes of heating the nozzle by resistance heating , typically electric current is supplied at 657 amps and voltage drop of 0 . 58v . the power requirements for direct resistance heating of a nozzle that can cast a 14 - inch wide by 0 . 75 - inch slab in accordance with the invention can be calculated . assume the nozzle consists of 15 - inch wide , 0 . 75 - inch high , 10 . 5 - inch long commercial purity titanium ( cpti ) with three partitions and two ends . the approximate mass of the nozzle is 16 lbs . also , assume the nozzle is to be heated from 90 ° f . to 800 ° f . the heat required is 1363 btu [ calculated by the equation q = mcp ( t - to )= 16 lb . ( 0 . 12 btu / lb /° f . )( 800 - 90 )]. the power required ( assuming 100 % conversion with 30 % losses to surroundings ) is 0 . 57 kw - hr , calculated as follows : because thermal diffusivity , a , of cpti = k / pcp = 0 . 336 ft 2 / hr , the nozzle is heated for a 90 - minute period . ( this implies a 0 . 38 kva power input ). when current is applied from one end of the width to the other ( 15 &# 34 ; direction ), the resistance , r ave is as follows : because the top and bottom are conductor paths , they are treated as two resistors in parallel , viz : because the nozzle consists of effectively ( 6 ) partitions , the value for total resistance will decrease by approximately 20 %, to another type of heating contemplated by electrical heating as referred to herein is inductive heating . for purposes of inductive heating of nozzle 14 , induction heating means 87 ( see fig1 , 3 and 15 ) are provided or located adjacent clamps 16 and sufficiently close to nozzle 14 to enable heating thereof . in fig1 , 3 and 15 inductive heating means 87 comprises inductive heaters 89 and 91 . in fig1 and 2 , two inductive heaters are used on each side of the nozzle and in fig3 and 15 one inductive heater 89 and 91 is shown on each side of the nozzle . for purposes of inductively heating , inductive heaters 89 and 91 should extend substantially across the width of the nozzle as illustrated in fig1 . an inductive heater suitable for heating a metal nozzle or tip in accordance with the invention is illustrated in figure 17 . inductive heater 89 or 91 is of the transverse flux type and can employ shields or laminations 90 around the electrical conductor to minimize stray currents and arcing , thus permitting the use of increase current . a coil of the inductive heater 89 or 91 may employ a rectangular shaped conductor 95 that is suitable fabricated out of copper . an adjustable power source 92 is connected to the conductor by connectors 93 and 94 . current supplied by power source 92 travels on the exterior of conductor 95 . to control the temperature of the conductor , a liquid such as water may be introduced through an end 96 and removed though end 97 . thus , the liquid passes through the interior of conductor 95 to prevent heat from adversely affecting its structure . another method of cooling the conductor utilizes a mist of air and water dispersion which can provide for evaporative cooling . thus , the dispersion is introduced through end 96 and exits end 97 to provide evaporative type cooling . in yet another method of cooling conductor 95 , a coolant can be used that results in an endothermic phase change or reaction . such a coolant is exemplified by the cracking of methane . still a further cooling method for the conductor can employ a closed system using a vaporizing liquid . a conductive material can be utilized in the interior of the conductor with or without the above noted coolant means to aid in reducing the temperature of the conductor . in the present invention several inductive heaters may be joined to provided for faster heating of the metal nozzle . in another embodiment of the invention , an inductive heater may be employed on the top of the nozzle and another inductive heater employed to heat the bottom surface of the nozzle , both inductive heaters joined to provide a surround conductor . thus , the inductive heater would have a u - shaped configuration wherein one leg of the inductive heater would heat the top surface of the nozzle and the other leg would heat the bottom surface . heating of the metal nozzle , e . g . titanium nozzle , in accordance with the invention has the advantage that such heating can be accomplished without heating units being inserted into the channels of the nozzle . further , heating the nozzle accordance with the invention has the advantage of providing for more uniform heating over the extent of the nozzle . in addition , heating in accordance with the invention can aid in providing more uniform temperature to molten metal flowing through the nozzle . while the invention has been described with respect to a nozzle tip for molten aluminum , for example , it will be appreciated that the composite material has application to other components such as nozzles used for melt spinning , or for containing , contacting , or handling and directing the flow of such molten metals , and such components can be heated or preheated as described herein . handling as used herein is meant to include any use of the composite material where it comes in contact with molten aluminum , for example . thus , containing , immersing , contacting are illustrative of the uses that may be made of the novel composite material . for example , the composite material can be used to fabricate pipes or conduits , channels or troughing for molten metal such as conduit 6 . further , downspout 8 , metering rod 10 and tundish 2 can be fabricated from the composite material . in the roll caster or block caster , side dams and wheels can be fabricated from the composite material . in casting operations , headers for fdc and hdc casting units can be made from the composite material . other parts that can be fabricated from the composite material for molten aluminum , for example , include impellers , impeller shafts , pumps , tap holes , plug rods , shot sleeves and rams for die casters , flow control devices , ladles for molten metal transfer , permanent molds , semipermanent molds and die casting molds . the titanium alloy based ( e . g ., 6242 ) composite material is particularly useful when low chilling power is necessary , for example , when bottom blocks are used in casting ingot by emc , fdc and dc processes . while the composite material comprises a titanium alloy 6242 , for example , with or without a bond coat and a layer of alumina thereon particularly suitable for molten aluminum , it will be noted that other refractory coatings may be used which are particularly resistant to dissolution or attack by other molten metals . for example , alumina , magnesia , and mullite are resistant to molten copper . for molten magnesium , a refractory coating of magnesia , magnesium aluminate , alumina and titania are useful . silica , alumina , corderite and titania are resistant to molten steel . while the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments , the claims appended hereto are intended to encompass other embodiments which fall within the spirit of the invention . | 1 |
in the following , fig1 a - 1c diagrammatically illustrate various embodiments of the present invention . these figures respectively depict illustrative bottom and right side cross - sectional views each of different passive foot pressure detection devices in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . in this and the other figures , the symbol “•” is used to schematically represent pressure sensitive chambers . in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , the pressure sensitive chambers are preferably designed to burst or otherwise release their contents at a known , e . g ., pre - determined force or weight . as will be recognized by those skilled in the art , the pressure that the chambers burst depends upon the material of chambers and , for example , the thickness of the chamber walls . these parameters are well known to those skilled in the art , and are therefore not discussed herein . the pressure sensitive chambers may be filled with air or other gases , a suitable liquid , or semi - liquid or releasable solids ( e . g ., a fine granular solid ) material ; either dyed or undyed . they can be filled with miniature or sub microscopic particulate transmitters that permit continuous or immediate identification of their location in space . the pressure sensitive chambers themselves may be made from any appropriate material , such as plastics , and will typically be the same as the material of the base . the base material may be of any desired shape and thickness , e . g ., up to several mm if serving as an insert . or , for example , the base material need be no thicker than needed to serve as an adhesive tape . in the adhesive example , the adhesive can be on one side and the pressure sensitive chambers ( e . g ., micro - bubbles ) formed onto the opposite side . the adhesive or attaching materials , when used , could be any suitable adhesive for attachment to a lower extremity device , such as a cast , a boot , a shoe , or other lower extremity immobilization or protective device (“ led ”). the pressure sensitive device can be fabricated of any suitable material , such as , for example , plastic , polymer , cloth , foam , cork , rubber , natural or synthetic material , or some combination thereof of these materials . in some embodiment it may be desirable to select a material for the pressure sensitive chambers that is temperature and / or moisture resistant so that the pressure sensitive chambers do not spontaneous rupture prior to application of the predetermined force or pressure and so that the mechanical properties of the device are not altered upon exposure to the environment . the base can be constructed of the same material if desired . while the present embodiments are preferably formed for lower extremity devices , the present invention is not limited to such use , and can be utilized in any manner where excessive force is desired to be monitored in connection with any limb , appendage or body part that when in contact with the environment creates a mechanical pressure . in the exemplary embodiments , the device is preferably flat and may or may not have adhesive or some other method for securing the device such as , but not limited too , clasps , velcro , etc , on the side opposite of the pressure sensitive chambers . other ways of attaching the device may be used , such as adhesive tabs . or course , in some situations , it is not necessary to secure the device . in the exemplary embodiments , the shape of the device approximates the shape of the human foot in the transverse plane . however , the device may also be made in other shapes , including , but not limited to , oval , rectangular , circular , square , and eccentric shapes , or any limb , appendage or body part that when in contact with the environment creates a mechanical pressure desired to be monitored . referring to fig1 a , this figure diagrammatically illustrates a bottom and side view of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in fig1 , there are two regions / clusters of pressure sensitive chambers ( a ); one located in the heel region of the base ( b ) and the other in the forefoot region of the base ( b ). in this case , a single pressure detection device (“ pdd ”) can serve as an insert , e . g ., formed to fit in shoes or other led &# 39 ; s without sliding , or as an externally attachable unit . fig1 b diagrammatically illustrates a bottom and side view of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in fig1 b , there are several regions / clusters of pressure sensitive chambers ( a ) distributed over the base ( b ) of the pressure detection device . the distribution of the pressure sensitive chambers ( a ) need not be uniform as shown in the example of fig1 b . fig1 c diagrammatically illustrates a bottom and side view of a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in fig1 c , the pressure sensitive chambers ( a ) are distributed in a non - clustered fashion over the entire base ( b ) of the pressure sensitive device . again , as in the exemplary embodiment of fig1 b , the distribution of the pressure sensitive chambers need not be uniform as shown in fig1 c . in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , the pressure sensitive chambers can be arranged in rows and / or columns such that a set amount of force or pressure will burst substantially all the pressure sensitive chambers of one row , column , or cluster . in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention , a pressure detection device can be applied to the bottom of a cast , boot , shoe , or other lower extremity immobilization or protective device by , for example , an adhesive applied to the superior aspect of the pdd . the pdd comprises a single pressure sensitive chamber or set of pressure sensitive chambers , fixedly attached to a backing material or base , and with the adhesive on a first side of the material . when the adhesive is exposed or activated , a user ( e . g ., a medical doctor ) applies the pdd to a desired region of the led for monitoring pressure in that region . multiple pdds can be applied to different regions of the led , allowing detection of excess pressure at each of the regions . further , the cell ( s ) of each pdd have a predetermined pressure threshold , which if exceeded leads to a destructive ( e . g ., bursting ) or non - destructive ( e . g ., release via a valve , that can be refilled ) change in the cell ( s ), which readily indicates that the threshold pressure was exceeded . a destructive release is preferred , as being the easiest and most economical form of pdd to make and maintain . if the pdds are formed in the shape of strips ( e . g ., fig2 ), all pressure sensitive chambers in a given strip can be conveniently designed to burst at the same pressure threshold , and different strips having different pressure thresholds can be designated by any convenient manner ( e . g ., color or alphanumeric coding on the strip ). alternatively , a given strip can be utilized that has pressure sensitive chambers with multiple thresholds . for example , a first threshold can be used to warn the patient visibly or by giving a popping noise , that he / she is using pressure close to an unsafe threshold , and pressure sensitive chambers with a second threshold can be used that burst when an unsafe threshold is exceeded . as will be recognized by those skilled in the art , the present invention contemplates that the pressure sensitive chambers be in the base , such as with material that has the chambers formed in the base such as , for example a suitably strengthened form of bubble wrap , to provide the popping , or on the base such as shown in the figures . the present invention is not limited to any particular structure or arrangement of the pressure sensitive chambers . in another embodiment of the present invention , the pressure detection device may be inserted within some portion a cast , boot , shoe , mat , sock , insole , or other lower extremity immobilization or protective device . in another embodiment of the present invention , the pressure detection device may be encased in a protective envelope consisting of a material that will protect the individual chambers from abrasive wear . alternatively , in another embodiment of the present invention , the pressure detection device may be covered with or positioned adjacent to an absorbent material or adsorbent material . such materials can be selected , as known to those skilled in the art , to exhibit the efflux of the contents of the burst pressure sensitive chamber or chambers . of course , one skilled in the art will appreciate how a variety of alternatives are possible for the individual elements , and their arrangement , described above , while still falling within the spirit of the invention . thus , for example , the pressure sensitive chambers may be any commercially available bursting cell . examples of suitable base materials have been given above , and one skilled in the art will appreciate that a variety of different pdd ( s ) may be used with different leds , the particular selection being a matter of design choice . any convenient material ( adhesives , tapes , velcro patches , heat sealing , etc .) or process may be used to help fix the position of the pressure sensitive chambers of the pdd so they are maintained proximate the desired region of the led / foot when worn . alternatively , part of the attachment mechanism for the pdd / pressure sensitive chambers ( e . g ., the base of a 2 - part velcro - style patch ) can be formed as an part of a regular or specialized led or led insert if desired , already appropriately positioned when forming the led . while the above describes several embodiments of the invention used primarily in connection with an adjustable cell system in treating positional hindfoot disorder , those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are a number of alternatives , based on system design choices and choice of protocol options , and extensions that still fall within the spirit of my invention . thus , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , and that in light of the present disclosure , various other embodiments and applications should be apparent to persons skilled in the art . accordingly , it is intended that the invention not be limited to the specific illustrative embodiments . | 0 |
the apparatus shown in fig1 comprise a clock generator 1 for generating a first clock signal having a fixed frequency as shown in fig2 a . this clock signal is fed to a tapped delay line 2 which may be provided by a newport microtex 50450 . alternatively , a series of integrated circuit logic elements could be used as delay components . in this simple example , nine different time delays are imparted to the original clock signal , each time delay being greater than 1 / 10 of the clock period . the original clock signal together with each time delayed version is fed along a respective output line to a latch 3 . the first two delayed versions of the clock signal are illustrated in fig2 b and 2c respectively and the signals shown in fig2 a - 2c are fed to the latch 3 via lines 4 - 6 respectively . in addition , the original clock signal and the time delayed versions are fed in parallel to multiplexer 7 . in practice , the clock frequency could be in the order of 20 mhz , and a large number of time delayed versions will be generated with each time delay being 5 nanoseconds . the latch 3 is actuated by a synchronisation pulse fed to the latch along a line 8 . this synchronisation pulse may be generated in a variety of ways but in the case of image scanning apparatus which makes use of a rotating drum , may be generated by sensing each complete rotation of the drum in a conventional manner . the synchronisation pulse is illustrated in fig2 d . upon the receipt of the synchronisation pulse , the latch 3 latches the current states of each of the signals fed to it from the tapped delay line 2 as a series of 1 or 0 values . for example , if the pulse occurs at the point shown in fig2 d , the first two locations in the latch 3 will contain binary 1 while the remainder will contain binary 0 . the contents of the latch 3 are fed to a logic circuit 9 which determines where there is a transition in the binary values from binary 1 to binary 0 . the logic circuit 9 selects one of the versions of the clock signal on each side of the transition . the logic circuit 9 cannot determine which version of the clock signal adjacent to the transition is closest to the pulse in time but the circuit 9 will be pre - programmed to select either the version corresponding to the location of the latch with binary 1 or that corresponding to the location in the latch with binary 0 . the decision made by the logic circuit 9 is conveyed to the multiplexer 7 by one of the set of 10 output lines , the output line corresponding to the selected version of the delayed clock signal carrying a binary 1 signal while the remainder carry binary 0 signals . the multiplexer 7 responds to the single line carrying a binary 1 to switch the appropriate version of the clock signal from one of the input lines to the output line 10 so as to constitute the final output clock signal . at each occurrence of the synchronisation pulse , new information will be latched into the latch 3 and the process will be repeated . fig3 illustrates a modified form of the apparatus shown in fig1 in which the tapped delay line 2 is replaced by a shift register 11 having a serial data input which is coupled with the clock generator 1 . the shift register 11 is clocked by a clock signal derived from a xn frequency multiplier 12 to which the clock signal from the clock generator 1 is also fed . in one example , n = 10 . the shift register 11 is of a conventional form so that if it is clocked at a frequency of 10 times the original clock frequency , it will contain within it a set of five binary &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; and five binary &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; corresponding to a single clock period . thus , on the parallel output ports of the shift register 11 which are connected in parallel to the latch 3 different time delayed versions of the original clock signal will appear . the operation of the remainder of the apparatus shown in fig3 is exactly as in the fig1 example . we will now consider briefly the advantage of the fig3 example over a conventional arrangement . consider a typical clock rate of 20 mhz with a requirement to synchronise the clock to the pulse within 1 / 10th of the clock period . in order to do this conventionally it would require a frequency multiplier which would multiply the 20 mhz clock to 200 mhz and subsequently use a divide by 10 counter in order to synchronise the pulse within 1 / 10th . if the frequency were to jitter at the output of the frequency multiplier by say 1 % ( this is much more than might be expected in practice ) then at times the clock may be 1 % fast ie . a frequency of 201 mhz and at other times a frequency of 1 % slow ie . 199 mhz . having divided the clock by a factor of 10 in the synchronising divider there would still be an error of 1 % on the rate at which the pixels were laid down onto the film medium ( assuming that the device was being used in a scanning application ) and this would lead to severe dislocation of the raster pattern making the resultant image unusable . however , consider now the case of the pulse synchroniser , where the delay is provided by the shift register 11 with the input signal being the original clock signal ie . 20 mhz and the shift signal being the original clock multiplied by 10 with a 1 % jitter on it as before . we now see that the clock read out speed remains correct , however , the phasing of the start of each clock pulse may vary by 1 % of its correct position . as the aim is to synchronise the clock to the pulse to within 10 % of the clock period the result of the 1 % jitter on the 200 mhz would be that the time delay equivalent given by the shift register could vary by 1 % from their nominal positions of 10 % of the 20 mhz period , that is the precise positions of each time delayed version of the 20 mhz clock pulse could vary by 0 . 1 % of the period of the 20 mhz clock introduces 1 % jitter the dislocation of pixel position is now substantially reduced . in the case where the clock frequency of 20 mhz after leaving the synchronising divider has a 1 % jitter on it then the position of the trailing pixel of a 600 mm long line could be displaced by up to 6 mm from its neighbouring line ( the pulse synchronisation only ensures that adjacent lines start next to one another . the finishing position is dependent on the clock and the linear position of the spot over the recording material ). however in the case where the new method of pulse synchronisation is used each stage of the shift register by virtue of having a 200 mhz nominal clock would introduce a delay of approximately 5 nano seconds with a tolerance of 50 pico seconds . therefore assuming that the 20 mhz clock signal is absolutely stable and the writing speed constant the last pixel of each line using the new synchronisation circuit would be laid down in the correct position but with a position error of 10 % ± 0 . 1 % ( due to the jitter ) of its correct position . the last pixel in each line would then differ in position from its neighbour not by 6 mm but typically by 15 microns or so which is truly negligible and very probably unmeasurable . thus in this instance phase jitter in the 200 mhz oscillator has been reduced from an intolerable to an insignificant problem . finally , it should be noted that provided the total delay through the delay element ( delay line 2 or shift register 11 ) is greater than the period of the clock signal , these circuits can be used to phase synchronise clocks of varying periods . | 7 |
a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of an external storage device ( a disk subsystem ) embodying the present invention will now be given referring to the accompanying drawings . fig1 shows an overview of the device . in the external storage device shown in the figure , n disk array controllers ( controller section ) 1 - 1 to 1 - n ( controllers in middle such as 1 - 2 are not shown , this applies to hereinbelow ) are connected to a host computer ( not shown ) in an upper side , and provide m disk drive interface ( disk drive i / f ) controllers 2 - 1 to 2 - m in a bottom side . the hardware configuration of the disk array controller will be described below in greater details . each of m controllers of fibre channel fabric switch 3 - 1 to 3 - m are respectively connected to the disk drive interface ( i / f ) controllers 2 - 1 to 2 - m for controlling disk drive units through their fibre channel interface 5 . l disk drive units are connected to one fibre channel fabric switch controller , a total of m by l disk drive units ( 4 ( 1 , 1 ) to 4 ( m , l )) are connected to the fibre channel fabric switch controllers 3 - 1 to 3 - m through fibre channel interfaces 6 . each of disk drive interface controllers 2 - 1 to 2 - m and disk drive units 4 ( 1 , 1 ) to 4 ( m , l ) has its unique identifier ( id number ) for a loop protocol respectively . the fibre channel fabric switch controllers 3 - 1 to 3 - m receive the id numbers of the disk drive units to be connected from the disk drive interface controllers 2 - 1 to 2 - m , to establish one - to - one connection between the corresponding disk drive interface controllers 2 - 1 to 2 - m and the disk drive units 4 ( 1 , 1 ) to 4 ( m , l ). fig2 shows a hardware configuration of the disk array controllers 1 - 1 to 1 - n . data transferred thereto from the host computer ( not shown ) is temporarily stored in a cache memory controlled by a host interface controller 7 so as to be added with parity data by a parity data generator 9 , then to be split into ( a total of m segments of ) data blocks and parity data block ( s ). these data blocks and parity block ( s ) will be stored to a respective disk drive group ( not shown ) by the disk drive interface controllers 2 - 1 to 2 - m , which are corresponding interfaces . to transfer data to the host computer ( not shown ), if there is data to be transferred thereto in the cache memory 8 , then the data in the cache will be transferred to the host by the host interface controller 7 . if the data to be transferred to the host is not in the cache memory 8 then the disk drive interface controllers 2 - 1 to 2 - m will read split data segments out of the disk drive group , concatenate split data segment blocks in the parity data generator 9 , and store the complete data temporarily in the cache memory 8 , and the host interface controller 7 will transfer the data to the host . the foregoing embodiment depicts a data storage method in a case of a raid system . however data may also be stored without the raid system . without the raid system , parity data generator 9 does not exist . the data transferred from the host ( not shown ) are temporarily stored in the cache memory 8 and then written to any one of disk drive units in the disk drive group . when mirroring a same data will be written into the plural disk drive units . for reading out , the data will be read out of the disk drive units , stored temporarily in the cache memory 8 and the host interface controller 7 will transfer to the host . it should be noted that in the following description , another embodiment of disk subsystem using the raid system will be described , however the embodiment may equivalently be made without using the raid system . fig3 shows a hardware configuration of the fibre channel fabric switch controllers 3 - 1 to 3 - m . a protocol controller 16 ( a first protocol controller ) connected to the disk drive interface controller 2 - 1 detects id number of the disk drive units 4 ( 1 , 1 ) to 4 ( 1 , l ) to be accessed and controls a fibre channel protocol used . a protocol controller 16 ′ ( a second protocol controller ) connected to the disk drive units 4 ( 1 , 1 ) to 4 ( 1 , l ) allocates a new id number for a fabric protocol of the disk drive units 4 ( 1 , 1 ) to 4 ( 1 , l ) to the id number for the loop protocol specific to the disk drive units 4 , in order to report to a switch controller 17 the id number of disk drive units 4 ( 1 , 1 ) to 4 ( 1 , l ) in charge . the switch controller 17 , which maintains the id numbers for these protocols of the disk drive units 4 ( 1 , 1 ) to 4 ( 1 , l ) by using for example a table , may set the switch 18 based on the id number ( fabric protocol ) received from the disk drive interface controllers 2 - 1 to 2 - m so as to establish the one - to - one connection . in other words the switch controller 17 sets the corresponding 24 - bit wwn address used in the fabric protocol to each of disk drive units 4 as a new id number . then the switch controller 17 may use a table to attempt to correspond the id number for the loop protocol with the newly set id number for the loop protocol . by corresponding the id5 the disk drive interface controller may establish a connection to the disk drive unit 4 by using the newly set id number . in this specification this coordination of id numbers may also be referred to as a protocol control or a protocol conversion . in addition , the protocol control may be set so as to be performed in the protocol controller 16 ′, or may be set so as to switch the protocol controller 16 with the protocol controller 16 ′ for the data transfer from the host computer and for the data transfer to the host , or for the data transfer for a normal operation and for the data transfer for an operation in a disk failure . another configuration may also be used in which one of the protocol controller 16 and the protocol controller 16 ′ is used , in such a case an id number detector means may be provided instead of the protocol controller 16 , or an id number allocating means may be provided instead of the protocol controller 16 ′. alternatively , a protocol controller and switches may be provided within the disk drive interface controllers 2 - 1 to 2 - m to allow direct connection to the disk drive units 4 ( 1 , 1 ) to 4 ( 1 , l ), instead of proprietary fibre channel fabric switches provided independently in the system . fig4 shows an operation of the fibre channel fabric switch controllers 3 - 1 to 3 - m . the disk array controller 1 - 1 stores data split to m segments into a disk drive group 10 - 1 . the disk drive interface controllers 2 - 1 to 2 - m in the disk array controller 1 - 1 send the id number of disk drive units belonging to the disk drive group 10 - 1 to the fibre channel fabric switch controllers 3 - 1 to 3 - m so as to establish a switching . the protocol controller 16 in the fibre channel fabric switch controllers 3 - 1 to 3 - m ( see fig3 ) detects the id number sent to request the switch controller 17 to switch the switch connection in order to achieve the protocol control pertinent to the disk drive units . the switch controller 17 ( see fig3 ) switches a switch 18 ( see fig3 ) so as to connect the disk array controller 1 - 1 requesting connection to the requested disk drive unit 4 belonging to the disk drive group 10 - 1 . it should be recognized that since the disk array controller 1 - 1 is correspondingly connected to one disk drive group 10 - 1 through the fibre channel fabric switch controllers 3 - 1 to 3 - m another disk array controller 1 - n and the disk drive group 10 - 2 may separately perform another data transfer without interference . when the disk array controller 1 - n establishes a connection to the disk drive group 10 - l , the connection between the disk array controller 1 - 1 and the disk drive group 10 - 1 and the connection between the disk array controller 1 - n and the disk drive group 10 - l can operate separately from each other to perform the data transfer at a maximum data transfer rate possible between each disk array controller and respective disk drive unit . although not described in this specification the switch controller 17 , when switching the connection as have been described above , may effectively maintain the maximum transfer window by switching the connection of the switch 18 upon reception of signals indicating that the disk drive unit connected thereto becomes ready to read / write at a time of data read or data write . fig5 shows another extended embodiment in accordance with the present invention . in the embodiments above , the protocol controller 16 in a fibre channel fabric switch controller 3 was connected one to one to the disk drive unit 4 . in the present embodiment however , a same section is configured such that the protocol controller 16 is connected in loop to the plural disk drive units 4 through a fibre channel arbitrated loop controller 11 . in this manner , an array of a plurality of inexpensive disk drive units 4 may operate at the performance level equivalent to an expensive large disk drive unit of the same capacity . in this configuration not all disk drive units are connected in loop . apparently the fibre channel arbitrated loop controller 11 and the plural disk drive units 4 form the single disk drive unit 4 . the performance of accessing will not be degraded . although not shown in the figure , if the maximum data transfer rate of the fibre channel interface is enough higher with respect to the accessing speed of disk drive , the number of disk drive units 4 may be increased without aggravation of access performance , by connecting the plural disk drive units 4 to the fibre channel arbitrated loop controller 11 , by connecting the plural disk drive units in a same loop , and by sharing the maximum transfer rate of the fibre channel with the plural disk drive units 4 . fig6 shows a hardware configuration of the fibre channel arbitrated loop controller 11 used for the embodiment shown in fig5 . a fibre channel arbitrated loop controller 11 comprises a loop bypass circuit 13 , a plurality of disk drive unit attaching ports 12 , and a fabric switch connector port 15 . from disk drive units 4 loop bypass circuit switching signal 14 is output , allowing ports to be bypassed in case of failure , in order to enable hot swapping of disks . more specifically , loops will keep alive , other operating disks will not be affected , and the failed disk drive unit can be detached and / or new disk drive units can be added . fig7 shows another extended embodiment in accordance with the present invention . the present embodiment comprises spare disk drive unit controllers 19 each connected to respective fibre channel fabric switch controllers 3 - 1 to 3 - m , a plurality of spare disk drive units 4 - a and 4 - b each connected to the spare disk drive unit controllers 19 . the spare disk drive units 4 - a and 4 - b are provided in common to all ( disk drive units connected to ) switch controller circuits . these spare disk drive units 4 - a and 4 - b may be either connected in loop to a spare disk drive unit controllers 19 , or switched . within the fibre channel fabric switch controller 3 , the protocol controller 16 ′ ( see fig3 ) connected to a disk drive group having a failed disk drive unit 4 ( in the figure the disk drive unit 4 ( 1 , 2 )) may be connected to the spare disk drive unit controllers 19 through the switch controller 3 - 1 . if a disk drive unit is not operating well , the disk array controller 1 - 1 to 1 - n attempts to rebuild the data structure in the spare disk drive unit 4 - a or 4 - b . when a specific disk drive unit 4 has so many operational errors that a failure of disk drive unit mechanism is forecasted , the array controller 1 - 1 picks up and copies data stored in the malfunctioning disk drive unit 4 to a spare disk drive unit 4 - a or 4 - b and rebuilds the disk array . the switch controller of the present embodiment then has an internal configuration or layout of a switch 18 ′ slightly different from the switch controllers as described in the preceding embodiments so as to enable input from the disk drive units to be output to the disk drive units 4 . for example , another switch 18 ′ may be provided between the protocol controller 16 ′ and the switch 18 to determine according to the request from the spare disk drive unit controller 18 whether the output from the disk drive units is routed to the switch 18 or routed to another protocol controller 16 ′. if a disk drive unit fails and the data stored therein cannot be read out , lost data may be reconstructed in the cache memory 8 and parity data generator 9 in the disk array controller 1 from the data stored in the other disk drive units of the same disk drive group as the failed disk drive unit 4 to rebuild the data into the spare disk drive unit 4 - a or 4 - b . it should be noted that the switch controller 3 identical to the preceding embodiments may be used because the disk array controller 1 may be served for the data recovery when the data stored in an erroneous disk drive unit 4 is copied to a spare disk drive unit . in addition , the spare disk drive unit controllers 19 may be independently served for the data recovery from a failed disk drive unit . to do this , cache memory and parity data generator should be provided in the spare disk drive unit controllers . 19 . the spare disk drive unit controllers 19 may read out data from the disk drive units other than the failed unit in the same group to regenerate the lost data segments and store thus generated data in a spare disk drive unit 4 - a or 4 - b . the data recovery without affecting to the data access operation from the host computer may be achieved by performing access operation to the spare disk drive unit controllers 19 from the failed disk drive unit 4 or from other disk drive units storing split data including the parity for the recovery of errors , independently of the data access operation between the disk drive units 4 ( disk drive group comprising disk drive units 4 ( 1 , 1 ) to 4 ( 1 , l ) in the figure ) and the host computer via the disk array controllers 1 - 1 to 1 - n . in a similar manner , when a failed disk drive unit has been hot - swapped with a disk drive unit off the shelf , the recovery of failed unit may be achieved without affecting any access from the host , as the spare disk drive unit controller 15 may establish one - to - one connection for the fibre channel fabric switch controllers 3 - 1 to 3 - m , switched from the spare disk drive units 4 - a and 4 - b to a healthy disk drive unit newly hot - swapped with a failed disk drive unit , to perform data copy / recovery independently of the access from the disk array controller 1 - 1 to 1 - n to the disk drive group 10 - 1 to 10 - l ( see fig4 ). the present invention provides the connectivity of the plural disk drive units to a disk drive unit interface without compromising the transfer performance by using the fibre channel interface , which is a scheme of serial interface , and by applying a fibre channel fabric topology , which allows hot swapping of connectivity . the present invention further provides a solution of controlling the plural disk drive units with one or a few disk drive unit controllers , by hot - swapping the connectivity for each controller and disk drive group . in addition , the present invention provides improved reliability of the system by performing the operation of data recovery in case of disk drive unit failure , independently of the data transfer between the disk drive interface controllers and the disk drive units . the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the 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 modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention . the embodiment chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto , and their equivalents . | 6 |
hexagonal nut 1 ( fig1 and fig4 ) is threaded to a wheel bolt . this nut however , may be interchanged with a bolt . the forward interior portion of nut 1 has a cavity 3 to accomodate a cylinder lock body a . a groove 2 is bored on the inner periphery of cavity 3 to engage the tips of two latch bars 16 , 17 , which are normally thrust in an up and down position , respectively , from the cylinder lock body a . a cylindrical or conical shell 4 is loosely and rotatably mounted around the hexagonal nut 1 . this shell 4 includes , in the forward interior portion thereof , an inner peripheral lug 5 , the rear side of which abuts the front side of hexagonal nut 1 . the cylinder lock body a according to this invention comprises a socket member 6 and a plug member 7 in the forward face of the lock body and in contact with each other . the respective socket and plug members are preferably manufactured from non - magnetic materials such as copper , brass or gun metal . as shown best in fig1 and fig2 the plug member 7 includes a front recessed member 8 to receive a key member b ( fig3 ), and an outer flange 9 on the circumference of front member 8 . flange 9 is partly cut to define a removed portion 10 . as shown best in fig1 the front member 8 includes a sliding lug 11 on the rear side thereof , whereas the front side of the socket member 6 has a circumference corner partly removed to provide an arched rail 12 . in accordance with the present invention , the plug member 7 embraces the socket member 6 in face contact with each other and rotates along a predetermined arc or angle by means of the arched rail 12 and sliding lug 11 . the socket member 6 also includes a peripheral shoulder opposed to the peripheral lug 5 of shell 4 on which shoulder at least one slot is radially bored to receive a retaining pin 13 to prevent the lengthwise separation of the plug member 7 from the socket member 6 . in addition , the peripheral shoulder is integrally provided with at least two projections 14 ( only one illustrated ) close to the peripheral lug 5 of shell 4 , to connect the cylinder lock body a with the shell 4 to the side of the projections from the rear and interior of the shell . in this manner , the cylinder lock body a can be immovably fitted into the interior of the shell 4 . the socket member 6 includes a cylindrical opening along the axis thereof across which opening a second transverse opening extends . the plug member 7 includes a central axle , which is passed through the central opening of the socket member 6 . a block 15 is placed on the bottom portion 21 cut on the front side of latch bars 16 , 17 and is in contact with the upper and lower walls of the respective latch bars . pin slots 20 , of a predetermined number , are bored and spaced on the front side face of the socket member 6 and extends into the opposed end face of the plug member 7 to accomodate a spring 18 and a magnet pin 19 therein . in the embodiment illustrated , five pin slots 20 are provided as shown in fig2 . the pair of latch bars 16 , 17 disposed in the transverse opening of the socket member 6 and the two cut bottom portions 21 are positioned side to side on the front and center sides of the respective latch bars . the guide block 15 is placed across the bottom positions as best shown in fig4 and fig5 . in addition to the rear of latch bars 16 , 17 , an inverted l - cut is provided on the inner and longer side to define a flute 22 which receives a coil spring 23 in a normally expanded position . when this spring is expanded , the latch bars 16 , 17 are thrusted up and down , so that their tips can be latched with the inner peripheral groove 2 of nut 1 , to perform the locking operation . fig3 represents the key member b to actuate the lock of the present invention . this key member includes a front key disc in which magnet pins 19 &# 39 ; are embedded and positioned to oppose the identical magnetic poles of the magnetic pins 19 positioned in the cylinder lock body a . the key member also includes a key casing 26 having a projection 25 on the front circumference , which projection mates with the eliminated portion 10 of the front recessed member 8 . a hole 27 on the leg of key member 13 receives a suitable string or ring . according to the present invention , a tire and wheel are coupled by threading a wheel bolt having a partly exposed nut 1 . this nut in turn , is locked within the cylinder lock body a and is covered with the shell 4 so that safety against theft is insured . when the lock is positioned on the nut , the up and down thrusted tips of the latch bars 16 , 17 are forced together as a result of the surfaces on the back of the latch bars . the latch bars then abut the front side and engage the inner groove 2 of nut 1 under , as shown in fig1 and fig4 . in this position , the spring 23 disposed in the flute 22 , defined by the opposed combination on the rear side of two latch bars 16 , 17 is fully expanded . the spring 18 is positioned in the cylinder lock body a , is also expanded and the magnet pins 19 extend into the pin slots 20 &# 39 ; bored in the rear side of recessed member 8 to render the plug member 7 and socket member 6 immovably fixed together . according to the present invention , the cylinder lock body a is opened by positioning the key projection 25 shown in fig3 with the removed portion 10 shown in fig1 and fig2 . as a result , the magnet pin 19 &# 39 ; embedded in the key disc 24 are aligned with the identical magnetic poles in the magnet pins 19 positioned in the cylinder body a to cause a repulsion force . the magnetic pins are thus forced to overcome force against the spring 18 and travel back into the pin slots 20 of the socket member 6 and compress the spring 18 . this allows the plug member 7 to rotate with its sliding lug along the arched rail of the socket member 6 a predetermined distance . the key projection 25 in contact with the removed portions 10 can then be rotated clockwise the same distance . as a result , the guide block 15 , attached to the rear side of the plug member 7 , is rotated and pushes up the latch bars 16 , 17 together as shown in fig5 . the latch bars 16 , 17 are thus forced to overcome force against spring 23 disposed in the central flute 22 on the rear side thereof and their tips are drawn into the transverse opening in the socket member 6 . as a consequence , the tips of the latch bars 16 , 17 are no longer engaged with the inner groove 2 of nut 1 and the key member b and the shell 4 together with the cylinder body a connected in the interior of the shell 4 can be pulled forward . the key disc 24 is manufactured from aluminum or the like material having magnetic permeability . since , the unlocking operation is carried out by magnetic action by two spaced magnetic pins 19 , 19 &# 39 ;, it is impossible to use commercially available magnets for such unlocking operation and the safety against the theft of tire and wheel is ensured . it is also an advantageous feature of the present invention that many varied locking devices can be manufactured by varying the number and position of pin slots bored on the opposed faces of the socket and plug members the distance of the removed section along the circumferential corner of the front socket member , and the dimension of the cut bottoms on the front sides of the latch bars and the guide block in combination thereacross . | 8 |
description will now be given in detail of the exemplary embodiments , with reference to the accompanying drawings . for the sake of brief description with reference to the drawings , the same or equivalent components will be provided with the same reference numbers , and description thereof will not be repeated . hereinafter , % used herein without a particular expression refers to a weight %. ( 1 ) 4 . 12 g of naoh ( 97 %) was dissolved in 13 g of distilled water within a polyethylene container . 30 g of colloidal silica ( ludox as 40 , 40 % sio 2 , 0 . 2 mole ) was slowly added to the above solution and stirred for 24 hours . the stirred solution was mixed with a solution , in which 1 . 28 g of eucl 3 . 6h 2 o ( 0 . 0035 mole of rare - earth metal ions ) was dissolved in 5 g of distilled water , and 0 . 2 g of ilerite seed and stirred for 3 hours , thereby preparing a reaction solution . the reaction solution was poured into a teflon reaction vessel , sealed in the stainless vessel , and treated hydrothermally by heating in electric oven at 110 ° c . for 10 days . a layered silicate substituted with a rare - earth metal , as the solid powder generated by the hydrothermal treatment , was washed several times with distilled water , filtered off , and dried at 100 ° c . an x - ray diffraction analysis was carried out for the dried solid powder as the layered material substituted with the rare - earth metal , and the analysis result was shown in fig1 . as shown in fig1 , it was noticed that the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal was well formed with an ilerite structure . ( 2 ) the dried solid powder ( the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal ) was calcinated at 800 ° c . in air for 2 hours , to prepare a crystalline silicate material . the crystalline silicate material was analyzed by x - ray diffraction , and the result was shown in fig2 . as shown in fig2 , it was noticed from the crystalline silicate material that the ilerite structure of the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal was converted into a crystobalite structure due to the calcination . ( 1 ) a layered silicate substituted with a rare - earth metal , as a solid powder , was prepared by the same method as example 1 using 4 . 12 g of naoh , 30 g of colloidal silica ( 0 . 2 mole of silica ), 18 g of distilled water and 2 . 01 g of eucl 3 . 6h 2 o ( 0 . 0055 mole of rare - earth metal ions ) and 0 . 2 g of ilerite seed . the solid powder was analyzed by x - ray diffraction , and it was checked that the ilerite structure was formed . ( 2 ) a crystalline silicate material was formed by calcinating the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal , as the solid powder , at 800 ° c . in air for 2 hours . the crystalline silicate material was analyzed by x - ray diffraction , and it was noticed that the ilerite structure was converted to the crystobalite structure . a crystalline silicate material was prepared by calcinating the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal , as the solid powder prepared in the step ( 1 ) of example 1 , at 1000 ° c . in air for 2 hours . the crystalline silicate material was analyzed by x - ray diffraction , and the conversion to tridymite and cristobalite structures was observed . a crystalline silicate material was prepared by calcinating the solid powder prepared in the step ( 1 ) of example 2 at 1000 ° c . in air for 2 hours . the crystalline silicate material was analyzed by x - ray diffraction , and the conversion to tridymite and crystobalite structures was observed . ( 1 ) 3 . 3 g of naoh ( 97 %, alkali ) was dissolved in 58 . 4 g of distilled water in a polyethylene container . 30 g of colloidal silica ( ludox as 40 , 40 % sio 2 , 0 . 2 mole ) was slowly added to the above solution and stirred for 24 hours . the product was mixed with a solution in which 1 . 03 g eucl 3 . 6h 2 o ( 0 . 0028 mole of rare - earth metal ions ) was dissolved in 10 g of distilled water and stirred for 3 hours , thereby preparing a reaction solution . the reaction solution was poured in teflon reaction vessel , which was then sealed by stainless . the solution in the teflon reaction vessel was hydrothermally treated by heating in electric oven at 160 ° c . for 2 days . a layered silicate substituted with a rare - earth metal , as the solid powder prepared by the hydrothermal treatment , was washed several times with distilled water , filtered off , and dried at 100 ° c . the dried solid powder ( the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal ) was analyzed by x - ray diffraction . the analysis result was shown in fig3 . as shown in fig3 , it was observed that a magadiite structure was formed on the dried solid powder . ( 2 ) also , the dried solid powder ( the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal ) was calcinated at 800 ° c . in air for 2 hours , to prepare a crystalline silicate material . x - ray diffraction analysis result of the crystalline silicate material was shown in fig4 . as shown in fig4 , it was observed from the crystalline silicate material that the magadiite structure of the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal was converted to a quartz structure due to the calcination . ( 1 ) a layered silicate substituted with a rare - earth metal , as a solid powder was prepared through the same method as shown in example 5 , by using 3 . 3 g , 30 g ( 0 . 2 mole of silica ), 68 . 4 g and 1 . 61 g ( 0 . 0044 mole of rare - earth metal ions ) of naoh , colloidal silica , distilled water and eucl 3 . 6h 2 o , respectively . x - ray diffraction analysis results of the solid powder showed the formation of the magadiite structure . ( 2 ) also , the solid powder ( the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal ) was calcinated at 800 ° c . in air for 2 hours , to prepare a crystalline silicate material . x - ray diffraction analysis result of the crystalline silicate material showed that the magadiite was converted to a quartz structure . a crystalline silicate material was prepared by calcinating the solid powder ( i . e ., the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal ), prepared in the step ( 1 ) of example 5 , at 1000 ° c . in air for 2 hours . x - ray diffraction analysis result of the crystalline silicate material showed the conversion to a cristobalite structure . a crystalline silicate material was prepared by calcinating the solid powder ( i . e ., the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal ), prepared in the step ( 1 ) of example 6 , at 1000 ° c . in air for 2 hours . x - ray diffraction analysis result of the crystalline silicate material showed the conversion to a cristobalite structure . ( 1 ) a layered silicate substituted with a rare - earth metal , as a solid powder , was prepared by the same method as the step ( 1 ) of example 1 , except for the use of 1 . 31 g of tbcl 3 . 6h 2 o ( 0 . 0035 mole of rare - earth metal ions ) other than eucl 3 . 6h 2 o used in example 1 . the solid powder was dried and analyzed by x - ray diffraction , and the analysis result showed that an ilerite structure was formed . ( 2 ) a crystalline silicate was prepared by calcinating the dried solid powder ( i . e ., the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal ) at 1000 ° c . in air for 2 hours . x - ray diffraction analysis result of the crystalline silicate material showed the conversion to a cristobalite structure . ( 1 ) a layered silicate substituted with a rare - earth metal , as a solid powder , was prepared by the same method as the step ( 1 ) of example 5 , except for the use of 1 . 05 g of tbcl 3 . 6h 2 o ( 0 . 0028 mole of rare - earth metal ions ) other than eucl 3 . 6h 2 o used in example 5 . the solid powder was dried and analyzed by x - ray diffraction , and the analysis result showed that a magadiite structure was formed . ( 2 ) a crystalline silicate material was prepared by calcinating the dried solid powder ( i . e ., the layered silicate substituted with the rare - earth metal ) at 1000 ° c . in air for 2 hours . x - ray diffraction analysis result of the crystalline silicate material showed the conversion to a cristobalite structure . ( 1 ) an emission spectrum was measured for the crystalline silicate material prepared by example 1 . the emission spectrum was measured at room temperature with hitachi f700 florescence spectrometer ( 150 w xenon lamp ) by using monochromic light with the wavelength of 394 nm as an excitation source . the measurement was shown in fig5 . referring to fig5 , it was confirmed that the silicate phosphor prepared by example 1 exhibited a superior emission property . ( 2 ) an emission spectrum was measured by the same way as the step ( 1 ) of experimental example except for using the crystalline silicate material prepared in example 10 and using monochromatic light with the wavelength of 260 nm as an excitation source . the measurement was shown in fig6 . referring to fig6 , it was confirmed that the silicate phosphor prepared by example 10 exhibited a superior emission property . the foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure . the present teachings can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses . this description is intended to be illustrative , and not to limit the scope of the claims . many alternatives , modifications , and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . the features , structures , methods , and other characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined in various ways to obtain additional and / or alternative exemplary embodiments . as the present features may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof , it should also be understood that the above - described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description , unless otherwise specified , but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims , and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims , or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims . | 2 |
a primary purpose of the present invention is to provide means to despeckle the output of a pixilated optical system . speckle in such a system can be reduced when adjacent pixels or groups of pixels are not perfectly in phase with one another either spatially or temporally . the phase profile across a group of pixels exhibiting speckle is shown in fig4 a . the purpose of the present invention is to alter the phase profile shown in fig4 a such that it more closely resembles the profile shown in fig4 b . fig4 b shows a more random phase profile in which at any given instant in time adjacent regions along the x - direction see different phase profiles . also effective , would be a geometry that provides a periodic or quasi - periodic profile as shown in fig4 c . while periodic or quasi - periodic phase profiles reduce speckle , other effects due to the periodic nature of the phase may occur . for that reason , the preferred mode of operation is one creating a phase profile as seen in fig4 b . it should be noted that there need not be a one to one correspondence between the pixels of the optical system and the modulator sites of the electro - optic device . in fact the optical system need not be pixilated at all , and could use an analog medium such as film for the image modulation . the device of the present invention provides enough variation of phase along the profile of the light beam that the viewer or viewing system receives a reduced speckle image when the modulator is used in conjunction with an appropriate optical system . by addressing the modulator sites independently , each site can acquire phase delays with respect to the neighboring sites . each site ( or group of sites ) sees a different applied voltage or voltage duration than the adjacent site , thus producing a phase delay ( a change in optical path length ) corresponding to as much as several waves of propagation . this variation to the phase profile significantly reduces the appearance of speckle . by picking a voltage distribution that spatially provides a perturbed phase front and varying it in time , there is both spatial and temporal phase variation . according to the present invention a device is incorporated into an optical system to reduce speckle . the device reduces speckle through the reduction of coherence in a light beam spatially and / or temporally . the inclusion of the device in the optical system serves to effectively scramble the phase profile of an exiting beam by varying the refractive index profile in the medium through which light travels . referring to fig1 there is shown a first embodiment of the spatial light modulator array device 100 of the present invention . the spatial light modulator array is a patterned device including a collection of addressable modulator sites that produce controlled time or phase delays with respect to adjacent pixels in accordance with signals , or data provided to individual modulator sites . in a preferred embodiment , the spatial light modulator comprises a bulk electro - optic substrate 130 with individual modulator sites 105 . each modulator site 105 has a delay region 150 through which a beam of light 50 encounters a time or phase delay in relation to the electric field applied between electrode 170 and electrode 175 . beam of light 50 enters bulk electro - optic substrate 130 through an input facet 60 , after which it traverses the modulator , and exits through output facet 70 . the choices of electro optic materials from which to build the present invention are numerous and include lithium niobate , lithium tantalate and plzt . for the sake of simplicity further discussion of the parameters for the present invention will center around the use of lithium tantalate illuminated at 633 nm , but it should be understood the geometry is applicable to a variety of materials and illumination wavelengths . if a different material is employed , care must be taken to ensure the correct axes are employed . for example , use of plzt in such a device design can produce orders of magnitude greater of phase delay along a modulator site due to the larger electro - optic coefficient . however , the crystal must be oriented in a manner such that the applied electric field interacts with the optical field through the appropriate axes of the crystal . in the case of lithium tantalate , the geometry represented here is shown as y - cut , meaning that light propagates along the y - direction and electric field is applied along the z - direction . for best results , the light traveling through the modulator is polarized along the x - direction ( transverse direction ). for the purposes of this discussion , light propagation direction will be referred to as the c - axis so that there is no confusion between the crystal axis and the propagation axis . other cuts and geometries of the crystal maybe employed , but in this preferred embodiment , y - cut is optimal . fig2 shows a cross section of the spatial light modulator 100 with a beam 50 propagating along the y - axis of the modulator . it may be advantageous for the input and output facets of the modulator to be antireflection coated . furthermore , since the device effectively perturbs phase fronts , it should be recognized that input light to the modulator can come from a variety of sources simultaneously . the device 100 may operate on several wavelengths and angular extents simultaneously . a single modulator site can be defined as the region between electrodes 170 and 175 . a segment of light 186 , as defined along the x - direction propagates along the crystal between electrodes 170 and 175 . light passing through that region acquires a phase change δφ defined as follows : as is seen in eq . 1 , the phase change δφ is a function of applied voltage v , length of propagation l , distance between electrodes d , wavelength of light λ , refractive index n , and the r33 coefficient for y - cut lithium tantalate . given reasonable fabrication parameters such as propagation lengths from 5 - 50 mm , thickness of 500 μm , and illumination wavelength in the red spectrum , phase delays of as much as several wavelengths can be generated for operating voltages between 0v and 160v . these results are shown in the chart of fig3 in which curves m 1 , m 2 , and m 3 correspond to propagation lengths , l , of 10 , 20 , and 30 mm . understandably , all the input parameters can be altered to render more or less delay along a given channel or modulator site . all delays have been represented by distance or number of waves . it is equivalent to discuss delay as a time delay given by the distance of delay divided by the propagation velocity of the light in the medium . referring back to fig1 a plurality of modulator sites 105 , 107 , 109 is defined by several regions such as the one shown in cross section in fig2 . a top electrode 170 and bottom electrode 175 defines each modulator site . it may be useful on fabrication to have a common unpatterned electrode on one side of the device as opposed to patterning both the top and bottom of the device . this allows modulation through differential voltage applied to the electrodes on one side of the device . each modulator site can be operated independently through means of different applied voltages , different address times , or combinations of both . the present invention can be used as either an analog voltage driven modulator , a pulse width modulated device , or a combination of both . the width of any given electrode along the x - direction can be anywhere from sub - wavelength in width to literally millimeters in width . it may be of use to periodically switch the polarities of the top and bottom electrodes , or to introduce a blanking pulse . such operation allows dissipation of space charge in the substrate 130 . furthermore , because the operational voltages can be quite high and because the optical field may not be well contained , the electrodes may be patterned with material such as sio2 under the electrode to act as a buffer layer 180 ( see fig2 ). also , an overcoat 185 of acrylic or other insulating material may be applied to prevent arcing in air . in a second embodiment shown in cross section in fig5 a , each modulator site consists of a series of electrodes 200 - 230 spaced along the y - axis of the crystal . a modulator site can be activated using all or a subset of the electrodes , for instance electrodes 200 , 210 , and 220 , thus providing variable delay even with a single drive voltage . each electrode ( which may be of distinct length ) can be driven such that the applied voltage in conjunction with the electrode length can give different known fractions of wavelength delay . for instance , the first electrode may produce a ⅛ wavelength delay , the second { fraction ( 1 / 16 )}, the third { fraction ( 1 / 32 )}, and so forth . the applied voltage can be adjusted such that the same length of electrode renders the same number of wavelengths delay for different wavelengths of light . additionally the electrodes can be modulated in time individually within each modulator site thus further randomizing the phase . while adding to the complexity , it may provide additional control to have different electrode geometries between adjacent pixels as shown in fig5 b . by spacing electrodes 200 , 210 , 220 within a modulator site and staggering electrodes 200 , 300 , 400 between adjacent modulator sites , the device is less prone to electrical cross talk effects . similar results can be achieved by allowing space between electrodes both between adjacent modulator sites 105 , 107 , 109 as well as within a single site 105 . referring to fig6 a and b , in an alternate embodiment the modulator sites are not symmetric along the x - direction . because the primary purpose of this modulator is to perturb the uniform phase , introducing asymmetry to the lateral beam profile can further serve to reduce the appearance of speckle . the asymmetry is introduced by patterning electrodes 170 , 172 , 173 to have various widths on at least one surface 40 or 45 . it should be noted that the particular shape of an electrode in the geometry of the device is of little consequence . since the object of the device is to perturb the phase wavefront of the beam , any electrode shape or geometry that induces such a perturbation is acceptable . also shown in fig6 a is the use of poling of the bulk material 130 in the x direction . such poling can introduce further perturbations in the lateral phase profile of the beam . poling produces adjacent regions 500 , 510 , that when addressed with the same voltage produce changes in refractive index that are opposite in direction . one region 500 would add δn , the next 510 would subtract it . use of poling ( periodic as in fig6 a or aperiodic as in 6 b ), allows a single electrode to address a region of material with a single address voltage . the single address voltage produces multiple phase regions . for cases where the electrode width is greater than the width required to reduce speckling within a defined system , the poled regions can provide sufficient substructure . it is somewhat preferable to employ an aperiodic structure so as not to enhance grating or periodic effects . an interesting feature of the present invention is the lack of strict attention paid to cross talk . when placing electrodes in proximity to each other , one expects adjacent regions to experience electrical cross talk . since the effect of this invention does not rely on pixellating the device , cross talk between electrodes is not a major issue . the device is effectively a phase scrambler , and introduction of cross - talk or such “ noise ” only accentuates the operation . in fact , using cross talk in the design can provide means to smooth and further control the phase profile of the device . a device exhibiting no cross talk may provide a phase profile as is shown in fig7 a . cross talk between electrodes can produce a profile as is shown in fig7 b . in fig7 b , phase control , or control of the refractive index profile , is controllable at every point along the x - axis . in this manner the current invention is quite unique from existing modulator art . the design presented here is quite distinct in operation as well as design . in the event that the user wishes to contain cross talk effects , the electrodes will need to have sufficient gaps between them to prevent cross talk . for instance , if the device is to be operated in a pulse width modulated mode at extremely high frequency , the electric field may appear uniform across the device unless the electrodes have sufficient space between them . additionally poling the material of the substrate as shown in fig6 a and b will alleviate cross - talk effects . because the appearance of speckle can be reduced both by spatial variations to the lateral phase profile or by time variations between adjacent regions , the operation of the device can be modified to accommodate both . in the first case , a lateral electric field distribution is established as a function of address to the electrodes as is shown in fig8 a . this distribution , in turn , defines a lateral phase perturbation . in the case of temporal variation , the same field profile may be employed at different sites . however , in time , the relative fields are varying such that adjacent regions are out of phase with each other . a graph of such behavior is shown in fig8 b . ideally , a combination of both methods of operation provides the best result . such operation is shown in fig8 c . fundamentally , spatial light modulator 100 of the present invention functions to perturb or scramble the phase fronts of the incident light . conceptually , this effect is considered in fig9 a and 9 b for the case of collimated light , with planar parallel wave fronts 52 directed at normal incidence onto the modulator . in the case of fig9 a , modulator 100 is off ( 0v drive voltage , and the wave fronts emerge unaltered . in the case of fig9 b , the modulator sites 105 are activated , and aberrated wave fronts 54 emerge from the device . fig9 c and 9 d illustrate the equivalent cases , where the modulator 100 is located in convergent space within an optical system . it should be understood that these wave front distortions are exaggerated in extent and only representative of the general concepts . they are not necessarily depictions of wave fronts located 1 λ apart . as stated previously , depending on the detailed structure of the modulator sites 105 , the electrode patterning which comprises these modulator sites , the manner of drive voltage control , and the use of a poled or unpoled substructure , a variable or constant time or phase delay can be provided over various spatial extents , with respect to the incident light . for example , the incident light can be regarded as a series of beams of finite extent ( several mm ), whose phase relationships are modulated relative to each other . alternately , the incident light can be regarded as a single beam with a spatial coherence across some finite extent , of anywhere from several waves width to several mm width . within this beam , phase delays ( changes in optical path length ) can be provided on a localized and random basis , on a width scale from sub - wavelength to multi - wavelength to multi - mm , depending on the device structure . as these random time or phase delays are applied across the spatial extent of the incident light beam , spatial phase variations are created much as depicted in fig9 . as a result , the incident light beams are effectively aberrated to a greater or lesser extent , depending on the device structure and randomized drive voltages . while the spatial light modulator of the present invention provides the ability to distort wavefronts by providing spatial and temporal phase perturbations , the ability of the device to affect the appearance of speckle depends on the design of the system in which it is used . for example , in a white light projection system , the coherence length and width of the light may only be several wavelengths in extent . thus , a modulator which provides several waves of delay ( such as shown in lithium tantalate ) can provide sufficient phase delay ( up to several waves ) to directly alter the coherence relationships on an ongoing basis . lasers on the other hand , have coherence lengths ranging from fractions of a mm ( 0 . 1 - 5 . 0 mm for red / green / blue optical parametric oscillator type lasers ), to meters in extent . in the case where the device provides a few waves of delay along a modulator site , the temporal and spatial phase variations will cause time variant wave front distortions or aberrations , but will not directly alter the spatial or temporal coherence in an appreciable way . however , the time and space variable phase can be used to vary or average the speckle within the projected image , thereby reducing the perceptibility of the speckle if the variations are more rapid than the response time of the human eye . in the case where the device provides delay of the same magnitude as the coherence length of the source , the spatial and temporal coherence are simultaneously altered , thus reducing speckle . while this device has been presented as a linear model , stacking modulators can produce a 2 - dimensional effect . in addition , it is possible to employ a series of devices placed optically in series one after another , or at various points in an optical system . it should be understood that this device can operate within both the infrared and visible spectral ranges , although with variable effectiveness , depending on the material properties of the bulk electro - optic crystalline material . the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof , but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention . | 6 |
proteins are complex ampholytes that have both positive and negative charges . ionic interactions are the basis for purification of proteins by ion exchange chromatography . ion exchange chromatography is one of the most powerful protein purification technique and most frequently used chromatographic technique used for the separation of proteins . the separation is due to competition between proteins with different surface charges for oppositely charged groups on an ion exchange adsorbant . the properties of the ion exchanger will also influence the separation . the structural backbone of the ion exchange resin can be made up of different types of polymer backbones , fixed groups with different chemistries . ion exchange chromatography relies on the reversible adsorption - desorption of ions in solution to a charged solid matrix or polymer network . this technique is the most commonly used chromatographic technique for protein separation . a positively charged matrix is called an anion - exchanger because it binds negatively charged ions ( anions ). a negatively charged matrix is called a cation - exchanger because it binds positively charged ions ( cations ). the buffer conditions ( ph and ionic strength ) are adjusted to favor maximum binding of the protein of interest to the ion - exchange column . contaminating proteins , which bind weakly will pass more rapidly through the column while those bind strongly will elute at higher concentrations of salt compared to the protein of interest . the protein of interest is then eluted using another buffer solution which favors its desorption at a specific salt concentration from the column ( e . g ., different ph or ionic strength ). the stationary phase for use in the continuous simulated moving bed process of the present invention comprises or contains a strong anion exchange resin which has a backbone matrix comprising a cross linked styrene divinyl benzene polymer , a hydroxylated polymethacrylate polymer , or a cross linked microcrystalline cellulose resin . more specifically , applicant developed a cross linked microcrystalline cellulose resin with quaternary amine which provided a stable and easily regenerated stationary phase for smb operation . an example of a strong anion exchange resin having a backbone matrix comprising a cross linked styrene divinyl benzene polymer include diaion hpa25l , a strongly basic anion which represented a strong anion exchange resin with exchange resin ( available from mitsubishi chemical company , tokyo , japan ). an example of a strong anion exchange resin having a backbone matrix comprising a hydroxylated polymethacrylate polymer is toyopearl gigacap q - 650 , a high capacity , high resolution , strong anion exchange resin ( available from tosoh bioscience llc , king of prussia , pa .). these strong anion or strong basic exchange resins provided a selective adsorption of the protein of interest from a mixture of the protein of interest in dilute aqueous mixtures and in the presence of impurities such as lipids , color impurities . a key property of the adsorbents of the present invention is the ability of the adsorbent to be regenerated within the operation of cycle of the smb process and restore the adsorbent to its initial adsorption activity . applicant discovered a novel adsorbent prepared by crosslinking a microcrystalline cellulose with epichlorohydrin and exchanging the cross linked microcrystalline cellulose with a quaternary amine ( 2 , 3 - epoxypropyltrimethyl - ammonium chloride ( glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride ) to provide a quaternary amine cross - linked microcrystalline resin having a backbone matrix comprising a cross linked microcrystalline cellulose resin . unlike a traditional smb process which uses a single mobile phase desorbent to sweep the adsorbent in the adsorbent beds , the present invention employs a series of different desorbent buffer solutions in different portions of the process to facilitate the steps of the smb process . for example , the smb process of the present invention comprises a feed step , a wash step , an elution step , a regeneration step , and an equilibration step . all of these steps are carried out in a repeating parallel sequence , in a manner which allows the continuous flow of feed to the smb process and the continuous production of the protein product . also produced by the process are a number of waste steams which are aqueous streams and represent spent buffer solutions which may contain salts , unbound / bound proteins or protein fragments , and small molecules . the waste streams generated or withdrawn from the smb may be neutralized and disposed of in a conventional manner . by way of example for the extraction of heme protein , such as leghemoglobin , from yeast lysate , in the wash step , a wash buffer comprising potassium phosphate , concentration of 2 - 10 mm and having a ph of about 7 . 5 to 8 . 5 and a conductivity of between 0 . 5 and 2 ms / cm . more preferably , the wash buffer has a potassium phosphate concentration of 3 - 6 mm . in the elution step , an elution buffer comprising potassium phosphate and sodium chloride and having a ph of 7 . 5 - 8 . 5 and a conductivity of 5 - 10 ms / cm is employed to elute the protein from the adsorbent and recover the protein product . in the regeneration step , preferably two regeneration buffer solutions are employed to regenerate the adsorbent and reestablish the ionic balance of the adsorbent . a first regeneration buffer comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium chloride is employed to remove tightly bound contaminants from the adsorbent and a second regeneration buffer is employed as an acid wash to restore the activity of the adsorbent . the second regeneration buffer comprises a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid ( hcl ) or phosphoric acid ( h 3 po 4 ). the first regeneration buffer comprises a concentration of sodium hydroxide of about 0 . 1 n - 2 m naoh and a concentration of sodium chloride of about 0 . 5 - 2m nacl . the second regeneration buffer has a concentration of hydrochloric acid of about 0 . 1 n - 0 . 2n hcl or 0 . 1 n - 0 . 2n h 3 po 4 . in the equilibration step , an equilibration buffer was employed to return the adsorbent to its original ionic strength by contacting the adsorbent with an aqueous solution containing potassium phosphate . it was discovered that to carry out the smb process wherein the above mentioned major steps of the process could be carried out in essentially equal step times within the smb cycle , that the equilibration step must be carried out in at least two stages . in the first equilibration stage , a first equilibration buffer comprising potassium phosphate and having a ph of about 7 . 5 to 8 . 5 was passed through the adsorbent bed following the regeneration step . the first equilibration buffer had a potassium phosphate concentration of about 50 - 200 mm potassium phosphate at the required ph . in the second equilibration step the second equilibration buffer was a 2 - 10 mm solution of potassium phosphate having a ph of between about 7 . 5 and 8 . 5 . in the present invention , the feed can be a yeast extract such as lysate , or crude protein , admixed with water , such as deionized water or an equilibration buffer to provide an smb feed mixture . the crude feed mixture may comprise a protein of interest such as the heme protein , leghemoglobin , as well as other proteins , protein fragments , small molecules , and salts . the concentration of total protein in the feed mixture comprise or contain between about 1 . 5 to about 10 grams of crude protein per liter of feed mixture . it is also important to prevent degradation of the feed by maintaining the temperature of the feed mixture at an smb feed temperature which is at or below about 4 ° c . and to maintain a feed ph of between about 7 . 5 and about 8 . 5 . more preferably the ph of the feed mixture should be maintained at about 8 . 0 . with reference to fig1 , the following adsorbent bed organization relates to a simulated moving bed ( smb ) separation process for the continuous separation of heme proteins from a crude feed mixture comprising yeast and water . as shown in fig1 , in a simplified form , the simulated moving bed of the present invention comprises 6 adsorption zones : capture zone 31 , feed loading zone 32 , wash zone 33 , elution zone 34 , regeneration zone a 35 and regeneration zone b 36 , and equilibration zone 37 . each of the 6 adsorption zones may comprise one or more adsorbent columns arranged in parallel , wherein each adsorbent column is filled with or contains and adsorbent consisting of a strong anion exchange resin or a quaternary amine cross - linked microcrystalline resin for the concentration and recovery of heme protein in the crude feed mixture . the crude feed mixture comprises an aqueous solution or suspension of yeast lysate in a feed concentration of from about 1 . 5 to 10 grams of crude protein , such as lysate , per liter . more preferably , the crude feed mixture comprises a feed concentration of from about 1 . 5 to 10 grams of crude protein per liter . the crude feed mixture is maintained at an smb feed temperature at or below about 4 ° c . and ph adjusted to have a ph of between about 7 . 5 to about 8 . 5 and an a feed electrical conductivity , or feed specific conductance , of about 0 . 5 to about 2 . 0 ms / cm ( millisiemens / centimeter ), and more preferably a feed specific conductance of about 0 . 8 to about 1 . 5 ms / cm ( millisiemens / centimeter ). in a given smb cycle , the feed mixture in line 10 is passed to the top of feed loading zone 32 and therein the feed mixture is contacted with the adsorbent at a feed ph of 7 . 5 to about 8 . 5 and a feed temperature of less than or equal to about 4 ° c . the crude feed mixture is passed through the feed loading zone 32 in a concurrent direction ; that is , from the top of the feed loading zone to the bottom of the feed loading zone . as the feed mixture in line 10 is loaded on the feed loading zone 32 , a first waste stream in line 12 is withdrawn from the feed loading zone 32 . the first waste stream in line 12 , comprising water and unbound protein may be neutralized and disposed of in any conventional manner . a wash buffer in line 14 is passed to the wash zone 33 in a concurrent direction from the top of the wash zone to the bottom of the wash zone and a second waste stream is withdrawn in line 16 . at least a portion of the second waste stream in line 16 is employed to concurrently purge the capture zone 31 to prepare the capture zone 31 for the introduction of the feed mixture and a third waste stream is withdrawn in line 1 . an elution buffer in line 18 is concurrently passed to the top of the elution zone 34 and a protein product stream in line 20 is withdrawn from the bottom of the elution zone 34 . a first regeneration buffer in line 22 comprising a sodium base and a sodium salt is passed counter currently to the bottom of regeneration zone a 35 to remove any tightly bound contaminants from the adsorbent and simultaneously a second regeneration buffer comprising an acid ( such as hcl or h 3 po 4 ) is passed counter - currently to regeneration zone b to acid wash the adsorbent and a fourth waste stream is withdrawn from the tops of regeneration zones a ( 35 ) and b ( 36 ) in line 24 . the fourth waste stream in line 24 may be neutralized and passed to waste disposal in a conventional manner . regeneration of the regeneration zones 35 and 36 with countercurrent passing of the regeneration buffers assures the removal of impurities which buildup at the top of the adsorbent columns in the regeneration zones during the operation of the smb process . an equilibration buffer in line 26 is passed concurrently to the top of the equilibration zone 37 to equilibrate the adsorbent and a fifth waste stream is withdrawn in line 28 . the fifth waste stream may be passed to neutralization and waste disposal , or alternatively recycled after ph adjustment and filtration to offset the amount of the equilibration buffer in line 26 . each of the above steps takes place during each time period of the smb cycle . at the end of the period , the cycle is indexed or incremented by shifting the all or a portion of each of the 6 adsorption zones one increment to the left wherein one or more of the adsorption beds in the equilibration zone 37 is moved to the capture zone 31 . to accomplish this shift , a rotary valve or a valve switching controller permits the beds to be shifted in function without physically moving the adsorption beds between the zones , or the adsorption zones may be physically rotated about a valve manifold on a carousel which accomplishes the incrementing or shifting of the adsorption beds to the left , or counter to the direction of the mobile phase . in another embodiment of the invention is illustrated using 15 adsorption beds in fig2 for simulated moving bed ( smb ) separation process for the continuous separation of heme proteins ( leghemoglobin ) from a feed mixture comprising yeast lysate and water . as shown in fig2 , the simulated moving bed of the present invention comprises 15 adsorption beds ( v 1 - v 15 ) disposed in adsorption zones : capture zone ( v 1 ), feed loading zone ( v 2 - v 3 ), wash zone ( v 4 - v 5 ), elution zone ( v 6 - v 9 ), first regeneration zone a ( v 10 - v 11 ) and second regeneration zone b ( v 12 ), and equilibration zone ( v 13 - v 15 ). each adsorbent bed has a top and a bottom . the individual adsorption beds ( v 1 - v 15 ) and are arranged serially from left to right and grouped in the five functionally isolated segments . each isolated segment comprises at least one or more of the adsorbent beds . in each isolated segment , with the exception of the regeneration zone , an external stream is introduced to the top of a first adsorbent bed in the isolated segment and a waste stream or a product stream is withdrawn from the bottom of the last adsorbent bed in sequence serially , from left to right . in the regeneration zone of the process scheme shown in fig2 , the regeneration zone adsorbent beds are processed in a counter current manner , wherein the external streams are introduced at the bottom of the adsorbent bed , and the effluent is withdrawn from the top of the adsorbent bed . each of the adsorbent beds contains a stationary phase adsorbent which is selective for the adsorption of protein as described hereinabove . according to fig2 , a protein feed stream in line 90 , such as a crude lysate stream comprising crude lysate and water , is split into a first feed portion in line 92 and a second feed portion in line 91 . the first feed portion in line 92 is introduced to the top of adsorbent bed v 2 and a first waste effluent in line 94 is withdrawn from adsorbent bed v 2 . the second feed portion in line 91 is introduced to the top of adsorbent bed v 3 , operating in parallel to adsorbent bed v 2 , and a second waste effluent stream is withdrawn in line 93 from the bottom of adsorbent bed v 3 . a feed buffered wash stream in line 80 is introduced to the top of adsorbent bed v 1 to prepare adsorbent bed v 1 for processing the feed stream and a third waste effluent stream is withdrawn from adsorbent bed v 1 in line 96 . the feed buffered stream in line 80 comprises a 2 - 10 mm sodium phosphate solution and has a ph ranging from 7 . 5 to 8 . 5 , preferably a ph of 8 . 0 , and a conductivity of from about 0 . 5 - 2 . 0 ms / cm . the first waste effluent stream in line 94 , the second waste effluent stream in line 93 , and the third waste effluent stream in line 96 are admixed to provide a first waste stream in line 95 . the first waste stream is passed to waste disposal . a wash buffer stream in line 75 is split into a wash buffer “ a ” portion in line 77 and a wash buffer “ b ” portion in line 76 . the wash buffer stream in line 75 comprises a 2 - 10 mm sodium phosphate solution and has a ph of 7 . 5 to 8 . 5 and a conductivity of from about 0 . 5 - 2 . 0 ms / cm . the wash buffer a portion in line 77 is introduced to the top of adsorbent bed v 4 and a first spent wash buffer is withdrawn in line 79 . the wash buffer b portion in line 76 is introduced to the top of adsorbent bed v 5 and a second spent wash buffer is withdrawn in line 78 . the first spent wash buffer in line 79 and the second spent wash buffer in line 78 are admixed to form the feed buffered stream in line 80 . an elution buffer in line 65 comprises a mixture of a 2 - 10 mm solution of potassium phosphate and a 25 - 60 mm solution of sodium chloride and has a ph of from 7 . 5 to 8 . 5 , preferably a ph of 8 . 0 , and a conductivity of 3 - 10 ms / cm , and is at room temperature of about 25 ° c . the elution buffer in line 65 is split into an elution buffer a in line 67 and an elution buffer b in line 68 . the elution buffer “ a ” in line 67 is introduced or passed to the top of adsorbent bed v 8 and an intermediate eluate “ a ” is withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed v 8 in line 69 . similarly , elution buffer “ b ” in line 67 is introduced or passed to the top of adsorbent bed v 9 and an intermediate eluate “ b ” is withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed v 9 in line 68 . the intermediate eluates a and b are admixed or combined in line 70 as a combined intermediate eluate and again split into a first intermediate eluate in line 72 and a second intermediate eluate in line 71 . the first intermediate eluate is passed to the top of adsorbent bed v 6 and a first protein product stream is withdrawn in line 74 . similarly , the second intermediate eluate is passed to the top of adsorbent bed v 7 and a second protein product stream is withdrawn in line 73 . the enriched protein product stream can be characterized as having at least 75 wt -% protein purity and having a protein content of ˜ 0 . 5 g / l . by the term protein purity it is meant that in 100 g of total purified protein , 75 g is the protein of interest . adsorbent beds v 10 - v 12 comprise the regeneration zone . in the regeneration zone , the regeneration process comprises either concurrently passing ( see fig2 a ), or counter currently passing ( see fig2 ) separate regeneration buffers to separate portions of the regeneration zone . the regeneration zone is divided into a first regeneration zone comprising adsorbent beds v 11 and v 10 , and a second regeneration zone comprising adsorbent bed v 12 . with reference to a counter current passing of the regeneration buffers through the regeneration zone , in the first regeneration zone , a first regeneration buffer comprising a mixture of a 0 . 1 - 2 normal ( n ) sodium hydroxide and 0 . 5 - 2 molar ( m ) solution of sodium chloride in water in line 59 is introduced to the bottom of adsorbent bed v 11 and a first regeneration intermediate stream is withdrawn from the top of adsorbent bed v 11 in line 60 . the first regeneration buffer counter currently flushes the adsorbent beds in the first regeneration zone to remove essentially all of undesired tightly bound proteins and other contaminants , such as lipids , color impurities which have concentrated in layers toward the top of the adsorbent beds v 10 , v 11 , and v 12 during the smb process . the first regeneration intermediate stream is passed to the bottom of adsorbent bed v 10 and a first regeneration waste stream is withdrawn in line 64 . in the second regeneration step , a second regeneration buffer stream in line 58 comprising a 0 . 1 - 0 . 2n solution of hydrochloric acid is introduced to the bottom of adsorbent bed v 12 and a second regeneration waste stream is withdrawn in line 61 . the second regeneration buffer counter currently flushes the second regeneration zone of any remaining undesired contaminants and acid washes the adsorbent bed v 12 to restore initial activity to the stationary phase adsorbent . the first and second regeneration waste streams in lines 61 and 64 are admixed or combined in line 63 to provide a combined regeneration waste stream . the regeneration waste stream in line 63 is passed to waste disposal . the equilibration zone comprises a first equilibration zone as adsorbent bed v 13 , and a second equilibration zone as adsorbent beds 14 and 15 . a first equilibration buffer in line 57 comprising a solution of 50 - 200 mm ( millimolar ) sodium phosphate and having a ph of about 8 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed 13 and a first equilibration waste stream is withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed v 13 on line 55 . a second equilibration buffer in line 50 comprising a 4 mm solution of potassium phosphate to provide the final equilibration of the stationary phase adsorbent is split equally into lines 52 and 51 and passed to the top of adsorbent beds v 14 and v 15 , respectively . a second equilibration waste stream in line 54 is withdrawn from adsorbent bed v 14 , and a third equilibration waste stream in line 53 is withdrawn from adsorbent bed v 15 . the first and second and third equilibration waste streams are combined or admixed in line 56 to provide a combined equilibration waste stream . it was discovered that by dividing the equilibration step into a first equilibration at high concentration of potassium phosphate ( 50 - 200 mm solution ) followed by a second or final equilibration step using a lower concentration of potassium phosphate ( 2 - 10 mm solution ), sufficient equilibration of the stationary phase adsorbent can be carried out within a single smb cycle . with reference to fig2 a , a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated using 15 adsorption beds for simulated moving bed ( smb ) separation process for the continuous separation of proteins from a feed mixture comprising yeast lysate and water as described hereinabove in fig2 , except that the regeneration zone is operated in a concurrent mode . the description of fig2 a is identical to the description of fig2 , with the exception of that operation of the regeneration zone ( v 10 - v 12 ) takes place in a concurrent manner . in the concurrent mode in the regeneration zone of fig2 a , the external streams are introduced at the top of the adsorbent beds and the effluent is withdrawn from the bottom of the adsorbent beds ( v 10 - v 12 ) in the regeneration zone . as shown in fig2 a , the simulated moving bed of the present invention again comprises 15 adsorption beds ( v 1 - v 15 ) disposed in adsorption zones : capture zone ( v 1 ), feed loading zone ( v 2 - v 3 ), wash zone ( v 4 - v 5 ), elution zone ( v 6 - v 9 ), first regeneration zone a ( 10 - v 11 ) and second regeneration zone b ( v 12 ), and equilibration zone ( v 13 - v 15 ). each adsorbent bed has a top and a bottom . the individual adsorption beds ( v 1 - v 15 ) and are arranged serially from left to right and grouped in the five functionally isolated segments . each isolated segment comprises at least one or more of the adsorbent beds . in every isolated segment , an external stream is introduced to the top of a first adsorbent bed in the isolated segment and a waste stream or a product stream is withdrawn from the bottom of the last adsorbent bed in sequence serially , from left to right . in the concurrent regeneration zone , the regeneration process comprises concurrently passing separate regeneration buffers to separate portions of the regeneration zone . the regeneration zone is divided into a first regeneration zone comprising adsorbent beds v 11 and v 10 , and a second regeneration zone comprising adsorbent bed v 12 . with reference to the concurrent passing of the regeneration buffers through the regeneration zone of fig2 a , in the first regeneration zone ( v 10 - v 11 ), a first regeneration buffer comprising a mixture of a 0 . 1 - 2m normal ( n ) sodium hydroxide and 0 . 5 - 2 molar ( m ) solution of sodium chloride in water in line 59 is introduced to the top of adsorbent bed v 11 and a first regeneration intermediate stream is withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed v 11 in line 60 . the first regeneration buffer concurrently flushes the adsorbent beds in the first regeneration zone to remove essentially all of undesired tightly bound proteins and other contaminants , such as lipids , color impurities which have concentrated in adsorbent beds v 10 , and v 11 during the smb process . the first regeneration intermediate stream in line 60 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed v 10 , and a first regeneration waste stream is withdrawn in line 64 . in the second regeneration step , a second regeneration buffer stream in line 58 comprising a 0 . 1 n solution of hydrochloric acid is introduced to the top of adsorbent bed v 12 , and a second regeneration waste stream from the bottom of adsorbent bed v 12 is withdrawn in line 61 . the second regeneration buffer concurrently flushes the second regeneration zone of any remaining undesired contaminants and acid washes the adsorbent bed v 12 to restore initial activity to the stationary phase adsorbent . the first and second regeneration waste streams in lines 61 and 64 are admixed or combined in line 63 to provide a combined regeneration waste stream . the regeneration waste stream in line 63 is passed to waste disposal . the remainder of the elements ( adsorbent beds and streams ) of fig2 a are identical to the process scheme described hereinabove in fig2 . in a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated using 15 adsorption beds in fig9 for simulated moving bed ( smb ) separation process for the continuous separation of a plant protein , rubisco protein , from spinach extract . the feed mixture comprising the spinach extract diluted or dispersed in water or an equilibration buffer stream comprising sodium or potassium or sodium phosphate and sodium or potassium chloride in water . as shown in fig9 , the simulated moving bed comprises 15 adsorption beds ( r 1 - r 15 ) disposed in adsorption zones : water wash zone ( r 15 ), regeneration zone ( r 14 - r 13 ), elution zone ( r 12 - r 10 ), washing zone ( r 9 - r 7 ), feed loading zone ( r 6 - r 4 ), and equilibration zone ( r 3 - r 1 ). each adsorbent bed has a top and a bottom . the individual adsorption beds ( r 1 - r 15 ) and are arranged serially from left to right and grouped in the above six functionally isolated segments . r 1 is in a first position and r 15 is in the last position . each isolated segment comprises at least one or more of the adsorbent beds . in each isolated segment an external stream is introduced to the top of a first adsorbent bed in the isolated segment and a waste stream or a product stream is withdrawn from the bottom of the last adsorbent bed ( lower number adsorbent bed ) in sequence , serially , from left to right . each of the adsorbent beds contains a stationary phase adsorbent which is selective for the adsorption of protein as described hereinabove . according to fig9 , an smb feed stream comprising the crude protein in line 205 having a spinach concentration of about 0 . 5 - 70 g / i is introduced to the top of adsorbent bed r 6 in the feed loading zone ( r 6 - r 4 ). the adsorbent beds r 6 , r 5 , and r 4 are arranged in series , such that the r 6 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed r 6 in line 216 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 5 , and the r 5 effluent stream in line 217 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 4 . in the feed loading zone the protein of interest is disposed on the stationary phase adsorbent in adsorbent beds r 6 , r 5 , and r 4 and a first waste stream is withdrawn from adsorbent bed r 4 in line 218 and passed to neutralization and waste disposal . a wash buffer stream in line 204 comprising sodium or potassium phosphate and sodium or potassium chloride is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 9 in a washing zone ( r 9 - r 7 ) to wash impurities and other proteins from the adsorbent in the washing zone and provide a second waste stream in line 215 . the wash buffer stream comprises a wash buffer concentration of from about 2 mm to about 100 mm of phosphate salt of sodium or potassium , and the wash buffer stream has a ph of about 7 . 5 to 8 . 5 and a conductivity of between 0 . 5 and 25 ms / cm . the adsorbent beds r 9 , r 8 , and r 7 are arranged in series , such that the r 9 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed r 9 in line 213 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 8 , and the r 8 effluent stream in line 214 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 7 . an elution buffer stream in line 203 comprising sodium or potassium phosphate and sodium or potassium chloride and having a concentration of 2 mm to about 100 mm of phosphate salt of sodium or potassium , and from about 0 . 02 m to about 0 . 5 m of sodium or potassium chloride is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 12 in an elution zone ( r 12 - r 10 ) to selectively desorb and recover the rubisco protein from the adsorbent in the elution zone and provide a product stream in line 212 . the adsorbent beds r 12 , r 11 , and r 10 are arranged in series , such that the r 12 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed r 12 in line 210 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 11 , and the r 11 effluent stream in line 211 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 10 . a regeneration buffer stream in line 202 comprising sodium or potassium hydroxide or a suitable base and sodium or potassium chloride is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 14 in a regeneration zone ( r 14 - r 13 ) to regenerate the adsorbent in the regeneration zone and provide a third waste stream in line 209 . the adsorbent beds r 14 and r 13 are arranged in series , such that the r 14 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed r 12 in line 208 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 13 . a water stream in line 201 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 15 and a fourth waste stream is withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed r 15 . an equilibration buffer stream in line 206 having a concentration of 40 to 100 mm of sodium or potassium phosphate and 0 . 1 m nacl is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 3 in the equilibration zone ( r 3 - r 1 ) to reionize and restore the adsorbent in the equilibration zone and provide a fourth waste stream in line 221 . the fourth waste stream in line 221 may be neutralized and passed to waste disposal in a conventional manner the adsorbent beds r 3 , r 2 , and r 1 are arranged in series , such that the r 3 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed r 2 in line 219 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 2 , and the r 2 effluent stream in line 220 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed r 1 . the water wash stream removes or flushes any residual salts from the adsorbent in adsorbent bed r 15 to prevent any buildup of salts in the system prior to the next feed loading cycle . at the completion of the cycle , the adsorbent beds are indexed by one adsorbent bed to the left , such that the last bed in the series r 15 is moved to the first position and r 14 is moved to the water wash zone , or the last position . using the smb process with an adsorbent such as the strong basic exchange resin , such as toyopearl gigacap q - 650 , the rubisco protein extraction yield was about 72 percent on a weight basis based on the amount of rubisco protein in the feed , and the recovered rubisco protein purity was about 85 wt -%. in a still further embodiment of the invention is illustrated using 15 adsorption beds in fig1 for simulated moving bed ( smb ) separation process for the continuous separation or extraction of multiple plant proteins , such as multiple proteins in pea protein , from pea flour . the crude feed mixture comprising the pea flour is diluted or dispersed in water or an equilibration buffer stream comprising sodium or potassium or sodium phosphate and sodium or potassium chloride in water . as shown in fig1 , the simulated moving bed comprises 15 adsorption beds ( t 1 - t 15 ) disposed in adsorption zones : regeneration zone ( t 15 - t 13 ), elution zone 3 ( t 12 - t 11 ), elution zone 2 ( t 10 - t 9 ), elution zone 1 ( t 8 - t 7 ), washing zone ( t 6 - t 5 ), feed loading zone ( t 4 - t 3 ), and equilibration zone ( t 2 - t 1 ). each adsorbent bed has a top and a bottom . the individual adsorption beds ( t 1 - t 15 ) and are arranged serially from left to right , and grouped in the above six functionally isolated segments . t 1 is in a first position and t 15 is in the last position . each isolated segment comprises at least one or more of the adsorbent beds . in each isolated segment an external stream is introduced to the top of a first adsorbent bed in the isolated segment and a waste stream or a product stream is withdrawn from the bottom of the last adsorbent bed ( lower number adsorbent bed ) in sequence , serially , from left to right . each of the adsorbent beds contains a stationary phase adsorbent which is selective for the adsorption of protein of interest as described hereinabove . according to fig1 , an smb feed stream comprising the crude protein in line 106 having a pea flour concentration of about 1 wt -% is introduced to the top of adsorbent bed t 4 in the feed loading zone ( t 4 - t 3 ). the adsorbent beds t 4 and t 3 are arranged in series , such that the t 4 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed t 4 in line 119 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 3 . in the feed loading zone , the proteins of interest are disposed on the stationary phase adsorbent in adsorbent beds t 4 and t 3 , and a first waste stream is withdrawn from adsorbent bed t 3 in line 120 and passed to neutralization and waste disposal . a wash buffer stream in line 105 comprising sodium or potassium phosphate and sodium or potassium chloride is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 6 in a washing zone ( t 6 - t 5 ) to wash impurities and other proteins from the adsorbent in the washing zone and provide a second waste stream in line 118 . the adsorbent beds t 6 and t 5 are arranged in series , such that the t 6 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed t 6 in line 117 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 5 . a first elution buffer stream in line 104 comprising sodium or potassium chloride is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 8 in a first elution zone ( t 8 - t 7 ) to selectively desorb and recover a first group ( group a ) of pea proteins of interest from the adsorbent in the first elution zone ( t 8 - t 7 ) and provide a first product stream in line 116 . the adsorbent beds t 8 and t 7 are arranged in series , such that the t 8 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed t 8 in line 115 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 7 . a second elution buffer stream in line 103 comprising sodium or potassium chloride is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 10 in a first elution zone ( t 10 - t 9 ) to selectively desorb and recover a second group ( group b ) of pea proteins of interest from the adsorbent in the first elution zone ( t 10 - t 9 ) and provide a second product stream in line 114 . the adsorbent beds t 10 and t 9 are arranged in series , such that the t 10 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed t 10 in line 113 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 9 . a third elution buffer stream in line 102 comprising sodium or potassium chloride is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 12 in a first elution zone ( t 12 - t 11 ) to selectively desorb and recover a first group ( group c ) of pea proteins of interest from the adsorbent in the third elution zone ( t 12 - t 11 ) and provide a first product stream in line 112 . the adsorbent beds t 12 and t 11 are arranged in series , such that the t 12 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed t 12 in line 111 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 11 . a regeneration buffer stream in line 101 comprising sodium or potassium chloride sodium and optionally potassium hydroxide or a suitable base is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 15 in a regeneration zone ( t 15 - t 13 ) to regenerate the adsorbent in the regeneration zone and provide a third waste stream in line 110 . the adsorbent beds t 15 , t 14 and t 13 are arranged in series , such that the t 15 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed t 15 in line 108 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 14 , the t 14 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed t 14 in line 109 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 13 . an equilibration buffer stream in line 107 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 2 in the equilibration zone ( t 2 - t 1 ). the adsorbent beds t 1 and t 2 are arranged in series , such that the t 1 effluent stream withdrawn from the bottom of adsorbent bed t 1 in line 121 is passed to the top of adsorbent bed t 1 . a fifth waste stream is withdrawn from adsorbent bed t 1 in line 122 and passed to neutralization and disposal . at the completion of the cycle , the adsorbent beds are indexed by one adsorbent bed to the left , such that the last bed in the series t 15 is moved to the first position , and t 14 is moved one position to the left , or the last position . using the smb process with an adsorbent such as the strong anion or strong basic exchange resin , such as toyopearl gigacap q - 650 , having a hydroxylated polymethacrylate polymer matrix . a commercial embodiment of the smb system of the current invention will arranged for maximum selectivity . the simulated moving bed operation is achieved by use of a plurality of adsorbent beds connected in series and a complex valve system , whereby the complex valve system facilitates switching at regular intervals the feed entry in one direction , the mobile phase desorbent entry in the opposite direction , while changing the eluted product and waste stream takeoff positions as well . the smb system is a continuous process . feed enters and the elute product ( s ) and waste streams are withdrawn continuously at substantially constant compositions . the overall operation is equivalent in performance to an operation wherein the fluid and solid are contacted in a continuous countercurrent manner , without the actual movement of the solid , or stationary phase adsorbent . in a commercial implementation of the present invention , the number of actual adsorbent beds in a particular zone of the smb is a matter of economic choice and valve size limitations . the following examples are provided to illustrate the present invention . these examples are shown for illustrative purposes , and any invention embodied therein should not be limited thereto . the stationary phase adsorbent of the present invention is a quaternary amine cross - linked microcrystalline resin . the quaternary amine cross - linked microcrystalline resin was prepared in the following manner . a 17 . 53 g of a general purpose emulsifier , rhodafac pe - 510 , a polyoxyethylenenonyl - phenyl ether phosphate ( available from solvay chemicals , houston , tex .) was weighed in a 500 ml conical flask . a 400 ml portion of cyclohexane was added to the conical flask , stirred for 30 minutes , and allowed to rest over night at a room temperature of about 25 ° c . a 65 g portion of avicel ph - 200 , a microcrystalline cellulose , ( available from fmc corporation , philadelphia , pa .) having a particle size ranging from about 150 to about 250 microns , an average particle size of 180 um , a loose bulk density of 0 . 29 - 0 . 39 g / cc , and a moisture content of 2 . 0 to 5 . 0 wt -% was added to a two liter multi - neck reaction flask : a morton style round bottom flask , equipped with overhead stirrer , reflux condenser , thermocouple , and an addition funnel . the reaction flask was placed in a heating mantle . a 52 ml portion of a solution of 45 % sodium hydroxide and 250 ml of water was added to the reaction flask . the reaction mixture was vigorously stirred ( 370 - 380 rpm ) for 60 minutes while heating the reaction flask to maintain a reaction temperature of 55 ° c . the heating was stopped , the emulsifier / cyclohexane mixture in the conical flask was added to the reaction mixture in the reaction flask . the reaction mixture was again stirred vigorously at a stirrer speed of about 420 rpm for an additional 60 minutes while heating the reaction mixture to maintain a reaction temperature of 55 ° c . a 75 ml first addition of epichlorohydrin was added to the reaction flask in a drop wise manner using the addition funnel over a period of 20 minutes while stirring at 400 rpm and maintaining the reaction flask at a reaction temperature of 55 ° c . it was observed at one point during the drop wise addition of the first portion of epichlorohydrin that there was an exothermic reaction and a brief temperature excursion to about 59 . 1 ° c . following the addition of the first portion of epichlorohydrin , the reaction mixture was again vigorously stirred at about 405 rpm , ( revolutions per minute ) for another 60 minutes while maintaining the reaction mixture at about 55 ° c . at the end of this 60 minute period , a 45 ml ( milliliter ) portion of a solution of 45 mol -% sodium hydroxide and 21 ml of water were added to the reaction flask while stirring and maintaining the reaction flask at 55 ° c . a second epichlorohydrin addition of 45 ml of epichlorohydrin was added to the reaction flask in a drop wise manner using the addition funnel over a period of 10 minutes while stirring the reaction mixture at a rate of 405 rpm and maintaining the reaction flask at a reaction temperature of 55 ° c . again , another temperature excursion occurred briefly reaching 62 . 5 ° c . after complete addition of epichlorohydrin , the reaction mixture was stirred at 405 rpm while heating at 55 ° c . for an additional 60 minutes . the heating of the reaction flask was stopped and the stirring at the rate of 405 rpm was continued for 2 hours . the reaction mixture was then transferred to a 5 liter beaker containing 4 liters of a 1 mol -% solution of sodium chloride in deionized water and allowed to rest for 30 minutes to permit the resulting gel to separate from a supernatant , having a cloudy appearance . the supernatant was separated from the gel by being decanted off and discarded . the 4 liters of a 1 mol -% solution of sodium chloride in deionized water was admixed with the gel to wash the gel and the mixture of the sodium chloride and gel mixture was allowed to settle for 30 minutes to permit the gel to settle out from the supernatant . the supernatant was again decanted off and discarded . this washing of the gel with the 1 mol -% sodium chloride solution 4 more times to provide the washed cross - linked microcellulose gel . the washed cross - linked microcellulose gel was transferred to a buchner funnel using shark skin filter paper , a creped , medium - to - slow , wet strength filter paper , having a 12 micron pore size and a diameter of 270 mm ( available from ge healthcare life sciences , marlborough , mass .) and washed with 2 liters of 1 mol -% sodium chloride aqueous solution . the resulting cross - linked microcellulose gel was stored in an aqueous solution of 1 mol -% sodium chloride . quab 151 ( available from skw quab chemicals , inc . saddle brook , n . j .) is the an aqueous solution of the active substance 2 , 3 - epoxypropyltrimethyl - ammonium chloride ( glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride ). the reaction of cross - linked microcellulose gel with the quaternary amine , quab 151 was carried out in a second 500 ml reaction flask . a 75 g portion of suction dried cross - linked microcellulosegel prepared in part a of example 1 was added to 50 ml of 0 . 6 n naoh solution containing sodium borohydride ( 2 mg / ml ) in the second 500 ml reaction flask and stirred . 50 ml of the quab 151 was added to the second 500 ml reaction flask and stirred for 20 hours at room temperature ( about 25 ° c .). the resulting reaction mixture was filtered in a buchner funnel using a shark skin filter paper , a creped , medium to slow , wet strength filter paper , having a 12 micron pore size and a diameter of 110 mm ( available from ge healthcare life sciences , marlborough , mass .) and washed with 3 liters of 1 mol -% sodium chloride aqueous solution . the resulting filter cake , or quaternary amine cross - linked microcellulose resin was suction dried and stored at a storage temperature of 4 ° c . recombinant yeast heme protein purification using quaternary amine cross - linked microcellulose resin approximately 5 gm ( 5 ml ) sample of the adsorbent , the quaternary amine cross - linked microcelluloseresin prepared in example 1 , was packed in a plastic column having an inside diameter of 12 mm and a length of 45 mm . the quaternary amine cross - linked microcellulose resin was first equilibrated by passing 5 column volumes of an equilibration buffer 1 comprising a potassium phosphate solution having a potassium phosphate concentration of 50 mm ( millimolar ) sodium phosphate , and having a ph 8 . 0 . the equilibration buffer was passed concurrently to the top of the glass column at a rate of 5 ml / min . the resin was then equilibrated by passing 20 column volumes of an equilibration buffer 2 comprising a potassium phosphate solution having a potassium phosphate concentration of 4 mm potassium phosphate , and having a ph 8 . 0 . the effluent from the bottom of the column during the equilibration step was passed to waste disposal . following equilibration , a feed comprising yeast lysate was loaded on the adsorbent in a feed loading step . a 38 mg sample of yeast lysate which had been stored at − 20 ° c ., was thawed at room temperature and diluted with equilibration buffer to adjust the total protein concentration to ˜ 2 mg / ml at 4 ° c . to provide a feed mixture , and the ph of the feed mixture was adjusted to a ph of 8 with 1n naoh on ice , and the conductivity of the feed mixture was about 800 μs . the feed mixture had protein concentration of 2 . 18 mg / ml which was determined by pierce 660 nm protein assay . the pierce 660 nm protein assay ( available from thermo fischer scientific , pittsburgh , pa .) uses a proprietary dye - metal complex which binds to protein in acidic conditions , causing a shift in the dye &# 39 ; s absorption maximum , which is measured at 660 nm . a 17 . 5 ml portion of the feed mixture was passed to the top of the column at a feed rate of about 0 . 5 ml / min and the resulting elute was collected 5 ml fractions . the column was then washed with 5 column volumes of a wash buffer comprising an aqueous solution having a potassium phosphate concentration of 4 mm sodium phosphate , and a ph 8 . 0 . the wash buffer was passed to the top of the column at a wash rate of about 0 . 5 ml / min and the resulting wash effluent was collected in 5 ml fractions . in an elution step , the heme protein was then eluted by passing an elution buffer comprising potassium phosphate and sodium chloride to the top of the column and collecting the eluted heme protein product . the elution buffer comprised a potassium phosphate concentration of 4 mm , and a concentration of sodium chloride of 25 mm sodium chloride and had a ph of 8 . 0 . the elution buffer was passed to the top of the column at an elution rate of 0 . 5 ml / min ( see fig3 ), and the extracted heme protein product was collected from the bottom of the column . the column was then washed with 5 column volumes of 1m nacl solution at a rate of 2 ml / min to elute the other proteins . protein concentration was again determined by using pierce 660 nm protein assay . purity was determined by analyzing the collected product fractions on 4 - 12 % bis - tris sds - page followed by densitometry using bio - rad &# 39 ; s ez imager ( see fig4 ). nupage bis - tris gels ( available from thermo fischer scientific , pittsburgh , pa .) are precast polyacrylamide gels designed to provide separation of small to medium - sized proteins during gel electrophoresis . bio - rad &# 39 ; s ez imager is an automated gel imaging instrument ( available from bio - rad , hercules , calif .). the adsorbent was regenerated in a regeneration step by washing the column with 10 column volumes of 0 . 1 m naoh + 1 m nacl followed by washing the column with 5 column volumes of 0 . 1 n phosphoric acid . the column was then equilibrated in an equilibration step bypassing 5 column volumes at a rate of 5 ml / min of an equilibration buffer 1 comprising 50 mm potassium phosphate , and having a ph of 8 . 0 . the resin was then equilibrated by passing 20 column volumes of an equilibration buffer 2 comprising a potassium phosphate solution having a potassium phosphate concentration of 4 mm potassium phosphate , and having a ph 8 . 0 . the protein of interest was leghemoglobin protein , and the lysate was determined to contain about 25 % percent leghemoglobin protein by weight . the leghemoglobin protein content of the lysate was determined by densitometry to contain 9 . 53 mg of the approximately 38 mg loaded . the leghemoglobin protein found in the protein product elute fractions ( shown in fig4 as lanes 5 - 9 ) was determined to be 11 . 16 mg . thus , the heme protein extraction yield was about 97 % on a weight basis compared to the amount of heme protein in the feed , and the heme protein purity was about 83 %, determined by densitometry . the analytical results for the extraction of heme protein from the lysate of example 2 were depicted in graphical form in fig3 and fig4 . fig3 shows the optical density area plot of the protein concentration of the numbered elute fractions withdrawn from the column in example 2 . fig4 is gel electrophoresis result of an sds - page protein analysis using 4 - 12 % bis - tris gel of the elute fractions produced in example 2 . fig4 shows the collected elute fractions eluted from the column of example 2 containing the quaternary amine cross - linked microcellulose resin on 4 - 12 % bis - tris sds - page imager at various points in the smb process . the results are shown in lanes which are numbered along the x - axis . lane1 : feed load , 14 ug ( micrograms ); lane 2 : elution pool , 1 . 08 ug ; lane 3 : elution pool , 1 . 62 ug ; lane 4 : elution pool , 2 . 16 ug ; lanes 5 : elution pool , 2 . 7 ug ; lane 6 : 3 . 1 ug , lane 7 : molecular weight marker proteins . heme protein purification using chromatography with strong anion exchange resin in a single column separation example 3 evaluated diaion hpa25l a strongly basic anion exchange resin having a backbone matrix of styrene divinyl benzene polymer ( available from mitsubishi chemical company , tokyo , japan ) for use in a single column separation process to determine the ability of the hpa25l resin to provide the required degree of separation and also be regenerable during an smb cycle . accordingly , a resin volume of about 5 ml of diaion hpa25l resin was washed in a resin wash step to remove impurities and any fines . the resin wash step consisted of soaking the volume of the resin in two times the volume ( about 10 ml ) of resin in a 1 : 1 ( v / v ) mixture of 1 m naoh : methanol for 2 hours at room temperature and at atmospheric pressure . at the end of 2 hours , the supernatant was decanted and the remaining resin solids were washed again with in two times the volume of resin in a 1 : 1 ( v / v ) mixture of 1 m naoh : methanol for 2 hours at room temperature and at atmospheric pressure . after decanting the supernatant , the resin was washed three times with water by soaking the volume of resin in twice the volume of water and allowing the resin / water mixture to stand for about 30 minutes , before decanting the water . the resin was then washed 3 times with a 2 n hcl solution by soaking the resin in twice the volume of hcl solution and allowing the resin / hcl solution to stand for 30 minutes and then decanting the hcl solution . the washed resin was packed in a high - modulus polyethylene , ( hmpe ) column ( having a diameter of about 12 mm and a length of about 45 mm ) and washed with water until the eluate had a ph of about 4 . the resin was then washed with 3 column volumes of 20 vl -% ethanol and stored at room temperature . the washed resin ( approximately 5 g or 5 ml ) in the packed hmpe column , prepared hereinabove in example 3 — part a , was washed with 5 column volumes of 50 mm ( millimolar ) sodium phosphate solution having a ph of 8 . 0 at a rate of 0 . 5 ml / min . the resin was equilibrated by passing 10 column volumes of a 5 mm sodium phosphate solution having a ph of 8 . 0 at 0 . 5 ml / min . a 34 . 125 mg portion of yeast lysate which had been stored at a storage temperature of − 20 ° c . was diluted a 5 mm sodium phosphate solution having a ph of 8 . 0 to provide about a 17 . 5 ml feed mixture which was maintained on ice at a temperature of about 4 ° c . the feed mixture had a conductivity of about 1 . 0 ms ( millisiemans ). in a loading step , the 17 . 5 ml of the feed mixture was passed through the column or loaded on the resin at a rate of about 5 ml / min and the eluate was collected in 5 ml fractions . in a washing step , the column was washed with about 5 column volumes of a 5 mm solution of sodium phosphate having a ph of 8 . 0 at a rate of 0 . 5 ml / min and the resulting wash eluate was collected in 5 ml fractions . the heme protein remaining on the resin after the wash step was eluted in an elution step by flushing the column with 5 column volumes of an elution buffer of 5 mm sodium phosphate and 50 mm sodium chloride and having a ph of 8 . 0 . the protein eluate was collected at 5 ml fractions and stored on ice at a temperature of 4 ° c . the remaining proteins on the resin were eluted by flushing the column with a 1 m solution of sodium chloride . the protein concentration in the collected fractions was determined by pierce 660 nm protein assay . the pierce 660 nm protein assay ( available from thermo fischer scientific , pittsburgh , pa .) uses a proprietary dye - metal complex which binds to protein in acidic conditions , causing a shift in the dye &# 39 ; s absorption maximum , which is measured at 660 nm . purity of the protein was determined by analyzing the collected product fractions on 4 - 12 % bis - tris sds - page followed by densitometry using bio - rad &# 39 ; s ez imager ( see fig6 ). nupage bis - tris gels ( available from thermo fischer scientific , pittsburgh , pa .) are precast polyacrylamide gels designed to provide separation of small to medium - sized proteins during gel electrophoresis . bio - rad &# 39 ; s ez imager is an automated gel imaging instrument ( available from bio - rad , hercules , calif .). the heme protein content of the lysate was determined by densitometry to contain 7 . 47 mg of the approximately 34 . 125 mg loaded . the heme protein found in the protein product elute fractions ( shown in fig6 as lanes 7 - 10 ) was determined to be 5 . 9 mg . thus , using the strong basic resin diaion hpa25l the heme protein extraction yield was about 79 % on a weight basis compared to the amount of heme protein in the feed , and the heme protein purity was about 79 %, determined by densitometry . fig5 shows the optical density area plot of the protein concentrations of the numbered elute fractions withdrawn from the column in example 3 . fig6 is gel electrophoresis result of an sds - page protein analysis using 4 - 12 % bis - tris gel of the elute fractions produced in example 3 . fig6 shows the collected elute fractions eluted from the column of example 3 on 4 - 12 % bis - tris sds - page imager at various points in the smb process . the results are shown in lanes which are numbered along the x - axis . lane 1 : lysate 5 ul ( microliters ); lane 2 : lysate 6 ul ; lane 3 : lysate 8 ul ; lane 4 : lysate 10 ul ; lane 5 : ft 30 ul ; lane 6 : wash 30 ul ; lane 7 : elution pool 10 ul ; lane 8 : elution pool 15 ul ; lane 9 : elution pool 20 ul , 2 . 21 ug ( micrograms ) heme protein of interest , and lane 10 : elute pool 25 ul . plant ( rubisco ) protein purification using single column purification with strong anion exchange resin example 4 represented a single column purification of the plant protein , rubisco ( 1 , 5 - bisphosphate carboxylase / oxygenase ) protein from spinach extract . the stationary phase employed in the single column was toyopearl gigacap q - 650 , a high capacity , high resolution , strong anion exchange resin having a backbone of a hydroxylated polymethacrylate polymer ( available from tosoh bioscience llc , king of prussia , pa .). a 5 ml portion ( column volume ) of the resin was loaded in a column having a diameter of about 12 mm and a length of about 45 mm . the resin was equilibrated by passing 10 column volumes of an equilibration buffer comprising a 40 mm sodium phosphate and 0 . 1 m sodium chloride solution having a ph of 8 . 0 at 0 . 5 ml / min . a 0 . 5 g / liter crude feed mixture of spinach extract was prepared by admixing the spinach extract in the equilibration buffer . in a loading step , the 2 . 8 liters of the crude feed mixture was passed through the column or loaded on the resin at a rate of about 10 ml / min . in a washing step , the column was washed with about 40 column volumes of a 40 mm solution of sodium phosphate and 0 . 15 m sodium chloride having a ph of 8 . 0 at a rate of 10 ml / min . the protein of interest , rubisco , remaining on the resin after the wash step was eluted in an elution step by flushing the column with 20 column volumes of an elution buffer having an elution buffer concentration of 40 mm sodium phosphate and 0 . 35 m sodium chloride and having a ph of 8 . 0 , and introduced at a rate of 10 ml / min . the protein eluate was collected at 5 ml fractions and stored on ice at a temperature of 4 ° c . the rubisco protein concentration in the collected fractions was determined by pierce 660 nm protein assay . the pierce 660 nm protein assay ( available from thermo fischer scientific , pittsburgh , pa .) uses a proprietary dye - metal complex which binds to protein in acidic conditions , causing a shift in the dye &# 39 ; s absorption maximum , which is measured at 280 nm . purity of the protein was determined by analyzing the collected product fractions on 4 - 12 % bis - tris sds - page followed by densitometry using bio - rad &# 39 ; s ez imager ( see fig6 ). nupage bis - tris gels ( available from thermo fischer scientific , pittsburgh , pa .) are precast polyacrylamide gels designed to provide separation of small to medium - sized proteins during gel electrophoresis . bio - rad &# 39 ; s ez imager is an automated gel imaging instrument ( available from bio - rad , hercules , calif .). the rubisco protein content of the spinach extract was determined by densitometry to contain 7 . 47 mg of the approximately 34 . 125 mg loaded . the rubisco protein found in the protein product elute fractions ( shown in fig6 as lanes 7 - 10 ) was determined to be 5 . 9 mg . thus , using the strong basic resin toyop earl gigacap q - 650 , the rubisco protein extraction yield was about 72 percent on a weight basis compared to the amount of rubisco protein in the feed , and the rubisco protein purity was about 85 wt -%, determined by densitometry . fig7 shows the elution profile of rubisco from spinach in an optical density area plot of the protein concentrations of the numbered elute fractions withdrawn from the column in example 4 . fig8 is gel electrophoresis result of an sds - page protein analysis using 4 - 12 % bis - tris gel of the elute fractions produced in example 4 . the results are shown in lanes which are numbered along the x - axis . lanes 1 - 7 : purified rubisco protein and lane 8 : molecular weight marker proteins . pea protein purification using a single column purification with strong anion exchange resin example 5 represented a single column purification of pea protein from pea flour . the stationary phase employed in the smb was toyopearl gigacap q - 650 , a high capacity , high resolution , strong anion exchange resin having a backbone of a hydroxylated polymethacrylate polymer ( available from tosoh bioscience llc , king of prussia , pa .). a 5 ml portion ( column volume ) of the resin was loaded in a column having a diameter of about 12 mm and a length of about 45 mm . the resin was equilibrated by passing 20 column volumes of an equilibration buffer comprising a 20 mm sodium phosphate and 0 . 05 m sodium chloride solution having a ph of 8 . 0 at 2 ml / min . a 1 wt -% pea flour smb feed mixture of the pea flour was prepared by admixing about 1 g / 100 ml of the pea flour in the equilibration buffer . the total protein concentration in the crude feed mixture was 5 . 2 mg / ml as determined by pierce 660 nm protein assay . in a loading step , the 50 ml of the crude feed mixture was passed through the column or loaded on the resin at a rate of about 2 ml / min . in a washing step , the column was washed with about 5 column volumes of a 20 mm sodium phosphate and 0 . 05 m sodium chloride solution having a ph of 8 . 0 at a rate of 2 ml / min . the proteins of interest , 3 target proteins ( group a , b , and c ), remaining on the resin after the wash step were eluted in an elution step by flushing the column with 4 column volumes of an elution buffer having a linear gradient of from 50 mm to 500 mm sodium chloride in 20 mm sodium phosphate and having a ph of 8 . 0 at a rate of 2 ml / min . the protein eluate was collected at 5 ml fractions and stored on ice at a temperature of 4 ° c . the pea protein concentrations in the collected fractions were determined by pierce 660 nm protein assay at 280 nm . purity of the protein was determined by analyzing the collected product fractions on 4 - 12 % bis - tris sds - page followed by densitometry using bio - rad &# 39 ; s ez imager ( see fig6 ). nupage bis - tris gels ( available from thermo fischer scientific , pittsburgh , pa .) are precast polyacrylamide gels designed to provide separation of small to medium - sized proteins during gel electrophoresis . there were 3 target proteins identified as target a , target b , and target c , the total protein found was as follows : target group a proteins − 51 mg , target group b proteins − 90 mg , and target group c proteins 5 mg . the proteins in the eluted fractions was determined using a pierce 660 nm protein assay . fig1 shows the elution profile of pea proteins extracted from pea flour in an optical density area plot ( uv absorbance @ 280 nm ) of the pea protein concentrations of the numbered elute fractions withdrawn from the column in example 5 . fig1 is gel electrophoresis result of an sds - page protein analysis using 4 - 12 % bis - tris gel of the elute fractions produced in example 5 . the results are shown in lanes which are numbered along the x - axis . lanes 2 - 4 contain target group a pea proteins , lanes 5 - 7 contain target group b pea proteins , and lanes 15 - 16 contain target group c pea proteins . lane 17 shows molecular weight marker proteins . simulated moving bed purification of heme protein in an 8 - bed simulated moving bed separation approximately 20 ml of diaion hpa25l a strongly basic anion exchange resin having a backbone matrix of styrene divinyl benzene polymer ( available from mitsubishi chemical company , tokyo , japan ) was loade in each of eight 20 ml cartridges . each cartridge was a vertical column having a diameter of 21 mm and a height of 80 mm . each of the cartridges were prepared by passing about 30 column volumes of an equilibration buffer comprising 5 mm of potassium phosphate at a ph of 8 . 0 at a rate of 20 ml / min . the yeast lysate to be purified was kept frozen . a 200 ml portion of the frozen yeast lysate was thawed at room temperature ( 25 ° c .) and diluted to a volume of 650 ml by the addition of the equilibration buffer to provide a crude feed mixture . the crude feed mixture ph was adjusted to 8 . 0 by the addition of a sufficient amount of a 1n solution of sodium hydroxide . the crude feed was maintained at a feed temperature of about 4 ° c . with ice . the conductivity of the crude feed mixture was about 0 . 9 ms / cm . a bench scale octave simulated moving bed unit ( available from semba biosciences , inc ., madison , wis .) was configured with eight beds according to the process flow of fig1 . the smb process took place at room temperature and atmospheric pressure , but the feed mixture and the eluted product streams were maintained at a temperature of about 4 ° c . on ice . according to fig1 , the crude feed mixture was introduced in line 300 to load adsorbent bed o 1 ( loading zone ) and a first waste stream is withdrawn in line 350 . a wash buffer is introduced to adsorbent bed o 2 ( wash zone ) in line 302 and a second wash stream is withdrawn from adsorbent bed o 2 in line 340 . an elution buffer in line 304 is introduced to adsorbent bed o 5 which is in serial fluid communication with adsorbent beds o 4 and o 3 ( elution zone o 5 - o 3 ) and a product stream is withdrawn from adsorbent bed o 3 in line 300 . adsorbent beds o 7 and o 6 ( regeneration zone ) are counter currently regenerated in line 306 by passing a first regeneration buffer to the bottom of regeneration bed o 7 which is in serial fluid communication with adsorbent bed o 6 and a third waste stream is withdrawn from adsorbent bed o 6 in line 320 . a second regeneration buffer and a first equilibration buffer are also introduced in line 306 to complete the regeneration process and initiate the equilibration process at the appropriate point in the smb cycle . the second equilibration buffer is introduced in line 308 to adsorbent bed o 8 ( equilibration zone ) and a fourth waste stream is withdrawn in line 310 . the crude feed rate was 2 ml / ml . the wash buffer comprised 5 column volumes of 5 mm potassium phosphate at a ph of 8 . 0 and was introduced at a rate of 2 ml / min . the elution step comprised passing an elution buffer of 10 column volumes of 5 mm potassium phosphate and 50 mm sodium chloride at a rate of 2 ml / min . the regeneration step comprised passing 5 column volumes of a first regeneration buffer of 2 m sodium hydroxide and 1 m sodium chloride and a rate of 1 . 66 ml / min , followed by passing a second regeneration buffer of 5 column volumes of 1 % hcl at 20 ml / min , followed by passing a first equilibration buffer of 5 column volumes of 50 mm potassium phosphate having a ph of 8 . 0 at a rate of 20 ml / min . the second equilibration buffer of 30 column volumes of 5 mm potassium phosphate and having a ph of 8 . 0 was passed to o 8 in line 308 at a rate of 20 ml / min . the elute product stream in line 330 was monitored at a uv wave length of 280 nm and the protein concentration was determined by a pierce 660 nm protein assay . the purity of the elute product was determined by analyzing the eluted fractions on a 4 - 12 % bis - tris sds - page followed by densitometry using a bio - rad &# 39 ; s gel doc ez imager as described hereinabove . the total amount of protein in the crude feed mixture was 1120 mg . the protein of interest , leghemoglobin , was determined to be 26 wt -% by densitometry and equal to 291 mg . the smb product eluted from the smb was 301 . 6 mg and the purity of the smb product was determined by densitometry to be 80 wt -%. thus , the amount of pure ( 100 %) leghemoglobin in the product was 241 mg , and the overall yield of the leghemoglobin was 83 wt -%, based on the amount of leghemoglobin in the crude feed mixture . while the disclosure has been described in terms of specific embodiments , it is evident in view of the foregoing description that numerous alternatives , modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . accordingly , the disclosure is intended to encompass all such alternatives , modifications and variations which fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure and the following claims . fig1 shows the optical density of the elute fractions withdrawn from the simulated moving bed process in example 6 . fig1 is gel electrophoresis result of an sds - page protein analysis using 4 - 12 % bis - tris gel of the elute fractions produced in example 6 . fig1 shows the collected elute fractions eluted from the column of example 6 on 4 - 12 % bis - tris sds - page imager at various points in the smb process . the results are shown in lanes which are numbered along the x - axis . lane 1 : lysate 5 μl ; lane 2 : lysate 10 ul , lane 3 : flowthrough 30 ul ; lane 4 : wash 30 ul ; lane 5 : elute pool 10 ul ; lane 6 : elute pool : 25 μl ; lane 7 : elute pool 15 ul ; lane 8 : molecular weight marker proteins . | 1 |
some embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the drawings . [ 0047 ] fig8 shows an image reading apparatus main body in a first embodiment of the present invention . in fig8 the reference numeral 100 designates the image reading apparatus main body , the reference numeral 101 denotes a base frame , the reference numeral 102 designates an original glass table , the reference numerals 103 and 104 denote glass mounting frames , the reference numeral 110 designates an original table contact type sensor , the reference numeral 120 denotes a pressure plate , and the reference numeral 121 designates the hinge of the pressure plate which can be used with a reflecting original reading mode and a transmitting original reading mode changed over . during the reflecting original reading mode , a user places an original on the original glass table 102 , and closes the pressure plate 120 . when the user depresses the start button of a personal computer ( not shown ), the original table contact type sensor 110 is moved in the direction of arrow a while turning on r , g and b leds contained therein , and reads a reflected image by a photoelectric conversion element array contained therein , and converts it into an electrical signal and forwards it to the personal computer . the time of the transmitting original reading mode will now be described with reference to fig1 to fig6 in the named order . [ 0050 ] fig1 is a perspective view showing a case where a transmitting original is read by the image reading apparatus of the present invention . in fig1 the reference numeral 1 denotes a film holder installed on the original glass table 162 , and having a hole 1 c for positioning film f therein . the reference numeral 2 designates a transmitting original illuminating unit mounted on the film f positioned by the film holder and in the hole 1 c of the film holder . [ 0051 ] fig2 shows the manner in which the film holder 1 is mounted on the image reading apparatus main body 100 . the user fits claws 1 a and 1 b formed on the film holder into the depressions 103 a and 103 b , respectively , of the glass mounting frame , and positions them in a direction parallel to the original glass table relative to the image reading apparatus main body 100 . the film holder 1 rides on the original glass table 102 from gravity , whereby the vertical direction thereof is positioned . [ 0052 ] fig3 is a developed view of the transmitting original illuminating unit 2 . the reference numeral 4 designates a plane light source member containing r , g and b and infrared leds therein . the terminals 4 a , 4 b , . . . of the leds are soldered to the pattern of a substrate 5 and are connected to a connector 5 a on the substrate 5 . the substrate 5 is fixed by the claw portion 4 b of the plane light source member 4 . the plane light source member 4 is inserted in a base bed 6 and fixed thereto . the connector portion 3 a of a cable 3 is fitted in the connector 5 a on the substrate , and a cover 7 is fixed to the base bed 6 by a screw 8 . the user , as previously described , positions the film holder 1 on the image reading apparatus main body 100 , and thereafter , as shown in fig1 inserts the film f into the hole portion 1 c of the film holder 1 , and positions the film with the frames of the film registered with a positioning index id . the cable 3 of the transmitting original illuminating unit 2 is connected to the connector 101 a of the image reading apparatus main body 100 shown in fig2 . next , the user , as shown in fig4 ( a protruding portion 6 g being not shown ), fits the protruding portions 6 a , 6 b and 6 c of the base bed 6 of the transmitting original illuminating unit 2 into the depressions 1 a , 1 b and 1 c , respectively , of a film guide . fig5 shows a cross section of the film in the widthwise direction thereof , and when as shown in fig5 the user obliquely inserts the transmitting original illuminating unit 2 , the protruding portion 6 g of the base bed 6 strikes against the upper surface of the film holder 1 , and is stopped before the end portion of the plane light source 4 strikes against the film f . therefore , even if the user obliquely inserts the transmitting original illuminating unit by mistake , the end portion of the plane light source does not injure the film . the protruding portion is attached to each side and therefore , even when the illuminating unit is inclined in an opposite direction , there is a protruding portion on the opposed side and thus , there is a similar effect . the user makes the plane light source of the transmitting original illuminating unit parallel to the original glass table and re - inserts the film holder 1 , and the transmitting original illuminating unit is positioned at a regular position , as shown in fig6 . at this regular position , the protruding portions 6 g , 6 h contact with an upper surface of the film holder 1 . when the user depresses the start button on the personal computer , the original table contact type sensor 110 contained in the image reading apparatus main body 100 , as shown in fig1 is not turned on , but scans in the direction of arrow a , and the r , g and b leds of the plane light source 4 are successive turned on in synchronism with the scanning of the sensor 110 , and an image irradiated by the plane light source 4 is read and forwarded to the personal computer . [ 0056 ] fig7 shows an embodiment in which a cable connected to the image reading apparatus main body is used also as one of the protruding portions of the transmitting original illuminating unit . if the transmitting original illuminating unit is obliquely inserted with the cable side thereof underlying , the cable strikes against the upper surface of the film holder and the end portion of the plane light source can be prevented from striking against the film , and the film can be prevented from being injured . a third embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to fig9 . [ 0059 ] fig9 is a cross - sectional view showing the construction of the essential portions of an image reading apparatus according to the third embodiment , and in fig9 the same portions as the portions in fig1 to 22 showing the above - described conventional example are given the same reference numerals . also , in the drawings illustrating the following third to seventh embodiments , in order to illustrate the plane light source member 4 of the transmitting original illuminating unit 2 in detail , the protruding portions 6 g and 6 h of the transmitting original illuminating unit 2 are not shown , but there is no difference in having portions corresponding to the protruding portions 6 g and 6 h of fig5 . the plane light source member 4 will hereinafter be designated by the reference numeral 1706 in accordance with fig1 . also , in fig9 the film f which is the original is exaggeratedly depicted . also , there is a gap between the film f and the underside of the plane light source member 1706 , but actually the film f and the underside of the plane light source member 1706 are in close contact with each other and are disposed in the film holder 1707 in that state . the width l1 of a diffusing plate 1710 is set to a value smaller than the distance q between the perforations p and p on the widthwisely opposite sides of the film f ( l1 & lt ; l ), whereby the perforations p and p of the film f become covered with a portion 1708 a of a housing 1708 which is adjacent to the bottom surface side thereof , and thus , light from a light source 1709 does not directly reach a line - shaped photoelectric conversion element 1704 through the perforations p and p of the film f and therefore , a read image is not deteriorated . a fourth embodiment shown in fig1 is designed to cope with a case where the width l of the diffusing plate 1710 is greater than the distance q between the perforations p and p on the widthwisely opposite sides of the film f ( l & gt ; l ), and the perforations p and p of the film f are covered with a light intercepting member 601 formed of a plate material . the light intercepting member 601 is of a square frame shape having a rectangular opening portion 601 a in the central portion thereof , and the width l2 of this opening portion 601 a is set to a value smaller than the distance q between the perforations p and p on the widthwisely opposite sides of the film f ( l2 & lt ; l ) a fifth embodiment shown in fig1 , like the above - described fourth embodiment , is designed to cope with a case where the width l of the diffusing plate 1710 is greater than the distance q between the perforations p and p on the widthwisely opposite sides of the film f ( l & gt ; l ), and the perforations p and p of the film f are covered with a holding portion for holding the diffusing plate 1710 , whereby the light from the light source 1709 does not directly reach the line - shaped photoelectric conversion element 1704 through the perforations p and p of the film f . the opposite side edges of the diffusing plate 1710 are held and fixed on holding portions 1708 a and 1708 b located on the opposite sides of the underside of the housing 1708 of the plane light source member 1706 and provided toward the inside so as to be opposed to each other with a spacing l3 interposed therebetween . the spacing l3 between these holding portions 1708 a and 1708 b is set to a value smaller than the distance q between the perforations p and p on the widthwisely opposite sides of the film f ( l3 & lt ; l ) a sixth embodiment shown in fig1 , like the above - described fourth and fifth embodiments , is designed to cope with a case where the width l of the diffusing plate 1710 is greater than the distance q between the perforations p and p on the widthwisely opposite sides of the film f ( l & gt ; l ), and the perforations p and p of the film f are covered with a light intercepting member 1101 formed of a sheet material , whereby the light from the light source 1709 does not directly reach the line - shaped photoelectric conversion element 1704 through the perforations p of the film f . the light intercepting member 1101 is formed of a square sheet material , and the plane shape thereof is set to a shape similar to but somewhat smaller than the plane shape of the housing 1708 of the plane light source member 1706 , and forms a square frame shape having a rectangular opening portion 1101 a in the central portion thereof . the width l4 of this opening portion 1101 a is set to a value smaller than the distance between the perforations p and p on the widthwisely opposite side of the film f ( l4 & lt ; ). also , as shown in fig1 , the light intercepting member 1101 may be interposed under the film f to obtain a similar effect . a seventh embodiment shown in fig1 and 15 like the above - described fourth to sixth embodiments , is designed to cope with a case where the width l of the diffusing plate 1710 is greater than the distance between the perforations p and p on the widthwisely opposite sides of the film f ( l & gt ; ), and the perforations p and p of the film f are covered with a portion of a film holder 1707 , whereby the light from the light source 1709 does not directly reach the line - shaped photoelectric conversion element 1704 through the perforations p of the film f . [ 0070 ] fig1 is a plan view showing the construction of the essential portions of an image reading apparatus according to the seventh embodiment , and [ 0071 ] fig1 is a cross - sectional view taken along the line 15 - 15 of fig1 . holding portions 1707 b and 1707 c are located on the widthwisely opposite sides of the film holder 1707 and are provided toward the inside so as to be opposed to each other with a spacing l5 interposed therebetween . the spacing l5 between these holding portions 1707 b and 1707 c , as shown in fig1 , is set to a value smaller than the distance q between the perforations p and p on the widthwisely opposite sides of the film f ( l5 & lt ; l ). the film f is held by the film holder 1707 while being inserted between the underside wall and the holding portions 1707 b , 1707 c of the film holder 1707 , and in this state , the perforations p and p on the widthwisely opposite sides of the film f are covered with the holding portions 1707 b and 1707 c . while in fig1 and 15 , the opening portion 1707 a of the film holder 1707 is shown as being smaller than the width of the film f , the opening portion can also be made slightly larger than the film f so that the end portions of the film f may directly contact with the original glass table 1701 . | 7 |
referring to fig1 pollution control device 10 comprises a casing 11 , preferably made of a metal material , with generally frusto - conical inlet and outlet ends 12 and 13 , respectively . disposed within casing 11 is a pollution control element or monolith 20 . surrounding pollution control monolith 20 is mounting mat 30 according to the invention and which serves to tightly but resiliently support monolithic element 20 within the casing 11 . mounting mat 30 holds pollution control monolith 20 in place in the casing and seals the gap between the pollution control monolith 20 and casing 11 to thus prevent or minimize exhaust gases from by - passing pollution control monolith 20 . as can be seen from fig1 , the exterior of casing 11 is exposed to the atmosphere . in other words , the device 10 does not including another housing in which the casing 11 is housed . the casing can be made from materials known in the art for such use including stainless steel , etc . pollution control elements that can be mounted with the mounting mat of the invention include gasoline pollution control monoliths as well as diesel pollution control monoliths . the pollution control monolith may be a catalytic converter , a particulate filter or trap , or the like . catalytic converters contain a catalyst , which is typically coated on a monolithic structure mounted within a metallic housing . the catalyst is typically adapted to be operative and effective at the requisite temperature . for example for use with a gasoline engine the catalytic converter should be effective at a temperature of 400 ° c . to 950 ° c . whereas for a diesel engine lower temperatures , typically not more than 350 ° c . are common . the monolithic structures are typically ceramic , although metal monoliths have also been used . the catalyst oxidizes carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons and reduces the oxides of nitrogen in exhaust gases to control atmospheric pollution . while in a gasoline engine all three of these pollutants can be reacted simultaneously in a so - called “ three way converter ”, most diesel engines are equipped with only a diesel oxidation catalytic converter . catalytic converters for reducing the oxides of nitrogen , which are only in limited use today for diesel engines , generally consist of a separate catalytic converter . examples of pollution control monoliths for use with a gasoline engine include those made of cordierite that are commercially available from corning inc . ( corning , n . y .) or ngk insulators , ltd . ( nagoya , japan ) or metal monoliths commercially available from emitec ( lohmar , germany ). for additional details regarding catalytic monoliths see , for example , “ advanced ceramic substrate : catalytic performance improvement by high geometric surface area and low heat capacity ,” umehara et al ., paper no . 971029 , sae technical paper series , 1997 ; “ systems approach to packaging design for automotive catalytic converters ,” stroom et al ., paper no . 900500 , sae technical paper series , 1990 ; “ thin wall ceramics as monolithic catalyst supports ,” howitt , paper 800082 , sae technical paper series , 1980 ; and “ flow effects in monolithic honeycomb automotive catalytic converters ,” howitt et al ., paper no . 740244 , sae technical paper series , 1974 . diesel particulate filters or traps are typically wall flow filters , which have honeycombed , monolithic structures typically made from porous crystalline ceramic materials . alternate cells of the honeycombed structure are typically plugged such that exhaust gas enters in one cell and is forced through the porous wall to an adjacent cell where it can exit the structure . in this way , the small soot particles that are present in diesel exhaust gas are collected . suitable diesel particulate filters made of cordierite are commercially available from corning inc . ( corning n . y .) and ngk insulators inc . ( nagoya , japan ). diesel particulate filters made of silicon carbide are commercially available from ibiden co . ltd . ( japan ) and are described in , for example , jp 2002047070a . the mounting mat of the present invention can be used to mount so - called thin wall or ultra - thin wall pollution control monoliths . in particular , the mounting mat can be used to mount pollution control monoliths that have from 400 to 1200 cpsi and that have wall thickness of not more than 0 . 005 inch ( 0 . 127 mm ). examples of pollution control monoliths that may be mounted with the mounting mat include thin wall monoliths 4 mil / 400 cpsi and 4 mil / 600 cpsi and ultra - thinwall monoliths 3 mil / 600 cpsi , 2 mil / 900 cpsi and 2 mil / 1200 cpsi . fig2 shows a schematic drawing of a cross - section of a mounting mat in connection with the present invention . mounting mat 30 comprises non - intumescent layers 31 and 33 in - between which is located an intumescent layer 32 . each of the layers 31 and 33 comprises inorganic fiber . the non - intumescent layers 31 and 33 define the opposite major sides of the mounting mat as the layers 31 , 32 and 33 are stacked on top of each other . in one embodiment of a pollution control device according to the present invention , the mat 30 is disposed around the element 20 such that the non - intumescent layer 31 is disposed between the intumescent layer 32 and the casing 11 and the non - intumescent layer 33 is disposed between the intumescent layer 32 and the element 20 . the overall mounting mat typically will have a bulk density in the range of from about 0 . 15 to about 0 . 50 g / cm 3 , preferably in the range of from about 0 . 20 to about 0 . 40 g / cm 3 . when mounted , the mat is substantially compressed to a mounting density typically in the range of from about 0 . 3 to about 1 . 0 g / cm 3 . although fig2 shows a mounting mat with only three layers , additional layers may be present . for example , additional non - intumescent and / or intumescent layers may be included . however , when additional intumescent layers are provided , these should generally not be provided as outer layers of the mat . for example , multiple layers of intumescent layers are typically provided between two non - intumescent layers not excluding however an embodiment where two adjacent contiguous layers of intumescent material are sandwiched between two non - intumescent layers . also , the mounting mat may comprise more than two non - intumescent layers . for example , on either side of the intumescent layer additional non - intumescent layers of differing physical or chemical fiber composition may be provided . still further , between additional non - intumescent layers may be provided additional intumescent layers . still further optional layers can include , for example , coatings , scrims , or films aimed at reducing possible skin irritation from the fibers . thus , each of the non - intumescent layers 31 and 33 can be constructed using one or multiple layers of non - intumescent material , and the intumescent layer 32 can be constructed using one or multiple layers of intumescent material . preferably , the non - intumescent layer ( s ) 33 insulates , so as to protect , the intumescent layer ( s ) 32 from excessive heat ( i . e ., heat that could significantly damage the desired properties of the layer ( s ) 32 ) from the element 20 , e . g ., during the operation or testing of the device 10 . at the same time , it is also preferable for the non - intumescent layer ( s ) 31 to insulate the intumescent layer ( s ) 32 from the relatively lower temperature of the casing 11 ( i . e ., the temperature of the surrounding air ) such that the intumescent layer ( s ) 32 is able to reach and sufficiently maintain its desired operating temperature ( i . e ., the layer ( s ) 32 will expand sufficiently to apply the pressure desired ). in an effort to facilitate this relationship between the various layers 31 , 32 and 33 , it has been found desirable for each non - intumescent layer ( s ) 31 and 33 to exhibit a surface density ( sometimes referred to as the basis weight ) of greater than or equal to about 450 g / m 2 and for the intumescent layer ( s ) to exhibit a surface density of greater than or equal to about 500 g / m 2 . it can be desirable to use such a mat design when the element 20 being mounted reaches temperatures of at least 550 ° c . depending on the temperatures reached by the particular element 20 , it can also be desirable for the surface density of the non - intumescent layer 31 and the non - intumescent layer 33 to be greater than or equal to about 600 g / m 2 , greater than or equal to about 800 g / m 2 , greater than or equal to about 1000 g / m 2 or even greater than or equal to about 1400 g / m 2 . it can also be desirable for the surface density of the intumescent layer 32 to be greater than or equal to about 1000 g / m 2 , greater than or equal to about 1500 g / m 2 or even greater than or equal to about 2000 g / m 2 . the stated surface densities apply for each layer 31 , 32 and 33 , regardless of whether each layer is of a single or multiple layer construction . catalytic converters typically used in the exhaust systems of gasoline powered internal combustion automobile engines are designed for an interface temperature , between the element 20 and the mat 30 ( i . e ., the layer 33 ) in the range of from about 750 ° c . to about 900 ° c . for long term durability , it is typically desirable to keep the intumescent layer ( s ) 32 at a temperature of less than or equal to about 700 ° c . for a number of catalytic converter designs , the layer ( s ) 32 can be kept at this temperature , when exposed to such an interface temperature range , by providing a non - intumescent layer ( s ) 33 having a compressed ( i . e ., installed or assembled ) thickness of at least about 1 mm , between the element 20 and intumescent layer ( s ) 32 . depending on the specific non - intumescent layer ( s ) used , such a layer ( s ) 33 will generally have a surface density ( i . e ., weight per unit area ) of greater than or equal to about 500 g / m 2 . as the interface temperature gets higher , it is generally desirable for the layer ( s ) 33 to get thicker . for example , if the interface temperature ( between element 20 and mat 30 ) is greater than or equal to about 1000 ° c ., it may be desirable for the non - intumescent layer ( s ) 33 to have a mounted thickness of at least about 2 mm and a corresponding surface density of at least about 1000 g / m 2 . as mentioned above , it is desirable for the intumescent layer ( s ) 32 to retain enough heat to that it expands so that it applies the desired pressure . in order to so retain sufficient heat for a number of catalytic converter applications , it can be desirable for the non - intumescent layer ( s ) 31 to have a thickness of at least 1 mm , after assembly . for applications where the element 20 exhibits lower than normal temperatures , it may be desirable for the non - intumescent layer ( s ) 31 to have a thickness of at least about 2 to 3 mm . in order to avoid generating element holding pressures that exceed the crushing strength of the element , especially for thin walled or ultra - thin walled monolithic elements 20 , the thickness of the intumescent layer ( s ) 32 is typically kept at least the same as , but preferably thinner than , the combined thickness of the non - intumescent layers 31 and 33 in the uncompressed state . preferably , the uncompressed thickness of the intumescent layer is not more than about ⅓ of the thickness of the combined uncompressed thicknesses of the non - intumescent layers . typically the thickness of each of the uncompressed layers is at least about 0 . 1 mm and generally not thicker than about 10 mm . the overall thickness of the uncompressed mat is typically at least about 3 . 0 mm and generally not thicker than about 30 mm . the inorganic fibers of the non - intumescent layer may comprise any of the inorganic fibers known and / or used in mounting mats for mounting pollution control devices . useful inorganic fibers include for example , glass fibers , ceramic fibers , non - oxide inorganic fibers , such as graphite fibers or boron fibers , and mixtures thereof . useful inorganic fibers may include , for example , those disclosed in pct publication no . wo 2004 / 031544 and u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 460 , 320 and 6 , 737 , 146 , which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . particularly useful are ceramic fibers that can be obtained from a so - called sol - gel process , which often are crystalline and are therefore also known as polycrystalline fibers , and glass fibers . as used herein , the term ‘ glass fiber ’ means a fiber consisting of glass and whereby the term glass means an inorganic product of fusion that has cooled to a rigid condition without substantially crystallizing . in a particular embodiment , the ceramic fibers of the non - intumescent layer may be annealed fibers . also , preferably one of the non - intumescent layers will be essentially shot free , i . e . containing no shot at all or containing shot in an amount of not more than 5 % by weight , preferably not more than 2 % by weight of the total weight of the non - intumescent layer . a mounting mat comprising a polycrystalline , non - intumescent layer that is essentially shot free will preferably be oriented in the pollution control device such that the polycrystalline , non - intumescent layer that is essentially free of shot is adjacent the pollution control monolith as it has been found that maximum fiber resilience is desired close to monolith . preferred glass fibers for use as inorganic fibers in the non - intumescent layer include magnesium aluminium silicate glass fibers preferably having an average diameter of at least 5 μm and a length between 0 . 5 and 15 cm , preferably between 1 and 12 cm . more preferably , the average diameter will be at least 7 μm and is typically in the range of 7 to 14 μm . the fibers typically are shot free or contain a very low amount of shot , typically less than 1 % by weight based on total weight of fibers . additionally , the fibers are typically reasonably uniform in diameter , i . e . the amount of fibers having a diameter within ± 3 μm of the average is generally at least 70 % by weight , preferably at least 80 % by weight and most preferably at least 90 % by weight of the total weight of the magnesium aluminium silicate glass fibers . preferred magnesium aluminium silicate glass fibers comprise between 10 and 30 % by weight of aluminium oxide , between 52 and 70 % by weight of silicium oxide and between 1 and 12 % of magnesium oxide . the weight percentage of the aforementioned oxides are based on the theoretical amount of al 2 o 3 , sio 2 and mgo . it will further be understood that the magnesium aluminium silicate glass fiber may contain additional oxides . for example , additional oxides that may be present include sodium or potassium oxides , boron oxide and calcium oxide . particular examples of magnesium aluminium silicate glass fibers include e - glass fibers which typically have a composition of about 55 % of sio 2 , 11 % of al 2 o 3 , 6 % of b 2 o 3 , 18 % of cao , 5 % of mgo and 5 % of other oxides ; s and s - 2 glass fibers which typically have a composition of about 65 % of sio 2 , 25 % of al 2 o 3 and 10 % of mgo and r - glass fibers which typically have a composition of 60 % of sio 2 , 25 % of al 2 o 3 , 9 % of cao and 6 % of mgo . e - glass , s - glass and s - 2 glass are available for example from advanced glassfiber yarns llc and r - glass is available from saint - gobain vetrotex . preferably , a non - intumescent glass fiber layer will be free or essentially free of fibers that have a diameter of 3 μm or less , more preferably the mat will be free or essentially free of fibers that have a diameter of less than 5 μm . essentially free here means that the amount of such small diameter fibers is not more than 2 % by weight , preferably not more than 1 % by weight of the total weight of fibers in the glass fiber layer . preferred non - intumescent ceramic fiber layers comprise ceramic fibers that are obtained from a sol - gel process . by the term “ sol - gel ” process is meant that the fibers are formed by spinning or extruding a solution or dispersion or a generally viscous concentrate of the constituting components of the fibers or precursors thereof . the sol - gel process is thus to be contrasted with a process of melt forming fibers whereby the fibers are formed by extruding a melt of the components of the fibers . a suitable sol - gel process is for example disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 760 , 049 wherein there is taught to form the ceramic fibers by extruding a solution or dispersion of metal compounds through orifices thereby forming continuous green fibers which are then fired to obtain the ceramic fibers . the metal compounds are typically metal compounds that are calcinable to metal oxides . often the sol - gel formed fibers are crystalline or semicrystalline , which are known in the art as polycrystalline fibers . examples of solutions or dispersions of metal compounds to form fibers according to the sol - gel process include aqueous solutions of an oxygen - containing zirconium compounds , such as zirconium diacetate , containing colloidal silica , such as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 709 , 706 . a further example includes an aqueous solution of water - soluble or dispersible aluminum and boron compounds , such as aqueous basic aluminum acetate , or a two - phase system comprising an aqueous mixture of a colloidal dispersion of silica and water - soluble or dispersible aluminum and boron compounds . other representative refractory metal oxide fibers which can be made in through a sol - gel process include zirconia , zircon , zirconia - calcia , alumina , magnesium aluminate , aluminum silicate , and the like . such fibers additionally can contain various metal oxides , such as iron oxide , chromia , and cobalt oxide . ceramic fibers which are useful in the mounting mat include polycrystalline oxide ceramic fibers such as mullites , alumina , high alumina aluminosilicates , aluminosilicates , zirconia , titania , chromium oxide and the like . preferred fibers , which are typically high alumina , crystalline fibers , comprise aluminum oxide in the range from about 67 to about 98 percent by weight and silicon oxide in the range from about 33 to about 2 percent by weight . these fibers are commercially available , for example , under the trade designation “ nextel 550 ” from the 3m company , saffil ™ available from dyson group plc ( sheffield , uk ), maftec available from mitsubishi chemical corp . ( tokyo , japan ), fibermax ™ from unifrax , ( niagara falls , n . y . ), and altra fibers ( rath gmbh , germany ). suitable polycrystalline oxide ceramic fibers further include aluminoborosilicate fibers preferably comprising aluminum oxide in the range from about 55 to about 75 percent by weight , silicon oxide in the range from less than about 45 to greater than zero ( preferably , less than 44 to greater than zero ) percent by weight , and boron oxide in the range from less than 25 to greater than zero ( preferably , about 1 to about 5 ) percent by weight ( calculated on a theoretical oxide basis as al 2 o 3 , sio 2 , and b 2 o 3 , respectively ). the aluminoborosilicate fibers preferably are at least 50 percent by weight crystalline , more preferably , at least 75 percent , and most preferably , about 100 % ( i . e ., crystalline fibers ). aluminoborosilicate fibers are commercially available , for example , under the trade designations “ nextel 312 ” and “ nextel 440 ” from the 3m company . the ceramic fibers obtainable through a sol - gel process are typically shot free or contain a very low amount of shot , typically less than 1 % by weight based on total weight of the ceramic fibers . also , the ceramic fibers will typically have an average diameter between 1 and 16 micrometers . in a preferred embodiment , the ceramic fibers have an average diameter of 5 μm or more and preferably the ceramic fibers are free or essentially free of fibers having a diameter of less than 3 μm , more preferably the ceramic fiber layer will be free or essentially free of fibers that have a diameter of less than 5 μm . essentially free here means that the amount of such small diameter fibers is not more than 2 % by weight , preferably not more than 1 % by weight of the total weight of fibers in the ceramic fiber layer . in a further aspect of the present invention , a non - intumescent layer of the mounting mat may comprise heat treated ceramic fibers sometimes called annealed ceramic fibers as the inorganic fibers . annealed ceramic fibers may be obtained as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 250 , 269 or wo 99 / 46028 . according to the teaching of these documents , annealed ceramic fibers may be obtained by annealing melt - formed refractory ceramic fibers at a temperature of at least 700 ° c . by annealing the ceramic fibers , fibers are obtained that have an increased resilience . typically , a resilience value of at least 10 kpa may be obtained under the test conditions set out in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 250 , 269 . the melt - formed refractory ceramic fibers suitable for annealing , can be melt - blown or melt - spun from a variety of metal oxides , preferably a mixture of al 2 o 3 and sio 2 having from 30 to 70 % by weight of alumina and from 70 to 30 % by weight of silica , preferably about equal parts by weight . the mixture can include other oxides such as b 2 o 3 , p 2 o 5 , and zro 2 . suitable melt - formed refractory ceramic fibers are available from a number of commercial sources and include these known under the trade designation “ fiberfrax ” from carborundum co ., niagara falls , n . y . ; “ cerafiber ” and “ kaowool ” from thermal ceramics co ., augusta , ga . ; “ cer - wool ” from premier refractories co ., erwin , tenn . ; and “ snsc ” from shin - nippon steel chemical of tokyo , japan . the manufacturer of ceramic fibers known under the trade designation “ cer - wool ” states that they are melt - spun from a mixture of by weight 48 % silica and 52 % alumina and have an average fiber diameter of 34 micrometers . the manufacturer of ceramic fibers known under the trade designation “ cerafiber ” states that they are meltspun from a mixture of by weight 54 % silica and 46 % alumina and have an average fiber diameter of 2 . 5 - 3 . 5 micrometers . the manufacturer of ceramic fibers “ snsc 1260 - d1 ” states that they are melt - formed from a mixture of by weight 54 % silica and 46 % alumina and have an average fiber diameter of about 2 micrometers . other useful fibers include so - called soluble fibers i . e fibers that have in - vitro solubility . suitable useful soluble ceramic fibers include superwool 607 and superwool 607 max ™ from thermal ceramics and isofrax and insulfrax ceramic fibers from unifrax . useful intumescent materials for use in the intumescent layer include , but are not limited to , unexpanded vermiculite ore , treated unexpanded vermiculite ore , partially dehydrated vermiculite ore , expandable graphite , mixtures of expandable graphite with treated or untreated unexpanded vermiculite ore , processed expandable sodium silicate , for example expantrol ™, insoluble sodium silicate , commercially available from 3m company , st . paul , minn ., and mixtures thereof for purposes of the present application , it is intended that each of the above - listed examples of intumescent materials are considered to be different and distinguishable from one another . desired intumescent materials include unexpanded vermiculite ore , treated unexpanded vermiculite ore , expandable graphite , and mixtures thereof an example of a desirable commercially available expandable graphite material is grafoil ™. grade 338 - 50 expandable graphite flake , from ucar carbon co ., inc ., cleveland , ohio . the intumescent layer may comprise in addition to the intumescent material further materials such as for example inorganic fibers as described above for the non - intumescent layers . thus , in a particular embodiment , the intumescent material may be distributed throughout a layer of inorganic fiber in the form of a thin commercially available intumescent mat made by a papermaking process . alternatively , the intumescent layer may be formed by spraying or coating the intumescent material on one major side of a non - intumescent layer to which is than bonded or laminated a further non - intumescent layer using transfer adhesive , spray adhesive , or preferably heat activated web adhesive such as , for example pe 105 - 50 or pe 65 - 50 polyester web adhesive available from bostik - findley . according to a method for making the mounting mat , in particular a non - woven mounting mat , chopped , individualized inorganic fibers are fed into a conventional web - forming machine ( commercially available , for example , under the trade designation “ rando webber ” from rando machine corp . of macedon , n . y . ; or “ dan web ” from scanweb co . of denmark ), wherein the fibers are drawn onto a wire screen or mesh belt ( e . g ., a metal or nylon belt ). to provide individualized ( i . e ., separate each fiber from each other ) fibers , a tow or yarn of fibers can be chopped , for example , using a glass roving cutter ( commercially available , for example , under the trade designation “ model 90 glass roving cutter ” from finn & amp ; fram , inc ., of pacoma , calif . ), to the desired length ( typically in the range from about 0 . 5 to about 15 cm ). if a “ dan web ”- type web - forming machine is used , the fibers are preferably individualized using a hammer mill and then a blower . to facilitate ease of handling of the mat , the mat can be formed on or placed on a scrim . depending upon the length of the fibers , the resulting mat typically has sufficient handleability to be transferred to a needle punch machine without the need for a support ( e . g ., a scrim ). the nonwoven mat can also be made using conventional wet - forming or textile carding . for wet forming processes , the fiber length is preferably about 0 . 5 to about 6 cm . the mounting mat is preferably a needle - punched nonwoven mat . a needle - punched nonwoven mat refers to a mat wherein there is physical entanglement of fibers provided by multiple full or partial ( preferably , full ) penetration of the mat , for example , by barbed needles . the nonwoven mat can be needle punched using a conventional needle punching apparatus ( e . g ., a needle puncher commercially available under the trade designation “ dilo ” from dilo of germany , with barbed needles ( commercially available , for example , from foster needle company , inc ., of manitowoc , wis .)) to provide a needle - punched , nonwoven mat . needle punching , which provides entanglement of the fibers , typically involves compressing the mat and then punching and drawing barbed needles through the mat . the optimum number of needle punches per area of mat will vary depending on the particular application . typically , the nonwoven mat is needle punched to provide about 5 to about 60 needle punches / cm 2 . preferably , the mat is needle punched to provide about 10 to about 20 needle punches / cm 2 . alternatively the mat can be stitchbonded using conventional techniques ( see e . g ., u . s . pat . no . 4 , 181 , 514 ( lefkowitz et al . ), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for its teaching of stitchbonding nonwoven mats ). typically , the mat is stitchbonded with organic thread . a thin layer of an organic or inorganic sheet material can be placed on either or both sides of the mat during stitchbonding to prevent or minimize the threads from cutting through the mat . where it is desired that the stitching thread not decompose in use , an inorganic thread , such as ceramic or metal ( e . g ., stainless steel ) can be used . the spacing of the stitches is usually from 3 to 30 mm so that the fibers are uniformly compressed throughout the entire area of the mat . alternatively , the non - intumescent material layer can be purchased as , for example , maftec ™, needle - punched polycrystalline blanket from mitsubishi chemical company . non - intumescent layers made by a papermaking process useful for constructing the invention can also be purchased as , for example . interam ™ 1100 , 1101 , and 900 ht non - intumescent ceramic fiber mats , available from 3m company . the non - intumescent layers may be separately formed according to the process described above and the so obtained separate needle punched or stitchbonded layers may then be bonded to each other through needle punching or stitchbonding . however , before bonding the non - intumescent layers together , an intumescent material should be coated or sprayed on one major side of a non - intumescent layer such that upon bonding the non - intumescent layers together , an intumescent layer is sandwiched between the non - intumescent layers . alternatively , a layer of inorganic fiber having distributed therein intumescent material may be sandwiched between non - intumescent layers and this laminate may then be needle punched or stitchbonded together . layers of inorganic fiber having distributed therein intumescent material are commercially available from for example 3m company as interam ™ type 100 , 550 , or 2000 lt . such layers of intumescent material may be conveniently manufactured by a papermaking process . alternatively , a web of a first non - intumescent layer may be formed and this may be coated or sprayed with an intumescent material and then a web of a second non - intumescent layer may be formed thereon . this assembly can then be needle punched or stitchbonded together . accordingly , in the latter configuration , the various fiber layers are not separately needle punched or stitchbonded before being bonded to each other . the present invention contemplates mounting mats having various layer constructions , each of which may be used and selected to optimize particular properties as desired . for example , in one embodiment , the mounting mat may comprise two non - intumescent layers of glass fibers , in particular magnesium aluminosilicate glass fibers , between which there is contained a layer of intumescent material . a mat of this type is generally most useful for mounting a pollution control monolith for the treatment of exhaust from a diesel engine . in a second embodiment , the intumescent layer of the mounting mat is comprised between a non - intumescent layer of ceramic fibers formed from a sol - gel process and a non - intumescent layer of glass fibers . a mat of this type will preferably mounted in the pollution control device with the glass fiber layer facing the metal housing of the device . in a third embodiment , the intumescent layer of the mounting mat is comprised between a non - intumescent layer of ceramic fibers formed from a sol - gel process and a non - intumescent layer of annealed ceramic fibers . a mat of this type will preferably mounted in the pollution control device with the annealed ceramic fiber layer facing the metal housing although opposite arrangements are contemplated as well , in particular when the exhaust is at relatively low temperature such as with diesel engines . in a fourth embodiment , the intumescent layer of the mounting mat is comprised between a non - intumescent layer of glass fibers and a non - intumescent layer of annealed ceramic fibers . a mat of this type will preferably mounted in the pollution control device with the glass fiber layer facing the metal housing of the device . in a fifth embodiment , the mounting mat may comprise two non - intumescent layers of annealed ceramic fibers , between which there is contained a layer of intumescent material . in a sixth embodiment , the mounting mat may comprise two non - intumescent layers of fibers formed from a sol - gel process , between which there is contained a layer of intumescent material . the invention is further described with reference to the following examples without however the intention to limit the invention thereto . cer 1 maftec ™ mls - 3 needle - bonded blanket from mitsubishi chemical company ( 72 % al 2 o 3 , 28 % sio 2 without binder , bulk density 0 . 16 g / cm 3 ) cer 2 3m 900 ht annealed alumino - silicate , ceramic fiber mat , weight per unit area ( surface density ) 1435 g / m 2 , bulk density 0 . 25 g / cm 3 , available as 900 ht from 3m company , st . paul , minn ./ usa . glass - 3m inpe 571 . 02 , magnesium aluminium silicate glass mat , surface density 800 g / m 2 , bulk density 0 . 12 g / cm 3 , available from 3m company , st . paul , minn ./ usa int 1 unexpanded vermiculite , available from cometals inc ., new york , n . y ./ usa . int 2 3m 100 intumescent mounting mat , weight per unit area ( surface density ) 1050 g / m 2 , available from 3m company , st . paul , minn ./ usa . this test models actual conditions found in a pollution control device with a catalyst - coated monolith or diesel particulate filter during typical use , and measures the pressure exerted by the mounting material under those modelled use conditions . the rcft method is described in detail in material aspects in automotive pollution control devices , ed . hans bode , wiley - vch , 2002 , pp .— 206 - 208 . two 50 . 8 mm by 50 . 8 mm heated stainless steel platens , controlled independently , were heated to different temperatures to simulate the metal housing and monolith temperatures , respectively . simultaneously , the space or gap between platens was increased by a value calculated from the temperature and the thermal expansion coefficients of a typical pollution control device of the type specified . high speed driving conditions for the pollution control device are simulated by a monolith temperature of up to 900 ° c . and a metal housing temperature of up to 530 ° c . three cycles of the rcft were performed on each mounting mat sample . the density of the mat when mounted in the test sample is summarized in table 2 . the pressure exerted by the mat is measured continuously as temperature of the first and second plates were first increased , held at peak temperature for 15 minutes and then reduced . the plate representing the monolith temperature is heated from room temperature to 900 ° c ., held for 15 seconds , and returned to room temperature . simultaneously , the plate representing the shell temperature is heated from room temperature to 530 ° c ., held for 15 seconds , and returned to room temperature . each of these heating cycles is referred to as one rcft cycle . after the three rcft cycles were run , data in table 2 were recorded . pressure was recorded at room temperature at the start of the test . peak pressure during the first cycle , and pressure at peak temperature ( 900 ° c ./ 500 ° c .) for the 1 st and 3 rd cycles , respectively , were also recorded . for an ultra - thin wall monolith , the pressure remaining after the third cycle should at least be 40 kpa to hold the monolith in place . pressures of not more than 800 kpa should not be generated during any time in the test as such pressure risks breakage of the monolith . the mounting mat of example 1 was constructed by using two layers of maftec ™, polycrystalline , mls - 3 needle - bonded blanket , surface density of 800 g / m 2 available from mitsubishi chemical company ( 72 % al 2 o 3 , 28 % sio 2 without binder , bulk density 0 . 16 g / cm 3 ). a first polycrystalline mat was first sprayed on one major surface with aerosol spray adhesive ( available as foam adhesive 74 from 3m company , st . paul , minn ./ usa ). the adhesive - coated surface was then sprinkled with unexpanded vermiculite flakes ( available from cometals , new york , n . y ./ usa ). the excess vermiculite was then tipped off . the vermiculite - coated surface was then sprayed again with the adhesive and the second layer of polycrystalline mat applied . the construction was then lightly rolled with a rolling pin . the result was a sandwich construction consisting of a layer of vermiculite flakes between two layers of polycrystalline sheet material . the mat construction is summarized in table 1 . the mounting mat of example 1 was subjected to the real condition fixture test ( rcft ) described above under test methods . the side of the mounting mat designated as top layer in table 1 was placed on the cooler side of the fixture ( simulating the can side ) in the rcft test equipment . the layer designated as the bottom layer in table 1 was located against the hotter side of the fixture ( simulating the monolith ) ( top layer is facing cooler side ( can side ) of the monolith in all subsequent examples , as well ) results show that sufficient force was generated to hold the monolith in place without generating so much pressure as to risk monolith breakage . rcft values are summarized in table 2 . the mounting mat of example 2 was constructed by using one layer of maftec ™ polycrystalline , mls - 3 needle - bonded blanket , surface density of 800 g / m 2 , and one layer of 3m inpe 571 . 02 , magnesium aluminium silicate glass mat , surface density of 800 g / m 2 . the 3m inpe 571 . 02 mat was sprayed on one side with 3m 74 spray adhesive and then sprinkled with unexpanded vermiculite flakes on the adhesive - coated surface and the excess vermiculite tipped off as in example 1 . the vermiculite - coated surface was then sprayed again and the layer of polycrystalline mat applied . the construction was then lightly rolled with a rolling pin . the result was a sandwich construction consisting of a layer of vermiculite flakes between one layers of polycrystalline ceramic sheet material and one layer of magnesium aluminium silicate material . the mat construction is summarized in table 1 . the mounting mat of example 2 was subjected to the real condition fixture test ( rcft ) described above under test methods . results show that sufficient force was generated to hold the monolith in place without generating so much pressure as to risk monolith breakage . rcft results are summarized in table 2 . the mounting mat of example 3 was constructed by using a layer of maftec ™, polycrystalline mls - 3 , needle - bonded blanket , surface density of 800 g / m 2 and a layer of 3m 900 ht , annealed alumino - silicate , ceramic fiber mat , surface density of 1435 g / m 2 . the polycrystalline mat was sprayed on one side with 3m 74 , spray adhesive and then sprinkled with unexpanded vermiculite flakes on the adhesive - coated surface and the excess vermiculite tipped off . the vermiculite - coated surface was then sprayed again and the layer of 3m 900 ht mat applied . the construction was then lightly rolled with a rolling pin . the result was a sandwich construction consisting of a layer of vermiculite flakes between one layer of polycrystalline ceramic sheet material and one layer of annealed , alumino - silicate material . the mat construction is summarized in table 1 . the mounting mat of example 3 was subjected to the real condition fixture test ( rcft ) described above under test methods . results show that sufficient force was generated to hold the monolith in place without generating so much pressure as to risk monolith breakage . rcft results are summarized in table 2 . the mounting mat of example 4 was constructed by using two layers of 3m 900 ht , annealed , alumino - silicate ceramic fiber mat , surface density of 1435 g / m 2 . one layer of mat was sprayed on one side with 3m 74 spray adhesive and then sprinkled with unexpanded vermiculite flakes on the adhesive - coated surface and the excess vermiculite tipped off . the vermiculite - coated surface was then sprayed again and the other layer of 3m 900 ht mat applied . the construction was then lightly rolled with a rolling pin . the result was a sandwich construction consisting of a layer of vermiculite flakes between two layers of annealed alumino - silicate ceramic mat . the mat construction is summarized in table 1 . the mounting mat of example 4 was subjected to the real condition fixture test ( rcft ) described above under test methods . results show that sufficient force was generated to hold the monolith in place without generating so much pressure as to risk monolith breakage . rcft results are summarized in table 2 . example 5 was prepared by placing a layer of 3m 100 , intumescent mounting mat , surface density of 1050 g / m 2 between two layers of maftec ™ polycrystalline mls - 3 needle bonded blanket , each polycrystalline mat layer having a weight per area of surface density of 800 g / m 2 . the mat construction is summarized in table 1 . the mounting mat of example 5 was subjected to the real condition fixture test ( rcft ) described above under test methods . results show that sufficient force was generated to hold the monolith in place without generating so much pressure as to risk monolith breakage . rcft results are summarized in table 2 . example 6 consisted of placing a layer of 3m 100 , intumescent mounting mat , surface density of 1050 g / m 2 between a layer of maftec ™, polycrystalline mls - 3 , needle - bonded blanket , surface density of 800 g / m 2 and a layer of 3m inpe 571 . 02 , magnesium aluminium silicate glass mat , surface density of 800 g / m . the mat construction is summarized in table 1 . the mounting mat of example 6 was subjected to the real condition fixture test ( rcft ) described above under test methods . results show that sufficient force was generated to hold the monolith in place without generating so much pressure as to risk monolith breakage . rcft results are summarized in table 2 . comparative examples 1 - 2 were constructed as in examples 3 - 4 , respectively , but without the center layer of unexpanded vermiculite flakes . the mat constructions are summarized in table 1 . the mounting mats of comparative examples 1 - 2 , respectively , were subjected to the real condition fixture test ( rcft ) described above under test methods . results from the comparative examples 1 - 2 show that the holding pressure ( pressure at peak temperature for cycle 3 ) was less than 40 kpa required to hold a monolith in place . rcft results are summarized in table 2 . comparative example 3 consisted of 3m 100 intumescent mat , surface density of 4070 g / m 2 . rcft results show that an unacceptably high peak pressure of 1310 kpa was generated on the first cycle . table 2 rcft results pressure at pressure at mount initial peak peak temp . peak temp . density , pressure , pressure for ( 900 / 530 )* for ( 900 / 530 )* for ex . mat type ( g / cm 3 ) 23 ° c . ( kpa ) cycle 1 ( kpa ) cycle 1 ( kpa ) cycle 3 ( kpa ) 1 vermiculite 0 . 35 342 302 216 156 center layer 2 vermiculite 0 . 40 637 637 246 177 center layer 3 vermiculite 0 . 35 153 153 79 58 center layer 4 vermiculite 0 . 45 175 175 71 47 center layer 5 intum . mat 0 . 49 271 303 241 164 center layer 6 intum . mat 0 . 49 330 376 199 135 center layer c1 no intum . 0 . 35 115 115 35 30 center layer c2 no intum . 0 . 45 168 168 30 25 center layer c3 no intum . 1 . 0 240 1310 803 540 center layer * 900 ° c ./ 530 ° c ., peak temperatures of the hot side ( representing monolith temperature ) and cooler side ( representing shell or can temperature ) of the assembly , respectively , during the test as can be seen from table 2 above , all mats of the present invention exhibit a minimum holding pressure sufficient to hold the monolith in place ( greater than about 40 kpa ), but do not generate excessive pressure during the simulated use cycles ( greater than about 800 kpa ) which are great enough to break an ultra thin - wall monolith . the examples further show that one can obtain low cost mats comprising layers of glass or annealed ceramic fiber mat ( examples 2 , 3 , 4 and 6 ) which also meet the performance requirements for mounting of ultra thin - wall monoliths . | 5 |
hereafter an optimal embodiment of each of the analog image signal processing circuits provided in the present invention will be described . as shown in fig4 , the differential operational amplifier a 1 is configured to convert single - end analog image signals into differential signal output ; the output ends of the differential operational amplifier a 1 are connected to the a / d converter ; the input stage capacitors comprise a first positive input stage switching capacitor array c 4 ( composed of capacitor c 40 . . . c 4 j . . . c 45 connected in shunt ) and a first negative input stage switching capacitor array c 1 ( composed of capacitor c 10 . . . c 1 j . . . c 15 connected in shunt ), wherein . c 4 j = c 1 j = 2 j ci . a input end d of the first positive input stage switching capacitor array c 4 is configured to input analog image signals vin , a control end c of the first positive input stage switching capacitor array c 4 is connected to a color gain control signal end b , and an output end of the first positive input stage switching capacitor array c 4 is coupled to the positive input end inp of the differential operational amplifier a 1 ; a input end a of the first negative input stage switching capacitor array c 1 is configured to input reference level vref , a control end of the first negative input stage switching capacitor array c 1 is connected to the color gain control signal end b , and an output end of the first negative input stage switching capacitor array c 1 is coupled to the negative input end inn of the differential operational amplifier a 1 ; the output stage capacitors comprise a positive output stage switching capacitor array c 5 ( composed of capacitor c 50 . . . c 5 j . . . c 55 connected in shunt ) and a negative output stage switching capacitor array c 6 ( composed of capacitor c 60 . . . c 6 j . . . c 65 connected in shunt ), wherein , c 5 j = c 6 j = 2 j co . the positive output stage switching capacitor array c 5 is connected between the positive output end and the negative input end of the differential operational amplifier a 1 , the negative output stage switching capacitor array c 6 is connected between the negative output end and the positive input end of the differential operational amplifier a 1 , and the control ends of the positive / negative output stage switching capacitor array c 5 / c 6 are connected to the exposure gain control signal end g . the input stage capacitors can further comprise a second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 ( composed of capacitor c 30 . . . c 3 j . . . c 35 connected in shunt ) and a second negative input stage switching capacitor array c 2 ( composed of capacitor c 20 . . . c 2 j . . . c 25 connected in shunt ), wherein , c 3 j = c 2 j = 2 j ci . a input end f of the second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 is configured to input a first offset voltage voffp , and an output end of the second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 is connected to the positive input end of the differential operational amplifier a 1 ; a input end e of the second negative input stage switching capacitor array c 2 is configured to input a second offset voltage voffn , and an output end of the second negative input stage switching capacitor array c 2 is connected to the negative input end of the differential operational amplifier a 1 . the control end of the second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 and the control end of the second negative input stage switching capacitor array c 2 are connected to the exposure gain control signal end g . a full differential operational amplifier is employed in this embodiment , wherein , one end of the full differential operational amplifier is connected to the signals vin from the image sensor array and the other end is connected to a fixed reference level vref ; with the characteristic of full differential operational amplifier , conversion from single - end signal to differential signal can be implemented . thus , the dynamic noise of the imaging chip can be suppressed well . with the characteristic of switching capacitor circuit , the exposure signal and the pre - exposure signal ( reset level ) are sampled for the pixels respectively , and then subtraction operation is carried out to obtain clean signal . at the input end d of the first positive input stage switching capacitor array c 4 , the exposure signal vin 1 is input in the positive half cycle of clock a or clock b , and the pre - exposure signal vin 2 is input in the negative half cycle of clock a or clock b . on the basis of charge balance theory , if the entire circuit is reset in the positive half cycle of the clock , the difference δvin ( vin 2 − vin 1 ) between the two signals can be obtained in the negative half cycle of the clock , so that the non - homogeneity of characteristic parameters of transistors and other similar or relevant interference signals and noises can be removed , and thereby fpn can be eliminated . the transfer function for above circuit is : vout = vin *( cin / cout )+ voffset wherein , vout = outp − outn , vin = δvin , voffset = 2voffp − 2voffn , cin is the total input capacitance , and cout is the total output capacitance . voffp and voffn are the first offset voltage and the second offset voltage , respectively . it is seen from above expression that the signal gain can be regulated by adjusting the capacitance of input stage capacitor array or output stage capacitor array ; therefore , by controlling the color gain control signal and adjusting the first positive input stage switching capacitor array c 4 and the first negative input stage switching capacitor array c 1 accordingly when different color signals ( r , g , b ) are input , so as to change the input capacitance , the gain values of red , green , and blue signals can be regulated respectively , and consequently color gain control can be implemented and thus the color difference signals can be eliminated . when the address decoder outputs the first row of signals , in the positive half cycle of clock a , all the signals sent from branch a to the analog signal processing circuit are signals of red light : in the positive half cycle of clock b , all the signals sent from branch b to the analog signal processing circuit are signals of green light . if fix global gain control [ 5 : 0 ]= 000001 , then c 5 = c 6 = co . v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in =( 2 5 + 2 3 + 2 1 ) ci / co + v offset / v in , v out ( v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in =( 2 5 + 2 2 ) ci / co + v offset / v in . when the address decoder outputs the second row , in the positive half cycle of clock a , all the signals sent from branch a to the analog signal processing circuit are signals of green light ; in the positive half cycle of clock b , all the signals sent from branch b to the analog signal processing circuit are signals of blue light . then c 1 =( 2 5 + 2 0 ) c 1 , c 4 =( 2 5 + 2 0 ) ci , then , the signal gain of green light in branch a is : v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in =( 2 5 + 2 1 ) ci / co + v offset / v in , v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in =( 2 5 + 2 0 ) ci / co + v offset / v in . thus , color gain control for different colors is implemented . the time sequence diagram is shown in fig4 . it is seen from above transfer function that after the capacitor at the input end is adjusted , cin is a fixed value ; then , the positive output stage switching capacitor array c 5 and negative output stage switching capacitor array c 6 are adjusted with the exposure gain control signal end g , so as to change the output stage capacitance ; thus , the gain values of the three colors can be changed , and therefore the gain values of all color signals can be adjusted simultaneously , and exposure gain ( i . e . global gain ) control can be implemented to set the image brightness to the target value . when the address decoder outputs the signals of the first row , all the signals sent from branch a to the analog signal processing circuit are signals of red light , while all the signals sent from brach b to the analog signal processing circuit are signals of green light . if the color gain control in branch a is fixed as color gain control [ 5 : 0 ]= 000001 . the color gain control in branch b is fixed as color gain control [ 5 : 0 ]= 0000010 , v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in = ci / 2 5 c out + v offset / v in , v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in = 2 1 ci / 2 5 c out + v offset / v in . v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in = ci / 2 4 c out + v offset / v in , v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in = 2 1 ci / 2 4 c out + v offset / v in . when the address decoder outputs the signals of the second row , all the signals sent from branch a to the analog signal processing circuit are signals of green light , while all the signals sent from brach b to the analog signal processing circuit are signals of blue light . if the color gain control in branch a is fixed as color gain control [ 5 : 0 ]= 000001 , the color gain control in branch b is fixed as color gain control [ 5 : 0 ]= 0000010 , v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in = ci / 2 5 c out + v offset / v in , v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in = 2 1 ci / 2 5 c out + v offset / v in . v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in = ci / 2 4 c out + v offset / v in , v out / v in = c in / c out + v offset / v in = 2 1 ci / 2 4 c out + v offset / v in . therefore , even the color gain controls in branch a and branch b is kept constant , the four color signals will change as the global gain control is adjusted . thus , exposure gain control can be implemented . it is seen from above transfer function vout = vin *( cin / cout )+ voffset that , when the black level signal vin ( δvin ) is zero ( i . e ., the exposure signal level is equal to the pre - exposure signal level ( reset level )), vout = voffset , and voffset can be regulated by adjusting the dc level of the first and second input offset voltage voffp and voffn for the second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 and the second negative input stage switching capacitor array c 2 , and thereby the output from the analog - digital converter ( adc ) can be regulated , so that the black level value can be controlled at the expected value , and thus black level control can be implemented . when the positive output stage switching capacitor array c 5 and the negative output stage switching capacitor array c 6 are adjusted to control exposure gain , the offset voltage voffset will be affected if the second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 and the second negative input stage switching capacitor array c 2 are kept unchanged . therefore , the control end of the second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 and the control end of the second negative input stage switching capacitor array c 2 are connected to the exposure gain control signal end g , so that simultaneously the exposure gain control signal g can be used to control the second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 and the second negative input stage switching capacitor array c 2 at the same way , and therefore the black level of the image will not be affected . it is seen from above analysis that in this embodiment , color gain control , exposure gain control , and black level control are implemented with the same circuit ; in addition , dynamic noise and fpn are eliminated at the same time . of cause , in an optimal embodiment , as for the capacitors c 1 j , c 2 j , c 3 j , c 4 j and c 5 j , c 6 j in the input stage capacitor array c 1 , c 2 , c 3 , c 4 and the output stage capacitor array c 5 and c 6 , “ j ” can be 3 , 4 , 6 , or 7 ; accordingly , the control bits for color gain control and global gain control are [ 3 : 0 ], [ 4 : 0 ], [ 6 : 0 ], and [ 7 : 0 ]. if j = 3 , the number of adjusting orders for color gain control and exposure gain control in such an embodiment is only 2 3 ; if j = 4 , the number of adjusting orders for color gain control and exposure gain control in such an embodiment is 2 4 ; if j = 6 , the number of adjusting orders for color gain control and exposure gain control in such an embodiment is 2 6 ; if j = 7 , the number of adjusting orders for color gain control and exposure gain control in such an embodiment is 2 7 . the higher the value j is , the higher the resolution of color gain control and exposure gain control will be . in an optimal embodiment , the input stage capacitors may not include the second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 and the second negative input stage switching capacitor array c 2 ; the offset voltage voffp and voffn can be fed to the differential operational amplifier a 1 through the first positive input stage switching capacitor array c 4 and the first negative input stage switching capacitor array c 1 , or they can be omitted . that embodiment utilizes one same circuit to implement color gain control and exposure gain control , and further delivers dynamic noise and fpn elimination function . in an optimal embodiment , the input stage capacitors may not include the first positive input stage switching capacitor array c 4 and the first negative input stage switching capacitor array c 1 ; the analog image signals vin are fed to the positive input end of the differential operational amplifier a 1 through the second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 . that embodiment utilizes one same circuit to implement color gain control and black level control , and further delivers dynamic noise and fpn elimination function . fig5 is a schematic diagram of connections with other circuits in an optimal embodiment of the present invention . it is seen from fig5 that the output end of the analog signal processing circuit is connected to the adc , the image signal processing ( isp ) circuit outputs color gain signal b and exposure gain signal g according to the automatic adjustment function , wherein , the color gain signal b is used to adjust the capacitance of the first positive input stage switching capacitor array c 4 and the first negative input stage switching capacitor array c 1 , and thereby change the input capacitance and implement color gain control . the exposure gain signal g is used to adjust the positive input stage switching capacitor array c 5 and the negative input stage switching capacitor array c 6 , so as to implement exposure gain control ; the offset voltage voffp and voffn are fed from the black level control circuit to the second positive input stage switching capacitor array c 3 and the second negative input stage switching capacitor array c 2 , to implement black level control . | 7 |
hereinafter , the presently described embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to examples . the scope to be protected by these embodiments is defined by claims and is not limited to the examples . the presently described embodiments can be implemented by those skilled in the art from the subject matters of the present disclosure and these various embodiments also fall within the right scope of the present inventors defined by claims . production of food using pediococcus acidilactici j9 ( kccm 11320p ) stain a process for producing a grain - fermented enzyme - containing product by inoculating a pediococcus acidilactici j9 ( kccm 11320p ) strain is as follows . grains used as major ingredients were 60 % brown rice and soybean , and black rice , barley and sorghum were added such that the total weight of the grains was 200 kg , in order to improve flavor . the grains were soaked in water for 12 hours . after washing , the grains were cooked under steam in a cooker for about 40 minutes . the cooked grains were cooled . pediococcus acidilactici j9 , b . subtilis and b . pumilus were flask - cultured in an amount of 0 . 1 % with respect to the total weight of grains . the number of the respective microorganisms was adjusted to 1 . 0 × 10 9 cfu / g . the microorganism culture solution was mixed with 2 l of distilled water and the cooked grains were inoculated with the mixture . the inoculated grains were stacked in a plastic box and were then solid - cultured in a fermentation device at a temperature of 42 ° c . and a humidity of 60 % for 24 hours . then , the inoculated crop was surface - dried at an inner temperature of 42 ° c . and a humidity of 40 % or less for 48 hours to permeate microorganisms into the grains and thereby facilitate glycolysis . after surface drying , the inoculated grains were forcibly dried in a drier to cease fermentation . the dried grains were uniformly ground to 50 mesh in a grinding machine . measurement of the number of proliferated pediococcus acidilactici j9 and the genus bacillus microorganism the number of pediococcus acidilactici j9 was measured by counting yellow colonies after culturing at a dilution of 10 − 7 with 9 ml of sterile physiological saline per 1 mg of a sample using a plate count agar with bcp for measurement for 70 hours . the genus bacillus microorganism was cultured in a nutrient broth agar medium in the same manner as above and white colonies were counted . the number of bacteria is shown in the following table 1 below . as can be seen from table 1 above , microorganisms were proliferated well to about 10 9 per 1 g of the sample . in addition , during microorganism proliferation , formation of a natural antibiotic ( bacterocin , pediosin ) and an enzyme as secondary metabolite is well known in the art . the pediococcus acidilactic was cultured and the concentration of bacteria was then measured using a quick start bovine serum albumin ( bsa ) standard kit ( bio - rad , usa ). as a result , the concentration of bacteria was 0 . 465 mg / ml . the culture solution was concentrated at 15 , 000 rpm for 5 minutes and the supernatant was collected . then , the residue was filtered with a 0 . 2 μm filter ( milipore , usa ) to remove bacteria and thereby prepare a pediococcus acidilactic extract . six standard strains shown in the following table 2 were cultured using a standard flat comparison method in a co 2 constant - temperature incubator at 37 ° c . for 24 hours . a single colony - forming unit of each standard strain was seeded on a blood agar plate and a p . acidilactici extract was inoculated at 5 μl , 10 μl , 20 μl and 100 μl . the strains were dried in the air in a clean bench for 10 minutes and cultured in a co 2 constant - temperature incubator at 37 ° c . for 24 hours . then , diameter of the inhibition zone was measured by measuring the size of spots and results are shown in table 3 . as can be seen from table 3 above , p . acidilactici extract inhibited growth of streptococcus pneumoniae atcc49619 . an inhibition diameter ( mm ) at different extract concentrations was not calculated for 5 μl , and inhibition diameters ( mm ) were 3 mm , 6 mm and 13 mm for different extract concentrations of 10 μl , 20 μl and 100 μl , respectively . characteristic α - hemolysis of streptococcus pneumoniae was not observed in a region where the p . acidilactici extract was inoculated and bacteria were not cultured , which means that growth of s . pneumoniae bacteria was inhibited . first , a 0 . 5 % lactobacilli mrs medium ( difco laboratories inc .) was diluted in 200 ml of distilled water and was sterilized and ph of the dilution was then adjusted to 3 . 0 with an hcl solution . pediococcus acidilactici j9 was diluted at a density of 3 . 0 × 10 8 cfu / g with physiological saline and was maintained for a lead time of 30 minutes . an aqueous solution ( ph 3 . 0 ) was inoculated at 10 % with the pediococcus acidilactici j9 solution and at 37 ° c . and the number of lactic acid bacteria was measured after culturing for one hour and two hours . the number of pediococcus acidilactici j9 was measured by counting yellow colonies after culturing at a dilution of 10 − 7 with 9 ml of sterile physiological saline per 1 mg of a sample using a plate count agar with bcp for measurement for 70 hours . as a result , it was confirmed that the number of bacteria was not varied at all . this means that pediococcus acidilactici j9 had superior ph stability and resistance to strong acid . accordingly , there was a high probability that pediococcus acidilactici j9 could reach the human intestine alive when passed through the human stomach and intestine . the number of pediococcus acidilactici j9 was measured by counting yellow colonies after culturing at a dilution of 10 − 7 with 9 ml of sterile physiological saline per 1 mg of a sample using a plate count agar with bcp for measurement for 70 hours . as a result , regarding the number of bacteria , pediococcus acidilactici j9 , as a control group before test was 2 . 9 × 10 19 and the number of bacteria was 2 . 0 × 10 9 at 90 ° c . for 2 minutes , which means pediococcus acidilactici j9 has superior thermal stability . although the preferred embodiments have been disclosed for illustrative purposes , those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications , additions and substitutions are possible , without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure as disclosed in the accompanying claims . | 0 |
“ anti - node ” as used herein refers to a region of minimum energy emitted by an ultrasonic probe on or proximal to a position along the probe . “ cavitation ” as used herein refers to shock waves produced by ultrasonic vibration , wherein the vibration creates a plurality of microscopic bubbles which rapidly collapse , resulting in molecular collision by water molecules which collide with force thereby producing the shock waves . “ fenestration ” as used herein refers to an aperture , window , opening , hole , or space . “ node ” as used herein refers to a region of maximum energy emitted by an ultrasonic probe at or proximal to a specific location along the longitudinal axis probe . “ anti - node ” as used herein refers to a region of minimum energy emitted by an ultrasonic probe at or proximal to a specific location along the longitudinal axis probe . “ probe ” as used herein refers to a device capable of being adapted to an ultrasonic generator means , which is capable of propagating the energy emitted by the ultrasonic generator means along its length , resolving this energy into effective cavitational energy at a specific resonance ( defined by a plurality of nodes and anti - nodes at a predetermined locations ( defined as “ active area ” of the probe ) and is capable of acoustic impedance transformation of ultrasound energy to mechanical energy . “ sheath ” as used herein refers to a device for covering , encasing , or shielding in whole or in part , a probe or portion thereof connected to an ultrasonic generation means . “ transverse ” as used herein refers to vibration of a probe at right angles to the axis of a probe . a “ transverse wave ” as used herein is a wave propagated along an ultrasonic probe in which the direction of the disturbance at each point of the medium is perpendicular to the wave vector . “ tuning ” as used herein refers to a process of adjusting the frequency of the ultrasonic generator means to select a frequency that establishes a standing wave along the length of the probe . the present invention provides an ultrasonic medical device operating in a transverse mode for removing a vascular occlusion by causing fragmentation of occlusion materials such as tissue . because the device is minimally invasive , flexible and articulable , it can be inserted into narrow , tortuous blood vessels without risking damage to those vessels . transverse vibration of the probe in such a device generates multiple nodes of cavitation energy along the longitudinal axis of the probe , which are resolved into caviational nodes emanating radially from these nodes at a specific points along the active portion of the probe . the occlusion tissue is fragmented to debris approximately of sub - micron sizes , and the transverse vibration generates a retrograde flow of debris that carries the debris away from the probe tip . the transverse mode of vibration of the ultrasonic probe according to the invention differs from the axial ( or longitudinal ) mode of vibration that is conventional in the prior art . rather than vibrating in the axial direction , the probe vibrates exclusively in a direction transverse ( perpendicular ) to the axial direction . as a consequence of the transverse vibration of the probe , the tissue - destroying effects of the device are not limited to those regions of a tissue coming into contact with the tip of the probe . rather , as the active portion of the probe is positioned in proximity to an occlusion or other blockage of a blood vessel , the tissue is removed in all areas adjacent to the multiplicity of energy nodes that are produced along the entire length of the probe , typically in a region having a radius of up to about 6 mm around the probe . by eliminating the axial motion of the probe and allowing transverse vibrations only , fragmentation of large areas of tissue spanning the entire length of the active portion of the probe due to generation of multiple cavitational nodes along the probe length perpendicular to the probe axis . since substantially larger affected areas within an occluded blood vessel can be denuded of the occluded tissue in a short time , actual treatment time using the transverse mode ultrasonic medical device according to the invention is greatly reduced as compared to methods using prior art probes that primarily utilize longitudinal vibration ( along probe axis ) for tissue ablation . an distinguishing feature of the present invention is the ability to utilize probes of extremely small diameter ( about 0 . 025 ″ and smaller ) compared to prior art probes without loss of efficiency , since the tissue fragmentation process in not dependent on area of the probe tip ( distal end ). highly flexible probes can therefore , be designed to mimic device shapes that enable facile insertion into highly occluded or extremely narrow interstices within blood vessels . another advantage provided by the present invention is its ability to rapidly remove occlusion tissue from large areas within cylindrical or tubular surfaces such as arteries and arterial valves or selected areas within the tubular walls , which is not possible by previously disclosed devices that rely on the longitudinal vibrating probe tip for effecting tissue fragmentation . the number of nodes occurring along the axial length of the probe is modulated by changing the frequency of energy supplied by the ultrasonic generator . the exact frequency , however , is not critical and a ultrasonic generator run at , for example , 20 khz is generally sufficient to create an effective number of tissue destroying nodes along the axial length of the probe . in addition , as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , it is possible to adjust the dimensions of the probe , including diameter , length , and distance to the ultrasonic energy generator , in order to affect the number and spacing of nodes along the probe . the present invention allows the use of ultrasonic energy to be applied to tissue selectively , because the probe conducts energy across a frequency range of from about 20 khz through about 80 khz . the amount of ultrasonic energy to be applied to a particular treatment site is a function of the amplitude and frequency of vibration of the probe . in general , the amplitude or throw rate of the energy is in the range of 150 microns to 250 microns , and the frequency in the range of 20 , 000 to 80 , 000 hertz ( 20 - 80 khz ). in the currently preferred embodiment , the frequency of ultrasonic energy is from 20 , 000 hertz to 35 , 000 hertz ( 20 - 35 khz ). frequencies in this range are specifically destructive of hydrated ( water - laden ) tissues and vascular occlusive material , while substantially ineffective toward high - collagen connective tissue , or other fibrous tissues such as , for example , vascular tissues , skin or muscle tissues . in a preferred embodiment , the ultrasonic medical device of the present invention , comprises an ultrasonic generator that is mechanically coupled to a probe having a proximal and distal end that is capable of oscillating in a direction transverse to its longitudinal axis . alternatively , a magneto - strictive generator may be used for generation of ultrasound energy . the preferred generator is a piezoelectric transducer that is mechanically coupled to the probe to enable transfer of ultrasonic excitation energy and cause the probe to oscillate in a transverse direction relative to its longitudinal axis . the device is designed to have a small cross - sectional profile , which also allows the probe to flex along its length , thereby allowing it to be used in a minimally invasive manner . transverse oscillation of the probe generates a plurality of cavitation nodes along the longitudinal axis of the member , thereby efficiently destroying the occlusion . a significant feature of the invention is the retrograde movement of debris , e . g ., away from the tip of the probe i . e . backwards up along the shaft of the probe that results from the transversely generated energy . the amount of cavitation energy to be applied to a particular site requiring treatment is a function of the amplitude and frequency of vibration of the probe , as well as the longitudinal length of the probe tip , the proximity of the tip to a tissue , and the degree to which the probe tip is exposed to the tissues . a distinguishing feature of the present invention is the ability to utilize probes of extremely small diameter ( narrow diameter probes ) compared previously disclosed devices ( large diameter probes ) without loss of efficiency or efficacy , since the tissue fragmentation process in not dependent on area of the probe tip ( distal end ). highly flexible probes can therefore be obtained to mimic device shapes that enable facile insertion into highly occluded or extremely narrow interstices without resulting in breakage of the probe or puncture or damage of the tissue or body cavity while ensuring optimal results . a second distinguishing feature of the small diameter probes of the invention is that the probe diameter is approximately the same over their entire length , that is ,— the active tip segment ( distal end ) and the rear segment ( proximal end ) of the probes are approximately similar in diameter . in a preferred embodiment the probe diameters at the proximal and distal ends respectively are about 0 . 025 inch . an advantage of the shape configuration of the probes of the invention is that they are adaptable to currently used standard vascular introducers . since the rear segment ( proximal end ) of the probes have no non - cylindrical shape or “ bulk ”, catheters and guides can be introduced over the ends of the elongated wire probes of the invention , thereby — allowing their use in standard - configuration endovascular procedures . the ultrasonic device of the invention comprises a longitudinal resonator such as for example , a mason ( langevin ) horn that is in intimate contact with an elongated catheter wire probe through a coupling assembly . the horn assembly is in turn , connected to an ultrasound energy source . upon device activation , ultrasonic energy from the source is transmitted to the horn assembly wherein it is amplified by the horn and in turn , transmitted to the probe thorough the coupling assembly . transverse vibrational modes along the longitudinal axis of the probe that lie within the horn resonance are excited . the coupling between the elongated probe and the horn is adjusted so as to present a relatively large impedance mismatch , and be located at an anti - node of the horn . longitudinal waves impinging on the coupling interface are either reflected back into the horn or transmitted out to the probe in proportion to the degree of impedance mismatch at the said coupling interface . in a preferred embodiment , the coupling interface is configured in a manner so as to reflect most of the energy back into the horn . the horn therefore , essentially acts as an energy storage device or “ reservoir ”, thereby allowing a substantial increase in drive amplitude . since the energy coupled into the elongated probe is a small portion of the energy reflected back to the horn , changes in the transverse oscillation on the probe due to bending or damping have minimal effect on the longitudinal resonance of the horn . by decoupling the transverse probe oscillation from the longitudinal horn resonance , the electrical source of the vibrations ( piezoelectric or magnetostrictive ) to compensate only for shifts in the resonant frequency of the horn ( due to temperature , manufacturing variations , etc .). the drive mechanism is therefore , completely independent of vibrational motions on the probe . the transverse vibrating elongated probe of the invention does not require its terminal end be permanently affixed in intimate contact to the horn assembly , since a “ hammering ” action associated with longitudinal vibration is absent . the elongated probe of the invention can therefore be coupled , and not welded , to the horn via a coupling assembly that grips the probe along the cylindrical surface near its terminal end in a non - permanent way . the coupling assembly of the invention therefore , allows for quick attachment and detachment of the probe from the horn assembly and source components , thereby enabling manipulation of the elongated flexible probe into anatomically curved blood vessels without hindrance by the bulky horn and energy source components . the probe of the invention can therefore be inserted into a venal cavity , positioned near the occlusion site prior to coupling it to the horn source assembly . the device is then activated to effect tissue ablation and removal , after which the probe is decoupled from the horn and source component for its easy removal from the cavity . in a preferred embodiment a longitudinal horn is coupled to an elongated wire catheter through a coupling assembly that is rapidly attachable and detachable . in a most preferred embodiment , the coupling assembly comprises a quick attachment - detachment ( qad ) collet . the attachment of the coupling assembly to the elongated probe is located at an antinode and the dimensions are scaled ( i . e . it collet head has a relatively larger diameter at the attachment point than the diameter of the probe ) to produce an optimal impedance mismatch . in another embodiment of the invention , the elongated probe is permanently attached to the coupling assembly by a welded joint . the qad collet of the invention is housed within an externally mounted compressive clamp that is capable of exerting a compressive force on the collet after insertion of the ultrasonic probe into said collet , thereby causing a non - removable attachment of the probe to the coupling assembly . the collet therefore , applies a restraining inwardly compressive force on the probe in a manner so as to not torque or twist the probe material . as a result , the probe can be subject to a multiple attachment and detachment procedures , without causing probe destruction , thereby enabling its extended reuse in surgical procedures . the collet of the invention comprises is at least one slit in its terminal compressible segment ; alternatively it comprises of a plurality of slits . in a preferred embodiment , the collet , compressive clamp and housing assembly are all attached to the device handle by a mechanical assembly means , such as for example , a screw thread comprising a locking nut , bayonet mount , keyless chuck and cam fittings . alternatively , the rear segment of the mechanical assembly means is a hollow cylindrical segment comprising a screw thread that allows insertion and attachment of the ultrasonic device handle containing a drive assembly containing a complementary thread arrangement to be inserted into and non - removably attached to said cylindrical segment by applying a torque . in another preferred embodiment , ultrasonic probe is mounted to the attachment means such that the collet holds the probe at a point greater than about 1 mm and less than about 30 from the probe terminal end , or is adjustable to any point in between , to optimize probe vibration based on the frequency of the ultrasound transducer in the device handle . in another preferred embodiment , the probe attachment means comprising the external compressive clamp , collet and collet housing are all attached to the operating handle of the ultrasonic device . in another preferred embodiment the collet is retained within the confines of an outer shell that is attached to the collet housing segment of the probe attachment means that to precludes its disassembly , thereby preventing either loss or disengagement of the collet . the outer shell compresses the collet to engage contact with the probe upon its tightening to the collet housing assembly by application of torque , causing the probe to be attached to the collet in a non - removable manner . an inner bias is maintained within the rear portion of the attachment means such that a portion of the probe protruding from the proximal end of the collet maintains contact with the surface of the collet housing within the coupling assembly . the terminal ends of the collet are tapered so as to allow the collet to maintain a true axial orientation within the coupling assembly , thereby enabling multiple insertions and retractions of the probe into and from the collet prior to and after device use , without causing the probe to kink . additionally , the shape of the proximal end of the segment ( rear segment with respect to the entering probe ), so as to maximize contact area between the collet and the distal end of the transducer - sound conductor assembly ( the “ drive assembly ”). the collet proximal end is shaped in any suitable form providing maximal contact area , including conical , frusto - conical , triangular , square , oblong , and ovoid , upon probe attachment to the collet within the housing assembly , which in turn maintains intimate contact with the drive assembly . the four component assembly that include probe , outer ring , collet and rear drive assembly , form a single assembled component in the device operational state , in terms of their combined ability to transmit sound energy from the transducer in the drive assembly to the probe without energy loss thermally or mechanically . the collets of the invention can be designed to accommodate a series of probe diameters , or for a specific probe diameter by varying the inner diameter of the cylindrical slot . the outer diameters of the collets , however remain unchanged , thereby allowing attachment of probes of differing diameters into a universal coupling and drive assembly . the elongated probe of the invention is either a single diameter wire with a uniform cross section offering flexural stiffness along its entire length , or is tapered or stepped along its length to control the amplitude of the transverse wave along its entire longitudinal axis . alternatively , the probe can be cross - sectionally non - cylindrical that is capable of providing both flexural stiffness and support energy conversion along its entire length . the length or the elongated probe of the invention is chosen so as to be resonant in either in an exclusively transverse mode , or be resonant in combination of transverse and longitudinal modes to provide a wider operating range . in a preferred embodiment , the elongated probe of the invention is chosen to be from about 30 cm to about 300 cm in length . in a most preferred embodiment , the elongated probe of the invention has a length of about 70 cm to about 210 cm in length . suitable probe materials include metallic materials and metallic alloys suited for ultrasound energy transmission . in a preferred embodiment the metallic material comprising the elongated probe is titanium . in another preferred embodiment , the elongated probe of the invention is circumferentially enclosed in a sheath that provides a conduit for irrigation fluids , aspiration of fragmented tissue , or for delivery of therapeutic drugs to the occlusion site . the said sheath can extend either partially or over the entirety of the probe , and can additionally comprise of fenestrations for directing ultrasonic energy from the probe at specific locations within venal cavities for selective ablation of tissue . an ultrasonic tissue ablation device comprising a sheath for removal of occlusions in blood vessels has been disclosed in applicants &# 39 ; co - pending application ser . no . 09 / 776 , 015 , the entireity of which is incorporated herein as reference . in one embodiment , the elongated catheter probe is comprised of a proximal end and a distal end with respect to the horn assembly , and is in the form of a long small diameter wire incorporating a series of telescoping segments along its longitudinal axis , such that the largest diameter segment is proximal to the horn assembly , and either continually or segmental , sequentially decreasing diameters from the proximal to the distal end . with reference to the probe , coupling and horn assemblies as shown in the figures describing the present invention , the proximal end for each component refers to the end farthest from the probe tip , while distal end refers to the end closest to the probe tip . in another embodiment , the elongated probe is comprised of a non - segmented , uniformly narrow diameter wire , such as for example a guide wire , such as those used in insertion of catheters . referring now to fig1 a preferred embodiment of the elongated ultrasonic probe 10 of the invention comprising a proximal end 12 and a distal end 22 , is shown . probe 10 is coupled to a transducer and sound conductor assembly ( not shown ) constructed in accordance with the present invention that function as generation and transmission sources respectively , of ultrasound energy for activation of said probe . the generation source may or may not be a physical part of the device itself . the probe 10 transmits ultrasonic energy received from the sound conductor along its length , and is capable of engaging the sound conductor component at its proximal end 12 via a coupling assembly with sufficient restraint to form an acoustical mass that can propagate the ultrasonic energy provided by the source . the probe diameter decreases at defined segment intervals 14 , 18 , and 20 . segment 22 because of its small diameter , is capable of flexing more than segments 14 and 18 , thereby enabling probe 10 to generate more cavitation energy along segment 20 distal end 22 . energy from the generator is transmitted along the length of the probe , causing the probe to vibrate in a direction that is transverse to its longitudinal axis . probe interval 14 has a head segment 24 for engaging the coupling assembly for attachment to the sound conductor - transducer assembly . in a preferred embodiment , the sound conductor component of the invention for providing , amplifying and transferring ultrasonic energy to elongated probe 10 is a mason ( langevin ) horn that is detachably connected to said probe through a coupling assembly . referring now to fig2 a - b , the unassembled and assembled views of individual components comprising the varied diameter probe and sound conductor elements , and the coupling assembly are illustrated . fig2 a shows the individual components comprising elongated probe 10 , horn assembly 34 comprising a proximal end 38 and a comprising a cylindrical slot 36 at the distal end , which includes the horn and coupling assembly components , elongated probe 10 and locking nut 30 . the coupling assembly components comprising threading arrangements 40 and 42 , cylindrical slot 36 , and locking nut 30 . attachment of proximal end 12 of probe 10 is accomplished by insertion of probe head 24 into the cylindrical slot at distal end 36 of the horn assembly , followed by “ threading ” the probe through locking nut 30 to enable threads on the inner surface of locking nut 30 ( not shown ) to engage complementary threads 40 , thereby providing intimate contact between probe distal end 12 and the proximal end 36 of the horn assembly . the probe attachment is rendered to be mechanically rigid by tightening locking nut 30 . fig2 b shows the enlongated varied diameter probe attached to the horn assembly and held rigidly by the coupling assembly and maintaining intimate contact between the “ coupled ” components . fig2 c shows a similar assembly comprising a uniform narrow diameter wire probe of the invention . [ 0066 ] fig3 shows a cross - sectional view of the probe - horn assembly shown in a “ coupled ” mode . the attachment means comprising the coupling assembly of the invention utilized to “ couple ” the elongated probe to the horn assembly is chosen from conventional means of connecting physically separated components in a manner so as to provide a rigid joining of said components while maintaining intimate material surface contact between the components in the “ coupled ” state . suitable attachment means of the present invention include a locking nut comprising a screw thread , and a bayonet or ring clamp mechanism to effect coupling between the elongated probe and the horn assembly . fig4 a and 4b show opposite - end views of a preferred embodiment of the locking means , comprising a locking nut 30 consisting a screw thread arrangement 44 that is capable of engaging a complementary thread arrangement located along the outer diameter of the distal end of the horn assembly . when engaged with the horn assembly 34 with the elongated probe 10 positioned proximally to provide “ coupling ”, locking nut 30 provides a rigid interface between the probe and horn components and ensures intimate contact between the terminal end surfaces of the said components , which is important for efficient transmission of ultrasound energy to the probe . fig5 shows a cross - sectional view of the horn assembly 34 and elongated probe 10 “ coupled ” by the locking nut 30 of the invention by engaging screw thread 44 with complementary threads 40 in the horn assembly . now referring to fig6 the horn assembly 34 comprises of a distal end 38 that is capable of being coupled to the enlongated probe of the invention , and a proximal end 38 that is coupled to a transducer ( not shown ) functioning as an ultrasound energy source by screw threads 40 and 42 located terminally at either end . as mentioned previously , horn assembly 34 comprising the sound conductor or “ horn ” functions as an energy reservoir that allows only a small fraction of the energy transmitted by the source to the probe , thereby minimizing energy loss due to probe bending or damping that can occur when it is inserted into blood vessels . [ 0068 ] fig7 shows disassembled and assembled views of another preferred embodiment of the probe attachment means of the invention , including cross - sectional views in the assembled state , that includes a coupling assembly comprising a “ quick attachment / detachment ” ( qad ) collet rod 48 and housing assembly 54 that enables efficient coupling of the elongated catheter probe to the horn assembly ( not shown ). as seen in the figure , collet rod 48 is configured to slideably receive and retain the proximal end of the ultrasonic probe of the invention within the interior volume of collet housing 64 , and restrained in a rigid , non - removable manner by socket screw 58 , which comprises a cylindrical head 60 with a uniformly flat end to facilitate its intimate contact with other device components , including the terminal end of the horn assembly . fig7 also shows regular and expanded cross - sectional views of qad collet rod 48 inserted into collet housing 64 that is non - removably retained within said housing by socket screw 58 . as seen in segment “ c ” of the cross - sectional view , the inner surface of collet housing tapers circumferentially outwardly at the distal end so as to enable partial insertion of the cylindrically slotted head of the qad collet rod . the inner diameter of the of the circumferentially tapered section of the housing is chosen to be slightly larger then the insertable segment qad collet rod head so as to create a “ clearance ” that facilitates easy 20 insertion and retraction of the said collet rod ( shown in the detail cross - sectional view in fig7 ). as shown in fig8 a , qad collet rod 48 is comprised of a hollow cylindrical segment 49 with a proximal end 50 and a head segment 51 at distal end 52 ( the end farthest from the collet housing and horn assembly ) with a diameter larger than that of cylindrical segment . the head segment at distal end 52 comprises a compressible slit 54 that is capable of accommodating the proximal end of the elongated probe . the proximal end 50 of the qad collet rod comprises a hollow cylindrical opening containing a screw thread inscribed along the inner surface of said opening that is capable of receiving a retaining a socket screw 58 ( shown in fig7 ) inserted from the proximal end of the qad collet housing , so as to render collet rod 48 with attached probe to be rigidly and non - removably restrained within said collet housing . as shown in fig8 b , collet housing 64 comprises a hollow cylinder with a distal end 68 capable receiving the entire cylindrical segment 49 of the probe qad collet rod ( fig8 a ) and part of the cylindrically slotted head segment 51 when the collet rod is inserted at its proximal end 50 into collet housing 64 , and a distal end 72 comprising a screw - thread 74 along the outer surface . the proximal end 72 of collet housing further comprises a screw thread 74 on its outer surface capable of engaging the terminal end of a horn assembly in a manner so as to provide intimate contact between the horn and the flat head of socket screw 58 restraining qad collet rod 48 attached to the elongated probe , thereby enabling transmission of ultrasound energy from the horn to the elongated probe . the socket screw 58 of the invention is capable of being “ tightened ” by applying a torque by conventional methods causing it to simultaneously engage the thread assemblies if of collet rod housing 64 and the qad collet rod 48 respectively , after insertion of the collet rod into said housing . such a tightening action which is performed after attachment of the elongated probe to collet rod 48 by insertion of the probe into slotted head 54 at the distal end 52 of the collet rod causes retraction of the said slotted head into the collet housing . this in turn , results in elimination of the “ clearance ” between the collet rod and the collet housing , causing a contraction in the diameter of the slot in the head of collet rod and in turn , resulting in 1 ) its intimate contact with the surface of the proximal end of the inserted elongated probe , and 2 ) restraining the probe in a non - detachable manner to the collet rod — housing coupling assembly . the rigid and non - removable mode of probe attachment to the said coupling assembly enables transmission of ultrasound energy from a horn assembly attached to the collet rod housing coupling assembly to the elongated probe so as to cause it to vibrate in a transverse mode , and hence provide cavitation energy for tissue destruction . conversely , the probe is detached ( or “ de - coupled ”) from the collet rod - housing coupling assembly by loosening the socket screw 58 by application of a torque in a direction opposite to that used for the probe attachment process . [ 0071 ] fig9 shows disassembled and assembled views of another preferred embodiment of the probe attachment means of the invention , including cross - sectional views in the assembled state , consisting a qad collet rod - housing assembly that comprises a outwardly cylindrically tapered collet housing component 80 with a proximal end 86 and a distal end 90 , further comprising a centrally located cylindrical bore with open ends extending through its longitudinal axis that is capable of slideably receiving and retaining a collet rod . as seen in segment “ c ” of the cross - sectional view in fig9 the inner surface of collet housing tapers circumferentially outwardly at the distal end so as to enable partial insertion of the cylindrically slotted head of the qad collet rod . the inner diameter of the of the circumferentially tapered section of the housing is chosen to be slightly larger then the insertable segment qad collet rod head so as to create a “ clearance ” that facilitates easy insertion and retraction of the said collet rod ( shown in the detail cross - sectional view ). the cross - sectional view of the fig9 shows the qad collet rod restrained within the collet rod housing by a locking nut 88 . fig1 a and 10b show the collet rod and collet housing respectively , of the embodiment . as seen in fig1 a , qad collet rod comprises a solid cylindrical body 94 with a head segment 98 attached at proximal end 92 . a longitudinal slit 99 extends from head segment 98 partially into the cylindrical body 94 . the distal end 96 of cylindrical body 94 comprises a thread assembly 100 . as seen in fig1 b , collet housing 80 comprises a cylindrical rod with a continuously decreasing external diameter from proximal end 86 to distal end 90 , further comprising a centrally located cylindrical inner bore extending along its entire length providing openings at both ends . the diameter of the bore increases proximally to the distal end so as to circumferentially taper outwardly in a manner permitting partial insertion of head segment 98 of the collet rod the cylindrical bore of the collet housing 80 is capable of slideably receiving a collet rod 94 such that thread assembly 100 of the said collet rod extends beyond proximal end 86 of the end proximal end 92 to permit a rigid and non - removable attachment of the collet rod by engaging thread assembly 100 with locking nut 88 ( shown in fig9 ). the locking nut performs a similar function and in a manner that is substantially similar to that of the restraining screw described in a previous embodiment ( fig7 ) in enabling the elongated probe to be non - removably attached to and detached from the qcd collet rod for operation of the device as described previously . upon rigid non - removable attachment of the elongated probe to the coupling assembly , the threading 88 of the collet housing is engaged to complementary threading of the horn assembly ( not shown ) of the assembly so as to render intimate contact of the sound conductor ( horn ) in said horn assembly with the proximal end 92 of the collet rod to enable transmission of ultrasound energy from the horn to the elongated probe attached at proximal end 96 of the collet rod . [ 0072 ] fig1 shows another preferred embodiment of probe coupling assembly of the invention , including a cross - sectional view , comprising a qad collet 105 that is insertable into a “ compression ” collet housing component 115 comprising a circular bore 114 that is detachably connected to a qad base component 120 . as seen in fig1 a , qad collet 105 comprises a cylindrical segment 106 with a cylindrical slot 108 extending through its longitudinal axis that is capable of slideably receiving the proximal end of the elongated probe , and symmetrically tapered at proximal and distal ends 110 . as seen in fig1 b , qad base component 120 comprises a conical slot 130 at the cylindrical distal end capable of accommodating the one of the symmetrically tapered ends 110 of the collet . qad base component 120 further comprises a thread assembly 132 located along its outer circumference proximal to its distal end , that is capable of engaging complementary threads in the qad compression housing component 115 . the proximal end 136 of the base component contains a thread assembly 134 along the outer circumference that is capable of engaging and attaching to the horn assembly ( not shown ) of the invention . as seen in fig1 c , qad compression housing component 115 comprises a hollow cylindrical segment with a proximal end 117 and a circular bore 114 ( shown in fig1 ) tapered distal end 119 capable of slideably receiving the proximal end of the elongated probe . the inner diameter at the proximal end of the qcd compression housing component 115 is chosen so as to accommodate the symmetrically tapered terminal end 110 of collet 105 that is distal to the base component , and further comprises a thread assembly 118 that enables compression housing component to engage with complementary threading 132 on the distal end of qad base component 120 . the proximal end of the elongated probe of the invention is inserted through the circular bore 114 at proximal end of compression housing component 115 and the inserted symmetrically tapered end 110 of collet 105 in a manner so as to occupy the entire length of cylindrical slot 108 in collet 105 . the other symmetric end 110 distal to the compression housing 115 is then placed inside conical pocket 130 of base component 120 , following which threads 118 of the compression housing is engaged with the complementary threads 132 in qad base component 120 by applying a torque so as to render the collet 105 to be non - removably retained inside the coupled base - compression housing assembly , thereby restraining the inserted elongated probe rigidly and non - removably within the coupling assembly . additionally , the mode of restraint provided by the coupling assembly of the embodiment enables the probe to maintain intimate contact with said assembly and in turn the horn assembly ( not shown ) of the invention attached to the coupling assembly by engaging thread 134 in qad base component 120 with complementary threading in the horn assembly . ultrasound energy transmitted from the horn is therefore communicated to the probe via the coupling assembly . the elongated probe is detached by disassembling the coupling assembly , thereby allowing the probe to be withdrawn from collet 105 and compression housing component 115 . the device of the invention upon being activated causes the ultrasound generator component to transmit ultrasonic energy to the horn component . the transmitted energy is amplified by the horn component , which in turn , due to it &# 39 ; s intimate and proximal contact with the elongated probe , transmits the amplified energy to the said probe . transverse vibration modes on the elongated probe that fall within the horn resonance are therefore , excited . the “ coupling ” between the elongated probe and the horn is configured so to as to present a relatively large impedance mismatch . the coupling is located at an anti - node of the horn . longitudinal waves impinging on the coupling will be either reflected back inside the horn , or transmitted outward to the elongated probe proportionally to the degree of the impedance mismatch at the coupling interface . in a preferred embodiment , the coupling is arranged in a manner so as to cause reflection of a substantial portion of ultrasound energy back into the horn . under these conditions , the horn essentially functions as an energy storage device or reservoir , thereby allowing for a substantial increase in drive amplitude . the ultrasonic device of the present invention provides several advantages for tissue ablation within narrow arteries over convention devices . the transverse energy is transmitted extremely efficiently , and therefore the required force to cause cavitation is low . the transverse probe vibration provides sufficient cavitation energy at a substantially low power (˜ 1 watt ). because transverse cavitation occurs over a significantly greater i . e . along the entire probe longitudinal axis that comes in contact with the tissue , the rates of endovascular materials that can be removed are both significantly greater and faster than conventional devices . the transverse vibrational mode of the elongated probe of the invention and its attachable / detachable coupling mode to the horn assembly allows for the bending of the probe without causing probe heating as heat in the probe . another advantage offered by the device of the invention is that the mechanism for probe attachment and detachment by means of a lateral wall compression and decompression provided by the coupling assembly . the probe can therefore , be rapidly attached to and detached from the coupling assembly without necessitating its “ screwing ” or “ torquing ” that are utilized conventional modes of attachment of ultrasonic probes to the probe handle . this feature facilitates ease of manipulation of the probe within narrow and torturous venal cavities , and its positioning at the occlusion site in a manner substantially similar to narrow lumen catheters prior to and after device use . | 0 |
reference is now made to the accompanying figures for the purpose of describing , in detail , one or more embodiments of the invention . the figures and accompanying detailed description are provided as examples of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto . fig1 illustrates the general shape of the b - k electrode . referring to fig2 , the shape of the b - k electrode can be determined with the following relations : φ = τ o ω - τ o ω o r = qb γ m o β c where φ is the angular displacement of the relativistic particles from the centerpoint 1 as a function of turn number , r is the radial displacement , τ o is the fundamental period of the electric field &# 39 ; s oscillation , ω is the orbital frequency of the relativistic particle , and ω o is the non - relativistic particle &# 39 ; s fundamental frequency in the magnetic field b . c is the speed of light , m o is the particle &# 39 ; s rest mass , γ and β are relativistic factors , here expressed as a function of turn number n , and dependent upon acceleration voltage v o , where e o is the non - relativistic particle &# 39 ; s rest energy , and q is the charge of the particle . plotting r , φ in polar coordinates results in a series of points at which the particle will be found at successive maxima of the electric field . as shown in fig2 , a curved aperture 2 comprised of these points 3 determines the shape of the b - k electrode . use of one or more embodiments discussed herein are not limited in scope and it is contemplated for use within fixed - frequency particle accelerators , including synchrocyclotrons as well as isochronous cyclotrons . in these applications , the b - k electrode provides a geometric compensation for relativistic effects . in the case of the synchrocyclotron , the b - k electrode geometrically allows a certain amount of phase shift , decreasing the amount that the frequency needs to be modulated , thereby increasing the duty cycle . although a few embodiments have been shown and described , it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes might be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention , the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents . | 7 |
to better understand the invention , detailed descriptions shall be given with the accompanying drawings hereunder . referring to fig1 the device according to the invention comprises the characteristics of : a socket housing 10 with an extension wire 12 , and having insertion openings 14 ; and a container 20 having an accommodating chamber 22 , wherein an exterior 13 of the socket housing 10 is wedged into the accommodating chamber 22 , and the container 20 forms an outer cover by covering and joining at an upper surface of the socket housing 10 and forms elevated body by covering a lower surface of the socket housing 10 . according to the aforesaid primary characteristics , wherein side walls of the container 20 have at least one notch 24 as shown in fig1 . according to the aforesaid primary characteristics , wherein inner side walls of the container 20 have at least one flange body 26 as shown in fig7 . according to the aforesaid primary characteristics , wherein the extension wire 12 is coiled and stored in the accommodating chamber 22 of the container 20 as shown in fig3 . according to the aforesaid primary characteristics , wherein an outer side of the container 20 has a projecting hook 28 . referring to fig1 and 3 , the extension wire 12 is coiled and thus readily stored into the accommodating chamber 22 , and the socket housing 10 is wedged into the accommodating chamber 22 . at this point , in the presence of the flange bodies 26 at the inner walls of the container 20 , the exterior 13 of the socket housing 10 is pressed against to coordinate with the flange bodies 26 as shown in fig7 . thus , the socket housing 10 is steadily wedged and positioned in the accommodating chamber 22 , and the extension wire 12 is stored in a concealed manner as shown in fig3 . referring to fig4 a plug 121 at an end of the extension wire 12 is inserted into receptacles 80 . the extension wire 12 is extended with an appropriate length via a notch 24 , with unnecessary extension wire 12 stored and concealed in the accommodating chamber 22 . therefore , the unnecessary extension wire 12 is not scattered to make a mess on the ground . also , the container 20 is an elevated body , such that a lower surface of the socket housing 10 does not come into contact with the ground , and the socket housing 10 is also prevented from contacting with water in case of presence of water on the ground . referring to fig5 the container 20 is covered on top of the socket housing 10 . plugs 30 are inserted into the insertion openings 14 , and each plug 30 is extended via the notch 24 . a target of the above is to prevent water from splashing in an upward direction into the insertion openings 14 . referring to fig6 the invention is suspended to a wall using a hanging assembly 28 , so as to facilitate storage as well as accessing or displaying purposes . conclusive from the above , the invention comprising the attached container 20 and the socket housing 10 is capable of accomplishing objects as being waterproof and storing the extension wire 12 in a concealed manner . it is of course to be understood that the embodiment described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims . | 7 |
referring to fig1 a and 1b a typical known fork truck assembly is carried on wheels 1 . the chassis is of solid construction , and the wheels are fitted without suspension . forks 2 are elevated along with the fork mast 3 for the purpose of reaching extended heights . fig2 is a simplified plan of the chassis 3 of a fork truck according to one embodiment of the present invention . sensors 4 are fixed to the chassis and allow the elevational difference between the front and back axles 6 and 7 to be evaluated . in addition , sensor 5 is fixed to the chassis axle 6 between the right wheel track and the left wheel track to allow the elevational difference between the front wheels 1 to be evaluated . fig3 is a view of the arms carrying the front wheels of the fork truck . a front wheel 1 is carried on a suspension arm 8 fixed to the chassis of the vehicle with a pivot bearing 9 causing each of the front wheels 1 to be suspended . the suspended front wheels 1 are adjusted for height through a pivot bearing attached to the suspension arm 8 by means of an electric power unit and servovalves 15 connected to the suspension arms by means of a connecting rod 11 and pivot bearings 12 / 13 . the electric drive unit is connected to the connecting rod 11 by means of a cranked bearing 14 . thus , the height of the front wheels 1 can be adjusted within small tolerances by the electrically operated servovalves 15 . the cranked bearing 14 allows movements of the servovalves 15 to be translated into small vertical movements of the wheel 1 and thus the wheel can be moved with considerable sensitivity . the suspension system is fixed independently to each of the front wheels 1 of a fork truck , and is activated through a servo system by sensor 4 to control the elevational difference between the front 6 and the rear axle 7 and a sensor fixed to the front axle 5 to control the elevational difference between each of the front and wheel tracks . sensor 4 activates the suspension system on one of the front wheels 1 in order to control the elevation difference between the rear axle and the front wheel 1 . at the same time sensor 5 activates the system on the other front wheel 1 thereby maintaining the correct elevation difference between the front wheels 1 . by controlling the elevation difference between the front and rear axles as well as that between the front wheel track , the system is designed to maintain the chassis of the fork truck in a level state , both when the vehicle is stationary and in motion . this can accommodate small undulations in the in an alternative embodiment illustrated in fig4 a and 4b , the fork lift truck has a memory unit in which is stored data corresponding to the variance in the flatness of the surface of the path to be travelled . as the truck travels such a path , the truck is automatically jacked hydraulically to compensate for each variance in flatness by the passage of signals from the memory unit to hydraulic pistons that connect the truck &# 39 ; s wheel units to the truck body . thus , despite travelling a path having a surface with varying degrees of flatness or deviance from horizontal , the truck can safely and stably carry loads along such a path , for example down an aisle between shelving units . in this embodiment , the truck has two special parts , namely , an electronic profiler that retains a record of surface irregularities , and an active suspension unit that is fitted so as to be operated via a suitable algorithm to compensate for the irregular surface as reflected by the data stored on the electronic profiler , which contain information regarding all the aisles . the data may be stored on removable data storage media such as flash cards . a tachometer specific to each aisle may be switched on and off at the beginning and end of each aisle automatically . a simulator vehicle with an inclinometer and associated measuring electronics on board is used to generate the data for storage on the flash cards . these can then be removed from the simulator and inserted into an appropriate socket on the fork truck . the fork truck and the simulator can determine their position via a range of methods . gps units allow position determination , although the units presently available for non - military use may be insufficiently accurate . visible or otherwise detectable markers could be distributed around the warehouse , for example in or above the aisles , or on the ceiling , and suitable optical or other detectors on the truck / simulator could detect them or receive signals from them . the rotation of the wheels could also be monitored to detect the distance the truck has moved ; by monitoring wheels on both sides of the truck turns could also be detected . of course , a combination of these methods could be employed . in fig4 a and 4b is shown a fixed main frame 16 of a fork lift truck with an alternative suspension . the front wheel 18 is mounted on a subframe 19 which can be pivoted about a bolt 17 . the position of the subframe 19 relative to the chassis is controlled by a hydraulic piston 20 activated in dependence on the local elevation of the surface . it will be appreciated that this suspension arrangement could be used in conjunction with the first example , and that ( likewise ) the suspension arrangement of the first example could be used in conjunction with this example . in the above examples , the vertical height of the wheels has been adjusted in order to maintain the chassis of the truck in a level state . it is of course also possible to a form of suspension between the tower of the fork truck and the chassis , instead of ( or in addition to ) between the chassis and the wheels . thus , in such an arrangement , the truck would be wholly unsuspended and would not maintain a level state , but would counteract this by adjusting the tower in order to maintain that in a substantially vertical or other fixed disposition . thus , in conclusion , the present invention provides a fork lift truck that is able to travel along undulating and irregular surfaces and dynamically respond to such unevenness , whilst maintaining verticality of its mast . this avoids warehouse floors having to be expensively ground into an even state , which is time consuming . referring to fig5 and 7 , a third embodiment is shown in which a suspension arrangement suitable for use in the suspension systems described above is shown . an arm 100 forming part of the chassis of the fork truck is shown , and a wheel 102 is shown adjacent the arm , mounted on an axle 104 which passes through the centre of the wheel 102 and through a suitable bore 106 on the arm 100 . the axle 104 is non - straight . a generally straight first section 108 is linked to a generally straight second section 110 via a crank 112 . thus , the axes of sections 108 110 are parallel but slightly displaced . this displacement should be of the same order of magnitude albeit slightly greater than the expected variation in the floor height , such as between 1 and 10 mm . 5 mm is a suitable value , in practice . the wheel 102 is able to rotate around its portion 108 of the axle 104 using suitable ball races 114 etc . likewise , the section 110 of the axle 104 within the chassis arm 100 is able to rotate within the bore 106 using a second set of suitable bore races etc . 116 . as a result , two independent forms of movement of the wheel 102 are achieved . as the wheel 102 rotates around the axle 104 , the vehicle is able to move forward . as the axle 104 rotates within the bore 106 of the arm 100 , the wheel 102 describes a circular motion , and thus its height varies sinusoidally . to employ this arrangement in the present invention , a fixed arm extends transversely from the axle 104 on the inside of the arm 100 . the arm is fixed firmly to the axle 104 and thus movement of the lever 118 causes rotation of the axle 104 within the arm 100 and adjusts the height of the wheel 102 accordingly . a hydraulically controlled piston 120 is fixed at one end to the arm 100 at 122 and at the other end is connected to the lever via a suitable rotatable pin 124 . thus , as the hydraulic cylinder 120 is actuated , the end of the lever 118 is moved and will describe a circular arc around the relevant section 110 of the axle 104 , causing the axle 104 to rotate in its bore 106 in the arm 100 and raise or lower the centre of the wheel 102 . the hydraulic cylinder 120 therefore effectively provides a very fine control over the height of the wheel 102 and allows the wheel 102 to be adjusted so as to compensate for variations in the surface over it is being driven . a fourth embodiment will now be described in respect of fig8 and 10 . many components are shared with the third embodiment shown in fig5 and 7 and are therefore denoted with corresponding reference numerals . thus , an arm 200 forming part of the chassis of a fork truck carries a wheel 202 . the wheel 202 is supported on a cranked axle 204 which is seated in a bore 206 in the arm 200 . the axle 204 , as before , has a first straight section 208 within the wheel 202 and a second straight section 210 within the arm 200 , but these are joined via a crank section 212 and the axes of the sections 208 and 210 are thus parallel but displaced by a small distance of between 1 and 10 mm . in this embodiment , the axle section 206 journalled in the arm 200 is provided with an externally accessible cog wheel 226 . in practice , this can be a complete cog extending 360 ° around the axle 104 , or it can be a partial cog having only the external section required ( as shown in fig8 ). an electric motor 228 is provided , on the ultimate output shaft of which is mounted a pinion 230 which meshes with the cog 226 . thus , as the motor 228 is activated , the pinion 230 drives the cog 226 and rotates the axle 204 in its bore 206 in the arm 200 . this then adjusts the height of the wheel 202 . as shown in fig8 and 10 , the combination of the cog and the pinion provides a suitable downward gearing of the output of the motor 228 to allow sufficient sensitivity in the vertical adjustment of the position of the wheel 202 . if desired , and as shown in fig8 and 10 , there may be a gearbox 232 interposed between the motor 228 and the pinion 230 to provide further downward gearing and greater sensitivity . the gearbox 232 can of course incorporate the pinion 230 and cog 226 or replace them . it will of course be understood that many variations may be made to the above - described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention . | 1 |
a flat material 10 according to the present invention for forming leadthroughs for conduits and the like , which is shown in fig1 , is formed as a rolled - up continuous material . the flat material 10 is formed of three layers . the first layer 11 is formed of metal strip - shaped plates 14 such as , e . g ., steel metal plates or aluminum metal plates that extend parallel to each other and transverse to a longitudinal direction l of the flat material 10 . the strip - shaped plates have a width of 25 mm . the second layer 13 is formed of an elastic intermescent material formed as a coating provided on the first layer 11 . the elastic intumescent material consists , e . g ., of a matrix of latex , acrylate , polyurethane , or another elastic plastic material and into which intermescent components such as , e . g ., swelling graphite , are brought in . between the first layer 11 and the second layer 13 , there is further provided an intermediate layer 12 formed of a little stretchable material with a yield limit of about 5 %, such as , e . g ., a wide - meshed glass fiber fabric . instead of the glass fiber fabric , e . g ., a plastic or natural fiber fabric , plastic foil , or a multiplicity of threads , cords , or straps of a plastic glass , or natural fiber which extend parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction l of the flat material , can be used . the little stretchable material can also consist of a knitted plastic , natural , or glass fiber material . under natural fibers , fibers or yarns of cotton , wool , linen , or plant fibers such as , e . g ., jute or sisal , are understood . because of slots 15 provided between the strip - shaped plates 14 of the first layer 11 , the flat material 10 is easily rolled up in its longitudinal direction l and , thus , can be made available in form of rolls ( not shown in the drawings ). further , the slots 15 insure that the flat material 10 can be easily bent , folded , or separated thereat . fig2 shows a leadthrough 40 formed by cutting the inventive flat material 10 to a length corresponding to an inner circumference of an opening 21 and forming a clad tube therefrom . the flat material 10 lines up the opening 10 in a constructional component 20 , e . g ., a wall . a sealing mass 41 fills the space between the inner wall of the opening 21 and the first layer 11 of the flat material 10 to fill remaining intermediate cavities and gaps . the sealing mass 41 can be formed , e . g ., as an intumescent mass . a conduit 30 , which is formed , e . g ., as a pipe conduit , passes through the leadthrough 40 and sealingly abuts the second layer 13 that is formed of an elastic material . if , as a result of the shape of the pipe conduit 30 , the second layer 13 does not tightly abut the pipe conduit 30 , the sealing mass 41 is used for filling any gaps . besides any intumescent sealing mass , plaster or mortar can also be used . though the present invention was shown and described with references to the preferred embodiment , such is merely illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as a limitation thereof and various modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art . it is therefore not intended that the present invention be limited to the disclosed embodiment or details thereof , and the present invention includes all variations and / or alternative embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims . | 7 |
fig1 illustrates a finite - width conductor - backed coplanar waveguide structures of this invention , fig2 is the top view of fig1 ; fig3 is the cross sectional view of fig1 ; herein 101 represents the metallic signal waveguide of the coplanar waveguide ; 102 and 103 represent the metallic ground waveguides individually ; 104 represents the metallic back conductor ; 105 and 106 represent via holes including the metallic conducting posts between metallic ground waveguides 102 , 103 and the metallic back conductor 104 ; 107 represents the dielectric material ; 108 and 109 represent individually the surfaces of the dielectric material without covering by metallic materials ; 110 and 111 represent individually the surfaces of dielectric material 107 between metallic signal waveguide 101 and metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 ; fig1 shows the structures that comprising single layer dielectric material 107 , and via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 , which connected directly to the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 and the metallic back conductor 104 . the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 can be connected directly to the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 and the metallic back conductor 104 as shown in fig3 ; or do not directly connect to the metallic back conductor 104 as shown in fig9 and fig1 ; or the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 comprising multi - sectional and separated columns , which do not connect directly to the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 and the metallic back conductor 104 as shown in fig1 . the metallic back conductor 104 can be a single layer of conductor or a plurality of layers of connected conductors . the design methods for designing switchable and tunable broadband filters using finite - width conductor - backed coplanar waveguide structures , referring to fig1 , 2 , and 3 , include the following steps : ( 1 ) based on the requirements of center frequency of a specific frequency band , number of electromagnetic modes , mode matching , mode coupling , and conversion of modes , the design methods specify length ( l ), width ( w ), and thickness ( h ) of the dielectric material 107 , width ( ws ) of the metallic signal waveguide 101 , width ( wg ) of the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 , width ( wd ) of the dielectric material without covering by the ground waveguides 108 and 109 , distance ( g ) between the signal waveguide 101 and the ground waveguides 102 and 103 , and relative dielectric constant (∈ r ) of the dielectric material for an optimal broadband operation . ( 2 ) the design methods construct a configuration of a plurality of via holes including the radius or cross section and height of metallic connecting posts 105 and 106 at designated locations between the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 , and metallic back conductor 104 for selecting the coupling modes , optimizing mode coupling efficiency , and defining the filter types ; herein the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 can be connected directly to the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 and the metallic back conductor 104 as shown in fig3 , or do not directly connect to the metallic back conductor 104 as shown in fig9 and fig1 ; or the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 comprising multi - sectional and separated columns , which do not connect directly to the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 and the metallic back conductor 104 as shown in fig1 ; in addition , the dielectric material between the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 and metallic back conductor 104 can be single layer dielectric material 107 as shown in fig3 and fig9 , or two layers dielectric materials 107 and 112 as shown in fig1 , or more than two layer of dielectric materials ( fig . is not shown ); thereby these different configurations provide a plurality sets of parameters for the definition of a specific type of filters . ( 3 ) the design methods install a plurality of switches between the metallic ground waveguides 102 , 103 and a plurality of the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 ; or between metallic back conductor 104 and a plurality of the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 in order to change the configuration for constructing different filter types , such as bandpass , bandstop , multiband , lowpass , highpass etc . ( 4 ) the design methods install a plurality of switches between the metallic ground waveguides 102 , 103 and a plurality of via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 ; or between metallic back conductor 104 and a plurality of via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 in order to change the configuration for tuning the center frequency of the configured filter . the main differences of the invention from the prior arts of tunable and switchable filters are as follows : ( 1 ) the configuration of the metallic signal waveguide 101 maintains unchanged when the filter performs switchable or tunable functions . this feature enables the metallic signal waveguide 101 processing signals across broader bandwidth than the configurations in the prior arts . ( 2 ) the metallic ground waveguides 102 , 103 , metallic back conductor 104 , and a plurality of the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 between these two sets of the metallic conductors construct a filter configuration , which comprises a flexible set of parameters for specifying different types of switchable and / or tunable filters . ( 3 ) since there is no switch directly connected to the metallic signal waveguide , the design methods simplify the filter structures and avoid signal and / or bias isolation problems existed in the prior arts . the inductance introduced by the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 , 106 can be calculated by the following formula : l =( μ 0 / 2π ){ h × 1 n [( h +( r 2 + h 2 ) 1 / 2 )/ r ]+ 3 / 2 [ r −( r 2 + h 2 ) 1 / 2 ]} here , l represents inductance , μ 0 represents permeability , h represents the height of via hole metallic conducting post , r is the radius or cross section of via holes . fig4 shows the equivalent circuit of fig3 , wherein a plurality of the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 , 106 are directly connected to the metallic ground waveguides 102 , 103 and the metallic back conductor 104 . in fig4 , 401 represents the equivalent circuit of the metallic signal waveguide ( 101 ); 402 represents the equivalent circuit of the metallic ground waveguide ( 102 , 103 ); 403 represents the equivalent circuit of back conductor ( 104 ); the configuration in fig3 produces a plurality of resonating cavities , which are represented by lc circuits in fig4 . these cavities absorb part of the energy , which are coupled from the metallic signal waveguide based on the resonating frequencies of the cavities , and dissipate the energy to the metallic back conductor . as an illustration , the above configuration produces a bandstop filter . as another illustration , the design methods can also construct a different configurations , which combining two bandstop filters for forming a bandpass filter ; further , fig1 shows the equivalent circuit of fig9 and fig1 , wherein the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 do not directly connect to the metallic ground waveguides 102 , 103 and the metallic back conductor 104 . the capacitance introduced by the gaps between post columns and the back conductor can be calculated directly from the area of cross section and dielectric constant . fig5 shows the equivalent circuit of fig4 with additional switches ; 401 represents the equivalent circuit of metallic signal waveguide ( 101 ); 402 represents the equivalent circuit of metallic ground waveguide ( 102 , 103 ); 403 represents the equivalent circuit of the back conductor ( 104 ); 404 represents a plurality of switches . under normal operation , the switching devices have parasitic inductance and capacitance ; in addition , they need biases , i . e ., external voltage and current supplies , in order to change and to maintain connecting or disconnecting status . the configurations in the prior arts of switchable and tunable filters connect directly the switches onto the signal transmission conductors ( referred as metallic signal waveguide 401 in this invention ). the direct connection will result in characteristic drift of the filters and due to signal isolation problems , which increase the cost of manufacture . the design methods of this invention connect a plurality of switches to the metallic ground waveguides 102 , 103 , and therefore avoid the induced problems and cut down significant part of manufacture cost . based on fig2 , the design methods illustrate hereby an embodiment of designing a gaas mmic broadband bandstop filter . the design methods specify the ratios of length ( l ), width ( w ), and thickness ( h ) of dielectric material 107 , the width ( ws ) of metallic signal conductor 101 , the width ( wg ) of metallic ground conductors 102 and 103 , the width ( wd ) of dielectric material without covering by ground conductors 108 and 109 , the distance ( g ) between signal conductor 101 and ground conductors 102 and 103 , and relative dielectric constant (∈ r ) as follows : l : 10 w : 15 h : 10 ws : 1 wg : 3 wd : 3 g : 3 ∈ r : 12 . 9 fig6 shows the scattering parameters : s 21 , s 11 , and s 22 of the gaas coplanar waveguide without via holes . the fig . shows a single electromagnetic mode propagating through the finite - width conductor - backed coplanar waveguide , and the signal strength s 21 indicates very low attenuation . fig7 shows the scattering parameters : s 21 , s 11 , and s 22 after a plurality of the via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 connected directly to the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 and the metallic back conductor 104 . the fig . shows a bandstop filter with center frequency attenuated more than 20 db . fig6 can be viewed as the switches connecting via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 are open or disconnected from the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 ; fig7 can be viewed as the switches connecting via holes including the metallic conducting posts 105 and 106 are closed or connected to the metallic ground waveguides 102 and 103 . fig8 shows the tuning range and attenuation of the center frequencies for a plurality of the configurations . the tunable range exceeds 30 ghz . fig7 and fig8 illustrates the broadband characteristics of this invention . fig8 can be viewed as the frequency response of a tunable filter as the configuration changed from one to another by electrically controlling a plurality of switches . in summary , the design methods of the invention includes the following steps : the design methods take the conditions of the center frequency of the designated frequency band , number of electromagnetic modes , mode matching , mode coupling , and conversion of modes for determining the ratios of length ( l ), width ( w ), and thickness ( h ) of the dielectric material , width ( ws ) of metallic signal waveguide , width ( wg ) of metallic ground waveguides , width ( wd ) of dielectric material without covering by metallic ground waveguides , distance ( g ) between metallic signal waveguide and metallic ground waveguides ; then construct a specific configuration , which are formed by the metallic ground waveguides , the metallic back conductor , and a plurality of the via holes including the metallic conducting posts , for building the filter with desirable characteristics , such as center frequency , type , bandwidth etc . ; further , the design methods install a plurality of switches between the metallic ground waveguides and a plurality of the via holes including the metallic conducting posts to facilitate switchable and tunable capabilities of these filters . although the present invention has been described in the detailed embodiment , a myriad of changes , variations , alterations , transformations and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art , and it is intended that the present invention encompass such changes , variations , alternations , transformations and modifications that fall within the spirit and scope of appended claims . | 7 |
the instant invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown . this invention may , however , be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein . rather , these illustrated embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete , and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art . the instant invention relates to a forming fabric or belt used to manufacture slitted or individual nonwoven sheets . as used herein , the terms fabric and belt are used interchangeably . additionally , the term “ web ” refers to a nonwoven product formed on a forming fabric . lastly , a “ sheet ” as used herein defines any nonwoven product that has dimensions less than the dimensions of the web forming area on the forming fabric upon which it is formed . typically , a nonwoven web is formed on a forming fabric and requires additional processing to cut or slit the nonwoven web into smaller , individual sheets . the instant invention eliminates post processing cutting or slitting of the formed nonwoven web since use of the instant forming fabric results in separate , individual nonwoven sheets being formed directly on the fabric during the web forming stage of the manufacturing process . the instant invention achieves slitted or individualized nonwoven sheets by obtaining a different fiber distribution directly on the forming fabric in , for example , airlaid , meltblown , or spunlace nonwoven manufacturing processes . as depicted in fig1 , an air permeable forming fabric 10 used in the manufacturing of nonwoven product , having machine direction ( md ) and cross machine direction ( cd ) yarns , such as disclosed in pending u . s . application entitled “ high - speed spun - bond production of nonwoven fabrics ” ser . no . 10 / 280 , 865 , ( u . s . 2003 / 0164199 ) the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . the fabric 10 includes an impermeable material 15 in the form of a pattern or grid 20 on the web forming surface 25 of the forming fabric 10 . it should be noted that the fabric may be woven from yarns , fibers , threads , strands or the like , and that the term “ yarns ” as used herein is meant to collectively refer to all such elements . furthermore , the yarns may be of a synthetic or natural material such as metal . additional structures may be used as the forming fabric substrate , for example , an extruded mesh , a knitted fabric , md or cd yarn arrays , or other structures suitable for the purpose . the material used to form the pattern or grid 20 on the forming fabric 10 must be impermeable to air . by having areas on the forming fabric 10 that are impermeable to air , fibers that are deposited on the fabric during one of the previously discussed nonwoven manufacturing processes , are drawn by negative airflow or suction created by vacuum boxes located on the non - web forming side of the forming fabric 10 , to the areas of the fabric that are permeable to air . as a result , the fibers that are deposited on the fabric accumulate on the air permeable areas of the fabric and not on the areas of the fabric that have been made impermeable with the addition of the impermeable material . because the fibers on either side of the air impermeable areas of the fabric are isolated from one another and hence do not interact with each other , these portions of the nonwoven web are prevented from becoming entangled with one another during one of the previously described entangling methods . after the fibers are deposited onto the belt , the fibers are locked into place using one of the previously disclosed processes . the result is a nonwoven web that is already separated or slit into individual nonwoven pieces 30 . as depicted in fig1 , gaps 35 are formed between the individual nonwoven sheets in the areas that correspond to the areas of the forming fabric 10 that have been rendered impermeable to form the pattern or grid 20 . it should be noted that the impermeable material can be applied to the fabric surface as a coating using any of the methods well known in the art or the material can be deposited via extrusion or the material can be deposited via a process as described in commonly assigned , copending application , u . s . patent application entitled “ method of fabricating a belt and a belt used to make both tissue and towels and nonwoven articles and fabrics ”, ser . no . 10 / 334 , 211 ( u . s . 2004 / 016601 a1 ), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference . the impermeable material can also be applied in the form of strips or pieces of material having various shapes and sizes and that are attached to the web forming side of the fabric using any mechanical attachment means known to those skilled in the art , including , but not limited to coatings , gluing with an adhesive , stitching , melt bonding or with the use of hook and loop type fasteners , i . e . velcro ®. in one embodiment of the instant invention , as can be seen in fig2 , the individual nonwoven sheets 34 that are formed using the instant forming fabric are defined by x and y dimensions . these dimensions define the areas on the fabric between the impermeable material on the surface of the belt . the width of the gaps 35 between the individual nonwoven sheets is dependent on the width of the impermeable material that is attached or applied to the surface of the belt 25 . therefore , various sizes and shapes of the individual nonwoven sheets , within the dimensions of the forming fabric , can be manufactured by varying the size and / or shape of the pattern or grid formed on the belt surface by the impermeable material . as will be evident to a person of ordinary skill in the art , the individual nonwoven sheets do not have to be square or rectangular but can be any shape as defined by a desired pattern formed by the impermeable material . additionally , a single belt can be designed to produce a plurality of individual nonwoven sheets having varying shapes and sizes . in order to ensure that the individual nonwoven sheets are well separated from each other at the forming stage of the manufacturing process , the impermeable material applied to the fabric surface forms a plurality of protuberances ( protrusions ) on the surface that can have various cross - sectional shapes . the protuberances ensure that the fibers on each side of the protuberances are well separated and are therefore prevented from interacting or becoming entangled with one another . examples of the various cross - sectional shapes for the protuberances include , but are not limited to : thin , low profile rectangular shapes 40 shown in fig3 a ; square shapes 42 having sides 43 of equal lengths as shown in fig3 b ; high profile rectangular shapes 45 as depicted in fig3 c that have a height 50 equal to the thickness of the fiber layers being deposited on the fabric ; and shapes having a cross - sectional profile designed to mechanically separate the fibers of the nonwoven web , such as , but not limited the triangular shape 55 in fig3 d ; and a rectangular shape 60 having chamfered corners 40 as depicted in fig3 e . essentially , any shape or material that produces individual nonwoven sheets on the fabric surface can be used to form the protuberances . it is important that the materials used to construct the protuberances must be impermeable to air . the protuberances may be constructed of a thermoplastic material similar to that disclosed in commonly assigned , copending application , u . s . patent application entitled “ fabric with v - guides ”, ser . no . 10 / 631 , 937 ( u . s . 2005 / 0025935 ) albeit for a different purpose , the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference , or they can be formed from a polymeric resin material , such as , but not limited to , polyamide , polyester , polyetherketone , polypropylene , polyolefin , polyurethane , polyketone , or polyethylene terephthalate resins . the protuberances may also be constructed using silicone , rubber or a rubber like material . as previously discussed , the protuberances may be in the form of a coating , an extrusion , a material deposition or they can be pre - formed strips or pieces of impermeable material that are mechanically attached to the fabric or formed in a manner as discussed in aforesaid u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 334 , 211 . in the case of a thermoplastic material , the protuberances may be attached to the fabric by melting of a portion of the protuberance in order to encapsulate a portion of the fabric . it is important to note that where the impermeable material is applied to the web forming side of the fabric , the corresponding portions on the backside or non - web forming side of the fabric , must not have any surface irregularities due to the addition of the impermeable material as compared to the remainder of the belt . this is because the backside surface of the fabric is in contact with the various rolls and vacuum boxes of the manufacturing apparatus . therefore , any surface irregularities will adversely affect the fabric &# 39 ; s travel through the apparatus and bleed vacuum , which lowers the effectiveness of the airflow system . although a preferred embodiment of the present invention and modifications thereof have been described in detail herein , it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to this precise embodiment and modifications , and that other modifications and variations may be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . | 3 |
referring now to the drawings , fig1 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of a system for processing , organizing , and presenting building information in accordance with the principles of the invention . in the specifically illustrated embodiment of fig1 , a graphical user interface 10 is used to allow a user to make inquiries about a building , and to retrieve only selective information of interest from a vast amount of information about the building . as explained in greater detail below , a user may make queries through the graphical user interface 10 to receive selective organized information , including any applicable drawings and documents associated with the requested building system , section or area of the building . the graphical user interface 10 may take any of a number of forms known to those skilled in the art , such as , for example , a keyboard and display . the graphical user interface 10 may be used by a user to interact with the system by inputting building information requests and receiving the requested building information . the graphical user interface 10 may be embodied in any computer programming language , or alternatively , may contain any input form which collects the user requests . in one exemplary form of the invention , the graphical user interface 10 contains a visual output display for visually presenting to the user any drawings 28 , documents 30 , and building information that might be associated with the user requested information . those skilled in the art will appreciate , however , that many types of interfaces might be used with the invention , including interfaces that reproduce retrieved documents without visual displays . in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the graphical user interface 10 is shown communicating with a data query formulator 14 . the interface 10 transmits , in response to user input , a request 12 for specific building information to the data query formulator 14 . the data query formulator 14 typically is embodied in a computer program , and may be , for example , a part of the same executable code as the graphical user interface 10 , or in a separate interconnected executable program . the data query formulator 14 manipulates and converts the building information request from the graphical user interface 10 , and submits a data query 16 to a data organizational process 18 , which may take the form of computer software program . in the specifically illustrated exemplary embodiment , the data organizational process 18 accesses the requested data within a data storage container 36 and then organizes the requested data into a virtual data set 20 . the data storage container 36 of the illustrated exemplary embodiment , which may take various forms , such as a database , a flat file , or even a contemporaneously generated virtual data base , contains links to a file storage container 26 , such as file server or other information storage device , where electronic / magnetic representations of drawings and documents containing the building information are physically stored . in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the data about various documents containing information about the building are stored in a plurality of different data sets . these data sets are selected according to the electronic attributes of the information contained on the documents . for example , data for documents containing images are arranged in a different data set than data for documents containing only text information . each data set will include at least one unique attribute and at least one linking attribute that is shared by one or more other data sets . the data organizational process 18 includes data set organizational structure for effectuating the generation of a new virtual data set 20 containing only the selected building information requested by the user through the graphical user interface 10 . the data query 16 uses a combination of unique and shared attributes information solicited in the data query 16 that may include only data , such as the telephone number of a contact pertaining to a particular aspect of the building , or , in the more usual case , the data query 16 will solicit documents with information having attributes corresponding to the combination of attributes in the data query 16 . the data organizational process 18 , using the link information obtained through the storage container 36 , then submits a drawing request 24 and a document request 22 to the file storage container 26 . the drawing request 24 and document request 22 will only be submitted if a drawing 28 or document 30 associated with the requested virtual data set 20 exists . the data organizational process 18 determines if a drawing 28 or document 30 exists by analyzing the associated building information data sets . one such method of analyzing the data request is illustrated in fig4 , and described in greater detail below . the file storage container 26 may be embodied separately from the data storage container 36 . the drawings 28 and the documents 30 , if applicable , are then consolidated and associated with the virtual data set 20 containing the requested building information 32 . the consolidated set of information 34 may be organized and transmitted to the graphical user interface 10 for presentation to the user . the graphical user interface 10 illustrated in the specific embodiment of fig1 may be a web based computer program executable through a web browser . alternatively , the graphical user interface 10 may be a stand alone executable software program , not otherwise executed by a web browser . the data organizational process 18 , which as noted above , may be a database , a flat file or computer code for generating a virtual database , will , for purposes of simplicity of illustration and explanation , be described in the following description as a relational database . the file storage container 26 , which may be any type of data storage device , will be specifically described and illustrated as a network file server . the documents 30 may be warranties , agreements , licenses , or any other type of document so associated with the design of a room or building , or the elements or systems within that room or building . the drawings 28 may be architectural drawings , system drawings , or other schematics or drawings so associated with the design of a room or building , or the elements and systems within that room or building . the entire illustrated embodiment represented in fig1 , 2 , and 3 b may be executed on a single computing device , or as illustrated in fig3 a , distributed over a plurality of interconnected computing devices . fig2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention &# 39 ; s system architecture . the user interface 50 communicates with code 52 by sending a building information request to the code 52 . the code 52 may be embodied in a computer program . the code 52 may send a positive building information response to the user interface 10 , which may include the results of the user interface &# 39 ; s query , or a negative response indicating that the data storage container 56 does not contain the requested building information . the code 52 manages communications between the user interface 50 and the data organizational process 54 . the user interface 50 , code 52 , and data organizational process 54 may all be , for example , contained within one executable program , or in a plurality of separate interconnected executable programs . in the exemplary form of the invention being specifically illustrated , the data organizational process 54 may be a relational database 54 . the data storage container 56 may be , for example , embodied in computer files stored in non - volatile memory , or a volatile memory . the data sets 58 may be embodied , for example , within a relational database table structure or within a non - relational data file system . the specifically illustrated data sets 58 may contain room information , contact information , equipment information , component information , warranty information , system information , and other information relating to the construction and maintenance of a building . in the illustrated embodiments , the data organizational process 54 receives queries from the code 52 and interprets the queries in order to access the appropriate data contained within each data set 58 . the data organizational process may also access the file storage container 60 which may hold drawings 66 and documents 68 associated with the requested building information . the data organizational process 54 determines if such drawings 66 or documents 68 exist and if so retrieves them from the file storage container 60 . the data organizational process 54 may then organize the drawings 66 , documents 68 , and data 58 according to the user interface &# 39 ; s 50 request . the code 52 receives the requested building information and presents it to the user interface 50 according to the user interface &# 39 ; s 50 specifications . the user interface 50 may be a web or network based computer program , or a non - network based computer program . fig3 a illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention in which the user 80 of the invention accesses the invention using a computing device 82 , and at least one component of the invention is not located on the computing device 82 . the computing device 82 , which may include all or only some of the operational components of the document management system , may be a computing device capable of communicating over computer networks , processing computer programming code , and inputting and outputting information . the code 86 may be , for example , physically located and executed on the computing device 82 or physically located on a network computing device 94 . the code 86 may be executed by an internet browser 84 communicating with the code 86 over a computer network . the computing device 82 or the internet browser 84 may be interconnected with the network computing device 94 through a computer network . the computing device 82 or the internet browser 84 present the results of the user &# 39 ; s 80 query . the data organizational process 88 may be physically located , for example , on the computing device 82 or the network computing device 94 . the data storage container 90 may be located on the network computing device 94 . finally , the file storage container 92 may be physically located on the network computing device 94 . fig3 b illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention in which a user 100 accesses the invention using a computing device 102 that contains every component of the invention . the code 104 , data organizational process 106 , data storage container 108 , and file storage container 110 are all physically located and executed on the computing device 102 . the code 104 and the data organizational process 106 may be , for example , a single executable program , or separate interconnected executable programs . the computing device 102 presents the requested information to the user 100 . fig4 illustrates a schematic of the tables contained in one exemplary data organizational process 18 ( see fig1 ). in the specific embodiment of fig4 , the data organizational process 18 used to analyze inquiries from a user 80 ( fig3 b ) is depicted as a relational database . as illustrated in fig4 , a building organizational table 210 contains record keys that relationally link to record keys contained in various drawing , document , and cross tables enabling the association of any one data type to another . in other words , the data structure illustrated in fig4 is a method of associating and organizing data relating to the construction and maintenance of a building , at the room , system , floor , component , or building level . for example , the room linking table 220 contains record keys that link , either directly or indirectly , to all other tables within the fig4 . that is , a specific room is associated with the floor , building , warranties , components , systems , equipment , drawings , documents , contact information , and other information not merely related to , or necessary for , the construction and maintenance of the building , but also for a specific system , floor , or room . more specifically , as shown in the embodiment illustrated in fig4 , the building organizational table 210 contains the record key building that relationally links to , for example , the room linking table 220 , building system linking table 230 , equipment linking table 240 , component document table 242 , warranty linking table 250 , building drawing table 260 , and other document table 270 . in other words , the room drawing table 224 and the room document table 222 contain the record key room number that relationally links back to the room linking table 220 , which is relationally linked to the building organizational table 210 . the building system document table 232 contains the record key system that relationally links back to the building system linking table 230 , which is relationally linked to the building organizational table 210 . the equipment linking table 240 and the component document table 242 are relationally linked to each other through the record key tag , and relationally linked to the building organizational table 210 . the warranty document table 252 may contain the record key warranty that relationally links to the warranty linking table 250 , which is relationally linked to the building organizational table 210 . the building drawing table 260 is relationally linked to the drawing table 262 through the record key building , which is relationally linked to the building organizational table 210 . the other document table 270 is relationally linked through the record key building to the building organizational table 210 . the contact information document table 280 is relationally linked through the record key company to the building organizational table 210 . further , the drawing table 262 may be relationally linked to both the room drawing table 224 and the building drawing table 260 through the record key dwgnbr , and contains a reference to the physical location of an electronic file of the drawing embodied in the table column link the warranty document table 252 may contain a table column link that contains a reference to the physical location of an electronic file of the warranty . the component document table 242 may contain a table column link that contains a reference to the physical location of an electronic file of the component documents . the contact information document table 280 may contain a table column link that contains a reference to the physical location of an electronic file of the contact information documents . finally , the other documents table 270 contains a table column link that contains a reference to the physical location of an electronic file of the other documents . the building linking table 212 may be relationally linked to the floor organizational table 214 through the record key bldg . the floor linking table 214 may be relationally linked to the room linking table 220 through the record key building . the room linking table 220 may be relationally linked to the building organizational table 210 through the record key building . the building linking table 212 may be relationally linked to the building system linking table 230 and the other document table 270 through the record key bldg . the contact information document table 280 may be relationally linked to the building organizational table 210 through the record key company . the general table 290 may be an unassociated table containing unique job information . through the record key association ( illustrated above ) in fig4 , the invention allows any combination of data contained within any table to be so associated by an interface . such interface may , for example , query all warranties associated with all components found in a specified room , on a specified floor , or within a specified building . the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention have 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 . obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings . the embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . all such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly , legally and equitably entitled . the drawings and preferred embodiments do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims in their fair and broad interpretation in any way . | 6 |
the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to fig1 - 13 of the drawings . identical elements in the various figures are identified with the same reference numbers . fig1 - 7 show an embodiment of the present invention , an adjustable strike mounting system 1 , which comprises positioning blocks 2 , screws 3 , nuts 4 , a cover plate 5 , and a lockset strike 6 and / or deadbolt strike 7 , for use with an astragal 10 . each of the positioning blocks 2 comprises a block 14 having a top 16 , a bottom 18 , opposing sides 20 , and opposing ends 22 , and transverse sets of opposing retaining rails 24 and adjacent spring leaves 26 molded to the opposing ends 22 of the block 14 , the block 14 having a chamber 28 , which has a roof 30 having roof rails 32 and a floor 34 having floor rails 36 , the chamber 28 and the opposing roof rails 32 defined by a hole 38 through the block 2 from one of the opposing ends 22 to the other one of the opposing ends 22 and an oblong hole 40 through the top 16 of the block 14 to the roof 30 of the chamber 28 , the chamber 28 and the opposing floor rails 36 defined by a substantially rectangular hole 42 through the floor 34 of the chamber 28 to the bottom 18 of the block 2 , the oblong hole 40 having arcuate ends 43 and substantially parallel sides 44 , and preferably being countersunk . the chamber 28 also has sides , which may have nibs and / or small projections protruding therefrom . each of the cover plates 5 comprises a substantially planar plate 50 and opposing sides 52 , which are substantially perpendicular to the substantially planar plate 50 , the substantially planar plate 50 having a substantially rectangular aperture 54 , which has arcuate corners 56 , each of the opposing sides 52 having a substantially planar exterior edge 58 and an interior edge 60 having a longitudinal retaining lip 61 . the lockset strike 6 has aperture 62 and holes 63 , and the deadbolt strike 7 has aperture 64 and holes 65 . the astragal 10 has astragal housing 66 having a longitudinal channel 68 , which has a bottom 70 , opposing walls 72 , and opposing ends 73 , each of the opposing walls 72 having a track or longitudinal substantially l shaped retention guide 74 , which has a longitudinal base 76 substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal wall 72 and a longitudinal side 78 substantially parallel to the longitudinal wall 72 , the longitudinal side 78 having an edge 80 having a longitudinal retaining lip 82 adjacent to and facing the longitudinal wall 72 , and which forms a longitudinal side channel 84 . the astragal 10 is mounted to edge 90 of inactive door 92 of door frame 94 , and the adjustable strike mounting system 1 is mounted to the astragal 10 , as shown in fig4 and 5 . the astragal 10 has opposing ends 96 and bolts 98 , the bolts 98 slidably mounted in the longitudinal channel 68 of the astragal 10 at the opposing ends 96 , for securing the inactive door 92 to sill 100 and / or header 102 of the door frame 94 . the astragal 10 may have actuating means for retracting and / or extending the bolt 98 into the sill 110 and / or the header 102 . lockset 104 and / or deadbolt 106 are mounted to active door 108 of the door frame 94 . the adjustable strike mounting system 1 is installed onto the astragal 10 , as follows : the nuts 4 are inserted into the holes 38 of the positioning blocks 2 , the nuts 4 being forced to pass the nibs and / or small projections on the sides of the chambers 28 of the positioning blocks 2 , once passed the nibs and / or small projections preventing the nuts 4 from falling out of the positioning blocks 2 and maintaining the nuts 4 in suitable positions adjacent the oblong holes 40 to allow the screws 3 to be easily fastened thereto , upon completion of which each of the positioning blocks 2 has one of the nuts 4 therein ; each of the positioning blocks 2 is inserted into one of the opposing ends 73 of the longitudinal channel 68 of the astragal 10 and slid to a selected location , estimated to be in the vicinity of the lockset 104 and / or the deadbolt 106 mounted on the active door 108 when the active door 108 and the inactive door 92 are closed adjacently abutting one another , the opposing retaining rails 24 of the positioning blocks 2 abutting the longitudinal base 76 of the longitudinal substantially l shaped retention guide 74 and the spring leaves 26 of the positioning blocks 2 being spring loaded under compression and abutting the bottom 70 of the longitudinal channel 68 of the astragal 10 , the positioning blocks 2 being retained in place by the opposing retaining rails 24 and the spring loaded spring leaves 26 and holding the positioning blocks 2 at the selected locations during installation of the adjustable strike mounting system 1 ; the astragal 10 is mounted to the edge 90 of the inactive door 90 ; the cover plates 5 are trimmed or cut to appropriate lengths , the lengths of which preferably hide seam 110 beneath the lockset strike 6 and / or the deadbolt strike 7 , and snapped onto the astragal 10 , the cover plates 5 being held in place during installation by the substantially planar exterior edges 58 and the interior edges 60 of the cover plates 5 being force fit into the longitudinal side channels 84 of the astragal 10 , the longitudinal retaining lips 61 of the cover plates 5 abuttingly adjacent the longitudinal retaining lips 82 of the longitudinal side channels 84 of the astragal 10 ; the cover plates 5 may alternatively be cut or trimmed to the appropriate lengths , inserted into one of the opposing ends 73 of the longitudinal channel 68 of the astragal 10 , and slid into place , prior to the astragal 10 being mounted to the edge 90 of the inactive door 90 ; the lockset strike 6 and / or the deadbolt strike 7 are loosely fitted to the positioning blocks 2 by inserting the screws 3 through the holes 63 of the lockset strike 6 and the holes 65 of the deadbolt strike 7 through the substantially rectangular apertures 54 of the cover plates 5 , through the oblong holes 40 of the positioning blocks 2 , and loosely fastening the screws 3 to the nuts 4 therein , the lockset strike 6 and / or the deadbolt strike 7 adjacent the cover plates 5 , the lockset strike 6 and / or the deadbolt strike 7 being pulled toward the positioning blocks 2 , as the screws 3 are fastened to the nuts 4 ; the aperture 62 of the lockset strike 6 is matinlgy aligned with a bolt of the lockset 104 , and the aperture 64 of the deadbolt strike 7 is matingly aligned with the deadbolt 106 , the screws 3 and nuts 4 being slid within the holes 38 in the lengthwise direction of the oblong holes 40 for horizontal alignment of the lockset strike 6 and / or the deadbolt strike 7 on the astragal 10 , the nuts 4 being slidable within the holes 38 , the positioning blocks 2 being slid up and / or down for vertical alignment of the lockset strike 6 and / or the deadbolt strike 7 , the positioning blocks 2 being slidable within the longitudinal channel 68 of the astragal 10 , the countersunk portions of the oblong holes 40 aiding in alignment and preventing any countersunk portions of the holes 63 of the lockset strike 6 and / or any countersunk portions of the holes 65 of the deadbolt strike 7 and / or heads of the screws 3 from interfering with the positioning blocks 2 one with the other ; upon completion of matinlgy aligning the aperture 62 of the lockset strike 6 with the lockset 104 and matingly aligning the aperture 64 of the deadbolt strike 7 with the deadbolt 106 , the screws 3 are fastened to the nuts 4 , completing the installation , with the screws 3 in tension , the screws 3 pulling the nuts 4 against the roof rails 32 of the positioning blocks 2 , forcing and holding the retaining rails 24 of the positioning blocks 2 in place abuttingly against the longitudinal bases 76 of the longitudinal substantially l shaped retention guides 74 of the astragal 10 , forcing and holding the lockset strike 6 and / or the deadbolt strike 7 in place abuttingly against the cover plates 5 , and forcing and holding the cover plates 5 in place with the exterior edges 58 and the interior edges 60 of the cover plates 5 being forced into the longitudinal side channels 84 of the astragal 10 , the longitudinal retaining lips 61 of the cover plates 5 abuttingly adjacent the longitudinal retaining lips 82 of the longitudinal side channels 84 of the astragal 10 . the positioning blocks 2 are preferably injection molded from an engineered plastic resin , such as an acetal , to provide the necessary flexural strength and properties for the spring leaves 26 , although other suitable materials may be used . the astragal housing 66 and the cover plates 5 are preferably of metal , such as aluminum or steel , thermoplastics , thermosetting polymers , rubber , or other suitable material or combination thereof . fig8 - 13 show alternate embodiments of astragals having astragal housings that the adjustable strike mounting system 1 may be used with , although other suitable astragals having other suitable astragal housings may be used . fig8 shows an alternate embodiment of an astragal housing 300 , which has a saw - tooth recess 302 to retain finned tail 304 of a typical wrapped foam type weather strip 306 for sealing . the astragal housing 300 also has cavity 308 . fig9 shows an alternate embodiment of an astragal housing 310 , which is substantially the same as the astragal housing 300 , except that the astragal housing 310 has thermal break 312 , for installations in climates that experience extremely cold weather , in which the astragal housing 310 is fabricated from an aluminum extrusion , or other suitable material having substantially the same properties , which would otherwise readily lose heat to the outside and result in condensation , and in some cases even the formation of ice . the thermal break 312 is created by filling cavity 308 of the astragal housing 300 with a polyurethane thermal break compound , after which it is de - bridged by milling slot 314 , thus , separating outer and inner portions of the astragal housing 310 and preventing infiltration of the cold . fig1 shows an alternate embodiment of an astragal 320 , which may be used for installation on a pair of outwsinging rather than inswinging doors , which has astragal housing 322 , cover 324 that provides overlap , and outer seal 326 , and is used on the active leaf of the pair of out swinging doors . inner seal 328 is of greater reach as the beveled edge of the active door is reversed , creating a greater gap at its inner edge . fig1 shows an alternate embodiment of an astragal 330 , which may be used for installation on a pair of outwsinging rather than inswinging doors , which is substantially the same as the astragal housing 320 , except that the astragal 330 has thermal break 332 . fig1 shows an alternate embodiment of an astragal 340 , which may be used for installation on a pair of outwsinging rather than inswinging doors , in which cover element 342 has saw - tooth recess 344 to accommodate finned tail 346 of a wrapped foam weather strip seal 348 . inner seal 349 is of greater reach as the beveled edge of the active door is reversed , creating a greater gap at the inner edge . fig1 shows an alternate embodiment of an astragal 350 , which may be used for installation on a pair of outwsinging rather than inswinging doors , which is substantially the same as the astragal housing 340 , except that the astragal 350 has thermal break 352 . although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof , other versions are possible . therefore , the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein . | 8 |
data recorders of the present invention acquire diverse sources like digital data , video , analog signals into a digital proprietary or standardized format ( such as stanag 4283 for underwater acoustics , stanag 4609 for digital video , stanag 7024 for aerial reconnaissance ) and make such data ready for transfer on a removable cartridge c which is exchangeable according to a standardized data processing interface , typically scsi , ieee 1394 or fibre channel ; in any event these connections provide for fast data transmission rates which can be very high , in the order of one gigabit per second and higher ( stanag 4575 standard ). such recorders often contain functions to identically read back all or part of the acquired parameters , even when the recording is in progress , which is of particular interest in the case of surveillance missions . they are used on board all types of air , sea or land craft . the data d is provided by known means of acquisition 100 , physically integrated or not into the recorder , and data fed by apparatuses and systems 200 such as cameras , ir devices , and others which are not described here since they are well known , and the invention consists in incorporating inside the removable cartridge c , as an interface between the usual data storage stk ( discs or static memory ) and the entry of the aforementioned data d , an encrypting - decrypting module mcd as described above and devoid of any non - volatile memory . the encrypting algorithm retained for the module mcd can be of any type adapted for the application and approved by the governmental authorities for this particular use . in practice , the cartridge continues to interface like a standard data - processing peripheral according to the protocol and via a usual link . at the beginning of the recording session , the recorder er provides , without preserving any trace of it and via this same link the encoding key 10 which it received in compliance with the security requirements and via the usual input methods , such as a keyboard , removable physical key , smart card . all the data d received at the cartridge is then consequently encrypted ( dc ) prior to being recorded and can be read back , decrypted and reconstructed by following the same process in reverse . this operation is graphically shown on attached fig1 . if no encoding key is activated , the recorder can be programmed to operate in the usual way in a “ non - encrypted ” mode . as soon as the first power supply disruption to the cartridge occurs , whether it is the result of a power cut - off at the recorder level , power cut - off at the mains or removal of the cartridge from its receptacle , all information , and in particular the encoding key , ceases to exist in the encrypting - decrypting module mcd , and just the encrypted information remains recorded on the cartridge ( in the storage module stk ), which becomes at that point , since it is no longer readable , unclassified or markedly less sensitive . an activating device 40 , itself activated by the aforementioned first power supply disruption to the cartridge can , if need be , activate module 20 which is adapted for erasing any and all trace of the encoding key 10 . the electric and electronic design of modules 20 and 40 is within the reach of those skilled in the art and therefore will not be described here , just as are all the variants , subsystems , improvements , auxiliary circuits etc . which will be known to those skilled in the art . the advantage of this approach is obvious in the case of an aircraft “ crash ”: whether or not the flight crew ( when one is present ) had time to react , once the anti - compromise system is damaged , a power supply cut - off occurs at the latest at the time of ground impact , thus desensitizing the cartridge before it is possibly captured . in order to cover the case of an unauthorized intervention on a recording chain which would have remained powered , the mechanical arrangement of the recorder can be such that physical access to the inside of the cartridge through disassembling is not physically possible without separating the aforementioned cartridge from its electrical connection and thus creating a power supply cut - off . more generally and depending on the application , it is easy to provide for : a time delay system which automatically cuts off the supply after a given and pre - programmed period of lack of communication between the recorder and the cartridge . a system 500 ( fig3 ), reacting to accelerations , which cuts off the interface power supply in the event of an acceleration value definitely higher than that of accelerations registered during normal craft operation , as is the case during the course of a “ belly landing ” or a “ crash ” that does not result in a total destruction . a mechanical armor - plating 600 ( fig4 ) preventing access to the cartridge power supply from the outside except through the forceful use of tools that is necessarily conducive to deformations , a deformation sensor 700 of the wheatstone bridge circuit type or other would then cut off the power supply . other power supply shut - off devices activated under conditions known as abnormal , such as the exposure of a photo cell to daylight ( day mission ) or detecting a change in brightness ( night mission )— by opening the access hatch , either after a regular landing , or in the event of an accident or capture ). in the same way , any cartridge that is not powered is automatically desensitized , which greatly facilitates its removal from the protected area for maintenance purposes in particular . when further desensitizing is called for , the usual methods ( aedp - 3 ) remain practical with a reduced degree of rigorousness . the implementation of the invention can be simply achieved by placing the necessary components of the module mcd on the miniature printed circuit board ( presenting a thickness of a few millimeters ) which usually controls the interfaces , without any impact on the cartridge construction or on the interfaces with the recorder . in many cases , the above encryption components could be of the type used to protect hard disks in portable recorders intended for sensitive applications . considering that the only specific functionality required for the recorder ( and therefore for the reader ) consists in transmitting the key by means of software control , it is easy to see that a given recorder , or even recorders already in service , can equally work with standard cartridges or cartridges based on the present invention . finally one will notice that compared to the architecture where the data is fed to the recorder in encrypted form the present architecture obtained has the advantage of applying to all types of inputs , including analog ones and of decoupling the encrypting functions of the recording , which often correspond to very high data transmission rates , from those used by the communication channels . the invention includes the cartridges which were just described , as well as the recorders adapted for receiving them , and the anti - compromise processing consisting in using such cartridges . the cartridges were described as “ removable ” since this is the most common case ; naturally , the invention also applies , mutatis - mutandis , to cartridges which would not be removable . the present invention further provides a method of preventing a compromise of data . the method of the present invention comprises providing a data recording cartridge . next , the method comprises acquiring a data by a known means of acquisition ( discussed earlier in the specification ). further , the method comprises engaging an encrypting - decrypting module to the data recording cartridge and engaging an encoding key to the encrypting - decrypting module wherein the encoding key is provided prior to each recording session so that all acquired data becomes encoded . finally , the method comprises removing any trace of the encoding key as the result of a power shut - off , wherein all data will be encrypted . such a method prevent the compromise of sensitive data . the invention also covers all the modes of construction and all the applications which will be readily available to those skilled in the art after reading the present application , from his / her own knowledge , and possibly from simple routine tests . all patents , patent applications , and published references cited herein are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . while this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims . | 6 |
the following detailed description of the invention references various embodiments . the embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention . other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention . the following detailed description is , therefore , not to be taken in a limiting sense . the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims , along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled . the present invention relates generally to the removal of undesirable acidic components from a bio - oil . it has been observed that bio - oil can contain high amounts of carboxylic acids that contribute to the corrosive nature of the bio - oil . the present invention focuses on the selective removal of at least a portion of these carboxylic acids in order to enhance the stability and processability of the bio - oil . in certain embodiments of the present invention , a process for removing at least a portion of these carboxylic acids is provided that comprises contacting the bio - oil with an ion exchange resin that selectively adsorbs at least a portion of the carboxylic acids in the bio - oil . the ion exchange resins can selectively remove at least a portion of the carboxylic acids from the bio - oil , while leaving most of the phenolic compounds in the bio - oil , which minimizes the overall impact on bio - oil yield . in such embodiments , it is the objective of the process to reduce the acidity and corrosiveness of the bio - oil , thus enhancing its ability to be transported to and refined in conventional refineries . fig1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a biomass conversion system 10 suitable for producing a bio - oil having a reduced tan . the biomass conversion system 10 of fig1 can include an acid removal zone 12 , an optional pretreatment zone 14 , and a regeneration zone 16 for producing the bio - oil having a reduced tan . it should be understood that the biomass conversion system 10 shown in fig1 is just one example of a system within which the present invention can be embodied . the present invention may find application in a wide variety of other systems where it is desirable to efficiently and effectively produce bio - oil , upgrade bio - oil , and / or produce a number of useful products from the byproducts of biomass conversion . the exemplary biomass conversion system 10 illustrated in fig1 will now be described in more detail . the biomass conversion system 10 of fig1 includes a biomass source 18 for supplying a biomass feedstock to the system . the biomass source 18 can be , for example , a hopper , storage bin , railcar , over - the - road trailer , or any other device that may hold or store biomass . the biomass supplied by the biomass source 18 can be in the form of solid particles . in one embodiment , the biomass particles can be fibrous biomass materials comprising cellulose . examples of suitable cellulose - containing materials include algae , paper waste , and / or cotton linters . in another embodiment , the biomass particles can comprise a lignocellulosic material . examples of suitable lignocellulosic materials include forestry waste such as wood particles , saw dust , pulping waste , and tree branches ; agricultural waste such as corn stover , wheat straw , and bagasse ; and / or energy crops such as eucalyptus , switch grass , and coppice . as depicted in fig1 , the solid biomass particles from the biomass source 18 can be supplied to a biomass feed system 20 . the biomass feed system 20 can be any system capable of feeding solid particulate biomass to a biomass conversion reactor 22 . while in the biomass feed system 20 , the biomass material may undergo a number of pretreatments to facilitate the subsequent conversion reactions . such pretreatments may include drying , roasting , torrefaction , demineralization , steam explosion , mechanical agitation , grinding , milling , debarking , and any combination thereof . in one embodiment , it may be desirable to combine the biomass with a catalyst in the biomass feed system 20 prior to introducing the biomass into the biomass conversion reactor 22 . alternatively , the catalyst may be introduced directly into the biomass conversion reactor 22 . the catalyst may be fresh and / or regenerated catalyst . the catalyst can be a heterogeneous cracking catalyst such as , for example , a solid acid , an amorphous silica - alumina , alumina phosphates , or a zeolite . examples of suitable zeolites include zsm - 5 , zsm - 11 , zsm - 12 , zsm - 18 , zsm - 22 , zsm - 23 , zeolite - l , mordenite , beta , ferrierite , zeolite - y , or combinations thereof . additionally or alternatively , the catalyst may comprise a super acid . examples of suitable super acids include nafion - h , sulfonated , phosphated , or fluorinated forms of zirconia , titania , alumina , silica - alumina , and / or clays . in another embodiment , the catalyst may comprise a solid base . examples of suitable solid bases include metal oxides , metal hydroxides , and / or metal carbonates . in particular , the oxides , hydroxides , and carbonates of alkali metals , alkaline earth metals , transition metals , and / or rare earth metals are suitable . other suitable solid bases include layered double hydroxides , mixed metal oxides , hydrotalcite , clays , and combinations thereof . in yet another embodiment , the catalyst can also comprise an alumina , such as alpha - alumina . in certain embodiments , the catalyst can be an equilibrium catalyst ( e - cat ) from a fluid catalytic cracking ( fcc ) unit of an oil refinery . this term refers to catalyst material that has , on average , circulated in the fcc unit for a considerable length of time . the term is used to distinguish fresh catalyst , which has not been exposed to the environment of the fcc unit , and which has much greater catalytic activity than the e - cat . this spent catalyst is a waste product from oil refineries , and as such , is abundantly available at low cost . it should be noted that solid biomass materials generally contain minerals . it is recognized that some of these minerals , such as potassium carbonate , can have catalytic activity in the conversion of the biomass material . even though these minerals are typically present during the chemical conversion taking place in the biomass conversion reactor 22 , they are not considered catalysts . as shown in fig1 , the biomass feed system 20 introduces the biomass feedstock into the biomass conversion reactor 22 . in the biomass conversion reactor 22 , biomass is subjected to a conversion reaction that produces a bio - oil . the reactor 22 can be any system or device capable of converting biomass to a bio - oil . the biomass conversion reactor 22 can be , for example , a fluidized bed reactor , a cyclone reactor , an ablative reactor , or a riser reactor . while in the biomass conversion reactor 22 , the biomass feedstock can be subjected to thermochemical conversion or thermo - catalytic conversion in order to produce a biomass - derived liquid . “ thermochemical conversion ” as used herein refers to a non - catalytic conversion process such as , for example , fast pyrolysis , alkylation , isomerization , decarboxylation , or decarbonylation . in certain embodiments , the thermochemical conversion refers to fast pyrolysis processes , which convert all or part of the biomass to bio - oil by heating the biomass in an oxygen - poor or oxygen - free atmosphere . fast pyrolysis utilizes much shorter residence times than conventional pyrolysis . for example , the residence times of fast pyrolysis can be less than 10 , 5 , 2 , or 1 seconds . additionally , fast pyrolysis can occur at temperatures of at least 200 ° c ., 300 ° c ., 400 ° c ., or 500 ° c . and / or not more than 1 , 000 ° c ., 800 ° c ., 700 ° c ., or 600 ° c . as used above , the term “ oxygen - poor ” refers to an atmosphere containing less oxygen than ambient air . in general , the amount of oxygen should be such as to avoid combustion of the biomass material , or vaporized and gaseous products emanating from the biomass material , at the pyrolysis temperature . preferably , the atmosphere is essentially oxygen - free such that it contains less than about 1 weight percent oxygen . as used herein , “ oxygen - free ” refers to an atmosphere that is substantially free of molecular oxygen . “ thermo - catalytic conversion ” as used herein refers to a catalytic conversion process , wherein a catalyst is used to help facilitate cracking , alkylation , isomerization , decarboxylation , and / or decarbonylation of the biomass . in certain embodiments , the thermo - catalytic process occurs under fast pyrolysis conditions . accordingly , in a biomass thermo - catalytic conversion process , a catalyst is used in the reactor 22 to facilitate the conversion of the biomass to bio - oil . as previously discussed , the catalyst can be pre - mixed with the biomass before introduction into the reactor 22 or it can be introduced into the reactor 22 separately . in one embodiment , the biomass conversion reactor 22 can be a riser reactor with the conversion reaction being biomass thermo - catalytic conversion . as discussed above , the biomass thermo - catalytic conversion should occur in an oxygen - poor or , preferably , oxygen - free atmosphere . in another embodiment , biomass thermo - catalytic conversion is carried out in the presence of an inert gas , such as nitrogen , carbon dioxide , and / or steam . alternatively , the biomass thermo - catalytic conversion can be carried out in the presence of a reducing gas , such as hydrogen , carbon monoxide , non - condensable gases recycled from the biomass conversion process , or combinations thereof . referring again to fig1 , the conversion effluent 24 exiting the biomass conversion reactor 22 generally comprises gas , vapors , and solids . as used herein , the vapors produced during the conversion reaction may interchangeably be referred to as “ bio - oil ,” which is the common name for the vapors when condensed into their liquid state . in the case of biomass thermo - catalytic conversion , the solids in the conversion effluent 24 generally comprise particles of char , ash , unconverted portions of biomass , and / or spent catalyst . because such solids , such as the unconverted biomass and spent catalyst , can contribute to the tendency of the bio - oil to form ash , it is particularly desirable to remove the solids so that the bio - oil is essentially solids - free . in one embodiment , the bio - oil has an ash content ( i . e ., solids content ) of less than about 3000 ppmw , 2000 ppmw , or 1000 ppmw . as depicted in fig1 , the conversion effluent 24 from the biomass conversion reactor 22 can be introduced into a solids separator 26 . the solids separator 26 can be any conventional device capable of separating solids from gas and vapors such as , for example , a cyclone separator , a gas filter , or combinations thereof . the solids separator 26 removes a substantial portion of the solids ( e . g ., spent catalysts , char , and / or heat carrier solids ) from the conversion effluent 24 . the solid particles 28 recovered in the solids separator 26 can be introduced into a regenerator 30 for regeneration , typically by combustion . after regeneration , at least a portion of the hot regenerated solids can be introduced directly into the biomass conversion reactor 22 via line 32 . alternatively or additionally , at least a portion of the hot regenerated solids can be directed via line 34 to the biomass feed system 20 for combination with the biomass feedstock prior to introduction into the biomass conversion reactor 22 . the substantially solids - free stream 36 exiting the solids separator 26 can then be introduced into a condenser 38 . within the condenser 38 , the vapors are condensed or partially condensed into a bio - oil stream 40 and separated from the non - condensable gases . in certain embodiments , the separated and condensed bio - oil has a total acid number ( tan ) of at least 1 , 3 , 5 , or 10 mg koh / g and / or not more than 200 , 150 , 100 , or 60 mg koh / g . the tan is defined as the number of milligrams of koh necessary to neutralize the acidity of one gram of bio - oil and is measured according to astm d - 664 . in another embodiment , the separated and condensed bio - oil has an organic oxygen content of not more than 50 , 35 , 30 , 25 , 20 , 15 , or 10 weight percent . in yet another embodiment , the separated and condensed bio - oil has a water content of not more than 25 , 20 , 15 , or 10 weight percent . in certain embodiments , the separated and condensed bio - oil has a phenolic compounds content of at least 1 , 2 , 4 , or 8 weight percent and / or not more than 60 , 50 , 40 , or 35 weight percent . in another embodiment , the separated and condensed bio - oil has a cycloparaffins content of not more than 6 , 4 , 2 , or 1 weight percent . in yet another embodiment , the separated and condensed bio - oil has a furanics content of at least 2 , 4 , or 6 weight percent . as shown in fig1 , the separated non - condensable gases are removed from the condenser 38 as a non - condensable gas stream . the non - condensable gases removed from the condenser 38 may be , optionally , recycled to the biomass conversion reactor 22 for use as a lift gas . subsequent to exiting the condenser 38 , the bio - oil stream 40 can be combined with an optional supplemental feed stream 42 to produce an initial feedstock 44 . the supplemental feed stream 42 can comprise any refinery feedstock that can be readily combined with the bio - oil stream 40 such as , for example , petroleum - derived feedstocks , hydrocarbon - based feedstocks , biomass - derived feedstocks , pyrolysis oils , bio - oils , or mixtures thereof . in certain embodiments , the initial feedstock 44 comprises at least 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 , 95 , or 98 weight percent of bio - oil . turning again to fig1 , the initial feedstock 44 can be introduced into an acid removal zone 12 . in the acid removal zone 12 , the initial feedstock 44 is contacted with an ion exchange resin to remove at least a portion of the acidic components from the initial feedstock 44 to thereby produce a treated feedstock 46 and an acid - enriched ion exchange resin 48 . these acidic components can include , for example , carboxylic acids and their residues . the term “ acid - enriched ,” as used herein , denotes that the ion exchange resin comprises a higher amount of acidic components when compared to its acid contents prior to contact with the initial feedstock 44 . the acid - enriched ion exchange resin can comprise one or more acids and their residues that are derived from at least portion of the acidic components originally found in the bio - oil . in certain embodiments , the ratio of the initial feedstock 44 to the ion exchange resin that is contacted in the acid removal zone 12 is at least 5 : 1 , 10 : 1 , or 20 : 1 and / or not more than 200 : 1 , 150 : 1 , 100 : 1 , or 50 : 1 by volume . the acid removal zone 12 can comprise any apparatus , container , or reactor that is capable of facilitating the contact between the initial feedstock 44 and the ion exchange resin such as , for example , a column . in certain embodiments , the contacting between the initial feedstock 44 and the ion exchange resin in the acid removal zone 12 comprises : ( a ) swelling the ion exchange resin with at least a portion of the initial feedstock 44 and / or an oxygenated swelling solvent to thereby provide a swollen ion exchange resin , and ( b ) removing one or more acids from at least a portion of the initial feedstock 44 using the swollen ion exchange resin to thereby provide the treated feedstock 46 and the acid - enriched ion exchange resin 48 . the oxygenated swelling solvent can comprise , for example , aliphatic alcohols , aliphatic ketones ( e . g ., acetone and mibk ), aliphatic ethers , and / or cyclic ethers ( e . g ., tetrahydrofuran ). after removing at least a portion of its acidic components , the treated feedstock 46 can be separated from the acid - enriched ion exchange resin 48 by filtration , centrifugation , and / or decanting . subsequent to leaving the acid removal zone 12 , the treated feedstock 46 has a lower acid content relative to the initial feedstock 44 . in one embodiment , the treated feedstock has a tan value that is at least 30 , 40 , 50 , 65 , 80 , or 95 percent lower than the tan value of the initial feedstock . in another embodiment , the treated feedstock has a carboxylic acid content that is at least 50 , 60 , 75 , 90 , or 95 percent lower than the carboxylic acid content of the initial feedstock . in yet another embodiment , the treated feedstock has a tan value that is not more than 15 , 10 , 8 , 6 , or 5 mg koh / g . in still yet another embodiment , the amount of oxygenated compounds in the treated feedstock is at least 3 , 5 , 10 , or 15 percent lower than the amount of oxygenated compounds in the initial feedstock . in certain embodiments , it is desirable that most of the initial feedstock 44 be converted into the treated feedstock 46 in order to maintain the bio - oil yield . for example , at least 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 , or 95 weight percent of the initial feedstock can be recovered as the treated feedstock . in certain embodiments , the ion exchange resin comprises an anion exchange resin . in one embodiment , the anion exchange resin comprises at least one amine functionality . for example , the anion exchange resin can be selected from the group consisting of aliphatic amines , aromatic amines , and mixtures thereof . in another embodiment , the anion exchange resin is a weak base anion exchange resin . in yet another embodiment , the anion exchange resin is selected from the group consisting of an ion exchange resin from the dowex ™ series ( dow chemical , midland , much . ), an ion exchange resin from the xus series ( dow chemical , midland , mich . ), an ion exchange resin from the amberlyst ™ series ( rohm & amp ; haas , midland , mich . ), and mixtures thereof . in such an embodiment , the anion exchange resin can be , for example , amberlyst a - 21 . in certain embodiments , the ion exchange resin can selectively remove certain acidic components and their residues that are originally found in the bio - oil and initial feedstock 44 . in such embodiments , the ion exchange can selectively remove at least a portion of the carboxylic acids and the residues thereof from the initial feedstock 44 , while leaving other slightly acidic components in the initial feedstock 44 . these other acidic components that may be left in the treated feedstock 46 can include , for example , phenolic compounds and furanics . in one embodiment , the treated feedstock has a phenolic compounds content that is not more than 25 , 15 , 10 , 5 , or 1 percent lower than the phenolic compounds content of the initial feedstock . in another embodiment , the treated feedstock has a furanics content that is not more than 25 , 15 , 10 , 5 , or 1 percent lower than the furanics content of the initial feedstock . in addition , the treated feedstock 46 can retain much of the cycloparaffins originally found in the initial feedstock 44 . in yet another embodiment , the treated feedstock has a cycloparaffins content that is not more than 25 , 15 , 10 , 5 , or 1 percent lower than the cycloparaffins content of the initial feedstock . in still yet another embodiment , the treated feedstock has a water content that is not more than 20 , 15 , 10 , 5 , or 1 percent lower than the water content of the initial feedstock . prior to being introduced into the acid removal zone 12 , the ion exchange resin can be subjected to pretreatment in a pretreatment zone 14 . while in the pretreatment zone 14 , an initial ion exchange resin can be pretreated to produce an active ion exchange resin 50 , which can then be introduced into the acid removal zone 12 . prior to pretreatment , the initial ion exchange resin can comprise significant amounts of water , which can negatively impact the ability of the ion exchange resin to adsorb acidic components from the initial feedstock 44 . therefore , the initial ion exchange resin can be pretreated to remove at least a portion of this water . in one embodiment , the pretreatment removes at least 50 , 75 , 90 , or 95 weight percent of the water in the initial ion exchange resin . as shown in fig1 , the pretreatment zone 14 can be a separate zone or reactor from the acid removal zone 12 and can comprise any apparatus , container , or reactor capable of facilitating the pretreatment of the initial ion exchange resin . in an embodiment not depicted in fig1 , the pretreatment zone 14 can comprise the same space and / or zone as the acid removal zone 12 . in certain embodiments , the pretreatment comprises ( a ) contacting the initial ion exchange resin with at least one polar liquid , and ( b ) removing at least a portion of the polar liquid from the initial ion exchange resin to produce the active ion exchange resin 50 . the polar liquid can be added to the initial ion exchange resin at a ratio of at least 1 : 1 , 2 : 1 , or 3 : 1 and / or not more than 20 : 1 , 15 : 1 , or 10 : 1 by volume . generally , the polar liquid can be removed from the initial ion exchange resin by drying the mixture at a temperature of not more than 90 , 80 , 70 , or 60 ° c . as used herein , an “ active ” ion exchange resin refers to an ion exchange resin that has undergone pretreatment as described above . in one embodiment , the ion exchange resin utilized in the acid removal zone 12 is an active ion exchange resin . the polar liquid useful in the pretreatment process can be any polar liquid that is capable of removing at least a portion of the water in the initial ion exchange resin . in one embodiment , the polar liquid can have a boiling point of not more than 90 , 80 , 70 , or 60 ° c . so that it can be readily removed from the initial ion exchange resin via drying . in another embodiment , the polar liquid comprises an oxygenated organic solvent such as , for example , aliphatic alcohols , aliphatic ketones ( e . g ., acetone and mibk ), aliphatic ethers , and / or cyclic ethers ( e . g ., tetrahydrofuran ). in a particular embodiment , the polar liquid comprises methanol . as depicted in fig1 , at least a portion of the acid - enriched ion exchange resin 48 can be introduced into a regeneration zone 16 in order to regenerate the acid - enriched ion exchange resin 48 . in one embodiment , the regeneration zone 16 is separate from the acid removal zone 12 and can comprise any apparatus , container , or reactor capable of facilitating the regeneration of the acid - enriched ion exchange resin . in an alternative embodiment not depicted in fig1 , the regeneration zone 16 can comprise the same space and / or zone as the acid removal zone 12 . while in the regeneration zone 16 , at least a portion of the acid - enriched ion exchange resin 48 can be regenerated with at least one oxygenated organic solvent to provide a regenerated ion exchange resin 52 . the regeneration process is intended to remove at least a portion of the bio - oil compounds retained by the ion exchange resin and restore at least part of its exchange capacity . in certain embodiments , the acid - enriched ion exchange resin 48 is regenerated by ( a ) contacting the acid - enriched ion exchange resin 48 with the oxygenated organic solvent to thereby provide a solvent - enriched ion exchange resin , and ( b ) removing at least a portion of the oxygenated organic solvent from the solvent - enriched ion exchange resin to thereby provide the regenerated ion exchange resin 52 . the oxygenated organic solvent can comprise any solvent that is compatible with the ion exchange resin and capable of removing acidic components from the ion exchange resin . for example , the oxygenated organic solvent can comprise aliphatic alcohols , aliphatic ketones ( e . g ., acetone and mibk ), aliphatic ethers , and / or cyclic ethers ( e . g ., tetrahydrofuran ). in one embodiment , the oxygenated organic solvent can be methanol . in certain embodiments , the regeneration process removes at least a portion of the acidic components and residues thereof previously adsorbed by the acid - enriched ion exchange resin 48 . for example , the regeneration process can remove at least 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , or 95 weight percent of the acidic components and residues thereof from the acid - enriched ion exchange resin 48 . in certain embodiments , at least a portion of the regenerated ion exchange resin 52 can be recycled and sent to the acid removal zone 12 to be used as the ion exchange resin . in such embodiments , an ion exchange resin can be utilized in the acid removal stage multiple times by subsequently regenerating the acid - enriched ion exchange resin after each use in the acid removal zone 12 . for example , the ion exchange resin can be subjected to the acid removal stage , regenerated , and recycled at least 4 , 8 , 16 , or 32 times . when used as the ion exchange resin in the acid removal zone 12 , the regenerated ion exchange resin 52 is capable of treating the initial feedstock 44 just as effectively as the ion exchange resin initially used as described above . therefore , in certain embodiments where at least a portion of the regenerated ion exchange resin 52 is utilized in the acid removal zone 12 as the ion exchange resin , the regenerated ion exchange 52 resin can produce a treated feedstock containing the same properties and ranges as described above . in certain embodiments , the regenerated ion exchange resin 52 does not require pretreatment before being recycled and utilized in the acid removal zone 12 . in one embodiment , the regenerated ion exchange resin 52 is not subjected to swelling or any other form of pretreatment prior to contacting the initial feedstock 44 in the acid removal zone 12 . this invention can be further illustrated by the following examples of preferred embodiments thereof , although it will be understood that these examples are included merely for purposes of illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention unless otherwise specifically indicated . in this example , the capabilities of certain ion exchange resins in selectively removing carboxylic acids from bio - oil were assessed . in this particular example , the tested resins were amberlyst a - 21 and dow xus . the amberlyst a - 21 resin contains aliphatic amines and has a pka of about 10 , while the dow xus resin contains aromatic amines and has a pka of about 5 . the resins were placed in a fixed bed column and were pretreated by swelling them with methanol . swelling was carried out by rinsing the resins with at least three volumes of methanol ( 3 : 1 meoh : resin volume ratio ) for 20 minutes . the swelled resins were then dried in an oven overnight at 60 ° c . the bio - oil was then treated with the pretreated resins by flowing the bio - oil through the column at a 1 : 4 bio - oil to resin volume ratio . samples of the treated bio - oil were collected and evaluated for tan and water content . the tan of the bio - oil was measured by using astm method d664 and the water content was measured using karl fischer titration . in addition , the effect of contact time between the bio - oil and the resins on tan values was also assessed . the results of this example are depicted in table 1 below . as shown above , amberlyst a - 21 was observed to cause a more significant decrease in the tan value relative to dow xus . in addition , amberlyst a - 21 was capable of reducing the tan value in less contact time relative to dow xus . in this example , the effect of drying the resin and the use of the bio - oil as the swelling solvent was investigated . initially , 5 g of amberlyst a - 21 resin was contacted with 20 g of methanol and dried at ˜ 60 ° c . for 16 hours . subsequent to drying the resin , three doses of bio - oil , with each dose containing about 5 g of bio - oil , were subsequently contacted one at a time with the resin order to swell the resin . after swelling the resin with the three doses of bio - oil , the swollen resin was then contacted with an additional 33 subsequent doses of bio - oil at a liquid hourly space velocity (“ lhsv ”) of about 0 . 5 to 2 ( v / v ) min − 1 , with each dose containing 5 g of bio - oil , in order to treat each bio - oil dose . the tan value , water content , and amount of recovered bio - oil was measured in each of the treated bio - oil doses . as depicted in fig2 , the capability of the resin to remove acidic components from the bio - oil , thereby lowering its tan , began to slowly deteriorate after about 20 doses of bio - oil . as shown in fig3 , the water content varied somewhat for each dose after being treated with the resin ; however , this is most likely due to the moisture adsorption of the resin . the water content for each dose after treatment was around 2 . 5 %. finally , as shown in fig4 , the amount of bio - oil recovered from the bio - oil doses subsequent to treatment with the swollen resin remained consistently high in all of the bio - oil doses . accordingly , these results indicate that drying might be an effective method of resin pretreatment and that the bio - oil itself might be used as swelling agent . in this example , the effect of regeneration on the resin was investigated . the amberlyst a - 21 resin of example 2 was regenerated using 8 subsequent rinses of methanol , with each rinse containing 5 g of methanol . the regeneration was intended to remove any bio - oil compounds retained by the resin and restore the resin &# 39 ; s exchange capacity . after rinsing , each methanol rinsing dose was evaluated for water content and tan value . as shown in fig5 , an increasing amount of water came out of the resin in the first three methanol rinses and peaked at 4 . 5 % after the third rinse . subsequently , the water content after the third methanol rinse decreased steadily . this decrease indicated that there was very little water left in the resin to remove after the fifth rinse with methanol . in fact , it appears that the resin actually removed some of the water from the methanol in the seventh and eighth doses . in addition , about five rinses with methanol were sufficient to remove most of the acidic components from the resin . this was shown by monitoring the tan values of the methanol rinses as shown in fig6 . the amount of acidic components removed from the resin subsequent to the fifth rinsing with methanol was low compared to the first five methanol rinses . finally , as shown in fig7 , the first six methanol rinses recovered a greater volume of products from the resin when compared to the initial volume of the methanol rinse . this confirms that the methanol was removing components retained by the resin in these first six rinses . after the sixth methanol rinse , the resin began to retain some of the methanol , thereby swelling the resin . subsequent to swelling , the swollen resin was subjected to drying at ˜ 60 ° c . for 16 hours in order to completely regenerate the resin . in this example , the tan - reducing performance of the regenerated amberlyst a - 21 resin from example 3 was evaluated . the regenerated resin was utilized for treating and removing acidic components from bio - oil . more specifically , ten subsequent doses of bio - oil , with each dose containing 5 g of bio - oil , were brought into contact with the regenerated resin at a lhsv of about 1 ( v / v ) mid − 1 . the first three doses of bio - oil functioned as the swelling solvents , thereby swelling the regenerated resin . as shown in fig8 , the regenerated resin was able to consistently reduce the tan values of the bio - oil . it should also be noted that the first three doses of bio - oil contained a lower tan value relative to the subsequent doses . while the resin did likely remove acidic components from the bio - oil in this case , it is likely that the recovered bio - oil in these doses was slightly diluted with methanol since the regenerated resin was dried subsequent to regeneration . in this example , the spent resin from example 4 was regenerated and subsequently utilized to remove acidic components from bio - oil . in particular , the spent resin from example 4 was regenerated with three separate methanol rinses , with each rinse containing 5 g of methanol . subsequent to regeneration , the regenerated resin was dried at 60 ° c . the dried regenerated resin was then utilized for treating and removing acidic components from bio - oil . more specifically , twenty subsequent doses of bio - oil , with each dose containing 5 g of bio - oil , were brought into contact one at a time with the dried regenerated resin at a lhsv of about 1 ( v / v ) min − 1 . the entire first dose of bio - oil functioned as the swelling solvent , thereby swelling the dried regenerated resin . thus , as shown in fig9 , no bio - oil was recovered from this first dose . however , subsequent to the first dose , the bio - oil recovery rate went up to be consistently around 98 %. in addition , as shown in fig1 , the regenerated resin was capable of lowering the tan of the bio - oil , subsequent to the first dose , by at least 40 % after treatment . finally , fig1 shows that the water content of the treated bio - oil remained consistent in each dose after treatment . the inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the doctrine of equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as it pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims . | 2 |
it is believed that one skilled in the art can , based upon the description herein , utilize the present invention to its fullest extent . the following specific embodiments are to be construed as merely illustrative , and not limitative of the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever . unless defined otherwise , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs . also , all publications , patent applications , patents , and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference . as used herein , all percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified . as used herein , “ structured surfaces ” may include any microreliefs and / or macroreliefs . as used herein , “ microrelief ,” or “ diffraction relief ” means a regular pattern of ridges 530 and grooves or gaps 531 , microstructures , and the like that may display a visual effect or optical information , covert or visible , to the human eye when exposed to suitable radiant energy . see e . g . fig6 b . examples of suitable radiant energy include , but are not limited to , normal illumination , i . e ., e . g ., incandescent and / or daylight , and / or special illumination , e . g . laser , and / or selected wavelenghts . microreliefs include both ( 1 ) patterns of microstructures or patterns of ridges and grooves produced through laser light interference and with other known techniques that can be subsequently transferred to a dosage form via , for example , molding , stamping or hot - embossing ; and ( 2 ) “ holograms ,” meaning , for example , the visual information , effects , and images produced by these patterns of ridges and grooves when supplied with light . holograms shall include the product of optical images , effects , and information on the dosage form , as well as their reconstruction via the use of either white , incoherent light or laser light . the microrelief should be “ stable ,” which means that it has a high resistance to degradation at high temperatures , e . g ., temperatures greater than about 70 ° c ., and to changes in shape ( in terms of microns ) due to applied mechanical forces . the microrelief should also not affect the efficacy of the pharmaceutical active ingredient , and should be economically compatible with current dosage form production equipment . in one embodiment , the microrelief may be a “ high resolution diffraction grating ,” meaning one that can diffract light and has at least about 100 lines per mm , e . g ., from about 100 lines per mm to about 5000 lines per mm or about 100 lines per mm to about 2000 lines per mm , or about 200 lines per mm to about 1000 lines per mm . in this embodiment , the dimensions of the diffraction relief are proportional to the wavelength of light with which is it to interact . exemplary information that may be recorded and conveyed by this microrelief may be color , depth , image , optical data , auditory data , and / or a kinetic effect . in another embodiment , the microrelief may be a “ dovid ,” which is a diffractive optical variable image device , such as a hologram . in yet another embodiment , the microrelief may be a “ microetching ,” which is a structured surface that conveys information that is not visible to the human eye without the additional assistance of , for example magnification , i . e ., e . g . at least about 100 times , or at least about 250 times , or at least about 100 , 000 times . by contrast , “ macroreliefs ” as disclosed herein are similar in structure to microrelief gratings , but they function in a different way . in general , macroreliefs contain at least about 3 lines or “ lenticules ” per mm , i . e ., e . g ., from about 1 line per mm to about 10 lines per mm . as shown in , for example , fig1 , each lenticule may be a raised , curved ridge 920 . different types of “ macroreliefs ,” may be used in the present invention , and each type of macrorelief conveys different visual effects or animations . the simplest animation is referred to as a “ lenticular flip image ,” which is an animation wherein one image changes to another . a lenticular flip generally allows up to three separate images to be combined and viewed independently when viewed at different angles . another type of macrorelief is the “ lenticular 3d image ,” which is an animation that creates apparent depth on a flat surface image and typically requires about twelve images of the subject matter arranged in a horizontal , sequential manner . a “ lenticular morph image ” produces the effect of gradually changing one image into another through the use of multiple images generated via sophisticated computer algorithms . “ lenticular zoom imaging ” produces the effect of an image &# 39 ; s appearing to move closer or farther away in a series of animated positions , while “ lenticular full motion video imaging ” displays movement using multiple frames of a coherent action sequence . any two or more of the above type of effects or animations may be combined to produce a “ lenticular combination image .” as used herein , “ moiré ” shall mean the effect produced when two or more identical , repetitive patterns of lines , circles , or array of dots are overlapped with imperfect alignment as shown in , for example , fig1 b . as used herein , “ injection molding ” shall mean a process of forming a dosage form in a desired shape and size wherein a flowable material , which is in a fluid or flowable state form , enters a mold , then is solidified in the mold via a change in temperature ( either positive or negative ) before being removed therefrom . by contrast , “ compression ,” as used herein , shall mean a process of forming a dosage form in a desired shape and size wherein a material is compacted into a tablet between the surfaces of punches via an increase in pressure before being removed therefrom . as used herein , an “ exterior surface ” of a portion is a surface that comprises part of the exterior surface of the finished dosage form . as used herein , the term “ substantially conformably ” refers to the fact that the cavities of the first portion are defined by surfaces having peaks and valleys therein , and the second portion resides in the cavities and the second portion also has peaks and valleys in its surfaces , such that the peaks and valleys of the surfaces of the second portion correspond substantially inversely to the major peaks and valleys of the surfaces defined by the cavities . as used herein , the term “ compositionally different ” means having features that are readily distinguishable by qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis , physical testing , or visual observation . for example , the first and second materials may contain different ingredients , or different levels of the same ingredients , or the first and second materials may have different physical or chemical properties , different functional properties , or be visually distinct . examples of physical or chemical properties that may be different include hydrophylicity , hydrophobicity , hygroscopicity , elasticity , plasticity , tensile strength , crystallinity , and density . examples of functional properties which may be different include rate and / or extent of dissolution of the material itself or of an active ingredient therefrom , rate of disintegration of the material , permeability to active ingredients , permeability to water or aqueous media , and the like . examples of visual distinctions include size , shape , topography , or other geometric features , color , hue , opacity , and gloss . as used herein , the term “ dosage form ” applies to any ingestible forms , including confections . in one embodiment , dosage forms are solid , semi - solid , or liquid compositions designed to contain a specific pre - determined amount ( i . e . dose ) of a certain ingredient , for example an active ingredient as defined below . suitable dosage forms may be pharmaceutical drug delivery systems , including those for oral administration , buccal administration , rectal administration , topical , transdermal , or mucosal delivery , or subcutaneous implants , or other implanted drug delivery systems ; or compositions for delivering minerals , vitamins and other nutraceuticals , oral care agents , flavorants , and the like . in one embodiment , the dosage forms of the present invention are considered to be solid ; however , they may contain liquid or semi - solid components . in another embodiment , the dosage form is an orally administered system for delivering a pharmaceutical active ingredient to the gastrointestinal tract of a human . in yet another embodiment , the dosage form is an orally administered “ placebo ” system containing pharmaceutically inactive ingredients , and the dosage form is designed to have the same appearance as a particular pharmaceutically active dosage form , such as may be used for control purposes in clinical studies to test , for example , the safety and efficacy of a particular pharmaceutically active ingredient . “ active ingredients ,” as used herein , includes , for example , pharmaceuticals , minerals , vitamins and other nutraceuticals , oral care agents , flavorants and mixtures thereof . suitable pharmaceuticals include analgesics , anti - inflammatory agents , antiarthritics , anesthetics , antihistamines , antitussives , antibiotics , anti - infective agents , antivirals , anticoagulants , antidepressants , antidiabetic agents , antiemetics , antiflatulents , antifungals , antispasmodics , appetite suppressants , bronchodilators , cardiovascular agents , central nervous system agents , central nervous system stimulants , decongestants , diuretics , expectorants , gastrointestinal agents , migraine preparations , motion sickness products , mucolytics , muscle relaxants , osteoporosis preparations , polydimethylsiloxanes , respiratory agents , sleep - aids , urinary tract agents and mixtures thereof . suitable oral care agents include breath fresheners , tooth whiteners , antimicrobial agents , tooth mineralizers , tooth decay inhibitors , topical anesthetics , mucoprotectants , and the like . suitable flavorants include menthol , peppermint , mint flavors , fruit flavors , chocolate , vanilla , bubblegum flavors , coffee flavors , liqueur flavors and combinations and the like . examples of suitable gastrointestinal agents include antacids such as calcium carbonate , magnesium hydroxide , magnesium oxide , magnesium carbonate , aluminum hydroxide , sodium bicarbonate , dihydroxyaluminum sodium carbonate ; stimulant laxatives , such as bisacodyl , cascara sagrada , danthron , senna , phenolphthalein , aloe , castor oil , ricinoleic acid , and dehydrocholic acid , and mixtures thereof ; h2 receptor antagonists , such as famotadine , ranitidine , cimetadine , nizatidine ; proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole or lansoprazole ; gastrointestinal cytoprotectives , such as sucraflate and misoprostol ; gastrointestinal prokinetics , such as prucalopride , antibiotics for h . pylori , such as clarithromycin , amoxicillin , tetracycline , and metronidazole ; antidiarrheals , such as diphenoxylate and loperamide ; glycopyrrolate ; antiemetics , such as ondansetron , analgesics , such as mesalamine . in one embodiment of the invention , the active ingredient may be selected from bisacodyl , famotadine , ranitidine , cimetidine , prucalopride , diphenoxylate , loperamide , lactase , mesalamine , bismuth , antacids , and pharmaceutically acceptable salts , esters , isomers , and mixtures thereof . in another embodiment , the active ingredient may be selected from analgesics , anti - inflammatories , and antipyretics : e . g . non - steroidal anti - inflammatory drugs ( nsaids ), including propionic acid derivatives : e . g . ibuprofen , naproxen , ketoprofen and the like ; acetic acid derivatives : e . g . indomethacin , diclofenac , sulindac , tolmetin , and the like ; fenamic acid derivatives : e . g . mefanamic acid , meclofenamic acid , flufenamic acid , and the like ; biphenylcarbodylic acid derivatives : e . g . diflunisal , flufenisal , and the like ; and oxicams : e . g . piroxicam , sudoxicam , isoxicam , meloxicam , and the like . in one embodiment , the active ingredient is selected from propionic acid derivative nsaid : e . g . ibuprofen , naproxen , flurbiprofen , fenbufen , fenoprofen , indoprofen , ketoprofen , fluprofen , pirprofen , carprofen , oxaprozin , pranoprofen , suprofen , and pharmaceutically acceptable salts , derivatives , and combinations thereof . in another embodiment of the invention , the active ingredient may be selected from acetaminophen , acetyl salicylic acid , ibuprofen , naproxen , ketoprofen , flurbiprofen , diclofenac , cyclobenzaprine , meloxicam , rofecoxib , celecoxib , and pharmaceutically acceptable salts , esters , isomers , and mixtures thereof . in another embodiment of the invention , the active ingredient may be selected from pseudoephedrine , phenylpropanolamine , chlorpheniramine , dextromethorphan , diphenhydramine , astemizole , terfenadine , fexofenadine , loratadine , desloratidine , doxilamine , norastemizole , cetirizine , mixtures thereof and pharmaceutically acceptable salts , esters , isomers , and mixtures thereof . examples of suitable polydimethylsiloxanes , which include , but are not limited to dimethicone and simethicone , are those disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 906 , 478 , 5 , 275 , 822 , and 6 , 103 , 260 , the contents of each is expressly incorporated herein by reference . as used herein , the term “ simethicone ” refers to the broader class of polydimethylsiloxanes , including but not limited to simethicone and dimethicone . the active ingredient or ingredients are present in the dosage forms of the present invention in a therapeutically effective amount , which is an amount that produces the desired therapeutic response upon oral administration and can be readily determined by one skilled in the art . in determining such amounts , the particular active ingredient being administered , the bioavailability characteristics of the active ingredient , the dosing regimen , the age and weight of the patient , and other factors must be considered , as known in the art . in one embodiment , the dosage form comprises at least about 85 weight percent of the active ingredient . the active ingredient or ingredients may be present in the dosage form in any form . for example , the active ingredient may be dispersed at the molecular level , e . g . melted or dissolved , within the dosage form , or may be in the form of particles , which in turn may be coated or uncoated . if the active ingredient is in form of particles , the particles ( whether coated or uncoated ) typically have an average particle size of about 1 micron to about 2000 microns . in one embodiment , such particles are crystals having an average particle size of about 1 micron to about 300 microns . in yet another embodiment , the particles are granules or pellets having an average particle size of about 50 microns to about 2000 microns , e . g . from about 50 microns to about 1000 microns or from about 100 microns to about 800 microns . in certain embodiments in which modified release of the active ingredient is desired , the active ingredient may optionally be coated with a known release - modifying coating . this advantageously provides an additional tool for modifying the release profile of active ingredient from the dosage form . for example , the dosage form may contain coated particles of one or more active ingredients , in which the particle coating confers a release modifying function , as is well known in the art . examples of suitable release modifying coatings for particles are described in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 173 , 626 ; 4 , 863 , 742 ; 4 , 980 , 170 ; 4 , 984 , 240 ; 5 , 286 , 497 ; 5 , 912 , 013 ; 6 , 270 , 805 ; and 6 , 322 , 819 . commercially available modified release active ingredients may also be employed . for example , acetaminophen particles , which are encapsulated with release - modifying polymers by a coaccervation process , may be used in the present invention . such coaccervation - encapsulated acetaminophen is commercially available from , for example , eurand america , inc . or circa inc . if the active ingredient has an objectionable taste , and the dosage form is intended to be chewed or disintegrated in the mouth prior to swallowing , the active ingredient may be coated with a taste masking coating , as known in the art . examples of suitable taste masking coatings are described in , for example , u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 851 , 226 ; 5 , 075 , 114 ; and 5 , 489 , 436 . commercially available taste masked active ingredients may also be employed . for example , acetaminophen particles , which are encapsulated with ethylcellulose or other polymers by a coaccervation process , may be used in the present invention . such coaccervation - encapsulated acetaminophen is commercially available from eurand america , inc . or circa inc . the active ingredient or ingredients are typically capable of dissolution upon contact with a fluid such as water , stomach acid , intestinal fluid or the like . in one embodiment , the dissolution characteristics of the active ingredient meet usp specifications for immediate release tablets containing the active ingredient . in embodiments in which it is desired for the active ingredient to be absorbed into the systemic circulation of an animal , the active ingredient or ingredients should be capable of dissolution upon contact with a fluid such as water , gastric fluid , intestinal fluid or the like . in one embodiment , the dissolution characteristics of the active ingredient meet usp specifications for immediate release tablets containing the active ingredient . for example , for acetaminophen tablets , usp 24 specifies that in ph 5 . 8 phosphate buffer , using usp apparatus 2 ( paddles ) at 50 rpm , at least 80 % of the acetaminophen contained in the dosage form is released therefrom within 30 minutes after dosing , and for ibuprofen tablets , usp 24 specifies that in ph 7 . 2 phosphate buffer , using usp apparatus 2 ( paddles ) at 50 rpm , at least 80 % of the ibuprofen contained in the dosage form is released therefrom within 60 minutes after dosing . see usp 24 , 2000 version , 19 - 20 and 856 ( 1999 ). in another embodiment , the dissolution characteristics of the active ingredient may be modified : e . g . controlled , sustained , extended , retarded , prolonged , or delayed . in general , one embodiment of the present invention creates dosage forms having at least one filled - in , molded intagliation or cavity portion bearing a microrelief . these microreliefs may be formed in the filled - in , molded intagliation portion via stamping , etching , or molding using high - volume , high - speed dosage form production methods and apparatus . the active ingredient may be in the core , the filled in portions , and / or any coatings applied onto the dosage form . in one embodiment , the container in which the dosage form is carried , or the packaging therefor , may also contain a component , such as a cap , flap , sidewall , or the like , that facilitates special illumination , e . g ., a polarizing filter element or a color filter element . the dosage forms may contain at least one active ingredient , a first portion , which comprises one or more cavities , which optionally may further contain indentations on the cavity surface , and an exterior surface , and a second molded portion , which is inlaid into the cavities of the first portion and has an exterior surface . the first and second portions are in contact at an interface , the second portion comprises a solidified thermoplastic material bearing a microrelief , and the second portion resides substantially conformably upon the indentations of the first portion . alternatively , the dosage forms may contain at least one active ingredient , a core having an outer surface and a shell residing on at least a portion of the core outer surface , wherein the shell comprises a first shell portion and a second shell portion , and the second molded shell portion , which is inlaid into the first shell portion , bears a microrelief . in yet another embodiment of this invention , the dosage form may contain at least one active ingredient , a core , and a shell having a first molded shell portion which is discontinuous , and a second molded shell portion which is continuous and which bears a microrelief , such that the discontinuities of the first shell portion are due to the presence of the second molded shell portion , and the first and second shell portions are compositionally different . in another embodiment , the first molded shell portion is continuous and the second molded shell portion , which bears a microrelief , is discontinuous . in yet another embodiment of this invention , the dosage form may contain at least one active ingredient , a core , and a shell having a first molded shell portion which is continuous , and a second molded shell portion which is discontinuous and which bears a microrelief , such that the discontinuities of the second shell portion are due to the presence of the first shell portion , and the first and second shell portions are compositionally different . in certain embodiments , the first portion consists essentially of a single homogeneous layer . in other words , it may be a single molded composition ( e . g . core or stripe ) or a single compressed tablet . if the portion were divided into parts , each part would have the same density , porosity , color , crystallinity , etc . in embodiments in which the first portion is prepared via compression , suitable excipients include , but are not limited to , fillers , binders , disintegrants , lubricants , glidants , and the like . in embodiments in which the first portion is prepared via compression , suitable fillers include , but are not limited to , water - soluble compressible carbohydrates such as sugars , which include dextrose , sucrose , isomaltalose , fructose , maltose , and lactose , polydextrose , sugar - alcohols , which include mannitol , sorbitol , isomalt , maltitol , xylitol , erythritol , starch hydrolysates , which include dextrins , and maltodextrins , and the like , water insoluble plastically deforming materials such as microcrystalline cellulose or other cellulosic derivatives , water - insoluble brittle fracture materials such as dicalcium phosphate , tricalcium phosphate and the like and mixtures thereof . in embodiments in which the first portion is prepared via compression , suitable binders include , but are not limited to , dry binders such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone , hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , and the like ; wet binders such as water - soluble polymers , including hydrocolloids such as alginates , agar , guar gum , locust bean , carrageenan , tara , gum arabic , tragacanth , pectin , xanthan , gellan , maltodextrin , galactomannan , pusstulan , laminarin , scleroglucan , gum arabic , inulin , pectin , whelan , rhamsan , zooglan , methylan , chitin , cyclodextrin , chitosan , polyvinyl pyrrolidone , cellulosics , starches , and the like ; and derivatives and mixtures thereof . in embodiments in which the first portion is prepared via compression , suitable disintegrants include , but are not limited to , sodium starch glycolate , cross - linked polyvinylpyrrolidone , cross - linked carboxymethylcellulose , starches , microcrystalline cellulose , and the like . in embodiments in which the first portion is prepared via compression , suitable lubricants include , but are not limited to , long chain fatty acids and their salts , such as magnesium stearate and stearic acid , talc , and waxes . in embodiments in which the first portion is prepared via compression , suitable glidants include , but are not limited to , colloidal silicon dioxide , and the like . in embodiments in which the first portion is prepared via compression , the dosage form of the invention may also incorporate pharmaceutically acceptable adjuvants , including , but not limited to preservatives , high intensity sweeteners such as aspartame , acesulfame potassium , cyclamate , saccharin , sucralose , and the like ; and other sweeteners such as dihydroalcones , glycyrrhizin , monellin ™, stevioside , talin ™, and the like ; flavors , antioxidants , surfactants , and coloring agents . an overall understanding of the dosage form of this invention may be obtained by reference to fig1 a , 1b , 2 a and 2 b . fig1 a and 1b depict one embodiment of the dosage form of this invention . in fig1 a , a dosage form 2 is depicted which comprises a first portion 4 . the first portion comprises a plurality of debossments or cavities , which in turn comprise inlaid second portions 6 . the exterior surfaces of one or more of the second portions 6 possess a microrelief 11 . in this embodiment , a first active ingredient may be located within first portion 4 and an optional second active ingredient may be located within inlaid second portions 6 , although in other embodiments only one of inlaid second portions 6 or first portion 4 may contain an active ingredient . the flowable material used in the second portions 6 bearing a microrelief 11 must be able to retain a fine micrograph pattern , when exposed to humidity and temperature variations typically encountered during storage , shipment , and use of the dosage forms worldwide . in addition , these flowable materials should easily and cleanly release from the mold or stamp change part , without damaging the microrelief , after the dosage form has cooled and set . fig1 b is a cross - sectional view of the dosage form 2 of fig1 a . as shown in fig1 b , inlaid second portions 6 may extend partially into the first portion 4 from both first upper or top surface 8 and second lower or bottom surface 10 . as shown , portions of the microreliefs 11 may be raised and protrude above the first surface 8 and the second surface 10 of the first portion 4 . alternatively , as shown in fig1 c and fig1 d , the microreliefs 11 may alternatively be recessed and extend partially into the first surface 8 or second surface 10 . although not shown , the tips or ridges 12 of the microreliefs 11 may also be at approximately the same level as the surface of the proximate first surface 8 or second surface 10 . in these embodiments , a first active ingredient may be located within inlaid second portions 6 and an optional second active ingredient ( which may be the same or different than the first active ingredient ) may be located within first portion 4 , although in other embodiments only one of inlaid second portions 6 or first portion 4 may contain an active ingredient . in one embodiment , the first and second portions together provide a prearranged pattern . in yet another embodiment , the second portion may comprise a flavoring agent or sensate . as used herein , a “ sensate ” is a chemical agent that elicits a sensory effect in the mouth , nose , and / or throat other than aroma or flavor . examples of such sensory effects include , but are not limited to , cooling , warming , tingling , mouth watering ( succulent ), astringent , and the like . sensate agents suitable for use in the present invention are commercially available and may be purchased from , for example , international flavor & amp ; fragrances . the dosage forms depicted in fig1 e and 1f further contain a clear or semi - transparent top coating 13 that resides on first surface 8 and second surface 10 . the top coating 13 may also partially ( not shown ) or fully reside on the micrograph - containing inlaid portions 6 of the dosage form . suitable polymers for inclusion in top coatings include polyvinylalcohol ( pva ); water soluble polycarbohydrates such as hydroxypropyl starch , hydroxyethyl starch , pullulan , methylethyl starch , carboxymethyl starch , pre - gelatinized starches , and film - forming modified starches ; water swellable cellulose derivatives such as hydroxypropyl cellulose ( hpc ), hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose ( hpmc ), methyl cellulose ( mc ), hydroxyethylmethylcellulose ( hemc ), hydroxybutylmethylcellulose ( hbmc ), hydroxyethylethylcellulose ( heec ), and hydroxyethylhydroxypropylmethyl cellulose ( hempmc ); water soluble copolymers such as methacrylic acid and methacrylate ester copolymers , polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol copolymers , polyethylene oxide and polyvinylpyrrolidone copolymers ; polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyvinylacetate copolymers ; and derivatives and combinations thereof . suitable film - forming water insoluble polymers for inclusion in top coatings include for example ethylcellulose , polyvinyl alcohols , polyvinyl acetate , polycaprolactones , cellulose acetate and its derivatives , acrylates , methacrylates , acrylic acid copolymers ; and the like and derivatives , copolymers , and combinations thereof . suitable film - forming ph - dependent polymers for inclusion in top - coatings include enteric cellulose derivatives , such as for example hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate , hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate , cellulose acetate phthalate ; natural resins , such as shellac and zein ; enteric acetate derivatives such as for example polyvinylacetate phthalate , cellulose acetate phthalate , acetaldehyde dimethylcellulose acetate ; and enteric acrylate derivatives such as for example polymethacrylate - based polymers such as poly ( methacrylic acid , methyl methacrylate ) 1 : 2 , which is commercially available from rohm pharma gmbh under the tradename , “ eudragit s ;” and poly ( methacrylic acid , methyl methacrylate ) 1 : 1 , which is commercially available from rohm pharma gmbh under the tradename , eudragit l ; poly ( butyl methacrylate ( dimethylaminoethyl ) methacrylate , methyl methacrylate ), which is commercially available from rohm pharma gmbh under the tradename , “ eudragit e ;” and the like , and derivatives , salts , copolymers , and combinations thereof . in one embodiment , top coating 13 includes those coatings having a high rigidity , i . e ., e . g ., those coatings having a yield value sufficient to prevent deformation of the microrelief when exposed to normal manufacturing , handling , shipping , storage , and usage conditions . suitable top coatings having high rigidity include film formers , such as for example , the high tensile strength film - formers well known in the art . examples of suitable high tensile strength film - formers include , but are not limited to methacrylic acid and methacrylate ester copolymers ; polyvinylpyrrolidone ; cellulose acetate ; hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (“ hpmc ”), polyethylene oxide and polyvinylalcohol , which is commercially available from basf under the tradename , “ kollicoat ir ”; ethylcellulose ; polyvinyl alcohols ; and copolymers and mixtures thereof . in one embodiment , the top coatings may include the water - soluble high rigidity film formers selected from hpmc , polyvinylpyrrolidone , the aminoalkyl - methacrylate copolymers marketed under the trade mark , “ eudragit e ,” and copolymers and mixtures thereof . in embodiments wherein high clarity is of particular concern , the top coatings may include the high clarity high - rigidity film formers selected from the acrylates such as the aminoalkyl - methacrylate copolymers marketed under the trademark , “ eudragit e ” polyvinylpyrrolidone , cellulose acetate , polyethylene oxide and polyvinylalcohol , , ethylcellulose , and polyvinyl alcohol shellac . in general , the thickness of the top coating may range from about 50 microns to about 200 microns , and the rigidity of the locating layer will increase as the thickness is increased . the dosage form may contain , based upon the total weight of the dosage form , from about 0 . 1 percent to about 10 percent of the top coating . the top coating 13 may be applied via any means known in the art such as , for example , spray coating as disclosed in , u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 683 , 256 , 4 , 543 , 370 , 4 , 643 , 894 , 4 , 828 , 841 , 4 , 725 , 441 , 4 , 802 , 924 , 5 , 630 , 871 , and 6 , 274 , 162 ; dip coating as disclosed in , u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 089 , 270 ; 5 , 213 , 738 ; 4 , 820 , 524 ; 4 , 867 , 983 ; and 4 , 966 , 771 ; or injection molding as disclosed in , us application 2003 - 0219484 a1 . in one embodiment , the refractive index of the topcoat is not equivalent to the refractive index of the core . the topcoat may also be clear or semi - transparent in fig2 a and 2b depict another embodiment of this invention . fig2 a depicts a dosage form 102 that comprises a core 104 . the core has a shell 105 residing on at least a portion of the exterior surface of core 104 . the shell 105 is shown in greater detail in fig2 b , which is a cross - sectional view of the dosage form of fig2 a . as shown in fig2 b , the shell 105 residing on the exterior surfaces 108 and 110 of core 104 comprises a first shell portion 107 having cavities , with molded inlaid second shell portions 106 residing in the cavities . at least one of the inlaid second shell portions 106 possesses micrographs 111 . these micrographs may protrude from , be substantially uniform with , or be recessed from the proximate shell portion exterior surface 107 ′. in this embodiment , a first active ingredient may be located within shell portion 107 and a second active ingredient may be located within inlaid second shell portions 106 , although in other embodiments only one of first shell portion 107 or inlaid second shell portions 106 may contain an active ingredient . core 104 may optionally also contain an active ingredient , which may be the same or different than the active ingredient contained in first shell portion 107 and inlaid second shell portions 106 . as depicted in fig2 b , the shell 105 may extend along the side portions 112 and 114 of core 104 , and inlaid portions 116 and 118 may reside in the cavities of shell 105 . in this embodiment , the cavities extend through the first shell portion up to the surface of the core ; however , in other embodiments the cavities may only extend through a part of the first shell portion . in alternative embodiments ( not shown ) the cavity may extend through either a portion or all of the core . the dosage form depicted in fig2 c further contains a clear or semi - transparent top coating 13 ′ that resides on the surface 107 ′. the top coating 13 ′ may also partially or fully reside on the micrograph - containing inlaid portions 106 of the dosage form . examples of suitable top coatings 13 ′ include any of those set forth above . the dosage form of this embodiment may contain , based upon the total weight of the dosage form , from about 1 percent to about 10 percent of the top coating 13 ′. the core ( or substrate ) may be any solid or semi - solid form . the core may prepared by any suitable method , for example the core be a compressed dosage form , or may be molded . as used herein , “ substrate ” refers to a surface or underlying support , upon which another substance resides or acts , and “ core ” refers to a material , which is at least partially enveloped or surrounded by another material . for the purposes of the suitable for use in a dosage form : i . e . the term “ core ” may also be used to refer to a “ substrate .” in one embodiment , the core comprises a solid , for example , the core may be a compressed or molded tablet , hard or soft capsule , suppository , or a confectionery form such as a lozenge , nougat , caramel , fondant , or fat based composition . in certain other embodiments , the core may be in the form of a semi - solid or a liquid in the finished dosage form . the core - may be in a variety of different shapes . for example , in one embodiment the core may be in the shape of a truncated cone . in other embodiments the core may be shaped as a polyhedron , such as a cube , pyramid , prism , or the like ; or may have the geometry of a space figure with some non - flat faces , such as a cone , cylinder , sphere , torus , or the like . exemplary core shapes which may be employed include tablet shapes formed from compression tooling shapes described by “ the elizabeth companies tablet design training manual ” ( elizabeth carbide die co ., inc ., p . 7 ( mckeesport , pa .) ( incorporated herein by reference ) as follows ( the tablet shape corresponds inversely to the shape of the compression tooling ): 1 . shallow concave . 2 . standard concave . 3 . deep concave . 4 . extra deep concave . 5 . modified ball concave . 6 . standard concave bisect . 7 . standard concave double bisect . 8 . standard concave european bisect . 9 . standard concave partial bisect . 10 . double radius . 11 . bevel & amp ; concave . 12 . flat plain . 13 . flat - faced - beveled edge ( f . f . b . e .). 14 . f . f . b . e . bisect . 15 . f . f . b . e . double bisect . 16 . ring . 17 . dimple . 18 . ellipse . 19 . oval . 20 . capsule . 21 . rectangle . 22 . square . 23 . triangle . 24 . hexagon . 25 . pentagon . 26 . octagon . 27 . diamond . 28 . arrowhead . 29 . bullet . 30 . barrel . 31 . half moon . 32 . shield . 33 . heart . 34 . almond . 35 . house / home plate . 36 . parallelogram . 37 . trapezoid . 38 . figure 8 / bar bell . 39 . bow tie . 40 . uneven triangle . the core or sub - core may optionally be at least partially covered by a compressed , molded , or sprayed sub - coating . however , in another embodiment , the core may be substantially free of the subcoating : i . e . there is no subcoating located between the outer surface of the core and the inner surface of the shell . any composition suitable for film - coating a tablet may be used as a subcoating according to the present invention . examples of suitable subcoatings include , but are not limited to , those disclosed in , for example , u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 683 , 256 , 4 , 543 , 370 , 4 , 643 , 894 , 4 , 828 , 841 , 4 , 725 , 441 , 4 , 802 , 924 , 5 , 630 , 871 , and 6 , 274 , 162 . additional suitable subcoatings may include one or more of the following ingredients : cellulose ethers such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , hydroxypropylcellulose , and hydroxyethylcellulose ; polycarbohydrates such as xanthan gum , starch , and maltodextrin ; plasticizers including for example , glycerin , polyethylene glycol , propylene glycol , dibutyl sebecate , triethyl citrate , vegetable oils such as castor oil , surfactants such as polysorbate - 80 , sodium lauryl sulfate and dioctyl - sodium sulfosuccinate ; polycarbohydrates , pigments , and opacifiers . in one embodiment , the subcoating and / or the top coating may comprise an effect pigment that acts to maximize the reflectance of the core . examples of suitable effect pigments include , but are not limited to , platy titanium dioxide , such as that disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 627 , 212 ; and transition metal oxide coated platy mica such as that commercially available from emd chemicals inc . under the tradename , “ candurin .” see also pfaff , g . and reynders , p ., “ angle - dependent optical effects deriving from submicron structures of films and pigments ,” 99 chem . rev . 1963 - 1981 ( 1999 ). in embodiments wherein the dosage form contains a subcoating , the dosage form may contain , based upon the total weight of the dosage form , from about 1 percent to about 5 percent of the subcoating . in embodiments wherein the core is a compressed dosage form , for example . a compressed tablet , the core may be obtained from a compressed powder . the powder may contain an active ingredient , and optionally comprise various excipients , such as binders , disintegrants , lubricants , fillers and the like , as is conventional , or the powder may comprise other particulate material of a medicinal or non - medicinal nature , such as inactive placebo blends for tableting , confectionery blends , and the like . one particular formulation comprises active ingredient , as an excipient , a plastically deforming compressible material , and optionally other excipients , such as disintegrants and lubricants and is described in more detail in united states patent application publication no . 20030068373 . during compression , the plastically deforming compressible material assumes the shape of the microrelief from the upper and / or lower punch surface . suitable plastically deforming compressible materials for these embodiments include : microcrystalline cellulose , waxes , fats , mono - and di - glycerides , derivatives and mixtures thereof , and the like . in certain embodiments , wherein the plastically deforming compressible material is later caused to melt and be absorbed into the tablet , the plastically deforming compressible material may be selected from low - melting plastically deforming compressible materials , such as plastically deforming compressible powdered waxes , such as shellac wax and microcrystalline wax , polyethylene glycol , and mixtures thereof . the core may also optionally comprise a sub - core ( which may also be referred to as an “ insert ”), which may be made by any method , for example compression or molding , and which may optionally contain one or more active ingredients . in one embodiment of the invention , the dosage forms of this invention comprise a core made from a blend of powders having an average particle size of about 50 microns to about 500 microns . in one embodiment , the active ingredient has an average particle size of about 50 microns to about 500 microns . in another embodiment , at least one excipient has an average particle size of about 50 microns to about 500 microns , e . g . about 100 to about 500 microns . in one such embodiment , a major excipient , i . e . an excipient comprising at least 50 % by weight of the core , has an average particle size of about 50 microns to about 500 microns , e . g . about 100 to about 500 microns . particles in this size range are particularly useful for direct compression processes . in one embodiment of the invention , the core may be a directly compressed tablet made from a powder that is substantially free of water soluble polymeric binders and hydrated polymers . this composition is advantageous for maintaining an immediate release dissolution profile , minimizing processing and material costs , and providing for optimal physical and chemical stability of the dosage form . in embodiments in which the core is prepared by direct compression , the materials comprising the core , e . g . the active ingredient or ingredients and excipients , may be blended together , for example as dry powders , and fed into a cavity of an apparatus that applies pressure to form a core . any suitable compacting apparatus may be used , including for example a roller compactor such as a chilsonator or drop roller ; or a conventional tablet press . in one embodiment , the core may be formed by compaction using a rotary tablet press as known in the art . in general , a metered volume of powder is filled into a die cavity of the rotary tablet press , and the cavity rotates as part of a “ die table ” from the filling position to a compaction position . at the compaction position , the powder is compacted between an upper and a lower punch , then the resulting tablet is pushed from the die cavity by the lower punch . advantageously , the direct compression process enables the minimization or elimination of water - soluble , non - saccharide polymeric binders such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone , alginates , hydroxypropyl cellulose , hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , hydroxyethylcellulose , and the like , which could have a negative effect on dissolution . in another embodiment , the core may be prepared by the compression methods and apparatus described in u . s . patent application publication no . 20040156902 . specifically , the core may be made using a rotary compression module comprising a fill zone , insertion zone , compression zone , ejection zone , and purge zone in a single apparatus having a double row die construction as shown in fig6 of u . s . patent application publication no . 20040156902 . the dies of the compression module may then be filled using the assistance of a vacuum , with filters located in or near each die . the purge zone of the compression module includes an optional powder recovery system to recover excess powder from the filters and return the powder to the dies . in another embodiment , the core may be prepared by a wet - granulation method , in which the active ingredient or ingredients , appropriate excipients , and a solution or dispersion of a wet binder ( e . g . an aqueous cooked starch paste , or solution of polyvinyl pyrrolidone ) may be mixed and granulated . suitable apparatus for wet granulation include low shear , e . g . planetary mixers , high shear mixers , and fluid beds , including rotary fluid beds . the resulting granulated material may then be dried , and optionally dry - blended with further ingredients , e . g . adjuvants and / or excipients such as , for example , lubricants , colorants , and the like . the final dry blend is then suitable for compression by the methods described in the previous paragraph . methods for direct compression and wet granulation processes are known in the art , and are described in detail in , for example , lachman , et al ., the theory and practice of industrial pharmacy , chapter 11 ( 3rd ed . 1986 ). in one embodiment , the first portion or core may also be prepared by thermal setting injection molding using the method and apparatus in which the mold is maintained at approximately a constant temperature as described in u . s . patent application publication no . 20030124183 . in this embodiment , the first portion or core may be formed by injecting a starting material in flowable form into a molding chamber . the starting material may comprise an active ingredient and a thermally responsive material , which is introduced to the mold at a temperature above the glass transition temperature or set temperature of the thermally responsive material but below the decomposition temperature of the active ingredient . the starting material is then cooled and solidified in the molding chamber into a desired shaped form ( i . e . the shape of the mold ). the starting material , when at a temperature that is greater than its glass transition temperature or its set temperature , is sufficiently flowable to be easily injected or pumped into the molding chamber . as used herein , “ thermally responsive material ” shall include materials that , as the temperature applied to the material is increased , become softer , and as the temperature applied is reduced , the materials conversely becomes harder and have reduced flow . in the case of gels , “ set temperature ” shall mean the temperature at which a gel - forming material rapidly solidifies through the gelation process . in another embodiment , the first portion or core may be prepared by thermal cycle injection molding using the method and apparatus , in which the mold is cycled between at least two temperatures , as described in united states patent application publication no . 20030086973 . in this embodiment , the first portion or core may be formed by injecting a starting material in flowable form into a heated molding chamber . the starting material may comprise an active ingredient and a thermoplastic material at a temperature above the glass transition temperature or set temperature of the thermally responsive material but below the decomposition temperature of the active ingredient . the starting material is then cooled and solidified in the molding chamber into a desired shaped form ( i . e . the shape of the mold ). according to either of these molding methods , the starting material must be in flowable form . for example , it may comprise solid particles suspended in a molten matrix such as a polymer matrix . alternatively , the starting material may be completely molten or in the form of a paste . in one embodiment , the starting material may comprise an active ingredient dissolved in a molten material . alternatively , the starting material may be made by dissolving a solid in a solvent , which solvent may then be evaporated from the starting material after it has been molded . the starting material may comprise any edible material which is desirable to incorporate into a shaped form , including active ingredients such as those active ingredients previously described with respect to the core , nutritionals , vitamins , minerals , flavors , sweeteners , and the like . typically , the starting material comprises an active ingredient and a thermally responsive material . the thermally responsive material may be any edible material that is flowable at a temperature between about 37 ° c . and about 250 ° c ., and that is a solid or semi - solid at a temperature between about − 10 ° c . and about 35 ° c . when it is in the fluid or flowable state , the flowable starting material may comprise a dissolved or molten component , and optionally a solvent such as for example water or organic solvents , or combinations thereof . the solvent may be partially or substantially removed by drying . suitable flowable , starting materials include , but are not limited to those thermally responsive materials such as film forming polymers , gelling polymers , hydrocolloids , low melting hydrophobic materials such as fats and waxes , non - crystallizable carbohydrates , and the like . examples of suitable thermally responsive materials include , but are not limited to water - soluble polymers such as polyalkylene glycols , polyethylene oxides and derivatives , and sucrose - fatty acid esters ; fats such as cocoa butter , hydrogenated vegetable oil such as palm kernel oil , cottonseed oil , sunflower oil , and soybean oil ; free fatty acids and their salts ; mono - di - and triglycerides , phospholipids , waxes such as carnuba wax , spermaceti wax , beeswax , candelilla wax , shellac wax , microcrystalline wax , and paraffin wax ; fat - containing mixtures such as chocolate ; sugar in the form of an amorphous glass such as that used to make hard candy forms , sugar in a supersaturated solution such as that used to make fondant forms ; carbohydrates such as sugar - alcohols ( for example , sorbitol , maltitol , mannitol , xylitol and erythritol ), or thermoplastic starch ; and low - moisture polymer solutions such as mixtures of gelatin and other hydrocolloids at water contents up to about 30 %, such as for example those used to make “ gummi ” confection forms . in one embodiment , the thermally responsive material is a blend of fats and mono - and diglycerides . in one embodiment of the invention , the flowable materials may comprise a film former such as a cellulose ether , e . g . hydroxypropylmethylcellulose or a modified starch , e . g . waxy maize starch ; optionally a polycarbohydrate , e . g . maltodextrin ; optionally a hydrocolloid , e . g . xanthan gum or carrageenan , or a sugar , e . g . sucrose ; and optionally a plasticizer such as polyethylene glycol , propylene glycol , vegetable oils such as castor oil , glycerin , and mixtures thereof . any film former known in the art is also suitable for use as a thermally responsive material . examples of suitable film formers include , but are not limited to , polyvinylalcohol ( pva ), polyvinylpyrrolidone ( pvp ), hydroxypropyl starch , hydroxyethyl starch , pullulan , methylethyl starch , carboxymethyl starch , methylcellulose , hydroxypropylcellulose ( hpc ), hydroxyethylmethylcellulose ( hemc ), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose ( hpmc ), hydroxybutylmethylcellulose ( hbmc ), hydroxyethylethylcellulose ( heec ), hydroxyethylhydroxypropylmethyl cellulose ( hempmc ), methacrylic acid and methacrylate ester copolymers , polyethylene oxide and polyvinylpyrrolidone copolymers , gelatin , proteins such as whey protein , coaggulatable proteins such as albumin , casein , and casein isolates , soy protein and soy protein isolates , pre - gelatinized starches , and polymers and derivatives and mixtures thereof . one suitable hydroxypropylmethylcellulose compound is hpmc 2910 , which is a cellulose ether having a degree of substitution of about 1 . 9 and a hydroxypropyl molar substitution of 0 . 23 , and containing , based upon the total weight of the compound , from about 29 % to about 30 % methoxyl groups and from about 7 % to about 12 % hydroxylpropyl groups . hpmc 2910 is commercially available from the dow chemical company under the tradename , “ methocel e .” methocel e5 , which is one grade of hpmc - 2910 suitable for use in the present invention , has a viscosity of about 4 to 6 cps ( 4 to 6 millipascal - seconds ) at 20 ° c . in a 2 % aqueous solution as determined by a ubbelohde viscometer . similarly , methocel e6 , which is another grade of hpmc - 2910 suitable for use in the present invention , has a viscosity of about 5 to 7 cps ( 5 to 7 millipascal - seconds ) at 20 ° c . in a 2 % aqueous solution as determined by a ubbelohde viscometer . methocel e15 , which is another grade of hpmc - 2910 suitable for use in the present invention , has a viscosity of about 15000 cps ( 15 millipascal - seconds ) at 20 ° c . in a 2 % aqueous solution as determined by a ubbelohde viscometer . as used herein , “ degree of substitution ” shall mean the average number of substituent groups attached to a anhydroglucose ring , and “ hydroxypropyl molar substitution ” shall mean the number of moles of hydroxypropyl per mole anhydroglucose . as used herein , “ modified starches ” include starches that have been modified by crosslinking , chemically modified for improved stability , or physically modified for improved solubility properties . as used herein , “ pre - gelatinized starches ” or “ instantized starches ” refers to modified starches that have been pre - wetted , then dried to enhance their cold - water solubility . suitable modified starches are commercially available from several suppliers such as , for example , a . e . staley manufacturing company , and national starch & amp ; chemical company . one suitable modified starch includes the pre - gelatinized waxy maize derivative starches that are commercially available from national starch & amp ; chemical company under the tradenames , “ purity gum ” and “ filmset ,” and derivatives , copolymers , and mixtures thereof . such waxy maize starches typically contain , based upon the total weight of the starch , from about 0 percent to about 18 percent of amylose and from about 100 % to about 88 % of amylopectin . suitable tapioca dextrins include those available from national starch & amp ; chemical company under the tradenames “ crystal gum ” or “ k - 4484 ,” and derivatives thereof such as modified food starch derived from tapioca , which is available from national starch and chemical under the tradename , “ purity gum 40 ,” and copolymers and mixtures thereof . examples of suitable hydrocolloids ( also referred to herein as gelling polymers ) include but are not limited to alginates , agar , guar gum , locust bean , carrageenan , tara , gum arabic , tragacanth , pectin , xanthan , gellan , maltodextrin , galactomannan , pusstulan , laminarin , scleroglucan , gum arabic , inulin , pectin , whelan , rhamsan , zooglan , methylan , chitin , chitosan , and derivatives and mixtures thereof . suitable xanthan gums include those available from c . p . kelco company under the tradenames , “ keltrol 1000 ,” “ xantrol 180 ,” or “ k9b310 .” thermoplastic materials that can be molded and shaped when heated are suitable for use as the thermally responsive material , and include both water soluble and water insoluble polymers that are generally linear , not crosslinked , nor strongly hydrogen bonded to adjacent polymer chains . examples of suitable thermoplastic materials include : chemically modified cellulose derivatives such as hydroxypropyl cellulose ( hpc ), hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose ( hpmc ), methyl cellulose ( mc ), cellulose acetate ( ca ), ethyl cellulose ( ec ), cellulose acetate butyrate ( cab ), cellulose propionate ; vinyl polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol ( pva ) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone ( pvp ); thermoplastic starch ; thermoplastic gelatin , natural and chemically modified proteins such as gelatin , soy protein isolates , whey protein , myofibrillar proteins , and the milk derived caseinate proteins ; and derivatives and combinations thereof . any plasticizer known in the pharmaceutical art is suitable for use in the flowable material , and may include , but not be limited to polyethylene glycol ; glycerin ; sorbitol ; triethyl citrate ; tribuyl citrate ; dibutyl sebecate ; vegetable oils such as castor oil ; surfactants such as polysorbates , sodium lauryl sulfates , and dioctyl - sodium sulfosuccinates ; propylene glycol ; mono acetate of glycerol ; diacetate of glycerol ; triacetate of glycerol ; natural gums and mixtures thereof . in solutions containing a cellulose ether film former , an optional plasticizer may be present in an amount , based upon the total weight of the solution , from about 0 % to about 40 %. any thickener known in the art may optionally be added to the thermally responsive material . additional suitable thickeners include , but are not limited to , cyclodextrin , crystallizable carbohydrates , and the like , and derivatives and combinations thereof . suitable crystallizable carbohydrates include the monosaccharides and the oligosaccharides . of the monosaccharides , the aldohexoses e . g ., the d and l isomers of allose , altrose , glucose , mannose , gulose , idbse , galactose , talose , and the ketohexoses e . g ., the d and l isomers of fructose and sorbose along with their hydrogenated analogs : e . g ., glucitol ( sorbitol ), and mannitol are preferred . of the oligosaccharides , the 1 , 2 - disaccharides sucrose and trehalose , the 1 , 4 - disaccharides maltose , lactose , and cellobiose , and the 1 , 6 - disaccharides gentiobiose and melibiose , as well as the trisaccharide raffinose are preferred along with the isomerized form of sucrose known as isomaltulose and its hydrogenated analog isomalt . other hydrogenated forms of reducing disaccharides ( such as maltose and lactose ), for example , maltitol and lactitol are also preferred . additionally , the hydrogenated forms of the aldopentoses : e . g ., d and l ribose , arabinose , xylose , and lyxose and the hydrogenated forms of the aldotetroses : e . g ., d and l erythrose and threose are suitable and are exemplified by xylitol and erythritol , respectively . the flowable material may optionally comprise adjuvants or excipients , which may comprise up to about 20 % by weight of the flowable material . examples of suitable adjuvants or excipients include detackifiers , humectants , surfactants , anti - foaming agents , colorants , flavorants , sweeteners , opacifiers , and the like . in one embodiment , the flowable material comprises less than 5 % humectants , or alternately is substantially free of humectants , such as glycerin , sorbitol , maltitol , xylitol , or propylene glycol . humectants have traditionally been included in pre - formed films employed in enrobing processes , such as that disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 146 , 730 and 5 , 459 , 983 to ensure adequate flexibility or plasticity and bondability of the film during processing . humectants function by binding water and retaining it in the film . pre - formed films used in enrobing processes can typically comprise up to 45 % water . disadvantageously , the presence of humectant prolongs the drying process , and can adversely affect the stability of the finished dosage form . in another embodiment , the core may be a hollow or evacuated core . for example , the core may be an empty capsule shell . alternatively , a hollow core may be prepared for example by injection molding or shell molding . in one such method , flowable material is injected into a mold cavity , the cavity is brought to a temperature at which the outer surface of the core ( which is in contact with the mold ) begins to solidify or set . the excess flowable material from the center of the core is then withdrawn from the mold using suitable means , for example a piston pump . in another such method , an empty capsule is used as a sub - core , and a coating layer is formed thereon by methods known in the art such as , for example , spray - coating , dip - coating , injection cycle molding as described in , for example , u . s . patent application publication no . 20030086973 . in certain embodiments of the invention , the core may further comprise any of the aforementioned subcoatings applied by any method known in the art , for example spraying , compression , or molding . in certain other embodiments of the invention , the core may be substantially free of a subcoating . in another embodiment of the invention , the core contains at least in part one or more inserts . the inserts can be made in any shape or size . for instance , irregularly shaped inserts can be made , that is shapes having no more than one axis of symmetry . cylindrically shaped inserts may also be made . the insert may be made using conventional techniques such as panning , compression , or molding . in one embodiment , the insert is prepared using the injection molding methods and apparatus as described herein . in one embodiment of the invention , the insert may have an average diameter from about 100 to about 1000 microns . in another embodiment of this invention , the insert may have an average diameter or thickness from about 10 % to about 90 % of the diameter or thickness of the core . in yet another embodiment of this invention , the core may comprise a plurality of inserts . in another embodiment , the insert may have an average diameter , length , or thickness greater than about 90 % of the diameter or thickness of the core , for example the insert may have an average length greater than about 100 % of the thickness of the core . in another embodiment of the invention , the core , the insert ( if employed ), the inlaid portion or any combination thereof may comprise a microelectronic device ( e . g . an electronic “ chip ”) which may be used as an active component or to control , for example , the rate of release of active ingredients within the core or insert in response to an input signal . examples of such microelectronic devices are as follows : ( 1 ) integrated , self - regulating responsive therapeutic devices including biosensors , electronic feedback and drug / countermeasure release devices which are fully integrated . such devices eliminate the need for telemetry and human intervention , and are disclosed , for example , at www . chiprx . com / products . html , which is incorporated herein by reference ; ( 2 ) miniaturized diagnostic imaging systems which comprise a swallowable capsule containing a video camera , and are disclosed , for example , at www . givenimaging . com / usa / default . asp , which is incorporated herein by reference ; ( 3 ) subcutaneous glucose monitors which comprise implantable or insertable sensor devices which detect changes in glucose concentration within intestinal fluid , and communicate to an external detector and data storage device . such devices are disclosed , for example , at www . applied - medical . co . uk / glucose . htm , which is incorporated herein by reference ; ( 4 ) microdisplay vision aid devices encapsulated in an artificial intraocular lens . such devices include a receiver for power supply , data and clock recovery , and a miniature led array flip - chip bonded to a silicon cmos driver circuit and micro optics , and are disclosed , for example , at http :// ios . oe . uni - duisberg . de / e /, which is incorporated herein by reference . the microdisplay device receives a bit - stream + energy wireless signal from a high dynamic range cmos camera placed outside the eye which generates a digital black & amp ; white picture which is converted by a digital signal processing unit ( dap ) into a serial bit - stream with a data rate of approximately 1 mbit / s . the image is projected onto the retina ; ( 5 ) microchips used to stimulate damaged retinal cells , allowing them to send visual signals to the brain for patients with macular degeneration or other retinal disorders . the chip is 2 mm × 25 microns , and contains approximately 5 , 000 microscopic solar cells (“ microphotodiodes ”), each with its own stimulating electrode . these microphotodiodes convert the light energy from images into electrical chemical impulses that stimulate the remaining functional cells of the retina in patients with amd and rp . such microchips are disclosed , for example , at www . optobionics . com / artificialretina . htm , which is incorporated herein by reference ; ( 6 ) disposable “ smart needles ” for breast biopsies which display results in real time . the device fits into a 20 to 21 gauge disposable needle that is connected to a computer , as the needle is inserted into the suspicious lesion . the device measures oxygen partial pressure , electrical impedance , temperature , and light scattering and absorption properties including deoxygenated hemoglobin , vascularization , and tissue density . because of the accuracy benefits from the six simultaneous measurements , and real - time nature of the device , it is expected to exceed the accuracy levels achieved by the core needle biopsy procedure and approach the high level of accuracy associated with surgical biopsies . further , if cancer is found , the device can be configured to deliver various therapies such as cancer markers , laser heat , cryogenics , drugs , and radioactive seeds . such devices are disclosed , for example , at www . bioluminate . com / description . html , which is incorporated herein by reference ; and ( 7 ) personal uv - b recorders , which are instrument grade devices for measuring and recording uvb exposure and fit into a wrist - watch face . they may also be worn as a patch . in one embodiment of the invention , only the core comprises one or more active ingredients . in another embodiment of this invention , only the inlaid portion comprises one or more active ingredients . in yet another embodiment of - this invention , only the insert comprises one or more active ingredients . in yet another embodiment of this invention , both the core and inlaid portion comprise one or more active ingredients . in yet another embodiment of this invention , one or more of the core , the inlaid portion , or the insert comprises one or more of the active ingredients . optionally , any of the coatings may further comprise one or more active ingredients . the shell and / or inlaid portion may be made from the aforementioned thermally responsive materials , which for food and pharmaceutical uses may be any material that has been approved for use in foods and pharmaceuticals and can be molded , including for example , film formers , low - melting hydrophobic materials , gelling polymers , thickeners , plasticizers , adjuvants , and excipients . in one embodiment , the inlaid portion comprises at least about 50 %, e . g . at least about 80 %, or at least about 90 % of a material selected from film formers , gelling polymers , low - melting hydrophobic materials , non - crystallizable sugars or sugar alcohols , and mixtures thereof . in another embodiment , the inlaid portion comprises at least about 50 %, e . g . at least about 80 % or at least about 90 % of a material selected from film formers , gelling polymers , low - melting hydrophobic materials , and mixtures thereof . in one embodiment of the invention , the flowable material comprises gelatin as a gelling polymer . gelatin is a natural , thermogelling polymer . two types of gelatin — type a and type b — are commonly used . type a gelatin is a derivative of acid - treated raw materials . type b gelatin is a derivative of alkali - treated raw materials . the moisture content of gelatin , as well as its bloom strength , composition and original gelatin processing conditions , determine its transition temperature between liquid and solid . bloom is a standard measure of the strength of a gelatin gel , and is roughly correlated with molecular weight . bloom is defined as the weight in grams required to move a half - inch diameter plastic plunger 4 mm into a 6 . 67 % gelatin gel that has been held at 10 ° c . for 17 hours . in one embodiment , the flowable material is an aqueous solution comprising 20 % 275 bloom pork skin gelatin , 20 % 250 bloom bone gelatin , and approximately 60 % water . in another embodiment of the invention , the inlaid portion of the dosage form comprises at least about 80 %, e . g . at least about 90 %, of a material selected from film formers , gelling polymers ( hydrocolloids ), thermoplastic materials , low - melting hydrophobic materials , non - crystallizable sugars , and mixtures thereof . the inlaid portion of the dosage form may be molded into the cavity of the dosage form via any molding means known in the art . in one embodiment of the invention , the inlaid portion is applied to the dosage form using thermal setting injection molding or thermal cycle injection molding as described above . as shown in fig4 a and fig4 b , the flowable material for insertion into the cavities may be kept in one or more reservoirs 500 until the desired time for filling the cavities 501 of the core or the shell of the dosage form 510 . the flowable material may then be transported from the reservoirs 500 to the desired location in the cavities 501 via one or more feedlines 503 connected to one or more injector ports 502 . fig4 b illustrates an embodiment wherein a multiple of reservoirs 500 , feedlines 502 , and injector ports 502 are used to fill multiple , discontinuous cavities 501 in the dosage form 510 . fig4 c illustrates another embodiment wherein a single feedline 502 is branched in a manifold configuration 530 in order to permit the flowable material to feed into multiple injector ports 502 . although not shown , it may be possible to fill such multiple cavities 501 in the dosage form through one of many other ways such as , for example , having concentric feedlines and / or concentric nozzle tips . one skilled in the art would readily appreciate that a method suitable for filling such multiple cavities depending upon , for example , the location of the cavities on the dosage form and the difference , if any , in the type of flowable material required for each respective cavity . as shown in greater detail in fig4 d , a tip or valve 504 located at the bottom of each injector port 502 passes through a hole 505 in the surface of the upper mold 506 that is in alignment with the respective cavity 501 therebelow . the desired amount of flowable material passes through the tip or valve 504 and into the cavity 501 . the valve 504 is then closed , which thus closes the hole 505 during the molding period . the location of the hole 505 is not critical , so long as it permits the flowable material to be injected into the appropriate cavity 501 of the dosage form 510 . see also fig5 , 53 , and 54 of wo03 / 028990 . the upper mold 506 is engaged with either a holder or “ collet ” for the dosage form or a lower mold 507 . although the upper mold 506 and the lower mold 507 are illustrated as moving in a longitudinal manner in order to produce the molded dosage form , the operational direction of these pieces is not critical so long as the microrelief on the interior surface 506 a of at least the upper surface is in alignment with the filled - in cavity portion 501 of the dosage form . in embodiments when the cavity is filled with gelatin , and the gelatin portion contains a microrelief , the gelatin generally shrinks vertically , e . g ., by about 50 % to about 75 % and laterally , e . g ., by about 1 % to about 10 %. in order to compensate for this shrinkage , the diffractive relief pattern molded into the wet gelatin is sized to be about 50 % to about 75 % larger in the vertical dimension and about 1 % to about 10 % larger in the horizontal dimension than the dimensions of the pattern in the final dried dosage form product . therefore , for example , if the final product has a diffractive grating of about 500 lines or grooves per millimeter , the diffractive pattern etched into the surface of the mold would be a negative pattern and have about 476 lines or grooves per millimeter . likewise in the vertical dimension , if the linear ridges making up the diffractive grating of the final , dried dosage form product are about ⅔ microns in height , then the diffractive pattern etched into the surface of the mold would be a negative pattern and have about 3 times the vertical dimension of the grating in the dried , finished product or approximately 2 microns . fig5 a shows an example of the plan view of the internal surface 506 a of the upper mold 506 , wherein a microrelief 512 , with ridges and grooves arranged in an exemplary shape , e . g . an overall “ y ” shape , is engraved into the internal surface 506 ′. in this example , the overall shape of the microrelief 512 may either correspond with the overall “ y - shaped ” cavity 513 as illustrated in fig5 b or may extend beyond the perimeter of the actual cavity ( not shown ). methods for etching the internal surface 506 ′, such as by use of a laser , mechanical scribing , or acid etching , in order to obtain the desired microrelief pattern in the desired location are well known in the art and disclosed in , for example , pages 17 - 18 of wo 03 / 005839 , u . s . pat . no . 6 , 410 , 213 b1 , and the publication , photonics spectra ( june 2004 ). in an alternative embodiment shown in fig6 a and 6d , a removable change - part 520 , 520 ′ such as a thin film or foil , containing the desired microrelief 512 may be inserted on to the internal surface 506 ′ of the upper mold , or in the internal surface of one of the dies used in a tablet press , via any known means for removably attaching the change - part such as , for example adhesives . in alternative embodiment shown in fig6 b and fig6 c , respectively , the removable change - part 520 may extend across the entire internal surface 506 ′ of the upper mold 506 ( see changepart 520 ″ in fig6 b ), or may be friction - fit into an opening in the upper mold 506 ( see changepart 520 ″′ in fig6 c ). advantageously , the changepart 520 used in this embodiment could easily be removed and replaced with another changepart having an alternative microrelief pattern with minimal cost and production cycle time loss . suitable changepart materials include any substance that is capable of holding a microrelief image , such as aluminum , tin , gold , silver , nickel , copper , and their alloys , plastics that are solid at temperature greater than 250 ° c ., and mixtures thereof . the size and thickness of the changepart may vary depending upon , for example , the surface area of dosage form and the desired microrelief pattern , but will generally have a thickness of from about 10 microns to about 5000 microns and a surface area of from about greater than 0 % to less than about 100 % of the dosage form face , e . g ., greater than about 10 % and less than about 90 % or greater than about 25 % and less than about 50 %. “ face ,” as used herein , is the portion of a compressed tablet formed by the upper and lower punch faces , and includes one - half of the overlap area of a rim as illustrated in u . s . patent application publication no . 20040109889 . in an alternative embodiment , the microrelief may be stamped into the molded inlaid portion 501 of the dosage form using conventional stamping means containing the desired microrelief pattern . these stamping means are well known in the art and disclosed in , for example , wo 01 / 10464 , begleiter , “ edible holography : the application of holographic techniques to food processing ,” 1461 spie practical holography v 102 - 109 ( 1991 ); wo 01 / 10464 ; and wo 03 / 00589 . in embodiments where the inlaid portion is formed by injection molding , the need for direct - compression filler - binders such as microcrystalline cellulose , spray - dried lactose , mineral salts such as calcium phosphate , crystalline sugars such as sucrose , dextrates and the like , may be minimized or eliminated . other known dosage forms , such as those produced via the inclusion of compression - coated shells , typically comprise at least about 30 % of such direct - compression filler - binders . see , e . g ., wo 00 / 18447 . disadvantageously , the inclusion of these materials would otherwise disadvantageously detract from the clarity and stability of the inlaid portion . advantageously in this embodiment , the inlaid portion of the present invention may comprise less than about 10 %, e . g . less than about 1 % or less than about 0 . 1 %, of such direct - compression filler - binders . in one embodiment wherein the cavity passes directly through the dosage form ( not shown ), the cavity may be filled with flowable material , then the microrelief may be applied to either the top surface and / or the bottom surface of the filled - in portion via any means known in the art . in this embodiment , the microrelief may be applied to one surface via injection molding or stamping as set forth herein . alternatively , in embodiments wherein it is desired to apply a microrelief to both the top surface and the bottom surface , the bottom dosage form collet may be replaced with a mold cavity having a microreliefed interior surface . after the mold is filled with the desired amount of flowable material , the closed mold may then be adjusted to an appropriate temperature and for a time sufficient to set the flowable material within the cavity 501 of the dosage form . although these parameters may vary depending upon , for example , the type and amount of flowable material , typically the molding temperature is from about 50 ° c . to about 120 ° c . and the molding time is from about 1 seconds to about 10 seconds . in one embodiment , the inlaid portion may be substantially free of pores having a diameter of about 0 . 5 microns to about 5 microns . as used herein , “ substantially free ” means that the inlaid portion has a pore volume of less than about 0 . 02 cc / g , e . g . less than about 0 . 01 cc / g or less than about 0 . 005 cc / g , in the pore diameter range of about 0 . 5 microns to about 5 microns . typical compressed materials have pore volumes of more than about 0 . 02 cc / g in this pore diameter range . pore volume , pore diameter and density may be determined using a quantachrome instruments poremaster 60 mercury intrusion porosimeter and associated computer software program known as “ porowin .” the procedure is documented in the quantachrome instruments poremaster operation manual . the poremaster determines both pore volume and pore diameter of a solid or powder by forced intrusion of a non - wetting liquid ( mercury ), which involves evacuation of the sample in a sample cell ( penetrometer ), filling the cell with mercury to surround the sample with mercury , applying pressure to the sample cell by : ( i ) compressed air ( up to 50 psi maximum ); and ( ii ) a hydraulic ( oil ) pressure generator ( up to 60000 psi maximum ). intruded volume is measured by a change in the capacitance as mercury moves from outside the sample into its pores under applied pressure . the corresponding pore size diameter ( d ) at which the intrusion takes place is calculated directly from the so - called “ washburn equation ”: d =−( 4γ ( cosθ ))/ p where γ is the surface tension of liquid mercury , θ is the contact angle between mercury and the sample surface and p is the applied pressure . 3 . high pressure fluid ( dila ax , available from shell chemical co .). the samples remain in sealed packages or as received in the dessicator until analysis . the vacuum pump is switched on , the mercury vapor cold trap is filled with liquid nitrogen , the compressed gas supply is regulated at 55 psi ., and the instrument is turned on and allowed a warm up time of at least 30 minutes . the empty penetrometer cell is assembled as described in the instrument manual and its weight is recorded . the cell is installed in the low pressure station and “ evacuation and fill only ” is selected from the analysis menu , and the following settings are employed : the cell ( filled with mercury ) is then removed and weighed . the cell is then emptied into the mercury reservoir , and two tablets from each sample are placed in the cell and the cell is reassembled . the weight of the cell and sample are then recorded . the cell is then installed in the low - pressure station , the low - pressure option is selected from the menu , and the following parameters are set : data acquisition is then begun . the pressure vs . cumulative volume - intruded plot is displayed on the screen . after low - pressure analysis is complete , the cell is removed from the low - pressure station and reweighed . the space above the mercury is filled with hydraulic oil , and the cell is assembled and installed in the high - pressure cavity . the following settings are used : data acquisition is then begun and graphic plot pressure vs . intruded volume is displayed on the screen . after the high pressure run is complete , the low - and high - pressure data files of the same sample are merged . in one embodiment , the dosage form contains a core having two faces and a belly band therebetween , and a shell having a thickness from about 100 microns to about 400 microns that substantially covers the one face surface . the other face surface is compositionally different from the shell . the shell , which may contain , based upon the total weight of said shell , less than about 50 percent crystallizable sugar , bears a microrelief . another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a dosage form wherein the core is comprised of a powder blend containing a plastically deforming compressible material . in this embodiment as illustrated in fig7 , the core 704 may be formed by first adding the powder blend into the desired mold arrangement , such as one with an upper punch 702 and a lower punch 703 . at least one internal surface 705 , 705 ′ of the molding arrangement contains at least one micrograph 701 with a positive image engraved into its internal surface , such as that illustrated in fig5 a . these punches may be used in any conventional compression tablet press ( not shown ) having an upper punch and a lower punch known in the art , wherein the interior surface of the upper and / or lower punch contains at least one micrograph . as used herein , “ plastically deforming compressible material ” shall mean any excipient added to core materials , which during compression , flows and assumes the shape of the microrelief engraved in the punch face . examples of suitable plastically deforming compressible materials include polyethylene glycol , fats , waxes , and mixtures thereof . after the powder blend is compressed via a compression tablet press , a non - opaque , e . g ., clear or semi - transparent , top coating 13 may then be applied to the surface 706 of the resulting core 704 , which contains a micrograph 707 as illustrated in fig7 b , via any of the above - described coating application methods and at a temperature below the melting temperature of the plastically deforming compressible material . typically , such temperature may range from about 5 ° c . to about 120 ° c . the top coating 13 should also be applied to the core 704 at the location of the micrograph 707 . examples of suitable top coating 13 materials include , but are not limited to aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymers , which are commercially available under the tradename , “ eudragit e ,” and polymethylmethacrylate . the coated dosage form may contain , based upon the total weight of the dosage form , from about 1 percent to about 10 percent of the top coating 13 . after the top coating 13 is set on the core 705 such that the internal surface 720 of the top coating 13 possesses a negative image 721 of the micrograph pattern 707 formed on the exterior surface 706 of the core 704 , the coated dosage form may then optionally be heated to a temperature sufficient to melt at least the surface of the core 705 . although this temperature may vary depending upon , for example , the composition of the powder blend , typically the temperature may range from 20 ° c . to about 200 ° c . in this embodiment , the core material may optionally contain , based upon the total weight of the core , from about 10 to about 50 , of an absorbent excipient having a porous structure such as dicalcium phosphate , tricalcium phosphate , calcium silicate , and mixtures thereof . the dosage form may then be cooled to ambient temperature . the resulting dosage form uniquely possesses a top coating 13 with an internal surface 720 containing at least one micrograph 721 in the internal surface of the top coating as illustrated in fig7 c . in yet another embodiment as shown in fig9 a , a tablet core 800 comprised of a powder blend containing a plastically deforming compressible material may be produced via injection molding or compression as aforementioned , wherein the surface of the resulting core does not possess a micrograph . optionally , the tablet core 800 may also contain the aforementioned absorbent excipient . a waxy layer 801 may then be applied to the surface of the core either via pan coating or via any of the aforementioned molding methods . a micrograph 802 may then be applied to the outer surface 803 of the waxy layer 801 either by stamping the pan - coated waxy layer surface with the desired micrograph pattern or via injection molding the micrograph pattern into the waxy layer 801 with a mold portion having a patterned inner surface . the dosage form 850 of this embodiment may contain , based upon the total weight of the coated dosage form 850 , from about 1 percent to about 10 percent of the waxy layer 801 . the waxy layer 801 may be comprised of any material that will retain the image of the micrograph , but have a lower melting temperature than the melting temperature of the adjacent top coat 810 . examples of suitable materials for the waxy layer 801 include , but are not limited to , aliphatic polyesters ; ascorbyl palmitate ; hydrogenated castor oil ; cetosteryl alcohol ; cetyl alcohol ; cetyl esters ; sterols such as cholesterol ; ethyl glycol palmitostearate ; mono and di - glycerides ; saturated polyglycolized glycerides , paraffin , poloxamer , polyethylene glycol ; polyethylene oxide ; sorbitan esters , polyoxyethylene stearates ; suppository bases ; stearyl alcohol , stearic acid ; hydrogenated vegetable oil ; waxes such as yellow , white , carnauba , sterotex , anionic emulsifying , microcrystalline , nonionic emulsifying waxes ; and mixtures thereof . a top coat 810 , which is not opaque , may then be applied to the surface 803 of the waxy layer 801 via any means known in the art such as , for example , spraying , molding , or dipping . advantageously , the top coating 810 should either partially or fully reside on the micrographed portion 802 of the waxy layer 801 , and be comprised of a material that is rigid or not flowable at a temperature less than about 100 ° c ., e . g ., less than about 70 ° c . examples of suitable top coatings 810 include those set forth above such as , for example , a blend of acrylate and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose . the dosage form of this embodiment 850 may contain , based upon the total weight of the dosage form , from about 1 percent to about 10 percent of the top coating . after the top coating 810 is dried , the resulting dosage form 850 may then be heated to a temperature in excess of the melting temperature of the waxy layer 801 . in one embodiment , the temperature may also be less than the melting temperature of the core 800 . as a result , the waxy layer 801 is substantially absorbed by the core 800 , leaving the interior surface 811 of the top coating 810 with a negative image 802 ′ of the microrelief 802 , and the formation of an air gap 820 between the outer surface 830 of the core 800 and the inner surface 811 of the top coating 810 as illustrated in fig9 b . the presence of the air gap creates an interface between the core 800 and the diffractive relief pattern 802 ′ in the interior surface 811 of the top coating 810 . the resulting change in the index of refraction through this interface causes a reflection of a portion of the incident light and thus a reconstruction of the holographic microrelief image 802 ′ in the top coating 810 . the portion of the light transmitted through the microrelief 802 ′ also brightens the core surface 800 located in the background of the microrelief upon the light &# 39 ; s reflecting from the core surface 800 . see u . s . pat . no . 4 , 921 , 319 . in the embodiment wherein the core 800 also contains a printed image , this reflected light also permits the visualization of that printed image , with the result being a superimposition of a diffractive image over a printed image . advantageously , this embodiment is particularly suitable for providing a user with a visual quality control indication on the dosage form that would visibly change if the dosage form were exposed to adverse humidity or temperature conditions . for example , a micrograph pattern , such as the word , “ expired ,” may be placed into the waxy layer of the dosage form . then , so long as the waxy layer is made from a composition that melts at least at a temperature and or humidity that would also affect the efficacy of the pharmaceutical active ingredient , the micrograph pattern would not become visible to the user until the waxy layer was absorbed into the core . yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed to flakes or “ glitter ” comprised of film containing microreliefs that may be subsequently cut into smaller , desired shapes and sizes . films suitable for use in this embodiment may be prepared from a polymeric mixture containing , based upon the total weight of the polymeric mixture , from about 5 percent to about thirty percent of a water insoluble , film forming polymer , and from about 70 percent to about 95 percent of an organic solvent . suitable water insoluble polymers include , but are not limited to cellulose acetate , ethylcellulose , and derivatives , copolymers and mixtures thereof . suitable ph - dependent polymers include , but are not limited to methyl acrylate copolymers , such as those commercially available from rohm pharma gmbh , under the tradenames , “ eudragit l ” or “ eudragit s .” suitable organic solvents include , but are not limited to ethanol , acetone , methylene chloride , ethyl acetate , diethyl ether , hexane , and the like and combinations thereof . the polymeric mixture may optionally contain other ingredients such as , for example , preservatives , colorants , flavors , plasticizers , detackifiers , defoaming agents , and the like in amounts readily known by one of ordinary skill in the art . in general , the water insoluble , film forming polymers may be dissolved in the solvent with stirring at ambient temperature such that the solution contains , based upon the total weight of the solution , from about 10 % to about 25 % of the water insoluble , film forming polymers . the components of the polymeric mixture may be mixed until all components are dissolved and / or dispersed in the solvent . temperature is not critical . the mixture may then be made into film via any known apparatus for making film . for example , the polymeric mixture may be spread onto a film casting system as illustrated in fig8 a , which is comprised of at least two rotating rollers 902 a and 902 b having a movable belt 903 thereon set to a temperature of about 20 ° c . to about 50 ° c . see also park , w . r . r ., plastic film technology , ch . 2 ( 1969 )( fig2 . 12 ). in this embodiment , the flowable material 963 may exit a holding tank 960 through a nozzle 961 and be spread across the width of the belt 903 with the assistance of the spreading bar 962 . alternatively ( not shown ), the spreading bar 962 may be in the form of upper rollers , plates , or the like that produce a substantially uniform , downward pressure on the flowable material . one skilled in the art would readily appreciate that if the film is exposed to a pressure less than atmospheric pressure , then the overall production cycle time should be reduced in order to compensate for the increased the rate of evaporation . alternatively ( not shown ), the flowable material may be sprayed or spread on to the belt . the belt 903 advances the flowable material 963 , from left to right , at a linear velocity of from about 100 fpm to about 1000 fpm . a microrelief pattern 901 may be engraved into the surface of a supporting change part or mold , such as , for example the belt 903 itself as illustrated in fig8 a . after the flowable material 963 is spread onto the belt 903 containing a microrelief pattern 901 on its upper surface 903 a and the solvent from the flowable material is permitted to be evaporated therefrom , the exiting material is dried to form a film 905 . as the film continuously advances , the lower surface 907 of the exiting film 905 will possess a negative image of the microrelief pattern 901 . examples of such film casting systems are well known in the art and disclosed in , for example , park , w . r . r ., plastic film technology , ch . 2 ( 1969 )( see p . 22 ). in yet another embodiment as shown in fig8 b , the polymeric mixture , which is at a temperature equal to or greater than room temperature , may alternatively be dropped onto a roller 950 having an outer surface that possesses a microrelief pattern 951 , which is the negative image to that which is formed in the adjacent film surface 952 of the exiting film 953 . the roller is set to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the solvent , e . g , typically from about 20 ° c . to about 50 ° c ., and the tangential velocity of the roller is from about 1 fpm to about 100 fpm . although not shown , the polymeric mixture may also alternatively be spread onto a belt or other supporting change part , plate , or mold without microrelief patterns in its surface . a microrelief pattern may then be added to the upper and / or the lower surfaces of the films cast from these belts via methods known in the art such as via stamping or rolling ( rotary embossing ). details of these methods are known in the art and disclosed in , for example , u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 349 , 639 ; 6 , 143 , 386 ; and 6 , 694 , 872 . the thickness of the resulting films may vary depending upon , for example , the size and detail of the microrelief desired , but generally may vary from about 10 microns to about 500 microns . the microrelief pattern may be adjusted such that only desired wavelength of light may be reflected therefrom . for example , by adjusting the depth and angle of the ridges and grooves of the microrelief in the molding portion , it may be possible to reflect one color from the resulting microrelief in the film , and with further adjustment of the microrelief in the molding portion , it may be possible to reflect multiple colors from the resulting microrelief in the film . the resulting films containing microrelief patterns may then be cut to a desired shape and size under ambient conditions via any cutting means known in the art , including but not limited to millers , shears , knives , or choppers , in order to form microreliefed flakes or “ glitter ” desired weight and thickness . optionally , the cut flakes maybe sieved to desired flake size . in this embodiment , it would be possible to collect a multitude of similar flakes having a certain microrelief and a certain size . this is particularly beneficial when a certain color in the wavelength reflected from the microrelief is desired . the resulting flakes may then be added to any media , such as liquids or semi - solids , including but not limited to oral pharmaceutical suspension vehicles such as those disclosed in for example , u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 272 , 137 and 5 , 374 , 659 . in one embodiment , the resulting microreliefed glitter may be comprised of flakes , which have , for example , different sizes and / or different microrelief patterns , that are dispersed in the media , thereby enabling the light reflected from the flakes &# 39 ; surfaces to appear in a spectrum of colors . by contrast , if only one type and size of microreliefed glitter was dispersed in a media , then the light reflected therefrom would appear to be a more uniform color . the resulting glitter - containing media may then be applied to dosage forms via methods known in the art such as , for example , dip coating or molding . advantageously , such coatings possess several refractive particles that not only give the dosage form a unique appearance , but are also suitable for human ingestion unlike other , known inorganic interference pigments . in another embodiment , the flakes may be combined with the above - described powder blend components in order to produce a core with the flakes dispersed throughout the core matrix . the glitter may be used in a variety of products so long as the glitter remains insoluble therein . examples of ingestible product uses include those liquids and semi - solids in the fields of pharmaceutical , nutritional , or food . in one embodiment , the glitter may be added to the pharmaceutical powder dosage forms , which may then be added to a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle . examples of non - ingestible uses for the glitter include , but are not limited to : 1 ) cosmetic bases such as body powders , perfumes , blush , eye shadow , and the like ; 2 ) hair care products such as gels , shampoos , conditioners ( rinse - out or leave - in ), mousses , sprays , and the like ; 3 ) other personal , cosmetic , healthcare , and / or toiletry products such as nail polish , bandages , soap bars , baths , shower gels , wipes , washes , sticks , balms , sachets , pillows , mousses , sprays , lotions , creams , cleansing compositions , powders , oils , bath oils and other bath compositions which may be added to a bath . personal care compositions may also include , but are not limited to , aerosols , and candles . another method for producing a dosage form containing unique visual properties includes the application of lines , or fine dots arranged in a line , in a desired pattern onto the surface of a core , which optionally , may be a pattern 610 on the interior surface 602 ′ of a core cavity 602 as shown in fig3 , followed by the application of a coating containing a macrorelief pattern thereon . any method known in the art for applying lines to a substrate surface may be used such as , for example : a ) applying a striped film coating to the dosage form via any of the methods described herein ; b ) applying a decal or the like containing the striped pattern to the surface of the dosage form ; or c ) printing strips directly onto the surface of a core via a high resolution printer , such as those commercially available from harknett , inc . when the lines are printed on the dosage form as a regularly spaced pattern of lines and overlayed with an identical pattern of lines that is slightly misaligned with the first pattern , an interference - producing , moiré pattern may be obtained . in one embodiment as shown in fig1 , the surface of a dosage form 201 may contain a first printed pattern 202 , and a second film 203 , which optionally may possess at least one macroreliefed surface , may be overlayed thereon to yield a moiré pattern effect . a macrorelief - containing coating may be applied to the striped core surface in a manner similar to those disclosed herein for applying a microreliefed coating to cores . examples of suitable coatings include , but are not limited to , those comprising gelatin , methacrylic acid and methacrylate ester copolymers , polyvinylpyrrolidone , cellulose acetate , hpmc , polyethylene oxide and polyvinylalcohol copolymers , ethylcellulose , polyvinyl alcohols , and derivatives , and copolymers and mixtures thereof . as a result , when light passes through the lenticules 920 of a microrelief coating on a core 921 as illustrated in fig1 , it is reflected from an underlying surface , i . e ., e . g ., the tablet surface that contains printed information or an image . the lenticule refracts the returning light and magnifies the underlying information or image . the information or image , which underlies the lenticules and is arranged in stripes 902 , 903 , is appropriately aligned so that all of the stripes for particular information / image are refracted to the same point in order to create a single image . as the orientation of the lenticular surface is changed in relation to the line of sight by an observer , different image stripes can then be seen as complete images . fig1 illustrates a dosage form having the appearance of two different colors . the dosage form may appear to be one color ( fig1 a ) based upon the refraction of light from a first set of strips 902 , and a second color ( fig1 c ) based upon the refraction of light from a second set of strips 903 after the orientation of the lenticular surface is changed . in one embodiment as illustrated in fig1 , the printed information may be arranged into a plurality of strips , with at least a first set of strips 902 and a second set of strips 903 . at least one of the first set of strips 902 and at least one of the second set of strips 903 are arranged directly on the surface 922 of the core 921 , or alternatively on a decal attached to the tablet surface , in an alternating , juxtaposed manner as shown in fig1 b , such that a plurality of strip pairs 901 are formed . each strip pairs 901 , respectively , is in substantial vertical alignment beneath one of the plurality of lenticules 920 , and is comprised of a first strip 902 and a second strip 903 . in this embodiment , the first strips 902 are of one visual distinction , e . g ., a first color , and the second strips 903 are of a different visual distinction , e . g ., a different color . when an observer looks down directly upon the top surface of the resulting dosage form as shown in fig1 a , the dosage form may appear to be striped . in another embodiment as illustrated in fig1 , the surface of the dosage form may either have the appearance of the term , “ 500 ,” or alternatively the term , “ tylenol .” as shown in fig1 a and 12d , each of these two terms may be divided into a plurality of strips . the strips are then arranged in an alternating manner to form strip pairs 901 on the surface of the core 921 . when an observer directly looks down upon the top surface of the resulting dosage form , the dosage form may have the appearance as shown in fig1 e . however , as the orientation of the lenticular surface 920 is changed in relation to the line of sight by an observer , the different image stripes can then be seen as one of two complete images , i . e ., e . g ., as either the “ 500 ” ( fig1 c ) or the “ tylenol ” ( fig1 b ). each of the plurality of lenticules 902 may have a substantially uniform width of from about 0 . 1 mm to about 1 mm , and in one embodiment , each of the first strips and the second strips , respectively have a substantially uniform width that is not more than about half the width of each respective lenticule . as shown in fig1 b , each lenticule possesses a tip or ridge 930 , with a gap 931 between each pair of proximate ridges 930 . the strips may be comprised of any ink or pigment , and optionally may contain an effect pigment . examples of suitable inks and pigments are those disclosed in , for example , u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 435 , 840 ; 5 , 006 , 362 ; and 6 , 468 , 561 ; u . s . patent application no . 20040175463 ; and wo 2004073582 . examples of suitable effect pigments include , but are not limited to those providing a nacreous or pearlescent quality to various products and containing titanium oxide and / or iron oxide on a base of mica or flakes of al 2 o 3 , sio 2 , or tio 2 , such as those commercially available from merck kgaa under the tradename , “ candurin ®.” see also wo 2004 / 073582 a2 . in embodiments wherein the strips are directly printed onto the core surface , the core surface may first be coated with a subcoat , which may be comprised of , for example , any of the aforementioned film forming materials . the subcoating may be applied to the core via any means known in the art such as , for example , spray coating , pan coating , and dip coating . the subcoating should be applied at least to the area selected for printing , and the amount of subcoating used should be , based upon the total weight of the subcoated core , from 0 . 1 percent to about 10 percent . in one embodiment , the strips may be directly applied to the core surface while the core is held in an appropriate orientation by a holding means , such as a collet , in order to provide a backing to the core during the printing process . the core then may be fed into an ink - jet printer , a flexoprinter , a silk - screener , or other suitable device that enables the edible ink to be applied onto , and adsorbed by the core surface . although the color of the ink is not critical , in one embodiment relatively opaque ink may be used to ensure an effective contrast with the surrounding , non - imprinted core areas . in one embodiment , the printed information may be presented in two or more colors . in embodiments wherein a decal is used , the decal may be comprised of a film such as cellulose acetate , hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , any of the film formers aforementioned , and mixtures thereof , and may be adhered to the core surface by , for example , a known adhesive such as a water and / or alcohol - soluble material or via wet surface tension . examples of suitable adhesives include , but are not limited to those that are heat - activated , such as starch , vegetable gum or wax . a liquid adhesive may be pre - formed using adhesive in an amount , based upon the total weight of liquid adhesive , from about 1 percent to about 10 percent , and a solvent in an amount appropriate to solubilize the adhesive . suitable solvents include , but are not limited to , water , alcohol , acetone , and mixtures thereof . in one embodiment , the decal may contain an adhesive on the non - printed surface , then either the adhesive or the surface of the core may be wetted with solvent prior to its application . alternatively , either the non - printed surface of the adhesive or the surface of the core may be wetted with liquid adhesive prior to application of the decal thereto . the thickness of the decal may vary , but typically will be from about 50 microns to about 250 microns . in one embodiment , the dosage form may possess a subcoating layer between the core and the decal . the subcoating layer may be comprised of , for example , any of the aforementioned subcoatings . in one embodiment , the subcoating may be comprised of , based upon the total weight of subcoating , from about 2 percent to about 8 percent , e . g . from about 4 percent to about 6 percent , of a water - soluble cellulose ether ; and from about 0 . 1 percent to about 1 percent of castor oil , as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 658 , 589 . in another embodiment , the subcoating may be comprised of , based upon the total weight of the subcoating , from about 20 percent to about 50 percent , e . g ., from about 25 percent to about 40 percent of hpmc ; from about 45 percent to about 75 percent , e . g ., from about 50 percent to about 70 percent of maltodextrin ; and from about 1 percent to about 10 percent , e . g ., from about 5 percent to about 10 percent of peg 400 . the subcoating may be applied to the core via any means known in the art such as , for example , spray coating and dip coating . the dried subcoating typically is present in an amount , based upon the dry weight of the core , from about 0 percent to about 5 percent . an alternative method for producing a dosage form containing unique visual properties includes applying to a dosage form either a film that possesses at least one microreliefed surface or a film containing the aforementioned microreliefed flakes . in one embodiment , cores , which may optionally contain at least one cavity and which may further optionally be comprised of sugar in the form of an amorphous glass , may be enrobed with either of these films via the vacuum forming apparatus and processing conditions disclosed in u . s . patent application no . us 2003 / 215585a1 . the amount of vacuum applied to the film during processing may depend upon , for example , the thickness of the film , the temperature of the film , the depth of the cavity in the dosage form , and the desired amount of air gap in the dosage form , but typically may range from about 0 . 005 torr to about 700 torr . in embodiments using a film having at least one microreliefed surface , the film can touch the cavity - free core surface so long as the microreliefed surface is proximate to the core to form a plurality of airgaps . fig3 illustrates one embodiment of the resulting dosage form 604 of the present invention , wherein the core 601 is enrobed with a film 603 having a microreliefed surface 620 and an air gap generated between the inner surface of the film 605 and the bottom interior surface 602 ′ of the cavity 602 . in an alternative embodiment ( not shown ), the inner surface 605 or both the inner surface 605 and the exterior surface 606 of the film 603 may possess a microreliefed portion over at least a portion of the cavity 602 . as a result , incident light 623 is partially reflected as reflected light 625 at the interface between the bottom surface 605 of the film and the air within the cavity 602 , and the microreliefed surface 620 appears brighter than that of similar dosage forms enrobed with microreliefed films but lacking an air gap . in another embodiment , the interior surface of the cavity 602 may also optionally possess a printed image or pattern 610 . in this embodiment , the reflected light 625 could be viewed with the printed pattern 610 in the background , thus resulting in the superimposition of a diffractive image over a printed image . the image or pattern , which may be applied to the dosage form via any of the aforementioned methods , may be in substantial vertical alignment below the structured surface . in one embodiment ( not shown ), the printed image may be in the form of a plurality of strips , with the gaps of the structured surface not being in substantial vertical alignment with the strips . one of the advantages of this invention is that in the embodiments wherein the dosage forms have an inlaid portion , the inlaid portion may not only have a complex geometry or pattern , but is the dosage form is further rendered unique by virtue of the microrelief pattern within the inlaid portion . for example , inserts or inlaid portions previously disclosed in the prior art typically have been limited to simple shapes , e . g . shapes having circular cross - sections . using prior art techniques , it would be extremely difficult to press fit a complex logo , for example an intagliation that causes or requires discontinuities in the surface of the substrate , core , or first portion into which it must fit . however , because the insert or inlaid portion of the present invention is obtained using a flowable material , it may be used to fill any depression in any shape or continuous pattern , or even a discontinuous pattern if multiple nozzles are employed . the resulting dosage form is further differentiable from other dosage forms due to the unique micrograph inserted into the inlaid portion . another particular advantage of the embodiments of the present invention wherein the dosage form has an inlaid portion is that the inserts or inlaid portions may be larger in cross - section ( in at least one portion ) than the cavity , which contains the insert or inlaid portion . for example , in one embodiment in which a second molded portion is inlaid into one or more cavities in the exterior surface of a first portion of the dosage form , the area of at least one cross - section of the second molded inlaid portion is greater than the cross - sectional area of the cavity at the surface of the first portion . in contrast , in the prior art an insert must be no larger in cross - section than the opening of the cavity , which contains the insert . this may also be expressed in terms of the “ draft angle ” of the insert or inlaid portion . as used herein , the term “ draft angle ” refers to the angle defined by the side wall of the cavity and a line perpendicular to the face of the first portion , as described for example in rosato et al ., injection molding handbook , pp . 601 - 04 , ( 2d ed . 1995 ), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . advantageously , the dosage forms produced in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention may possess a unique logo , diffractive color pattern or other product identifying appearance , which not only help the user to identify the brand but also help to control and detect counterfeit dosage forms . further , the dosage forms may also advantageously provide unique visual and color effects and images to dosage forms , as well as to other toiletry , cosmetic , healthcare , and foodstuffs , such that they possess a unique appearance without the use of inedible metal , dye , color , and ink pigments . in one embodiment , the brightness of the logo or diffractive color pattern of the microrelief on a dosage form may further be enhanced by using a core having a shiny light colored , e . g . white , reflective surface . as used herein , “ shiny ” or “ highly glossy ” means that the core , substrate , or dosage form possesses a surface gloss of at least 200 , for example between about 200 to about 300 . “ surface gloss ,” as used herein , refers to the amount of light reflectance as measured at a 60 degree incident angle using the method set forth in example 7 of u . s . pat . application publication no . 20030072731 . for example , in embodiments wherein a highly glossy effect is desired , the core may be comprised of a polyol such as sorbitol , xylitol , mannitol , and the like , or may be coated with a subcoating comprised of , for example , pullulan and other subcoatings as disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 248 , 391 ; 6 , 274 , 162 ; 5 , 468 , 561 ; 6 , 448 , 323 ; 6 , 183 , 808 ; and 5 , 662 , 732 ; and wo 2004 073582 . in addition , the dosage forms of the present invention beneficially may be made with apparatus and processes that are not only economical to use , but also are compatible with current production techniques . this invention will be further illustrated by the following examples , which are not meant to limit the invention in any way . acetaminophen tablets having the formula set forth in table a below are compressed on a rotary tablet press . the tablet press is equipped with compression tooling that is designed to deboss the upper surface of the pressed tablet with the letter “ y .” see fig5 a and 5b . the compression tooling is keyed such that the orientation of the debossed lettering is the same for all tablets and is in proper alignment with the molding cavities of the injection molding apparatus . table a debossed tablet core formulation ingredient mg / tablet core paracetamol dc273n ( p . g . s . )- us * 529 . 1 sodium starch glycolate nf - explotab 25 . 0 magnesium stearate nf 2 . 0 total core 556 . 1 * granulation available from mallinckrodt once formed , the tablet containing the debossed “ y ” in its surface is transferred to an injection molding apparatus , where the tablet is placed in a mold cavity such that the portion of the debossed tablet bearing the letter “ y ” is located under an injector tip . the surface of the mold cavity that is located above the debossed tablet face contains an insert , which also bears the letter “ y ” and is in vertical alignment with the debossed “ y ” in the tablet face . the area within the letter “ y ” on the insert is etched with a diffractive relief pattern having about 500 lines per mm . an aqueous gelatin solution ( 35 % solids ) at 50 ° c . is then injected through the injector tip of the molding apparatus into the void of the debossed “ y ” in the tablet surface . the gelatin is permitted to fill the void until the gelatin is contacts the surface of the mold bearing the diffractive relief pattern , which is maintained at a temperature of about 10 ° c . upon cooling to room temperature in the mold , the gelatin solution forms a gel that fills the void in the tablet and , along its exterior surface , assumes the reverse image of the diffractive relief pattern in the mold . during drying , the gelatin shrinks vertically , e . g ., by about 65 % and laterally , e . g ., by about 5 %. in order to compensate for this shrinkage , the diffractive relief pattern molded into the wet gelatin is sized to be about 65 % larger in the vertical dimension and about 5 % larger in the horizontal dimension than the dimensions of the pattern in the final dried product . the resulting dried product has a diffractive grating of 500 lines or grooves per millimeter , and the diffractive pattern etched into the surface of the mold is a negative pattern having 476 lines or grooves per millimeter . likewise in the vertical dimension , the resulting dried product has a diffractive grating of about ⅔ microns in height , and the diffractive pattern etched into the surface of the mold is a negative pattern having a vertical dimension of about 2 microns . acetaminophen tablets having the formulation set forth below in table b are prepared using a rotary tablet press of example 1 . table b tablet core formulation ingredient mg / tablet core paracetamol dc273n ( p . g . s . )- us * 400 . 0 microcrystalline wax ** 150 . 0 magnesium stearate nf 2 . 0 total core 552 . 0 * commercially available from mallinckrodt ** plastically deforming agent the upper punch face of the tablet press is engraved with a series of parallel lines of about 500 lines per millimeter to yield a diffractive pattern in the shape of the letter “ y ”. after compression , the resulting tablet surface has a coating of the plastically deforming agent bearing a negative impression of the microrelief . this example shows that during compression of the core granulation , the plastically deforming agent at the surface of the tablet flows under pressure and molds to the contour of the micro relief . after compression , the flow of the plastically deforming agent ceases , which then leaves the tablet surface with a coating of the plastically deforming agent bearing a negative impression of the punch face micro relief . compressed tablets , which are made in accordance with the procedure set forth in example 2 , are warmed to a temperature of about 30 ° c ., then thinly coated with a poly ( butyl methacrylate , ( 2 - dimethylaminoethyl ) methacrylate , methyl methacrylate ) polymeric dispersion , which is commercially available from rohm pharma gmbh under the tradename , “ eudragit epo ” via a spray gun . spray rate , inlet air quantity and inlet air temperature are adjusted in such a way that spraying can be performed continuously . the tablets are maintained at a temperature of about 25 ° c . to about 35 ° c . during coating . the coating weight gained is , based upon the original weight of the uncoated compressed tablet , from about 2 percent to about 5 percent . coated tablets bearing a microrelief and an air gap between the coatina laver and the tablet surface acetaminophen tablets having the formulation set forth below in table c are prepared using the rotary tablet press of example 1 . table c tablet core formulation ingredient mg / tablet core paracetamol dc273n ( p . g . s . )- us * 529 . 1 avicel ph 101 200 . 0 magnesium stearate nf 2 . 0 total core 731 . 1 * commercially available from mallinckrodt the resulting tablets are then transferred to a mold cavity within an injection molder apparatus . the upper inner face of the mold cavity contains an insert , which is etched with a diffractive relief pattern in the form of a “ y .” the diffractive relief pattern consists of parallel grooves of about 500 grooves per millimeter . a saturated polyglycolized glyceride waxy thermoplastic material available from gattefosse under the tradename , “ gelucire 39 / 01 ,” which has a melting temperature of about 39 ° c ., is injected as a liquid at a temperature of about 50 ° c . into the mold and onto the surface of the tablet therein . the liquid thermoplastic material is solidified in the mold , which is set at a temperature of about 20 ° c . as a result , a coating is formed on the tablet bearing the reverse image of the diffractive relief pattern of the mold surface . after the tablets are then warmed to a temperature of about 30 ° c ., the tablets are then thinly coated with a poly ( butyl methacrylate , ( 2 - dimethylaminoethyl ) methacrylate , methyl methacrylate ) polymeric dispersion , which is commercially available from rohm pharma gmbh under the tradename , “ eudragit epo ” via a spray gun . spray rate , inlet air quantity and inlet air temperature are adjusted in such a way that spraying can be performed continuously . the tablets are maintained at a temperature of about 25 ° c . to about 35 ° c . during coating . the coating weight gained is , based upon the original weight of the uncoated compressed tablet , is about 10 percent . the tablets are then heated to about 50 ° c . for a time sufficient to melt the waxy , gelucire layer , which is substantially absorbed by the tablet core . as a result , an air gap is formed between the and core and the eudragit layer . the inner surface of the eudragit layer , which faces the tablet core surface , retains the reverse image of the diffractive relief pattern formerly in the gelucire layer . a cellulose acetate ( ca ) polymer solution at 15 % w / w solids in acetone is cast into a film over a steel belt supporting substrate . the upper surface of the substrate contains a diffractive microrelief having about 500 lines or grooves per millimeter . after evaporating the solvent away , the dried ca film , which is about 1 micron to about 5 microns in thickness and bears the microrelief pattern on its lower film surface , is peeled off of the substrate then cut / chopped to the desired size and shape of the flakes , i . e ., 0 . 5 mm 2 . b . method for coating tablets with gelatin solution containing microrelief flakes : about 5 % w / w of the ca micro relief film flakes produced in accordance with example 5a above are dispersed into a 35 % w / w gelatin aqueous solution . the resulting gelatin solution is then dip coated onto the tablets produced in accordance with the procedure of example 1 . the coating weight gained is , based upon the original weight of the uncoated tablet , about 5 . 3 % percent . the resulting coating on the tablet contains light diffractive flakes that giving a sparkly appearance to the resulting dosage form . acetaminophen tablets having the formulation set forth below in table d are prepared using the rotary tablet press of example 1 . the tablet surface or portion of the resulting tablets is sufficiently smooth to allow for fine printing thereon . table d tablet core formulation ingredient mg / tablet core paracetamol dc273n ( p . g . s . )- us 529 . 1 sodium starch glycolate nf - explotab 25 . 0 magnesium stearate nf 2 . 0 total core 556 . 1 the resulting , flat - faced tablets are then transported to a tablet printer having a resolution of at least 0 . 15 mm . one face of the tablet is then printed with a series of alternating red and yellow strips 0 . 15 mm in width to form a lenticular split image / pattern . the printed tablets are then positioned in a molding apparatus of example 4 such that the colored lines are in parallel alignment with the lenticular grooves located above in the mold cavity . the grooves in the mold cavity are about 0 . 315 mm wide and about 0 . 225 mm in height in order to compensate for shrinkage of a 35 % w / w gelatin solution on the final dried dosage form . the mold then closes over the tablet , and a 35 w / w % gelatin solution is then injected and solidified over the printed tablet . after the tablet is removed from the mold and dried , the gelatin coating forms an edible lenticular lens layer on the tablet surface . the final , dried dosage form displays a lenticular split image which , in this case , is a flip image that transitions between red and yellow when the tablet is viewed at different angles . acetaminophen tablets having the formulation set forth below in table e are prepared using the rotary tablet press of example 1 . the tablet surface or portion of the resulting tablets is sufficiently smooth to allow for fine printing thereon . table e tablet core formulation ingredient mg / tablet core paracetamol dc273n ( p . g . s . )- us 529 . 1 sodium starch glycolate nf - explotab 25 . 0 magnesium stearate nf 2 . 0 total core 556 . 1 the resulting , flat - faced tablets are then transported to a tablet printer having a resolution of at least 0 . 15 mm . the tablet logo and dosage strength are then printed as a lenticular split image on the tablet face surface . one face of the tablet is then printed with a series of alternating red and blue strips , each of which are about 0 . 15 mm in width , of the words , “ tylenol ” and “ 500 ” superimposed in the form of a lenticular split image . the printed tablets are then positioned in a molding apparatus of example 4 such that the colored lines are in parallel alignment with the lenticular grooves located above in the mold cavity . the grooves in the mold cavity are about 0 . 315 mm wide and about 0 . 225 mm in height in order to compensate for shrinkage of a 35 % w / w gelatin solution on the final dried dosage form . the mold then closes over the tablet , and the gelatin solution is then injected and solidified over the printed tablet . after the tablet is removed from the mold and dried , the gelatin coating forms an edible lenticular lens layer on the tablet surface . the final , dried dosage form displays a lenticular split image which , in this case , is a flip image that transitions between the words “ tylenol ” in red and “ 500 ” in blue when the tablet is viewed at different angles . although this invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made which clearly fall within the scope of this invention . | 0 |
referring now to fig1 , the housing 1 comprises an inlet member 2 and an outlet member 3 , the inlet member 2 including apertures 4 for air or other gas to enter the housing and the outlet member 3 having an exit tube 5 for the air to exit the sampler after having its particulate matter removed to the extend intended , more or less . the inlet member 2 may include roughened area 6 to facilitate manually turning the inlet member to mate the threads not shown under its sides with a threaded area ( see fig2 , item 22 ) on the outlet member 3 , thus compressing the o - rings 10 and 21 between filter capsule top 16 and bottom 11 ( see fig2 ) and effecting seals for the gas flow path ( see the arrows in fig3 ). as the device can be left unattended in a more or less remote area , it may be desirable to protect the inlet member 2 from rain . this may be accomplished in any manner which does not adversely affect the flow of air into the inlet member 2 . as is known in the art , the exit tube is typically connected to an air pump to draw negative air pressure on the exit tube so that a flow path will be established through the sampler flowing from the inlet member 2 to the outlet member 3 . the device and the pump may be sized , for example , to collect particulates from an air flow of about ten liters per minute ; however , we do not intend to be limited to any particular flow rate or dimensions for our sampler . in fig2 , the internal components of the device are shown , forming a filter capsule with an incorporated impact disc . o - ring 10 will reside on outlet member 3 , effecting a seal between the outlet member 3 and filter capsule bottom 11 . filter capsule bottom 11 has a large hole 12 in its center to facilitate air flow . filter support 13 , which in this case is a stainless steel screen , rests on lip 14 of filter capsule bottom 11 . set on top of the filter support 13 is the filter 15 , selected for a desired permeability and retention abilities — that is , to retain the desired size of particulates while passing the air or other gas through . the filter capsule top 16 has an annular ledge 17 and a central support member 18 , and defines a substantially annular passage 19 . the particle impact disc 20 , for example a porous plastic disc soaked with silicone oil , will rest on the central support member 18 of the filter capsule top 16 . an additional o - ring 21 will assure a seal between the inlet member 2 and filter capsule top 16 when the inlet member 2 and outlet member 3 are secured by threads 22 , shown on the outlet member 3 but not visible on the inside surface of the inlet member 2 . in fig3 , the assembled device is shown . the particle impact disc 20 is spaced from the apertures 4 in the inlet member 2 to achieve an air ( or other gas ) flow path as illustrated by the arrows . initially the flow path is substantially downward , ( orthogonal to the plane of the particle impact disc 20 ); the air encounters the particle impact disc 20 , which causes it to flow outwardly and around the edges of the particle impact disc 20 , carrying lighter particles ( not shown ) with it . heavier particles will strike the particle impact disc 20 and remain there because of the adhesive characteristics of the surface of the particle impact disc 20 , which may be enhanced by a coating of oil , viscous material , or other adhesive substance . after moving around the edges of the particle impact disc 20 , the flow path encounters the filter 15 , where particles not collected on impact disc 20 are deposited , being unable to pass through . there should be enough space between the central support member 18 and the filter 15 to permit significant air flow through the entire surface of the filter 15 . that is , if the filter 15 is too close to the under side of the central support member 18 , an undesirable restriction will distort the air flow and cause uneven particle deposition on filter 15 , or result in an additional pressure drop which will in turn affect the air flow rate , further aggravating the problem , since a lower air flow than that for which the sampler was designed will , again , produce a separation at a different particle size than intended . generally , the proportions of our dimensions and spaces are as follows . the distance from the inlet apertures 4 to the impact disc 20 should be 0 . 5 to 3 . 0 times the diameter of one aperture . the area of annular passage 19 should be no less than 1 . 5 times the total area of apertures 4 . these dimensions will ensure high collection efficiency for particles larger than the cut off size onto impact disc and minimal losses of smaller particles from the filter . the flow path proceeds through filter support 13 , which is permeable or , in this case , a stainless steel screen having at least 30 % open area for air to pass through without significant load on the pump . the air flow path then proceeds to the exit tube 5 and further to the pump , not shown , which is drawing the air through the entire apparatus . fig3 includes a weather protector 25 to reduce the likelihood of precipitation entering the apertures 4 . weather protector 25 may be secured to inlet member 2 in any satisfactory manner . it should be observed that the particle impact disc 20 and its support 18 , and the filter 15 together with its support 13 form a particle collecting assembly within the inlet and outlet members 2 and 3 of the housing 1 . the particle collecting assembly , including filter capsule bottom 11 are available for almost instant replacement as a whole as soon as the housing is taken apart by unscrewing inlet and outlet members 2 and 3 . that is , not only are the oiled disc 20 and filter 15 readily replaced , but the entire sampler can be returned to use as soon as the particle collecting assembly is removed , by simply replacing it with a new one . after the filter is removed for analysis and replaced , and the impact disc replaced , the particle collecting assembly , or module , is ready for a new deployment . in operation and use , the pump may be battery operated and the device may be left unattended for some time . however , our sampler is designed so that the particle impact disc , and the filter , can be readily removed and replaced , and the unit returned to work in a very short time . in one version , size and number of apertures 4 and the distance between the apertures 4 and the particle impact disc 20 are chosen so that the separation between the larger particles captured on the particle impact disc 20 and the smaller ones captured on the filter 15 is at about 10 μm aerodynamic diameter when the air flow is 10 liters per minute . other separations may be accomplished and other flow rates may be used , as will be apparent to persons skilled in the art . it is to be understood that our invention is not limited to the specific illustrated versions . for example , we have illustrated eight apertures 4 , but they may be varied in size , number , and location , as is known in the art , they can be rectangular or of other shapes rather than circular . generally , the inlet apertures 4 should direct the incoming air or other gas towards the particle impact disc . as another example of variability , the particle impact disc may be of a shape somewhat different from circular , but the particle impact disc should be impervious and capable of stopping and retaining the larger particles which strike it owing to their inertia in the moving air ; for this purpose the impact disc may be made of a material having at least some adhesive properties and / or may be coated with oil or other material that will enhance its ability to retain particles . as seen in fig4 , particle impact disc 20 and the central support member 18 may have a central aperture 9 as well as an annular passage 19 , provided that the apertures 4 are situated directly above the body of the impact disc and not above the central aperture of the disc or in a position not to cause the flow path to go around the impact disc . thus the arrows in fig4 illustrate the air flow path through apertures 4 , onto impact disc 20 , and through both the annular passage 19 and the central aperture 9 . the variation of fig4 is otherwise more or less similar to that of fig3 , although in fig4 there is no weather protector 25 . another variation in the invention includes the possibility of employing various materials for the impact disc . these include quartz , fiber glass reinforced synthetic polymers , and teflon ; generally any substrate capable of capturing and retaining larger particles expected to be encountered in the particular environment to be monitored . our invention includes a device as described wherein particles greater than 2 . 51 μm aerodynamic diameter are captured on the impact disc and particles smaller than 2 . 5 μm aerodynamic diameter are captured on the filter at a gas flow rate through the flow path of 10 l / minute . more generally , our invention includes a device for collecting a sample of particulates from a gas comprising ( a ) a housing including an inlet member and an outlet member for the gas and defining a flow path for the gas from the inlet member to the outlet member , the inlet member and the outlet member being normally attached to each other but readily separable , ( b ) a particle collecting assembly within the housing , the particle collecting assembly including a substantially planar particle impact disc , a support for the particle impact disc , a filter , and a support for the filter , the impact disc being situated substantially orthogonal to the flow path , whereby particulates in the gas may impact on the impact disc and be retained thereon , the impact disc resting on the support for the impact disc and readily removable therefrom when the inlet member and the outlet member are separated , the filter resting on the filter support and being readily removable therefrom when the inlet member and the outlet member are separated , the filter being situated substantially orthogonal to the flow path and downstream in the flow path from the impact plate . our invention may be otherwise practiced within the scope of the following claims : | 6 |
this invention can be used in each and every wireless communication transmitter , since there is definitely a power amplifier in the last part of the transmitter before the antenna , and every power amplifier has limited power performance due to its input - output curve and type of modulation of input signal . we are aiming to enhance the power utility of power amplifiers in different applications through introducing a new method of pre - distortion for mitigating linear and non - linear distortions of power amplifiers . nowadays , there are many different methods for linearization of power amplifiers which generally use look - up - tables ( lut ) and / or use off - line methods for training the coefficients and luts once . also , there are many adaptive methods which constantly adapt the coefficients and data used for linearization . currently , majority of these adaptive methods are developed in time - domain and generally need training signals ( such as pre - and post - ambles in the signal ). moreover , almost based on all current methods you cannot build a stand - alone , plug - and - play module which can be used in different current applications . we are offering a novel method and system for linearization of pas in time and frequency domain , which can be implemented as a stand - alone plug - and - play module which is configurable , and is independent of many major parameters in wireless systems such as modulation , type and class of power amplifier , and peak - to - average power ratio of input signal . a linearizer module ( lm ) within an embodiment of a power amplifier circuit ( fig1 ) is presented . this linearizer module connected with the input signal x ( which can be digital baseband signal or radio frequency ( rf ) signal , and can come from a modulator or a transmitter or a power amplifier driver ), the output signal z ( which is a rf signal and enters into the power amplifier ) and the feedback signal y ( which is a rf sample signal coming from the output of power amplifier ). the feedback signal can be sampled from the output of power amplifier using a coupler and / or attenuator , which exists already in all power amplifier configurations for many purposes . this feedback signal should be almost in the same level as input signal , though the exact level is not important at all . this linearizer module can be implemented as a stand - alone module or an integrated module within a modulator or a transmitter . as depicted in fig2 , this linearizer module converts feedback rf signal y ( from power amplifier ) into intermediate frequency ( if ) band ( module dc 1 in fig2 ). selection of if frequency depends on design constraints ( like typical bandwidth of signals , type of used a / d . . . ), and it can be from 10 mhz up to 100 mhz . after filtering if signal through a band - pass filter ( module tunable bp filter 1 in fig2 ), it is converted into digital domain using an analog - to - digital ( a / d ) converter ( module adc 1 in fig2 ). the result is named “ feedback digital signal ”. the reference “ fb ” is to understand as “ feedback ” for the below description . then using a fft 1 module ( fast - fourier transform ), a conversion is done on the feedback digital signal to obtain fb - fft blocks . each fb - fft block includes n samples , in which n is defined by the system designer as one of the module input parameters . typically n must be larger than 512 , and it &# 39 ; s better to be a power of 2 . as depicted in fig2 , this linearizer module converts input rf signal x ( from modulator ) into intermediate frequency ( if ) band ( module dc 2 in fig2 ), and after filtering if signal through a band - pass filter ( module tunable bp filter 2 in fig2 ), it &# 39 ; s converted into digital domain using an analog - to - digital ( a / d ) converter ( module adc 2 in fig2 ). ( the if frequency is exactly the same as the frequency used for feedback signal .) the result is feed - forward input digital signal . the reference “ ff ” is to understand as “ feed - forward ” for the below description . then using a fft 2 module , a conversion is performed on the feed - forward input digital signal to produce feed - forward fft blocks ( ff - fft blocks ). in the case the input to linearizer module is digital baseband signal , the embodiment of linearizer module depicted in fig3 , in which we don &# 39 ; t need to down - convert , filter and convert to digital domain for input signal x . then , as depicted in fig2 , fb - fft blocks and ff - fft blocks go though averaging modules ( avg 1 and avg 2 ), and after averaging on at least 2 blocks , the two averaged blocks enters into a division module ( div ), in which averaged ff - fft block divides by averaged fb - fft block . this division should be done as a point - by - point array division , and so the result is a new block comprising the same number of samples as ff - fft and fb - fft blocks . the output of the division module is converted to time domain through ifft module ( inverse fast fourier transform ). because the point - by point multiplication in frequency domain is translated into a convolution operation in time domain , output of ifft - module can be considered as time - domain filter coefficients the obtaining of the filter coefficient values can be implemented in other way as depicted in fig4 , in which fb - fft blocks and ff - fft blocks enter into a division module ( div module in fig4 ), and then the results of the division go through the averaging module ( avg in fig4 ). the output of the averaging module is converted into time domain through ifft module , producing the filter coefficients values . these filter coefficients are applied into a digital filter ( digital filter module in fig2 , fig3 and fig4 ). now , the input baseband digital signal passes through digital filter module , which pre - distorts the signal for compensating linear and non - linear distortions of power amplifier . the filtered signal is converted into analog using digital - to - analog converter ( dac module in fig2 , fig3 , and fig4 ). the output passes tunable bp filter , and then is up - converted to rf signal z using uc module , which is the output of linearizer module . | 7 |
the following description is presented to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention . descriptions of specific devices , techniques , and applications are provided only as examples . various modifications to the examples described herein will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art , and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other examples and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . thus , the present invention is not intended to be limited to the examples described herein and shown , but is to be accorded the scope consistent with the claims . unless defined otherwise , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . the word “ exemplary ” is used herein to mean “ serving as an example or illustration .” any aspect or design described herein as “ exemplary ” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs . reference will now be made in detail to aspects of the subject technology , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . fig1 illustrates an exemplary food item delivery apparatus , according to various embodiments of the present disclosure . fig1 shows a food item delivery container ( hereinafter referred to as a “ box ” for exemplary purposes ) 100 , which can be any conventional container intended for storage and / or delivery of food ( e . g ., baked goods or pizza ). box 100 as shown in fig1 is substantially rectangular , with four sidewalls 102 . it should be noted that box 100 can include any number of sidewalls 102 , and can be any shape or size suitable for storage and delivery of any particular food item . box 100 can further include a lid or top cover 103 , which may be foldably attached to one or more sidewalls 102 or completely removable from the box 100 . food items ( not shown ) can be placed in box 100 , such that the bottom layer of the food items are directly on the bottom 101 of the box 100 . box 100 may be formed of one piece of foldable material , such as paperboard or cardboard ; however , any material may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention . part or all of the insides of top 103 , bottom 101 and / or sidewalls 102 can be lined with an insulating material ( e . g ., aluminum foil , or the like ), in order to trap heat , thereby substantially maintaining the temperature of a freshly baked food item , for example . as shown in fig1 , any number of stackable shelves ( or trays ) 120 can be placed inside the box 100 . for exemplary purposes , fig1 illustrates 4 shelves 120 . each shelf 120 can include one or more vertical support members 140 , which provide clearance below the top surface of each shelf 120 . this allows food items ( e . g ., cookies or pizza ) to sit on top of and below each shelf 120 , without crushing the bottom food item ( s ) or causing the food item ( s ) to stick together . support member 140 can be of any size ( or variable in size , as described below with respect to fig2 ( a )), depending on the thickness of the food item that is to sit below the particular shelf 120 . each shelf 120 can have one or more finger - gripping mechanisms 130 , which may be , for example , in the form of a round or semicircle hole cut out of the top surface of shelf 120 . in the example shown in fig1 , finger - gripping mechanisms 130 are semicircles cut out of two sides of each shelf 120 . this allows a user to easily load each shelf 120 into the box 100 , while maximizing the surface area space of each shelf 120 within the box 100 . further , a consumer of the food items can easily remove each shelf 120 ( with or without the food items still sitting thereon ) to access the food items below the shelf 120 . as another exemplary advantage , when a shelf 120 is removed with the food item ( s ) thereon , the shelf 120 can be utilized as a serving tray , without the need to transfer the food item ( s ) to another serving piece . any number , size or location of finger - gripping mechanisms 130 can be included . for example , only one circular finger gripping mechanism 130 can be included in the center of a shelf 120 , allowing a user to insert or remove the shelf 120 by hooking a finger into the finger - gripping mechanism 130 and lifting and / or lowering the shelf 120 in or out of the box 100 . additionally , one or more of the shelves 120 can be partially or completely lined with an insulating material , such as aluminum foil and / or parchment paper , to trap heat and / or prevent sticking . according to one embodiment , only the bottom of each shelf 120 is lined with an insulating material to trap the rising heat from the food item beneath . fig2 ( a ) is a top view of a shelf 120 with perforations for forming support members 140 and finger - gripping mechanisms 130 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure . as shown in fig2 ( a ), each shelf 120 may be previously perforated so that support members 140 can be formed by folding along the perforation by approximately 90 degrees . the perforations are shown by dotted lines 210 . according to one embodiment , multiple perforations 210 can be included , such that a user can determine how large each support mechanism 140 should be . in the depicted example , two perforated lines are provided for each support mechanism 140 as size options , but any number may be included . for example , each shelf 120 can have a different height , depending on which food item rests beneath it . in the embodiment depicted in fig1 , the support members 140 are folded downward , thereby contacting the bottom 101 of the box 100 or the top 220 of a lower shelf 120 ; however , the support members 140 can alternatively be folded upward , thereby contacting the bottom of the shelf 120 above . similarly , finger - gripping mechanisms 130 can be formed by punching out previously perforated sections shown by dotted lines 200 . as noted above , any number , size or location of finger - gripping mechanisms 130 can be used . in the depicted example , finger - gripping mechanisms 130 are placed in a semicircle shape on two sides of the shelf 120 , as well as an option for a center hole finger - gripping mechanism 130 . as an alternative , the shelves 120 can be prefabricated to include finger - gripping mechanisms 130 already formed . fig2 ( b ) is a top - view of a shelf 120 after forming support members 140 and finger - gripping mechanisms 130 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure . in this example , the side semicircle finger - gripping mechanisms 130 were chosen and formed by punching out part of the top surface of the shelf 120 along the perforations . after folding along perforations 210 to form support members 140 , only top surface 220 is visible from the top - view . using a delivery food apparatus , such as box 100 , configured to hold one or more shelves 120 , a maximum amount of food items for delivery can be stored in box 100 , while allowing heat circulation and without crushing or otherwise damaging the food items . moreover , using finger - gripping mechanisms 130 , one can easily insert or remove shelves 120 from the box 100 , without compromising the structural integrity of the box 100 , yet maintaining a maximum surface area of each shelf 120 . in addition , a user or a consumer can insert and / or remove a shelf 120 with the food item ( s ) pre - loaded on the shelf without damaging the food item ( s ). as yet another advantage , by providing multiple perforations 210 for forming support member 140 , a user can determine how tall a shelf 120 should be , based on the thickness of the food item ( s ) stored below in order to assure that the food item ( s ) stored below are not crushed . while various embodiments have been described above , it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only , and not by way of limitation . likewise , the various diagrams may depict an example architectural or other configuration for the disclosure , which is done to aid in understanding the features and functionality that can be included in the disclosure . the disclosure is not restricted to the illustrated example architectures or configurations , but can be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations . additionally , although the disclosure is described above in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations , it should be understood that the various features and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they are described . they instead can be applied alone or in some combination , to one or more of the other embodiments of the disclosure , whether or not such embodiments are described , and whether or not such features are presented as being a part of a described embodiment . thus the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above - described exemplary embodiments . terms and phrases used in this document , and variations thereof , unless otherwise expressly stated , should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting . as examples of the foregoing : the term “ including ” should be read as meaning “ including , without limitation ” or the like ; the term “ example ” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion , not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof ; and adjectives such as “ conventional ,” “ traditional ,” “ normal ,” “ standard ,” “ known ”, and terms of similar meaning , should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period , or to an item available as of a given time . but instead these terms should be read to encompass conventional , traditional , normal , or standard technologies that may be available , known now , or at any time in the future . likewise , a group of items linked with the conjunction “ and ” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping , but rather should be read as “ and / or ” unless expressly stated otherwise . similarly , a group of items linked with the conjunction “ or ” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group , but rather should also be read as “ and / or ” unless expressly stated otherwise . furthermore , although items , elements or components of the disclosure may be described or claimed in the singular , the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated . the presence of broadening words and phrases such as “ one or more ,” “ at least ,” “ but not limited to ”, or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent . | 1 |
in this specification and claims , numerical values and ranges are not critical unless otherwise stated . that is , the numerical values and ranges may be read as if they were prefaced with the word “ about ” or “ substantially ”. a starting point in the synthesis of the compounds of interest is n -( 2 - bromoethyl ) pyrrole (“ bep ”). bep is commercially available in at least small quantities . it can also be easily synthesized by the condensation of 2 , 5 - dimethoxytetrahydrofuran (“ 2 , 5 - dmt ”) and bromoethylamine hydrobromide (“ bea • hbr ”) as shown in reaction i . the novel compounds r 4 -( n - pyrrolo )- 2 - cyanobutanoate (“ r - pcb ”) can be produced by the alkylation of the r - cyanoacetate with bep wherein r is an organic moiety that will not interfere with the subsequent reactions ( the r moiety is ultimately removed in the production of ketorolac ). importantly , in this application the symbol “ r ” refers to an attached moiety and should not be interpreted as an indication of the stereochemistry of the molecule . preferred r moieties include alkyl such as methyl , ethyl , propyl , iso propyl , and butyl , cyclo alkyl such as cyclohexyl , aromatic such as benzyl , and substituted analogs of the forgoing such as chloro or fluoro substituted . preferred moieties are alkyl , with methyl and ethyl being more preferred and ethyl being most preferred . thus , the most preferred species is ethyl 4 - n - pyrrolo - 2 - cyanobutanoate (“ epcb ”). this alkylation reaction preferably takes place in the presence of sodium ethoxide in ethanol at 85 ° c ., as shown in reaction ii ( the sodium ethoxide is a strong base , used to deprotonate the ethyl - cyanoacetate . the resulting r - pcb ( preferably epcb ) is a novel compound that is useful in the synthesis of ketorolac . r - pcb ( epcb ) can be used in a novel synthetic method where it is reacted in a modified friedel - crafts acylation with benzoyl chloride , as shown in reaction iii , to produce the novel compounds r 4 - n -( 2 ′- benzoyl ) pyrrolo - 2 - cyanobutanoate (“ r - bpcb ”), wherein r has the meaning given above . thus , the preferred species is ethyl 4 - n -( 2 ′- benzoyl ) pyrrolo - 2 - cyanobutanoate (“ ebpcb ”). in reaction iii , it is important that no catalyst be used . while the use of a catalyst is typically standard in an ordinary friedel - crafts reaction , in the case of this reaction , the use of a catalyst will cause undesired side reactions ( production of polymeric material and unwanted isomers ). mixing and heating the reaction mixture to boiling is also important to help expel hcl byproduct which would act as an undesired catalyst . the temperature is desirably 120 to 180 ° c ., preferably 140 to 160 ° c ., more preferably 145 to 155 ° c ., and ideally 150 to 155 ° c . it has been found that xylenes are an exemplary reaction medium . xylenes will normally undergo friedel - crafts reaction , but in the modified friedel - crafts reaction conditions of this invention , the xylenes do not react . r - bpcb ( ebpcb ) is useful in a novel reaction in which it is cyclized as shown in reaction iv : in reaction iv , r - bpcb ( ebpcb ) is reacted with a compound of high oxidative potential that is capable of promoting a single electron transfer . by “ high oxidative potential ” is meant 1 . 54 electron volts or greater . suitable such compounds of high oxidative potential capable of single electron transfer include ce 3 + , mn 3 + compounds . an exemplary compound is ( ch 3 c ( o ) o ) 3 mn . 2h 2 o . suitable solvents include etoh , meoh & amp ; hoac , with acetic acid being preferred . similar reactions ( see artis et al ., chem rev . 1996 , 96 , p . 352 - 353 ) teach the use of temperatures of 20 to 80 ° c ., but it has been discovered that novel reaction iv is desirably run at temperatures above 80 ° c ., preferably 85 to 118 ° c ., more preferably 90 to 100 ° c ., and most preferably 92 to 95 ° c . after cyclization of the r - bpcp , the resulting product ethyl - 5 - benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo [ 1 , 2a ] pyrrole - 1 - carboxamide , 1 - carboxylate ( structure given below ) is easily subjected to hydrolysis with a strong base such as sodium hydroxide , as shown in reaction v - a to yield the novel compound 5a sodium 5 - benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo [ 1 , 2 - a ] pyrrole - 1 - carboxamide - 1 - carboxylate . 5 - a is easily decarboxylated with a strong acid such as hydrochloric acid , as shown in reaction v - b , to yield the novel compound 5 - benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo -[ 1 , 2 - a ] pyrrole - 1 - carboxamide (“ ketorolac carboxamide ”). the “ ketorolac carboxamide ” is in turn easily hydrolyzed by anyone skilled in the art by reacting with first a strong base such as sodium hydroxide and then a strong acid such as hydrochloric acid to convert to the acid , as shown in reaction v - c , to yield 5 - benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo -[ 1 , 2 - a ] pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid ( ketorolac free acid ). ketorolac free acid can be formulated directly or can be converted to the tromethamine salt by reaction with tromethamine ( h 2 nc ( ch 2 oh ) 3 ) according to known processes . in order that those skilled in the art may understand our invention , the following examples are given by way of illustrations and not by way of limitation . step 1 . condensation of 2 , 5 - dimethoxytetrahydrofuran and 2 - bromoethylamine hydrobromide ( not an example of the invention ) a well n 2 - purged 2 - liter reactor equipped with overheads configured for total reflux is charged with 67 . 3 g of sodium acetate ( anhydrous ) and 1166 g of glacial acetic acid . the agitated solution is heated to 115 - 117 ° c . at which time the 92 . 6 g bea • hbr is added . next , 61 . 7 g of 2 , 5 - dmt is added . the reaction is essentially instantaneous . once the reaction is complete the crude product is isolated by removing the majority of the acetic acid by either neutralization or distillation . 190 g of toluene is added to the reduced mass and the mass is cooled to as low a temperature as possible . 258 g of ice and 425 g of di water is added to drop the temperature of the solution down to − 15 ° c . to the cooled solution 0 . 22 l of 50 % naoh was slowly added at such a rate as to maintain the solution temperature below 30 ° c . the actual amount of naoh required for neutrality will be based on the extent ( if any ) of the acetic acid removed by distillation . the resultant phases are allowed to settle for 30 - 60 minutes . the bottom aqueous phase may require one or two 0 . 13 l back washes of toluene to remove any solubilized product . the organic layers are combined for a total volume of ˜ 0 . 49 l . the organic phase is placed in a 0 . 5 l distillation vessel equipped with 1 - 2 theoretical plates and vacuum capabilities down to 5 mm hg ( 66 pa ). a forecut of toluene is collected and heartcut collected at a pot temperature of 63 ° c . and an overhead temperature of 62 ° c . with a 1 to 1 reflux ratio under 5 mm hg pressure . the distillation is complete after pot and overheads temperatures of 96 and 64 . 5 ° c . respectively , have been obtained . ( note : care should be taken to prevent thermal decomposition of the product during distillation ). step 2 . alkylation of ethyl cyanoacetate with n - 2 - bromoethylpyrrole ( example of the invention ) a dry 2 - l flask equipped with a condenser is charged with 180 g of bep and 936 g of ethyl cyanoacetate ( eca ). the solution is agitated and heated to 81 - 85 ° c . the 351 g sodium ethoxide ( 21 % ( weight ) solution in ethanol ) is added over a period of 40 minutes when the temperature reaches 40 ° c . the reaction is complete generally in 1 - 2 hours when good quality naoet is used . once the reaction is determined to be complete , the solution is cooled down to 20 - 25 ° c . and washed with 1 × 0 . 5 l of water and 1 × 0 . 5 l saturated nacl . the 1 l ( 1012 g ) of organic phase is placed in a distillation vessel capable of reflux and operating conditions of 200 ° c . and 4 . 5 mm hg pressure . the distillation of the crude product will need to done using a distillation apparatus with 2 - 3 theoretical plates and distillation temperature and pressure capabilities of 200 ° c . and 4 . 5 mm hg , respectively . approximately 172 g ( 0 . 16 l ) of high purity product will be collected . this compound has been shown to be prone to thermal degradation at temperatures above 200 ° c . step 3 . friedel - crafts acylation of ethyl 4 - n - pyrrolo - 2 - cyanobutanoate with benzoyl chloride ( example of the invention ) a dry 2 - l well baffled and mixed flask equipped with reflux capabilities is charged with 170 g of epcb , 250 g of benzoyl chloride and 493 g of xylenes . the solution is well mixed and heated to reflux temperature of 150 - 155 ° c . for 13 - 16 hours . the rate of this reaction and its impurity profile is extremely sensitive to the expulsion rate of the by - product hcl . to that end it is imperative that significant boil up rate and the best mixing possible is maintained to aid in the expulsion of hcl . once the reaction has been determined to be complete , as a result of the disappearance of starting material , the product needs to be isolated from the excess benzoyl chloride and xylenes solvent . the isolation is achieved by quenching the reaction with 200 - 300 g of anhydrous ethanol ( 100 % or denatured without methanol ) at 80 ° c . for 1 hour . when the quench is complete the excess ethanol , xylenes and ethyl benzoate ( the product of the quench of benzoyl chloride and ethanol ) are distilled off under reduced pressures . the low boiling ethanol and xylenes are readily distilled off . the final pot conditions required to remove the relatively high boiling ethyl benzoate are 115 ° c . and 7 mm hg . the distillation residuals ( as a thick oil ) are assayed for weight percent composition and ready for use in the ring closure step . ( note : an alternative isolation procedure is to remove the excess benzoyl chloride by reacting it with sodium glycinate , and then crystallizing the ebpcb .) step 4 . mn 3 + promoted oxidative free radical cyclization of ethyl 4 -( n -( 2 ′- benzoylpyrrolo )- 2 - cyanobutanoate ( example of the invention ) a dry 2 - l well baffled and mixed flask equipped with reflux capabilities is charged with 147 . 3 g of mn ( oac ) 3 . 2h 2 o , 30 . 6 g of sodium acetate anhydrous , 56 . 7 g of ebpcb and 1377 g ( 0 . 344 gal .) of glacial acetic acid . the reaction mix is heated to 92 ° c . with good mixing . the reaction is sampled over the course of 30 - 48 hours to monitor the rate of the reaction . once the reaction is considered complete , greater than 95 %, the solution is cooled down to 15 ° c . and the spent solids are readily filtered through a 30μ filter pad . the solids ( mn ( oac ) 2 . 4h 2 o ) are washed with cold glacial acetic acid and the filtrates are combined . the 1 . 5 l of combined acetic acid solutions are placed in a clean distillation vessel equipped with a condenser . the mass is reduced ˜ 70 - 90 % ( preferably by about 85 %) to a volume of 0 . 15 - 0 . 45 l . the final distillation conditions are a pot and overhead temperature of 57 ° c . and 46 ° c . respectively , at 30 mm hg pressure . the still bottoms from the strip is the feed for the next step , the ester hydrolysis , decarboxylation and amide hydrolysis to create the crude ketorolac acid . the still bottoms generated from step 4 are diluted with 250 g of ethanol or methanol when the temperature of the still bottoms dropped below 60 - 70 ° c . the hot solution is transferred to a clean 2 - l flask for hydrolysis . the ethanolic solution is diluted with 1047 g of deionized water . the ph of the solution is adjusted to 12 with the addition of 120 - 125 g of 50 % naoh . the heat of neutralization raised the solution temperature to 30 ° c . external heating was applied to maintain the temperature at 30 ° c . for 1 hour to ensure complete hydrolysis . decarboxylation is accomplished by adjusting the ph of the solution down to a ph of 2 by adding of 150 g of concentrated hcl . the decarboxylation is rapid and complete as evident by the fact that all the co 2 off gassing is complete within 5 minutes . the hydrolysis of the amide is achieved by adjusting the solution from a ph of 2 to an approximate ph of 13 . 25 by the addition of 255 g of 50 % naoh . the solution is heated to a temperature of 90 - 95 ° c . for 30 minutes to drive the amide hydrolysis to completion . the reactor &# 39 ; s overheads are configured to collect 300 - 500 g of ethanol / water / ammonia distillate over the 30 minute digest period . vacuum is applied to assist this strip . the isolation of the crude ketorolac acid is carried out by adjusting the ph of the solution down to ph of 4 by the addition of 216 g of concentrated hcl . when the ph of the solution is near neutrality ( ph 7 - 8 ) the hcl addition is stopped and 3 . 95 kg of darco g60 activated carbon is added . approximately an equal weight of diatomaceous - earth type filter - aid is added to facilitate the filtration . the solution is stirred at the neutralization temperature ( 25 - 30 ° c .) for 30 - 60 minutes and the carbon is removed . the ph of the filtrate is lowered to ph of 4 by the addition of glacial acetic acid . the solution is cooled down and stirred for 30 minutes at 5 ° c . the solids are collected on a 35 μm pad and dried for 8 - 16 hours at 65 ° c . under 100 mm hg pressure . the dried crude ketorolac acid is recovered for further processing . | 2 |
referring now to the drawings there is shown an armored vehicle 10 embodying this invention . the vehicle 10 includes a 4 - wheel drive chassis 12 of a commercially available type , the one shown being generally of box - like construction . although the vehicle 10 illustrated utilizes a 4 - wheel drive chassis 12 , it is contemplated that use could be made of a commercially available 6 - wheel drive chassis , such as that disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 623 , 565 . the front and rear wheels 14 and 16 , respectively , of the vehicle 10 are each individually driven by a separate reversible hydraulic motor , indicated diagrammatically at 18 in fig4 and 5 . housed in the chassis 12 adjacent the rear wheels 16 is a small air - cooled internal combustion engine diagrammatically shown at 20 ( fig2 and 3 ) directly driving a hydraulic pump 22 which , in turn , supplies hydraulic fluid under pressure to the hydraulic motors 18 through appropriate hydraulic controls , i . e . valving indicated diagrammatically at 24 ( fig2 and 4 ), located within the chassis adjacent the pump . the floor , side , front and rear walls 26 , 28 , 30 and 32 , respectively of the chassis 12 are of generally plate - like construction . at its front the chassis 12 is provided with an upper central steplike recess 34 , for reasons later evident . the bottom 36 of the chassis 12 is likewise of plate - like construction generally forwardly of the axles of the rear wheels 16 while rearwardly thereof the bottom is open , as at 38 ( fig2 ), for engine ventilation and exhaust and terminates in an upwardly inclined portion 40 . the engine 20 has the usual shroud 42 about a rearwardly facing cooling fan ( not shown ) which draws air through an oil cooler 44 mounted in the rear wall 32 . mounted on the chassis floor 26 immediately to the rear of the recess 34 is a forwardly - facing operator &# 39 ; s seat 46 located so that an operator &# 39 ; s feet will be positioned in the recess , as shown in fig1 and 2 . two hand lever steering controls 48 extend upwardly on each side of and adjacent the front of the operator &# 39 ; s seat 46 . the lower ends of these levers 48 are appropriately connected to the valving 24 for selectively individually controlling the direction and speed of rotation of and for selectively braking each pair of wheels 14 and 16 on opposite sides of the vehicle 10 . the exposed portions of the chassis 12 are armored . the front wall 30 , below the floor of the recess 34 , the bottom wall 36 and the side walls 28 of the chassis may , where available and appropriate , be reenforced with back - up armor 50 , such as quarter - inch low carbon steel plate although it is contemplated equivalent armor material , e . g . reenforced plastic , could be used instead . the bottom opening 38 in the chassis 12 is covered by armored louvers 52 which obstruct line of sight through the opening 38 . the louver construction preferably is formed by transverse angle bars of sufficient strength to be both bulletproof and grenade resistant . mounted on the chassis 12 is a body 54 that is laterally widened so as to extend somewhat outwardly over the wheels 14 and 16 , and also rearwardly elongated so as to extend somewhat rearwardly of the chassis 12 , as shown best in fig2 . the body 54 has side , front , rear and top walls 56 , 58 , 60 , and 62 , respectively , made of steel armor plate of the order of 9 / 16 inch thick , although again it is contemplated that other types of armor material could be used . preferably the front and rear walls 58 and 60 of the body 54 converge upwardly , as shown in fig1 and 2 , for weight saving and bullet - deflecting purposes . almost the entire front wall 58 of the body 54 is formed by an operator &# 39 ; s door 64 that is hinged to one side wall 56 of the body 54 and adapted to be locked in closed position from the inside . the door 64 has a lower central narrowed portion 66 which , at its lower end , depends below the chassis floor 26 and covers the front of the recess 34 . the rear body wall 60 also has at its lower end a central narrowed portion 67 which depends below the floor 26 of the chassis 12 . side wall portions 68 ( fig2 ) extend forwardly from the side edges of the narrowed portion 67 to form , with the rear chassis wall 32 , an armored air intake compartment 70 having an open bottom provided with armored louvers 72 similar to the louvers 52 . the door 64 and side and rear walls 56 and 60 of the body 54 are provided with transparent bulletproof windows 74 , 76 and 78 , respectively , made , for example , of 1 . 3 inch general electric lexgard , while the door and the side walls of the body are provided with gun ports 79 for use of a pistol or rifle by the operator . the top 62 of the body 54 has side flanges 80 which depend in spaced overlapping relation with the upper marginal portions of the side walls 56 . the upper edges of these side walls 56 are cut away at intervals therealong , as shown at 82 in fig2 while the edges of the flanges 80 are secured at spaced intervals therealong to the side walls by welded bar sections 84 so as to provide openings for passage of fresh air into the body 54 . the interior of the body 54 is divided , by an airtight fire wall 86 , into a forward operator &# 39 ; s compartment 88 and a rear engine accessory compartment 90 located beneath the rear window 78 . the lower end of the firewall 86 desirably is extended forwardly beneath the seat , as at 92 , and thence downwardly forward of the valving 24 , as at 94 , to the bottom wall 36 of the chassis 12 . located within the accessory compartment 90 may be a tank 96 for hydraulic fluid for the pump 22 and a bullet - resistant fuel cell 98 for the engine 20 . desirably the tank 96 is separated from the remainder of the compartment 90 by another firewall 100 . preferably the filler pipe ( not shown ) for the fuel cell 98 and the filler and breather pipe 102 for the tank 96 terminate within a small closed compartment 104 adjacent the left body wall 56 . access to this compartment 104 may be provided by a door ( not shown ) in the left body wall 56 . an air cleaner 106 may be located in the air intake compartment 70 and connected to the engine carburetor ( not shown ) by a duct 108 of rigid rubber . the exhaust manifold ( not shown ) of the engine is connected to a muffler 110 which may be located in the accessory compartment 90 and has a tail pipe 112 leading down into the chassis 12 alongside the engine 20 and terminating adjacent the lower ventilation opening 38 . the vehicle 10 preferably is provided with pairs of head lamps contained within appropriately ventilated armored housings 114 recessed into the body 54 , both at the front and at the rear of the vehicle . appropriate signal lights , such as a blue flashing light 116 and a red flashing light 118 , may be mounted on top of the vehicle 10 . also the vehicle includes a public address system including a loudspeaker 120 on top for addressing offensive individuals . other desirable equipment includes a two - way radio , shown diagrammatically at 122 , located in the operator &# 39 ; s compartment 88 along with the usual gauges and engine controls ( not shown ). desirably , the vehicle 10 also is provided , on its top 62 , with a remote - controlled spotlight 124 mounted in a suitable protective wire cage 126 . the wheels 14 and 16 have tires of solid rubber or of rubber filled with a hardenable plastic foam so that they are bullet resistant . desirably , the overall maximum width of the vehicle 10 , which is at the wheels 14 and 16 , is less than four feet , while the overall length is not more than about seven and one - half feet and overall height not more than about six and one - half feet . because of its small size and wheel drive controls it will be seen that the vehicle 10 is extremely maneuverable and can enter into many types of buildings and maneuver therein without great difficulty . further , the vehicle 10 can be stored in a conventional building or other protected area so that an operator can readily enter and leave the same without being subjected to sniper fire . it thus will be seen that the objects of this invention have been fully and effectively accomplished . it will be realized , however , that the foregoing specific embodiments have been shown and described only for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention and are subject to extensive change and modification without departure from such principles . therefore , this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims . | 5 |
the claimed invention provides a central asset registry system , implemented as a graph database . the central asset registry system provides a database and set of services to access aggregated information of distributed media asset sources . the central asset registry system maintains a list of assets and their relationships . the central asset registry provides end users and programmatic access the ability to efficiently query and retrieve assets across multiple repositories in multiple locations . the system allows an arbitrary number of underlying repositories to be represented and scaled effectively . the claimed invention also provides a pluggable architecture to provide extensibility and dynamic expansion as needed . the pluggable architecture supports parallel development by different teams as features can be implemented as separate components . pluggable repositories may be custom - developed , commercial suites , centrally located , or may be geographically dispersed . additionally , the pluggable architecture provides a defined interface to facilitate additional development . the claimed invention includes a scalable , graph - centric data storage and analysis system ( i . e ., graph engine instantiating the enterprise logic implemented as service wrappers around a graph database ) as the central asset registry . the graph engine instantiates , manages , and stores complex networked ( related ) structures through the use of a relationship or “ graph ” database . the graph database stores and represents actors and relationships as graph structures , instead of table entries in a relational database . the data structure of the graph engine uses graph objects to represent the data , including nodes and edges . each of the graph objects can be defined by and coupled with ontological categories of a particular ontology . in one embodiment of the invention , the ontology includes a cable television ontology — a “ concept framework ” that models cable television programming interaction as a set of interrelationships between mvpds ( multichannel video programming distributors ) and shows . as will be discussed , utilizing data structures that are composed of graph objects , coupled with a particular ontology , allows the graph objects to be stored , combined , and represented in a semantically meaningful way , which facilitates data consistency , advanced analytics , and visualization of complex networks . at a top level of a multilevel storage hierarchy , a digital asset management ( dam ) system is configured to provide management actions and decisions regarding the ingestion , annotation , classification , storage , retrieval , and distribution of digital assets . in one example embodiment of the claimed invention , the digital assets include media assets ( media content ) such as still images , video images , audio recordings , animations , and other types of audio , visual , and written content , and the dam system can be termed a “ media asset management system ” ( mam ). while recognizing differences between these types of systems , for simplicity and brevity , the term “ repository ” can be used to connote a system for managing a set of metadata about an inventory of digital assets . likewise , an “ asset ” is a general term for a media entity such as an episode of a television show . assets are hierarchical and may be a container for other entities . for example , a show titled “ chopped ” could be an asset . a specific episode of that show titled “ fried chicken time ” would also be an asset . an “ abstract asset ” is a term used to represent a grouping of the variations of a single media entity . for example , an abstract episode would represent a linear broadcast episode for a given show and series . many variations of the abstract episode may exist , differing in format and editing to meet business requirements . “ variants ” are concrete , actual implementations of the abstract episode that differ only in format . a low resolution and high resolution implementation of the same abstract episode would be considered variants of each other . “ versions ” are concrete , actual implementations of the abstract episode that differ materially in the content , not just the format . for example , an implementation of an abstract episode that was edited for time would be a version . the graph engine manages a database that stores graph objects ( media assets ) that proxy media assets held in one or more media repositories . each media repository holds detailed asset metadata and an inventory of asset instances . an instance is the actual media physical object . examples of instances include image files of various formats , such as “ jpeg ,” “ tiff ,” or “ bmp .” examples of video instances include digital files of various formats such as “ mov ,” or “ mp4 .” instances may be digital or analog and may be physically stored on a variety of media such as tape or computer disk . instances may exist in multiple physical locations , such as one instance in a repository in data center a with another instance in a repository in data center b . a given asset may have many associated instances . a media registry can include many hundreds of millions or billions of graph objects . repositories can be partitioned from a single storage medium or can be located alongside each other in one physical computer system or can be geographically separated in different computers , different buildings , different cities , and different countries . the graph objects in the registry may proxy assets in remote repositories ( media dams ) that allows for the federation of repositories . the remote repositories control access to their digital assets . with federated repositories , the size of the maintained data set can be effectively unlimited . the underlying detailed metadata for the assets can be located in the individual media repositories . the graph objects in the central asset registry act as proxies with identifiers that act as keys into the individual media repositories . in this manner , relationships between assets can be recorded in the graph database without having to import or replicate all the repository metadata . repository and registry underlying technology may be replaced over time , allowing each module to be horizontally and vertically scaled as needed . the pluggable architecture prevents lock - in to any given vendor solution or technology . a registry can include a set of media assets ( graph objects ) that include an ontology , that is , a formal naming and definition of the types , properties , and relationships of the media assets . the ontology can have a general purpose facility for defining and refining categorical structures and other ontological elements . the ontology does not need to be dedicated to a particular ontological domain , such as cable television . these facilities are also used to define the overall system ontology , which categorizes the objects used in the implementation of the graph engine itself and can be used to build other ontological structures . repositories ( dams ) can contain different ontological structures , but in one embodiment of the invention , every repository contains a base ontology . in another embodiment of the invention , the repositories can include different media asset types . for example , one repository can include still image objects , another repository can include video objects , and another repository can include recipes . to simplify boot - strapping of the system , the base ontology can correspond to a small set of pre - defined unique identifiers . the overall system ontology can use these identifiers the same way in every dam , to identify the built - in ontological categories and other ontology - related objects that are required by the system . as a minimum , each dam repository just needs an asset identifier , which can be used by the central asset registry to link the registry with the given repository . the system uses metadata to describe the media assets in the dam repository . for example , the metadata can describe the asset contents , the location of the asset , the means of encoding / decoding , the history of the asset , ownership , access rights , and the like . in one example embodiment , the system uses the dublin core schema of vocabulary terms to describe the assets . in another example embodiment , the system uses the pbcore metadata standard as a set of specified fields in the database to catalogue and manage the assets . the central asset registry has been implemented in several different physical configurations . for example , fig5 shows a central asset registry 501 in a cloud deployment to an amazon web service ( aws ) cloud environment . this cloud deployment diagram ( fig5 ) can be directly mapped to the generic distributed repository framework shown in fig1 . for example , the asset registry service 570 a , 570 b , 570 c ( collectively shown as an auto - scaling group 570 ) in fig5 corresponds to the registry service layer 170 in fig1 . similarly , the neo4j cluster 502 in fig5 is ( are ) the database ( s ) housing the relationship registry 151 , the rights registry 153 , and the other registry 155 shown in fig1 . the neo4j master slave clustering architecture ( cluster 502 ) is a set of database instances working together in a master / slave relationship . the cluster management is managed by the neo4j nodes 505 , 506 , 507 via a tcp connection between the nodes . the nodes 505 , 506 , 507 handle self - nomination to master and settle consistency checks between the nodes . lastly , the service endpoint 577 in fig5 corresponds to the service entry point 177 in fig1 . the cloud deployment shown in fig5 leverages amazon web service ( aws ) cloud built - in environment functions . the auto - scaling group 570 , elastic load balancing 520 , 540 , and route 53 dns 530 are all available as components of the aws cloud environment . for example , auto - scaling group 570 relates redundant copies of a service and / or application over one or more availability zones ( essentially different data centers ). in the cloud deployment of fig5 , the claimed invention can leverage the inherent capabilities and features of the aws cloud environment . likewise , in other deployment environments , the central asset registry of the claimed invention can capitalize on the capabilities and features of those deployment environments as well . for example , fig8 shows a deployment of a central asset registry 801 to a corporate data center environment . the corporate data center deployment can be on physical computer systems , virtual systems , or a combination of the two . this corporate data center deployment ( fig8 ) can be directly mapped to the generic distributed repository framework shown in fig1 . for example , the asset registry service 870 a , 870 b , ( collectively 870 ) in fig8 corresponds to the registry service layer 170 in fig1 . similarly , the neo4j cluster 802 in fig8 is ( are ) the database ( s ) housing the relationship registry 151 , the rights registry 153 , and the other registry 155 shown in fig1 . the neo4j master slave clustering architecture ( cluster 802 ) is a set of database instances working together in a master / slave relationship . the cluster management is managed by the neo4j nodes 805 , 806 , 807 via a tcp connection between the nodes . the nodes 805 , 806 , 807 handle self - nomination to master and settle consistency checks between the nodes . lastly , the service endpoint 877 corresponds to the service entry point 177 in fig1 . these example deployments are representational only , and the central asset registry can be deployed to a number of physical configurations , including a combination of those described above . for example , fig7 shows a central asset registry 701 deployed to a single physical computing device ( system 700 ). the web application container 770 of fig7 holds an implementation of the registry service layer 170 , dam service 1 141 , dam service 2 142 , dam service 3 143 , dam service n 144 , composition service layer 160 , and event generator 180 depicted in fig1 . additionally , the computer system 700 holds an instance of registry database 750 , including database engine 710 and database files 720 . the registry database 750 includes an implementation of the relationship registry 151 , rights registry 153 , and other registry 155 shown in fig1 . in fig7 , the registry database 750 shown is the neo4j graph database deployed as a single node . other databases can be used in a similar fashion . the registry service layer contained in the web container 770 can query the database either via a rest service call or via a native api call 730 . as shown in fig1 , a central asset registry system 100 of media assets in accordance with the claimed invention separates the registry 101 from the various dams ( repositories ) 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 . the registries 151 , 153 , 155 together provide a central logical place to hold a list of all the assets spread over the various repositories 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 . the resultant framework integrates multiple dams ( repositories ) and registries through a service layer allowing abstraction of the actual underlying repositories and registries . the architecture allows new dams or registries to be plugged into the framework seamlessly . existing dams and registries can be refactored or switched to entirely new technologies without impact to the overall system . fig9 provides a simplified component drawing of a system 900 with a central asset registry 901 of media assets separated from the various dams ( repositories ) 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , such as a deployment that can be implemented on a single computer system . the central asset registry 901 of media assets shown in the system 900 of fig9 incorporates a registry service layer 970 ( akin to registry service layer 170 in fig1 ) as well as a relationship registry 951 , rights registry 953 , and other registry 955 . the central asset registry 901 of media assets of fig9 also includes a composition service layer 960 ( akin to composition service layer 160 in fig1 ) as well as dam services 941 , 942 , 943 , 944 to service the media dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 . the resultant central asset registry 901 of media assets provides a centralized registry as well as services to access the federated media dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 . other configurations of the components are also possible , such as cloud deployments , data center deployments , and the like , as described above . the components described with regard to fig9 can also be hosted on separate computer systems to allow for independent clustering and scaling . returning to fig1 , the pluggable modules 102 on the right side of fig1 represent the actual implementations of each registry and dam ( repository ). for example , media dam 1 131 can be a repository for image assets implemented by a third party vendor in their data center . media dam 2 132 can be a repository of video assets implemented as a custom system in a cloud data center , such as in a saas dam . similarly , media dam 3 133 can be a repository of recipe assets stored in an on - premise system data center . any number of dams can exist and can be distributed geographically and / or implemented to focus on specific asset types ( e . g ., still image assets , video assets , recipe assets , and the like ). the framework allows separate scaling of individual dams to match business needs as each repository grows . while fig1 shows four dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , the number and type of dams can be scaled and customized based on content stored in each dam , location of each dam , vendor and business relationships , and other factors . as further shown in fig1 , the registries 151 , 153 , 155 together provide a central logical place to hold a list of all the assets spread over the various dams ( repositories ) 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 . the resultant framework integrates multiple dams ( repositories ) 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 and registries 151 , 153 , 155 through a service layer 103 allowing abstraction of the actual underlying dams ( repositories ) and registries . the architecture allows new registries to be plugged into the framework seamlessly . existing dams and registries can be refactored or switched to entirely new technologies without impact to the overall system . multiple registries can exist that focus on different asset relationships . one relationship registry 151 may associate assets in a hierarchical inheritance structure such as shows / series / episodes . another rights registry 153 may relate the inbound and outbound intellectual property rights to each asset . yet another registry 155 may relate assets to various geographic locations . other registries can also be used to relate assets to business partners . the registries 151 , 153 , 155 can be implemented separately or combined . also , they may be deployed in a number of combinations such as cloud or on premise . the number and types of registries is expandable and can be based on many factors in addition to the examples listed . the left side of fig1 depicts the framework 103 built over the actual dams ( repositories ) and registries . the framework 103 includes several layers of services . at the lowest layer , a dam service exists for each actual media dam ( repository ). for example , dam service 1 141 is a service implementation over media dam 1 131 , dam service 2 142 is a service implementation over media dam 2 132 , dam service 3 143 is a service implementation over media dam 3 133 , and dam service n 144 is a service implementation over media dam n 134 , and so on for all the actual repositories . this service abstraction layer allows any given repository to be replaced by a new vendor implementation , custom system , or even refactoring of an existing repository without disrupting the other dams ( repositories ). the dam services 141 , 142 , 143 , 144 can be optimized for the particular type of media asset stored in each of the dams to provide optimal interface service and support . a composition service layer 160 exists over each dam service 141 , 142 , 143 , 144 , abstracting the interface to each dam ( repository ) 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 . in this way , new dams can be introduced without changing the service entry point 166 to the composition service layer 160 . the composition service layer 160 can include asset entity services , instance retrieval services , and search and view capabilities . consumers of the composition service layer 160 do not have to change when new dams are introduced or lower interfaces ( such as dam services 141 , 142 , 143 , 144 ) change . the composition service layer 160 provides a single entry point ( composition layer service entry point 166 ) to access assets from any dam ( repository ). the registry service layer 170 provides a single entry point 177 to access information from any of the underlying registries 151 , 153 , 155 . the use of the registry service layer 170 allows introduction of new registries or changes to implementations of existing registries without impacting consumers of the service via the registry service entry point 177 . all assets from the various repositories have at least an entry in the relationship registry 151 . the list of assets in the relationship registry 151 therefore ties all the repositories 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 together . the framework 103 provides an event generator 180 to publish events whenever asset metadata , relationships , or physical instances change in the system 100 . the event generator 180 provides a fast , reliable , and scalable message queuing service . subscribers can access queues and topics to exchange data using point - to - point or publish and subscribe patterns . the event stream 185 is available for any other system to be notified of changes in any aspect of the data contained in one of the pluggable modules ( registries 151 , 153 , 155 or dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 ). fig1 shows a central asset registry system 100 for registering and accessing assets over multiple federated media repositories ( dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 ). as further shown in fig2 b , upon ingest , each media asset ( registry entry ) 290 is added to the central asset registry 101 and assigned a unique identifier 280 via the central asset registry service 170 . detailed metadata about the asset and the physical asset itself is placed in a repository ( dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 ). that unique identifier 280 is used to “ relate ” the asset 290 to a position in an asset hierarchy 200 ( shown in fig2 a ). the repository ( dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 ) maintains the detailed metadata about the asset 290 and the instance inventory . multiple repositories ( dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 ) can exist distributed over multiple geographic areas or separated by asset type . a central asset registry 101 is used to hold the identifiers 280 of assets over all repositories ( dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 ) and holds the relationships between the assets 290 . the central asset registry 101 can have a sparse set of metadata including reference to the underlying repository ( dam 131 , for example ) with asset and instance location . in the central asset registry 101 , location of asset repository 270 and instance entities are represented by a uri and other descriptive metadata . the central asset registry 101 can be implemented as a graph database to efficiently track asset relationship and identifier information . fig2 a shows an example media asset hierarchy 200 as a directed graph . in general , graph edges or relationships can be “ directed ” or “ undirected .” a directed relationship points explicitly from one node to another . for example , a directed edge may point from a “ show ” 205 to a “ series 1 ” 215 with edge type “ has part ” 210 . an undirected edge can be used to point from one peer to another , without implying a hierarchy . for example , an undirected edge may point from one variant of an episode to another or from one actor to another . in more complex ontologies , category nodes must be organized into a categorical structure , such as a hierarchy , where categories “ lower ” in the hierarchy represent specializations ( or descendants ) of categories “ higher ” in the hierarchy . for instance , the node that represents the category of “ show ” 205 might have several more specific descendant categories that represent specific kinds of shows , including different “ series ” of the “ show ” 205 , such as “ series1 ” 215 and “ series n ” 216 . to model this using the graph object structure discussed above , the graph engine can include as part of the built - in ontology an edge category called “ has part ” 210 . in practice , an edge that refers to the “ has part ” 210 as its ontological category can link , for example , the “ show ” category node 205 with a descendant category node , such as “ series1 ” 215 , to indicate that the “ series1 ” category node 215 is a sub - type of the “ show ” category node 205 . the semantic meaning of edges 210 that are marked with the “ has part ” category can be part of the built - in ontology of the graph engine , and can be how the ontological machinery is boot - strapped . another example can be the addition of “ pilots ” 317 and “ specials ” 319 as new asset types as shown in the asset hierarchy 300 in fig3 . the use of a graph database allows new asset types to be dynamically added without refactoring the rest of the system or any clients that access the graph engine . client modules or downstream systems that don &# 39 ; t need to know about “ specials ” can continue to use the system without change . using media assets as a graph allows dynamic addition of new relationship types , such as the ability to relate people to media assets and include their role such as “ host ,” 444 “ producer ,” 446 and so forth as shown in the asset hierarchy 400 in fig4 . relationship types may be added dynamically without refactoring the rest of the system or any clients that access the graph engine . integration to the system 100 shown in fig1 is via the registry service entry point 177 . the composition layer service entry point 166 , and the event stream 185 . the implementation of the module integrating to the service entry points 177 , 166 , 185 might be a graphical user interface , an api call from another system , a module polling a watch folder , or other mechanism . calls using an api interface , for example , typically involve rest or soap protocols via http over tcp / ip networks . interface via a graphical user interface might involve a web browser - based application , a thick client installed on a workstation , or other user interface technology . a media database of the claimed invention can include people , who are actors , directors , producers , and the like . the media database also includes movies , videos , television shows , still pictures , and other “ productions ” that are viewed by an audience . many actors appear in many television shows , and many video productions . the actors &# 39 ; roles can be defined and tracked as well . additionally , television shows can include a number of different episodes , and actors may star in a single episode or in many episodes over many seasons . fig6 is a sequence diagram showing one example of how assets may be added to the system 100 and how they may be subsequently accessed via an api interface . for asset creation , the client module 699 calls the composition service layer 160 to create an episode asset 601 , which directs the call to the video repository service 142 to create the episode asset 603 . the video repository service 142 provides a service wrapper over the actual video media dam 132 to create an episode asset dam record 605 . the video media dam 132 is responsible for holding the detailed metadata about the new asset and returns a local dam identifier 607 to the video repository service 142 . the video repository service 142 now calls the registry service layer 170 to record 609 the new asset in the central asset registry 101 . the registry service layer 170 calls the relationship registry 151 to record 611 the new asset in the graph database , returning 613 the global registry identifier back up the call chain to the video repository service 142 . lastly , the video repository service 142 calls 615 the event generator 180 to send out an asset creation event 617 . the event generator 180 is responsible to distribute the event to any listeners of the event stream . once an asset is created , instances of the asset may be added to the system . instances are the actual physical objects corresponding to the asset . for an episode , for example , the instance may be an mp3 video file . in the example of fig6 , the client module 699 calls the composition service layer 160 , which directs the call the video repository service in much the same sequence as when creating an asset . the main difference is in this case the event generator would send out an instance creation event to indicate a physical copy of the asset has been added to the system . once the asset is created in the repository , the instance ( or physical asset files ) can be ingested . during this process , the client module 699 calls the composition service layer 160 to ingest a video instance 641 , which directs the call to the video repository service 142 to create the video instance 643 . the video repository service 142 provides a service wrapper over the actual video media dam 132 to create an instance dam record 645 . the video media dam 132 is responsible for holding the detailed metadata about the new instance and returns a local dam identifier 647 to the video repository service 142 . the video repository service 142 now calls the registry service layer 170 to record 649 the new instance in the central asset registry 101 . the registry service layer 170 calls the relationship registry 151 to record 651 the new instance in the graph database , returning 653 the global registry identifier back up the call chain to the video repository service 142 . lastly , the video repository service 142 calls 655 the event generator 180 to send out an instance creation event 657 . the event generator 180 is responsible to distribute the event to any listeners of the event stream . similar mechanisms exist to modify and delete assets and asset instances . again , multiple protocols and transports may be used . once the assets and instances have been added , the system can be queried to retrieve metadata , relationships , or the actual instance files . as an example , the sequence at the bottom of fig6 depicts retrieving a list of assets related to a given episode . in this example , when a user commences a search for an asset , the client module 699 calls the registry service layer 170 for a list of related assets 681 . the registry service layer 170 in turn calls the relationship registry 151 , retrieves the information 683 , and returns the list of related assets back to the client 685 . the list of related assets can include assets stored in many of the distributed repositories . the client query to the central asset registry 101 looks up descriptors and identifiers of the content , and returns an identification of the related assets , their respective locations , and their relationship to one another based upon matching metadata descriptors . the system returns pointers to the related assets to provide a list to the user . the identification can be provided as thumbnail images of the asset , size , location , rights , and the like . the user can then select and receive a digital asset or set of assets from the list . in this fashion , the graph data is accessed by accessing a node by index and then traversing through the set of relationships . to further improve performance of the system , search results can be cached to avoid repeated accessing operations of the same content . just as the repositories can be modular , allowing use of multiple repositories optimized for different media types , the central asset registry can be extended to multiple registry types while maintaining a centralized registration of assets from all repositories , thereby maintaining the enterprise id and relationships between assets . for example , the central registry may be expanded by adding another registry focused on intellectual property rights . such a rights registry includes an intellectual property rights model and can be extended by plugging other modules into the framework further defining relationships between assets such as asset hierarchies , intellectual property rights in and rights out , talent roles , and other aspects of the features and restrictions that are tied to each asset . fig1 shows two sample implementations of a rights registry as an extension of the central registry in the framework of the claimed invention . in one configuration the rights registry 153 acts as an operational data store holding a copy of the intellectual property rights as rights objects and relationships to media assets in a database 1004 . in this configuration , an external rights system 1002 acts as a system of record for intellectual property rights and may be a custom implementation or a commercial system . as a system of record , the external system is typically responsible for overall contract and intellectual property rights management and supports complex reporting and planning surrounding inbound and outbound intellectual property rights . for example , if a given asset has been licensed exclusively to a third party in canada for 2017 , the asset is not available for further licensing in canada during that timeframe . the intellectual property rights current state data is fed from the external rights system 1002 into the central rights registry 153 via the registry service layer 170 . by feeding a copy of the intellectual property rights into the rights registry 153 , the mam system can make current state intellectual property rights known throughout the enterprise . another implementation of an intellectual property rights registry depicted in fig1 omits the external rights system 1002 ( shown by dashed line around external rights system 1002 in fig1 ). in this configuration , the rights registry 153 ( shown in fig1 and 12 ) becomes the authoritative system of record for intellectual property rights in the central registry 101 . as a system of record , the rights registry 153 is responsible for tracking the inbound and outbound intellectual property rights for a given asset . the difference in this configuration is that the rights registry 153 would have fewer reporting and analytic capabilities than the external rights system 1002 . the ability to configure the rights registry 153 with or without an external system of record 1002 provides great flexibility to integrate to other systems optimized for contract and rights management . in this configuration the rights registry 153 would provide a minimum set of intellectual property rights management , just as if the data was fed in from the external system 1002 . the rights registry 153 can be configured in a number of ways to improve performance and optimize capabilities of the system . for example , the rights registry 153 includes dependent structures built off the rights objects to increase query speed and to handle the query load . these dependent structures can be cached queries , flattened views of hierarchical data , and pre - calculated values stored in 1008 and kept up to date by the rights registry 153 . the structures 1008 therefore allow fast retrieval and inclusion in a search index for an application that needs rights information 1010 . intellectual property rights associated with the asset hierarchy and inheritance can be used to evaluate the actual rights for any given asset . for example , the rights assigned to a series would need to be considered when determining the rights of a specific episode in the series . precalculating the results of such inheritance can dramatically speed up a query for rights on a specific asset . when the rights objects and relationships 1004 are stored in a graph database , the rights relationship attributes themselves lend to extremely fast queries . attributes such as license duration , country , music license details , can be added to the relationships and automatically considered by the query , filtering out unwanted or otherwise unavailable assets . complex queries involving graph traversal including impact of restrictions are substantially faster than those implemented on traditional relational databases as outlined above . likewise , given that system access and reads to the rights data in an operational system far outweigh the inserts and / or updates of the rights data , the system can store the data in a flattened manner . that is , if the rights of a series are changed , the corresponding rights of all children would be changed at the same time . this optimization extends the time to perform update and inserts , but speeds up reading the rights for a given asset . the flattened rights can also directly feed a search index build process . fig1 shows an intellectual property rights model used in this invention . while there are existing systems that model intellectual property rights , those systems either focus on a small set of intellectual property rights groups with limited extensibility or require all the assets to be held in a single vendor system . the modular approach to the central asset registry 101 allows inclusion of other registries such as the rights registry 153 ( shown in fig1 and 12 ). implementing the rights registry 153 as a graph in a graph database allows expansion of rights groups to cover any or all intellectual property rights groups simply , without a system outage . as shown in fig1 , these groups might start with exhibition rights 1503 and be expanded to cover other complex groups such as derivative rights 1505 , promotion rights 1507 , merchandising rights 1509 , and licensing rights 1511 . these major intellectual property rights groups are further divided into subgroups . for example , derivative rights 1505 is subdivided into format rights 1513 , rights to edit 1515 , and rights to complete 1517 , forming a tree structure . by implementing both the asset relationship registry 151 and the rights registry 153 ( shown in fig1 and 12 ) in a graph database , assets may be associated to any rights group at any level with inheritance . restrictions on the rights are kept in the graph database edges , allowing very fast , complex queries when determining asset availability for any given purpose . lastly , as discussed in the next section , using distributed satellite registries ( e . g ., satellite a registry 1113 from fig1 ) allows rights information to be queried locally , reducing network traffic and the size of the queried dataset . fig1 shows an example satellite and central registry system 1100 according to the claimed invention . the satellite and central registry system 1100 takes the initial distributed repository framework and the asset hierarchy databases and distributes the registry and repositories ( for example , a registry and one or more repositories can be distributed geographically among satellite offices as shown in fig1 ). in fig1 , satellite a registry 1113 and satellite b registry 1163 both access central asset registry 101 via registry service entry point 177 . registry service entry point 177 can also provide access to a quick search indexing mechanism implemented in central registry 101 . in accessing the central asset registry 101 , a user in satellite a can view enterprise assets through the lens of the central asset registry as if the assets were in a single repository ( i . e ., media dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 appear as one , as described above ). the arrangement of a satellite registry and central registry provides several innovations to improve performance . for example , assume satellite a 1101 in fig1 is geographically separated from the central asset registry 101 . a local user of satellite a 1101 can search for and retrieve local - only assets without any communication to the central registry 101 . only when a search needs to expand to other satellites would a query be directed to the central registry 101 . while the central registry 101 has a record of all enterprise assets , the satellite a registry 1113 has a record of all local - only assets and only those enterprise assets that have a local copy in the satellite mam . by limiting communication from the satellite 1101 to the central registry 101 to queries involving enterprise assets , the traffic to the central registry 101 is greatly reduced . also , since enterprise users can only see enterprise assets , there is no chance local - only assets might be mistakenly used by other satellites . fig1 shows one example implementation of the invention where satellite a 1101 can be são paulo , where local users create and store digital assets in satellite a 1101 . the actual physical media assets are stored in satellite a mam 1107 repository and are registered in satellite a registry 1113 . assets that will never be used outside the satellite a 1101 are registered as local - only media assets 1103 , whereas assets to be used throughout the enterprise are registered as enterprise assets 1105 . the process of registering enterprise assets 1105 ( as opposed to local - only assets ) involve a registration to the central asset registry 101 via the central registry service access point 177 as described below . satellite b 1151 is another satellite system , which may be geographically or logically separated from satellite a 1101 . satellite b local - only media assets 1153 are not visible to other satellites or to the central registry 101 . only upon promotion to enterprise assets do the satellite assets get registered to the central registry 101 and become visible to other satellites and the enterprise as a whole . since they are registered to the central asset registry 101 , the enterprise media assets 1105 may be used outside satellite a 1101 in other enterprise locations , including satellite b 1151 . satellite a 1101 registers these enterprise assets 1105 with the enterprise for users in the rest of the enterprise to become aware of and have access to these enterprise media assets stored in satellite a 1101 . upon registering the enterprise media assets 1105 with the central asset registry 101 , users throughout the enterprise have information and knowledge regarding the assets . the once local media assets are now enterprise media assets . however , there is no requirement for satellite a 1101 to register all assets ( local media assets 1103 and enterprise media assets 1105 ) with the central registry . satellite a 1101 can selectively register assets in this fashion . the assets not registered with the central registry remain local - only media assets 1103 . although a new asset may be registered first in a satellite and then with the central registry as an enterprise asset , this is just one of several ingest paths . for example , a new asset may be registered first with the central registry and then physically stored in dams 131 - 134 . copies of the physical asset may or may not be also sent to the satellites . by use of the satellite registry service layers 1111 and 1157 ( shown in fig1 ), the actual implementation of the satellite registries 1113 and 1163 can vary from custom code to commercial products . the flexibility to integrate with third party implementations of satellite registries is a major advantage of the invention . the invention provides benefits over previous systems as it includes both features from the central registration of enterprise assets , and local registration of local assets . the system realizes benefits of a global view of enterprise assets courtesy of the central registry , yet satellites however are free to have their own assets as well . further , by using a system wrapper on the service ( for example , on satellite a registry service layer 1111 and on satellite b registry service layer 1157 ), the system can be vendor agnostic and plug in other registries , just like it plugs in dam vendors . in contrast , other asset registry systems either don &# 39 ; t allow a federated registry with a distinction between local and enterprise assets , or they require all registries to lock into the same vendor . the approach used in this invention provides both federation and the ability to integrate with various vendor products . in the claimed invention , each satellite ( satellite a 1101 , satellite b 1151 , and the like ) can have their own satellite registry ( satellite a registry 1113 , satellite b registry 1163 , and the like ). as outlined above , enterprise media assets 1105 can physically remain in satellite a mam 1107 , but metadata describing the enterprise media asset 1105 is registered in central asset registry 101 giving location information , rights information , and other information regarding the enterprise media asset 1105 . in this fashion , a query against the central registry 101 or against any of the satellite registries shows an integrated view of the assets held in any of the federated mams ( e . g ., 1107 and 1171 ) and dams . the view from the central registry 101 can see all enterprise assets . the view from the satellite registries 1113 and 1163 can see both the enterprise assets and those local to the given satellite . similarly , satellite a physical enterprise media assets held in satellite a mam 1107 can be copied to other locations ( e . g ., media dam 1 131 , media dam 2 , 132 , media dam 3 , 133 , media dam n , 134 , satellite b media asset management system 1171 , and the like ). the enterprise physical media assets can then be distributed throughout the enterprise in various mams , with central asset registry 101 tracking the assets . the hybrid approach of centrally registering enterprise assets while allowing local - only assets in the satellite registries 1113 and 1163 allows the satellite systems to vary from autonomous to tightly integrated with the central registry 101 while a service layer abstraction ( e . g . 1111 and 1157 ) provides the ability to integrate with different vendor systems ( vendor agnostic ). in these systems , much of the workflow for satellite systems revolves around local assets and doesn &# 39 ; t require communication to the central registry 101 . however , when an enterprise asset view is needed , the satellites make a simple query to the central registry , saving the need to concatenate queries from each of the satellite systems . additionally , the hybrid approach to registration allows the enterprise to provide the asset where it is used most , eliminate it where it is not used saving storage costs , store it where storage charges are least expensive , optimize for network traffic by positioning physical copies near the consumer , and take advantage of other storage and access variables that can change over time such as storage latencies . with the central asset registry 101 tracking the location and rights of enterprise assets , the system knows the asset exists and where the asset exists ( along with other information from the asset metadata ), and can access it accordingly . the resulting system provides faster queries , quicker access to physical media , and is more responsive to load variations . using satellite a registry 1113 , a user in satellite a 1101 has a view of the local media assets 1103 in satellite a 1101 as well as the enterprise media assets 1105 physically in satellite a and all other enterprise media assets stored in other locations of the enterprise ( e . g ., dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , and satellite b media asset management system 1171 ) via the registry service access point 177 to access the central asset registry 101 . likewise , users can search the enterprise for assets in a similar fashion . as outlined above , the registry service layer 170 provides a single entry point 177 to access information from any of the underlying registries 151 , 153 , 155 ( and now satellite a registry 1113 ). the use of the registry service layer 170 allows introduction of new registries or changes to implementations of existing registries without impacting consumers of the service via the registry service entry point 177 . all enterprise assets from the various repositories , including enterprise media assets 1105 , have at least an entry in the central relationship registry 151 . the list of assets in the relationship registry 151 therefore ties all the repositories 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , satellite a 1101 , and satellite b 1151 together for those assets designated to be enterprise assets . although fig1 shows only two satellites , satellite a 1101 and satellite b 1151 , the configuration is logically extensible to any number of satellites all accessing the central asset registry 101 via register service access point 177 . further , each satellite can include more than one registry . satellite b 1151 , for example , could include additional satellites b 1 and b 2 ( reference numerals 1251 and 1252 , respectively ), each with their own registry 1263 , 1264 as keeping track of other ( local ) assets within satellite b 1 1263 and within satellite b 2 1264 . the satellites and satellite registries can be configured based on asset characteristics , rights attributes of the assets , physical storage characteristics , and other business considerations . in all configurations , the central registry 101 is authoritative for enterprise assets , and the satellite registries are authoritative for local - only assets . fig1 shows a process flow and program function of the registration of a media asset in a satellite in one example of the claimed invention . registration includes creating a metadata record for the asset in a media dam ( or mam ) and optionally , recording the asset in the central registry for enterprise assets . ingest of the physical media asset is a separate process where the physical asset is associated with metadata record . in this example of the claimed invention , fig1 focuses on the registration of the asset metadata record as opposed to the ingest of the physical asset . the process begins when a user creates an asset metadata record in block 1301 at a satellite location , such as satellite a 1101 fig1 . the satellite a media asset management system 1107 receives a command to create a metadata record . in block 1305 , satellite a then registers the mam asset with satellite registry 1113 as a local asset . if the asset is a local - only asset , as determined in block 1309 , the process then stops at block 1399 . however , if the asset is determined to be an enterprise asset ( that is , not a local - only asset ) in block 1309 , the process continues in block 1313 to register the asset with the central registry 101 using registry service access point 177 . as shown in fig1 , central asset registry 101 uses the registry service layer 170 to update the relationship registry 151 and rights registry 153 in block 1315 characterizing the enterprise media asset 1105 residing in satellite a 1101 . the rights information is either entered by the user in the satellite mam 1101 , determined by inheritance in the central registry 101 , or fed from an external rights system 1002 . if determined by inheritance , the asset hierarchy is traversed upwards till a rights object is found . for example if adding an episode , the parent series or show would be checked for rights assignment . any rights found in the series or show could then be applied to the episode . in block 1316 , the updated information is stored and indexed to facilitate retrieval . the central asset registry 101 can also update other registries , including other registry 155 , based upon characteristics of the enterprise media asset 1155 . a global id is returned from the central registry 101 to the satellite registry 1117 . once the central registry step is complete , the process continues in block 1317 by recording the global id obtained from the central registry 101 in the satellite registry 1113 . the process then stops at block 1399 . although the process shown in fig1 block 1301 describes an action from an interactive user , registration may be triggered by any of a typical set of automation such as api call , batch processing , message queueing , or other common automation technique . fig1 shows a process flow and program function of the retrieval of a digital asset in one example of the claimed invention . for simplicity , satellite b 1151 from fig1 will serve as an example for the asset request process . in block 1404 , a user ( e . g ., local server 1185 ) accesses a media asset management system 1171 . the local server can be a part of a media asset management system as shown by reference numerals 1185 and 1109 in fig1 , or the local server can be a different access point to the overall system . as shown in block 1408 , users can request a digital asset by searching for an asset or by displaying a list of available assets based on user - chosen criteria . the user ( such as local server 1185 ) uses apis provided by the media asset management system 1171 to initiate a query . in block 1412 , the media asset management system 1171 in turn queries the satellite registry 1163 to get a list of assets known to the satellite matching the user query parameters . the system can return an asset list that displays asset metadata characteristics including asset title , thumbnails ( for graphical assets ), asset size , asset location , ip rights , and other asset criteria that can be specified by users . satellite b registry 1163 has a view of all local media assets 1153 as well as an access point ( via registry service access point 177 ) that provides access to the central asset registry 101 for an enterprise - wide view of all enterprise media assets , including those enterprise media assets 1155 that reside in satellite b 1151 , enterprise media assets 1105 that reside in satellite a 1101 , and enterprise media assets that reside in other satellite locations and in other media dams , including media dams 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , and the like . the requesting location ( that is , satellite b 1151 ) receives the location information and the rights constraints of the requested digital asset from the central asset registry 101 . the located media assets can then be retrieved by satellite b if they reside in other locations . when a requested digital asset is listed in the satellite b registry 1163 as a local media asset 1153 , local server 1185 can retrieve the local media asset 1153 using satellite b media asset management system 1171 as shown in block 1420 . the satellite b media asset management system 1171 can request authentication credentials ( e . g ., passwords , certificates , biometric access controls , and the like ) from the requesting user prior to retrieving and providing the local digital asset to the requesting user in block 1424 and stopping the process in block 1428 . in the case in block 1416 that a requested digital asset is not listed in the satellite b registry 1163 as a local media asset 1153 , local server 1185 via asset management system 1171 can query the satellite b registry 1163 to in turn query the central registry 101 using registry access point 177 as shown in block 1440 . in block 1444 , the central registry 101 checks to determine if the requested digital asset in listed in the central asset registry 101 as an enterprise asset . since the central registry 101 has a global view of inventory and metadata for enterprise assets , the local satellite registry 1163 can be updated with global inventory information via a single , efficient call . that is , the system does not have to poll the various other satellites in response to individual requests to present a global view . if the requested digital asset is not listed in the central registry as an enterprise media asset ( e . g ., the requested digital asset does not exist , was not found , could not be identified , and the like ), the process stops at block 1490 . if the requested digital asset is listed in the central registry as an enterprise media asset , the process continues to block 1468 . for available enterprise media assets , in block 1468 , the central registry 101 reports the location information , the security constraints , and the ip rights constraints of the requested digital asset back to the satellite registry 1163 which in turn passes the information to the local server 1185 via the media asset management system 1171 . if the local media asset management system 1171 already has a copy of the physical asset in the proper format and the md5 ( or other cyclic redundancy check ) of the local file matches the metadata values returned from block 1468 , the process can continue on to block 1476 . the caching of the physical assets locally combined with crc values to verify the file is currently dramatically reduces the load on the network , especially for large media files . if the local media asset management system 1171 does not have a local copy of the physical asset , a list of inventory locations retrieved as part of the block 1468 data is presented to the local user server 1185 . the local server may then either access the physical file remotely ( as in retrieving from a remote cloud storage locations ) or request a copy as shown in block 1472 . the request involves the local media asset management system 1171 calling the service layer entry point 166 ( see fig1 ) to retrieve an authoritative copy from the relevant dam 131 , 132 , 133 , or 134 . in block , 1476 , the located enterprise media assets can then be retrieved by satellite b if they reside in other locations . the central asset registry 101 and / or the media asset management system satellite b media asset management system 1171 can request authentication credentials ( e . g ., passwords , certificates , biometric access controls , and the like ) from the requesting user prior to retrieving and providing the local digital asset to the requesting user in block 1476 . since the physical asset for media files may be quite large , various technologies are leveraged in moving a copy of the physical asset from dams 131 - 134 to the local media asset management system 1171 . another innovation of the system is the ability to leverage third party tools that specialize in the error free movement of large media files . should the physical local asset or the other copies located elsewhere not be in the required format , the local media asset management system 1171 can initiate a transcode of the physical asset . such a new physical asset may be held as a local - only asset in the satellite 1151 or may be go through the registration process described previously in fig1 . lastly should the physical asset be copied to satellite b mam 1171 , the central registry 101 is updated as shown in block 1480 and the process stops in block 1490 . by updating the central registry 101 when a copy of the physical asset is sent to satellite b , the central registry maintains a global inventory of all copies of the physical asset . in some embodiments of the invention , the requesting server / asset management system may know in advance that certain authentication information is needed to receive the enterprise media asset . in those cases , passwords , certificates , and other authentication information can be provided along with the original request for the enterprise media asset . previous systems required the management of the physical asset and ip rights to be managed by the same system or vendor architecture . by separating the management of the physical asset and the rights into separate systems along with using service wrappers like the satellite registry service layer 1111 and 11157 , users are not locked into a single vendor &# 39 ; s product or architecture . each satellite mam repository ( 1107 or 1171 ) and satellite registry ( 1113 or 1163 ) can be a different commercial product made by different companies , for example . the central asset registry pulls the assets together and is authoritative for relationships between enterprise assets and ip rights of enterprise assets . the central asset registry can manage enterprise assets in a variety of media asset management systems , including satellite locations . assets in the satellite locations can be registered as local media assets outside the view of the enterprise , or can be registered as enterprise media assets and tracked and utilized as a part of the enterprise under the watch of the central registry . the system does not need to move physical assets from satellite locations to other databases or repositories . the central asset registry provides an enterprise - wide view of all the enterprise assets . in this manner , system network traffic is minimized , there are fewer calls to access and move assets , and the assets can be stored most efficiently . the creation of a central asset registry separate from the individual repositories is key in providing a pluggable architecture with the ability to plug in different repositories by geographic location , asset type , or other considerations as business needs change . the use of a graph database for the central asset registry offers optimized speed and flexibility to traverse relationships and add new relationship types . | 6 |
the present invention relates to fluoroperovskite compounds activated by a phosphor ion dopant that display osl or tsl after exposure to ionizing radiation . such compounds are particularly suitable for the measurement of ionizing radiation dosage by osl and tsl , and can also be used as a phosphor for radiation imaging . the present invention also relates to radiation dosimeters , imaging plates and other radiation monitoring devices based on the fluoroperovskite compounds . irradiation of the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound leads to the excitation of electrons and holes that become trapped in the compound . the concentration of the trapped electrons and holes is related to the radiation dose and the spatial distribution of trapped electrons and holes can be used to generate a two - dimensional dose distribution profile . the spatial distribution and concentration of trapped electrons and holes can also represent a latent x - ray image for x - ray imaging or radiation dose distribution applications . the stored dose or image information can be read out promptly or at a later time by conventional osl or tsl methods . for osl read - out , the irradiated phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound is exposed to stimulating light , which leads to the recombination of the trapped electrons and holes and the emission of the light . the emitted light is known as osl emission . the emitted light can be recorded as a function of time during continual stimulation , and the time integrated osl emission intensity will be proportional to the radiation dose . it is also possible to stimulate the sample with weak stimulating light for a short period and record the osl emission . the intensity can be related to the radiation dose , and this method enables the dose information to be periodically monitored . for radiation imaging applications , in which the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound is typically formed into a plate using methods known to those skilled in the art , the image can be read - out via a scanning stimulating beam or by stimulating the entire plate . for tsl read - out , the irradiated phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound is heated at a rate that is typically between 0 . 01 k / s and 25 k / s . in one embodiment , the heating rate is about 1 k / s . heating leads to thermal excitation of the trapped carriers and electron - hole recombination followed by the emission of tsl light . the intensity and temperature dependence of the tsl emission can be related to the radiation dose . na 1 −( x + x ′) k x rb x ′ mg 1 − y zn y f 3 − z cl z : z d + wherein z d + is the dopant phosphor ion and is selected from the group consisting of : the transition metal ions : cu + ; ag + ; mn 2 + ; mn 3 + ; mn 4 + ; and cr 3 + ; the rare earth metal ions : eu 2 + ; sm 2 + ; sm 3 + ; pr 3 + ; gd 3 + ; and tb 3 + ; and tl + ; in + ; ga + ; and pb 2 + ; and wherein ( x + x ′)≦ 0 . 1 , y ≦ 0 . 1 and z ≦ 0 . 3 ; k 1 −( x + x ′) na x rb x ′ mg 1 − y zn y f 3 − z cl z : z d + wherein z d + is the dopant phosphor ion and is selected from the group consisting of : the transition metal ions : cu + ; ag + ; mn 2 + ; mn 3 + ; mn 4 + ; and cr 3 + ; the rare earth metal ions : eu 2 + ; sm 2 + ; sm 3 + ; pr 3 + ; gd 3 + ; and tb 3 + ; and tl + ; in + ; ga + ; and pb 2 + ; and wherein ( x + x ′)≦ 0 . 1 , y ≦ 0 . 1 and z ≦ 0 . 3 ; rb 1 −( x + x ′) na x k x ′ mg 1 − y zn y f 3 − z cl z : z d + wherein z d + is the dopant phosphor ion and is selected from the group consisting of : the transition metal ions : cu + ; ag + ; mn 3 + ; mn 4 + ; and cr 3 + ; the rare earth metal ions : eu 2 + ; sm 2 + ; sm 3 + ; pr 3 + ; ce 3 + ; gd 3 + ; and tb 3 + ; and tl + ; in + ; ga + ; and pb 2 + ; and wherein ( x + x ′)≦ 0 . 1 , y ≦ 0 . 1 and z ≦ 0 . 3 ; na 1 −( x + x ′) k x rb x ′ mg 1 − y zn y f 3 − z cl z wherein z d + is the dopant phosphor ion and is selected from the group consisting of : the transition metal ions : cu + ; ag + ; mn 2 + ; mn 3 + ; mn 4 + ; and cr 3 + ; the rare earth metal ions : eu 2 + ; sm 2 + ; sm 3 + ; pr 3 + ; gd 3 + ; and tb 3 + ; and tl + ; in + ; ga + ; and pb 2 + ; and wherein ( x + x ′)≦ 0 . 1 , y ≦ 0 . 1 and z ≦ 0 . 3 ; rb 1 −( x + x ′) na x k x ′ mg 1 − y zn y f 3 − z cl z : z d + wherein z d + is the dopant phosphor ion and is selected from the group consisting of : the transition metal ions : cu + ; ag + ; mn 2 + ; mn 3 + ; mn 4 + ; and cr 3 + ; the rare earth metal ions : eu 2 + ; sm 2 + ; sm 3 + ; pr 3 + ; gd 3 + ; and tb 3 + ; and tl + ; in + ; ga + ; and pb 2 + ; and wherein ( x + x ′)≦ 0 . 1 , y ≦ 0 . 1 and z ≦ 0 . 3 ; the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compounds useful in the invention are sensitive to x - rays , gamma - rays , beta particles , alpha particles and other forms of ionizing radiation . the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compounds useful in the invention may be prepared from suitable precursor compounds by methods known to those persons skilled in the art . suitable precursor compounds include : the alkali metal fluorides : naf ; kf and rbf ; mgf 2 and znf 2 ; and various dopant phosphor ion compounds . a preferred method of preparation involves placing a mixture of the precursor compounds in a crucible . the mixture is then heated to form a homogeneous melt . typically , the mixture of precursor compounds is heated to a temperature that is about 50 ° c . above the melting point of the mixture . however , lower or higher temperatures — as high as about 1200 ° c .— may also be used . the maximum temperature for a particular mixture will be determined by the vapor pressures of the individual precursor compounds . typically , the mixture is heated in an atmosphere having a low oxygen partial pressure . in a preferred embodiment , the mixture is heated in argon , but other gases and mixtures may be used including , but not limited to : dry nitrogen ; argon - hydrogen ; and nitrogen - hydrogen . the mixture is held at or above the melting temperature for a period of time , typically at least 20 minutes . the temperature is then ramped down to room temperature . the resultant material is polycrystalline . in an alternative embodiment , the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound may be prepared by heating a mixture of the precursor compounds to a temperature which is below the melting point and sintering the mixture to form the compound . in other embodiments , the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound may be prepared by known methods of single crystallite synthesis — for example , the bridgman method or the czochralski process . generally , the precursor dopant phosphor ion compound will be selected such that the dopant phosphor ion has the desired valency . in some embodiments , the precursor compound will include dopant phosphor ions having a higher valency than that desired for incorporation in the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound . for example , a eu 3 + precursor ( such as eu 2 o 3 ) may be used to prepare compounds in which the desired dopant phosphor ion is eu 2 + . in such embodiments , the mixture of precursor compounds may be heated in a reducing atmosphere , such as 95 % argon - 5 % hydrogen , to ensure that the dopant phosphor ions are reduced to the desired valency . the resultant phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound may be ground and then sintered at temperatures below the melting point and then quenched from temperatures as high as 1100 ° c . to optimize the response of the compound to ionizing radiation . this quenching procedure may also be applied to the as - made phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound , without the intermediate grinding and sintering . in a preferred embodiment , the temperature of the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound before quenching is less than about 200 ° c . below the melting point of the compound , and preferably close to the melting point . without wishing to be bound by theory , the grinding and sintering process is thought to lead to diffusivity of the fluorine vacancies and other defects , and to increase their concentration , in the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound structure . rapid quenching of the compound “ freezes ” these vacancies and defects , whereas slow cooling may lead to a decrease in the trap distribution , depth and type . the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound can also be ground into a fine powder and dispersed in a polymer to enable the formation of arbitrary shapes , including panels , and to ensure long term material stability . the phosphor - doped fluoroperovskite compound useful in the present invention may be used to produce an ionizing radiation imaging device by combining the compound with a source of ionizing radiation , to irradiate the compound . subsequent illumination with stimulating light , or heating , can be used to cause luminescence of the compound to create an image using conventional techniques . the following examples are provided to illustrate the present invention and in no way limit the scope thereof . four namgf 3 samples , doped with 0 . 2 % eu 2 + , 0 . 2 % mn 2 + , 0 . 1 % pr 3 + and 0 . 2 % tb 3 + , respectively , were prepared . the samples were prepared from stoichiometric quantities of naf and mgf 2 with appropriate concentrations of euf 3 , mnf 2 , prf 3 or tbf 3 . the precursors were placed in a vitreous carbon crucible and heated in an argon atmosphere to 1070 ° c . that temperature was held for 120 minutes . the temperature was then cooled to 1030 ° c . at a rate of 1 k / min , then to 1010 ° c . at 2 k / hour . this was followed by furnace cooling to room temperature . the room temperature osl emission spectra after exposure to x - rays are shown in fig1 for namgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + ( solid curve , stimulated at 500 nm ), namgf 3 : 0 . 1 % pr 3 + ( dashed curve , stimulated at 800 nm ), namgf 3 : 0 . 2 % tb 3 + ( dotted curve , stimulated at 470 nm ), and namgf 3 : 0 . 2 % mn 2 + ( dot - dash curve , stimulated 375 nm ). the stimulation wavelength is longer than the emission wavelength for the samples doped with eu 2 + , pr 3 + and tb 2 + . this is advantageous because excitation at wavelengths shorter than the emission wavelength can lead to photoluminescence from the fluorescent ion excited states . this will limit the minimum detectable dose . the osl can be bleached by stimulating in the osl excitation band and the time integrated osl emission intensity is proportional to the radiation dose . fig2 ( a ) is a plot of the tsl glow curve from the eu 2 + doped sample at a heating rate of 1 k / s and after x - ray irradiation . fig2 ( a ) shows that this compound can also be used to measure the radiation dose by tsl . a sample of namgf 3 : 0 . 02 % mn 2 + was prepared using the procedure in example 1 . the tsl data , at a heating rate of 1 k / s and after β irradiation , are plotted in fig3 . there is one main high temperature trap , which is a desirable property for a tsl dosimeter . the tsl dose response to x - ray irradiation for another namgf 3 : 0 . 02 % mn 2 + sample is shown in fig4 . the dose response to x - rays is linear up to 300 gy and increases for doses exceeding 1 kgy . this is a desirable property for a tsl dosimeter and the high dose response exceeds that of commercial tsl materials . a sample of namgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + , prepared using the procedure in example 1 , was ground , pressed into pellets and sintered at 900 ° c . in an air atmosphere for 2 hours . the sample was then quenched in liquid nitrogen . the resulting osl excitation and emission spectra after exposure to ionizing radiation were similar to those observed for the as - made sample . the osl can be bleached by stimulating with wavelengths ranging from the infrared to approximately 300 nm , and the time integrated osl emission is proportional to the radiation dose . an example of the radiation dose read - out after 0 . 1 gy β irradiation is shown in fig5 . the osl was stimulated by a blue led centered at 470 nm . the emitted light was passed through a hoya u - 340 uv bandpass glass filter and detected with a photomultiplier tube . it can be seen that there is rapid bleaching , which a desirable characteristic for osl dosimeters . the dark decay is shown in the inset to fig5 , where the integrated osl is plotted for different times after the radiation dose . there is a small dark decay for times less than 24 hours and the dose information is stable after 1 day . the observed dark decay may be attributable to the specific sintering and annealing process used for this sample and does not reflect the dark decay observed for as - made material . the tsl data at a heating rate of 1 k / s and after x - ray irradiation are plotted in fig2 ( b ). compared to the data for as - made namgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + , which are shown in fig2 ( a ), the tsl data also show a significant reduction for temperatures below 100 ° c . it should be noted that it is these shallow traps that lead to the afterglow and initial decrease in the dark decay in the as - made samples . it is also apparent that sintering and quenching lead to a significant decrease in the tsl glow curves for temperatures above 300 ° c . this indicates that sintering and quenching leads to a reduction in the density of deep traps . a low concentration of deep traps is desirable for osl dosimeters because deep traps require high read - out intensities . kmgf 3 doped with 0 . 2 % eu 2 + was prepared from stoichiometric quantities of kf and mgf 2 with an appropriate concentration of euf 3 . the precursors were placed in a platinum crucible and heated in an argon atmosphere to 1100 ° c . that temperature was held for 120 minutes . the temperature was then cooled to 1080 ° c . at a rate of 1 k / min , then to 1060 ° c . at 2 k / hour . this was followed by furnace cooling to room temperature . the room temperature osl emission spectra , after x - ray irradiation and stimulation at 450 nm , are shown in fig6 . the dose response is shown fig7 , which is a plot of the time integrated osl intensity against the radiation dose . the response is linear up to kgy , which is desirable for a osl dosimeter . rbmgf 3 doped with 0 . 2 % eu 2 + and 0 . 2 % ce 3 + were prepared from stoichiometric quantities of rbf and mgf 2 with appropriate concentrations of euf 3 or cef 3 . the precursors were placed in a vitreous carbon crucible and heated in an argon atmosphere to 970 ° c . that temperature was held for 120 minutes . the temperature was then cooled to 920 ° c . at a rate of 1 k / min , then to 900 ° c . at 2 k / hour . this was followed by furnace cooling to room temperature . the room temperature osl emission spectra after x - ray irradiation are shown in fig8 for rbmgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + ( solid curve , stimulated at 580 nm ) and rbmgf 3 : 0 . 2 % ce 3 + ( dashed curve , stimulated at 450 nm ). the dose read - out can be obtained by continual stimulation and detection of the emitted light . this is shown in fig9 where the osl emission intensity from rbmgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + is plotted during continual stimulation with an infrared led centered at 875 nm ( irsl , solid curve ) or a blue led centered at 470 nm ( blue sl , dashed curve ) after 0 . 1gy irradiation . fig1 shows the dose read - out for rbmgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + after irradiation with a γ - ray source ( 60 kev ) to a dose of approximately 400 mgy . fig1 shows the infrared stimulated luminescence ( irsl ) decay when stimulating with light above 715 nm immediately after irradiation and with a five day delay between irradiation and stimulation . fig1 also shows the osl decay when stimulating with light above 435 nm immediately after irradiation and with a five day delay between irradiation and stimulation . these data show that partial dose information can be obtained by stimulating with light from the blue to the infrared . it is also possible to read - out the dose information with wavelengths as low as 300 nm , provided that suitable emission and detection optical filters are used . the radiation dose can also be obtained by tsl . this is shown in fig1 , which is a plot of the tsl data for rbmgf 3 : 0 : 2 % eu 2 + , after x - ray irradiation with a temperature ramp of 1 k / s . fig1 is a comparison of the tsl data for rbmgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + after x - ray irradiation ( solid curve ) and the tsl data after a similar x - ray dose and illumination with an infrared led centered at 875 nm ( dashed curve ). this comparison shows that the material can be used as a tsl dosimeter and that infrared stimulation depopulates the traps associated with the low temperature peaks that are also responsible for the initial dark decay . the radiation sensitivity of rbmgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + was compared with that of a commercial bafbr : eu 2 + storage phosphor plate ( agfa md30 ). samples of approximately the same area ( 2 . 1 × 4 . 5 mm 2 ) and thickness ( 0 . 7 mm ) were prepared . these dimensions were chosen to match the spot size of the excitation light of a hitachi fluorescence spectrometer with a band pass of 20 nm . the samples were then subjected to a dose of 5 . 4 mgy by irradiation with an 241 am source for 5 minutes at a distance of approximately 2 cm . the osl data were obtained using 633 nm excitation light with an og590 filter and detecting at 395 nm with bg18 and ug5 filters for the imaging plate sample ( for which the osl emission occurs at 395 nm ), and 0th order light from the excitation monochromator with a gg435 filter and detecting at 360 nm with bg18 , ug11 and ug1 filters for the rbmgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + sample . the emission spectra were not corrected for the excitation intensity , so the detected signal was a measure of the total osl yield . the signals , integrated over the first 100 s ( more than 90 % of the signal was depleted in all cases ), were measured relative to the value obtained for the imaging plate . the rbmgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + sample was found to have a relative conversion efficiency of 32 %. a sample of namgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + was prepared using the procedure in example 1 . the sample was β - irradiated ( 100 mgy ) and the osl emission recorded as a function of time during continual osl stimulation with an infrared led centered at 875 nm . the irradiation was repeated and the osl emission recorded as a function of time during continual osl stimulation with a blue led centered at 470 nm . the room temperature osl decay curves are shown in fig1 , which shows that a wide range of wavelengths can be used to read - out part or all of the dose information . the osl decay from a 28 mg sample after 3 μgy β irradiation is plotted in fig1 , which shows the osl emission intensity as a function of time during continual stimulation with a blue led centered at 470 nm . it shows the sensitivity of this material to ionizing radiation . the time integrated osl signal is proportional to the radiation dose . fig1 is a plot of the time integrated room temperature osl intensity against the radiation dose after x - ray irradiation . fig1 shows that the osl response is linear for relatively low doses . the inset shows the dose response to higher x - ray doses . it shows that the dose response is linear to 100 gy and that there is still a dose response to 1 kgy . this is in contrast to al 2 o 3 : c where the dose response saturates at approximately 100 gy . a wide range of dose response and a high dose limit is very desirable in osl dosimeters , which can also be used for radiation therapy as well as non - destructive testing . there is negligible fading after 24 hours . fig1 compares the osl emission intensity as a function of time for namgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + ( solid curve ) and a transparent al 2 o 3 : c dosimeter sample obtained from landauer ( dashed curve ). a direct comparison with the industry standard osl material al 2 o 3 : c is not straightforward because of the differences in the stimulation and emission characteristics . the main emission of al 2 o 3 : c occurs around 420 nm , and the stimulation maximum appears in the same wavelength region , but extends to red and infrared wavelengths . for comparison , rectangular samples of 2 . 5 × 4 . 5 mm 2 and 0 . 5 mm thickness were cut and irradiated with x - rays to approximately 10 gy . osl read - out was performed in a hitachi fluorescence spectrometer . the beam width using a stimulation band pass was wide enough to cover the total sample areas , thus providing complete dose read - out . for al 2 o 3 : c , the excitation monochromator was set to 560 nm , and the emission monochromator to 420 nm . additional wavelength separation was provided by inserting a gg495 filter in front of the excitation aperture and a bg3 filter in front of the detection aperture . namgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + was read out with 425 nm stimulation , 360 nm emission and gg400 and ug11 filters , respectively . the stimulation efficiency in this setup was much higher for namgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + . while the initial osl intensity of namgf 3 : 0 . 2 % eu 2 + is approximately a factor of 4 higher than that of al 2 o 3 : c , the time integrated intensity is approximately a factor of 4 smaller . without taking into account the detector characteristics , these values are not very significant , but show that the sensitivity of both materials is in the same order of magnitude . rbmgf 3 : mn 2 + doped with different concentrations of mn 2 + were prepared from stoichiometric quantities of rbf and mgf 2 with appropriate concentrations of mnf 2 . the precursors were placed in a vitreous carbon crucible and heated in an argon atmosphere to 970 ° c . that temperature was held for 120 minutes . the temperature was then cooled to 920 ° c . at a rate of 1 k / min , then to 900 ° c . at 2 k / hour . this was followed by furnace cooling to room temperature . sintered pellets were prepared by grinding part of each sample and pressing into a disc using a die . they were then sintered at 880 ° c . for 3 hours in argon and then furnace cooled to room temperature . the tsl data for the as - made ( solid curves ) and sintered ( dashed curves ) samples after a short exposure to x - rays are shown in fig1 . the nominal mn 2 + nominal concentrations were : ( a ) 5 %; ( b ) 2 %; ( c ) 0 . 7 %; ( d ) 0 . 2 %; ( e ) 0 . 05 %; and ( f ) 0 %. the ramp rate was 1 k / s . these data show that sintering can result in a reduction in the relative intensity of the low temperature peaks , which is advantageous for a tsl dosimeter . the fluoroperovskite compounds described in these examples have a number of advantages over materials currently used in dosimetry applications and as storage phosphors . for example , rbmgf 3 : eu 2 + has a higher osl sensitivity to ionizing radiation than al 2 o 3 : c and it is slightly less than that found for a commercial x - ray storage phosphor plate comprising bafbr : eu 2 + . however , unlike the imaging plate , the dose information does not degrade , even for times as long at 24 hours . infrared stimulation of rbmgf 3 : eu 2 + ensures that the exciting light is far removed from the emitted light and , hence , the minimal detectable dose is lower because of the reduced leakage into the detector from the stimulating light . if the detector is a photomultiplier detector with photon counting , then infrared stimulation enables the osl emission to be detected without the need for optical filters . this is because a sufficiently long infrared stimulation wavelength , which is not detected by the photomultiplier , can be selected . kmgf 3 : eu 2 + has a linear dose response to nearly 1000 gy . this is significantly greater than the linear dose range reported for the osl dosimeter material al 2 o 3 : c or even for tsl dosimeters . namgf 3 : mn 2 + has a higher tsl sensitivity and higher maximum detectable dose limit than tld - 100 ( lif : mg , ti ). the effective afoftiic number of namgf 3 is lower than that of al 2 o 3 , which is advantageous for personal dosimetry . the conversion efficiency of namgf 3 : eu 2 + is slightly less than that of al 2 o 3 : c but namgf 3 : eu 2 + has a higher maximum recordable dose limit . furthermore , most of the dose information can be read out via infrared stimulation and the peak osl emission wavelength matches that of photomultiplier tube detectors . advantageously , this enables highly sensitive dosimeter measurements using infrared stimulation above 650 nm without requiring optical filters as well as photon counting using a photomultiplier to detect the osl emission at the peak of the photomultiplier tube sensitivity . the present invention provides fluoroperovskite compounds that can be used in , for example , osl and tsl personal dosimeters to measure the biological exposure to harmful ionizing radiation , and in medical applications to measure the dose during radiation therapy . the fluoroperovskite compounds may also be used in the manufacture of radiation imaging plates for x - rays , gamma - rays and thermal neutrons for medical and non - destructive testing applications where a slow dark decay of the image is required . such imaging plates may be used , for example , in medical x - ray imaging in remote locations where the image is read out at a central location , and in gamma - ray or x - ray imaging of critical valves or pipes in remote locations where the read - out is done up to two or more weeks later . it is not the intention to limit the scope of the invention to the above - mentioned examples only . as would be appreciated by a skilled person in the art , many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the accompanying claims . | 2 |
referring to fig1 and 2 , the plastic container embodying the invention is shown as comprising a hollow container 10 having a side wall 11 , a bottom wall 12 and a neck 13 with a thread 14 thereon . the container is made by conventional blow molding techniques wherein a hollow preform or parison at the blow molding temperature is enclosed in a hollow mold which has a label suitably held against a surface of the cavity of the mold by , for example , vacuum , and the parison is expanded or blown outwardly against the confines of the mold so that the label is bonded to the outer surface of the side wall 11 of the resultant container . referring to fig2 the label l comprises an inner non - cellular plastic layer 15 which is heat bonded at its inner surface 16 to the outer surface 17 of the wall 11 of the container ; an intermediate cellular plastic layer 18 which has an inner surface 19 bonded to the outer surface 20 of the inner layer 15 and an outer surface 21 which is heated bonded to the inner surface 22 of an outer non - cellular plastic layer 23 . the outer surface 24 of the outer layer 23 is formed with suitable indicia such as printing to produce identification as well as desired aesthetic effects . in order to provide the heat bonding desired to produce the container without the use of adhesives , the various layers must be compatible at their contacting surfaces , that is , they must be heat bondable . the label l is preferably made by coextrusion , as is well known in the art , during which the uniformly thick layers 15 , 18 , 23 are heat bonded to one another . the resultant label l preferably has a thin inner layer , a relatively thick intermediate layer 18 , and a thin outer layer . the inner and outer layers , if made of the same material , should have substantially the same thickness in order that the label will remain flat . if the inner layer is made of a material having lesser mechanical properties , it can be thinner without affecting the curl . furthermore , the major portion of the total thickness of the label l comprises the intermediate cellular layer 18 . in a typical example , the total thickness of label l might be 6 mils and the inner and outer layers each having a thickness of 0 . 5 mil . in addition , the inner surface 17 of the inner layer 15 preferably is roughened in order to avoid the formation of air bubbles and insure a proper bond with the wall 11 . in a preferred form , the labels are intended to be applied to containers made of olefin plastics and the various layers of the labels are also made of olefin plastics . it has been found that when labels l are applied to plastic containers by conventional in - molding techniques , the inner layer is reheated and adheres to the bottle surface without the use of adhesives since it is compatible with the container and is very thin resulting in a very low specific heat . however , it is insulated from the bulk or mass of the total label by the foam or cellular layer 18 . the low specific heat of the inner layer together with the insulating characteristics of the intermediate layer allows the surface of the inner layer to rapidly heat and melt bond to the outer surface of the container . the cellular intermediate layer also permits the inner surface of the label to reheat to the desired temperature for adhesion without distorting the label . this may be contrasted to labels that comprise non - cellular cross sections wherein it is very difficult at normal blow molding temperatures to reheat the inner surface to a point at which complete bonding will occur . the intermediate cellular foam layer is designed not only to insulate the inner surface of the inner layer but also to provide bulk or stiffness to the label without adding to the weight of the label . the resultant stiffness permits better handling in the mechanisms which are utilized to insert the label within the mold cavity . furthermore , the cellular layer produces a fine roughness on the inner surface of the inner layer provided paths for escape of air which could become entrapped between the container and label during the blow molding . tests have shown that complete adhesion between the label and container occur . the inner layer is preferably of a material which has a melting point like that of the container . the outer layer preferably is made of material that has the desired characteristics for printing and background . thus , the inner layer may comprise a low density plastic such as low density polyethylene and the outer layer may comprise a more rigid plastic such as high density polyethylene or high density polystyrene which have a smooth or make finish . a overlayer of varnish can be provided over the printing on the outer layer . alternatively , a metallic film coating can be applied on the outer surface of the outer layer before printing to provide a metallic background for the printing . although in the preferred form , the label comprises an inner non - cellular layer , an intermediate cellular layer , some of the advantages of the invention can be obtained by a label comprising two layers , namely , an inner non - cellular layer and an outer cellular layer . as indicated above , the polymeric materials respective and independently contemplated for cellular layer 18 and non - cellular layers 15 , 23 are olefin polymers ; that is , each of these polymeric layers will have as the predominant polymeric moiety a polymer of an olefin , preferably an olefin having 2 - 4 carbons , or mixtures thereof , e . g . the predominant moiety will be a polymer of ethene , propene , butene , like butene - 1 , or mixtures thereof , more commonly referred to as a polymer of ethylene , propylene or butylene . this includes homopolymers , copolymers of these olefins with other copolymerizable monoethylenically unsaturated monomers , wherein the olefin in the copolymerization is such that the moiety thereof in the final copolymer , that is the ethlene , propylene or butylene moiety , is at least about 60 % by weight , and polymeric blends , or admixtures , wherein the resulting polymeric blend is at least about 60 % by weight of a polymerized olefin moiety , e . g ., at least about 60 % of an ethlene moiety in the blend . the minor amounts , i . e ., less than about 40 % of the other moiety of material employed , are such as to supplement and compliment the basic properties of the olefin polymer and this applies whether other moieties are introduced by way of a polymer blend , or admixture , or by way of a copolymerized monomer . these other moieties , whether supplied by blending another polymer with a hommopolymerized olefin , e . g ., homopolymerized ethene , ( ethlene homopolymer ), or by copolymerization therewith should not be such as to significantly interfere with the foamable , heat sealable , extrudable characteristics of the base olefin polymer and should be compatible , i . e ., miscible with it . exemplary olefin homopolymers are ethylene , propylene and butylene homopolymers , with the former being especially preferred , and blends of these homopolymers . the terms polyethylene , polypropylene and polybutylene are used herein to include those material recognized and sold commercially under those names , even though those materials , strictly and technically , may be viewed by some to be a blend , or copolymer , since the material may include small amounts , typically less than about 5 %, e . g ., 0 . 5 - 3 % by weight , of another polymeric moiety . for example , polyethylene is sold and recognized by that name when in fact it may be produced by copolymerization with 1 - 2 percent by weight of hexene , or butadiene , or may , by analysis , show several percent , e . g ., 3 - 5 % of vinyl acetate moiety ; for practical purposes however these material consist of polyethylene . the foregoing generally describes the composition of the polymeric portion of the cellular layer 18 and non - cellular films 15 , 23 , it being understood that the layers need not be of the same polymeric composition . it will , of course , be apparent that suitable adjuvants can be present in these layers if desired . thus , for example , in addition to the polymeric material , the respective layers can include pigments , stabilizers and the like . generally , excellent results will be obtained by selecting a polymeric composition for cellular layer 18 which has a melt index or melt flow of less than 5 , for example , between about 0 . 1 to 5 and most desirably about 0 . 2 to 1 and the polymeric material selected for the non - cellular layers 15 , 23 will have a melt index or melt flow of less than about 10 . the preferred material for both the cellular layer 18 and the non - cellular layers 15 , 23 is polyethylene , which includes low density polyethylene , for example , polyethylene having a density of less than 0 . 925 grams / cc , generally in the range of about 0 . 910 to about 0 . 925 , high density polyethylene , for example , that having a density greater than about 0 . 941 , typically about 0 . 941 to about 0 . 965 , medium density polyethylene , and blends thereof . as regards the cellular layers , the density specified is prior to foaming . the foamed density of cellular layer is about 25 - 30 #/ ft . 3 and the density of the composite laminate is about 35 - 40 #/ ft . 3 while a sheet of stock material of the composite structure for use herein can be formed by various techniques , it is generally preferred to employ extrusion technology . this extrusion technology may take either of two conventional forms , one of which is extrusion coating and the other of which is the use of co - extrusion technology . the latter technique , however , is particularly highly preferred because of the apparent ability to form lower density composite structures . in the co - extrusion technique , while a slit die may be employed , the preferred practice is to employ an extrusion die which is possessed of an annular , circular opening and the composite structure is initially formed as a tubular shape by what is referred to in the art as a &# 34 ; blown bubble &# 34 ; technique . these types of coextrusion die is set forth in spe journal , november 1969 , vol . 25 , page 20 , entitled , &# 34 ; co - extrusion of blown film laminates &# 34 ; and form no part of the present invention as such . in this known co - extrusion technique , the circular opening is fed from two independent extruders and , in this particular instance , the extruder supplying the foamable material , intended to form cellular layer 18 , preferably will feed the die so that this material forms the internal portion of the tubular extrusion ; the extruder feeding the material intended to form non - cellular layers 15 , 23 will preferably be fed to the die so as to form the internal and external portions of the tubular shape . the tubular member issuing from the extruder is blown into a bubble by conventional &# 34 ; bubble &# 34 ; forming techniques , including air cooling of the external surface thereof , and is then drawn through the nip of two juxtaposed rollers wherein the tubular member is compressed to form a flattened tube . suitable conventional foaming or blowing agents are employed to produce foaming and the cellular structure results , just as the extrudate leaves the die . this flattened tube is then contacted with cutting knives which slit the flattened tubular member along its edges ( machine direction ) so as to form a sheet or film of substantially uniform width ; this sheet or film , which is at this point actually a sheet of two superimposed composite structures , for use herein , is separated into two independent sheets and wound onto independent winding wheels , which provides the stock of the heat shrinkable composite structure for use herein . although the invention has been described in connection with blow molded containers , it is also applicable to containers made from preforms by differential pressure as , for example , thermoforming of containers from flat or shaped preforms . | 8 |
the present invention is an approach to caller authentication that validates a caller id , supplementing it with verification of a separate digital signature to determine whether the received caller id information is accurate . other approaches to caller id validation work by building trusted covert channels between end users , which allow a call recipient device to request validation from the purported caller device ; by using voice recognition to verify caller identity ; or by requiring that the caller answer security questions at the beginning of a call . some of these approaches specifically contemplate an organization as the call recipient and an individual as the caller . embodiments of the present invention can provide assistance to various types of call recipients , not limited to organizations receiving calls from unknown individuals , by obtaining and communicating easy - to - comprehend information on whether or not the recipient &# 39 ; s caller id service is providing accurate information . embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the figures . fig1 a is a functional block diagram illustrating a first network environment 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . network environment 100 includes network 102 , caller device 104 , recipient device 106 , auxiliary computing device 108 , digital signature verification component 110 , telecommunication service provider 112 , certificate server 114 , and certification authority 116 . caller device 104 and recipient device 106 are interconnected over network 102 . network 102 can be , for example , a telecommunications network , a local area network ( lan ), a wide area network ( wan ), such as the internet , or a combination of more than one of the three , and can include wired , wireless , or fiber optic connections . network 102 can include one or more wired and / or wireless networks capable of receiving and transmitting data , voice , and / or video signals , including multimedia signals that include voice , data , and video information . in general , network 102 can be any combination of connections and protocols that support communications between caller device 104 , recipient device 106 , and other devices ( not shown ) within an environment such as network environment 100 . caller device 104 can be interconnected over network 102 with systems of telecommunication service provider 112 . telecommunication service provider 112 can be an incumbent local exchange carrier , a competitive local exchange carrier ( clec ), a mobile wireless communication company , or any communications service provider responsible for the acceptance and transmission of communications such as those between caller device 104 , recipient device 106 , and other devices ( not shown ) interconnected over network 102 . caller device 104 can be a fixed line telephone , a mobile phone , or any device capable of communicating with recipient device 106 and other devices ( not shown ) over network 102 . recipient device 106 can be a fixed line telephone such as a hard - wired or cordless telephone , or any device capable of connecting to network 102 by a telephone line . recipient device 106 is communicatively interconnected with auxiliary computing device 108 . auxiliary computing device 108 can be any programmable electronic device capable of executing machine - readable instructions and communicating with various components and devices within network environment 100 . auxiliary computing device 108 includes digital signature verification component 110 , which performs steps of a client device - based digital signature verification method as described herein with reference to fig2 . auxiliary computing device 108 can include internal and external hardware components , as depicted and described in further detail with respect to fig4 . certificate server 114 can be a server system that is capable of providing a digital signature on behalf of caller device 104 to auxiliary computing device 108 and other devices ( not shown ) within network environment 100 . certificate server 114 can be interconnected with auxiliary computing device 108 , certification authority 116 , and other devices ( not shown ) over network 102 . certification authority 116 can be a trusted third party system capable of issuing digital certificates , also known as public key certificates , that can be used to verify a digital signature provided on behalf of caller device 104 to auxiliary computing device 108 and other devices ( not shown ) within network environment 100 . certification authority 116 can be interconnected with auxiliary computing device 108 , certificate server 114 , and other devices ( not shown ) over network 102 . fig1 b is a functional block diagram illustrating a second network environment 120 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention . fig1 b includes network 102 , caller device 104 , recipient device 122 , digital signature verification component 110 , telecommunication service provider 112 , certificate server 114 , and certification authority 116 . caller device 104 and recipient device 122 are interconnected over network 102 . recipient device 122 can be a mobile phone such as a smartphone , or any device capable of connecting wirelessly to network 102 , and capable of executing machine - readable instructions and communicating with various components and devices within network environment 120 . recipient device 122 includes digital signature verification component 110 , which performs steps of a client device - based digital signature verification method as described herein with reference to fig2 . recipient device 122 can include internal and external hardware components , as depicted and described in further detail with respect to fig4 . fig1 c is a functional block diagram illustrating a third network environment 140 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention . network environment 140 includes network 102 , caller device 104 , recipient device 142 , server system 144 , digital signature verification component 146 , registration component 148 , processing component 150 , telecommunication service provider 112 , certificate server 114 , and certification authority 116 . caller device 104 and recipient device 142 are interconnected over network 102 . recipient device 142 can be a fixed line telephone , a mobile phone , or any device capable of communicating with caller device 104 over network 102 and capable of , independently or in communicative connection with a computing component such as but not limited to an auxiliary computing device , executing machine - readable instructions and communicating with various components and devices within network environment 140 . server system 144 can be a server system capable of communicating with caller device 104 , recipient device 142 , certificate server 114 , certification authority 116 , and other devices ( not shown ) across network 102 , and capable of executing machine - readable instructions . server system 144 includes digital signature verification component 146 , which includes registration component 148 and processing component 150 , and performs steps of a server - based digital signature verification method as described herein with reference to fig3 . server system 144 can include internal and external hardware components , as depicted and described in further detail with respect to fig4 . fig2 is a flowchart 200 depicting operational steps of a client device - based digital signature verification method performed by digital signature verification component 110 of network environment 100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . it should be noted that the steps recited herein with reference to digital signature component 110 of network environment 100 are analogous to the steps performed by digital signature verification component 110 in network environment 120 . accordingly , auxiliary computing device 108 and recipient device 122 have analogous functions in their respective environments . in step 202 , digital signature verification component 110 receives caller id information associated with a call . in step 204 , digital signature verification component 110 receives a url associated with the call that points to certificate server 114 via network 102 . the url can be , but need not be , provided as a toll service by telecommunication service provider 112 . the url employed can be , but need not be , a tinyurl , a shortened version of a longer url , in order to reduce the amount of data transmitted and thus increase the speed of digital signal verification . in step 206 , digital signature verification component 110 requests the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature from certificate server 114 . in step 208 , digital signature verification component 110 receives the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature from certificate server 114 . in another embodiment , if the caller has chosen to store a digital signature on caller device 104 , obviating the need for a separate certificate server , digital signature verification component 110 can request the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature from caller device 104 in step 206 and receive the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature from caller device 104 in step 208 . in step 210 , digital signature verification component 110 requests the caller &# 39 ; s public key from certification authority 116 . if digital signature verification component 110 does not receive the caller &# 39 ; s public key in step 212 , digital signature verification component 110 bypasses step 214 and determines that the caller id is unverifiable in step 216 a . if digital signature verification component 110 receives the caller &# 39 ; s public key in step 212 , digital signature verification component 110 determines whether the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature corresponds to the public key in step 214 . if the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature corresponds to the public key in step 214 , digital signature verification component 110 determines that the caller id is valid in step 216 b . if the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature does not correspond to the public key in step 214 , digital signature component 110 determines that the caller id is invalid in step 216 c . in step 218 , digital signature verification component 110 performs one or more actions based on the digital signature assessment . it should be noted that , although the one or more actions are collectively referred to as step 218 in the interest of simplicity , it is not implied that the actions should occur simultaneously . in step 218 , digital signature verification component 110 can communicate a determination of validity , invalidity , or unverifiable nature of the caller id to a user . for example , in some embodiments , digital signature verification component 110 can instruct auxiliary computing device 108 to communicate a visual message such as a pictorial icon ( e . g ., a check - mark signifying validity , an ‘ x ’ signifying invalidity ) on a display . in some embodiments , digital signature verification component 110 can store information about a determination of validity , invalidity , or unverifiable nature in order to allow digital signature verification component 110 to recognize valid caller id information in the future and bypass one or more of the steps of described with respect to fig2 . fig3 is a flowchart depicting operational steps of a server - based digital signature verification method performed by digital signature verification component 146 in network environment 140 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . in step 302 , digital signature verification component 146 receives logon information provided by caller device 104 . for example , if caller device 104 is a mobile device with a keypad , digital signature verification component 146 can receive a username and password entered by a caller using the keypad of caller device 104 . in step 304 , registration component 148 of digital signature verification component 146 creates a record to track the call . the record can include information such as , but not limited to , the caller &# 39 ; s phone number ; the call recipient &# 39 ; s phone number ; and information on the caller &# 39 ; s business , if applicable ( e . g ., ratings , comments from customers ). in step 306 , processing component 150 of digital signature verification component 146 requests the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature from certificate server 114 . in step 308 , processing component 150 receives the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature from certificate server 114 . in another embodiment , if the caller has chosen to store a digital signature on caller device 104 , obviating the need for a separate certificate server , digital signature verification component 146 can request the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature from caller device 104 in step 306 and receive the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature from caller device 104 in step 308 . in step 310 , processing component 150 requests the caller &# 39 ; s public key from certification authority 116 . if processing component 150 does not receive the caller &# 39 ; s public key in step 312 , processing component 150 bypasses step 314 and determines that the caller id is unverifiable in step 316 a . if processing component 150 receives the caller &# 39 ; s public key in step 312 , processing component 150 determines whether the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature corresponds to the public key in step 314 . if the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature corresponds to the public key in step 314 , processing component 150 determines that the caller id is valid in step 316 b . if the caller &# 39 ; s digital signature does not correspond to the public key in step 314 , processing component 150 determines that the caller id is invalid in step 316 c . in step 318 , processing component 150 adds information regarding the digital signature assessment ( e . g ., the determination of validity , invalidity , or unverifiable nature of the digital signature ) to the call record . in step 320 , processing component 150 adds timestamp information to the call record . the timestamp can remain valid for a predefined period of time ( e . g ., 1 - 2 minutes ), after which the record expires . while unexpired , the call record can be requested by recipient device 142 . fig4 depicts a block diagram of components of auxiliary computing device 108 in network environment 100 , recipient device 122 in network environment 120 , or server system 144 in network environment 140 , in accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention . in the interest of simplicity , auxiliary computing device 108 , recipient device 122 , and server system 144 are collectively referred to herein as computing device 400 . it should be appreciated that fig4 is included for the purposes of illustration and does not imply any limitations with regard to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented . many modifications to the depicted environment can be made . computing device 400 includes communications fabric 402 , which provides communications between computer processor ( s ) 404 , memory 406 , persistent storage 408 , communications unit 410 , input / output ( i / o ) interface ( s ) 412 , and cache 414 . communications fabric 402 can be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and / or control information between processors ( such as microprocessors , communications and network processors , etc . ), system memory , peripheral devices , and any other hardware components within a system . for example , communications fabric 402 can be implemented with one or more buses . memory 406 and persistent storage 408 are computer readable storage media . in this embodiment , memory 406 includes random access memory ( ram ). in general , memory 406 can include any suitable volatile or non - volatile computer readable storage media . cache 414 is a fast memory that enhances the performance of computer processor ( s ) 404 by holding recently accessed data , and data near accessed data , from memory 406 . in the interest of simplicity , digital signature verification component 110 of network environment 100 ; digital signature verification component 110 of network environment 120 ; and digital signature verification component 146 , registration component 148 , and processing component 150 of network environment 140 are collectively referred to herein as component ( s ) 416 . component ( s ) 416 is stored in persistent storage 408 for execution by one or more of the respective computer processors 404 via one or more memories of memory 406 . persistent storage 408 can include a magnetic hard disk drive . alternatively , or in addition to a magnetic hard disk drive , persistent storage 408 can include a solid state hard drive , a semiconductor storage device , read - only memory ( rom ), erasable programmable read - only memory ( eprom ), flash memory , or any other computer readable storage media that is capable of storing program instructions or digital information . the media used by persistent storage 408 may also be removable . for example , a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage 408 . other examples include optical and magnetic disks , thumb drives , and smart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto another computer readable storage medium that is also part of persistent storage 408 . communications unit 410 , in these examples , provides for communications with other data processing systems or devices . communications unit 410 can include one or more network interface cards . communications unit 410 can provide communications through the use of either or both physical and wireless communications links . component ( s ) 416 can be downloaded to persistent storage 408 through communications unit 410 . i / o interface ( s ) 412 allows for input and output of data with other devices that can be connected to computing device 400 . for example , i / o interface 412 can provide a connection to external devices 418 such as a keyboard , keypad , a touch screen , and / or some other suitable input device . external devices 518 can also include portable computer readable storage media such as , for example , thumb drives , portable optical or magnetic disks , and memory cards . software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention , e . g ., component ( s ) 416 , can be stored on such portable computer readable storage media and can be loaded onto persistent storage 408 via i / o interface ( s ) 412 . i / o interface ( s ) 412 can also connect to a display 420 . display 420 provides a mechanism to display data to a user and can be , for example , a touch screen . the programs described herein are identified based upon the application for which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention . however , it should be appreciated that any particular program nomenclature herein is used merely for convenience , and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and / or implied by such nomenclature . the present invention may be a system , a method , and / or a computer program product . the computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium ( or media ) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention . the computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device . the computer readable storage medium may be , for example , but is not limited to , an electronic storage device , a magnetic storage device , an optical storage device , an electromagnetic storage device , a semiconductor storage device , or any suitable combination of the foregoing . a non - exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following : a portable computer diskette , a hard disk , a random access memory ( ram ), a read - only memory ( rom ), an erasable programmable read - only memory ( eprom or flash memory ), a static random access memory ( sram ), a portable compact disc read - only memory ( cd - rom ), a digital versatile disk ( dvd ), a memory stick , a floppy disk , a mechanically encoded device such as punch - cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon , and any suitable combination of the foregoing . a computer readable storage medium , as used herein , is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se , such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves , electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media ( e . g ., light pulses passing through a fiber - optic cable ), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire . computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing / processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network , for example , the internet , a local area network , a wide area network and / or a wireless network . the network may comprise copper transmission cables , optical transmission fibers , wireless transmission , routers , firewalls , switches , gateway computers and / or edge servers . a network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing / processing device . computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions , instruction - set - architecture ( isa ) instructions , machine instructions , machine dependent instructions , microcode , firmware instructions , state - setting data , or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages , including an object oriented programming language such as smalltalk , c ++ or the like , and conventional procedural programming languages , such as the “ c ” programming language or similar programming languages . the computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user &# 39 ; s computer , partly on the user &# 39 ; s computer , as a stand - alone software package , partly on the user &# 39 ; s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server . in the latter scenario , the remote computer may be connected to the user &# 39 ; s computer through any type of network , including a local area network ( lan ) or a wide area network ( wan ), or the connection may be made to an external computer ( for example , through the internet using an internet service provider ). in some embodiments , electronic circuitry including , for example , programmable logic circuitry , field - programmable gate arrays ( fpga ), or programmable logic arrays ( pla ) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry , in order to perform aspects of the present invention . aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods , apparatus ( systems ), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention . it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams , and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams , can be implemented by computer readable program instructions . these computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer , special purpose computer , or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine , such that the instructions , which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus , create means for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . these computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer , a programmable data processing apparatus , and / or other devices to function in a particular manner , such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function / act specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . the computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer , other programmable data processing apparatus , or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer , other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process , such that the instructions which execute on the computer , other programmable apparatus , or other device implement the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . the flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture , functionality , and operation of possible implementations of systems , methods , and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention . in this regard , each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module , segment , or portion of instructions , which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function ( s ). in some alternative implementations , the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures . for example , two blocks shown in succession may , in fact , be executed substantially concurrently , or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order , depending upon the functionality involved . it will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration , and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration , can be implemented by special purpose hardware - based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions . the descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration , but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed . many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . the terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiment , the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace , or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein . | 7 |
fig1 is a section through an inventive therapeutic system , which is fixed to the skin 18 by a fixing device 16 , e . g . a porous pressure sensitive adhesive layer or the like . on fixing device 16 is located reservoir matrix 12 which , at the time of production , is preferably free from active substance ( active substance saturation taking place during storage ). in the reservoir matrix 12 is embedded a depot 14 , which is represented here as a solid active substance which dissolves in the reservoir matrix material 12 and is supplied to the skin 18 by fixing device 16 . the therapeutic system is sealed to the outside by a backing layer 10 , which is impermeable for the active substance and preferably also moisture and simultaneously has a support function for the system . fig2 shows another variant of the inventive system , in which an active substance depot 14 is located on a reservoir matrix layer 12 and is covered by a backing layer 10 . the fixing device is not shown in this drawing and can e . g . be a pressure sensitive adhesive border or edge or the like , which applies the skin contact surface of the therapeutic system closely to skin 18 . this embodiment of the invention is advantageous in that its production is very simple . it is merely necessary to apply clearly defined quantities of active substance , in the form of a solid or a viscous liquid to the prefabricated matrix layer 12 and to seal or terminate the same by a backing layer 10 . the process for producing the system according to fig2 is less expensive than for that according to fig1 . however , it can only be used if it is not absolutely necessary that active substance 14 is enclosed on all sides by matrix 12 , e . g . due to the volatility of active substance 14 or due to a necessarily large contact surface between active substance 14 and reservoir matrix 12 . it is e . g . advantageous for substances which very readily dissolve in active substance 14 reservoir and without difficulty diffuse in it , so that there is no need for a large contact surface between active substance 14 and active substance reservoir matrix 12 . fig3 shows another preferred embodiment , in which an inventive therapeutic system is fixed to the skin 18 by means of adhesive particles or portions 16 embedded on the skin 18 side in the active substance reservoir matrix material . the active substance reservoir layer 12 here comprises an upper layer x and a lower layer y , between which is introduced the active substance , which is e . g . here in liquid form . the provision of two reservoir matrix layers x , y is advantageous if a system is being produced in such a way that firstly the lower active substance reservoir layer y is provided , optionally with an already coated on covering film or the like and then in accordance with a predetermined pattern the active substance / material is applied , the next active substance reservoir layer x is superimposed , and finally in conventional manner the backing layer 10 or optionally various adhesive layers 16 are applied to complete the system . it may also be appropriate to firstly place the two active substance reservoir layers x , y on top of one another , then inject a predetermined quantity of active substance between the two reservoir layers x , y and in this way keep evaporation of the active substance 14 to a minimum . fig4 shows an embodiment of an inventive transdermal system with several active substance depots 14 arranged in one plane and placed between a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 16 and a reservoir matrix 12 , layer 16 simultaneously fixing the backing layer 10 to the transdermal system . the transdermal system is sealed by a detachable protective layer 19 . fig5 shows another embodiment of an inventive transdermal system , in which a backing layer 10 is coated on one side with an adhesive layer 16 and on it is located active substance 14 , optionally with adjuvants , such as material for facilitating processing of active substance 14 ( e . g . tabletting aids ) or carriers , like fabrics and the like . to the flat active substance depot 14 is applied a reservoir matrix 12 which is in turn covered by a detachable protective film . fig6 shows the precursor of an inventive transdermal system , such as is obtained during a preferred production process . a web - like protective coating material 19 , such as e . g . waxed paper or the like is covered by a reservoir matrix layer y , which is here constructed in pressure sensitive adhesive manner and on same are located in accordance with a predetermined pattern of active substance depot bodies 14 . matrix layer y is covered by a second matrix layer x , which can e . g . comprise a material differing from that of layer y . the second matrix layer x is sealed by a backing film 10 . along the arrows are located the parting or separating lines , along which the intermediate product is cut or punched during the production of the inventive transdermal systems and then prepared in the usual way . typical thicknesses for inventive transdermal systems are in the case of a total thickness of approximately 123 to 5550 μm , preferably 285 to 1550 μm ; thickness of the backing layer 8 to 150 μm and preferably 15 to 100 μm ; thickness of the reservoir 100 to 5000 μm , preferably 200 to 1330 μm ; thickness of the protective layer 15 to 400 μm , preferably 70 to 150 μm . for special application it is also possible to market the &# 34 ; semifinished product &# 34 ; as such , so as to enable users to carry out the separation of the systems , so that the semifinished product acts in the manner of a &# 34 ; storage pack &# 34 ;. nicotine plasters , such as are used to stop people from smoking , are , according to the invention , produced as follows . a pressure sensitive adhesive material comprising 2 . 0825 kg of a 40 % solution of a self - crosslinking acrylate copolymer , e . g . of 2 - ethyl - hexyl acrylate , vinyl acetate , acrylic acid and titanium chelate ester or durotac 280 - 2416 of the firm national starch / chemical b . v . in a mixture of ethyl acetate , ethanol , hexane and methanol , 147 g of an acrylic resin of dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate and neutral methacrylate ( eudragit e 100 of the firm of rohm pharma ), as 20 g of a mixed acidic triglyceride of fractionated c 8 - c 10 coconut fatty acids ( miglyol 812 of the firm dynamit nobel ) are applied to a protective layer vapor - deposited with aluminum on one side and abhesively finished on both sides and the solvent is evaporated at 50 to 80 ° c . an approximately 300 g / m 2 layer is obtained . from the thus produced pressure sensitive adhesive layer are punched round discs with a diameter of 65 mm . the projecting edges are worked and central to the same is applied in each case one circular disc of a non - woven fabric e . g . fibrous mixture of viscose staple cotton fiber 50 : 50 with a substance weight of 80 g / m 2 and with a diameter of 40 mm . an example of such a product is paratex ii / 80 , a product of lohmann gmbh & amp ; co kg . paratex is a registered trademark of lohmann gmbh & amp ; co . kg . to this is applied nicotine as the active substance in solution ( 140 g nicotine in 100 g of an acrylic resin of dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate and neutral methacrylates ( eudragit e 100 of the firm rohm pharma ) in 102 mg doses / disc . the thus produced patches are immediately laminated with a nicotine impermeable backing layer ( a 15 μm thick polyester film on one side of which aluminum is vapor deposited ), and sealed in four - edge sealing bags of a suitable packing material . in this case the non - woven fabric serves as the supporting fabric and to assist the uniform distribution of the nicotine as an inert adjuvant as defined hereinbefore . due to the fact that , according to the invention , an active substance solution can be rapidly applied to a matrix layer and is then covered by an active substance impermeable covering layer , it is possible for the first time to obtain in a satisfactory manner well dosed nicotine plasters . a nicotine plaster produced according to example 1 after removing the protective layer is immersed in 80 ml of isotonic common salt solution at 37 ° c . and the released nicotine quantity is determined liquid chromatographically after predetermined intervals . the release medium volume was chosen in such a way that &# 34 ; sink &# 34 ; conditions are obtained over the entire test period . the following results were obtained : another nicotine plaster according to the invention may be inventively produced as follows : a pressure sensitive adhesive material ( adhesive 1 ) comprising 1 . 9758 kg of a 40 % solution of a self - crosslinking acrylate copolymer ( durotac 280 - 2416 of the firm delft national & amp ; chemical b . v .) in a mixture of ethyl acetate , ethanol , heptane and methanol , 189 . 7 g of an acrylic resin of dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate and neutral methacrylate ( eudragit e 100 of the firm rohm pharma ), and 20 g of a mixed acidic triglyceride of fractionated c 8 - c 10 coconut fatty acids ( miglyol 812 of the firm dynamit nobel ) are applied to a protective layer vapor - deposited with aluminum on one side and abhesively finished on both sides and the solvent is evaporated at 50 to 80 ° c . an approximately 440 g / m 2 layer is obtained . from the thus produced pressure sensitive adhesive layer are punched round discs with a diameter of 51 mm . the projecting edges are worked and central to the same is applied in each case one circular disc of a non - woven fabric ( fibrous mixture of viscose staple fibre / cotton 70 : 30 with a substance weight of 40 g / m 2 -- paratex iii / 40 of lohmann gmbn & amp ; co kg ) and with a diameter of 42 mm . to this is applied nicotine as the active substance in solution ( 140 g nicotine in 100 g of an acrylic resin of dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate and neutral methacrylates -- eudragit e 100 of the firm rohm pharma ) in 46 mg doses / disc . the thus produced patches are immediately laminated with a nicotine impermeable backing layer ( a 15 μm thick polyester film on one side of which aluminum is vapor - deposited having an approximately 110 g / m 2 coating of adhesive 1 ) and sealed in four - edge sealing bags of conventional suitable composite packing material . in this case the non - woven fabric serves as the supporting fabric and to assist the uniform distribution of the nicotine as an inert adjuvant as defined hereinbefore . due to the fact that , according to the invention , an active substance solution can be rapidly applied to a matrix layer and is then covered by an active substance impermeable covering layer , it is possible for the first time to obtain in a satisfactory manner well dosed nicotine plasters . a nicotine plaster produced according to example 2 after removing the protective layer is immersed in 80 ml of isotonic common salt solution at 37 ° c . and the released nicotine quantity is determined liquid chromatographically after predetermined intervals . the release medium volume was chosen in such a way that &# 34 ; sink &# 34 ; conditions are obtained over the entire test period . the following results were obtained : it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to nicotine plasters and the production thereof with the claimed build - up but that other substances as preferred substances are mentioned in the specification may be administered by this new therapeutic system . | 0 |
the present invention provides an apparatus for and method of inserting a large piece of surgical mesh into the abdominal cavity of a patient through a small incision , typically the incision formed by a 5 mm diameter trocar . as used herein , the term trocar is used to apply to any suitable small diameter cannula that may be used to provide access to a body cavity of a patient . as previously stated , the use of small diameter trocars is highly desirable for several reasons . first , small diameter trocars minimize patient discomfort . also fascial defects resulting from the use of a 5 mm trocar usually do not require a suture for closing ( i . e ., they are generally self sealing ) whereas fascial defects from larger diameter trocars generally do require suturing . finally , the use of small diameter trocars minimizes the risk of future herniation at the site . the surgical mesh typically used to repair ventral hernias is typically a bilaminate having a first major surface that is bioresorbable while an opposing major surface is formed from non - bioresorbable material . one commercially available product proceed ™ surgical mesh manufactured by ethicon , inc ., a division of johnson and johnson . proceed ™ surgical mesh is composed of an oxidized regenerated cellulose ( orc ) fabric and a nonabsorbable polypropylene mesh that is encapsulated by a polydioxanone polymer . the polypropylene side of the mesh allows for tissue ingrowth while the orc side of the mesh is a bioresorbable layer that separates the polypropylene mesh from the underlying tissue during the healing process to minimize tissue attachment thereto . there are other products , for example seprafilm ®, well known to those of skill in the art that provide similar bilaminate structure having both a tissue ingrowth side and an opposing side that is bioresorbable . another mesh product suitable for practicing the method of the present invention is parietex ™ dual - sided mesh composite provided by covidien whose us headquarters is in mansfield , mass . parietex ™ is a polyester mesh / resorbable film that is claimed to provide optimal tissue in - growth and fewer visceral attachments . a protective collagen - based barrier is provided to help prevent tissue attachment . parietex ™ features increased rigidity during implantation allowing ease of handling . however , the polyester material softens and conforms to the anatomy once implanted . surgical mesh forms no part of the present invention , it will be recognized that any suitable surgical mesh having appropriate properties for the particular surgery being undertaken may be used . while proceed ™ or parietex ™ surgical mesh is used for purposes of disclosure , they are not considered limiting . for ventral hernia repair , surgical mesh in 15 × 25 cm and 20 × 25 cm is commonly used . it will be recognized that other sizes of surgical mesh may be required for a particular ventral hernia repair or other similar surgery . consequently , the invention is not considered limited to a particular size surgical mesh . rather , the invention includes any and all surgical mesh sizes . referring first to fig1 a , there is shown a pictorial representation of several components required to practice the method of the present invention . an elongated , hollow , elastic insertion tube having a diameter in the range of approximately 9 - 10 mm 102 has an open proximal end 104 and an open distal end 106 . insertion tube 102 is typically a silicon rubber or similar elastic material that may readily be dilated . suitable materials are believed to be known to those of skill in the art . a syringe 108 of approximately ______ cc capacity [ dr . knowles ?] is filled with surgical jelly , not specifically identified . surgical jelly is believed to be well known to those of skill in the art and is not further described or discussed herein . syringe 108 has a flexible , tapered tip 110 attached to its discharge end 112 . tapered tip 110 is sized and configured to fit into distal end 106 of insertion tube 102 and is similar to a 20 gauge “ angiocath ” tip . angio catheters are believed to be well known to those of skill in the art and flexible , tapered tip 110 is not further discussed herein . a piece of surgical mesh 114 is shown proximate insertion tube 102 . surgical mesh 114 is selected from one of the exemplary bi - layer surgical meshes described in detail hereinabove . surgical mesh 114 as seen in fig1 has a central region 168 with a perimeter region 170 where the absorbable layer is partially visible . in the method of the invention , first the proximal end 104 of insertion tube 102 is suture ligated at a proximal end 104 thereof as seen in fig1 b . a traction suture 116 , such as an ethibond ® suture supplied by ethicon , inc . of bridgewater , n . j . has been found suitable for the application . ethibond ® sutures are nonabsorbable , braided , sterile , surgical sutures typically composed of poly ( ethylene , terephthalate ). the sutures are prepared from fibers of high molecular weight , long - chain , linear polyesters having recurrent aromatic rings as an integral component . they are uniformly coated with polybutilate or poly { oxy - 1 , 4 butanediyloxy ( 1 , 6 - dioxo - 1 , 6 hexanediyl )}. the highly adherent coating is a relatively nonreactive nonabsorbable compound which acts as a lubricant to mechanically improve the physical properties of the uncoated sutures by improving handling quality as compared to the braided , uncoated fiber . the sutures are braided for optimal handling properties , and typically dyed green for enhanced visibility in the surgical field . it will be recognized that equivalent sutures may be provided by other manufacturers and suppliers and the invention is not considered limited to the ethibond ® sutures used for purposes of disclosure . a traction suture 116 of ______ cm [ dr . knowles ? length has been found suitable for the application . referring now also to fig2 , there is shown a top , perspective , schematic view surgical mesh 114 . four traction or retention sutures 118 a . . . 118 d are attached peripherally adjacent the edge of surgical mesh 114 . sutures 118 a . . . 118 d are placed at approximately the midpoint of each edge , not specifically identified , of surgical mesh 114 ( i . e ., at approximately 12 , 3 , 6 , and 9 o &# 39 ; clock positions ). once insertion tube 102 has been suture ligated , and traction or retention sutures 118 a . . . 118 d have been placed in surgical mesh 114 , surgical jelly from syringe 108 is injected into the open distal end 106 of insertion tube 102 . next , a small nick 122 is made completely through the wall into the lumen of insertion tube 102 adjacent the traction suture 116 and between traction suture 116 and distal end 106 of insertion tube 102 . referring now also to fig3 , a 5 mm laparoscopic grasper 120 , for example , a maryland grasper or dissector , is inserted into a hole formed in insertion tube 102 at nick 122 . the shaft of laparoscopic grasper 120 is pushed through the previously lubricated lumen of insertion tube 102 until its grasping jaws 124 emerge from distal end 106 of inspection tube 102 . surgical mesh 114 is next hydrated and rolled tightly into a cigar - like configuration . traction sutures 118 a . . . 118 d are contained within the tightly rolled surgical mesh 114 . next , the grasping jaws 124 or laparoscopic grasper 120 are manipulated so as to grab an edge of tightly rolled surgical mesh 114 . tightly rolled surgical mesh 114 is drawn into the lumen of insertion tube 102 as laparoscopic grasper 120 is withdrawn therefrom . because insertion tube 102 is compliant , the combination of the hydrated surgical mesh 114 and the surgical jelly allows the rolled surgical mesh 114 to be readily slid into the lumen of insertion tube 102 . referring now also to fig4 , insertion tube 102 is now loaded and ready for insertion in the abdominal cavity , not shown , of a patient , not shown . it is assumed that a laparoscope , not shown , is in proper position within the patient &# 39 ; s abdominal cavity , that the abdominal cavity has been insufflated with carbon dioxide gas , and any other tasks normally associated with laparoscopic surgery have been accomplished . such tasks are well known to practitioners of laparoscopic surgery and form no part of the method of the invention . consequently , such tasks are not further described herein . at least two 5 - mm trocars have already been or are now inserted into the patient &# 39 ; s abdomen at sites selected by the surgeon . a second 5 mm laparoscopic grasper , not specifically identified , is passed into the abdominal cavity through a first of the at least two 5 mm trocars . the second 5 mm laparoscopic grasper is passed through the insufflated abdomen and back out through the second of the at least 5 mm trocars . the second of the at least two 5 mm trocars is then removed , leaving at least the jaws of the second 5 mm grasper protruding from the patient &# 39 ; s abdomen . the grasping jaws of the second 5 mm grasper are then actuated to grasp the protruding the ligated proximal end 104 of insertion tube 102 and / or a portion of traction suture 116 . the second 5 mm grasper is then retracted thereby pulling the traction suture 116 and , ultimately , the proximal end 104 of insertion tube 102 into the patient &# 39 ; s abdominal cavity . continued withdrawal of the second 5 mm grasper succeeds in pulling at least the major portion of insertion tube 102 containing the tightly rolled surgical mesh 114 completely into the abdominal cavity . insertion tube 102 is then parted along its longitudinal axis or otherwise opened to free the tightly rolled surgical mesh 114 . parting is accomplished using any combination of suitable instruments and surgical techniques not discussed herein . once tightly rolled surgical mesh 114 is free , insertion tube 102 is withdrawn from the abdominal cavity and the second 5 mm trocar is reinstalled in the incision originally made thereby . hernia repair or other surgery may then proceed using conventional techniques well known to practitioners of laparoscopic surgery . the most difficult step of this novel process has been found to be the parting of insertion tube 102 and the freeing of tightly rolled surgical mesh 114 from the parted insertion tube 102 . this has led to the development of another aspect of the present invention . referring now to fig5 a , and 5 b , there are shown side , perspective and end elevational schematic views , respectively , of an improved insertion tube 150 . insertion tube 150 features a substantially cylindrical , elongated body 152 . substantially cylindrical body 152 has a proximal end 154 , a distal end 156 , and a wall 158 . wall 158 has a thinned area 160 running along the major , longitudinal axis of body 152 . thinned area 160 may run along the entire length of body 152 or , in alternate embodiments , may run along only a portion of the length of body 152 . a ripcord 162 is attached to body 152 at thinned area 160 adjacent proximal end 154 . ripcord 162 may be passed through the lumen of body 152 , extending beyond distal end 156 thereof . in alternate embodiments , ripcord 162 may be left outside body 152 . referring now also to fig5 c , body 152 may be provided with a ligation using a traction suture 164 such as an ethibond ® or an equivalent suture , disposed adjacent proximal end 154 . in alternate embodiments , a suitable ligating traction suture 164 may be installed in situ at the time of use of insertion tube 150 . further , insertion tube 150 may be provided with an appropriate nick 166 adjacent traction suture 164 or , alternately , a nick 166 may be placed in insertion tube 150 at the time of use . the improved insertion tube is used in a similar fashion to the insertion tube 102 discussed in detail hereinabove . however , at the step in the surgical process where the tightly rolled surgical mesh is to be freed from insertion tube 150 , ripcord 162 is pulled from the distal end of body 152 . the ripcord then separates ( i . e ., “ unzips ”) insertion tube 150 along weakened area 160 , thereby freeing tightly rolled surgical mesh 114 from insertion tube 150 . this eliminates the need for manipulation of laparoscopic instruments within the abdominal cavity and reduces the time required for the surgery . 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 . having thus described the invention , what is desired to be protected by letters patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims . | 0 |
the following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure or the application and uses of the present disclosure . furthermore , there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background or the following detailed description . fig1 shows part of an air conditioning system 2 according to the present disclosure , which air conditioning system 2 comprises an air conditioning pack 4 based on an air cycle , which air conditioning pack 4 comprises a compressor 6 that can be driven by an electric motor 8 . in flight , with the engines started , the air supply is implemented by means of bleed air , which by way of a bleed air system 10 is removed from one or several compressor stages of one or several engines 12 . the detailed design of the bleed air system 10 is of no importance in the context of the present disclosure , provided it is suitable to supply an adequate quantity of bleed air from one or several installed engines of the aircraft in order to be compressed in the compressor 6 . only symbolically displayed is a further ( bleed ) air source 17 , shown in fig1 , which is representative for all the imaginable ( bleed ) air sources within the aircraft . the part of the air conditioning system 2 according to the present disclosure , which part is shown in fig1 , can be complemented , for completeness , by a further air conditioning pack 4 . both air conditioning packs 4 may then , for example , be installed in two different fuselage halves where they may obtain bleed air from the engines 12 of the associated wing halves . the air conditioning system 2 according to the present disclosure is primarily designed to pressurize and refrigerate fresh air . the secondary function , which characterizes the air conditioning system 2 according to the present disclosure , includes the ability to provide compressed air by means of the compressor 6 to a starter turbine 14 by means of a compressed - air line 15 , wherein the starter turbine 14 is connected to a shaft 18 of the engine 12 by way of a gear arrangement 16 . in order to carry out this function a valve arrangement with a start valve 20 and an air conditioning valve 22 is used . if starting the engine 12 is to be carried out , the air conditioning valve 22 is to be closed so that the primary function of the air conditioning system 2 temporarily ceases , and the flow through an intermediate cooler 24 and the flow into a cabin 26 is prevented . instead , the start valve 20 is opened so that the entire air pressure produced by the compressor 6 is applied to the starter turbine 14 , causes the latter to rotate , and when the compressed air flows through and over the gear arrangement 16 continuously drives the shaft 18 of the engine 12 . as soon as the rotational speed of the engine is within an operating range that makes possible independent further starting , the start valve 20 can be closed , and the air conditioning valve 22 can be re - opened so that the primary function of the air conditioning system 2 , namely air conditioning the cabin 26 , can be provided again . as long as none of the engines 12 of the aircraft has been started , no bleed air is available as an air source in the air conditioning system 2 according to the present disclosure , and consequently no bleed - air based engine start is possible . for this purpose the compressor 6 can additionally be coupled to an air intake 28 which can , for example , be situated in an outer skin of the aircraft , and which provides fresh air from the environment . the air intake 28 can either be an air intake aperture designed for ground operation , or , alternatively , can be situated in a ram air duct , wherein during the flight the air intake 28 is generally closed . the provided ambient air is compressed by the compressor 6 and is used for air conditioning the aircraft on the ground or for starting the engine 12 . in order to relieve the compressor 6 , in addition a fan ( not shown ) can be used in order to feed ambient air to the air conditioning system 2 . in the exemplary embodiment shown , the bleed air system 10 is connectable to the compressed - air line 15 so that bleed air for engine start can be used as soon as another engine 12 has already been started . advantageously , a suitable feed - in position for bleed air is located in the direction of flow upstream of the starter valve 20 in order to implement separation from the bleed air system 10 when not in use . for preventing overpressure in the compressed - air line 15 and / or the turbine 14 a pressure control valve 13 is exemplarily integrated into the air conditioning system 2 . generally , it is positioned in the compressed - air line upstream from the starter turbine 14 . when a pressure threshold , which e . g . is adjustable , is exceeded the pressure control valve 13 is opened to release the pressure inside the pressurized - air line and air may be discharged to the environment or systems / apparatuses that may benefit from an additional air supply . thereby a potential danger is eliminated and the overall reliability of the air conditioning system 2 is increased . according to fig1 the compressed - air lines 15 of several air conditioning packs 4 are interconnected by way of a connecting line 30 so that any glitches in an air conditioning pack 4 in one fuselage half do not result in the preclusion of starting an engine 12 in the respective wing half when a bleed air source from the other fuselage half can take over the supply to the starter turbine 14 . in order to interrupt the connection , a valve 20 a is used , which should be used only when the connecting line for starting an engine 12 is absolutely essential . in this setup the feed - in position for bleed air from the bleed air system 10 is generally arranged between the start valve 20 and the valve 20 a upstream of the connecting line 30 so that it becomes possible to start an engine 12 on the other wing half without bleed air being applied to the starter turbine 14 from its own wing half . for the sake of completeness it should be mentioned that the electric motor 8 that drives the compressor 6 is operated on an electrical network 32 that can be supplied with electrical current from various sources . this includes , for example , generators 34 of an auxiliary gas turbine , generators 36 of an already running engine and of a ground supply device 38 . in this manner it is possible to carry out an engine start not only without resorting to a running auxiliary gas turbine , but also without participation of an already started engine 12 . the particular advantages of the air conditioning system 12 according to the present disclosure include the movable components of the air conditioning pack 4 not having to be switched off completely prior to the start , but instead at least the compressor 6 being able to be operated without interruption . by switching the valves 20 , 22 and 20 a , redirection of the compressed air for the purpose of the engine start takes place , and after successful start regular operation of the air conditioning pack 4 is quickly made possible again . it should be pointed out that in fig1 the aspect of the actual supply of fresh air to a passenger cabin is shown only in a very diagrammatic manner . the figure should not be interpreted as showing that compressed air is fed directly to a passenger cabin . instead , air conditioning systems of larger commercial aircraft commonly use so - called mixing chambers in which conditioned and pressurized fresh air is mixed with spent air from the passenger cabin before subsequently being fed to the passenger cabin again . however , this aspect is known to the average person skilled in the art and is thus not shown in detail . fig2 diagrammatically shows the sequence of the method according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure . for starting an engine 12 the air conditioning valve 22 , which separates the output of a compressor 6 of an air conditioning pack 4 with a delivery air inlet for a cabin 26 , is closed 40 . subsequently a start valve 20 , which connects the output of the compressor 4 to a starter turbine 14 , is opened 42 . by feeding 44 compressed air by way of a compressed - air line 15 from the compressor 6 to the starter turbine 14 , the engine 12 is started . after the operating speed has been reached , the start valve 20 is closed 46 and the air conditioning valve 22 is reopened 48 so that the air conditioning pack can again handle the task of air conditioning the cabin 26 . in addition , prior to the start a connecting line can be opened by means of a valve 20 a , and after the start can be closed again when the associated engine 12 is situated in the other wing half . finally , fig3 shows a top view of an aircraft 50 that comprises the air conditioning system 2 according to the present disclosure . for the sake of simplicity only two air conditioning packs 4 , four start valves 20 , four starter turbines 14 and one valve for a connecting line 30 are shown . the arrangement of the components is to be interpreted as being merely one example . the start valves 20 can also have been installed directly on or in the air conditioning packs 4 . 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 present disclosure 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 , 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 present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents . | 1 |
fig1 and 2 show a first hand spray device 10 which comprises two sections : a mixing chamber 12 and a spray unit 32 . the mixing chamber 12 has a cylindrical body 15 with a lid 17 attached to it via screws 19 ( received in corresponding recesses in the body 15 ). the body 15 has two input ports formed in its curved side surface ; the ports are adapted to receive flexible hoses or pipes 14 , 16 from respective hot or cold water supplies , e . g . mains water or hot / cold water supplies to an existing household water appliance . each pipe 14 , 16 has an end connector 20 for attaching to a suitable valve or supply . the body 15 has an output port formed in its bottom surface ; a flexible output supply pipe 18 extends out of this port to feed water to the spray unit 32 . the spray unit 32 is removably mounted in an annular housing 26 , which is connected to the mixing chamber 12 by a straight hollow tube 24 . the tube 24 supports the mixing chamber 12 below the work surface . the output supply pipe 18 travels through a cut out hole 25 in the side of the tube 24 and terminates inside the spray unit 32 itself . to aid the direction of the output supply pipe 18 , a tubular guide pipe 22 is mounted on the mixing chamber 12 . the output supply pipe 18 passes through the guide pipe 22 before entering the cut out hole 25 . as shown in fig2 , the housing 26 is adapted to be mounted on a work surface 42 , where it is secured in place using a backing nut 27 . the housing 26 has a flat base arranged to lie flush with the top of the work surface 42 . a hole in the work surface receives the tube 24 so that the mixing chamber 12 can be located under the work surface 42 , e . g . out of sight of the user . the spray unit 32 comprises a handle 34 for the user to grip , and a spray head 36 mounted on the handle 34 . the spray head 36 has a push button operator 38 which controls fluid flow through nozzle 40 . the output supply pipe 18 is threaded through the handle 34 to supply water at the spray head 36 . the output supply pipe 18 is flexible and long to enable the spray unit 32 to be lifted away from the housing 26 . the output supply pipe 18 slides up through the cut out hole 25 and through the middle of the housing 26 to accommodate this movement . a rotatable input controller 28 is mounted on the housing 26 . as explained in more detail below , the controller 28 is arranged to control the relative proportion of fluid from the input supply pipes 14 , 16 received in the mixing chamber 12 . in the illustrated embodiment , the controller 28 is rotatable from an off position in which no fluid enters the mixing chamber 12 from either input supply pipe 14 , 16 through a full cold position where all the fluid entering the mixing chamber is from the cold supply pipe 14 to a full hot position where all the fluid entering the mixing chamber is from the hot supply pipe 16 . between the full cold and full hot position , a mix of the two inputs is received . the relative proportion of fluid from the two input supply pipes 14 , 16 is controlled according to the rotated angular position of the controller 28 . rotation of controller 28 is carried out using radially protruding handle 30 . fig3 shows a cross - sectional view of the device 10 , which illustrates its inner workings . output supply pipe 18 can be seen to travel through guide pipe 22 ( attached to ring 21 via web 23 , the ring 21 being mounted on an upstanding projection 50 on the mixing chamber 12 ) and cut out hole 25 into a passageway through housing 26 and controller 28 into handle 34 , where it terminates in connector 44 . the connection at the spray head 36 is conventional . the inner surface of controller 28 has a bearing 46 to prevent the spray head 32 rotating when the controller 28 is operated . to operate the mixing chamber control , the controller 28 is attached to ( or made integral with ) a straight operator tube 48 which sits inside and coaxially with the hollow tube 24 . the operator tube 48 is rotatable with the controller 28 relative to the tube 24 to turn valve plate 54 , which is connected to the base 52 of the operator tube 48 . the output supply pipe 18 travels to the spray head 32 through the operator tube 48 . thus , the operator tube 48 also has a cut out hole arranged to overlap with cut out hole 25 . the cut out hole has a greater circumferential extent than the cut out hole 25 on outer tube 24 so that the output supply pipe 18 can be received without constraint in the operator tube 48 in all angular operating positions of the controller 28 . fig4 shows the interior of the mixing chamber 12 in more detail . valve plate 54 has an upstanding splined projection 51 that slots into correspondingly splined through hole 53 in base 52 so that the valve plate 54 rotates with the operator tube 48 . the valve plate 54 itself is received in the mouth of a cup formed by the base 15 of the mixing chamber 12 . the cup is then covered by a lid 17 , with an o - ring seal 64 at the joining edge to prevent leakage . the base of the upstanding projection 51 abuts the inwards facing surface of the lid 17 via o - ring seal 62 to prevent leakage into tube 24 . looking at fig4 to 6 , the operation of the mixing chamber is now explained . the bottom of the cup formed by the base 15 of the mixing chamber has two input ports 59 , 69 and one output port 60 . output port 60 leads away from mixing volume 56 to the output supply pipe 18 . input ports 59 , 69 introduce fluid from input passages 58 , 68 ( attached to input supply pipes 14 , 16 ) into mixing volume 56 . rotation of valve plate 54 controls flow control disc 57 . valve plate 54 and control disc 57 enclose mixing volume 56 . control disc 57 has a central hole 61 leading to output port 60 and a circumferential slot 66 extending around part of its periphery arranged to move over the input ports 59 , 69 to allow fluid into the mixing volume 56 according to the position of the controller 28 . thus , in the off position , the control disc 57 blocks both input ports 59 , 69 , i . e . the slot 66 does not overlie either of the input ports 59 , 69 ( see fig6 ). an o - ring 63 is used to seal around the edge of each input port 59 , 69 . in the full cold position , the slot 66 lies over the cold input port 69 , whilst the hot input port 59 is still covered . in the full hot position , the slot 66 lies over the hot input port 59 , whilst the cold input port 69 is covered . in between these positions , each port 59 , 69 is partially covered and partially exposed to give different relative proportions from the input pipes 14 , 16 . as an alternative to the control disc 57 abutting the o - ring 63 to seal the input port 59 as illustrated in fig4 , a pair of parallel ceramic plates may be used , e . g . as conventional known . in this case , the operator tube 48 would control relative rotation of the ceramic plates . fig7 shows the spray device 10 in use with a main ( primary ) kitchen tap assembly 70 . the illustrated tap assembly 70 is a simple mixer tap having a mixing chamber 72 mounted on the work surface 42 . the mixing chamber is fed by two inputs 74 , 76 taken off the main fee pipes under the work surface 42 . fluid from the inputs 74 , 76 is controlled by operator handles 78 , 80 in the conventional way , so that mixed fluid is output through the tap nozzle 82 . by having separate mixing chambers 12 , 72 , each with its own temperature control ( i . e . controller 28 and tap operators 78 , 80 respectively ), the user has greater control over the whole system . by locating the hand spray mixing chamber below the work surface and integrating the output feed with the temperature control mechanism , the appearance of the whole assembly to the user ( i . e . above the work surface ) is uncluttered , which may be more aesthetically pleasing . fig8 and 9 show a second hand spray device 110 . the hand spray device 110 comprises a spray unit 132 , a housing 126 for removably mounting the spray unit 132 and a mixing chamber 112 . the spray unit 132 comprises a spray head 136 and a handle 134 . the housing 126 is adapted to be mounted on a work surface ( not shown ). the housing 126 is connected to the mixing chamber 112 by a straight hollow tube 124 which passes through a hole in the work surface . the tube 124 supports the mixing chamber 112 below the work surface so that it is out of sight of a user . mixing chamber 112 is a compact , conventional mixing chamber having cartridge valves of the ceramic disc type and operates in the manner known to those in the art . it has two input ports adapted to receive flexible hoses or pipes 114 , 116 from respective hot / cold water supplies and a flexible output supply pipe 118 to feed water to the spray unit 132 . the output supply pipe 118 travels through a cut out hole 125 in the side of the tube 124 and is in fluid connection with the handle 134 of the spray unit 132 . the housing 126 comprises a rotatable input controller 128 and a fixed seat 184 for holding the bottom 194 of the spray unit 132 . a handle 130 is attached to the input controller 128 . rotation of the input controller 128 , using the handle 130 , allows a user to control the flow and / or temperature of the water supply to the spray unit 132 ( the input controller 128 is connected to the mixing chamber 112 in the manner described below ). the housing 126 has a flat bottom so that it lies flush with the work surface . a hole in the work surface receives the tube 124 . a backing nut 127 attaches the housing 126 to the work surface via the hollow tube 124 . the handle 134 is curved so that the spray head 136 is inclined downwards when mounted in the housing , so that the spray unit 132 directs water into a sink ( not shown ) if the device 110 is turned on prior to the spray unit 132 being lifted from the housing . this enables a user to adjust the flow and / or temperature settings of the water flow , prior to lifting the spray unit 132 from the housing 126 , without unnecessary spillage of water . the spray head 136 comprises a pause button 138 . the pause button 138 can be pressed to an “ in ” position by a user to stop the flow of water through the spray unit 132 . a not pressed ( i . e . an “ out ”) position of the pause button 138 allows water to flow through the spray unit 132 . an internal spring 214 ( see fig1 b ) biases the pause button 138 to its “ out ” position so that spray head 136 allows water to flow through the spray unit 132 when the button 138 is not pressed . this ensures that a user turns off the spray device 110 using the input controller 128 rather than using the spray unit 132 . this is advantageous because it helps to prevent a user leaving the output supply pipe 118 and the spray unit 132 in a pressurised situation when the device 110 is not being used . fig1 and 11 are cross sectional views of the spray device 110 taken along the line a - a in fig9 and the line c - c in fig8 respectively and show the inner workings of the second embodiment . the housing 126 is fixed to the work surface through an annular internal structure 188 . the input controller 128 is rotatably mounted on the structure 188 whereas the seat 184 is fixed to the structure 188 . the handle 130 of the input controller 128 is attached to ( or made integral with ) the top of the operator tube 148 so that movement of the handle 130 effects rotation of both the input controller 128 and the operator tube 148 . the structure 188 comprises a circumferential recess 192 for accommodating rotational movement of the handle 130 . the operator tube 148 sits inside and coaxially with the hollow tube 124 . the operator tube 148 comprises a cut - out hole arranged to overlap with the cut out hole 125 of the hollow tube 124 . the cut - out hole of the operator tube 148 has a greater extent than the cut - out hole 125 of the hollow tube 124 so that the output supply pipe 118 can be received without constraint in the operator tube 148 in all rotational positions of the input controller 128 . the operator tube 148 is connected to a central member 154 of the mixing chamber 112 so as to control the output of water from the mixing chamber 112 through the output supply pipe 118 in the conventional manner . in this embodiment , the mixing chamber 112 is configured so that a user can , upon rotation of the input controller 128 from an “ off ” position , firstly control the volume of flow of cold water and then control the temperature of full - flow mixed hot and cold water ( by adjusting the relative proportions of hot and cold water ). the bottom 194 of the spray unit 132 is made of a soft material ( e . g . rubber ) and is removably held by the fixed seat 184 of the housing 126 . a mounting ring 186 ensures that the bottom 194 is held at the intended depth in a cavity 190 located in the housing 126 . the bottom 194 of the spray unit 132 is tapered so that it does not contact the top of the operator tube 148 when it is held by the seat 184 . therefore , rotation of the input controller 128 does not result in rotation of the spray unit 132 . the distal ball - shaped end 195 of the output supply pipe 118 is in fluid communication with the interior piping 198 of the handle 134 . the interior piping 198 provides fluid communication through the handle 134 to the spray head 136 . the interior piping 198 includes a bend to account for the curve of the handle 134 . a sealing ring 197 ensures that the connection between the interior piping 198 and the supply pipe 118 is water tight . the handle 134 is connected to the end 195 of the output supply pipe 118 via an annular connector 196 which permits the spray unit 132 to be angularly orientable relative to the supply pipe 118 . this offers improved directional control of spray from the spray unit 132 to a user , without unnecessary bending / twisting of the supply pipe 118 . the spray head 136 ( shown in detail in fig1 b ) has an outer casing 200 which is attached to the handle 134 by grub screw 202 . water enters the interior of the spray head 136 through holes 204 , passes through an interior cavity 206 , then through a dispersion unit 208 and leaves through the nozzle 140 . a plunger 210 is mounted in the interior of the spray head 136 . the plunger 210 has a rubber sealing ring 212 at its front which is adapted to plug the interior cavity 206 . the plunger 210 is held in the interior of the spray head 136 and is fixed to the button 138 . an internal spring 214 biases the button 138 and the plunger 210 to a position in which the plunger 210 does not plug the interior cavity 206 . a user pressing button 138 will cause the sealing ring 212 of the plunger 210 to abut against an internal annular surface 213 so that cavity 206 is plugged by the plunger 210 . upon releasing the button 138 , the internal spring 214 will return the button 138 and plunger 210 to their original positions so that the flow of water is allowed to resume . therefore , the spray unit 136 allows a user to temporarily pause the flow of water through the spray head by holding down the button 138 . the spray device 110 can be assembled in a kitchen tap assembly in a similar manner to the first embodiment ( e . g . as shown in fig7 ). | 4 |
fig1 is a cross - sectional view of a representative coating system according to the present invention . not specifically shown in this fig1 , is a substrate upon which the coating system is applied ( vehicle , building , etc ). from our discussion of this inventive coating system however , those skilled in the art will readily recognize nearly any material may serve as a substrate , and further appreciate the wide applicability of such systems , in a virtually limitless set of fields . returning now to that fig1 , the particular coating system 100 shown therein comprises a number of layers — each generally providing particular function . and while the particular system 100 shown in this fig1 includes seven ( 7 ) layers , the actual number of layers and the function ( s ) of each , may advantageously vary from application to application . as shown in fig1 , corrosion inhibitor layer 110 , shown at the bottom of this particular system 100 , is adjacent to , and bonds the system 100 to a substrate ( not shown ). such corrosion inhibiting materials are generally well known and may include inorganic conversion materials and / or active polymeric materials as appropriate . of further advantage , certain corrosion inhibiting materials that may comprise this corrosion inhibition layer 110 may advantageously , chemically self - heal . by way of example only , certain chromium complexes on aluminum substrates have the ability to self - heal . shown overlying the corrosion inhibition layer 110 is a power layer 120 , which in this exemplary system , provides power to other layers as required . advantageously , with our inventive system , a power layer 120 such as that depicted , need not merely distribute power to the other layers , it may additionally / alternatively regulate and / or filter power for use by other layers . still further , such layers may be made electrochemically active such that they generate power , in addition to regulating / filtering the power so generated . a sensor / sensing package layer 130 is shown in fig1 overlying the power layer 120 . advantageously , the sensor / sensing package layer 130 may include a plurality of sensors , of similar or dissimilar type . types of sensors included in layer 130 may include , temperature , strain , conductivity , pressure , corrosion , substrate integrity , radiation levels , chemicals , etc . such sensor package layer ( s ) 130 may be provided in flexible arrays , capable of physically conforming to a variety of substrate shapes and surface characteristics . in certain applications there may be more than one sensing layer . in other applications , a sensing layer may be used that comprises one - or - more sensor types located adjacent to each other in the sensing layer . of further advantage , sensor output may be relayed or otherwise transmitted to remote systems or displays for notification and / or action — as appropriate . of course , it is not necessary to transmit sensor data / information to systems “ outside ” of the coating structure 100 . advantageously , data / information processing systems may also reside within the coating structure 100 , in close physical proximity to the sensor layer 130 and its accompanying sensors . such a local data / information processing layer comprises artificial intelligence ( ai )/ network layer 140 shown in this fig1 overlying the sensor layer 130 . such ai layer ( s ) 140 may advantageously receive as input , data which is sensed by sensor layer 130 and process and / or react to that input data as appropriate . one such reaction to input data may include , for example , color or pattern changing to provide camouflage or other color characteristic ( s ). shown in fig1 is a visual display layer 160 , which may advantageously “ react ” to environmental conditions . one such use of this particular visual display layer 160 is to provide the aesthetic / tactical color - change characteristic described previously namely , changing color to camouflage or provide pleasing aesthetics . alternatively , such color change ( s ) may be advantageously used to provide information about the status / condition of the coating system 100 , itself . by way of example , recall that one sensory function of sensor layer 140 may be to sense / monitor the integrity of the coating system itself . accordingly , when a breach , or sufficient change to the coating is detected from corrosion say , the sensor layer 140 may provide data to the ai layer 140 which in turn signals the visual layer 150 to change to a color indicative of the corrosion and / or breach . alternatively and of further advantage , with particular visual layers 160 , it is not necessary to be explicitly signaled from sensory / processing layers to initiate the color change . for example , visual display layers 160 which change color upon physical / chemical contact with air , contaminants , temperature are all useful for our purposes . in this manner , the visual display layer 160 itself changes , without any interaction from other layers within the coating system 100 . by way of further example , a visual display layer 160 that is “ discolored ”, may be indicative of a breach or contact with particular environmental conditions . multi - colored visual displays 160 , may be indicative of multiple instances of contact with diverse environment ( s ). shown overlying the visual display layer 160 , is self - repair layer 170 . as is known to those skilled in the art , self - repair and micro - encapsulation techniques are in their infancy . as can be greatly appreciated by those skilled in the art , self - repair or self - healing layer ( s ) present the possibility for repair , with little or no human intervention . an obvious analogy is that of biological systems that automatically and autonomically initiate self - repair when they sustain damage . the development of autonomous self - repairing or self - healing materials such as those employed in self - repair layer 170 is ongoing . nevertheless , one useful approach to this self - healing layer 170 is through the use of microcapsules containing materials such as monomers than can repair coating damage by polymerizing or through other appropriate chemical or physical means . as may be known by those skilled in the art , microcapsules are small — 50 - 150 micron — containers that contain and release a small quantity of self - repair material , generally in liquid form , when they are broken . these microcapsules may be mixed , for example , in other known commercially - available topcoats ( paints ) or overcoats . should the overcoating become damaged , the microcapsules break open and release coating repair materials . in effect , the coating system 100 becomes self - healing when damaged . finally , our inventive , representative coating system 100 may comprise new , or otherwise novel materials that work in conjunction with the other system layers , to sense , detect , display , and / or repair the coating and / or substrate , before the system is compromised . turning now to fig2 , there is shown a conceptual diagram depicting a representative color - changing coating system constructed according to the present invention . more specifically , the system 200 includes a thin film sensor 210 layer that senses strain in a substrate , an n - type / p - type doped single wall carbon nanotube ( swcnt ) pn junction layer 230 , a thermochromic color display layer 240 and a threshold sensing electronic and power supply circuit 220 . not specifically shown in this fig2 is a heating element layer , which heats the thermochromic display layer 240 thereby initiating its color change in response to the heating . for the purposes of this exemplary embodiment , the electronic and power supply circuitry 220 is not a part of the actual coating per - se . in contrast , the sensor layer 210 , the pn junction layer 230 , and the display layer 240 are all part of the coating film applied to the sample substrate . in this exemplary embodiment , the strain sensor layer 210 provides an indirect measure of substrate corrosion by indicating the strain of a substrate as its material performance — and in particular load bearing characteristics — are modified due to changes caused by the corrosion process . for our exemplary purposes , a substrate which underlies the above - mentioned layers was chosen due to its performance characteristics which include the ability to endure up to 1000 cycles of repeated bending without deformation , which is of interest to demonstrate the long - term applicability of our inventive coating system ( s ). in particular , the substrate chosen for this demonstration was 1018 stainless steel having a ⅛ inch thickness and 4 inch width . the strain sensor layer 210 is a flexible layer and employs a wheatstone bridge design which is the subject of united states patent application no . 2004 / 0255682 the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference . a consideration for choosing such a bridge design is that it is relatively independent of environmental thermal effects . given the characteristics of the strain to be measured , strain sensor ( s ) having dimensions of substantially 1 . 7 cm × 1 . 7 cm were employed . a number of which were bonded to the steel substrate using a commercially available , epoxy based adhesive . advantageously , the particular adhesive exhibited sufficient after - cure flexibility , while being non - electrically conductive . as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art , any of a number of such adhesives may be used , and their selection is a matter of design choice . the display layer 240 comprising thermochromic paint was employed to provide visual indication of the measured strain of the steel substrate . while a variety of color changing schemes are possible , the particular one chosen for our exemplary system turns from blue to yellow in color when heated . since this particular thermochromic paint changes color upon heating , a heating layer in contact with the sensor layer and the thermochromic layer was employed . in particular , upon a signal from the strain sensor layer , heating is activated within a heating element , generally depicted in fig2 b . as employed , the heating element 250 comprises a number of printed , silver - ink bus bars 252 , deposed in a field of silver ink film 254 . as can be appreciated , several types of commercially available silver paste / ink ( e . g ., pelco ® collodial silver paste , pelco ® conductive silver 187 and fast drying silver paint ) and caig ( circuitwriter ) were evaluated . the heating layer and element ( s ) had to dissipate uniform heat in order to effect the thermochromic ink ( 40 ° f .) color change within 3 seconds . fast drying silver paint provided satisfactory functionality , namely remain flexible , low resistance and fast drying . the silver ink was then sprayed thinly on kapton (˜ 100 micron thick ). generally , the resistance measured across the heating element is greater than 5 . 0 ohm to ensure color change in the desired interval . a single wall carbon nanotube ( swcnt ) pn junction coating ( fig2 - 230 ) is shown in cross sectional schematic form in fig2 c - 260 . as can be seen from this fig2 c , the pn junction 260 , generally comprises an n - type swcnt 256 overlying a p - type swcnt 254 which overlies a substrate 252 . the swcnt were doped and deposited from paint or suspensions of charged and polymer - modified swcnts onto kapton - e . a thick layer (˜ 200 nm ) of au was deposited first on a pre - treated kapton - e surface to serve as a cathode . the swcnt 256 were doped by treatment of the nanotube with charge carrying polymers which techniques are generally known in the art . the length / width dimensions of the pn junction layer was substantially the same as the strain sensor layer . finally , the thermochromic display layer 240 was applied via screen - painting technique ( s ) to a thickness of substantially 100 microns . the display layer 240 was applied such that it overlies the heating element layer . as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art , display inks that exhibit a significant color change upon a predetermined change in temperature are well known . accordingly , for our exemplary coating , the thermal activation temperature — that is the temperature at which the ink exhibits a significant color change — is established to be substantially 40 ° f . at this point it is useful to note that while we have limited our exemplary discussion to a thermochromic visual display , our invention is advantageously not so limited . in particular , active coatings constructed according to our inventive teachings would benefit from alternative visual display technologies , e . g ., electrochromic and / or electroluminescent . as is generally known , electrochromism is characterized by a reversible color change of a material resulting from the application of an electrical current or potential . one problem with electrochromic devices and materials is the delay needed to produce an optical change , on the order of one full second or more . because of this delay , electrochromic applications have been limited . fortunately this electrochromic delay is quite acceptable for certain applications of our inventive active coating system ( s ). similarly , electroluminescent devices and materials glow when an electrical current is passed through their structures . advantageously , both electroluminescent and electrochromic visual displays may be made extremely thin and flexible , thereby providing a useful visual display for our inventive coating system ( s ). fig2 d is a schematic of an electronic control circuit used to evaluate our inventive coating system . advantageously , a comparator circuit along with a reeds relay , was included in the design to provide output threshold adjustment . this enables the setting and control of the operation level for the thermochromic display ink to change color . it may also used , for example , to prevent overloading when an external analog meter is connected / used . in addition , a 10 - pf capacitor was included at an output port to dampen out any random noise and voltage spike . the reeds relay is used so that an external power source could be used to power the thermochromic display ink instead of draining the op - amp power supply . of course , those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative electronic control circuits are useful with our inventive coating system and that such control circuits are well within the ability of those skilled in the art . turning now to fig3 , there is shown an exploded view of our demonstrative coating system 300 that exemplifies a number of aspects of our invention . more specifically , a chromic color display 310 layer , is shown overlying an electric contact layer 320 , overlying a p - n doped switch layer 330 , overlying a flexible electronics layer 340 , overlying a steel beam layer 350 . such a multi - layer coating can , for example , be employed on military or other vehicles such as trucks and / or helicopter ( s ), aircraft , water - borne vessels , as well as stationary structures and almost any other constructed object that may benefit from such active coatings . advantageously , a coating system such as that shown in fig3 , is able to sense a change in the environment ( applied pressure ), analyze the change and alert a user of the anomaly through a color change . significantly , the steel beam layer 250 is similar ( at least in practice ) to beams found in military vehicles such as trucks and / or helicopters . as can be appreciated , the layer of flexible electronics 340 which overlies the steel beam layer 350 comprises one or more strain gages that sense ( s ) deformation of the steel beam layer 350 , an amplified output signal which is directed to p - n - doped switch layer 330 , which drives the display layer 310 to change color . in our exemplary embodiment , the p - n switch layer is quite thin , i . e ., ≦ 10 microns in thickness . additional exemplary embodiments of a multilayer active coating system constructed according to the teachings of the present invention may now be considered . in particular , an embodiment employing a thin - film sensor that detects when the surface or another layer within the coating system becomes scratched or otherwise damaged . the purpose of such sensing is to alert personnel that a particular portion of the coating system has become compromised and needs maintenance or repair . alternatively , or in conjunction with alerting personnel , the system may initiate self - repair . finally , this embodiment may detect a disruption in an electrically conducting layer of the coating system and provide alert ( s ) to appropriate person ( s ). surface defects in an active coating may be detected by application of a thin film of an electrically conducting material and controlling a change in its conductivity . advantageously , a variety of conducting materials — i . e ., metal , carbon - containing composite , or conducting polymer — may be used . the conducting material is positioned at points of interest , where damage to the coating is to be detected . of further advantage , the conducting material may be fabricated into a sensing element in virtually any shape or size , and subsequently applied by a variety of mechanisms , including suitable adhesives . of course , an active coating such as the one described may include one or more layers that prevent and / or inhibit corrosion and chemically self - repair . for example , a corrosion inhibiting / resistive layer containing chromium or other inorganic materials are known to be both corrosion resistive and exhibit a limited self - repair capability . in addition or alternatively , numerous organic polymeric materials would also suffice as corrosion inhibiting and as such would be principal components to such a corrosion inhibiting layer . fig4 depicts a schematic of a network of sensors for the detection of corrosion and / or damage . with reference to that fig4 , a plurality of sensors 410 [ 1 ] . . . 410 [ n ] comprise a sensor element fabricated from a thin layer of conducting compound or conducting composite . this sensing element , which is only 5 - 50 μm thick , may be covered with a nonconducting protective coating as well . in operation , damage to the overall coating system will result in damage to the sensor element , which may be detected by controller 420 as a change in resistance of the sensing element , and subsequently analyzed by analyzer 430 . advantageously , such a sensitive sensing element may be affected by environmental conditions such as temperature , which may also alter its conductivity and response . consequently , with proper characterization , sensor elements such as that shown in fig4 may be used for sensing these environmental conditions as well . such a sensor element may be prepared on a glass or other suitable substrate including flexible polymers such as kapton for easy inclusion into coating systems . for this exemplary sensor however , orgacon films were spincoated on glass slides for substantially 1 minute using a commercially available spincoater . the resulting films were dried and cured on a hotplate . when prepared in this manner , the flexible polymer film thickness is between 1 and 100 microns . as can be appreciated , v - i relationship ( s ) may be conveniently measured and calculated as : r sq = π ln 2 ( v i ) ≈ 4 . 532 ( v i ) y t = 1 δ t ( r t r 0 - 1 ) where δt = t − 25 ° c . is the deviation of the temperature from standard conditions , rt is the resistance at investigated temperature , and rois the resistance at 25 ° c . turning now to fig5 , there is shown two scratch sensing elements ( a ) and ( b ) which depict linear ( a ) and parallel ( b ) sensing geometries , respectively . such element ( s ) may be prepared by painting the circuit ( s ) on a glass surface as shown and then cured . it should be noted that additional / alternative geometries are possible , depending upon the particular application . fig6 ( a ) and fig6 ( b ) show the responses of a 14 strip sensing element where each strip was scratched every 30 seconds . the strips shown in fig6 ( a ) and fig6 ( b ) were constructed using orgacon el - p3040 and orgacon el - p 4010 . as can be appreciated , the relatively high resistivity of conductive polymers make them particularly useful in the fabrication of sensing elements such as those shown in fig6 ( a ) and 6 ( b )— and especially so in those sensing elements used for scratches or surfaces that are difficult to access . advantageously , sensors constructed from conductive polymers facilitate the integration into multilayer coatings , such as those which are the subject of the instant application . still further , it is understood by those skilled in the art that such sensors are useful in any situation in which a monitored event will produce a change in resistivity in a sensor layer such as that shown and described . consequently , once an event is sensed , appropriate notification and / or repair may occur , as appropriate . at this point , while we have discussed and described my invention using some specific examples , those skilled in the art will recognize that my teachings are not so limited . more specifically , we have described coatings that exhibit a specific number of layers and compositions . it is understood that additional ( or fewer ) layer ( s ) may be provided by such coatings . accordingly , our invention should be only limited by the scope of the claims attached hereto . | 6 |
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