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with reference first to fig1 there is illustrated eddy - current free , superconducting imaging magnet 2 for imaging human limbs . magnet 2 includes , in part , magnet cartridge 4 , high - tc superconducting lead and magnet support assembly 100 , thermal stations 118 , 120 , cold head sleeve assembly 150 , and gradient coil / passive shimming assembly 200 . fig2 is an end view illustration of fig1 in which magnet cartridge 4 , high - tc superconducting lead and magnet support assembly 100 , cold head sleeve assembly 150 and gradient coil / passive shim assembly 200 are also illustrated . fig3 is a detailed illustration of magnet cartridge assembly 4 as more generally shown in fig1 and 2 . magnet cartridge assembly 4 includes , in part , magnet cartridge 6 , superconducting coils 8a - 8f , thermal shield 10 , shield supports 14 , inner bore tube 16 , vacuum enclosure 18 , end plates 20 , conventional elastomeric o - rings 22 , rf coil 26 , and gradient coil / shimming assembly 200 . in particular , cartridge 6 , preferably , is constructed of any suitable epoxy reinforced fiberglass with copper wires ( not shown ) for axial thermal conduction . coil 8a - 8f are constructed of any suitable superconducting coil material . thermal shield 10 , preferably , is constructed of any suitable epoxy reinforced fiberglass material and copper wire . bore tube 16 , enclosure 18 and plates 20 , preferably , are constructed of any suitable epoxy reinforced material with stainless steel . supports 14 are used such to rigidly attach thermal shield 10 to cartridge 6 such that heat transference from shield 10 to cartridge 6 can be minimized as magnet 2 is operating . fig4 illustrates an end view of passive shim / gradient coil assembly 200 . assembly 200 includes , in part , end ring 202 , support plate 204 , shimming assembly 210 , axial grooves 212 and gradient coil assembly 214 . in particular , ring 202 , preferably , is constructed of aluminum and is rigidly attached to support 204 by conventional fasteners 206 . support 204 , preferably , is constructed of any suitable epoxy - reinforced fiber glass material . ring 202 is rigidly attached to support 204 in order to slide passive shim / gradient coil assembly 200 in and out of magnet 2 . after the magnet 2 is fully shimmed , ring 202 is removed . grooves 212 are machined by conventional machining techniques . gradient coil 214 includes conventional x , y , z gradient finger - print coils over which the passive shimming assembly 210 is assembled . with respect to fig5 there is illustrated passive shim assembly 210 . shim assembly 210 includes , in part , grooves 212 , 222 , shimming locations 216 , shims 228 , and shim covers 230 . in particular , shimming assembly 210 includes twelve axial grooves 212 and twenty - five circumferential grooves 222 which are machined into the outer diameter of gradient coil 214 by conventional machining techniques . consequently , due to the number of grooves 212 and 222 , there are 300 locations in which shims 228 can be located . located in grooves 212 on the shimming assembly 210 are axial pieces 226 . pieces 226 , preferably , are constructed of any suitable epoxy - reinforced fiberglass material . these pieces create pockets for passive shims 228 at the 300 location . shims 228 , preferably , are constructed of any suitable carbonaceous steel material . shim covers 230 , preferably , are constructed of brass . the passive shims 228 are designed to be placed between the gradient coil 214 and the inner bore of magnet 2 . it is calculated that 0 . 050 inch thick steel shims 228 is maximum thickness needed to homogenize the field errors of magnet 2 . in order to comply with the least amount of space , passive shim hardware is combined with the gradient coil 214 to form assembly 200 . in other words , once the gradient coil 214 is manufactured , allowances are made for the passive shim assembly 210 on the outer diameter of gradient coil 214 . the assembly 200 includes a cylinder which is stacked with x , y and z gradient fingerprint coils 214 ( fig4 ). with this assembly , about 0 . 070 inch of fiber glass 208 is wound and the whole cylinder is then epoxy impregnated . for the magnet 2 , the inner diameter of the assembly 200 is 9 . 056 inches and its outer diameter is 9 . 615 inches . the magnet &# 39 ; s warm bore has an inner diameter of 9 . 625 inches . twenty - five circumferential grooves 222 are machined by conventional machining techniques on the outer diameter of the gradient coil assembly 214 . these grooves , preferably , are 0 . 051 inch deep and 0 . 39 inch wide . twelve axial grooves 212 are also machined by conventional machining techniques on the outer diameter of gradient coil 214 and epoxy reinforced fiberglass pieces 226 are glued by a conventional adhesive in place . this will provide 300 shim locations which is equivalent to a conventional whole body magnetic resonance imaging system . passive shims 228 are approximately 2 . 281 inches long , 0 . 375 inch wide and 0 . 001 to 0 . 003 inch thick and are placed within several predetermined locations . passive shim covers 230 of similar width and length and a thickness of 0 . 005 inch are used to cover the shims 228 . adhesive tape such as kapton ® are used to keep the shims 228 and shim covers 230 in place . the gradient coil / passive shim cylinder assembly 200 is fitted with a temporary aluminum ring 202 . this ring , as discussed earlier , allows for shimming iterations , i . e ., to pull the cylinder in and out for placing the shims and to push it back in . with respect to the shim configuration , a previously patent and method , u . s . pat . 5 , 045 , 794 , entitled &# 34 ; method of optimizing passive shim placement of magnet resonance magnets &# 34 ;, to dorri et al . and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention can be used to determine the amount and location of the passive shims for which the ppm inhomogeneity is minimized . once given the above disclosure , many other features , modification or improvements will become apparent to the skilled artisan . such features , modifications or improvements are , therefore , considered to be a part of this invention , the scope of which is to be determined by the following claims . | 6 |
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention , a change in focal position of the projection optical system and a change in magnification of the projection optical system , which are caused by a temperature change , are calculated based on a model formula , and are corrected . the state of focus after correction is detected by a focus detection mechanism . if a good in - focus state is not obtained , further correction control is performed . to control fluctuation in magnification , the difference between a magnification correction amount obtained by a model formula and an actual detection magnification amount obtained by a magnification detection mechanism , with respect to the difference between a focus correction amount obtained by the model formula and an actual focus amount detected by the focus detection mechanism , is stored as data for each temperature change amount of the projection optical system . a corresponding magnification correction amount is extracted from a focus correction amount detected by the focus detection mechanism , and further magnification correction is performed . with this method , a time required for magnification detection with the magnification detection mechanism can be omitted , so that the throughput in the manufacture of semiconductor devices can be improved . when this magnification control was compared with a case wherein further magnification correction was performed by detecting a magnification correction amount with actual measurement , no significant differences were observed in the precisions of the focal position and magnification . the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a conceptual view showing the arrangement of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus ( reduction projection exposure apparatus ) with an automatic focus control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 reference numeral 3 denotes a reticle . a circuit pattern on the reticle 3 is reduced and projected onto a wafer 5 on a wafer stage 4 with a reduction projection lens 1 to form an image on the wafer 5 , which is exposed in the pattern of the formed image . in fig1 a reference mark 6 with a surface almost flush with the upper surface of the wafer 5 is arranged at a position adjacent to the wafer 5 . the wafer stage can be moved by a wafer stage driving section 7 in the direction of an optical axis ( z ) of the projection lens 1 and within a plane perpendicular to this direction , and can also naturally be rotated about the optical axis . the image surface region of the reticle 3 where the circuit pattern is to be transferred is illuminated by an illumination light source 2 . referring to fig1 reference numerals 8 a and 8 b make up a known off - axis auto focus optical system . reference numeral 8 a denotes a light - projecting optical system . a beam as non - exposure light emitted from the light - projecting optical system 8 a is focused on that point on the reference mark 6 ( or on the upper surface of the wafer 5 ), which intersects the optical axis of the projection lens 1 . the beam reflected by the reference mark 6 becomes incident on the detection optical system 8 b . although not shown , a position detecting light - receiving element is arranged in the detection optical system 8 b so as to be conjugate with the beam reflecting point on the reference mark 6 . a positional shift of the reference mark 6 in the direction of the optical axis of the projection lens 1 is measured as a positional shift of the incident beam on the position detecting light - receiving element in the detection optical system 8 b . a correction amount calculation system 13 calculates predicted fluctuation amounts of the focal position and magnification of the projection lens as correction amounts by using a model formula using an exposure time , illuminance , exposure area , light transmittance of the reticle , and the like , and outputs the correction amounts to a correction control system 9 . a difference focus correction amount is calculated from the predicted focus fluctuation amount calculated with the model formula and focus information obtained from a focal surface detection system 12 . after that , a difference magnification correction amount corresponding to a difference focus correction amount experimentally obtained in advance is extracted from a correction data storage 14 . correction control of the focal position and magnification is instructed to the correction control system 9 . magnification data can be experimentally obtained by observing an image actually formed on the wafer by exposure , or by forming a magnification measuring mark at a different position on the reticle 3 , moving the reference mark 6 within the image - forming surface of the projection lens , and measuring the positions of the projection points of the two marks on the reticle 3 . fig2 is a graph showing a change model formula of a focus control amount upon a temperature change of the projection lens , and a shift of the difference focus correction amount serving as the difference between a focus - zero point controlled by the model formula and a best focus position obtained by detecting , with the focal surface detection system 12 , an image observed from the reference mark 6 through a projection lens 1 , objective lens 10 , and half mirror 11 . when the exposure amount is zero , the focus correction amount is calculated from the offset ( focus offset ) input in units of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses , the mounting offset ( alfc focus sensor offset ) of the detection sensor , the mounting offset ( optf offset ) of the auto focus detection system 8 b , a lens magnification focus offset ( lens mag focus offset ) calculated from the lens magnification , an atmospheric pressure offset ( atm . pressure focus offset ) calculated from the atmospheric pressure , and the like . at this time point , the focus offset expf ( 0 ) caused by the lens temperature change is zero . when exposure is started , the focus offset changes in accordance with the exposure amount of light radiated to the projection lens 1 . for example , as a model formula for calculating the change amount of the focus offset , the following formula is used : expf ( t 1 )= k 1 +( expf ( t 1 − 1 )− k 1 )× exp (− t 1 × k 2 ) ( formula 1 ) k 1 : arithmetic coefficient 1 ( calculated from exposure time , illuminance , exposure area , light transmittance of the reticle , and the like ) usually , in a continuous wafer exposure process , detection with the focal surface detection system 12 is performed once while processing a plurality of wafers , i . e ., once while processing twenty - five wafers . the difference focus correction amount is the difference between the focus - zero point controlled by the model formula and the best focus position obtained by detecting , with the focal surface detection system 12 , the image observed from the reference mark 6 through the projection lens 1 , objective lens 10 , and half mirror 11 corresponds to a ( 1 ) to a ( n ). concerning correction of the magnification , a change amount can be calculated by a model formula with the same principle . fig3 is a flow chart showing a process which starts with calculation of the change amount with the model formula and reaches actual correction control in an exposure process sequence . in step s 301 , the correction amount calculation system 13 calculates the focus change amount and magnification change amount with the model formula , and transmits control amounts in consideration of the calculation results to the correction control system 9 . in step s 302 , the correction control system 9 controls the focus and magnification of the projection lens 1 . in step s 303 , the wafer stage 4 is driven to move the wafer 5 to an exposure position . the wafer 5 is irradiated with light from the illumination light source 2 with an appropriate exposure amount , so exposure is performed . in step s 304 , a supervisory control computer ( not shown ) checks whether the exposure process is entirely ended . if yes , the process is ended in step s 309 . if no in step s 304 , the flow advances to step s 305 . in step s 305 , the supervisory control computer ( not shown ) checks whether a designated wafer count for focus measurement preset by the operator of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is reached . if yes , the flow advances to step s 306 . if no in step s 305 , the flow advances to step s 301 . in step s 306 , the wafer stage driving section 7 drives the wafer stage 4 where the reference mark 6 is placed in the direction of the optical axis of the projection lens 1 about the measurement zero point preset by the auto focus detection system 8 b as the center , and the focal surface detection system 12 measures the difference between the zero point and the best focus position . the preset measurement zero point is the zero point calculated considering the focus change amount calculated with the model formula . the measurement value as the difference between the zero point and the best focus position corresponds to a ( 1 ), a ( n − 2 ), a ( n − 1 ), and a ( n ) in fig2 . in step s 307 , the correction amount calculation system 13 extracts a difference magnification correction amount corresponding to a difference focus correction amount , experimentally obtained in advance , from the correction data storage 14 . in step s 308 , the correction amount calculation system 13 instructs the correction control system 9 to perform correction control of the focus and magnification on the basis of the difference focus correction amount measured in step s 306 and the difference magnification correction amount extracted in step s 307 . fig4 is a correction data table held by the correction data storage 14 in units of illumination modes . this correction data table is a table of data which is experimentally obtained in advance on the relationship between an integrated exposure amount t of light irradiated on the projection lens 1 by the illumination light source 2 , and a difference cnm between a magnification calculated from the model formula and the actual magnification for a difference focus df , which is the difference between the focus zero point calculated from the model formula and the best focus position measured by the focal surface detection system 12 . the integrated exposure amount t is determined in accordance with to what degree the illumination light source 2 irradiates energy on the lens , and is a value proportional to the lens temperature . the correction amount of the lens magnification can be obtained not by a table method using the correction data table , but by using an extracted approximate function which may be extracted from experimental data in advance , and magnification control data may be obtained in step s 307 . with this method , the same effect as that obtained with the table method can be obtained . as described above , according to this embodiment , a change in focal position of the projection optical system and a change in magnification of the projection optical system , which are caused by a temperature change , are calculated based on a model formula , and are corrected . the state of focus after correction is detected by a focus detection mechanism . if a good in - focus state is not obtained , further correction control is performed . to control fluctuation in magnification , the difference between a focus correction amount obtained by the model formula and an actual detection focus amount obtained by the focus detection mechanism , and the difference between a magnification correction amount obtained by the model formula and an actual magnification amount detected by a magnification detection mechanism are stored as data for each temperature change amount of the projection optical system . a corresponding magnification correction amount is extracted from a focus correction amount detected by the focus detection mechanism , and further magnification correction is performed . with this method , a time required for magnification detection with the magnification detection mechanism can be omitted , so that the throughput in the manufacture of semiconductor devices can be improved . the above embodiment exemplifies a method of extracting magnification information from focus information . alternatively , magnification may be measured and focus information may be extracted from magnification information . with this method as well , the throughput can similarly be improved . regarding correction parameters , they are not limited to the optical characteristics such as magnification and focus , but seidel &# 39 ; s five aberrations including distortion , astigmatism , coma , curvature of field , and spherical aberration can be corrected . for example , seidel &# 39 ; s five aberrations including distortion , astigmatism , coma , curvature of field , and spherical aberration can be corrected based on the results of magnification correction and focus correction , or on the fluctuation information detection results of other arbitrary parameters , by adjustment with a lens element moving means disclosed in japanese patent laid - open no . 10 - 054932 (“ projection optical apparatus and projection exposure apparatus mounted with the device ”). to calculate the aberration correction amount , a method of using a data table formed by experimentally obtaining in advance information on the difference between actually measured correction information and correction information which is non - measurement information , as described above , or a method of extracting an approximate function from experimental data and obtaining correction data by using the extracted function can be employed . an embodiment of a device manufacturing method utilizing the above exposure apparatus will be described . fig5 is a flow chart of the manufacture of a microdevice ( a semiconductor chip such as an ic or lsi , a liquid crystal panel , a ccd , a thin film magnetic head , a micromachine , or the like ). in step 1 ( circuit design ), the pattern of the device is designed . in step 2 ( mask formation ), a mask on which the designed pattern is formed is formed . in step 3 ( wafer manufacture ), a wafer is manufactured by using a material such as silicon or glass . in step 4 ( wafer process ), which is referred to as a pre - process , the prepared mask and wafer are used to form an actual circuit on the wafer using a lithographic technique . in step 5 ( assembly ), which is referred to as a post - process , a semiconductor chip is formed by using the wafer manufactured in step 4 . this process includes steps such as the assembly step ( dicing and bonding ) and the packaging step ( chip encapsulation ). in step 6 ( test ), tests such as an operation test and durability are performed with respect to the semiconductor device manufactured in step 5 . the semiconductor device is completed through these steps and shipped ( step 7 ). fig6 is a flow chart showing the above wafer process in detail . in step 11 ( oxidation ), the upper surface of the wafer is oxidized . in step 12 ( cvd ), an insulating film is formed on the upper surface of the wafer . in step 13 ( electrode formation ), an electrode is formed on the wafer by vapor deposition . in step 14 ( ion implantation ), ions are implanted into the wafer . in step 15 ( resist process ), the wafer is coated with a photosensitive agent . in step 16 ( exposure ), the circuit pattern on the mask is printed by exposure on the wafer by the exposure apparatus with the auto focus control unit described above . in step 17 ( development ), the exposed wafer is developed . in step 18 ( etching ), portions other than the developed resist image are removed . in step 19 ( resist peeling ), the unnecessary resist after etching is removed . by repeating these steps , multiple circuit patterns are formed on the wafer . a high - integration device , which is difficult to manufacture in the prior art , can be manufactured at a low cost by using the manufacturing method of this embodiment . as has been described above , according to the above embodiment , of fluctuations in optical characteristics of the projection optical system , a small part of the fluctuation information is measured , while the other fluctuation information is obtained by calculation on the basis of the measurement result , or by looking up in a table . therefore , a time required when further measuring fluctuation information other than the small part of fluctuation information that has been measured can be omitted , and the throughput in the manufacture of semiconductor chips and the like can be improved . as many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims . | 6 |
referring now to the drawings , wherein like numerals indicate like elements , fig2 illustrates a corrosion - inhibiting cover , which is generally denoted by the numeral 100 . cover 100 is preferably made of flexible materials and includes an outer surface 102 and an inner surface 104 . in some cases rigid materials , often formed with a configuration corresponding to that of the object to be covered , may be used for cover 100 . cover 100 has a peripheral edge 106 that defines an area 108 , which may be shaped as desired to suit a particular application . when draped over an object , such as a metallic block 10 resting on a surface 112 , outer surface 102 is exposed to an ambient environment 114 and inner surface 104 defines a micro - environment comprising a number of interior regions , such as those denoted as 116 , located between inner surface 104 and block 110 . although metallic block 110 is generally protected from elements present in ambient environment 114 by cover 100 , moisture from ambient environment 114 tends to infiltrate ( as illustrated by arrow 118 ) interior regions 116 through gaps between peripheral edge 106 of cover 100 and surface 112 . however , the materials and structure of cover 100 allow it to absorb and store such infiltrating moisture ( as illustrated by arrows 120 ) from within interior regions 116 and maintain the moisture content of the micro - environment at a low level , below that of ambient environment 114 . cover 100 is also able to absorb and store by wicking action any water present on the surface of block 110 that comes into contact with inner surface 104 . this low - moisture micro - environment inhibits metallic block 110 from corroding . in addition to the ability to absorb and store moisture , cover 100 may be provided with the ability to passively regenerate its moisture - absorbing and storing features by allowing stored moisture to diffuse to the outer surface of the cover , where it can evaporate ( as illustrated by arrows 122 ) into ambient environment 114 when conditions there are suitable for evaporation . beneficial features of the flexible cover 100 of the present invention are that it can be made to any size and shape necessary to protect an object having virtually any size and surface profile . some diverse examples of such objects are containers for container ships , deck - mounted guns on naval ships , construction equipment , stored construction materials , air conditioning units and barbeque grills , to name just a few . pouches of flexible cover 100 could be fashioned to store munitions , tools , handguns and telephones and other electronic devices to name just a few . one skilled in the art will recognize that there is a vast range of applications for cover 100 . referring now to fig3 , there is shown one specific embodiment of corrosion - inhibiting cover 100 of the present invention , which is identified at 200 . cover 200 comprises three layers consisting of a liquid - permeable layer 202 , a liquid - impermeable layer 204 and a moisture - absorbing layer 206 sandwiched between liquid - permeable layer 202 and liquid - impermeable layer 204 . with reference to fig2 and 3 , liquid - permeable layer 202 forms inner surface 104 of cover 200 and retains the constituent materials of moisture - absorbing layer 206 within cover 200 . liquid - permeable layer 202 is vapor permeable to allow moisture vapor within interior regions 116 to reach moisture - absorbing layer 206 , and liquid - permeable to allow any liquid water contacting inner surface 104 of cover 200 to be wicked into moisture - absorbing layer 206 . preferably , liquid - permeable layer 202 has a water transmission rate of greater than 10 g / m 2 - hr . liquid - permeable layer 202 should be made of a durable woven or non - woven material that can withstand repeated use and continual contact with a wide variety of surfaces . it is also preferable that liquid - permeable layer 202 be relatively smooth and / or soft so that damage to any object contacted by liquid - permeable layer 202 is avoided . a preferred material for liquid - permeable layer 202 is polyester mesh style no . 9864 , available from fablock mills , murry hill , n . j . other suitable materials include nylon , polypropylene , or the like and are available from fablock mills inc ., murry hill , n . j ., jason mills inc ., westwood , n . j ., and apex mills , inwood , n . y . among others . moisture - absorbing layer 206 includes a fiber matrix 210 and a super - absorbent material 208 , such as hydrogel . preferably , the super - absorbent material 208 is in particulate or fiber form , which allows it to be dispersed throughout the fiber matrix . alternatively , however , super - absorbent material 208 may be located in a generally discrete layer within fiber matrix 210 , which may comprise either a woven or non - woven material . examples of acceptable materials for fiber matrix 210 include wool , fiberglass , polymer fleece , fluff wood pulp and the like . it is desirable that fiber matrix 210 have a high capillarity , preferably greater than 10 g / m 2 - hr ., so that moisture coming into contact with moisture - absorbing layer 206 through liquid - permeable layer 202 may be wicked deep into moisture - absorbing layer 206 to take advantage of the super - absorbent material located there . although a fiber matrix is shown , it may be eliminated in an alternative embodiment having a hydrogel or other super - absorbant material in a form that need not be supported by and / or located within a fiber matrix . hydrogel , one example of a class of super - absorbent materials , is capable of absorbing up to 400 times its weight in water . with such a large absorption capability , the particles of hydrogel can swell to many times their original size . if the hydrogel particles are not distributed properly throughout fiber matrix 210 , moisture - absorbing layer 206 may experience hydroblocking , wherein the hydrogel particles closest to the moisture source swell so much that they block moisture from being wicked farther into the fiber matrix . although some of the absorbed moisture eventually reaches the hydrogel located deep within fiber matrix 210 by diffusion , diffusion is a slow process that would degrade the usefulness of a cover experiencing hydroblocking , particularly in high - moisture conditions . therefore , care must be taken to distribute super - absorbent material 208 within fiber matrix 210 in a manner such that when the super - absorbent material adjacent the mesh layer is saturated , the fiber matrix is still able to wick water deeper into the moisture - absorbing layer . liquid - impermeable layer 204 defines outer surface 102 of cover 200 and prevents liquid in ambient environment 114 , such as rain , sea spray , dew and the like , from reaching interior regions 116 beneath the cover . it is preferable , however , that liquid - impermeable layer 204 be vapor - permeable material to allow moisture stored in moisture - absorbing layer 206 to escape into ambient environment 114 by diffusion and evaporation as described above . preferably , liquid - impermeable layer 204 has a vapor transmission rate of greater than 1 g / m 2 - hr . the liquid transmission rate through the liquid - impermeable layer 204 should be less than the employed vapor transmission rate for the liquid impermeable layer . for the stated lower bound of 1 g / m 2 - hr . of vapor transmission through the liquid - impermeable layer 204 , a liquid transmission rate through the liquid - impermeable layer 204 could be any value less than 1 g / m 2 - hr . if the vapor transmission rate were greater , the corresponding acceptable level of liquid transmission would be greater , as long as it remained less than the vapor transmission rate . by allowing stored moisture to escape , cover 200 is capable of regenerating itself during periods of low ambient moisture so that it is capable of storing more moisture during a subsequent period when interior regions 116 again become moisture laden . beneficially , the liquid - impermeable layer should also be able to absorb solar energy to provide heat to cover 200 that accelerates regeneration of moisture - absorbing layer 206 . liquid - impermeable layer 204 may comprise a woven material , a non - woven material or a combination of the two . a preferred vapor - permeable material for liquid - impermeable layer 204 is a laminate of 200 denier nylon inner layer and a breathable urethane outer layer , available from lamcotec incorporated , monson , mass . other vapor - permeable materials , such as expanded polytetrafluroethylene , gore - tex ® fabric ( w . l . gore & amp ; associates , inc ., newark , del . ), sunbrella ® fabric ( glen raven mills inc ., glen raven , n . c . ), hub semi - permeable fabric ( hub fabric leather company , everett , mass .) or the like , may alternatively be used . in an alternative embodiment , cover 200 may further include a heating element 212 that would allow moisture - absorbing layer 206 to regenerate more quickly or regenerate when the conditions in ambient environment 114 would otherwise not permit evaporation of the stored moisture . such a heating element may comprise an electrical resistance wire grid located within one of the layers or between adjacent layers . alternatively , the heating element may comprise arrays of thin , flexible heating elements consisting of etched - foil resistive elements laminated between layers of flexible insulation like kapton ®, nomex ®, silicone rubber , or mica , or arrays of thin film ceramic elements available from minco products incorporation , minneapolis , minn . and watlow gordon , richmond , ill . among others ( kapton ® and nomex ® are registered trademarks of e . i . dupont de nemours and company , wilmington , del .). in another alternative embodiment , the cover may further include a vapor corrosion inhibitor ( also known as “ volatile corrosion inhibitor ”) ( vci ) 214 incorporated into one or more of layers 202 , 204 and 206 , preferably in the fiber matrix the moisture - absorbing layer , or into an additional layer . vcis 214 are volatile compounds that emit ions that condense on metallic surfaces to form a mono - molecular layer that interacts with corrosion agents to protect the surface . vcis 214 are continuously self - replenishing and environmentally benign . examples of vcis that may be used with the cover of the present invention include mixtures of materials selected from amine salts , ammonium benzoate , triazole derivatives , alkali dibasic acid salts , alkali nitrites , tall oil imidazolines , alkali metal molybdates , and the like which can be supplied by cortec corporation , st . paul , minn ., daubert coated products incorporated , westchester , ill ., poly lam products , buffalo , n . y ., mil - spec packaging of georgia incorporated , macon , ga ., and james dawson enterprises limited , grand rapids , mich ., among others . the addition of a vci 214 to cover 200 enhances the corrosion inhibiting ability of the cover by allowing the cover to continue to provide protection when the moisture - absorbing layer is overwhelmed . in addition , the vci 214 benefits from moisture - absorbing layer 206 because the moisture - absorbing layer removes the burden from the vci by not requiring it to offer protection at all times . one or more vcis may be added to any embodiment of the cover of the present invention , such as those shown in fig4 – 7 . the layers of cover 200 are preferably bonded to one another throughout area 108 of cover 200 in a manner that does not interfere with its liquid and vapor transport features , yet retains the layers in physical proximity to one another . bonding processes known in the art may be used to bond or join the layers of cover 200 . bonding processes such as thermal bonding or multi - component adhesive bonding could be used to bond individual layers or the entire cover 200 . other bonding processes known in the art , however , may be used . alternatively , the layers may be secured to one another by other means such as stitching . depending on the size and materials of the cover , it may only be necessary to provide stitching adjacent peripheral edge 106 . otherwise , it may be necessary to provide quilt - stiching throughout the area . in a further alternative embodiment , liquid - impermeable layer 204 may be removably secured to the other two layers 202 and 206 to allow it to be removed to speed regeneration of the moisture - absorbing layer . re - fastenable fasteners , such as hook - and - loop fasteners , snaps , zippers and the like , may be provided to facilitate this feature . additionally , the moisture - absorbing layer 206 could be bonded or formed via an airlaid process known in the art as a process of producing a nonwoven web of fibers in sheet form where the fibers are transported and distributed via air flows where the entire sheet is then set with a mixture of binders and resins . fig4 shows another specific embodiment of corrosion inhibiting cover 100 of the present invention , which is identified at 300 . cover 300 comprises the three basic layers of cover 200 , shown in fig3 , i . e ., a liquid - permeable layer 302 , a liquid - impermeable layer 304 and a moisture - absorbing layer 306 ( these layers being identical , respectively , to layers 202 , 204 and 206 ). in addition to these layers , cover 300 further includes a radar - influencing layer 308 . radar - influencing layer 308 may comprise a radar - absorbing material 310 , a radar - reflecting material 312 or a combination of both , depending upon the desired radar profile of cover 300 . with reference to fig2 , it may be preferable to have entire area 108 of cover 300 be radar - attenuating . for example , in a military application it may be necessary to reduce the radar profile of a large object to conceal its identity . on the other hand , it may be preferable to have entire area 108 be radar - enhancing . for example , in a civilian application it may be advantageous to increase the radar profile of a small water craft to accentuate its presence . in another instance , it may be desirable to provide area 108 with alternating discrete radar - attenuating and radar - enhancing regions to give the cover a custom radar profile . although radar - influencing layer 308 is shown located between liquid - impermeable layer 304 and moisture - absorbing layer 306 , it may be located elsewhere . for example , the radar - influencing layer may be located between moisture - absorbing layer and the liquid - permeable layer , adjacent outer surface 102 of cover 200 or the like . in addition , radar - absorbing material 310 and radar - reflecting material 312 may be incorporated into one or more of liquid - permeable layer 304 , moisture - absorbing layer 306 and liquid - permeable layer 302 . care must be taken , however , to select a material that does not interfere with the vapor and liquid transport features of cover 300 . radar - absorbing material 310 , may comprise polypyrrole - coated polyester fibers or the like which may be made into a thread that is then woven into a discrete fabric layer or the outer layer . such textiles are available from milliken & amp ; co ., spartanburg , s . c . under the trademark context ®. alternatively , radar - absorbing material 310 may comprise discrete particles of graphite or the like dispersed within the fiber matrix or within a coating that is applied to liquid - impermeable layer 304 or is applied to a separate layer that is then incorporated into the cover . other examples of radar - absorbing materials are rex radar - absorbing mats ( milliken & amp ; co ., spartanburg , s . c .) and rfwp weatherproof foam ( r & amp ; f products , inc ., san marcos , calif .). similar techniques may be used for radar - reflecting material 312 , except that a metal or the like , which may be provided as a thread or as discrete particles is incorporated into one or more layers of cover 300 . referring now to fig2 and 5 , there is shown yet another corrosion inhibiting cover 100 of the present invention , which is identified at 400 . in fig5 , cover 400 , which has a five layer construction , is shown with its peripheral edge 106 contacting surface 112 , such as a ship &# 39 ; s deck , a tarmac or the like . in such applications , it is common for a large amount of liquid water to be absorbed by cover 400 at regions adjacent peripheral edge 106 . this is so because much of the water from ambient environment 144 , such as rain , sea spray , dew and the like , repelled by area 108 travels down the sloping portions of cover 400 , ending up adjacent peripheral edge 106 . in order to prevent saturation of cover 400 in regions adjacent peripheral edge 106 , additional layers may be added to the basic three layer structure of fig3 to provide a separate zone for absorbing and storing moisture that may accumulate on surface 112 . accordingly , cover 400 includes an outer liquid - impermeable layer 402 , a first moisture - absorbing layer 404 , an intermediate liquid - impermeable layer 406 , a second moisture absorbing layer 408 and a liquid - permeable layer 410 , which are located adjacent one another in the named order , except at a stepped region adjacent peripheral edge 106 . the primary purpose of outer liquid - impermeable layer 402 is to prevent liquid water , such as rain , sea spray , dew and the like , from penetrating into the micro - environment beneath cover 400 . outer liquid - impermeable layer 402 includes a return to provide a robust structure at peripheral edge 106 . the primary function of first moisture absorbing layer 404 is to absorb and store moisture that collects on surface 112 , whereas the primary function of second moisture absorbing layer 408 is to absorb and store moisture trapped in the micro - environment beneath cover 400 . intermediate liquid - impermeable layer 406 prevents liquid moisture stored in each of the moisture - absorbing layers from migrating to the other of such layers . at regions adjacent peripheral edge 106 , this separation prevents second moisture - absorbing layer 408 from becoming over - burdened by moisture from surface 112 . preferably , both liquid - impermeable layers are vapor permeable to allow cover 400 to passively regenerate by losing stored moisture to ambient environment 114 when conditions there permit . peripheral edge 106 of the intermediate liquid - impermeable layer 406 is laterally spaced from peripheral edge 106 around the entire periphery of cover 400 to define an opening 412 . when cover 400 is draped over an object , such as metallic block 110 , opening 412 contacts or is slightly spaced from surface 112 , allowing any moisture present on surface 112 to be wicked into first moisture - absorbing layer 404 . depending on design parameters , such as materials selected , volume of moisture to be absorbed and the like , the width 414 of opening 412 may be varied accordingly . fig6 and 7 show a corrosion inhibiting cover 500 according to the present invention , wherein cover 500 is penalized into a number of discrete panels , each denoted 502 , and having an outer surface , an inner surface and a peripheral edge . panels 502 are removably secured to one another , and are removably securable to other panels ( not shown ) of similar construction , with fasteners 504 located adjacent the peripheral edge of cover 500 . panelization allows cover 500 of the present invention to be assembled to fit the size and shape necessary for a particular application . to further enhance customization , one or more of the panels may be formed into a shape other than the rectangular shapes shown in fig6 . fasteners 504 may be of the hook - and - loop type , which includes a flexible hook strip 506 secured to the outer surface of cover 500 and a flexible loop strip 508 secured to the inner surface . loop strip 508 is preferably liquid - permeable so that its presence does not interfere with the moisture absorbing properties of cover 500 at its peripheral edge . such hook - and - loop fasteners may be velcro ® brand hook - and - loop fasteners ( velcro industries b . v ., curacao , netherlands ) or the like . alternatively , other fasteners such as buttons , zippers , snaps , hook and eyelet , eyelet and lacing or the like , may be used for fasteners 504 . in the embodiment shown , each panel 502 comprises the basic three - layer structure of a liquid - impermeable outer layer 510 , a moisture - absorbing layer 512 and a liquid - permeable inner layer 514 . alternatively , each panel 502 may be modified to include the plural moisture - absorbing layer structure shown in fig5 and / or the radar - influencing layer 308 shown in fig4 . although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to the exemplary embodiments thereof , it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changed , omissions and additions may be made therein and thereto , without parting from the spirit and scope of the present invention . | 1 |
fig1 illustrates an embodiment of the inventive test apparatus of the present invention designated as 1 wherein the testing apparatus for damping elements for moving blades is shown schematically in a side view . the testing apparatus 1 comprises a mounting means 2 fastened on an oscillation means or , respectively , what is called a shaker ( not shown ). the mounting means 2 comprises a base 3 in which is fashioned an oblong groove 4 with undercuts 5 . in the groove 4 shown in cross - section in fig1 two blades 6 are mounted with their feet or , respectively , projections 7 , which cooperate with the undercuts 5 of the groove 4 . the blades 6 are mutually supported on their platforms 8 , which serve as inner flow limiters , and are thus mounted one after the other in the same way as is done along a perimeter in an actual system . the perimeter is indicated by the curvature of the base 3 , shown in fig2 . the base 3 can also readily be of flat construction in the static system . underneath the platforms 8 of the blade sheets 6 , a damping element 9 to be tested is arranged , which in general is clamped there in such a way that the blades 6 and the mounting means 2 are clamped with one another . the damping elements 9 are generally made of ( steel ) plate , and can comprise various shapes , e . g . flat , wedge - shaped , etc . the damping elements 9 serve to reduce excessively large vibrations of the blade sheets 6 , which oscillate during operation , by converting the energy into friction . in order to achieve as efficient a damping as possible , the damping elements 9 are first designed in the context of preliminary experiments in the testing apparatus 1 , i . e . in a static system , with respect to their mass and rigidity . for the simulation of the centrifugal forces arising in the real , rotating system , two expandable or elastic bodies 10 , such as ( rubber ) tubes , that can be charged with pressure are provided underneath the damping element 9 . the two tubes 10 are respectively embedded in an oblong recess 11 that extends parallel to the groove 4 and comprises a constant cross - section . in the present embodiment , one of the two recesses 11 has a smaller depth than the other , so that the corresponding tube 10 is laterally supported by an additional part . in general , however , the two recesses 11 have identical dimensions and are thus equally deep . as shown in fig2 the recesses 11 extend approximately over the entire length of the two blades 6 arranged one after the other , i . e . from a first end of the platform 8 of the blade 6 up to a second , opposite end of the platform 8 &# 39 ; of the other blade 6 &# 39 ;. the tubes 10 are respectively led through a bore 12 , which for easy manufacture runs approximately at a right angle to the base 3 of the mounting means 2 , at an end of the recess 11 , and are led away from the other , opposite end of the recess 11 through another such bore 12 . the respective passages from the bores 12 to the two recesses 11 extending essentially parallel to the base 3 take place with radii sufficiently large that no buckling of the tubes 11 takes place . the width of the recesses 11 is greater than the diameter of the tube 10 in the non - pressurized state , and the depth of the recesses is smaller than this diameter . in the present construction , the damping element 9 lies with its lower side 13 on the base 3 , and covers the upper , open side of the recess 11 approximately completely . as a result , as can be seen in fig1 according to the arrangement of the damping element 9 the tubes 10 are pressed flatly together in the non - pressurized state . in carrying out the preliminary experiments for designing the damping elements 9 with respect to mass and rigidity , the blade sheets 6 are excited into oscillation by the oscillation means ( not shown ), to which the mounting means 2 is fastened . the frequencies that can thereby be set are freely selectable within a large range , and are located for example between 1 , 000 and 10 , 000 hz . in this way , a wide variety of operating conditions can be investigated in the static system . for simulating centrifugal forces occurring in the rotating system , pressure , which can be up to 15 bar , is applied to the tubes 10 . as fig2 shows , as a result of the pressure the elastic tubes 10 expand , and completely fill the recesses 11 . the tubes 10 are thereby applied against the walls of the recesses 11 and against the lower side 13 -- lying over the recesses 11 -- of the damping element 9 , and thus press the damping element 9 arranged between the tubes 10 and the platforms 8 , 8 &# 39 ; of the blade sheets 6 , 6 &# 39 ; away from the mounting means 2 , together with the blade sheets 6 . the pressure is thus applied to the damping elements 9 in planar fashion . in this way , centrifugal forces of up to approx . 6000 n can be simulated . during the preliminary experiments in a static system , as in the inventive testing apparatus 1 , the occurrent amplitudes of the oscillating blade sheets 6 can be measured precisely by means of lasers or the like . in addition , it is possible to examine different damping elements 9 at various parameters ( frequency , pressure ), without requiring expensive assembly operations for this purpose , as are required for experiments in the ( real ) rotating system simply by exchanging the elements . the present invention is subject to many variations , modifications and changes in detail . it is intended that all matter described throughout the specification and shown in the accompanying drawings be considered illustrative only . accordingly , it is intended that the invention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims . | 5 |
it has been discovered that an advantage that may be realized in treating a fiber - reinforced resin composite substrate with a resin - rich peel ply to modify the surface of the treated composite substrate so as to facilitate and promote stronger and longer lasting bonding between the surface treated composite structure and a second composite substrate . the surface of the composite substrate ( 10 ) is modified by a thin resin film ( 12 ) remaining thereon after the resin - rich peel ply ( 11 ) is peeled off ( fig1 ). the working mechanism of the peel ply is illustrated by fig1 . the thickness of the remaining resin after the peel ply has been removed is about 2 %- 15 % of the original thickness of the peel ply prior to peeling . this remaining peel ply resin layer provides a consistent surface layer for adhesive bonding , including co - bonding and secondary bonding . co - bonding in composite bonding industry means bonding a cured prepreg with an uncured prepreg using adhesive . secondary bonding means bonding a cured prepreg with another cured prepreg using adhesive . the rheology and cure kinetics of the peel ply resin are controlled to minimize intermingling between peel ply resin and the resin of the composite substrate during curing , whereby the peel ply resin formulation has a substantially faster curing kinetics than the resin formulation of the composite substrate . because the resin - rich peel ply can be used with various fiber - reinforced resin composite substrates , it can be considered as a “ universal ” peel ply . the fiber - reinforced resin composite substrates discussed herein include prepregs or prepreg layups conventionally used in the manufacturing of aerospace structural parts . the term “ prepreg ” as used herein refers to sheet or lamina of fibers that has been impregnated with a matrix resin . the matrix resin may be present in an uncured or partially cured state . the term “ prepreg layup ” as used herein refers to a plurality of prepreg layers that are placed adjacent one another in a stack . the prepreg layers within the layup may be positioned in a selected orientation with respect to one another . for example , prepreg layups may comprise prepreg layers having unidirectional fiber architectures , with the fibers oriented at 0 °, 90 °, a selected angle θ , and combinations thereof , with respect to the largest dimension of the layup , such as the length . it should be further understood that , in certain embodiments , prepregs may have any combination of fiber architectures , such as unidirectional and multi - dimensional . the resin - rich peel ply ( 11 ) of the present disclosure is composed of a woven fabric ( 11 a ) impregnated by a resin matrix ( 11 b ), as illustrated in fig1 , and has a resin content of at least 20 % by weight based on the total weight of the peel ply , depending on the specific type of woven fabric being impregnated . in certain embodiments , the resin content is within the range of 20 %- 50 %. the resin formulation and the fabric construction are selected such that no broken fibers are left on the composite substrate &# 39 ; s surface after the peel ply has been removed . the fracture line ( 13 ) during peeling is within the resin matrix ( 11 b ) or at the fiber - resin interface , but not within the fabric ( 11 a ), as illustrated by fig2 . the resin - rich peel ply is easily removed from the composite substrate &# 39 ; s surface after curing . to that end , it exhibits a peel strength of not greater than 10 in - lb / inch width - according to drum peel test astm d1781 . the fabric of the resin - rich peel ply is composed of a plurality of yarns woven in a weaving pattern . each yarn is composed of a plurality of continuous fibrous filaments ( single fibers ) twisted together . the woven fabric has a fabric weight within the range of 50 - 250 gsm ( grams / m 2 ), preferably 70 - 220 gsm , and a thickness within the range of 50 - 250 μm , preferably 100 - 200 μm . thickness is primarily a function of weight and fiber type , but it also depends on the weave the fiber type for the woven fabric may be selected from various synthetic materials including polyesters ( polyethylene terephthalate , polybutylene terephthalate , polytrimethylene terephthalate , polylactic acid , and copolymers thereof ), polyethylene , polypropylene , nylon , elastomeric materials such as lycra ® and high - performance fibers such as the polyaramids ( e . g . kevlar ), polyimides , polyethyleneimine ( pei ), polyoxazole ( e . g . zylon polybenzimidazole ( pbi ), polyether ether ketone ( peek ), and glass . the main requirements for the fiber material are : the material is not brittle and has the required tensile strength . furthermore , the fabrics may have a heat set finish or other conventional finishes . the yarn size may be expressed in terms of linear mass density units of denier . denier is equal to the weight in grams of 9000 meters of yarn . the lower the number , the finer the yarn . for a roll of fabric , the yarns that run in the direction of the roll and are continuous for the entire length of the roll are the warp yarns . the short yarns which run crosswise to the roll direction are called the fill yarns . for the resin - rich peel ply , the fabric is selected based on the following characteristics : warp yarns with linear mass density in the range or 50 - 250 deniers , preferably 70 - 230 deniers , and fill yarns with linear mass density in the range of 50 - 250 , preferably 70 - 230 deniers , warp tensile strength of at least 70 lbf / in , preferably ≧ 80 lbf / in , fill tensile strength of at least 40 lbf / in , preferably ≧ 50 lbf / in . the weaving pattern is not limited and may be plain weave , twill weave , basket weave , satin weave and the like . the weaving density should not be too high for polymer - based fabric ( i . e ., tight weaving ) such that low resin impregnation and incomplete impregnation of the yarns would result . fig3 is a scanning electron microscope ( sem ) image of an exemplary polyester fabric that may be used for the resin - rich peel ply . this particular fabric has a weight of 110 gsm and yarns with linear mass density of 125 deniers . as can be seen from fig3 , this type of polyester fabric is not tightly woven and contains tiny openings in the weaving . when the peel ply containing this type of polyester fabric is peeled off the composite surface , a resin film with a roughened surface and no broken fiber is produced . such roughened surface is desirable for bonding . tightly woven fabrics such as glass fabrics may also be used for forming the resin - rich peel ply to create a desirable surface roughness for composite bonding . fig4 shows an exemplary glass fabric that may be used for the resin - rich peel ply . this glass fabric is more tightly woven and thicker than the polyester fabric shown in fig3 ; it has a weight of 205 gsm and a thickness of 175 μm . the resin matrix of the peel ply is formed from a curable resin composition which includes : at least one epoxidized novolac resin having epoxy functionality of at least 2 ; di - functional epoxy resin selected from diglycidyl ethers of polyhydric phenols : tri - functional epoxy resin selected from triglycidyl ethers of aminophenols ; inorganic filler particles ( e . g . fumed silica ) and a curing agent . the epoxidized novolac resin is making up at least 40 % by weight based on the total weight of the composition , preferably 50 - 70 % by weight . the di - functional epoxy resin is present in amount of 0 . 10 - 35 %, preferably 15 - 25 % by weight , the tri - functional epoxy resin is present in an amount of 10 - 30 %, preferably 10 - 20 % by weight , based on the total weight of the resin composition . examples of epoxidized novolac resins include those obtained by reacting phenols such as phenol , o - cresol , m - cresol , p - cresol , p - tert - butylphenol , p - nonylphenol , 2 , 6 - xylenol , resorcinol , bisphenol - a , α and β - naphthol , and naphthalenediol with aldehydes such as acetaldehyde , formaldehyde , furfural , glyoxal , and p - hydroxybenzaldehyde in the presence of an acid catalyst . suitable epoxidized novolac resins include epoxy phenol novolac resins and epoxy cresol novolac resins represented by the following structure i : wherein n is an integer from 0 to 8 , r ═ h or ch 3 . when r ═ h , the resin is a phenol novolac resin . when r ═ ch 3 , the resin is a cresol novolac resin . epoxy phenol novolac resins are commercially available as den 428 , den 431 , den 438 , den 439 , and den 485 from dow chemical co . epoxy cresol novolac resins are commercially available as ecn 1235 , ecn 1273 , and ecn 1299 from ciba - geigy corp . another suitable epoxidized novolac resin is hydrocarbon epoxy novolac resin having a dicyclopentadiene backbone represented by the following structure ii : wherein n is an integer from 0 to 7 . commercial examples of such hydrocarbon epoxy novolac resins include as tactix ® 71756 , tactix ® 556 , and tactix ® 756 from vantico inc . in one embodiment , novolac resin of structure i is used in conjunction with dicyclopentadiene - containing novolac resin of structure ii . suitable di - functional epoxy resins include diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol a or bisphenol f , e . g ., epon ™ 828 ( liquid epoxy resin ), d . e . r . 331 , d . e . r . 661 ( solid epoxy resin ) supplied by dow chemical co . triglycidyl ethers of aminophenols are commercially available as araldite ® my 0150 , my 0500 , my 0600 , my 0610 from huntsman advanced materials . suitable curing agents for the epoxy resins in the peel ply resin composition include a class of curing agents known as lewis acids : trifluoroboride ( bf 3 ), borontrichloride ( bcl 3 ), and complexes thereof , such as bf 3 - amine complexes and bcl 3 - amine complexes . examples of bf 3 - amine complexes include bf3 - mea from ato - tech , anchor 1040 ( bf3 complexed with benzyl amine and isopropyl amine ) from air products , anchor 1115 ( bf3 complexed with isopropyl amine adduct ) from air products , and anchor 1170 ( bf3 complexed with chlorobenzyl amine ) also from air products . examples of bcl 3 - amine complexes include omincure ™ bc - 120 . complexes are made to provide liquid or solid forms under conditions of normal use . many commercially available epoxy - based prepregs include amine - based curing agents such as 3 , 3 ′- diaminodiphenylsulphone ( dds ) and dicyandiamide ( dicy ), which show substantially slower curing kinetics than those of a peel ply resin formulation containing the above curing agents , e . g . bf 3 liquid . as a result , the peel ply resin formulation can cure fast enough to minimize the intermingling with the prepreg resin during co - curing process . inorganic fillers in particulate form ( e . g . powder ) are added to the peel ply resin composition as a rheology modifying component to control the flow of the resinous composition and to prevent agglomeration therein . suitable inorganic fillers that may be used in the surface film composition include fumed silica , talc , mica , calcium carbonate , alumina . the amount of inorganic filler may be within the range of 1 - 10 % by weight , preferably 1 - 5 % by weight , based on the total weight of the surface film composition . in an embodiment , the resin composition of the peel ply may include , in weight percentages based on the total weight of the resin composition : approximately 45 - 55 % phenol novolac epoxy resin ; approximately 5 - 15 % dicyclopentadiene - containing novolac epoxy resin , approximately 20 - 30 % diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a ; approximately 15 - 25 % triglycidyl ether of aminophenol ; approximately 5 - 15 % bf 3 curing agent , and approximately 1 - 5 % inorganic filler . furthermore , one or more organic solvents may also be added to the resin composition described above , as necessary , to facilitate the mixing of the components . examples of such solvents may include , but are not limited to , methyl ethyl ketone ( mek ), acetone , dimethylacetamide , and n - methylpyrrolidone . the resin - rich peel ply may be formed by coating the resin composition described above onto the woven fabric so as to completely impregnate the yarns in the fabric using conventional solvent or hot - melt coating processes . the wet peel ply is then allowed to dry if needed to reduce the volatile content , preferably , to less than 2 % by weight . drying may be done by air drying at room temperature overnight followed by oven drying at 140 ° f .- 170 ° f ., or by oven drying at elevated temperature as necessary to reduce the drying time . subsequently , the dried resin - rich peel ply may be protected by applying removable release papers or synthetic films ( e . g . polyester films ) on opposing sides . such release papers or synthetic films are to be removed prior to using the peel ply for surface bonding . the dried peel ply is applied onto a surface of an uncured ( or partially cured ) resin - based composite substrate , e . g . epoxy - based prepreg . next , the peel ply together with the composite substrate is subject to co - curing . the peel ply is then removed to leave a thin resin film on the composite substrate , thereby forming a modified surface ready for adhesive bonding with another composite substrate . for co - bonding and secondary bonding of two composite substrates , a curable adhesive film is applied onto at least one of the modified surface of a first composite substrate that is already cored and a surface of a second composite substrate . the modified surface of the first cured composite substrate is brought into contact with a surface of the second composite substrate such that the adhesive is between the substrates . curing is then carried out to form a bonded composite structure . the terms “ curing ” and “ cure ” as used herein refer to polymerizing and / or cross - linking process which may be performed by heating , exposure to ultraviolet light , or radiation . co - curing of the resin - rich peel ply and the resin - based composite substrate ( e . g . epoxy - based prepreg ) may be carried out at temperatures greater than 230 ° f . ( 110 ° c . ), more specifically , within the temperature range of 250 ° f .- 375 ° f . ( 121 ° c .- 190 ° c .). it has been discovered that an advantage of the resin - rich peel ply described herein is that peel ply can be co - cured with most commercially available prepregs within the above curing range . such prepregs include resin pre - impregnated fabrics and / or tapes commercially available as cycom 997 , cycom 977 - 2 , cycom 934 , cycom 970 , cycom 5317 - 3 , cycom 5320 - 1 and cycom 851 from cytec industries inc . ; hexply 8552 from hexed corp . ; and toray 3900 - 2 from toray industries inc . after co - curing , the cured resin - rich peel ply exhibits a glass transition temperature ( t g )≧ 140 ° c ., in some embodiments , 140 ° c .- 200 ° c ., as measured by modulated differential scanning calorimetry ( dsc ) method . the following examples are illustrative of some embodiments of the resin - rich peel ply disclosed herein and its application , and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure . a resin - rich peel ply was prepared by impregnating a polyester fabric with a resin formulation comprised of , in weight %: 45 % phenol - formaldehyde novolac epoxy resin ; 11 % dicyclopentadiene - containing novolac epoxy resin : 23 % diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a ; 14 % triglycidyl ether of aminophenol ; 5 % liquid bf 3 , and 2 % fumed silica . the polyester fabric had the following properties : the resin formulation was mixed using a hot - melt process followed by a solvent addition process . after a hot - melt mix was made , methyl ethyl ketone ( mek ) solvent was added to the resin composition to form a 82 % solid suspension . the wet resin composition was coated onto the fabric using , solvent coating , process and let dry overnight at room temperature followed by oven dry process to reduce the volatile content to less than 2 %. the dried peel ply had a resin content of about 43 % by weight and a thickness of about 140 μm . alternatively , the resin formulation may also be mixed with mek in a solvent - assisted process at room temperature . the obtained wet resin mix at 82 % solid content may be coated onto the fabric in the same way as described above . the dried peel ply as discussed above was used to prepare the surface of a fiber - reinforced epoxy - based prepreg . cycom 997 tape from cytec industries inc .). after co - curing at 177 ° c ., the peel ply was peeled off leaving behind a modified surface ready for bonding . a drum peel test ( astm d1781 ) was performed to evaluate the peel off strength of the peel ply . the test result indicated 11 . 1 newton ( 2 . 5 in - lb / inch width ). this shows that the peel ply was easily peeled off . surface analysis by atr - ftir ( attenuated total reflection ) was performed to study the treated surface of the prepreg after curing and removal of the peel ply . it was found that a thin layer of about 3 - 10 μm of peel ply resin was left on top of the prepreg . fig5 is a scanning electron microscope ( sem ) image of the treated surface after the resin - rich peel ply was removed , which shows that no broken fibers front the fabric remain . a resin - rich peel ply was fabricated by impregnating a polyester fabric with the following resin formulation , in weight %: 45 % phenol - formaldehyde novolac epoxy resin , 11 % dicyclopentadiene - containing novolac epoxy resin ; 22 . 5 % diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a ; 13 . 5 % triglycidyl ether of aminophenol ; 6 % bf 3 - mea ; and 2 % fumed silica . the fabric had the following properties : the resin formulation was mixed , coated onto the fabric dried , and tested in the same way as in example 1 . similar result was seen — a thin layer of about 3 - 10 μm of peel ply resin was left on top of the prepreg after the resin - rich peel ply was removed , but no broken fibers from the fabric remain . a resin - rich peel ply was prepared by impregnating a polyester fabric with a resin formulation comprised of , in weight %: 44 . 5 % phenol - formaldehyde novolac epoxy resin ; 9 % dicyclopentadiene - containing novolac epoxy resin ; 22 % diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a ; 18 % triglycidyl ether of aminophenol ; 4 . 7 % liquid bf 3 , and 1 . 8 % fumed silica . the polyester fabric had the following properties : the resin formulation was mixed , coated onto the fabric , dried , and tested in the same way as in example 1 . similar result was seen — a thin layer of about 3 - 10 μm of peel ply resin was left on top of the prepreg after the resin - rich peel ply was removed , but no broken fibers from the fabric remain . a resin - rich peel ply was prepared by impregnating a polyester fabric with a resin formulation comprised of , in weight %: 44 % phenol - formaldehyde novolac epoxy resin ; 9 % dicyclopentadiene - containing novolac epoxy resin ; 22 % diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a ; 17 % triglycidyl ether of aminophenol ; 6 % bf 3 - mea , and 2 % fumed silica . the polyester fabric had the following properties : the resin formulation was mixed , coated onto the fabric , dried , and tested in the same was as in example 1 . similar result was seen — a thin layer of about 3 - 10 μm of peel ply resin was let on top of the prepreg after the resin - rich peel ply was removed , but no broken fibers from the fabric remain . a resin - rich peel ply was prepared by impregnating a polyester fabric with a resin formulation comprised of , in weight %: 45 . 5 % phenol - formaldehyde novolac epoxy resin ; 11 . 4 % dicyclopentadiene - containing novolac epoxy resin , 22 . 8 % diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a ; 13 . 7 % triglycidyl ether of aminophenol ; 4 . 8 % liquid bf 3 , and 1 . 8 % fumed silica . the polyester fabric had the following properties : the resin formulation was mixed , coated onto the fabric , dried , and tested in the same way as in example 1 . similar result was seen — a thin layer of about 3 - 10 μm of peel ply resin was left on top of the prepreg after the resin - rich peel ply was removed , but no broken fibers from the fabric remain . a resin - rich peel ply was prepared by impregnating a glass fabric with a resin formulation comprised of , in weight %: 44 . 5 % phenol - formaldehyde novolac epoxy resin ; 8 . 9 % dicyclopentadiene - containing novolac epoxy resin ; 22 . 3 % diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a ; 17 . 8 % triglycidyl ether of aminophenol ; 4 . 7 % liquid bf 3 , and 1 . 8 % fumed silica . the glass fabric had the following properties : the resin formulation was mixed , coated onto the fabric in the same way as in example 1 . after drying , the dried peel ply had a resin content of about 28 % by weight and a thickness of about 195 μm . the resin - rich peel ply was then tested in the same way as example 1 . similar result was seen — a thin layer of about 3 - 10 μm of peel ply resin was left on top of the prepreg after the resin - rich peel ply was removed , but no broken fibers from the fabric remain . a resin - rich peel ply was prepared by impregnating a polyester fabric with the resin formulation disclosed in example 6 . the polyester fabric had the following properties : the resin formulation was mixed , coated onto the fabric , dried , and tested in the same way as in example 1 . similar result was seen — a thin layer of about 3 - 10 μm of peel ply resin was left on top of the prepreg after the resin - rich peel ply was removed , but no broken fibers from the fabric remain . cycom 970 prepregs ( from cytec industries inc .) were bonded to each other using a commercially available adhesive fm 318 m . 05 psf ( from cytec industries inc .). three to four bonded prepreg samples were tested at each test temperature . prior to bonding , the bonding surface of the prepregs was prepared using the resin - rich peel ply as discussed in example 1 . table 2 shows the average shear data at 23 ° c .- 55 ° c . and 72 ° c . test temperatures based on double overlap shear testing ( astm d3528 ). as seen in table 2 , the peel ply promotes cohesive failure at the various test temperatures . bonded prepreg samples were formed using various commercially available prepreg materials and a commercially available adhesive fm 309 - 1 ( from cytec industries inc .). prior to bonding , the bonding surface of the prepregs was prepared using the resin - rich peel ply as discussed in example 1 . double cantilever beam testing ( astm d5528 ) was carried out at 23 ° c . and − 55 ° c . to measure the interlaminar fracture toughness ( g 1c ) of the bonded prepregs and the results are shown in fig6 . cycom 5317 - 6 prepregs ( from cytec industries inc .) were co - bonded using structural adhesive fm 309 - 1m . 05 psf . prior to co - bonding , a resin - rich peel ply formed with the glass fabric shown in fig4 was used to prepare the bonding surface on one of the prepregs . fig7 a and 7b show the cohesive failure condition after g 1c testing of the co - bonded prepregs . the terms “ first ,” “ second ,” and the like , herein do not denote any order , quantity , or importance , but rather are used to distinguish one element from another , and the terms “ a ” and “ an ” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity , but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item . the modifier “ approximately ” or ‘ about ” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context , ( e . g ., includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity ). the suffix “( s )” as used herein is intended to include both the singular and the plural of the term that it modifies , thereby including one or more of that term ( e . g ., the metal ( s ) includes one or more metals ). ranges disclosed herein are inclusive and independently combinable ( e . g ., ranges of “ up to approximately 25 wt %, or , more specifically , approximately 5 wt % to approximately 20 wt %”, is inclusive of the endpoints and all intermediate values of the ranges of “ approximately 5 wt % to approximately 25 wt %,” etc ). while various embodiments are described herein , it will be appreciated from the specification that various combinations of elements , variations or improvements therein may be made by those skilled in the art , and are within the scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from essential scope thereof . therefore , it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
referring to fig1 , one or more smart servers 11 is provided on an communication network 10 . the network 10 may be a public network or a private dedicated network . each server 11 is programmed with a specific trading strategy , and has access to various trading mechanisms or exchanges through the network 10 , such as the new york stock exchange ( nyse ) 18 , the posit ® system 20 , the over - the - counter ( otc ) market 22 ( including , but not limited to , the nasdaq stock market ), or an ecn 24 . preferably , multiple trading strategies are available on each server 11 . according to preferred embodiments of the present invention , the servers 11 are electronically accessible directly by customers through the network 10 . this access can be either through a pc 12 or a dedicated client terminal 16 which is electronically connected to the network 10 such as via the internet or a dedicated line . alternatively , clients could submit orders to the network indirectly via a trading desk 14 through which a customer can place an order in the traditional manner through a broker . according to preferred embodiments of the present invention , a number of different servers 11 are provided on the network , with each server 11 running a different trading strategy and having access to various appropriate trading forums , such as , for example , the new york stock exchange (“ nyse ”) 18 , the posit ® off - market trading system 20 , the over - the - counter market (“ otc ”) 22 ( including , but not limited to , the nasdaq market ), and various electronic communication networks (“ ecns ”) 24 . a customer may place a trade order with any specific one of the servers 11 according to the strategy that the customer wishes to use to complete the order . the appropriate server 11 receives the order from the customer over the network 10 and processes the trade according to the preset trade strategy algorithm being run by the server 11 . the server 11 then executes the strategized order and preferably transmits the execution results to the customer in real time . by providing such servers , a significant advantage over the prior art system ( where strategies are executed manually by human traders ) is achieved . the server 11 can handle much more complex trades including trades involving large volumes and many more different equities . additionally , the server 11 can provide expert results for a very large number of equities , unlike a trader who may be able to concentrate on or follow only a relatively small number of equities at once . a server according to the present invention has a further advantage over a human trader in that it can be electronically connected via the network 10 to a real time market information provider 15 as well as sources providing historical and derived market data such that it can receive and process multiple indicators on a continuous basis . further , multiple orders having different desired trading strategies can be simultaneously executed by routing trade requests to the appropriate server 11 . fig2 a and 2b illustrate one example of an equity trading strategy which can be performed by a server 11 according to embodiments of the invention wherein trades are executed with a goal of achieving a volume weighted average price , or “ vwap .” the vwap trading algorithm is programmed into a server 11 , and customers wishing to execute the vwap strategy for trades input orders and transmit them directly to the server 11 running the vwap strategy via the network 10 . a stock &# 39 ; s vwap is the average price of trades of the stock over the course of the day weighted according to the number of shares traded at each price . thus , for example , 1000 shares traded at 56½ are weighted five times as heavily as 200 shares traded at 54¾ , to give a vwap of 56⅛ . the vwap server algorithm according to the present invention would provide an alternative to conventional trading strategies for those clients who wish to trade a block of shares of a particular security over the course of a market day ( or portion thereof ) at a price near the security &# 39 ; s vwap for that day ( or for that portion ). the vwap benchmark is desirable for such traders in that it allows evaluation of the success of a trader &# 39 ; s approach to achieving reasonable execution prices . according to vwap strategy as depicted in fig2 a , at step 201 the trading day is divided into a number of equal time bins such as , for example , bins of half - hour increments . at step 202 the customer &# 39 ; s order is received by the smart server 11 from a source such as a dedicated terminal 16 . in a typical order , a customer would state a trade side ( buy or sell ), a security identifier ( ticker symbol ), number of shares and time duration of the order . for example , a vwap order would state a wish to buy 100 , 000 shares of ibm common stock before the close of the market throughout the course of a given day , or specifying some other definite expiration time for the order to be executed . the vwap server screens orders through a number of filters , such as for securities which are not part of the server &# 39 ; s trading universe , or for orders in excess of a preset maximum number of shares . at step 203 , the average share volume of the security in question , such as ibm common stock , for each time bin over a predetermined amount of time in the past , such as the last 21 days , is computed . this computation may reveal that 10 % of ibm share volume typically has traded in the 9 : 30 - 10 : 00 time bin . similar percentages are determined for each time bin . at step 204 , the computed share volume numbers are subjected to smoothing relative to a standard such as the s & amp ; p 500 in order to eliminate the effect of any anomalies occurring during the time period being analyzed , such as , for example , an unusually large volume transacting in any one day . the smoothed share volume v * ( expressed in percentage ) is calculated as follows for each time bin : v * ibm , 9 : 30 - 10 = βv ibm , 9 : 30 - 10 +( 1 − β ) v s & amp ; p500 , 9 : 30 - 10 ( 1 ) where : β = a constant for the stock in question ( ibm ) having a value in the interval [ 0 , 1 ] v x , 9 : 30 - 10 = the percentage of the 21 - day average share volume for security ( or index ) x that occurs within the 9 : 30 - 10 : 00 time bin the adjusted share volume percentage for each bin is then multiplied at step 205 by the number of shares in the customer order ( in the example , 100 , 000 shares ). this results in an unrounded distribution of shares over all of the time bins of the trading day . at step 206 , the obtained share distribution is converted to a round lot ( i . e ., multiples of 100 shares ) distribution . the share distribution thus obtained dictates how many shares must be transacted within each time bin during the trading day . once this distribution has been obtained , there remains the question as to how the trades scheduled for each time bin will be implemented . the simplest method is to place appropriately sized market orders during each time bin . however , this method is costly , and is not available for trades involving nasdaq equities trading on ecns . a preferred methodology of placing orders within each time bin for the vwap strategy is shown in fig2 b . referring to fig2 b , at step 207 a partial amount of the bin is entered at a passive price ( i . e ., a price better than the market whereby the market must move to the price before execution will occur ). for example , if the distribution calculation indicates that 10 , 000 shares should be transacted in the 9 : 30 - 10 : 00 time bin , 3 , 300 shares could be entered as a limit order at a passive price . at step 208 , the algorithm waits for a predetermined amount of time , such as five minutes . at step 209 , a determination is made as to whether the order has been at least partially filled . if so , at step 210 the market is “ read ,” by determining the ratio of bid size to ask size ( where bid size is the number of shares at the current bid price , and ask size is the number of shares at the current ask price ). if the market is adverse to the order , such as where bid size greatly outnumbers ask size for a buy order , then at step 212 the shares remaining in the bin are rapidly transacted by placing aggressively priced limit orders , and if still unfilled after a certain period of time , by placing market orders . if no adverse market trend is found , then another passively priced limit order is placed at step 207 . if the order has not been filled , at step 213 the process waits for an additional predetermined time period , such as another five minutes . at step 214 it is again determined whether the order has been at least partially filled . if so , the process proceeds to step 210 . if not , at step 215 the market is read by looking at bid / ask ratio and the spread size . if the current market trend is adverse , or the spread is very tight , as determined at step 216 , then the bin is completed with market orders at step 217 . if not , at step 218 , the limit order is modified according to present market conditions , and is placed again at step 207 . this cycle repeats until all shares for the bin are traded , or until the time period for the particular bin expires . if the time period expires with unexecuted trades remaining , all unexecuted shares for that bin are sent as market orders . of course , in determining the expiration of the time period , enough time has to be remaining to be able to execute the market orders . thus , according to one embodiment of the invention , the time period is considered to have “ expired ” a few minutes ( e . g ., 2 . 5 minutes ) before the end of the customer &# 39 ; s specified expiration time , to allow enough time to complete the customer &# 39 ; s order within the customer &# 39 ; s specified expiration time . further , an additional predetermined waiting period and order status determination step may be performed between steps 214 and 215 . as shown in fig1 , it is possible to send different allocations of shares of an order to different trading forums . for example , a certain amount of shares for a particular bin may be sent to the posit ® system for off - market crossing while the remaining shares may be sent to an ecn as limit orders . in alternative embodiments of the vwap trading algorithm according to the present invention , a stop - loss feature can be incorporated . this feature would automatically and continuously observe market indicators relating to securities for which there are pending vwap orders to determine if adverse market trends would make it more profitable for trading according to the vwap strategy to be terminated . in the event that this happens , the vwap order could potentially be sent to an outside trading forum as market or limit order , or the order can be automatically routed to a different server on the network so as to be trading according to a different and more advantageous strategy . fig3 illustrates a second exemplary trading strategy , called short - term price improvement ( spi ), which may be implemented on servers 11 of the present invention . the spi strategy is designed to complete all orders within a maximum time frame specified by the customer , preferably 30 minutes or less , while optimizing the transaction price within the desired time frame . in other words , clients submitting orders stating “ buy 5 , 000 shares of ibm within 20 minutes ” to a server running the spi strategy are essentially stating a desire to purchase 5 , 000 shares of the stock at the best ( lowest ) price within the 20 minute time frame . orders placed to a spi server would serve as an alternative to a market order where the client &# 39 ; s time horizon is relatively short . the spi strategy server continuously receives and monitors a variety of market indicators in order to determine the best way to execute a given client order . depending upon short - term price forecasts and market timing analysis based upon these market indicators as is known in the art , a server performing the spi strategy at any point during the time frame may generate a signal which causes any of three separate courses of action to be taken by the server : 1 ) attempt to execute the client order as a market order , 2 ) attempt to execute the client order as a limit order having a price set at one of various levels of aggressiveness , or 3 ) delay the client order for a short period and wait to see how the market indicators change ( and thereby change the signal being generated by the spi strategy server ). according to embodiments of the invention having such a spi server , the market indicators are preferably received in real time , such as electronically by an independent real time market information provider 15 . the spi algorithm thus can react to changing market conditions as evidenced by the indicators to determine the appropriate pricing and timing of orders . as market conditions change , the spi algorithm can modify its outstanding orders in response to received real - time market data . suitable market indicators for spi orders include , but are not limited to , moving average convergence / divergence (“ macd ”) which is a money flow momentum indicator , fast stochastic which is an indicator of price oscillation , bollinger bands which is a volatility indicator , and buying directional movement index (“ dmi b ”) and selling directional movement index (“ dmi s ”) which are demand / supply momentum indicators . as will be readily appreciated by one skilled in the art , various market indicators , including indicators known in the art and proprietary indicators , can be used in algorithms of the present invention to generate signals . fig3 depicts an embodiment of an algorithm to perform the spi strategy according to preferred embodiments of the present invention . at the beginning of the process , the server 11 dedicated to running the spi strategy receives the spi order 401 via the network 10 . the spi order must include a trade side ( buy or sell ), a security identifier ( ticker symbol ), a number of shares , and a time period . optionally , a default time period can be set , such as 15 minutes , which would be used as the time period in the event the spi order failed to state a specific time period . at step 402 , the spi server checks the market indicators , and then classifies 403 the pending spi order as either a high priority scenario 404 or a low priority scenario 405 according to a set of predetermined criteria . according to preferred embodiments of the invention , high priority scenarios are infrequent and they occur only when indicators predict market movements which would make it advantageous to complete the client &# 39 ; s requested trade immediately . in the event that a high priority scenario 404 is identified at 403 , a signal is generated whereby the client order is immediately executed as a market order 406 a , and the spi server algorithm ends 407 . at this point , the client would typically be notified , preferably electronically , that its trade had been completed . a high priority scenario also may be identified by making a “ stop - loss ” assessment . according to this evaluation , a threshold level is generated based on a number of various market factors , and the current price of the security is compared to the threshold . if the current price is on the wrong side of the threshold for the given order ( i . e ., above the threshold for a buy order or below the threshold for a sell order ), this constitutes a high priority situation and the order is sent as a market order . examples of generating a stop - loss threshold are as follows . for a buy order , the current ask price is obtained . an increment is generated based on the measured volatility of the security over the last 55 ticks . the generated increment is added to the ask price . the new stop - loss threshold is the minimum of the old threshold ( e . g . from one minute ago ) or the ask - plus - increment . thus , the threshold can never increase , but only decrease . if prices are moving in favor of the buy order ( i . e ., lower ), the threshold is lowered , but if prices are moving adverse to the buy order ( i . e ., higher ), the threshold remains the same . consequently , if the ask price ever exceeds the threshold , a high priority situation is identified . for a sell order , the situation is reversed . in particular , the current bid price is obtained . an increment is generated based on the measured volatility of the security over the last 55 ticks . the generated increment is subtracted from the bid price . the new stop - loss threshold is the maximum of the old threshold ( e . g . from one minute ago ) or the bid - minus - increment . thus , the threshold can never decrease , but only increase . if prices are moving in favor of the sell order ( i . e ., higher ), the threshold is raised , but if prices are moving adverse to the sell order ( i . e ., lower ), the threshold remains the same . consequently , if the bid price ever retreats below the threshold , a high priority situation is identified . table 1 below demonstrates several exemplary situations in which market indicators would signal high priority scenarios according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention . referring to table 1 , if , for example , at step 403 the macd indicator signaled weak price and money flow momentum and the fast stochastic indicator signaled overbuying of the particular security , then a high priority scenario would be triggered for client sell orders . similarly , a strong macd combined with a market price below the bollinger bands would also trigger a high priority scenario for client sell orders . in either case , a signal would be generated which would cause a market order to be sent at 406 a to satisfy the initial client spi order received at step 401 . in the event that no high priority scenario 404 is triggered , the client spi order is deemed a low priority scenario 405 and thus an immediate market order is not triggered at 406 a . at step 408 , the spi server decides whether to submit a limit order 410 , or to delay 409 the client order . it will be readily appreciated by one skilled in the art that such limit orders can be placed with a variety of prices , including , but not limited to , the current bid price , the current ask price , or the mid - point price of the bid - ask spread , according to a series of predetermined criteria at step 411 . as with the determination at step 403 as to whether a high priority scenario 404 exists , the decision at step 408 as to whether a limit order or hold is appropriate , and the appropriate price for a limit order , is made upon the monitoring of various market indicators . table 2 below demonstrates an exemplary methodology for using market indicators to dictate whether a limit order ( and its price ) or a delay should be signaled according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention . according to the sample priority rules depicted by table 2 , it can be seen that for client buy orders , if at step 408 the dmi b is in the high range ( as defined by the bollinger bands as is known in the art ), a limit order would be signaled and then submitted at step 411 having a price equal to the mid - point of the bid - ask spread . similarly , for a client sell order , a low dmi s ( as defined by the bollinger bands ) causes step 408 to signal and initiate a delay scenario 409 . if a delay scenario 409 is initiated , all pending limit orders relating to the client order in question are canceled at step 412 . conversely , if a limit scenario 410 is initiated , a limit order is either submitted to the market , a currently pending limit order has its price modified , or a currently pending limit order is left undisturbed ( i . e ., when there is no change in the signaled limit order aggressiveness ) at step 411 based upon the algorithm &# 39 ; s low priority rules ( such as the sample rules given by table 2 ) and whether there already is a previously submitted and unexecuted limit order . the server checks at step 413 to see if a pending limit order was executed by the market . if a pending limit order has been executed 414 , then the client order is filled and the algorithm ends 407 . if the limit order placed at step 411 is still pending 418 , or if a hold has been placed at step 412 , the algorithm checks at 419 and 415 , respectively , to see if the time constraint placed on the order has expired . in the event that the time constraint has expired ( 416 or 420 ), the spi server sends a market order at 406 b or 406 c to fill the client order . if the time period has not expired ( 421 or 417 ), the algorithm returns to step 402 after waiting for a predetermined amount of time ( 421 a or 417 a ). in preferred embodiments of the present invention , the timing out function performed at steps 419 and 415 by the spi server algorithm will have a time constraint which is approximately three minutes less than the time period associated with the particular client order . for example , if a client order requests a sale of 500 shares of ibm within 25 minutes and no high priority scenario have been triggered and no limit orders have been executed 22 minutes after the client submitted the order , then a timing out 416 or 420 would occur and a market order would be sent 406 b or 406 c . this three minute time period is preferred because it is the maximum expected time necessary to execute a market order . thus , it helps to ensure that any client order will be executed before the client specified time horizon expires . as will be readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art , the flowchart depicted by fig3 has been described with reference to one iteration of a repeating cycle . during the entire transaction period as specified by the client in its spi order , the market indicators are continuously updated and reviewed at step 403 to determine whether a high priority scenarios 404 is signaled , and are reviewed at step 408 to determine if a limit order 410 or delay 409 is signaled . the algorithm of fig3 will continue to cycle , once every minute for example , back to step 402 and repeat until either : 1 ) a market order is signaled at step 406 a due to a high priority scenario , 2 ) a market order is signaled steps 406 b and 406 c due to the transaction period given by the spi order timing out 417 and 415 , or 3 ) a limit order is executed by the trade forum at 414 before it is modified or canceled . it should be understood then that during the second and subsequent iterations of the above described cycle , at steps 406 b , 406 c , 411 , and 412 the client order must have previously caused a low priority signal to be generated at step 403 and therefore potentially had a previous limit order submitted at 411 . if such a limit order is still pending ( unexecuted ), it will require the server at steps 406 b , 406 c , 411 , and 412 to modify ( change the price , or switch to a market order ) or cancel ( to make the order a hold ) the pending unexecuted limit order instead of creating a completely new order . a spi server order is submitted stating a desire to buy 1000 shares of ibm within 10 minutes . during the 7 minute ( 3 minute cushion for time - outs ) interval in which the spi algorithm operates , conditions transpired as in table 3 : for purposes of this example it will be assumed that one iteration of the cycle described with reference to fig3 occurs each minute . over the first six minutes , no high priority scenarios are signaled . during the first minute a limit order for 1000 shares is submitted at the bid price ( 112 ) according to algorithm rules for the low priority indicators . during the third minute , while the indicators have not changed , the spread has changed . this causes the spi algorithm to cancel and correct the initial limit order sent to a price of 112 . 125 , the new bid price . during the fifth minute , the indicators have changed to signal a delay scenario . thus , the spi server cancels the limit order placed during the third minute . by the seventh minute , the trade has not been executed , so a time out action is initialized . thus , a market order is generated for the 1000 shares and the order is filled . as will be readily appreciated by one skilled in the art , the server system according to the present invention running a spi algorithm as depicted can also allow a single client order to be allocated to multiple markets , such as the nyse , posit ®, and ecns , automatically according to current market conditions , or the particular nature of the security in question , in order to achieve optimized results . also , in alternative embodiments of the present invention , orders can be automatically transferred within the network from one server operating according to a first strategy algorithm to another server having a second different strategy algorithm . for example , the vwap strategy algorithm can be modified such that the shares allocated to each 30 minute time bin are transferred to the spi server for execution with a 25 minute time horizon . furthermore , in embodiments of the present invention , an order submitted to any one of the servers of the present invention can aggregated in whole or in part with one or more different orders submitted to the same or different servers . this pooling of orders can be done to limit trading transaction costs or when such pooling would achieve a better price for each order . additionally , it should be understood that orders submitted to any server according to the present invention can optionally be split for execution by a plurality of trade forums . for example , a portion of a vwap buy order can be crossed internally ( at the vwap ) with a different vwap sell order by the server , and the remainder of the vwap buy order can be submitted to an ecn as a limit or market order for execution . the invention being thus described , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . any and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims . | 6 |
equipment for shaping aluminium billets b in an extrusion device r includes in a short stroke press p , a press ram 1 which can be pushed by a main drive 2 of a short stroke press p in a direction of extrusion z in a passage 3 of a container 4 . at the end of the passage 3 facing away from the press ram 1 there is disposed a die 6 mounted in a die slide 5 , which abuts a crosshead 7 of the extrusion device r . two halves 4t and 4h of the container 4 , which is split horizontally approximately at the level of its center axis a , are hingeably joined through a shaft 8 at the side of the container 4 . loading of this container with billets b takes place via a conveyor mechanism 9 , which transports the billets b from a series of molds 10 through a chamber 11 to maintain the mold temperature at a predetermined level and then to the extrusion press r itself . this chamber 11 can be heated by waste gas to save energy . the series of molds 10 are disposed downstream of a remelting furnace 12 with a teeming ladle , or a temperature holding furnace 13 . after loading the container with a billet b , the press ram 1 fitted with a dummy block 14 moves in the direction of extrusion z through the passage 3 , and the die , thus producing extrusion profiles s , which are discharged through the crosshead 7 onto a discharge 15 . the sections s are then moved to a stretcher 16 disposed at the side of the discharge table 15 and therefrom to a further conveyor 17 , the conveyor 17 moving them to a sawing unit 18 . scrap pieces t slide down a chute 19 to a baling press 20 ; bundles of the scrap pieces are then fed via a transport mechanism 21 to the remelting furnace 12 . a transport system 22 conveys the non - illustrated bale of scrap from the baling press 20 immediately to the container 4 , into which it can be loaded even without preheating . the upper part 4h of the split container 4 , shown in fig2 can , be tilted from its operating position about the shaft 8 into an open position , indicated by broken lines , by means bell crank 26 , which is connected through a hinge 25 to the upper part 4h thus allowing loading of a new billet b , which is introduced by a slide feed 27 disposed above a table 28 . the billet b and the passage 3 have an elongated cross section but may in an alternate version , have a round or differently shaped cross section . it is also possible to place , cross sectional shapes of different kinds side - by - side . the passage 3 is defined by two facing members 30 which are fastened by wedges 33 to liners 31 and to a housing 32 of the container parts 4t and 4h . the facing member 30 and the liners 31 of the upper part 4h of the container can then be tilted about the eccentrically placed shaft 8 , as best seen in fig2 . the shaft 8 serves to control the closing force of the container and is connected to a non - illustrated sliding cylinder of the container 4 . on a side of the container 4 opposite to the shaft 8 , there is provided a rod 34 which additionally aids in closing the container 4 . when the billet b is placed in the passage 3 , the upper part 4h is returned into place by the bell crank 26 , and the surface 35 of the container opening is pressed against the corresponding face 36 of the lower part 4t . the surface 35 forms a part of a radial projection 37 , on a surface 38 of which there is pressed a wedge 39 by means of a beam - like rail 40 for applying closing pressure in place of , or in addition to the bell crank 26 . because of the sloping contact area of the wedge , the closing pressure can be increased or reduced , as desired . a split container 4 d shown in fig4 has first and second passages 3 r and 3 v ; the corresponding container portions can be rotated about a shaft 42 ; while the channel 3 v is disposed in line with the axis a of the extrusion press ram 1 , a new billet b can be introduced into the second passage 3r and can be rotated together with the container 4r around the shaft 42 towards the extrusion stem 1 shown in fig1 . in accordance with fig5 a split container 4e is provided with a plurality of extension passages each having a press ram ( of which only one is illustrated ) associated therewith . a plurality of billets 43 joined together by connecting spar 48 are inserted into the split container from one side thereof by gripping means 49 . all of the press rams may be driven by the same main drive and , if desired , the extrusion speed of the individual billets 43 can be controlled by operating and controlling each of the press rams individually . for casting a plurality 43 of billets b the series of molds 10 have two continuous mold belts 46 which move synchronously over rollers 45 , subtend an acute angle w with the horizontal , and are formed with a series of grooves 47 , which in matching pairs form respective molds 47 for the billets b . in the drawing , only the grooves of the belts in a region where they form the molds are shown for clarity . the variable distance x between the two neighbouring belts of molds 46 t and 46 h allows a connecting spar 48 to be formed between the billets b , which permits easier loading of the multichannel container 4e but which can also be eliminated without incurring any penalty . lateral pincer arms 49 may grip a plurality of parallel billets b simultaneously and transport them to the container 4 . i wish it to be understood that i do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described , for this modification will occur to persons skilled in the art . | 8 |
embodiments describes herein set out a process for solving the problems of the prior art . first , the pharmacology of each acute drug is reviewed in advance as it relates to acute administration in children . next , an interface is developed that allows all relevant information to be conveyed on a single screen . third , a “ dosing grid ,” is accessed with an exact grid for a particular child size by determining a code , for example scanning an ndc barcode , from the drug . scanning the drug helps to prevent transcription , reading and other human errors that can contribute to administering a dangerous or even fatal dose . a child &# 39 ; s weight may also be entered , for example scanned from a barcode on the armband or patient chart . if no weight barcode is present , putting the weights in zones would allow a single click or touched access that corrects grid . the zones , may be represented by colors for example . for all drugs with a single indication , these two scans would access the exact dose , conversion in milliliters , preparation and administration information , and other information . for a drug with multiple indications or treatments , scanning would then access as a screen that asks first to identify the correct indication or treatment . for example , dexamethasone is a steroid that is used in different doses for cerebral edema , airway edema croup , anti - inflammatory , anaphylaxis , etc . the screen would list these indications or treatments and could be selected by a mouse or touch screen to access all of the relevant information . even if these complex operations . in general , a single entry at most would be all that is required to determine or verify a correct dose . a dosing grid would include that same indication so that anyone looking at the grid could see the drug name , patient weight , conversion in milliliters , dilution and administration time for that particular drug for that exact indication . with minimal searching , complex infusion mixing instructions could be simplified by simply stating how much to draw out of the vial and put into a bag of fluid . these instructions would be direct and simple without needing additional data entry and to a standard infusion calculation program . a major advantage of scanning the ndc code is to ensure that all conversions and dilutions are based on the actual concentration and the amp . a recent well publicized error occurred in newborn twins , for example , when a huge dose of heparin was administered by mistake because a nurse thought the concentration of the vial was the concentration that she usually used , but in fact she put the wrong in the drawer . scanning the vial as above would have prevented this error . also recently , a child died in a children &# 39 ; s hospital due to a ten - fold error in calcium being given . again , a system such as the embodiments described above would have avoided this error . indeed , the term “ death by decimal point ” has described this particular hazard that children face when being given medications . referring now specifically to the drawings , an entry screen is shown in fig1 that permits the user to quickly determine a selected one of many values . the values are entered into the system as text during system development and maintenance . the system contains no values that are calculated by the system or that must be entered by the user during patient treatment . this prevents miscalculated values resulting from hasty , careless or mistaken data entry . the text values are entered , double - checked and verified in a controlled , non - patient , stress - free environment . the user is thus freed from the task of remembering and correctly entering values in an emergency situation . the system is thus passive and user - friendly , highly graphical and operates in real time . standardized formatting means that the user can quickly become familiar with the layout , thus further increasing speed and accuracy . the application shown is a system and method particularly adapted for use in pediatric emergency situations commonly found in hospital emergency rooms and in ems facilities or vehicles . other applications of the system and method include general medical practice , geriatric care and veterinary care . a color - coding regime based on variables such as weight ranges may be used . example embodiments are weight - based , but can be based on length correlated to lean body mass . in the application illustrated in fig1 , the user may start on the entry screen by picking a category , such as “ resuscitation ” based on the immediate observation by the user of the patient &# 39 ; s condition and the needed intervention and “ clicking ” on the “ resuscitation ” category . the system may be further entered by knowing that the patient is a coded “ purple ”, or may weigh or estimate the weight of the patient without regard to color coding . clicking on the “ purple ” box at the top of the chart immediately opens a table . knowing the “ color ” of the patient , i . e ., purple , yellow , etc ., permits a wide range of treatment selections to be made without calculations , weight or age estimates . turning now to the drawings , fig1 is an illustration of a workflow method according to an embodiment of the invention . beginning with entry screen 102 either a weight range 104 or a color corresponding to that weight range 106 is selected . a condition or therapy is then selected at which point a number of options are available . the most common option would be to simply select the medication 110 , at which point a grid is displayed for that particular weight range 112 and inapplicable doses are whited out or otherwise hidden 114 . it is then a simple matter of selecting the dosage 115 at which point an administration flowchart 118 or prescription guide 128 for example can be displayed . another option is to select a diagnosis or treatment guide 116 based on known symptoms , a flowchart showing next steps 118 can be displayed . if a medication is required , a link to the medication selection screen may be provided 110 . another option is to select a dose list for common medications 120 once the weight range is determined , a dose list of common medications for that weight range 122 may be displayed . that screen may link to a medication selection screen as well 110 . another option is to select a prescription guide 124 for a specific range of medications or categories . once the medication or category is selected 126 , guide information for that particular medication or category is displayed 128 . another option is to select an anthriotic guide 130 similar to selecting medication or dose list , a medication or category can be selected 132 and guide information for that particular antibiotic or family of antibiotics can be displayed 134 . at this point , a specific antibiotic may be selected in the medication selection screen 110 . fig2 is a representation of an entry screen 102 according to the above embodiment . in a single interface , weight ranges , color codes , common conditions and treatments and other options are available in a single screen . fig3 a and 3 b illustrate the selection process for weight ranges 104 and color codes 106 , respectively . once the weight range is selected , additional options such as prescribing guides for children of that particular weight range of color code are provided . fig4 shows additional options , for example through a drop - down menu . fig5 discloses a selection of condition or therapy 108 . in this figure , a list of common medications for each selection condition or therapy is presented . fig6 shows a medication selection grid that includes the display of the correct dosage for a given drug and weight range 112 and also hides , whites out , or otherwise deemphasizes other inapplicable ranges 114 to prevent errors . fig7 shows a flowchart for diagnosis and treatments of specific symptoms 118 , as well as referenced medications which link to the medication selection 110 . fig8 shows a selection of the dose list for a 15 - 18 kg child 120 . as shown in fig9 , selecting this option will list common medications for the child &# 39 ; s weight range and symptoms or treatment 122 . fig1 shows a prescribing guide for common medications for a given weight range 126 . fig1 discloses an antibiotic guide 134 for a given weight range along with prescription and dosage information . finally , fig1 discloses a listing of specific antibiotics for different weight ranges , child types , and conditions 132 . once the antibiotic is selected 110 , the grid is displayed 112 for that particular weight range and drug , while hiding other inapplicable doses 114 . fig1 shows a representation of a diagnosis and treatment guide displaying a treatment flowchart according to an embodiment , such as a clinical algorithm for diagnosis and / or treatment of , for example , respiratory depression / desaturation . fig1 shows a representation of a diagnosis and treatment guide displaying a treatment flowchart according to an embodiment , such as a flowchart 118 for the administration of midazolam followed by ketamine . various details of the invention may be changed without departing from the scope of the invention . furthermore , the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation , the invention being defined by the claims . | 6 |
in accordance with an embodiment of the method of this invention , igniter granules are formed by a process which permits the processing of water - sensitive materials , such as magnesium , and the incorporation of the water - sensitive materials into the igniter granule composition . the binder is preferably a thermoplastic elastomer binder . representative thermoplastic elastomer binders that may be used in connection with this include , by way of example , nylon , cellulosic - based polymers , polyesters , polyurethanes , polyethers , polyfluorocarbons , silicone , waxes , and copolymers and blends thereof . other binders are also suitable , so long as the solid fuel and oxidizer constituents are at least substantially homogeneously distributable therein . the binder concentration should be such that a mechanically robust extrudate is obtained . the extrudate , such as an igniter stick , should be capable of retaining its shape , e . g ., maintaining its integrity , prior to ignition , and capable of being received ( inserted ) in a pyrotechnic composition , e . g . a suitably configured bore ( e . g . central bore ) in a propellant composition , and of shattering or fracturing when ignited . in general , the binder can be in a range of , for example , about 2 % by weight to about 15 % by weight , and more particularly about 3 % by weight to about 7 % by weight , relative to the dry ingredients in the igniter composition . the binder can be comprised of more than one binder material . the igniter composition includes at least one oxidizer . the oxidizer can be organic or inorganic . organic oxidizers which are dispersable in a binder so that a sufficiently homogeneous igniter composition is obtainable include amine nitrate salts , nitro compounds , and amine perchlorates , of which methyl ammonium nitrate , methyl ammonium perchlorate are exemplary . inorganic oxidizers include oxidizing ionic species such as nitrates , nitrites , chlorates , and perchlorates . typifying these inorganic oxidizers are metal nitrates such as potassium nitrate or strontium nitrate , ammonium nitrate , and metal perchlorates such as potassium perchlorate . in general , the oxidizer is ordinarily present in an amount effective to ensure oxidation of at least the fuel in the igniter and can be in a range of , for example , about 70 % by weight to about 85 % by weight based on the dry ingredients in the formulation . as the fuel ingredient , representative metals include aluminum , zirconium , boron , magnesium , and / or titanium , as well as combinations and hydrides thereof . the fuels are , by present preference , used in fine particulate form , such as powder or ground to sufficient fine particles , to ensure adequate distribution during the manufacturing process . by preference , an at least substantially uniform distribution in the resultant extrudable igniter composition is desired . in general , the fuel is in pulverulent form , such as about 100 μm or less , such as , for example , from about 1 μm to about 30 μm . metals in powder form may have , if desired , a smaller particle size range , such as from about 1 μm to about 20 μm , or even smaller such as about 1 μm to about 5 μm . the fuels can be added in substantially uniform particle size distribution , or in multi - modal distributions depending on the ignition characteristics desired . the amount of fuel — other than the binder — can be in a range of , for example , about 5 % by weight to about 30 % by weight , and more particularly about 10 % by weight to about 20 % by weight , relative to the dry ingredients in the formulation . preferred fuel / oxidizer combinations include , by way of example , boron / potassium nitrate , boron / potassium perchlorate , magnesium / teflon , zirconium / potassium perchlorate , and tracer igniter compositions including strontium peroxide , calcium resinate , and magnesium . preferably , the igniter composition comprises boron and potassium nitrate . examples of plasticizers that may be used in combination with the binder include acetyltriethylcitrate (“ atec ”), which is preferably used with nylon , isodecylpelargonate (“ idp ”), dioctyladipate (“ doa ”), and bis - dinitropropyl acetal / bis - dinitropropyl formal (“ bdnpa / f ”). other inert plasticizers that can be used include dop ( dioctylphthalate ), dom ( dioctylmaleate ), dbp ( dibutylphthalate ), oleyl nitrile , or mixtures thereof . representative energetic plasticizers include tmetn ( trimethylolethanetrinitrate ), tegdn ( triethyleneglycoldinitrate ), degdn ( diethyleneglycol - dinitrate ), ng ( nitroglycerine ), bttn ( butanetrioltrinitrate ), alkyl nena &# 39 ; s ( nitratoethylnitramine ), or mixtures thereof . reinforcements can also be incorporated into the igniter compositions . suitable reinforcements include fibers , especially kevlar fibers , which serve to strengthen the granules and , upon appropriate selection of the reinforcement , improve igniter performance . other fillers that may be useful with this invention include polyolefin fibers , polyamide fibers , polyester fibers , and poly ( 2 , 2 -( m - phenylene -)- 5 , 5 - bisbenzimidazole ( pbi ) fibers . it is also envisioned that nitramines , such as rdx , hmx , and cl - 20 may be used in the igniter composition as supplemental oxidizers . preferred characteristics for the non - solvent ( s ) in which the fuel and oxidizer particles are dispersed include the absence of functional groups which are reactive with the igniter ingredients , especially polyols , peroxy groups , and fluoro groups that can decompose to form fluorine . the non - solvent also should not contribute a significant vapor pressure . the boiling point of the non - solvent should not be less than the operating temperature of the process , and preferably is above about 60 ° c . so that minimal amounts of the non - solvent escape via evaporation at room temperature . for example , for an igniter composition comprising boron and potassium nitrate , straight chain or cyclic aliphatic compounds are preferred , especially hexane , cyclohexane , heptane , and / or cycloheptane . most preferably heptane is selected as the non - solvent . the liquid in which the fuel and oxidizer particles are dispersed may comprise more than one non - solvent , and may include other ingredients , such as surfactants . methanol is an example of a useful surfactant . because some fuel and oxidizer particles solubilize in excess surfactant , the surfactant ( and other ingredients in the liquid medium ) should not be present in a sufficient amount to cause the particles to dissolve therein . a binder solution or lacquer comprising a thermoplastic elastomer , optionally a plasticizer , and at least one organic solvent is separately prepared . the binder solution should contain a sufficient amount of solvent to dissolve substantially all of the thermoplastic elastomer binder and plasticizer into solution . by way of example , when nylon is selected as the binder material , the preferred solvent is methanol . other useful solvents include ethyl acetate , tetrahydrofuran , toluene , ethanol , chlorinated solvents ( e . g ., methylene chloride ) and isopropanol , and mixtures thereof . the slurry and binder solution are preferably mixed together with stirring or other mixing technique in order to coat the fuel and oxidizer particles with thermoplastic elastomer binder . the ratio of slurried material to binder solution is preferably selected to produce a composition comprising from about 85 wt % to about 98 wt % ignition materials ( i . e ., the combination of the oxidizer and fuel ), and more preferably about 92 wt % to about 98 wt % ignition materials . for example , where boron / potassium nitrate is selected as the ignition material and nylon is selected as the binder , the resulting composition preferably contains from about 15 wt % to about 18 wt % boron , from about 77 wt % to about 80 wt % potassium nitrate , and from about 2 wt % to about 8 wt % nylon binder . where heptane is selected as the non - solvent of the slurry and methanol as the solvent of the binder solution , the weight ratio of non - solvent to solvent is preferably from about 7 : 1 to about 11 : 1 . similar concentrations and ratios may be used for other igniter material ingredients . as the combination of the slurry and binder solution are being stirred to form coated ignitable particles ( or ignition granules ), a second portion of non - solvent is added to harden the igniter granules , prevent agglomeration , and aid in removing the granules from the reaction slurry vessel . the coated granules are then filtered under vacuum and dried at room temperature of from 20 ° c . to 25 ° c . in the present process , it is possible to control the size and general shape of the granules by controlling the rate at which the second liquid medium is added to the slurry , the impeller speed , and the ratio between the non - solvents to solvents . small irregular shaped granules may be produced by adding the binder solution gradually , setting a high impeller rate , and selecting a relatively high weight ratio of the non - solvent to solvent , such as about 8 . 5 : 1 . larger and more regularly shaped granules are produced by adding the binder solution rapidly , setting a low impeller rate , and selecting a relatively low weight ratio of the non - solvents to solvents , such as about 8 . 0 : 1 . the igniter granules produced by the method of this invention can be utilized for various pyrotechnic ordnances such as , for example , igniters for solid - propellant rocket motors , automotive gas generant systems , and decoy flares . the extrudable igniter composition can be used to form a solid or hollow igniter “ stick ” capable of igniting a flare or propellant composition in a flare or other pyrotechnic device . the general construction and operation of stick igniters is described in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 062 , 147 and 3 , 899 , 973 , the complete disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference to the extent that they are compatible with this invention , and encyclopedia of chemical technology , 20 : 680 - 697 ( 4 th edition 1996 ). extrusion and extruders are described generally in encyclopedia of polymer science and engineering , 16 : 570 - 631 ( 2 nd edition 1996 ). the extruded igniter of this invention can have configurations other than that of a stick , provided the configuration is consistent with the objectives herein disclosed . an example of a rocket motor assembly 70 including a stick igniter made in accordance with the principles of this invention is shown in fig7 . the assembly includes a rocket motor case 71 . disposed in protective arrangement on an internal surface of the rocket motor case 71 is an ablative insulation 72 , shown in a cured state . typically , a liner 73 is interposed between the case 71 and the insulation 72 . a propellant grain 74 is loaded within the case 71 . the propellant grain 74 is a center perforated grain . it is to be understood that the center perforation can undertake various configurations known in the art , including those having circular , cross , and star - shaped cross sections . the insulation 72 and liner 73 serve to protect the case 71 from the extreme conditions produced by the burning propellant 74 . methods for loading a rocket motor case 71 with an insulation 72 , liner 73 , and propellant 74 are known to those skilled in the art , and can be readily adapted within the skill of the art without undue experimentation to incorporate the insulation of this invention . liner compositions and methods for applying liners into a rocket motor case are also well known in the art , as exemplified by u . s . pat . no . 5 , 767 , 221 , the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . an ignition stick 75 is positioned at the forward end of the case 71 within the center of the propellant 74 for ignition of the propellant 74 . at the aft end of the case is a converging - diverging nozzle assembly 76 through which combustion products are expelled . finally , a squib and ignition lead ( not shown ) are operatively connected to the ignition stick 75 to initiate the ignition sequence . the ignition stick 75 is sized to be capable of complete end - to - end ignition , e . g ., complete flame transition , in a short time , such as less than 10 milliseconds . ignition of the igniter stick 75 ( via the squib ) causes combustion products of the stick 75 to contact and ignite the perforation - defining surface of the propellant 74 , thus uniformly igniting the propellant 74 , which burns from the perforation - defining surface radially outward towards the insulation 72 and liner 73 . the igniter sticks can be used with larger sized solid propellant launch vehicles , such as solid propellant rockets . solid propellant rockets which can be equipped with at least one igniter stick as at least part of the ignition system include those described in solid rocket propulsion technology ( pergamon press , 1 st edition 1993 ) and rocket propulsion elements ( wiley interscience , 4th edition 1976 ), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein to the extent that they are compatible with this invention . an automotive inflatable air bag assembly which may be used in combination with the igniter granules of this invention is shown in fig8 and generally designated by reference numeral 80 . the illustrated air bag assembly 80 comprises a housing 81 containing a plurality of gas generant pellets 82 . concentrically located within the chamber accommodating the gas generant pellets 82 is a squib 83 having electrical lead wires 84 . the squib 83 is surrounded by the extruded igniter granules 85 of this invention . in operation , an electrical charge sent to the squib 83 via the electrical lead wires 84 ignites the igniter 85 , which sends hot gas through apertures 86 located in the housing 81 . the hot gas serves to activate the gas generant pellets 82 , which generate gas needed to inflate a folded air bag ( not shown ). as is seen from this embodiment , the igniter material made in accordance with the present invention may be extruded into a form other than that of a stick . the gas generant pellets 82 may be from various known and novel materials suited for inflating an air bag . representative gas generant 82 materials that may be used with the igniter of this invention include , by way of example , sodium azide gas generating compositions and sodium - azide - free compositions , including the following : compositions comprising oxidizable borohydride fuels as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 401 , 340 ; compositions comprising basic metal carbonates and / or basic metal nitrates as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 429 , 691 and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 439 , 537 ; gas generant compositions containing non - metallic salts of 5 - nitrobarbituirc acid , as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 472 , 534 ; anhydrous tetrazole gas generant compositions as disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 472 , 647 , 5 , 500 , 059 , 5 , 501 , 823 , and 5 , 516 , 377 ; and compositions comprising metal complexes as disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 592 , 812 and 5 , 725 , 699 . to the extent that the compositions of these united states patents are compatible for use with the inventive igniter , the complete disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein by reference . these gas generant materials are processible , and can be pressed into pellet or other usable form . the air bag assembly may be of a conventional design . therefore , the conventional portions of the assembly need not and will not be described in any greater detail herein . the igniter material can also be used for a side impact and / or head impact supplemental restraint system . a general discussion of the structure and operation of such a supplemental restraint system is set forth in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 441 , 303 and 5 , 480 , 181 . to the extent that these referenced systems are compatible with the invention , the complete disclosures of these united states patents are incorporated herein by reference . these referenced restraint systems are mentioned by way of example only to depict the general construction and operation of known systems . this invention is not limited to such systems . the inventive igniter is readily adaptable for use with conventional hybrid air bag inflator technology . hybrid inflator technology is based on heating a stored inert gas ( argon or helium ) to a desired temperature by burning a small amount of propellant . hybrid inflators do not require cooling filters used with pyrotechnic inflators to cool combustion gases , because hybrid inflators are able to provide a lower temperature gas . the gas discharge temperature can be selectively changed by adjusting the ratio of inert gas weight to propellant weight . the higher the gas weight to propellant weight ratio , the cooler the gas discharge temperature . a hybrid gas generating system comprises a pressure tank having a rupturable opening ; a pre - determined amount of inert gas disposed within that pressure tank ; a gas generating device for producing hot combustion gases and having means for rupturing the rupturable opening ; and means for igniting the gas generating composition . the tank has a rupturable opening which can be broken by a piston when the gas generating device is ignited . the gas generating device is configured and positioned relative to the pressure tank so that hot combustion gases are mixed with and heat the inert gas . suitable inert gases include , among others , argon and helium and mixtures thereof . the mixed and heated gases exit the pressure tank through the opening and ultimately exit the hybrid inflator and deploy the airbag . hybrid gas generating devices for supplemental safety restraint applications are described in frantom , hybrid airbag inflator technology , airbag int &# 39 ; l symposium on sophisticated car occupant safety systems ( weinbrenner - saal , germany , nov . 2 - 3 , 1992 ). igniter sticks can be used in a great number of decoy devices which include decoy flares which are deployed to defend against an incoming threats , and particularly against heat - seeking missiles . fig9 depicts a decoy flare assembly 90 , which includes a cartridge case 91 and a solid - propellant grain 92 concentric therewith and extending over a portion of the length of the cartridge case 91 . a perforated tube 93 surrounds the outer surface of the propellant grain 92 , and is positioned inside of the cartridge case 91 . an impulse cartridge 94 is provided at one end of the cartridge case 91 , and is in cooperative association with a movable piston 95 . interposed between the piston 95 and the propellant grain 92 is the igniter 96 . in operation , the impulse cartridge 94 contains one or more pyrotechnics ( not shown ), which are fired by an electric charge . upon firing , the impulse cartridge 94 releases hot gas , which expands against the piston 95 , causing the piston 95 to eject the propellant grain 92 and perforated tube 93 from the cartridge case 91 . the force provided by the expanding piston 95 causes retention pins 97 to be fractured , thereby allowing the grain 92 and tube 93 to escape from the cartridge case 91 . simultaneously , the igniter 96 is ignited , and bums along the length of grooves in the propellant grain 92 until the flame is transferred to the propellant grain 92 . the perforated tube 93 is provided with crimped ends to retain the propellant grain 92 therein . the well - known jane &# 39 ; s handbook describes flares and other solid propellant devices suitably used in combination with igniter sticks . with the exception of the igniter material disclosed herein , the rocket motor , air bag , and decoy flare assemblies may be of a conventional design and can be constructed using engineering principles commonly known to those of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains . therefore , the conventional portions of the assemblies need not and will not be described in any greater detail herein . the following examples serve to explain embodiments of the present invention in more detail , and are not to be considered as exclusive or exhaustive as to the scope of this invention . a slurry was prepared in a one liter slurry beaker by charging into the beaker 180 grams of heptane , 2 . 5 grams of methanol , 38 . 5 grams of ground kno 3 , and 9 . 0 grams of boron powder . the slurry was stirred with an air - driven impeller at 400 - 600 rpm at 30 ° c . in a separate vessel , 2 . 5 grams of m548 ( 95 wt % 6 / 6 . 6 / 11 / 12 nylon , 4 wt % caprolactam ), supplied by elf atochem , were dissolved in 10 . 0 grams of methanol to create a binder solution , which was then slowly added at an addition rate of approximately 0 . 5 - 1 . 0 g / min while stirring the igniter composition . the vessel in which the binder solution was prepared was rinsed with 5 grams of methanol , which were then added to the slurry . an air sweep was then placed over the slurry mix via a vacuum pump for 10 minutes . after five minutes , 50 ml of heptane was added . the heptane was then filtered from the particles , and the particles were dried on filter paper at room temperature . a photomicrograph of the particles taken with a scanning electron microscope ( sem ) is shown in fig1 . size distribution : 31 wt % 850 - 425 μm ; 52 wt % 425 - 212 μm ; and 16 wt % less than 212 μm . a slurry was prepared in a one liter slurry beaker by charging the beaker with 180 grams of heptane , 6 . 0 grams of methanol , 38 . 5 grams of ground kno 3 , and 9 . 0 grams of boron powder . the mixture was stirred with an air - driven impeller at 400 - 600 rpm at 30 ° c . in a separate vessel , 2 . 0 grams of m548 and 0 . 5 g of isodecyl pelargonate (“ idp ”) was dissolved in 10 . 0 grams of methanol to form a binder solution , which was then slowly added to the stirred slurry at an addition rate of approximately 0 . 5 - 1 . 0 g / min . the vessel in which the binder solution was prepared was then rinsed with 4 . 5 grams of methanol , which was also added to the slurry . an air sweep was then placed over the slurry mix via a vacuum pump for 10 minutes . after five minutes , 50 ml of heptane was added . the heptane was then filtered from the particles , and the particles were dried on filter paper at room temperature . a photomicrograph of the particles taken with a sem is shown in fig2 . size distribution : 23 wt % 850 - 425 μm ; 61 wt % 425 - 212 μm ; and 15 wt % less than 212 μm . a slurry was prepared in a one liter slurry beaker by charging the beaker with 180 grams of heptane , 6 . 0 grams of methanol , 38 . 5 grams of ground kno 3 , and 9 . 0 grams of boron powder . the slurry was stirred with an air - driven impeller at 400 - 600 rpm at 30 ° c . in a separate vessel , 2 . 0 grams of m548 and 0 . 5 grams of acetyltriethylcitrate ( available from morflex , greensboro , n . c .) were dissolved in 10 . 0 grams of methanol to form a binder solution , which was then slowly added to the slurry at an addition rate of approximately 0 . 5 - 1 . 0 g / min . the vessel in which the binder solution was prepared was then rinsed with 4 . 0 grams of methanol , which was then added to the slurry . an air sweep was then placed over the slurry mix via a vacuum pump for 10 minutes . after five minutes , 50 ml of heptane was added . the heptane was then filtered from the particles , and the particles were dried on filter paper at room temperature . a photomicrograph of the particles taken with a sem is shown in fig3 . size distribution : 12 tw % 850 - 425 μm ; 71 tw % 425 - 212 μm ; and 17 wt % less than 212 μm . a one liter slurry beaker was coated by spraying with tetrafluoroethylene (“ tfe ”). the coated slurry beaker was charged with 188 grams of heptane , 12 . 0 grams of methanol , 7 . 5 grams of boron powder , and 40 grams of ground kno 3 to prepare a slurry , which was mixed at 30 ° c . a binder solution was prepared in a separate vessel by dissolving 2 . 0 grams of m548 and 0 . 5 grams of acetyltriethyl citrate (“ atec ”) in 10 grams of methanol . the binder solution was slowly added to the slurry at an addition rate of approximately 0 . 5 - 1 . 0 g / min and stirred for five minutes . an air sweep was then placed over the slurry mix via a vacuum pump for 5 minutes . additional heptane ( 50 ml ) was added to the reaction mixture . stirring was stopped , and the granules were filtered and washed with heptane . the granules were then allowed to dry at room temperature . a photomicrograph of the particles taken with a sem is shown in fig4 . size distribution : 23 wt % 850 - 425 μm ; 74 wt % 425 - 212 μm ; and 2 wt % less than 212 μm . a one liter slurry beaker was coated by spraying with tfe . the coated slurry beaker was charged with 196 . 4 grams of heptane , 7 . 5 grams of boron powder , and 40 grams of ground kno 3 to form a slurry , which was mixed at 30 ° c . then , 13 . 6 grams of methanol were added and the mixture was stirred . in a separate beaker 2 . 0 grams of m548 and 0 . 5 grams of atec were dissolved in 10 g methanol to form a binder solution , which was slowly added to the slurry at an addition rate of approximately 0 . 5 - 1 . 0 g / min . the beaker in which the binder solution was prepared was rinsed with 1 grams of methanol and the rinsings were added to the slurry . while continuing stirring , an air sweep was placed over the slurry mix via a vacuum pump for 5 - 10 minutes . 50 ml heptane was added . stirring was stopped , and granules were filtered off and dried at room temperature . a photomicrograph of the particles taken with a sem is shown in fig5 . size distribution : 79 wt % 850 - 425 μm ; and 21 wt % 425 - 212 μm . in a 1 liter beaker , 2 grams of nylon binder ( m548 ) and 0 . 5 gram of plasticizer ( idp ) were dissolved in an 10 . 0 grams of methanol to form a lacquer . to the lacquer was added a filler material of 38 . 5 grams of kno 3 and 9 . 0 grams of boron powder while stirring , while 200 grams of methanol was added to maintain a very low viscosity and promote thorough coating of the filler by the binder . after all of the filler was added , stirring was continued and solvent was removed with an air sweep , which was created by a vacuum pump . enough solvent was removed to form a high viscosity paste , which was pressed against a screen ( 20 - 25 mesh ( 710 - 850 μm )) to granulate the material . the granules were spread in a thin layer on a tray and dried at a temperature 60 ° c ., which was sufficient to efficiently remove the solvent . from fig1 - 6 , it is seen that the granules produced from the inventive examples 1 - 5 were much more rounded and did not agglomerate as much as the granules of comparative example 6 . as a consequence , the granules of the inventive examples are believed to have lower sensitivity and high packing density than the granules of the comparative example . the foregoing detailed description of the embodiments of the 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 embodiments disclosed . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application , thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention . while the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments ; it is understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments , but , to the contrary , is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . | 2 |
in a preferred embodiment ingan inter - layers are grown in a selective island growth mode after partially passivating the gan surface with silicon nitride , on the structural properties of gan films grown on silicon and sapphire substrates . the growth of ingan has shown that ingan films have a high tendency to grow in a spiral growth mode around threading dislocations with a screw component . ingan spiral islands were obtained , when the gan surface was partially passivated with disilane under formation of a submonolayer of silicon nitride ( henceforth referred to as “ si x n y ”) prior to deposition of the ingan layer . [ 8 , 9 ] it should be understood , however , that the present invention is not limited to embodiments using partial passivation or selective island growth modes . in the present invention , the selective island growth of ingan can be utilized to reduce the dislocation density in gan films . in particular , the effect of the thickness of the silicon nitride layer and the number of si x n y / ingan interlayers improves the structural quality of the films . this may be evaluated by high resolution x - ray diffraction . fig1 illustrates a typical semiconductor film of the invention . the invention is generally directed to a semiconductor film 100 including at least one interlayer structure 102 including a group iii - nitride ( such as gan ) layer 104 , a passivation interlayer 106 disposed on the group iii - nitride layer 104 and an island growth interlayer 108 ( such as ingan ) disposed on the passivation layer 106 . the passivation layer 106 is typically composed of silicon nitride or silicon dioxide , however other passivating materials may also be used . a continued growth of the group iii - nitride layer 104 ( which is also the beginning of second interlayer structure 102 ) completes the first interlayer structure 102 . two such interlayer structures 102 are preferred . in addition , the invention is typically formed on a substrate 110 having a nucleation layer 112 disposed thereon and a cap layer 114 ( which is also the continued growth of the final group iii - nitride layer 104 ) is deposited on the uppermost interlayer structure 102 . it should be noted that , in addition to si 3 n 4 and sio 2 , the passivation layer may be formed of any material which will produce a group iii - nitride growth perturbation which can be initiated by the deposition of at least one layer to stop the dislocation propagation . any inorganic dielectric passivating material known to those skilled in the art may be used fig2 a and 2b are flowcharts illustrating methods of making semiconductor films 100 of the invention . fig2 a is a flowchart of the steps of making an interlayer structure 102 of the invention . beginning at block 200 , a group iii - nitride layer 104 is grown . next , a passivation layer is deposited on the group iii - nitride layer at block 202 . then , an island growth layer is deposited on the passivation layer at block 204 . finally , growing the group iii - nitride layer 104 is continued at block 206 . fig2 b is a flowchart of the steps of making a semiconductor film of the invention . beginning at block 208 , a nucleation layer 112 is formed on a substrate 110 . next , at least one interlayer structure 102 is formed by the substeps 200 - 204 of fig2 a . substeps 200 - 204 are repeated for each interlayer structure 102 at block 210 . finally , a cap layer 114 is grown on the last interlayer structure 102 at block 212 . further details of the steps will be described hereafter . all epitaxial layers in the present invention may be grown by metal - organic chemical vapor deposition using the precursors trimethylgallium ( tmga ), trimethyaluminum ( tmal ), trimethylindium ( tmin ), ammonia , and disilane . typical embodiments of the invention are grown with two si x n y / ingan layers 106 , 108 , separated by 0 . 1 - 5 μm gan layers 104 to form the interlayer structures 102 . the passivation layers may range from 0 . 05 - 5 å in thickness . for samples grown on silicon substrate 110 ( procedure a ), the growth may be initiated with the deposition of a 100 - nm - thick aln nucleation layer 112 at 900 ° c ., followed by the growth of a 1 . 7 μm of gan layer 104 at a temperature of 1080 ° c . following this , the tmga injection is stopped and 2 - 10 nmol / min disilane is added for 16 - 48 seconds to form the passivation layer 106 . the 12 - nm - thick in 0 . 1 ga 0 . 9 n layer 108 which follows is deposited at 790 ° c . using a tmga and tmin flow of f tmga = 0 . 6 μmol / min and f tmin = 12 μmol / min and an ammonia flow of f nh 3 = 0 . 32 mol / min . after deposition of the ingan layer 108 , the wafer temperature is raised to 1070 ° c . and a 0 . 5 μm gan layer 104 is deposited . next , the gan growth is interrupted again and a second passivation layer 106 , a submonolayer of silicon nitride , is grown , followed again by an ingan layer 108 under the same conditions as the previous one . the structure is completed with the deposition of a 0 . 8 μm thick gan cap layer 114 . for the first set of samples grown on c - plane sapphire substrate 110 ( procedure b 1 ), the growth is initiated with a 20 - nm - thick gan nucleation layer 112 , followed by the growth of a 0 . 5 μm gan layer 104 at 1070 ° c . afterwards 0 . 15 å passivation layer 106 of silicon nitride followed by a 12 nm ingan layer 108 is deposited in the same manner as described for the growth on silicon substrates 110 . the growth is continued with the deposition of a 0 . 5 μm gan layer 104 , a second 0 . 15 - å - thick passivation layer 106 of silicon nitride , a 12 nm ingan layer 108 , and completed with 2 μm cap layer 114 of gan . the effect of the number of si x n y / ingan interlayers is shown in a second set of samples with four si x n y / ingan interlayers , all separated by 0 . 5 μm gan to form interlayer structures 102 . the thickness of the cap layer 114 may be reduced to 1 μm to keep the total thickness of the epitaxial layer constant . in the case of the second set of samples grown on sapphire substrate 110 ( procedure b 2 ), the thickness of the gan layer 102 prior to deposition of each of the two ingan layers 108 of the interlayer structure 102 is increased to 3 μm , and the thickness of the gan cap layer 114 to 2 . 5 μm . the average thickness of the passivation layers 106 , the si 3 n 4 submonolayers ( si x n y ), may be calculated from the results obtained for the deposition of thick si 3 n 4 layers on silicon under similar conditions , and assuming a homogeneous distribution of silicon over the surface . [ 10 ] the structural quality of the invention may be evaluated by high resolution x - ray diffraction using a philips materials research diffractometer equipped with a four crystal [ ga ( 220 )] monochromator utilizing the cu k / α line of λ = 0 . 15406 nm . all rocking curves may be obtained in the symmetric geometry ( ω = θ ). for the off - axis scans , the wafer is tilted about the ψ axis ( commonly referred to as χ on many four - circle diffractometers ) by the appropriate angle . the full width at half maximums ( fwhms ) of the on - and off - axis diffraction peaks are a measure of the mosaic in the epitaxial layer and can each be related to specific types of threading dislocations ( tds ). the fwhm of the symmetric ( 0002 ) diffraction peak is related to the tilt of the subgrains with respect to the substrate , and thus to the density of pure screw and mixed tds . the off - axis ( 10 { overscore ( 1 )} 2 ) and ( 20 { overscore ( 2 )} 1 ) fwhms result from a combination of the tilt and the twist of the subgrains and are related to the density of mixed and pure edge tds . thereby , the sensitivity toward pure edge tds increases with increasing asymmetry ( increasing ψ ). [ 11 ] fig3 shows the dependence of the fwhm of the ( 0002 ) and ( 10 { overscore ( 1 )} 2 ) rocking curves on the average thickness of the silicon nitride passivation layers 106 found for samples grown on silicon substrates 110 following procedure a and samples grown on sapphire substrates 110 via procedure b 2 . since the island growth of ingan layer 108 depends on the predeposition of silicon nitride , first the influence of the silicon nitride layer 106 thickness was investigated . in the case of the samples grown on silicon 110 , the films grown in a regular manner without si x n y / ingan interlayers were of poor crystalline quality ( td density ˜ 10 11 cm − 2 ), as visible in the wide fwhm of the ( 0002 ) diffraction peak of about 1300 arcsec . ( the poor quality was mainly related to the fact that the growth conditions of the aln nucleation layer 112 had not been fully optimized .) however , the crystalline quality of the gan - on - silicon layers 104 is significantly improved by inserting the two si x n y / ingan interlayer structures 102 . the fwhm of the ( 0002 ) diffraction peak decreased from 1280 to 795 arcsec for a silicon nitride layer 106 thickness of 0 . 14 å . a further increase in the silicon nitride layer 106 thickness causes the layer quality to degrade again , and the fwhm increases to 920 arcsec . fig4 is a table of the ( 0002 ) and ( 10 { overscore ( 1 )} 2 ) diffraction peak for gan films 100 of the present invention . for the samples grown on sapphire substrates 110 , which were of higher crystalline quality when grown in a regular manner ( td density & lt ; 10 9 cm − 2 ) the insertion of the si x n y / ingan interlayers results in a decrease of the fwhm of the asymmetric ( 10 { overscore ( 1 )} 2 ) diffraction peak but did not affect the fwhm of the symmetric ( 0002 ) diffraction . samples with different numbers of si x n y / ingan interlayers may be grown on sapphire substrates 110 following procedure b 1 , using the optimum si x n y layer 106 thickness of 0 . 14 å , as determined in experiments . the lower crystalline quality of these samples [ td density ˜( 5 - 8 )× 10 9 cm − 2 ] compared to those grown following procedure b 2 is related to the low thickness of the gan layer 104 prior to deposition of the first si x n y / ingan layer . for samples without , with two , and with four interlayers ( 10 { overscore ( 1 )} 2 ) fwhm , values of 870 , 720 and 795 arcsec , respectively , have been measured ( not shown ). the corresponding values of the ( 0002 ) fwhms were 390 , 390 and 420 arcsec . the results demonstrate that the increase of the number of si x n y / ingan interlayers from two to four caused the crystalline quality to degrade again . obviously , the si x n y / ingan interlayers can also create new defects if too high in number . for this reason , embodiments using two si x n y / ingan interlayers may be preferred , however the invention is not limited to two interlayer structures . fig5 displays the dependence of the fwhm of the x - ray diffraction peak on increasing inclination angle ψ during the measurement for three different gan film 100 samples . since the sensitivity of the diffraction measurement with respect to pure edge tds increases with increasing ψ , the fwhm of the ( 20 { overscore ( 2 )} 1 ) diffraction peak reflects their density even more strongly than the ( 10 { overscore ( 1 )} 2 ) diffraction peak . furthermore , the mosaic due to pure edge dislocations may be estimated through extrapolation of the data toward ψ = 90 °. [ 11 ] the graph illustrates the improved crystalline quality of the sample with two si x n y / ingan interlayers using the optimum silicon nitride layer 106 thickness of 0 . 14 å , exhibiting a fwhm of the ( 20 { overscore ( 2 )} 1 ) diffraction peak of 500 arcsec in comparison to the standard gan film ( 720 arcsec ). the highly dislocated gan film ( td density of 5 × 10 9 cm − 2 ), which was grown under growth conditions not fully optimized , shows an even broader ( 20 { overscore ( 2 )} 1 ) fwhm of 910 arcsec . the results demonstrate that the crystalline quality of gan films 100 can be significantly improved through the insertion of the si x n y / ingan interlayers . although a homogeneous distribution of si atoms on the gan surface may be assumed in calculating the si x n y layer 106 thickness , the si atoms accumulate in surface areas with a high density of n - dangling bonds and specifically at the surface sites created by the intersection of the edge dislocations with the gan layer 104 surface . the thin silicon nitride layer 106 masks the dislocation , preventing the adsorption of ga and n species . in contrast , the intersections of threading dislocations with screw character , which create an additional surface step , act as nucleation sites for the ingan layer 108 growth resulting in the formation of the ingan islands . the islands then overgrow the passivated areas of the gan layer 104 surface . this mechanism is more effective the higher the td density in the starting layer due to the closer dislocation distance . in conclusion , dislocation reduction in gan films grown on silicon and sapphire substrates may be observed through a passivation of the gan surface with silicon nitride . the subsequently grown ingan islands overgrow areas with pure edge dislocations . the present invention is most effective at reducing the pure edge dislocation density when it is high , i . e ., & gt ; 10 10 cm − 2 . for highly dislocated gan on silicon films ( td density 10 11 cm − 2 ), the fwhm of the ( 0002 ) diffraction peak decreases from approximately 1300 to 800 arcsec after insertion of two silicon nitride / ingan interlayers . in the case of gan layers grown on sapphire ( dislocation density ˜ 10 9 cm − 2 ), the method results mainly in a reduction of the fwhm of the ( 10 { overscore ( 1 )} 2 ) and ( 20 { overscore ( 2 )} 1 ) diffraction peaks . the described method is most effective for applications which do not require a complete elimination of dislocations . although the present invention has been detailed with respect to gan , equivalently , the present invention may be extended to apply to all group iii - nitrides , aluminum -, gallium -, indium - and boron - ( aln , gan , inn , bn ) and their alloys with phosphorous ( p ), arsenic ( as ) and antimony ( sb ). in addition , as previously discussed , the passivation layer may be any material which produces a growth perturbation in the group iii - nitride and thereby halts the dislocation propagation . the invention may also be applied to the growth of group - iii nitrides on any compatible simple or complex oxide substrate known to those skilled in the art . some examples include silicon , sapphire , silicon carbide , zinc oxide , lithium gallate , lithium aluminate and aluminum nitride . this concludes the description including the preferred embodiments of the present invention . the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description , but rather by the claims appended hereto . the above specification , examples and data provide a complete description of the use of the invention . since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention , the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended . 1 . h . amano , n . sawaki , i . akasaki , and y . toyoda , appl . phys . lett . 48 , 353 ( 1986 ). 2 . a . usui , h . sunakawa , a . sakai , and a . yamaguchi , jpn . j . appl . phys ., part 2 36 , l899 ( 1997 ). 3 . t . gehrke , k . j . linthicum , d . b . thomson , p . rajagopal , a . d . batch - elor , and r . f . davis , mrs internet j . nitride semicond . res . 4s1 , ( 1999 ). 4 . s . nakamura , m . senoh , s . nagahama , n . iwasa , t . yamada , t . matsus - hita , h . kiyoku , y . sugimoto , t . kozaki , h . umemoto , m . sano , and k . chocho , appl . phys . lett . 72 , 211 ( 1998 ). 5 . p . kozodoy , j . p . ibbetson , h . marchant , p . t . fini , s . keller , j . s . speck , s . p . denbaars , and u . k . mishra , appl . phys . lett . 73 , 975 ( 1998 ). 6 . g . parish , s . keller , p . kozodoy , j . p . ibbetson , h . marchand , p . t . fini , s . b . fleischer , s . p . denbaars , u . k . mishra , and e . j . tarsa , appl . phys . lett . 75 , 247 ( 1999 ). 7 . m . iwaya , t . takeuchi , s . yamaguchi , c . wetzel , h . amano , and i . akasaki , jpn . j . appl . phys ., part 2 37 , l316 ( 1998 ). 8 . s . keller , u . k . mishra , s . p . denbaars , and w . seifert , jpn . j . appl . phys ., part 2 37 , l431 ( 1998 ). 9 . s . tanaka , s . iwai , and y . aoyagi , appl . phys . lett . 69 , 4096 ( 1996 ). 10 . a . c . abare , ph . d . thesis , ece technical report no . 00 - 04 , department of electrical and computer engineering , university of california at santa barbara , march 2000 . 11 . v . srikant , j . s . speck , and d . r . clarke , j . appl . phys . 82 , 4286 ( 1997 ). 12 . tanaka , s . ; takeuchi , m . ; aoyagi , y . anti - surfactant in iii - nitride epitaxy - quantum dot formation and dislocation termination . japanese journal of applied physics , part 2 ( letters ), vol . 39 , ( no . 8b ), japan soc . appl . phys , aug . 15 , 2000 . p . l831 - 4 . | 7 |
while this invention may be embodied in many different forms , there are described in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of the invention . this description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated . as it is shown in fig1 , the sailboat ( 1 ) comprising preferably a centerboard ( 3 ) ( for the sake of simplicity , the sailing has not been shown ) comprises two rudders ( 2 ) extending towards the bottom part of the boat as mutual to the vertical symmetry axis of the boat ( 1 ). the rudders ( 2 ) can extend slightly outwards from the vertical symmetry axis to downwards as it is shown in fig1 , but also if desired , they can extend in a total vertical direction . the boat position in fig2 shows a typical situation when the dual - rudder control mechanism according to present invention is put into force . here , the boat ( 1 ) tilts to the right with the wind coming from the left , and when making a maneuver in the meanwhile ( when the rudder on the right is turned to right ), the surface of the rudder ( 2 ′) on the left does not resist against the water thanks to the dual - rudder control mechanism according to the present invention , in other words the said rudder on the left ( 2 ) rotates by splitting the water by means of the below - described mechanism . as it is shown in fig3 , the dual - rudder control mechanism according to the present invention comprises a pivot ( 8 ) which is connected to both ends of each rudder ( 2 ) and which can be extended by means of a preferably telescopic arrangement . the said pivot ( 8 ) comprises an outer pivot ( 10 ) for both of the end parts and an inner pivot ( 9 ) co - axially mounted to the outer pivots ( 10 ) and the inner pivot ( 9 ) can move through their axes . if desired , the places of the inner and outer pivots can be changed , in other words the pivots that are inside can be on the both ends and the pivots that are outside can be in the middle . throughout this description , the term “ extending ” or “ extendable ” used to express that the pivot ( 8 ) has a variable length should be understood that the pivot is also retractable . therefore the pivot ( 8 ) is extendable and retractable . it is provided with the help of the mechanism ( 20 ) for extending the pivot length driving a pin ( 22 ) that can go into the pin holes ( 23 ) that are opened in the radial direction to the pivots ( 9 , 10 ) that the inner pivot ( 9 ) moves inside the outer pivots ( 10 ) and that the pivot ( 8 ) is extended . the said mechanism ( 20 ) is a solenoid actuator according to the preferred embodiment of the invention . under the normal cruising conditions , in other words when the boat ( 1 ) does not reach to a certain threshold tilting angle ( for example as in fig1 ), the pins ( 22 ) are in a condition that they are inserted into the pin holes ( 23 ) that are opened in a radial direction to the inner pivots ( 9 ) and outer pivots ( 10 ). therefore it is impossible for the inner pivot ( 9 ) to make a telescopic movement . the rudder of the boat ( 1 ) is connected to the inner pivot ( 9 ) by means of a connection rod ( not shown in the figures ) from the center . in such a case , if a maneuver is made , both of the rudders ( 2 ) synchronously rotate to the right or left direction to the same extent . the pin holes ( 23 ) are located at the ends of the outer pivots ( 10 ) that are close to the inner pivot ( 9 ) and the inner pivot ( 9 ) has two pin holes ( 23 ) corresponding to the holes on the outer pivots . when the boat ( 1 ) tilts , if the angle that the boat ( 1 ) makes with the horizontal direction ( horizon line ) reaches to a certain threshold degree , the pivot part to which the rudder on the higher part compared to the horizontal one is connected starts to make a telescopic movement . for that reason the dual - rudder control mechanism comprises an inclination sensor . when the threshold tilting angle is reached , the inclination sensor transmits a signal to the solenoid actuator ( 20 ) on the pivot part , which the rudder on the higher part is connected to , by means of a control circuit 24 , and provides the pin ( 22 ) to be pushed upwards ( to be out of the pin holes ( 23 )) by means of a spring ( 21 ) in the actuator ( 20 ). therefore , the length of the pin to which the rudder on the higher part is connected can extend . in other words , if a maneuver is made in such a case , the rudders ( 2 ) do not rotate synchronously . for instance , if the boat maneuvers to the right when the threshold tilting angle is reached as in fig2 , the rudder on the higher part ( left ) becomes independent form the lower rudder ( right ), and then the rudder rotates automatically to the maneuvering direction of the boat by splitting the water , because the rudder which has become free when the left pin ( 22 ) goes out of the hole ( 23 ) gets into a harmony with the flow of the water and rotates automatically to the edge direction . the tilting angle of the boat can also be sensed by means of a mechanical sensor instead of an inclination sensor . a pendulum inclinometer ( 4 ) as in fig1 a can be used for this purpose . in fig4 , the detailed view of the rudder pivot connection in the dual - rudder control mechanism according to the present invention is shown . each rudder ( 2 ) is connected to each end part of the pivot ( 8 ) by means of a pivot connection arm ( 13 ) and a rudder connection pivot ( 14 ). each pivot connection arm ( 13 ) is connected to the end parts of the pivot ( 8 ) radially by means of preferably spherical bearings 11 . at the other end part of each pivot connection arm ( 13 ) are located rudder connection arms ( 14 ) extending downwards from these arms . the connection between the pivot connection arms ( 13 ) and the rudder connection arms ( 14 ) is rigid , and if desired the pivot connection arm and the rudder connection pivot can be produced as one - piece . each rudder connection pivot ( 14 ) is borne to the rudder plates ( 12 ) by means of ball bearings ( 15 ) in the vertical direction . at the each rudder part , there are two plates ( 12 ) that are superimposed in a way that there will be a certain distance between them . the rudder plates ( 12 ) are preferably in triangle form and the tapering end of this triangle is in the cruising direction . there are pin movement channels ( 18 ) that are located along an edge opposite to the tapering end , wherein the said channels extend in the direction of the bottom edge of the plate ( 12 ). spring connection pins ( 17 ) moving inside the said pin movement channels ( 18 ) and extending to downwards are located . rudder connection springs ( 16 ) are connected to the spring connection pins ( 17 ), wherein the said springs are connected from one of their ends to the end part of a pivot connection arm ( 13 ) on the spring connection point ( 19 ). according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the springs ( 16 ) are gas springs . while the boat ( 1 ) makes a straight cruising , there is no tension in the rudder connection springs ( 16 ). when the boat maneuvers , one of the springs ( 16 ) is pushed , and the other one becomes loose , and therefore they try to keep the rudder ( 2 ) in a position facing to the front end of the boat ( 1 ). when the force generated after the rudder ( 2 ) has been rotated increases up to the adequately high levels , the forces that the rudder connection springs ( 16 ) apply cannot resist any more , and in that case the spring connection pins ( 17 ) that the springs are connected to can move inside the pin movement channels to the end of the channel . when the tilting angle of the boat ( 1 ) goes down the threshold tilting angle , the telescopic movement of the pivot ( 8 ) needs to be terminated . and therefore the signals coming from the inclination sensor is transmitted to the solenoid actuators by means of the control circuit , and the pin ( 22 ) is enabled to be pushed forward . when the pin holes ( 23 ) of the inner pivot ( 9 ) and the outer pivot ( 10 ) encounter , the pin ( 22 ) is pushed into the holes . according to one embodiment of the present invention , the mechanism ( 20 ) for extending the pivot length can be activated not only when the boat ( 1 ) reaches to a certain tilting threshold degree , but also additionally when the boat ( 1 ) maneuvers to a direction . therefore , the control circuit can evaluate the data coming from both the inclination sensor and the rudder together , and activate the related mechanism ( 20 ). in such a case , a threshold degree like a tilting threshold degree of the boat ( 1 ) can be previously set to the control circuit for the maneuvering angle . this completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention . those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto . | 1 |
according to the invention , methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate is hydrogenated to 1 , 3 - propanediol in the presence of a copper zinc oxide hydrogenation catalyst . the copper zinc oxide hydrogenation catalyst can be prepared as the bulk oxide or supported on a refractory material such as aluminum oxide . the bulk oxides are prepared by dissolving the precursor copper and zinc salts into an aqueous solution . the amount of zinc in the hydrogenation catalyst mixture is within the range of about 0 . 75 to about 5 moles , based on the moles of copper in the catalyst . the mixed metal salt solution is then added to a basic aqueous solution , such as ammonium carbonate to effect the precipitation of the mixed metal oxides from solution . the metal oxides are then isolated by filtration and dried to remove bulk water . alternatively , the hydrogenation catalyst can be prepared by impregnating the aqueous mixed metal salts solution onto a refractory support , such as aluminum oxide , followed by drying to remove bulk water . the catalyst is optionally calcined in air or an inert atmosphere at elevated temperatures ( 200 - 400 ° c .). the catalyst is then cooled to room temperature and slowly heated under nitrogen to an elevated temperature ( 150 - 300 ° c .) to activate the catalyst . the copper zinc oxide hydrogenation catalyst can be used in combination with a catalyst promoter to increase the rate and / or selectivity of the hydrogenation reaction . suitable promoters include salts of lithium , sodium , potassium , magnesium , calcium , strontium , barium , titanium , zirconium , hafnium , and chromium . the current preferred hydrogenation catalyst promoter is a combination of barium and zirconium . the zirconium promoter is present in the hydrogenation catalyst in an amount within the range of about 0 . 0001 to about 0 . 1 mole percent , based on moles of copper in the hydrogenation catalyst . the barium promoter is present in the hydrogenation catalyst in an amount within the range of about 0 . 0001 to about 0 . 1 mole percent , based on the moles of copper in the hydrogenation catalyst . the hydrogenation reaction is carried out at an elevated temperature within the range of about 130 to about 220 ° c ., preferably about 150 to about 180 ° c ., and under a hydrogen pressure of at least 100 psig , generally within the range of about 200 to about 2000 psig . lower temperatures are generally preferred for greater selectivity . the hydrogenation reaction is carried out in a liquid which is a solvent for the methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate and does not interfere with the hydrogenation reaction . suitable solvents include water , alkanols such as methanol , ethanol and isopropanol ; aromatic compounds such as benzene and toluene ; and others such as methyl - t - butyl ether , diphenyl ether , glyme , diglyme and dioxane . in one embodiment of the invention , the above - described hydrogenation process is the second step of a two - step process for preparing 1 , 3 - propanediol . in the first step , ethylene oxide , carbon monoxide and methanol are reacted to prepare the methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate . such a 1 , 3 - propanediol preparation process can be conveniently described by reference to fig1 . separate or combined streams of ethylene oxide 1 , carbon monoxide 2 and methanol 3 are charged to reaction vessel 4 , which can be a pressure reaction vessel such as a bubble column or agitated tank , operated batchwise or in a continuous manner . the feed streams are contacted in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst effective to promote the formation of the desired intermediate methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate . the methanol will generally be present in the reaction vessel in an amount within the range of about 1 to about 100 moles per mole of ethylene oxide . the methoxycarbonylation reaction is carried out under conditions effective to produce a reaction product mixture containing a major portion of methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate along with minor portions of 1 , 1 - dimethoxy ethane , 2 - methoxy ethanol and methyl ( β - hydroxyethoxy ) propionate . generally , the reaction is carried out at an elevated temperature within the range of about 50 to about 120 ° c ., most preferably about 60 to about 80 ° c ., and at a carbon monoxide pressure within the range of about 500 to about 5000 psig , preferably ( for process economics ) about 1000 to about 3000 psig , with higher pressures preferred for greater selectivity . a large number of carbonylation catalysts are known in the art , with preferred catalysts being those which promote the selective formation of methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate under relatively mild carbonylation conditions of temperature and pressure . suitable carbonylation catalysts include cobalt and rhodium carbonyls , optionally used in combination with a promoter . although ligated cobalt and rhodium catalysts can be used , they are less preferred because of their greater cost and greater difficulty of recycle . the currently preferred methoxycarbonylation catalyst is a non - phosphine - ligated cobalt carbonyl . the cobalt catalyst can be supplied to the methoxycarbonylation reactor in essentially any form including metal , supported metal , raney - cobalt , hydroxide , oxide , carbonate , sulfate , acetylacetonate , salt of a carboxylic acid , or as an aqueous cobalt salt solution , for example . it may be supplied directly as a cobalt carbonyl such as dicobaltoctacarbonyl or cobalt hydridocarbonyl . if not supplied in the latter forms , operating conditions can be adjusted such that cobalt carbonyls are formed in situ via reaction with h 2 and co , as described in j . falbe , “ carbon monoxide in organic synthesis ,” springer - verlag , ny ( 1970 ). in general , catalyst formation conditions will include a temperature of at least 50 ° c . and a carbon monoxide partial pressure of at least about 100 psig . for more rapid reaction , temperatures of about 120 to 150 ° c . should be employed , at co pressures of at least 500 psig . addition of high surface area activated carbons or zeolites , especially those containing or supporting platinum or palladium metal , can accelerate cobalt carbonyl formation from noncarbonyl precursors . the resulting catalyst is maintained under a stabilizing atmosphere of carbon monoxide , which also provides protection against exposure to oxygen . the most economical and preferred catalyst method involves heating a solution of a catalyst precursor to about 90 to about 120 ° c . under a carbon monoxide environment . for the preferred cobalt catalyst , the preferred catalyst precursor is cobalt hydroxide in methyl - t - butyl ether solvent . the amount of cobalt present in the reaction mixture will vary depending upon the other reaction conditions , but will generally fall within the range of about 0 . 01 to about 1 wt %, preferably about 0 . 05 to about 0 . 3 wt %, based on the weight of the reaction mixture . the methoxycarbonylation reaction mixture will preferably include a catalyst promoter to accelerate the reaction rate . suitable promoters include dimethyldodecyl amine , sodium acetate , 1 , 10 - phenanthroline , 2 - hydroxypyridine and sodium methoxide . it is generally preferred to maintain the concentration of water in the carbonylation reaction mixture at two percent or less , although higher levels can be tolerated . following the methoxycarbonylation reaction , reaction product mixture 5 containing methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate , methanol , 1 , 3 - propanediol , the cobalt catalyst and a minor amount of reaction by - products , is passed to distillation column ( or liquid / liquid separator ) 6 for separation and recycle via 7 of the methoxycarbonylation solvent and the carbonylation catalyst . methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate and methanol are removed overhead , cooled and passed via 8 to hydrogenation zone 9 and reacted with hydrogen 10 in the presence of a copper zinc oxide hydrogenation catalyst to produce a hydrogenation product mixture 11 containing 1 , 3 - propanediol . the hydrogenation step may also revert some heavy ends to 1 , 3 - propanediol . 1 , 3 - propanediol - containing product stream 11 is passed to distillation column 12 for recovery of 1 , 3 - propanediol 13 and mixed alcohols 14 . to 150 ml of distilled water were added 10 . 5 g of barium nitrate and 6 . 0 g of zirconyl nitrate . the solution was gently heated until the salts dissolved . in a separate beaker , 120 g of copper nitrate and 192 g of zinc nitrate were dissolved into 250 ml of distilled water . these two solutions were then mixed together in a 2000 ml beaker . the solution was magnetically stirred while a 500 ml solution containing 192 g of ammonium carbonate was added dropwise via an addition funnel . the mixed oxides were isolated by filtration , washed with water , and dried over night at 150 ° c . the metal oxide catalyst was pressed at an isostatic pressure of 20 , 000 psi into a cake . the cake was sieved to a particle size of 12 to 30 mesh before loading into the hydrogenation reactor . the catalyst was heated to 400 ° c . at a rate of 5 ° c ./ min . under an air flow of 200 ml / min . the catalyst was cooled to room temperature and the air flow turned off . the catalyst was heated to 275 ° c . at a rate of 0 . 5 ° c ./ min . with hydrogen flowing over the catalyst at a rate of 130 ml / min . methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate was catalytically reduced in a flow reactor ( 0 . 5 × 17 in ) in the presence of a copper zinc oxide catalyst under 1500 psi hydrogen . the flow rate of hydrogen through the reactor was controlled by the pressure differential across a 10 - meter length of capillary tubing . the methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate was dissolved in methanol and the solution was passed through the reactor at 25 ml / h . 35 - ml samples of product were collected at 1 atm and 0 ° c . gc results ( uncorrected ) are shown in table 1 . in an inert atmosphere , a 100 ml parr autoclave was charged with 116 mg ( 0 . 33 mmole ) of dicobalt octacarbonyl , 35 mg ( 0 . 2 mmole ) of 1 , 10 - phenanthroline , 4 g ( 123 mmole ) of methanol and 27 ml of water saturated ( 1 - 2 % wt .) methyl tert - butyl ether solvent . the autoclave was sealed and pressured to 500 psig with carbon monoxide and stirred at 90 ° c . ethylene oxide ( 1 . 7 g , 39 mmole ) was injected into the stirred mixture under carbon monoxide pressure and the pressure raised to 1125 psig . the reaction mixture was stirred for 18 hr . at 90 ° c . and then cooled to 15 ° c . and vented . nitrogen - purged , deionized water ( 20 ml ) was injected under an atmosphere of carbon monoxide and the mixture was stirred for 5 minutes and then allowed to stand for 10 minutes permitting the water and methyl tert - butyl ether phases to separate . the water layer was removed from the autoclave via syringe leaving the methyl tert - butyl ether phase in the autoclave . gas chromatographic analysis of the water phase showed a selectivity of 74 % to the desired product , methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate and 26 % to 1 , 1 - di - methoxyethane with an 11 % conversion of the ethylene oxide . metal analysis of the methyl tert - butyl ether layer showed that it contained 1370 ppm cobalt . to demonstrate the recyclability of the catalyst , methanol , 4 gm ( 123 mmole ) was added to the autoclave containing the recovered methyl tert - butyl ether catalyst solution and the autoclave pressured to 500 psig with carbon monoxide and stirred at 90 ° c . ethylene oxide , 1 . 9 g ( 43 mmole ) was injected under carbon monoxide pressure and the pressure was raised to 1250 psig . the reaction mixture was stirred and heated at 90 ° c . for 18 hr ., cooled to 15 ° c . and worked up with nitrogen - degassed , deionized water in an identical manner to the above procedure . gas chromatographic analysis of the reaction products showed that there was 14 % conversion of ethylene oxide with a 40 % selectivity to methyl 3 - hydroxypropionate and 60 % to 1 , 1 - dimethoxyethane . analysis for cobalt gave 700 ppm cobalt in the water layer and 1020 ppm cobalt in the organic layer . | 2 |
neferine with purity ≧ 90 % was obtained from market and prepared into desired differing concentrations ( μmol / l ) according to requirements . dorsal root ganglion ( drg ) cell is the main afferent neurons in the mammalian and human peripheral nervous system . it expresses a wide array of trp channel proteins and plays a key role in nerve protection , repair after nerve damage , transmission of noxious stimuli , pathological and physiological processes . to investigate the effect of neferine on trpm8 , newborn sprague - dawley rats ( 5 days after born ) were selected . drg were aseptically removed and meticulously cleaned the rootlets and connective tissue . the tissue was digested with collagenase and trypsin in succession , and then centrifuged and the digestive liquid was discarded . cells were prepared into single cell suspension in common culture medium , and then calculated and adjusted to 10 5 nerve cells per ml . it was incubated in culture plates pre - coated with laminin at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 48 hours . camptothecine was used to inhibit proliferation of other cells . culture was continued to obtain drg cells with a high purity (& gt ; 98 %). the total rna of the drg neuronal cells was extracted in a routine way , after exposure to the tested agents of various concentrations under the normal , low and high temperature conditions respectively . the concentration of rna was measured and its cdna was prepared . the desired amount of resulting cdna and trpm8 or trpv1 gene primers were added on the iq5 - type real - time iq5 - type real - time pcr meter with gapdh as the endogenous control to perform extension . melting curves were generated . relative gene expression was calculated using the comparative threshold cycle ( 2 − δct ) method with the calculated formula as following : δ ct =( ct , target - c t , gapdh ) x - ( ct , target - c t , gapdh ) control x represents any one of tested , control represents double target gene expression after gapdh correction . drg cells cultured under normal , low and high temperature conditions was obtained . the medium was discarded and the cells were washed after certain time . 0 . 1 % f - 127 , 5 μm of fluo - 4 - am , m fluorescent dye were added and loaded at 25 ° c . out of light for 30 min . after dye loading , the redundant dye was washed out and buffer and test compounds were added respectively . the cells were put in a closed chamber on a microscope stage . fluorescence dyed cells were detected with appropriate conditions . the change of fluorescence intensity in each cell was determined and the data were analyzed by software . the change of the intracellular calcium concentration was indicated by fluorescence intensity . the change degree of the intracellular calcium concentration was represented by the percent ratio of the change value of fluorescence intensity before and after administration and the value of fluorescence intensity before administration ( δ [ ca2 +] i ), i . e . δ [ ca2 +] i =( fluorescence intensity value after administration f - fluorescence intensity value before administration f0 )/ fluorescence intensity value before administration f0 × 100 %. the change of the intracellular calcium concentration indicated the function of trp . it is reported that the drugs that up - regulate trpm8 or down - regulate trpv1 can inhibit proliferation of breast cancer . to further investigate whether neferine follow the same way , human breast cancer cell line mda - mb - 231 and mda - mb - 453 as well as cancer gene - containing human breast gland epithelial cell line mcf10a - myc and human pancreatic cancer cell line miapaca - 2 were employed and cultured in dmem or dmem / f12 medium with epithelial growth factor in vitro . after incubation with various concentrations of test agents for 72 h , the effective concentration of them for inhibiting the tumor cells was assayed according to the common method in the art . experiment data were represented with mean ± sd ( x ± s ). multi sample comparing uses one - way anovas and double sample comparing uses t - test . statistical difference was considered when p - value & lt ; 0 . 05 . effect of neferine on trpm8 mrna expression in drg cells under normal ambient temperature ( 37 ° c .) the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 24 h . the total rna was extracted immediately after culture . the trpm8 agonist hexahydrothymol was positive control group and the normal culture medium was vehicle control group . then the real - time pcr amplification was performed and trpm8 mrna was determined . as indicated in table 1 , neferine could up - regulate the expression levels of trpm8 mrna dose - dependently ( correlation coefficient 0 . 98 ); the effect was more significant when the dose was more than 5 μmol / l ( i . e . 10 μmol / l ). the previous studies had shown that high temperature ( e . g . 39 ° c .) could inhibit trpm8 expression . the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 23 h followed by 39 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 1 h . the total rna was extracted immediately after culture . the trpm8 agonist hexahydrothymol was positive control group and the normal culture medium was vehicle control group . then the real - time pcr amplification was performed and trpm8 mrna was determined . as indicated in table 2 , neferine did not up - regulate trpm8 mrna expression . the previous studies had shown that low temperature could improve trpm8 expression . the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 22 h followed by 19 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 2 h . the total rna was extracted immediately after culture . the trpm8 agonist hexahydrothymol was positive control group and the normal culture medium was vehicle control group . then the real - time pcr amplification was performed and trpm8 mrna was determined . as indicated in table 3 , neferine could up - regulate the expression levels of trpm8 mrna dose - dependently ( correlation coefficient 0 . 98 ). trpm8 agonist hexahydrothymol also could up - regulate expression levels of trpm8 mrna dose - dependently . according to the protocol of example 1 , the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 24 h . the medium was discarded and the fluorescent dye was added and loaded for 30 min . the change of fluorescence intensity in cell was determined in a closed chamber on a microscope stage and the change of the intracellular calcium concentration was assayed . as indicated in table 4 , neferine could increase the intracellular calcium concentration dose - dependently as same as trpm8 agonist hexahydrothymol ( correlation coefficient is 0 . 86 and 0 . 94 ). the effect was more significant when the dose is more than 5 μmol / l ( i . e . 10 μmol / l ). according to the protocol in example 2 , the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 22 h followed by 2 h at 39 ° c . ( the experiment data of the peak value of calcium change after stimulated under high temperature was not shown here ). the medium was discarded and the fluorescent dye was added and loaded for 30 min . the change of fluorescence intensity in cell was determined in a closed chamber on a microscope stage and the change of the intracellular calcium concentration was assayed . as indicated in table 5 , the change of intracellular calcium concentration was inhibited after high temperature treatment . the test compound could increase the concentration of intracellular calcium dose - dependently ( correlation coefficient & gt ; 0 . 93 ) as same as trpm8 agonist hexahydrothymol . the effect was more significant when the dose was more than 5 μmol / l ( i . e . 10 μmol / l ). the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 24 h . the total rna was extracted immediately after culture . the trpm8 agonist hexahydrothymol was positive control group and the normal culture medium was vehicle group . then the real - time pcr amplification , was performed and trpv1 mrna was determined . as indicated in table 6 , neferine and hexahydrothymol could not change expression levels of trpv1 mrna under the test concentrations . the previous studies had shown that high temperatures could improve trpv1 expression . the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 23 h followed by 39 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 1 h ( this is the appropriate stimulation time for 39 ° c ., and the experiment data was not shown ). the total rna was extracted immediately after culture . the trpm1 antagonist hexahydrothymol was positive control group and the normal culture medium was vehicle group . then the real - time pcr amplification was performed and trpv 1 mrna was determined . as shown in table 7 , neferine could decrease the expression levels of trpv1 mrna dose - dependently ( correlation coefficient − 0 . 99 ). the effect was more significant when the dose was more than 2 . 5 μmol / l ( i . e . 5 μmol / l ). the previous studies had shown that low temperatures ( e . g . 19 ° c .) could inhibit trpv1 expression . the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 22 h followed by at 19 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 2 h ( this is the appropriate stimulation time for 19 ° c ., and the experiment data was not shown ). the total rna was extracted immediately after culture . the trpm1 antagonist hexahydrothymol was positive control group and the normal culture medium was vehicle control group . then the real - time pcr amplification was performed and trpv1 mrna was determined . as shown in table 8 , ncfcrinc could further inhibit expression levels of trpv1 mrna dose - dependently ( correlation coefficient − 0 . 87 ) as same as hexahydrothymol . according to the protocol in example 1 , the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 24 h . the medium was discarded and the fluorescent dye was added and loaded for 30 min . the change of fluorescence intensity in cell was determined in a closed chamber on a microscope stage and the change of the intracellular calcium concentration was assayed . as shown in table 8 , neferine could decrease the concentration of intracellular calcium dose - dependently ( correlation coefficient is − 0 . 85 ). according to the protocol in example 2 , the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co2 for 22 h followed by 39 ° c . for 2 h ( the experiment data of the peak value of calcium change after stimulated under high temperature was not shown here ). the medium was discarded and the fluorescent dye was added and loaded for 30 min . the change of fluorescence intensity in cell was determined in a closed chamber on a microscope stage and the change of the intracellular calcium concentration was assayed . as shown in table 9 , the change of intracellular calcium concentration could be activated after high temperature treatment . neferine could inhibit the change of the intracellular calcium concentration dose - dependently ( correlation coefficient − 0 . 815 ). the effect was more significant when the dose was more than 2 . 5 μmol / l ( i . e . 10 μmol / l ). according to the protocol in example 1 , the purified culture medium of drg cells was added with three different concentrations of test compounds and cultured at 37 ° c . in 5 % co 2 for 21 h followed by 3 h at 19 ° c . ( this is the appropriate stimulation time for the intracellular calcium change after stimulation under 19 ° c ., and the experiment data was not shown ). the medium was discarded and the fluorescent dye was added and loaded for 30 min . the change of fluorescence intensity in cell was determined in a closed chamber on a microscope stage and the change of the intracellular calcium concentration was assayed . as shown in table 11 , the change of the intracellular calcium concentration could be inhibited after low temperature treatment . neferine could further inhibit the change of the intracellular calcium concentration dose - dependently ( correlation coefficient − 0 . 99 ). according to the “ inhibition on proliferation of human cancer cells ” described above , the effective concentrations of neferine for the inhibition of tumors were obtained ( table 11 ). a strong inhibition of neferine on breast cancer cells with a concentration below 2 . 1 μg / ml was shown and a inhibition concentration below 4 μg / ml was shown for pancreas . according to the method commonly known in the art , 35 g of commercial neferine was added into three times auxiliary material such as calcium carbonate and the mixture was granulated or directly pressed into tablets or coated to form 1000 tablets with each tablet containing 35 mg of neferine . alternatively , the mixture can be put into 1000 hard capsules with each containing 35 mg of neferine . the above - mentioned preparations may be administrated orally as trpm8 agonists for the treatment of chronic obstructive lung disease , parkinson &# 39 ; s disease , painful bladder syndrome , cold hypergesia , melanoma and prostate cancer and the like . alternatively , they may also be used as trpv 1 antagonists for the treatment of pain , inflammation , schizophrenia , myasthenia syndrome , non - insulin - dependent diabetes , breast cancer and the like . according to the method commonly known in the art , 35 g of commercial neferine was added with polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil and mixed to produce 1000 injections , or the mixture was further merged into injection saline to produce 1000 injections with each containing 35 mg of neferine . the above - mentioned preparations may be used as trpm8 agonists for the treatment of chronic obstructive lung disease , parkinson &# 39 ; s disease , painful bladder syndrome , cold hyperalgesia , melanoma , prostate cancer . alternatively , they may also be used as trpv1 antagonists for the treatment of pain , inflammation , schizophrenia , myasthenia syndrome , non - insulin - dependent diabetes , breast cancer and the like . according to the method commonly known in the art , the neferine may be prepared into emplastrum with appropriate matrix and material for the skin application to create corresponding topical or general effective . kiselyov k ., soyombo a ., muallem s . : trp pathies . j . physiol . 2007 ; 578 : 641 - 653 . nilius b ., owsianik g ., voets t ., peters j a . : transient receptor potential cation channels in disease . physiol . rev . 2007 ; 87 : 165 - 217 . abramowitz j ., birnbaumer l . : physiology and pathophysiology of canonical transient receptor potential channels . faseb j , october 2008 ; 10 . 1096 / fj . 08 - 119495 . sabnis a s ., shadid m ., yost g s ., reilly c a . : human lung epithelial cells express a functional cold - sensing trpm8 variant . am . j . respir . cell mol . biol . 2008 ; 39 : 466 - 474 . yamamura h ., ugawa s ., ueda t ., morita a ., shimada s . : trpm8 activation suppresses cellular viability in human melanoma . am j physiol cell physiol . 2008 ; 295 : c296 - c301 . ashinger e s r ., steiginga m s ., hieble j p ., leon l a ., gardner s d ., nagilla r ., davenport e a ., hoffman b e ., laping n j ., su x . : amtb , a trpm8 channel blocker : evidence in rats for activity in overactive bladder and painful bladder syndrome . am j physiol renal physiol . 2008 ; 295 : f803 - f810 . szallasi a ., cortright d n ., blum c a ., eid s r . : the vanilloid receptor trpv 1 : 10 years from channel cloning to antagonist proof of concept . nature rev . drug discovery 2007 , 6 ( 5 ): 357 - 372 . okuhara d y ., hsia a y ., xie m . : transient receptor potential channels as drug targets . expert opinion on therapeutic targets 2007 ; 11 ( 3 ): 391 - 401 . | 0 |
the present invention may be described herein in terms of functional block components and various processing steps . it should be appreciated that such functional blocks may be realized by any number of hardware and / or software components configured to perform the specified functions . for example , the software elements of the present invention may be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as c , c ++, java , perl , or the like , with the various algorithms being implemented with any combination of data structures , objects , processes , routines or other programming elements . further it should be noted that the present invention may employ any number of conventional techniques for data transmission , signaling , data processing , network control , and the like . still further , the invention could be used to detect or prevent security issues with a scripting language , such as javascript , vbscript or the like . it should be appreciated that the particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative of the invention and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present invention in any way . indeed , for the sake of brevity , conventional data networking , application development and other functional aspects of the systems ( and components of the individual operating components of the systems ) may not be described in detail herein . furthermore , the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical couplings between the various elements . it should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical electronic transaction system . as hereinafter described , the present invention is directed to a system and method for providing management such as creation , manipulation , storage , control , and retrieval of digital content for use in such as a company website on a global basis and includes support for new page layouts and component layouts ( i . e ., support for new presentation styles whether in hypertext markup language ( html ), wireless markup language ( wml ), pdf , or any other authoring language in which the presentation may be written ). further , the present invention permits content repurposing , i . e ., the reuse of existing content for other forms of media once the content has been produced and stored in a database . accordingly , repurposing permits use of the content in such forms as mail , print , or other websites or any application in which the printed or electronic word is used and which may take advantage of the content stored in the database . the information architecture of the present invention provides for a separation of data from the presentation itself . thus , the information architecture data content , not being tied to the presentation , may , for example , enable the database to support various foreign languages , formats and medias . referring now to fig1 , there is shown at 100 an exemplary representation of the flow diagram of the information architecture system of the present invention . the site administrator 102 , initiates a project to develop a new web page by assigning an author 106 to create the page and its xml representation is stored in the database using a content management application system 108 . this starts the workflow 104 whereby the author creates the page , then the author submits it for approval through various levels . once the approvals are obtained , the site administrator 102 approves a content launch 110 . while various scripting languages may be used in creating content and / or a page , by way of example only and not by way of limitation , the content / page is written in the extensible markup language ( xml ) and is stored in database 120 as an xml file . an external web user 130 wishing to access the information contained in the page would request the page through a content delivery application ( cda ) translator 140 . the cda translator 140 would query the database 120 , retrieve the page and translate the xml file into an html page or any other presentation format suitable for user &# 39 ; s device for presentation to the user 130 . referring now to fig2 , an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown at 200 . this embodiment uses a workflow group , such as shown in fig1 , under control of the local site administrator 202 . the workflow group includes a content author 206 and content approvers 208 . once the site administrator 202 initiates a project and verbally communicates the user id and password to each new user designated in the workflow , designated content author 206 creates and edits items using content management applications . designated content approvers 208 review the content items produced by content author 206 and pass them through an approval process . content approvers 208 mark the items as approved or rejected and , when the new content has been approved by all concerned users in the workflow , local site administrator 202 launches the content to the global database 220 . users , using web browsers 230 a , 230 b , 230 c , interface through the worldwide web 232 to review the launched content . in some instances , the request must be processed through a firewall 234 providing security to the global database 220 . again , the xml file from the global database containing the requested information is processed through a cda translator into html , or a representation suitable for the user &# 39 ; s device , passed through the firewall 234 and presented in an html or suitable representative language format on the worldwide web 232 for access by the web user requesting the information . referring now to fig3 , there is shown an exemplary block diagram at 300 of a user accessing the global database of the network architecture system of the present invention . a user 330 connects to the internet or worldwide web 332 , logging on through a firewall 334 , if such is present , to a cda translator to request information from database 320 . the database , comprising various xml files relating to the various pages stored therein in xml , as segment 1 , 350 , segment 2 , 352 through segment x , 354 . once the proper segment containing the requested page is located , it is transmitted from the database 320 to the cda translator , which translates the xml file to , for example , an html page for presentation through the firewall 334 to the internet 332 for presentation to user 330 . referring also to fig4 a - 4 c , exemplary screen presentations accessible by user of the network architecture system are shown . the presentations 4 a , 4 b , 4 c correspond to the various segments 350 , 352 , 354 depicted in fig3 comprising the information relating to the content contained within the page . referring now to fig5 , each exemplary information segment shown in fig3 may be seen to include a top level index to the information contained within the page / segment at 502 . the page index defines the location of page level information at 504 . page level information 504 defines segment component mapping at 506 . information contained within page component mapping 506 relates to component content information 508 . component content information 508 contains information relating to the various parts of a page , such as the navigation components , the cross - sell components , copyright components , and the like . additionally , the component content information 508 includes page key word relationships , along with the component type information 510 . component type information 510 further defines the component item information used in generating various items within a page . base element information 514 provides information used in developing the component item information 512 . accordingly , corresponding structures , acts , and equivalents of all elements in the claims below are intended to include any structural material or acts for performing the functions in combination with other elements as specifically claimed . the scope of the invention should be determined by the allowed claims and their legal equivalents , rather than by the examples given above . | 6 |
fig1 is a schematic representation of the surface force sensor and indentation probe 20 of this invention . the left side shows the electron tunneling microscope or tunneling tip piezoelectric ceramic tube or tunneling tip piezoelectric manipulator 22 used to measure the deflection of probe 24 mounted in the center of a cantilever beam 36 . the right side of fig1 shows the sample stage comprising , sample holder 28 to which sample 26 attaches , coarse approach mechanism 30 , and piezoelectric tube manipulator 32 which controls the x , y , and z motion of the sample . fig2 is a schematic representation of the relationship among tunneling tip piezoelectric manipulator 22 , probe 24 , probe tip 34 , sample 26 , and sample piezoelectric manipulator 32 . piezoelectric manipulator 22 , 32 have electrodes to control the tube dimensions . the inside surface is covered by one electrode . the outer surface is divided among four equal areas along the major axis or the manipulator ; each area is covered by one electrode . piezoelectric manipulators 22 , 32 change dimension when a voltage is applied across pairs of electrodes . this invention uses the manipulator &# 39 ; s dimensional response to voltage to control the instrument movements . the voltages applied to manipulators 22 , 32 are used to measure position and displacement within the instrument . cantilever beam 36 is made from small diameter tungsten wire . probe 24 is made from thicker tungsten wire which is electrochemically etched to a small tip 34 . the surface of probe 24 closest to tunneling tip 38 is coated with a thin layer of gold to resist oxidation thus preventing noise in the tunnel current . the force acting between probe tip 34 and sample 26 can be determined by measuring the displacement of cantilever beam 36 . the separation between probe tip 34 and sample surface 26 is changed when sample piezoelectric drive circuit 39 ( fig3 ) changes the applied voltage thus causing the sample to move along the z axis . displacement of cantilever 36 is measured by electron tunneling between the backside of probe 24 and electron tunneling tip 38 . electrons will tunnel across the gap between tip 38 and probe 24 when the two surfaces are less than 1 nm apart and a bias potential is applied . in fig3 feedback control circuit 44 maintains a constant electron tunneling current 40 between tunneling tip 38 and cantilever beam 36 . if an attractive force between probe tip 34 and sample surface 26 moves cantilever beam 36 towards sample 26 , then the gap between the tunneling tip 38 and cantilever beam 36 will widen causing tunneling current 40 to decrease . feedback control circuit 44 senses the change in current and changes the voltage applied to tunneling tip piezoelectric manipulator 22 . this moves tunneling tip 38 closer to cantilever beam 36 re - establishing the constant electron tunneling current . because feedback circuit 44 maintains a constant tunneling gap , and the distance the tunneling tip piezoelectric manipulator 22 moves is a function of the change in the voltage applied to ceramic 22 , the change in applied voltage is a measure of the displacement of the cantilever beam 36 . probe tip 34 and cantilever 36 may be constructed from different materials and with different geometries . the parallel structure shown for cantilever 36 constrains the motion of probe 24 to the z axis . the force laws governing the interaction between tip 34 and sample 26 are dependent on the tip geometry and on the interacting materials in tip 34 and sample 26 . cantilever beam 36 may be made from various thicknesses or lengths of wire , configured in different ways . the effective spring constant of the cantilever beam may be altered by changing the wire &# 39 ; s length , diameter , or configuration . the cantilever can also be micro - fabricated , using silicon etching or similar techniques . the cantilever may be mounted on a piezoelectric ceramic to control its position more precisely or to vibrate the cantilever at or near its resonance frequency in order to improve the sensitivity of force measurement . tunneling is the detection method shown in the preferred embodiment . however , other sufficiently sensitive means of detection include capacitance detection and optical means such as interferometry , optical position detection , and laser diodes . in the preceding description piezoelectric manipulators 22 , 32 are only subjected to direct current voltages . alternatively , a small current oscillation may be applied to the z axis of one of the piezoelectric manipulators 22 , 32 causing the data to be modulated by the applied frequency . this modulation detection scheme should reduce thermal drift problems . an important advantage of this invention is that its improved force sensitivity and resolution allows surface measurements of any material , solid or liquid . because the sample is not in the tunnel current conducting path , measurements can be made on insulating or conductive materials . the device in fig3 is capable of three different measurements : ( 1 ) surface force measurements , ( 2 ) indentation measurements , and ( 3 ) surface imaging . all of these measurements use active control of the z axis of the tunnel piezoelectric ceramic . when surface force measurements are to be made , computer 45 provides a ramp signal causing piezoelectric drive 39 to apply a ramp voltage to the z axis of piezoelectric ceramic 32 . the increasing voltage applied to its z axis causes the length of manipulator 32 to change , thus moving sample 26 towards cantilever 36 until probe tip 34 touches sample 26 . the force on probe tip 38 is a known function of the deflection of beam 36 . as their separation decreases , probe tip 34 is attracted to the surface of sample 26 . deflection of beam 36 is evidenced by the change in the voltage applied to tunneling piezoelectric manipulator 22 . after contact , probe tip 34 is moved in the opposite direction , that is towards tunnel tip 38 , by the continued travel of sample 26 . adhesive forces are computed from the deflection of beam 36 required to break contact as sample 26 is withdrawn . indentation measurements are made using the same procedure used in the surface force measurement . after probe 24 and sample surface 26 contact , the depth that probe tip 34 penetrates into sample 26 is then computed from the difference in movement of sample 26 and probe tip 34 . these movements are known as a function of the change in voltages applied to piezoelectric manipulator 22 , 32 . the force acting between probe tip 34 and sample 26 can be determined by measuring the displacement of cantilever beam 36 . the separation between probe tip 34 and sample surface 26 is changed when sample piezoelectric drive circuit 39 ( fig3 ) changes the applied voltage thus causing the sample to move along the z axis . displacement of cantilever 36 is measured by electron tunneling between the backside of probe 24 and electron tunneling tip 38 . electrons will tunnel across the gap between tip 38 and probe 24 when the two surfaces are less than 1nm apart and a bias potential is applied . in fig3 feedback control circuit 44 maintains a constant electron tunneling current 40 between tunneling tip 38 and cantilever beam 36 . if an attractive force between the probe tip 34 and sample surface 26 moves cantilever beam 36 towards sample 26 , then the gap between the tunneling tip 38 and cantilever beam 36 will widen causing tunneling current 40 to decrease . feedback control circuit 44 senses the change in current and changes the voltage applied to tunneling tip piezoelectric manipulator 22 . this moves tunneling tip 38 closer to cantilever beam 36 reestablishing the constant electron tunneling current . because feedback circuit 44 maintains a constant tunneling gap , the distance the tunneling tip piezoelectric manipulator 22 moves is a function of the change in the voltage applied to manipulator 22 , the change in applied voltage is a measure of the displacement of the cantilever beam 36 . the x - y translation of the sample allows multiple tests to be performed on each sample surface . when used in the traditional imaging mode , the sample is moved in the x and y directions while the cantilever position is measured by the voltage applied to piezoelectric manipulator 22 . current 40 , i t , is held constant , as explained above , by controlling the position of tunneling tip 38 . as the tunneling current 40 is held constant , the tunneling distance is held constant . the required change in z axis voltage applied to piezoelectric rides on the surface of sample 26 . cantilever motion is plotted against the sample &# 39 ; s x - y position to generate a nanometer - scale image of the sample surface . experimental surface force and indentation measurements of different surfaces , including monolayer films , are reported in measuring the nanomechanical properties and surface forces of materials using an atomic force microscope , n . burnham and r . colton ; j . vac . sci . technol ., a7 ( 4 ), page 2906 , jul / aug 1989 ; and probing the surface forces of monolayer films with an atomic - force microscope , n . burnham , d . dominguez , r . mowery , and r . colton ; physical review letters , volume 64 , number 16 , page 1931 , apri . 16 , 1990 . although the best mode of the invention has been described , it should be understood that changes and deletions in the detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention . | 8 |
fig1 was described above in connection with the description of prior art . fig2 a is a flow diagram that shows the basic idea of a method according to the invention relating to one preferred embodiment of the invention . in the first phase of the method , a voice mail system stores a voice message for a recipient who could not be reached ( block 20 ). a notification of this is transmitted to a mobile station of the recipient who could not be reached ( block 21 ). the mobile station stores the sms message in its memory ( block 22 ). the memory used can be located in the mobile station itself , in a sim card ( subscriber identity module ) or in some other separate memory means , such as in a multimedia memory card ( mmmc ). when a call is made from the mobile station next time ( block 23 ), the mobile station will check if the call is made to a personal voice mailbox of the user of the mobile station ( block 24 a ). if this is not the case , it will be moved back to block 23 . if again the call is made to the user &# 39 ; s personal voice mailbox , the mobile station will search among the sms messages stored in the memory for those that originate from the voice mail system ( block 25 ) and erase them ( block 26 ). alternatively , as is shown in fig3 , the sms messages that originate from the voice mailbox can be erased only after the voice mail system has answered the user &# 39 ; s call . in this case , it will be moved from block 24 a to block 24 b , where the mobile station checks whether the voice mail system answers the call . if the voice mail system does not answer the call , it will be moved back to block 23 , and the sms messages are not erased . if the voice mail system answers , the mobile station will search among the sms messages stored in the memory for those that originate from the voice mail system ( 25 ) and erase them ( block 26 ). the number of the personal mailbox of the user of the mobile station can be stored in the mobile station either in the memory of the sim card or in the memory of the mobile station . typically , the storing is carried out by the user of the mobile station in connection with the commissioning of the mobile station . if the number of the voice mailbox stored in the memory is correct , the same number also shows as the number of the sender in the sms message that is transmitted on the initiative of the voice mail system to the mobile station as a notification of a voice message waiting in the voice mail system . more accurately , the number of the voice mailbox shows in the transmitted sms message as a so - called calling line identity ( cli ). the number data can also be added to the user data of the sms message . in this case , the content of the user data can be , for example : “ 1 message . call + 358421234567 ”, where the series of numbers is the number of the user &# 39 ; s voice mailbox . typically , the initiative in transmitting the sms message is taken by the voice mail system vms . typically , the sms message is switched to the mobile station through the short message service centre of the network . in order to illustrate a first preferred embodiment of the invention , it is assumed that the user of a mobile station has been at a meeting that has lasted for four hours during which time he has been unable to answer his mobile phone . it is further assumed that during this time a plurality of calls have come to his mobile phone , which have been directed to a voice mail system . it is still further assumed that as a result of the unanswered calls directed to the voice mail system , four voice messages have been stored in the personal voice mailbox of the user of the mobile phone . as a notification of this , four sms messages have typically been sent to the user &# 39 ; s mobile station , in which messages the calling line identity is the number of the user &# 39 ; s voice mailbox . it should be noted here that said notification to the mobile station can also be transmitted as a wap message or other corresponding message , such as a message over a packet switched connection ( e . g . in gprs service ( general packet radio service )). when the user of the mobile station begins to use his mobile station after the meeting , he notices the sms messages sent on the initiative of the voice mailbox . when he wants to listen to his voice messages stored in the voice mailbox , the user of the mobile station contacts his voice mailbox by calling the number of his voice mailbox . selecting the number of the voice mailbox can be effected , for example , by keying in the number manually with the mobile station &# 39 ; s numeric keypad or by pressing the shortcut key of the mobile station on which the number is stored , by selecting the number from the mobile station &# 39 ; s menu facilities or by picking up the number from a sms message by the function “ pick up number ”. correspondingly , when wanting to gain access to the faxes stored in a fax mailbox that corresponds to a voice mailbox , for a user who could not be reached , the user typically calls the number of his fax mailbox . whereas the retrieving of electronic mail messages stored for a user in a remote mail server or a video recording message system may be effected using a circuit or packet switched connection . according to the invention , a mobile station comprises means for identifying calls that terminate at a user &# 39 ; s personal voice mailbox . calls made to a voice mailbox are identified by comparing always when calling from the mobile station , the number to which the call is made to the number of the user &# 39 ; s personal voice mailbox stored in the memory of the mobile station ( or in the memory of the sim card ). typically , comparing is carried out by a specific process in a computer program run in the mobile station . in some mobile communication networks , a user can contact this personal voice mailbox by calling a specific number , which is the same irrespective of the user . for example , in the gsm network of radiolinja in finland , a user contacts his own voice mailbox ( answering service ) from his own mobile station by dialing the number 777 . typically , the network uses here the cli data for identifying the user and redirects the call dialed to the number 777 to the personal voice mailbox of the user . in order that a call terminating at a voice mail system could be identified , a user may according to the invention also input menu controlled other numbers of a voice mailbox than said voice mailbox number mentioned in the previous chapter , through the user interface of a mobile station into the mobile station &# 39 ; s memory . also these numbers are always compared when making a call from the mobile station to the number called for identifying the calls terminating at the user &# 39 ; s voice mailbox . hence , here all telephone numbers by calling of which a call will terminate at a user &# 39 ; s personal voice mailbox are understood as numbers of the voice mailbox . if the number called is the same as one of the numbers of the voice mailbox mentioned above , the mobile station concludes that the call will terminate at the user &# 39 ; s personal voice mailbox . this conclusion the mobile station makes so that it interprets that the call will terminate at the user &# 39 ; s personal voice mailbox irrespective of whether the call is made with or without a country code ( e . g . finland + 358 ). thus , for example , when making a call within the finnish borders both to the number + 358 50 123456 ( with the country code ) and when calling 050 123456 ( without the country code ), the call is interpreted to terminate at the user &# 39 ; s personal voice mailbox irrespective of which number is stored in the mobile station as the number of the voice mailbox ( assuming , of course , that the number is question really is the number of the user &# 39 ; s voice mailbox ). after this , the short messages transmitted to the mobile station on the initiative of the voice mail system are identified by comparing the cli data of the sms messages to the numbers of the voice mailbox stored in the mobile station . after the identification phase , the identified sms messages that were transmitted to the mobile station on the initiative of the voice mail system as a sign of the existing voice messages , are erased from the memory of the mobile station . alternatively , the sms messages originating from the voice mailbox can be erased only after the voice mail system ( user &# 39 ; s own voice mailbox ) has answered the user &# 39 ; s call . the mobile station knows that the voice mail system has answered the call if it receives a specific answer message in signaling between the network and the mobile station . in this case , the sms messages can be erased after the arrival of said specific answer message . according to the invention , it is also possible to erase the sms messages in response to disconnecting the call ( contact ). if the number which is called with the mobile station is not the number by calling of which the call will terminate at the user &# 39 ; s voice mailbox , the erasing procedures of sms messages will not be carried out . depending on the mobile communication network and the operator , however , cli data is not always delivered along with a sms message . this being the case , the identification of the short messages transmitted to a mobile station on the initiative of a voice mail system will not succeed merely by comparing the cli data . however , often the user data of a sms message , which can be , for example , 160 characters long , comprises such data from which it can be concluded that the short message originates from a voice mail system . such data can be , for example , the number of a voice mailbox or some other details relating to the structure of the text comprised by the short message . in a second preferred embodiment according to the invention , in order to facilitate the identification of short messages originating from a voice mail system , there is provided means for a user of a mobile station for creating a file of his own in the memory of the mobile station . the user may input menu controlled into the memory of the mobile station , through the user interface of the mobile station , a specific type of reference file . this file should be as identical as possible in structure to the operator - specific content of the user data of a sms message transmitted from a voice mail system as a sign of the existence of voice messages . in this case , when comparing the content of said reference file to the content of short messages sent to the mobile station , the sms messages transmitted on the initiative of a voice mail system can be identified as well as possible . for instance , if a user of a mobile station uses the answering service of the finnish radiolinja , the content of the reference file can be , for example , as follows : message to pro box % d clo % t . voice :% v & amp ; fax :% f . call % p , where “ message to pro box ” is an operator - specific standard text for a sms message transmitted on the initiative of a voice mail system ; % d is the leaving date of the message ; % t is the leaving time of the message ; % v is the number of voice messages stored in the system ; % f is the number of faxes stored in the system ; and % p is the telephone number of the user &# 39 ; s voice mailbox . now , in case it has been impossible to define the notification messages originating from a voice mail system with the means presented in connection with the first embodiment of the invention , of the sms messages stored in the mobile station the messages that originate from a voice mail system can be identified by comparing specific points in the content of their user data to the content of the reference file . for example , it is possible to compare the text “ message to pro box ”; the words “ clo ”, “ voice ”, “ fax ”, “ call ”; and the voice mailbox number % p . in the comparison , the “ pick up number ” function can be utilised . correspondingly , a reference file which can be used for the identification of an operator - specific notification message , which notification message is transmitted as a sign of the storing of a new mobile station ringing tone stored in a specific network server , can be of the format : where name % is the name of the new ringing tone and url % is the url from which the new ringing tone can be retrieved . when comparing the content of the reference file to the actual notification message , it is possible to make use of the “ pick up url ” function which is known , e . g . from a nokia 9110 communicator mobile station . according to the invention , a user is also provided with means for modifying said reference file . this may be necessary if the network operator changes the basic structure of the user data of the above - mentioned sms message sent from a voice mail system as a sign of the existence of voice messages . an sms message comprises in its message structure , in addition to user data , also so - called control bits . in connection with gsm , there is known a control bit pattern ( for example , “ 000 0000 ”) in the message structure of an sms message from which a mobile station can determine that the sms message arrived at the mobile station is a notification originating from a voice mail system , of a voice message stored for a recipient in the voice mail system . therefore , in a third embodiment according to the invention , the control bit pattern presented above is preferably used in the identification of sms messages originating from a voice mail system . this being the case , always when the user calls successfully his voice mailbox , the mobile station erases from the mobile station &# 39 ; s memory the sms messages that have the above - mentioned control bit pattern in their message structure . the invention can be implemented programmably . the computer program in question can be stored in a data medium , for example , in a memory ; it can be transferred ; and it can be run , e . g . in a computer or a microprocessor of a mobile phone . the advantage gained with the arrangement according to the invention is that in addition to programmable changes made in a mobile station , there is no need to make changes in a cellular network , a voice mail system , interfaces and signaling , for implementing the invention . fig4 illustrates parts essential for the operation of a mobile station ( ms ) that implements a method according to the invention . the mobile station ms comprises a processor mpu and parts functionally connected to the processor : a memory mem ; a user interface ui ; and a radio part rf . the processor mpu is preferably a microprocessor , - controller or a digital signal processor ( dsp ). the memory mem preferably comprises a non - volatile memory ( rom , read only memory ) and a random access memory ( ram ). the radio part rf can transmit and receive radio frequency signals with its antenna aer . the user interface ui preferably provides a user with a display and a keypad for using the mobile station ms . typically , the software of the mobile station ms is stored in the non - volatile memory . the processor mpu controls on the basis of the software , the operation of the mobile station ms , such as the use of the radio part rf ; the presentation of messages with the user interface ui ; and the reading of inputs received from the user interface ui . the processor mpu uses the random access memory as a buffer memory when processing data . in the mobile station , a method according to the invention ( e . g . comparing telephone numbers and erasing sms messages ) is substantially implemented by the processor mpu on the basis of the program making use of the memory mem . this paper presents the implementation and embodiments of the present invention with the help of examples . a person skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not restricted to details of the embodiments presented above , and that the invention can also be implemented in another form without deviating from the characteristics of the invention . the embodiments presented above should be considered illustrative , but not restricting . thus , the possibilities of implementing and using the invention are only restricted by the enclosed claims . consequently , the various options of implementing the invention as determined by the claims , including the equivalent implementations , also belong to the scope of the invention . | 7 |
referring now to fig1 the device indicated generally 10 of the present invention is illustrated as installed in conventional pushrod - type overhead valve gear of an internal combustion engine . a combustion chamber valve stem denoted v in fig1 contacts one end of a rocker arm 12 , the valve stem v having a valve spring 16 received over the valve stem v and conventional spring keeper 14 retained thereon with one end of spring 16 registering against the undersurface of keeper 14 so as to urge the valve stem in an upward direction to the closed position . the opposite end of the rocker arm 12 has a recess 18 formed therein having one end of a pushrod 20 registered therein for transmitting valve gear driving forces to the rocker . the rocker arm 12 has a pivot surface 22 having a preferably semicylindrical configuration formed therein intermediate the ends thereof . a stationary rocker shaft 24 is received through a substantially circular aperture 26 provided in the rocker arm 12 . a fulcrum means 28 , preferably in the form of a transversely elongated collar or sleeve , is received over the shaft 24 and has the lower portion of the outer periphery thereof forming a fulcrum pivot surface 30 configured so as to nest with and register against the rocker pivot surface 22 in sliding engagement therewith . the lower portion 32 of the transverse inner periphery of the fulcrum means 28 is configured to conform to the outer periphery of the shaft 24 and is adapted to nest in closely spaced arrangement as will be hereinafter described in detail . in fig1 the fulcrum means 28 is illustrated in the lower position in which the fulcrum pivot surface 30 engages the rocker arm pivot surface 22 so that the rocker arm pivots about point a with respect to the shaft 24 , such that sliding movement between the fulcrum surface 30 and rocker surface 22 moves the valve from the open position shown in solid outline in fig1 to the closed position shown in dashed outline for the valve stem , rocker arm and pushrod in fig1 . referring now to fig1 and 4 , the fulcrum means 28 is shown received within the side walls of the rocker arm 12 which is of a well - known configuration having a generally u - shaped transverse section with spaced parallel sidewalls . the shaft 24 is received through the hollow center portion of the fulcrum means 28 . the fulcrum means 28 has the inner periphery thereof configured so as to have the central portion thereof arranged in spaced parallel flat sides 34 , 36 respectively , which register in sliding contact with a corresponding pair of spaced parallel flats 38 , 40 , respectively , formed generally vertically along the shaft means 24 . with reference to fig3 and 4 , the ends of the fulcrum means 28 are preferably tapered in a chamfered surface 41 , leaving a flat end surface 45 spaced longitudinally in parallel relationship and registering in slip fitting arrangement with the inside surfaces 43 of the side - walls of the rocker arm 12 . the flat ends 45 of the fulcrum means thus position the rocker arm at the desired longitudinal station along the shaft means 24 . referring to fig3 the shaft means 24 has disposed in longitudinally spaced relationship therealong a plurality of guide lugs 42 with each lug extending vertically from the surface of the shaft means 24 and having the upper surface 44 thereof curved in transverse section to conform to the curvature of the aperture 26 in the rocker arm 12 . as mentioned before the lower portion 46 of the periphery of the shaft means 38 is also configured in transverse section to conform to the curvature of rocker aperture 26 . the fulcrum means 28 has the upper portion of the outer periphery formed to a substantially flat planar surface 48 disposed generally normal to the side surfaces 34 , 36 with the flat surface 48 having an aperture 50 formed centrally therethrough . with reference to fig1 a suitable fastening means as , for example , shouldered threaded stud 52 is received through the aperture 50 formed in each of the fulcrum means , with the shoulder of the stud registering against the bottom of a counterbore 54 formed in a threaded bore 56 provided generally vertically and transversely in the shaft means 24 at each longitudinal rocker arm station . the fulcrum means is thus slidably received over the side flats 38 , 40 of the shaft means 24 and is slidably guided thereon by a smooth - surface shank portion 58 of the retaining bolt or stud 52 in sliding registration with aperture 50 . a latchable means 60 is received over the retaining stud 52 , the latchable means including a movable stop member 62 having the lower surface thereof 64 formed in substantially flat configuration and registered against the flat surface 48 of the fulcrum means . latchable means 60 further includes a latch plate 66 rotatable with respect to the mounting stud 52 and operative , upon rotation , to move the internal latching mechanism thereof ( not shown ) between a plurality of operating positions . the details of the internal latching mechanism are omitted here for the sake of brevity , but it will be understood that the mechanism is of the known type described in the aforementioned prior s . a . e . publication . the latchable mechanism 60 and rotatable plate 66 are retained on the mounting stud 52 by any suitable fastening means as , for example , nut 68 threadedly received over the upper end of stud 52 . a suitable mounting bracket 70 is also received over the stud 52 and retained thereon by nut 68 , with the bracket 70 having mounted thereon a suitable actuator as , for example , the electromagnetic force actuator 72 in the form of a solenoid . the actuator 72 has the armature thereof operatively connected to a rotatable plate 66 to effect rotary motion of the plate 66 upon electrical energization of the solenoid 72 . such a known arrangement of force actuator is described adequately in the aforementioned published teachings , and further discussion herein will be omitted for brevity . referring to fig3 and 5 , the shaft means 24 has additional mounting apertures , indicated typically at 74 , spaced longitudinally thereon intermediate the valve rocker locations . a mounting bracket 75 has a slot 76 formed therein with a generally u - shaped transverse configuration and with the sidewalls thereof in horizontally spaced parallel , generally vertically disposed relationship . the shaft means 24 is received in slot 76 with the sides of the slot 76 registering against the spaced flats 38 , 40 of the shaft means . the bottom of the u - shaped slot 76 is contoured in transverse section so as to conform to the lower surface 46 of the shaft means which is received in nested arrangement therein . the bottom of the bracket 70 has a generally convex rib 78 provided centrally thereon which extends along the bracket in a direction longitudinally of the shaft and generally parallel thereto . the rib 78 has , in transverse section as shown in fig5 a curvature conforming to that of the concave groove 80 formed in a conventional rocker shaft stanchion 82 extending from the cylinder head structure of the engine . the bracket 75 has an aperture 84 provided vertically through the bottom of groove 76 , which aperture extends through the center region of rib 78 for receiving a suitable fastening means as , for example , bolt 86 therethrough . a threaded bore 88 is provided vertically in the rocker stanchion 82 with the fastening means 86 threadedly engaging the bore 88 for retaining the shaft means 24 and mounting bracket 75 securely onto the rocker stanchion 82 with the rib 78 nested in the rocker shaft mounting groove 80 . the mounting bracket arrangement shown in fig3 and 5 thus permits the shaft means of the present invention to be mounted on the existing rocker shaft mounting stanchions provided on the engine , where open stanchion - type rocker shaft mounting is employed . it will be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art that the foregoing techniques of mounting the shaft means has been chosen for expediency and other techniques may be employed where convenient , the choice being determined by the configuration of the engine in which the present invention is to be incorporated . referring now to fig1 and 2 , the device of the present invention is shown in fig1 with stop 62 moved to the lowermost position with the undersurface 64 thereat registering against the top of fulcrum means 28 . in the position shown in solid outline in fig1 the stop 62 holds the fulcrum means 28 in its lowermost position for normal enabling of the engine valve v upon upward movement of pushrod 20 and pivotal motion of rocker arm 12 about the fulcrum surface 30 . as mentioned above , the rocker , pushrod and valve are shown in solid outline in fig1 with the rocker being rotated to its extreme clockwise - most position in which the valve is open at its maximum displacement . the extreme counterclockwise pivotal position of the rocker 12 is shown in phantom outline in fig1 in which position the pushrod 20 is vertically lowered to its lowest position and the valve v is raised upwardy by spring 16 to its closed position . with the fulcrum means 28 in the position shown in fig1 the pushrod , rocker arm and valve operate in the same manner as in the conventional valve gear using a cylindrical rocker shaft directly engaging apertures in the rocker arm . referring now to fig2 the fulcrum means 28 is shown in its vertically extreme upward position wherein the latchable means 60 has permitted the stop member 62 to move upward in fig2 under the urging of fulcrum means 28 responsive to the upward pressure of rocker arm surface 22 contacting the fulcrum surface 30 and exerting vertical forces thereon under the urging of pushrod 20 in response to cyclic application of valve gear driving forces thereto . when the fulcrum means 28 reaches the extreme upward , i . e ., the position shown in fig2 when the pushrod is in its uppermost position , the inner periphery 32 of the fulcrum means does not contact the lower surface 46 of the shaft means and thus the rocker arm pivots only about the end contacting valve v , and no driving forces are transmitted to the valve . this is accomplished by providing lost - motion movement of stop 62 in the upward direction as is known in the art of valve selector mechanisms ; and , the latchable means 60 includes a resilient biasing means for maintaining the fulcrum means 28 biased downwardly in a direction to maintain light contact between the inner surface 30 of the rocker arm and the pivot surface 22 of the fulcrum means to prevent lash in the valve gear . the use of such a resilient biasing means is described in the aforementioned s . a . e . publication for eliminating clash of the valve gear components . when it is desired to change the location of fulcrum 28 , the solenoid 72 is energized to have the armature thereof apply an actuating force through pivotal connection 90 to the rotatable plate 66 . however , those having skill in the art and familiar with the teachings of the aforesaid publication will recognize that the plate 66 cannot be rotated about the stud 52 unless the valve gear driving forces on pushrod 20 are relaxed . this is accomplished by internally latching mechanism 60 in a known manner , the details of which form no part of the present invention other than to render operative the present device in the valve gear and engine . with reference to fig1 when it is desired to disable the valve gear by movement of the fulcrum means from the position shown in solid outline in fig1 to the position shown in phantom outline , the actuator 72 applies a force to rotatable plate 66 ; and , upon the next cyclic relaxation of the valve gear driving forces through pushrod 20 , the rotatable plate 66 moves to a second position in which the latchable means 60 permits the surface 64 of stop 62 to move vertically under the urging of fulcrum means 28 and upon the next cyclic reapplication of valve gear forces . upon the next cyclic relaxation of the valve gear forces on the rocker arm 12 , the fulcrum means drops to the position shown in solid outline of fig1 under the urging of surface 64 of stop 62 , from the internal biasing means in the latchable means 60 . upon the next reapplication of cyclic forces on the rocker arm , the fulcrum means 28 again moves the stop surface 64 to the position indicated in phantom outline . the fulcrum means 28 continues to oscillate vertically between the position shown in solid outline and the phantom outline during each complete cycle of the valve gear driving forces . the rocker arm and fulcrum means continue to operate in this manner , absorbing by lost motion the movement of pushrod 20 and preventing opening of the valve , until the latchable means 60 is returned to its former position . when it is desired to return the latchable means to its valve enabling position , the actuator 72 is de - energized and the plate 66 is biased to rotate to its former position , by biasing means contained within the latchable means 60 and , upon the cyclic relaxation of the valve gear driving forces , the stop plate 66 returns to its former position , and the stop member 62 is latched in its lowermost position as shown in solid outline in fig1 . with stop surface 64 again in the position shown in fig1 the fulcrum means 28 is retained in the position shown in solid outline in fig1 for permitting enablement of the valve gear and normal valve gear operation for opening and closing the valve v . referring now to fig6 an alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated in which the conventional rocker arm 100 is modified to have an elongated aperture 102 provided therein and the shaft means 104 is employed which retains the conventional smooth cylindrical configuration without any lugs provided thereon . in the embodiment of fig6 the fulcrum means 106 is similar to the fulcrum means 28 in the embodiment of fig1 through 5 and includes generally vertically disposed spaced parallel side walls 108 , 109 and a semi - cylindrical pivot surface 110 on the lower portion of the outer periphery thereof , with the top portion 112 of the outer periphery arranged in substantially flat , planar configuration . a stop member 114 , similar to stop member 62 of the embodiment of fig1 is received over a suitable fastening means as , for example , shouldered stud 116 which is threadedly engaged in a bore 118 formed vertically in the shaft means 104 . the ends of the fulcrum means , in a direction longitudinally of the shaft means 104 , are received in sliding registration with the side walls of the rocker arm 100 , in a manner similar to that shown in the embodiment of fig4 for locating the rocker arm 100 at the desired station along the shaft means . in the embodiment of fig6 the shaft means 104 does not have longitudinally spaced lugs extending therefrom , but instead , has a generally smooth cylindrical configuration with a pair of spaced , parallel flats 105 , 107 provided thereon and extending generally vertically to form the sides on the planar shaft means . the fulcrum means 106 is received over the shaft means 104 , with the side walls 108 , 109 of the fulcrum means engaged in sliding registration with , respectively , the flats 107 , 105 of the shaft means 104 . the fulcrum pivot surface 110 has a downwardly convex semi - cylindrical configuration corresponding to the semi - cylindrical concave rocker pivot surface 120 which is nested therein . the shaft means 104 is received through rocker aperture 102 , which aperture has the periphery thereof formed to provide sufficient clearance for the rocker to rotate to the extremes of its counterclockwise and clockwise rotational movement about the pivot surface 110 . in the presently preferred practice , the embodiment of fig6 has the aperture 102 at the lower portion thereof conforming in curvature to the fulcrum pivot surface 110 . the side portions 122 , 123 , respectively , of aperture 102 are formed in preferably straight configuration and diverging upwardly , with the upper portion of the aperture periphery interconnecting sides 122 , 123 being curved to provide clearance for the shaft means as the rocker is pivoted to and fro during normal valve opening and closing . the embodiment of fig6 thus permits a conventional rocker shaft of circular cross section to be simply reworked or modified by forming of the spaced parallel flat sides 105 , 107 thereon ; and , the only other modification or rework being the drilling , tapping and counterboring of the threaded apertures 118 at the rocker stations therealong for receiving fastening means 116 . the individual fulcrum means 106 and modified rocker arms 100 are received over the shaft means and secured at their respective stations by fastening means in the form of stud 116 . in operation , the embodiment of fig6 functions in a manner similar to that of the embodiment of fig1 through 5 and the operation of the latch means to move the movable stop 114 is unchanged from the operation above described of stop 62 of the fig1 - 5 embodiment . in summary , the present invention provides a unique means for incorporating in an internal combustion engine , a mechanism for enabling and disabling the combustion chamber valves while the engine is running , in an engine having overhead valve gear of the type utilizing rocker arms pivotally mounted on a common shaft for the valves associated with a plurality of combustion chambers in a single bank . the present invention readily permits adaptation of such a valve selector mechanism to rocker - shaft type valve gear by utilizing the existing rocker - shaft mounting means ; and , the present invention eliminates the necessity for reworking or modifying the engine block or combustion chamber heads to accommodate the device of the present invention . in one embodiment , the present invention employs a substantially modified rocker shaft having a plurality of lugs formed thereon and uses conventional cupped rocker arms having a circular aperture therethrough received over the rocker shaft . in another embodiment the invention employs a conventional rocker shaft of circular cross section slightly modified only in that the shaft has spaced longitudinal parallel flats thereon and employs rocker arms modified to have an elongated aperture therethrough received over the rocker shaft means . it will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that the present invention , although described above in its preferred embodiments , is capable of further modification and variation and the invention is limited only by the following claims . | 5 |
the heating structure 1 according to the invention , as shown in fig1 is of the high temperature type and is fabricated as a sandwich structure constituted by a stack of a plurality of layers bounded to the outside by two heat diffusing elements forming , respectively , a lower plate 2 and an upper plate 3 . the temperatures currently produced in such a structure exceed 1800 ° c . or 200 ° c . and preferably even approach 300 ° c . plates 2 and 3 can be fabricated from any rigid or flexible materials currently utilized for elements intended to diffuse , or transfer , heat , such as stainless steel , soft steel , ceramics , vitrocrystalline materials and glass , for example , as well as aluminum , this latter material being particularly advantageous in the case of a heating structure provided for use in a clothes pressing iron . plates 2 and 3 can both be made of the same material , or can be made of respectively different materials , depending on the requirements of the device in which they are employed , and can have the same or respectively different thicknesses . in the embodiment illustrated in the figure , and in the case of a heating structure for use in a clothes pressing iron , plate 2 forms the ironing sole plate while plate 3 forms the base of the steam generating chamber . the heating structure includes a heating unit fabricated in the form of a substantially flat resistive element 4 constituted by one or several strips extending in the same plane along a defined path forming a series of loops and / or having a serpentine or other form between plates 2 and 3 . preferably , resistive element 4 and the loops which it forms extend in a longitudinal plane of symmetry , p , of heating structure 1 . resistive element 4 can be made of any materials currently utilized for a heating strip , such as nickel - chrome alloys or indeed , in a preferred manner , constantan or alloys based on constantan . the cross section and length of resistive element 4 are selected on the basis of the desired electric power . advantageously , its thickness ( 1 ) is of the order of 50 μm and can vary between 20 and 100 μm for example ; its width ( l ) is of the order of 1 mm and can vary between 0 . 5 mm and 3 mm . construction of the heating structure is completed by insertion of resistive element 4 in a first layer 5 of thermoplastic resin , covering at least the upper and lower surfaces of resistive element 4 . in a conventional manner , resistive element 4 is provided with electrically insulating coatings constituted by an upper sheet 6a and a lower sheet 6b , each adhering to a respective one of the faces of the first layer 5 of thermoplastic resin and defining , in consequence , the heating unit . the material utilized for the electrically isolating coating can obviously be selected from among all of the conventional compositions currently utilized in the art , taking into account the existing thermal requirements imposed on the heating structure . in the framework of a utilization of the heating structure for a household electrical appliance , such as a clothes pressing iron , it is particularly advantageous to make use of an electrical insulating material selected from among thermosetting resins , and preferably selected from among polyimide resins and silicone resins . advantageously , all of the electrically insulating sheets 6a , 6b are made of the same material . plates 2 and 3 have respective faces 2b and 3a which face one another . connection , or bonding , means assuring adhesion between each of faces 2b and 3a , on the one hand , and corresponding exterior faces of electrical insulation sheets 6a and 6b , on the other hand , comprises at least one other layer of thermoplastic resin , forming an upper second layer 7a and a lower second layer 7b . according to the invention , the electrical insulation of the heating structure is improved , and leakage currents are reduced , by disposing at least one supplemental electrical insulating sheet 6c between one of layers 7a and 7b and one of insulating sheets 6a and 6b . this supplemental sheet 6c is associated with an intermediate layer 7c of an adhesive material suitable for providing a bond between the electrical insulating sheet 6aor 6b and the supplemental sheet 6c . the thickness of each of the electrical insulating sheets 6a , 6b and 6c is between 15 μm and 100 μm , and preferably substantially equal to 25 μm . advantageously , as shown in the figure , the intermediate layer 7c is positioned at the lower side of the heating structure , i . e . between element 4 and heating plate 2 which forms the pressing sole plate . the adhesive material of intermediate layer 7c can be a silicone glue or preferably a thermoplastic resin . in preferred forms of construction of heating structures according to the invention , the respective bonds between plates 2 and 3 and the electrical isolation coating sheets 6a , 6b and 6c are each constituted by a single , homogeneous layer of thermoplastic resin . in order to promote a constant , or uniform , heat dissipation throughout the thickness of the sandwich structure , the thermoplastic material utilized for each of the thermoplastic resin layers 7a , 7b , 7c and 5 will preferably have the same composition in each of those layers . it is however possible to utilize different thermoplastic materials for the various layers , depending on the type of thermal stress to which heating structure 1 will be subjected , or even to make only the first layer 5 of thermoplastic resin of a material different from the other layers 7a , 7b and 7c . in an advantageous manner at least layers 7a , 7b and 7c will be made of the same material , and preferably also the first resin layer 5 . the thickness of intermediate layer 7c of thermoplastic resin and of each second layer 7a , 7b of thermoplastic resin is between 10 μm and 100 μm , and preferably substantially equal to 25 μm , while the first layer 5 of thermoplastic resin has a thickness between 35 μm and 150 μm and preferably substantially equal to 100 μm . the selection of thermoplastic resin depends of course on the thermal stresses imposed on the heating structure and in the framework of a specific use in household electrical appliances and in particular steam pressing irons , preference is given to pfa ( perfluoroalkoxy ) or peek ( polyetherethercetone ) for each of the thermoplastic resin layers . of course , depending on the thermal stresses to which the heating structure will be subjected during normal operation , other thermoplastic materials can be utilized , such as ptfe ( polytetrafluorethylene ) or even fep ( tetrafluorethylene hexafluoropropylene - nomenclature obtained from volume 1 of editions weka ), for example . it can also be envisioned to simplify the heating structure 1 according to the invention by eliminating one layer of thermoplastic resin , and for example the upper layer 7a . in such a modified embodiment , only the lower plate 2 performs a specific thermal diffusion function , rigid element 3 delimiting the upper part of the heating structure 1 and performing mainly a mechanical stiffening function and secondarily a thermal diffusion function . in this alternative embodiment , rigid element 3 rests directly on upper electrical insulating coating sheet 6a and can be constituted by a series of strips which are spaced from one another . according to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the figure , there is additionally provided a fabric layer 10 , preferably a glass fabric , which is impregnated by material of thermoplastic resin layer 5 . electrical isolation is obtained by cooperation of the thermoplastic resin layer 5 and the fabric . in the example shown in the figure , the mass of thermoplastic resin of layer 5 is advantageously constituted by three layers of peek and one sheet of fabric 10 with thermoplastic material and located below resistive element 4 . the sheet of fabric 10 also performs a mechanical supporting function in the heating structure guaranteeing with the thermoplastic resin a good electrical insulation in case of overheating of the strips of resistive element 4 . the presence of at least one sheet of glass fabric also facilitates formation of the sandwich structure by avoiding contraction of the resin layers , thereby positively influencing the flatness of the final product . the thickness of the resin layers 7a , 7b , 7c forming the bonding means between plates 2 and 3 is preferably less than that of the sheet of fabric 10 . the heating structure according to the invention can be produced according to the manufacturing process described in u . s . application no . 08 / 008 , 101 , filed jan . 25 , 1993 , which is incorporated herein by reference . in the preferred implementation of the invention , which is in clothes pressing irons , preferably steam irons , the thickness of each of the thermoplastic resin layers 7a , 7b and 7c will preferably be of the order of about 25 μm , while the thickness of the resistive element 4 itself will be of the order of 50 μm ( 0 . 05 mm ), and the thickness of the electrical insulating sheets 6a , 6b and 6c will be around 25 μm ( 0 . 025 mm ). the final thickness of the first layer 5 of thermoplastic resin is of the order of 75 μm , after completion of the assembly procedure and fusing together of the three initial layers of resin each having a thickness of 25 μm . layer 10 of glass fabric has a thickness of between 40 μm and 100 μm , and is preferably substantially equal to 50 μm . advantageously , the material of the upper and lower plates 2 and 3 , as well as the thermoplastic material , will be selected in a manner to have substantially equal thermal expansion properties in a manner to provide a substantially constant temperature gradient throughout the thickness of the sandwich structure . also advantageously , the upper and lower plates 2 and 3 will be constituted by metal plates of aluminum , resistive element 4 being preferably made of constantan while the three electrical isolating sheets 6a , 6b , 6c will each be constituted by a layer of polyimide . the heating structure according to the invention thus presents , as a result of the advantageous presence of a plurality of layers of thermoplastic resin , on the one hand good properties of heat transmission between the different layers , and on the other hand also a good resistance to mechanical and thermal shocks , all of this while retaining good adhesion properties between the different layers . the fabrication of such a heating structure does not require recourse to a costly and complex manufacturing installation and the cost of such a heating structure can , as a result , be substantially reduced . in the same manner , the dielectric properties of the heating structure can be improved and obtained at a minimal cost , by limiting the quantity of thermoplastic material utilized to form the first resin layer 5 . it should equally be noted that the heating structure according to the invention , and particularly the clothes pressing iron containing such a heating structure , is well sealed against the introduction of moisture , and particularly steam , this property being achieved at minimum cost . the heating structure permits , in addition , an excellent mastery of the distribution of heat to the ironing sole plate , which can allow a uniform distribution of heat or the creation of differentiated thermal zones maintained at different temperatures . finally , it will be noted that the incorporation of a heating structure according to the invention in the ironing sole plate of a steam iron permits , due to the good heat dissipation properties of the heating structure , mounting of the steam generating chamber directly above the upper plate of the sandwich structure . there results therefrom a significant simplification of the internal structure of the pressing iron , influencing in a positive manner the cost and ease of manufacture . the heating structure according to the invention is incorporated preferably in a steam iron , but it is obvious that its use can extend to any type of pressing iron in general , and equally to cooking receptacles of the fryer type , appliances employed for toasting or grilling , or those in which steam is generated , such as in coffee makers or boilers , for example . fig2 shows a steam iron 20 equipped with a heating structure according to the present invention . apart from the heating structure itself , the iron is entirely conventional . iron 20 includes a handle 22 , a base 24 and an electric power cord 26 which extends into the interior of iron 20 . the bottom surface of base 24 is an ironing sole plate . base 24 contains a heating structure 30 which will be constituted by the heating structure shown in fig1 . that heating structure includes a lower plate which constitutes ironing sole plate 28 . base 24 is shown partly broken away in order to illustrate the location of heating structure 30 . above heating structure 30 there is disposed a steam generating chamber 32 . heat generated by structure 30 will act to vaporize water in chamber 32 . as mentioned earlier herein , the upper plate 3 shown in fig1 will form the base of steam generating chamber 32 . this application relates to subject matter disclosed in french application number 95 02666 , filed on mar . 2 , 1995 , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . while the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention , it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof . the accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention . the presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive , the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims , rather than the foregoing description , and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein . | 7 |
reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in accompanying drawings . whenever possible , the same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps . the drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale . for purposes of convenience and clarity only , directional terms such as top , bottom , left , right , up , over , above , below , beneath , rear , and front , may be used with respect to the drawings . these and similar to directional terms are not to be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner . the words attach , connect , couple , and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes do not necessarily denote direct or intermediate connections , but may also include connections through mediate elements or devices . the valve core gripper device of this invention is useful in many ways . it is especially suitable for use with a refrigerant valve or tire valve . the valve core gripper device of this invention may also be used with high - pressure tire , after the appropriate modifications are made . from the valve core gripper device , a grasping , collet extends from one end or remover end of the gripper device and attaches to an end of the valve core . typically , this gripper device can be applied to a schrader valve core or a tire valve core . the valve core gripper device has a housing . the collet extends from the remover end of that housing to grip the valve core . at the other end or gripping end of the housing is an appropriate gripping device . that gripping device can be a ring , to facilitate handling of the valve core gripper device . within the housing is a bias spring , also known as a retractor spring , supported by set screws or other holding device , which permit the collet to extend from the housing and grasp the valve core . with such a strong grip on the valve core , it becomes easy to insert or remove the valve core without damaging the surrounding area . o - rings can be used for supporting pressure in the housing to hold the valve core as desired . the bias spring may be inserted into the housing and the retractor assembly . the retractor assembly includes the key ring , the retractor hanger handle , the housing and the grasping surface on the outside of the housing . a set screw in cooperation with the retractor assembly holds the spring in the desired position . the screw is adjusted so that the retractor handle assembly may slide easily in the housing without falling apart . the retractor handle may have an angled recess , which permits the twisting thereof a full 360 degrees . a user may slide fingers into the key ring for an over - the - top attack on the valve core , and operate the housing with the thumb and middle finger , while using the first finger to retract the handle and the cowling against the tension of the spring . this action extends the grasping collet to securely contact the valve core , and remove the valve core from the housing or insert the valve core . the user has the hollowed out end of the grasping collet to latch on to the valve core . after releasing the retractor and spring tension , the user may fold the grasping collet back into the housing of the valve core remover , thereby locking the grasping collet securely around the valve core and holding valve core securely . a user may then twist housing until the notch at the remover end of the housing slides over the valve core . the valve core may be twisted out of the housing counterclockwise or inserted therein clockwise . the valve core tool can be made of high impact plastic , metal , composite materials or combinations thereof . it may or may not need a typical metal spring . the plastic pieces can be snap fitted or snapped together . thus , a fastener may not be needed to hold the valve core tool together . the preferred material to construct the device is stainless steel because of the strength of that material and , more importantly , its anti friction properties . in the high areas of its use , strength is important . anti friction properties are important to avoid undue heat and other possible dangers . the valve core tool can easily be reconfigured into many shape and sizes for example , a screw driver size device for easier handling is available . additionally , the valve core tool may also include a storage area for extra valve cores . then a tire pressure gauge can also be included . the valve core tool can be used to easily deflate tires of all sorts simply by placing the tip of the tool into the valve stem and pressing the button . while the valve core tool does not need to be attached to the valve core to accomplish this task , it can be attached as well . the valve core tool can be constructed with less parts than shown and function similarly . for example , the gripper portion of the device may be constructed with less than 4 or more than 4 gripper fingers . in fig1 and fig6 , the tire valve core wrench 100 is depicted . a pushbutton 114 is at a removal end of tire valve core wrench 100 in order to operate tire valve core wrench 100 . within the pushbutton 114 is a holding ring 126 , which is received in ring aperture 128 . knurled grip 144 on housing body 148 facilitate gripping of the tire valve core wrench 100 . set screw 154 helps assemble the tire valve core wrench 100 . oppositely disposed from the pushbutton 114 is the gripper canal 168 and the wrench slot 158 forming a remover end of the valve core wrench 100 . the remover end may also serve an insertion function if desired . extending from the wrench slot 158 is the extender 400 , having valve engaging tip 420 . turning now to fig2 and fig1 , refrigeration valve core puller 200 is depicted . at one end of the refrigeration valve core puller 200 is extractor button 206 . extractor button 206 contacts a retractor spring 140 mounted between the knurled grip 144 and the extractor button 206 . the retractor spring 140 facilitates the operation of this device . a slide adapter 210 is extends below the knurled grip 144 . the extractor housing tube 230 extends from the knurled grip 144 through the slide adapter 210 and terminates at the extractor tip 268 , which serves as a remover end or an insertion end for valve core 110 . the extractor 236 can grip and control the schrader valve insert or valve core 110 in a refrigeration line 122 ( fig4 ). now adding fig3 , fig2 , and fig2 to the consideration , modifications to provide a high - pressure valve core remover 300 are depicted . extractor button 206 at one end of high - pressure valve core remover 300 operates retractor spring 140 . knurled grip 144 indicates a position of the retractor spring 140 on the retracting shaft 236 adjacent to the extractor button 206 . retaining collar 132 on retracting shaft 236 holds knurled grip 144 in the desired position . slide aperture 280 in safety relief adapter 310 receives retracting shaft 236 , which serves as a remover end or an insertion end for valve core 110 . exhaust vents 316 are apertures in safety relief adapter 310 , which permit the escape flow 376 of air or gas from high - pressure tire 320 when attached to tire male coupling 380 . such flow is better due to deflective edge 318 on exhaust vents 316 . female coupling threads 246 being in safety relief adapter 310 are oppositely disposed from the slide aperture 280 . safety relief adapter 310 combines with female coupling threads 246 for a positive grip on the high pressure tire 320 , in order to provide for inflating or deflating the high pressure tire 320 . now moving on to fig4 and fig5 , shutoff valve 106 on refrigerant line 122 effectively uses both the tire valve core wrench 100 and the refrigerator valve wrench 200 . each of tire valve core wrench 100 and refrigerator valve wrench 200 is operated by an arrow indicating straight push control action 108 . working with straight push control action 108 and twist control 118 moves extractor 236 to valve core 110 or to refrigeration filler valve 292 , which serves as a remover end or an insertion end for valve core 110 . bleeder valve 278 is also present on tire valve core wrench 100 or refrigerator valve wrench 200 in order to facilitate pressure reduction in the system . thus , it may be seen how tire valve core wrench 100 and refrigerator valve wrench 200 cooperate to provide service to a refrigerant line 122 . the twist control 118 along with the pushbutton 114 on them provide for good control of valve core 110 removal or insertion . the workings of valve core wrench 100 are clarified in fig7 , fig8 , fig9 , fig1 , and fig1 . hand 102 operates extender 400 with the help of pushbutton 114 , twist control 118 , and holding ring 126 . holding ring 126 directs the hand 102 over the pushbutton 114 . extender 400 on the end of removal tool 440 protrudes or is retracted , depending on operation of pushbutton 114 . in fig1 , retracting shaft 136 extends from retaining collar 132 and ends with gripper portion 162 . in gripper portion 162 is longitudinal slot 164 . retractor spring 140 fits over retracting shaft 136 and within housing body 148 . also , taper adjustment shaft 130 , retaining collar 132 , retracting shaft 136 , gripper portion 162 and longitudinal slot 164 fit within housing body 148 . knurled grip 144 on the exterior of housing body 148 adds an extra measure of control to the tire valve core wrench 100 . above knurled grip 144 is threaded aperture 152 , which receives an adjustment screw in the form of set screw 154 in fig1 . housing body 148 terminates in wrench slot 158 . wrench slot 158 includes wrench tip 160 ( fig1 ) with gripper canal 168 . gripper canal 168 receives valve core 110 . with clip on 410 ( fig1 ), tire valve core puller 100 can receive valve core 110 . with reversible twisting device 430 ( fig1 ), hand 102 may move the valve core 110 in or out of housing body 148 . fig1 combines with fig1 and fig1 to further show the structure of tire valve core wrench 100 . holding ring 126 , for items such as keys , fits through ring aperture 128 in pushbutton 114 . pushbutton 114 leads to taper adjustment shaft 130 , which in turn leads to retaining collar 132 . the structure of gripper canal 168 fits around valve core 110 for removal or insertion thereof . wrench slot 158 is formed by opposing u - shaped slots in wrench tip 160 . gripper portion 162 includes longitudinal slot 164 of gripper canal 168 . twist control 118 provides for the engaging tip 420 to have a twist in and out movement 430 thereby grip and thereby grip valve core 110 as desired . travel stop 134 is a taper on the pushbutton 114 , which cooperates with set screw 154 to limit the travel of pushbutton 114 . the retracted position 172 for gripper canal 168 ( fig1 ) provides storage when tire valve wrench 100 is not in use . the extended position 174 permits use of the gripper canal 168 when use is desired for tire valve wrench 100 . with the addition of fig1 , the structure of gripper canal 168 becomes even clearer . again , wrench slot 158 is formed by opposing u - shaped slots in wrench tip 160 . gripper portion 162 includes longitudinal slot 164 of gripper canal 168 . spherical cavity 180 receives ball portion of valve core 110 and remains concealed in gripper portion 168 until use thereof is desired . when use of tire valve core wrench 100 is desired , pushbutton 114 activated to extend gripper portion 162 . with fig1 , uses of refrigerator valve wrench 200 or high - pressure tire valve core remover 300 are depicted showing some common parts therebetween . as a part of knurled grip 144 , extractor button 206 is held in place when threaded aperture 212 receives set screw 214 . retractor spring 140 is positioned between extractor button 206 and slide adapter 210 . knurled grip 144 is on the outside of slide adapter 210 . within slide adapter 210 are inner o - ring 220 and outer o - ring 224 for sealing purposes . a threaded bushing end 132 is received in threaded relation with clockwise female threads 206 , which are positioned on an end of extractor housing tube 230 . oppositely disposed from the threaded bushing end 132 on extractor housing tube 230 are counterclockwise male threads 232 . extractor 236 fits within extractor housing tube 230 , with a screw flat 238 therein and a longitudinal slot 164 thereon and oppositely disposed from the screw flat 238 . slide aperture 280 in coupling collar 242 receives extractor housing tube 230 . knurled grip 144 facilitates use of coupling collar 242 . second o - ring 252 and third o - ring 254 support seal collar 256 within coupling collar 242 . first o - ring 250 also supports the seal collar 256 against threads 246 within coupling collar 242 . considering now the refrigeration line 290 of fig1 , valve wrench 268 includes counterclockwise female threads 260 for attachment to the extractor housing tube 230 . female coupling threads 246 on refrigerant shut off valve 270 join with refrigerant male coupling 286 , thereby securing the refrigerant shut off valve 270 to the refrigerant line 290 . male coupling threads 274 are also on an end of refrigerant shut off valve 270 and oppositely disposed from female coupling threads 246 . valve wrench 268 can pass through the refrigerant shutoff valve 270 and contact valve core 110 , for insertion or removal thereof . from coupling collar 242 , operation on the high pressure tire 320 is also possible with this assembly . the safety release sleeve 310 also has slide aperture 280 , with a knurled grip 144 on the outside thereof . safety release sleeve 310 includes exhaust vents 316 to compensate for the high pressure tire 320 at the tire male coupling 380 thereof . valve wrench 268 can only pass through the end of the safety release sleeve 310 at female coupling threads 246 and contact valve core 110 , for insertion or removal thereof , relative to the high pressure tire 320 . referring now to fig1 and fig1 , the function of wrench tip 160 becomes even clearer . the stem head 112 of the valve core 110 is positioned within spherical cavity 180 gripper portion 162 of the longitudinal slot 164 . a camphor portion 166 interior gripper portion 162 facilitates contact with valve core 110 . a spherical cavity 180 within gripper portion 162 facilitates such a grip . thus , the function of the wrench tip 160 is greatly facilitated when removing or inserting the valve core 110 . to further clarify extractor 236 , one considers now fig2 . screw flat 238 is at one end of extractor 236 and permits extractor 236 to be fastened to the second pushbutton 206 in fig1 . at the other end on extractor 236 is longitudinal slot 164 , which includes spherical cavity 180 , also with gripper portion 162 and grappling collet 178 at the end of extractor 236 . with fig2 , the extractor housing tube 230 has an extractor canal 240 to receive the extractor 236 of fig2 . a threaded bushing end 216 positioned at the end housing tube 230 permits attachment thereof to the knurled collar 210 , in which o - ring seals 220 and 224 sit . adjacent to the threaded bushing end 216 is coupling collar 242 . a counter clockwise male thread 232 is at the end of and oppositely disposed from the threaded bushing end 216 . counter clockwise male thread 232 receives wrench tip 260 . with fig2 and fig2 , valve gauge tool 500 is defined . pressure gauge 502 fits into threaded relation with female threads 510 in pushbutton 114 . air canal 514 communicates with pressure gauge 502 and cylinder 522 . the windowsill 518 surround tapered adjustment shaft 130 and facilitates the operation of pressure gauge 502 . to control air flow , a seal sleeve 504 is positioned around collet 178 . with fig2 , the molded plastic gauge 600 , housing 148 can be formed with pushbutton 114 from molded plastic . the molded plastic parts can be glued , snap fitted , or assembled in another appropriate way . turning now to fig2 and fig2 , housing 148 cooperates with pushbutton 114 . pushbutton 114 forms part of assembly lock 526 with lock collar 530 thereon . then lock collar 530 cooperates with rim stop 536 on housing 148 to complete assembly lock 526 . referring now to fig2 , the flexibility of valve core grip 550 is shown . valve core grip 550 can be adapted to form valve core tool 100 ( fig1 ), refrigerator valve wrench 200 ( fig2 ), high - pressure tire valve core remover 300 ( fig3 ), or other suitable configurations . the valve core grip 550 can be made almost entirely out of high impact plastic or composite materials , as well as metal or combinations thereof . it includes housing structure 552 . it may or may not need a typical metal spring . the plastic pieces can be snap fitted or snapped together . thus , a fastener may not be needed to hold it together . the valve core grip 550 has an extending device 554 with core gripper 556 thereon . core gripper 556 may be constructed with less than four or more than four gripper fingers . core gripper 556 may continue with a cylindrical gripping area , a spherical gripping area or other desired shape . other options include an optional tire gauge 558 or a storage compartment 560 cooperating with the valve core tool 100 . for example , storage compartment 560 may store additional valve cores 110 . this application — taken as a whole with the abstract , specification , claims , and drawings — provides sufficient information for a person having ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention disclosed and claimed herein . any measures necessary to practice this invention are well within the skill of a person having ordinary skill in this art after that person has made a careful study of this disclosure . because of this disclosure and solely because of this disclosure , modification of this tool can become clear to a person having ordinary skill in this particular art . such modifications are clearly covered by this disclosure . | 1 |
[ 0066 ] fig1 shows a mobile pipe inspection unit 1 , where the unit 1 has an outer steel frame formed from a number of steel beams ( as shown in fig4 ). the frame 3 has a floor section 7 , two end sections 9 , two side walls 11 and a roof 13 . four rope attachment points 15 are provided on both side walls i 1 of the unit 1 , where the two lower attachment points 15 are secured to the floor section and the two upper attachment points 15 are secured to the roof 13 . a wire rope 17 is secured to the attachment points 15 and a hook 19 is formed on the wire rope 17 such that the unit 1 can he lifted by crane ( not shown ). the unit 1 would normally be placed on the ground in use , or could be secured on a lorry trailer in use or only whilst being transported . shutters 21 are formed in the side walls 11 , and can be lifted upwards ( as shown in fig2 ) to allow access to the interior of the unit 1 . [ 0068 ] fig3 shows that two pipe - collecting arms 23 are provided on both side walls 11 and are stowed flush to the side walls 11 during transportation . however , in use of the unit 1 , the pipe - collecting arms 23 are rotated about their hinges to extend perpendicularly to , and horizontally from the side walls i 1 . the unit 1 is approximately 48 feet long in order to receive the longest length of drillpipe used , and is approximately 8 feet high and approximately 6 feet wide . [ 0070 ] fig4 shows the floor section 7 where there are a number of rotator roller units 25 spaced along the length of the central axis of the unit 1 . there are also two pipe movement rollers 30 spaced apart on the central axis of the unit 1 . pipe support beams 27 are arranged parallel to the extended pipe collecting arms 23 , which are shown in fig3 . [ 0071 ] fig6 shows a first sensor head inspection unit 31 in close proximity to a drillpipe 33 which is being inspected . an ultrasonic transducer is mounted within the first sensor head 31 and an example of a suitable unit 31 is produced by the panametrix company of the united states of america . the first sensor head 31 is slung from a track 32 , which runs the length of the unit 1 , and is moveable along the length of the track 32 by operation of a pulley 35 and rope 37 arrangement , where the rope 37 is coupled to a basket 39 . the first sensor head 31 can be lifted or lowered with respect to the basket 39 by means of a pair of air cylinders 40 . [ 0072 ] fig6 also shows a second sensor head inspection unit 61 in close proximity to the drill pipe 33 which is being inspected . an electromagnetic inspection system in the form of an electromagnetic head 63 is mounted on the second sensor head 61 , and will be described subsequently in more detail . the second sensor head 61 is also slung from the track 32 , and is also moveable along the length of the track 32 by operation of the pulley 35 and rope 37 arrangement , where the rope 37 is coupled to a similar basket 69 . the second sensor head 61 can also be lifted or lowered with respect to the basket 69 by means of a pair of air cylinders 70 . therefore , both baskets 39 , 69 will move in synchronism with one another due to any movement of the rope 37 in the direction along the length of the track 32 . however , the vertical movement of the respective first 31 and second 61 sensor heads is independent from one another due to the independent respective pair of air cylinders 40 , 70 , and this provides flexibility of tubular inspection operations , in that either inspection unit 31 , 61 can be operated in isolation from the other , or both first 31 and second 61 sensor head inspection units can be operated at the same time . thus , the first 31 and second 61 sensor head inspection units are moveable in either axial direction with respect to the tubular 33 by moving the rope 37 , and are also moveable independently of one another 31 , 61 in either radial direction of the tubular 33 by operation of the respective pairs of pistons 40 , 70 . a cam plate 43 is shown in fig8 and is located along the central axis on the floor section 7 . the cam plate 43 is moveable along the central axis by means of a hydraulic cylinder 45 which is connected to one end of the cam plate 43 , the cam plate 43 comprises five upwardly projecting upsets 47 which are spaced along its length . there are also two upwardly projecting upsets 48 which are spaced apart the cam plate 43 is arranged on the floor 7 such that when it is moved in one direction , the upsets 47 engage a lower face of the rotator roller units 25 and move them upwardly to engage the drill pipe 33 . the upsets 48 are arranged such that when the cam plate 43 is moved in the other direction they engage the pipe movement rollers 30 by moving them upwardly . [ 0074 ] fig9 shows a rotator roller unit 25 , where the drillpipe 33 is shown , in phantom , as being engaged by the rotator roller unit 25 , which comprises two pipe rollers 50 a which are coupled to an upper member 51 which is moveable with respect to a lower member 52 . it should be noted that at least one of the pipe rollers 50 a of at least one of the rotator roller units 25 is driven by a hydraulic motor drive ( not shown ). a free wheeling roller 50 b is mounted at the lower end of the upper member 51 , where this free wheeling roller &# 39 ; s 50 b axle 54 is engaged in a slot 55 cut out of the lower member 52 . the single free wheeling roller 50 b is in contact with the upper face of the cam plate 43 . thus , when the cam plate 43 is moved such that the upset 47 is moved toward the rotator roller unit 25 , the contact between the upset 47 and the roller 50 b moves the upper member 51 upwards . thus , the two rollers 50 a engage with , and support , the drillpipe 33 . [ 0075 ] fig1 shows that the cam plate 43 is itself supported , at spaced apart points along its lengths by a free wheeling roller 50 c arrangement . the pipe movement rollers 30 are shown in fig1 and 13 as comprising a single roller 50 d however , the roller 50 d is powered by a hydraulic motor drive 57 , the pipe movement roller 30 is arranged in a similar fashion to the rotator roller units 25 in that they comprise an upper 51 and a lower 52 member , a free wheeling roller 50 b an axle 54 and a slot 55 . thus , when the cam plate 43 is moved such that the upset 48 is moved towards the pipe movement roller 30 , the upper member 51 , and thus the roller 50 d is moved upwardly into engagement with the pipe 33 . the hydraulic motor drive 57 can be operated to move the pipe 33 along its longitudinal axis . the second sensor head inspection unit 61 is shown in more detail in fig1 and 15 , where it is shown to be inspecting the tubular 33 . an electromagnetic inspection ( emi ) head 63 is mounted on the underside of the second sensor head inspection unit 61 , where the lower surface of the emi head 63 has a substantially curved profile , and preferably the carved profile has a radius which substantially matches the radius of the tubular 33 . the emi head 63 is preferably formed from a non - metallic material , and may be formed from a plastic material such as nylon . a selectively operable electromagnetic coil 65 is mounted on either side of the second sensor head inspection unit 61 , and are provided with pins 67 which are intended to make contact with the outer surface of the tubular 33 . the arrangement of the coils 65 and the contact between the pins 67 and the tubular 33 is preferably arranged such that the lowermost portion of the coil 65 is vertically higher than the centre longitudinal axis of the tubular 33 . this provides the advantage that the coils 65 do not interfere with the pipe rollers 50 a when the second sensor inspection unit 61 is moving along the length of the track 32 . as shown in fig1 , an extension arm 68 can be provided to extend the reach of the pin 67 so that the second sensor head inspection unit 61 can be used to inspect tubulars having a smaller diameter than that shown in fig1 where a smaller diameter tubular 33 a is shown in fig1 . as shown in fig1 , and more clearly in fig1 and 17 , the emi head 63 is provided with an emi shoe 71 which is coupled to the lower surface of the enu head 63 via a plate 73 which is preferably formed from a non - metallic material such as a plastic , which may be nylon , the plate 73 , and thus the shoe 71 are biased downwardly toward the tubular 33 by a coil spring 75 , and a shoe lead 77 is electrically coupled at one end to the emi shoe 71 . the other end of the shoe lead 77 is electrically coupled to a connection plug 79 which is further electrically coupled to an appropriate inspection monitoring apparatus , which will be detailed subsequently . an example of a suitable emi shoe is product no . 20777 - m which in offered by the tubular inspection products company of the usa . thus , when the second sensor head inspection unit 61 is moved downwardly 60 that the pins 67 ( or extension arms 68 if present ) are in contact with the tubular 33 . the second sensor head 61 is arranged so that the shoe 71 is also in engagement with the tubular 33 so that the eni shoe 71 is pushed back into a rectangular recess formed on the lower surface of the substantially curved portion of the emi head 63 , so that the shoe 71 only protrudes by a relatively small margin , for instance ¾ inch . thus , when the electromagnetic coils 65 are energized , the emi shoe 71 will pick up the electromagnetic field created by the coil 65 , and thus , via the shoe lead 77 , defects in the tubular 33 can be detected by the appropriate inspection monitoring apparatus . the pins 67 act to centralize the second sensor head inspection unit 6 1 on the tubular 3 3 , since the second sensor head inspection unit 61 may move from side to side due to magnetism effects or vibration caused by the rotating tubular 33 . however , the pins 67 permit the second sensor head inspection unit 61 to move axially with respect to the tubular 33 . in use of the mobile pipe inspection unit 1 , the unit i is transported to the environment in which the pipes requiring inspection are used . the pipe 33 is placed onto the pipe collecting arms 23 and is rolled into the interior of the unit 1 , so that it comes to rest on the pipes support beams 27 over the central axis of the unit 1 , and thus the pipe 33 is supported thereby . the cam plate 43 is moved in the direction such that the upsets 48 engage the pipe movement rollers 3 d , the hydraulic motor drive 57 can then be operated to move the pipe horizontally along its longitudinal axis until one end of the pipe makes contact with a free wheeling rotatable plate ( not shown ) which is rotatably coupled to one end section 9 ( fig1 ) of the frame 3 . the free wheeling rotatable plate prevents the pipe 33 from moving outwith the frame 3 when the pipe 33 is rotated . the cam plate 43 can then be moved in the other direction such that the pipe movement rollers 30 are disengaged from the pipe 33 and the rotator roller units 25 engage the pipe 33 . after this has occurred , the rotator roller units 25 rotate the pipe 33 . with either the first 31 , second 61 , or both sensor heads 31 , 61 located at a suitable height just above the pipe 33 , the sensor heads 31 , 61 can be moved along the length of the pipe 33 , and thus an inspection of the pipe 33 is achieved . a water trough 61 is formed in the floor section 7 along the central axis beneath the cam plate 43 the two halves 63 a , b of the floor section 7 either side of the water trough 61 are angled toward the trough 6 1 , to provide for water , which is sprayed onto the pipe 3 3 during use of the first sensor head 31 to create a higher definition inspection , to run off the floor section 7 into the trough 6 1 , where it is collected . however , during use of the second sensor head 61 , it is preferred that water is not sprayed onto the pipe 33 before , or as it is inspected . therefore , if both the first 3 1 and the second 61 sensor heads are used to inspect the pipe 3 3 simultaneously , then it is preferred that the sensor heads 3 1 , 61 are moved axially along the pipe 33 with the second sensor head 61 inspecting a section of the pipe 33 before the first sensor head 31 ; this movement would be shown by left to right movement of the two sensor heads 31 , 61 as depicted in fig6 . therefore , the mobile pipe inspection unit 1 provides the advantages that either an ultrasonic inspection of a tubular 33 , or an electromagnetic inspection of a tubular 33 , or both simultaneously , can be carried out on a tubular 33 . this provides greater time , commercial , and energy savings further , with the mobile tubular inspection unit 1 being able to conduct , either separately or combined , ultrasonic inspection and electromagnetic inspection , the advantages of provided by conducting ultrasonic inspection are combined with the advantages of conducting an ultrasonic inspection . the output from the first 31 and second 61 sensor head inspection units is transferred into a control cabin ( not shown ) which is located outwith the mobile tubular inspection unit 1 , and which has appropriate inspection monitoring equipment in the form of analysis equipment , such as oscilloscopes . chart paper and for computers to inspect any defects in the tubulars 33 . a power pack cabin ( not shown ) is also located outwith the mobile tubular inspection unit 1 in order to provide power to the unit 1 , and to the control cabin . the power pack unit required should be capable of delivering substantial power requirements , which may typically be in the region of 60 amps and 415 volts . modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention . for example , and to aid transportation of the mobile pipe inspection unit 1 , a 5 foot long end section ( not shown ) could be telescopingly coupled to either end of a slightly shorter , for instance 40 foot , floor section 7 than that shown in the figs . this would provide the advantage that the mobile pipe inspection unit 1 is 2 more compact during transportation , and can be telescopingly lengthened , by extending the two end sections outwards , for it &# 39 ; s in use configuration . | 6 |
said fig1 shows three zipper bands 1 passing through the lips of a wound 2 , through which ends there are inserted zipper locks 3 . in order to close the wound zipper locks 3 are displaced in mutually opposite senses , the ends of said zipper bands 1 being held while said displacement is produced and until the required compression is reached . a variant of the above case shows that the end of a zipper band 1 passing through the first stitch may include a stop element 4 instead of a zipper lock 3 , in order to establish an anchor stitch or initial stitch . said fixation of said end of said band 1 to said stitch may also be done with an ordinary suture thread between said band 1 and said wound 2 . said anchor stitch or initial stitch may also be obtained by means of the association of said zipper lock 3 to an element for the fixation to soft tissue 6 , for instance a safety pin 15 , as discussed below . fig2 shows a suture alternative exhibiting a single zipper band 1 . in this case a zipper lock 3 is inserted in each of the ends of the zipper band 1 , once this has been threaded through the lips of the wound 2 . as previously mentioned , zipper lock 3 of the end of zipper band 1 may be replaced at the first stitch by a stop element 4 or an ordinary suture thread , in order to establish an anchor stitch or initial stitch . should a higher control of the suture be desired , the end of the band which continuously and alternately passes through the lips of wound 2 may also pass through successive zipper locks 3 , namely locks 3 which are mutually faced at each performed stitch . it is to be noted that in certain cases it could prove necessary for band 1 to possess zippers on both faces . once the desired compression is achieved , the remainder of said zipper band 1 is cut . in all of the cases , in order to pass through wound 2 with one or more zipper bands 1 , a sharp element ( p ) will be needed as guide , such as for instance a suture needle , associated to one of the ends of such band 1 , as can be seen in fig3 . suture needle may exhibit different shapes and sizes , as follows : straight and half curve , in both cases susceptible of being triangular or round ; and curve , this also being susceptible of being triangular or round . needle tip may be of different shapes as well as the edges of the needle , and the manufacturing material thereof may be tempered stainless steel or the like . elements conforming the suture devices of the invention may be of reabsorbable material , as for example polydioxanone , or non - reabsorbable material , such as silastic , silicones , polyethylene , polyester , nylon , metals , etc . sizes may be comprised within varied ranges as well as shapes and thickness thereof , according to the requirements and characteristics of the tissues with which they are to be used . particularly , zipper bands 1 are flexible . zippers 5 of bands 1 profiles may be rectangular , round , square , semi - round , triangular or the like and same may be on one or both faces of said bands 1 . in turn , said bands may be sold in bulk , as for example as a single band continuously wound on a reel so that the surgeon may cut lengths thereof as required . fig4 a depicts different zipper locks 3 , which may be rectangular , ovoid , spherical , or the like . however , a blunt form is preferred in order to avoid damaging tissues . further , said locks 3 may associate to form an assembly of several locks 3 , for example two . in the later case , one over the other , one over the other and constituting an acute angle , one beside the other , one beside the other and constituting an acute angle , and one beside the other forming an obtuse angle . said locks 3 may be associated to the structure of different fixation elements such as “ u ” shaped plates or clamps 10 which are fixed to bone parts , or base plates 12 which are fixed to the bone by means of fixation screws , harpoons , wires or the like , as will be seen below . fig4 b depicts different structures of zipper locks 3 . said locks 3 , as previously mentioned , may be associated in order to form an assembly of one or several locks 3 , which may comprise bones or soft tissue fixation elements 6 , holes 7 for the ordinary suture thread passage and / or loops 8 for another zipper band 1 passage . all of the zipper locks 3 may exhibit the same insertion direction for bands 1 . however , a configuration of alternate inverted locks 3 as also shown by said fig4 b is particularly useful when a zipper band passes through a soft tissue as for example a joint capsule , forming a loop . consequently , zipper 5 on the ends of said band 1 which will pass through said locks 3 will be inverted , whereby these shall also be inverted in order to cooperate with said zipper 5 . another embodiment provides for said locks 3 to rotate around their vertical axis ( z ) with respect to the fixation element 6 to which same are associated . also contemplated is the option of including guides 9 on the base thereof in order to allow for a fine adjustment when approaching wound lips 2 . fig5 a and b depict zipper locks 3 included in the structure of a “ u ” shaped clamp 10 with serrated legs 11 , particularly applicable to the fixation of soft tissue , as for example joint capsules , tendons or ligaments , to bones ; or to joints movements limitation . all of the above , which relates to different configurations and types of zipper locks 3 is also valid for the present embodiments . in the particular non - limitative case depicted by fig5 a there can be seen two zipper locks 3 which are mutually inverted on the basis of the above . however said “ u ” shaped clamp 10 may also include a single zipper lock 3 , as illustrated by fig5 b . fig6 a depicts another embodiment wherein said bone fixation element 6 consists of two mutually inverted zipper locks 3 , which are fixed to the bone by means of harpoon 13 . fig6 b is a variant of fig6 a and includes a single zipper lock 3 . fig7 a depicts a new variant of an assembly of two mutually inverted zipper locks 3 , included in a base plate 12 which is fixed to bone by means of a fixation screw 14 . fig7 b depicts a base plate 12 which includes a single zipper lock 3 . fig8 a illustrates a last variable , already mentioned for the three previous cases , which contemplates an assembly of two mutually inverted zipper locks 3 , which are to be fixed to a soft tissue by means of a safety pin 15 . fig8 b contemplates the case of a single zipper lock 3 . in all of the cases described by fig5 b through 8b , which contemplate that one of the ends of a zipper band 1 pass through a single zipper lock 3 , it will be necessary for the other end of said zipper band 1 to include a stop element 4 or to pass through another zipper lock 3 , or to be fixed to soft tissue by means of a suture thread . the process wherein a soft tissue is fixed to a bone is actually simple . the fixation element 6 is fixed to the bone which includes at least a zipper lock on the one side , and a zipper band 1 is passed through the soft tissue to be fixed to said bone , on the other , using a sharp element ( p ) as a guide , as has been previously mentioned . once said soft tissue is passed through by said zipper band 3 , sharp element ( p ) is released and one of the ends of said band 1 is inserted into at least one zipper lock 3 included in said bone fixation element 6 , as for example a “ u ” shaped clamp . the other end of said band 1 will pass through another zipper lock 3 included in said bone fixation element 6 or else , as has been mentioned above , same will include a stop element 4 or be inserted into another zipper lock 3 or stitched to soft tissue by means of a suture thread . lastly , surgeon will pull at least one end of said zipper band 1 until the desired fixation is attained . this type of suture device , which novelty resides in the independence between zipper bands 1 and zipper locks 3 , may be applied to a large variety of surgical fields , particularly traumatological ones . for example , fig9 in its stages i - iv illustrates a kneecap fracture 16 in which the device of the invention is used . zipper bands 1 are passed through holes made on said bone by means of an electric drill and then zipper locks 3 are inserted into the ends . by displacing the latter towards said bone the necessary compression for the bone callus to be formed is attained . on the other hand , fig1 illustrates in its stages i and ii an application of the present device for another type of fracture which requires use of a steel plate 17 , which plate is fixed to the broken bone contour 18 by means of the combination of zipper bands 1 and zipper locks 3 of the present invention . bands 1 are passed through holes made into the broken bone by means of an electric drill , ends of said bands 1 are inserted through holes of steel plates 17 and lastly zipper locks 3 are inserted so that when displaced towards the broken bone they may attain the necessary compression between said plate 17 and said bone 18 . | 0 |
in general , the study of the nature and function of the eye muscles has been substantially neglected , and is sparsely represented in the ophthamalogical literature . the literature relating to the nature and functioning of the eye muscles is largely devoted to studies relating to the gross weaknesses and imbalances of the eye muscles , with occasional references to headaches produced by attempts to achieve binocular fusion . much of this literature , relating to headaches resulting from attempted binocular fusion , dates back as much as 60 to 80 years , and does not satisfactorily explicate the connection between eye muscle functioning and headache . in order to explore the actual relationship between eye muscle functioning and headache i have repeatedly , with many patients , tested the binocular status of the patient &# 39 ; s eyes in all directions of gaze , and not just straight ahead , as is the common practice . to gain substantial understanding of the interplay between the twelve extraocular muscles , i have also found it necessary to compare , in many patients , the interaction of the extraocular muscles , and particularly the interplay of the horizontal , vertical and cyclotorsional movements thereof . my studies of these extraocular muscle relationships was accomplished by making use of the red maddox rod test , which is a test utilizing a striated red filter 14 , fig2 and 2a . this red filter disrupts binocular vision when light which has passed therethrough is impinged upon one eye of a patient and is perceived as a red line 30 , fig2 and 2a , while the other eye perceives the light 28 . the separation of the red and white images during this red maddox testing procedure indicates the horizontal and vertical positions of rest of the eye muscles ( see fig2 and 2a ). when this light is maintained in different orientations with respect to the eyes being tested ( 16 , 18 , 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 ) it becomes possible to determine whether these eyes are turning in or out and up or down , and generally how the eye muscles are behaving . referring now to fig2 and 2a , it will be understood by those having ordinary skill in the vision - related arts that fig2 relates to the location of the horizontal position of rest of the patient &# 39 ; s eyes , and that fig2 a relates to the location of the vertical position of rest of the same patient &# 39 ; s eyes . in the figures are shown the patient &# 39 ; s right eye 10 and left eye 12 . as also seen in these figures a red maddox filter 14 is located , in both figures , before the patient &# 39 ; s right eye . in each figs . ( 2 and 2a ) the vertical array of &# 34 ; boxes &# 34 ; 16 , 18 , 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 contain , respectively , a representation of various binocular arrangements of each eyes &# 39 ; perceived image at a particular stage of my below described test . in fig1 and 22 the conjunction of the perceived light image 28 of the patient &# 39 ; s left eye and the right eye 30 indicates that in a state of rest the eyes are aimed the same direction , also known as orthophoria . fig1 illustrates horizontal orthophoria and fig2 depicts vertical orthophoria ( cyclofusional orthophoria is not shown ). the information about the eyes being tested which is derived by means of the red maddox rod test ( fig2 and 2a ), taken with the results of certain binocular eye testing procedures of my present invention , makes it possible to determine which extraocular muscles are straining during the testing procedure . said particular binocular eye testing procedures are modifications of the well known turville infinity balance ( tib ) test , which allows an observer to see right eye and left eye images independently while both eyes are open , and to see peripheral images binocularly at the same time . the conventional method employed in the tib test is to place a septum between two letters seen in the examining room mirror , so that each of these two letters is seen monocularly ( the right eye does not see the image presented to the left eye , and vice versa ). the observer then translates his or her gaze in the direction of greatest eye muscle imbalance , and may thus see that the image perceived by one eye becomes blurred . as an example , in a subject with a weak superior oblique muscle of the right eye the greatest eye muscle imbalance is in the direction in which said muscle has its greatest action , namely , lower left gaze . thus , depending on which eye compensates for the imbalance , that eye will blur increasingly as the head is raised , turned and tilted to the right during the tib test . in this example , then , the mbe is greatest in the lower left direction of view . it is important to keep in mind that as the strain increases , the blur increases . to confirm that the blur occurs during the use of both eyes in their attempts to maintain binocular fusion , the non - blurred other eye is covered . i have observed that when the other eye is covered , and thus binocular vision is prevented , the strain in said one eye disappears and the letter displayed to said one eye is clearly seen . if the blur disappears , then it can be assumed that the stress in the extraocular muscles trying to maintain binocular fusion is eliminated . i call this new phenomenon , which i have discovered , the monocular blur effect ( mbe ). ( see the appended copy of my paper entitled &# 34 ; the association of headache and monocular , blur effect in a clinical population &# 34 ;, optometry and vision science , vol . 17 , no . 11 , pp . 707 - 712 , appendix a ). the mbe confirms the straining of one eye during the act of binocular vision . the importance of the mbe to this invention is that the variable blur indicates the presence of extraocular muscular straining and ensuing headache , both usually occurring on the same side of the head . two factors , the difficulty overcoming the fusional error and amount of time exerting the eyes , can work together to produce such a stress on the extraocular muscles that the tendons , tethered as tenon &# 39 ; s capsule , become afflicted . the constant pull and strain of the eye muscles inflames the tendons aggravating the onset of headache and in bad cases migraine . the neuronal activity maintaining this abnormal oculomotor system releases biochemicals into the cerebral arterial flow . experts believe that they are responsible for the cascade of events that lead to trigeminal neuralgia and possibly migraine . the auras associated with true migraine and customarily explained as the dilation of cerebral arteries may at times be the visual effect of an inflamed tendon irritating the retina at the same location as the tendon but inside the eye and eliciting visual phenomena projected in predictable directions . other observations made during the modified tib test are ( 1 ) increasing vertical fixation disparity and ( 2 ) increasing aneisokonia , or difference in image size ; both of which occur while performing the test in the direction of increasing muscle imbalance . another observation heretofore unrecognized in all ophthalmological literature is the variation of perceived depth perception that corroborates variable binocular error . specifically , using a standard depth perception test such as the well - known stereo fly test , the subject will perceive diminished depth perception in the direction of weakness revealed by the modified tib test . in the aforementioned example , then , the subject would notice reduced depth perception in the lower left corner of gaze . i have also observed transient monocular astigmatism associated with this strain . here , it might be assumed that the extraocular eye muscles are straining to the degree that the shape of the eyeball is affected . in particular the axis of the astigmatism can shift dramatically . finally , all of the observations are substantiated by the subject &# 39 ; s ability to actually feel the strain of the eyes physically and visually when viewed targets are moved in the direction of greatest difficulty . at times , the binocular error is felt to be greatest in up and down gaze or side to side . in most instances , however , the greatest and least error occur along a diagonal direction , e . g ., in the aforementioned example , least error in upper right and greatest error in lower left gaze . the abovedescribed tests , i . e ., the red maddox and the modified tie test ( or turville - sucher test ( tst )), when utilized jointly in accordance with the principles of my present invention described hereinabove , clearly indicate the source of vision blurring experienced by the testee during the turville - sucher test . that is to say , there is little if anything else to account for this vision blurring , variable fixation disparity , variable aneisokonia , variable depth perception and variable sensation of strain , other than the eye muscles which are the only anatomical element which changes when the eyes gaze in different directions . i have also discovered that when an eye muscle imbalance pattern is detected by the combination of vision tests of my present invention described hereinabove it is possible to confirm said resulting eye strain by means of digital palpation . palpating the globe finalizes the diagnosis of extraocular myotendinitis . digital palpation elicits pain by utilizing a small amount of pressure from the fingertip while lightly touching the globe as best as possible near the equator . by palpating the points of insertion of the eye muscles ( 32 , fig1 ), the observer can detect tenderness and soreness ( fig1 ). these points of tenderness and soreness occur in predictable configurations with regard to the eye strain patterns . if , in the aforementioned example of the weak superior oblique , when mbe occurs in the right eye and the red maddox test indicates over - converging , then the tender spot will occur on the outside of the right eye . these tender spots can vary in intensity in accordance with the temporal proximity of a headache to the time of testing . if the test is carried out during a headache of the related type these tender spots will become very sore and quite sensitive to the touch . in the case of migraine these insertion tendons can become extremely sensitive . once it has been determined that such tender areas exist adjacent to the eyes near the extraocular muscle tendon insertions and that they correspond to eye muscle imbalance discovered by means of the above - described test combination of my present invention , diagnoses of extraocular myotendinitis specifically due to an eye muscle imbalance can be confidently made . the use of compounds that not only produce quick anesthesia , but also reduce the inflammation due to myotendinitis and eye muscle strain and provide immediate relief of headache ( within one to ten minutes ) confirms the relation of headache and extraocular myotendinitis and eyestrain . migraine may require a longer recovery time and more timely applications due to its broader devastating effects and other origins of that kind of headache ; however , the earlier the treatment the easier to abort this variety of headache . relieving the eye component of migraine may rid the pain successfully , but more than likely it will become another weapon to fight off the paroxysms of pain that accompany migraine . among the pharmaceutical agents of my present invention which have been found to relieve extraocular myotendinitis and accompanying headache the best are hydrocortisone , medrysone , prednisolone , dexamethasone , floromethalone , rimexolone and loteprednol . there are two derivatives of fluoromethalone , the alcohol and the acetate , two derivatives of prednisolone , the acetate and sodium phosphate and two derivatives of dexamethasone , the alcohol and sodium phospate . in addition , there are combinations of these agents with antibiotics . these combinations may also have the desired effect of relieving pain from extraocular myotendinitis . there are sulfacetamide - steroid combinations such as blephamide , isoptocetapred , vasocidin , ak - cide , and fml - s . other antibiotic - steroids include polypred , pred - g , maxitrol , cexacidin , neodecadron , tobradex , cortisporin and metimyd . the application of the corticosteroid drops requires only 1 - 2 drop ( s ) in the affected eye ( s ). if the pain is particularly intense and still present with palpation after the initial therapy , another instillation of drop ( s ) can be added five to ten minutes later . the corticosteroids have two desired effects -- a short term effect and a long term effect . the initial cessation of pain that occurs quickly is due to their direct - acting ( non - genomic ) anesthetic effect which blocks neuronal signals of pain . the intracellular ( genomic ) indirect - acting , anti - inflammatory effect , which takes longer , reduces the production of irritating hydrolytic enzyme compounds such as prostaglandins , leukotrienes , thromboxanes , histamines and others . after the initial anesthesia , the anti - inflammatory effect acts to prolong the reduction of pain . in a recent clinical study of sixty patients with detectable sore areas around the eyes , one drop of saline was used to determine any placebo effect and then one drop of either prednisolone acetate or prednisolone phosphate was placed in the eyes . only ten subjects had a placebo effect that lasted greater than ten minutes although nearly half of the subjects experienced temporary comfort ( 1 - 2 minutes ) with the saline drop . of the remaining 50 subjects , 25 received the prednisolone acetate and 25 prednisolone sodium phosphate , 43 experienced significant relief of pain within five to ten minutes ( on a scale of four a subjective improvement of two levels , e . g ., a rating of 4 , very sore , would have to come down to a rating of 2 to be significant ). subsequently , 39 of these 43 treated subjects felt prolonged relief 60 minutes after the drug instillation . this clinical study shows a significant effect of both the prednisolone acetate and the prednisolone sodium phosphate on the resolution of eye pain from functional extraocular myotendinitis . eliminating the placebo effect , the corticosteroid had a 78 % positive result , 14 % had no effect and 8 % only experienced temporary relief . a lasting placebo effect occurred in 16 % and 45 % had a temporary placebo effect . because a known percentage of individuals are steroid responders who manifest increasing intraocular pressure due to long term use of steroids , the hydrophilic derivatives , which do not penetrate the eye readily but do act effectively at the external myotendinous tissues and the receptor sites therein , are recommended for therapeutic use . if , however , it is determined that an intraocular myotendinitis due to accommodative tension exists , then the lipophilic derivatives are more effective . it has also been noted that certain non - steroidal anti - inflammatory agents are effective to at least some extent in the treatment regimens of my present invention , though of considerably lesser efficacy than some of the agents mentioned hereinabove . among these non - steroidal anti - inflammatory agents are kertorlac tromethamine , flurobiprofen , suprofen and diclofenac . it is to be particularly noted , however , that none of the above - discussed pharmaceutical agents has been previously indicated in the literature to be of value in the reduction of eye muscle imbalance , or the reduction of headache resulting from eye muscle imbalance . in fact , most ophthalmologists dispute the sometimes heard contention that headaches are produced by eye muscle imbalance and eye muscles are hardly ever linked to migraines . however , the treatment regimens and agents of my present invention discussed above are clearly not obvious , as witnessed by the fact that although most of the above - listed therapeutic agents have been available for many years , none of them are currently used for the treatment of headache due to eye muscle imbalance . also , headache has been treated successfully in patients who were not successfully treated by other modalities . as will now be evident to those having ordinary skill in the ophthalmological art , informed by the present disclosure , the treatment regimens of my present invention are comprised of the step of applying eye drops of one of the above - listed therapeutic agents , or a combination thereof , alone or in a vehicle or diluent , to the surfaces of the patient &# 39 ; s eyes . thus , for example , a treatment regimen of my present invention may comprise the application of eyedrops of my invention , as described above , to either the affected eye or both , or the affected side of the headache or both , and to repeat this application as necessary . in the case of ocular stress syndrome , which occurs widely among computer users , the application of only one or two drops in the affected eye is all that is needed to produce substantially complete pain relief . the packaging of said invention should be single dose dispensers of non - preserved solution or suspension so as to promote compliance and to avoid allergic reactions to preservatives . commercially , perhaps there would be a dozen single dose dispensers in each package . the treatment regimen of my present invention is probably the first breakthrough in understanding the deluge of complaints about eye strain and sore eyes which are constantly plaguing computer users and causing recurring headaches . the treatment regimens of my present invention , i . e ., the use of ocular pharmaceutical agents to quell and relieve headache and migraine , has significantly aided individuals who were not helped by any other medications and treatment regimens . it is to be understood , of course , that the causes of headaches are polyfactorial , and that not all headaches result from eye muscle imbalance or overuse of the eye muscle . in the computer - impacted world of today , however , many headaches result from eye muscle imbalance , and it is believed that the treatment regimens of the present invention will thus provide new hope for many headache sufferers . all of the topical ophthalmic steroids seem to work to resolve the pain of myotendinitis , but the most clinically useful steroids are those which do not penetrate the globe of the eye . these are derivatives that are hydrophilic or water soluble . the lipophilic compounds can penetrate the lipid soluble corneal epithelium so that internal inflammations can be quelled . with penetration of the eye , however , the steroid can increase intraocular pressure and cause cataract . of all of the ophthalmic steroids , the phosphate form of prednisolone which can not penetrate the eye readily would be considered the drug of choice in treating extraocular myotendinitis , since it is an external condition not requiring ocular penetration . as a part of the present invention it is recognized that these steroids have bi - phasic properties , i . e ., the quick , direct - acting anesthetic and the slower , genomically - expressed anti - inflammatory phases . the former is what knocks out the pain from myotendinitis within a single minute or sooner . apparently , it attaches to the receptors responsible for sending the pain signal to the brain . the slower acting anti - inflammatory effect occurs one to three hours after instillation and prolongs the resolution of pain . this effect is classical and well - known , whereas the anesthetic effect is unknown and has never been used in any eye conditions . it will thus be seen that the objects set forth above , among those made apparent from the preceding description , are efficiently attained , and since certain changes may be made in the above constructions and the methods carried out thereby without departing from the scope of the present invention it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only , and not in a limiting sense . it is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed , and all statements of the scope of the invention which , as a matter of language , might be said to fall therebetween . | 0 |
according to the method for implementing unified authentication of the present invention , a user needs to conduct logon authentication with an authentication server only once , and after that , no user authentication is required when the user accesses other application systems and information systems . for clearly describing this solution , the scheme of the present invention will be divided into three sections , with the first section describing preparation work before an authentication system runs , the second section explaining a user &# 39 ; s logon , and the third section illustrating access to other application systems by the user after the above logon . below , in the description of the present invention with reference to the figures , related terms are defined as follows . authentication account number : an account number used by a user to log on the same authentication server ; user token : a credential for authentication issued by the authentication server to the user after he or she log on the authentication server successfully ; client of the user : a client - side program used by the user to connect to and access the authentication server and other application systems . fig1 is a flowchart for creating , collecting and storing data in the method for implementing unified authentication according to the present invention . referring to fig1 , at step s 11 , a user authentication account number needs to be created in an authentication server ( e . g ., allocating a user name and password to the user ) and stored permanently ( e . g ., in a database or ldap “ ldap ” ) so that the user can log on the authentication server . at step s 12 , the user &# 39 ; s user information , for example , user name for logon , in other application systems needs to be collected into the authentication server and stored permanently . at step s 13 , the correspondence between the created user authentication account number and the user information used in other application systems needs to be established to ensure that the application information of the user used in other application systems can be retrieved through the information of the user authentication account number , that is , the user &# 39 ; s user information used in other application systems can be obtained by means of one authentication account number of the user . the correspondence as described above is stored in a persistent storage device . fig2 is a main flowchart for the user logging on the authentication server and the authentication system in the method for implementing unified authentication according to the present invention . referring to fig2 , which shows the primary tasks to be fulfilled by the authentication system and the client of the user when the user logs on the authentication server during the running of the system . now , a description will be made to the primary tasks to be completed by the client and the authentication server in the process of a user logon through the client of the user . the user attempts to log on the authentication server at step s 21 . the authentication sever verifies the authentication account number of the user at step s 22 , and the logon will fail if the verification fails . at step s 23 , it is determined whether the verification on the authentication account number succeeds , and if it is , the authentication server allocates a temporary memory area to the user at step s 24 . it is necessary to allocate a unique identification to the temporary memory area , and the identification can be generated in a random manner . besides , a timer is set and started simultaneously for the temporary memory area , which will be withdrawn by the system if no heartbeat request from the client of the user is received for a predetermined time period . also , this memory area should be taken back if the user sends out logout information . on the other hand , the timer will be reset to an initial status for retiming if a heartbeat request from the client of the user is received within a predetermined time period . at step s 25 , the authentication server searches the stored user information ( e . g ., a database ) for the user &# 39 ; s user information ( e . g ., user name for logon ) used in other application systems and stores the obtained information in the temporary memory area . the authentication server encrypts the unique identification of the temporary memory area at step s 26 . here , it is necessary to guarantee that the encrypted cryptograph can be decrypted . the generated cryptograph is returned to the client of the user as user token . at step s 27 , the logon is successful when the client of the user receives the user token sent back from the authentication server . the client of the user stores temporarily the token for further use during access to other application systems . besides , the client of the user sends a heartbeat request to the authentication server at a regular interval so that the latter will not withdraw the temporary memory area allocated for the user . fig3 is a flowchart showing the primary operations of the authentication server , the client of the user and the application system server when the user accesses other application systems after a successful logon into the authentication server in the method for implementing unified authentication according to the present invention . referring to fig3 , when the user wants to access other application systems after a successful logging on the authentication server , the authentication server , the client of the user and the application system server operate mainly as follows . at step s 31 , the client of the user takes the obtained user token to access another application system . at step s 32 , the application system server requests the authentication server to authenticate the user token . in particular , the application system receives the access request from the client of the user , acquires the user token and sends an authentication request to the authentication server along with the user token . at step s 33 , having received the authentication request from the application system , the authentication server retrieves the user token in the request from the application system and decrypts it . then it is determined whether this decryption succeeds at step s 34 . if it is successful , the flow goes to step s 35 , where the authentication server , after a successful decryption of the user token at step s 33 , obtains the identification of the temporary memory area , locates the temporary memory area based on the identification and acquires the user &# 39 ; s user information of the application system from this temporary memory area . on the other hand , the flow goes to step s 39 if the decryption fails at step s 34 . the authentication server returns authentication failure information to the application system at step s 39 , and then the application system returns this authentication failure information to the client of the user at step s 40 . now , proceeding to step s 36 , where the authentication server determines whether the information on the application system has been obtained . the flow proceeds to step s 37 if the determination result is “ yes ”. the authentication server returns the user information to the application system at step s 37 , and the flow enters step s 38 where the application system receives the information returned by the authentication server and determines whether there is the user information . if there is , this authentication succeeds , and the user is allowed to use the application system . otherwise , if the determination result at step s 36 is “ no ”, the flow returns to step s 39 , where the authentication server returns authentication failure information to the application system . again , the application system returns this authentication failure information to the client of the user at step s 40 . relevant terms used in implementing the above steps are defined as follows . authentication user name : a user name used when the user logs on the authentication server ; service user name : a user name the user registers with another information system or sp service system , and the user can use this service user name and service user password to log on a sp service system directly ( in practice , the service user name is referred to as the user name registered with one of sps , for example , the user zhang san has a user name of zhangsan @ 263 . net with 263 service and a user name of 0401210003 with unicom service of uni - video ( baoshitong ); first , the user needs to create a user account number ( e . g ., a user name and a password ) in the authentication server so as to log on the authentication server using this user account number later . such account number can be created before the computer is sold to the user and given to the user along with the computer . the account number can also be created when the user registers with the authentication server after he or she has purchased a computer . second , the user names which the user utilizes for respective information systems or sps and corresponding sp_id need to be collected into the authentication server and stored . in reality , such information will be recoded in the authentication server if the user applies for other sp service through a lenovo system and the application is admitted . in other kinds of applications , the above information can also be built in the authentication server by the user or administer . third , the correspondence between the authentication user names and the service user names needs to be established for the collected information . the relationship can be a one - to - many relationship and depicted in data structure , that is , the user on the authentication server has one or more user names of other service systems . such correspondence is established by the system when the user has become registered system user and other service user names of the user are added . fig4 is a sequence diagram for user authentication process in the method for implementing unified authentication according to the present invention . referring to fig4 , the user authentication process in the method for implementing unified authentication according to the present invention goes as follows . 1 . the user utilizes his or her account number for the authentication server ( authentication user name and password ) to log on the authentication server by means of a client , which can be a browser or an application . 2 . the authentication server verifies the account number with which the user logs on and checks whether it coincides with that stored in the system . 3 . after the check on the user authentication credential succeeds , the authentication server constructs a session object for the user so as to conduct temporary storage . session object is a data container for holding data of key - value pair . session object is primarily used to save some information related to the user . each session object has an attribute of sessionid , which is unique and can be generated randomly by the authentication system . table 1 below shows an example of session object . as described above , session object is a data container for holding data of key - value pair , such as hashtable , and used to save some information related to the user . each session object has an attribute of sessionid , which should be unique and thus can be distinguished from any other session object . the attribute value of session object can be generated randomly by the authentication system . as shown in above example , the sessionid is the attribute name , and a59ba9a3eae516f1f815e455d4cf324a is the attribute value . a session object can accommodate many key - value pair , in which ‘ value ’ can be acquired via ‘ key ’. 4 . the authentication server loads list information of the service user names of the user by using the correspondence between the authentication user names and the service user names , and stores the information in the session object for the user . the session object will be destroyed when the user logs out or when the user session expires . 5 . the authentication server encrypts the user &# 39 ; s sessionid with a symmetrical encryption algorithm ( e . g ., des , 3des , idea ) and its key . a user token is generated after the encryption and issued to the client of the user . 6 . the client of the user needs to buffer the returned user token after receiving it so that the user token can be used in logon authentication when the user accesses other information systems or sp services . 7 . it should be noted that the client of the user has to maintain the session with the authentication server throughout the process of using the information systems or sp services by the user . otherwise , if the session expires , the user token will be invalidated . 8 . when the user accesses to another application system or sp through the client , the client passes the user token to the sp as the credential for logon authentication . 9 . the sp sends the user token of the user along with its sp_id to the authentication server after receiving the logon request from the user . 10 . the authentication server decrypts the user token with the key and algorithm used in the previous encryption after receiving the authentication request from the sp . 11 . if the user token is legal , the authentication server will obtain sessionid after the decryption and search the session object established for the user with help of the sessionid . 12 . the authentication server retrieves the service user name corresponding to the above sp_id from the user &# 39 ; s session object stored in the memory . 13 . the authentication server returns the service user name to the sp . 14 . having received the service user name , the sp believes the user is trusted and uses this user name to authorize the user for service usage . 15 . when the user logs out the authentication server , the authentication server destroys the user &# 39 ; s session and , at this moment , the user token becomes invalid . if the sp uses this invalid token in the authentication conducted on the authentication server , the latter cannot locate a session object based on the token and thus returns authentication failure information to the sp . data structures used in the embodiment of the present invention are illustrated below . as shown in table 3 , the service user id is the primary key in the service user table and can be a self - increment positive integer . the service user name is a user name which the user utilizes to log on and use the service provided by certain service provider . the authentication user id is an outer key in the table and used to authenticate the primary key . the service provider id is a unique identification of the service provider which provides the service for the user . although the present invention has been illustrated above with reference to the detailed embodiments , the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments and defined only by the appended claims . it will be understood that any modification and change made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art within the scope and spirit of the present invention . | 7 |
referring initially to fig1 there may be seen generally at 10 a first preferred embodiment of a fluid current induced cable stay vibration damper ring or band in accordance with the present invention . damper band 10 is shown in place encircling a cable stay , generally at 12 . it will be understood that cable stay 12 is very schematically depicted and is intended to be representative of a large variety of cable stays . it will be readily apparent that such cable stays 12 are typically not one solid piece of metal but instead are a compound arrangement of numerous strands of material and other materials wound together and are sometimes filled with a grout or mortar - type material . since cable stay 12 forms no part of the subject invention , it will not be discussed in detail . suffice it to say that cable stay 12 is either circular - shaped , with a cable diameter d , or elliptical - shaped , with a maximum cross - sectional dimension of d , and has a surface 14 which typically is not completely smooth but instead is a repeating pattern of helically extending peaks and valleys formed as the cable strands are wound together to form the resultant cable stay 12 or as durable pieces of tape are wound around the cables or the outer coverings , such as pipes , in which the cables may be contained . each cable stay damper ring or band 10 is embodied to be placed about an existing cable ; i . e . is intended for either new or retrofit applications . also , as will be discussed later in more detail , each cable stay damper band , such as band 10 may be either passive , acting solely in response to fluid flow with respect to the cable stay or cable to which it is secured , or active in anticipation of cable stay vibrations or oscillations . the first embodiment of the cable stay ring or band 10 has a flexible body 16 which , as seen most clearly in fig2 may be generally triangular in cross - section . a projection 18 may extend away from the apex 20 of the sides 22 and 24 of the generally triangular band 16 . the base 26 of the generally triangular shaped damper band 16 may include a resilient portion 28 . this resilient portion 28 will compensate for dimensional variations in the surface 14 of the cable 12 to which the bands are secured , and will also provide a watertight seal . a suitable elastic membrane may be placed on the base 26 of the band 16 to provide the band resilient portion 28 . the damper ring or band 10 shown in fig1 and 2 is depicted having a generally triangular - shaped band body 16 . it will be understood that this is representative of a number of band body cross - sectional shapes which could be used . the projection 18 on the band body 16 currently is felt to be instrumental in re - directing the fluid current flow along the length of the cable stay 12 to which the damper bands 16 are secured . however , it is also possible that the damper bands themselves , without the addition of the projections 18 will be effective in re - directing the fluid current flow along the cable 12 . the body 16 of each damper ring or band 10 is made of a suitable resilient , flexible material so that it will be able to be wrapped about the outer surface 14 of the cable stay 12 to which it is to be secured . the band has sufficient built - in tolerance or stretch so that it will form a tight compressive seal against the cable stay 12 whose diameter d is apt to vary slightly along its length . any number of plastic or polymeric materials , which will exhibit the required built - in dimensional tolerances and which will tolerate long term exposure to harsh ambient or marine environments are suitable for use . for underwater applications , the material must be able to withstand tremendous forces due to intense pressures which result from the placement of the underwater cables to depths of over 6000 feet . at such extreme ocean depths , metallic materials may be required to withstand the pressure forces involved . the band may carry an elastic membrane as the resilient portion 28 that provides the watertight seal . in addition , elastic membranes may be placed at the ends 30 of the band body , as seen in fig3 . as is also shown in fig3 which is not to scale , the damper band 10 is provided with an internally situated tension strap , generally at 32 . this tension strap 32 is used to secure the band body 16 to the cable surface 14 . this tension strap 32 can be plastic , metallic or of another suitable material that will produce a uniform , long term compressive hoop stress around the damper band body 16 . this tension strap 32 is provided with a male end 34 and a female end 36 , as seen in fig3 and 4 . the tensioning strap 32 could be provided as a plastic wire tie , a metallic hose clamp or a similar elongated strap which will be embedded in , or pass along the body 16 of the damper band 10 . as indicated above , the drawings depicting the subject invention are not to scale . the size of the damper bands has been increased for purposes of illustration . it has been determined that the size of the damper band 10 , with respect to the size of the cable stay 12 should be within certain ranges to produce the best results . the spacing s between adjacent damper bands 10 , as seen in fig1 is determined by the relationship of s or band spacing being between two and four times the cable stay diameter d in air applications . thus , if the cable stay has a diameter of 4½ inches , the band spacing s should be between 9 and 18 inches , for a 2d to 4d spacing . required ring spacing in water is generally similar . more lengthy spacings also may be effective . each band body 16 has a thickness t , as also shown in fig1 . this thickness t should be selected to be in the range of between d / 10 and d / 20 in air applications . again if the cable stay diameter is 4½ inches , the band thickness t should be between 0 . 45 inches and 0 . 225 inches , for a d / 10 to d / 20 band thickness . required ring thickness in water is generally similar . thinner thicknesses also may be effective . turning now to fig4 there may be seen a second preferred embodiment of a fluid current induced cable stay vibration damper band , generally at 40 , in accordance with the present invention . in contrast to the first damper band 10 , which is made of a resilient , flexible material that will readily deform about the cable stay 12 , the damper band 40 , as shown in fig4 may be made of a less flexible material . two half circle band body segments 42 and 44 are secured to each other by a suitable hinge 46 . these band body segments 42 and 44 must still exhibit sufficient resiliency to accommodate variations in the cable stay diameter d along the length of the cable stay 12 . a watertight seal material 48 may again be placed along a base portion 50 of each of the band body segments 42 and 44 . this watertight seal material may not be required in all situations . its useage will depend on both the cable stay and the ring material . the tensioning strap 32 is also provided , in the same manner as was discussed previously in connection with damper band 10 . the radially outwardly extending projection 18 described in connection with the first preferred embodiment 10 , is not shown in the second embodiment 40 . however , it is to be understood that this is for reasons of clarity . the projection 18 of band 10 could also be used with band 40 . the hinge 46 for use with an underwater cable stay damper band 40 could be as simple as a so - called living hinge or could be a more traditional hinge , depending on the size of the band body of the damper band 40 . as was the case with the first preferred embodiment 10 , the cross - sectional shape of the body of the damper band 40 can also be varied to suit the specific application . in both of these preferred embodiments , as well as in the several to be discussed shortly , the band body 16 or the band body segments 42 and 44 do not have to extend 360 ° around the surface 14 of the cable stay 12 . a third preferred embodiment of a fluid current induced cable stay vibration damper band , in accordance with the present invention , is shown generally at 60 in fig5 and 9 . in this third preferred embodiment , the damper band 60 is comprised of a plurality of band body segments 62 . if , for example , a projection member , which is not specifically shown , is to be used with the damper band , and is to be made of metal , the band body segmented construction of fig5 and 9 will be advantageous . in this third embodiment , the watertight seal providing material is not specifically depicted and may not be required in all applications . as was the case with the previously described embodiment , this seal material will be usable to produce a good seal against the surface 14 of the cable stay 12 . the damper band 60 also has built - in tolerance allowances for slight changes in the cable stay diameter along the length of the stay . these can be accomplished by the provision of an elastic material on the end faces of the two band body segments 62 which will abut each other after the band has been placed about the cable stay . a suitable tension strap 64 is embedded in , or carried in the several band body segments 62 . this tension strap can be anchored at a first end 66 to a suitable anchor 68 and can have a second end 70 that will be receivable in a strap tightening fixture 72 . this tension strap 64 and its anchor 68 and strap tightener 72 will be similar to the corresponding structures described in connection with fig3 and 4 . the several band body segments 62 are connected together by a top linkage assembly , generally at 74 . the top linkage assembly 74 resists the outer pull - out force resulting from the tension strap 64 and holds the band body segments 62 in their correct orientation as the damper band 60 is placed about the cable stay 12 and the tension strap free or second end 70 is fed through the strap tightener 72 . once the tension strap 64 has been tightened , the end or ends projecting out beyond the body segments can be cut off . in the configuration shown in fig5 and 9 , each of the band body segments 62 is generally trapezoidal in side view . this shape for a single band body segment 62 is shown in fig6 . as may be seen there , the body segment 62 has somewhat arcuate inner and outer surfaces 76 and 78 , respectively . the radial side walls 80 are generally planar . the overall shape is generally similar to a keystone . alternative shapes for the band body segments 62 are shown in fig7 and 8 . in both of these , the two radical walls 80 of each segment 62 are shaped to engage the adjacent radial wall of the next adjacent band body segment 62 . in fig7 there are shown somewhat sinusoidal radial walls 80 . in fig8 the radial walls have a cooperating shear key shape in which one radial wall 80 of each segment has a key 82 and the other radial wall 80 has a keyway 84 . it will be understood that other cooperating radial wall shapes are also within the scope of the present invention . a fourth preferred embodiment of a fluid current induced cable stay vibration damper band in accordance with the present invention is shown generally at 90 in fig1 . in this fourth preferred embodiment , the damper band 90 has a band body 92 comprised of a plurality of similarly shaped band body segments 94 , which are generally the same as the band comprising segments 62 discussed in connection with the third preferred embodiment 60 . in this fourth preferred embodiment 90 , the tensioning strap 96 is tightened by a bolt 98 in a manner generally analogous to a hose clamp , as was discussed in connection with the first embodiment . a suitable removable anchor cap 100 is provided so that the bolt head of the bolt 98 can be covered once the damper band 90 has been placed on the cable stay . fig1 demonstrates the effectiveness of passive cable stay damper bands , in air , in accordance to the present invention , for reducing the vibrations in a cable stay which are apt to occur at higher wind velocities . similar results are provided by underwater cables at relatively low underwater current speeds . as may be seen in fig1 , when the wind velocity increases to generally in the area of 50 mph , i . e . to approximately 240 units as represented on the x - axis of the graph , the cable vibration created by this wind increases dramatically . the addition of the damper rings or bands of the present invention , again at a spacing of approximately two to four times the cable stay diameter will essentially eliminate these vibrations . thus it can be seen that the passive retrofitting of an existing cable , or the installation on a new cable of the passive fluid current induced cable stay vibration damper bands in accordance with the present invention , and at the approximate spacing and size discussed above , is likely to be very effective in the virtual elimination of fluid current induced cable stay vibrations . the rings or bands presented in fig1 - 11 are generally passive in nature since they are secured to the cable stays of a bridge or of an off - shore marine structure and depend on their fluid - dynamic shape to mitigate cable stay vibrations which are caused by fluid currents . the present invention also provides active devices and control systems , which incorporate and utilize the benefits of the passive fluid damper rings or bands , and that will even more effectively dampen fluid current induced cable stay vibrations . referring now to fig1 , there may be seen generally at 110 a first preferred embodiment of an active fluid current induced vibration damper band in accordance with the present invention . this active damper band 110 is similar in overall shape to the passive damper bands described previously . a flexible ring or band 112 is securable about the outer circumference of a cable stay 114 . an integral securement strap or other suitable securement device 116 , which is depicted in dashed lines in fig1 , is incorporated in , or is inserted through the hollow interior portion 118 of the flexible band 112 . ends of the securement straps 116 are connected to each other as schematically depicted at 120 in fig1 . it will be understood that the flexible ring 112 can be made of any suitable plastic or similar flexible resistant material which is resistant to ambient air or underwater induced deterioration and that the securement straps 116 could be a wire tie or another similar type of quick connecting device that would lend itself to quick field assembly , either by manual or by mechanical means . fig1 shows a side elevation view of the active fluid current induced vibration damper band that is shown in cross - section in fig1 . the hollow interior 118 of the flexible ring 112 of the first preferred embodiment of the active damper band in accordance with the present invention , is preferably divided into several shiftable mass receiving chambers , with three such chambers 122 being depicted in fig1 . a pair of interior barriers 124 and two end barriers 126 are positioned in the interior 118 of the flexible band or ring 112 to define the separate shiftable mass receiving chambers 122 . each shiftable mass receiving chamber 122 is partially filled with a shiftable mass 128 . this shiftable mass 128 is preferably a viscous fluid or another flowable material that can shift locations in its shiftable mass chamber 122 either reactively ; i . e . solely due to movement of the damper band , or proactively by utilization of energizing devices . the free space within each chamber 122 can be either filled with air , a fluid , or can be maintained under a vacuum . a suitable energizing device 130 , or several such energizing devices 130 can be placed in each of the shiftable mass chambers 122 , as may be seen in fig1 . each such energizing device 130 could be a small impeller driven by an electrically powered micro motor which is not specifically illustrated . as will be discussed shortly , if the system is a smart proactive system , the energizing devices 130 will be controlled for selective operation to shift the shiftable mass 128 in each chamber 122 so as to counteract the movement of the cable stay . if the shiftable mass 128 is moved reactively ; i . e . solely as a result of the shifting of the cable stay , it will still tend to counteract the shifting or oscillating movement of the cable stay . for example , if the cable stay 114 depicted in fig1 is caused by fluid currents , to shift to the right , the shiftable mass 128 in chamber 122 will tend to travel to the left side of the upper chamber 122 . if the damping system is an energized , proactive system , the energizing device 130 at the right end of the upper chamber 122 can be activated to more rapidly shift the shiftable mass 128 from the right side of the upper chamber 122 to the left side of the upper chamber 122 . if the system is an energized , proactive smart system , only selected ones of the energizing devices 130 may be operated with the decision of which energizing devices 130 to be operated depending on which cables stays are vibrating , as well as the magnitude of each vibration . the result , whether the shiftable mass is caused to move reactively , by reacting to the movement of the cable stay , or proactively , as a result of the operation of the energizing device 130 , is to dampen the cable stay oscillations . the energizing devices 130 will preferably be electrically powered through suitable electric leads that are not specifically shown in fig1 of the drawings . turning now to fig1 and 15 there is shown , generally at 140 a second preferred embodiment of an active damper band or ring in accordance with the present invention . this active damper band 140 is again secured about an outer surface of a cable stay 114 and has a shape similar , though wider , to the flexible ring 112 described in connection with fig1 . this damper band 140 can be comprised of several hinge - connected sections , or can be fabricated as a single ring of a suitable metal or other material , as shown in fig1 and 14 . the circular body 142 of the damper band 140 is provided with a hollow , interior area 144 . a shiftable mass is provided in the interior chamber 144 formed in the band body 142 of the second preferred embodiment 140 of the active damper band in accordance with the present invention . this shiftable mass takes the form of one or a plurality of pendulums 146 , each of which is supported for pivotable movement by a support shaft 148 . as was the case with the first embodiment 110 of the active damper band described previously , the shiftable mass ; i . e . the pendulum or pendulums 146 placed in the interior chamber 144 of the band body 142 of the second preferred embodiment 140 of the active damper band can be excited either reactively as a result of a response to shifting of the cable due to fluid current induced oscillations , or can be positively energized . in the latter situation , the pendulum supporting shaft or shafts 148 are the energizing mechanism and can be caused to pivot by suitable electrically operated devices , such as micro motors , that are not specifically shown . if the system is an active smart system , again as will be discussed shortly , the energizing mechanisms can be caused to shift the pendulum or pendulums in advance of a shifting or a similar movement that the cable or cable stay 114 is sensed to be about to make . in this second active embodiment , as in the first active embodiment , the shiftable mass is shifted in a direction in opposition to the movement of the cable stay to which the active damper band is attached . such a proactive , opposing shifting of the shiftable mass 128 or 146 in the active damper band 112 or 142 , respectively , will dampen the oscillation of the cable stay 114 . in both of the two embodiments of an active damper band discussed above , the bands are placed on the exterior surface of the cable or cable stay 114 . this is primarily a retrofit arrangement , or one where an accomplishment of fluid damping is important in conjunction with the damping provided by the shiftable mass . in new construction , the shiftable mass could be placed interiorly of the cable stay . since a cable stay is typically a sheath that is placed about a group or bundle of individual cables and in which void areas are filled with a settable material , it is possible to place the active damper bands 150 within the cable stay 114 as shown in fig2 . while this may lead to a slightly increased overall cable stay diameter d , it preserves a smooth exterior surface that is less apt to experience marine growth , ice build - up or airborne debris retention . of course , the location of the damper bands 150 inside the cable stay 114 will eliminate any fluid - dynamic benefit that is provided by exteriorly mounted damper bands , as discussed previously . in such a situation of interior bands 150 and shiftable masses , reactive or proactive control of the shiftable masses and particularly proactive smart control of the shiftable masses becomes the mechanism by which oscillations of the cable stay 114 are counteracted . the most effective damping of cable stay vibration and oscillations may well entail some combination of the several mechanical and fluid - dynamic devices discussed above . for instance , it may well be that a solution could include an exteriorly positioned active damper band having a fluid - dynamic shape . the damper band could include right and left chambers such as chambers 122 discussed in connection with the damper band 110 of fig1 , with their shiftable masses 128 and included paddle wheel type energizing devices 130 . a pendulum 146 or a plurality of pendulums 146 , as shown in fig1 and 15 could also be incorporated into the same active damper band . the shiftable masses 128 on the left and right sides of the damper band 110 would control vertical oscillations of the cable stay 114 . it is quite possible that no operation of the energizing devices such as the paddle wheels 130 would be required with acceleration forces of ≧ 1 g . if the acceleration is ≦ 1 g the energizing paddle wheels 130 may be used . similarly , if the pendulum or pendulums 146 are to be effective at accelerations ≦ 1 g , it is quite likely that the energizing device for the pendulum or pendulums 146 , such as the rotatable pendulum support shaft 148 may be required to be operated . turning now to fig1 and 17 there is schematically depicted what will be referred to a proactive system that is useable to counteract and to dampen fluid current induced vibrations and oscillations in the underwater cable stays of an off - shore platform generally at 160 . while the system is discussed in connection with water current induced vibrations in the cable system for an off - shore oil platform , it is equally applicable to the mitigation of air current induced vibrations in a bridge cable , tower guy wire or the like . referring initially to fig1 , there is schematically depicted a portion of an off - shore oil platform , generally at 160 . the platform 160 is constructed with a plurality of cable stays 164 . these cable stays 164 are shown as being provided with a number of active damper bands 166 spaced along the lengths of each of the cable stays 164 in accordance with the spacing parameters discussed in detail previously . this cable damper band spacing is preferably approximately two to four times the cable stay diameter , or 2d to 4d . several of the active damper bands 166 are also provided with embedded accelerometers . these accelerometer bands are denoted at 168 in fig1 . the damper bands 166 and 168 are all electrically connected to a remote processing station 170 by suitable leads which are not shown in detail . the remote processing station 170 is joined to a central power communication and processing station generally at 172 by suitable power and communication lines 174 . in operation in the proactive mode , as shown in the schematic diagram of fig1 , the accelerometer receiving bands 168 will sense oscillations , vibrations or other movement in the cable stay 164 to which they are attached . it will be understood that the damper bands 166 of the present invention are typically attached to all or the bulk of the cable stays 164 , as depicted in fig1 . the accelerometers 168 provide their readings to the remote processing station 170 which includes a suitable data acquisition unit 176 , as shown in fig1 . the data is received by the remote processing station 170 , and is transferred to the central processing station 172 . the particular cable stay or cable stays 164 which are being caused to oscillate are identified . in response , all of the active damper bands 166 on the particular cable stay or cable stays 164 are energized . this results in a shifting of the shiftable masses in each of the damper bands 166 . as discussed previously , the operation of the energizing devices , either 130 or 148 may occur at cable stay acceleration levels only within specific ranges . if the cable stays 164 are being subjected to acceleration forces above 1 g , for example , the operation of the energizing devices may be unnecessary . the forces imparted to the shiftable masses by these high cable stay acceleration forces will likely be sufficient to properly shift the shiftable masses to counteract the cable stay oscillations without the assistance of the energizing devices . if the cable stay oscillations , as measured by the accelerometer carrying damper bands 168 is below , for example 1 g , then it may be appropriate to operate the energizing devices 130 or 148 to aid in the dampening movement of the shiftable masses 128 or 146 . a more sophisticated , smart active or proactive system of cable stay oscillation damping , in accordance with the present invention , is depicted in fig1 and 19 in which similar structures are identified by the same reference numerals . in this smart active system , the central power communication and processing station 172 is able to energize selected ones of the smart active rings 166 on individual cables 164 , again based on readings provided by special accelerometer bearing ones 168 of the active damper bands 166 that are mounted on the plurality of cable stays 164 . since the smart proactive system is more effective in damping cable stay oscillations , it is possible that the active damper bands 166 will need to be placed on only the upper third or fourth of the length of the longer cable stays , as depicted schematically in fig1 . similarly , since the smart proactive system will be more effective than the active or proactive only system , it is likely that a damper band spacing of four times the cable stay diameter , or 4d may be sufficient . as shown in the schematic diagram of fig1 , the cable stay oscillations are sensed by the accelerometer carrying active damper bands 168 and the data is sent to the central processing station 170 . in the smart proactive system , a mitigation strategy processor 180 is included in the central processing station 170 . this processor 180 reviews the input from the accelerometer carrying active damper bands 168 and implements a strategy of activation of energizing devices in selected ones of the active damper bands 166 in a manner that will be most effective in eliminating cable stay oscillations . it is a requirement of such a smart proactive system that each damper band 166 would be specifically identifiable to the controlling system and would be individually and particularly energized for damping , where needed . fig2 , as discussed above , shows the actively - controlled damper bands or rings 150 to be embedded within the cable stays 114 . such an arrangement , though requiring a larger overall cable diameter , d ′ maintains a smooth outer surface of the cable stay . fig2 shows the cross - section of the damper band , while fig2 shows the cross - section between the bands . between the bands and around the “ effective ” portion of the cable stay , a grout , wax or other settable material 170 is likely to be required . a device and a method for the damping of fluid flow induced vibrations in cable stays exposed to air or water currents , and using active and passive devices , has been set forth fully and completely hereinabove . the devices are well suited for use with active control technology and are effective in damping cable stay oscillations . it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes in , for example the specific sizes of the cable stays and of their associated damper bands , the particular bridge or platform structures , and the like could be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention which is accordingly , to be limited only by the appended claims . | 5 |
the vaccines of the present invention are prepared from live cells of a modified bordetella bronchiseptica heretofore identified as strain 55 . prior to the filing of the present application , the term &# 34 ; strain 55 &# 34 ; was a private code designation used by the inventors of this application , willian p . switzer and daniel o . farrington . no cultures of strain 55 were publicly available . in connection with the filing of this application , there has been placed on deposit with the american type cultures collection , rockville , md ., viable samples of strain 55 b . bronchiseptica , which can be used as seed cultures for producing the vaccine of the present invention . the deposited cultures of strain 55 are now further identified as atcc strain no . 31437 , which number will therefore also be used herein as an alternative designation to strain 55 . in 1973 daniel o . farrington and william p . switzer published positive results of experiments using strain 55 intranasal vaccines for swine . proceedings the george a . young conference on advances in swine repopulation and the 13th annual nebraska spf conference , lincoln , nebraska , july 23 - 24 , 1973 , pp . 44 - 52 . these and related experiments were more completely reported in the ph . d . thesis of daniel o . farrington , entitled &# 34 ; evaluation of nasal culturing procedures and immunization as applied to the control of bordetella bronchiseptica rhinitis in swine ,&# 34 ; iowa state university , ames , iowa , dr . william p . switzer , major professor . this thesis is on deposit at the iowa state university library , ames , iowa under call no . 1974 - f 249 . this thesis also contains a description of the taxonomic characteristics of strain 55 . strain 55 was isolated in 1955 by dr . william p . switzer from the pneumonic lungs and normal nasal cavity of an experimental pig inoculated intranasally with crude pneumonic swine lung suspension . the initial inoculum was secured from a pig in a herd experiencing clinical atrophic rhinitis and pneumonia . this organism was seeded into rubber stoppered 100 milliliter vials of tryptose phosphate broth ( tpb ) in 1955 and incubated at 37 ° c . these vials were then committed to a duration of survival trial . the cultures were sampled several times during the ensuing years and found to be viable . in january of 1972 , after 17 years without serial passage , contents of a vial were cultured by daniel o . farrington on 5 % horse blood agar . two extremely rough bacterial colonies developed and 1 colony was picked into tpb . this organism was subsequently identified as a highly modified b . bronchiseptica and designated as strain 55 . tests conducted by daniel o . farrington , as part of his ph . d . thesis work identified above , compared strain 55 with a virulent strain of b . bronchiseptica ( strain b ) and with an attenuated strain ( strain d - 1 ). several differences were found . these were : ( 1 ) strain 55 colonies on modified mcconkey &# 39 ; s agar medium without furaltadone incubated at 37 ° c . had a &# 34 ; lacy &# 34 ; margin . strains d - 1 and b colony margins were undulate . the colony diameter at 48 hours was approximately 1 ml . with colonies up to several millimeters in diameter present after prolonged incubation . all 3 strains formed colonies on 5 percent horse blood agar that were circular , smooth , opaque , and homogenous with an entire edge . the colony size and morphology of the b . bronchiseptica strain varied greatly depending on the concentration of organism on the culture plate , hours ( days ) of incubation at 37 ° c . or room temperature and the relative humidity under which the culture plates were maintained . aged colonies on modified macconkey &# 39 ; s agar without furaltadone were characterized by central collapse of the colony and pronounced undulating rays from the cell margin giving the colony a &# 34 ; wagon wheel &# 34 ; shape . ( 2 ) strains d - 1 and b were motile while 55 strain was often nonmotile when examined by the hanging drop method . ( 3 ) strain 55 was sensitive to furaltadone at the 0 . 02 mg ./ ml . concentration in the modified macconkey &# 39 ; s medium while d - 1 and b strain were not . ( 4 ) strain 55 gave a slow and weak positive reaction (& lt ; 24 hours ) on simmon &# 39 ; s citrate gear slants while d - 1 and b strains were strongly positive at 18 to 24 hours . ( 5 ) strain 55 had the highest hemagglutinating titer among the 3 strains . subsequently , there has been further characterization of strain 55 . it has been found that this strain has two plasmids , one of 31 megadaltons and one of 3 megadaltons . in addition , the d2 cell membrane protein is greater in amount than other strains , such as strain b ( virulent ) and strain d - 1 ( avirulent ). when viable cells of strain 55 are deposited in sufficient numbers in the nasal passages of swine , they multiply and form colonies in the mucous membranes of the nasal passages . the colonies persist for only a few days , and are usually cleared from the nasal passages of swine in less than a week . when the strain 55 cells are applied to the nasal or other respiratory mucosa of dogs , colonies at first form and are then cleared . with dogs the colonies persist for a somewhat longer time , several weeks being required for clearance . during the time in which the colonies of strain 55 are present in the respiratory mucosa of the animals , they do not produce any clinical symptoms of disease . however , when used as an intrarespiratory vaccine for non - immune animals subject to bordetella bronchiseptica infection , the resistance of the animals to subsequent infection by virulent b . bronchiseptica is significantly increased . the local immunization inhibits the growth of infectious b . bronchiseptica , and greatly accelerates the clearance rate . in swine , clinical symptons of atrophic rhinitis are prevented , and the subsequent atrophy of the turbinate is greatly reduced . in dogs , clinical symptoms of kennel cough ( tracheobronchitis ) are prevented . in preparing the vaccine of the present invention , viable cells of bordetella bronchiseptica strain atcc no . 31427 , which may have been subjected to freeze - drying for preservation , are introduced into a suitable culture medium , which is then incubated at a temperature favoring the growth of the organism . in general , published procedures for culturing b . bronchiseptica organisms are employed . see , for example , am . j . vet . res ., 30 , 1161 , 1162 ( 1969 ); and am . j . vet . res ., 33 , 975 , at 1976 ( 1972 ). more specifically , tryptose phosphate broth ( tpb ) may be used for propagation of the organism . one suitable source of such a tpb medium is difco laboratories , inc ., detroit , mich . other useable culture mediums include : bordet - gengou agar ( difco ), brain - heart infusion broth ( difco ), tryptone soya broth ( oxoid limited , london , england ). propagation temperatures of 36 ° to 38 ° are favorable . the cultured cells are preferably recovered ( harvested ) without concentration by centrifugation or filtration . since the cells are to be used live , it is desirable to avoid damage to the cells by mechanical processing . cell cultures having sufficiently high concentration of the strain 55 cells for direct use as a vaccine are readily obtainable . the residual culture nutrients and growth by - products can remain with the cells for vaccine administration . for vaccine use , strain 55 cells are preferably employed as an aqueous suspension , which can be readily administered to the animals by application to the nasal mucosa . for example , the aqueous suspension of the cells may be introduced into the nasal passages in a measured amount by means of a syringe , or a measured amount of the aqueous cell suspension may be sprayed into the nostrils . the cell suspension should therefore be sufficiently liquid so that it is readily administerable or sprayable . depending on the animals with which the vaccine is to be used and the amount of the cell suspension to be intranasally administered , the concentration of viable cells may vary over a wide range . for example , concentrations of from 10 3 to 10 8 can be used . even with small animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits , however , it will usually be desirable to administer at least one thousand viable cells per nostril , making a total dose of 2 × 10 3 cells . larger doses for swine and dogs are desirable , such as at least 1 × 10 5 viable cells per milliliter . usually , the optimum dose will be within the range from 1 × 10 5 to 1 × 10 7 cells per millimeter . while a degree of immunization may be obtained by introducing the vaccine into one nostril of the animal or elsewhere in the respiratory tract , the preferred procedure for swine is to introduce approximately equal amounts of the aqueous cell suspension into both nostrils ( nares ). the dose volume tends to be limited by the amount of liquid that the nostrils can retain . for example , the total dose ( both nostrils ) may range from about 0 . 5 to 1 . 5 ml . of the suspension . as indicated , this dose may be divided approximately equally between the two nostrils . for example , from about 0 . 3 to 0 . 7 ml . of the suspension may be introduced into each nostril . a convenient dose size is 0 . 5 ml . per nostril . for administration to swine , the preferred procedure is intranasal vaccination , as described above . this procedure can also be used for dogs . however , it is now believed that the best mode of administration to dogs it to apply the vaccine to the mucosa of the pharynx . for the purposes of the present invention , cell counts may be made by standard procedures . the cell concentrations per milliliter of the vaccine are determined by plating the cells and counting the cfu ( colony forming units ). the propagation for determining cfu may be on standard plates , such as 5 % horse blood agar , t . p . b . agar on mcconkey &# 39 ; s agar . the vaccines of this invention and the results which can be obtained by their use are further illustrated by the following experimental examples . three milliliters of sixth passage strain 55 modified b . bronchiseptica 24 - hour tryptose phosphate broth ( tpb ) culture was inoculated into cotton - stoppered flasks containing 50 ml . of tpb and incubated at 37 ° c . for 24 or 48 hours . the live seventh passage tpb cultures of strain 55 were used for intranasal vaccination of swine . twenty - four hour cultures were administered for the first dose and forty - eight hour cultures were used for the second and subsequent doses . the 24 - hour strain 55 seventh passage tpb culture contained approximately 1 × 10 6 organisms / ml . and the 48 - hour tpb culture approximately 1 × 10 7 organisms / ml . these titers were determined as colony forming units ( cfu ) on 5 % horse blood agar . the vaccines were administered on the day of their preparation . a dosage of 0 . 5 ml . per nostril of the 24 and 48 hour tpb cultures in the form of nosedrops was administered to each intranasally immunized pig . the tip of a 5 milliliter syringe was inserted into each nostril and used to instill the tpb culture into the nasal cavity . administration of the culture was timed with the inspiration of the pig . the ability of live , low - virulence strain 55 b . bronchiseptica intranasal vaccination to produce nasal resistance to subsequent challenge with a swine - virulent b . bronchiseptica ( strain b ) was tested . the nasal persistence of strain 55 infection was also evaluated . thirteen pigs , 4 - to - 8 - weeks of age , were obtained from rhinitis free herds . all pigs were culture - negative for b . bronchiseptica . the pigs were selected into two groups and housed in individual isolation units . six pigs received 3 doses over a 4 day period of live , low - virulence strain 55 intranasal vaccine at 7 weeks of age and seven pigs served as nonvaccinated controls . all pigs were challenged with virulent b . bronchiseptica ( strain b ) 3 weeks post - intranasal vaccination . strain 55 was not detected by the nasal swab culture method in the nasal secretions of the vaccinated pigs 2 weeks post - intranasal vaccination . a summary of the incidence of b . bronchiseptica in the nasal secretions of the b strain challenged pigs is presented in table a . at 3 weeks post - b strain challenge 0 of 6 vaccinates and 5 of 7 control pigs were culture - positive for b . bronchiseptica . at 4 weeks post - b strain challenge the nasal secretions of 3 of 6 vaccinated pigs were culture - positive for b . bronchiseptica with an average colony count of 6 organisms per culture plate . the 8 week termination figures were 0 of 6 and 7 of 7 respectively . the average termination past serum titer was 39 for the vaccinated pigs and 53 for the nonvaccinated controls . at necropsy , gross examination revealed all intranasally immunized pigs had normal nasal turbinates while 2 of 3 controls examined had moderate to severe turbinate atrophy . the procedure for the determination of gross turbinate atrophy was as follows : a cross - section of the nasal cavity was made at the level of the second premolar tooth . gross distortion or atrophy of the nasal turbinates and nasal septal defects were characterized depending on severity as mild , moderate or severe . table a__________________________________________________________________________ number of swine culture - positive for b . bronchiseptica over number sampled gross evidence weeks after virulent b strain of turbinate number of b . bronchiseptica challenge atrophyswine / product swine pretrial 3 4 6 8 at necropsy__________________________________________________________________________4 to 8 - week oldpigs live low - virulence strain 6 0 / 6 0 / 6 3 / 6 0 / 6 0 / 6 0 / 6 . sup . a55 intranasalvaccination4 to 8 - week oldpigs non - vaccinated 7 0 / 7 5 / 7 6 / 7 6 / 7 7 / 7 2 / 3controls__________________________________________________________________________ . sup . a number of pigs showing gross turbinate atrophy over number necropsied . the ability of live , low - virulence strain 55 b . bronchiseptica intranasal vaccination to produce nasal resistance to subsequent challenge with b strain swine - virulent b . bronchiseptica was reevaluated . the nasal persistance of strain 55 was also evaluated . ten pigs , 3 - to - 4 - weeks of age , were obtained from a bordetella rhinitis - free herd . the pigs were randomly selected into 3 groups and placed in individual isolation units . six pigs received 3 doses over a 4 day period of live , low - virulence strain 55 b . bronchiseptica intranasal vaccine , and 4 pigs served as unvaccinated controls . all pigs were challenged with swine - virulent strain b 2 weeks post - intranasal immunization . the strain 55 b . bronchiseptica was not detected on nasal swab culture 6 days post - vaccination . the pigs were 4 to 5 weeks of age at the time of strain 55 vaccination and 6 to 7 weeks of age at the time of b strain challenge . a summary of the incidence of b . bronchiseptica in the nasal secretions of the b strain challenged pigs during the first 12 weeks of the experiment is presented in table b . at 2 weeks post - b strain challenge 0 of 4 live , 55 strain vaccinates , and 4 of 4 control pigs were culture - positive for b . bronchiseptica . the 12 week figures were 0 of 5 , and 1 of 4 . at 8 weeks and 17 weeks post - first b strain challenge , the live strain 55 intranasally vaccinated pigs were rechallenged with b strain . bordetella bronchiseptica was not detected in the nasal secretions of live , low - virulence strain 55 intranasally vaccinated pigs for the entire 19 week sampling period . the average termination past serum titer was 38 for the live 55 strain vaccinates , and 13 for the nonvaccinated controls . at necropsy , gross examination revealed all intranasally vaccinated pigs had normal turbinate structures while 3 of 4 controls had mild turbinate atrophy . table b__________________________________________________________________________ number of swine positive for b . bronchiseptica over number sampled gross evidence number weeks after virulent b strain of turbinate of b . bronchiseptica challenge atrophy atswine / product swine pretrial 2 4 6 8 12 necropsy__________________________________________________________________________5 - week old pigslive , low - virulencestrain 55 5 0 / 5 0 / 4 . sup . a 0 / 5 0 / 5 0 / 5 0 / 5 0 / 4 . sup . bintranasalvaccination4 to 5 - week oldpigs non - vaccinated 4 0 / 4 4 / 4 3 / 4 3 / 4 2 / 4 1 / 4 3 / 4controls__________________________________________________________________________ . sup . a one sample was not interpretable due to overgrowth with contaminating organisms . . sup . b number of pigs with turbinate atrophy at necropsy over number of pigs examined . there is no evidence to indicate the persistance in or transfer between swine of strain 55 b . bronchiseptica . in the absence of demonstrable swine to swine transfer for the determination of potential increased virulence of strain 55 , the organism was back passaged through 11 passages in 6 - to - 8 - day old embryonating hens eggs and introduced into the nasal cavities of susceptible 3 - week - old pigs . strain 55 b . bronchiseptica killed 100 percent of the embryos by 72 hours in the first passage . swine virulent b strain b . bronchiseptica regularly kills 100 percent of 6 - to - 8 - day - old chicken embryos by 24 hours post - yolk sac inoculation . an increase in the virulence ( earlier mortality ) of 55 strain for chicken embryos was not evidenced through 11 serial passages . strain 55 eleventh passage egg yolk inoculum was not detected in the nasal secretions of the intranasally inoculated pigs at 1 or 2 weeks post - inoculation . ten mixed bred eight week old dogs were placed in canine testing facilities and fed a commercial dry dog ration . the dogs were held until determined to be negative for bordetella bronchiseptica by nasal swab culturing . the ten dogs were randomly divided into two groups of 5 dogs each . group i designated control dogs were maintained in a separate facility while the group ii treated dogs were immunized . each of the 5 dogs of group ii were exposed to an aerosol formed from an aqueous suspension of viable strain 55 b . bronchiseptica , thereby exposing the respiratory mucosa of the dogs to the strain 55 cells . the estimated dose was 2 . 5 × 10 9 cells per dog . each treated dog was swabbed daily for 14 days to determine the longevity of the strain 55 on the dog &# 39 ; s respiratory mucosa . swabbing was conducted periodically 79 days post - challenge . each dog was also observed for any clinical signs of kennel cough e . g . productive coughing or coughing on palpation . on day 14 post - exposure to strain 55 each dog of groups i and ii was challenged with a virulent bordetella bronchiseptica strain . cultures of the bordetella bronchiseptica virulent strain were grown 24 hours in brain - heart infusion media at 37 ° c . the cultures were propagated in stationary culture . the challenge culture contained approximately 2 . 0 × 10 8 cells / ml . each test dog &# 39 ; s nose was placed in a one cubic foot plastic box and exposed to air saturated with the virulent bordetella bronchiseptica for 2 . 5 minutes . all ten dogs were then housed in the same pen . the daily swab samples referred to above were taken from each naris of each test dog . the two swabs were added to a tube containing 1 ml sterile normal saline . 0 . 1 ml amounts of the resulting solution was plated on modified macconkey &# 39 ; s agar containing 1 % dextrose and 50 units / ml mycostatin . the plates were incubated 72 hours at 37 ° c . to allow colony formation of both the slow growing strain 55 and more rapid growing challenge strain . both strain 55 and the challenge strain organism were quantitated . during the test , each dog was observed daily for clinical signs of kennel cough . each dog was also nasal swabbed twice weekly for 79 days post - challenge . the results were as follows : 1 . all test dogs were negative for bordetella bronchiseptica at test initiation . 2 . five of five treated dogs were positive for strain 55 on each of fourteen days post - exposure . 3 . one of five intranasally treated - challenged dogs demonstrated clinical signs of kennel cough for four days continually while five of five non - treated - challenged demonstrated severe clinical kennel cough for 11 - 16 days post - challenge . the one dog which did demonstrate clinical signs of kennel cough also demonstrated a significantly lower level of immunizing strain 55 and a significantly higher level of the virulent challenge strain that was found on the average in the treated - challenged dogs which demonstrated no clinical signs of kennel cough . 4 . there was a highly significant suppression of virulent bordetella bronchiseptica strain organisms in the strain 55 treated dogs as compared to the untreated challenged dogs , as shown by table c . table c______________________________________days post average no . challenge organisms / dog ( cfu &# 39 ; s ) challenge vaccinates controls % difference______________________________________ 6 3 . 9 × 10 . sup . 2 2 . 1 × 10 . sup . 5 99 . 919 9 . 6 × 10 . sup . 2 9 . 0 × 10 . sup . 5 99 . 929 1 . 1 × 10 . sup . 3 3 . 6 × 10 . sup . 5 99 . 940 1 . 3 × 10 . sup . 2 4 . 2 × 10 . sup . 4 99 . 9______________________________________ in the test of the foregoing example , the strain 55 cells are found to be present in the nasal mucosal tissue of each of the five inoculated dogs for up to 40 days post - immunization . in general , strain 55 cells persist for a longer time in the nasal passages of dogs that they do in swine . for example , strain 55 cells may maintain colonization in large numbers on the intranasal mucosa for 7 to 20 days post - installation , with the clearance of the cells being obtained by about 50 to 75 days after inoculation . | 0 |
before the present invention is described , it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular embodiments described , as such may , of course , vary . it is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only , and is not intended to be limiting , since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims . where a range of values is provided , it is understood that each intervening value , to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise , between the upper and lower limits of that range is also specifically disclosed . each smaller range between any stated value or intervening value in a stated range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is encompassed within the invention . the upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included or excluded in the range , and each range where either , neither or both limits are included in the smaller ranges is also encompassed within the invention , subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range . where the stated range includes one or both of the limits , ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention . unless defined otherwise , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention , the preferred methods and materials are now described . all publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and / or materials in connection with which the publications are cited . as used in the specification and the appended claims , the singular forms “ a ”, “ an ”, and “ the ” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . thus , for example , reference to a “ support ” includes a single support as well as a plurality of supports . the terms “ optional ” or “ optionally ” as used herein mean that the subsequently described feature or structure may or may not be present , or that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur , and that the description includes instances where a particular feature or structure is present and instances where the feature or structure is absent , or instances where the event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not . these and other objects , advantages , and features of the invention will become apparent to those persons skilled in the art upon reading the details of the invention as more fully described below . in some embodiments of the invention , the outer conduit has an outer diameter that ranges from 0 . 2 inch to 1 . 0 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the outer conduit has an outer diameter that ranges from 0 . 3 inch to 0 . 6 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the outer conduit has an outer diameter that ranges from 0 . 35 inch to 0 . 4 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the outer conduit has an outer diameter of about 0 . 375 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the outer conduit has a wall thickness that ranges from 0 . 02 inch to 0 . 1 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the outer conduit has a wall thickness that ranges from 0 . 04 inch to 0 . 06 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the outer conduit has a wall thickness that ranges from about 0 . 035 inch to 0 . 049 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the outer conduit has a wall thickness of about 0 . 049 . in some embodiments of the invention , the outer conduit has an outer diameter of about 0 . 375 inch , and a wall thickness of about 0 . 049 . in some embodiments of the invention , the inner conduit has an outer diameter that ranges from 0 . 1 inch to 0 . 5 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the inner conduit has an outer diameter that ranges from 0 . 2 inch to 0 . 3 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the inner conduit has an outer diameter of about 0 . 25 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the inner conduit has a wall thickness that ranges from 0 . 02 inch to 0 . 07 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the inner conduit has a wall thickness that ranges from 0 . 03 inch to 0 . 04 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the inner conduit has a wall thickness that ranges from about 0 . 035 inch to 0 . 049 inch . in some embodiments of the invention , the inner conduit has a wall thickness of about 0 . 035 . in some embodiments of the invention , the inner conduit has an outer diameter of about 0 . 25 inch , and a wall thickness of about 0 . 035 . the inner diameter of the outer conduit is always greater than the outer diameter of the inner conduit . in some embodiments of the invention , the outer conduit has an outer diameter of about 0 . 375 inch , and a wall thickness of about 0 . 049 , and the inner conduit has an outer diameter of about 0 . 25 inch , and a wall thickness of about 0 . 035 . the behind casing fluid sampling system of the present invention is useful for the collecting of formation fluid samples , especially high frequency recovery of representative and uncontaminated aliquots of a rapidly changing two - phase fluid ( such as natural gas - brine ) fluid . samples can be collected from depths up to 5 km depth . such samples can provide insights into the presence or absence of migrated fluids along the length of a borehole . the behind casing fluid sampling system is particularly suited for long - term monitoring to ensure that wellbore cement is not functioning properly and that a hydraulic fracturing operation has not led to containment failure of the deeper oil or gas reservoir zones . in some embodiments of the invention an insulated electrical line encapsulated in stainless steel can be collocated with the u - tube fluid sampling tubes and used to trigger a perforation for connecting the fluid sampler to the formation . that same electrical line can also be used to transmit signals from a downhole sensor to the surface . fig1 shows a prior art u - tube sampling system designed for collecting fluids within a borehole . it is seen that u - tube drive line 10 is used as a conduit by which compressed gas from the surface is used to recover a sample up sample line 20 . drive line 10 and sample line 20 are connected at a “ tee ” 21 which connects a tube 22 that passes through a packer to a one way check valve 23 . the inlet for fluid to check valve 23 is a filter with small pores 30 such as sintered metal or porous plastic that protects check valve 23 from contamination . packer 40 is used to isolate the wellbore section of interest so that the fluid beneath the packer is representative of where the casing is open to the surrounding formation . fig2 shows the external casing fluid sampling system . a tube - in - tube control line with exterior line 13 and interior line 11 terminates at a “ tee ” 21 which connects the interior and exterior tube - in - tube lines . fluid conveyance line 14 connects “ tee ” 21 to one - way check valve 25 , which is connected by line 26 to inlet filter 30 . when the external casing fluid sampling system is deployed it is connected to the outside of the casing 39 by clamps 43 connected to a chamber 90 containing the external casing fluid sampling system . filling tube - in - tube lines 13 and 11 with fluid along with a surcharge of pressure is used to close check valve 25 and admit a pressure signal to triggering mechanism 45 . by a means well - known to one of ordinary skill in the art a hydraulic signal can be used to send a detonation signal through fuse 50 to activate shape charge perforators 51 . shape charge perforators 51 penetrate the cement sheath 60 surrounding the casing 39 connecting the u - tube inlet 30 to the formation 70 . the behind casing fluid sampler can function identically with two separate tubes as with a single tube - in - tube , but the tube - in - tube is considered advantageous as it is simpler to install and less likely to create bridging during cementing operations . fig3 show a modified behind casing fluid sampler which has incorporated a pressure transducer 80 . pressure transducer 80 can be used to provide information on the operation of the behind casing sampling system , in particular identifying hydrologic properties of the surrounding formation 70 when fluid is drawn up into the sampler . it is to be understood that , while the invention has been described in conjunction with the preferred specific embodiments thereof , the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention . other aspects , advantages , and modifications within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains . all patents , patent applications , and publications mentioned herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties . it is to be understood that , while the invention has been described in conjunction with the preferred specific embodiments thereof , the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention . other aspects , advantages , and modifications within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains . all patents , patent applications , and publications mentioned herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties . the examples of the invention described herein are offered to illustrate the subject invention by way of illustration , not by way of limitation . while the present invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiments thereof , it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation , material , composition of matter , process , process step or steps , to the objective , spirit and scope of the present invention . all such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claims appended hereto . | 4 |
fig1 illustrates a sound source transducer which , according to the invention , is to also be employed as a receiving transducer , in particular with a high efficiency . an element 2 , symbolically illustrated as a swtich , operates at a switch to supply the excitation alternating voltage of an oscillator 3 for the transmit mode to the sound source transducer 1 at predetermined transmit time intervals . when the switch 2 is closed , therefore , the transmission clock or cadence can be determined . the switch 2 can be a clock modulation of the transmission oscillator 3 , i . e . a switching on and off of the oscillator . however , specific embodiments of such a fundamental switch 2 which are advantageously designed within the framework of the invention will be discussed below . a series resonant circuit 4 comprising a capacitor c and an inductor l which shall be described in terms of actual function in greater detail below in connected parallel to the sound source transducer 1 . with its resonance of the transducer 1 . so that the series resonant circuit 4 is not an unnecessary short circuit 4 and parallel to the transducer 1 in the transmit mode , i . e . given the switch 2 in a closed condition , according to a further feature of the invention , a parallel connection 5 of a pair of diodes d1 and d2 ( as illustrated on the drawings ) connected anti - parallel to one another , is connected in parallel to either the inductor l ( fig1 and 3 ) or to the capaictor c ( fig2 and 4 ). the diodes d1 and d2 represent short circuits for the relatively high voltages occurring during the transmit mode at the transducer 1 and , therefore , at the inductor l and at the capacitor c ( given non - existence of the diode parallel circuit ), short circuits for the respective half wave of the oscillator alternating voltage which arrives at the diodes . this short circuit effect of the diodes d1 and d2 leads to the fact that the series resonant circuit 4 is extremely greatly attenuated in the transmit mode , i . e . when the switch 2 is closed , so that the series resonant circuit , given the high excitation voltages of the oscillator 3 at the transducer 1 , appears as a resistor which is high - resistant relative to the transducer resistance and , consequently , does not represent a significant shunt for the electrical excitation of the transducer 1 . the conditions given ultrasonic reception with the transducer 1 are completely different . of necessity , the echo signals have the frequency f o . an electrical emf ( of the frequency f o ) is now generated as a reception signal in the transducer 1 which now operates as a receiver and with an internal resistance which continues to be low for the frequency f o . this generated emf , due to the switch 2 opened in the pauses of the transmit mode , only occurs at the series resonant circuit 4 comprising the capacitor c and the inductor l . given a relatively high quality of the series resonant circuit 4 , its resonant impedance in this series resonance is small in comparison to the series resonant internal resistance of the transducer 1 . a particular advantage of employing the series resonant circuit 4 lies in the resonance step - up of the reception emf of the transducer 1 at the capacitor c and at the inductor l . the reception signal voltage occurring at the inductor l ( fig1 and 3 ) or , respectively at the capacitor c ( fig2 and 4 ) is greater than the emf of the transducer by the factor where r is the ohmic equivalent resistance of the transducer . as a rule , this voltage always remains below a value of approximately 0 . 6 volts , in particular below the threshold voltage of the diodes d1 and d2 . in comparison to such a reception voltage , the diodes d1 and d2 are high - resistant and , therefore , are negligible as short circuits . a parallel connection effect of the diodes d1 and d2 occurring at voltages above 0 . 6 volts is without interest for the fact that , in this case , the reception signal voltage is already so great that a limiting of the reception signals does not represent a disadvantage . on the contrary , it is even advantageous to keep signals which are too great away from the following amplifiers the signal output for the received echo signal of the transducer 1 is referenced 6 . in the embodiments of fig3 and 4 , the inductor l of fig1 and 2 is designed as a transformer 7 . with the transformer 7 , the output impedance of the circuit constructed in accordance with the present invention can be simply dimensioned to that value which is desired at the output terminal 6 . by dimensioning the capaictor c to be smaller than the value c o of the electrical parallel capacitance of the sound source transducer or dimensioning the capacitor c to the value c o · k 2 , where k 2 represents the electro - mechanical coupling factor of the transducer and c o represents its electrical parallel capacitance , the output voltage of the circuit constructed in accordance with the present invention can be increased in that one selects the value c of the capacitor of the series resonance circuit small , for example 1 - 30 times smaller than the electrical parallel capacitance c o of the transducer 1 , upon observation of the resonance condition in the case where c = c o , the circuit of the present invention already emits precisely as much voltage as a traditional , second receiving transducer operated at a parallel resonant frequency f p . if , however , the dimensioning mentioned above is even selected where c & lt ; c o , a voltage increase approximately corresponding to the ratio c o / c occurs at the capacitor c at the smaller capacitance thereof . this possible increase of the output voltage by a factor α is limited by the relative band width of the transducer to be achieved . for a large c ( c ≈ c o ), the band width is given only by the band width of the transducer if , however , c o / c is selected greater than the reciprocal quadratic coupling coefficient , an additional , noticeable loss of band width occurs . the value holds true for the band width b . in the equation , k is the coupling coefficient of the transducer 1 and b m is its natural band width . it can be seen from the equation that the receiving band width decreases with increasing α . there derives whereby a reduction of the band width ( in comparison to that of the transducer 1 in the series resonance ) occurs by the factor 2 . if the reduction of the band width is without use - conditioned significance , then a further limit for the voltage gain is provided by the quality of the electrical series circuit where q el is the oscillatory quality of the series resonant circuit and q m is the oscillatory quality of the transducer . in conjunction with the switch 2 , possibilities of its design which are particularly advantageous within the framework of the present invention , i . e . in conjunction with circuits constructed in accordance with the present invention , were already pointed out above . the circuit element 2 , designated as a simple switch in principle is technically realized in such a manner given arrangements in which the transducer 1 serves only as a transmitter that one controls or , respectively , keys the generation and / or emission of the oscillator alternating voltage of the oscillator 3 in one of the many , known possible variations . as is readily apparent , a separation between the transducer 1 and the oscillator 3 , i . e . a decoupling of the transducer 1 and the oscillator 3 from one another is not required during the transmission pauses . in the present invention , however , in which the transducer 1 also serves as a receiving transducer , such a coupling between the transducer 1 and the oscillator 3 would be disruptive during the receiving phase . this , particularly because of the low internal resistance of the oscillator 3 and / or because of the high noise output signal of the oscillator 3 . according to the present invention , therefore , it is of considerable advantage to undertake a separation or , respectively , decoupling as symbolically indicated with the switch 2 between the transducer 1 and the oscillator 3 during the receiving phase . fig5 and 6 respectively illustrate variations of this further development of the invention for an embodiment of the invention according to fig1 . these variations can likewise be realized with the same advantages given circuits according to fig2 - 4 . in fig5 the separation or , respectively , decoupling of the transducer 1 and the oscillator 3 &# 39 ; achieved by the symbolic switch 2 in fig1 is realized with the assistance of a parallel connection 21 comprising a pair of diodes 22 and 23 connected anti - parallel to one another . like the switch 2 , this parallel connection 21 lies in series between the transducer 1 and the oscillator 3 &# 39 ;. the oscillator 3 &# 39 ; is designed in such a manner that , as indicated in fig5 it supplies transmission pulses of the alternating voltage with the frequency f o . to be absolutely precise , the parallel connection 21 here only fulfills the function of the decoupling , whereas the switching of the transmission voltage occurs in the oscillator 3 &# 39 ;. the diodes 22 and 23 have identical threshold voltages of approximately 0 . 6 volts ( like the diodes d1 and d2 ). the diodes 22 and 23 are always high - resistant for the amplitude of the receiving emf generated in the transducer 1 . fig6 illustrates a parallel connection 31 comprising two transistors 32 and 33 which are connected as a circuit designated as an emitter follower . the bases of the transistors are connected in common and the emitters of the transistors are connected in common . as fig6 illustrates the collector of the one transistor ( for example the transistor 32 ) is connected to ground and the collector of the other transistor ( here the transistor 33 ) is connected to an operating potential . the parallel connection 31 comprising the transistors 32 and 33 , as is also shown in fig6 in turn is connected in series between the transducer 1 and the oscillator 3 &# 39 ;. the transistors 32 and 33 in the circuit of fig6 additionally see to a low excitation impedance , which is of further significance for the principle of the present invention . this variation according to fig6 is to be preferred when the oscillator circuit 3 &# 39 ; available exhibits an internal resistance which is not sufficiently low per se . an oscillator 3 &# 39 ; with the function of transmitting clocked transmission alternating voltages f 0 is likewise provided in the embodiment according to fig6 . although i have described my invention by reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof , many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . i therefore intend to include within the patent warranted hereon all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of my contribution to the art . | 8 |
in this disclosure , similar items which perform identical functions in different embodiments are provided with identical reference characters . fig1 illustrates a feed system for a drilling apparatus 10 of the prior art . the elements contained in the fig1 prior art embodiment are also contained in the fig3 and 8 present invention embodiments . the elements of fig1 are described first followed by the distinctions between the present invention and the prior art . the drilling apparatus includes a drill string 11 . a rotary head 12 provides rotary motion to the drill string 11 . cables 14 and 16 are affixed to the rotary head 12 , and extend around pulleys 18 , 20 respectively . the cables 14 and 16 are fixed at an opposite end to fixed point 22 . the pulleys 18 and 20 are fixed to the top and the bottom portion of a piston barrel 24 . the piston barrel 24 encases a fixed rod guide 26 , which together forms a feed cylinder 28 . the fixed rod guide has a piston 29 fixably formed thereupon . a drive chamber 30 and a return chamber 32 are formed between the piston barrel 24 and the fixed rod guide 26 on alternate sides of the piston 29 . fluid pressure applied to the return chamber 32 biases the piston barrel 24 and the drill string 11 in a return direction 33 . fluid pressure applied to the drive chamber 30 biases the piston barrel 24 and the drill string 11 in a drive direction 31 . first conduit 34 and second conduit 36 are in fluid communication with return chamber 32 and drive chamber 30 , respectively . the first conduit 34 is also in fluid communication with an overcenter valve 38 while second conduit 36 is also in fluid communication with port a of feed pump 40 . a conduit 50 communicates port b of the feed pump 40 with the overcenter valve 38 . the feed pump 40 is a variable reversible displacement pump . this type of pump is well known in the art , and permits flow out of either port a or b , but not at the same time . the pressure limit of the feed pump 40 is controlled by feed pressure adjuster 42 which includes a conduit 44 , a relief valve 46 and a reservoir 48 . the commercially available overcenter valve 38 includes normally closed valve 52 and spring biased check valve 54 . the check valve 54 permits fluid passage from conduit 50 to the first conduit 34 when the pressure differential of the conduit 50 over the first conduit 34 exceeds a certain limit , and restricts fluid passage from the first conduit 34 to the conduit 50 at all times . a variable spring 56 biases the normally closed valve 52 into its closed position . the elements which bias the normally closed valve into the open position are the fluid pressures contained in conduits 58 and 60 . conduit 58 is in fluid communication with the first conduit 34 while conduit 60 is in fluid communication with the second conduit 36 . note that the affects of pressure in the different conduits may be weighted differently as to how much influence they provide in the displacement of the normally closed valve . operation characteristics of the overcenter valve are well known in the art . the remainder of this section structurally compares the fig3 and 8 embodiments with the fig1 prior art embodiment . the fig3 embodiment differs from the fig1 embodiment by the inclusion of a two way valve 62 , conduits 64 , 66 , 68 , 70 and 72 , accumulator reservoir 74 , orifice 76 and spring 78 . these elements together define an adjustment means 80 . the adjustment means 80 adjusts the setting of normally closed valve 52 . the two way valve 62 is displaceable between a two way position ( in which fluid is permitted to pass in both directions between the accumulator reservoir 74 and the conduit 50 , at the right in fig3 ) and a one way position ( in which fluid is permitted to pass from conduit 50 via conduits 64 and 72 to the accumulator reservoir 74 , and not in the reversed direction ). the one way position of the two way valve 62 is to the left in fig3 . fluid pressure applied to conduit 66 biases the two way valve 62 into the two way position . fluid pressure in conduit 68 and the force exerted by spring 78 together bias the two way valve 62 into the one way position . when fluid is being pumped from port b of feed pump 40 , the pressure is generally sufficient in conduit 66 to bias the two way valve into the two way position so the accumulator reservoir is exposed to whatever pressure is contained in conduit 50 . when fluid is being pumped through port a of the feed pump 40 to second conduit 36 or the feed pump 40 is inactive , the pressure in conduit 68 and force from spring 78 typically combine to displace the two way valve 62 into the one way position . conduit 68 functions immediately following a rapid decrease of pressure applied to port b . as soon as pressure in conduit 66 drops below the pressure in conduit 68 ( the two conduits 66 and 68 contain pressures from opposed sides of the check valve 54 ), the two way valve 62 is displaced into the one way position to maintain the pressure in the accumulator reservoir 74 constant . elements in the fig5 embodiment which differ from the fig1 embodiment includes pressure transducers 90 , 92 and 94 , controller 96 , potentiometer 98 , display 100 , electro - hydraulic pressure controls 102 , 104 , constant displacement pump 106 , reservoirs 108 , 110 , and conduits 112 , 114 , 116 and 118 . all of the above members are included in an adjustment means 120 . pressure transducer 90 , 92 and 94 sense the pressure in the first conduit 34 , the second conduit 36 and conduit 50 , respectively . the signals from all of the pressure transducers 90 , 92 and 94 are input to controller 96 . a potentiometer 98 , set by the operator to the desired drill feed force , is also input to the controller 96 . the controller is preferably microprocessor based , but may also utilize any suitable computer based system . the controller follows a logic program similar to that illustrated in fig6 . based upon the logic program , output signals from the controller are sent to the electro - hydraulic proportional pressure controls 102 , 104 and the display 100 . the proportional pressure controls 102 and 104 regulate the operation of the overcenter valve 38 and the feed pump 40 , respectively , as described in the operation portion of the specification . proportional pressure control 102 applies an adjustable resistance to fluid exiting from conduit 112 . since constant displacement pump 106 pumps a fixed volume of fluid per specified time from reservoir 108 to conduits 114 and 112 , adjustment of the above resistance will effectively control pressure in conduit 112 . the pressure in conduit 112 applies a force , along with a force produced by variable spring 56 , which maintain the normally closed valve 52 in the closed position as is known in the art . proportional pressure control 104 acts to regulate the fluid flow from conduit 118 to conduit 116 . feed pump 40 displaces some fluid under pressure to conduit 118 . altering the pressure in conduit 118 by regulating fluid flow from the proportional pressure control 104 will control the operation of the feed pump 40 as is well known in the pump art . the fig8 embodiment is identical to the fig5 embodiment except that pressure transducer 94 is replaced by a pressure switch 122 . the pressure switch is mechanically actuated each time the drill string 11 performs a predetermined step , such as travel of the feed cylinder 28 in the return direction . this actuation results from either manual action by the operator of the drilling apparatus or by physical contact of a portion of the drilling apparatus 10 with the pressure switch 122 which occurs during the desired portion of the return cycle . the first portion of this section describes the general drilling process utilizing the fig1 prior art embodiment . the latter portion of this section describes how motive force is provided for each of the systems illustrated in fig1 , 5 and 8 in both the drive direction 31 and then the return direction 33 . typically , drilling is performed as follows . feed pump 40 exerts fluid flow through port a and second conduit 36 to extend the drill string in the drive direction 31 until the rotary head 12 is at its low point within the drilling apparatus 10 . the drill string 11 is then secured to a drill string restraint ( not shown ) by devices well known in the art to vertically secure the drill string 11 when the rotary head 12 is uncoupled from the drill string 11 . the rotary head 12 is then uncoupled from the drill string 11 . the feed pump is then switched to apply fluid pressure through port b to the conduit 50 . the pressure in the conduit 50 increases to bias the spring biased check valve 54 open and applies pressure to the first conduit 34 , driving the rotary head 12 and the piston barrel 24 in the return direction 33 . after a sufficient distance has been covered by the rotary head 12 , a new length of drill string 11 is affixed to the rotary head 12 . the new length of drill string is raised in the return direction 33 sufficiently to affix it to the remainder of the drill string . the feed pump is then shut off and the new length is attached to the remainder of the drill string 11 . the rotary head 12 is then driven in the return direction 33 sufficiently to uncouple the drill string from the drill string restraint . the drill string is now in the proper position for drilling . the feed pump 40 once again applies pressure through port a to the second conduit 36 to displace the rotary head 12 , the drill string and the piston barrel 24 in the drive direction 31 . the drill string will be able to drill as desired until the rotary head 12 , once again , reaches its lowest position within the drilling apparatus . the cycle is then repeated as desired . during portions of the above specified drilling operation , the rotary head 12 is being driven in the return direction 33 with no weight attached to it , with only one length of drill string attached to it and with the weight of the entire drill string attached to it . the weight of the entire drill string varies as other lengths of drill string are attached . the remainder of the operation portion of this disclosure describes how each prior art and present invention configuration operates in both the return and the drive directions . the fig1 prior art embodiment acts to displace the drill string 11 in the return direction 33 as follows . fluid pressure is applied from port b of the feed pump 40 , increasing pressure in conduit 50 . the pressure in conduit 50 is sufficient to bias the check valve 54 into the open position and thereby increase fluid pressure in the first conduit 34 . the pressure in the first conduit 34 is applied to return chamber 32 which drives the piston barrel 24 , the rotary head 12 and the drill string 11 in the return direction 33 . the operator personally determines the weight of the drill string 11 and the rotary head 12 to optimize operation of the drill and limit the force applied to the material being drilled . the operator sets the variable spring 56 or the relief valve 46 based upon the determined weight . in the present invention , it is not necessary to determine this weight to provide optimum performance . often the operator sacrifices optimization of the drilling process for the convenience of not setting the variable spring 56 or the relief valve 46 after the weight of the drill string 11 is altered . the drill feed force vs drive pressure graph of fig2 illustrates that , with a fixed setting of variable spring 56 , different drive pressures are necessary to produce the same drill feed forces for drill strings of different weights ( illustrated by graph plots 130 a , b , c , d and e ). to switch the drill string to the drive direction after the variable spring has been manually set , the operator manually selects an appropriate pump displacement that results in a discharge of fluid out of the feed pump from port a to the second conduit 36 . the pump will automatically decrease its displacement of oil from port a to the extent necessary to maintain pressure in the second conduit at the level required by the setting of the relief valve 46 of the feed pressure adjuster 42 ( also selected by the operator ). the pressure in the second conduit 36 enters the drive chamber 30 of the feed cylinder 28 and exerts a force on the piston 29 . pressure in the second conduit 36 also enters conduit 60 and acts upon the normally closed valve 52 to influence its opening . movement of the piston 29 produces a pressure increase in the return chamber 32 which causes movement of the fluid out of the return chamber 32 to the first conduit 34 and into conduit 58 where this pressure will , in combination with the pressure in conduit 60 , bias normally closed valve 52 open . the pressure in the first conduit 34 will increase to resist movement of the piston 29 until sufficient pressure is generated in conduits 58 and 60 to override the force of the spring 56 and open the valve 52 . if the variable spring 56 is set correctly , then virtually all of the pressure exerted from port a of feed pump 40 , when the drill string is being driven in the drive direction , will be used to drive the drill string and not overcome excess holdback pressure as set with the variable spring 56 . since the variable spring 56 is typically not set after each cycle , a situation as illustrated in the fig2 graph occurs . graph plot 130 a represents a plot of drill feed force vs . drive pressure when a relatively light drill string is used . graph plots 130 b , c , d , and e represent the same plot with a plurality of progressively heavier drill string 11 weights being used when the setting of the variable spring 56 is maintained at a constant setting . the fig3 and 8 present invention embodiment operate similarly to the fig1 prior art embodiment except that the setting of the overcenter valve 38 occurs automatically . the present invention permits a uniform pressure from the feed pump port a through second conduit 36 to displace the feed cylinder 28 and the rotary head 12 in the drive direction 31 with a constant force regardless of how much the drill string 11 weighs . this is accomplished by automatically biasing the overcenter valve 38 ( which acts as a counterbalance when the drill string is being displaced in the drive direction 31 ) to the weight which is affixed to the rotary head 12 , plus the weight of the rotary head , each time the rotary head is displaced in the return direction 33 . when the drill string is being displaced in the return direction 33 , fluid pressure is being exerted from port b of feed pump 40 as previously described for fig1 . in fig3 pressure from port b is in immediate communication with conduits 50 , 64 and 66 . the pressure in conduit 66 biases the two way valve 62 into the two way position , whereupon the pressure in the accumulator reservoir duplicates that in conduit 50 . the pressure in conduit 68 also closely follows that in conduit 50 whenever the check valve 54 is biased open . the pressure in conduit 68 is maintained after a sudden pressure drop in conduits 50 and 66 since the check valve 54 will be biased closed . the two way valve 62 is then biased into the one way position . this ensures that the pressure in accumulator 74 reflects the constant pressure applied to conduit 50 when the feed pump last pumped fluid from port b . displacement of the fig3 drill string 11 in the drive direction is accomplished when the operator selects an appropriate position of the pump displacement control ( not shown ). when fluid pressure is exerted from port a or no pressure is being supplied from either port a or port b , the pressure in the accumulator reservoir 74 is maintained at the last pressure contained in conduit 50 when fluid pressure was being supplied through port b of the feed pump . the normally closed valve 52 maintains the fluid contained within the first conduit 34 . since the setting of the fig3 overcenter valve 38 is accurately adjusted on the drive stroke based upon the force last required to lift the drill string 11 in the return direction 33 ( and controlled accordingly ), the graph of drill feed force vs . drive pressure will appear as in fig4 regardless of the weight of the drill string . the drilling apparatus illustrated in fig5 and 8 operate similarly to the fig3 embodiment , but utilize different elements . the fig5 embodiment operates in this manner . the pressure in the first conduit 34 , the second conduit 36 and the conduit 50 are continually monitored utilizing pressure transducers 90 , 92 and 94 respectively . the signals from all three pressure transducers are continually supplied to controller 96 . the fig5 embodiment operates in the return direction in the following manner . after fluid is expelled from port b of the feed pump 40 through conduit 50 , first conduit 34 and into the return chamber 32 , the feed cylinder begins its displacement initially in the return direction . fluid pressure in the first conduit 34 drops to a lower level than in the conduit 50 as flow is established across check valve 54 . at this point , the controller 96 recognizes that the drill string is starting to be displaced in the return direction 33 and the string weight can be computed using the equation : 2 is a factor representing the 2 to 1 mechanical advantage of the mechanical feed system represented . the value of string weight is then used by the controller 96 to calculate the actual drill feed force using the following equation : the drill feed force is the actual weight applied to the rock by the drill device and k is the force value representing hydraulic and mechanical losses in the feed system . when the pressure in the first conduit 34 suddenly increases above that in conduit 50 , the controller recognizes that the feed pump 40 is no longer applying fluid pressure from port b . the last value of string weight , from memory , is stored throughout the duration when the drill string is being displaced in the drive direction 31 or is stationary . the value for the string weight is stored in the memory of the controller 96 until another lift cycle is initiated . the signal is used to set the bias value of the overcenter valve 38 and the feed pump 40 , as described below . the drive direction 31 operation of the fig5 embodiment is identical to that of the fig3 embodiment . the controller 96 of fig5 regulates the feed pump 40 and the overcenter valve 38 in the following manner . the electro - hydraulic proportional pressure control 104 is inserted between a reservoir 110 and the feed pump 40 and is controlled by the controller 96 . the pressure control 104 limits the pressure in the pump internal pressure compensator by regulating pressure in conduit 118 . the feed pump 40 provides the fluid for creating pressure in conduit 118 by providing a small steady flow into conduit 118 movement of the pumps displacement control ( not shown ) in alternate directions from the neutral position results in appropriate flow from port a or port b of the feed pump 40 . regulation of pressure in conduit 118 regulates what pressure the fluid is expelled under . controls of feed pumps 40 of this type are well known in the art , and will not be described in greater detail here . the controller 96 controls the overcenter valve 38 in the following manner . the continually operating constant displacement pump 106 ( which operates to a maximum pressure ) supplies fluid to conduit 112 via conduit 114 at a constant rate . the electro - hydraulic proportional pressure control 102 regulates fluid flow from the conduit 112 , and thereby controls pressure in conduit 112 . increased pressure in the conduit 112 progressively biases the overcenter valve 38 closed . when the electro - hydraulic proportional pressure control 102 is open , fluid in conduit 112 will escape to reservoir 110 prior to adequate pressure build up to contribute to overcenter valve closing bias . fig6 represents a flowchart of the logic which the controller 96 follows in deriving the output signal to be supplied to proportional pressure controls 102 and 104 . the desired drill feed force value input by the operator , by setting of the potentiometer 98 , is compared to the actual value determined by the above equation , and an error signal is produced quantifying the difference between the two values . the controller then continually corrects the error by changing signals applied to hydraulic -- electric pressure controls 102 and 104 . fig7 represents a graph of feed force vs . drive / holdback pressure as regulated by a controller following the fig6 flowchart . as long as there is enough string weight to meet the drill feed force requirement selected by the operator , the drive pressure is held to a low value and the holdback pressure is adjusted as required to satisfy the force requirement . when the desired feed force exceeds the available string weight , the additional drill feed force needed is provided by increasing the drive pressure . fig7 is intended only as an example of a feed force vs . feed pressure graph which may be obtained . it is worth noting that the graph having a different outline may be obtained by programming into the controller 96 a desired pressure profile . the fig8 embodiment performs similarly to the fig5 embodiment except that motion of the drill string in the return direction is recognized by actuation of the pressure switch 122 . the fig5 embodiment , by comparison , utilizes the relative pressures in the first conduit 34 and the conduit 50 to determine which direction the feed pump 40 is displacing the drill string 11 . the fig8 embodiment , by comparison , utilizes actual displacement of the feed cylinder 28 , the drill string 11 , manual control by the operator or some other physical displacement input to pressure switch 122 to signal when the drill string is being displaced in the return direction 32 . at this point , the controller stores the input from the pressure transducers 90 and 92 to determine the return force as described above . while this invention has been illustrated and described in accordance with a preferred embodiment , it is recognized that other variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims . | 4 |
the method according to the invention can be exploited advantageously in several types of terminal equipment . of these , the principle advantage is achieved particularly in terminal equipment , in which the power consumption is intended to be minimized . one example of such a group of terminal equipment is wireless mobile terminal equipment . on the other hand , the method according to the invention can also be implemented in so - called intelligent telephones and pocket computers . fig1 shows one example of the logical totalities forming mobile equipment 10 . it will be obvious to one versed in the art that the logical totalities of a mobile station 10 can vary even greatly compared to those shown , so that the rough schematic diagram should in no way be interpreted as being restrictive . the mobile station 10 includes modules and functional blocks , which as such will be obvious to one versed in the art and which are principally all connected to a processor unit 18 . such modules , which are only given as examples , are the transmitter / receiver circuits 19 connected to an antenna 25 , the various types of memory 17 a , 17 b , a subscriber identity module sim 16 , a microphone 20 a , a buzzer or similar audible signal module 20 b , and a speaker 12 . the microphone 20 a , the buzzer 20 b , and the speaker 12 are connected to the processor unit 18 by means of an audio part 14 , which includes technology that , as such , will be known to one versed in the art . the method according to the invention relates to the input and display component of a mobile station 10 and particularly to visualization that appears in them when the keypad is locked . in this case , the input component can be understood to be the keypad 11 , 15 of the terminal equipment and also , in general , keys or switches ( keypad , keyboard , control pad , rotate switch , ptt button ) that can be controlled by the user and are arranged in connection with the terminal equipment 10 , in order to control the functions of the terminal equipment 10 . as is known , the keypad 11 , 15 can nowadays be arranged in different configurations in connection with a mobile station 10 . as stated above , the keypad can include several types of keys 11 , 15 , with different forms of operation , which will also be obvious to one versed in the art . such keys include not only the traditional combined alphanumeric keypad 11 , but also navigation and selection keys 15 . nowadays , the keys 11 , 15 also have back - lighting 23 , 26 , using techniques that are , as such , known . the lighting 23 , 26 can include lighting of only the edges of the keys 11 , 15 , and / or lighting through the keys . further , the terminal equipment 10 also includes a display component 21 . the type of the display 21 can be , for example , an lcd ( liquid crystal device ). connected to the display 21 , there is an lcd driver 13 , which is used to control the operation of the display . in connection with the lcd driver 13 , there is , for example a pwm ( pulse width modulation ) implementation , which is used to control the operation of the display 21 . still in addition to the above , all kinds of display panels that can be controlled by touch can be regarded as belonging to the input and display components . one example of their implementation is displays based on capacitive detection , on which it is possible to ‘ draw ’, using a special ‘ pen ’ belonging to the device . such displays are known , for example , from palm computers and similar intelligent ‘ pocket computers ’ which use “ touch - detection ” feature . fig2 and 3 show a flow diagram of one embodiment of the method according to the invention . in fig2 , prior to arriving at the flow diagram , the user has activated the keypad lock function ( 200 ) in terminal equipment of the type described . the locking of the keypad 11 is a state that can be set in the terminal equipment , in which , following its activation , the terminal equipment 10 will not react to pressures directed onto the keys 11 , 15 , and thus will not perform operations directed to it . this is intended to prevent the unintentional operation of the terminal equipment 10 if , for example , there is pressure on the keypad 11 , 15 when the terminal equipment is in the user &# 39 ; s pocket . the locking of the keypad 11 , 15 can be opened in a known manner , using a particular combination of keys . the specific keys that open the locking are then pressed , for example , essentially in a particular sequence . generally , the opening procedure is manufacturer - specific . thus , in one first case , it can consist of pressing consecutively the left - hand soft - key and the *- key . in the case of a second manufacturer , the locking can be opened by pressing consecutively the navigation and selection keys . thus , in fig2 , the user has set the keypad - locked function to be active ( 200 ), resulting in the terminal equipment 10 locking its keypad 11 , 15 and possibly simultaneously transferring to the so - called sleep state ( 201 ). when the user presses some key of the keypad 11 , 15 , for example , at random , the terminal equipment detects this pressure ( 202 ). the key can be pressed , for example , for a shorter or longer time , which can be set , for example , in the interface settings . the pressing can follow the indication shown on the display for opening the keypad locking ( 203 a ). the indication can be set as an option from the interface settings , if , for example , the user is familiar with the interface characteristics of their terminal equipment ( 10 ). operation according to the method of the invention follows the terminal equipment &# 39 ; s 10 detection of pressure . in the method according to the invention , the terminal equipment 10 according to the invention implements , in the input and / or display component 11 , 15 , 21 , preferably a barely discernable visual indicator effect ( 203 b ). the indicator effect can be set to be a flash in one or more keys and can be implemented immediately the user has pressed some key in the keypad 11 , 15 . in the method according to the invention , the light effect is implemented to a substantially restricted extent . the effect can be implemented so that it is either extremely short and / or substantially dimmer than in the prior art . the duration of the effect can be 0 . 1 - 5 seconds , for example 1 - 3 seconds . the essential point is that the user must be able to discern the effect , i . e . that its duration is mainly determined by the time required for human perception . such a light effect has an insignificant effect on the power consumption of the terminal equipment 10 compared , for example , to a situation in which there is a transfer from a sleep state to a stand - by state . if the said indicator effect is created in the keys that open the keypad - locking , the terminal equipment 10 will register pressure directed onto its keypad ( 204 ). in fig3 , the terminal equipment 10 interprets the pressure ( 301 ) directed onto it by the user . if the key combination is correct , and if it has been given in the set manner essentially consecutively , then the terminal equipment 10 opens the locking ( 302 ). however , if the user entered the wrong combination of keys , or if the time between the consecutive keystrokes was , for example , too long , the procedure returns to stage ( 202 ). after opening the keypad locking , the terminal equipment &# 39 ; s 10 keypad 11 , 15 transfers to the open state of the keypad lock , i . e . to the state that registers keystrokes and implements the operations corresponding to them ( 303 ). operations can be implemented , for example , until the user enters the keystroke combination in the keypad 11 , 15 that locks the keypad ( 304 ). another criterion for locking the keypad 11 , 15 can be , for example , that no keystrokes have been entered in the keypad during a set period of time . if the keypad 11 , 15 has not been touched for the set time , for example , for 30 seconds , the keypad lock is reactivated . after this , the performance of the method once again starts from the beginning , i . e . it returns to stage ( 201 ). according to a first embodiment , the visual indicator effect showing the location of the input component can consist of a flash , barely discernable to the user , in a set pattern , in one or more of the keys 11 , 15 . the flash can preferably be directed to occur only in the keys that lead to the opening of the keypad lock , for example , in the sequence of keystrokes that has been set to open the keypad lock . according to a second embodiment , in addition to , or alternatively instead of the above , the visual indicator effect can be implemented in the display 21 of the terminal equipment 10 . a selected area of the display 21 can easily be illuminated for a short time and / or dimly , or the display can alternatively also be illuminated in its entirety . on the other hand , according to one embodiment , the level of brightness of the indicator effect can also be selected in such a way that it consumes a negligible amount of current , compared , for example , to the amount used if the terminal equipment 10 wakes from a sleep state to a stand - by state . one example of such a barely discernable brightness can be stated as luminance of 0 . 1 - 5 cd / m 2 , preferably 0 . 5 - 3 cd / m 2 . luminance is a generally used measure when analysing the illumination of the keypads and displays of terminal equipment . one example of a level of barely discernable luminance can be even less than 1 cd / m 2 . in practice , in conditions of restricted lighting , such as in the dark , the user will become sufficiently conscious of the location of the keys of the input component 11 , 15 of terminal equipment 10 using a light effect with even a very low brightness ( i . e . a luminance of even less than 1 cd / m 2 ). colours cannot be detected at such low levels of luminance , but the essential feature of the method according to the invention is the ability to distinguish the desired keys . if it is wished to include colours in the indicator effect , the rough lower limit of the luminance value will be approximately 3 cd / m 2 . according to yet another embodiment , the indicator effect can also be synchronized with routine operations performed by the terminal equipment . for example , according to the prior art , gsm terminal equipment monitors the data - transfer network every few seconds and performs , for example , location updatings in it . the synchronization of the indicator effect with such routine operations will then bring additional advantages in power consumption , as in principle both operations can be implemented using nearly the same consumption of power , due to the small amount of current consumed by the indicator effect . on the other hand , alternating operation may also be possible , in which case the indicator effect will be arranged to be implemented between these network monitoring routines , but the moments when both commence and terminate will be triggered essentially nearly simultaneously . in its most advantageous form of implementation , the method according to the invention consumes very little current . nowadays , even a few microamperes are sufficient to create a light effect discernable to the user in the leds 23 , 26 used in terminal equipment 10 . in sufficiently dark conditions , the glow created using this current consumption is enough to show the user the position of the input component . however , a more practical level of current consumption may be a few milliamperes , in which case the necessary visualization will be achieved in twilight conditions too . generally , the current consumption can be set to be , for example , 0 . 5 - 1 . 5 ma , preferably less than one milliampere . even then , the level of power consumption will nevertheless remain substantially less than that in normal operating conditions , or if the terminal equipment 10 is woken from a sleep state to a stand - by state . the essential feature of the method and terminal equipment according to the invention is that the intention is to minimize the energy consumed by the indicator effect . in the case of the terminal equipment 10 , this can be reduced to the product of the current used and the duration , or even more generally to the product of the power used and the duration . by way of example , and with reference to the above , the capacity of the battery of terminal equipment can be 900 mah . in the prior art , in which illumination of the entire keypad is activated for , for example , 15 seconds , as much as about 300 mas of charge can be consumed . this result is reached if there are ten leds in the keypad , each with a current in the order of 2 ma . if the indicator effect is implemented according to the method of the invention , i . e . using , for example , a single led for a duration of , for example , 2 seconds , the charge consumed by the effect will be only 4 mas . it is obvious that , in the long run , if the indicator effect is used and is even activated as a result of completely unintentional pressure on a key , this will have the effect of clearly reducing the general current consumption of the terminal equipment . according to yet another embodiment , means ( not shown ) can also be arranged in the terminal equipment 10 for detecting the level of illumination . these means can be used to adjust not only the brightness and duration of the desired visual indicator effect , but also to decide whether there is even any need to produce the indicator effect at all . the indicator effect according to the invention can be implemented easily , for example , in present terminal equipment . terminal equipment 10 generally includes , for example , a modulation functionality 22 , by means of which the functions relating to the display component 21 , for instance , can be controlled . such a modulation functionality 22 can be implemented , for example , using a pwm ( pulse width modulation ) module , or , as another alternative example , an am ( amplitude modulation ) module . in the case of the am module , the terminal equipment 10 includes a functionality for implementing low - current control by static means . this can be achieved by , for example , altering the magnitude of the restriction resistor . a modulation functionality 22 , or alternatively some other manner can also be used in the production of the indicator effect according to the invention . the above is a description of the method according to the invention , and of terminal equipment implementing it , as an individual example of an embodiment . it will be obvious to one versed in the art that the technical implementation of the terminal equipment may differ , even considerably , from that described above , so that the embodiment described must thus in no way be interpreted as being restrictive . the essential feature of the method and terminal equipment according to the invention is that the input and / or display component is illuminated either partly , or entirely in a selected area using a current consumption that is substantially more restricted , relative to the prior art . this is achieved using , for example , a short and / or a dimmer light effect . it must be understood that the above description and the related figures are only intended to illustrate the method and the terminal equipment , according to the present invention . the invention is thus in no way restricted to only the embodiments disclosed or stated in the claims , but many different variations and adaptations of the invention , which are possible within the scope on the inventive idea defined in the accompanying claims , will be obvious to one versed in the art . | 8 |
the following exemplary methods and arrangements describe certain enhancements and features associated with a generic dvd navigator having apis exposed to dvd player applications . these are referred to as the dvd navigator and dvd2 apis . it is noted that while most of the description is directed towards a pc running the windows ® operating system , the various methods and arrangements are clearly applicable to other operating systems , devices , etc . moreover , the use of the term dvd is not meant to exclude other media formats . thus , the dvd content itself may come from a hard drive , a compact disc , over a network , and the like . as will be described , the dvd navigator and / or dvd2 api enable a player application to interactively control the playback of dvd content . the dvd2 api consists of two interfaces . the first is termed “ idvdlnfo2 ”. the second is termed “ idvdcontrol2 ”. the player application may use the idvdlnfo2 interface to query the current state of the dvd navigator and the idvdcontrol2 interface to better control playback and / or to alter the dvd navigator &# 39 ; s state . the dvd2 api provides several unique and novel features . for example , thread - based synchronization methods are provided for real - time playback ; a playback control mechanism is provided to determine the degree of interactivity ; communication mechanisms are provided between the player application and the disc program , playing of time ranges is supported ; mechanisms are provided for coordinating and handling parental level requests and for determining the minimal parental level to play a restricted segment of content ; and , a unique disc identifier algorithm is provided , which further supports the bookmarking of any location within the dvd content with this mind , attention is drawn to fig1 , which depicts an exemplary dvd player 100 . player 100 includes at least one player application 102 configured to present the user with a user interface ( u / i ) 104 . through u / i 104 , the user is able to instruct player application 102 with regard to the playback of dvd content 110 . as illustrated , player application 102 is provided with dvd2 api 108 a and 108 b to communicate user requests , and receive feedback information , respectively . dvd2 api 108 a – b provide access to the functions within navigator 106 . navigator 106 interacts with dvd content 110 , which in addition to media information includes a program 112 . program 112 defines the menus , jumps , etc ., associated with the remaining content . navigator 106 includes a state 114 associated with the playback process . here , in state 114 , for example , the current user operation ( uop ) ( e . g ., play , stop , pause , reverse , fast - forward , slow motion , angle , etc .) is stored along with the current location within the dvd content ( e . g ., chapter , time , frame ) and certain other registers such as those that could record recent jumps / uops . the output of navigator 106 includes an encoded video stream , an encoded audio stream , and a subpicture stream , as applicable . these outputs are inputted to a decoder 116 , which is configured to decode ( decrypt and decompress ) the encoded data and output the corresponding streams to the applicable video renderer 118 or audio renderer 120 . renderer 118 causes the video information to be displayed to the user , for example , via a video monitor . renderer 120 causes the audio information to be reproduces for the listener , for example , via one or more speakers . attention is now drawn to fig2 , which is a block diagram depicting an exemplary computing system 200 suitable for use with the arrangement in fig1 . computing system 200 is , in this example , in the form of a personal computer ( pc ), however , in other examples computing system may take the form of a dedicated server ( s ), a special - purpose device , an appliance , a handheld computing device , a mobile telephone device , a pager device , etc . as shown , computing system 200 includes a processing unit 221 , a system memory 222 , and a system bus 223 . system bus 223 links together various system components including system memory 222 and the processing unit 221 . system bus 223 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller , a peripheral bus , and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures . system memory 222 typically includes read only memory ( rom ) 224 and random access memory ( ram ) 225 . a basic input / output system 226 ( bios ), containing the basic routine that helps to transfer information between elements within computing system 200 , such as during start - up , is stored in rom 224 . computing system 200 further includes a hard disk drive 227 for reading from and writing to a hard disk , not shown , a magnetic disk drive 228 for reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk 229 , and an optical disk drive 30 for reading from or writing to a removable optical disk 231 such as a cd rom or other optical media . hard disk drive 227 , magnetic disk drive 228 , and optical disk drive 230 are connected to system bus 223 by a hard disk drive interface 232 , a magnetic disk drive interface 233 , and an optical drive interface 234 , respectively . these drives and their associated computer - readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer readable instructions , data structures , computer programs and other data for computing system 200 . a number of computer programs may be stored on the hard disk , magnetic disk 229 , optical disk 231 , rom 224 or ram 225 , including an operating system 235 , one or more application programs 236 , other programs 237 , and program data 238 . a user may enter commands and information into computing system 200 through various input devices such as a keyboard 240 and pointing device 242 ( such as a mouse ). a camera / microphone 255 or other like media device capable of capturing or otherwise outputting real - time data 256 can also be included as an input device to computing system 200 . the real - time data 256 can be input into computing system 200 via an appropriate interface 257 . interface 257 can be connected to the system bus 223 , thereby allowing real - time data 256 to be stored in ram 225 , or one of the other data storage devices , or otherwise processed . as shown , a monitor 247 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 223 via an interface , such as a video adapter 248 . in addition to the monitor , computing system 200 may also include other peripheral output devices ( not shown ), such as speakers , printers , etc . computing system 200 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers , such as a remote computer 249 . remote computer 249 may be another personal computer , a server , a router , a network pc , a peer device or other common network node , and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to computing system 200 , although only a memory storage device 250 has been illustrated in fig2 . the logical connections depicted in fig2 include a local area network ( lan ) 251 and a wide area network ( wan ) 252 . such networking environments are commonplace in offices , enterprise - wide computer networks , intranets and the internet . when used in a lan networking environment , computing system 200 is connected to the local network 251 through a network interface or adapter 253 . when used in a wan networking environment , computing system 200 typically includes a modem 254 or other means for establishing communications over the wide area network 252 , such as the internet . modem 254 , which may be internal or external , is connected to system bus 223 via the serial port interface 246 . in a networked environment , computer programs depicted relative to the computing system 200 , or portions thereof , may be stored in the remote memory storage device . it will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used . dvd2 api 108 a – b simplifies application authoring , adds functionality and solves many difficult synchronization issues common to dvd player applications development . basically , a common dvd api helps discourage proprietary single - use monolithic dvd solutions that serve only as standalone dvd player applications . it also allows various applications ( such as presentation programs , dvd players , games , or interactive learning programs ) to add dvd support without having to know which dvd decoder or dvd hardware support is on the user &# 39 ; s system . historically , custom dvd solutions tend to be very hardware dependent and have limited upgrade options for users . as will be described in greater detail below , dvd2 api 108 a – b adds flexible synchronization mechanisms for the application to know the completion status of requests made to the dvd navigator 106 . the new command completion notification allows the application to concurrently perform other tasks and be informed of the status of a previous request . previous dvd apis assumed that either the application would be blocked until the request was completed , or would not send any notification to the application . applications now have the option of receiving a synchronization object that they can use to wait on or are notified about completion events . the synchronization mechanism also returns the status of the request that indicates whether it succeeded or returns the reason ( an error code ) for its failure . previous dvd apis would appear to successfully execute requests that would later fail due to changed state when the dvd navigator 106 actually started processing them . at that point , there was no way to propagate the error indication back to the player application 102 . the new mechanism also notifies the player application 102 of every request that is cancelled or overridden by the disc &# 39 ; s program 112 or by further user actions . current dvd apis use predefined behaviors that dictate how a command interacts with the current display . when a player application issues a new request , it pre - empts and cancels any content ( video or audio ) that is being played . alternatively , the apis semantics dictate that the current presentation completes before the new content is presented which forces the user to wait before he / she can request another action . interactive applications such as dvd players and games may require the first behavior ( instant effect ), but other applications such as a slideshow may require the second behavior ( complete the current presentation ). since these two options are mutually exclusive , predefined api &# 39 ; s semantics cannot accommodate both . dvd2 api 108 a – b allows player application 102 to indicate the desired behavior via flags , and also how it interacts with the synchronization mechanism . dvd navigator 106 is configured to simulate a virtual cpu that uses an execution state 114 ( in the form of a set of memory registers 124 ( see , fig9 )). previous dvd apis allowed applications to read the contents of the registers . dvd2 api 108 a – b also allows player application 102 to also change the contents of the memory registers . the combined read / write functionality allows player application 102 to essentially ‘ communicate ’ with program 112 , as illustrated in fig9 . the read and write methods works in such a way that they can also be used for synchronization . by way of example , with read / write functionality , player application 102 can implement ‘ controlled unlocking ’ or restricted access to all or portions of dvd content 110 . with controlled unlocking , the user may be restricted from viewing portions of the disc until player application 102 sets specific memory registers . player application 102 could receive this information from the content &# 39 ; s author , the user , another program , a website , or the like . for example , fig1 depicts the use of a code being written to registers 124 by player application 102 and being read by program 112 . if the code is correct , then portion 130 of dvd content 110 can be played back . in certain implementations , dvd2 api 108 a – b contains a simplified naming scheme for the potential user operations suggested in the dvd specification annex j . the dvd2 api uses less dvd jargon and features a more intuitive naming scheme . the user operation names proposed in the dvd specification are unclear and can lead to incorrect usage or under - utilization by application programs . the names now suggest their usage instead of an abstract label . also time codes are now returned in a simple integer format instead of the awkward bcd coding . some previous dvd apis failed to correctly handle minimum parental level branching by having the dvd navigator send an error event indicating that the branch always failed ( see fig1 ). the player application then had to increase the parental level and restart the movie from the beginning . if the branch fails , the player application would need to stop the playback to enter the stop domain to change the parental level . it can only continue by restarting the movie . to the contrary , dvd2 api 108 a – b has a mode that pauses navigator 106 and lets player application 102 respond to the parental level increase request before the navigator 106 continues . if the increase request is granted , the playback continues without requiring the user to start the movie from the beginning . the dvd specification only states that the navigator should pause until it knows whether the request succeeded or failed . it does not describe a mechanism to accomplish this task and suggests that the navigator “ calls the temporary parental level change feature built into the player ” ( 4 . 6 . 4 . 1 v14 - 197 ). nor does the dvd specification describe any mechanism to allow the user to play multi - segment parent level branches ( see , e . g ., fig1 ). as such , previous dvd apis did not provide a mechanism that allowed the user to play multi - segment ( or multiple - branch ) parent level branches if no branches were permitted at the current user level . in the past , the navigator only notified the application that the playback has stopped , since no branch was available for the current parental level . to the contrary , navigator 106 and dvd2 api 108 a – b compute the minimum level required to play the block and return this value along with a playback stopped notification . the application can then notify the user of the required parental level that is required to continue playing dvd content 110 . thus , the user no longer has to guess the required level through trial and error , having to restart the movie on each try . additionally , dvd2 api 108 a – b extends the functionality of the dvd annex j specification and previous dvd apis . the dvd annex j specification only specifies actions to perform . it does not specify how player application 102 finds out information about the disc or the dvd navigator &# 39 ; s state 114 . here , new disc and navigation state query functionality is provided . unlike previous dvd apis , dvd2 api 108 a – b does not require the application writer to already have a ready copy of the dvd specification to use it ( e . g ., due to the incomplete description of the data returned by the api ). the data returned by the methods to get the textual information , the title attributes , audio attributes and subpicture attributes is documented so that application developers can get the necessary information from the new api and the associated documentation . dvd2 api 108 a – b also allows the application to query the attributes of arbitrary title indices instead of just the current title index . dvd2 api 108 a – b also returns the audio stream &# 39 ; s karaoke information so that intelligent karaoke applications can be implemented . dvd2 api 108 a – b also returns the capabilities of decoder 116 so the application can present configuration options to the user ( like frame stepping in both direction , smooth rewind and fast - forward etc .) or intelligently alter the user interface . new control functionality is also provided . for example , dvd2 api 108 a – b allows player application 102 to play ranges of chapters or ranges of times , to select specific menu buttons ( just not relative buttons ) and allows the user to select buttons using a mouse location . it also supports the getting / setting of bookmark objects and the ability to query a calculated current unique disc id . to better understand the synchronization mechanism of the dvd2 api 108 a – b and the associated navigator 106 , with the application the following sections examine various exemplarily modes of operation and point out some of the benefits and shortcomings . essentially , there are four modes of operation , along with certain other variations thereto . the initial four modes are illustrated in fig3 through 6 . each of these modes may be supported by the various methods and arrangements in accordance with the present invention . a “ don &# 39 ; t care ” mode or model is depicted in fig3 , wherein player application 102 sends a request to navigator 106 , without caring about what the result , if any , there is , and / or when the request is completed . an example might be a jump to location request , a show menu request , etc . here , player application essentially assumes that the requested operation has been completed . in fig4 , an event mode or model is illustrated . here , player application 102 is provided notice upon a generic event sent by the navigator ( when the request is completed ). one drawback to this model is that player application 102 may have made more than one request and would not be able to tell the events apart . an improvement is provided in fig5 . here , rather than having an event provide notice to player application 102 , navigator 106 generates an object that can then be used by player application 102 to track the status of the request . this provides player application 102 with the ability to conduct instance tracking . in yet another improvement , as illustrated in fig6 , navigator 106 can generate an object that can be used for tracking and also a subsequent event . in this manner , player application 102 can use the objects to tell events apart . therefore , this model supports multiple instance tracking . before describing further details of these various models and the dvd2 api 108 a – b , the deficiencies of a blocking - only api or a non - blocking - only api will be described . one variation is depicted in fig7 . here , player application 102 sends a request to navigator 106 ( via dvd2 api 108 a , of course ). the player application 102 must wait for a result message from navigator 106 . one drawback to this model is that u / i 104 will probably be “ frozen ” while player application 102 waits . one way to solve the frozen u / i problem is to provide a worker program , such as is depicted in fig8 . here , the worker program receives the request and forwards it to navigator 106 and then itself waits for the result message . once the worker receives the result message then it is forwarded to player application 102 . while this may free up u / i 104 , it may be difficult to manage several workers operating simultaneously . in contrast , a non - blocking api is equivalent to the ‘ don &# 39 ; t care ’ mode . there is no direct feedback on the status or result of an operation . the application must infer the status from changes in the playback ( time changes , menu changes , etc ). however , due to variation in disc content and structure , this approach is very unreliable and error prone . with this mind , the following sections provide additional details into the use of dvd2 api 108 a – b all of the idvdcontrol methods in previous dvd apis run asynchronously to the application ( a non - blocking - only model ). thus , when an application 102 calls a method , the navigator 106 performs preliminary verifications and then immediately returns a result . however , in the meantime , the state of the dvd navigator may have changed and the request may fail when the dvd navigator actually begins to execute the command . one solution is to change the semantics of the dvd api to ensure that methods do not return until all requests complete . but to retain the asynchronous behavior , applications must create separate execution paths ( e . g ., helper threads ) to manage dvd api calls ( as descried above in a blocking - only model ). multithreaded programming models always complicate application development , especially simple scriptable interfaces . therefore , to solve this problem , the dvd2 api 108 a – b creates associated synchronization command objects . the command object allows the application to synchronize and to learn about the command &# 39 ; s status . each api method is extended with two extra arguments . the general form of a dvd2 api command is : wherein : ppobject is an argument used to return a synchronization com ( component object model ) object to application 102 ; and , dwflags is the set of flags passed to the method to determine the behavior and usage of the synchronization object . these are a bit - wise union of the available pre - defined flags . the object returned must be released by the application . by returning a pre - incremented com object , the life of the object can be correctly maintained . a variation on the interface also extends the original interface by including two methods that allow the application to wait on the start and end occurance along with other changes in the system : the special return code vfw_e_dvd_cmd_cancelled is returned by the initial dvd api method , by the idvdcmd :: waitforstart or idvdcmd :: waitforend or along with the event indication that the command was pre - empted and is no longer valid . a sample example of c ++ usage of a command object is as follows : as described above , player application 102 can determine the commencement and completion of the command , by any of the following : using the command object directly , using no command objects , listening to command related events , using a combination of events and objects to aid in tracking multiple instances of a command . by passing an idvdcmd pointer to the command , the navigator will allocate and return a new idvdcmd object . calling the interface method idvdcmd :: waitforstart ( ) will block until the command begins and idvdcmd :: waitforend ( ) waits until the command completes . if the command has been cancelled , then the navigator will return vfw_e_command_cancelled . after the application is done with the object , it must call release ( ) to free the com object . a null pointer passed to the dvd api indicates that no command object should be returned to the application and the command execution should continue in the standard asynchronous mode . the other two methods getstarthandle ( ) and getendhandle ( ) return a system specific synchronization object that allows the application to wait for other requests ( disc i / o , user interface changes , semaphore changes , unblocking threads , communications with other processes , etc ) to be processed while it wait for the start or end events to occurs . then the application calls the waitforstart ( ) or waitforend ( ) methods to retrieve the result . an example in the microsoft windows api : handlestart = getstarthandle ( ) signaled = waitformultipleobjects ( handlediscio , handleuserinter , ..., handlestart ) if signaled = handlestart result = dvdcmd -& gt ; waitforstart ( ) instead of managing an object , the application can simply specify the dvd_cmd_flag_block flag with a null object pointer . the command will not return until it has either completed or was cancelled . the api will emulate a synchronous behavior . for example : idvdcmd * pobj ; hresult hres = idvdcontrol2 -& gt ; playtitle ( utitle , dvd_cmd_flag_block , & amp ; p0bj ); if ( succeeded ( hres ) ) { hres = pobj -& gt ; waittoend ( ); pobj -& gt ; release ( ); } specifying the dvd_cmd_flag_sendevents flag will cause the navigator to issue the following events : if an application only needs to synchronize one command ( or does not differentiate between command instances ), no synchronization object is needed and only events are required . a null object pointer is passed to the dvd api method and the 1param1 value sent with the event will always be set to 0 . by specifying both objects and the dvd_cmd_flag_sendevents flag , an application can track different commands . the dvd2 api call will return an object that the application can use for later reference . when the event notification is sent , the dvd2 api generates a unique identifier ( or ‘ cookie ’) 1param1 for each event that the application can map back to an idvdcmd object . the cookie approach ensures that applications will not leak memory if they miss an event and allows the dvd navigator to verify the validity of the object . the dvd2 api method idvdlnfo2 :: getcmdfromevent ( 1param1 ) maps the cookie into a command object pointer . the application must call the com “ release ” method on the returned pointer after it has finished processing each of these events . when the application is completely finished with the message ( usually after receiving an end event ), it must call “ release ” on the global command pointer that it saved . the following illustrative examples show how synchronization can be accomplished using the idvdcontrol2 interface : for clarity , some of the examples refer to the following utility function used to map the 1param1 value from ec_dvd_cmd events into an idvdcmd object : idvdcmd * getdvdcmd ( long_ptr iparam ) { idvdcmd * pcmd ; pldvdinfo2 -& gt ; getcmdfromevent ( iparam , & amp ; pcmd ) ; return pcmd ; } an example of the correct way to wait for a command to end without using events is : idvdcmd * pobj ; hresult hres = idvdcontrol2 -& gt ; playtitle ( utitle , 0 , & amp ; p0bj ); if ( succeeded ) hres )) { pobj -& gt ; waittoend ( ) ; pobj -& gt ; release ( ) ; } hresult hres = idvdcontrol2 -& gt ; playtitle ( utitle , dvd_cmd_flag_sendevents , null ); function procesevent ( type , lparam1 , lparam2 ) { switch ( type ) { case ec_dvd_cmd_end : hresult hres = lparam2 ; // result code is in lparam2 break ; } } an example of the correct way to wait for a command using events is : // in global code idvdcmd * pglobalobj = 0 ; // note : pglobalobj is assigned by the navigator before the event // is issued ; otherwise the event can occur at point (* 1 ) before // pglobalobj is initialized . hresult hres = idvdcontrol2 -& gt ; playtitle ( utitle , dvd_cmd_flag_sendevents , & amp ; pglobalobj ); // (* 1 ) if ( failed ( hres )) { pglobalobj = null ; } ... in the event processing function : function processevent ( type , lparam1 , lparam2 ) switch ( type ) { case ec_dvd_cmd_end : idvdcmd * pobj = getdvdcmd ( lparam1 ) ; hresult hres = iparam2 ; if ( null != pobj ) { // if the object returned by the event matches the global pointer returned // by the playtitle , process it if ( pglobalobj == obj ) { processcmdend .... pglobalobj -& gt ; release ( ) ; pglobalobj = null ; } pobj -& gt ; release ( ); } break ; an example of the correct way to wait for a command using events is : // in global code idvdcmd * pglobalobj = 0 ; { lockcriticalsection hresult hres = idvdcontrol2 -& gt ; playtitle ( utitle , dvd_cmd_flag_sendevents , & amp ; pglobalobj ); if ( failed ( hres )) { pglobalobj = null ; } unlockcriticalsection } function processevent ( type , lparam1 , lparam2 ) switch ( type ) { case ec_dvd_cmd_complete : case ec_dvd_cmd_cancel : { cautolock ( globalcritsect ); idvdcmd * pobj = getdvdcmd ( lparam1 ) ; hresult hres = iparam2 if ( null = pobj ) { if ( pglobalobj == obj ) { pglobalobj -& gt ; release ( ) ; pglobalobj = null ; } pobj -& gt ; release ( ) ; } break ; } previous dvd api commands assumed that on any change of content , player application 102 wanted to truncate the current content presentation , and it switched to the new content . the improved dvd2 api commands extend the command object mechanism with the following flags : here , the . . . _flush flag indicates that the presentation of the current content should be immediately truncated so that new content can start to be displayed ( like before ). the absence of the flag indicates that the current content presentation should end first . the . . , _ . . . rendered flags change the semantics of the start and end of each command . by default , the command starts and ends once it has been processed . the new flags indicate that the start and end occur when the results of the change of content have been processed and presented respectively . dvd2 api 108 a – b permits player applications not only to read the dvd navigator &# 39 ; s general purpose registers ( the gprms ), but also allows them to set the gprms using : the combined read / write functionality allows dvd applications to ‘ communicate ’ with the program on the disc and can implement ‘ controlled unlocking ’ or restricted access to the content . the application can use geta1igprms to read the current state and set a specific register using setgprm . the setgprm method can also be used to synchronize the application and the dvd navigator &# 39 ; s virtual cpu . the setgprm method is executed only during the periods when the dvd navigator is allowed to process user commands ( the presentation and still phases , 3 . 3 . 6 . 1 v13 – 28 ). navigation command execution is considered to be atomic . so setting the gprm is postponed until these phases occur . the application can use the command object and event mechanism to ensure coordination . the command object &# 39 ; s event mechanism is serialized with event notifications ( such as domain changes or changes to system registers ). the application can call setgprm and wait until the command completion event is received , and then wait for an event indicating a change the dvd navigator &# 39 ; s state ( possibly a domain change ). one such way to accomplish disc to application communication is illustrated by the following pseudocode : disc alters a gprm value ( using a on - disc navigation command ) disc changes its state ( e . g . changes its domain ) loops waiting for a gprm change ( caused by the application ) waits for the state change ( e . g . the disc &# 39 ; s domain change ) reads gprm value sets a gprm value using setgprm one such way to accomplish application to disc communication is illustrated by the following pseudocode : application sets the data using setgprm application waits for a domain change before continuing even though the dvd specification does not suggest any data retrieval methods , the dvd2 apis do provide this capability . the following is a list of methods provided : getaligprms getaiisprms getaudiolanguage getcurrentangle getcurrentaudio getcurrentbutton getcurrentdomain getcurrentlocation getcurrentsubpicture getnumberofchapters getplayerparentallevel getsubpicturelanguage gettotaltitletime gettitleparentallevels getcurrentuops getcurrentvolumeinfo ( idvd1 :: getdvdvolumelnfo ) getdvddirectory ( idvd1 :: getroot ) getaudioattributes ( [ in ] ulong ulstream , [ out ] dvd_audioattributes * patr ); getcurrentvideoattributes ( [ out ] dvd_videoattributes * patr ): getvmgattributes ( [ out ] dvd_menuattributes * patr ); gettitleattributes ( ulong ultitle , [ out ] dvd_menuattributes * pmenu , [ out ] dvd_titleattributes * ptitle ); getsubpictureattributes ( [ in ] ulong ulstream , [ out ] dvd_subpictureattributes * patr ); getbuttonatposition ( point point , [ out ] ulong * pubuttonlndex ); getbuttonrect ( ulong ulbutton , rect * prect ): getdefaultaudiolanguage ( lcid * planguage , dvd_audio_lang_ext * paudioext ): getdefaultmenulanguage ( lcid * planguage ): getdefaultsubpicturelanguage ( lcid * planguage , dvd_subpicture_lang_ext * psubpictureextension ); getdvdtextlanguageinfo ( ulong ullangindex , ulong * pulnumofstrings , lcid * pwlangcode , dvd_textcharset * pbcharacterset ); getdvdtextnumberoflanguages ( ulong * pulnumoflangs ); getdvdtextstringasnative ( ulong ullangindex , ulong ulstringindex , byte * pbbuffer , ulong ulmaxbuffersize , ulong * pulactualsize , enum dvd_textstringtype * ptyp ); getdvdtextstringasunicode ( ulong ullangindex , ulong ulstringindex , wchar * pchbuffer , ulong ulmaxbuffersize , ulong * pactualsize , dvd_textstringtype * ptype ); getcmdfromevent ( long_ptr dwid , idvdcmd ** ppcmd ); getdecodercaps ( dvd_decoder_caps * pcaps ); getdiscid ( lpcwstr pszwpath , ulonglong * pulluniqueld ): getkaraokeattributes ( [ in ] ulong ulstream , dvd_karaokeattributes * patr ); getmenulanguages ( lcid * plang , ulong umaxlang , ulong * puactuallang ); isaudiostreamenabled ( ulong ulstreamnum , bool * pbenabled ); issubpicturestreamenabled ( ulong ulstreamnum , bool * pbenabled ); in addition to playing ranges of chapters , the dvd2 api allows the playing of time periods using : with this method , applications ( such as video editing programs and games ) can accurately playback arbitrary portions of the content . combined with the command object mechanism , any application like slideshow presentation , video games interludes , or kiosks can be implemented using a single dvd2 api command . these methods allow applications ( from user ) to set the default language choices for dvd playback . applications can save and restore the entire dvd state ( see bookmark patent ) acceptparentallevelchange ( bool baccept )— please refer to the following “ minimum parental level branching ” section . according to the dvd specification ( section 4 . 6 . 4 . 1 pv14 - 197 ), when the dvd navigator encounters a ‘ settmppml ’ ( set temporary parental management level ) command , it should request permission from the application (“ call the temporary parental level change feature built into the player ”) to temporarily raise the current level . if the parental level change is allowed , the navigator raises the parental level and branches to the restricted piece of content . otherwise , it continues with the next command . under the semantics of the previous dvd api , when the dvd navigator executes a settmppml instruction , it only sends a parental_level_too_low event to the application . it immediately continues on executing the next command as if the parental level change failed . the application receives the event , stops the playback , displays a user interface to change the parental level , and then restarts the movie from the beginning . according to the dvd specification , the navigator is allowed to alter the parental level only when it is in the stop domain . as a result , since the navigator does not pause at the change it must stop the playback . with dvd2 api 108 a – b , for example , the following sequence may occur . the application notifies the api of the availability of the parental level change feature by calling the method : when the dvd navigator encounters a settmppml instruction , it sends a parental_level_too_low event to the application . the application is expected to display some user interface to let the user increase the parental level . the dvd navigator blocks until the application responds by calling idvdcontrol2 :: acceptparentallevelchange ( ) with true or false , and then proceeds accordingly without having to stop the playback . the dvd specification ( section 4 . 1 . 4 . 1 v14 - 22 ) describes a scheme for selecting different program chains ( usually different possible segments of content ) based on the current parental level . for example , at a certain point in the video , different versions of a scene could be available and are automatically selected by the navigator based on the parental level ( e . g . segments intended for pg , r rated or children ). for each title , the ptl_mai table maps the current parental level into a 16 - bit mask . during playback , the dvd navigator obtains the current parental bit mask from the ptl_mai table . the parental bit mask is used when the navigator encounters a parental block ( a collection of program chains in which each program chain has an exclusive parental bit mask ). the navigator searches each ptlid_fld in the vts_pgci_srp ( section 4 . 2 . 3 v14 - 62 ) for a program chain with a bit mask that shares common bits with the current parental bit mask . if no program chain partially matches the current bit mask , previous versions of the dvd navigator would halt the playback and send a dvd_error_lowparentallevel event to the application . to help the user , certain exemplary implementations of dvd2 api 108 a – b uses the following algorithm to compute the minimum required parental level that would let the user continue : the index i is returned along with the dvd_error_lowparentallevel event . the application 102 can use the index to suggest a possible parental level setting to the user . dvd navigator 106 is configured to allow a player application 102 to encode and store the current state 114 of the dvd playback into an abstract object ( referred to a bookmark 150 ) containing a persistent block of data . fig1 depicts exemplary bookmarking functionality . to further abstract and simplify the usage , dvd2 api 108 a – b is configured to save , restore and query the state information contained in the bookmark . player application 102 can query information in the bookmark 150 using the navigator 106 and save it for later use . player application 102 can later resume playback by instructing the dvd navigator 106 to restore the dvd playback state 114 contained in the bookmark . restoring bookmarks allows the player application to start playing from any arbitrary location , and any number of them for a dvd content 110 . the bookmarks can be stored either in short term ( memory ) storage or long term storage ( for example , a hard drive ), and can be restored even after player application 102 and / or the pc has been shutdown and restarted . the bookmark not only contains the state of the dvd navigator ( such as internal register values , playback location , playback state ) but also the information about the current disc content being played and the user &# 39 ; s settings . player application 102 can use this extra information to intelligently select the appropriate bookmark from previously saved ones that can be played for a particular disc ( usually the disc being played ), for example . bookmarks can be also be shared between users and between various applications the bookmarking abstract data type is comprised of two aspects ; 1 ) the actual bookmark 150 itself , and 2 ) the api calls used to save , restore and query information contained in the bookmark . in accordance with certain exemplary implementations , bookmark 150 contains at least the following information : a substantially unique disc identifier 145 , the address of the current video object unit ( vobu ) being displayed ( section 5 . 1 . 1 of the dvd specification ), the loop count and shuffle history ( section 3 . 3 . 3 . 2 of the dvd specification ), the current dvd resume information ( outlined in section 3 . 3 . 3 . 2 of the dvd specification ), the current dvd general parameter ( gprm ) and system parameter ( sprm ) values ( sections 4 . 6 . 1 . 1 and 4 . 6 . 1 . 2 ), and the current domain and phase ( section 3 . 3 . 3 and 3 . 3 . 6 ). in certain further implementations , the bookmark also includes versioning and integrity information . the bookmark 150 can be packaged as an abstract object or as a block of binary data for storage . to provide such bookmarking techniques , dvd2 api 108 in certain exemplary implementations supports the following methods : 2 . to cause the dvd navigator to change its location to the bookmark 3 . to find out the disc that a bookmark is intended for 4 . to convert a bookmark to and from its binary representation : application pseudocode to implement storing the current location or to implement power saving functionality ( i . e . the ability to save the computer &# 39 ; s state to enter a low power state that can be restored ): bookmark = getbookmark ( ) binarydata ( data , size )= convertbookmarktobinary ( bookmark ) store binarydata ( data , size ) shutdown or enter power saving on return from power saving , do the following to resume playback of dvd : an example of pseudocode for an application to implement intelligent bookmarks for each stored bookmark “ bookmark ” if getdiscidentifierfrombookmark ( bookmark )= current disc id then the current dvd specification has a built - in unique identifier on each disc (“ dvd unique identifier ”). however , applications must assume that the disc authors correctly implemented the identifier ; unfortunately , this not always so . many applications need a unique tag to identify a dvd disc , such as when a user swaps dvd discs , the playback system needs to decide if it has a new disc . if it has a new disc , then it must reset the playback , otherwise it can continue without interrupting the user &# 39 ; s viewing . if it does not have the ability to differentiate discs , it must always reset . a unique identifier 145 ( see , fig1 ) would provide the ability to differentiate different discs ( not different exact copies , however ). a unique identifier 145 also lets applications verify the compatibility of stored information with a particular dvd disc . applications cannot successfully use cached information with the wrong disc . for example , when a user attempts to recall a saved location on the disc using a bookmark , the dvd navigator 108 can ensure the data &# 39 ; s compatibility by comparing the unique identifier stored in the bookmark with the unique identifier of the current disc . playback only continues if the identifiers match . unique identifiers 145 allow applications to associate additional information with the disc by using the unique identifier as an index into a database . for example , even though the dvd specification supports textual information on the disc , it is rarely used . a web - based database of the disc &# 39 ; s title and contents can be stored and retrieved by an application after it computes the identifier on the disc . the current built - in unique identifier on the dvd disc is inadequate . first , the identifier is relatively large in size ( 32 bytes ), it relies on the disc author to ensure that it is actually unique , and a central entity must assign ranges of identifiers to disc authors to ensure that the uniqueness is maintained between companies . other conventional “ unique ” identifier algorithms do not produce unique identifiers for a large numbers of discs . here , the probability that two discs are assigned the same identifier grows exponentially as the total number of dvd discs increases . with the expected growth trends in dvd discs , many ‘ unique ’ identifier routines will be inadequate . moreover , these algorithms often do not have known , and / or provable properties . without known properties , it is impossible to state the effectiveness or suitability of the identifiers produced . in accordance with certain exemplary implementations of the present invention , a unique identifier 145 is generated by computing a 64 - bit crc of a concatenated or otherwise arranged binary representation of the file header and the file contents of various files in the dvd &# 39 ; s video_ts directory . this is capability is further illustrated in fig1 and 14 . step 1 . the filenames of the video_ts directory are collected and sorted alphabetically . step 2 . the file headers from each file are computed in the crc . step 3 . the data from the vmgi file (“ video_ts \ video_ts . ifo ”) is computed in the crc . step 4 . the data from the first vtsi file (“ video_ts \ vts_xx_o . ifo ”) is computed in the crc . the 64 - bit crc is computed using an irreducible polynomial in the field gf ( 2 ). an example polynomial is : p 64 = x 61 + x 61 + x 58 + x 56 + x 55 + x 51 + x 50 + x 47 + x 42 + x 39 + x 38 + x 35 + x 33 + x 32 + x 31 + x 29 + x 26 + x 25 + x 22 + x 17 + x 14 + x 13 + x 9 + x 8 + x 6 + x 3 + x 0 the polynomial is generated by finding an exponent n such that x ″− 1 has an irreducible ( prime ) factor of degree 64 . the actual crc value is computed , in certain examples , by concatenating all of the binary data into a single block ( bits b o to b n ), assigning each bit b i to the coefficient x i in a polynomial , then computing the remainder after dividing by the polynomial p 64 : crc 64 = [ ∑ i = 0 n b i x i ] mod p 64 the filenames of the video_ts directory are collected and sorted alphabetically in to a list . for each filename in the list , the following structure is filled out and added to the crc ( all data fields are in lsb first ): unsigned 64 bit integer : datetime ( the time elapsed in 100 nanosecond intervals from jan . 1 , 1601 ) if present , the first 65536 bytes of the file “ video_ts \ video_ts . ifo ” are read and added to the crc . if the ifo file is less than 65536 , then the entire file is added . if present , the first 65536 bytes of the file “ video_ts \ vts — 01_o . ifo ” are read and added to the crc . if the ifo file is less than 65536 , then the entire file is added . although some preferred implementations of the various methods and arrangements of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description , it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exemplary implementations disclosed , but is capable of numerous rearrangements , modifications and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims . additionally , each of the references identified above is expressly incorporated in their entirety herein , by reference , and for all purposes . | 6 |
reference will now be made in detail to some specific embodiments of the invention including the best modes contemplated by the inventors for carrying out the invention . examples of these specific embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . while the invention is described in conjunction with these specific embodiments , it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the described embodiments . on the contrary , it is intended to cover alternatives , modifications , and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . in the following description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details . in other instances , well known process operations have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , the monitoring and / or compensating elements of the pmd compensator are rotated to align with the state of polarization of the incoming signal . the monitoring components tracks the fast and slow axes of the fiber based on the polarization of the incoming signal . in a preferred embodiment , the inherent birefringence properties of liquid crystal are used for monitoring and / or compensating pmd . in another preferred embodiment , optical power is correlated to align the fast and slow axes of the compensating element and the state of polarization of the optical signal . liquid crystal may be used as a polarization controller . liquid crystals exhibit birefringence , which is a function of the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules that derive their anisotropic physical properties from the orientation of their constituent molecules . the orientation can be controlled by the intensity of an applied electric field . reorientation of the liquid crystal molecules under the influence of the applied electric field introduces elastic strains in the material . these strains stem from constraints imposed on the molecular orientation at the boundaries confining the liquid crystal . these surface constraints , or surface anchoring , are such that molecules close to the surface are not free to reorient , and remain substantially along some preferred direction . when an electric field is applied to a liquid crystal element , the directors of the liquid crystal molecules are reoriented in response to the applied field . fig2 provides an exemplary embodiment of the pmd compensator 200 in accordance with the present invention . the pmd compensator 200 receives an optical signal 202 with differential group delay 204 . the pmd compensator 200 includes a monitoring element 206 , which is used to locate the principal state of polarization of the optical signal . the monitoring element 204 may be a liquid crystal . the pmd compensator 200 further comprises a compensating element 208 , which is capable to align its fast axis with the fast axis of the fiber and applies the necessary delay to compensate the dgd from the fiber , resulting in an optical signal with reduced pmd 210 . the compensating element 208 may also be a liquid crystal . in operation , the compensating element 208 receives an incoming optical signal 202 . a small percentage , for example , 5 % of the signal is tapped off to the monitoring element 206 at a splitting element 212 . the tapped signal 214 , s in , is then separated into two split signals with orthogonal principal states of polarization , s f 216 and s s 218 , according to the birefringence properties of the monitoring element 206 , for example , the birefringence properties of a liquid crystal . detecting devices , such as photodetectors pd 1 220 and pd 2 224 register voltages , v pd1 226 and v pd2 228 , corresponding to the amount of light detected . the registered voltages are sent to a processor 230 , for example , a digital signal processor ( dsp ). the processor 230 then applies a control signal 232 to the monitoring element 206 , in an exemplary embodiment a voltage to align a monitoring liquid crystal , such that a correlation coefficient is optimized . a corresponding control signal 234 can then be applied to the compensating element 208 such that the appropriate delay is applied to the optical signals 202 to compensate for the pmd . an example of the control signal 234 is a voltage applied to a compensating liquid crystal to provide an appropriate birefringence for compensating the pmd in the received optical signal . fig3 shows a presentation of pmd as viewed from the direction 236 illustrated in fig2 . in this view , vector 302 represents the fast axis of the input fiber , vector 303 represents the slow axis of the input fiber , vector 304 represents the principal state of polarization of the incoming optical signal 202 . the vectors 302 and 304 form an angle α 306 , i . e . an angle between the principal state of polarization of the incoming optical signal and the fast axis of the input fiber . the vector 308 represents the fast axis of the monitoring element 206 . the vectors 302 and 308 form an angle β 310 , i . e ., an angle between the fast axis of the monitoring element 206 and the fast axis of the input fiber . the fast axis of the input fiber , represented by the vector 302 , is actually unknown at the beginning of the process . by manipulating the monitoring element 206 and observing the changes of the voltages v pd1 226 and v pd2 228 on photodetectors pd 1 220 and pd 2 224 , the angles α 306 and β 310 can be calculated based on the voltages v pd1 226 and v pd2 228 : referring to fig4 , the x - axis represents time and the y - axis is the voltage registered at the photodetectors 220 , 224 illustrated in fig2 . the curves 402 , 406 are the voltages registered at the photodetector 220 and the curves 404 , 408 are the voltages registered at the photodetector 224 . fig4 ( a ) illustrates detected voltages of an optical signal with a differential group delay of 10 ps . the fast axis of the input fiber aligns with the fast axis of the monitoring element ( β = 0 °) and forms a 45 ° angle with the principal state of polarization of the optical signal ( α = 45 °). this alignment results in comparable voltages being detected at photodetectors 220 and 224 . fig4 ( b ) illustrates detected voltages of an optical signal with a differential group delay of 10 ps . the fast axis of the input fiber forms an angle of 20 ° with the fast axis of the monitoring element ( β = 20 °) and forms a 45 ° angle with the principal state of polarization of the optical signal ( α = 45 °). this alignment results in a higher voltage being detected at photodetector pd 2 224 . referring to fig5 ( a ), where the x - axis is the angle ( β ) between the fast axis of the input fiber and the fast axis of the monitoring element 206 , the fast axis of the monitoring element 206 is best aligned with the fast axis of the input fiber when the coefficient reaches a peak 502 . therefore , the position of the fast axis in the input fiber is determined based on the values of the coefficient . fig5 ( b ) shows the coefficient as a function of the differential group delay of the compensating element . as the ratio of coefficient to v pd1 226 and v pd2 228 is varied , so is the differential group delay . in a preferred embodiment , the fast axis of the compensating element 208 is controlled based on the determined position of the fast axis of the input fiber . therefore , instead of using a polarization controller to adjust the state of polarization of the incoming optical signal as in the prior art pmd compensators , the present invention adjusts the fast axis of the compensating element , for example , the fast axis of a birefringent liquid crystal , based on the fast axis of a monitoring element , for example , the fast axis of a second birefringent liquid crystal . fig6 illustrates a flowchart showing one example of a method in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . also referring to fig2 , an optical input signal 202 is received at the pmd compensator 200 at step 602 . the optical signal passes through a compensating element 208 at step 604 . a fraction 214 of the optical input signal is tapped at a splitting element at step 606 . the tapped fraction is separated into two split signals with orthogonal principal states of polarization ( psp ) 216 , 218 using a monitoring element 206 . the fast axis of the monitoring element 216 is adjusted to determine an optimized coefficient for the two psps at step 610 . the compensating element 208 is then set to compensate the pmd in the optical input signal based on the optimized coefficient at step 612 . although various aspects of the present invention have been described in several embodiments , 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 , alterations , transformations , and modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
the following description of the invention is provided using a sofa drop - in seat unit as one example or embodiment , however other embodiments , for example , a chair seat box , are contemplated . the invention may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments provided herein . referring to fig1 , there is provided a completed sofa drop - in seat unit or seat box assembly 10 . the drop - in seat unit 10 comprises frame rails 11 , 12 , hooks 14 , springs 40 , and support members 50 . in one embodiment , the frame rails 11 , 12 are generally l - shaped with one frame rail leg 30 positioned perpendicularly to the second frame rail leg 32 , as noted in fig2 a . additional frame rail configurations and hook attachments are contemplated . frame rail leg 32 further includes apertures 34 adapted to receive one end of the hook 14 . the body 15 of the hook 14 lies along the surface of frame rail leg 30 . fig3 provides further detail of the shape of the hook 14 . one end of the hook 14 is curved , curving back upon itself to form the receiving slot 13 for a spring end 40 . the horizontally extending segment 15 of the hook 14 then bends at approximately 90 degrees ( 90 °), forming a vertical segment 17 of the hook , perpendicular to the horizontally extending hook segment or hook body segment 15 . the vertical hook segment 17 bends again at approximately 90 degrees ( 90 °) in a horizontal direction , parallel and opposite to hook body segment 15 , forming hook end segment 19 . hook body segment 15 and hook end segment 19 are generally parallel to one another . fig4 demonstrates the position of hook 14 as it is affixed to a frame rail 11 , 12 . the hook body segment 15 is disposed adjacent frame rail leg 30 , in a horizontal position , such that the hook receiving slot 13 is oriented upward , positioned to receive a spring end 42 , 44 . the hook vertical segment 17 is disposed adjacent frame rail leg 32 . hook end segment 19 extends through an aperture 34 in the frame rail leg 32 , and bends towards frame rail leg 30 , on the interior of the frame rail 11 , 12 . bending hook segment 19 towards frame rail leg 30 secures hook 14 in place and to the frame rail 11 , 12 . hence , the hooks 14 can be affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 in a pre - assembly operation and can be shipped to a furniture manufacturer without loss of hooks 14 from the frame rail 11 , 12 or damage to the hooks 14 . as shown in fig5 , hook 14 is affixed to frame rail 11 ( affixed identically to frame rail 12 ) by inserting hook end segment 19 through aperture 34 , and then bending hook end segment 19 towards frame rail leg 30 . a plurality of hooks 14 are affixed to the two frame rails 11 , 12 such that when the two frame rails 11 , 12 are aligned in parallel to each other , the hooks 14 on first frame rail 11 are also aligned in parallel to the hooks 14 affixed to the second frame rail 12 . fig6 shows a plurality of sinusoidal springs 40 that are extended between the two frame rails 11 , 12 . other shaped springs may also be used and are within the scope of the invention . sinusoidal spring 40 contains two spring ends 42 , 44 . the spring ends 42 , 44 , are affixed to hooks 14 that have been affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 . the frame rails 11 , 12 are oriented in parallel to one another , such that the hooks 14 affixed to the first frame rail 11 are oriented in parallel to the hooks 14 affixed to the second frame rail 12 . sinusoidal spring end 42 is disposed in receiving slot 13 of hook 14 , wherein hook 14 is affixed to first frame rail 11 , and sinusoidal spring end 44 is disposed in receiving slot 13 of hook 14 , wherein hook 14 is affixed to second frame rail 12 . the position of the attached sinusoidal springs 40 relative to the rail frames 11 , 12 is shown in fig1 and 6 . in addition to the plurality of sinusoidal springs 40 extended between the first frame rail 11 and the second frame rail 12 , there is a plurality of support members 50 also extended between the first frame rail 11 and the second frame rail 12 . the support members 50 are generally arcuate , and are positioned among the sinusoidal springs 40 that are affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 . alternatively , the support members 50 may be other - shaped , such as straight shaped , instead of arcuate . further , alternatively , the support members 50 may be positioned at the ends of the frame rails 11 , 12 , extending between the first frame rail 11 and the second frame rail 12 . in another embodiment , support members 50 may be positioned at the ends of the frame rails 11 , 12 , and other support members 50 may be positioned among the sinusoidal springs 40 that are affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 . the arcuate shape of the support members 50 provides strength to the drop - in seat unit and the seat . the support members 50 can be of various shaped tubing , but preferably are comprised of square tubing . fig1 shows one embodiment of the frame rails 11 , 12 , with the sinusoidal springs 40 and the arcuate support members 50 affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 . the frame rails 11 , 12 have a plurality of apertures 52 in frame rail leg 30 , wherein the apertures 52 are adapted to receive a bolt 58 , or other mechanical attachment device , such as a screw , pin , nail , or the like . the arcuate support member 50 has an aperture 54 , 56 disposed at each end 53 , 55 of the arcuate support member 50 . the aperture 54 , 56 is also adapted to receive a bolt 58 . the arcuate support member 50 extends between the frame rails 11 , 12 , connecting the first frame rail 11 to the second frame rail 12 . as shown in fig9 , the support member end 53 is positioned such that the top surface 51 of the support member end 53 abuts frame rail surface 31 , in the interior of the l - shape of the first frame rail 11 . the aperture 52 in the first frame rail 11 is aligned with the aperture 54 in the support member 50 and the bolt 58 is inserted through both apertures 52 , 54 and secured . bolt 58 can be a self - tapping bolt . similarly , the support member end 55 is positioned such that the top surface 51 of the support member end 55 abuts frame rail surface 31 , in the interior of the l - shape of the second frame rail 12 . the aperture 52 in the second frame rail 12 is aligned with the aperture 56 in the support member 50 and the bolt 58 is inserted through both apertures 52 , 56 and secured . the completed drop - in seat unit comprises the frame rails 11 , 12 ; the hooks 14 ; the sinusoidal springs 40 , and the support members 50 which are affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 by way of bolts 58 . the drop - in seat unit is assembled in a series of steps . the hooks 14 are affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 by placing the hook body segment 15 along the frame rail leg 30 and inserting the hook end segment 19 through an aperture 34 in the frame rail leg 32 , and bending the hook end segment 19 towards frame surface 31 , on the interior of the frame rail 11 , 12 . a plurality of hooks 14 is affixed to first frame rail 11 and a plurality of hooks is affixed to second frame rail 12 in this manner . as shown in fig1 , the frame rails 11 , 12 are positioned in an apparatus 70 wherein the first frame rail 11 is clamped 72 in one section of the apparatus 70 and the second frame rail 12 is clamped 72 in another section of the apparatus 70 . the blocks representing the frame rails 11 , 12 , of fig1 are representative of the frame rails ; l - shaped frame rails or frame rails of another shape . fig1 depicts l - shaped rails 11 , 12 clamped 72 in apparatus 70 . the frame rails 11 , 12 are clamped in parallel position to each other with a distance d 1 between the frame rails 11 , 12 . the frame rails 11 , 12 are positioned in the apparatus such that the hooks 14 are positioned on the top surface of the frame rails 11 , 12 . once the frame rails 11 , 12 are each clamped 72 in place , a plurality of sinusoidal springs 40 are affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 . a first end 42 of a sinusoidal spring 40 is inserted in receiving slot 13 of hook 14 on one of the frame rails , e . g . first frame rail 11 . then a similar action is repeated with the other end of the sinusoidal spring 40 in the other frame rail , e . g . frame rail 12 . a second end 44 of the sinusoidal spring 40 is inserted in the receiving slot 13 of the hook 14 on the second frame rail 12 . hence , one end 42 of sinusoidal spring 40 is affixed to the first frame rail 11 and the other end 44 of the sinusoidal spring 40 is affixed to the second frame rail 12 , thereby connecting the two frame rails . after the plurality of sinusoidal springs 40 is attached to the two frame rails 11 , 12 and tapped in place , the apparatus 70 is adjusted to increase the distance d ( d 2 ) between the first frame rail 11 and the second frame rail 12 . hence , the distance d 2 is greater than the distance d 1 . the increase in distance between the frame rails 11 , 12 causes tension to be added to the sinusoidal springs 40 and for the sinusoidal springs 40 to elongate . when the frame rails 11 , 12 are moved to a predetermined separation distance d 2 , then the arcuate support members 50 are added to the drop - in seat unit 10 . a plurality of arcuate support members 50 is affixed between the first frame rail 11 and the second frame rail 12 , bridging the gap between the frame rails 11 , 12 . the top surface 51 of support end 53 is disposed adjacent first frame rail 11 surface 31 , such that top surface 51 of support end 53 abuts first frame rail 11 surface 31 . the aperture 54 in support end 53 is aligned with aperture 52 in first frame rail 11 , and a bolt 58 , preferably a self - tapping bolt 58 , is inserted into the aligned apertures 52 , 54 and fixed . further , the other end of the support member 50 , support end 55 , is disposed adjacent second frame rail 12 surface 31 , such that top surface 51 of support end 55 abuts second frame rail 12 surface 31 . the aperture 56 in support end 55 is aligned with aperture 52 in second frame rail 12 , and a bolt 58 , preferably a self - tapping bolt 58 , is inserted into the aligned apertures 52 , 56 and fixed . in each instance , the support end 53 , 55 is positioned in the interior of the l formed by the two surfaces of the frame rail 11 , 12 . it is understood that the position of the support member is reversible , such that support end 53 can be affixed to second frame rail 12 and support end 55 can be affixed to first frame rail 11 . once the arcuate support members 55 are affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 , then the apparatus is adjusted such that the clamping devices 72 holding the frame rails 11 , 12 in place are released , and the frame rails 11 , 12 are no longer gripped in the apparatus . the completed drop - in seat unit ( seat box assembly ) is removed from the apparatus and the cycle can begin again with the placement of a first frame rail 11 and a second frame rail 12 in the apparatus 70 and clamping 72 of the frame rails 11 , 12 in place . the method described above allows a worker to construct the drop - in seat unit 10 without the worker having to stretch the sinusoidal springs 40 to be able to attach the sinusoidal springs 40 to the frame rails 11 , 12 after the frame rails 11 , 12 are properly spaced apart . instead , the apparatus 70 provides the force to separate the frame rails 11 , 12 to the appropriate spacing ( d 2 ) after the sinusoidal springs 40 have been attached to the frame rails 11 , 12 . further , no welding is required in the manufacture of the drop - in seat unit . pre - assembled frame rails may be easily nested for stacking , storage or shipping , as shown in fig1 . the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 include the hooks 14 already affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 . the hooks 14 can be affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 by the manufacturer of the frame rails 11 , 12 , a job shop or some other party . the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 are stacked for shipping as shown in fig1 . the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 are stacked offset to allow for the hooks 14 , which are fixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 . fig1 a demonstrates the offset position of the hooks 14 , which are fixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 . fig1 a demonstrates not interfere with one another and allow for compact nesting of the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 . the hooks 14 are affixed to the frame rails 11 , 12 , as described above , such that the hooks 14 are “ locked ” to the frame rails 11 , 12 . with the hooks 14 locked onto the frame rails 11 , 12 , the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 can be stacked and transported without the loss of hooks 14 and without a need to use resources to replace missing hooks 14 . the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 can be stacked in various heights and widths , however a preferred configuration is described below . the number of pre - assembled frame rails in the stacks can be varied and still fall within the scope and spirit of the patent . the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 are stacked in three tiers , wherein each tier contains 25 pre - assembled frame rails across the width ( w ) and 12 pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 in height ( h ). a dunnage board 62 is placed under the first tier 61 , and the first tier 61 of pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 is stacked on the dunnage board 62 . a second dunnage board 62 is placed on the first tier 61 of pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 . a second tier 63 of pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 is placed on the dunnage board 62 , in the same configuration as the first tier 61 of pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 . another dunnage board 62 is placed on top of the second tier 63 of the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 . a third tier 65 of pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 is placed on top of the third dunnage board 62 . the third tier 65 of pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 is configured similarly to the first and second tiers of pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 . a fourth dunnage board 62 is placed on top of the third tier 65 of pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 , and forms the top of the frame rail unit 60 . the dunnage board 62 that is utilized in packing the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 is made from mdf , plywood , osb material and the like . further , the dunnage board 62 must be at least 16 mm thick or thicker . the frame rail unit 60 is banded in between the tiers as shown in fig1 . banding the frame rail unit 60 in - between the dunnage boards 62 assists in preventing the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 from shifting during transport . further , the configuration of the bands 64 is conducive to banding a tier , stacking another tier , and banding together those tiers , and so on . the bands 64 are made from corrugated tie sheets and the like . further , the entire frame rail unit 60 is banded with bands 64 extending around the top and the bottom dunnage boards 62 . prior to shipping , the entire frame rail unit 60 is stretch wrapped . the configuration of the frame rail unit 60 provides a compact method of transporting the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 such that there is minimal damage to the pre - assembled frame rails 11 , 12 and the hooks 14 are not displaced due to stacking and remain affixed during transport . further , the configuration of the frame rail unit 60 also allows for stacking of frame rail units 60 for transport . the support members 50 can also be compactly stacked for transport . the number of support members in the stacks can be varied and still fall within the scope and spirit of the patent , however , a preferred configuration is provided below . the support members 50 can be arranged horizontally and stacked on top of each other in vertical stacks of 65 support members , with two such stacks of support members 50 positioned end to end . fig1 a shows the position of the two stacks of 65 support members each . an additional 20 support members 50 are stacked and oriented vertically to the side of the two stacks of 65 support members 50 . fig1 a shows the orientation of the two stacks of 65 support members 50 and the one stack of 20 support members 50 to each other . fig1 b provides a close - up of the orientation of the support members 50 in the packed configuration . the two stacks of 65 support members 50 are oriented horizontally , along with the stack of 20 support members 50 . three such groupings are stacked one on too of the other on a bottom dunnage board 82 . a dunnage board 82 is placed on top of this arrangement of 450 support members ( 3 layers of 130 ; 3 layers of 20 ). then another 450 support members 50 are e arranged in the same configuration on top of the dunnage board 82 . a dunnage board 82 is placed on top of this layer of support members 50 , and the support member unit 80 is banded . fig1 shows the orientation of the support member 50 in the packed configuration , with the dunnage boards 82 and bands 84 in place . the dunnage boards 82 used are made from material such as mdf , plywood osb material and the like . the dunnage board 82 is preferably 16 mm thick or thicker . the bands 84 are preferably corrugated tie sheets . once the support member unit 80 is compiled , preferably 6 layers of 150 support members 50 , and banded , the entire support member unit 80 is stretch wrapped for transport . the use of the dunnage board 82 provides a number of benefits , including protecting the support members 50 , keeping the support members 50 from shifting during transport , and being able to stack the support member units 80 . the embodiments above are intended to be illustrative and not limiting . additional embodiments are within the claims . although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments , workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 8 |
the present invention relates to golf bags and particularly to collapsible golf bags which can be collapsed for storage or shipment and extended and set up for use . the invention is especially suitable for providing a collapsible golf bag having compartments in which the golf clubs can be placed in accordance with their classification . conventional golf bags are large and bulky . it is therefore difficult and expensive to ship or transport the bags . in addition , the classification of the golf clubs placed in the bag so as to facilitate the order of their use while playing golf is difficult . it is the principal object of the present invention to obviate the above disadvantages by providing an improved golf bag which is collapsible for shipment and which , when set up for use , can receive golf clubs in accordance with their classification . it is another object of the present invention to provide an improved collapsible golf bag which is easy to set up and may easily be collapsed so as to reduce the bulk of the bag . it is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved collapsible golf bag having a frame assembly which enables the bag to be selectively set up and collapsed , which frame assembly also provides compartments for receiving golf clubs in accordance with their classification . the foregoing and other objects , features and advantages of the invention as well as a presently preferred embodiment thereof will become more apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which : fig1 is a perspective view of a collapsible golf bag embodying the invention ; fig2 is a sectional view of the frame assembly of the golf bag shown in fig1 ; and fig3 is a plan view of the frame assembly shown in fig2 . referring to the drawings , there is shown in fig1 a golf bag 5 in set up condition . the bottom of the bag receives a base or seat 2 having a hub and legs 2 &# 39 ; extending radially thereof . the legs define lower compartments g for receiving the golf clubs . the hub has an opening therethrough . a steel nut 8 is disposed in the opening and has internal threads . the opening is disposed along the center of the bag and is axially aligned therewith . a tubular body 4 is disposed in the upper end of the bag 5 . this tubular body has a shoulder 9 on the lower edge of its outer circumference so as to enable the tubular body to be inserted and fixed to the upper portion of the golf bag 5 , as by sewing . a member 4 &# 39 ; extends diagonally across the tubular body . this member is in the shape of an &# 34 ; h &# 34 ;. it reinforces the tubular body 4 and defines upper compartments h for receiving the golf clubs . the cross leg in the center of the member 4 &# 39 ; has an opening therethrough . a steel washer 7 is disposed in a recessed notch in the opening and defines a portion of the lower surface of the member 4 &# 39 ;. the opening through the member 4 &# 39 ; is disposed centrally along the axis of the bag and is in alignment with the opening in the base 2 . the frame assembly is completed by a rod 1 in the form of a tube . this tube has a bolt portion 1 &# 39 ; at its lower end which has external threads . the tube also has a key 3 which extends outwardly therefrom . the key includes an extension which holds the key and allows it to be depressed into the tube . the upper or top end of the tube 1 has a cap 6 thereon . in order to set up the bag , the tube 1 is inserted through the opening in the member 4 &# 39 ; until the protruding key 3 ( which is depressed in the process of insertion through the opening ), engages the bottom surface of the steel washer portion of the member 4 &# 39 ;. the bolt portion 1 &# 39 ; is then screwed into the opening in the base . the number of turns , and therefore the distance the central tube is screwed into the base , is adjustable so as to insure that the tubular body 4 extends the bag 5 so that it becomes taut and will maintain its shape . when the golf clubs are placed in the bag , they are received into the compartments h in groups in accordance with their classification . the handle portions of the golf clubs are inserted to the compartments h and passed through the bag into the compartments g . a number of golf clubs therefore may be received in the bag without inclining on one side and the handles of the golf clubs do not become entangled with each other . the golf clubs may be freely inserted into the bag or lifted out of the bag . in order to collapse the bag , the key is depressed and the bolt portion 1 &# 39 ; is unscrewed from the base . the central tube 1 is then removed . it will be apparent that the invention provides a collapsible golf bag that is convenient in use and allows the classified receiving of golf clubs . it is collapsible so as to enable the efficient , economical transportation and shipment of the bag in disassembled condition because the bulk of the bag is then minimized . | 0 |
as shown in the drawings , the present invention is concerned with circuitry for converting baseband digital signals directly to radio - frequency analog signals for transmission . conventionally , rf transmitters require one or more stages of analog frequency upconversion to translate a modulated signal up to a desired carrier frequency prior to transmission through an antenna . errors and inaccuracies that are inherent in rf analog processing dictate that it is desirable to keep the modulated signal in the digital domain as long as possible , without any stages of analog upconversion before conversion of the modulated signal to analog form . ideally , therefore , direct - to - rf digital - to - analog circuitry would be preferred in many communication applications but there are practically difficulties in the design of such a system . implementation of a direct - to - rf converter necessarily requires an extremely high data rate at the input of the digital - to - analog converter ( dac ), making it difficult to interface with a standard baseband signal digital processor . the implementation must be able to accept baseband signals at reasonably low rates , such as in the low hundreds of megahertz ( mhz ), and provide data input to the dac at a much higher rate . necessarily , such an implementation has to perform high - speed digital signal processing operations , including addition , multiplication and storage of digital samples . these operations are typically time - intensive and effectively limit the speed of operation of any direct - to - rf conversion circuitry . in accordance with the present invention , direct - to - rf conversion is effected by circuitry that includes an upsampler 10 , as shown in fig1 , a delta - sigma modulator 12 and a one - bit digital - to - analog converter 14 . when used to process the digital output from the delta - sigma modulator 12 , the one - bit d / a converter 14 provides a two - state analog output , which , when appropriately filtered , accurately reflects the value of a multi - bit signal that is input to the delta - sigma modulator . the upsampler 10 receives multi - bit input samples at a rate of typically hundreds of megasamples per second ( ms / s ) and generates output samples with the same number of bits of resolution , but at a rate that is n times the input rate . in the more specific block diagram of the upsampler 10 , the input data rate is 317 ms / s and each sample has a 12 - bit length . the upsampling rate n is 9 , and the upsampler 10 generates a stream of 12 - bit output samples at a rate of 2 , 853 ms / s . upsampling is a form of interpolation , where no information is added to the signals but the data rate is increased . various upsampling techniques are available but the one used and presently preferred in the invention involves adding zero - value samples between the input samples and then filtering the resulting data stream . these functions are implemented by the combinatorial logic shown in fig2 . each input sample is first split at junction point 20 into two paths , one of which passes through a delay circuit 22 . the undelayed path is further split into five paths , which are connected , respectively , to the first , third , fifth , seventh and ninth inputs of a 9 : 1 multiplexer 24 . the inputs to the third and seventh inputs of the multiplexer 24 are negated ( multiplied by − 1 ) before being applied to the multiplexer . the delayed path out of the delay circuit 22 is further split into four paths , which are connected , respectively to the second , fourth , sixth and eighth inputs to the multiplexer 24 . the inputs to the second and sixth inputs are negated ( multiplied by − 1 ). the multiplexer 24 is controlled by a signal from a counter 26 , which counts cyclically from 1 to 9 at a rate of 2 , 853 mhz ( the sample output rate of the multiplexer ). thus the multiplexer 24 generates 12 - bit output samples at a 2 , 853 ms / s rate , by selecting each of the multiplexer input signals in turn . it will be observed that the upsampler of fig2 uses two samples at its input to computer every nine output samples . if two consecutive input samples are named a and b , where a is the “ newer ” sample of the two , after one clock cycle , a becomes the older sample and a newer sample takes its place . thus , a and b are always two consecutive samples at the input data rate . the effect of the logic connecting the a and b inputs to the multiplexer 24 is to arrange the input samples in the following order : a , − b , − a , b , a , − b , − a , b , a . it can be shown that this is equivalent to inserting eight zeros between consecutive input samples and filtering with a 17 - tap frequency impulse response ( fir ) filter that has an impulse response of 1 , 0 , − 1 , 0 , 1 , 0 , − 1 , 0 , 1 , 0 , − 1 , 0 , 1 , 0 , − 1 , 0 , 1 . the frequency response of this filter has bandpass sin ( x )/ x response , also known as a sinc response . a typical upsampler input spectrum is shown in fig5 . a spectral peak is shown as occurring at approximately 79 . 24 mhz , which is one - fourth of the input sample rate . inserting any even number of zeros between samples will force an image of the original spectrum to end up at the quarter sample rate for the output . this becomes the new desired signal . the fir filter is a bandpass filter , centered a the output quarter sample rate , to retain the desired signal and remove all other images . fig6 depicts the output spectrum of the upsampler 10 . the central spectral peak is at 713 . 25 mhz , or nine times the frequency of the spectral peak in the upsampler input spectrum . fig7 and 8 depict the output spectrum of the delta - sigma modulator 12 , showing a spectral peak at the same frequency as the input spectral peak . the delta - sigma modulator 12 is shown in block diagram form in fig3 as reducing the data sample resolution from 12 - bit samples to 1 - bit output samples . the modulator includes multiple digital adders ( shown as circles ), one - sample delay circuits ( shown as squares with the enclosed notation z − 1 ), and digital multipliers ( shown as triangles with an enclosed multiplier coefficients ). following conventional notation , the numerical quantities adjacent each signal path indicate the number of bits of resolution of the signals traversing the respective paths . using well known principles of delta - sigma modulator design , the modulator 12 performs its function by arithmetically combining each input sample by performing summing and differencing operations that manipulate the input sample , delayed and stored previous samples , and products of previous samples and selected numerical coefficients . the final operation in the modulator is performed by a thresholding circuit , which produces a 1 - bit output for conversion by the dac 14 . the theory of operation of delta - sigma modulators is well known and will not be described here . what is important to the present invention is that some of the digital addition and digital multiplication operations that must be performed are time critical , in the sense that they potentially limit the overall speed of operation of the circuit and may preclude its operation on signals of a desired frequency . the present invention addresses this concern with respect both to multipliers and to critical adders in the modulator . in an important aspect of the invention , adding multiples of numerical coefficients to other digital quantities is facilitated by structuring the modulator to employ coefficients that result in very rapid numerical operations . in particular , the modulator employs feedback coefficients have values of 2048 , − 192 and 286 , respectively . the absolute values of these numbers are represented in binary notation as 100000000000 , 11000000 and 100011110 , respectively . it will be observed from fig3 that these coefficients are multiplied by the 1 - bit output from the modulator and the result is applied to an input of an adder . clearly , the addition or subtraction of the coefficient 2048 or 192 is simplified because only the first one or two bits have a value 1 and remainder have a value 0 . negative numbers may be represented using conventional twos - complement notation . if a positive number has only a few 1 bits , the corresponding twos - complement negative number will also have only a few 1 bits . for example − 192 in 11 - bit binary notation may be represented as 11101000000 , because the twos - complement is formed by taking the ones - complement ( reversing 1s and 0s ) then adding 1 to the result . the modulator of fig3 also includes a local feedback coefficient of 2 − 6 , which is simply accomplished with a right shift of six binary places and appropriate truncation . the result of this multiplication is a third input to an adder that includes as input a quantity multiplied by the − 192 coefficient . an adder of this type would normally be a three - input adder , but since the binary value of − 192 has only high order bits and the binary value of a number right shifted six places has only low order bits , the sum can be formed by concatenation . the first adder at the input of a delta - sigma modulator is often a performance limiting factor because it must process samples with greater numbers of bits , which necessarily impacts on the speed of the adder . most adders are of the carry ripple type , which simply means that the addition is performed in much the same way as one would add multi - digit numbers on paper . the least significant numbers are first added together and any resulting carry is added into the next most significant column , and so forth . in binary addition , the carry bits “ ripple ” across the adder from least significant to most significant bits . the greater the precision of the numbers being added , the longer it takes for the carry to ripple across the full word width . fig4 a depicts a prior art technique , referred to as a carry - select adder , which uses parallel processing to shorten the time of a full carry ripple . for a 15 - bit adder , the operation is shared by a 10 - bit carry ripple adder 40 and two 5 - bit carry ripple adders 42 and 44 . the ten least significant bits are added in the 10 - bit adder 40 . at the same time , the five most significant bits are added in both of the 5 - bit adders 42 and 44 . one 5 - bit adder 42 assumes a carry of 0 from the 10 - bit adder 40 and the other 5 - bit adder 44 assumes a carry of 1 from the 10 - bit adder . the two five - bit adders 42 and 44 complete their tasks before the 10 - bit adder 40 has finished , and input their alternative results to a 2 : 1 multiplexer 46 . when the 10 - bit addition is complete , the value of the carry from the most significant bit , to be rippled to the next five bits is , of course , determined . this value ( 1 or 0 ) is used to control the multiplexer 46 and to select the correct input and provide the upper five bits of the total 15 - bit result . although the technique illustrated in fig4 a achieves a speed advantage over a 15 - bit carry ripple adder , it incurs a delay caused by operation of the multiplexer 46 . in accordance with another aspect of the invention , a 15 - bit adder is implemented as a modification of the carry - select adder of fig4 a . as shown in fig4 b , instead of two 5 - bit adders , the invention uses two 7 - bit adders 42 ′ and 44 ′, also operating in parallel and with carry inputs assumed to be 0 and 1 , respectively . the multiplexer 46 ′ is controlled not by the carry output from the most significant bit position of the 10 - bit adder 40 , but from a bit position that is two bit positions lower . therefore , the multiplexer 46 ′ is controlled to provide the appropriate output some time before the 10 - bit adder 40 completes operation , and the entire 15 - bit result is available as soon as the 10 - bit adder produces its output . with this minor modification , the larger word width front - end adder at the delta - sigma modulator input can operate fast enough to in operations up to 3 ghz . the second adder in the loop is also a 15 - bit adder , but does not require this modification because one of the quantities being added is the coefficient 2048 , which , as discussed above , requires addition in only a few bit positions . therefore , the add operation can be implemented in a truncated form , ignoring the effect of most of the bits in the coefficient . it will be appreciated from the foregoing that the present invention represents a significant advance in the direct - to - rf digital - to - analog conversion . in particular , the invention may be implemented as an integrated circuit , including an upsampler and a single delta - sigma modulator that produces a one - bit output for conversion to analog form . moreover , the modulator is operable at high frequencies by careful selection of feedback coefficients and by means of a modified carry - select adder to perform a first 15 - bit add function at the input to the modulator . it will also be appreciated that although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail , various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , the invention should not be limited except as by the appended claims . | 7 |
a method and system for categorizing items in both actual and virtual categories are described . in the following description , for purposes of explanation , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . it will be evident , however , to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details . for the purposes of the present specification , the term “ transaction ” shall be taken to include any communications between two or more entities and shall be construed to include , but not be limited to , commercial transactions including sale and purchase transactions , auctions and the like . the term “ virtual category ” shall be understood to be a category that , for a particular data item , is not directly recorded as being associated with the data item . nonetheless , a “ virtual category ” may , for a further data item , be directly recorded as an appropriate category , and for such a further data item will comprise an “ actual category ” ( or a “ real category ”). fig1 is block diagram illustrating an exemplary network - based transaction facility in the form of an internet - based auction facility 10 . while an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described within the context of an auction facility , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention will find application in many different types of computer - based , and network - based , commerce facilities . the auction facility 10 includes one or more of a number of types of front - end servers , namely page servers 12 that deliver web pages ( e . g ., markup language documents ), picture servers 14 that dynamically deliver images to be displayed within web pages , listing servers 16 , cgi servers 18 that provide an intelligent interface to the back - end of facility 10 , and search servers 20 that handle search requests to the facility 10 . e - mail servers 21 provide , inter alia , automated e - mail communications to users of the facility 10 . the back - end servers include a database engine server 22 , a search index server 24 and a credit card database server 26 , each of which maintains and facilitates access to a respective database . the internet - based auction facility 10 may be accessed by a client program 30 , such as a browser ( e . g ., the internet explorer distributed by microsoft corp . of redmond , wash .) that executes on a client machine 32 and accesses the facility 10 via a network such as , for example , the internet 34 . other examples of networks that a client may utilize to access the auction facility 10 include a wide area network ( wan ), a local area network ( lan ), a wireless network ( e . g ., a cellular network ), or the plain old telephone service ( pots ) network . fig2 is a database diagram illustrating an exemplary database 23 , maintain by and accessed via the database engine server 22 , which at least partially implements and supports the auction facility 10 . the database 23 may , in one embodiment , be implemented as a relational database , and includes a number of tables having entries , or records , that are linked by indices and keys . in an alternative embodiment , the database 23 may be implemented as collection of objects in an object - oriented database . central to the database 23 is a user table 40 , which contains a record for each user of the auction facility 10 . a user may operate as a seller , buyer , or both , within the auction facility 10 . the database 23 also includes item tables 42 that may be linked to the user table 40 . specifically , the tables 42 include a seller items table 44 and a bidder items table 46 . a user record in the user table 40 may be linked to multiple items that are being , or have been , auctioned via the facility 10 . a link indicates whether the user is a seller or a bidder ( or buyer ) with respect to items for which records exist within the item tables 42 . the database 23 also includes one or more category tables 47 . each record within the category table 47 describes a respective category . in one embodiment , a specific category table 47 may describe multiple , hierarchical category structures , and include multiple category records , each of which may describe the context of a particular category within the one of the multiple hierarchical category structures . for example , the category table 47 may describe a number of real , or actual , categories to which item records , within the item tables 42 , may be linked . for example , as shown in fig3 , an item table 42 may include a category identifier 62 corresponding to an identifier of one or more real categories defined within the category table 47 . the category table 47 may also define a number of “ virtual ” hierarchical category structures that support alternative navigation paths that may be presented to a user to locate a particular item . in one embodiment , categories of a “ virtual ” hierarchical category structure are not directly referenced within item records within the item tables 42 , but are instead linked to “ real ” categories . accordingly , in one embodiment , no category identifiers 62 within the item tables 42 point directly to a “ virtual ” category . as will be described in further detail below , multiple virtual categories may be linked to a single real category . the database 23 also includes a note table 48 populated with note records that may be linked to one or more item records within the item tables 42 and / or to one or more user records within the user table 40 . each note record within the table 48 may include , inter alia , a comment , description , history or other information pertaining to an item being auction via the auction facility 10 , or to a user of the auction facility 10 . a number of other tables are also shown to be linked to the user table 40 , namely a user past aliases table 50 , a feedback table 52 , a feedback details table 53 , a bids table 54 , an accounts table 56 , an account balances table 58 and a transaction record table 60 . fig4 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary category table 47 , and of an exemplary category class 70 that may be instantiated as objects that reference the category table 47 . the category table 47 is shown to include a number of fields , each of which may be populated with relevant information for a category record within the category table 47 . for each category record , a marketplace field 68 indicates a particular marketplace ( e . g ., automobiles , computers , collectibles , etc .) within the context of the network - based auction facility 10 to which the category pertains . an identifier field 72 contains a unique category identifier for each category record . a name field 74 similarly includes a name ( which need not be unique ) for the relevant category . an is_leaf field 76 , for each category record , is populated with a character that indicates whether the relevant category is a leaf category of a particular hierarchical category structure ( e . g ., an actual or virtual category structure ). the level1 - level4 fields 78 - 84 record the category identifiers of categories from which a particular category depends within the context of hierarchical category structure . for example , the level1 field 78 will record the category identifier for an immediate parent category , while the level2 field 80 will record the category identifier for a grandparent category . an actual_category field 86 is , in one embodiment , only populated for a virtual category , and stores the category identifier of an actual ( or real ) category to which the relevant virtual category is linked . fig5 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary populated category table 47 , that is populated with exemplary records for both an actual category 90 , as well as two virtual categories 92 and 94 . turning first to the hierarchy of actual categories 90 , a parent ( passenger vehicle ) category includes a “ ford ” child category , the “ ford ” category being indicated as a child of the “ passenger car ” category by inclusion of the category identifier ( e . g ., 50 ) within the level1 field 78 of the record for the “ ford ” category . the “ ford ” category in turn is shown to include a “ taurus ” sub - category and a “ model t ” sub - category . it will be noted the “ taurus ” and the “ model t ” categories are indicated in the is - leaf field 76 as being leaf categories of the hierarchy of actual categories 90 . it will furthermore be noted that , for each category within the hierarchy of actual categories 90 , the actual_category field 86 contains a null value , as these categories are not linked to , and do not point to , further categories . turning now to the hierarchy of virtual categories 92 , a parent “ cars ” category is defined to have a “ ford ” child category , that in turn is defined to have a “ taurus ” child category . it will be noted that the level1 field 78 of the “ ford ” category includes an identifier pointing back to the parent “ cars ” category . the “ taurus ” category of the virtual categories 92 is also shown , within the actual_category field 86 , to include the identifier of the “ taurus ” category of the actual categories 90 . in this way , the virtual “ taurus ” category , identified by the category identifier “ 8001 ” is linked to , or points to , the actual “ taurus ” category identified by the category identifier “ 8000 ”. in this way , user navigation of the hierarchy of virtual categories 92 , when resulting in the selection of the virtual “ taurus ” category , can be utilized to identify the category identifier for an actual “ taurus ” category , that can in turn be utilized to identify records within an item table 42 . similarly , the hierarchy of virtual categories 94 is headed by a “ vintage cars ” category that includes a child “ ford ” category and a grandchild “ model t ” category . the “ model t ” category is again linked , by an appropriate category identifier within the actual_category field 86 , to the actual “ model t ” category of the actual categories 90 . it will furthermore be noted that , in one embodiment , only real categories are indicated in the is_leaf field 76 as being leaf categories . in one embodiment of the present invention , as mentioned above , data items may only be categorized under a hierarchy of actual categories 90 , and not under a hierarchy of virtual categories . it is for this reason that only actual categories may be indicated as leaf categories . while the hierarchies of virtual categories 92 and 94 are indicated as being distinct hierarchies , these hierarchies may in fact be sub - hierarchies of a larger hierarchy of virtual categories . nonetheless , the present application contemplates that the category table 47 may define multiple hierarchies of virtual categories , and that multiple virtual categories may be linked to , or pointed to , a single actual category . fig6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a view of selected actual categories 100 and virtual categories 102 within an exemplary database , and as defined within one or more exemplary category tables 47 . as illustrated , both the actual categories 100 and the virtual categories 102 are shown to include parent , child and grandchild categories . the grandchild categories , in the illustrated example , are “ leaf ” categories for both the actual and virtual categories 100 and 102 . leaf categories of the virtual categories are shown to be linked to appropriate “ leaf ” categories of the actual categories 100 . fig7 is a flow chart illustrating a method 110 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , of constructing category structures within a database . the database may , in one exemplary embodiment , support a web site that classifies data items for presentation to a user via a browser . such data items may describe , for example , web sites , products , services or any other items that may be categorized so as to facilitate convenient location by a user . in one embodiment , the data items may describe goods and services that are offered for sale via an auction process by the network - based auction facility 10 . however , it will readily be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to use in such an exemplary facility . the method 110 commences at block 112 with the definition , for example by a database designer , of a hierarchy of “ actual ” categories 100 being described by a respective category records that each specify a category identifier . at block 114 , the database designer then defines at least one hierarchy and multiple hierarchies , of “ virtual ” categories 102 within the category table 47 . in one embodiment , the virtual categories are not intended to be presented to a user for selection to categorize a data item , but are linked , in the manner described above , to actual categories . at block 116 , in an actual_category field 86 for each “ leaf ” virtual category , the database designer includes a pointer ( or link ) in the form of a category identifier to a “ actual ” leaf category . fig8 is a flow chart detailing a method 120 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , of facilitating the location of a data item by navigation of a hierarchy of virtual categories . the method 120 commences at block 122 , with the presentation to a user of a list of top - level virtual categories . for example , the top - level categories may be the parent categories of the virtual categories 102 illustrated in fig6 . the top - level categories may furthermore be presented in the form of a markup language document ( e . g ., a html document ) that is generated by a page server 12 utilizing category information retrieved by the database engine server 22 from the database 23 . fig9 a provides an example of such a markup language document 138 , which lists a number of top - level virtual categories 140 . at block 124 , user selection of a virtual category is detected . for example , by performing a “ point - and - click ” operation utilizing a cursor control device , a user may select the “ cars ” category of the virtual categories 140 shown in fig9 a , the selection being communicated to a cgi server 18 that in turn communicates the selection to an appropriate cgi script . at block 126 , a list of next - level virtual category is presented , based on the virtual category selected at block 124 . fig9 b illustrates an example of a markup language document that may be utilized to present an exemplary list 144 of such mixed - level categories . for example , a cgi script executing within a cgi server 18 and responsive to identification of a user - selected top - level category , may , via the database engine server 22 , query the category table 47 to identify virtual categories that are child categories of the “ cars ” category . the results of this query are then communicated to a page server 12 that populates a template to generate the markup language document illustrated in fig9 b . the list 144 of virtual categories shown in fig9 b accordingly represents child categories of the “ cars ” virtual category . at block 128 , a user selection of a next - level virtual category is detected , in the same manner described above . for example , assuming user selection of a hypertext link 146 for the “ ford ” category of the list 144 of categories shown in fig9 b , this user selection may be communicated to a cgi server 18 . at block 130 , a leaf category , or leaf categories , of the virtual category selected at block 128 may , in one embodiment , be identified so as to facilitate presentation of all data items associated with that leaf category or categories . for example , all leaf categories that depend from the virtual “ ford ” category selected at block 128 may be identified . such leaf categories may include the virtual “ taurus ” category or the virtual “ model t ” category discussed above with reference to fig5 . where the category selected at block 128 itself comprises a leaf category , it will be appreciated that such a category itself be identified as the leaf category at block 130 . at block 132 , a mapping , or linking , operation is performed so as to map the relevant virtual leaf categories identified at block 130 to actual leaf categories . specifically , as described above , this mapping operation may be performed utilizing a category identifier included within the actual_category field 86 of each relevant virtual category . having then identified one or more actual leaf categories corresponding to the virtual leaf categories , at block 134 , data items categorized as being attributed to the identified real leaf categories are identified and presented in a user interface . fig9 c is an exemplary embodiment of a user interface , in the form of a markup language document , that may be utilized to present both the next level , or leaf , categories identified at block 130 and the data items identified at block 134 to a user . specifically , the next level virtual categories are shown to be presented at 150 , and the identified data items are shown to be presented at 152 . it will be noted that the data items presented at 152 include data items within all of the virtual leaf categories listed at 150 . accordingly , the list of data items 152 may be extensive . for this reason , a user may wish to further navigate the hierarchy of virtual categories to further limit the list of data items 152 to a more manageable size . returning to fig8 , at decision block 136 , a determination is made as to whether a user selected a virtual leaf category at block 128 . if the selected virtual category is not a leaf category , the method 120 loops back through blocks 126 - 134 . for example , a user may select a hypertext link 154 for the virtual “ taurus ” category , responsive to which the user will be presented , at block 134 , with a list of data items identified as being within the actual “ taurus ” category by performing a link between the virtual “ taurus ” category and the actual “ taurus ” category . fig9 d is an exemplary user interface , in the form of a markup language document , that illustrates the presenting of such a narrowed list of data items at 156 . it will furthermore be noted that the user interface shown in fig9 d does not provide a list of any child categories , as were shown at 150 in fig9 c , as the virtual “ taurus ” category is a leaf category . as described above , in one embodiment , a user ( e . g ., a seller ) utilizing the network - based auction facility 10 or an administrator classifying data items for presentation via a web site , may be presented with the option of only classifying data items within the context of a hierarchy of actual ( and not virtual ) categories . fig1 a shows an exemplary user interface , in the form of a markup language document , that facilitates classification by a user of a data item according to actual categories 100 , such as those shown in fig6 . the top - level ( or parent ) actual categories comprise vehicle types ( e . g ., a passenger vehicles , commercial trucks , boats , aircraft , etc .). selection of a passenger vehicle type utilizing a drop - down menu 162 indicates both an actual parent category and an actual child category . alternatively , the user ( i . e ., seller ) may be offering a further vehicle type for auction . user selection of the drop - down menu 164 allows the seller to specify such a further vehicle type . fig1 b - 10e illustrates a further user interface 170 via which a user ( i . e ., a seller ) may specify actual category information . in an exemplary embodiment , the information inputted by the user at block 172 , as shown in fig1 b , specifies an actual category . specifically , for passenger vehicles , a leaf category is defined by a passenger vehicle make and model . it should thus be noted that , in the exemplary embodiment , data items are classified according to a selected leaf category . such leaf categories may be viewed as a category path selected within the context of a hierarchy of categories . for example , the full categorization of a data item may be viewed as the “ passenger vehicle / ford / taurus ” categorization . the methodologies described above may , it will be appreciated , be performed by software modules residing and executing on a wide variety of machines . in one embodiment , the mapping of the virtual leaf categories to actual leaf categories may be performed by a “ listings produce ” module or object that issues a series of sql statements against the database 23 . the “ listings produce ” object may reside , for example , on a cgi server 18 or be part of the database engine server 22 . fig1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the exemplary form of a computer system 300 within which a set of instructions , for causing the machine to perform any one of the methodologies discussed above , may be executed . in alternative embodiments , the machine may comprise a network router , a network switch , a network bridge , personal digital assistant ( pda ), a cellular telephone , a web appliance or any machine capable of executing a sequence of instructions that specify actions to be taken by that machine . the computer system 300 includes a processor 302 , a main memory 304 and a static memory 306 , which communicate with each other via a bus 308 . the computer system 300 may further include a video display unit 310 ( e . g ., a liquid crystal display ( lcd ) or a cathode ray tube ( crt )). the computer system 300 also includes an alpha - numeric input device 312 ( e . g . a keyboard ), a cursor control device 314 ( e . g . a mouse ), a disk drive unit 316 , a signal generation device 320 ( e . g . a speaker ) and a network interface device 322 the disk drive unit 316 includes a machine - readable medium 324 on which is stored a set of instructions ( i . e ., software ) 326 embodying any one , or all , of the methodologies described above . the software 326 is also shown to reside , completely or at least partially , within the main memory 304 and / or within the processor 302 . the software 326 may further be transmitted or received via the network interface device 322 . for the purposes of this specification , the term “ machine - readable medium ” shall be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing or encoding a sequence of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one of the methodologies of the present invention . the term “ machine - readable medium ” shall accordingly be taken to included , but not be limited to , solid - state memories , optical and magnetic disks , and carrier wave signals . thus , a method and system for categorizing items in both actual and virtual categories have been described . although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments , it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense . | 6 |
referring to drawing fig1 and 2 , a semiconductor integrated circuit ( ic ) device 10 is shown including a portion of a modified conventional - type lead frame 12 of the present invention . typically , the lead frame 12 is part of a lead frame strip comprised of a plurality of lead frames extending from broken edges 13 and are repeated about the slits 17 . the lead frame 12 includes a plurality of lead fingers 18 that extend toward the center of lead frame 12 forming the periphery of a semiconductor area in which the semiconductor device 14 is attached . each of the lead fingers 18 includes a lead end 20 at a proximal end that is wire bonded to the semiconductor device 14 by wire bond 22 and a lead connection 21 at a distal end for electrically connecting the completed ic package . typically , the lead ends 20 are plated to achieve a sufficient bond between the wire bond 22 and the lead end 20 . in the first embodiment of the present invention , the modified lead frame 12 does not include a die paddle for supporting the semiconductor device 14 . rather , the semiconductor device 14 is supported by tape 16 . the tape 16 is attached to the bottom surface of lead fingers 18 of the lead frame 12 and the bottom surface of semiconductor device 14 through the use of a suitable adhesive , such as a thermoplastic or thermosetting adhesive or epoxy paste . because lead frame 12 does not include a die paddle for supporting the semiconductor device 14 , the v cc ( power ) lead 34 and v ss ( ground ) lead 36 each can be extended to have a portion thereof surrounding a portion of a side of the semiconductor device 14 . as shown , the leads 34 and 36 each have a portion surrounding a portion of two sides of the periphery of the semiconductor device 14 . referring to drawing fig2 the v cc lead 34 has been extended and routed around a portion of the periphery of semiconductor device 14 . similarly , the v ss lead 36 has also been extended and routed around an opposite portion of the periphery of semiconductor device 14 . the v cc and v ss leads 34 , 36 , respectively , extend substantially parallel to the sides of the semiconductor device 14 and substantially perpendicular to a portion of the lead fingers 18 of the lead frame 12 . each of the v cc and v ss leads 34 , 36 , respectively , has a single lead end 20 at a proximal end that terminates near or adjacent the semiconductor device 14 and a single lead connection 21 at a distal end . in this manner , the position and number of bond pads 38 are not limited to a single location on the periphery of semiconductor device 14 nearest the lead end of the v cc lead 34 or v ss lead 36 . rather , the bond pads 38 requiring a ground or power source may be located anywhere along either the sides of the semiconductor device 14 forming the periphery of the semiconductor device 14 or located anywhere on the active surface 15 of the semiconductor device 14 . in this manner , the v cc lead 34 and v ss lead 36 act much like the bus bars in a loc configured lead frame . the wire bonds 22 extend over the v cc lead 34 and v ss lead 36 between the bond pads 38 and the lead ends 20 . providing the extended v cc and v ss leads 34 , 36 , respectively , around the periphery of the semiconductor device 14 also helps decrease the number of power and ground buses required within the semiconductor device itself , thereby helping to decrease its size and increase the speed and performance of the semiconductor device 14 . referring to drawing fig3 a second embodiment of the present invention shows a semiconductor device including a portion of a modified conventional - type lead frame 12 . the lead frame 12 includes a plurality of lead fingers 18 that extend toward the center of lead frame 12 . each of the lead fingers 18 includes a lead end 20 at a proximal end that is wire bonded to the semiconductor device 14 by wire bond 22 and a lead connection ( not shown ) at a distal end for electrically connecting the completed ic package . the lead fingers are electrically connected , as described hereinbefore , to the bond pads 38 of the semiconductor device 14 by a wire bond 22 . in the second embodiment of the present invention , the modified lead frame 12 includes a die paddle 40 to support the semiconductor device 14 . the semiconductor device 14 may be adhesively attached to the die paddle 40 by means of thermosetting or thermoplastic adhesive or epoxy paste . the v cc lead 42 extends along the length , a side or first side , of the semiconductor device 14 , rather than terminating at a proximal end as the other lead fingers 18 , and extends substantially perpendicular with respect to a portion of the lead fingers 18 and at an angle with respect to other lead fingers 18 . similarly , the v ss lead 44 also extends along the opposite length , another side or second side , of the semiconductor device 14 in the same manner as v cc lead 42 . as shown , the v cc and v ss leads 42 , 44 , respectively , extend substantially parallel to each other and to two of the sides of the semiconductor device 14 . unlike the first embodiment of the present invention , the v cc and v ss leads 42 , 44 in the present embodiment do not terminate near the semiconductor device but , rather , are connected at each end thereof to the lead frame 12 . also unlike the first embodiment of the present invention , the v cc and v ss leads 42 , 44 , respectively , in the second embodiment form a continuous lead along the length of the semiconductor device 14 with each end terminating as a lead connection ( not shown ). in this manner , the position and number of bond pads 38 are not limited to a single location on the periphery or on the active surface 15 of semiconductor device 14 nearest the lead end of the v cc lead 42 or v ss lead 44 . rather , the bond pads 38 requiring a ground or power source may be located anywhere along the periphery or the active surface 15 of the semiconductor device 14 . in this manner , the v cc lead 42 and v ss lead 44 of a conventional lead frame 12 act much like the bus bars in a loc configured lead frame . the wire bonds 22 extend over the v cc lead 42 and v ss lead 44 between the bond pads 38 and the lead ends 20 . unlike the bus bars in a loc configured lead frame , however , the v cc lead 42 and v ss lead 44 of the conventional lead frame 12 do not extend over the active surface 15 of semiconductor device 14 . providing the v cc and v ss leads 42 , 44 , respectively , around the periphery of the semiconductor device also helps decrease the number of power and ground buses within the semiconductor device 14 itself , thereby helping to decrease its size and increase the speed and performance of the semiconductor device 14 . referring to drawing fig4 a third embodiment of the present invention illustrates a semiconductor device 14 including a portion of a modified conventional - type lead frame 12 . the lead frame 12 includes a plurality of lead fingers 18 that extend toward the center of lead frame 12 , forming a semiconductor device area where the semiconductor device 14 is attached . each of the lead fingers 18 includes a lead end 20 at a proximal end that is wire bonded to the semiconductor device 14 by wire bond 22 and a lead connection ( not shown ) at a distal end for electrically connecting the completed ic package . the lead fingers are electrically connected to the bond pads 38 of the semiconductor device 14 by a wire bond 22 as described hereinbefore . in the third embodiment of the present invention , the lead frame 12 does not include a die paddle for supporting the semiconductor device 14 . rather , the semiconductor device 14 is supported by tape 16 . the tape 16 is attached to the bottom surface of the lead fingers 18 of the lead frame 12 and the bottom surface of semiconductor device 14 through the use of a suitable adhesive , such as a thermoplastic or thermosetting adhesive . since the lead frame 12 does not include a die paddle for supporting the semiconductor device 14 , the v cc lead 42 and v ss lead 44 can be extended to surround a greater portion of the periphery of the semiconductor device 14 , i . e ., multiple sides of the semiconductor device 14 or portions thereof . the v cc lead 42 is bifurcated to form a first portion extending along the ends 20 of lead fingers 18 and a side or first side of the periphery of the semiconductor device 14 and a second transverse prong portion 46 to provide a power source along another side or second side of the periphery of semiconductor device 14 . similarly , v ss lead 44 is bifurcated to form a first portion extending along lead ends 20 of lead fingers 18 and another or third side of the periphery of the semiconductor device 14 and a second transverse prong portion 48 to provide a ground along another or fourth side of the periphery of semiconductor device 14 . the v cc and v ss leads 42 , 44 , respectively , and the transverse prong portions 46 , 48 , respectively , extend substantially parallel to the sides of the semiconductor device 14 . unlike the prior second embodiment of the present invention utilizing a paddle , in the present embodiment the semiconductor device 14 may be substantially surrounded by the v cc and v ss leads 42 , 44 , respectively . in this manner , the position and number of bond pads 38 are not limited to a location on the periphery of semiconductor device 14 nearest the lead end of the v cc lead or v ss lead 42 , 44 , respectively . rather , the bond pads 38 requiring a ground or power source may be located anywhere along the periphery or the active surface 15 of the semiconductor device 14 . in this manner , the v cc lead 42 and v ss lead 44 become much like the bus bars in a loc configured lead frame . the wire bonds 22 extend over the v cc lead 42 and v ss lead 44 between the bond pads 38 and the lead ends 20 . providing the extended v cc and v ss leads 42 , 44 , respectively , around the periphery of the semiconductor device also helps decrease the number of power and ground buses within the semiconductor device itself and helps to decrease the size of the semiconductor device 14 and increase the speed and performance of the semiconductor device 14 . unlike the bus bars in a loc configured lead frame , however , the v cc lead 42 , v ss lead 44 , and prongs 46 , 48 do not extend over the active surface 15 of the semiconductor device 14 . in the prior embodiments , the v cc and v ss leads are depicted as positioned on opposite sides of the semiconductor device in a substantially symmetric orientation . however , the v cc and v ss leads may be configured to extend to any portion of the semiconductor device as is required by the needs of the device and in conformance with the purpose of the present invention . | 7 |
fig1 shows a schematic representation of a device to carry out the process according to the invention . this schematically represented device serves to carry out early detection and evaluation of damage to rolling element bearings . a vibration pickup 1 is arranged to pick up the forced vibrations of the machine when the kinematics are disrupted due to rolling element bearing damage , as well as the inevitable spurious vibrations . in the subsequent signal conditioning unit 2 , the measuring signal is adapted in order to be transmitted to the device 3 for further processing , for example , an amplification or attenuation of the measuring signal . in the following preprocessing unit , the signal necessary for further processing , for example , the vibration displacement , is obtained from the measured signal , for example , from the measured acceleration . in the subsequent analog - digital converter 4 , the signal is digitized and stored in the memory 5 for further processing . by means of the signal processor 6 and the microprocessor 7 , the spurious ( or noise ) signal component is eliminated from the stored signal , which can then be further processed . for this purpose , the measured time function y ( t ), which contains useful and spurious signals , is compared to a theoretically calculated time function x ( t ) corresponding only to the useful signal . in order to calculate the time function x ( t ), the rolling element bearing including the stress mechanism , is arithmetically depicted . in this process , first of all , a roughness function x is defined as a function of the location along the path of the rolling elements , which is different for the individual types of damage such as , for example , scratches , pitting , cracks or fractures . taking into account the geometry of the rolling elements and the operating bearing force , the result is a corresponding deformation between the outer bearing race and housing . on the basis of the number of rolling elements and the rotational speed of the rotor , a time - dependent deformation function x a , i ( t ) results for every location in between the outer race and the bearing housing . every time function x a , i ( t ) generates mechanical waves through the bearing housing . the transmission paths from all locations i to a measuring point , for example on the outside of the bearing housing , can preferably be depicted in terms of continuum mechanics in a generally known manner in the form of a transfer function . at the measuring point , the time function y ( t ) is picked up , for example , in the form of an acceleration - time function . by correlating y ( t ) with the deformation function x a , i ( t ), the signal components y l ( t ) generated by the bearings are determined . if the dynamic system behavior of the bearings and of the machine is known , then the separation of signal and noise can be accomplished by means of a process of the type described in the journal titled &# 34 ; konstruktion &# 34 ; 31 ( 1979 ), no . 9 , pages 345 to 351 , &# 34 ; trennung von beanspruchungs - zeit - funktionen nach ihrem ursprung &# 34 ; ( separation of stress - time functions according to their source .) in the case of a dual channel measurement , the noise signals can be eliminated by correlating the measuring signals of both channels , and by differentiating the correlated from the uncorrelated components . depending on the arrangement of the vibration pickup , the useful signal is assigned to one component or to the other . the methods mentioned for noise signal elimination can also be combined with each other . accordingly , by means of signal processor 6 and microprocessor 7 , the useful signal y l ( t ) can be broken down in a generally known manner into a determined , periodic component y d ( t ), into periodically recurring components with a stochastic amplitude of y s ( t ), and into a generally stochastic component y n ( t ), for which the following is valid : these components can be analyzed as a function of the frequency . for every component y d , y s , y n of the time function y l ( t ), which is picked up at the measuring point and which has had the noise components eliminated from it , the frequency spectrum is determined , preferably in the form of spectral power density . for this purpose , it is practical to determine the frequency ranges by assigning an absolute or relative dynamic range , as illustrated in fig2 . the spectral power density is shown in fig2 as a function of the frequency . moreover , the defined frequency ranges a , b and c are shown . in order to determine the frequency ranges in which each of the evaluations is carrie out , the frequency components that mainly contribute to the intensity are determined . in this process , distortions in the measuring signal caused by the transmission path or by the measuring medium can be corrected in the frequency spectrum , for example , by increasing or decreasing the higher frequencies . the damage - causing intensities for the determined frequency ranges are ascertained by means of frequency analyses . in this process , the dimensions , extent and form of the frequency distribution are determined . the association of the frequency range in hz and the statistical frequency distribution produces a stress factor for the rolling element bearing . the frequency distribution of the class boundary deviations is determined for each of these ranges . these frequency distributions are standardized , each still separated for each component y d , y s , y n , as illustrated in fig3 . the frequency distributions where m = 0 . 8 and m = 2 are then converted into linear distributions for which m = 1 , as can be seen in greater detail in fig4 and 5 . the equation f a = f c = 1 / 2 f b applies to the hatched surfaces in the representation . the partial surfaces which are encompassed by each of the frequency distributions and by the sought straight line distribution serve as a criterion for the conversion of these frequency distributions with m = 0 . 8 and m = 2 . there are two intersection points 1 and 2 between these two distributions , seen from the coordinate origin along the abscissa ( frequency axis ). the surface f a , the surface f b between 1 and 2 , and the surface f c between 2 and the intersection point of the coordinate distribution with the abscissa are formed by the sections of the frequency distributions m = 0 . 8 or m = 2 and the appertaining straight line distribution . for the conversion , f a = f c = 1 / 2 f b applies ( page 8 of the specification , line 17 through 21 , and fig4 and 5 of the drawing ). then , for each signal component i and for each frequency range k , the pi ( pattern intensity ) factor ## equ1 ## is formed , wherein y is the maximum value of the frequency distribution of each of the signal components y in each of the frequency ranges , rms is the effective value of each of the signal components y in each of the frequency ranges , and h o is zero passage number of the frequency distribution . therefore , summed up over all values k , the result is the component - typical factors pi d , pi s , pi n . from this sum , the final result is the total pi factor , i . e . the combination of several stress factors , which produce the factor that describes the stress of the rolling element bearing . a relative damage assessment is calculated by means of known methods of calculating the service life of machine parts that are at risk of damage due to vibration , e . g . the damage - accumulation calculation method according to miner , which is described in greater detail in the publication of o . buxbaum , &# 34 ; betriebsfestigkeit &# 34 ; ( operating strength ), verlag stahleisen mbh ( publishers ), dusseldorf , west germany , 1986 , chapter 3 . for this purpose , a permissible reference stress typical of the bearing must be given . the permissible reference stress typical of the bearing is represented in the form of a stress - number curve or a service - life line . by continuously observing the extent of the damage over the service life of the rolling element bearing in question , the user is able to estimate the probable remaining service life . for this purpose , first of all , the stress universe is derived from the data gathered up to that point . this can be done more simply on the basis of the determined pi factors or , more precisely , from the combination of the frequencies determined there . each pi factor , multiplied by √ 2 and provided with the appertaining mean frequency , represents a one - stage amplitude universe for which the damage component is calculated . the sum of the damage components for each pi factor results in the sought - after total damage that has occurred up until the point in time under consideration . in the process according to the invention , the past history is not necessary , as long as the pi factors are below a certain limit value . beyond that , the history is cumulated to the extent of the damage ascertained at the point in time of the observation . the remaining service life is a direct measure of the remaining operating time , about which assumptions concerning the progress of the damage should be made based on time . these assumptions can be based on generally valid experimental values that have been previously obtained . therefore , as a rule , trend analysis of the type involved with the known processes is not necessary . the advantage of the process according to the invention lies in the fact that the above - mentioned calculation is carried out on the basis of the stress and is thus directly related to the damage and not , as is the case with the process according to trend analysis , on the basis of the signal . the information provided by the calculated values can , if necessary , even be reinforced by incorporating the pi factors continuously in a trend analysis , but in any case on the basis of the stress . moreover , it is possible to draw conclusions about certain types of rolling element bearing damage from the calculated signal components y d , y s and y n . local damage is characterized by the presence of all three signal types , whereas in the case of extensive damage such as pitting , grooves , striations or roughness , the signal components y s and y n are predominant . the calibration can be carried out either arithmetically or by means of measuring techniques . in the case of an arithmetic calibration , the procedure is in principle the same as described above in connection with the arithmetic representation of the rolling element bearing . in the case of a calibration by means of measuring techniques , during or shortly after start up , measurements are made of a bearing which , in all probability , can be assumed to have no damage . signals in the form x n ( t ) result from these measurements . the basic level e , ovs / y / of the time function y ( t ) at the measuring location is detected and stored for further processing . the subsequent evaluation of the measurements is related to this basic level . the same procedure is carried out for the pi factor . the arithmetic basic stress for each bearing is known from the manufacturer &# 39 ; s specifications . thus , a multiple of the basic level e , ovs / y / can be converted into a multiple of the basic stress on the bearing . the conversion is done as a function of the total transfer behavior , in other words , the arithmetic representation as explained above , which is linear in the simplest case . in the device according to fig1 there is an output device 8 , which can be in the form of a display , a cathod ray tube or a printer , for displaying measured values or for showing characteristic values . | 6 |
fig1 shows a mobile cellular digital telecommunication network 100 . the telecommunications network 100 has a number of base stations of which the base stations 1 , 2 and 3 are shown in fig1 by way of example . the base station 1 has at least one processor 102 for execution of program modules 104 , 106 and 108 . the program module 104 serves for the automatic discovery of base stations that neighbor the base station 1 . the program module 106 serves to establish communication links between the base station 1 and base stations that neighbor the base station 1 after such base stations have been discovered . the establishment of such communication links can be implemented by setting up respective x2 interfaces between the base station 1 and the discovered neighboring base stations . the program module 108 serves for handover processing , such as for performing a handover operation from the base station 1 to another neighboring target base station that has been previously discovered . further , the base station 1 has a storage component 110 for storing neighbor information 112 . the neighbor information 112 is indicative of neighbors that have been discovered by that base station . the neighbor information 112 may be stored as a neighbor relation table in accordance with section 22 . 3 . 2a of the above referenced specification , in particular fig2 . 3 . 2 a - 1 . the base station 2 and the base station 3 have an analogous structure . the base stations 1 , 2 , 3 , . . . of the telecommunications network are linked by a core network 114 . by way of example , a user equipment 116 is shown in fig1 . the user equipment 116 is located within a cell that is serviced by the base station 1 . by execution of the program module 104 the base station 1 instructs the user equipment 116 to perform measurements on neighbor cells belonging to base station 2 . the user equipment 116 has indeed detected the base station 2 but not the base station 3 which is a little more remote from it but still in the neighborhood of base station 1 . the user equipment 116 generates a first message 118 that is related to the base station 2 . this message 118 contains the cell identifier of the base station 2 . in response to receipt of the message 118 the base station 1 generates a second message 120 by execution of the program module 104 . the message 120 is sent from the base station 1 to the newly discovered base station which is the base station 2 in the example considered here . the message 120 is transmitted from the base station 1 to the base station 2 over x2 after the base station 1 has retrieved the ip address of base station 2 e . g . over s1 . by means of the message 120 the base station 1 initiates the establishment of a first communication link 122 between itself and the newly discovered base station 2 . in one implementation the communication link 122 is established by setting up an x2 interface between the base station 1 and the newly discovered base station 2 . in this instance , the message 120 is implemented as an x2 interface setup request . in the following it is assumed that base station 2 has previously discovered the base station 3 such that the base station 3 is identified by the neighbor information 112 stored in the storage component 110 of the base station 2 . in addition to the base station 3 the neighbor information 112 can identify additional base stations of the telecommunication network 100 that have also been previously discovered by the base station 2 . in response to receipt of the message 120 by the base station 2 to establish the communication link 122 , the program module 106 is invoked in the base station 2 . the program module 106 generates a third message 124 . for generating the message 124 the program module 106 is executed for reading the neighbor information 112 from the storage 110 of the base station 2 that includes information being indicative of the base station 3 . for example , the neighbor information 112 comprises the ip address of the base station 3 . the ip address of the base station 3 is put into the message 124 by the program module 106 and the message 124 is transmitted from the base station 2 to the base station 1 . in particular , the message 124 can be implemented as an x2 interface setup response that in addition contains the ip address of at least one of the neighboring base stations of the responding base station 2 that are identified by the neighbor information 112 stored in the responding base station 2 . in response to receipt of the message 124 by the base station 1 the program module 106 of the base station 1 is invoked such that the first communication link 122 is set up between the base station 1 and the base station 2 . in addition , the message 124 is processed by the program module 104 that reads the ip address of the base station 3 from the message 124 and updates the neighbor information 112 stored in the storage component 110 of the base station 1 in order to reflect the potential neighboring base station 3 . as a consequence of the discovery of the base station 3 in the base station 1 and the update of the related information 112 the program module 104 of the base station 1 causes the generation of a fourth message 126 that is sent from the base station 1 to the newly discovered base station 3 . the message 126 is transmitted from the base station 1 to the base station 3 directly over x2 using the received ip address . by means of the message 126 the base station 1 initiates the establishment of a second communication link 128 between itself and the base station 3 . the message 126 can be implemented as an x2 interface setup request . in response to the message 126 the communication link 128 is established such as by setting up an additional x2 interface between the base station 1 and the base station 3 . if additional base stations are identified by the neighbor information 112 stored in the storage 110 of the base station 2 , such additional base stations can also be identified in the message 124 such that respective additional x2 interfaces can be set up between the base station 1 and any one of such additional base stations . when the user equipment 116 is moved into the proximity of the base station 3 the program modules 108 of the base station 1 and the base station 3 are invoked for performing handover processing of the user equipment 116 to the target base station 3 . as the communication link 128 between the base station 1 and the base station 3 has been established previously the execution of a handover protocol for performing the handover processing can be done via the communication link 128 with a minimal latency time . this has the advantage that the risk of a handover failure is greatly reduced even though the user equipment 116 has not necessarily previously discovered the base station 3 as the base station 3 has been discovered by the base station 1 via the message 124 received from the base station 2 . in accordance with an alternative embodiment the neighbor information 112 does not contain the ip addresses of previously discovered neighboring base stations but the cell identifier and tracking area code of one or more cells of previously discovered base stations . hence , the message 124 that is generated by the base station 2 does not contain one or more ip addresses of the one or more base stations that neighbor the base station 2 but a cell identifier and a tracking area code for one or more cells of such base station ( s ) that neighbors the base station 2 , in particular the cell identifier and the tracking area code of one or more cells of the base station 3 . the base station 1 may use the cell identifier and the tracking area code to obtain the ip address such as for base station 3 . this can be done via the core network 114 using the s1 procedure . after the base station 1 has obtained the ip address of the base station 3 the communication link 128 can then be established . as the base stations 1 and 2 are neighboring and the base stations 2 and 3 are neighboring it is likely that base stations 1 and 3 are also neighboring as a consequence . hence , the assumption is made that base stations 1 and 3 are neighboring and that the base station 3 is a potential handover target from base station 1 . if this should exceptionally not be the case the communication link 128 that has been set up between the base stations 1 and 3 is never used . the base stations may implement a replacement algorithm to replace such unused communication links , such as a time out or an ageing algorithm . for example , setting up to the communication link 128 starts a timer of base station 1 . the timer keeps running for as long as no handover is performed from base station 1 to base station 3 . if the timer value reaches a maximum , the communication link 128 is dropped , otherwise the communication link 128 is kept alive . in step 200 a base station , such as base station 1 ( cf . fig1 ), receives a neighbor discovery message from one of the user equipments that is within one cell that is serviced by that base station ( cf . user equipment 116 of fig1 ). in response , after having retrieved the ip address of that neighbor , the base station 1 generates an interface setup request to the newly discovered neighboring base station , such as base station 2 . in step 204 the base station 1 receives an interface setup response from its newly discovered neighboring base station 2 . the interface setup response contains information being indicative of one or more neighbors that have been previously discovered by the base station 2 as the neighbors of the base station 2 are also direct or indirect neighbors of the base station 1 . in step 206 the base station 1 sends interface setup requests to the neighboring base stations of its newly discovered neighbor in order to set up additional interfaces for later handover processing , if needed . | 7 |
fig1 illustrates an exemplary flow of a series of processes of the method of recovering gold according to the present invention . embodiments of the present invention will be explained below , referring to fig1 . the present invention relates to a method of recovering gold , based on the solvent extraction process , from an aqueous solution having a gold concentration or 10 mg / l or below , particularly from a post - extraction liquid having a gold concentration of 10 mg / l or below , being obtained from leaching of ores or concentrate which contains sulfide of copper , and typically ores or concentrate which contains sulfide of copper as a major constituent . the leaching liquid is arbitrarily selectable from known ones without special limitation . in aspect of disusing cyan compounds , thiourea and thiosulfuric acid , which aspect is one feature of the present invention , it may be general to use an acidic aqueous solution of mineral acid such as sulfuric and hydrochloric acid . accordingly , a gold - containing aqueous solution ( also referred to as “ pre - extraction liquid ”, hereinafter ), which is the target solution to be treated , is generally acidic , having a ph value of 2 . 5 or below , and typically 0 . 5 to 1 . 5 . the gold concentration in the target aqueous solution in the present invention is 10 mg / l or below , and typically 1 to 10 mg / l . copper concentration in the post - extraction liquid is typically 0 . 1 to 30 g / l . in one embodiment , the target aqueous solution for gold recovery in the present invention is a post - extraction liquid of copper concentrate , and contains 120 to 200 g / l of chlorine , 0 . 1 to 30 g / l of copper , and 0 . 01 to 10 g / l of iron . if the aqueous solution contains a solid matter , it is preferable to preliminarily remove the solid matter before being brought into contact with the extraction medium , using a thickener , filter press , cylindrical or sheet - type filter or the like , since loss of the extraction solvent is anticipated due to absorption by the solid matter . operation of the solvent extraction per se may be proceeded in general ways . for example , the gold - containing aqueous solution ( aqueous phase ) and an extraction medium ( organic phase ) are brought into contact , and then mixed by stirring typically using a mixer , so as to react gold with the extraction medium . the process may be proceeded at room temperature ( 10 to 30 ° c .) to 60 ° c ., under the atmospheric pressure . the operation is directed to each of the individual stages of extraction . the extraction medium is selectable from known substances , such as methyl isobutyl ketone ( mibk ), tributylphosphoric acid ( tbp ), and dibutyl carbitol ( dbc ), without special limitation . among them , dbc is preferable by virtue of its stability , low volatility , and low toxicity . while the volume ratio o / a of the extraction medium ( or ) and the aqueous solution ( a ) is not specifically limited , it is preferably ⅕ or smaller and more preferably 1 / 10 or smaller for the first stage , taking the concentration ratio of gold into account . on the other hand , recovery ratio of gold , rather than the concentration ratio of gold , is an essential issue for the final stage ( which corresponds to the second stage in fig1 ). for this reason , the o / a is necessarily set high , preferably 1 / 10 or larger , and more preferably ⅕ or larger . too large value of o / a at the final stage , however , results in lower gold concentration in the solvent , when the extraction liquid is supplemented to the previous extraction stage ( typically , the preceding extraction stage ), and consequently lowers the concentration ratio of gold , due to lowered gold concentration in the first stage . accordingly , the o / a value in the final stage is preferably ½ or smaller , and more preferably ⅓ or smaller . after completion of the first - stage solvent extraction in “ extraction 1 ”, the post - extraction liquid is fed to “ extraction 2 ”. in each of “ extractions 1 and 2 ”, the extraction medium is recycled for repetitive use , respectively , and thereby the gold concentration in the extraction medium elevates . from the viewpoint of recovery ratio of gold , the amount of extraction medium used in “ extraction 2 ” is designed so as to suppress the gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid after “ extraction 2 ” to a predetermined concentration or below . in general , the gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid after “ extraction 2 ” is preferably adjusted to 0 . 5 mg / l or below , and more preferably 0 . 1 mg / l or below . in other words , “ extraction 2 ” is mainly directed to management of the recovery ratio of gold . on the other hand , since the extraction medium is recycled for repetitive use also in “ extraction 1 ”, the gold concentration in the extraction medium gradually elevates . the extraction medium is repetitively used until the gold concentration in the extraction medium used in “ extraction 1 ” reaches a target concentration . while higher target values of the concentration may elevate the concentration ratio of gold and may thereby facilitate the reduction process , it should be noted that the higher target values also elevate the gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid , and thereby impose the larger task on “ extraction 2 ”. for example , the extraction medium in “ extraction 1 ” may be recycled until the gold concentration in the extraction medium is elevated up to 1 g / l or above , typically up to 1 to 4 g / l , and more typically up to 2 to 3 g / l . in other words , “ extraction 1 ” is mainly directed to management of the concentration ratio of gold . one essential feature of the present invention is that the extraction media ( dbc1 , dbc2 ) used in “ extraction 1 ” and “ extraction 2 ”, respectively , are separately prepared , and recycled principally within each stage of extraction only . while fig1 illustrates a two - stage extraction process , larger numbers of stages of extraction may be added , such as the third stage , the fourth stage and so on . when the gold concentration in the extraction media ( dbc2 , dbc3 , dbc4 , . . . ) reached the upper limit values estimated based on design values of gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid from the individual stages of extraction in the second stage and thereafter (“ extraction 2 ”, “ extraction 3 ”, “ extraction 4 ”, . . . ), a part of or the whole of the solvent may be drawn out , and may be fed back to the solvent in the previous stage ( typically , the preceding stage ). in this way , the whole volume of solvent and the gold concentration in the solvent may more readily be controlled . in particular , the present invention has an advantage in being able to reduce the total amount of dbc to be used . further , with respect to the multi - stage extraction process , two - stage or three - stage process is preferable in view of a balance between ease of designing the condition and the obtainable effect . a part of , or the whole of the extraction medium ( dbc1 ) in the first stage , having the gold concentration reached the target value as a result of recycled use , may be fed to washing / reduction process , instead of the preceding stage . supplementation of the extraction medium to the individual stages may be implemented after the drawing of extraction medium , using any one of , or arbitrary combinations of , the extraction medium from the succeeding stage , the extraction medium remained after precipitation of gold by the reduction process , and a fresh extraction medium . conditions for actual operations may be set by experimentally determining an extraction equilibrium curve which expresses relations between the gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid and the gold concentration in the extraction liquid , for the case of repetitive use of the extraction medium under specific conditions , and by setting target values of gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid and the gold concentration in the extraction medium for the individual stages . in the process of extraction of gold , impurities such as iron may be extracted in an associated manner into the solvent . alternatively , the leachate may sometimes reside in the solvent to give a suspension . in such a case , the extraction medium is washed before the reduction of gold , so as to remove impurities from the solvent . the washing may be proceeded using water or aqueous hydrochloric acid solution having a concentration of 0 . 5 to 2 . 0 mol / l or around . aqueous hydrochloric acid is preferably used , since pure water shows only a poor separability of phases . after the optional washing , the extraction medium obtained after the extraction and the aqueous solution containing a reducing agent are brought into contact . the reducing agent adoptable herein is exemplified by oxalic acid , sodium oxalate , dextrose and ascorbic acid . taking the deposition form of reduced gold into account , the reduction may be proceeded using sodium oxalate at a temperature of 60 ° c . or above under the atmospheric pressure for 1 to 3 hours or around . from the viewpoint of the recovery ratio of gold , the reduction process is preferably proceeded until the gold concentration in the extraction medium decreases down to 0 . 5 g / l or below , and more preferably down to 0 . 1 g / l or below . the reduced gold precipitates at the bottom of a container . the precipitate is collected and washed to be marketed . the present invention will further be detailed referring to examples of the present invention , without limiting the scope of the present invention . using a liquid simulating a post - extraction liquid which is obtainable from chloride leaching of a copper concentrate ( cu : 20 g / l , fe : 2 g / l , au : 5 mg / l , ag : 20 mg / l , cl : 180 g / l , br : 20 g / l , ph : 1 . 5 ) and dbc , a two - stage extraction was conducted as illustrated in fig1 , while circulating dbc in each extraction apparatus , but without the reduction operation and back extraction . note that the operations , illustrated in fig1 , for drawing a part of dbc out from the second stage and adding it to dbc in the first stage , and for returning dbc after the reduction back into to the extraction medium in the second stage , were not adopted . the o / a ( extraction medium / aqueous solution ) values were adjusted to 1 / 10 ( flow rate of extraction medium = 3 ml / min , flow rate of aqueous solution = 30 ml / min ) for the first stage , and to ⅕ ( flow rate of extraction medium = 6 ml / min , flow rate of aqueous solution = 30 ml / min ) for the second stage , and the extraction operation was continued until the gold concentration in dbc in the first stage reached approximately 2 . 4 g / l . results are shown in table 1 . it was found that gold was predominantly extracted in the first stage , and repetitive use of dbc successfully elevated the gold concentration in dbc . the gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid was found to be 1 . 6 mg / l , and the recovery ratio of gold in the first stage was found to be 68 %. while no distinct elevation in the gold concentration in the extraction medium was observed in the second stage , which is mainly directed to management of the ratio of recovery of gold , the gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid was found to be 0 . 5 mg / l , and the ratio of recovery of gold in the first and second stages totaled up to 90 % or above . the values of gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid shown in table 1 are obtained upon completion of the extraction operation , after a gold concentration in dbc in the first stage of approximately 2 . 4 g / l was achieved . extraction equilibrium of gold between dbc and post - extraction liquid is shown in fig3 . as a comparative example to the case of circulation of dbc in the individual stages , the sample liquid and dbc were brought into contact in a counter - flow configuration . a flow of the solvent extraction based on the counter - flow contact was shown in fig2 . the two - stage extraction was conducted under the conditions same with those in example 1 . the o / a value in the first and second stages was 1 / 10 . the extraction operation was continued until the gold concentration in dbc reached approximately 2 . 5 g / l . results are shown in table 2 . note that the values of gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid shown in table 2 are obtained upon completion of the extraction operation , after a gold concentration in dbc of approximately 2 . 5 g / l was achieved . unlike example 1 , the amount of extraction of gold was found to decrease due to monotonous increase in the gold concentration in the extraction agents , showing a gold concentration in the post - extraction liquid of 1 . 7 mg / l , relative to that in the extraction medium after the extraction of 2 . 5 g / l , with a 67 % ratio of recovery . it was therefore confirmed that the ratio of recovery of gold was elevated by circulating dbc in the individual stages , even under the same number of stages . more specifically , 100 ml of dbc with a gold concentration of 2 . 4 g / l was reduced by adding 100 ml of the aqueous sodium oxalate solution preliminarily warmed at 60 ° c ., stirring the mixture for 3 hours , and allowing it to stand still through the day and night for separation . the mixture was filtered to obtain reduced gold . weight of the thus - obtained reduced gold was found to be 0 . 24 g . analysis of the thus - obtained gold showed contents of less than 50 mass ppm for all of silver , copper and iron . according to the present invention , since a low concentration of gold in the solvent may be recovered almost completely , especially by using sodium oxalate , so that the grade of gold , despite with a partial contamination , was found to be 99 . 9 mass % or above , with a ratio of recovery of nearly 100 %. the gold concentration in dbc after the reduction was found to be lower than 5 mg / l . further elevation of the grade of the thus - obtained gold is attainable by electrolytic refining , readily up to 99 . 99 mass % or above . as is clear from the above , the method of recovering gold from leachate according to the present invention makes the solvent extraction process applicable also to leacheate having a gold concentration of 10 mg / l or below , and is therefore preferable as the method of recovering gold in leachate in the field of wet copper smelting . according to the method of recovering gold from a dilute gold - containing solution of the present invention , gold may efficiently be recovered , based on the solvent extraction process , from the post - extraction liquid containing only a low concentration of gold , to which the solvent extraction process could not have been applied . ( 1 ) gold may be recovered without using expensive and less - safety chemicals , since elution using cyan compounds , thiourea , or thiosulfuric acid in the conventional activated carbon adsorption process is no longer necessary ; ( 2 ) the process takes a shorter time as compared to that in the conventional process , and thereby total hours before obtaining the product gold and in - process inventory may be saved . since gold is expensive , this largely benefits the economy ; and ( 3 ) dbc is highly selective to gold , so that gold refining process , and marketing of gold may be simplified by using dbc . | 8 |
fig1 is a schematic , pictorial illustration of a system 20 for cardiac catheterization , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . system 20 may be based , for example , on the carto ® system , produced by biosense webster inc . ( diamond bar , calif .). this system comprises an invasive probe in the form of a catheter 28 and a control console 34 . in the embodiment described hereinbelow , it is assumed that catheter 28 is used in ablating endocardial tissue , as is known in the art . alternatively , the catheter may be used mutatis mutandis , for other therapeutic and / or diagnostic purposes in the heart or in other body organs . an operator 26 , such as a cardiologist , inserts catheter 28 through the vascular system of a patient 24 so that a distal end 30 of the catheter enters a chamber of the patient &# 39 ; s heart 22 . the operator advances the catheter so that the distal tip of the catheter engages endocardial tissue at a desired location or locations . catheter 28 is typically connected by a suitable connector at its proximal end to console 34 . the console comprises a radio frequency ( rf ) generator 40 , which supplies high - frequency electrical energy via the catheter for ablating tissue in the heart at the locations engaged by the distal tip , as described further hereinbelow . alternatively , the catheter and system may be configured to perform ablation by other techniques that are known in the art , such as cryo - ablation . further alternatively or additionally , the catheter and system may be used to perform other sorts of therapeutic and / or diagnostic procedures , such as electro - anatomical mapping . console 34 uses a position sensing technique to determine position coordinates of distal end 30 of catheter 28 inside heart 22 . in the present embodiment , it is assumed that the console uses magnetic position sensing , which is also used in deriving angle and pressure information with respect to the distal end , as described further hereinbelow . alternatively or additionally , the principles of the present invention may be applied using other position sensing and pressure sensing techniques , as are known in the art . for the purpose of magnetic position sensing , a driver circuit 38 in console 34 drives field generators 32 to generate magnetic fields within the body of patient 24 . typically , the field generators comprise coils , which are placed below the patient &# 39 ; s torso at known positions external to the patient . these coils generate magnetic fields in a predefined working volume that contains heart 22 . a magnetic field sensor within distal end 30 of catheter 28 ( not shown in the figures ) generates electrical signals in response to these magnetic fields . a signal processor 36 processes these signals in order to determine the position coordinates of the distal end , typically including both location and orientation coordinates . this method of position sensing is implemented in the above - mentioned carto system and is described in detail in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 391 , 199 , 6 , 690 , 963 , 6 , 484 , 118 , 6 , 239 , 724 , 6 , 618 , 612 and 6 , 332 , 089 , in pct patent publication wo 96 / 05768 , and in u . s . patent application publications 2002 / 0065455 a1 , 2003 / 0120150 a1 and 2004 / 0068178 a1 , whose disclosures are all incorporated herein by reference . processor 36 typically comprises a general - purpose computer , with suitable front end and interface circuits for receiving signals from catheter 28 and controlling the other components of console 34 . the processor may be programmed in software to carry out the functions that are described herein . the software may be downloaded to console 34 in electronic form , over a network , for example , or it may be provided on tangible media , such as optical , magnetic or electronic memory media . alternatively , some or all of the functions of processor 36 may be carried out by dedicated or programmable digital hardware components . based on the signals received from catheter 28 and other components of system 20 , processor 36 drives a display 42 to give operator 26 visual feedback regarding distal end 30 of catheter 28 in the patient &# 39 ; s body , as well as status information and guidance regarding the procedure that is in progress . the visual feedback shows the pressure on the distal end , as well as the bend angle of the distal tip of the catheter , as is described further hereinbelow with reference to fig3 . alternatively or additionally , system 20 may comprise an automated mechanism for maneuvering and operating catheter 28 within the body of patient 24 . such mechanisms are typically capable of controlling both the longitudinal motion ( advance / retract ) of the catheter and transverse motion ( deflection / steering ) of the distal end of the catheter . some mechanisms of this sort use dc magnetic fields for this purpose , for example . in such embodiments , processor 36 generates a control input for controlling the motion of the catheter based on the signals provided by the magnetic field sensor in the catheter . as noted earlier , these signals are indicative of both the position of the distal end of the catheter and force exerted on the distal end . in this case , the pressure and bend angle shown on display 42 may be used by a human operator in monitoring the status and progress of the automated procedure . fig2 is a schematic sectional view of a chamber of a heart 22 , showing distal end 30 of catheter 28 inside the heart , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . the catheter comprises an insertion tube 60 , which is typically inserted into the heart percutaneously through a blood vessel , such as the vena cava or the aorta . an electrode 50 on a distal tip 52 of the catheter engages endocardial tissue 70 . pressure exerted by the distal tip against the endocardium deforms the endocardial tissue locally , so that electrode 50 contacts the tissue over a relatively large area . in the pictured example , the electrode engages the endocardium at an angle , rather than head - on . distal tip 52 therefore bends at a resilient joint 56 relative to the distal end of insertion tube 60 of the catheter . the bend may facilitate optimal contact between the electrode and the endocardial tissue . because of the elastic quality of joint 56 , the angle of bending and the axial displacement of the joint are proportional to the pressure exerted by tissue 70 on distal tip 52 ( or equivalently , the pressure exerted by the distal tip on the tissue ). measurement of the deformation of the joint , in terms of bend angle and axial displacement , thus gives an indication of this pressure . the pressure indication may be used by operator 26 of system 20 in ensuring that the distal tip is pressing against the endocardium firmly enough to give the desired therapeutic or diagnostic result , but not so hard as to cause undesired tissue damage . various techniques may be used in measuring the bend angle and pressure exerted on distal tip 52 . components and methods that may be used for this purpose are described , for example , in u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 868 , 733 , filed oct . 8 , 2007 , which is assigned to the assignee of the present patent application and whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference . this patent application describes a catheter whose distal tip is coupled to the distal end of the catheter insertion tube by a spring - loaded joint ( such as joint 56 ), which deforms in response to pressure exerted on the distal tip when it engages tissue . a magnetic position sensing assembly within the probe , comprising coils on opposite sides of the joint , senses the position of the distal tip relative to the distal end of the insertion tube . changes in this relative position are indicative of deformation of the spring and thus give an indication of the pressure . joint 56 may comprise a superelastic coupling member , as described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 134 , 592 , filed jun . 6 , 2008 . alternatively , the coupling member may comprise a coil spring or any other suitable sort of resilient component with the desired flexibility and strength characteristics . u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 327 , 226 , filed dec . 3 , 2008 , describes an arrangement of magnetic coils within the distal end of the catheter that can be used in sensing the tip angle and pressure with enhanced accuracy . both of these two patent applications are assigned to the assignee of the present patent application , and their disclosures are incorporated herein by reference . fig3 is a schematic representation of a map 80 of a heart chamber , which includes an icon 84 corresponding to distal end 30 of catheter 28 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . a map of this sort is typically presented on display 42 , as an aid to operator 26 in visualizing the distal end of the catheter within heart 22 . the map includes a graphical representation of an inner surface 82 of the heart chamber in which the distal end of the catheter is located . ( surface 82 may be fully reconstructed , as shown in fig3 , or only partially reconstructed .) the position of icon 84 relative to surface 82 gives the operator an indication of the location of the actual distal end of the catheter in the heart chamber . icon 84 shows not only the location of distal end 30 , but also angular and pressure characteristics . in the example shown in fig3 , the icon is articulated to show the measured bend angle of distal tip 52 relative to insertion tube 60 . if the operator sees that the distal tip of the catheter is sharply bent , for example , he or she may readjust the position of the catheter before continuing with a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure , such as ablating the heart tissue . furthermore , at least a portion 86 of the icon may be colored ( represented in the figure by hatching ) to indicate the pressure . for example , green coloring may indicate that the pressure is within the correct pressure range for rf ablation , while red indicates too much pressure , and blue indicates too little . the pressure ranges may be preset , or they may be adjusted by the operator . in either case , the operator will then apply the rf energy only when the pressure is within the range that will give the desired therapeutic result . the graphical display of pressure and bend angle by icon 84 gives the operator additional visual information that is not provided by display techniques that are known in the art . this additional information can be useful as a complement to or in place of measurement of electrode / tissue electrical contact resistance . the pressure and / or angle display itself is important , for example , under the following circumstances : when touching scarred myocardium , the electrical contact resistance will not accurately reflect pressure , and therefore direct pressure measurement is needed . when the catheter touches the heart wall sideways ( along the length of the catheter ), the electrical contact resistance may be low , because the contact area is large , even though the pressure exerted by the catheter on the heart wall is low . the pressure and / or angle display of fig3 allows the operator to detect and rectify this sort of situation . similarly , when a catheter touches a trabeculated wall , the electrical contact resistance may be low even if little or no pressure is applied . direct pressure measurement enables the operator to detect and rectify this sort of situation , as well . although icon 84 in fig3 represents both tip angle and pressure parameters , in addition to location of the catheter tip , the examples above show that it can be useful to display either the angle or the pressure by itself . alternatively or additionally , one or both of the angle and pressure measurements may be displayed together with a measurement of electrical contact resistance or other parameters . furthermore , although fig3 shows a particular mode of graphical representation , other techniques for displaying angle and pressure data will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are considered to be within the scope of the present invention . the display techniques that are described or suggested hereinabove may be used not only in cardiac catheterization procedures , but also in other types of invasive diagnostic and therapeutic applications . it will thus be appreciated that the embodiments described above are cited by way of example , and that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove . rather , the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the various features described hereinabove , as well as variations and modifications thereof which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not disclosed in the prior art . | 0 |
fig3 shows exemplarily one possible embodiment of a base body for use in the method according to the disclosure . the rod - shaped base body , which , for example , consists of a chromium - cobalt alloy , according to the disclosure is used to produce a tooth replacement part by means of turning . a typical length of the rod - shaped base body is up to 2 m . thereby , the method functions according to the embodiment illustrated in fig4 as follows : the base body 300 is anchored by means of , for example , a clamping device 410 on the rotary plate 400 . the rotary plate can be powered by a motor . the rotation speed should be matched with the ideal cutting speed . by way of example and schematically , the grinding chisel 420 and 430 are shown in the embodiment of fig4 . according to another embodiment only one grinding chisel is used , which is optionally positionally and directionally adjustable . the representation of fig4 can be regarded as a representation of two differently oriented grinding chisels , or merely as representation of one grinding chisel at two different points in time . according to the embodiments described herein , the method may comprise face turning . this is also indicated in fig4 with the grinding chisel 420 . during face turning the grinding chisel is oriented in the axial direction of the base body , whereby the direction of movement of the grinding chisel (“ feed direction ”) takes place in the radial direction with respect to the axis of the base body . this is indicated by the drawn arrow above the rotary chisel 420 . the method may also comprise straight - turning . this is also indicated in fig4 with the rotary chisel 430 . during straight - turning , the grinding chisel is oriented transversely to the axial direction of the base body , that is , in its radial direction , whereby the feed direction occurs in axial direction with respect to the axis of the base body . this is also indicated by an arrow next to the grinding chisel 430 . especially , in the repeated production of similar morphologies , it is also conceivable that the same profile turning is used . during profile turning a texture is already reproduced in the grinding body , such that not only one contact point between the grinding chisel and the tooth replacement part to be produced exists at one time but possibly a surface of a few mm that it glides over . this also reduces the required production time for a tooth replacement part . moreover , the embodiment of fig4 also shows a grinding disc 440 . in the case at hand , the axis of the grinding disc is shown perpendicular to the axis of the base body . according to embodiments , the axis of the grinding disc is positioned coaxially to the axis of the base body . fig5 illustrates further embodiments . in addition to the rotary chisel 420 , used for rotary grinding , the arrangement shown also comprises a milling head 500 , which is used for milling . as previously described , according to embodiments described herein , a milling process takes place . additionally , the grinding disc 440 is shown for grinding with coaxial alignment to the base body . typically , the milling process occurs after the grinding process , which in its turn often takes place after the rotary grinding process . typically , the process to which this disclosure relates takes place partially or fully automatically . the following described steps , with reference to fig6 - 8 , may be undertaken by a supervisor such as a dental technician or they are taken over as software steps by a computer . according to embodiments all tooth replacement parts to be produced are initially divided into virtual groups , whereby for their production all members of a group need a similar maximum rod diameter . thus , for example , there may be the group of small tooth replacement parts , which may be produced with a rod diameter of ca . 8 mm , the group of medium - sized tooth replacement parts that may be produced with a rod diameter of ca . 9 . 5 mm , and the group of large tooth replacement parts , those that may be produced with a rod diameter of ca . 12 mm . typical numbers of different groups are 2 , 3 , 4 , or even 5 . this also significantly depends on the number of tooth replacement parts to be produced within a specified time . the purpose of this division is to reduce the amount of material to be removed as much as possible . with exemplary reference to fig6 , the tooth replacement part to be produced , which is designated with 600 in the figures , is placed virtually in the base body . thereby , according to embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein , the tooth replacement part to be produced is placed into the base body in such a way that the required material input is minimized . in addition , the optimization can be in such a way that as much of the material to be removed as possible is removed with rotary grinding . in cases where there is an additional milling process , the optimization may also be such that as little of the material to be removed is removed with milling . another possible optimization in the method to which this disclosure relates to concerns maximizing the number of tooth replacement parts to be produced from one base body . for example , the tooth replacement parts to be produced are placed into the base body in such a way that the height taken up by each is minimized . in one embodiment of the method , based on the uploaded data , the tooth replacement part to be produced is placed virtually into the base body . this is set out in a three - dimensional view in fig6 . fig7 shows the matching cross section . it is apparent that the tooth replacement part to be produced 600 is positioned into the base body 300 in such a way that the distance 700 and 710 to the edge remains . in a purely two - dimensional optimization , optimizing the amount of material to be removed with turning so that the distances 700 and 710 are of equal size would be favorable , since the smallest distance to the edge decides up to which diameter d the tooth replacement part may be milled by rotary grinding . according to an embodiment of the present disclosure , a three - dimensional optimization is performed . the base body , for example , is ground to different extents to different axial heights . this is illustrated in fig8 , which represents a longitudinal section through the base body along with the virtually fitted tooth replacement part . the schematically illustrated tooth replacement part 600 shall have a larger expansion in the upper area than in the lower down lying area ( whereby the term “ up ” and “ down ” as well as the following terms “ left ” and “ right ” are merely facilitating reference to the figure ). by turning , especially , face turning or straight turning , a different diameter of the base body may be removed for different axial heights . thus , fig8 shows in the upper area a distance 850 to the left edge and a distance 800 to the right edge . due to the overall optimization , it may be that the distance 800 does not equal the distance 850 . at this height , rotary grinding may only occur up to the smaller distance of the distances 800 and 850 . in the embodiment of the tooth replacement part shown in fig8 , it is apparent that the turning in lower downlying heights shall not only extend to the smaller distances of 800 and 850 but based on the desired shape a larger material erosion by the quicker and material - friendly rotary grinding should take place . thus , rotary grinding occurs in the illustrated mid - height up to the smaller distance of the distances 810 and 860 , and shown in the lower height , rotary grinding occurs up to the smaller distance of the distances 820 and 870 . generally speaking , this means that the base body according to height , in respective embodiments is milled by rotary grinding up to different diameters . typically , this is followed by another grinding step , and according to embodiments further material erosions are made by milling . fig9 illustrates the removal of material by different methods . the tooth replacement part 600 is to be produced with the shown cross - section . the material is removed from the base body 300 up to the circle 890 , marked with the dashed lines , by means of rotary grinding . thereby an extensive amount of material is removed in a time efficient manner . the further , large amount of material removed that can not be done using rotational symmetry any longer , now occurs by grinding up to the marked lines 891 on the one side and 892 on the other side . this , for example , can be done by grinding of the stationary base body . it is also possible that at least a part of the material removed through grinding occurs on a rotating base body . for example , an oval shape may be produced by specifically varying the contact pressure of the grinding disc during the slow rotation ( hence , e . g ., with less than 500 rotations per minute ) of the base body . in the embodiment shown in fig9 the remainder is removed by means of milling . in other embodiments , possibly other portions may be removed by grinding , for example , a large part of the area designated with 892 . finer contours , especially , chamfers and depressions can , however , regularly only be produced with milling . fig1 illustrates a typical procedure according to an embodiment of the method to which this disclosure relates . thereby , this simply represents one example and shall not be construed as limiting . some of the individual steps shown may be omitted or be solved alternatively . the exemplified method 900 begins with receiving the data in block 910 . these usually comprise at least one file , like for example an stl - file , normally multiple files on tooth replacement parts to be produced . according to the received data the tooth replacement parts to be produced are optionally grouped into virtual groups in block 920 . as already set out , various groups may be formed that require base bodies of different size to produce them with base rods with diameters of varying size . typical diameters are around 8 mm , often up to 12 . 5 mm . for example , a first group of tooth replacement parts to be produced with a maximum diameter of 8 mm may be formed , a second group with tooth replacement parts to be produced with a maximum diameter of 9 . 5 mm may be formed and a third group with tooth replacement parts to be produced with a diameter of 12 mm may be formed . the optional step of grouping allows for further material optimization . as next block 930 , the tooth replacement parts to be produced are virtually embedded in the chosen base body . this embedding can be done manually or by a computer . normally , the aforementioned optimization conditions are complied with . according to the virtual embedding , the tooth replacement part is , finally , produced . according to block 940 , in a first step rotational symmetric material erosion is preformed by turning . this can occur for each axial height of the base body up to its own diameter . the standard of this step is to regularly achieve greatest possible material erosion by turning . according to block 950 the grinding of the base body follows in an additional step . thereby , the goal is to undertake a large portion of the non - rotationally symmetrical material erosion . in block 960 , follows the milling of further chippings . the milling can take place manually or under computer control . the milling allows precise local structuring . basically , for an identical tooth replacement part turning , grinding and milling may alternate or the individual steps may repeat . furthermore , it is also conceivable to undertake grinding and milling on the form body in parallel . after completion , to the greatest possible extent of the desired structure of the tooth replacement part , it is detached from the base body . this can occur by cut - off turning or by milling and is shown in fig9 by block 960 . it is possible that an additional clamp unit ( not shown ) grabs the tooth replacement part during cutting - off . the clamp unit that may either be manually or computer controlled , may also be used to directly transport the tooth replacement part to where it is either stored or finally needed for the further processing . the steps are repeated depending on yet further tooth replacement parts to be produced . for example , the virtual embedding of the next tooth replacement part to be produced may be continued directly with block 930 . after producing a tooth replacement part , the base body , typically , is not required to be replaced but may be used for the production of a few , normally , at least 10 tooth replacement parts . fig1 finally shows an embodiment , whereby , for illustration a computer 1000 is shown . regularly , the computer serves to control the rotary cutting installation , the rotary chisel 430 shown schematically in fig1 , and the grinding installation , the schematically shown grinding disc 440 in fig1 . in addition , the computer may also serve to control the milling installation , the milling tool 500 shown in fig1 . according to embodiments the computer may also serve the rotary plate shown schematically as 400 in fig1 . the computer is typically connected to the internet . the present method and the set out apparatus are designed for the production of tooth replacement parts . thereby the material removing devices ( rotary chisel , grinding cutter , milling device ) must be capable of dealing with materials of the highest hardness ( brinell hardness of up to 400 kg / mm 2 or according to din en iso 6506 - 1 status : 03 / 2006 : 400 hbw 10 / 3000 ), especially with chromium - cobalt - alloys . equally elemental is the suitability of the material removing devices to be capable of producing structures with a precision of 5 μm or even 3 μm . this written description uses examples to disclose the invention , including the best mode , and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention , including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods . while various specific embodiments have been disclosed in the foregoing , those skilled in the art will recognize that the spirit and scope of the claims allows for equally effective modifications . especially , mutually non - exclusive features of the embodiments described above may be combined with each other . the patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims , and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art . such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims , or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims . while the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention , other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof , and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow . | 0 |
referring first to fig1 a food slicing machine 1 consists of a frame 15 having a product support surface 7 . material to be sliced rests on the product support surface 7 . suitable means ( not illustrated ) are provided for transporting the material 2 to be sliced . the material 2 is conveyed toward a revolving cutting blade 4 . the cutting blade 4 runs eccentrically round the axis 25 of a drive 5 , a planetary gear 6 being provided for this purpose . the planetary gear 6 is driven , for example , by the same drive 5 as the cutting blade 4 . the orbit of the cutting blade is designated by 23 in fig2 . the cutting blade drive 5 , of which the axis 25 lies above the product support surface 7 and the material 2 are , like the planetary gear 6 , covered by a casing 3 . there is a gap 8 between the cutting blade drive 5 and planetary gear 6 and the casing 3 . this gap 8 is shown on an enlarged scale in fig2 . the revolving cutting blade 4 is concealed by a covering hood 18 . this covering hood 18 is connected to the casing 3 . the material 2 is cut by the revolving cutting blade 4 , to form a stack 10 of sliced foodstuff , for example sliced sausage , on a support 17 in front of the cutting machine 1 . for cleaning the machine 1 , the covering hood 18 can be taken off and the cutting blade 4 removed from the axis 24 . the casing wall 26 located behind the cutting blade 4 , which in this case extends vertically , may then be sprayed with , for example , a steam jet cleaner . it is possible , owing to the non - hermetic seal of the gap 8 , for spray water and impurities ( for example organic material , particles of cut material , etc .) to penetrate into the casing 3 and to accumulate on the base 27 of the casing 3 . so that , for example , fluid can flow out after the cleaning process , openings 31 are provided in the base 27 . fluid is discharged from the machine or the machine casing through an outlet pipe 38 . nevertheless , organic material , spray water , etc . remains in the casing . according to the invention , the casing 3 is heatable . a heating means 9 is provided for this purpose . the heating means 9 may comprise a surface heater 11 . the surface heater 11 is provided on the interior 28 of the casing 3 ., it is also possible for the surface heater 11 to line the base 27 as well as the vertical flanks of the interior 28 . a further form of heating means 9 is shown in fig2 . this is a circulating air heater consisting of a heating element 32 , a fan 14 , a filter 13 , an air dryer 19 and a channel 12 connecting these elements 13 , 14 , 32 and 19 . the elements 13 , 14 , 32 and 19 may be arranged in any convenient way . reference numeral 29 designates the direction of flow of the air in the circulating air heater . the circulating air heater may be a closed system . the fan 14 or further fans ( not shown ) form a vacuum in the casing 3 . this prevents germs or spent air being discharged from the casing 3 into the environment without being cleaned . long - lasting cleaning of the air in the casing 3 is achieved by providing an air dryer 19 or an air mixer 20 or with the filter 13 . through the air mixer 20 it is possible , for example , to supply fresh or sterile air to the air in the casing . it is particularly advantageous for several heating means to be combined , for example a surface heater 11 and a circulating air heater . on the one hand , the surface heater provides optimum drying of the bacterial culture medium and on the other hand the air located in the casing is dried and cleaned by the circulating air heater means and the propagation and living conditions for germs etc consequently impaired . fig3 shows a further embodiment of the invention . in this embodiment , a fan 36 is arranged in the interior of the casing 3 . the fan 36 is fixed in the upper half of the casing 3 . a heating arrangement 35 consists , for example , of a glowing heating wire . the fan 36 conveys air through the heating arrangement 35 . air guide plates 34 are positioned at the outlet of the heating device 35 to provide optimum distribution of the heated air in the interior of the casing 3 . it is preferred that the air guide plates 34 be arranged such that the air is conveyed to the internal surfaces of the casing where a culture medium is most likely to form . these are generally the surfaces extending horizontally in the lower region of the casing . the fan 36 draws the air to be heated through a tube or channel 33 . at the open end of the tube 33 is a suction nozzle 37 which , in this example , is at a position in the casing 3 which is not directly in the flow path of the circulated air . the invention therefore also achieves an air flow in parts of the casing into which air is not guided by the air guide plates . a more homogeneous temperature distribution in the casing 3 is thus achieved . it is also possible to provide an intelligent climate controller for , for example , the temperature , the relative atmospheric humidity or the conductivity of the culture medium . this climate controller is connected , for example , to the controller of the machine or of the machine line and influences the heating means accordingly . it is therefore possible , for example , to dry the culture medium by switching on the heating means if the conductivity of the medium is too high . it is also possible to provide a program for phased heating periods , for example in the intervals between shifts etc . | 8 |
reference now will be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention , one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention , which is not restricted to the specifics of the examples . in fact , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . for instance , features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment , can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment . thus , it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . the same numerals are assigned to the same components throughout the drawings and description . referring to fig2 , a variable capacitance circuit arrangement 100 has a variable capacitance formed by three varactors 110 , 112 , 114 which are connected in parallel . the varactors 110 , 112 , 114 are each connected at one of their electrodes to a respective dc offset voltage source v 1 , v 2 , v 3 and , at the other electrode , to a common control input 116 for supplying a control voltage v control via a series impedance 118 . in this embodiment each of the offset voltage sources v 1 , v 2 , v 3 is connected in series between the anode of the respective varactor and one of the supply rails of the arrangement , in this case to ground , the varactors cathodes being coupled to the control input . the dc offset voltage sources v 1 , v 2 , v 3 each have a different offset voltage level such that each of the varactors 110 , 112 , 114 contributes to the variation in overall capacitance only when the difference between the control and the respective offset bias falls within the voltage range ( in terms of the voltage across the varactor ) over which the varactor exhibits a variation in capacitance . in this embodiment , the different offset voltages v 1 , v 2 , and v 3 are such that v 1 is smaller than v 2 which is , in turn , smaller than v 3 . therefore , assuming that the individual characteristics of the varactors are similar , if the control voltage is raised progressively from the lower limit of its range to its upper limit , the operation of the circuit 100 will sequentially bring the first varactor 110 into the variable part of its characteristic , followed by the second varactor 112 , and finally the third varactor 114 . the different offset voltage levels may be achieved by a number of different arrangements , as would be known by a person of ordinary skill in the art . these arrangements can include the use of a voltage divider circuit , zener diodes , individual dc power sources and the like . the characteristics of the varactors 110 , 112 , 114 are selected such that the sum of their maximum respective capacitances is equal to the required total maximum capacitance of the circuit arrangement 100 . in addition , the varactor characteristics are selected such that the sum of the maximum ranges of variation in capacitance of the varactors is equal to the required total variation in capacitance of the circuit arrangement 100 . if a substantially linear variation of the overall , capacitance with control voltage is required , the varactors are selected so as to have the same or generally similar characteristics , at least insofar as they have at least approximately equal capacitance ranges and capacitance - versus - voltage slopes . if the overall capacitance is to follow an approximate square law characteristic with respect to voltage , as may be required to achieve a linearized tuning frequency - versus - voltage characteristic in a resonant inductance / capacitance circuit such as in an rf voltage - controlled oscillator ( vco ), the varactors 110 , 112 , 114 may be selected to have different capacitance ranges . for instance , the varactor associated with the highest offset voltage may be chosen to have a greater range of variation of capacitance and a steeper capacitance - versus - voltage slope . the offset bias voltages applied to the varactors are preferably set such that there is an overlap , with respect to control voltage , between the high capacitance part of the variable capacitance range of one varactor and the low capacitance part of the range of capacitance of another of the varactors . overlapping of the variable portions of respective characteristics in this way , as depicted in fig3 , contributes to the linearity of the capacitance / voltage characteristics of the composite arrangement 100 . the circuit arrangement 100 is operable such that as the control voltage is increased from a minimum to a maximum voltage , each of the varactors is sequentially operated . that is to say , as the control voltage is increased the varactors are activated such that there is an overlap between the high capacitance range of one varactor and the low capacitance part of the range of capacitance variation of another of the varactors . the total capacitance of the circuit arrangement 100 is equivalent to the sum of the capacitance of each of the varactors . fig4 shows the capacitance versus voltage characteristic of the circuit arrangement 100 of fig2 superimposed on the equivalent curve of a circuit having a typical single mosvar , as shown in fig1 a . it can be seen that the curve of the circuit arrangement 100 is more linear than that of the mosvar . this fact is more clearly seen in fig5 which illustrates the first derivative dc / dv of the characteristic of fig3 . it can be see that the circuit arrangement 100 produces less variation in the dc / dv characteristic over the operational control voltage range compared with that of the dc / dv characteristic of the typical mosvar , as evidenced by the approximately flat character of the relevant part of the curve . to summarize , the circuit arrangement 100 has a capacitive network made up of a number of varactors connected in parallel , each varactor being inherently non - linear over its operating range , and yet the network as a whole having the advantage of a more linear capacitance versus control input response compared to that of the typical varactor implementation capable of capacitance variation over the same range . the circuit arrangement 100 has many different applications . however , it is of particular benefit in rf tuning circuits such as voltage controlled oscillators , filters and tuned amplifiers . referring now to fig6 of the drawings , the capacitance part of a voltage controlled oscillator 200 in accordance with the invention includes a modulator 220 . tuning of the oscillator is accomplished by a network of parallel varactors coupled to a control input and respective offset sources as described above with reference to fig2 . the modulator 220 comprises a varactor 222 connected effectively in parallel with the varactors 110 , 112 , 114 of the tuning network . the modulator varactor is connected at one of its electrodes to a dc offset bias voltage source v 4 and at its other electrode to a modulation input 223 for receiving a modulation signal v mod . the varactor 222 is coupled to the circuit arrangement 100 via a dc blocking capacitor 224 , thereby isolating the modulation input 223 from the control input 116 . use of an additional varactor 222 specifically for frequency modulation of the vco output signal , the modulation being applied to this varactor directly from a modulation input which is isolated from the control input 116 , has the advantage that the sensitivity of the modulation process can be set substantially independently of the vco tuning frequency . that is to say , the variations in capacitance produced by the modulation signal applied to the modulation input 226 do not vary significantly in magnitude for a given modulation voltage amplitude as the vco operating frequency alters . accordingly , the depth of modulation remains substantially constant . referring to fig7 , an emitter coupled lc oscillator 300 in accordance with the invention has a cross - coupled transistor pair q 0 , q 1 arranged as a voltage controllable oscillator with a differential output across the collectors of the transistors q 0 , q 1 . the frequency of the oscillator 300 is determined by the inductive and capacitive components connected to the collectors of the cross - coupled transistor pair q 0 , q 1 and the virtual ground formed by a bias block 302 which incorporates a plurality of offset voltage sources producing varactor bias voltages v 1 , v 2 and v 3 . in this circuit , the frequency - determining components are inductors l 1 and l 2 , capacitors c 0 and c 1 and varactors c 10 , c 11 , c 12 , c 13 , c 14 and c 15 . each varactor is connected to a respective dc offset voltage source v 1 , v 2 or v 3 in the bias block 302 and the total capacitance of the varactors is adjusted by varying the value of the control voltage , v control . accordingly , the connections between the voltage bias block 302 and the varactors connected to bias voltages sources v 1 , v 2 and v 3 can be considered to be an rf ground . therefore , the varactors c 10 , c 1 and c 13 , located on the left hand side ( lhs ) of the circuit , are effectively connected in parallel at radio frequencies . the total capacitance of the frequency - determining components on the lhs of the circuit is the capacitance resulting from the connection of capacitor co in series with the total capacitance of the parallel - connected varactors c 10 , c 1 and c 13 . similarly , the capacitance of the frequency - determining components on the right - hand side of the circuit comprises capacitor c 1 in series with the parallel combination of the varactors c 13 , c 14 and c 15 . the total capacitance of the frequency - determining components in the oscillator 300 is equal to the overall capacitance of the frequency determining capacitances ( c 1 , c 13 , c 14 , c 15 ) on the rhs in series with the overall capacitance of the frequency determining capacitances ( c 0 , c 10 , c 11 , c 12 ) on the lhs . the total inductance of the inductive frequency - determining components in the oscillator 300 is equal to the inductance of inductor l 1 in series with that of the inductor l 2 . the transistors q 0 , q 1 are connected at their bases to a bias voltage source vb via resistors r 3 and r 4 respectively so as to forward bias their base - emitter junctions . the transistors q 0 , q 1 are capacitively cross - coupled . specifically , coupling capacitors c 2 and c 3 couple the signals generated at the collectors of transistors q 1 and q 0 to the bases of the transistors q 0 , q 1 respectively to cause oscillation in a well - known manner . the varactor pairs c 10 , c 13 ; c 10 , c 14 ; and c 12 , c 15 are selected such that the varactors of each pair have the same c / v characteristic . however , the c / v characteristic of each pair may be selected to have a different characteristic and in particular different capacitance ranges . in a preferred embodiment , the c / v characteristic of the complete set of varactors follows a square law curve in order to achieve a linearized frequency / voltage characteristic for the voltage controllable oscillator . this can be achieved , for example , by use of a varactor associated with the highest offset voltage which has a characteristic having a steeper c / v curve and extends over a larger capacitive range . variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention . for example , the control means may comprise a plurality of control sources connected to the plurality of variable capacitance elements ; or a common offset bias and a plurality of different value control sources connected to the capacitance elements . furthermore , the circuit arrangement 100 may be used for a tunable filter or any other application requiring a linearized variable capacitance . a presently preferred embodiment of the subject invention is shown in fig2 . while at least one presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms , such description is for illustrative purposes only , and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims . | 7 |
the following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention ( and several variations of that embodiment ). this discussion should not be construed , however , as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments , practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well . for definition of the complete scope of the invention , the reader is directed to appended claims . fig1 is an illustrative view of the prior art 20 . shown is an example of prior art comprising a deformable tube of toothpaste 20 that when utilized by multiple individuals can make the transmission of bacteria or disease from toothpaste 24 to toothbrush 26 a health risk to the user 22 which can be eliminated through use of disposable single use nozzles . the present invention provides a single - use nozzle having a collar with an outwardly extending tubular spout that decreases in diameter to a dispensing port . the nozzle has a curvilinear shape whereby any mateable container of a substance requiring oral cavity application can use the curvilinear nozzle to deliver said substance to a desired location in the desired predetermined amount . fig2 is a perspective view of the periodontal / oral cross contamination prevention system 10 of the present invention in use . shown is the single use applicator 12 attached to a toothpaste tube 20 via a threaded attachment collar 14 to provide for a single use application of a dental substance either to a desired location within an oral cavity or to prevent direct contact between the toothpaste dispenser nozzle 16 and the user &# 39 ; s toothbrush . the nozzle 16 includes a central throughbore forming a conduit 17 having a nozzle valve 18 disposed therein that as the dental substance , in this case illustrated as toothpaste , is dispensed by pressure applied to the pliable tube 20 acts upon the valve 18 to block the throughbore 17 after a predetermined amount of dental substance has been dispensed . fig3 is a perspective view of the periodontal / oral cross contamination prevention system of the present invention 10 in use . shown is the single use applicator 12 in use with a toothpaste tube 20 . the curvilinear form of the nozzle 16 allows for direct oral application of a dental dentifrice 28 to precise locations in one &# 39 ; s mouth 30 such as exact location of gum line for sensitive teeth 32 or for placement of dentifrice 28 between or under orthodontic appliance . fig4 is an illustrative view of the periodontal / oral cross contamination prevention system of the present invention 10 during installation . shown is the single - use applicator 12 being installed to a typical dispensing end of a dental substance tube 20 much like a cap 34 . the nozzle collar 14 has threads 36 that screw onto mating threads 38 on the tube 20 which normally accommodate the cap 34 . additionally the present invention 10 provides a curved and extended nozzle 16 with a central conduit 17 to aid the user in more precise application of a substance . furthermore , the conduit 17 projects into the collar 14 thereby penetrating into the tube 20 upon threading to assure the introduction of fresh dentifrice therein . fig5 is a stepwise view of the single - use nozzle 12 having a shutter - like valve 40 . depicted is the single use applicator 12 of the present invention 10 that provides a collar 14 for engaging a pliable toothpaste tube 20 . the first step of usage requires screwing the applicator 12 onto the tube 20 . the applicator 12 has a nozzle 16 with a conduit 17 curvilinearly extending in a diametrically decreasing fashion with an interiorly movable valve member 18 whereby the applicator 12 is single use as a result it advancing down the conduit 17 allowing toothpaste 24 to be dispensed until the valve 18 moves to its blocking position whereby no further toothpaste 28 can be dispensed . having no means to retract the valve 18 results in a single use applicator 12 . as illustrated , the movable valve 18 is a shutter valve 40 comprising a resilient shutter - like cylindrical ring 42 with a split edge 46 on the side and internal plate sections 44 that are spaced apart when the split edges 46 of the shutter ring 42 are separated and abut one another when the split edges 42 meet thereby effectively forming a barrier restricting any further dispensing of the toothpaste 28 . the shutter valve 40 advances down the conduit 17 along a curvilinear longitudinal axis of the curvilinear nozzle as generally depicted by the arrows in step 4 of fig5 under pressure from the toothpaste 28 allowing toothpaste 28 to pass therethrough . the shutter valve 40 closes incrementally as it travels down the conduit 17 due to the decreasing diameter of the conduit 17 until the shutter valve 40 closes whereby no further toothpaste 28 will be dispensed and with no means for retracting the valve creates the single - use valve . fig5 a and 5b shown is an illustration of the single - use nozzle with an advancing shutter valve and a sectional view through said valve . depicted is the single use applicator 12 of the present invention 10 that provides a collar 14 for engaging a pliable toothpaste tube 20 . the first step of usage requires screwing the applicator 12 onto the tube 20 . the applicator 12 has a nozzle 16 with a conduit 17 curvilinearly extending in a diametrically decreasing fashion with an interiorly movable valve member 18 whereby the applicator 12 is single use as a result it advancing down the conduit 17 allowing toothpaste 24 to be dispensed until the valve 18 moves to its blocking position whereby no further toothpaste can be dispensed . having no means to retract the valve 18 results in a single use applicator 12 . as illustrated , the movable valve 18 is a shutter valve 40 comprising a resilient shutter - like cylindrical ring 42 with a split edge 46 on the side and internal plate sections 44 that are spaced apart when the split edges 46 of the shutter ring 42 are separated and abut one another when the split edges 42 meet thereby effectively forming a barrier restricting any further dispensing of the toothpaste . the shutter valve 40 advances down the conduit 17 under pressure from the toothpaste 28 once the tube 20 is squeezed by the user thus allowing toothpaste 28 to pass therethrough . the shutter valve 40 closes incrementally as it travels down the conduit 17 due to the decreasing diameter of the conduit 17 until the shutter valve 40 closes whereby no further toothpaste will be dispensed and with no means for retracting the valve creates the single - use applicator 12 . fig6 is a stepwise view of the single - use applicator 12 of the present invention 10 having a displaceable valve 48 . the single use applicator 10 provides a collar 14 for engaging a pliable tube 20 of toothpaste 28 with a nozzle 16 curvilinearly projecting therefrom . a conduit 17 is disposed within said nozzle 16 to provide passage of toothpaste 28 from the tube 20 to the desired point of delivery . shown is the displaceable valve 48 comprising a movable pressure disc 50 disposed within the collar 14 proximal to the point of egress of the dispensing tube 20 and a spaced apart stationary plate 52 disposed within said collar 14 proximal the conduit 17 . the pressure disc 50 and the stationary plate 52 are offset to encourage passage of toothpaste 28 therethrough while they are in a spaced apart relation . the introduction of toothpaste 28 therethrough applies a bias to the pressure disc 50 thereby urging it towards the stationary plate 52 as the toothpaste 28 is being delivered through the conduit 17 . engagement of the pressure disc 50 with the stationary plate 52 prohibits further egress of the toothpaste 28 . fig6 a is an enlarged view of the displaceable valve 48 of the present invention 10 . depicted is the pressure disc 50 moving to engage the stationary plate 52 under pressure from the toothpaste allowing toothpaste to pass the valve 48 through cut - out passage means 56 in the disc 50 and the plate 52 and proceed through the conduit 17 of the nozzle 16 until the pressure disc 50 engages the stationary plate 52 whereby no further toothpaste will be dispensed and with no means for retracting , the displaceable valve 48 creates the single - use applicator 12 . the attachment collar 14 further includes a snap - on nub 54 to enable the user to simply snap the applicator 12 on and of the dispensing tube 20 without threading . fig7 is a stepwise view of the single - use applicator 12 of the present invention 10 having a ball valve assembly 58 . depicted is the single use applicator 12 that provides collar 14 for engaging a pliable toothpaste tube 20 with a nozzle 16 curvilinearly projecting therefrom . a diametrically decreasing conduit 17 extends through the nozzle 16 with a helical charmel 60 therein . a ball valve 62 is positioned within the conduit 17 proximal the collar 14 when in the open static position . the ball valve 62 has a central throughbore 66 passing therethrough the introduction of toothpaste 28 into the conduit 17 urges the ball valve 64 forward along the helical channel 60 while the throughbore 66 permits toothpaste 28 to flow therethrough for delivery at the point of egress 64 of said conduit 17 . the flow of toothpaste 28 is terminated upon the ball valve 62 reaching the distal end of said helical channel 60 wherein the throughbore 66 is in transverse relation to the point of egress 64 . the diameter of the point of egress 64 is less than that of the ball valve 62 thereby prohibiting further travel thereof . fig7 a is an illustration of the single - use applicator 12 of the present invention 10 with an advancing ball valve 62 . as illustrated , the single use applicator 12 has a nozzle 16 that extends curvilinearly from the nozzle mounting collar 14 . the nozzle 16 has an integral conduit 17 with and interiorly movable ball valve 62 whereby the applicator 12 is single use as a result of the ball valve 62 advancing down the helical channel 60 of the conduit 17 allowing toothpaste to be dispensed until the ball valve 62 moves to its blocking position whereby no further toothpaste can be dispensed . depicted is the ball valve 62 having a throughbore 66 that advances down the helical channel 60 under pressure from the toothpaste allowing toothpaste to therethrough until the throughbore 66 rotates transversely out of alignment with the point of egress 64 . fig8 is a stepwise view of the single - use applicator 12 of the present invention 10 having a pivotal valve assembly 68 . depicted is the single use applicator 12 having an additional element wherein the pliable toothpaste tube 20 has an integral tube valve 70 so that no toothpaste will be dispensed without employing the single - use applicator 12 with the pliable tube 20 . the applicator 12 provides a collar 14 for engaging a pliable tube of toothpaste 20 and a nozzle 16 projects curvilinearly therefrom . a conduit 17 extends longitudinally through the nozzle 16 for delivering a pre - determined amount of toothpaste 28 to the distal end thereof . the proximal end of the conduit 17 projects beyond the edge of the collar 14 for entry into the dispensing tube 20 when engaged therewith thereby forming a valve plunger 72 . a pivotal tube valve 70 is employed within the tube 20 and refuses egress of any toothpaste 28 until the valve plunger 72 drives it back to allow entrance into the conduit . a pivoting applicator valve 74 is disposed within the collar 14 and is driven towards the conduit 17 entrance as the toothpaste 28 travels through the conduit 17 . once the applicator valve 74 engages a valve stop 76 disposed at the conduit 17 entrance the flow of any further of toothpaste 28 therethrough is prohibited . the tube valve 70 within the dispensing tube 20 assures that no toothpaste 28 will be dispensed therefrom bypassing the usage of a new sanitized single use applicator . fig8 a is an illustration of the single - use applicator 12 with a pivotal valve assembly 68 . as illustrated , the valve plunger 72 extends from the nozzle mounting collar 14 into a tube 20 spout having an interior pivoting tube valve 70 . the curvilinear spout is single use as a result of the pivot valve assembly 68 that allows toothpaste to be dispensed until the applicator pivot valve 74 pivots to its blocking position at the valve stop 76 whereby no further toothpaste can be dispensed . depicted is the applicator valve 74 pivoting under pressure from the toothpaste allowing toothpaste to move past the valve as it pivots to closure so that no further toothpaste will be dispensed until replaced with a new , sanitized applicator 12 . it will be understood that each of the elements described above , or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above . while certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims , it is not intended to be limited to the details above , since it will be understood that various omissions , modifications , substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention . without further analysis , the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can , by applying current knowledge , readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that , from the standpoint of prior art , fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention | 1 |
a sealing member 500 , designed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention , is illustrated in fig5 . fig5 is described in several later paragraphs . the immediately following paragraphs describe fig3 and 4 , which describe a related invention . fig3 presents a side , cross - sectional view of the sealing member 300 and of the upper , circular rim of a pet container 324 to which the sealing member 300 is sealed by induction heating of an aluminum layer 310 , which melts the hot melt bonding material or adhesive layer 322 and binds the sealing member 300 to the circular rim of the container 324 . ( note that the cross sectioning lines have been omitted from the layers 302 , 304 , 308 , 310 , 307 , and 309 in fig3 and are shown in the urethane adhesive layers 318 and 320 and hot melt bonding material or adhesive layer 322 .) the structure of the sealing member 300 ( fig3 ) is essentially the same as that of the sealing member 200 ( fig2 described above ) except that the lower pet layer 212 in fig2 has been replaced in fig3 with a holographic film comprising a pet layer 307 bonded to a embossed image layer 309 which bears a holographic image and which has an aluminum substrate . the layer 309 in its turn is bonded by the hot melt bonding material or adhesive layer 322 to the land area of the container 324 ( the land area of the container 324 is the uppermost , ring - shaped upper surface of the circular upper rim of the container 324 ). the pet layer 307 and the embossed image layer 309 are bonded together in such a manner , and with such a bonding strength , that the layers 307 and 309 are separable along their periphery — the bond at a splitting point 311 is not as strong as the bond formed by the layer 322 between the layer 309 and the container 324 . accordingly , when the tab formed by the layers 302 , 304 , and 306 is pulled , all of the uppermost layers 302 , 304 , 308 , 310 , and 307 of the sealing member 300 are pulled away along with all save a thin peripheral ring of the embossed image layer 309 , leaving only a thin peripheral ring 309 a ( see fig4 ) of the embossed image layer 309 sealed by means of a thin ring of the hot melt bonding material or sealing layer 322 a to the land area of the container 324 . accordingly , a circular ring of the embossed image layer 309 a remains bonded to the land area of the container 324 after the sealing member 300 is removed . thus , a thin ring of the hologram which the embossed image layer 309 a carries remains attached to the upper lip of the container 324 , while the remainder of the embossed image layer 309 is peeled away and is removed from the container 324 and is separated from the circular ring portion 309 a of the layer 309 . hence , removal of the tab ( formed by the layers 302 , 304 , and 306 ) necessarily produces destruction of the hologram such that the holographic seal borne by the embossed image layer 309 is tom through and can never be reassembled and reattached to the container 324 . the sealing member 300 is thus entirely removed in a single motion , but the ring portion 309 a of the embossed image layer 309 remains behind , attached to the land area of the container 324 , tom away from the remainder of the embossed image layer 309 in a way that destroys the hologram and makes it impossible to re - seal the sealing member 300 back onto the container 324 . after the sealing member 300 is removed from the container 324 , the holographic image is visible on the top side of the rim of the container 324 . it is not possible to reseal the container . the bonding of the pet layer 307 to the embossed image layer 309 is carefully controlled to set the amount of adhesion that exists between the pet layer 307 and the embossed image layer 309 . this bonding strength must be low enough so that when force is applied to the tab formed by layers 302 , 304 , and 306 , the sealing member 300 splits at the splitting point 311 around the periphery of the sealing member 300 but only above the land area of the container 324 , thus permitting most of the embossed image layer 309 to be ripped away still attached to the layers 302 , 304 , 306 , and 307 but leaving behind the ring portion 309 a of the embossed image layer 309 attached to the land area of the container 324 , as is shown in fig4 . pet holographic film produced by american bank note holographics ( abnh ) works well in this application . a product could be designed that would function in the same manner if the holographic film was modified to contain some type of release layer between the pet film layer 307 and the embossed image layer 309 . the pet film produced by abnh has proved ( in its normal , unmodified form ) to have a structure that functions properly . the pet layer 307 , the embossed image layer 309 , and the bond between them are preferably chosen to be relatively heat insensitive so that overheating by inductive heating of the hot melt bonding material or adhesive layer 322 does not adversely affect the amount of effort that is required to remove the sealing member 300 . in conventional designs , such as that shown in fig2 , it is the seal between the container ( not shown in fig2 ) and the entire sealing member 200 that must be broken , and the amount of effort that is required to remove the sealing member 200 can be adversely affected by overheating during the inductive heat sealing of the sealing member 200 to a container . the abnh pet holographic film is relatively insensitive to heat variations , as is explained more fully in a later paragraph . in another embodiment of the invention illustrated in fig3 and 4 , two american bank note holographics , inc . films are included in the same structure . the structure is the same as described in fig3 and 4 with the addition of a second holographic film that is laminated between the aluminum foil layer 310 and the holographic film layer ( layers 307 and 309 ) which is coated with the heat actuated coating ( the layer 322 ). in addition , gold pigmentation is added to the adhesive layer between the two holographic film layers . when separation of the layer 322 and the metal and holographic embossed image layer 309 from the pet layer is invoked upon removal of the sealing member 300 , the holographic ring 309 a from the primary holographic layer remains on the rim of the pet container 324 , and the uncovering of the area where this ring separates from the primary seal exposes the secondary holographic film that appears in gold because of the added pigmentation . this leaves a portion of a holographic image on the container rim and another portion on the removed sealing member 300 components . the heat activated hot melt bonding material or adhesive layer 322 in fig3 is a polyester heat seal coating 40 - 3 obtainable from rohm and haas . this heat actuated coating is applied to the metallic side of metallised holographic film ( comprising the pet layer 307 and the embossed image layer 309 which includes a metal layer formed from aluminum ). the pet side ( 307 ) of the holographic film is laminated and adhered to an aluminum foil layer 310 . above this foil layer 310 an optional insulating layer 308 ( polyethylene foam in fig3 , for example ) can be applied , and polyethylene , polypropylene , or polyester may be applied above this insulating layer , or these materials may be applied directly to the foil layer if the optional insulating layer 308 is absent . a tab defining pet release strip 306 is placed over and covers at least a portion of the foil layer 310 or insulating layer 308 . an eva or adhesive layer 304 lies above the pet release strip 206 and is covered by a pet layer 302 to form the tab that is used to remove the sealing member 300 from the rim of the container 324 . the splitting or separation point 311 occurs within the holographic film layer . because the embossed image layer 309 is thin and is bonded firmly to the rim of the container 324 , in this case a pet container 324 to coincide with the pet heat seal coating ( the hot melt bonding material or adhesive layer 322 ), the upper liner is completely removed from the rim , leaving the pet heat seal coating layer 322 a and the metal and image layer 309 a only on the rim of the container 324 . a strong bond is desired between the layer 322 and the upper lip of the container 324 to firmly attach the ring of embossed image layer 309 a to the upper lip of the container 324 . some other heat seal coating can be selected that can provide a seal to other types of containers — for example , a polypropylene heat seal coating or a polyethylene heat seal coating can be used with a container made of those materials . it may also prove feasible to extrusion coat the metal side of the holographic film with a suitable polymer film as thin as 0 . 5 mils that would provide the desired splitting and adhesion in the rim area of the container 324 . with reference to fig5 , the present invention is illustrated embodied in a sealing member 500 . ( once again , the cross sectional lines are omitted from the layers 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 , 507 , 509 , and 510 in fig5 for clarity and are shown in the urethane adhesive layers 516 , and 518 and hot melt bonding material or adhesive layer 522 .) the sealing member 500 is similar to the sealing member 200 shown in fig2 , but the polyester foam layer 208 shown in fig2 is replaced by a white pet layer 508 that is bonded to a holographic film formed by the combination of a pet layer 507 with an embossed image layer 509 that includes a metal ( aluminum ) layer , the layers 507 and 509 being bonded together in a manner such as to form a splitting point 511 that gives way then the layers 502 , 504 , and 506 are pulled . the splitting point 511 is thus within the holographic film structure , between the image layer 509 and the pet layer 507 . the urethane adhesive layer 518 binds the metal and embossed image layer 509 to the upper surface of the adhesive coated ( adhesive layer 522 ) aluminum foil layer 510 . the adhesive layer 522 is an easily punctured film such as mdpe ( medium density polyethylene ) 1 . 5 mils in thickness , obtainable from covalence specialty materials corporation . this design allows the holographic embossed image layer 509 and aluminum film layer 510 to be destroyed easily by puncturing through these two layers . in this design , there is no pet acid barrier layer beneath the two layers 509 and 510 , since such a layer would be difficult to penetrate with a finger . other easily - punctured films , such as a nex ( a trademark of new england extrusion , inc .) sealant having an eva content or surl yn ( a trademark of dupont for a particular dupont thermoplastic ionomer resin product ), etc ., may be used to form the layer 522 . the strength of the bond between the layers 507 and 509 is chosen to cause the sealing member 500 to split apart at 511 when the tab formed by the layers 506 , 504 , and 502 is pulled upwards and to the side . accordingly , when the tab formed by the layers 506 , 504 , and 502 is pulled , the sealing member 500 splits apart at the splitting point 511 , uncovering the hologram which is visible in the embossed image layer 509 and leaving in place the seal formed by the aluminum layer 510 that is bonded to the embossed image layer 509 . after removing the upper layers 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 , and 507 of the sealing member 500 by pulling on the tab formed by the layers 506 , 504 , and 502 , an individual wishing to access the container ( not shown ) must then pierce the remaining layers 509 and 510 , thus breaking the holographic seal over the container . hence , the seal on the container cannot be broken without the simultaneous destruction of the hologram . this design again uses abnh pet holographic film . the chemistry of the image layer of this product supports heat resistance for the image . the image layer is highly cross - linked , and this gives the film superior heat resistance and also explains why the bond between the layers within the holographic film tend to be relatively weaker . many holographic films do not have this heat resistance , especially if the image is cast on a polypropylene film . since induction container sealing can produce temperatures that can be in the range of 350 to 450 degrees fahrenheit , if the holographic film technology does not possess adequate heat resistance , then the image or film or both would become distorted during induction heating , particularly when excessive heating is applied . by removing , separating , or splitting the pet layer away from the image layer , the image of the hologram remains undisturbed and completely legible above only an easily pierced layer of foil and sealant and can be destroyed by simply puncturing it with a finger . if the pet layer were not stripped away when the tab layers were pulled away , then the pet layer would need to have sufficient heat stability , and it would also have to maintain the integrity of the image layer . it would be difficult to puncture through the lining of such a structure . an alternative arrangement omits the white pet layer 508 and the bonding material 516 and has the eva layer 504 bonded directly to the pet layer 507 . while several embodiments of the invention have been described , numerous alternatives will occur to those skilled in the art . the claims appended to and forming a part of this patent application are intended to cover all such alternatives that fall within the true scope of the invention . | 1 |
referring to fig1 a modular heat exchanger 986 , 988 , filed dec . 8 , 1992 , a rubber vibration 1 includes an upper inlet header 2 , intermediate header 3 and lower outlet header 4 all tied together by a pair of side frame members 6 to form a generally rectangular supporting frame 7 . in the heat exchanger construction shown , upper and lower parallel arrays 8 and 9 of heat exchanger modules 10 are disposed in two tiers separated by the intermediate header 3 . each of the headers 2 , 3 and 4 has a substantially open interior for the fluid flowing into or out of the modules 10 . if an individual module 10 is damaged so that fluid is escaping from the system , that module is simply replaced by utilizing the mounting assembly and procedure to be described and a replacement module 10 attached in its place . referring to also fig2 - 4 , the mounting assembly of the present invention is shown with heat exchanger modules 10 utilizing conventional tube and header construction . each module 10 includes a series of tubular conduits 11 which extend in a generally parallel orientation between a pair of end plates 12 . each end plate is provided with a pattern of holes 13 , each of which holes is adapted to receive one end of a tubular conduit 11 which is rigidly secured therein with a soldered or brazed connection , all in a well known manner . a multiplicity of fairly densely packed heat exchanging fins 14 are attached to the tubular conduits between the end plates 12 , also in a known manner . the tube and fin assembly may be supported on opposite faces by a pair of side plates 15 , but the module 10 is open in a direction parallel to the side plates to allow cooling air to flow readily over the tubes and fins generally in the direction of the arrows in fig5 and 6 . each end plate 12 has its peripheral edge upturned in a direction away from the module to form a peripheral lip 16 . the end plates are relatively stiff and such stiffness is substantially enhanced by the rigid soldered connections of the multiple tubular conduits 11 . a thin flexible end wall 17 is attached by its outer peripheral edge to the peripheral lip 16 of the end plate 12 . each end wall 17 may include a peripheral outer flange 18 for direct attached to the lip 16 of the end plate , as with a soldered , brazed or welded seam 20 . the connected end plate 12 and end wall 17 form chambers 21 on each end of the module 10 . the mounting assembly of the present invention utilizes a prior art connector on one end which is of the type disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 042 , 572 , and a modified connector of the present invention on the opposite end . thus , the end wall 17 which utilizes the prior art connector is provided with a central opening 22 which is defined by an axially extending sleeve 23 . the opposite end of the sleeve 23 has attached thereto a mounting end flange 24 . the mounting flange 24 is adapted to overlie the bottom surface 25 of the inlet header 2 such that the central opening 22 to the chamber 21 is aligned with the outlet opening 27 from the header 2 . a continuous compressible sealing member 28 overlies the outer face of the mounting flange 24 . the inlet header 2 is provided with a series of outlet openings 27 and a mounting bracket 30 is attached to the bottom surface 25 of the header at each fluid opening . each of the mounting brackets 30 has a generally channel shape when viewed in fig3 and includes a pair of parallel side flanges 31 secured to the header surface and an integral center plate 32 extending between the side flanges 31 . the center plate 32 is provided with a u - shaped notch 33 large enough to allow the sleeve 23 on the end wall 17 to extend therein . the interior of the mounting bracket 30 and the bottom surface 25 of the header define a mounting slot 34 into which the mounting flange 24 and sealing member 28 may be slid as the sleeve 23 is received in the u - shaped notch 33 . a wedge 35 is then slidably inserted into the mounting slot 34 between the inside surface of the center plate 32 and the surface of the mounting flange 24 opposite the sealing member 28 to compress the sealing member against the header surface 25 and secure the module thereto . the wedge 35 is bifurcated to define a pair of legs 36 which straddle the sleeve 23 as the wedge is inserted into the mounting slot 34 . the remote ends 40 of the legs 36 are tapered to facilitate initial insertion of the legs between the mounting brackets 30 and the mounting flange 24 . the wedge may also be provided with a flanged handle 38 to facilitate manual insertion and removal of the wedge . the modified connector assembly 40 of the present invention is utilized to attach the opposite end of the module 10 to the other header , such as the intermediate header 3 , and to seal the interface therebetween so as to prevent leakage of cooling fluid . it is to be understood that attachment of a module 10 as part of an upper array 8 between headers 2 and 3 , or as part of a lower array 9 between headers 3 and 4 , utilizes a combination of one prior art connector , previously described , and a modified connector assembly 40 of the present invention and either of said connectors can comprise the upper connection with the other comprising the lower . also , the connector pair may be utilized as well in a heat exchanger in which the modules 10 are disposed horizontally between laterally spaced headers . referring also to fig6 - 8 , the end of the module to which the modified connector assembly 40 is attached includes a modified type of axially extending sleeve 39 utilized on the opposite end of the module having the prior art connector . the sleeve 39 for connector assembly 40 is cylindrical and does not have an end flange 24 and is sized to fit into an inlet opening 41 in the top face 42 of the intermediate header 3 ( or into a similar opening in either of the other headers 2 or 4 ). a compressible annular sealing member 43 is placed around the sleeve 39 and positioned to bear against the face 42 of the header around the inlet opening 41 when the sleeve is inserted therethrough . the compressible sealing member 43 is preferably held in an annular cup - shaped retainer 44 which is also placed over the sleeve 39 with the sealing member . a mounting bracket 45 , similar to prior art mounting bracket 30 , has a channel - shaped construction including a center plate 46 extending between a pair of side flanges 47 by which the bracket is attached to the header . the interior of the mounting bracket 45 forms with the header face 42 a mounting slot 48 . the annular sealing member 43 and its cup - shaped retainer 44 may be attached to the module end sleeve 39 during installation of the module in either of two manners and , as a result , an open portion 50 in the bracket center plate 46 may be shaped differently to accommodate the specific mounting method and , in either case , may be different than the u - shaped notch 33 in the prior art mounting bracket 30 . on the other hand , the construction of the specific mounting bracket 45 used with the connector assembly 40 could be used in place of the prior art mounting bracket 30 . in accordance with the preferred method of installation , the center plate 46 of the mounting bracket 45 is provided with a modified u - shaped notch 51 which includes an enlarged center portion 52 . the annular sealing member 43 and its retainer 44 are slid onto the end sleeve 39 of the module prior to connection . the enlarged center portion 52 in the mounting bracket center plate 46 is large enough to allow the module sleeve with the sealing member and retainer attached thereto to be inserted through the mounting bracket from the outside as the sleeve 39 is inserted into the inlet opening 41 in the header 3 . alternately , the subassembly of the sealing member 43 and annular retaining ring 44 could be slid laterally into the mounting slot 48 and aligned with the header opening 41 , and the sleeve 39 of the module inserted simultaneously through the u - shaped notch 51 , the annular retainer 44 , sealing member 43 and header inlet opening 41 . in utilizing such an alternate installation procedure , the notch 51 in the bracket would not require the enlarged center portion 52 , but rather could be made like the mounting bracket 30 of the prior art . indeed , to accommodate axial insertion of the module end sleeve 39 , either with or without the seal and retainer attached , the center plate of the mounting bracket need only be provided with a hole , rather than a u - shaped notch . once the sleeve 39 is positioned in the header inlet opening 41 and the compressible annular sealing member 43 is positioned adjacent the face 42 of the header , a wedge 35 , identical to that used in the prior art connector , is inserted into the mounting slot 48 between the center plate 46 and the annular retainer 44 , resulting in compression of the sealing member 43 around the module end sleeve 39 and against the face 42 of the header . the outer peripheral rim 53 of the cup - shaped retainer 44 prevents radial outward expansion of the sealing member 43 during installation compression thereof and helps clamp the compressible seal tightly around the module sleeve 39 . the cylindrical shape of the module end sleeve 39 prevents the sleeve from being crushed by the radial clamping force imposed on the sealing member 43 . the heat exchanger module 10 is preferably installed between two headers , such as the upper inlet header 2 and the intermediate header 3 as follows . the end of the module having the sleeve 39 , with the sealing member 43 and annular retainer 44 mounted thereon , is inserted through the enlarged center portion 52 in the center plate 46 of the mounting bracket , so that the end of the sleeve 39 passes through the header opening 41 and into the header until the compressible seal 43 contacts the header face 42 . because the space between opposing faces 25 and 42 of the headers interconnected by the module is less than the overall length thereof , the module 10 will initially have to be inserted through the mounting bracket 45 with the module axis inclined slightly with respect to the axis of the aligned openings 27 and 41 in the headers . once the end sleeve 39 has been inserted far enough into the header 3 , the end flange 24 and sealing member 28 on the opposite end of the module can be swung substantially horizontally into the mounting slot 34 in the other mounting bracket 30 , as previously described . the wedge 35 for that mounting bracket is then inserted into the mounting slot 34 between the end flange 24 and the center plate 32 to secure that end of the module in position . another wedge 35 is then inserted into the mounting slot 48 on the other end of the module , between the center plate 46 of the mounting bracket 45 and the retainer 44 to secure that end of the module in position and complete the assembly . the compression of the annular sealing member 43 , caused by insertion of the wedge 35 , causes the sealing member to seal the header opening 41 and to tighten securely around the sleeve 39 of the module and grip the same with a fluid - tight seal . the inherent flexibility of the end walls 17 forming one wall of the chambers 21 on each end of the module will accommodate axial elongation of the module during installation , as well as substantial axial movement of the module in operation as a result of thermal stresses , blows to the heat exchanger frame , or a twisting thereof resulting from movement of the vehicle frame to which the heat exchanger may be attached . various modes of carrying out the present invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention . | 5 |
the machine 10 illustrated in fig1 includes a stationary frame 11 fastened to the floor and provided with a spool rack 12 on each of its two long outer sides . along the central longitudinal extent of the machine , there are arranged two rows of take - up mechanisms 15 of which only the front two are shown . located between each row of take - up mechanisms 15 and its associated spool rack 12 is a service corridor thereby creating two mutually parallel service corridors 17 extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine , i . e ., perpendicular to the plane of fig1 . each of the two spool racks 12 has holders , not shown , for three rows of supply spools 14 . only the forward one of each of the spools 14 in the row of supply spools can be seen in fig1 and the untwisted endless thread is pulled off over the end of the spool . except for a few drive members for powering the take - up spools 20 , the machine 10 is constructed in symmetry with respect to a longitudinal central plane 19 which is vertical to the plane of fig1 . the machine has a plurality of thread paths arranged in two rows , and of these only the front two thread paths can be seen because the others are hidden thereby . each of the endless threads 30 traverses a path which leads from a supply spool 14 to a take - up spool 20 . at a relatively small distance above each of the spool racks 12 is located a row of input thread supply mechanisms 21 which pull the thread 30 from the supply spools 14 and lead them into a stretching region 33 where they are stretched . each of the mechanisms 21 consists of a single roller 22 with a displacement roller 23 and a friction drive roller 24 for driving the roller 22 . the friction drive roller 24 is a part of a string of rollers which constitutes all of the friction rollers on a particular row of input supply mechanisms 21 . vertically above each of the input supply mechanisms 21 is located a first thread supply system 25 which is located just below the top of the frame 11 of the machine 10 and thus in the vicinity of the highest location in the machine . this thread supply system 25 transports the threads 30 at a higher velocity than the supply mechanisms 21 so that they are stretched in the stretching regions 33 . the first thread supply mechanism 25 consists of a pair of rollers 27 , 29 . one roller 27 of this pair of rollers is formed by a section of a driven roller string which is associated with all of the first supply mechanisms 25 arranged in a row . pressing against the rollers 27 are single pressure rollers 29 having elastic coverings for pinching the threads 30 . these first thread supply mechanisms 25 guide the threads without slippage into false twisting fields 34 from which they are pulled without slippage by second thread supply mechanisms 35 . the supply mechanisms 25 , 35 limit the extent of the false twisting fields 34 and the thread transport speeds provided by the second supply mechanisms 35 can be , as required , smaller , equal to or larger than the speeds of the first supply mechanisms 25 . if stretch fields 33 are omitted or are not adjusted to maximum stretching of the threads , the stretching can take place in the false twisting fields 34 or may be completed there . located at a short distance behind each first thread supply mechanism 25 in the direction of thread travel is an elongated heater 36 which serves to heat a particular thermoplastic thread 30 . this heater 36 is formed by a heating plate having a slightly concave bottom groove extending in the longitudinal direction with whose base the thread 30 makes contact . following the heater 36 at a short horizontal distance is a cooling rail 39 which is supported by a carrier of the frame 11 as is the heater 36 . the cooling rail 39 has a slightly concave groove at its top surface extending in the longitudinal direction with whose base the thread makes contact for the purpose of being cooled . disposed behind the cooling rail 39 in the direction of thread travel and in the path of the particular thread is a false twisting member 40 . each of the known false twisting members 40 , which are disposed in two rows , has in this illustrated embodiment three axially parallel driven shafts on which are mounted friction discs which force the thread between them to traverse a zig - zag path and which thus rotate the thread at high speed and impart to it the false twist which is then thermally fixed . disposed behind the associated false twisting member 40 in the direction of the thread travel is the second thread supply mechanism 35 which has a driven roller 27 &# 39 ; which is also a portion of a driven roller string that constitutes all of the rollers 27 &# 39 ; of that particular row of supply mechanisms . the pressure rollers 29 &# 39 ;, which together with the driven rollers 27 &# 39 ; pinch the thread , are individual rollers . the first and second supply mechanisms 25 , 35 deviate the threads by approximately 90 ° in each case . between the two supply mechanisms 25 , 35 , each of the threads travels practically in a straight line and approximately horizontally except for the very slight deviations imparted to the thread by the heater 36 and by the cooling rail 39 and except for the zig - zag path of the thread through the false twisting member 40 . from the second supply mechanism 35 , the thread 30 travels vertically downwardly past a device 49 which applies spool oil to the thread and then continues its downward vertical travel to a thread take - up location 15 . in the illustrated embodiment of fig1 each thread take - up location 15 is a so - called &# 34 ; sidewinder &# 34 ; according to the description in the german offenlegungsschrift no . 2 , 651 , 816 assigned to dupont of canada . this sidewinder includes a pivotably mounted spool holder 42 with a vertical axis of rotation for supporting the take - up spool 20 . the spool holder 42 is spring - loaded so that it presses the take - up spool 20 with the thread package being wound thereon against a cylindrical friction roller 45 which is driven by a small belt 43 by a central drive drum 44 , the circumferential speed of the friction roller 45 corresponding to the take - up speed of the particular thread . this take - up speed could be as high as 1200 meters per minute in experiments . the thread arriving vertically from above arrives at the take - up location 15 and first meets an eccentrically mounted thread deviating roller driven by the thread itself which deviates the thread from its vertical direction into a horizontal direction and guides it into the pinch line between the friction roller 45 and the thread winding package on the spool 20 . the eccentrically mounted thread deviating roller causes a rapid to - and - fro motion ( traversing motion ) so that the thread is wound up on the spool with criss - cross windings meeting at substantial angles . the traverse movement of the thread deviating roller causes the thread to be wound up on the thread package in such a way as to create two slopes . this construction of the thread take - up locations 15 has a number of advantages which have already been pointed out above . as may be seen from fig1 the longitudinally extending heating plates 36 are not located in an exact horizontal position but are slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal plane . this is necessary if the heating plates are to operate on the condensation principle . in all other cases , they may be disposed exactly horizontally . as shown in fig1 the path of the thread 30 from the first supply mechanism 25 to the second supply mechanism 35 is as straight as possible without any thread deviating points and extends approximately horizontally . this fact insures the optimum degree of false twisting for the thread so that , even in the most difficult cases , especially when threads having up to seven filaments are used , each of the filaments is alternately moved from the interior of the thread to the outside and then back again from the outside to the inside and this process is continuously repeated . as a result , there is produced a thread of uniform twist which has very favorable advantages regarding its properties and its further processing . furthermore , in the illustrated embodiment , the path of the thread between the first and second supply or transport mechanisms 25 , 35 is perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the machine . however , in accordance with the invention fig3 shows that the threads travel from the first to the second supply mechanism at equal angles of approximately 10 °- 35 ° with respect to the longitudinal extent of the machine , from the outside of the machine toward the interior , and in an approximately horizontal direction . in fig3 there is shown schematically a plan view of the machine of fig1 having two service corridors 17 with the thread travel paths 30 leading approximately horizontally across the service corridors 17 indicated in &# 34 ;--&# 34 ; lines . in fig3 the thread guide devices and thread handling devices are not shown and , as shown in fig3 the approximately horizontal travel paths 30 of the threads extend obliquely towards the vertical longitudinal central plane 19 of the machine . the spool racks 12 and the take - up mechanisms 15 &# 34 ; are shown only schematically . the small belts 43 which serve to drive the friction rollers 45 are tensioned by tension rollers 47 which are loaded by weighted levers 46 . the first or input transport mechanism 25 pulls off a thread 30 to be false twisted from its associated supply spool 14 and guides it without slippage into the stretching field 33 in which it is stretched only and not yet false twisted . from the vertically extending stretching field 33 , the thread 30 travels without slippage into the approximately horizontally extending false twisting field 34 in which it is further stretched and also heated by the heaters 36 , whereafter it is cooled off by the cooling rail 39 and is false twisted by the false twisting member 40 . the false twist applied to the thread is then thermally fixed in this field 34 . the thread 30 leaves the false twisting field 34 without slippage due to the operation of the second supply mechanism 35 and then travels downwardly past the spool oil applicator 49 to the take - up location 15 where it is wound up on a spool 20 . when the spools 20 are filled up , they are exchanged for new spools . the exchange may be performed manually or by automatic spool changers , not shown . without affecting the take - up process at any other spool , each of the spools 20 may be exchanged for a new spool , whereafter the take - up process at that particular location may be started anew . the illustrated machine also has the advantage that all maintenance operations may be performed from the service corridors 17 requiring at most the presence of low stationary platform boards for the operator to stand on when the components 25 , 36 , 39 , 40 , 35 are serviced . the machine 10 may also be constructed in different lengths on the basis of modular construction . the overall servicing of the machine during operation also takes place from the service corridors 17 . fig2 is an illustration of the second embodiment of the invention in which those parts which are identical to the machine 10 of fig1 carry the same reference numerals . the machine 10 &# 39 ; of fig2 differs from that illustrated in fig1 only by the different construction of the thread take - up locations 15 and by the presence of a larger spool rack 12 . in the machine according to fig2 the take - up locations 15 &# 39 ; are commonly used cross - spool take - up mechanisms in which the cross - spools 20 &# 39 ; have horizontal axes of rotation . this kind of construction permits winding up larger and heavier thread packages than is possible with the spools as arranged in the embodiment of fig1 but requires a greater construction effort and higher costs for each of the take - up locations 15 &# 39 ;. furthermore , the machine according to fig2 makes substantially more noise than that of fig1 because the take - up mechanisms 15 &# 39 ; themselves generate much more noise than those illustrated in fig1 . the machine 10 &# 39 ; according to fig2 is substantially symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal central plane 19 and , as was the case for the machine of fig1 has two mutually parallel service corridors 17 from which the service and maintenance of all parts of the machine may take place as in the embodiment of fig1 . adjacent to each of the service corridors 17 , in the vicinity of the middle of the machine , three rows of thread take - up locations 15 &# 39 ; are stacked vertically . each of the take - up locations 15 &# 39 ; includes a drive roller 51 having a horizontal axis of rotation against which the cross - spool 20 &# 39 ; to be wound is disposed for rotation . the thread 30 is guided to the cross - spool 20 &# 39 ; by a traversing thread guide . take - up mechanisms of this type are well known and do not require further explanation . disposed between each two rows of take - up mechanisms 15 &# 39 ; located at the same height are two endless driven transport belts 52 extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine and serving for holding and transporting the filled - up cross - spools 20 &# 39 ;. when a spool change takes place , the operator rolls the filled - up cross - spool 20 &# 39 ; from the take - up location 15 &# 39 ; onto the slightly concave transport belt 52 located just behind it and mounts a new empty spool in its place . when the spool exchange is terminated , the conveyor belts 52 are set into motion and transport the full spools 20 &# 39 ;, shown in broken lines , beyond the end face of the machine to a discharge station where they may be moved to a second conveyor belt , a carriage , or the like , for the purpose of further transport . the machines 10 and 10 &# 39 ; also have the advantage of requiring only a very few thread deviating locations for each thread path and those thread deviations that do take place do not exceed approximately 90 °. furthermore , the machine includes no thread paths which do not perform a processing function so that the thread paths have practically the minimum possible length . if it is desired to &# 34 ; set &# 34 ; the false twisted threads on the false twisting - stretching / texturizing machine , i . e ., to produce set yarns , this may be done advantageously by guiding the threads from the second supply mechanism 35 into setting fields 55 as is shown in broken lines in the left half of the embodiment of fig2 and these setting fields 55 are provided with longitudinally extending vertical heaters 56 located just ahead of the take - up locations 15 &# 39 ;. disposed below the heaters 56 are third transport mechanisms 57 which guide the threads upwardly to the take - up locations 15 &# 39 ;. the setting of threads is known to the person skilled in the art and serves to reduce the elasticity of the threads . it should be understood that such setting fields could also be provided for the right half of the machine 10 &# 39 ; as well as for the machine 10 of fig1 or for any other machine constructed according to the invention . the presence of the heaters 56 does not impede the servicing of the take - up locations 15 &# 39 ; because they are narrow and are disposed opposite the space which exists between adjacent wind - up locations . the foregoing relates to two preferred embodiments of the invention , it being understood that other embodiments and variants thereof are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention , the latter being defined by the appended claims . | 3 |
the papermaking screens of the embodiments in accordance with the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . referring to fig1 to fig4 in a papermaking screen 1 , a papermaking material , for example , flows from outside the screen to the inside thereof to screen the papermaking material . a second screen 3 and a first screen 2 for removing dust and foreign substances from the papermaking material are provided in a tank 4 . the tank 4 has an inlet 41 for a papermaking material , a screened material outlet 42 , a first foreign substance outlet 43 , a second foreign substance outlet 44 , and a dilution water supply port 45 ; it stores a papermaking material to be processed . the inlet 41 is connected to a material supply pipe which is not shown , and the screened material outlet 42 is connected to a second material discharge pipe which is not shown . connected respectively to the first foreign substance outlet 43 , the second foreign substance outlet 44 , and the dilution water supply port 45 are a first foreign substance discharge pipe 43 &# 39 ;, a second foreign substance discharge pipe 44 &# 39 ;, and a dilution water supply - discharge pipe 45 &# 39 ;. the first foreign substance discharge pipe 43 &# 39 ;, the second foreign substance discharge pipe 44 &# 39 ;, and the dilution water supply - discharge pipe 45 &# 39 ; are respectively provided with a first foreign substance discharge pipe on - off valve 43 &# 34 ;, a second foreign substance discharge pipe on - off valve 44 &# 34 ;, and a dilution water pipe on - off valve 45 &# 34 ;. further , the tank 4 is divided into a primary compartment 4a and a secondary compartment 4b by the cylindrical first screen 2 . the cylindrical first screen 2 has ; for example , a closed apex , an open bottom , and interstices 21 composed of round holes , slits , or the like in the side surface thereof ; it is fixed to the tank 4 by a bolt or the like ( not shown ). the second screen 3 is provided around the first screen 2 ; it is also fixed to the tank 4 by a bolt or the like ( not shown ). the second screen 3 is equipped with an outer peripheral surface 32 having interstices 31 composed of round holes , slits , or the like which are larger than those of the interstices 21 of the first screen 2 , and an inner peripheral surface 34 having a papermaking material port 33 for admitting the passage of a papermaking material , the apex of the inner peripheral surface 34 and the apex of the outer peripheral surface 32 being connected through a ceiling surface 35 . in this embodiment , the ceiling surface 35 has been made as a discrete component and bonded to the adjacent parts , and the bonded portion is fixed ; it is acceptable as long as the ceiling surface 35 serves to connect the apex of the inner peripheral surface 34 and the apex of the outer peripheral surface 32 . the interstices 31 of the second screen 3 are made larger than the interstices 21 of the first screen 2 so as to remove larger foreign substances by the second screen 3 and to remove smaller foreign substances by the first screen 2 , thereby permitting efficient separation . in the vicinity of the ceiling surface 35 of the second screen 3 , a rotary member 5 is rotatably attached to , for example , a rotary shaft 51 connected to the center of the rotary member 5 . the rotary shaft 51 is rotated by a motor , not shown , via a belt 52 . reference numeral 53 denotes a hole in which the rotary shaft 51 is inserted ( see fig4 ). the rotary member 5 is equipped with a stirring unit for stirring a papermaking material in the primary compartment 4a . the stirring unit is provided with , for example , a plurality of first stirrers 61 which are , for instance , suspended from the ceiling surface of the rotary member 5 and opposed to the outside of the first screen 2 , and second stirrers 62 which are suspended from the ceiling surface of the rotary member 5 and opposed to the outside of the outer peripheral surface of the second screen 3 . the inlet 41 and the first foreign substance outlet 43 are communicated with a first chamber 4a1 which is in the primary compartment 4a and which is formed around the second screen 3 ; the dilution water supply port 45 is communicated with a second chamber 4a2 which is surrounded by the outer peripheral surface 32 and the inner peripheral surface 34 of the second screen and the ceiling surface 35 ; and the second foreign substance outlet 44 is communicated with a third chamber 4a3 surrounded by the first screen 2 , the inner peripheral surface 34 of the second screen 3 , and the ceiling surface of the rotary member 5 . as the second stirrers 62 turn around the second screen 3 , the papermaking material in the first chamber 4a1 inevitably tries to flow into the third chamber 4a3 without passing through the second chamber 4a2 . in this embodiment , however , the surface of the rotary member 5 which is opposed to the ceiling surface of the second screen 3 is provided with a plurality of projection 52 &# 39 ; which are inclined in such a direction that prevents the papermaking material in the first chamber 4a from flowing into the third chamber 4a3 without passing through the second chamber 4a2 ( refer to fig1 fig2 and fig4 ). hence , in the papermaking screen 1 shown in fig1 through fig4 when the rotary member 5 is rotating with the papermaking material introduced by a pump ( not shown ) in the first chamber 4a via a material supply pipe ( not shown ) and the inlet 41 , the positive pressure and negative pressure are alternately applied by the second stirrers 62 , which are provided opposite to the outside of the outer peripheral surface 32 of the second screen 3 , to the second screen 3 and on the papermaking material inflow side of - the second screen 3 . this makes it possible to generate sufficient pressure to make the useful fibers in the papermaking material pass through the interstices 31 of the second screen 3 , the interstices being composed of round holes , slits , or the like . moreover , immediately after the second stirrers 62 pass by , the vicinity of the interstices 31 of the second screen 3 composed of round holes , slits , or the like is subject to negative pressure , so that the foreign substances adhering to the interstices 31 are removed by the backflow of the papermaking material from the acceptor side . thus , useful fibers and foreign substances can be efficiently separated while preventing the second screen from clogging at the same time . further , the second stirrers 62 move around the second screen 3 , so that the velocity of the papermaking material moving around the second screen 3 increases , thus permitting enhanced dust removing effect . the papermaking material containing useful fibers which has been introduced into the second chamber 4a2 is led into the third chamber 4a3 via the papermaking material ports 33 . the papermaking material containing useful fibers which has been introduced into the third chamber 4a3 is stirred by the first stirrers 61 . the useful fibers which have been separated by stirring are led into the secondary / compartment 4b through the interstices 21 and eventually led out of the tank 4 via the secondary compartment 4b and the screened material outlet 42 . the foreign substances in the first chamber 4a1 can be led out of the tank 4 for removal by opening , as necessary , the first foreign substance discharge pipe on - off valve 43 &# 34 ; of the first foreign substance discharge pipe 43 &# 39 ; connected to the first foreign substance outlet 43 . if the concentration of the papermaking material in the second chamber 4a2 is high , the concentration can be adjusted to a proper level by supplying water into the second chamber 4a2 by opening , as necessary , the dilution water pipe on - off valve 45 &# 34 ; of the dilution water supply - discharge pipe 45 &# 39 ; connected to the dilution water supply port 45 . furthermore , the foreign substances in the third chamber 4a3 can be led out of the tank 4 to remove them by opening , as necessary , the second foreign substance discharge pipe on - off valve 44 &# 34 ; of the second foreign substance discharge pipe 44 &# 39 ; connected to the second foreign substance outlet 44 . the round holes or slits of the interstices 21 of the first screen 2 and those of the interstices 31 of the second screen 3 are mere examples ; other types of interstices may be used as long as they are capable of separating useful fibers from foreign substances . in the embodiment shown in fig1 through fig4 described above , the projections 52 &# 39 ; are provided on the surface of the rotary member 5 which is opposed to the ceiling surface of the second screen 3 in order to prevent the papermaking material in the first chamber 4a1 from going into the third chamber 4a3 without passing through the second chamber 4a2 . there is still a possibility that the papermaking material in the first chamber 4a1 flows into the third chamber 4a3 , skipping the second chamber 4a2 , thus resulting in poor screening efficiency of the second screen 3 . the embodiment is also disadvantageous in that the second screen 3 has the papermaking material port 33 , which admits the passage of the papermaking material , in the inner peripheral surface 34 in addition to the outer peripheral surface 32 , thus adding to the manufacturing cost of the second screen 3 . further , the inner peripheral surface 34 need to be fixed in the tank 4 , adding greatly to cumbersomeness in the manufacture , installation , etc . referring to fig5 through fig9 a papermaking screen 1 of this embodiment is adapted , for example , to let a papermaking material to flow from outside to the inside of the screen so as to screen the papermaking material as in the case of the previous embodiment ; it is provided with a first screen 2 and a second screen 3 in a tank 4 thereof . the tank 4 has an inlet 41 for a papermaking material , a screened material outlet 42 , a first foreign substance outlet 43 , and a second foreign substance outlet 44 ; it stores a papermaking material to be processed . the inlet 41 is connected to a material supply pipe which is not shown , the screened material outlet 42 is connected to a second material discharge pipe which is not shown , the first foreign substance outlet 43 is connected to a first foreign substance discharge pipe which is not shown , and the second foreign substance outlet 44 is connected to a second foreign substance discharge pipe which is not shown . further , the tank 4 is divided into a primary compartment 4a and a secondary compartment 4b by the first screen 2 . the first screen 2 is , for example , cylindrical and it has a closed ceiling surface , i . e . a closed apex , and an open bottom ( the bottom which is on the opposite side from the ceiling surface is opened ). the first screen 2 has interstices ( screen meshes ) 21 composed of round holes , slits , or the like in the side surface thereof ; it is fixed to the tank 4 by a bolt or the like ( not shown ). a guide cylinder 20 incorporates the bearing ( not shown ) for a rotary shaft 51 ; it supports the first screen 2 at the upper end thereof . a second screen 3 is provided around the first screen 2 . in the second screen 3 , the primary compartment 4a is divided into a first chamber 4a1 and a second chamber 4a2 . the second screen 3 is , for example , cylindrical , and it has a closed ceiling surface , i . e . a closed apex , and an open bottom ( the bottom which is on the opposite side from the ceiling surface is opened ). the second screen 3 has interstices ( screen meshes ) 31 composed of round holes , slits , or the like in the side surface thereof ; it is fixed to the tank 4 by a bolt 30 . the second screen 3 has interstices ( screen mesh ) 31 composed of round holes , slits , or the like which are larger than the interstices ( screen mesh ) 21 of the first screen 2 ( see fig9 ). the interstices ( screen mesh ) 31 of the second screen 3 are made larger than the interstices ( screen mesh ) 21 of the first screen 2 so as to remove larger foreign substances by the second screen 3 and to remove smaller foreign substances by the first screen 2 , thereby permitting efficient separation . a first rotary member 50 ( e . g . a discoid member ) is rotatably provided so that it is opposed to the ceiling surface of the first screen 2 . there are also provided , for example , a plurality of ( four vane - type agitators in this embodiment ) first stirrers 61 for stirring the papermaking material in the second chamber 4a2 , which are opposed to the outside of the first screen 2 and which are suspended from the ceiling surface of the first rotary member 50 . further , a second rotary member 50 &# 39 ; ( e . g . a discoid member ) is rotatably provided so that it is opposed to the ceiling surface of the second screen 3 . there are also provided , for example , a plurality of ( four vane - type agitators in this embodiment ) second stirrers 62 for stirring the papermaking material in the first chamber 4a1 , which are opposed to the outside of the second screen 3 and which are suspended from the ceiling surface of the second rotary member 50 &# 39 ;. the first rotary member 50 and the second rotary member 50 &# 39 ; are attached to a rotary shaft 51 penetrating the ceiling surface of the first screen 2 and the ceiling surface of the second screen 3 in such a manner that the second rotary member 50 &# 39 ; is positioned higher than the first rotary member 50 . the rotary shaft 51 is rotated via a belt 52 driven by a motor which is not shown . the inlet 41 and the first foreign substance outlet 43 are communicated with the first chamber 4a1 , the second foreign substance outlet 44 is communicated with the second chamber 4a2 , and the screened material outlet 42 is communicated with the secondary compartment 4b . accordingly , in the papermaking screen 1 shown in fig5 through fig9 when the first rotary member 50 and the second rotary member 50 &# 39 ; are rotating with the papermaking material introduced by a pump ( not shown ) in the first chamber 4a via a material supply pipe ( not shown ) and the inlet 41 , positive pressure and negative pressure are alternately applied by the second stirrers 62 , which are provided opposite to the outside of the second screen 3 , to the second screen 3 and on the papermaking material inflow side of the second screen 3 . this makes it possible to generate sufficient pressure to make the useful fibers in the papermaking material pass through the interstices 31 of the second screen 3 composed of round holes , slits , or the like . moreover , immediately after the second stirrers 62 pass by , the area in the vicinity of the interstices 31 of the second screen 3 composed of round holes , slits , or the like is subject to negative pressure , so that the foreign substances adhering to the interstices 31 are removed by the backflow of the papermaking material from the acceptor side . thus , useful fibers and foreign substances can be efficiently separated while preventing the second screen 3 from clogging at the same time . further , the second stirrers 62 move around the second screen 3 , so that the velocity of the papermaking material moving around the second screen 3 increases , permitting enhanced dust removing effect . the papermaking material containing useful fibers which has been introduced into the second chamber 4a2 is stirred by the first stirrers 61 . the useful fibers which have been separated by stirring go through the interstices 21 and they are eventually led out of the tank 4 via the secondary compartment 4b and the screened material outlet 42 . the foreign substances in the first chamber 4a1 can be led out of the tank 4 to remove it via a first foreign substance discharge pipe ( not shown ) connected to the first foreign substance outlet 43 . likewise , the foreign substances in the second chamber 4a2 can be led out of the tank 4 to remove it via a second foreign substance discharge pipe ( not shown ) connected to the second foreign substance outlet 44 . thus , according to this embodiment , the second screen 3 is provided around the first screen 2 , and the primary compartment 4a is divided into the first chamber 4a1 and the second chamber 4a2 ; and the first screen 2 accepts the papermaking materials which have passed through the second screen 3 . this permits higher screening efficiency of the first screen 2 . the second screen 3 obviates the need of the inner peripheral surface 34 as in the case of the previous embodiment illustrated in fig1 through fig4 thus enabling lower manufacturing cost than that required by the papermaking screen of - the embodiment shown in fig1 through fig4 . it is obviously not necessary to fix the inner peripheral surface 34 in the tank 4 , permitting easier , quicker manufacturing and installation of the second screen 3 . furthermore , the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical first screen 2 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical second screen 3 are partially opposed ( see fig7 ); therefore , the height of the papermaking screen 1 can be reduced . as in the case of the embodiment shown in fig1 through fig4 the round holes or slits of the interstices 21 of the first screen 2 and those of the interstices 31 of the second screen 3 are mere examples in this embodiment also ; other types may be used for the interstices 21 and the interstices 31 as long as they are capable of separating useful fibers from foreign substances . thus , according to one aspect of the present invention described above , the positive pressure and negative pressure are alternately applied by the second stirrers , which are provided opposite to the outside of the outer peripheral surface of the second screen , to the second screen and on the papermaking material inflow side of the second screen . this makes it possible to generate sufficient pressure to make the papermaking material pass through the interstices of the second screen , the interstices being composed of round holes , slits , or the like . moreover , immediately after the second stirrer 62 pass by , the area in the vicinity of the second screen which interstices are composed of round holes , slits , or the like is subject to negative pressure , so that the foreign substances adhering to the interstices are removed by the backflow of the papermaking material from the acceptor side . thus , useful fibers and foreign substances can be efficiently separated while preventing the second screen from clogging at the same time . further , the second stirrers move around the second screen , so that the velocity of the papermaking material moving around the second screen increases , permitting enhanced dust removing effect . according to another aspect of the present invention described above , in addition to the advantages provided by the aforesaid aspect of the present invention , the projections are provided on the surface of the rotary member which are opposed to the ceiling surface of the second screen in order to prevent the papermaking material in the first chamber from entering into the third chamber without passing through the second chamber . therefore , it is possible to prevent the papermaking material in the first chamber from entering into the third chamber without passing through the second chamber as the second stirrers rotate around the second screen . according to yet another aspect of the present invention , the positive pressure and negative pressure are alternately applied by the second stirrers , which are provided around the second screen , to the second screen and on the papermaking material inflow side of the second screen . this makes it possible to generate sufficient pressure to make the papermaking material pass through the meshes of the second screen . moreover , immediately after the second stirrers pass by , the area in the vicinity of the meshes of the second screen is subject to negative pressure , so that the foreign substances adhering to the meshes are removed by the backflow of the papermaking material from the acceptor side . thus , useful fibers and foreign substances can be efficiently separated while preventing the second screen from clogging at the same time . further , the second stirrers move around the second screen , so that the velocity of the papermaking material moving around the second screen increases , thus permitting enhanced dust removing effect . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 through fig4 the surface of the rotary member 5 which is opposed to the ceiling surface of the second screen 3 is provided with the projections 52 &# 39 ; to prevent the papermaking material in the primary compartment 4a from flowing into the third chamber 4a3 without passing through the second chamber 4a2 ; however , there is still a possibility that the papermaking material in the primary compartment 4a flows into the third chamber 4a3 , skipping the second chamber 4a2 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig5 through fig9 the second screen is provided around the first screen , the primary compartment is divided into the first chamber and the second chamber , and the first screen accepts the papermaking material which has passed through the second screen , thereby permitting higher screening efficiency of the second screen . in the embodiment shown in fig1 through fig4 the second screen 3 has the papermaking material port 33 in the inner peripheral surface 34 in addition to the outer peripheral surface 32 . this adds to the manufacturing cost of the second screen 3 and it also requires that the inner peripheral surface 34 be fixed in the tank 4 . the embodiment shown in fig5 through fig9 obviates the need of the inner peripheral surface 34 of the aforesaid embodiment shown in fig1 through fig4 enabling lower manufacturing cost than that of the embodiment shown in fig1 through fig4 and also eliminating the need for fixing the inner peripheral surface in the tank . thus , the second screen can be manufactured and installed more easily and quickly . further , the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical first screen and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical second screen are partially opposed , so that the height of the papermaking screen can be reduced . | 1 |
this invention provides a method for automating the loading of stretch wrap film into a commercially available prestretch roller assembly such as that disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 082 , 081 . numerous stretchable films are commercially available and the specific chemical composition and source of the film are not critical to this invention . fig1 is a perspective view of the base and associated components of the film changer of this invention . a base 1 supports the operative components and is anchored to a floor using conventional angle iron brackets shown as element 3 . a turntable in the form of an oval raceway has a first sprocket 5 and a second sprocket 7 around which are wound an upper endless chain 9 and a lower endless chain 9 ′. the oval shape of the raceway is not critical and a circular , rectangular or other pathway may be used dependant on space limitations and needed capacity . traveling on the chains are film mandrels 11 supported upon a carrier 13 which are , in turn , supported on the endless chains . film mandrels , to be discussed infra , carry rolls of film typically wrapped around a core which may be cardboard or plastic . a holder 15 extended from carrier 13 holds the extended end of the stretch film . the film is extended so that a film drawing assembly 17 having clamp 18 may be used to pull a length of film from the roll prior to wrapping of the film around a stacked pallet . element 19 is a film lift elevator guide which is employed to guide lift 16 , raise the film into a film delivery carriage for wrapping and to remove empty rolls or torn rolls of film . fig2 is a plan view of the base shown in fig1 . in plan view , it may be seen that the base 1 travels on rails 21 under the control of the cylinder 23 mounted upon the base 1 and the floor mounting assembly 3 . the movement facilitates approach and withdraw from a film delivery system . fig3 is a perspective view of the base showing also superstructural components necessary to insert the film into a film delivery system . element 31 is a means for opening a film delivery system including a pre - stretched roller assembly . as illustrated , cradle opening hook 32 under the control of a pneumatic cylinder 33 , 34 ′ extends and retracts the device . as shown , the hook is also under control of a second cylinder 34 so that it may be raised and lowered . alternatively , a magnetic or suction device may be used in lieu of a hook and the worm gear and stepper motor may be substituted for pneumatic cylinders . element 35 is an extensible device ( robotic arm ) employed to lock and unlock a mandrel into a stretch wrap film holder on a film delivery system . the device is extensible in the same manner as is the arm 31 and the end is adapted to a specific mandrel mounting configuration as will be discussed infra . element 36 is an extensible arm which is used to fix or hold a film delivery system carriage assembly while the mandrel and stretchable film are being loaded into place ( or unloaded ). pneumatic , hydraulic or electric controls are suitable means for extending all of these devices although pneumatic is preferred . fig4 illustrates the relationship of the automatic changer of this invention to a stretch film delivery system . the stretch film delivery system as illustrated is that which is available from orion packaging , tm montreal canada and is exemplary of stretch wrap systems which are compatible with conveyor systems . a framework 41 which has a substantially rectangular plan view supports a rotary frame assembly 43 having a swing arm 45 and a suspended ladder bar 47 carrying the film carriage 49 . fig5 shows a perspective view of a stretch film carriage such as that disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 082 , 081 . the assembly 49 has a brace of idle rollers 63 and 63 ′ and pre - stretch roller cover 67 . as illustrated , cover 67 has a handle 68 engageable with hook 32 . alternative embodiments may provide different methods for engagement of the opening apparatus with the roller cover may include , inter alia , a magnetic disc such as might be used with an alumentium or plastic cover . various forms of lock and key arrangements are a matter of design choice . mandrel 69 which carries the stretch film is suspended from the cradle assembly . fig6 is a plan view of the film carriage and illustrates the location of the first stretch roller 71 and the second stretch roller 73 , the edge attachment assembly 75 and a drive motor 74 . fig7 shows the film carriage assembly from u . s . pat . no . 6 , 082 , 081 in the opened position with film 77 positioned between stretch and idle rollers . when roller cover 67 is closed the film is in frictional engagement between the stretch rollers and may be stretched at any predetermined ratio up to and including 300 %. while the early frame assembly 43 is being spun around a stacked pallet on a conveyor line within the frame assembly 41 . fig8 a shows a mandrel 81 in place on mounting bracket 83 attached to the carriage . fig8 b shows the actuation method whereby the mandrel is attached . shaft 85 extends downwardly from the bracket and serves as an axle . push rod 87 actuates latch 89 under the control of lever 91 articulated on hinge pin 93 to open and close latches 89 . spring 95 returns to lever 91 and latch 89 to the locked position and hold the mandrel 81 in place when latch 89 engages receiver 97 of the mandrel . the lever is urged into the open position by actuation of locked controller 32 . the automatic film roll changer is controlled by a cpu , preferably by the same cpu which controls the wrapping carriage . the sequence starts with the loading of the carriage . the carriage 49 parks in front of elevator 16 . frame 1 moves across rails 21 at the urging of pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 23 or an equivalent device such as a worm gear and gimbal nut . when in position , hook 32 or equivalent means retracts cover 67 by pulling back on handle 68 to separate rollers . 63 , 65 , 71 and 73 while brace 36 , in the extended position , stabilizes the carriage . mandrel lock controller 35 actuates lever 91 . travel clamp 18 grasps film from film end holder 15 and extends the film away from the carriage . film draw assembly 17 clamps and extends an end of the film held by film end holder 15 . elevator lift 16 engages mandrel carrier 13 to raise the film mandrel 11 until it engages shaft 85 and is locked in place by mandrel lock controller 35 . roller cradle assembly 61 is closed by opener 31 . the extended film end is clasped by film tail treatment device 51 and released by the draw assembly 18 . the elevator returns to its lowered position and the base 1 is retracted by cylinder 23 . the carriage is now loaded and may be used to wrap the next load on a pallet . when the film breaks during wrapping or when the roll of film has been exhausted , the film carriage returns to the film loading position . the film roll changer base is moved toward the carriage , the elevator lifts an empty carrier 13 under the empty mandrel which is released by controller 35 and lowered back to the turntable . the base 1 is withdrawn and the turntable rotated to the next full roll and loading sequence begins again . the turntable steps around one position and the aforementioned loading sequence is commenced . the sequence of events may be controlled by a cpu either on the unit or remotely . commercially available “ personal computers ” are sufficient although a dedicated programmable controller is preferred . the invention has been illustrated and described in a preferred embodiment but any modification substitution or additions may be made as apparent to any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention and the appended claims . | 1 |
the preparation of self - assembled sints can be performed by the following process . silicon oxide is mixed with water ( e . g ., a solvent ) to form a mixture with a silicon oxide to water ratio of 0 . 01 % to 10 % by weight . once the silicon oxide and water are mixed , the mixture is put into a sealed reaction kettle or container . the reaction container is maintained under the condition of about 200 - 500 ° c . and about 3 - 40 mpa of pressure for 1 - 5 hours with substantially uniform stirring . the mixture may be stirred using a magnetic stirrer . in one embodiment , the ratio of silicon oxide to water is preferably 0 . 05 % to 8 % by weight , and more preferably 0 . 1 % to 6 % by weight . in another embodiment , the self - assembled sints can be prepared under conditions with a temperature of 250 ° c . to 500 ° c . and a pressure of 8 mpa to 35 mpa for 1 - 4 hours with substantially uniform stirring . in a more preferred embodiment , the self - assembled sints can be prepared under conditions with a temperature of 300 ° c . to 450 ° c . and a pressure of 10 mpa to 30 mpa for 1 - 3 hours with substantially uniform stirring . in another more preferred embodiment , the self - assembled sints can be prepared under conditions with a temperature of 300 ° c . to 400 ° c . and a pressure of 6 mpa to 10 mpa for 3 - 4 hours with substantially uniform stirring . no metallic catalysts and templates are used in the preparation of sints using the hydrothermal method disclosed in the present invention . the sints prepared by the hydrothermal method of the present invention are identified as a kind of self - assembled sints according to the results of characterization . the common problems of nanoscale materials , including the ease of congregation and the difficulty of dispersion , are solved because the self - assembled sints are obtained from water where no congregation occurs . at the same time , the self - assembled sints makes it possible to increase the strength and toughness of composites due to the ability of forming sints with larger length to diameter ratios . many researchers have shown that silicon nanowires ( sinws ) have great potential for practical applications due to the typical quantum confinement effect and excellent physical properties . theoretical studies have shown that sints can take advantage of the quantum confinement effect more easily and can be more stable than sinws . therefore , sints are predicted to be a promising nanoscale material for potential applications in the nanotechnology field , which provides a new approach for making nanodevices that are highly integrated and miniaturized . the method of the present invention operates simply and easily . since simple equipment is used , the low cost can provide the opportunity for practical applications of the self - assembled sints . the starting materials and the process do not pollute the environment , and therefore large quantities of self - assembled sints can be prepared industrially in accordance with the development trend of modern industry for environmental protection . the growth mechanism of the self - assembled sints prepared by the method of present invention is proposed based on the “ lip - lip ” interaction growth model by charlier et al . during the growth phase of the nanotubes , chemical bonding at the end of nanotubes ( nts ) is in a metastable energy minimum , which prevents the closure of the growth end of nts . the atoms connect with each other continuously resulting in the sustained growth of nts . with the change of conditions , such as the decrease of temperature , the chemical bonding of the growing nts approaches a more stable state . since the closed structure is more stable than the open state , it results in the closure of the growth end of nts . fig1 is a schematic of the growth process of self - assembled sints . chemical bonding between atoms are all in a metastable state and abundant h + , si atoms and o 2 − atoms are formed due to the high temperature and high pressure of the hydrothermal condition and the reactive nature of the si and silicon oxide in gaseous form . nucleation starts relatively uniformly from the vapor substances in the reaction kettle because of the stirring . then the temperature rises rapidly in the kettle due to the exothermic process , which suggests that the growth process of the sints has taken place . there is a temperature gradient inside the reaction container , i . e . the temperature goes from high in the center of the reaction kettle to low at the edge of the reaction kettle . the tubular structures are initially formed in the low temperature area where the si and si connect during the growth of sints ( fig1 ( a )). the si — si bonding at the growth edge of the tubular structures in a metastable energy minimum prevents the closure of the growth edge of sints . at the same time , the possibility of collision with different atoms increases because sints move continually between low temperature areas and high temperature areas with stirring . thus abundant si atoms in high temperature areas enter into the tubular walls of sints and are combined with si in the tubular wall resulting in the one - dimensional growth of sints along the temperature gradient . a stable sio 2 layer is formed when the si atoms at the interface of the tube wall and the atomic o 2 — in the environment react with each other , therefore preventing the growth of sints in non - one - dimensional direction ( fig1 ( b )). abundant h + in the hydrothermal condition may cause one of four si atoms in the crystalline si to be substituted by h + and possibly cause a part of si in the tubular wall of sints to become amorphous si . the possible result is the formation of a tubular wall that is similar to a graphite layer structure . once the heating of the reaction kettle has been stopped , si — si bonding at the growth end of sints is changed gradually from the metastable state to a more stable state due to the falling of temperature and pressure . at the same time , the temperature gradient in the kettle also slowly disappears , resulting in the closure of the growth end and the growth of sints stops ( fig1 ( c ), ( d )). the tem image of the self - assembled sints in fig2 shows that an abundance of nanotubes were formed using the hydrothermal method . most nanotubes are straight in shape and the surfaces of self - assembled sints are smooth . the outer diameter is usually less than 5 nm , the distribution range is about 8 - 20 nm , and the lengths of sints are several hundreds of nanometers to microns . the diameter of the inner pore ( e . g ., inner diameter ) is smaller than 5 nm in general with a small diameter distribution range . the growth tips of the self - assembled sints are in closed semicircular form showing that no catalyst particles exist in the sints and no growth tips with open end structure are observed . the self - assembled sints are mostly poly - crystalline structures according to the saed pattern ( fig3 ). the saed patterns ; of the first , second , and third order diffraction rings , from the inside to the outside of a nanotube , match well with the ( 1 1 1 ), ( 2 2 0 ) and ( 3 1 1 ) diffraction crystal planes , respectively . the eds analysis in fig4 shows that the chemical composition of the products consists of si and o . the equal peak height of si and o suggests that the atomic ratio of si and o is 1 : 1 , which is consistent with that of silicon monoxide . the interplanar spacing , outer and inner diameters , the thicknesses of amorphous outer layer and si wall layer of sints were measured hrtem and calculated using a software by digital micrograph applied in the hrtem . the hollow inner pore , crystalline silicon wall layer and amorphous silica outer layer can be clearly observed in the hrtem images . the crystalline layer grows along the axial direction of sints . the interplanar spacing of crystalline in the sints is around 0 . 31 nm according to the measurement and the calculation , which agrees with the { 111 } plane of silicon . the outer diameter of the tubular body in fig5 is about 14 nm , the diameter of inner pore is about 5 nm and the thicknesses of crystalline si and amorphous outer layer are about 5 nm and less than 2 nm , respectively . the outer diameter of the tubular growth tip in fig6 is about 18 nm and the diameter of inner pore is about 3 nm . the inner diameter of the growth tip is larger than that of the tubular body . the corresponding si wall thickness is 5 nm and the amorphous outer layer thickness less than 2 nm . the amorphous silicon oxide outer layer at the growth tip of the self - assembled sints does not distribute evenly and some defects exist the environment in the reaction kettle is an oxidation environment , and there are two elements si and o in the products ( e . g ., sints ). since silicon oxide is the most stable compound of silica , the outer layers of the sints can be identified as amorphous silica . the appearance of the same number of lattice fringes and amorphous silica outer layers on both sides of a self - assembled sints shows that it has a seamless tubular structure . therefore , the structures of sints are composed of three parts : hollow inner pore with a diameter of several nanometers in the middle , crystalline silicon wall layers with a thickness of less than 5 nm and amorphous silica outer layers with less than 2 nm thickness . silicon oxide and water were mixed together to form a mixture of 0 . 01 % by weight , and the mixture was place in a sealed reaction kettle . the mixture was maintained at 200 ° c . under 3 mpa pressure for 1 hour with substantially uniform stirring using a magnetic stirrer . self - assembled sints with an average inner diameter of less than 5 nm and an average outer diameter of around 15 nm were formed . silicon oxide and water were mixed together to form a mixture of 0 . 1 % by weight , and the mixture was place in a sealed reaction kettle . the mixture was maintained at 380 ° c . under 8 mpa pressure for 1 hour with substantially uniform stirring using a magnetic stirrer . self - assembled sints with an average inner diameter of less than 5 nm and an average outer diameter of around 15 nm were formed . silicon oxide and water were mixed together to form a mixture of 0 . 5 % by weight , and the mixture was place in a sealed reaction kettle . the mixture was maintained at 500 ° c . under 8 mpa pressure for 1 hour with substantially uniform stirring using a magnetic stirrer . self - assembled sints with an average inner diameter of less than 5 nm and an average outer diameter of around 15 mm were formed . silicon oxide and water were mixed together to form a mixture of 1 % by weight , and the mixture was place in a sealed reaction kettle . the mixture was maintained at 300 ° c . under 10 mpa pressure for 3 hours with substantially uniform stirring using a magnetic stirrer . self - assembled sints with an average inner diameter of less than 5 nm and an average outer diameter of around 15 nm were formed . silicon oxide and water were mixed together to form a mixture of 4 % by weight , and the mixture was place in a sealed reaction kettle . the mixture was maintained at 380 ° c . under 15 mpa pressure for 1 hour with substantially uniform stirring using a magnetic stirrer . self - assembled sints with an average inner diameter of less than 5 nm and an average outer diameter of around 15 nm were formed . silicon oxide and water were mixed together to form a mixture of 6 % by weight , and the mixture was place in a sealed reaction kettle . the mixture was maintained at 500 ° c . under 20 mpa pressure for 1 hour with substantially uniform stirring using a magnetic stirrer . self - assembled sints with an average inner diameter of less than 5 nm and an average outer diameter of around 15 nm were formed . silicon oxide and water were mixed together to form a mixture of 6 % by weight , and the mixture was place in a sealed reaction kettle . the mixture was maintained at 380 ° c . under 8 mpa pressure for 3 hours with substantially uniform stirring using a magnetic stirrer . self - assembled sints with an average inner diameter of less than 5 nm and an average outer diameter of around 15 nm were formed . silicon oxide and water were mixed together to form a mixture of 8 % by weight , and the mixture was place in a sealed reaction kettle . the mixture was maintained at 500 ° c . under 30 mpa pressure for 2 hours with substantially uniform stirring using a magnetic stirrer . self - assembled sints with an average inner diameter of less than 5 nm and an average outer diameter of around 15 nm were formed . silicon oxide and water were mixed together to form a mixture of 10 % by weight , and the mixture was place in a sealed reaction kettle . the mixture was maintained at 500 ° c . under 30 mpa pressure for 4 hours with substantially uniform stirring using a magnetic stirrer . self - assembled sints with an average inner diameter of less than 5 nm and an average outer diameter of around 15 nm were formed . silicon oxide and water were mixed together to form a mixture of 8 % by weight , and the mixture was place in a sealed reaction kettle . the mixture was maintained at 450 ° c . under 30 mpa pressure for 3 hours with substantially uniform stirring using a magnetic stirrer . self - assembled sints with an average inner diameter of less than 5 nm and an average outer diameter of around 15 nm were formed . | 8 |
the following table provides a dictionary of the terms used in the description of the invention . table i______________________________________abbreviateddesignation______________________________________ amino acidglu l - glutamic acidasp l - aspartic acidphe l - phenylalaninetyr ( ome ) o - methyl - l - tyrosinetyr l - tyrosinehis l - histidineatg 2 -( 2 &# 39 ;- amino - 4 &# 39 ;- thiazolyl )- glycineatm 3 -( 2 &# 39 ;- amino - 4 &# 39 ;- thiazolyl )- alanineate 4 -( 2 &# 39 ;- amino - 4 &# 39 ;- imidazolyl )- ethylglycineahm 3 -( 2 &# 39 ;- amino - 4 &# 39 ;- imidazoyl )- alanineahy 4 -( 2 &# 39 ;- amino - 4 &# 39 ;- imidazoyl )- ethylglycine c - terminal groupcad ## str6 ## cst ## str7 ## sta ## str8 ## cdh ## str9 ## spi ## str10 ## aem ## str11 ## bheaea ## str12 ## mba ## str13 ## pip ## str14 ## solvents and reagentset . sub . 2 o diethyl etherchcl . sub . 3 chloroformdmf n , n - dimethylformamidedmso dimethylsulfoxidehobt hydroxybenzotriazoledcc n , n &# 39 ;- dicyclohexylcarbodiimidehoac acetic acidet . sub . 3 n triethylaminethf tetrahydrofuranch . sub . 2 cl . sub . 2 dichloromethanemeoh methanoletoac ethyl acetatedmap 4 -( n , n - dimethylamino ) pyridine______________________________________ the compounds of the present invention are represented by the formula ## str15 ## or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt thereof , wherein a is h , boc , bbsp , z , ## str16 ## wherein r and r 1 are each independently hydrogen or straight or branched chain lower alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or two hydroxy groups , one or two amino groups or ## str17 ## wherein this is a saturated ring containing two to five carbon atoms wherein q is ch 2 , o , s , or nr ; b is absent , phe , tyr , or tyr ( ome ) with the proviso that when a is bbsp , b is absent ; d is absent , oh , nr 2 r 3 wherein r 2 and r 3 are each independently hydrogen or straight or branched lower alkyl or when r 2 is hydrogen r 3 can also be --( ch 2 ) m x wherein m is an integer of from zero to eight and x is -- oh , ## str18 ## as defined above , or 4 , nr 5 r 6 wherein r 4 , r 5 , and r 6 are each independently hydrogen , straight or branched chain lower alkyl , substituted or unsubstituted by one or two hydroxy or amino groups with the proviso that when c is cad , d is absent ; e is hydrogen , z , boc , or lower alkanoyl , n is an integer of from 0 to 2 ; x and y are each independently o , s , n or nh and at least one of x and y must be n ; x and y cannot both be n . preferred compounds of the present invention are those of formula i wherein a is boc , bbsp , ## str19 ## b is absent , phe , or tyr ( ome ), c is cst , fco , fcs or cad ; d is absent or ## str20 ## with the proviso that when c is cad d is absent ; e is hydrogen or lower alkanoyl ; and n is one . more preferred compounds of the present invention are those of formula i wherein still more preferred compounds of the present invention are those of formula i wherein particularly preferred compounds falling within the scope of the invention include the following compounds , their isomers , and pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts : the p 2 in the present invention may have a substituent ( e ): e =( z ), ( ac ) or ( cho ), represented by the following abbreviation ; atm ( e ). the substituent is on the exocyclic nitrogen as shown by ## str23 ## the compounds include solvates and hydrates and pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts of the basic compounds of formula i above . the term pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt is intended to mean a relatively non - toxic acid addition salt either from inorganic or organic acids such as , for example , hydrochloric , hydrobromic , hydroiodic , sulfuric , phosphoric , acetic , citric , oxalic , malonic , salicylic , malic , benzoic , gluconic , fumaric , succinic , ascorbic , maleic , tartaric , methanesulfonic , and the like . the salts are prepared by contacting the free base form with a sufficient amount of the desired acid to produce a salt in the conventional manner . the free base forms may be regenerated by treating the salt form with a base . the compounds of the present invention possess one or more chiral centers and each center may exist in the r ( d ) or s ( l ) configuration . the present invention includes all enantiomeric , epimeric and tautomeric forms as well as the appropriate mixtures thereof . the s isomer at the p 2 position is the more preferred . some of the above novel compounds may be prepared in accordance with well - known procedures for preparing compounds from their constituent amino acids . other of the novel compounds of the present invention are prepared by a step - wise procedure or by a fragment coupling procedure depending upon the particular final product desired . a ) reacting an n - protecting amino acid with a desired amine to produce the corresponding amide , b ) deprotecting the n - protecting group of said amide and coupling it with a desired acid to produce a dipeptidyl like amide , and c ) further deprotecting the side chain functions on the amide to produce the desired compound of formula i and converting , if desired , to a pharmaceutically salt thereof . an alternate process for preparing a compound of formula i wherein c is fcs or fco comprises : a ) reacting an amino acid ester with troc protection on the side chain with an n - protected amino acid to produce a dipeptide ester which is then hydrolyzed to the corresponding dipeptide acid , b ) coupling the product of step a ) with an amine selected from the group consisting of fcs or fco to produce the troc - protected compound of claim 1 , and c ) deprotecting further , if desired , to produce a compound of claim 1 and converting , if desired , to a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . the following schemes illustrate novel methods of preparing certain compounds of the present invention . according to scheme i below , α - boc ,( 2 &# 39 ;-( z )- amino - 4 &# 39 ;- thiazolyl ) alanine ( 1 ) is reacted with cst - aem ( 2 ) to form an amide ( 3 ). the reaction takes place in an inert solvent such as ch 2 cl 2 or dmf with hobt and dcc at temperatures of - 20 ° to 30 ° c . the boc protecting group of ( 3 ) is removed with hcl gas or tfa in an inert solvent such as ch 2 cl 2 to give the amine ( 4 ). this amine ( 4 ) is coupled with smo - phe ( 5 ) in an inert solvent such as ch 2 cl 2 or dmf with hobt and dcc at temperatures from - 20 ° to 30 ° πc . to form ( 6 ), a compound of the present invention . furthermore , hydrogenolysis of ( 6 ) ( removal of z ) by stirring in methanol under a hydrogen atmosphere in the presence of 10 - 20 % palladium on carbon catalyst , with or without the presence of p - toluenesulfonic acid , forms ( 7 ) a compound of the present invention . scheme i can be modified to include the ( troc ) protecting group in place of ( z ) in order to improve the synthetic route and provide for the preparation of compounds containing fco and fcs . the troc protecting group is useful as it is easier to remove in going from step ( 6 ) to ( 7 ). the fco or fcs group is more stable in this situation . ## str24 ## the strategy of peptide chain assembly and selection and removal of protecting groups is discussed in chapter 1 , &# 34 ; the peptide bond ,&# 34 ; in &# 34 ; the peptides . analysis , synthesis , biology ,&# 34 ; e . gross and j . meienhofer , eds ., academic press , new york , n . y ., 1979 , vol . 1 , pp . 42 - 44 . the dcc / hobt method of coupling is well - known to those skilled in the art and is discussed in chapter 5 , &# 34 ; the carbodiimide method &# 34 ; by d . h . rich and j . singh in &# 34 ; the peptides . analysis , synthesis , biology ,&# 34 ; e . gross and j . meienhofer , eds ., academic press , new york , n . y ., 1979 , vol . 1 , pp . 241 - 261 . peptide coupling depends on activating the carboxy terminus of the amino protected amino acid and condensing it with another peptide containing a free amino terminus . in addition to the dcc coupling method described above , other methods of activating the carboxyl group of a protected amino acid include : 2 ) the mixed anhydride method -- described in chapter 6 of the above reference . 3 ) the active ester method -- described in chapter 3 of the above reference . the term lower alkyl refers to straight or branched chain alkyl radicals containing from one to six carbon atoms including but not limited to methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , isopropyl , n - butyl , iso - butyl , sec - butyl , 2 - methylhexyl , n - pentyl , 1 - methylbutyl , 2 , 2 - dimethylbutyl , 2 - methylpentyl , 2 , 2 - dimethylpropyl , n - hexyl , and the like . the term lower alkanoyl means refers to alkanoyl groups of from one to four carbon atoms . the compounds of the present invention are useful for treating renin - associated hypertension , congestive heart failure , hyperaldosteronism , and other related illnesses . they are useful as agents in treating glaucoma . they are also useful as diagnostic tools for determining the presence of renin - associated hypertension or hyperaldosteronism . pharmaceutical compositions which comprise an effective amount of the compound in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier are part of the present invention . an important aspect of the present invention is a method of treating renin - associated hypertension in a mammal which comprises administering a pharmaceutical composition containing an effective amount of a compound of the invention in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to the mammal . another equally important aspect of the present invention is a method of treating hyperaldosteronism in a mammal which comprises administering a pharmaceutical composition containing an effective amount of a compound of the invention in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to the mammal . an additional aspect of the present invention is a method for treating congestive heart failure in a mammal which comprises administering a pharmaceutical composition containing an effective amount of a compound in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to the mammal . yet another aspect of the present invention is a process for preparing a compound of formula i according to claim 1 . the effectiveness of the aforementioned compounds is determined by a test for in vitro renin inhibitory activity . this activity is determined by a standard radioimmunoassay for angiotensin i . in this assay the enzyme , renin , incubated for 2 hours at 37 ° c . in the presence of a substrate , angiotensinogen , generates the product , angiotensin i . test compounds are added to the incubation mixture . relative activity is reported as the ic 50 , which is the molar concentration of test compound causing a 50 % inhibition of the renin activity . the compounds of the present invention have the advantages of increased stability toward chymotrypsin hydrolysis , which is described by j med chem , vol . 31 , no . 2 , page 292 , 1988 . this property makes the compounds more stable in vivo and therefore they exhibit a longer duration of in vivo activity . compounds of this invention have also demonstrated in vivo activity represented by lowering blood pressure in conscious monkeys . in vivo effectiveness is determined by their effect on blood pressure in unanesthetized , sodium - deplete , normotensive rhesus or cynomolgus monkeys . the following describes this test . monkeys were acclimated to a low sodium diet and trained to rest quietly in a restraining device . next , vascular access ports were surgically implanted for intravenous administration of test compounds and direct measurement of blood pressure . at least one week was allowed for recovery from surgery before sodium depletion was accomplished by giving furosemide ( 1 mg / kg / day , im ) for 4 consecutive days . on the seventh day animals were removed from their home cage and placed in the restraining device . after a 20 - to 30 - minute acclimation period , a control blood sample ( arterial ) was taken for determination of plasma renin activity ( pra ). next , either vehicle ( absolute ethanol , 0 . 2 ml / kg ) or test compound ( 5 mg / kg ) was infused intravenously over a 10 - minute period . blood pressure was monitored continuously throughout the entire pre - and post - dose period . blood samples were taken at the mid - point of the infusion and at 0 , 15 , 30 , and 60 minutes post infusion . the compounds of the present invention also possess the advantage of increased selectivity toward the renin enzyme versus other aspartyl protease enzymes . table ii______________________________________in vitro renin inhibition ic . sub . 50 ( nm , or % inhibitioncompound at concentration ) ______________________________________smo -- phe -- atm -- cad ( isomer a ) 0 . 38smo -- phe -- atm -- cad ( isomer b ) 0 . 76 ( impure sample ) smo -- phe -- atm ( z )-- cad 0 % at 10 . sup .- 8boc -- phe -- atm -- cst -- aem 15 % at 10 . sup .- 8smo -- phe -- atm -- sta -- mba 480boc -- phe -- atg -- sta -- mba 44 % at 10 . sup .- 6smo -- phe -- atm -- cst -- aem 49 . 9 % at 10 . sup .- 6 ( isomer a ) smo -- phe -- atm -- cst -- aem 3 . 4 ( isomer b ) smo -- tyr ( ome )-- atm -- cad 0 . 34 ( isomer a ) smo -- tyr ( ome )-- atm -- cad 66 ( isomer b ) smo -- phe -- atm ( z )-- cst -- aem 11 . 4 % at 10 . sup .- 8 ( isomer a ) smo -- phe -- atm ( z )-- cst -- aem 25 . 5 % at 10 . sup .- 8 ( isomer b ) smo -- phe -- atg -- cad 0 . 58smo -- phe -- atm ( z )-- fcs -- aem 164smo -- phe -- atm -- fcs -- aem 0 . 58smo -- phe -- atm -- cdh 0 . 27smo -- phe -- ate -- cad 15 . 3smo -- phe -- ate ( z )-- cad na at 10 . sup .- 8smo -- phe -- atg ( z )-- fcs -- aem na at 10 . sup .- 8smo -- phe -- atm -- fco -- aemsmo -- phe -- atm -- cst -- bheaea 3 . 6spi -- phe -- atm -- cad 0 . 16______________________________________ table iii______________________________________in vitro chymotrypsin stability percent parent remaining ( 3 hrs ) buffer buffer + only chymotrypsin______________________________________smo -- phe --( s ) atm -- cad 100 100smo -- tyr ( ome )-- atm -- cad 100 100 ( isomer a ) ______________________________________ table iv______________________________________in vivo blood pressure lowering by renin inhibitorssmo -- phe --( s ) atm -- cad ( mm hg drop in mean b . p . ) po dose n at 1 hr 2 hr 4 hr 6 hr max______________________________________10 mg / kg 4 14 20 15 12 2330 mg / kg 6 30 34 29 29 38______________________________________ as can be seen from the above tables , the compounds of the present invention have a significant effect on the activity of renin and thus are useful for the treatment of hypertension , hyperaldosteronism , and congestive heart failure . the compounds of the instant invention , when tested by measuring the effect on intraocular pressure in rabbits as described by tinjum , a . m ., acta ophthalmologica 50 , 677 ( 1972 ), are expected to inhibit antiglaucoma activity . for preparing pharmaceutical compositions from the compounds described by this invention , inert , pharmaceutically acceptable carriers can be either solid or liquid . solid form preparations include powders , tablets , dispersible granules , capsules , cachets , and suppositories . a solid carrier can be one or more substances which may also act as diluents , flavoring agents , solubilizers , lubricants , suspending agents , binders , or tablet disintegrating agents ; it can also be encapsulating material . in powders , the carrier is a finely divided solid which is in admixture with the finely divided compound . in the tablet the active compound is mixed with carrier having the necessary binding properties in suitable proportions and compacted in the shape and size desired . the powder and tablets preferably contain from 5 to 10 to about 70 percent of the active ingredient . suitable solid carriers are magnesium carbonate , magnesium stearate , talc , sugar , tragacanth , methylcellulose , a low melting wax , cocoa butter , and the like . the term &# 34 ; preparation &# 34 ; is intended to include the formulation of the active compound with encapsulating material as carrier providing a capsule in which the active component ( with or without other carriers ) is surrounded by carrier , which is thus in association with it . similarly , cachets are included . tablets , powders , cachets , and capsules can be used as solid dosage forms suitable for oral administration . the compound of the present invention may be administered orally , buccally , parenterally , by inhalation spray , rectally , or topically in dosage unit formulations containing conventional nontoxic pharmaceutically acceptable carriers , adjuvants and vehicles as desired . the term parenteral as used herein includes subcutaneous injections , intravenous , intramuscular , intrasternal injection , or infusion techniques . for preparing suppositories , a low melting wax such as a mixture of fatty acid glycerides or cocoa butter is first melted , and the active ingredient is dispersed homogeneously therein by stirring . the molten homogeneous mixture is then poured into convenient sized molds , allowed to cool , and thereby solidify . liquid form preparations include solutions , suspensions , and emulsions . as an example may be mentioned water or water / propylene glycol solutions for parenteral injection . liquid preparations can also be formulated in solution in aqueous polyethyleneglycol solution . aqueous suspensions suitable for oral use can be made by dispersing the finely divided active component in water with viscous material , i . e ., natural or synthetic gums , resins , methylcellulose , sodium carboxymethylcellulose , and other well - known suspending agents . also included are solid form preparations which are intended to be converted , shortly before use , to liquid form preparations for either oral or parenteral administration . such liquid forms include solutions , suspensions , and emulsions . these particular solid form preparations are most conveniently provided in unit dosage form and as such are used to provide a single liquid dosage unit . alternately , sufficient solid may be provided so that after conversion to liquid form , multiple individual liquid doses may be obtained by measuring predetermined volumes of the liquid form preparation as with a syringe , teaspoon , or other volumetric container . when multiple liquid doses are so prepared , it is preferred to maintain the unused portion of said liquid doses at low temperature ( i . e ., under refrigeration ) in order to retard possible decomposition . the solid form preparations intended to be converted to liquid form may contain , in addition to the active material , flavorants , colorants , stabilizers , buffers , artificial and natural sweeteners , dispersants , thickeners , solubilizing agents , and the like . the liquid utilized for preparing the liquid form preparation may be water , isotonic water , ethanol , glycerine , propylene glycol , and the like , as well as mixtures thereof . naturally , the liquid utilized will be chosen with regard to the route of administration , for example , liquid preparations containing large amounts of ethanol are not suitable for parenteral use . preferably , the pharmaceutical preparation is in unit dosage form . in such form , the preparation is subdivided into unit doses containing appropriate quantities of the active component . the unit dosage form can be a packaged preparation , the package containing discrete quantities of preparation , for example , packeted tablets , capsules , and powders in vials or ampules . the unit dosage form can also be a capsule , cachet , or tablet itself , or it can be the appropriate number of any of these in packaged form . the quantity of active compound in a unit dose of preparation may be varied or adjusted from 1 mg to 500 mg , preferably 5 to 100 mg according to the particular application and the potency of the active ingredient . the compositions can , if desired , also contain other compatible therapeutic agents . in therapeutic use as renin inhibitors , the mammalian dosage range for a 70 - kg subject is from 1 to 2500 mg per day or preferably 25 to 750 mg per day optionally in divided portions . the dosages , however , per day may be varied depending upon the requirements of the patient , the severity of the condition being treated , and the compound being employed . determination of the proper dosage for a particular situation is within the skill of the art . generally , treatment is initiated with small dosages which are less than the optimum dose of the compound . thereafter the dosage is increased by small increments until the optimum effect under the circumstances is reached . for convenience , the total daily dosage may be divided and administered in portions during the day if desired . in therapeutic use as an antiglaucoma agent , the compound may also be administered as a topical corneal application of a solution containing the compound in amounts as known to one skilled in the treatment . the present invention includes combinations of novel renin - inhibiting compounds of formula i with one or more antihypertensive agents selected from the group consisting of diuretics , α - and / or β - adrenergic blocking agents , calcium channel blocking agents , central nervous system - acting agents , adrenergic neuron blocking agents , vasodilators , angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors , and other antihypertensive agents . the following examples are provided to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention . these examples are not intended in any way to limit the scope of the invention but are illustrative thereof . a mixture of smo - phe ( 0 . 786 g ), hobt ( 0 . 339 g ), and dcc ( 0 . 516 g ) was stirred at 0 ° c . and treated with atm ( z )- cad ( 1 . 4 g ). the mixture was warmed to room temperature and stirred overnight . the reaction mixture was filtered free of precipitate and the filtrate evaporated in vacuo . the residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate ( 100 ml ) and washed successively with 1m citric acid ( 100 ml ), saturated nahco 3 ( 100 ml ) and saturated salt solution ( 100 ml ). the organics were dried over mgso 4 and evaporated in vacuo to give a yellow foam . the foam was chromatographed over silica gel to give 1 . 5 g of the product as a mixture of two diastereomers ; mp 95 °- 97 ° c . analyzed for c 41 h 58 n o 9 s 2 • 0 . 5 chcl 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 55 . 82 ; h , 6 . 61 ; n , 9 . 43 found : c , 56 . 06 ; h , 6 , 68 ; n , 9 . 15 the product was synthesized as in example 1 , from smo - tyr ( ome ) ( 0 . 860 g ), hobt ( 0 . 338 g ), dcc ( 0 . 516 g ), and atm ( z )- cad ( 1 . 4 g ). this gave 1 . 3 g of the product as a mixture of diastereomers , mp 101 °- 107 ° c . analyzed for c 42 h 56 n 6 o 9 s 2 • 0 . 5 ether calc &# 39 ; d : c , 58 . 06 ; h , 7 . 21 ; n , 9 . 23 found : c , 58 . 39 ; h , 6 . 93 , n , 9 . 05 the product was synthesized as in example 1 from boc - phe ( 0 . 451 g ), hobt ( 0 . 230 g ), dcc ( 0 . 351 g ), and atm ( z )- cst - aem ( 1 . 2 g ). this gave 1 . 2 g of product . this material was used to prepare the product of example 4 . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . boc - phe - atm ( z )- cst - aem ( 1 . 05 g ) was slurried with 20 % pd / c ( 0 . 3 g ) and p - toluenesulfonic acid ( 0 . 476 g ) in methanol ( 25 ml ) under a hydrogen atmosphere . the mixture was stirred for 2 hours , filtered free of catalyst , and evaporated in vacuo . the residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate ( 75 ml ). the organic phase was washed with sodium carbonate ( 75 ml ) and sodium chloride ( 50 ml ), then dried over mgso 4 and evaporated in vacuo . the residue was co - evaporated once with methanol ( 10 ml ) to give 0 . 63 g of the product as a white foam as a mixture of diastereomers , mp 95 °- 103 ° c . analyzed for c 37 h 57 n 7 o 7 s • 0 . 9 meoh calc &# 39 ; d : c , 58 . 90 ; h , 7 . 90 ; n , 12 . 69 found : c , 59 . 15 ; h , 8 . 05 ; n , 12 . 37 the product was synthesized as in example 1 from smo - phe ( 0 . 817 g ), hobt ( 0 . 351 g ), dcc ( 0 . 536 g ), and atm ( z )- cst - aem ( 1 . 7 g ). this gave 2 . 0 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers which were separated by chromatography over silica gel . the fast eluting isomer is isomer a . analyzed for c 44 h 62 n 8 o 10 s 2 • 0 . 4 chcl 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 54 . 70 ; h , 6 . 45 ; n , 11 . 49 found : c , 54 . 66 ; h , 6 . 64 ; n , 11 . 37 analyzed for c 44 h 62 n 8 o 10 s 2 • 0 . 4 chcl 3 ) calc &# 39 ; d : c , 54 . 70 ; h , 6 . 45 ; n , 11 . 49 found : c , 54 . 46 ; h , 6 . 58 ; n , 11 . 56 the product was synthesized as in example 4 from smo - phe - atm ( z )- cst - aem ( isomer a ) ( 0 . 717 g ), p - toluenesulfonic acid ( 0 . 366 g ) and 20 % pd / c ( 0 . 3 g ). this gave 0 . 427 g of product as a white solid , mp 109 °- 119 ° c . analyzed for c 26 h 56 n 8 o 8 s 2 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 53 . 80 ; h , 7 . 35 ; n , 13 . 53 found : c , 53 . 70 ; h , 7 . 33 ; n , 13 . 48 the product was synthesized as in example 4 from smo - phe - atm ( z )- cst - aem ( isomer b ) ( 0 . 883 g ), p - toluenesulfonic acid ( 0 . 453 g ) and 20 % pd / c ( 0 . 4 g ). this gave 0 . 544 g of product as a white foam , mp 100 °- 113 ° c . analyzed for c 36 h 56 n 8 o 8 s 2 • 1 . 3meoh calc &# 39 ; d : c , 53 . 67 ; h , 7 . 39 ; n , 13 . 43 found : c , 54 . 01 ; h , 7 . 40 ; n , 13 . 19 the product was synthesized as in example 4 from smo - phe - atm ( z )- cad ( 4 . 8 g ), p - toluenesulfonic acid ( 2 . 182 g ), and 20 % pd / c ( 0 . 4 g ). this gave 0 . 91 g of a mixture of diastereomers as a white foam , which were separated by chromatography over silica gel . analyzed for c 33 h 52 n 6 o 7 s 2 • 0 . 1ch 2 cl 2 • 0 . 4 etoac calc &# 39 ; d : c , 55 . 37 ; h , 7 . 42 ; n , 11 . 17 found : c , 55 . 40 ; h , 7 . 28 ; n , 10 . 94 analyzed for c 33 h 52 n 6 o 7 s 2 • 0 . 1ch 2 cl 2 • 0 . 4 etoac calc &# 39 ; d : c , 55 . 37 ; h , 7 . 42 ; n , 11 . 17 found : c , 55 . 09 ; h , 7 . 25 ; n , 10 . 86 the product was synthesized as in example 1 from smo - phe ( 0 . 628 g ), et , n : ( 0 . 505 g ), hob7 ( 0 . 270 g ), dcc ( 0 . 413 g ) and ( s )- atm - cad • 2hcl ( 1 . 1 g ). the crude product was chromatographed over silica gel to give 0 . 375 g of the pure compound as a single diastereomer , mp 106 °- 113 ° c . analyzed for c 33 h 52 n 6 o 7 s 2 • 0 . 3 etoac calc &# 39 ; d : c , 55 . 86 ; h , 7 . 46 ; n , 11 . 43 found : c , 55 . 51 ; h , 7 . 50 ; n , 11 . 37 a solution of 10 . 60 g smo - phe -( s ) atm ( troc )- cad ( 12 . 0 mmol ) was dissolved in 250 ml 4 : 1 , thf ( freshly distilled )/ meoh , in a 500 ml roundbottom flask at room temperature under a nitrogen atmosphere . to this was added 6 . 41 g ammonium chloride 10 equivalents , and 1 . 57 g zinc dust , 2 equivalents . the reaction was stirred vigorously at ambient temperature . after 2 hours another two equivalents of zinc was added . after another 2 hours , another 2 equivalents for a total of 6 equivalents zinc . after 5 . 5 hours the reaction mixture was filtered and concentrated to afford 10 . 96 g white foam . the reaction mixture was chromatographed ( sio 2 , 1 : 1 ethyl acetate / ch 2 ). a solid of 1 . 02 g was filtered from the sample prior to introduction onto the column . product of 6 . 47 g was isolated . mass spectrum m / e = 709 . 2 . the product was synthesized as in example 4 from smo - tyr ( ome )- atm ( z )- cad ( 1 . 4 g ), p - toluenesulfonic acid ( 0 . 610 g ) and 20 % pd / c ( 0 . 25 g ). this gave 1 . 1 g of a mixture of diastereomers as a white foam . the isomers were separated by chromatography over silica gel . analyzed for c 34 h 54 n 6 o 8 s 2 • meoh • h 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 53 . 28 ; h , 7 . 66 ; n , 10 . 65 found : c , 53 . 39 ; h , 7 . 23 ; n , 10 . 41 isomer b ( 0 . 240 g ), mp 106 °- 116 ° c . analyzed for c 34 h 54 n 6 o 8 s 7 • 1 . 5meoh calc &# 39 ; d : c , 54 . 17 ; h , 7 . 68 ; n , 10 . 68 found : c , 54 . 24 ; h , 7 . 36 ; n , 10 . 67 the product was formed as in example 1 from smo - phe ( 0 . 517 g ), hobt ( 0 . 222 g ), dcc ( 0 . 339 g ), and atm ( z )- sta - mba ( 0 . 90 g ). this gave 1 . 1 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers as a white foam , mp 97 °- 103 ° c . analyzed for c 40 h 57 n 7 o 9 s 2 • 1 . 5meoh calc &# 39 ; d : c , 55 . 87 ; h , 7 . 11 ; n , 10 . 99 found : c , 55 . 51 ; h , 6 . 71 ; n , 10 . 83 the product was synthesized as in example 4 from smo - phe - atm ( z )- sta - mba ( 1 . 0 g ), p - toluenesulfonic acid ( 0 . 228 g ) and 20 % pd / c ( 0 . 3 g ). this gave 0 . 399 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers , mp 97 °- 108 ° c . analyzed for c 32 h 51 n 7 o 7 s 2 • 0 . 65et 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 54 . 82 ; h , 7 . 65 ; n , 12 . 94 found : c , 54 . 73 ; h , 7 . 57 ; n , 12 . 97 the product was synthesized as in example 1 from atg ( z )- sta - mba ( 1 . 6 g ), hobt ( 0 . 419 g ), dcc ( 0 . 640 g ), and boc - phe ( 0 . 796 g ). this gave 1 . 6 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers as a light yellow foam , mp 108 °- 118 ° c . analyzed for c 40 h 56 n 6 o 8 s ( 99 %) calc &# 39 ; d : c , 60 . 89 ; h , 7 . 16 ; n , 10 . 65 found : c , 60 . 98 ; h , 7 . 19 ; n , 10 . 55 the product was synthesized as in example 4 from boc - phe - atg ( z )- sta - mba ( 1 . 5 g ), p - toluenesulfonic acid ( 0 . 38 g ) and 10 % pd / c . this gave 0 . 31 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers as a white solid , mp 174 °- 176 ° c . analyzed for c 32 h 50 n 6 o 6 s ( 99 %) calc &# 39 ; d : c , 59 . 79 ; h , 7 . 72 ; n , 12 . 87 found : c , 59 . 97 ; h , 7 . 99 ; n , 13 . 06 a solution of 2 . 10 g ( troc ) spi - phe ( 4 . 30 mmol ) in 30 ml dmf was treated with 0 . 89 g dcc ( 4 . 30 mmol ) and 0 . 58 g hobt ( 4 . 30 mmol ). the materials were allowed to stir at 15 ° c . for 30 minutes . then 2 . 50 g of ( s ) atm ( troc )- cad ( 4 . 25 mmol ) in 10 ml mdf was added and the ice bath removed . the mixture continued stirring at rt for 48 hours . the reaction mixture was filtered and evaporated in vacuo . the residue was taken up in ch 2 cl 2 and washed with 5 % na 2 co 3 and saturated nacl . the organic layer was dried over mgso 4 and evaporated . chromatography on silica gel eluting with a gradient of straight chcl 3 to 2 % meoh in chcl 3 gave 3 . 95 g of product . structure was confirmed by nmr spectroscopy . a solution of 2 . 00 g troc - spi - phe -( s ) atm -( troc )- cad ( 1 . 89 mmol ) in a 1 : 1 mixture of 40 ml hoac : meoh was treated with 3 . 50 g zinc dust . these materials were sonicated at ambient bath temperature under n 2 atmosphere for 7 hours . the reaction mixture was diluted with et 2 o , filtered , and evaporated . the residue was taken up in etoac and washed twice with saturated nahco 3 . the organic layer was dried over mgso 4 , and evaporated . chromatography on silica gel eluting with a gradient 2 to 8 % meoh in chcl 3 gave 0 . 47 g of the product . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . analyzed for for c 33 h 53 n 7 s 2 o 6 . 1 . 0 ch 2 cl 2 ( mw 792 . 89 ): calc &# 39 ; d : c , 51 . 54 ; h , 6 . 99 ; n , 12 . 37 found : c , 51 . 21 ; h , 6 . 77 ; n , 12 . 26 . a solution of 0 . 89 g ( boc )-( s ) atm ( troc )- cdh was dissolved in ch 2 cl 2 and cooled in an ice bath . hcl was bubbled through for 10 minutes , and the reaction stirred an additional 30 minutes , then concentrated to give 0 . 91 g off - white foam . this was redissolved in ch 2 cl 2 and cooled , and 0 . 42 g smo - phe , 0 . 27 g dcc , 0 . 18 g hobt , and 0 . 48 g dmap added . after coming to ambient temperature overnight , the reaction mixture was filtered and washed sequentially with 5 % citric acid , saturated nahco 3 , and saturated nacl , then concentrated . the 1 . 12 g solid was chromatographed ( sio 2 , etoac ), and 0 . 71 g product collected . mass spectrum m / e = 872 . a compound of 0 . 68 smo - phe -( s ) atm ( troc )- cdh was dissolved in 4 : 1 thf / meoh . ammonium chloride of 0 . 35 g and 0 . 10 g zinc dust were added and the reaction stirred at room temperature . after 1 hour another 0 . 10 g zinc was added , and another 0 . 10 g zinc after 2 hours . after 5 hours the reaction mixture was filtered and concentrated . the residue was dissolved in methanol and 10 ml hoac added , along with 0 . 30 g zinc . the reaction was heated ; after 45 minutes another 0 . 30 g zinc and reaction stirred for an hour . after cooling the mixture was filtered , diluted with et 2 o , and poured in nahco 3 solution . the layers were separated , the aqueous washed with more ether , and the combined organics concentrated to give ca . 1 . 3 g glass . this acid sequence was repeated , and worked up by concentration of the filtrate , dissolving in etoac and a nahco 3 wash . concentration of the organics gave 0 . 41 g solid which was chromatographed ( sio 2 , 95 % chcl 3 5 % meoh ). product of 0 . 32 g was obtained . mass spectrum m / e = 695 . a solution of 32 . 93 g ( boc )-( s ) atm ( troc )- cad ( 47 . 8 mmol ), milled , was suspended in ether / methanol ( 300 ml / 20 ml ) and cooled in ice water bath . hcl was bubbled through for 20 minutes . an initial white precipitate went back into solution during this time . the reaction mixture was stored in the refrigerator overnight . the reaction mixture was concentrated , the foam stirred vigorously with ether and the resulting white solid filtered and dried to afford 27 . 5 g powder ( 44 . 0 mmol , 92 % as amine hydrochloride , subsequent calculations based on this ). the material was used without further purification . this amine was suspended in 500 ml ch 2 cl 2 , the flask cooled in ice water bath , and 13 . 83 g smo - phe , 5 . 96 g hobt , 5 . 83 g dmap , and 9 . 06 g dcc added . the mixture was allowed to come to ambient temperature overnight . it was filtered , and the filtrate washed sequentially with water , 5 % aqueous citric acid , saturated nahco 3 , and saturated nacl , then dried over na 2 so 4 and concentrated to give 31 . 23 g white foam . this material was chromatographed in two lots ( sio 2 , eluting with 2 : 1 ethyl acetate / hexane ). total 11 . 38 g desired product isolated . mass spectrum m / e = 885 . to smo - phe ( 0 . 87 g , 2 . 46 mmol ) and hobt ( 0 . 37 g , 2 . 76 &# 39 ; mmol ) in anhydrous dmf ( 20 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added dcc ( 0 . 57 g , 2 . 76 mmol ) in dmf ( 5 ml ) followed by ( s ) atm ( troc )- fcs - aem ( 1 . 95 g , 2 . 76 mmol ) in dmf ( 5 ml ). after stirring for 2 hours , the reaction was allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for a further 16 hours . the precipitated dicyclohexylurea was removed by filtration and the solvent evaporated under reduced pressure . the crude residue was taken up in ethyl acetate and washed with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate followed by brine . after drying ( na 2 so 4 ), filtration and evaporation of the solvent the crude product was chromatographed on silica gel eluting with 5 % methanol in dichloromethane . the structure of the major product ( 1 . 35 g , 49 %), obtained as a white foam , was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy ; ms ( fab ); mh + 1005 . 3 ; ( hplc - 98 % purity ). analyzed for c39h 55 n 8 o 10 s 2 o 3 f 2 • 0 . 2ch 2 cl 2 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 46 . 09 ; h , 5 . 42 ; n , 10 . 97 ; s , 6 . 28 found : c , 45 . 77 ; h , 5 . 55 ; n , 10 . 82 ; s , 6 . 09 to smo - phe -( s ) atm ( troc )- fcs - aem ( 1 . 95 g , 1 . 94 mmol ) in anhydrous ch 2 cl 2 ( 40 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added dichloroacetic acid ( 0 . 23 ml , 2 . 91 mmol ) followed by dcc ( 4 . 02 g , 19 . 4 mmol ) in ch 2 cl 2 ( 5 ml ) and finally anhydrous dmso ( 3 . 2 ml , 19 . 4 mmol ). after 2 hours at 0 ° c ., the reaction was allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for a further 16 hours . after recooling to 0 ° c . a solution of oxalic acid ( 3 . 05 g ) in methanol ( 30 ml ) was added dropwise to the reaction mixture . after stirring for 20 minutes , the suspension was filtered and evaporated under reduced pressure . the residue was taken up in ethyl acetate and refiltered . after evaporation , this procedure was repeated once more . evaporation under reduced pressure gave smo - phe -( s ) atm ( troc )- fco - aem as a viscous yellow oil . this was dissolved in a mixture of methanol and thf ( 1 : 4 , 30 ml total ). activated zinc dust ( 325 mesh ) ( 0 . 27 g , 3 . 86 mmol ) and excess solid ammonium chloride ( 2 g ) was added and the suspension stirred rapidly for 30 hours . further zinc dust ( 0 . 27 g ) was added after 15 hours . diethyl ether ( 30 ml ) was added and the reaction mixture filtered and evaporated under reduced pressure to give a white foam . the foam was dissolved in a 4 : 1 mixture of h 2 o and h 3 po 4 ( 200 ml ) and washed twice with portions of ethyl acetate ( 50 ml ). the combined organic solution was extracted once with 20 % aqueous h 3 po 4 ( 100 ml ). the combined aqueous extracts were washed once more with ethyl acetate ( 50 ml ) and then cooled to 0 ° c . and brought to ph 4 . 5 by careful addition of ammonium hydroxide ( followed with ph meter ). the solution was then extracted several times with ethyl acetate and dried ( na 2 so 4 ). after evaporation under reduced pressure the crude product was obtained as a yellow foam ( 1 . 20 g ). column chromatography eluting with 5 to & gt ; 10 % gradient of methanol in ethyl acetate on silica gel gave purified product . combination of the relevant fractions gave a major diastereoisomer ( 0 . 50 g ) [ indicated by hplc & gt ; 95 % purity as a 98 : 2 mix as isomers ]. the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . the compound was converted to the methanesulphonic acid salt : analyzed for c 36 h 52 n 8 o 8 f 2 s 2 ch 3 so 3 h • 3 . 2 h 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 45 . 31 ; h , 6 . 41 ; n , 11 . 42 ; s , 9 . 81 found : c , 45 . 31 ; h , 6 . 46 ; n , 11 . 18 ; s , 9 . 49 me + ; 827 . 0 . a solution of 1 . 41 g ( 4 . 4 mmol ) of smo - phe , 0 . 53 g ( 4 . 4 mmol ) of et 3 n , 0 . 62 g ( 4 . 4 mmol ) of hobt , and 2 . 5 g ( 4 . 4 mmol ) of atg ( z )- cad • hcl in a mixture of 40 ml of ch 2 cl 2 and 5 ml of dmf was cooled in ice and treated with 0 . 97 g ( 4 . 4 mmol ) of dcc in 5 ml of ch 2 cl 2 . after 0 . 5 hours at 0 ° c ., the mixture was allowed to stir at room temperature for 48 hours . the urea was filtered off and the residue was washed with ch 2 cl 2 . the filtrate and the washings were combined , and washed successively with water , saturated nahco 3 , and brine . drying and removal of the solvent under reduced pressure gave the crude product . this was purified via chromatography ( sio 2 , ch 2 cl 2 / ch 3 oh 5 %) to give 3 . 4 g of product . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . ( m + 1 ion peak at 829 ). a solution of 2 g of smo - phe - atg ( z )- cad in meoh ( 75 ml ) containing 0 . 87 g of p - toluene sulfonic acid and 0 . 5 g of 20 % pd / c was saturated with hydrogen . methanol was stripped and the residue was taken up in etoac . the solution was washed with nahco 3 , followed by brine , dried and stripped to yield a foam ( 1 . 6 g ). it was chromatographed ( sio 2 70 g ; ch 2 cl 2 / ch 3 oh 5 %) to obtain 1 . 1 g of the product . mass spectrum indicate ( m + 1 ) ion peak at 695 . nmr was consistent with the desired product . analyzed for c 32 h 50 n 6 o 7 s 2 • 0 . 5 h 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 54 . 60 ; h , 7 . 25 ; n , 11 . 94 found : c , 54 . 60 ; h , 7 . 36 ; n , 12 . 17 boc -( s ) ate ( z )- cad ( 2 . 38 g ) was added to hcl saturated ch 2 cl 2 at 0 ° c . and stirred for 1 hour . the reaction mixture was concentrated to 2 . 3 g pale yellow foam which was used without further purification . the amine hydrochloride was dissolved in ch 2 cl 2 at 0 ° c . and to this added 1 . 13 g smo - phe , 0 . 74 g dcc , 0 . 49 g hobt ( 1 equivalent each ) and 1 . 00 g dmap ( 2 . 27 equivalents ). the reaction was allowed to come to ambient temperature overnight , then filtered and washed sequentially with 5 % aqueous citric acid , saturated nahco 3 , aqueous saturated nacl , and dried ( mgso 4 ). after concentration , the residue was chromatographed ( sio 2 , 95 % chcl 3 5 % meoh ) to give 2 . 27 g of product . mass spectrum m / e = 857 smo - phe -( s ) ate ( z )- cad ( 2 . 05 g ) was dissolved in methanol to which was added 0 . 40 g 20 % pd / c and 1 . 18 g tosyl acid . this was put under a hydrogen atmosphere with stirring for 15 hours , then filtered and concen - trated to give 1 . 21 g off - white foam . this was chromatographed ( sio 2 , etoac ), and 0 . 51 g product isolated . mass spectrum m / e = 723 . 3 the product was synthesized as in example 1 from 2 . 8 g smo - phe -( s ) atm ( z ), 0 . 554 g hobt , 0 . 846 g dcc , and 1 . 5 g fcs - aem . chromatography ( silica gel ) with 0 to & gt ; 10 % meoh gradient in ch 2 cl 2 gave 2 . 0 g product . mp = 96 °- 109 ° c . analyzed for c 44 h 60 f 2 n 8 o 10 s 2 • 0 . 9ch 3 oh calc &# 39 ; d : c , 54 . 36 ; h , 6 . 46 ; n , 11 . 30 found : c , 54 . 06 ; h , 6 . 38 ;&# 39 ; n , 11 . 33 the compound was synthesized as in example 4 from 1 . 6 g smo - phe -( s ) atm ( z )- fcs - aem and 0 . 4 g 20 % pd / c . silica gel chromatography with a 5 to 10 % methanol gradient in chcl 3 gave 0 . 561 g product . mp = 103 °- 115 ° c . analyzed for c 36 h 54 f 2 n 8 o 8 s 2 • 0 . 6 chcl3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 48 . 81 ; h , 6 . 11 ; n , 12 . 44 found : c , 48 . 74 ; h , 6 . 25 ; n , 12 . 23 to boc - atm ( z )- cst - bheaea ( 3 . 2 g ) in 60 ml ch 2 cl 2 and 10 ml of methanol was added hcl ( g ) for 10 minutes . the solution was evaporated in vacuo to dryness . the residue was dissolved in dmf and treated with diisopropyl ethyl amine until basic to wet litmus . the new solution was treated with smo - phe ( 1 . 34 g ), hobt ( 0 . 61 g ), and dcc ( 0 . 94 g ). the mixture was filtered and evaporated to give 4 . 61 g crude material . the product was purified by silica gel chromatography . eluting with 19 : 1 , ch 2 cl 2 : meoh , gave 1 . 18 g pure product ms ( fab ) m + = 945 . 4 . the structure was confirmed by ir , nmr , and mass spectroscopy . the product was prepared as in example 4 from smo - phe - atm ( z )- cst - bheaea ( 1 . 06 g ), p - tsoh ( 0 . 6 g ), 20 % pd / c ( 0 . 6 g ) in meoh ( 40 ml ). this gave 0 . 34 g product after silica gel chromatography ( 19 : 1 , ch 2 cl 2 : meoh ). mp = 93 °- 96 ° c . analyzed for c 36 h 58 n 8 o 9 s 2 . • 0 . 85chcl 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 48 . 50 ; h , 6 . 50 ; n , 12 . 28 found : c , 48 . 56 ; h , 6 . 65 ; n , 12 . 07 the compound was synthesized as in example 1 from smo - phe ( 0 . 993 g ), hobt ( 0 . 43 g ), dcc ( 0 . 65 g ) and ( s ) atm ( troc )- fcs - oet ( 1 . 97 g ). this gave , after silica gel chromatography ( 6 : 4 , etoac : hexane ), 1 . 53 g of product as a white foam . ms , m + = 921 . analysis : calc &# 39 ; d : c , 45 . 68 ; h , 5 . 15 ; n , 9 . 13 found : c , 45 . 92 ; h , 5 . 26 ; n , 8 . 99 the compound was synthesized as in the first half of example 23 from smo - phe -( s ) atm ( troc )- fcs - oet ( 1 . 56 g ), dmso ( 3 . 5 ml ), dichloroacetic acid ( 0 . 073 ml ), and dcc ( 3 . 65 g ). this gave after silica gel chromatography ( etoac : hexane ) 1 . 4 g of product as a white foam . ms , m + = 919 . nmr is consistent with proposed structure . the compound was prepared as in the second half of example 23 from smo - phe -( s ) atm ( troc )- fco - oet ( 1 . 32 g ), ammonium chloride ( 0 . 7 g ) and zn dust ( 0 . 4 g ). this gave , after silica gel chromatography ( etoac : hexane ( 1 : 1 )), 0 . 7 g of product as a white foam . nmr , ir , and mass spectra all are consistent with the structure . analysis : calc &# 39 ; d : c , 51 . 68 ; h , 5 . 98 ; n , 11 . 30 found : c , 51 . 39 ; h , 6 . 05 ; n , 10 . 89 the compound was synthesized as in example 1 from smo - phe ( 0 . 74 g ), hobt ( 0 . 32 g ), dcc ( 0 . 5 g ), and atg ( z )- fcs - aem , isomer a ( 1 . 5 g ). this gave , after silica gel chromatography ( 3 - 10 % meoh in 1 : 1 ( etoac : ch 2 cl 2 )), 1 . 26 g of product as a foam . analyzed for 0 . 2ch 2 cl 2 cal &# 39 ; d : c , 53 . 72 ; h , 6 . 05 ; n , 11 . 49 found : c , 53 . 38 ; h , 6 . 03 ; n , 11 . 49 the compound was synthesized as in example 4 from smo - phe - atg ( z )- fcs - aem , isomer a ( 1 . 0 g ), 20 % pd / c ( 0 . 25 g ), and p - toluenesulfonic acid hydrate ( 0 . 6 g ). this gave , after silica gel chromatography ( 5 % meoh in 1 : 1 ( etoac : ch 2 cl 2 )), 0 . 1 g of product . analyzed for • h 2 o calc &# 39 ; d : c , 50 . 51 ; h , 6 . 50 ; n , 13 . 45 found : c , 50 . 46 ; h , 6 . 55 ; n , 12 . 82 nmr and ir spectra were consistent with structure . ms , m + = 815 . the compound was synthesized as in example 1 from smo - phe ( 0 . 84 g ), hobt ( 0 . 36 g ), dcc ( 0 . 57 g ), and atg ( z )- fcs - aem , isomer b ( 1 . 7 g ). this gave , after silica gel chromatography ( 3 - 10 % meoh in 1 : 1 etoac : ch 2 cl 2 ), 1 . 8 g of product as a foam . analyzed for 0 . 2ch 2 cl 2 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 53 . 72 ; h , 6 . 05 ; n , 11 . 60 found : c , 53 . 41 ; h , 6 . 19 ; n , 11 . 32 the compound was synthesized as in example 4 from smo - phe - atg ( z )- fcs - aem , isomer b ( 2 . 5 g ), 20 % pd / c ( 0 . 5 g ) and p - toluenesulfonic acid ( 1 . 5 g ). this gave , after silica gel chromatography , 1 . 0 g of the product as a foam . calc &# 39 ; d : c , 51 . 62 ; h , 6 . 38 ; n , 13 . 76 found : c , 51 . 39 ; h , 6 . 56 ; n , 12 . 85 nmr and ir spectra were consistent with the structure . ms , m + = 815 . a solution of phe ( 3 . 3 g ) in 1n naoh ( 20 ml ) was treated with a solution of n , n - dimethylsulfamyl chloride ( 2 . 3 ml ) in thf ( 20 ml ) and stirred vigorously at 25 ° c . for 3 hours . the reaction mixture was then treated with additional 1n naoh ( 20 ml ) and n , n - dimethylsulfamyl chloride ( 2 . 3 ml ) and stirred 3 hours further at 25 ° finally 1n naoh ( 20 ml ) and diethyl ether ( 80 ml ) were added . the mixture was shaken and the aqueous layer was separated and acidified to ph 1 by addition of 1n hcl ( 25 ml ). the product was extracted into ethyl acetate , the solution dried over mgso 4 , and evaporated to give a gum which slowly solidified ( 4 . 0 g ). the structure was confirmed by nmr spectroscopy . prepared as above , substituting morpholinosulfamyl chloride ( prepared according to the method of r . wegler and k . bodenbenner , annallen der chemie , 624 , 25 ( 1959 )) for n , n - dimethylsulfamyl chloride . the product is a solid , mp 151 °- 153 ° c . prepared as above , substituting tyr ( ome ) for phe . the product was isolated as its dicyclohexylamine salt , mp 157 °- 159 ° c . prepared as above , substituting tyr ( ome ) for phe . the structure was confirmed by nmr spectroscopy . prepared as in reference j . chem . soc . perkin trans . i , p 1227 ( 1984 ). to a solution of ethyl 2 - aminothiazol - 4 - ylacetate ( 27 . 4 g ) in water ( 200 ml ) was added k 2 co 3 until ph = 9 ) ( wet litmus ). to this was added boc 2 o ( 26 . 0 g ) in thf ( 150 ml ) and the ph continually adjusted to 9 with k 2 co 3 . the mix stirred for 24 hours . the basic solution was then extracted with ethyl acetate ( 2 × 400 ml ). the organics were washed with brine ( 3090 ml ) and dried over mgso 4 . evaporation gave a brown oil which was recrystallized from ethyl acetate ( 100 ml ) and petroleum ether ( 600 ml ). this gave 23 . 5 g of a beige solid ( ethyl - n - boc - 2 - aminothiazol - 4ylacetate ). this ester ( 15 . 07 g ) was then dissolved in a mixture of thf ( 65 ml ), ch 2 cl 2 ( 100 ml ) and saturated nahco 3 solution ( 700 ml ). to this was added benzylchloroformate ( 21 . 3 g ) and the mixture vigorously stirred for 18 hours . the solution was diluted with water ( 100 ml ) and ethyl acetate ( 150 ml ). the organics were separated , washed with water ( 2 × 400 ml ), and evaporated at reduced pressure to give an oil which was dissolved in etoh ( 150 ml ) and treated with a solution of potassium hydroxide ( 14 g ) in water ( 100 ml ). the mixture was stirred for 1 . 5 hours and diluted with water ( 350 ml ). the solution was washed with ether ( 2 × 250 ml ) and the ethereal solution discarded . the aqueous solution was made acidic ( ph = 3 , wet litmus ) with citric acid and cooled to precipitate . collection of the solid gave 16 . 8 g of product . prepared in a similar manner as boc - atg ( z ) from atm • 2hcl which was prepared as in reference chem . ber ., vol . 97 , p 1767 ( 1964 ). sodium metal ( 0 . 64 g ) was dissolved in ethanol ( 75 ml ) and the solution treated with diethyl acetamido malonate ( 6 . 08 g ) and stirred for 0 . 5 hours . this was then treated with 2 - acetamidothiazol - 4 - yl - 1 - chloromethane ( 5 . 3 g ) and sodium iodide ( 4 . 17 g ). the mixture was stirred under nitrogen for 24 hours . the solution was filtered free of solids . the solids were triturated with water ( 150 ml ). the mixture was again filtered to collect solid and washed with water ( 2 × 150 ml ). this solid ( 2 . 75 g ) was dissolved in concentrated hydrochloric acid ( 40 ml ) and warmed to reflux for 3 hours . the solution was evaporated in vacuo and coevaporated with ethanol ( 2 × 50 ml ). the resultant solid was triturated with ether ( 100 ml ) and filtered to give 1 . 91 g of product as a white solid . the compound was prepared as in example 1 from boc - atm ( z ) ( 6 . 3 g ), hobt ( 2 . 02 g ), dcc ( 3 . 1 g ), cad • hcl ( 4 . 19 g ) and et 3 n : ( 1 . 5 g ). this gave 5 . 7 g of the product as a mixture of diastereomers as a white foam , mp 95 °- 100 ° c . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . the compound was prepared by saturating a solution of boc - atm ( z )- cad ( 5 . 35 g ) in ch 2 cl 2 ( 70 ml ) and meoh ( 10 ml ) with hcl gas . the solution was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours and then evaporated in vacuo to dryness . the residue was dissolved in etoac ( 75 ml ) and washed successively with saturated nahco 3 ( 2 × 100 ml ) and saturated salt solution ( 100 ml ). the organic phase was dried over mgso 4 and evaporated in vacuo to give 3 . 8 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers as a light yellow foam , mp 84 °- 91 ° c . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . the compound was synthesized as in example 1 from boc - atm ( z ) ( 4 . 21 g ), hobt ( 1 . 35 g ), dcc ( 2 . 06 g ) and cst - aem ( 3 . 27 g ). this gave 4 . 6 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers as a white foam , mp 97 °- 100 ° c . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . the compound was prepared as in atm ( z )- cad from boc - atm ( z )- cst - aem ( 4 . 4 g ). this gave 3 . 78 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers as a white foam , mp 80 °- 83 ° c . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . the compound was synthesized as in example 1 from boc - atm ( z ) ( 1 . 0 g ), hobt ( 0 . 338 g ), dcc ( 0 . 516 g ), and sta - mba ( 0 . 733 g ). this gave 1 . 25 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers as a white foam . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . the compound was synthesized as in atm ( z )- cad above from boc - atm ( z )- sta - mba ( 1 . 25 g ). this gave 0 . 9 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers as a light yellow foam . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . the compound was synthesized as in example 1 from boc - atg ( z ) ( 6 . 1 g ), hobt ( 2 . 16 g ), dcc ( 3 . 3 g ), and sta - mba ( 3 . 7 g ). this gave 8 . 8 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers as a white foam , mp 86 °- 91 ° c . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . the compound was prepared as in atm ( z )- cad from boc - atg ( z )- sta - mba ( 3 . 17 g ). this gave 2 . 2 g of product as a mixture of diastereomers as a light yellow foam , mp 76 °- 83 ° c . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . n - boc - aspartatic acid , α - benzyl ester ( 40 g , 0 . 124 mol ) in etoac ( 1 l ) was treated at 0 ° c . with n - methylmorpholine ( 13 . 8 g , 0 . 136 mol ) and isobutyl chloroformate ( 18 . 6 g , 0 . 136 mol ). the mixture was stirred at 0 °- 10 ° c . for 3 hours . the mixture was filtered free of precipitate and treated with a solution of diazomethane [(˜ 0 . 175 mol ) freshly distilled from diazald ( 53 g )] in ether (˜ 500 ml ). the mixture was stirred for 16 hours under a n 2 stream . the solution was washed with saturated salt solution ( 500 ml ) and evaporated in vacuo to give the diazoketone as a dark oil . this oil was dissolved in ether ( 400 ml ) and carefully treated with hcl gas . the gas treatment stopped when the ph of the solution reached 2 ( wet litmus ), approximately two to 8 minutes . the solution was then immediately treated with a solution of saturated sodium bicarbonate ( 600 ml ). the organics were washed with saturated salt solution ( 200 ml ) and dried over mgso 4 . the organics were evaporated in vacuo to give 44 . 4 g of the chloroketone as a tan solid . this was dissolved in acetone ( 225 ml ) and treated in portions with thiourea ( 7 . 6 g , 0 . 1 mol ). the solution was stirred at room temperature for 24 hours . the mixture was filtered to collect solid , the solid washed with acetone ( 2 × 75 ml ) and dried in vacuo to give 20 . 6 g of product as a white solid , mp = 144 °- 146 ° c . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . prepared in a manner similar to boc - atm ( z ) from boc -( s ) atm - obzl • hcl as in ref . chem . ber ., vol . 97 , p . 1767 ( 1964 ). to boc -( s ) atm ( z )- obzl • hcl ( 2 . 06 g ) in methanol ( 35 ml ) was added a solution of naoh ( 0 . 6 g ) in water ( 10 ml ). the solution was stirred at room temperature for 4 hours and then taken to ph = 6 ( wet litmus ) with 1n hcl . the solution was evaporated in vacuo and dissolved in dmf ( 20 ml ). this solution was treated at 0 ° c . sequentially with et 3 n ( 1 . 51 g ), hobt ( 0 . 667 g ), dcc ( 1 . 03 g ), and cad ( 1 . 22 g ). the mixture was stirred for 72 hours . the mixture was filtered free of solids and the solvent evaporated in vacuo . the residue from evaporation was dissolved in etoac ( 100 ml ) and washed sequentially with saturated sodium bicarbonate ( 100 ml ) and saturated salt solution . the organics were dried over mgso 4 and evaporated in vacuo to give a yellow foam . the foam was chromatographed over silica gel to give the product as a white solid , 1 . 2 g . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . to boc -( s ) atm ( z )- cad ( 1 . 1 g ) in a mix of ch 2 cl 2 ( 75 ml ) and meoh ( 15 ml ) was added hcl ( gas ) and the solution stirred at room temperature for 3 hours . the solution was evaporated in vacuo to give the product , which was used without further purification . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . the compound was synthesized as in intermediate o boc -( s )- atm - obzl from 42 . 2 g of n - boc - glu - obzl 18 . 6 g i - butyl chloroformate , 13 . 8 g n - methyl morpholine , and excess diazomethane . silica gel chromatography gave 15 . 2 g of product . the structure was confirmed by nmr , ir and mass spectroscopy . the compound was synthesized as in intermediate boc -( s ) atm ( z )- obzl from 14 . 17 g boc -( s ) ate - obzl , and 15 . 4 g z - cl . extraction workup with etoac gave after evaporation 18 . 9 g of product . the structure was confirmed by nmr spectroscopy . a mixture of 18 . 9 g boc -( s )- ate ( z )- obzl and 7 g naoh were stirred in a mixture of 100 ml methanol and 20 ml water for 6 hours . the mixture was evaporated and treated with 100 ml 1n naoh , then washed with 100 ml diethyl ether . the aqueous solution made acidic with 6n hcl and extracted with ethyl acetate ( 2 × 150 ml ). drying over mgso 4 and evaporation gave 9 . 3 g of product . the structure was confirmed by spectroscopy . the compound was synthesized as in example 1 from 9 . 3 g boc -( s ) ate ( z ), 2 . 7 g hobt , 4 . 12 g dcc and 4 . 9 g cad . silica gel chromatography with ethyl acetate gave 7 . 6 g of product . the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy . a solution of 2 . 37 ml cl 3 cch 2 ococl ( 17 . 22 mmol ) in 65 ml ch 2 cl 2 was added dropwise to a chilled solution of 15 . 00 g piperazine ( 174 . 13 mmol , a 10 - fold excess ) in 75 ml meoh under n2 atmosphere and allowed to stir at room temperature for 3 hours . the reaction mixture was diluted with meoh and evaporated to a wet solid . the residue was taken up in h 2 o and extracted with etoac . the organic layer was dried over mgso 4 and evaporated . the resulting oil was dissolved in 40 ml et 2 o and treated dropwise with a 1 . 0m hcl solution in 40 ml et 2 o under n 2 atmosphere to give 2 . 45 g of the product as a white solid . mp 209 °- 213 ° c . a solution of 9 . 75 g troc - pip hydrochloride ( 32 . 72 mmol ) in 20 ml h 2 o was mixed with 40 ml ch 2 cl 2 and was cooled in ice , treated dropwise by a solution of 48 . 60 g 5 . 25 % naocl ( 34 . 03 mmol ) in h 2 o and stirred on ice for 50 minutes . the organic layer was separated and dried over mgso 4 . the resulting solution was added to a - 78 ° solution of 30 . 00 g so 2 in 20 ml ch 2 cl 2 , and catalytic amount of cl 2 ( 6 drops ) was condensed into the reaction mixture under n 2 atmosphere . the reaction mixture was allowed to warm up to room temperature over 24 hours . the solvent was evaporated , and the residue was partitioned between ch 2 cl 2 and 0 . 25m k 2 po 4 , ph = 7 buffer and washed with 10 % na 2 s 2 o 3 . the organic layer was dried over mgso 4 and evaporated to give 8 . 02 g of the product as a golden brown solid . the structure was confirmed by nmr spectroscopy . a solution of 2 . 2 g ( 8 mmol ) of cad - hydrochloride , 1 g ( 10 mmol ) of et 3 n , 1 . 1 g ( 8 mmol ) of hobt , and 3 . 3 g ( 8 mmol ) boc - atg ( z ) in 45 ml of dmf was cooled in ice and treated with 1 . 7 g ( 8 mmol ) of dcc in 10 ml of dmf . after 0 . 5 hour at 0 ° c ., the mixture was allowed to stir at room temperature for 48 hours . dmf was distilled and the residue was treated with etoac . the urea was filtered off and the residue was washed with additional quantities of etoac . the filtrate and the washings were combined , and washed successively with water , saturated nahco 3 , and brine . drying and removal of the solvent under reduced pressure gave the crude product . this was purified via chromatography ( sio 2 , ch 2 cl 2 / ch 3 oh 10 %) to give 6 g of product . the structure was confirmed by nmr spectroscopy . a solution of 6 g of boc - atg ( z )- cad in 60 ml of ch 2 cl 2 was saturated with hcl ( g ), and allowed to stand at room temperature for 2 hours . the solution was evaporated to give a foam . the structure was confirmed by 1 h nmr and mass spectrum ( m + 1 peak at 533 ). this material was used as is for coupling . to boc -( s ) atm ( troc ) ( 2 . 60 g , 5 . 63 mmol ) and hobt ( 0 . 76 g , 5 . 63 mmol ) in anhydrous dmf ( 30 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added dcc ( 1 . 16 g , 5 . 63 mmol ) in dmf ( 10 ml ) followed by fcs - aem ( 2 . 04 g , 5 . 63 mmol ) in dmf ( 10 ml ) and the reaction stirred at 0 ° c . for 2 hours before warming to room temperature . after 16 hours the reaction was filtered and the solvent evaporated under reduced pressure . the residue was taken up in ethyl acetate ( 50 ml ) and washed with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution , water , and brine , respectively . after drying ( na 2 so 4 ), the solvent was evaporated and the crude material chromatographed on silica gel eluting with a gradient of 3 to & gt ; 5 % methanol in ch 2 cl 2 . the product was obtained as a white foam ( 3 . 0 g , 66 %) and the structure confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy ; ms ( fab ): mh + 807 . 2 . boc -( s ) atm ( troc )- fcs - aem ( 2 . 20 g , 0 . 27 mmol ), in a mixture of ch 2 cl 2 ( 30 ml ) and methanol ( 10 ml ) was subjected to a stream of hcl gas at room temperature for 15 minutes . after stirring for a further 20 minutes , the solvent was evaporated and the residue taken up in chloroform and reevaporated . this procedure was repeated twice more before addition of ethyl acetate to the crude product . the solution was washed with saturated aqueous bicarbonate solution to generate the free base . the aqueous layer was separated and extracted twice with ethyl acetate . the combined organic extracts were washed with brine and dried ( na 2 so 4 ). after evaporation of the solvent the free amine was obtained as a white foam ( 1 . 90 g , the structure was confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy ; ms ( fab ) m + 707 . 0 . to boc - fcs ( 4 . 10 g , 12 . 0 mmol ) and hobt ( 1 . 58 g , 12 . 0 mmol ) in dmf ( 100 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added dcc ( 2 . 41 g , 12 . 0 mmol ) in dmf ( 20 ml ). after 5 minutes , aem ( 1 . 53 ml ) in dmf ( 10 μl ) was added and the reaction stirred for 2 hours before warming to room temperature and stirring for a further 16 hours . the mixture was filtered and the solvent evaporated under high vacuum . the residue was taken up in ethyl acetate and washed with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution , water , and brine respectively . after drying ( na 2 so 4 ) the solvent was evaporated and the crude product purified by column chromatography on silica gel eluting with 5 % to 7 % methanol in dichloromethane . the product was obtained as a white foam ( 3 . 38 g , 63 %) and the structure confirmed by nmr and mass spectroscopy : ms ( fab ) mh + ( 464 ). a solution of 9 . 56 g ( 25 mmol ) boc -( s ) atm - obzl was suspended in ch 2 cl 2 and cooled in an acetone / ice bath . added to this was 7 . 74 g dmap ( 2 . 5 equivalent ); goes into solution . troc - cl of 8 . 40 ml ( 12 . 34 g , 2 . 3 equivalent ) was added dropwise . after 4 hours the solution is washed sequentially with water , 0 . 1n hcl , saturated aqueous nacl , and dried ( mgso 4 ), then concentrated . the residue is chromatographed ( 400 g sio 2 , eluting 1 : 1 hexane / ethyl acetate . the product was isolated as a colorless foam , 12 . 80 g . mass spectrum m / e = 552 boc -( s ) atm ( troc )- obzl of 3 . 60 g ( 17 . 6 mmol ) was dissolved in 100 ml methanol at room temperature . koh ( 1 . 16 g ) ( 85 %, 2 . 7 equivalent ) was dissolved in 10 ml water and added to the solution . stir for 3 . 5 hours . an additional 50 ml of water was added , the reaction partially concentrated , then extracted with etoac . these organics were discarded . the aqueous solution was then rendered acidic ( 6n hcl , forms precipitate ), and extracted again with etoac . these organics were washed with saturated aqueous nacl , dried ( mgso 4 ) and concentrated to give 2 . 54 g product as a waxy white solid . mass spectrum m / e = 462 boc -( s ) atm ( troc ) 27 . 25 g ( 58 . 9 mmol ) was dissolved in etoac and cooled in ice bath . cad ( 14 . 33 g , 58 . 9 mmol ) was added , resulting in a suspension . to this was added 7 . 98 g hobt and 12 . 13 g dcc ( one equivalent each ), and the reaction mixture allowed to come to ambient temperature overnight . the reaction was filtered , and the filtrate washed sequentially with 5 % aqueous citric acid , saturated nahco 3 , saturated nacl , then dried ( mgso 4 ) and concentrated to afford 31 . 0 g product . this was recrystallized in 150 ml boiling etoac . the first crop yielded 20 . 50 g , and a second crop 2 . 43 g product . an additional 6 . 59 g product was recovered by washing the original filter cake with acetone and concentrating this filtrate . mass spectrum m / e = 689 boc -( s ) atm ( troc ) ( 2 . 50 g , 5 . 4 mmol ) was dissolved in methylene chloride and the solution cooled in an ice bath . cdh ( 1 . 25 g , 0 . 95 equivalent ) was added , followed by 0 . 70 g hobt , 1 . 06 g dcc , and 1 . 26 g dmap . the mixture was allowed to come to ambient temperature overnight , then filtered and the filtrate washed sequentially with 1n hcl , saturated nahco 3 , saturated nacl , and dried ( mgso 4 ). after concentration , the residue was chromatographed ( sio 2 , etoac ) to give 0 . 76 g product . this was used without further purification in the next reaction . smo - phe -( s ) atm ( z )- obzl ( 5 . 6 g ) and 0 . 64 g naoh were stirred in a mix of 70 ml methanol and 15 ml water for 5 hours . the mixture was evaporated in vacuo and the residue partitioned between 100 ml etoac and 100 ml 2n hcl . the organics were separated and dried over mgso 4 . evaporation of solvents gave 4 . 5 g of product . boc -( s ) atm ( z )- obzl ( 10 . 8 g ) was dissolved in 8 ml meoh and 50 ml ch 2 cl 2 and treated with hcl ( g ) at room temperature for 3 hours . evaporation gives 8 . 8 g of product as the hcl salt . the structure was confirmed by nmr , ir , and mass spectroscopy . the compound was synthesized as in example 1 from 3 . 14 g smo - phe , 1 . 35 g hobt , 2 . 06 g dcc , 2 . 02 g et 3 n and 4 . 3 g ( s ) atm ( z )- obzl . chromatography on the waters prep 500a using 5 % methanol / ch 2 cl 2 gave the product as a yellow solid , used as is . to a suspension of 5 . 09 g phe ( 30 . 81 mmol ) in 20 ml meoh was added 12 . 97 ml of 5 % me 4 noh / meoh ( 30 . 81 mmol ) and the mixture stirred until a solution was obtained . the mixture was diluted with toluene and evaporated to a foam and dried at 0 . 05 mm at room temperature for 2 hours . to a suspension of the foam in 30 ml dry thf was added 60 ml dry i - proh and 5 . 49 g troc - spi - cl . the mixture was allowed to stir at room temperature under n 2 atmosphere for 16 hours . the solvent was evaporated , and the residue was partitioned between ch 2 cl 2 and 1n hcl and washed with 1n hcl . the product was extracted from the organic layer into 0 . 3n naoh which was immediately acidified to ph = 1 with concentrated hcl and reextracted with etoac . the etoac layers were washed with 1n hcl , saturated nacl , dried over mgso 4 and evaporated to obtain 3 . 59 g of the product as a golden brown solid . the structure was confirmed by nmr spectroscopy . to boc - fcs - aem ( 5 . 17 g ) in dry ch 2 cl 2 ( 100 ml ) was added 6 ml of tfa at rt and the reaction stirred for 6 hours . after concentration the residue was treated with saturated nahco 3 solution and the product extracted into ethyl acetate and washed with brine and dried ( na 2 so 4 ). dried under high vacuum for several hours to give the product as a white foam , 3 . 65 g . compound confirmed by nmr spectroscopy . the product was prepared as in example 1 from boc -( s ) atm ( z ) ( 5 g ), hobt ( 1 . 68 g ), dcc ( 2 . 6 g ) and cst - bheaea ( 4 . 1 g ) in dmf ( 25 ml ). this gave 3 . 26 g of product after silica gel chromatography ( 19 : 1 , ch 2 cl 2 : meoh ). analyzed for c 36 h 56 n 6 o 9 s • 0 . 8chcl 3 calc &# 39 ; d : c , 52 . 34 ; h , 6 . 78 ; n , 9 . 95 found : c , 52 . 52 ; h , 6 . 91 ; n , 9 . 91 to a suspension of zn dust ( 15 . 3 g ) in thf ( 300 ml ) was added one crystal of i 2 and the mixture brought to reflux . to this was added sequentially bromodifluoro ethyl acetate ( 0 . 2 ml ) followed by a mixture of the same ester ( 25 . 3 g ) and ( s )- boc - cyclohexyl alanol ( 20 g ) in thf ( 100 ml ). the mixture was filtered free of insoluble material and the solvents evaporated at reduced pressure . the residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate and the ph adjusted with 1m khso 4 solution until ph = 2 . this solution was filtered free of solids and the organics separated from the flitrate . the aqueous solution was extracted with ethyl acetate ( 2 ×) and the combined organic layers washed with brine , dried over magnesium sulfate , and evaporated in vacuo to give a yellow solid . the solid was triturated with 20 % ethyl acetate in hexane to give the product as a white solid , 6 . 5 g . nmr and ir were consistent with the structure . to boc - fcs - oet ( 5 . 3 g ) in methanol ( 250 ml ) was added hcl gas , gas dispersion tube , until the solution was saturated . the solution was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours and evaporated at reduced pressure to give the product as a white solid , 4 . 5 g . nmr was consistent with structure . the compound was synthesized as in example 1 from boc -( s ) atm ( troc ) ( 5 . 90 g ), hobt ( 1 . 73 g ), dcc ( 2 . 64 g ), et 3 n ( 1 . 43 ml ), and fcs - oet • hcl ( 4 . 03 g ). this gave , after silica gel chromatography ( 4 % meoh / ch 2 cl 2 ) 2 . 55 g of product . nmr spectra were consistent with the structure . to boc -( s ) atm ( troc )- fcs - oet ( 2 . 54 g ) in etoh ( 25 ml ) was added ch 2 cl 2 ( 200 ml ) and the solution saturated with hcl gas . the mixture was allowed to stand overnight and then evaporated at reduced pressure . this solid was partitioned between etoac ( 250 ml ) and saturated nahco 3 solution ( 200 ml ). the organic phase was washed with brine and dried over mgso 4 . evaporation of solvents gave 1 . 97 g of product . analysis : calc &# 39 ; d : c , 40 . 01 ; h , 4 . 88 ; n , 8 . 48 found : c , 38 . 03 ; h , 4 . 94 ; n , 8 . 50 the compounds were synthesized as in example 1 from boc - atg ( z ) ( 3 . 3 g ), hobt ( 1 . 1 g , dcc ( 1 . 7 g ), and fcs - aem ( 2 . 9 g ). this gave after silica gel chromatography ( 3 - 5 % meoh / ch 2 cl 2 ), 1 . 9 g of isomer a ( fast eluting ) and 1 . 9 g of isomer b ( slow eluting ). both compounds gave nmr , ir , and mass spectra consistent with structures . the compound was synthesized as in intermediate 5 , from boc - atg ( z )- fcs - aem , isomer a ( 1 . 9 g ). this gave 1 . 5 g of free base which was used as is . the compound was synthesized as in intermediate h , from boc - atg ( z )- fcs - aem , isomer b ( 1 . 9 g ). this gave 1 . 7 g of free base which was used as is . | 2 |
the detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of a tip protector for use on a number of needles or needle assemblies provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized . the description sets forth the features and the steps for constructing and using the tip protector of the present invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments . it is to be understood , however , that the same or equivalent functions and structures may be accomplished by different embodiments also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention , especially those incorporating a combination of features shown in the different embodiments included herein . as denoted elsewhere herein , like element numbers are intended to indicate like or similar elements or features . fig1 a and 1b illustrate a prior art spring clip needle guard shown and described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 616 , 630 to woehr et al ., the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference . for cross - referencing purposes , fig1 a and 1b shown herein are labeled and discussed in the &# 39 ; 630 patent as fig4 a and 4b . as therein shown and reproduced above as fig1 a and 1b , the spring clip needle guard 40 a includes a distal arm 65 terminating at its upper end in a curved lip 66 and at its lower end in a u - shaped portion 67 which , in the ready position illustrated in fig1 a , contacts a bump 68 formed in the lower inner wall of the catheter hub 26 . a transverse segment 69 having a central opening 70 extends proximally and upwardly and terminates at an upper u - shaped portion 72 . as disclosed in the &# 39 ; 630 patent , the opening is configured to clamp the needle in a used position , at points d and e , which have been added . a proximal end wall 74 having an opening 76 extends vertically from portion 72 and then extends distally in a horizontal lower segment 78 , which has an opening 80 through which the lower halves of the distal arm 65 and the transverse segment 69 extend in the ready position of the needle guard . segment 78 , at its distal end , extends upwardly at a front wall 82 which has a central opening 84 axially aligned with openings 70 , 76 . at its upper end , the distal front wall 82 extends in the proximal direction in an upper segment 86 , which , as shown in fig1 a , contacts the upper inner wall of the catheter hub along substantially its entire length . when the catheter is in the ready position , the needle shaft passes through openings 70 , 76 and 84 and rests on the curved lip 66 , which urges the arm 65 against the bump 68 in the lower wall of the catheter hub . that engagement , along with the resilient engagement of the upper segment 86 with the upper interior wall of the catheter hub , retains the spring clip 40 a in its ready position within the catheter hub . when the needle hub 12 and needle 16 are retracted to the right , as viewed in fig1 a , by a sufficient amount , the needle tip 18 moves proximal of the lip 66 and eventually passes below the lip 66 . when this occurs , the downward force on the arm 65 releases thus allowing the arm 65 to snap upwards to the retracted position illustrated in fig4 b , in which the arm 65 and the lip 66 extend over the needle tip 18 to thereby prevent accidental contact with the needle tip . in this condition , the needle guard 40 a is clamped onto the needle shaft 16 at points d and e of opening 70 and the needle and needle guard clamped thereto can be readily removed from the catheter hub . while the prior art tip protector 40 a shown in fig1 a and 1b is well - designed for its intended purposes , there remains a number of improvements to the tip protector 40 a that could be made to make it more reliable , effective , and easier to manufacture . with reference now to fig2 , a tip protector provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention is shown , which is generally designated 100 . in one exemplary embodiment , the tip protector 100 comprises a first protector body ( see , also fig5 ) 102 surrounded , at least in part , by a second protector body 104 . in one embodiment , the second protector body 104 comprises a distal wall 106 comprising an opening 108 , which is preferably circular in configuration . a plurality of walls extend distally of the distal wall 106 , which include two side walls 110 a , 110 b and a deflector wall , plate , or arm 112 . the second protector body 104 is preferably formed from a single stamped or cut - out stainless steel sheet resembling a “ t ”, which has a circular cut - out 108 at the intersection of the three branches of the “ t ” for forming the opening 108 on the distal wall 106 . in one exemplary embodiment , the intersection of the t - shape sheet is pressed against a metal form or die , such as carbide , which then forms the curvilinear perimeter contour 114 around the perimeter of the distal wall 106 while concurrently pushing the two side walls 110 a , 110 b and the deflector plate 112 proximally . a bottom perimeter contour can also formed by this process . in one exemplary embodiment , the edges 116 of the two side walls 110 a , 110 b and the deflector plate 112 are formed fitted in the same die used to form the curvilinear perimeter contour 114 of the distal wall 106 . thus , the intersections 118 between the two side walls 110 a , 110 b and the deflector plate 112 are generally curved or smooth rather than at right angles ( also shown in fig6 and 7 ). as further discussed below , the smooth edges 116 allow the tip protector 100 to contact an interior surface of a clip housing or catheter hub over a larger surface area as compared to corners having a simple right - angle , which would result in a single point contact . the side walls and deflector plate are preferably close enough together to shield the needle tip from view and catch any drop of blood that may drip from the needle while inside the needle tip . in one exemplary embodiment , a projection or dimple 120 is incorporated on the deflector plate 112 for delimiting needle movement in an activated position , as further discussed below . the width of the dimple section 120 , extending from one side wall 110 a to another side wall 110 b , is slightly less than the width of the deflector plate immediately proximally and distally of the dimple section . the dissimilar widths along the deflector plate 112 allow the dimple 120 to be formed following formations of the smooth corners 116 . however , the tip protector 100 may incorporate right angle corners at the various intersections 118 and the deflector plate 112 having a uniform width , which are less preferred , without deviating from the spirit and scope of the present invention . an optional opening 122 may be incorporated on the deflector plate 112 for ease of assembly . for example a pin ( not shown ) could be inserted through the opening 122 to push the arm 140 ( fig5 ) of the first protector body downwards . this could assist in assembling the butt end of a cannula or needle through the protector . preferably the opening is not necessary as the distal wall 150 of the first protector body 102 is formed at an angle thus allowing the butt end of the cannula to simply deflect the distal wall downwards for an automatic assembly . fig3 is a top view of the tip protector 100 of fig2 . in one exemplary embodiment , a reduced proximal section 124 is incorporated on the deflector plate 112 , which has a smaller width dimension that the section immediately distally . a gap 126 is created on each side of the reduced proximal section 124 , which is defined in part by each side wall 110 a , 110 b and the reduced proximal portion 124 . the two gaps 126 , however , can be filled by keeping the same width the entire length of the deflector plate 112 . in one exemplary embodiment , a side wall attachment plate 128 a , 128 b is incorporated at a proximal end of each side wall 110 a , 110 b . if a centerline or axis is drawn lengthwise of the tip protector 100 , the two side wall attachment plates 128 a , 128 b are positioned orthogonally of the axis and are generally coplanar . however , the two attachment plates 128 a , 128 b can overlap and be non - coplanar without deviating from the spirit and scope of the present invention . as further discussed below , the two attachment plates 128 a , 128 b are means by which the second protector body 104 attaches to the first protector body 102 . fig4 is a bottom view of the tip protector 100 of fig2 . the first protector body 102 is clearly shown positioned between the two side walls 110 a , 110 b of the second protector body 104 . in one exemplary embodiment , an arm 130 for stabilizing the tip protector 100 within a housing or hub is incorporated . the arm 130 extends distally from a proximal wall 132 ( see also fig5 ) and includes a bend or apex 133 defined by an upstream section 134 positioned at an angle to a downstream section 136 ( see also fig5 ). as further discussed below , the arm 130 is configured to pivot , flex , or cantilevered about a point 138 at a proximal end of the tip protector 100 , which acts like a hinge . the proximal wall 132 and the two attachment plates 128 a , 128 b together define a protector proximal end 129 . an arm 140 , of relatively longer length than the arm 130 for stabilizing , for blocking a needle tip also extends from the proximal wall 132 . in one exemplary embodiment , the arm 140 comprises an opening 142 and two ribs 144 . preferably , the opening 142 has an oblong shape and the two ribs 144 are formed by a coining process . the arm 140 further includes a forearm section 146 , a return section 148 ( fig5 ), a distal wall 150 ( fig5 ) for blocking a needle tip , and an end section or finger 152 ( fig5 ) for overlapping a portion of the needle in the used position . together , the forearm section 146 , the return section 148 , the distal wall 150 , and the finger 152 are collectively referred to herein as a distal arm blocking section . in one exemplary embodiment , the section of the arm with the opening 142 is wider than the remaining arm sections . this configuration provides room to not only incorporate the opening 142 but also the two coined ribs 144 . alternatively , a tab or flab may be incorporated on each edge of the arm section and then bending them to form two ribs . the alternative arm , without the coined ribs , may have a uniform width throughout . fig5 is a cross - sectional side view of the tip protector of fig4 taken along line 5 - 5 . the two arms 130 , 140 can be seen extending from two different edges of the proximal wall 132 . as shown in fig1 , when the tip protector 100 is positioned on a needle , the two arms originate from opposite side of the needle , viewed from a needle centerline . however , the longer arm 140 extends distally of the proximal wall 132 at an angle and transects the needle axis , with the needle passing through the opening 142 on the arm . the short arm 130 , however , does not touch or intersect the needle . more preferably , the end edge 154 of the short arm 130 is spaced apart from the needle , both in a ready to use position and a used position . as further discussed below , when the tip protector 100 is in a ready to use position , the long arm 140 is biased radially outwardly towards the short arm 130 and the finger 152 in contact with a side of the needle . to that end , the long arm 140 is flexed , at least in part , about a point 156 at the proximal wall 132 when in abutting contact with a side of the needle . referring again to fig3 in combination with fig5 , the deflector plate 112 is cantilevered from the perimeter contour 114 of the distal wall 106 of the second protector body 104 . this allows the whole deflector plate 112 , and more specifically the reduced proximal portion 124 , to deflect like a springboard . in one exemplary embodiment , the dimension between the apex 133 of the short arm 130 and the rounded edges 116 of the deflector plate 112 should be larger than the internal curvature of a housing the tip protector is to be placed into so that both the deflector plate 112 and the short arm 130 are biased inwardly by the wall surface of the housing . said differently , when the tip protector 100 is mounted inside a housing , such as the catheter hub shown in fig1 , the tip protector is squeezed at the two rounded edges on the deflector plate 112 and the short arm 130 . this squeezing action allows the tip protector to be removeably secured to the housing or hub . fig6 is an end view of the tip protector of fig5 taken along line 6 - 6 . the two side attachment plates 128 a , 128 b are shown in contact with the proximally facing surface of the proximal wall 132 . in one exemplary embodiment , the two attachment plates 128 a , 128 b are welded , using ultrasound , high frequency welding , or laser , to the proximal wall 130 . an opening 158 is incorporated on the proximal wall 130 of the first protector body 102 for receiving a needle ( not shown ). the two attachment walls 128 a , 128 b both incorporate cut - outs 160 resembling two semi - circles that together have a larger diameter than the opening 158 on the proximal wall 130 . alternatively , the two attachment walls 128 a , 128 b can overlap one another and each incorporating a separate opening having a larger diameter than the diameter on the opening 158 of the proximal wall . fig7 is a front view of the tip protector 100 of fig5 taken along line 7 - 7 . as clearly shown , the second protector body 104 incorporates a plurality of walled structures , namely the two side walls 110 a , 110 b and the deflector plate 112 , a front wall 106 , and two attachment walls 128 a , 128 b ( not shown ) to form an enclosure comprising a cavity 155 and a central access opening 162 ( see also fig5 ). with reference to fig5 and 6 in addition to fig7 , the short arm 130 projects out through the central access opening 162 to provide a contact point between the tip protector and a housing , such as a catheter hub . the long arm 140 ( fig5 ) similarly projects out through the central access opening 162 when in a ready - to - use position but moves into the cavity 155 when in a used position , as further discussed below . fig8 is a cross - sectional side view of the first protector body 102 of fig1 , shown without the second protector body 104 . in one exemplary embodiment , the first protector body 102 is formed from an single integral stainless steel sheet . the opening 142 should be stamped and the two ribs 144 coined before the first protector body 102 is formed to the shape shown in fig8 . fig9 is a cross - sectional end view of the first protector body 102 of fig8 taken along line 9 - 9 . part of the two ribs 144 , the opening 142 between the two ribs , and the proximal wall 132 are shown . fig1 is an end view of the first body section 102 of fig8 taken alone line 10 - 10 . part of the oblong opening 142 and the distal wall 150 can be seen through the opening 158 on the proximal wall 132 . in one exemplary embodiment , four cut - outs 164 are formed at each corner of the proximal wall 132 . the cut - outs 164 are configured to reduce the amount of spring force the two arms 130 and 140 generate . the amount of cut out can be varied to obtain a desired spring force . with reference again to fig5 , the tip protector disclosed herein may be viewed as a device having a housing with three moveable arms 112 , 130 , and 140 . the tip protector may also be viewed as having a housing with a deflector plate or arm with a tip protector disposed therein having an arm for blocking a needle tip and an arm , together with the deflector plate , for resiliently securing the tip protector to a hub or clip housing . fig1 is a semi - schematic cross - sectional side view of a catheter assembly 166 incorporating the tip protector 100 of fig2 - 10 . broadly speaking , the catheter assembly 168 comprises a needle hub comprising a needle 170 attached thereto . the needle 170 comprises a sharpened needle tip 172 , a non - uniform needle section 175 ( fig1 ), and projects through the tip protector 100 , the catheter hub 174 , and the catheter tube 176 . the non - uniform needle section 175 may be a crimp , a material build - up , a bend , or combinations thereof . in a preferred embodiment , the needle hub 168 incorporates a nose section 178 that projects into the interior wall surface 180 of the catheter hub 174 . the nose section 178 is configured to push the protector proximal end 129 of the tip protector 100 to a desired depth or length inside the cavity 182 defined by the wall surface 180 of the catheter hub 174 in the ready to use position ( fig1 ). in one exemplary embodiment , the cavity 182 includes a recessed section 184 , which may extend the entire internal circumference of the cavity along a band or width or a partial circumference , as shown . the recessed section 184 provides added space for the distal end of the first body section 102 so as to reduce the amount of compression or biasing force on the finger section 152 and the return section 148 . this in turn , reduces the drag between the finger section 152 and the side of the needle 170 during relative movement between the needle and the tip protector 100 . obviously , the needle assembly 166 may be practiced without the recessed section 184 , but not as preferred . as shown , the recessed section 184 comprises a proximal tapered section 186 and a distal tapered section . with reference to fig5 in addition to fig1 , the forearm section 146 , the return section 148 , and the distal wall 150 of the first body section 102 are all positioned distally of and spaced apart from the proximal tapered section 186 . the space apart configuration is incorporated as physical contact between the proximal tapered section 186 and the distal arm blocking section is not required to maintain a fixed relationship between the catheter hub 174 and the tip protector 100 during movement of the needle hub 168 relative to the catheter hub . however , contact between the two may be incorporated without deviating from the spirit and scope of the present invention . referring now to fig1 , which is a cross - sectional end view of the catheter assembly of fig1 taken along line 12 - 12 , the tip protector 100 is shown contacting the interior wall surface 180 of the catheter hub 174 at the two curbed edges 116 on the deflector plate 112 and two edges of the short arm 130 , in the general area of the apex 133 . the four contact points are shown in fig1 with four contact arrows . thus , in one exemplary embodiment , an arm 130 is cantilevered from a proximal end of the first protector body 102 and another arm 112 is cantilevered from a distal end of the second protector body 104 to retain the tip protector 100 within a catheter hub . said differently , a tip protector is herein provided having an arm cantilevered from a proximal wall of a protector housing and a second arm cantilevered from a distal wall of the same protector housing . in an alternative embodiment , the cantilever arm 112 is eliminated and the two side walls 110 a , 110 b along with the short arm 130 are configured to removeably secure the alternative tip protector to a housing , such as a catheter hub or a clip housing . fig1 is a partial cross - sectional side view of the catheter assembly 166 of fig1 , shown in a used position , with the needle 170 retracted to the right of fig1 . the tip protector 100 , hence the needle 170 , is moved to the used position shown in fig1 by holding the catheter hub 174 in one hand while withdrawing the needle hub 168 to the right of fig1 ( or vice - versa , i . e ., holding the needle hub 168 while moving the catheter hub 174 to the left of fig1 ). as the needle tip 172 moves proximally of the finger section 152 , the biasing force acting on the arm 140 is removed thus allowing the arm to recoil to its less flexed state , which is shown in fig1 . as the needle hub 168 continues to move to the right , the non - uniform section 175 on the needle 170 , which has a larger cross - sectional dimension than the opening 158 on the proximal wall 132 of the first protector body 102 , contacts the opening 168 and pulls the proximal wall , via the engagement with the perimeter of the opening 168 , to the right . if the pulling force on the proximal wall 132 is greater than the friction force between the cantilever arm 112 , the short arm 130 , and the interior surface 180 of the catheter hub , the friction is overcome and the tip protector 100 disengages from the catheter hub . fig1 shows the tip protector 100 removed from the catheter hub 174 and the distal wall 150 blocking the needle tip . as the tip protector incorporates two side walls 110 a , 110 b , and a deflector plate 112 , the tip protector covers about three quarters of the circumference of the needle 170 proximate the needle tip . the remaining section of the needle 170 proximate the needle tip 172 is also partly covered by the short arm 130 and the distal blocking section of the first protector body 102 . the needle tip is shielded from view or contact . blood , which may drip from the needle tip , is configured to be caught by one of the walls . as shown in fig1 , if a force is exerted at the distal end of the tip protector near point 189 , the needle 170 could pivot away from the shielding provided by the finger section 152 and manipulated so that it re - emerges out the opening 108 of the distal wall 106 of the second protector body 104 . accordingly , in one exemplary embodiment , the dimple or projection 120 on the deflector plate 112 is configured to inhibit or delimit movement of the needle in the event of a direct or incidental force on the tip protector at or near point 189 . the projection 120 is configured to prevent movement of the needle tip 172 radially of the finger section 152 . fig1 is a semi - schematic perspective view of a second protector body 188 provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention . the alternative second protector body 188 may cooperate with the first protector body shown in fig8 - 10 to form an alternative tip protector . in one exemplary embodiment , the alternative second protector body 188 incorporates a deflector plate 190 comprising a generally curvilinear external surface , a tab 192 formed by making a cut - out 194 on the deflector plate and including two relief points 196 . the tab 192 , like the projection or dimple 120 on the prior second protector body , is configured to prevent a needle from pivoting out from the tip protector internal space . in one exemplary embodiment , the deflector plate 190 is integrally formed to the side walls 110 a and 110 b . this can be done , for example , using a deep draw forming process . still alternatively , the two side walls 110 a , 110 b and the deflector plate 190 may have a notch of cut - out between them . in one exemplary embodiment , a least a portion of the curvilinear external surface of the deflector plate 190 is configured to contact the interior surface of a catheter hub when the same is placed therein as part of a catheter assembly . alternatively , the deflector plate 190 incorporates a flat surface such that only the two side edges 198 with the two side walls 110 a , 110 b contact the interior surface of the catheter hub or clip housing . although limited embodiments of the tip protector and needle devices incorporating the tip protector have been specifically described and illustrated herein , many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . for example , the tip protector described herein may be used in combination with a sleeve on a needle having a bend such as that shown in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 585 , 704 to luther et al . alternatively , the tip protector described herein may be used with an outer housing on a needle for use with a syringe , such as that shown in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 595 , 955 to fergusson et al . still alternatively , the tip protector described herein may be used with a grip part for sliding the tip protector along a needle , such as that shown in ser . no . 10 / 856 , 315 , entitled protective device for an injection needle . the foregoing patents and application are expressly incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full . accordingly , it is to be understood that the tip protector and its components constructed according to principles of this invention may be embodied other than as specifically described herein . the invention is also defined in the following claims . | 0 |
the figure illustrates a safety and arming mechanism ( s and a ) for a fuze , generally designated 10 , on spinning explosive projectiles . fuze ( s and a ) 10 includes a base member 12 comprising a base 13 having a generally cylindrical shape with a circular cross section . a channel 14 is formed in base 13 partially along a diameter and through the axis thereof so as to leave a bottom wall and a wall along one end thereof . a sliding member 16 is mounted in channel 14 for sliding movements in response to spinning of the projectile and force exerted by a miniature piston actuator 26 . sliding member 16 moves in a generally radially outward direction from a first or out - of - line position to a second or in - line position . it should be obvious to one skilled in the art that sliding member 16 may be positioned in a number of different ways . a stab detonator 30 is contained inside a space in the inner end of sliding member 16 . detonator 30 is aligned along the axis of base member 12 when sliding member 16 is in the in - line position . this completes a fuze train ( not shown ) which runs laterally through sliding member 16 and base 13 to the main charge of the projectile . when in the out - of - line position sliding member 16 holds stab detonator 30 out of the fuze train and in a safe position opposite the open face of channel 14 . the center of gravity 17 of the sliding member is inside the axis of rotation 19 in this position thus allowing the force created by the spinning of the projectile to hold sliding member 16 in the out - of - line position . additionally , sliding member 16 is held in the out - of - line position by a setback lock 22 , spin lock 24 and an anti - malassembly tab 20 . tab 20 is attached to a circular cover 32 which fits over base 13 enclosing the fuze for protection . cover 32 and base 13 cooperate to form base member 12 which , for reasons of ease in manufacture well known to those skilled in the art , is produced in two parts . tab 20 fits into a slot 35 on sliding member 16 when sliding member 16 is in the out - of - line position . tab 20 holds sliding member 16 in this position . tab 20 also serves as a breakable inhibitor to movement of sliding member 16 . a firing pin 34 is fixed to the inside of cover 32 and points radially inward . sliding member 16 is formed with a slot 36 on top , into which firing pin 34 fits when sliding member 16 is in the out - of - line position , and which gives firing pin 34 access to stab detonator 30 . when the projectile is fired setback and spin occur which release setback lock 22 and spin lock 24 respectively . the fuze is then armed by the use of an actuator 26 which is an electro - explosive device . it is mounted on base 13 so as to bear against an outwardly projecting shoulder on sliding member 16 . the actuator 26 moves sliding member 16 in a radially outward direction , shearing tab 20 and pushing the center of gravity of sliding member 16 across the axis of rotation of base member 12 . the force from the projectile &# 39 ; s rotation continues to pull the sliding member in a radially outward direction , now that the center of gravity has been moved across the axis of rotation . as sliding member 16 moves radially outward detonator 30 moves toward firing pin 34 which has access through slot 36 . it should be obvious to one skilled in the art , that it would be possible to have other configurations such as the reversal of detonator 30 and firing pin 34 so that detonator 30 is fixed over the axis of base member 12 with firing pin 34 mounted on sliding member 30 . when the sliding member 16 reaches the in - line position detonator 30 is impaled on firing pin 34 and actuated . cover 32 with firing pin 34 and tab 20 can be put in place only when sliding member 16 is in the out - of - line position . this prevents accidental detonation which might occur if firing pin 34 is put in place when sliding member 16 is in the in - line position , and complies with u . s . department of defense standards which require that a safety and arming device must not be capable of being assembled in an in - line position . thus an improved safety and arming mechanism for a fuze is disclosed which is extremely safe and reliable . reliability and safety is a result of the use of a rf insensitive stab detonator which is also much more reliable than the m100 electric detonator . also since the detonator is out - of - line , and remains in the out - of - line position until the moment the fuze is intended to fire , the overhead safety is improved . the expense is much reduced since the stab detonator is less costly than the previously used m100 , and much of the associated connectors and circuitry are not needed . while we have shown and described a specific embodiment of this invention , further modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art . we desire it to be understood , therefore , that this invention is not limited to the particular form shown and we intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of this invention . | 5 |
the present invention concerns a method for treating parkinsons &# 39 ; s disease using an oral dosage formulation comprising an immediate release layer of 10 - 25 mg of carbidopa and 50 - 200 mg of levodopa and a sustained release layer of 25 - 75 mg of carbidopa and 100 - 400 mg of levodopa whereby , following administration , carbidopa and levodopa are available for rapid and sustained therapeutic action . an oral dosage formulation in the present method can be further characterized by a sustained release core depot of carbidopa - levodopa overcoated by an immediate release layer of carbidopa - levodopa . another aspect of the orally administering the dosage comprises administering a multilayer tablet comprising at least one layer of sustained release carbidopa - levodopa adjacent to at least one layer of immediate release carbidopa - levodopa . if desired , the layers in tablet are separated by an excipient layer . another aspect of the invention therefore concerns a pharmaceutical composition in oral dosage form for treating parkinson &# 39 ; s disease , which comprises a combination of an immediate release portion of a combination of carbidopa and levodopa and a sustained release portion of a combination of carbidopa and levodopa and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle . the composition is effective in treating parkinson &# 39 ; s disease . the dosage form is such that carbidopa and levodopa are available for immediate and sustained therapeutic action upon administration . the pharmaceutical composition can be in a dosage form that comprises a sustained release core portion of carbidopa and levodopa overcoated by an immediate release layer of carbidopa and levodopa . the pharmaceutical composition can also be in a dosage form that comprises a multilayer tablet which comprises at lease one layer of sustained release carbidopa - levodopa adjacent to at least one layer of immediate release carbidopa - levodopa . in the pharmaceutical composition , in dosage form , an immediate release portion comprises about 10 - 25 mg of carbidopa and 50 - 200 mg of levodopa and a sustained release portion comprises about 25 - 75 mg of carbidopa and 100 - 400 mg of levodopa . the pharmaceutical composition in dosage form can comprise a sustained release core portion of carbidopa - levodopa overcoated by an immediate release layer of carbidopa - levodopa . the pharmaceutical composition in the dosage form can comprise a multilayer tablet of at least one layer of sustained release carbidopa - levodopa adjacent to at least one layer of immediate release carbidopa - levodopa . the novel oral dosage formulations of the present invention each contain immediate release and controlled release components of the antiparkinson agents carbidopa ( 5 - 200 mg ) and levodopa ( 25 - 600 mg ). the conventional immediate release combination of carbidopa - levodopa reaches peak plasma concentrations in 30 minutes whereas the onset of the controlled release component is two hours followed by prolonged release over a four - to six - hour period . the usual daily therapeutic dose of levodopa , when administered with carbidopa , is 300 to 750 mg and the dose of carbidopa approximately 75 mg per day but the latter is apparently devoid of adverse effects even at doses of 400 mg per day ( j . e . ahlskog , hosp . form ., 27 : 146 , 1992 ). although the optimum daily dosage of carbidopa - levodopa must ultimately be determined by titrating each patient , a preferred range for twice daily maintenance therapy may include immediate release of 10 - 25 mg carbidopa and 50 - 200 mg levodopa and sustained release of 25 - 75 mg carbidopa and 100 - 400 mg levodopa . specific examples of these formulations are cited below . the amount and excipients listed can be changed through methods known to those skilled in the preparation of immediate and sustained release dosage forms . some of these methods are available in remington &# 39 ; s pharmaceutical sciences , 17th ed ., 1985 , a standard reference in the field . a two compartment tablet consisting of a core layer of sustained release carbidopa - levodopa overcoated with a layer of immediate release carbidopa - levodopa . the core ingredients are blended separately ( as are the outer layer ingredients ), compressed to produce core tablets and then overcoated with the compressed outer layer blend using a suitable coating press . a bilayer or multilayer tablet consisting of one layer of sustained release carbidopa - levodopa either adjacent to a layer of immediate release carbidopa - levodopa or separated by an additional excipient layer . the ingredients from each layer are blended separately , then compressed to produce a layered tablet using a suitable layered press . an oral dosage form , such as a capsule or compressed tablet , containing immediate and sustained release carbidopa - levodopa pellets prepared by the following methods : 3 . layer the slurry from step 2 onto sugar spheres to form core pellets using a fluid - bed with a wurster air suspension coating column 4 . dissolve ethyl cellulose and polyethylene glycol 4000 in methylene chloride and methanol ( 4 : 1 ) mixture ( 5 % w / w ) 5 . coat pellets from step 3 with polymer solution from step 4 in a fluid - bed with a wurster air suspension coating column . appropriate amounts of uncoated core pellets containing immediate release carbidopa - levodopa ( step 3 ) and polymer coated pellets containing sustained release carbidopa - levodopa ( step 5 ) are included in an oral dosage form to provide the desired ratio of immediate and sustained release carbidopa - levodopa . | 0 |
the exemplary examples consistent with the invention use the characteristics of participation - typed service to categorize the information contents and compile the information contents for display on communication devices through a simplified service interface . fig3 a shows an exemplary example of a schematic view of a device with a simplified service interface , consistent with the invention for accessing network service applied on a network platform . as shown in fig3 a , a device 300 with the simplified service interface for accessing network service includes a service interface 301 , and a conversion and interpretation unit 303 . the service interface 301 includes an upload element 301 a , a download element 301 b , and a command element 301 c for the user to access information contents . the conversion and interpretation unit 303 interprets , through the service interface 301 , a request for the information contents as the data for upload element 301 a , download element 301 b and command element 301 c , and display the data on service interface 301 . then , the conversion and interpretation unit 303 compiles a web page 303 a , transmits web page 303 a to network platform 310 for corresponding processing , converts returned data 310 a from network platform 310 , and compiles returned data 310 a to the service interface 301 for display . the information contents displayed on service interface 301 can be optionally connected to one or more multimedia peripheral devices 320 for displaying , capturing or extracting information contents . fig3 b shows a flowchart illustrating the operation process of an exemplary example consistent with the invention applied to a network platform . as shown in fig3 b , step 311 is to provide the service interface 301 for users to access information contents . the service interface 301 includes an upload element 301 a , a download element 301 b and a command element 301 c . step 312 is to use the service interface 301 according to a defined network service type to interpret a request for the information contents as a first data for the upload element 301 a , the download element 301 b and the command element 301 c , and displays the first data on the service interface 301 . step 313 is to compile the first data into a web page document , transmits the web page document to the network platform 310 for corresponding processing , and returns a second data . step 314 is to compile the second data into a third data , and transmit the third data to the service interface 301 . the service interface of the present invention can replace browser 130 of fig1 to support the participation - typed service . the service interface also provides the user with a simplified service interface for accessing different services provided by different servers on the network . fig4 shows a schematic view of the application of the service interface 301 of an exemplary example consistent with the invention to participate in the network platform 310 to accomplish the participation - typed service . in cooperation with the existing multimedia peripheral devices , such as a microphone or a digital camera , of the communication devices , the service interface can access information contents , such as texts , images , multimedia or any combination of these three types , and generates different commands according to the service content . the data for upload element can be text , image , multimedia , or any combination of these three types . similarly , the data for download element type can be text , image , multimedia , or any combination of these three types . the multimedia , for example , may include at least one of audio and video . the data for command element are a plurality of different commands generated according to the service content . through the service interface , the users can input the information for uploading and being transmitted with the commands to the conversion and interpretation unit . the conversion and interpretation unit converts , according to the type and the characteristics of the network service , into commands and information for the conventional browser , and protocols , such as http , for transmission to one or more terminals or servers through the network interface . to download information contents from the network platform , the commands and contents for downloading can also be converted by the conversion and interpretation unit into a web page transmitted by a conventional browser to the server , terminal or host on the network to request downloading . in addition to uploading and downloading , the upload element and the download element work with the command element to present the functions provided by a conventional browser , such as uploading a keyword for searching , and displaying the search result on the download element of the service interface . another example is for the command element to issue the share command to instruct the conversion and interpretation unit to convert the information contents displayed on the download element to be uploaded to the network platform for sharing with other users . users may configure the service data and related configuration that the communication device can be connected to . when the user needs to use a certain service , the communication device can establish connection to the service . fig5 a & amp ; 5b describe the exemplary data flow during the data exchange in uploading and downloading processes , respectively . as shown in fig5 a , step 501 is for the conversion and interpretation unit to determine the type of the command from the command element during the uploading process when the uploading element issues a request . if the command type is to change the network service , the configuration will be changed , and a new network service will be connected , as shown in step 555 . if the command type is to upload data , the conversion and interpretation unit will obtain the data for uploading from upload element , compiles the data into a network data , and converts the request into a network command , as shown in step 503 . step 505 is to further compile the network data and the network command into a network packet , which is transmitted through a network interface to the network platform . if the command type is not for data processing , the conversion and interpretation unit directly converts the request into a network command , which is transmitted to the network platform through a network interface , as shown in step 507 . it is worth noting that the conversion and interpretation unit will select and configure the network services at the beginning of the uploading process . the complete configuration profile at least includes the uniform resource locator ( url )/ web address , upload / download element , and the tag mapping for the web page . the conversion and interpretation unit is connected to a network service and waits for the request or response . if a request is issued from the command element , the present invention executes the process of fig5 a . as shown in fig5 b , if a network packet is transmitted from the network platform during the downloading process , the conversion and interpretation unit will receive the network packet through a network interface and interpret the network packet as one or more network commands and one or more data , as shown in step 511 . step 513 is to process the data according to the network commands . step 515 is to display the data on the service interface according to the data type , such as playing audio , displaying the images , or texts . fig6 shows an exemplary operation of the conversion and interpretation unit consistent with the invention . as shown in fig6 , the conversion and interpretation unit 303 is connected to a network interface 605 and a service interface 301 respectively for communication and information content exchange between the network interface 605 and service interface 301 . the operation of the conversion and interpretation unit is as the following . service interface 301 , through upload element 301 a , download element 301 b and command element 301 c , provides the user to access network service . when the user issues an instruction through command element 301 c , the instruction is sent to the conversion and interpretation unit by information contents exchange . conversion and interpretation unit 303 identifies and compiles the command and information tag , according to the types of command and data into a tag of a web page document , as shown in 603 a , according to the service contents to be accessed , a web page tag search is conducted , shown as 603 b . the web page tag search includes searching the web page to locate the corresponding fields and tags . conversion and interpretation unit 303 executes connection for information contents and the web page document , shown as 603 c . the information contents are converted into web page data , which is transmitted by data exchange to the network interface 605 , and performs packet exchange with network platform 310 . when there is data from the network platform 310 , the packet is converted through network interface 605 into web page data and transmitted to conversion and interpretation unit 303 . conversion and interpretation unit 303 executes web page connection , shown as 603 c , and searches web page tag in the web page data , shown as 603 b . the found data with web page tag is identified and converted into the information contents for the user , and displayed on the service interface 301 . basically conversion and interpretation unit 303 may include the three modules , command and data tag identification and conversion 603 a , web page tag searching 603 b and connection execution 603 c , for operation . fig7 shows an exemplary xml web page document to demonstrate how the conversion and interpretation unit compiles the information contents into a network packet to meet the request of the user . a web page document includes a plurality of tags . this example shows a web page document describing the contents of a compact disc ( cd ) through the tags , including the artist , title , songs , and price . when the user intends to search for a cd on a web page of a network service , the user can issue the “ search for cd ” command with keyword “ cd title ” through the service interface 301 of the present invention . conversion and interpretation unit 303 compiles the “ search for cd ” command and the keyword “ cd title ” as a web page tag , and conducts the search on the web page to find the “ search ” “ search string ” tags . the information contents and the command inputted by the user are used to fill the contents of the corresponding search tag , and form a web page content by performing connection . the web page content is further converted through the network interface into a network packet and transmitted to network platform 305 . when the search result is returned from the network platform 305 , the search result goes through tag identification and the contents requested by the user regarding the cd are displayed on the service interface 301 , including artist , title , songs , and price . through the service interface , the conversion and interpretation unit and corresponding operations of the present invention , the user can directly execute browsing and use participation - types service through the communication device . the following shows two working examples of the present invention . the first exemplary example is that the user intends to search for the travel information to the united states of america ( usa ) through the communication device . through the service interface , the user inputs “ usa ” and “ travel ” as the upload element , and selects the command element for “ search ”. the conversion and interpretation unit transmits the request to the search engine in the network platform according to the defined “ text ” service type , with the content ( search — travel , usa ). through data type identification , the conversion and interpretation unit realizes that the command is for text search through the tags , and connects to a search engine web site , such as google , to conduct the text search . the conversion and interpretation unit searches for the search engine field in the entire web page and inputs the keywords “ usa ”, “ travel ” in the tag . the converted data is transmitted to the network platform . after the search result is returned from the network platform , the conversion and interpretation unit will display the returned contents as text on the service interface . the second exemplary example is that the user intends to download a song when the title of the song is known . the user inputs the “ song title ” as the upload element to the service interface of the present invention , and selects the “ music download ” as the command element . according to the defined “ music ” service type , the conversion and interpretation unit sends the request to the music server or other users on the network platform . the content of the request is ( search — song title ) and ( download — music file ). through data type identification , the conversion and interpretation unit realizes from the tag that this is music related information contents , and connects to the defined music web site , such as itune web page . the conversion and interpretation unit searches for the search engine field in the web page , and inputs the “ song title ”. the converted data is transmitted to the network platform . after the web site returns a link for downloading , the conversion and interpretation unit identifies the returned data and connects to download the song . upon completing the downloading of the song , the conversion and interpretation unit transmits the song as the download element of the service interface and plays the song through the multimedia device of the communication device . as discussed above , the user therefore may use a service interface to input the network information . the input network information is interpreted and the returned information from the network service is compiled through a conversion unit . the compiled returned information is passed to the service interface to be displayed to the user . exemplary examples of user interface consistent with the invention may be used in combination with the peripherals of communication devices , such as a microphone or a digital camera , and follows an operation process to accomplish the complicated participation - typed services by the browser of a desktop pc or notebook pc . this simplifies the access to the network services , as well as accelerates and attracts more users to participate in the participation - typed service . the binding of handheld device and the participation - typed service will enrich the contents and growth of the participation - typed service . although exemplary examples consistent with the invention have been described with reference to the embodiments , it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described thereof . various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description , and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art . therefore , all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims . | 6 |
fig1 shows a block diagram of a portion of an ultrasound imaging system which is fabricated in accordance with the present invention . first , a description will be provided of color flow ultrasound imaging without adaptive phase aberration correction . in this case , output from transmitter 335 is applied to transducer array 100 to generate a transmit beam in accordance with methods which are well known in the art . transducer array 100 detects echoes and outputs receive signals in accordance with methods which are well known in the art . as shown in fig1 transducer array 100 is comprised of n transducer elements . as is known , the receive signals output from transducer elements 1 - n are applied as input to amplifiers 110 1 - 110 n . amplifiers 110 1 - 110 n amplify the receive signals and the amplified signals output from amplifiers 110 1 - 110 n are applied as input analog - to - digital converters 120 1 - 120 n . analog - to - digital converters 120 1 - 120 n convert the amplified signals to digital signals . the digital signals output from analog - to - digital converters 120 1 - 120 n are applied as input to beamformer 130 . beamformer 130 , in response to instructions received from controller 300 : ( a ) groups the digital signals into beamlines and ( b ) applies appropriate time delays and amplitude apodizations to the beamlines in accordance with methods which are known in the art to produce beamformed signals . in accordance with nomenclature which is well known in the art , the outputs from beamformer 130 are referred to as range - gated beamformer channels . next , the beamformed signals output from beamformer 130 are applied as input to demodulator 140 . as is well known , demodulator 140 outputs i and q signals , i . e ., in - phase and quadrature signals , over leads 150 , which i and q signals are applied as input to multiplexor 160 . multiplexor 160 , in response to instructions received from controller 300 , applies the i and q signals received from demodulator 140 over leads 150 , as input to color flow processors 170 1 - 170 n . the color flow processors extract color flow information from the i and q signals in a manner which is well known . as is well known , demodulator 140 also outputs envelope - detected - signals over leads 180 , which envelope - detected - signals are applied as input to multiplexor 190 . multiplexor 190 , in response to instructions received from controller 300 , applies the envelope - detected - signals received from demodulator 140 over leads 180 , as input to echo processors 200 1 - 200 m . the echo processors extract b - mode image information from the envelope - detected signals in a manner which is well known . color - flow - processed signals are output from color flow processors 170 1 - 170 n over leads 175 1 - 175 n and are applied as input to scan converter 230 . in addition , echo - processed signals are output from echo processors 200 1 - 200 m over leads 205 1 - 205 m and are applied as input to scan converter 230 . scan converter 230 merges and scan - converts the inputs from the color flow processors and from the echo processors and outputs image data for display on display monitor 240 . the manner in which the apparatus shown in fig1 operates to provide adaptive phase aberration correction ( pac ) will be described in detail below . in accordance with the inventive method , the inventive pac mode of operation may be interleaved completely with normal imaging ( this a method where a pac mode of operation is completed before returning to an imaging mode of operation ) or the inventive pac mode of operation may be interleaved on a partial basis with normal imaging ( this is a method where a partial pac mode of operation is initiated and then halted , the normal imaging mode of operation is continued and then halted , and the pac mode of operation is resumed and completed ). it should be understood that embodiments of the present invention operate in either or both of these modes and a decision as to which of these modes is used in a particular case may be left to the user . for example , the user may enter an option into the imaging system by way of a user - machine interface 335 in a manner which is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art . then , in accordance with methods which are well known in the art , information is transferred from user interface module 335 to controller 300 to effectuate the mode requested by the user . in accordance with the inventive pac mode of operation , multiple , parallel beamlines are formed by beamformer 130 for each transmit beam in response to instructions received from controller 300 . these beamlines are formed , for example , on beamformer channels a 1 , a 2 , . . . , a q ( where q is a parameter which can be user defined by input in light of experience with the inventive method ), and the beamlines are comprised of signals from v different adjacent transducer elements or groups of transducer elements . fig2 shows a transducer array and a grouping of transducer elements in accordance with the present invention . as shown in fig2 group 2000 is comprised of transducer elements 1 , 2 , and 3 and group 2000 is a group of transducer elements whose phase is to be corrected . as further shown in fig2 group 2010 is comprised of transducer elements 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , and 8 and group 2010 is a group of transducer elements which is used as a reference for the correction . to provide a phase correction for transducer elements 4 , 5 , and 6 one would utilize a group comprised of transducer elements 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , and 12 . in this case , to provide phase correction : ( a ) for group 2000 , beamformer 130 forms a beamline for group 2000 as beamformer channel a 1 and a beamline for group 2010 as beamformer channel a 2 ; ( b ) for group 2020 , beamformer 130 forms a beamline for group 2020 as beamformer channel a 3 and a beamline ; for group 2030 as beamformer channel a 4 ; ( c ) and so forth . fig3 shows a block diagram of a portion of a color flow processor which is fabricated in accordance with the present invention . in the pac mode of operation , after a transmit beam is generated , multiple receive beamformer channels produced by beamformer 130 are passed to memory buffer 400 in color flow processors 170 1 - 170 n by multiplexor 160 . if the number of transducer elements in a group to be corrected and in a group used as a reference is the same , the receive beamformer channels are applied to the color flow processors in the following fashion : ( a ) beamformer channels a 1 and a 2 are applied as input to the first color flow processor , i . e ., cf 170 1 : ( b ) beams a 2 and a 3 go to the second color flow processor , i . e ., cf 170 2 ; and so forth . however , if the number of transducer elements in a group to be corrected and in a group used as a reference is not the same , then the beamformer channels which are applied as input to the color flow processors must be paired so that the beamformer channels formed by beamformer 130 correspond to the selected groups . for example , for the situation described above with respect to fig2 the receive beamformer channels are applied to the color flow processors in the following fashion : ( a ) beamformer channels a 1 and a 2 are applied as input to the first color flow processor , i . e ., cf 170 1 : ( b ) beams a 3 and a 4 go to the second color flow processor , i . e ., cf 170 2 ; and so forth . for each pair of beamformer channels applied as input to a color processor , while the first beamformer channel is sent directly to auto - correlation apparatus 410 , the second beamformer channel is temporarily stored in memory buffer 400 before being sent to auto - correlation apparatus 410 . auto - correlation apparatus 410 then performs a correlation operation using the data from first and second beamformer channels . as one can readily appreciate , due to the input , this correlation operation becomes a cross - correlation operation . the output from auto - correlation apparatus 410 is applied as input to phase shift calculator 420 to obtain the relative phase shift between the two beams and the magnitude of the cross - correlation for use , in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention , in detecting and compensating for dead , weak , or blocked transducer elements in a manner which is explained in detail below . the output from phase shift calculator 420 is applied as input to storage 430 , for example , ram 430 , until similar calculations have been performed on all adjacent pairs of elements or groups of elements in the transducer array . the outputs from the color flow processors , in response to instructions received from controller 300 , are applied as input to scan converter 230 in the imaging mode of operation or are applied as input to ram 430 in the pac mode of operation . upon completion of the correlation sequence for all element groups in the transducer array , the relative phase shift and dead element information provided by the color flow processors are output from ram 430 and applied as input to phase profile calculator 440 . phase profile calculator 440 constructs absolute phase shifts and a final phase correction time delay profile of phase corrected time delay values which removes a linear or planar time shift component that may occur . phase profile constructor 440 may also perform any required calculations such as , for example , interpolation , fft , low - pass filtering , and so forth . the phase correction time delay values , in response to instructions received from controller 300 , are applied over leads 450 as input to beamformer 130 for use in the imaging mode of operation . the following describes the inventive adaptive cross - correlation algorithm . as described above , a color flow processor will obtain two range - gated complex vectors corresponding to a pair of receive beamformer channels to perform a cross - correlation using its auto - correlation apparatus . one of the vectors , defined as s c , is formed by a group of transducer elements whose relative phase shifts are to be calculated and other vector , defined as s r , is formed by an adjacent group of transducer elements and acts as a reference signal for calculating the relative phase shifts of the first group . ## equ1 ## the sum in eqn . ( 1 ) is over transducer element j which runs from be to ( bc + nc - 1 ), where bc is the first transducer element of a correcting transducer element group , nc represents the number of elements in the correcting transducer element group ( nc is determined empirically to provide the best improved image and can be set by user input ), and k is an index of sample points ( k = 0 corresponds to a sample point at the beginning of a selected region of interest ( roi ) and k = ns - 1 corresponds to a sample point at the end of the roi ). ## equ2 ## the sum in eqn . ( 2 ) is over transducer element 1 which runs from br to ( br + nr - 1 ), where br is the first transducer element of a reference transducer element group , nr represents the number of elements in the reference group ( nr is determined empirically to provide the best improved image and can be set by user input ). as before , k is an index of sample points in the roi . prior to performing the complex cross - correlation , s c and s r are normalized as follows : where n is the number of transducer elements in transducer array 100 . then , the normalized values s cn ( k ) and s rn ( k ) are represented as follows : the cross - correlation is given by : ## equ3 ## and the sums are over k , i . e ., the sample points . re ( j ) and im ( j ) are applied as input to phase shift calculator 420 . the phase shift δφ is computed from the complex cross - correlation c ( j ) in phase shift calculator 420 as follows : then , using the phase shift , the relative time delay is obtained as follows : where ω o is the carrier frequency , i . e ., the nominal center frequency of a transducer element . the calculated values of at are rounded off to the smallest time delay quantization . starting from one end of transducer 100 , for each adjacent pair of s c and s r , relative time delay δt is obtained as follows : ## equ4 ## the relative time delays from each of the phase shift calculators in the color flow processors are applied as input to ram 430 . then , the relative time delays are applied as input to phase profile constructor 440 . phase profile constructor 440 obtains the absolute time delays by selecting the group of elements at the end of the transducer as the reference point so that : the final time delays , i . e ., the time delays which are used to update transmit and receive time delays in beamformer 130 , are obtained after removing an unwanted linear , i . e ., steering component . the simplest way of removing the linear component is given by the following : ## equ5 ## a more complex method of removing the linear component is to minimize the least square error and is given as follows : ## equ6 ## the set of t i &# 39 ; can be interpolated for instance using a polynomial spline method to obtain the time shift for each array element rather than just for each group of elements . then , the set of t k &# 39 ; are applied over leads 450 as input to beamformer 130 to provide the phase aberration correction . as is known , phase aberration correction is an iterative process . in accordance with the present invention , iteration will stop when a user definable number of iterations , for example , 2 or 3 , is reached or when a root - mean - square sum , or like error indication function , of phase errors which is determined in phase profile calculator 440 is less than or equal to a user definable threshold value . the value of the number of iterations or threshold is expected to be determined in practice by indication of image improvement and processing time involved . as is well known , some elements of a transducer array may be dead , i . e ., inoperable or operating a deteriorated fashion , or some may be blocked , i . e ., the beams may be obscured for example , by a bone . in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention , an operation for compensating possible dead or blocked elements is provided in accordance with the following . first , the amplitude of the cross - correlation between two beams k and k + 1 is computed in phase shift calculator 420 as follows : phase profile constructor 440 determines that transducer element k + 1 is dead or weak if a ( k , k + 1 )≦ ε , a predetermined small quantity , but a ( k - 1 , k )≧ α , a predetermined , typical amplitude , and if a ( k + 1 , k + 2 )≦ ε , a ( k + 2 , k + 3 )≧ α . if this is the case , phase profile constructor 440 sends a signal to controller 300 to cause it to have beamformer 130 skip transducer element k + 1 in forming groups of transducer elements for phase aberration correction . consequently , the complex cross - correlation for purposes of phase aberration correction is performed between the kth and the ( k + 2 ) th beams instead of between the kth and the ( k + 1 ) th beams , and so forth . of course , in comparing the amplitude of the cross - correlation to be larger than α , one may utilize any pair of beamformer channels because there may be more than one dead or blocked adjacent elements . there is a need to provide a time delay to beamformer 130 for the missing or blocked elements for purposes of imaging . in accordance with the present invention , the time shifts for the missing or blocked elements can be evenly distributed . for example , if elements 2 and 3 are missing , then : where ( δt 1 - 4 ) is the relative time delay between beams 1 and 4 . although various minor modifications may be suggested by those versed in the art , it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent granted hereon all such modification as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art . | 6 |
a computer system ap 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises a processor 11 , firmware 13 , memory 15 , input / output ( i / o ) devices 17 , and an interconnecting bus 19 , as shown in fig1 . memory 15 includes both disk - based memory and solid - state memory , e . g ., ram . memory 15 includes architected memory 21 , which is memory in which the values for predetermined parameters are stored at predetermined physical locations . in the illustrated embodiment , processor 11 is a pa - risc processor and architected memory 15 is page zero . placing a value in architected memory permits firmware 13 to find information independent of any dynamic memory allocation scheme . memory 15 further stores an operating system 23 , other applications 25 , data 27 , and error - handling routines ( error handlers ) 29 . operating system 21 is hp - ux , a unix variant available from hewlett - packard company . operating system 23 actually uses storage of its code in two forms : its code lies completely on hard disk initially , and is loaded into ram upon boot - up . in an alternative embodiment , not all of the operating system is loaded into ram upon boot - up , but is loaded into ram on an as - needed basis to save limited ram capacity . for example , the actual code for an error handler may not be loaded into ram upon boot , but a vector pointing to the location of the error handler can be quickly found in a symbol table at a known storage address on the disk . in the illustrated embodiment , an instance 31 of the error - handler vector in a symbol table 33 is copied during boot - up to ram , to form “ operating - system ” vector 35 ; operating system 23 then copies vector 35 to a dedicated location in architected memory 21 , where it takes the form of firmware - accessible error - handler vector 37 . operating system 23 also loads a vector monitor 40 into ram during boot up . vector monitor 40 runs as a background process and , as part of the boot up process , copies firmware vector 37 to ram in the form of “ monitor ” vector 41 . thus , in system ap 1 , there are four instances of the error - handling vector , “ symbol ” vector 31 on disk in symbol table 33 , firmware vector 37 in architected memory 21 , and monitor vector 41 managed by vector monitor 40 , and , operating - system vector 35 . vector monitor 40 repeatedly checks firmware vectors 37 for corruption by comparing them with its copy 41 . when vector monitor 40 determines that its instance 41 and the instance 37 in architected memory match , it does nothing . if a mismatch is detected , vector monitor 40 takes a user - configurable action . vector monitor 40 can be configured to notify a user or administrator in a variety of ways , e . g ., by a message on a display for system ap 1 ( assuming a workstation instead of a server ), by email , by voicemail , or by simply logging the problem in an error log . the person notified can then take action to correct the mismatch and / or perform diagnostics . vector monitor 40 can also be configured to perform automatically many of the actions that an administrator might perform , e . g ., automatically correct a mismatch or to initiate diagnostics . for example , vector monitor 40 can be configured to examine the operating system instance 35 of the error handling vectors and / or the symbol table instance 31 of the vectors to determine whether it is the firmware vectors 37 or the monitor vectors 41 that have been changed . once the victim of the corruption is identified , it can be overwritten with a correct value . in an alternative embodiment , the vector monitor does not maintain its own instance of error - handling vectors , but uses the instance maintained in ram by the operating system ; in this case , an instance in the symbol table is used to determine which instance in ram is corrupt when a mismatch is detected . vector monitor 40 can also initiate diagnostic procedures . for example , vector monitor can cause firmware 13 to assert a “ transfer - of - control ” ( toc ) signal or a “ high - priority machine check ” ( hpmc ) signal to processor 11 . processor 11 is a pa - risc processor available from hewlett - packard company ; alternatively , an itanium processor available from intel corporation supports similar signals . if vector monitor 40 has already corrected the mismatch , there is also the option of having firmware 13 perform diagnostics while operating system 23 is suspended . in some multi - partition embodiments of the invention , processes running on a partition on which a mismatch is detected can be transferred to other partitions so that the incorporating computer system can remain operational . note that in a multi - partition system , each partition can have its own vector monitor . one of many possible methods provided by the present invention and used in connection with computer system ap 1 is flow charted in fig2 . at method segment s 11 , computer system ap 1 is turned on . at method segment s 12 , firmware 13 directs the power - on sequence ; at method segment s 13 , firmware 13 launches operating system 23 , which examines the hardware configuration of computer system ap 1 and determines physical memory allocations for non - architected memory . at method segment s 14 , operating system 23 writes its error - handler vector 35 to architected memory 21 , resulting in vector instance 37 . at method segment s 15 , operating system 23 launches vector monitor 40 , which reads firmware - accessible error - handler vector 37 to make its copy 41 at method segment s 16 . once the boot - up process is complete , vector monitor 40 repeatedly compares firmware vectors 37 with monitor vectors 41 at method segment s 21 . if a match is found at method segment s 22 , method m 1 returns to method segment s 21 . if a mismatch is detected at method segment s 22 , a user - configurable action is taken that can include notification at method segment s 23 , correction at method segment s 24 , and initiating diagnostic procedures at method segment s 25 . herein , “ error handler ” encompasses interrupt handlers as well as other types of error - related events . an “ error - handler ” vector is a value that refers to a location in memory of an error - handling routine . the vector may point directly or indirectly to such a location . in a single partition system , the vector can point directly to the location of an error handling routine . in a multiple partition system ( with multiple instances of an operating system , each with its own vector monitor ), the vector in architected memory can point to a location which stores a procedure that provides the correct vector for the partition requesting error handling . by “ copy ” is meant the underlying information is the same , even if the format of the information is different . a user or an administrator , once notified , can take any of many possible diagnostic and / or corrective actions . these include running diagnostic routines , reinitializing the processor and operating system with or without specifying additional diagnostic processes running in the background . in principle , any set of procedures that an administrator can implement can also be automated in firmware and software . these and other variations upon and modifications to the illustrated embodiment are provided for by the present invention , the scope of which is defined by the following claims . | 6 |
now it has been discovered that antioxidants can be utilized to reduce and even eliminate detected odors arising from gelatin walls of cosmetic product capsules . although not wishing to be bound by any theory , it is suggested that odor arises from breakdown of proteinaceous material of the gelatin wall and that the antioxidant operates to inhibit this breakdown . a variety of antioxidants may be suitable for purposes of the present invention . these include hindered phenols , retinoic acid , tocopherol , erythorbic acid , citric acid , anthranilic acid and derivatives of the foregoing materials . among the hindered phenols may be included 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl para - cresol ( also known as butylated hydroxy toluene ); butylated hydroxy anisole ( available from uop ); propyl gallate ( available from inolex corporation ); 2 , 2 &# 39 ;- methylene bis ( 4 - ethyl - 6 - tert - butylphenol ) ( sold as cyanox 2246 by american cyanamid corporation ); 2 , 5 - di - tert - butylhydroquinone , hydroquinone monomethyl ether and mono - tert - butylhydroquinone ( all available from eastman chemical company ); tris ( 3 , 5 - di - t - butyl - 4 - hydroxybenzyl ) isocyanurate and 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyhydrocinnamic acid triester with 1 , 3 , 5 - tris ( 2 - hydroxyethyl )- s - triazine - 2 , 4 , 6 ( 1h , 3h , 5h )- trione ( both available from b . f . goodrich company ); and tetrakis ( methylene 3 -( 3 &# 39 ;, 5 &# 39 ;- di - tert - butyl - 4 &# 39 ;- hydroxyphenyl proprionate ) methane ( sold as irganox 1010 by ciba - geigy ). alpha tocopherol ( vitamin e ) as well as fatty esters thereof such as tocopheryl , linoleate and palmitate may be useful antioxidants . citric acid may be suitable as well as fatty esters thereof . erythorbic acid and salts , such as sodium erythorbate can be employed as a antioxidant . most effective , however , are derivatives of retinoic acid which may include retinol , retinoic acid and fatty acid esters thereof , such as retinyl palmitate , retinyl laurate and retinyl oleate . amounts of the antioxidant may range anywhere from about 0 . 001 to about 5 %, preferably from about 0 . 1 to about 1 %, optimally from about 0 . 3 to about 0 . 8 % by weight of the total cosmetic composition . an important further component of the compositions of this invention is a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier compatible with the gelatin walls of the capsule . a wide variety of silicone polymers may be useful as the carrier . particularly advantageous are the polyalkyl siloxanes and the polyalkyl phenyl siloxanes . silicones for this invention may be those with viscosities ranging anywhere from about 0 . 5 to 10 , 000 , 000 centistokes at 25 ° c . mixtures of low and high viscosity silicones may be incorporated into the cosmetic formulations . high viscosity non - volatile polyalkyl siloxanes usually range in viscosity from about 10 up to about 10 , 000 , 000 centistokes . polydimethyl siloxanes of high viscosity are available commercially under the trademarks se 30 gum from the dow corning company and as vicasil from the general electric company . low viscosity or volatile polydimethyl siloxanes are available as cyclomethicone in pentamer and / or tetramer form , often present at 9 : 1 blends . viscosities of the volatile silicones may range from about 0 . 5 to less than 10 centistokes at 25 ° c . for purposes of this invention , mixtures of high and low viscosity polydimethyl siloxanes may be employed , one such example being dow corning x2 - 1146a fluid . amounts of silicone which can be utilized in the compositions of this invention range anywhere from about 5 to about 99 %, preferably from about 25 to about 90 % by weight of the composition . emollients are often incorporated into cosmetic compositions of the present invention . levels of such emollients may range from about 0 . 5 to about 50 %, preferably between about 5 and 30 % by weight of the total composition . emollients may be classified under such general chemical categories as esters , fatty acids and alcohols , polyols and hydrocarbons . esters may be mono - or di - esters . acceptable examples of fatty di - esters include dibutyl adipate , diethyl sebacate , diisopropyl dimerate , and dioctyl succinate . acceptable branched chain fatty esters include 2 - ethylhexyl myristate , isopropyl stearate and isostearyl palmitate . acceptable tribasic acid esters include triisopropyl trilinoleate and trilauryl citrate . acceptable straight chain fatty esters include lauryl palmitate , myristyl lactate , oleyl erucate and stearyl oleate . preferred esters include coco - caprylate / caprate ( a blend of coco - caprylate and coco - caprate ), propylene glycol myristyl ether acetate , diisopropyl adipate and cetyl octanoate . suitable fatty alcohols and acids include those compounds having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms . especially preferred are compounds such as cetyl , myristyl , palmitic and stearyl alcohols and acids . among the polyols which may serve as emollients are linear and branched chain alkyl polyhydroxyl compounds . for example , propylene glycol , sorbitol and glycerin are preferred . also useful may be polymeric polyols such as polypropylene glycol and polyethylene glycol . exemplary hydrocarbons which may serve as emollients are those having hydrocarbon chains anywhere from 12 to 30 carbon atoms . specific examples include mineral oil , petroleum jelly , squalene and isoparaffins . another category of functional ingredients within the cosmetic compositions of the present invention are thickeners . a thickener will usually be present in amounts anywhere from 0 . 1 to 20 % by weight , preferably from about 0 . 5 to 10 % by weight of the composition . exemplary thickeners are cross - linked polyacrylate materials available under the trademark carbopol from the b . f . goodrich company . gums may be employed such as xanthan , carrageenan , gelatin , karaya , pectin and locust beans gum . under certain circumstances the thickening function may be accomplished by a material also serving as a silicone or emollient . for instance , silicone gums in excess of 10 centistokes and esters such as glycerol stearate have dual functionality . various types of active ingredients may be present in cosmetic compositions of the present invention . actives are defined as skin or hair benefit agents other than emollients and other than ingredients that merely improve the physical characteristics of the composition . although not limited to this category , general examples include sunscreens , tanning agents , skin anti - wrinkling agents , anti - dandruff agents , anti - acne agents and hair growth stimulants . sunscreens include those materials commonly employed to block ultraviolet light . illustrative compounds are the derivatives of paba , cinnamate and salicylate . for example , octyl methoxycinnamate and 2 - hydroxy - 4 - methoxy benzophenone ( also known as oxybenzone ) can be used . octyl methoxycinnamate and 2 - hydroxy - 4 - methoxy benzophenone are commercially available under the trademarks , parsol mcx and benzophenone - 3 , respectively . the exact amount of sunscreen employed in the emulsions can vary depending upon the degree of protection desired from the sun &# 39 ; s uv radiation . anti - wrinkling agents are best exemplified by the 2 - hydroxyalkanoic acids , prostaglandins , retinoic acids , ceramides and their derivatives . these agents may be present anywhere from about 0 . 00001 to about 5 %, preferably from about 0 . 0001 to about 1 %, optimally between about 0 . 01 and 0 . 2 % by weight of the total composition . most preferred of the active compounds mentioned above is 2 - hydroxyoctanoic acid , retinol and pigskin or bovine - brain lipid ceramides . further identification of ceramide structures may be found in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 950 , 688 ( bowser et al ), herein incorporated by reference . other adjunct minor components may also be included in the cosmetic compositions . these ingredients may include preservatives , coloring agents , opacifiers and perfumes . amounts of these materials may range anywhere from 0 . 001 up to 20 % of the composition . capsules of the present invention are formed from gelatin walls . these walls may either be soft or hard . preferably , however , the walls are elastic or soft . gelatin for soft capsules normally will be selected from low - bloom type a ( 170 - 180 g ), type b ( 150 - 172 g ), or a mixture of types a and b . the manufacturing process for preparing such capsules can utilize a rotary die fed from two plasticized gelatin sheets which form a sealed chamber or compartment around the material being encapsulated . the size of the capsules may range from no . 0 to 2 . overall length of the capsules will normally range from about 0 . 5 to about 5 cm , preferably 1 to about 3 cm , optimally about 1 . 5 cm . amounts of cosmetic product held within these capsules may range in weight anywhere from about 0 . 05 to about 5 grams , preferably from about 0 . 3 to about 2 grams , optimally about 1 gram . the following examples will more fully illustrate selected embodiments of this invention . all parts , percentages and proportions referred to herein and in the appended claims are by weight unless otherwise indicated . a gelatin capsule of about 1 . 5 cm length was formed and a cosmetic composition of the following formula was enclosed therein : ______________________________________skincare treatmentingredient wt . % ______________________________________silicone gum se - 30 10 . 00silicone fluid 345 20 . 00silicone fluid 344 58 . 49squalene 10 . 00ceramides 0 . 01vitamin a palmitate 0 . 50vitamin e linoleate 0 . 50herbal oil 0 . 50______________________________________ capsules with the above composition were stored for over three months at room temperature . when the capsules were opened , a panel of evaluators determined that there was no malodor or other smell associated with the composition . gelatin capsules with identical composition except for the absence of vitamin a palmitate were also prepared . after a period of one week , the capsules were opened and the panel again assessed odor . this time , the compositions had a very distinct amine odor which was quite unpleasant . from these results , it is evident that the vitamin a palmitate was essential for maintaining the proper odor characteristics of the composition . another series of gelatin capsules similar to that of example i was formed and a cosmetic composition of the following formula was enclosed therein : ______________________________________skincare treatmentingredient wt . % ______________________________________silicone gum se - 30 10 . 000silicone fluid 345 20 . 000silicone fluid 344 58 . 490squalene 5 . 975ceramides 0 . 010 ( neural lipid extract ) wheat germ oil 2 . 000sesame oil 0 . 500jojoba oil 2 . 000vitamin e linoleate 0 . 500herbal oil 0 . 500ceramide i mix 0 . 025______________________________________ capsules with the above composition after a storage period of one week were opened and found to possess a foul odor . a series of deletion experiments were then performed removing each oil ( wheat germ , sesame and jojoba ), one at a time , then encapsulating and evaluating for odor . moreover , all oils in question were removed , encapsulated and then evaluated for odor of the fill material . in all cases at room and elevated ( 120 °) temperatures , it was determined that the same foul odor was present . thereafter the full formula ( with oils ) was encapsulated and vitamin a palmitate at 0 . 5 % was incorporated therein . these samples showed no foul odor at either room or elevated temperatures . all encapsulation performed in examples i and ii were conducted as follows . the gelatin formulation utilized was a combination of rendered pig gelatin , sorbitol / glycerin mixture for plasticizing and titanium dioxide for color . this mixture was then heated to molten liquid and formed into two sheets which were run across two rotary dies representing each half of the gelatin capsule . the dies were rolled together with the sheets of gelatin pressing one another and fill material was injected into the pressed gelatin cavity . thereafter the capsules were completely sealed at the top while the rotary dies were spun downward to release a completed capsule with fill material inside . finished capsules were then washed with naptha to remove excess moisture and tumbled ( air - dried ) for one hour . capsules were then laid on trays and air dried for four days at low relative humidity . the foregoing description and examples illustrate selected embodiments of the present invention and in light thereof variations and modifications will be suggested to one skilled in the art , all of which are within the spirit and purview of this invention . | 8 |
the detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention herein makes reference to the accompanying block diagrams and schematic diagrams , which show the exemplary embodiment by way of illustration and its best mode . while these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . thus , the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation . for example , the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented . moreover , it should be appreciated that the particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative of the invention and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present invention in any way . indeed , for the sake of brevity , certain sub - components of the individual operating components , conventional data networking , application development and other functional aspects of the systems may not be described in detail herein . furthermore , the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical couplings between the various elements . it should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system . fig1 and 2 shows a connector or female receptacle 10 for receiving a header or male plug 12 secured at a distal end of a cable 13 . the female receptacle 10 provides a communication interface to a computing device or network apparatus , such as a computer , modem or router . typically , the female receptacle 10 may be electrically coupled to a circuit board associated with the computing device or network apparatus . the female receptacle 10 and the male plug 12 are of the rj - type . as can be seen in fig1 , the female receptacle 10 includes a one - piece moulded plastic housing 14 having a front face 15 , a rear wall 16 , a top wall 18 , a bottom wall 20 and side walls 22 and 24 to form a cavity 25 . the rear wall 16 extends transversely across the rear portion of the housing 14 . it should be understood that the designation of wall as a “ top ” wall is made with respect to the view of the housing illustrated in fig1 , but that , in use , top wall may , in fact , be oriented as a bottom wall . the designations “ top ” and “ bottom ” are therefore made for ease of explanation of the invention , and should not be interpreted as limiting in any way . an opening 26 formed in the front face 15 is adapted to receive the modular mating male plug 12 . spaced apart shoulders 30 and 32 define substantially rectangular , elongated recess 36 or keyway extending from the front face 15 rearwardly along the bottom wall 20 towards the rear wall 16 . a plurality of apertures or holes is formed in alternating positions in the top wall 18 , and extends from the rear wall 16 to the front face 15 . the apertures are adapted to receive portions of conductor wires 38 , or female receptacle contacts . the female receptacle contacts 38 extend through housing 14 in a side - by - side , spaced apart fashion , and may be round , rectangular , or stamped metallic parts . the female receptacle contacts 38 include spring contact portions which move under spring contact pressure applied by the contacts of mating plug 12 . the male plug 12 of a conventional design generally includes a dielectric housing 40 having a free end or front face 42 for insertion into the opening 26 of the housing 14 , a resilient locking tab 44 integrally connected by a flexible hinge to the free end 42 of the dielectric housing 40 and extending obliquely rearwardly therefrom . the modular mating plug 12 also includes a terminal receiving side 46 having partitions which define side - by - side slots in which substantially flat , electrically conductive contact terminals 48 , or male plug contacts , are positioned . as described above , the male plug 12 is received by the aperture 26 of the female receptacle 10 , and secured with the female receptacle 10 by the resilient locking tab 44 with a releasable locking mechanism that engages the keyway 36 . as the male plug 12 is inserted , the male plug contacts 48 push against the spring contact portions of female receptacle contacts 38 , thus establishing an electrically conductive connection . in the description above , the female receptacle 10 and the male plug 12 are of the rj45 type , and therefore complement each other . any attempt to introduce a smaller - sized rj - type header , such as an rj11 male plug , would result in a loose fit of the rj11 male plug 12 within the much larger cavity 25 of the rj45 female receptacle 10 . as a result of the ill - fit , the releasable locking mechanism of the smaller - sized rj - type fails to engage the keyway 36 , therefore the male plug contacts 74 are thus not able to push against the spring contact portions of female receptacle contacts 38 , resulting in a lack of electrical conductivity between the female receptacle contacts 38 and the contacts of the rj11 male plug 12 . fig3 a and 3 b show an interface adapter 50 that allows a smaller - dimensioned rj - type male plug , such as an rj14 plug 52 or an rj11 plug 53 , as shown in fig3 c , to be inserted and secured with a larger cavity 25 of an rj45 female receptacle 10 . the interface adapter 50 is an integral moulded part comprising a top wall 54 , a bottom wall 56 and side walls 58 and 60 . an opening 62 is formed in the front wall 14 and is dimensioned to receive a smaller - dimensioned rj - type male plug , such as an rj14 male plug 52 or an rj11 male plug 53 . the top wall 54 includes a lip 64 integrally formed therewith , and the about midway of the side walls 58 and 60 are tabs 66 , 68 extending therefrom , respectively . at the corners where the side walls 58 , 60 and the top wall 54 meet are a pair of arms 70 , 72 extending therefrom . fig4 a , 4 b and 4 c show other views of the adapter 50 . on inserting the adapter 50 into the cavity 25 , while the tabs 66 , 68 engage the side walls 22 , 24 , and the arms 70 , 72 travel adjacent the top wall 18 of the rj45 female receptacle 10 and towards the rear wall 16 . accordingly , the arms 70 , 72 push against the spring contact portions of female receptacle contacts 38 , to further secure the adapter within the cavity 25 . the lip 64 abuts the front face 15 of the rj45 female receptacle 10 thus preventing any further motion of the adapter 50 into the cavity 25 . fig5 shows the adapter 50 resident within the rj45 female receptacle 10 . with the adapter 50 inside the cavity 25 , a portion of the female receptacle contacts 38 adjacent to the side walls 22 , 24 abut the side walls 58 , 60 of the adapter 50 , such that the remaining female receptacle contacts 38 align with the rj11 male plug contacts 74 to make contact and achieve electrical conductivity therebetween . as an example , a typical rj45 female receptacle 12 comprises 8 contacts 38 designated p 1 , p 2 , p 3 , p 4 , p 5 , p 6 , p 7 , p 8 , where each contact pin is assigned a signal , such as a data rx signal , data tx signal , signal ground , or unused , while a typical 2 - contact pin rj11 male plug 53 has contacts 74 designated q 1 , q 2 , which are assigned a data rx signal and a data tx signal , respectively . accordingly , contact q 1 , q 2 are aligned with the corresponding contacts of the female receptacle 10 carrying the data rx signal and a data tx signal , such as contacts p 4 and p 5 . in another example , the male plug is an rj14 header 52 having 2 twisted - wire pairs 74 where a first pair q 2 , q 3 carries a data rx signal and a data tx signal respectively , and a second pair q 1 , q 4 carries another data rx signal and another data tx signal , respectively . accordingly , the use of the adapter 50 provides proper mechanical alignment of the rj14 male plug 52 or rj11 male plug 53 inside a rj45 female receptacle 10 , including the desired electrical pin alignment . similar to the rj45 male plug 12 , the smaller - dimensioned rj - type male plug , such as an rj14 plug 52 or an rj11 plug 53 , generally includes a dielectric housing 76 having a free end or front face 78 for insertion into the opening 62 of the adapter 50 , a resilient locking tab 80 integrally connected by a flexible hinge to the free end 78 of the dielectric housing 76 and extending obliquely rearwardly therefrom . the resilient locking tab 80 engages with the bottom wall 56 of the adapter 50 and maintains the smaller - dimensioned rj - type male plug 52 or 53 within the adapter 50 and the cavity 25 . advantageously , the adapter 50 decreases product component costs by obviating the need for multiple connectors having mutually exclusive pin requirements . the adapter 50 also permits physically different interface headers to connect to a common connector ( e . g . rj11 header connects into an rj45 connector ). the adapter 50 allows a specific connector to support a different / smaller interface header by providing proper mechanical alignment of the smaller / different header inside a connector , and proper electrical pin alignment of the smaller / different header inside the connector . in another embodiment , the adapter 50 is integrated into a receptacle . in yet another embodiment , the adapter 50 is integrated into the final product , or pre - installed in the product such that no separate piece is required . benefits , other advantages , and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments . however , the benefits , advantages , solutions to problems , and any element ( s ) that may cause any benefit , advantage , or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical , required , or essential features or elements of any or all the claims . as used herein , the terms “ comprises ,” “ comprising ,” or any other variations thereof , are intended to cover a non - exclusive inclusion , such that a process , method , article , or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process , method , article , or apparatus . further , no element described herein is required for the practice of the invention unless expressly described as “ essential ” or “ critical .” the preceding detailed description is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation , and the scope of the invention is defined by the preceding description , and with respect to the attached claims . | 8 |
this description discusses systems and techniques for providing feedback to a user / rescuer about the quality of cpr chest compressions . in general , a defibrillation device includes a light sensor attached to a patient or a cpr sensor and configured to provide feedback to a rescuer about whether the rescuer is appropriately releasing the chest of the victim during chest compressions . referring now to fig1 a , an aed 10 is shown that may be used to provide a defibrillation shock at an appropriate time . in the figure , which shows an example implementation , a rescuer uses an aed 10 to automatically monitor a victim during cardiac resuscitation . the aed 10 uses measured ecg signals to monitor the victim &# 39 ; s heart , and charges the defibrillation device within the aed while the victim is resuscitated using chest compressions techniques . in some examples , the manner in which the defibrillation device is charged ( e . g ., the rate of charge , the total amount of charge stored ) can be based on the measured ecg signals . advantageously , charging the defibrillation device during cpr chest compressions reduces the amount of time that the victim is not receiving chest compressions because , if a shockable rhythm exists , the device is armed and ready to deliver the shock as soon as the rescuer completes the chest compressions . as shown in fig1 b , the aed 10 includes a speaker 16 , a display screen 18 , an analog - to - digital converter 20 , a processor 22 , and a defibrillator pulse generator 24 . the analog - to - digital converter 20 is connected to a set of ecg leads that are in turn attached to the victim . the ecg leads pass signals to the processor 22 for monitoring the electrical rhythms of the victim &# 39 ; s heart . the converter 20 sends the signals from the ecg leads to the processor 22 . the processor 22 monitors the victim &# 39 ; s heart for dangerous rhythms using the ecg signals while the victim is resuscitated using chest compressions techniques . if the aed 10 detects a dangerous heart rhythm , the aed 10 generates an alert signal . the alert signal is noticeable to the rescuer . the aed 10 can generate a defibrillating shock to the victim when the rescuer issues a command to the aed 10 directing such a shock . the defibrillating shock is intended to remedy the dangerous rhythm of the victim &# 39 ; s heart . the aed 10 also includes a charging module that may be configured to charge the aed during chest compressions . the module can adaptively charge the aed based on monitored ecg signals and patient age . in some examples , the defibrillator is pre - charged only if a shockable rhythm is likely to exist as determined by analysis of the monitored ecg signals . in some additional examples , the level of charge for the device is determined and set based on the monitored ecg signals . in some additional examples , the method of charging ( e . g ., the rate of charge ) varies based on the monitored ecg signals in an effort to conserve power . for example , if time allows , a capacitor may be charged more slowly than it normally would in order to conserve power , but still ensure that the capacitor will reach its full charge just as the defibrillator is needed by the rescuer . the aed 10 uses a rhythm advisory method for , a ) quantifying the frequency - domain features of the ecg signals ; b ) differentiating normal and abnormal ecg rhythms , such as vf ; c ) detecting the onset of abnormal ecg rhythms ; and d ) making decisions about the physiological states of the heart . this frequency - domain measure can be reliable with or without the presence of the chest compression artifact in the ecg signals . the aed 10 , after identifying the current physiological state of the heart , can make a decision about appropriate therapeutic action for the rescuer to make and communicate the action to the rescuer using the speaker 16 and the display screen 18 . the aed 10 may incorporate functionality for performing additional therapeutic actions such as chest compressions , ventilations , or delivery of intravenous solution - containing metabolic or constitutive nutrients . based on the results of the analysis of the rhythm advisory method , the aed 10 may automatically deliver the appropriate therapy to the patient . the aed 10 may also be configured in “ advisory ” mode wherein the aed 10 will prompt the caregiver after the aed 10 has made a determination of the best therapy , and acknowledgement by the caregiver / device operator , in the form of a button press or voice - detected acknowledgement , is required before therapy is delivered to the patient . the aed 10 analyzes the ecg signals to predict defibrillation success as well as to decide whether it is appropriate to defibrillate or to deliver an alternative therapy such as chest compressions , drugs such as epinephrine , constitutive nutrients such as glucose , or other electrical therapy such as pacing . in some examples , one or more therapeutic delivery devices 30 automatically deliver the appropriate therapy to the patient . the therapeutic delivery devices 30 can be , for example , a portable chest compression device , a drug infusion device , a ventilator and / or a device that includes multiple therapies such as defibrillation , chest compression , ventilation and drug infusion . the therapeutic delivery devices 30 are physically separate from the defibrillator aed 10 , and control of the therapeutic delivery devices 30 may be accomplished by a communications link 32 . the communications link 32 may take the form of a cable but preferably the link 32 is via a wireless protocol . in other examples , control and coordination for the overall resuscitation event and the delivery of the various therapies may be accomplished by a device 34 or processing element that is external to the aed 10 . for instance , the device 34 may download and process the ecg data from the aed 10 ; analyze the ecg signals , perform relevant determinations like those discussed above and below based on the analysis , and control the other therapeutic devices 30 , including the aed 10 . in other examples , the aed 10 may perform all the processing of the ecg , including analyzing the ecg signals , and may transmit to the control device 34 only the final determination of the appropriate therapy , whereupon the control device 34 would perform the control actions on the other linked devices 30 . chest compression artifacts can be separated from the ecg signal components , making it possible for the aed 10 to process the ecg signal without halting the processing during chest compressions . exemplary methods for analyzing the ecg signal to determine if a shockable rhythm exists are described , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 565 , 194 , titled “ ecg rhythm advisory method ,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety . it has been recognized that good chest compressions during cpr is essential to saving more victims of cardiac arrest . the compression rate recommended by the american heart association in its guidelines is equal or greater than 100 compressions per minute . many studies have reported that the discontinuation of chest compressions , such as is commonly done for ecg analysis and charging of a defibrillator , can significantly reduce the recovery rate of spontaneous circulation and 24 - hour survival rate . because of safety issues with delivery of a high voltage defibrillation shocks with voltages of 1000 - 2000 volts , rescuers are taught to cease chest compressions and remove their hands from the victim &# 39 ; s chest before initiating the defibrillation shock . by analyzing ecg signals during chest compressions as a mechanism to permit earlier charging of an energy delivery device ( e . g ., a capacitor ) in a defibrillator device , the gaps in providing chest compressions can be reduced , and patient care increased . fig2 shows a defibrillation device 50 with a display portion 52 that provides information about patient status and cpr administration quality during the use of the defibrillator device . the data is collected and displayed in an efficient and effective manner to a rescuer . as shown on display 52 , during the administration of chest compressions , the device 50 displays information about the chest compressions in box 54 on the same display as a filtered ecg waveform 51 and a co2 waveform 51 ( alternatively a spo2 waveform can be displayed ). during chest compressions , the ecg waveform is generated by gathering ecg data point and accelerometer readings and filtering the motion induced ( e . g ., cpr induced ) noise from the ecg waveform . measurement of velocity or acceleration of chest compression during chest compressions can be performed according to the techniques taught by u . s . pat . no . 7 , 220 , 335 , method and apparatus for enhancement of chest compressions during chest compressions , the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety . displaying the filtered ecg waveform helps clinicians reduce interruptions in cpr because the displayed waveform is easier for the rescuer to decipher . if the ecg waveform is not filtered , artifacts from manual chest compressions make it difficult to discern the presence of an organized heart rhythm unless compressions are halted . filtering out this artifact allows clinicians to view the underlying rhythm without stopping chest compressions . as shown in display 50 , the filtered ecg waveform 51 is a full length waveform filling the entire span of the display device while the second waveform ( e . g ., the co2 waveform 52 ) is a partial length waveform and fills only a portion of the display . a portion of the display beside the second waveform provides the cpr information in box 54 . for example , the display splits the horizontal area for the second waveform in half , displaying waveform 52 on left and cpr information on the right in box 54 . the cpr information in box 54 is automatically displayed when compressions are detected . the information about the chest compressions displayed in box 54 includes rate 58 ( e . g ., number of compressions per minute ) and depth 56 ( e . g ., depth of compressions in inches or millimeters ). the rate and depth of compressions can be determined by analyzing accelerometer readings . displaying the actual rate and depth data ( in addition to or instead of an indication of whether the values are within or outside of an acceptable range ) is believed to provide useful feedback to the rescuer . for example , if an acceptable range for chest compression depth is between 1 . 5 - 2 inches , providing the rescuer with an indication that his / her compressions are only 0 . 5 inches can allow the rescuer to determine how to correctly modify his / her administration of the chest compressions . the information about the chest compressions displayed in box 514 also includes a perfusion performance indicator ( ppi ) 60 . the ppi 60 is a shape ( e . g ., a diamond ) with the amount of fill in the shape differing to provide feedback about both the rate and depth of the compressions . when cpr is being performed adequately , for example , at a rate of about 100 compressions / minute ( cpm ), with the depth of each compression greater than 1 . 5 inches , the entire indicator will be filled . as the rate and / or depth decreases below acceptable limits , the amount of fill lessens . the ppi 60 provides a visual indication of the quality of the cpr such that the rescuer can aim to keep the ppi 60 completely filled . while some exemplary types of information displayed to the rescuer have been described herein , additional information about cpr quality and physiological parameters of the victim can be displayed in conjunction with or instead of the information described herein . for example , a release indication can be displayed with other information about the cpr quality of measured physiological parameters . exemplary displays and measurements are described , for example , in u . s . patent application ser . no . 13 / 025 , 348 filed on feb . 11 , 2011 , now u . s . pat . no . 8 , 880 , 166 , and entitled “ defibrillator display ” and in pending u . s . patent application no . 13 / 081 , 217 filed on apr . 6 , 2011 , which published as u . s . patent application pub . no . 2011 / 0284004 , and which is entitled “ wireless ventilator reporting ,” the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference . in addition to measuring information about the rate and depth of cpr chest compressions , in some examples the defibrillator device provides information about whether the rescuer is fully releasing his / her hands at the end of a chest compression . for example , as a rescuer tires , the rescuer may begin leaning on the victim between chest compressions such that the chest cavity is not able to fully expand at the end of a compression . if the rescuer does not fully release between chest compressions the quality of the cpr can diminish . as such , providing a visual or audio indication to the user when the user does not fully release can be beneficial . fig3 is a flow chart showing actions taken to provide an indication of whether a rescuer is fully releasing between chest compressions . at box 62 , the defibrillator device measures depth , rate , and release of cpr chest compressions . the depth , rate , and release of cpr chest compressions can be determined based on information collected from an accelerometer , light sensor , capacitive touch sensor , or other devices . based on the collected information , at box 64 , the defibrillator determines whether the rescuer is fully releasing between chest compressions . at box 66 , the defibrillator provides an indicator on a display that includes information about whether the rescuer is fully releasing . for example , the display on the defibrillator can include a release indication box where the amount of fill in the box varies to indicate whether the rescuer is fully releasing between chest compressions . for example , as shown in fig4 a , when the rescuer is fully releasing the box 70 can be fully filled . when the rescuer is not fully releasing the amount of fill in the release indication box is decreased such that the box is only partially filled ( e . g ., as shown in box 72 of fig4 b ). in some examples , the depth and rate of cpr chest compressions can be determined based on information collected from an accelerometer while the release of the cpr chest compressions can be based on information collected from a light or capacitive touch sensor . for example , as shown in fig5 , a cpr monitoring device 86 that includes a light sensor or capacitive touch sensor 88 and an accelerometer can be affixed to a victim &# 39 ; s chest at a location corresponding to the location of the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands when delivering manual chest compressions prior to the administration of cpr . the light sensor measures light impinging on the sensor and provides the information to a computing device in the defibrillator . the defibrillator processes the information to determine whether the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands are in contact with the light sensor 88 . more particularly , because the device 86 is affixed to the victim &# 39 ; s chest or on top of the cpr sensor at a location corresponding to the location of the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands when delivering manual chest compressions , the presence or absence of light detection by the light sensor 88 can be used to determine whether the rescuer is fully releasing the chest of the victim during the administration of chest compressions . the light sensor 88 can be any device that is used to detect light . exemplary light sensors include photocells or photoresistors that change resistance when light shines on it , charged coupled devices ( ccd ) that transport electrically charged signals , photomultipliers that detect light and multiply it , and the like . capacitive sensing is a technology based on capacitive coupling between conductive or has a dielectric different than that of air and the sensor . when the human hands approaches or touches the capacitive sensor , this detects this movement or touch of the hand and measure a change in capacitance . the level of capacitance can be used by the processor or device to determine whether the rescuer hand is touching the capacitor sensor pad . fig6 a - b and 7 a - b show exemplary light sensor during cpr compressions . as shown in fig6 a and 7a , when the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands 92 are raised away from the victim &# 39 ; s chest and are not in contact with the victim &# 39 ; s chest 90 ( e . g ., when the rescuer releases from a compression ), the light sensor 88 is uncovered . thus , when the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands are raised away from the victim &# 39 ; s chest light 96 can reach the light sensor 88 and the light sensor detects the presence of the light 96 . in contrast , as shown in fig6 b and 7b , when the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands 92 are in contact with the victim &# 39 ; s chest 90 ( e . g ., when the rescuer is providing a compression ) the light sensor 88 is covered . when the light sensor is covered , light is not able to reach the light sensor 88 . thus , the presence and absence of light measured by the light sensor can be used to determine whether the rescuer is fully releasing his / her hands from the victim &# 39 ; s chest 90 ; when light is detected the rescuer has released and when light is not detected the rescuer is maintaining physical contact with the victim . in some examples , the information from the light sensor can be compared to cpr compression rate information from the accelerometer to determine whether the user is releasing the victim &# 39 ; s chest fully . more particularly , if the rescuer is releasing the victim &# 39 ; s chest fully , light should be observed by the light sensor for every compression . thus , the defibrillation device can determine a frequency at which a threshold amount of light is detected by the light sensor and compare the determined frequency with a compression rate obtained from the accelerometer . if the determined frequency from the light sensor is the same ( or within an acceptable range from ) the compression rate obtained from the accelerometer , the defibrillation device can determine that the rescuer is appropriately releasing the victim &# 39 ; s chest . on the other hand , if the frequency from the light sensor is less than the compression rate , the defibrillation device can determine that the rescuer is not appropriately releasing the victim &# 39 ; s chest . while in the example described above , the presence / absence of light was used to determine the release of the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands from the victim &# 39 ; s chest , in some additional examples a change in light measured by the light sensor 88 can be used to determine the presence / absence of the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands . for example , the rescuer may not fully cover the light sensor 88 when providing compressions . however , if a portion of the light sensor 88 is covered , a change in the intensity or amount of light measured by the light sensor will be observed when the rescuer lifts his / her hands . this change in intensity can be used to determine presence / absence of the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands . in some additional examples , the light sensor 88 can be used to detect the removal of the electrodes from a package and can be used to begin instructions to a rescuer about how to apply the electrodes to the victim . fig8 a shows an assembled electrode package 110 with multiconductor electrical lead 120 and label 112 . the package is opened by grasping the loose flaps 116 at arrow label 118 , and peeling back the top flap . as the flaps are pulled apart , releaseable peripheral adhesive 114 parts . when a light sensor is included in the assembled electrode package 110 , light is unable to impinge on the light sensor 161 . as such , information from the sensor can be used to determine that the rescuer has not yet opened the electrode package regardless of whether the leads 120 have been plugged into a defibrillation device . as such , if the defibrillation device detects that the leads 120 have been inserted into the defibrillation device but the light sensor 161 does not indicate the presence of light , the defibrillation device can provide instructions to the rescuer about how to open the electrode package 110 . fig8 b and 8c show views of the electrodes 150 a and 150 b , an accelerometer 160 , a light sensor 161 , and styrene sheet 140 after removal from the electrode package 110 . before the package is opened , the styrene sheet 140 is folded along fold line 151 in the form of a closed book ( e . g ., as shown in fig8 b ), with the electrodes 50 a and 50 b and accelerometer 60 peelably attached to the interior facing surfaces of the book . the accelerometer works with electronics in the defibrillator to determine the depth of compressions during cpr . the light sensor 161 works with electronics in the defibrillator to determine whether the rescuer is appropriately releasing the victim &# 39 ; s chest between compressions ( e . g ., as described herein ). ecg electrodes ( not shown ) are built into one of electrode 150 a or 150 b ( each is located at approximately the corners of the triangular shape of the electrode ). until the book is unfolded , the light sensor 161 is covered by the opposite side of the styrene sheet 140 and light is unable to impinge on the light sensor . on opening the package , the book is unfolded , so that the electrodes and accelerometer are presented to the user as shown in fig8 c . upon unfolding the book , the light sensor 161 is uncovered and light is able to reach the light sensor . thus , the unfolding of the book ( and the resulting light measurement from the sensor 161 ) indicates to the defibrillation device that the user has opened the package 110 and is ready to receive information ( e . g ., audio or visual instructions ) about the application of the electrodes to the victim . fig9 a - b and 10 a - b show capacitance sensor during cpr compressions . as shown in fig9 a and 10a , when the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands 92 are raised away from the victim &# 39 ; s chest and are not in contact with the victim &# 39 ; s chest 90 ( e . g ., when the rescuer releases from a compression ), the capacitance sensor 87 is uncovered . thus , when the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands are raised away from the victim &# 39 ; s chest capacitance measured by the capacitance sensor 87 is based on the dielectric of air . in contrast , as shown in fig9 b and 10b , when the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands 92 are in contact with the victim &# 39 ; s chest 90 ( e . g ., when the rescuer is providing a compression ) the capacitance sensor 87 is covered and contact is made between the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands and the sensor 87 . when the human hands approach or touch the capacitive sensor 87 , the sensor 87 detects this movement or touch of the hand and measures a change in capacitance . thus , the measured capacitance level can be used by the processor or device to determine whether the rescuer hand is touching the capacitor sensor 87 and can be used to determine whether the rescuer is fully releasing his / her hands from the victim &# 39 ; s chest 90 ; when capacitance remains at a level indicating that the rescuer &# 39 ; s hands are in contact with the capacitance sensor 87 , the rescuer is not fully releasing his / her hands between compressions . in some examples , the information from the capacitance sensor can be compared to cpr compression rate information from the accelerometer to determine whether the user is releasing the victim &# 39 ; s chest fully . more particularly , if the rescuer is releasing the victim &# 39 ; s chest fully , a change in capacitance should be observed by the capacitance sensor for every compression . thus , the defibrillation device can determine a frequency at which a threshold change in capacitance is detected by the capacitance sensor and compare the determined frequency with a compression rate obtained from the accelerometer . if the determined frequency from the capacitance sensor is the same ( or within an acceptable range from ) the compression rate obtained from the accelerometer , the defibrillation device can determine that the rescuer is appropriately releasing the victim &# 39 ; s chest . on the other hand , if the frequency from the capacitance sensor is less than the compression rate , the defibrillation device can determine that the rescuer is not appropriately releasing the victim &# 39 ; s chest . while at least some of the embodiments described above describe techniques and displays used in conjunction with an aed device , similar techniques and displays can be used with other defibrillator devices . exemplary professional grade defibrillator devices include the r series , e series , propaq md , or m series devices manufactured by zoll medical , ma and the philips mrx or philips xl devices . additionally , the defibrillator may take the form of a wearable defibrillator such as the lifevest , manufactured by zoll medical ( chelmsford , mass .). many other implementations other than those described may be employed , and may be encompassed by the following claims . | 0 |
the magnetic fluid seal apparatus of the present invention may be constructed as shown in either fig1 or fig2 . it comprises : a shaft 2 having a cylindrical outer surface 5 ( the cross section of the shaft 2 need not necessarily be circular in the case of the construction shown in fig2 ); a housing 1 that has a cylindrical inner surface 4 concentric with the outer surface 5 of the shaft 2 ( the inner surface 4 need not be concentric with the shaft 2 in the case of the construction shown in fig1 ), with the shaft rotating relative to said housing ; a permanent magnet 7 formed in an annular shape of a size that permits it to be freely inserted into the cylindrical space 6 between the inner surface 4 of the housing 1 and the outer surface 5 of the shaft 2 , said permanent magnet being magnetized in the axial direction ; at least one pole piece 8 or 9 formed in an annular shape having a greater inside diameter than the outside diameter of the shaft 2 ( fig1 ), and secured to one lateral side of the permanent magnet 7 . in fig1 the pole piece ( s ) are fitted in the housing 1 and secured to its inner surface 4 . in the cases shown in fig1 and 2 , two pole pieces 8 and 9 are used and the permanent magnet 7 is sandwiched therebetween , and particularly in the case of the construction shown in fig2 neither the permanent magnet 7 nor the pole pieces 8 and 9 need necessarily be in annular form as long as the pole pieces have a circular circumference . a magnetic fluid 10 of the type known in the prior art is retained either between the inner edge of each pole piece and the outer surface of the shaft 2 ( as in fig1 ) or between the outer edge of each pole piece and the inner surface 4 of the housing 1 ( as in fig2 ) under the influence of the magnetism of the permanent magnet 7 . at least the area of the inner surface 4 of the housing 1 or the outer surface 5 of the shaft 2 on which the magnetic fluid 10 is to be deposited is made of a ferromagnetic material . in the construction shown in fig1 in which the permanent magnet 7 and each of the pole pieces 8 and 9 are secured to the inner surface of the housing 1 , the area of the outer surface 5 of the shaft 2 on which the magnetic fluid 10 is deposited is designated the first deposit surface 13 , the area of the outer surface 5 of the shaft 2 which extends more into the clean space ( located in the upper part of fig1 ) than the first deposit surface 13 is designated the first clean surface 14 , the surface of the inner edge of the pole piece 8 is designated the second deposit surface 15 , and part of one lateral side of the pole piece 8 which faces said clean space is designated the second clean surface 16 . in the construction shown in fig2 in which the permanent magnet 7 and each of the pole pieces 8 and 9 are secured to the outer surface 5 of the shaft 2 , the area of the inner surface 4 of the housing 1 on which the magnetic fluid 10 is deposited is designated the third deposit surface 17 , the area of the inner surface 4 of the housing 1 which extends more into the clean space than said third deposit surface 17 is designated the third clean surface 18 , the surface of the outer edge of the pole piece 8 is designated the fourth deposit surface 19 , and the part of one lateral side of the pole piece 8 which faces said clean space is designated the fourth clean surface 20 . each of the first to fourth deposit surfaces 13 , 15 , 17 and 19 is an area in which the magnetic fluid 10 is deposited to close the gap between the inner surface 4 of the housing 1 and the outer surface 5 of the shaft 2 . on the other hand , each of the first to fourth clean surfaces 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 faces the clean space accommodating the hard disk and should be protected against the deposition of magnetic fluid 10 . the arrangement described above is the same as that of the known magnetic fluid seal apparatuses . what is characteristic about the magnetic fluid seal apparatus of the present invention is that a unique oil - repelling layer is formed between each of the deposit surfaces 13 , 15 , 17 and 19 and the associated clean surface 14 , 16 , 18 or 20 to insure that the magnetic fluid 10 present at those deposit surfaces will not reach any of the clean surfaces 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 . thus , in accordance with the invention , either the first intermediate area 21 of the outer surface of the shaft 2 which is located between the first deposit surface 13 and the first clean surface 14 or the second intermediate area 22 on the lateral side of the pole piece 8 or 9 which is located between the second deposit surface 15 and the second clean surface 16 , or both the first and second intermediate areas 21 and 22 , have a fluorine containing surfactant adsorbed thereon to form an oil - repelling layer . further , in accordance with the invention , either the third intermediate area 23 of the inner surface 4 of the housing 1 which is located between the third deposit surface 17 and the third clean surface 18 or the fourth intermediate area 24 on the lateral side of the pole piece 8 or 9 which is located between the fourth deposit surface 19 and the fourth clean surface 20 , or both the third and fourth intermediate areas 23 and 24 , have a fluorine - containing surfactant adsorbed thereon to form an oil - repelling layer . in each of the embodiments outlined above , it is preferred for the purpose of preventing the spread of magnetic fluid 10 to form an oil - repelling layer at both intermediate areas ( namely , the first and second intermediate areas 21 and 22 in fig1 and the third and fourth intermediate areas 23 and 24 in fig2 . it should , however , be noted that there is no particular need to form an oil - repelling layer in the areas where the spread of magnetic fluid 10 can effectively be prevented by centrifugal force . further , an oil - repelling layer may also be formed on the respective deposit surfaces 13 , 15 , 17 and 19 or on the associated clean surfaces 14 , 16 , 18 and 20 . by the arrangement described above , the magnetic fluid seal apparatus of the present invention insures that every gap existing between the inner surface 4 of the housing 1 and the outer surface 5 of the shaft 2 is closed while the shaft is rotating relative to the housing , and this mechanism is essentially the same as that attained with the known magnetic fluid seal apparatuses . in accordance with the present invention , the oil - repelling layer formed on at least one of the four intermediate areas 21 - 24 effectively insures that the magnetic fluid 10 retained at the edge portion of the pole piece 8 will not spread into the clean space ; this action of the oil - repelling layer per se is essentially the same as that achieved by the invention described in jp - b - 60 - 48668 . however , in the magnetic fluid seal apparatus of the present invention the oil - repelling layer is formed of a fluorine - containing surfactant and this facilitates the formation of an extremely thin and very tenacious oil repelling layer . the layer is so thin that it has no substantial effect on the size of the gap in which the magnetic fluid will reside . this contributes to the manufacture of an inexpensive magnetic fluid seal apparatus that has high performance , durability and reliability . in order to form an oil - repelling layer from the fluorine - containing surfactant , the part to be provided with the oil - repelling layer is wetted ( e . g ., by immersion or spraying ) with a solution of said fluorine - containing surfactant in a volatile solvent . this offers the advantage that a rugged oil - repelling layer can be formed on the surface of the part in an easy and rapid way without requiring baking or any other complicated procedure . the molecules of the fluorine - containing surfactant of which the oil - repelling layer is formed are arranged in such a way that only those which are situated closest to the surface of the metal part are adsorbed either physically or chemically on the metal surface by means of terminal polar groups . this contributes to the formation of a monolayer which is very thin and which ye adheres strongly to the surface of the metal part . when the part is immersed in the solution of the fluorine - containing surfactant , the latter is deposited in an amount greater than that necessary to form an adherent monolayer but the excess portion of the oil - repelling layer can be readily removed by immersing the part in a volatile solvent . thus , there will be no excess surfactant to come off the surface of the metal part after it is assembled in the magnetic fluid seal apparatus . the volatile solvent in which the fluorine - containing surfactant is to be dissolved may be selected from the group consisting of the following members : ( 1 ) alcohols such as methanol , ethanol , isopropanol , n - propanol and pentafluoropropanol ( e . g ., the pefol tm series made by daikin kogyo co ., ltd . ); ( 2 ) fluorine - containing solvents such as trichlorotrifluoroethane (&# 34 ; freon &# 34 ;), perfluoro - or fluoro - alkyl solvents ; ( 3 ) ketone solvents such as acetone , methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone ; ( 4 ) cellosolve solvents such as methyl cellosolve , ethyl cellosolve and butyl cellosolve ; ( 5 ) aldehyde solvents ; ( 6 ) ester solvents such as ethyl acetate ; ( 7 ) mixtures of 1 , 1 , 1 - trichloroethane with ( 1 ), ( 3 ), ( 4 ), ( 5 ) or ( 6 ) ( for example , a mixture of 1 , 1 , 1 - trichloroethane with 0 . 1 - 30 % of a combination of ethanol and n - propanol ); and ( 8 ) mixtures of chlorine - containing organic solvents such as dichloro - hydrocarbons or trichloro - hydrocarbons with alcohols that boil at temperatures not higher than 150 ° c . ( e . g ., methanol , ethanol and isopropanol ). the term &# 34 ; fluorine - containing solvent &# 34 ; as used hereinabove means solvents having at least one hydrogen atom , in the molecular structure replaced by a fluorine atom , as exemplified by freon based solvents , perfluoroalkyls and fluoroalkanols . the solvents in groups ( 1 ) and ( 3 ) to ( 6 ) are highly flammable and are difficult to handle . on the other hand , the solvents in group ( 2 ) such as trichlorotri - fluoroethane (&# 34 ; freon &# 34 ;) can deplete the earth &# 39 ; s ozone layer . in addition , the solvents in group ( 2 ) such as perfluoro - alkyl solvents are expensive , so that the solvents are not suitable for practical use . under these circumstances , the solvents of groups ( 7 ) and ( 8 ) are preferably used . it is more preferable to use admixtures of chlorine - containing organic solvents with alcohols that boil at temperatures not higher than 150 ° c . ( e . g ., methanol , ethanol and isopropanol ). chlorine - containing organic solvents are capable of dissolving up to about 0 . 01 % of the fluorine - containing surfactant whereas alcohols that boil at temperatures not higher than 150 ° c . are capable of dissolving up to 60 % of the same surfactant . on the other hand , chlorine - containing organic solvents are non - flammable and hence are safe to handle but alcohols that boil at temperatures not higher than 150 ° c . are highly flammable although they have the advantage of being quick to dry . under these circumstances , the present inventors believe that the disadvantages of these two kinds of solvents can be eliminated while retaining their advantages by using them in combination . chlorine - containing organic solvents are capable of dissolving up to 20 % of alcohols that boil at temperatures not higher than 150 ° c . and the resulting mixture is comparatively non - flammable . accordingly , up to 20 % of the fluorine - containing surfactant can be dissolved in the mixture of a chlorine - containing organic solvent and an alcohol that boils at the temperature of 150 ° c . or below . in practical applications , the fluorine - containing surfactant can be dissolved in the mixture in amounts ranging from 0 . 01 to 20 %, with the range of 0 . 1 - 5 % being preferred . when the fluorine - containing surfactant is to be dissolved in a group ( 8 ) solvent , the surfactant is preferably selected from among perfluoroalkyl betaines ( amphoteric fluorine compounds with molecular weights of 100 - 2 , 000 , as exemplified by &# 34 ; futergent 400 &# 34 ;), and the chlorine - containing organic solvent which is one component of solvent system ( 8 ) is preferably selected from among trichlorohydrocarbons which are highly flammable and very quick to dry . even if a portion of the fluorine - containing surfactant is released from the adherent monolayer that serves as the oil - repelling layer , only very small pieces of the surfactant ( no larger than one molecule ) will be suspended in the clean space . since the size of these suspended pieces is much smaller than that required by cleanliness value &# 34 ; 10 &# 34 ; ( no more than 10 particles with a size of 0 . 5 μm or more present in a volume of one cubic inch ), which should be satisfied by the clean space , the suspended particles will by no means cause erroneous operation of the hard disc . experiments were conducted in order to verify the effectiveness of the present invention , using circular stainless steel plates ( see fig3 and 4 ) made of the same material as the pole piece 8 . an oil - repelling layer was formed on each of these stainless steel plates and a magnetic fluid 10 made of the same materials as used in the actual magnetic fluid seal apparatus was dropped on the surface of each stainless steel plate to see how it would behave on the plate surface . except in experiment 7 ( comparative example ), all of the stainless steel plates 25 were surface - treated to form an oil - repelling layer using the following four steps ( a )-( d ). a degreased stainless steel plate 25 was immersed in a solution of 0 . 5 wt / v % of a coating agent ( in the case of the present invention , a fluorine - containing surfactant ) in a volatile solvent selected from the above - mentioned groups ( 1 )-( 7 ) for 20 seconds and thereafter removed from the solution . in experiments 1 - 4 in which the fluorine - containing surfactant was of a perfluoropolyether type , freon was used as a solvent . the stainless steel plate 25 removed from the solution was dried . the dried stainless steel plate 25 was immersed in a volatile solvent selected from the above - mentioned groups ( 1 )-( 7 ) for 20 seconds and thereafter removed from the volatile solvent to remove excess coating agent deposited on the surface of the steel plate . after the completion of the surface treatment described magnetic fluid 10 was dropped onto the center of above , 1 μl of magnetic fluid 10 was dropped onto the center of the plate surface . immediately thereafter , the steel plate was placed on a sliding table indicated at 26 in fig3 and 4 . five minutes later , the change in the shape of the magnetic fluid 10 was visually checked . the top face of the table 26 sloped at a gradient of 45 degrees , so that the magnetic fluid 10 dropped on the center of the plate surface would flow down the steel plate 25 by gravity . the results of a visual check of the change in the shape of the magnetic fluid 10 that occurred after standing for 5 minutes were evaluated by the following criteria : &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ; when no change occurred as shown in fig5 ; &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; when the magnetic fluid 10 deformed but did not flow down to the lower edge of the stainless steel plate 25 as shown in fig6 ; and &# 34 ; poor &# 34 ; when the magnetic fluid 10 deformed so extensively that it flowed down to the lower edge of the stainless steel plate 25 as shown in fig7 . the purpose of the present invention is to attain a result that is at least comparable to &# 34 ; good &# 34 ;, and preferably &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ;. an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; fomblin zdiac 2000 &# 34 ; ( a trade name of nippon montedison co ., ltd .) being used as a perfluoropolyether dicarboxylic acid , a fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 did not deform at all as shown in fig5 even after the passage of 5 minutes . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had an &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; fomblin zdiac 4000 &# 34 ; ( a trade name of nippon montedison co ., ltd .) being used as perfluoropolyether dicarboxylic acid , a fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 did not deform at all as shown in fig5 even after the passage of 5 minutes . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had an &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; galden mono acid &# 34 ; ( a trade name of nippon montedison co ., ltd .) being used as a perfluoropolyether monocarboxylic acid , a fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 did not deform at all as shown in fig5 even after the passage of 5 minutes . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had an &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; krytox 157 f / m &# 34 ; ( a trade name of e . i . du pont de nemours & amp ; co ., inc .) being used as a perfluoropolyether monocarboxylic acid , a kind of fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 did not deform at all as shown in fig5 even after the passage of 5 minutes . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had an &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . the perfluoropolyether carboxylic acids used in the first to fourth experiments are fluorine compounds with molecular weights of 500 - 20 , 000 that have hydrophobic groups containing ether bonds in the fluorocarbon chain . having comparatively high molecular weights , these fluorine compounds are believed to achieve their good oil - repelling properties by forming a molecular layer of comparatively long perfluoropolyether chains on the surfaces of metal parts . in the absence of hydrophobic groups that contain ether bonds in the fluorocarbon chain , the solubility of such high - molecular weight compounds in solvents becomes so low that a sufficiently adherent monolayer cannot be formed to exhibit good oil - repelling properties on the surfaces of metal parts . therefore , ether bonds are indispensable when high - molecular weight fluorine - containing compounds are used as surfactants . however , it is also possible to use a fluorine compound with a molecular weight of 500 - 20 , 000 having a hydrophobic group containing an ester bond in the fluorocarbon chain , as a fluorine - containing surfactant of the present invention . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; futergent 400s &# 34 ; ( a trade name of neos co . for a betaine surfactant ) being used as a perfluoroalkyl amphoteric surfactant , a fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 did to deform at all as shown in fig5 even after the passage of 5 minutes . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had an &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; surflon s - 131 &# 34 ; ( a trade name of asahi glass co ., ltd . for a betaine surfactant ) being used as a perfluoroalkyl amphoteric surfactant , a fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 did not deform at all as shown in fig5 even after the passage of 5 minutes . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had an &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . the perfluoroalkyl amphoteric surfactants used in experiments 5 and 6 are fluorine compounds with molecular weights of 100 - 2 , 000 that are amphoteric , i . e ., having both positive and negative charges in polar groups . although these fluorine compounds have comparatively low molecular weights , the amphoteric groups allow the fluorine chains to be oriented in opposite directions when they are adsorbed on the stainless steel plate 25 , thereby forming a monolayer of such fluorine chains deposited on the surface of a metal part at a comparatively high density to exhibit good oil - repelling properties . ether bonds are not necessary for such perfluoroalkyl surfactants since they themselves are reasonably soluble in solvents . however , it is also possible to use a perfluoroalkyl amino acid , as perfluoroalkyl amphoteric surfactants which are fluorine compounds with molecular weights of 100 - 2 , 000 that are amphoteric , i . e ., having both positive and negative charges in polar groups . an &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ; oil - repelling property was achieved in each of experiments 1 - 6 . to further verify the effectiveness of the present invention , eight additional experiments were conducted . experiment 7 was a comparison example in which only a &# 34 ; poor &# 34 ; oil - repelling property was exhibited . in experiments 8 - 14 , which were within the scope of the present invention , very thin and high - strength films could be easily formed but their oil - repelling properties were somewhat inferior to those of the films obtained in experiments 1 - 6 . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , except that the stainless steel plate 25 was degreased but did not receive an further surface treatment . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 had flowed down to the lower edge of the plate after the passage of 5 minutes as shown in fig7 . the oil - repelling property of the stainless steel plate 25 was therefore found to be &# 34 ; poor &# 34 ;. an experiment was conducted under the conditions already described above , with &# 34 ; futergent 150 &# 34 ; ( a trade name of neos co . for a carboxylate surfactant ) being used as a perfluoroalkyl anionic surfactant , a fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 had flowed halfway down said steel plate after the passage of 5 minutes as shown in fig6 . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had a &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; futergent 100 &# 34 ; ( a trade name of neos co . for a sulfonate surfactant ) being used as a perfluoroalkyl anionic surfactant , a kind of fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 had flowed halfway down said steel plate after the passage of 5 minutes as shown in fig6 . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had a &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; surflon s - 112 &# 34 ; ( a trade name of asahi glass co ., ltd . for a phosphate ester surfactant ) being used as a perfluoroalkyl anionic surfactant , a kind of fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 had flowed halfway down said steel plate after the passage of 5 minutes as shown in fig6 . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had a &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; futergent 250 &# 34 ; ( a trade name of neos co . for an ethylene oxide adduct surfactant ) being used as a perfluoroalkyl nonionic surfactant , a kind of fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 had flowed halfway down said steel plate after the passage of 5 minutes as shown in fig6 . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had a &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; surflon s - 141 &# 34 ; ( a trade name of asahi glass co ., ltd . for an amine oxide surfactant ) being used as a perfluoroalkyl nonionic surfactant , a kind of fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 had flowed halfway down said steel plate after the passage of 5 minutes as shown in fig6 . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had a &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; futergent 300 &# 34 ; ( a trade name of neos co . for a quaternary ammonium salt surfactant ) being used as a perfluoroalkyl cationic surfactant , a kind of fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 had flowed halfway down said steel plate after the passage of 5 minutes as shown in fig6 . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had a &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . an experiment was conducted under the conditions described above , with &# 34 ; surflon s - 121 &# 34 ; ( a trade name of asahi glass co ., ltd . for a quaternary ammonium salt surfactant ) being used as a perfluoroalkyl cationic surfactant , a kind of fluorine - containing surfactant . the magnetic fluid 10 dropped onto the center of the surface of the stainless steel plate 25 had flowed halfway down said steel plate after the passage of 5 minutes as shown in fig6 . it was therefore verified that the stainless steel plate 25 had a &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; oil - repelling property . it should be noted that a character of the surface to be coated depends on a kind of fluorine - containing surfactant , but does not depend on a kind of volatile solvents . when a fluorine - containing surfactant is adsorbed by utilizing any of volatile solvents of the present invention , the same effect as the above - mentioned experiments can be obtained . using the fluorine - containing surfactants that were found to be effective in the experiments described above , oil - repelling layers were formed on the surfaces of the pole pieces and the shaft that were to be used to construct an actual magnetic fluid seal apparatus . an example of the treatment advantageously used t form such oil - repelling layers is described below . also described below is an experiment that was conducted to test the performance of the magnetic fluid seal apparatus having incorporated therein the pole pieces and the shaft that had oil - repelling layers formed on their surfaces by said treatment . prior to forming the oil - repelling layers , the stainless steel pole pieces and shaft were immersed in freon ( trichloroethane and other organic solvents are also usable ) and their surfaces were degreased by application of ultrasonic vibration . after this preliminary treatment , an oil - repelling layer was formed on the surfaces of the pole pieces and the shaft by the following sequence . the degreased pole pieces and shaft were immersed in a solution of 0 . 05 - 5 wt / v % of &# 34 ; futergent 400s &# 34 ; ( a perfluoroalkyl amphoteric surfactant of neos co .) in freon ( solvent ) for 5 seconds to 1 minute . ultrasonic vibrations were applied to insure that the solution would cover every surface of the pole pieces and the shaft . the pole pieces and shaft removed from the solution were immediately immersed in an ultrasonically vibrated bath of pure freon for 5 seconds to 1 minute to remove the excess surfactant deposited on the surfaces of the pole pieces and shaft , which were thereafter recovered from the bath . in addition to freon , trichloroethane can also be used as a solvent for dissolving the fluorine - containing surfactant or removing the excess surfactant . various other solvents may be used depending on the type of surfactant to be applied ; methyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol may be used as solvents for perfluoroalkyl type surfactants , and a perfluoroalkyl based volatile solvent may be used as a solvent for perfluoropolyether type surfactants . the pole pieces and shaft , each having an oil - repelling layer formed over the entire surface thereof , were assembled as shown in fig1 to construct a magnetic fluid seal apparatus and an experiment was conducted to measure the amount ( length ) of displacement by which the magnetic fluid 10 retained between the outer surface of the shaft 2 and the inner edge of each of the pole pieces 8 and 9 moved outward of each pole piece . the shaft 2 had an outside diameter of 7 mm ; the housing 1 had an inside diameter of 19 mm ; the size of the gap between the outer surface of the shaft 2 and the inner edge of each of the pole pieces 8 and 9 was 0 . 2 mm ; and the amount of magnetic fluid retained in said gap was 15 μl . the experimental conditions were as follows : temperature , 60 ° c . ; relative humidity , 90 %; rotational speed of the shaft 2 , 3 , 600 rpm ; time , 200 hours ( without interruption ). after the lapse of 200 hours , the amount of outward displacement of the magnetic fluid 10 was measured . the greater the oil - repelling ability of the layers formed on the surfaces of the pole pieces 8 and 9 , the shorter the length of displacement of the magnetic fluid 10 . under the test conditions specified above , the result was evaluated as &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ; if the length of displacement was no more than 0 . 5 mm , &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; if the displacement was 0 . 5 - 1 . 5 mm , and &# 34 ; poor &# 34 ; if it exceeded 1 . 5 mm . the actual results of the experiment were &# 34 ; excellent &# 34 ;. the oil - repelling layer to be provided in the magnetic fluid seal apparatus of the present invention need only be formed in the area between the inner edge of the pole piece 8 and the surface of an opposing member and which is located intermediate between the area where the magnetic fluid 10 is deposited and the area facing the clean space in which the computer hard disc is typically accommodated . in an actual magnetic fluid seal apparatus , however , oil - repelling layers may be formed at locations such as those indicated by the dashed lines in fig8 - 14 , in which the oil - repelling layers are denoted by numeral 31 . fig8 shows the case where oil - repelling layers 31 are formed over the entire outer surface of the shaft 2 and on all exposed surfaces of the pole pieces 8 and 9 . fig9 shows the case where an oil - repelling layer 31 is formed on that part of the outer surface of the shaft 2 which extends more into the clean space than the gap 11 in which the magnetic fluid 10 is retained . fig1 a shows the case where an oil - repelling layer 31 is formed on the surface of a tubular member 27a that is made of a magnetic material and fitted over the middle portion of the shaft 2 , secured to the area which faces the inner edges of the pair of pole pieces 8 and 9 . fig1 b shows the case where the oil - repelling layer 31 is formed on the surface of a tubular member 27b made of a magnetic material and secured to the inner surface 4 of the housing 1 , at a location which faces the outer edges of the pair of pole pieces 8 and 9 . fig1 shows the case where an oil - repelling layer 31 is formed on the inner lateral side of a hard disc mounting flange 28 fitted over the shaft 2 and secured proximate its end . fig1 shows the case where the oil - repelling layer 31 is formed on the inner surface of a groove 29 cut in the base end of the flange 28 in such a way as to surround the outer surface 5 of the shaft 2 . fig1 shows the case where the magnetic fluid seal apparatus of the present invention is incorporated in a roller - bearing assembly and in which case the oil - repelling layers 31 are formed both on lateral sides of the pole pieces 8 and 9 and on the outer surface of the inner race 30 of the bearing assembly . fig1 shows the case where oil - repelling layers 31 are formed on all inner surfaces of the housing 1 and over the entire surface of the pole pieces 8 and 9 . the arrangements of fig8 - 14 can also be used in various combinations . the magnetic fluid seal apparatus of the present invention , constructed and operated in the way described herein , has the following advantages . first , it exhibits high performance , durability and reliability and yet can be constructed at low cost . an extremely thin and yet very tenacious oil - repelling layer which prevents a magnetic fluid from splashing into a clean space in which a hard disc or other objects which may be damaged by the deposition of dust or other contamination can be formed by simple procedures and in a short period of time . the oil - repelling layer is so thin that it does not adversely affect the cleanliness of the clean space , nor does it introduce changes in the dimensions of the gap in which the magnetic fluid is to be retained . the invention has been described in conjunction with a computer peripheral such as a hard disc drive , but is obviously more generally applicable to any sealing system using a magnetic fluid . | 5 |
for purposes of promoting the 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 limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended , such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device , and 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 . in this disclosure , certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting . for example , the terms &# 34 ; forward &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; rearward &# 34 ; will refer to directions forward and rearward of the retarder as installed on the shaft portion of a driveline transmission . the terms &# 34 ; rightward &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; leftward &# 34 ; will refer to directions in the drawings in connection with which the terminology is used . the terms &# 34 ; inwardly &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; outwardly &# 34 ; will refer to directions toward and away from , respectively , the geometric center of the retarder of the present invention . the terms &# 34 ; upward &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; downward &# 34 ; will refer to directions as taken in the drawings in connection with which the terminology is used . all foregoing terms mentioned above include the normal derivatives and equivalents thereof . now referring to fig1 of the drawings , a cross - sectional view of the retarder assembly 2 of the present invention is shown mounted to the rearward portion of the transmission case 4 of a vehicle driveline . the retarder assembly 2 of the present invention is shown attached to the rear of the transmission case 4 having a rotating output shaft 5 where it is desirable to apply a retarding force to the rotating output shaft 5 to slow the vehicle at the appropriate time . the rotating output shaft 5 is linked to the balance of the vehicle driveline by the yoke output 6 which is traditionally nonrotatably connected to a driveshaft which extends rearward to the differential ( not shown ). the ball ramp actuator 7 of the present invention is linked mechanically to both the transmission case 4 and the rotating output shaft 5 such that activation of the ball ramp actuator 7 results in a frictional coupling from the stationary transmission case 4 to the output shaft 5 through a plurality of friction plates which make up the clutch pack 8 . the clutch pack 8 is comprised of alternated stationary friction plates 10 and drive friction plates 11 which when pressed together frictionally couple the stationary friction plates 10 to the drive friction plates 11 allowing a degree of slip depending on the clamping force applied by the ball ramp actuator 7 . both the stationary friction plates 10 and the drive friction plates 11 are circular in shape and splined with teeth which extend radially inward to engage the inner housing 12 and the transfer ring 16 respectively . a friction surface 15 is bonded to the activation plate 14 so as to frictionally engage one of the stationary friction plates 10 . the activation plate 14 is connected by spline 23 to nonrotatably engage the transfer ring 16 which in turn is nonrotatably linked to the output shaft 5 by spline 17 . the activation plate 14 has at least three ramp grooves 18 formed in the face of the activation plate 14 opposite to the face holding the friction surface 15 . a like number of rolling elements 19 engage respective ramp grooves 18 where the ramp grooves 18 vary in depth along their length . the rolling elements 19 likewise engage matched opposing ramp grooves 20 formed in a control plate 21 . the ramp grooves 18 and 20 are formed and orientated such that relative rotational motion between the activation plate 14 and the control plate 21 results in relative axial displacement between the activation plate 14 and the control plate 21 thereby producing an axial force . supporting the control plate 21 on the face opposite the face containing the ramp grooves 20 is a thrust bearing 22 which axially locates the control plate 21 in a fixed axial position relative to the inner housing 12 while allowing rotation of the control plate 21 . thus , the thrust bearing 22 contains the axial forces generated when the ball ramp actuator 7 is activated and axially expands to apply a clamping load to the clutch pack 8 . extending inwardly from the control plate 21 and attached thereto is the flex plate 24 which is axially flexible to provide for axial displacement of the coupling plate 26 . the coupling plate 26 is adjacent to a coil 28 which is electrically energized by the control unit 30 when it is desired to activate the ball ramp actuator 7 . when the coil 28 is electrically energized , an electromagnetic field is formed in the coil housing 30 which electromagnetically attracts the coupling plate 26 thereby introducing a retarding torque on the control plate 21 assuming the output shaft 5 is rotating . this results in rotation of the transfer ring 16 through spline 17 , the activation plate 14 through spline 23 , the rolling elements 19 through ramp grooves 20 and the control plate 21 through ramp grooves 20 and rolling elements 19 . the retarding torque introduced into the control plate 21 causes a limited relative rotation between the control plate 21 and the activation plate 14 such that the rolling elements 19 ride up the ramp grooves 18 and 20 , thereby axially displacing the activation plate 14 rightward to supply a clamping load on the clutch pack 8 . the clamping load on the clutch pack 8 causes the inner housing 12 to be frictionally linked to the transfer ring 16 which is nonrotatably linked to the output shaft 5 by spline 17 . thus , a significant retarding force is applied from the transmission case 4 through the inner case 12 through the clutch pack 8 through the transfer ring 16 to the rotating output shaft 5 which serves to retard the rotation of the output shaft 5 . an outer housing 13 is secured to the inner housing 12 and supports the retarder assembly 2 supported by bearing 33 which rides on a surface formed on the yoke output 6 . the frictional elements of the ball ramp actuator 7 of the present invention operate in oil where the oil temperature is raised through frictional heating of the oil especially by the clutch pack 8 as the retarder assembly 2 is activated . to prevent over - temperature of the oil 34 a circulation pump 32 is used to transfer the oil 34 from the retarder assembly 2 to a heat exchanger ( not shown ) which then transfers the heat to the atmosphere . in this manner , the frictional heat generated by the clutch pack 8 is dissipated by this oil 34 circulation and cooling system to prevent damage due to over heating of the unit . now referring to fig2 a cross - sectional view of the ball ramp actuator 7 of the present invention is shown taken along line ii -- ii of fig1 . although any number of ramp grooves 19 could be utilized , three ramp grooves are shown formed in the face of the activation plate 14 specifically as ramp grooves 18a , 18b and 18c . riding in their respective ramp grooves are rolling elements 19a , 19b and 19c which are typically balls , but could also be cylinders or any other appropriate rolling shape . the depths of the ramp grooves 18a , 18b and 18c vary in depth along their length such that when the rolling elements 19a , 19b and 19c transverse their respective ramp grooves 18a , 18b and 18c , the height of the rolling element above the face of the activation plate 14 is increased or decreased according to their location in the groove 18 . the operation of the ball ramp actuator 7 is more clearly illustrated in reference to fig3 which is a top view of the activation plate 14 and the control plate 21 with a rolling element 19a separating the two on the ramp grooves 18 and 20 . only one rolling element 19a is shown for clarity , the other two rolling elements 19b and 19c simultaneously acting in a similar manner . the activation plate 14 is shown axially spaced from the control plate 21 by the rolling member 19a contacting the ramp groove 18a and ramp groove 20a . when the coil 28 is electrically energized by the control unit 30 , the coupling plate 26 is magnetically attracted to the coil housing 30 which supplies the retarding torque to the control plate 21 which causes relative rotational motion of the activation plate 14 and the control plate 21 . the control plate 21 rotates relative to the activation plate 14 in the direction shown by the arrow 39 in fig3 . relative rotation between the control plate 21 and the activation plate 14 results in the rolling member 19a traversing the ramp grooves 18a and 20a thereby increasing the separation between the activation plate 14 and the control plate 21 . increase in the axial separation distance between the activation plate 14 and the control plate 21 results in a clamping force being applied to the clutch pack 8 which forces the stationary friction plates 10 against the drive friction plates 11 thereby frictionally linking the inner housing 12 and the outer housing 13 ( which are grounded to the transmission housing 4 ) to the output shaft 5 through the transfer ring 16 . slippage in the clutch pack 8 occurs which heats the oil 34 which is cooled by transfer to the heat exchanger ( not shown ) with pump 32 . relative rotation of the activation plate 14 and the control plate in an opposite direction to that shown by the arrow 39 causes the clamping force on the clutch pack 8 to be reduced thereby allowing the output shaft 5 to increase the rate of rotation relative to the transmission case 4 . although the present invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity , it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred embodiment has been made only by way of example , and that numerous changes in the detail construction and combination and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed . | 5 |
according to one embodiment of the invention , the active ingredient for the pharmaceutical compositions according to the invention is phenylephrine or a pharmaceutically - acceptable salt thereof according to other embodiments of the invention , the active ingredients for the pharmaceutical compositions according to the invention , are phenylephrine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination with one or more of antihistamine , an analgesic , an anti - pyretic , a non - steroidal anti - inflammatory drug ( nsaid ) or a mixture of two or more thereof . according to the invention , the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention comprise an amount of phenylephrine for immediate - release and an amount of phenylephrine for delayed release . the delayed - release phenylephrine is released from enteric - coated microcrystals seeded with phenylephrine and coated with a ph - sensitive coating . when combined , the immediate - release component and the enteric - coated component allow extended release of phenylephrine in two pulses — a first pulse of phenylephrine upon administration of the formulation to an individual and a second pulse following entry of the microcrystals into the higher ph environment of the intestines . for purposes of distribution and storage , the immediate - release portion of phenylephrine may be combined in solid form with the delayed - release enteric - coated microcrystals containing a second portion of phenylephrine as a mixture of solids . for example , powdered phenylephrine may be physically mixed with a powder of phenylephrine - containing enteric - coated microcrystals . the combined powder can be packaged for distribution to hospitals or pharmacies , and stored for a prolonged period such as two years . for ease of administration to an individual , a liquid formulation can be made or “ reconstituted ” by addition of the mixed powder to water or other liquid to yield a suspension or dispersion of particles in a liquid . in one embodiment , the “ reconstituted ” liquid suspension is administered to an individual within about two weeks from the time the suspension is made or reconstituted . the liquid portion of the suspension may be aqueous or non - aqueous or a mixture of aqueous and non - aqueous as in an emulsion , or may be described as a syrup . examples of suitable liquids include water , sorbitol , glycerin , or one or more edible oils . in a preferred embodiment , the reconstituted formulation is aqueous . according to the invention , an amount of phenylephrine is formulated for immediate release . by immediate release is meant that the active agent is available for absorption by the processes of disintegration and dissolution such that the active agent begins to elicit its decongestant effect essentially upon administration . in a preferred embodiment , the immediate - release portion of phenylephrine is dissolved or suspended by the liquid in forming a liquid formulation . a second amount of phenylephrine in the pharmaceutical compositions according to the invention is incorporated in an enteric - coated microcrystal which can be suspended in the liquid formulation . the term microcrystal is not intended to be limiting , and includes particles , microparticles , beads , microbeads , powders , granules , pellets , micropellets , nonpareil seeds , and microcapsules . a preferred embodiment includes micro - repetabs . micro - repetab technology is described in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 178 , 878 and 5 , 607 , 697 , the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties . the microcrystals can be formed from standard pharmaceutical ingredients such as one or more of lactose , microcrystalline cellulose , sodium carboxy methyl cellulose , starch , starch derivatives , sugar , polyvinylpyrrolidone , crospovidone , and the like . the microcrystals may further contain one or more standard excipients in the art such as calcium , dicalcium phosphate , calcium sulfate , disintegrants , glidants , magnesium stearate , matrix - forming agents , acacia , butylparaben , carnauba wax , rosin , and the like . the microcrystals preferably have an average particle size of about 200 to about 300 microns . in one embodiment , about 90 % or more of the microcrystals have a particle size between about 200 to about 300 microns . in other less preferred embodiments , the particles may be in the range of 100 - 500 microns . methods of forming microcrystals containing an active pharmaceutical agent are known in the art . for example , the phenylephrine or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof may be incorporated into the core of the microcrystal , or the active agent ( s ) may be coated on the surface of the microcrystal as a dusting powder . in one embodiment , the enteric - coated microcrystal contains from about 90 % to about 70 % combined coating and core material by weight and from about 10 % to about 30 % by weight active ingredients ). in a preferred embodiment , the microcrystal contains about 80 % by weight combined coating and core material and about 20 % by weight active ingredient ( s ). a wide variety of conventional enteric coatings may be employed to coat the phenylephrine - containing microcrystals , including , for example : cellulose acetate phthalate ; hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate ( hpmcp ); hydroxypropyl cellulose acetyl succinate : polyvinyl acetate phthalate ; acrylate copolymers , ammonio - containing acrylate copolymers , and copolymerized methacrylic acid / methacrylic acid methyl esters , such as eudragit l 12 . 5 , eudragit l 100 55 , eudragit s 100 , and eudragit rs ; and mixtures thereof such copolymers are available as aqueous dispersions of copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acid esters with a low ( substitution ) content of quaternary ammonium groups present as salts , ( e . g ., quaternary ammonium chlorides ). eudragit rl 30d and eudragit rs 30d are available as 30 % aqueous dispersions . the enteric coating may further contain one or more conventional plasticizers , pigments and / or dispersants , including , for example , polyethylene glycols , triacetin , triethyl citrate , citroflex and dibutyl sebacate . one or more viscosity - modifying agents may be included in the formulation to maintain uniformity . in addition , one or more viscosity - modifying agents may prevent caking or separation upon storage . viscosity - modifying agents may include polyvinylpyrrolidone ( pvp ), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose , and mixtures thereof . the pharmaceutical compositions may include a buffer system to reduce dissolution of the enteric coating on the microcrystals . in one embodiment , the pharmaceutical composition is buffered to a ph of about 3 to about 4 . a preferred buffer system is citric acid and sodium citrate . pharmaceutical compositions according to the present invention may further comprise one or more additives . additives include stabilizing agents ( sodium edetate , etc . ), tonicity agents ( sodium chloride , glycerin , mannitol , etc . ), ph adjustors ( hydrochloric acid , citric acid , sodium hydroxide , etc . ), and suspending agents ( methylcellulose , sodium carboxymethylcellulose , etc .). examples of particularly useful additives include sweeteners such as sucralose , sucrose , saccharin , etc ., preservatives such as sodium benzoate , and food coloring . it will be appreciated that the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention may also contain any one or more other additives conventionally used in the formulation of pharmaceutical compositions . in a preferred embodiment , the pharmaceutical compositions include an antihistamine . long - acting antihistamines selected from the group consisting of loratadine , desloratadine , azatidine , fexofenadine , terfenadine , cetirizine , astemizole , and levocabastine , or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts are suitable for the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention . preferred antihistamines include loratadine and desloratadine . loratadine is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 282 , 233 as a non - sedating antihistamine useful , for example , in alleviation of seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms such as sneezing and itching . the active metabolite of loratadine is desloratadine , which has a half - life ( t 1 / 2 ) of approximately 15 to 19 hours . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 595 , 997 discloses methods and compositions for treating seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms using desloratadine . loratadine and desloratadine are available in the form of conventional tablets that release the active agent in a conventional manner . due to the long half life of loratadine compared to phenylephrine , the loratadine in the formulation according to the present invention is preferably available for immediate release . for example , loratadine or desloratadine may be present in solution or dissolution in the carrier liquid . the subject to which the composition according to the invention is to be administered is not restricted . in a preferred embodiment , the formulation is administered to a child between the ages of about 2 to about 6 . the dosage varies depending on the size and age of the patient , the severity of the symptoms , and the like . the administration is preferably carried out by adjusting the dosage based on the subject &# 39 ; s response , and is preferably administered once or twice daily . the following non - limiting example is shown in order that the present invention may be more readily understood . a suspension can be obtained by “ reconstitution ” of the following in water : 1 micro - cellulose particle seeded with phenylephrine and coated with eudragit rs [ 200 with a loading rate of 20 % active ingredient ( i . e . 2 . 5 mg phenylephrine out of 12 . 5 mg particles ). the above ingredients are mixed until a uniform suspension is obtained and administered to a patient within 15 days of mixing . from the above description , one can ascertain the essential characteristics of the present invention and , without departing from the spirit and scope thereof , can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various uses and conditions . | 0 |
referring to fig1 , a perspective view of a screened water diversion device in accordance with the present invention is shown . fig1 illustrates an input flow 12 from a stream , canal or other fluid conduit that contains migrating fish 11 , such as juvenile salmonids . the fish are shown facing upstream even though they are descending because salmonids generally face upstream during descent , letting the flow of the water carry them down stream . input flow 12 flows into an input 14 of device 10 and is split between a non - diverted output 20 and a diverted output 30 . arrow a indicates the non - diverted flow under screen 40 , while arrow b indicates the diverted flow up through and away from screen 40 . the non - diverted flow continues in the stream while the diverted flow may be channeled into a canal 32 or like structure for subsequent irrigation , power generation , or municipal or industrial use , etc . device 10 of fig1 may include a ramp or funnel wall 42 that directs fluid at input 14 down under screen 40 . a weir or other mechanism may be provided in the non - diverted flow downstream of the screen and positioned at an appropriate height to permit fish passage at low flows , but to allow diversion through screen 40 only when flow levels are adequate . referring to fig2 , a longitudinal side view of device 10 of fig1 in use is shown . while flow may vary , line 16 is a representative input flow level . this flow at least in part contacts funnel wall 42 from which it is directed downward into an under screen passage 18 . a portion of fluid entering passage 18 flows through to non - diverted output 20 . another portion flows upward through screen 40 , due to the upstream pressure gradient on fluid at the input . line 36 is a representative diverted flow level for an input flow level as indicated by line 16 . flow conditions below , yet near , screen 40 will tend to be more turbulent than lower down in passage 18 . this facilitates passage of juvenile salmonids who will naturally tend to avoid turbulence in favor of a more pronounced downstream flow . juvenile salmonids also tend to swim lower in a water column when stressed , further increasing the likelihood of successful passage through the screened fluid diversion device of the present invention . note also that device 10 ( and other devices herein ) are preferably configured such that the flow of fluid under the screen is more rapid than an average flow rate upward through said screen , thereby passing and not “ pinning ” fish . non - diverted output 20 may include a mechanism 22 ( weir or other ) to determine a flow level relative to screen 40 . this may be a physical characteristic of the site in which the screen is installed . the height of weir 22 may vary . if the top of weir 22 is positioned sufficiently below screen 40 , then low flow levels will provide fish passage , but no diverted output . if the top of weir 22 is near or above screen 40 , then low flow levels will provide low diverted flows and no non - diverted flow . adjusting weir height provides a management tool for users . weir height may be modified based on climate , hydrologic , or fish priority considerations . note that in fig2 line 26 is a representative non - diverted flow level given an input flow level at line 16 . referring to fig3 , a back view of device 10 of fig2 is shown . fig3 illustrates the top of weir 22 being at the same level as screen 40 . note that this arrangement may vary as discussed above . fig3 illustrates the relative levels of the input , diverted and non - diverted flows 16 , 36 , 26 , the top of end wall 44 and the non - diverted and diverted outputs 20 , 30 . fig3 also illustrates a low flow channel 29 ( shown in phantom lines ) that may optionally be provided in weir 22 . this channel is also shown in fig2 . a low flow channel or the like may be provided if , for example , it is anticipated that flows may be significantly reduced during certain periods of the year . referring to fig4 – 5 , a side view and a top view of another embodiment of a screened water diversion 110 in accordance with the present invention are respectively shown . fluid enters via stream 112 . a head gate 113 may be provided to achieve a desired flow level into screened diversion 110 or for other fluid control purposes . fluid at input 114 passes in the direction of arrow c under a screened diversion structure 160 . high fluid levels or “ overflow ” may pass over structure 160 in the direction of arrow f . fluid flowing in the direction of arrow c flows into an under screen passage section 118 from which it passes to a non - diverted output 120 , indicated by arrow d , or through screen 140 to a diverted output 130 , indicated by arrow e . fig5 illustrates that fluid passing upward through screen 140 flows into a diverted flow receiving chamber or reservoir 133 , indicated by arrow g , from which it may pass into a diverted flow conduit or like diverted flow output channel 131 ( also shown in fig4 ). structure 160 may be formed in a plurality of suitable materials including , but not limited to , wood , metal and / or plastic . structure 160 may be fixedly mounted or moveably mounted in place . a moveable mounting scenario may include a floating arrangement or an arrangement with adjustable height legs or the like . in a floating arrangement , cables or the like 163 ( shown in fig5 ) or another attachment mechanism may be used to tether or anchor structure 160 in a desired position . in an adjustable height arrangement , legs 161 may include a positioning gear with turnable handle or have telescoping segments that are releasably set at a desired level . note that structure 160 preferably includes upstream and downstream contouring 162 , for example , a curved structure , that reduces flow turbulence . fig4 shows respective fluid flow levels for the input 116 , diverted 136 and non - diverted 126 flows . in the embodiment of fig4 – 5 , either the height of screen 140 or the height of the weir ( or like ) 122 may be varied to adjust non - diverted and diverted fluid flows as discussed above . it should be recognized that screens 40 , 140 and structure 160 protects fish from predators while passing through the diversion device . the position of the weir relative to the screen permits fish to pass even at low flow levels . since the input flow passes under the screen , sediment in the input flow does not foul the screen . while the device 10 , 110 may be built to any suitable or desired dimensions , which may vary depending on site conditions and passage priorities , in at least one embodiment , the height of the under screen passage is less than the width . for example , fig1 – 2 , 4 – 5 , 6 – 7 and 8 – 9 illustrate embodiments in which the under screen passage has an average width that is greater than its average height . also , in some embodiments of the present invention , the surface area of the screen is greater than the cross - sectional area of the under screen passage . the present invention , however , is not limited to these embodiments . for example , the under screen passage , may be configured as a deeper “ pool ” in which fish may rest . pools typically hold cooler water at the bottom which is generally favored by juvenile salmonids ( elevated water temperature is one , of the leading causes of salmonid fatality ). referring to fig6 and 7 , a side view and a plan view of another embodiment of a screened water diversion 210 in accordance with the present invention are respectively shown . fig6 and 7 illustrate an input flow 212 , a funnel wall 242 , a screen 240 , a non - diverted output flow 220 and a diverted output flow 230 . these components function or perform in a manner similar to their corresponding components in other embodiments discussed herein . fig7 illustrates that screen 240 may taper from the input towards the non - diverted output and be bordered by a wall or weir 248 . this taper may accommodate for fluid lost to the diverted output canal 232 , and wall 248 may channel fish towards non - diverted output opening 225 . while one embodiment of opening 225 is shown in fig6 – 7 , is should be recognized that many embodiments are possible , including larger and smaller openings , without deviating from the present invention . device 210 of fig6 – 7 , like the other embodiments herein , is designed to move fish rapidly and safely through the screened diversion device to the non - diverted opening . referring to fig8 – 9 , alternative screen arrangements in accordance with the present invention are shown . fig8 illustrates screened device 10 of fig1 – 3 , but with a screen 40 that is angled up towards the non - diverted output 20 . this feature may facilitate movement of debris , particularly floating debris , past the screen towards the non - diverted output rather than impinging on and clogging the screen . while the angle shown is approximately 5 – 6 degrees , it should be recognized that the angle may be greater , for example , 10 or 20 degrees and even approaching approximately 30 , 40 or 50 degrees . the screen may be angled in whole or in part . fig9 illustrates an embodiment in which screen 40 is curved upward towards the non - diverted output . the screen of fig9 is intended to provide the same or similar function of the screen of fig8 . the angled up or curved up screens also permit greater access to the under screen passage for cleaning out sediment , etc . note that devices 10 , 110 , 210 may be provided such that the screen is removably coupled , e . g ., pivotally coupled , floating , wholly releasable , etc ., from its support structure to provide access for cleaning , maintenance or other purposes . in the embodiment of fig1 – 3 , for example , screen 40 may be pivotably coupled to the funnel wall an configured to releasably seat in a mounting bracket at the bottom of the end wall 44 . similarly , in fig6 – 7 , the screen may be pivotably coupled ( or releasably coupled ) to the sidewalls or taper wall 248 . it is apparent from fig1 – 5 and 8 – 9 that devices 10 , 110 may provide an under screen pool that holds water after temporary cessation of flow at inputs 14 , 114 as may occur between rain showers or at other low precipitation or low flow conditions , particularly in the salmon reproduction areas of the pacific northwest . while the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof , it will be understood that it is capable of further modification , and this application is intended to cover any variations , uses , or adaptations of the invention following , in general , the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth , and as fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims . | 8 |
the detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of the invention , together with advantages and features , by way of example with reference to the drawings . disclosed herein are a metal release structure and processes for forming the metal release structure . fig1 schematically illustrates the metal release structure 10 disposed on a carrier substrate 12 . the carrier substrate can be a high temperature polymeric material , such as a polyimide , that is stable to the particular fabrication processes for forming the metal release structure 10 . the metal release structure includes a low adhesion interface 14 of a sputtered or evaporated metal such as gold , platinum , palladium or the like . modifying the deposition conditions as will be described in greater detail below , provides the weak adhesive interface . a stress - balanced stack , shown generally at 16 , is disposed on the surface of the low adhesion interface 14 . the stress - balanced stack 16 includes a silicon dioxide stress relief layer 20 intermediate refractory metal layers , 18 , 22 . the metal release film or structure can be used as a thermal interface such as those thermal interfaces disclosed in u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 220 , 878 , incorporated herein by reference in its entirety , which may be disposed between a die and another heat transfer element , such as a heat spreader or heat sink . by utilizing the stress relief layer 20 , minimal stress can be obtained in the total stack that includes the refractory metal layers 18 , 22 . the total thickness of refractory metal layers remains the same as if only one layer were employed , however , the sio 2 with compressive stress intersects the refractory metal layers to provide stress relief that would normally occur as a function of increased thickness . for example , titanium is initially low in compressive stress but becomes tensile at thicknesses greater than about 1000 angstroms and continues to increases in tensile stress with increasing thickness . for use as barrier layers , it is desirable to have a thickness of about 2000 angstroms or greater . the use of a stress relief layer 20 permits the thickness of the titanium layer to be obtained without the stress loadings of a single layer at the same thickness . as shown in the fig2 , the process generally includes step 100 , which includes sputter depositing a gold layer onto a substrate under sputtering conditions that form a weak interface between the gold layer and the substrate surface and provide the film with low stress . suitable sputtering processes include , without limitation , sputtering ; diode sputtering ; magnetron sputtering ; dc sputtering ; bias sputtering ; rf sputtering ; and the like . in one embodiment , the sputtering process utilizes relatively high pressures to frangibly fuse the gold layer to the underlying polymeric substrate , i . e ., carrier . by way of example , a typical magnetron sputtered gold coating operates at 1 mtorr to 10 mtorr pressures and results in excellent adhesion to the underlying support . in the present disclosure , the magnetron sputtering pressures are from 20 mtorr to 200 mtorr in one embodiment . the relatively high pressures provide a weak interface between the gold layer and the substrate surface and provide the film with low stress . the thickness of the gold layer is from 100 to 2000 angstroms ( å ) in one embodiment . the resulting film has a relatively weak adhesive force between the gold and the substrate . this allows the overlying film to be easily detached but not too easily as would be the case of high stress film . the pulling force to detach the film is typically in a range of 0 . 05 to 0 . 2 lb / in ( pound per inch ). optionally , the gold layer may be deposited by an evaporation process , which generally provides a lower adhesive strength than a conventional sputtering process operated at the typical pressures of 1 to 10 mtorr . suitable evaporation processes include , without limitation , pvd , cvd , apcvd , pecvd , sputter , lpcvd , ion plating , flame hydrolysis , and the like . the substrate can be a polymeric substrate . suitable polymeric substrates include high temperature polymers that can withstand the sputtering environment such as , without limitation , polyimides , teflon etc . suitable polyimides are those commercially available under the tradenames upilex and kapton . other suitable substrates include polytetrafluoroethylene commercially available under the tradename teflon . the thickness of the substrate can vary but is generally preferred to be about 50 to 150 micrometer . as shown in step 200 , a refractory metal layer is then deposited onto the gold layer and can be used form a barrier layer as may be desired for some applications . refractory metals are generally known for their resistance to heat , wear , and corrosion . suitable refractory metals include rhenium , osmium , tantalum , molybdenum , iridium , niobium , ruthenium , hafnium , zirconium , vanadium , chromium , and titanium . of these , titanium and chromium are preferred . the refractory metal layer can be sputter deposited and for use as a barrier layer is at a thickness effective to prevent diffusion . the thickness of the refractor metal layer can be about 500 to 5000 å . in step 300 , the stress relief layer is deposited onto the refractory metal layer . suitable materials to form the stress relief layer include silicon dioxide , aluminum oxide , copper , and aluminum . the stress relief layer is at a thickness effective to provide compressive stress so as to balance the tensile stress of the refractory metal layers . in one embodiment , the thickness of the silicon dioxide is 100 to 500 å . the silicon dioxide layer can be sputter deposited in a conventional manner . in step 400 , an additional refractory metal layer is deposited onto the silicon dioxide layer . the thickness of the additional refractory layer can be about 500 to 2000 å . thus , the same overall thicknesses of refractory metal in layers 18 , 22 ( see fig1 ) can be used albeit at individually lower stress values . in a preferred embodiment , the refractory layers as defined in steps 200 and 400 are deposited at about the same thickness . in an alternative embodiment , the use of the releasable metal film structure can be modified so as to permit utilization in soldering applications . as shown in fig3 , the metal release structure 500 includes multiple stacks disposed on a low adhesion interface 502 . the low adhesion interface is formed on a polymeric substrate 504 in the manner previously described such that the film provides a low adhesive force and exhibits low stress . the low adhesion interface can be formed of one or more layers . the first stack disposed on the low adhesion interface 502 is a solderable stack 506 . the solderable stack 506 includes a stress relief and / or a diffusion barrier material 508 intermediate layers of solderable materials 510 , 512 . suitable stress relief and / or a diffusion barrier material include , without limitation , silicon dioxide , aluminum oxide , copper , aluminum and the like . the solderable materials include , without limitation , nickel , nickel vanadium , gold , nickel silicon , copper , copper vanadium , and copper silicon , and various combinations thereof . disposed on the solderable stack is a barrier stack 514 , which includes stress relief and / or a diffusion barrier material 516 such as silicon dioxide , aluminum oxide , copper , aluminum and the like , sandwiched between refractory metal layers 518 , 520 such as titanium , chromium , vanadium , molybdenum , nickel , iron and the like . the thicknesses of the various layers described above are similar to those described in relation to fig2 . that is , thickness of layers 510 , 512 , 518 , 520 can be about 500 to 2000 å . the thickness of the stress relief layers 508 , 516 can be 100 to 500 å . the thickness of the low adhesion interface layer 502 is from 100 to 1000 angstroms ( å ) in this example , a metal structure was releasably formed on a polymer sheet . gold was sputter deposited at 50 mtorr onto a polyimide polymeric sheet commercially available under the tradename upilex . the polyimide polymeric sheet had a thickness of 100 micrometer . the thickness of the gold layer was about 500 a . then , titanium was sputter deposited onto the gold layer at a thickness of about 1000 å . the flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples . there may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps ( or operations ) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention . for instance , the steps may be performed in a differing order , or steps may be added , deleted or modified . all of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention . while the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described , it will be understood that those skilled in the art , both now and in the future , may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow . these claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described . | 7 |
the present invention , as illustrated by the following embodiments , provides methods and structures that enable reduction in run - length of an encoded binary output data string for dc - balanced , partitioned - block , high - speed 8b / 10b encoding . in one example , an encoded binary output data string with a reduced run - length provides stable and reliable clock data recovery in a peripheral component interconnect express ( pciexpress ) card . further yet , the improvements provided by the embodiments of the present invention , such as eliminating certain disparity control delays , may be applied generally to enhance the speed and accuracy of encoding . as should be appreciated , the present invention can be implemented in numerous ways , including a method , system , or device . in some instances , well known process operations have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention . fig2 shows a 5b / 6b encoding table illustrating the 5b / 6b encoding functions that are executed for various five - bit inputs . the k . 28 input character is highlighted since it is used to illustrate improvement of reducing the run - length of certain encoded binary output strings in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . fig3 shows a 3b / 4b encoding table illustrating the 3b / 4b encoding functions that are executed for various three - bit inputs . the d . x . p 7 and d / k . y . a 7 characters are highlighted as these two input characters are used to illustrate the improvement of reducing the run - length of encoded binary output strings in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . fig4 a shows an 8b / 10b binary encoder 400 with an scharacter circuit 420 incorporated in a 3b / 4b encoding switch 418 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig4 a , a five - bit functional block 408 and a three - bit functional block 410 , respectively , receive a five - bit input data string , abcde , 404 and three - bit input data string , fgh , 406 from the eight - bit input data bus 402 . the five - bit functional block 408 classifies each of the bits in five - bit input data string 404 as data or non - data and then produces a classified five - bit input data string 404 to a 5b / 6b encoding switch 416 and a 6b control signal 409 to a disparity control block 412 . the three - bit functional block 410 classifies each of the bits of the three - bit input data 406 as data or non - data and then produces a classified three - bit input data string 406 to a 3b / 4b encoding switch 418 and a 4b control signal 411 to the disparity block 412 . the 5b / 6b encoding switch 416 executes an encoding function in accordance with the encoding rules in a 5b / 6b encoding table shown in fig2 , and produces a six - bit output data string , abcdei , 422 . the 3b / 4b encoding switch 418 executes an encoding function in accordance with the encoding rules in a 3b / 4b encoding table shown in fig3 , and produces a four - bit output data string , fghj , 424 . however , when a run - length control circuit 420 is triggered , i . e ., it outputs a run - length control signal to reduce the run - length in the combined output string abcdeifghj , which would otherwise suffer from a run - length problem if the 3b / 4b encoding switch 418 were to encode as normal . whether or not the run - length control circuit 420 is triggered to generate a run - length control signal depends on the values of the input signals to the run - length control circuit 420 . those inputs include a logical combination of selected input signals of the input data string , selected output signals from the output data string , a disparity output signal 413 and an s_new signal . in one embodiment , the disparity signal 413 is the signal compls 4 described in the paper identified above and incorporated by reference herein . the generation of the s_new signal and the run - length control signal ( run - length control ) is described in more detail below in connection with fig5 . in one embodiment , the run - length control circuit 420 processes a logical combination of signals f , g and h , output signals e and i , and the disparity control signal 413 . in one embodiment , the run - length control circuit 420 is configured to be triggered when the three - bit input data string , fgh , is defined by a particular sequence of data signals , e . g ., all of the same logic state , e . g ., all logic ones ( 111 ). by executing the 3b / 4b function in accordance with the run - length control signal , the combined output data string is reduced . in one situation , the combined run - length of the six - bit output data string 422 and the four - bit output data string 424 is reduced at the ten - bit output bus 426 from seven to four . this situation can be illustrated using input characters k . 28 , d . x . p 7 and d / k . y . a 7 . as can be seen from fig2 and 3 , when the abcdei output string for input character k . 28 ( 001111 or 110000 ) is combined with the fghj output string for input character d . x . p 7 ( 1110 or 0001 ), the combined output string abcdeifghj ( 0011111110 or 1100000001 ) has a run - length of seven . this problem arises from the fact that , as can be seen from fig3 , the input bit string fgh is the same for both input characters d . x . p 7 and d / k . y . a 7 , i . e ., 111 , and that in conventional encoders there is a delay in receiving the input signals that are used to determine the special character ( s - character ) as a result of how such inputs are generated . in high - speed applications , e . g ., encoding processed at about 200 mhz and higher , when the output strings for characters k . 28 and d / k - y . a 7 are to be combined , this delay causes a conventional encoder to select the output string for the character d . x . p 7 to combine with the output string for the character k . 28 causing a run - length problem . the inventor &# 39 ; s ran - length control circuit 420 solves this type of problem . the input signals to control circuit 420 result in much less delay in generating the s_new signal and the run - length control signal ( run - length control ), which is selectively generated based on the s_new signal and a logical combination of selected inputs from the input data string . the delay is reduced in some cases by 400 - 500 pico seconds . the run - length control signal , when generated , is used to limit the run - length of the combined output string . with the reduced delay , the run - length of a combined output string can be maintained at a sufficiently low number to avoid clock data recovery problems , even in high - speed encoding applications . for example , the run - length problem discussed above is avoided , because of the reduced delay in generation of s_new . in this example , the run - length control circuit 420 is triggered because the three - bit input data string fgh is defined by all logic ones . thus , in this example , according to the encoding tables , the combined ten - bit output data string , abcdeifghj , is defined by 0011110111 and 1100001000 . still referring to fig4 a , the run - length control circuit 420 is incorporated in the 3b / 4b encoding switch 418 and uses the disparity output signal 413 from the previous cycle which is readily available , but advantageously does not require as input signals any other disparity output signals . in contrast , conventional 8b / 10b encoders incorporate an s - character circuit in the 3b functional block and require disparity output signals , e . g ., ndl 6 and pdl 4 , that require at least four delays and one loop in the disparity logic circuitry to produce . this , in turn , causes a delay in producing and presenting the s - character for 3b / 4b encoding in conventional encoders . because of the delay in presenting the s - character , the conventional 3b / 4b encoding switch selects an undesirable encoding input , such as d . x . p 7 . upon executing the encoding functions , the conventional encoder produces a ten - bit data string with an undesirable run - length , e . g ., a run - length greater than five , which causes unreliable clock data recovery . fig4 b shows a generic encoding circuit 400 ′ with an s - character circuit 420 ′ incorporated in a second output encoder 418 ′. a classification circuitry 430 contains a first classification circuit 408 ′ and a second classification circuit 410 ′. an input data bus 402 ′ provides data in a first bitwidth . the first classification circuit 408 ′ receives a first input data set 404 ′ from a portion of the first bitwidth . the second classification circuit 410 ′ receives a second input data set 406 ′ from another portion of the first bitwidth . the first classification circuit 408 ′ produces a first bit signal 409 ′ and a first classified data set 404 ′. the second classification circuit 410 ′ produces a second bit signal 411 ′ and a second classified input data set 406 ′. a first output encoder 416 ′ receives the first classified input data set 404 ′ and produces a first output data set 422 ′. a disparity control 412 ′ receives the first bit signal 409 ′ and the second bit signal 411 ′, and produces a plurality of disparity output signals 413 ′ and 428 . a second output encoder 418 ′ receives one of the disparity outputs 428 and the second classified input data set 404 ′ and produces a second output data set 424 ′. however , when the run - length control circuit 420 ′ is triggered , e . g ., when the second classified input data set 404 ′ is all logic ones , control circuit 420 ′ generates a run - length control signal . in response to the run - length control signal , the second output encoder 418 ′ executes bit encoding such that the combined output string at bus 426 ′, i . e ., the first output data set 422 ′ combined with the second output data set 424 ′ has a reduced run - length , e . g ., a run - length less than five . fig5 shows a logic diagram of the circuitry 500 that may be used to implement run - length control circuit 420 and / or 420 ′ in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . flip - flop 502 receives a system clock signal and a portion of the first output data set 422 ′, e . g ., signal e . signal e is selected in the illustrated embodiment because it is last data bit in the output string abcde that corresponds to input abcde and thus contains collective information regarding output string abcde . nand gate 506 receives two output signals from flip - flop 502 . inverter 510 receives an output signal from nand gate 506 . inverter 514 receives a disparity output signal , e . g ., compls 4 . nand gate 518 received an output signal from each of inverter 514 and inverter 510 . flip - flop 504 receives a system clock signal and a portion of the first output data set 422 ′, e . g ., signal i , which is the new bit generated in the output string abcdei . nand gate 508 receives two output signals from flip - flop 504 . inverter 512 receives an output signal from nand gate 508 . nand gate 516 receives a disparity output signal , e . g ., compls 4 , and an output signal from inverter 512 . nand gate 520 receives an output signal from each of nand gate 518 and nand gate 516 to generate s_new . nand gate 522 receives s_new and a logical combination of a portion of the input data string . the run - length control signal ( run - length control ) is used by the 3b / 4b encoding switch 418 and / or the second output encoder 418 ′ to reduce the run - length in executing bit encoding . in one embodiment , the logical combination of fgh is f and g and h , wherein an fgh combination of 111 triggers the run - length control circuitry 500 to generate the run - length control signal ( run - length control ). this is just one example ( e . g ., for the specific problem described above ) of an fgh combination that triggers the circuitry 500 to issue a run - length control signal used by the . encoding switch 418 / output encoder 418 ′ to reduce run - length of the combined output string . fig6 is a logic flow chart 600 illustrating a method of executing bit encoding in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . in functional block 610 , data is recovered in a first bitwidth format for encoding to a second bitwidth format . in functional block 612 , data in the first bitwidth is classified to produce a first input data set and a second input data set . in functional block 614 , disparity control is performed using the first and second input data sets . in functional block 616 , the first and second input data sets are respectively forwarded to a first output encoder and a second output encoder . in logic block 618 , it is determined if the run - length control ( rlc ) circuit has been triggered . for example , in one embodiment , if the second input data set is defined by data signals of a predetermined sequence , e . g ., data signals of the same logic state , e . g ., all logic ones ( 111 ), the run - length control circuit is triggered to generate a run - length control signal . in functional block 620 , when the run - length control circuit is not triggered , bit encoding is performed on the classified first and second input data sets with no special conditions . in functional block 622 , when the run - length control circuit is triggered , it is used to perform encoding using a run - length - breaking code . the run - length control circuit advantageously uses the inputs previously described to avoid delays in generating the run - length control signal . in functional block 624 , data from the first and second output encoders are provided to an output data bus in a second bitwidth format that , in the illustrated embodiment , is wider than the first bitwidth format . although the embodiments of the present invention apply to 8b / 10b encoding , the encoding can be between other bitwidths ( e . g ., xb / yb ), so long as appropriate modifications are made to the circuitry for handling less or more bits . further , specific mention is made with regard to “ high speed ,” but the speed of the circuitry should not restrict the invention or applicability to other circuit and semiconductor design implementations . still further , mention is made to dc - balanced , partitioned - block , high - speed , 8b / 10b encoders , but these should only be viewed as examples that will benefit from the features of the claimed invention . although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding , it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims . accordingly , the present embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive , and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein , but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims . | 7 |
referring to fig1 is showing the armored inflatable boat cocoon ( 10 ) buckled up to a seat ( 16 ) with back straps ( 14 ), the smaller version of the element flap ( 15 ) so to show numerous control cords ( 11 ) has a small window with zipper ( 12 ) where a person can see and breathe , there is also a long zipper ( 13 ) at the middle where a person can step into the boat cocoon ( 10 ) to protect oneself from impact , drowning and extreme elements . referring to fig2 with the element flap ( 15 ) removed to show the boat cocoon ( 10 ) inflated and the front straps ( 27 ) buckled and the back straps ( 14 ) buckled to a seat ( 16 ), showing pocket zipper ( 21 ) where the armored plates ( 20 ) and other items are placed inside , pocket zipper ( 24 ) where armored plates ( 26 ) and other unlisted items are placed , short elastic sleeves ( 22 ) are for the arms to reach out for maneuvering . the legs of a person can stretch out through the elastic trunks ( 23 ). the face guard ( 25 ) can be flipped away when it is not in use . referring to fig3 is showing the armored inflatable boat cocoon ( 10 ) inflated and laying - flat on the ground without the element flap ( 15 ). referring to fig4 revealing the armored inflatable boat cocoon ( 10 ) inflated and is opening out and laying flat and is showing the element flap ( 15 ) functioning as a domed canopy with the support of the front straps ( 27 ) where small thin plates ( 41 ) are stored inside their respective pockets . there are numerous cords ( 11 ) are binding the element flap ( 15 ) in place , a person can look through and breathe through from the small window ( 12 ), a person unzips the long zipper ( 13 ) to maneuver out or in of the covering . referring to fig5 is revealing the armored inflatable boat cocoon ( 10 ) inflated with the front straps ( 27 ) buckled and the element flap (( 15 ) with the long zipper ( 13 ) and the small window ( 12 ), is functioning as a parachute due to the manipulation of the cords ( 11 ). joint knot ( 52 ) binds the cords ( 11 ) which having stoppers ( 50 ) and stop at the guide rings ( 51 ). referring to fig6 is showing the armored inflatable boat cocoon ( 10 ) inflated and opening out without the element flap ( 15 ) and all the cords ( 11 ) removed , the straps ( 14 ) and ( 27 ) are also removed , revealing are the air chambers ( 60 ) wrapped around at the upper section to protect the vital organs of a person are armored plates ( 26 ), there are also armored plates ( 20 ) wrapped around the head area to protect the head of a person , elastic short sleeves ( 22 ) are for arms to reach out while all wrapped up to maneuver whatever necessary for the survival , those elastic sleeves are water resistant and are folded inside while not in use , short elastic trunks ( 23 ) are for legs that need to stretch out or walk , they are water resistant and are folded inside while not in use . a person can blow through the fittings ( 62 ) or fitted with hand pumps and or electric pump ( not shown ) to inflate the armored inflatable boat cocoon ( 10 ), the boat cocoon can also be inflated by pulling the gas release lever of the gas cartridges ( 63 ), there are several quick air release valves ( 61 ) to deflate the device for packing . pockets ( 64 ) are for the storing of other items and or extra armored plates . it can now be seen that the armored inflatable boat cocoon provides protection for persons traveling on land , on water or in the air , in a matter of fact , since the beginning of air travel , a person on a plane has only a seat belt to rely upon for protection , with the present invention a person can now bring the armored inflatable boat cocoon on board , in case of emergency , a person can completely wrap oneself up with the armored inflatable boat cocoon for protection against impact , the element flap functioning as a parachute , will slow down the fall , and the inflated cocoon with armored plates will lessen the impact when falling down from up high , in case it is on the water , the dome shaped inflated boat cocoon will protect a person from drowning and hypothermia . there are hardly any protection for the passengers when riding on the public transit , a few may provide seatbelts , that is about all , with the present invention , persons riding the public transit or the private vehicle can now bring the armored inflatable boat cocoon and protect themselves . when persons taking the ferry , a cruise ship or even a private yacht , life vests or floating rings are stored somewhere you may not find it in a hurry and that is for your protection from drowning only , but with the present invention , persons traveling on water can bring their own armored inflatable boat cocoon and have complete control and place it where it is readily available and protect themselves from drowning , impact and the extreme elements , including hypothermia . although the description above contains many specifications , these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but merely providing support to the illustration of the preferred embodiment of this invention . for example the armored inflatable boat cocoon can be inflated by any other means besides the methods mentioned above , it can also be inflated automatically , air chambers can be divided into different independent sections , fitted with one way valves , the air chambers will be inflated all at once , but if one leaks , the others will stay inflated , armored plates may be placed to the other part of the boat cocoon other than the upper body area and the head area . thus the scope of this invention should not be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents , rather than by the examples given herein . | 0 |
in a tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative represented by the general formula ( 1 ) of the present invention , 50 % or more of geometrical isomers have three double bonds which are all trans . in the general formula ( 1 ), examples of r1 include methyl groups and methoxy groups , and examples of r2 include hydrogen atoms , methyl groups , and methoxy groups . the following compounds are exemplified as preferred examples of the compound represented by the general formula ( 1 ), but the present invention is not limited thereto . the tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative represented by the general formula ( 1 ) has three double bonds , each of which may be in the trans or cis configuration . hence , the following four geometrical isomers exist : a trans / trans / trans isomer , a trans / trans / cis isomer , a trans / cis / cis isomer , and a cis / cis / cis isomer ( which are referred to as a ttt isomer , a ttc isomer , a tcc isomer , and a ccc isomer , respectively ). these four types of isomers can be separated from one another by hplc . here , a tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative in which 50 % or more of geometrical isomers have three double bonds which are all trans in the present invention means that the ratio of the ttt isomer among the four geometrical isomers is 50 % or higher based on hplc analysis . as a result of our diligent examination , it has been found that a higher mobility can be achieved than that of 4 -( 2 , 2 - bisphenyl - ethene - 1 - yl )- 4 ′, 4 ″- dimethyl - triphenylamine , which is generally used as a high mobility charge transport material in the cases where the ratio of the ttt isomer of the general formula ( 1 ) is 50 % or higher , among cases with various ratios . the above - described tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative represented by the general formula ( 1 ) is synthesized , for example , as follows . note that , in the following formula , each r1 and each r2 have the same meanings as described above . first , a benzyl chloride derivative ( 2 ) is allowed to react with triethyl phosphite to prepare a wittig - horner reagent ( 3 ), which is then allowed to react with p - chlorobenzaldehyde to obtain a stilbene derivative ( 5 ). alternatively , the stilbene derivative ( 5 ) can be obtained in such a manner that p - chlorobenzyl chloride ( 6 ) is allowed to react with triethyl phosphite to prepare a wittig - horner reagent ( 7 ), which is then allowed to react with a benzaldehyde derivative ( 8 ). the thus obtained stilbene derivative ( 5 ) is a mixture of the cis isomer and the trans isomer . however , a mixture enriched with the trans isomer can be obtained through column chromatography , recrystallization , distillation , or the like . subsequently , in accordance with the method of buchwald et al ( org . lett . 2001 , 3 , 3417 . ), the stilbene derivative ( 5 ) enriched with the trans isomer is allowed to react with lithium amide in the presence of a metal such as pd and a phosphorus atom - containing ligand . thus , the tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative ( 1 ) can be synthesized . examples of palladium complexes usable here include pdcl 2 , pd ( oac ) 2 , [ pdcl ( allyl )] 2 , pd 2 ( dba ) 3 , and the like . examples of the phosphorus atom - containing ligand include triarylphosphine - based ligands such as triphenylphosphine and tri - o - tolylphosphine ; trialkylphosphine - based ligands such as tri - t - butylphosphine and tricyclohexylphosphine ; 2 - phosphinobiphenyl - based ligands such as 2 -( dicyclohexylphosphino ) biphenyl , 2 -( di - t - butylphosphino ) biphenyl , 2 -( dicyclohexylphosphino )- 2 ′, 4 ′, 6 ′- tri - isopropyl - 1 , 1 ′- biphenyl , and 2 -( di - t - butylphosphino )- 2 ′-( n , n - dimethylamino ) biphenyl ; olefin substituted phosphine - based ligands such as 1 , 1 - diphenyl - 2 -( dicyclohexylphosphino ) propene and 1 , 1 - diphenyl - 2 -( di - t - butylphosphino ) propene ; cyclopropane ring - substituted phosphine - based ligands such as ( di - t - butyl )( 1 - methyl - 2 , 2 ,- diphenylcyclopropylphosphine and ( dicyclohexyl )( 1 - methyl - 2 , 2 ,- diphenylcyclopropylphosphine ; and the like . a charge transport agent of the present invention comprises the above - described tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative . the charge transport agent of the present invention can be used , for example , for an electrophotographic photoreceptor . an electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention using a charge transport agent may be a so - called multilayer type electrophotographic photoreceptor in which the functions of a photoreceptor layer are achieved separately by a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer provided on a conductive substrate , or a so - called single layer type electrophotographic photoreceptor in which a single photoreceptor layer containing a charge generation agent and a charge transport agent is provided on a conductive substrate . for the multilayer type electrophotographic photoreceptor , the charge transport layer using the tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative as the charge transport agent can be formed as follows . specifically , compound ( 1 ) is directly vapor deposited on a conductive substrate or on a charge generation layer , or a solution obtained by dissolving the tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative and a binder polymer into an appropriate solvent is applied onto a conductive substrate or a charge generation layer , and then dried . meanwhile , for the single layer type electrophotographic photoreceptor , the photoreceptor layer is formed as follows . specifically , a liquid obtained by dissolving or dispersing a charge generation agent , the tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative , and the like , as well as a binder polymer , into an appropriate solvent is applied onto a conductive substrate , and then dried . note that the single layer type photoreceptor may contain an electron transport material , if needed . examples of the binder polymer include polyacrylates , polymethacrylates , polyamides , acrylic resins , acrylonitrile resins , methacrylic resins , vinyl chloride resins , vinyl acetate resins , phenol resins , epoxy resins , polyesters , alkyd resins , polycarbonates , polyurethanes , polystyrenes , and copolymers thereof . besides such insulating polymers , organic photoconductive polymers such as polyvinylcarbazoles , polyvinylanthracenes , and polyvinylenes can be used . of these binder polymers , polycarbonates are particularly preferable . examples of polycarbonates which can be used preferably include bisphenol a type polycarbonate resins ( for example , iupilon e series of mitsubishi gas chemical company , inc .) and bisphenol z type polycarbonate resins ( for example , iupilon z series of mitsubishi gas chemical company , inc .) represented by the following structural formulae ; copolymer polycarbonates which have bisphenol a or bisphenol z , and biphenol carbonate as structural units and which are disclosed in japanese patent application publication no . hei 4 - 179961 ; and the like . specific examples of the biphenol copolymer carbonates include a bisphenol a / biphenol type polycarbonate resin represented by the following structural formula ( i ) ( where it is preferable that n / n + m = 0 . 1 to 0 . 9 ), and a more specific example is one represented by the formula ( j ) where n / n + m = 0 . 85 . ( where r 11 and r 12 each independently represent a hydrogen atom , an alkyl group , or an aryl group ; r 11 and r 12 may be bonded to each other to form a ring ; r 13 , r 14 , r 15 , r 16 , r 17 , r 18 , r 19 , r 20 , r 21 , r 22 , r 23 , r 24 , r 25 , r 26 , r 27 , and r 28 each independently represent a hydrogen atom , a halogen atom , an alkyl group , or an aryl group ; and n and m represent the numbers of moles of the above - described repeating units , respectively .) moreover , besides the above - described polycarbonates , a polycarbonate ( k ) can be used which is disclosed in japanese patent application publication no . hei 6 - 214412 and whose repeating unit is represented by the following structural formula . moreover , a polycarbonate disclosed in japanese patent application publication no . hei 6 - 222581 can also be used . the polycarbonate has a repeating unit represented by the following structural formula ( l ). ( where r 29 , r 30 , and r 31 may be the same or different , and each represent a hydrogen atom , a halogen atom , an alkyl group , a cycloalkyl group , an aryl group , or an arylalkyl group .) moreover , it is also possible to preferably use polymer binders which are shown in japanese patent application publication no . hei 5 - 88398 and japanese patent application publication no . hei 11 - 65136 and into which a siloxane unit represented by the following general formula ( m ) or ( n ) is introduced . ( where m , n , o , and p are each an integer representing the number of the corresponding repeating units .) ( where a , b , c , d , and n are each an integer representing the number of the corresponding repeating units .) regarding the blending ratio of each of these binder polymers with compound ( 1 ), the charge transport material can be added in an amount of 10 to 1000 parts by weight , preferably 30 to 500 parts by weight , more preferably 40 to 200 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the binder polymer . the solvent used is not particularly limited , and an organic solvent can be used . it is possible to use one of or a mixture of alcohols such as methanol , ethanol , and isopropanol ; ketones such as acetone , methyl ethyl ketone , and cyclohexanone ; amides such as n , n - dimethylformamide and n , n - dimethylacetamide ; sulfoxides such as dimethyl sulfoxide ; ethers such as tetrahydrofuran , dioxane , and ethylene glycol dimethyl ether ; esters such as ethyl acetate and methyl acetate ; aliphatic halogenated hydrocarbons such as methylene chloride , chloroform , 1 , 2 - dichloroethane , dichloroethylene , carbon tetrachloride , and trichloroethylene ; aromatic compounds such as benzene , toluene , xylene , chlorobenzene , and dichlorobenzene ; and the like . as the conductive substrate used for the photoreceptor of the present invention , a foil or a plate of a metal or an alloy of copper , aluminum , silver , iron , zinc , nickel , or the like is used . the foil or plate is shaped into a sheet or a drum before use . alternatively , a conductive substrate obtained by vacuum - depositing or electrolytically plating such a metal onto a plastic film , cylinder , or the like , or a conductive substrate obtained by providing a layer of a conductive compound such as a conductive polymer , indium oxide , or tin oxide onto a substrate such as a glass substrate , a paper substrate or a plastic film by application or vapor deposition . the application can be conducted by a coating method such as a dip coating method , a spray coating method , a spinner coating method , a wire - bar coating method , a blade coating method , a roller coating method , or a curtain coating method . for drying , it is preferable to conduct heat drying after drying at room temperature . the heat drying is preferably conducted at a temperature of 30 to 200 ° c . for 5 minutes to 2 hours in a windless state or under air stream . moreover , the electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention may contain charge transport agents other than the tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative , and also may contain various additives , if needed . examples of these other charge transport agents include , but are not limited to , hydrazone compounds represented by the following general formula ( o ) described in japanese examined patent application publication no . sho 55 - 42380 , japanese patent application publication no . sho 60 - 340999 , japanese patent application publication no . sho 61 - 23154 , and the like ; triphenylamine dimers represented by the following general formula ( p ) described in japanese examined patent application publication no . sho 58 - 32372 and the like ; distyryl compounds represented by the following general formula ( q ) described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 873 , 312 and the like ; tetraphenylbutadiene - based compounds ; triphenylmethane ; and the like . ( where r 41 and r 42 may be the same or different , and each represent a lower alkyl group , an aryl group which may have one or more substituents , or an aralkyl group which may have one or more substituents ; r 43 and r 44 may be the same or different , and each represent a lower alkyl group which may have one or more substituents , an aryl group which may have one or more substituents , an aralkyl group which may have one or more substituents , a heterocyclic group which may have one or more substituents ; r 43 and r 44 may be bonded to each other to form a ring ; r 45 represents a hydrogen atom , a lower alkyl group , an aryl group which may have one or more substituents , an aralkyl group which may have one or more substituents , a lower alkoxy group , or a halogen atom ; and r 45 may be bonded to r 41 or r 42 to form a ring .) ( where r 51 to r 62 may be the same or different , and each represent a hydrogen atom , a lower alkyl group , a lower alkoxy group , a halogen - atom - substituted lower alkoxy group , an aryl group which may have one or more substituents , or a halogen atom .) ( where r 71 to r 74 may be the same or different , and each represents a lower alkyl group , or an aryl group which may have one or more substituents ; and ar 1 , ar 2 , and ar 3 may be the same or different , and each represent a phenylene group which may have one or more groups selected from lower alkyl groups , lower alkoxy groups , aryloxy groups , and halogen atoms .) examples of the various additives include plasticizers such as biphenylene - based compounds ( for example , those disclosed in japanese patent application publication no . hei 6 - 332206 ), m - terphenyl , and dibutyl phthalate ; surface lubricants such as silicone oil , graft type silicone polymers , and various fluorocarbons ; potential stabilizers such as dicyanovinyl compounds and carbazole derivatives ; monophenol - based antioxidants such as 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methylphenol ; bisphenol - based antioxidants ; diamine - based antioxidants described in japanese patent application publication no . sho 56 - 117244 or japanese patent application publication no . 2009 - 20204 ; amine - based antioxidants such as 4 - diazabicyclo [ 2 , 2 , 2 ] octane ; salicylic acid - based antioxidants ; tocopherols ; and the like . when the electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention is a multilayer type electrophotographic photoreceptor , the film thickness of the charge transport layer is preferably 5 to 40 μm , and more preferably 10 to 30 μm . the charge transport layer obtained as described above is electrically connected to a charge generation layer , and has functions of receiving carriers injected through the charge generation layer in the presence of the electric field , and transporting these carriers across the charge transport layer to a surface opposite to the surface in contact with the charge generation layer . in this case , the charge transport layer may be stacked above or below the charge generation layer , and the charge transport layer is preferably staked above the charge generation layer . if needed , a protective layer can be provided on the thus prepared photoreceptor layer . in addition , an underlayer having a barrier function and an adhesive function can also be provided between the conductive substrate and the photoreceptor layer . examples of materials for forming the underlayer include polyvinyl alcohol , nitrocellulose , casein , ethylene - acrylic acid copolymers , polyamides such as nylon , polyurethane , gelatin , aluminum oxide , and the like . the film thickness of the underlayer is preferably 0 . 1 to 5 μm , and more preferably 0 . 5 to 3 μm . the charge generation layer can be prepared as a vapor deposition layer or an coating layer by using one material or a combination of materials selected from inorganic charge generation agents such as selenium , selenium - tellurium , and amorphous silicon ; cationic dyes such as pyrylium salt - based dyes , thiapyrylium - based dyes , azulenium salt - based dyes , thiacyanine - based dyes , and quinocyanine - based dyes ; polycyclic quinone pigments such as squarylium salt - based pigments , phthalocyanine - based pigments , anthanthrone - based pigments , dibenzpyrenequinone - based pigments , and pyranthrone pigments ; organic charge generation agents such as indigo - based pigments , quinacridone - based pigments , azo pigments , and pyrrolopyrrole - based pigments . of the above - described organic charge generation agents , organic charge generation agents described in chem . rev ., 1993 , 93 , p . 449 - 486 are particularly preferable . specifically , phthalocyanine - based pigments are preferable . examples of the phthalocyanine - based pigments include alkoxytitanium phthalocyanine ( ti ( or ) 2 pc ), oxotitanium phthalocyanine ( tiopc ), copper phthalocyanine ( cupc ), metal - free phthalocyanine ( h 2 pc ), chlorogallium phthalocyanine ( clgapc ), hydroxygallium phthalocyanine ( hogapc ), vanadyl phthalocyanine ( vopc ), and chloroindium phthalocyanine ( clinpc ). more specific examples of tiopc include α - tiopc , β - tiopc , γ - tiopc , m - tiopc , y - tiopc , a - tiopc , b - tiopc , and amorphous tiopc . of these kinds of tiopc , particularly preferable are one having the most intense peak at a bragg angle ( 2θ ± 2 °) of 27 . 2 °, or one having main peaks at bragg angles ( 2θ ± 2 °) of 7 . 6 ° and 28 . 6 °, in an x - ray diffraction spectrum obtained by using cukα as the radiation source . examples of h 2 pc include α - h 2 pc , β - h 2 pc , τ - h 2 pc , and x - h 2 pc . azo pigments are also preferable as the charge generation agent , and examples thereof include monoazo compounds , bisazo compounds , and trisazo compounds . specifically , azo compounds represented by the following structural formulae are preferable . moreover , a perylene - based compound represented by the following structural formula ( v ) or a polycyclic quinone - based compound represented by the structural formula ( w ) is preferable as the charge generation agent . ( where r represents a hydrogen atom , lower alkyl group , or aryl group which may have a substituent .) any charge generation agent other than those charge generation agents can be used , as long as the charge generation agent is a material which generates charges at a high efficiency upon absorption of light . as described above , the electrophotographic photoreceptor containing the tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivative of the present invention can be obtained . the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the following non - limiting examples and comparative examples . note that measuring apparatuses and measurement conditions employed in synthesis examples were as follows : ( 1 ) 1h - nmr apparatus : drx - 500 apparatus ( 500 mhz ) manufactured by bruker corporation , internal standard substance : tetramethylsilane measured in deuterated chloroform or deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide ( 2 ) mass spectrometer : hitachi m - 80b ( manufactured by hitachi , ltd .) ( 3 ) hplc apparatus : gl7400 series ( manufactured by gl sciences inc .) ods - 3 ( 4 . 6 × 250 mm ), dichloromethane : acetonitrile = 5 : 95 , 1 ml / min . measured at uv 254 nm to 29 . 0 g ( 207 mmol ) of α - chloro - m - xylene , 37 . 8 g ( 228 mmol ) of triethyl phosphite was added . the mixture was heated under reflux for 10 hours to obtain 52 . 3 g of a colorless liquid . then , 47 . 3 g ( 187 mmol ) of the colorless liquid was dissolved in 300 ml of n , n ,- dimethylformamide ( dmf ), and 27 . 6 g ( 197 mmol ) of p - chlorobenzaldehyde was added thereto . under a nitrogen atmosphere , 23 . 1 g ( 206 mmol ) of potassium - tert - butoxide was added thereto , followed by an additional stirring for 2 hours . the resulting mixture was neutralized with water and hydrochloric acid , and extracted with toluene . the toluene layer was washed with water , then concentrated , and subjected to a recrystallization operation . as a result , 36 . 6 g of a stilbene derivative was obtained . the yield was 85 . 6 %. under a nitrogen atmosphere , 34 . 5 g ( 150 mmol ) of the obtained stilbene derivative , 13 . 5 g ( 141 mmol ) of sodium tert - butoxide , 1 . 1 g ( 47 mmol ) of lithium amide , 172 mg ( 0 . 47 mmol ) of [ pdcl ( allyl )] 2 , and 441 mg ( 1 . 13 mmol ) of 1 , 1 - diphenyl - 2 -( dicyclohexylphosphino ) propene were added into 160 ml of xylene , and the mixture was heated to 100 ° c . after stirring for 5 hours , water was added thereto , and further toluene was added thereto . then , the organic layer was separated . the organic layer was washed with water , and then concentrated . the residue was subjected to silica gel column chromatography to remove impurities , and further subjected to a recrystallization operation . as a result , 24 . 0 g of a yellow crystal was obtained . the yield was 86 %. an hplc analysis showed that the ratio of the ttt isomer was 100 %. moreover , 1h nmr showed that the cis - trans ratio of the double bonds was 0 : 100 . 1h nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ ; 2 . 38 ( s , 9h ), 7 . 00 ( d , j = 16 . 3 hz , 3h ), 7 . 07 ( d , j = 7 . 4 hz , 3h ), 7 . 07 ( d , j = 16 . 3 hz , 3h ), 7 . 11 ( d , j = 8 . 6 hz , 6h ), 7 . 24 ( t , j = 7 . 5 hz , 3h ), 7 . 31 ( d , j = 8 . 1 hz , 3h ), 7 . 33 ( s , 3h ), 7 . 42 ( d , j = 8 . 6 hz , 6h ). to 54 . 8 g ( 340 mmol ) of p - chlorobenzyl chloride , 54 . 9 g ( 330 mmol ) of triethyl phosphite was added , and the mixture was heated under reflux for 6 hours , followed by prification by distillation . as a result , 81 . 5 g of a colorless liquid was obtained . the yield was 94 . 0 %. into 300 ml of n , n ,- dimethylformamide ( dmf ), 56 . 3 g ( 215 mmol ) of the colorless liquid was dissolved , and further 30 . 7 g ( 226 mmol ) of m - anisaldehyde was added thereto . under a nitrogen atmosphere , 26 . 5 g ( 237 mmol ) of potassium - tert - butoxide was added thereto , and the mixture was further stirred for 2 hours . the resultant mixture was neutralized with water and hydrochloric acid , and extracted with toluene . the toluene layer was washed with water , then concentrated , and subjected to a recrystallization operation . as a result , 43 . 2 g of a stilbene derivative was obtained . the yield was 82 . 3 %. under a nitrogen atmosphere , 41 . 5 g ( 170 mmol ) of the obtained stilbene derivative , 15 . 3 g ( 159 mmol ) of sodium tert - butoxide , 1 . 2 g ( 53 mmol ) of lithium amide , 194 mg ( 0 . 53 mmol ) of [ pdcl ( allyl )] 2 , and 496 mg ( 1 . 27 mmol ) of 1 , 1 - diphenyl - 2 -( dicyclohexylphosphino ) propene were added into 150 ml of xylene , and the mixture was heated to 100 ° c . after stirring for 5 hours , water was added thereto , and further toluene was added thereto . then , the organic layer was separated . the organic layer was washed with water , and then concentrated . the residue was subjected to silica gel column chromatography to remove impurities , and further subjected to a recrystallization operation . as a result , 30 . 0 g of a yellow crystal was obtained . the yield was 88 %. an hplc analysis showed that the ratio of the ttt isomer was 100 %. moreover , 1h nmr showed that the cis - trans ratio of the double bonds was 0 : 100 . 1h nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ ; 3 . 86 ( s , 9h ), 6 . 80 - 6 . 82 ( m , 3h ), 7 . 00 ( d , j = 16 . 2 hz , 3h ), 7 . 04 ( t , j = 2 . 0 hz , 3h ), 7 . 07 ( d , j = 16 . 3 hz , 3h ), 7 . 10 - 7 . 12 ( m , 9h ), 7 . 27 ( t , j = 7 . 9 hz , 3h ), 7 . 41 - 7 . 43 ( m , 6h ). comparative compound ( 1 ) was synthesized in the same manner as in synthesis example 1 , except that a cis - trans mixture ( cis : trans = 52 : 48 ( calculated based on 1h nmr )) was used instead of the stilbene derivative ( 5 ). the yield was 70 %. an hplc analysis showed that the ratio of the ttt isomer was 12 %. moreover , 1h nmr showed that the cis - trans ratio of the double bonds was 51 : 49 . 1h nmr ( dmso - d 6 ): δ ; 2 . 25 ( m , 9h ), 6 . 51 - 6 . 58 ( m , cis , 6h ), 6 . 84 - 7 . 56 ( m , trans , 6h , ar — h 24h ) comparative compound ( 2 ) was synthesized in the same manner as in synthesis example 1 , except that a cis - trans mixture ( cis : trans = 82 : 18 ( calculated based on 1h nmr )) was used instead of the stilbene derivative ( 5 ). the yield was 72 %. an hplc analysis showed that the ratio of the ttt isomer was 1 %. moreover , 1h nmr showed that the cis - trans ratio of the double bonds was 78 : 22 . 1h nmr ( dmso - d 6 ): δ ; 2 . 25 ( m , 9h ), 6 . 51 - 6 . 58 ( m , cis , 6h ), 6 . 84 - 7 . 56 ( m , trans , 6h , ar — h 24h ) comparative compound ( 3 ) was synthesized in the same manner as in synthesis example 2 , except that p - tolualdehyde was used instead of m - anisaldehyde . the yield was 76 %. an hplc analysis showed that the ratio of the ttt isomer was 100 %. moreover , 1h nmr showed that the cis - trans ratio of the double bonds was 0 : 100 . 1h nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ ; 2 . 36 ( s , 9h ), 6 . 99 ( d , j = 16 . 3 hz , 3h ), 7 . 03 ( d , j = 16 . 2 hz , 3h ), 7 . 09 - 7 . 11 ( m , 6h ), 7 . 16 ( d , j = 7 . 9 hz , 6h ), 7 . 39 - 7 . 41 ( m , 12h ) comparative compound ( 4 ) was synthesized in the same manner as in synthesis example 1 , except that α - chloro - o - xylene was used instead of α - chloro - m - xylene . the yield was 85 %. an hplc analysis showed that the ratio of the ttt isomer was 100 %. moreover , 1h nmr showed that the cis - trans ratio of the double bonds was 0 : 100 . 1h nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ ; 2 . 43 ( s , 9h ), 6 . 97 ( d , j = 16 . 1 hz , 3h ), 7 . 12 - 7 . 14 ( m , 6h ), 7 . 17 - 7 . 22 ( m , 9h ), 7 . 25 ( d , j = 16 . 2 hz , 3h ), 7 . 43 - 7 . 45 ( m , 6h ), 7 . 59 ( d , j = 7 . 5 hz , 3h ) comparative compound ( 5 ) was synthesized in the same manner as in synthesis example 2 , except that p - anisaldehyde was used instead of m - anisaldehyde . the yield was 60 %. an hplc analysis showed that the ratio of the ttt isomer was 100 %. moreover , 1h nmr showed that the cis - trans ratio of the double bonds was 0 : 100 . 1h nmr ( cdcl 3 ): 3 . 83 ( s , 9h ), 6 . 89 - 6 . 93 ( m , 9h ), 7 . 03 ( d , j = 16 . 3 hz , 3h ), 7 . 29 - 7 . 31 ( m , 6h ), 7 . 40 - 7 . 42 ( m , 6h ), 7 . 43 - 7 . 45 ( m , 6h ) into 85 parts by weight of tetrahydrofuran , 15 parts by weight of “ panlite ts - 2020 ” ( manufactured by teijin chemicals ltd .) and 15 parts by weight of compound ( 1 - 1 ) were dissolved by mixing . the solution was applied by using a doctor blade onto a sheet in which aluminum was vapor deposited on a polyethylene phthalate ( pet ) film , followed by drying at 80 ° c . for 3 hours . thus , a charge transport layer was formed ( thickness : 18 μm ). further , a translucent gold electrode was vapor deposited on this charge transport layer , and the charge carrier mobility was measured . for the measurement of the carrier mobility , a nitrogen gas laser having a pulse half width of 0 . 9 sec and a wavelength of 337 nm was used as a light source , and the time - of - flight method ( toshiaki tanaka , yasuhiro yamaguchi and masaaki yokoyama , denshi shashin ( electrophotography ), 29 , 366 ( 1990 )) was employed . table 1 and fig1 show the results measured at 25 ° c . and 25 v / μm . in examples 2 and 3 , compound ( 1 - 1 ) and comparative compound ( 2 ) were blended to provide the ratios of the ttt isomer determined by hplc analysis of 70 % and 50 %, respectively . the mobilities of these mixture samples were measured in the same manner as in example 1 . table 1 and fig1 show the results . in comparative examples 1 to 3 , compound ( 1 - 1 ) and comparative compound ( 2 ) were blended to provide the ratios of the ttt isomer determined by hplc analysis of 40 %, 30 % and 20 %, respectively . the mobilities of these mixture samples were measured in the same manner as in example 1 . table 1 and fig1 show the results . experiments were conducted by using comparative compounds ( 1 ) to ( 6 ) in the same manner as in example 1 . table 1 shows the results . note that it was impossible to measure the mobility of comparative compounds ( 3 ) to ( 5 ) because of their insolubility . as is apparent from table 1 , it can be seen that compound ( 1 - 1 ) exhibited a higher mobility than comparative compounds 1 and 2 , which had lower ratios of the ttt isomer . moreover , it can be seen that compound ( 1 - 1 ) exhibited a greater mobility than comparative compound ( 6 ), which is generally known as a high mobility material . meanwhile , comparative compounds 3 , 4 , and 5 , which had likewise high ratios of the ttt isomers , were not successfully dissolved in the binder polymer solutions , and no films were formed successfully therefrom . in other words , it can be understood that the position of the substituent is important in the cases of tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivatives . moreover , it can be understood from fig1 that , when the ratio of the ttt isomer is 50 % or higher , the high mobility characteristics are not impaired , and a higher mobility than that of comparative compound ( 6 ) can be obtained . into 2500 parts by weight of methanol , 37 . 5 parts by weight of “ fine resin 104 ” ( manufactured by namariichi co ., ltd .) was dissolved . the solution was applied onto a sheet in which aluminum was vapor deposited on a polyethylene phthalate ( pet ) film , followed by drying at 105 ° c . for 1 hour . thus , an underlayer was obtained . an coating liquid was obtained by dissolving 22 . 5 parts by weight of metal - free phthalocyanine “ fastgen blue 8120bs ” ( manufactured by dic corporation ) and , as a binder , 15 parts by weight of a butyral resin “ s - lec bh - 3 ” ( manufactured by sekisui chemical co ., ltd .) into 750 parts by weight of methyl ethyl ketone and 750 parts by weight of cyclohexanone . the coating liquid was applied onto the underlayer , followed by drying at 80 ° c . for 2 hours . thus , a charge generation layer was formed . into 8 parts by weight of tetrahydrofuran , 1 part by weight of a polycarbonate “ z - 200 ” ( manufactured by mitsubishi engineering - plastics corporation ) and 1 part by weight of compound ( 1 - 1 ) or ( 1 - 2 ) were dissolved by mixing . the liquid was applied onto the charge generation layer , followed by drying at 80 ° c . for 2 hours , to thereby form a charge transport layer ( thickness : approximately 20 μm ). thus , each electrophotographic photoreceptor was prepared . the characteristics of the electrophotographic photoreceptors thus obtained were measured in a static method using an electrostatic paper analyzer “ epa - 8300a ” ( manufactured by kawaguchi electric works ). specifically , each electrophotographic photoreceptor was charged by a corona discharge of − 6 kv , and the surface potential v 0 ( unit : − v ) was measured . the electrophotographic photoreceptor was kept in the dark for 5 seconds ( the surface potential vi ( unit : − v )), and then irradiated with a laser light of 0 . 2 μw and 780 nm . thereafter , the exposure necessary for decaying the surface potential vi by half , namely , the half decay exposure e 1 / 2 ( μj / cm 2 ) was determined , and the surface residual potential vr ( unit : − v ) after irradiation for 5 seconds was determined . table 2 shows the results . experiments were conducted by using comparative compounds ( 2 ) to ( 6 ) in the same manner as in example 4 . table 2 shows the results . note that it was impossible to measure the electrophotographic characteristics of comparative compounds ( 3 ) to ( 5 ) because of their insolubility . as is apparent from table 2 , it can be seen that the electrophotographic photoreceptors using compound ( 1 - 1 ) and ( 1 - 2 ) were more sensitive ( had smaller e 1 / 2 values ) and had smaller residual potentials ( vr ) than the electrophotographic photoreceptors using comparative compounds ( 2 ) and ( 6 ). meanwhile , comparative compounds ( 3 ), ( 4 ), and ( 5 ), which had likewise high ratios of the ttt isomers , were not successfully dissolved in the binder polymer solutions , and no films were formed successfully therefrom . in other words , it can be understood that the position of the substituent is important in the cases of tris ( 4 - styrylphenyl ) amine derivatives . into 85 parts by weight of tetrahydrofuran , 15 parts by weight of “ panlite ts - 2020 ” and 15 parts by weight of compound ( 1 - 1 ) or ( 1 - 2 ) were dissolved by mixing . this liquid was applied onto a pet plate by using a doctor blade , followed by drying at 80 ° c . for 3 hours . thus , a thin film was prepared ( thickness : approximately 20 μm ). the obtained thin film was subjected to an abrasion test using “ suga abrasion tester nus - iso3 ” ( manufactured by suga test instruments co ., ltd .). specifically , the thin film was ground with “ precision finishing abrasive film # 4000 ” ( manufactured by sumitomo 3m limited ) 400 times , 800 times , or 1200 times , and the weight losses of the thin film were measured . table 3 shows the results . experiments were conducted by using comparative compounds ( 3 ) to ( 5 ) in the same manner as in example 6 . table 3 shows the results . note that it was impossible to perform measurement of comparative compounds ( 3 ) to ( 5 ) because of their insolubility . an experiment was conducted in the same manner as in example 6 , except that comparative compound ( 7 ) represented by the following formula was used . table 3 shows the results . as is apparent from the table 3 , the thin films using the compound ( 1 - 1 ) and ( 1 - 2 ) underwent less weight losses , and had better abrasion resistances . these results indicate that these thin films had better film stabilities . each of the exemplified compounds ( 1 - 1 ) and ( 1 - 2 ) was dissolved in 1 g of tetrahydrofuran at 25 ° c . table 4 shows the weight of the compound dissolved completely . experiments were conducted by using comparative compounds ( 3 ) to ( 5 ) in the same manner as in example 8 . table 4 shows the results . as is apparent from table 4 , the compounds ( 1 - 1 ) and ( 1 - 2 ) had better solubilities . this allows formation of higher - concentration organic thin films from the compounds ( 1 - 1 ) and ( 1 - 2 ). | 6 |
an embodiment of the invention will be explained with reference to drawings . as shown in fig1 , the embodiment has a differential system mounted on , for example , a hybrid automobile with a four - wheel drive system . the four wheel drive system has a front - wheel drive system and a rear - wheel drive system . engine 2101 as a primary drive source drives front wheels 2113 , 2115 . electrical motor 2129 drives rear wheels 2125 , 2127 . the differential system includes a rear differential 1 a mounted to a rear - wheel drive system for distributing drive torque to left and right rear wheels 2115 , 2127 . the differential system includes a reduction mechanism 3 connected to rear differential 1 a . the front - wheel drive system has engine 2101 and transmission 2103 linked to each other . front differential 2107 distributes the drive force from engine 2101 to left and right front wheels 2113 and 2115 . front shafts 2109 and 2111 link the front wheels 2113 , 2115 and front differential 2107 . the rear - wheel drive system has motor 2131 linked to reduction mechanism 3 . reduction mechanism 3 connects with ring gear 5 a . ring gear 5 a transmits drive force to rear differential 1 a . rear differential 1 a and ring gear 5 a have clutch system 13 a for the connection and disconnection therebetween . clutch system 13 a has clutch 49 ; and actuators 47 , 51 , 53 to operate the engagement and disengagement of the clutch 49 . a control system has sensor 2135 for detecting a drive state and generating a signal . the signal causes controller 2133 to generate a control signal . the control signal causes motor 2129 to be driven . battery 2131 supplies power to motor 2129 . during normal drive , engine 2101 drives front wheels 2113 , 2115 . as necessary , during , for example , starting , acceleration , or racing of front wheels , the driving of motor 2129 causes the auxiliary driving of rear wheels 2125 , 2127 . the width direction of the view of the vehicle using rear differential 1 a in fig1 corresponds with the view in fig2 and 3 . the members without reference characters omitted in figs . fig2 shows rear differential 1 a and reduction mechanism 3 . rear differential 1 a and reduction mechanism 3 are housed in casing 15 . casing 15 includes : gear casing 15 a housing reduction mechanism 3 ; differential casing 15 b housing rear differential 1 a ; and cover 15 c fixed to the gear casing 15 a and the differential casing 15 b for sealing . casing 15 has an oil sealed therein , with its internal portion forming an oil reservoir . reduction mechanism 3 is constituted with two - stepped sets of reduction gears . in addition , reduction mechanism 3 is preferably adaptable to three - stepped sets of reduction gears . respective sets of reduction gears are constituted with respective small - sized input and large - sized output reduction gears . reduction mechanism 3 reduces the rotation of motor 2129 in two steps , causing the amplification of torque for the rotation of ring gear 5 a . first and second shafts 311 , 319 are arranged in rows in gear casing 15 a . respective sets of transmission gears are composed of a spur gear . cylindrical first shaft 311 is rotatably supported to gear casing 15 a , using ball bearing 312 . one end 311 a of first shaft 311 is connected to the output shaft of motor 2129 as an auxiliary drive force for the rear - wheel drive . the first - stepped set of reduction gears has input reduction gear 313 formed around the other end 311 b of first shaft 311 . cylindrical second shaft 319 is rotatably supported to cover 15 c , with one end using ball bearing 325 and to gear casing 15 a , with the other end using roller bearing 327 . second shaft 319 is fixed to annular output reduction gear 317 . reduction gear 317 extends radially outwardly from second shaft 319 . reduction gears 313 , 317 are meshed with each other to reduce the rotational speed of first shaft 311 to be transmitted to second shaft 319 . the second stepped set of reduction gears has input reduction gear 321 formed on second shaft 319 . the output gear is ring gear 5 a fixed to clutch housing 23 by welding . as shown in fig5 , casing 15 preferably has an opening 29 provided at the left end of second shaft 319 . mounted to opening 29 is a cover 30 for preventing a foreign material from entering or the leakage of an oil . rear differential 1 has differential housing 7 a located coaxially with and radially inward of ring gear 5 a . ring gear 5 a and differential housing 7 a have two ball bearings 9 interposed therebetween . ring gear 5 a is supported to differential housing 7 a for relative rotation . located between differential housing 7 a and clutch housing 23 is clutch system 13 a . differential housing 7 a has bevel - type differential mechanism 11 located inside thereof . the gear part 5 aa of ring gear 5 a , ball bearings 9 , and differential housing 7 a are located coaxially and axially overlapping each other . gear part 5 aa and ball bearings 9 are arranged in radial alignment with each other , overlapping each other at an axial position . ball bearings 9 are fixed to ring gear 5 a and differential housing 7 a , while preferably being mounted to one or both of them , using a spacer . left and right drive shafts 2121 , 2123 pass through the respective bosses 75 , 77 of differential housing 7 a , the inner peripheries of which are provided with spiral oil channels 79 , 81 . differential housing 7 a has opening 83 corresponding with primary clutch 49 . clutch housing 23 has opening 85 therethrough . differential mechanism 11 between the left and right wheels is constituted with pinion shaft 31 , pinion gear 33 , and left and right side gears 35 , 37 . pinion shafts 31 are arranged radially to the axis of differential housing 7 a . respective pinion shafts 31 have ends linked to differential housing 7 a . ring 50 engages pinion shaft 31 and is fixed by a snap ring . the ring 50 stops the rotation or displacement of pinion shaft 31 . pinion gears 33 are rotatably supported on pinion shafts 31 . differential housing 7 a and pinion gears 33 have spherical washers 41 interposed therebetween , which receive a centrifugal force from pinion gears 33 and interlocking reactive force from side gears 35 , 37 . side gears 35 , 37 are meshed with pinion gears 33 , respectively . respective side gears 35 , 37 and differential housing 7 a have thrust washers 43 interposed therebetween , for receiving interlocking reactive force from respective side gears 35 , 37 . side gears 35 , 37 are spline linked to left and right drive shaft 2121 , 2123 respectively . respective drive shafts pass outward through casing 15 , linking with respective left and right rear wheels , using joints . between respective drive shaft 2121 , 2123 , and the joints or casing 15 , oil seals 45 for the preventing an oil form leaking out are interposed . the drive force of the motor for the rotation of ring gear 5 , as described later , is transmitted to differential housing 7 a via clutch system 13 a . the rotation of differential housing 7 a is distributed to respective side gears 35 , 37 , using pinion gears 33 . in addition , the transmission of the rotation of the drive shafts to the left and right wheels causes vehicle to be in four - wheel drive . this remarkably improves the escape and run property on bad roads , the starting , and the acceleration property , and the stability of the vehicle body . when a difference of the drive resistance of the left and right wheels occurs on a bad road , the rotation of pinion gears 33 distribute the drive force of the motor to the left and right wheels . clutch system 13 a , as shown in fig3 , is constituted with electromagnet 47 as an operator , multiplate - type primary clutch 49 as a first clutch , pilot clutch 51 a as a second clutch , ball cam 53 as a converter , return spring 55 , and controller 2133 . electromagnet 47 , primary clutch 49 , pilot clutch 51 a , ball cam 53 , and return spring 55 are located coaxially with differential housing 7 a . primary clutch 49 and ball bearings 9 are arranged in axial alignment with each other . core 57 of electromagnet 47 is fixed to casing 15 , with its lead wire being drawn outside and being connected to battery 2131 and controller 2133 mounted on the vehicle . the left end of differential housing 7 a is supported to cover 15 c , using ball bearing 59 . the right end is supported to core 57 ( casing 15 b ), using ball bearing 59 . differential housing 7 a is rotatable relative to electromagnet 47 and casing 15 . rotor 61 a , made of a magnetic material , fixed on the outer periphery of the right boss 77 of the differential housing , using snap ring 177 , thus being axially positioned . rotor 61 a serves as the right wall of housing 23 . primary clutch 49 is located on the right of ball bearings 9 and between clutch housing 23 and differential housing 7 a . primary clutch 49 has inner plates 49 a and outer plates 49 b which are slid against each other for frictional clutch . inner plates 49 a are spline linked to differential housing 7 a . inner plates 49 a extend radially outward from differential housing 7 a , being axially spaced each other at a distance therebetween . outer plates 49 b are spline linked to clutch housing 23 . outer plates 49 b extend radially inward , being interposed between inner plates 49 a . pilot clutch 51 a is located between clutch housing 23 and cam ring 65 . pilot clutch 51 a has inner plate 51 aa and outer plates 51 ab to be slid against each other for frictional clutch . inner plates 51 aa are spline linked to cam ring 65 . inner plates 51 a extend radially outward from cam ring 65 , being spaced at a predetermined distance . outer plates 51 ab are spline linked to clutch housing 23 . outer plates 51 ab extend radially inward from housing 23 , being interposed between inner plates 51 aa . ball cam 53 is interposed between cam ring 65 and pressure plate 67 . pressure plate 67 spline links to differential housing 7 a , thus being axially movable . as described below , pressure plate 67 receives the cam thrust force of ball cam 53 to press down primary clutch 49 . interposed between rotor 61 a and cam ring 65 is thrust bearing 69 which receives the cam reactive force of ball cam 53 . return spring 55 is interposed between pressure plate 67 and differential housing 7 a , biasing pressure plate 67 against the pressure force of primary clutch 49 . ring - shaped armature 73 a is located between pressure plate 67 and pilot clutch 51 a for axial movement . the inner periphery of armature 73 a centers around stepped part 94 of pressure plate 67 . rotor 61 a , inner and outer plates 51 aa , 51 ab of pilot clutch 51 a , and armature 73 a constitute the magnetic path of electromagnet 47 . when electromagnet 47 is excited , magnetic loop 95 is generated through the magnetic path . provided between rotor 61 a and core 57 of electromagnet 47 are air gaps 97 , 99 at a spacing forming a part of the magnetic path . rotor 61 a , as shown in fig4 , has six arced openings 105 within an angular range θ and with equal radial spacing between the radial outer portions 101 and inner portions 103 as two separate magnetic paths . provided between respective openings 105 are bridges 107 joining outer portions 101 and inner portions 103 each other , thus constituting a bridge structure . the openings 105 , or the magnetic resistance of air inside openings 105 , magnetically insulates between outer portion 101 and inner portion 103 . this prevents a short in the magnetic path . due to the improvements in prevention from a short in the magnetic path , bridges 107 each have axial recesses formed on both sides thereof , being axially thin , as shown in fig3 . in addition , rotor 61 a has six arced openings 105 within ah angular range θ and at equal angular spacing , formed radially inward of magnetic loop 95 . [ heading - 0081 ] formed between respective openings 203 , are bridges 205 joining openings 203 to each other . the arrangement of the six openings 203 of rotor 61 a in a circular shape causes the outer portion formed with magnetic loop 95 and the inner portion supported on boss 75 of differential housing 7 a to be magnetically insulated due to the magnetic resistance of air in openings 203 . this prevents the leakage of magnetic force ( flux ) from magnetic loop 95 to inner portion 207 , being different from the conventional art . specifically , the embodiment has portions 203 as a generation base of the leakage of magnetic flux , provided closest to rotor 61 a and core 57 , thus effectively preventing a shorting of the magnetic path . openings 203 of rotor 61 a as an oil path allow the oil in the oil reservoir of the casing to flow in and out therethrough . this improves the lubricant and cooling functions of pilot clutch 51 a , thrust bearing 69 , and ball cam 53 . specifically , an oil is effectively provided to pilot clutch 51 a , radially outside respective openings 203 , under centrifugal force , thus stabilizing the sliding resistance between outer plates 51 ab and inner plates 51 aa . in the rear differential 1 a , openings 203 prevent magnetic shorts in rotor 61 a , by preventing magnetic leakage from magnetic loop 95 , thus remarkably improving the magnetic efficiency of electromagnet 47 . this reduces the load of the battery and improves the fuel cost of the engine . in the rear differential 1 a , as described above , oil path openings 203 improve the lubricant function of pilot clutch 51 a . the stabilization of the cam thrust force of ball cam 65 , resulting from the engagement torque of pilot clutch 51 a , remarkably improves the control accuracy of the engagement torque of primary clutch 49 ( the engine drive force to be transmitted to the rear wheels ) and the durability of pilot clutch 51 a . the inner peripheries 51 ab 1 of outer plates 51 ab and cam ring 53 are spaced from each other to define a space 115 therebetween . the outer peripheries 51 aa 1 of inner plates 51 aa and housing 23 are spaced from each other to define a space 117 therebetween . housing 23 and the outer periphery 73 aa of armature 73 a are spaced from each other to define space 119 therebetween . respective spaces 115 , 117 , 119 also contribute the prevention of the short in the magnetic path . the lower portion of housing 23 is immersed in the oil reservoir provided to the casing . the oil flows from spaces 115 , 117 , 119 to pilot clutch 51 a , the slide portion of armature 73 a and pressure plate 67 , ball cam 53 , thrust bearing 69 , primary clutch 49 , and ball bearings 9 , thus lubricating them . the oil flows in differential housing 7 a through spiral oil channels 79 , 81 , with the rotation of the casing . the oil lubricates and cools the meshing portion of respective gears and spherical washers 41 . the oil receives centrifugal force to flow through the openings to primary clutch 49 . the oil lubricates and cools primary clutch 49 , ball bearings 9 , ball cam 53 , pilot clutch 51 a , and thrust bearing 69 . the oil flows out of space 115 , 117 , 119 and opening 85 to return to the oil reservoir . ball bearings 9 are lubricated and cooled by the oil splash caused the rotation of ring gear 5 a . coil 87 of electromagnet 47 is cooled by an oil , its property being stabilized . the heat of coil 87 heats the oil in the oil reservoir , the peripheral pilot clutch 51 a and ball cam 53 . the controller conducts the excitation of electromagnet 47 , the control of excited electric current , and the stop of exciting ( demagnetization ). the exciting and the stop of exciting cause the motor to be rotated and stopped , respectively . the rotation of electric motor 2129 causes electromagnet 47 to be excited . when electromagnet 47 is excited , armature 73 a is attracted to press against and engage with pilot clutch 51 a . when pilot clutch 51 a is engaged , pilot clutch 51 a applies the drive force of motor 2129 to ball cam 53 via cam ring 65 and pressure plate 67 . while amplifying the drive force , ball cam 53 converts the drive force into a cam thrust force , for the pressing and engaging of primary clutch 49 , using pressure plate 67 . when clutch system 13 is engaged , as described above , the rotation of ring gear 5 is transmitted to differential housing 7 a . the differential mechanism 11 distributes the rotation to the left and right wheels , causing the vehicle to be in four - wheel drive . when the excited current is controlled , the change of the slide of pilot clutch 51 a causes the change of the cam thrust force of ball cam 53 , thus controlling the drive force to be transmitted to the rear wheels . the control of the drive force , for example , during turning , significantly improves the turning property and stability . when electromagnet 47 is demagnetized , the disengagement of pilot clutch 51 a causes the disappearance of the cam thrust force of ball cam 53 . the biasing force of return spring 55 returns pressure plate rightwardly , causing primary clutch 49 to be disengaged . the disengagement of clutch system 13 a causes the vehicle to be in two wheel drive with the front wheel drive , using the engine . at this time , controller 2133 , as described above , stops the rotation of electric motor 2129 . when the vehicle starts , controller 2133 causes motor 2129 to be rotated and clutch system 13 a to be engaged for four - wheel drive . the drive force of the engine and electric motor reinforce the drive force , improving starting and acceleration properties . when the speed of vehicle reaches a predetermined value such as 20 km / h , rendering the drive force of the electric motor unnecessary , controller 2133 stops the rotation of motor 2129 . this causes clutch system 13 a to be disengaged , thus putting the vehicle in two - wheel drive . the controller causes the vehicle to be in four - wheel drive when climbing a slope . this reinforces the drive force of the vehicle . if roll back phenomenon , that is the skidding of front wheels causing the backward movement of the vehicle , occurs when climbing of slope , the controller stops the rotation of the electric motor , thus disengaging clutch system 13 a . the disengagement of clutch system 13 a causes the rear wheels to be in drag rotation , and the electric motor 2129 to separate from the rear wheels . the motor is released from forced rotation due to the rotation of the rear wheels ( positive rotation during forward movement drive or reverse rotation during roll back ). when , without relation to a predetermined speed after the aforementioned starting , drive torque during drive is enlarged , the engagement of clutch system 13 a due to the rotation of the electric motor further improves the drivability over a step or a recess and the acceleration property of the vehicle . according to the embodiment , rear differential 1 a , as described above , has ball bearings 9 interposed between ring gear 5 a and differential housing 7 a . thus , during two - wheel drive where clutch system 13 a , ring gear 5 a and differential housing 7 a do not directly contact , allowing rotational resistance to be remarkably small . in the embodiment , clutch system 13 a is located between the inner periphery of ring gear 5 a and the outer periphery of differential housing 7 a . the left and right drive shafts are supported only by differential housing 7 a . thus , in contrast to the conventional art , there is no necessity for the left and right drive shafts to be supported by ring gear 5 a , and the absence of slide - contact between them in two - wheel drive allows a rotational resistance to be significantly smaller . the overlapping of the gear part 5 aa of ring gear 5 a and ball bearings 9 at an axial position allows the interlocking reactive force of ring gear 5 a to be supported on ball bearings 9 . this prevents any galling and seizing of ring gear 5 a and differential housing 7 a . the absence of slide - contact between ring gear 5 a and differential housing 7 a and at the supporting portion of the drive shafts prevents galling and seizing . thus , ring gear 5 a and differential housing 7 a do not interlock due to galling and seizing , and the separating function of the rear wheels during two - wheel drive is ensured . this prevents the lowering of fuel - cost resulting from drive resistance due to the drag rotation of the rear - wheel drive system and restricts galling and seizing around the drive shafts . thus , this improves the differential function of differential mechanism 11 and the turning and steering properties of the vehicle . galling and seizing do not generate around the drive shafts . in contrast to the conventional art , a specifically high level of an oil in the casing ( casing 15 ) is unnecessary , thus minimizing the amount of a sealed oil . even if oil seal 45 is damaged , oil does not leak out , thus retaining the advantage even in a failure mode . the reduction of the amount of an oil allows the lightening of reduction mechanism 3 and rear differential 1 a , thus resulting in lower production cost . the small rotational resistance between ring gear 5 a and differential housing 7 a , the absence of a slide resistance around the drive shafts , and the small amount of an oil as a rotational resistance ( agitating resistance ) of each rotational member allow drag torque to be significantly small . this improves fuel - cost and turn properties due to the drag torque . in the embodiment , the four - wheel drive vehicle , using the electric motor as an auxiliary drive force , does not lock due to galling and seizing . if , during two - wheel drive or when climbing a slope , roll - back phenomenon occurs , clutch system 13 a allows the electric motor to be securely separated from the rear wheels . this electromotive force prevents the application of a large load to the battery , the alternator , or the elements of the control circuit . the absence of locking causes the rotation of the rear wheels not to force the rotation of the electric motor . this reduces the load , the temperature rise applied to the coil at a rotor or a magnetic field and the load applied to the bearings . this remarkably improves the durability of the electric motor . in the brush - type electric motor , the improvement of the durability of a brush reduces the number of replacement of the brush . this reduces a maintenance cost remarkably . without drag torque causing the electric motor to be mechanically rotated , the battery , alternator , and a circuit elements are protected , and the durability of the electric motor is improved . in the embodiment , rear differential 1 a has clutch system 13 a on the outer periphery of differential housing 7 a . in contrast to the conventional art where the outer periphery of an outer casing ( boss ) and the inner periphery of an inner casing have a multiplate - clutch located therebetween , the enlargement of the size and torque volume of clutch system 13 a allows the transmission of large torque . the arrangement of ball bearings 9 and clutch system 13 a in axial alignment with each other allows them to be small - sized . thus , the interference of casing 15 with the second shaft 319 of reduction mechanism 3 is prevented , thus improving the equipability of a vehicle and enlarging the load clearance of a vehicle body . the dimensional allowance due to the small - sization allows clutch system 13 a to be further large - sized , thus enlarging its torque volume . the large - sization of clutch system 13 a reduces the load to be applied to the frictional face due to the enlargement of torque at the identical volume , thus improving durability . the amplification of the pressing force against primary clutch 49 by ball cam 53 causes primary clutch 49 to obtain a sufficient clutch volume even at a small - size and a light weight . this allows a sufficient drive force to be transmitted to rear wheels . the provision of ball cam 53 for the amplification of the pressing force of primary clutch 49 allows the clutch system to be small - sized , compared to one of identical volume without the amplifying mechanism . this results in an even more compact rear differential 1 a , thus improving the equipability of the vehicle . the primary clutch 49 is warmed due to the heat of electromagnet 47 ( coil 87 ). this , when clutch system 13 a is disengaged , allows for the reduction of the drag torque of the rear wheels generated due to the viscosity of an oil at a low temperature . this reduces the loss in the drive force of the engine , thus improving fuel cost . the multi - plate type primary clutch 49 and pilot clutch 51 a are employed in clutch system 13 a . this prevents the generation of a ratchet sound from the dog clutch allowing for a high silent property , and a release from shock and shock sound during engagement and disengagement . clutch system 13 a using multi - plate type primary clutch 49 and pilot clutch 51 a does not require the synchronization of the rotation during engagement and disengagement . the lack of necessity of a synchronization mechanism allows rear differential 1 a to be light and compact at a low production cost . rear differential 1 a , as described above , has rotor 61 a supported by differential housing 7 a located inside of but not being supported by housing 23 . ball cam 53 , as shown in fig1 , is located close to a rotational axis . the distance l2 from the functional point receiving its cam thrust force to the support point ( fulcrum ) of the rotor is significantly shorter than the conventional one . this allows the torque generated by the cam thrust force to be reduced . thus , the necessary strength of rotor 61 a is small , allowing lightening . the small load of rotor 61 a allows openings 105 and bridges 107 between radial outer and inner parts 101 , 103 to be alternately formed as a bridge structure . the result causes rotor 61 a to be one piece structure , thus , in contrast to the three - piece structure of the conventional rotor , allowing lightening at a low production cost . the space 115 between outer plates 51 ab of pilot clutch 51 a and cam ring 65 , the space 117 between inner plates 51 aa and clutch housing 23 , and the space 119 between armature 73 a and clutch housing 23 cause the magnetic loss of electromagnet 47 to be small and the attractive force of armature 73 a to be strong . this improves the operational response of clutch system 13 a . in accordance with the small loss of magnetic force , electromagnet 47 becomes small - sized , thus improving the fuel cost of the engine . the spaces 115 , 117 , 119 as oil passages improve the lubricating and cooling properties of pilot clutch 51 a , ball cam 53 , and primary clutch 49 . armature 73 a and clutch housing 23 have space 119 provided therebetween , reducing the leakage of magnetic force toward clutch housing 23 . this allows the omission of a leakage preventing member of magnetic flux such as a non - magnetic member welded to a differential housing ( for the prevention of the leakage of magnetic flux ) according to the conventional art . thus , the structure of the housing is simplified and costs are kept low . the aforementioned embodiment shows an example adapted to the differential of the four - wheel drive vehicle which is constituted with the engine as a primary drive source and the electric motor as an auxiliary drive source . however , without being limited to the adapted example , the differential of the invention is also preferably employed , to the drive wheels of four - wheel drive vehicle with an engine as a drive force , which are separate during two - wheel drive . in this case , this obtains the similar benefits except for the ones of the electric motor . in the embodiment , ring gear 5 a , differential housing 7 a , ball bearings 9 are overlapped at an axial position . however , a partial overlap of them at an axial position would obtain a similar function . the bearing 9 employs a ball bearing as an example , and , without being limited to this , preferably uses a sliding bearing . the operating mechanism of the pilot clutch , without being limited to the electromagnet , preferably employs a fluid - hydraulic actuator such as a oil - hydraulic actuator or an electric motor . the main and pilot clutches preferably employ a multi - plate clutch or , for example , a single - plate clutch or corn clutch as a frictional clutch . they are preferably either of a wet or dry type . the multi - plate and single - plate clutches employ a steal , a carbon , or a paper as a clutch plate . the differential mechanism , without being limited a bevel type , employs , for example , a planetary gear type , a worm gear type , or a differential mechanism where a pinion gear , housed slidably in the housing opening of a differential housing , connects output side gears . the differential of the invention , without limiting the constitution ( f . r . d ) where the clutch system of the embodiment connects or disconnects a drive force , is preferably adapted to the constitution ( l . s . d .) where a clutch mechanism limits differential motion . in the l . s . d ., an internal rotational member as a differential rotational member such as side gears and the arrangement of the primary clutch between a torque transmission member and an internal rotational member obtains a differential limiting function for limiting a differential motion of a differential mechanism . the supporting of the rotor on the internal rotational member allows for adaptation of the invention . the differential of the embodiment is preferably employed to a front differential adapted to the four - wheel drive vehicle where front wheels separate from a drive source during two - wheel drive . as shown in fig5 , spring pins 39 fasten pinion shaft 31 to differential housing 7 a . in rear differential 1 b , the right end of differential housing 7 a has a rotor 61 b of magnetic material as a side wall . the rotor 6 b is spline linked to clutch housing 23 , being axially positioned by snap ring 63 fixed to the inner periphery of housing 23 . rotor 61 b constitutes part of the magnetic circuit of electromagnet 47 . rotor 61 b and core 57 have air gap g 1 at a predetermined width as a part of the magnetic circuit , provided therebetween . rotor 61 b has ring 71 of stainless steel ( non - magnetic material ) which magnetically breaks off between the radial outer and inner portions , thus preventing magnetic short circuit . pressure plate 67 and pilot clutch 51 b have an axially movable armature 73 b provided therebetween . as shown in fig6 , rear differential 1 c is constituted with : housing 150 ( torque transmission member ); differential housing 7 b located radially inward of the housing 150 ; bevel gear type differential mechanism 11 ; clutch system 13 a ; rotor 61 a constituting a part of system 13 a . rear differential 1 c is housed in casing 15 . casing 15 has an oil reservoir therein . housing 150 is constituted with ring gear 5 b and clutch housing 23 . clutch housing 23 is press manufactured , being welded to ring gear 5 b . ring gear 5 b is supported to differential housing 7 b , using large - sized and small - sized ball bearings 217 , 219 . ring gear 5 b has helical gear 5 ba to be meshed with , for example , the mating helical gear connected to the propeller shaft of the rear wheels . housing 150 transmits a torque from ring gear 5 b , resulting in a floating structure , which is released from the supporting function of a member . ring gear 5 b gives axial rightward interlocking thrust force to housing 150 due to its helix angle during a forward drive of the vehicle , while giving axial leftward interlocking thrust force during the backward drive . outer race 221 of ball bearing 217 is positioned axially leftward on the stepped part 223 of ring gear 5 b . inner race 225 is positioned axially rightward on stepped part 228 of differential housing 7 b . outer race 229 of ball bearing 229 is positioned radially and rightwardly on stepped part 231 of ring gear 5 b . inner race 233 thereof is positioned on snap ring 237 mounted to left boss 235 of differential housing 7 b . snap ring 237 has an adequate strength for a sufficient positioning function and for self - destruction upon receiving more than a predetermined thrust force . the left boss 275 of differential housing 7 b is supported to casing 15 , using ball bearing 59 . right boss 277 is supported to casing 15 , using ball bearing 59 and core 57 . primary clutch 49 is interposed between housing 150 ( member 23 ) and differential housing 7 b . outer plates 49 b thereof are linked to spline 281 provided on the inner periphery of clutch housing 23 . inner plates 49 a thereof are linked to spline 285 provided on the outer periphery of differential housing 7 b . pilot clutch 51 a is interposed between clutch hosing 23 and cam ring 65 . outer plates 51 ab thereof are linked to spline 281 of clutch housing 23 . inner plates 51 aa thereof are linked to spline 291 provided to the outer periphery of cam ring 65 . spline 281 is manufactured when clutch housing 23 is manufactured , passing through clutch housing 23 and reaching its right end . rotor 61 a and pilot clutch 51 a have washer 109 interposed therebetween for the improvement of the abutting of pilot clutch 51 a against rotor 61 a formed with opening 105 . washer 109 is mounted to rotor 61 a , with its three claws being bent in recess 113 formed to the outer periphery of rotor 61 a . when , for example , a gear box or a bearing is seized between the engine and rear differential 1 b , the drive rotation of the rear wheels causes ring gears 5 b of housing 150 to be rotated , leading the mating helical gear . in this state , the direction of the torque , to be transmitted between ring gear 5 b and the mating helical gear , is identical to one of rear drive . as mentioned above , the meshing of the helical gears generates thrust force for the movement of housing 150 leftwardly . as mentioned above , snap ring 237 for positioning of ball bearing 219 is adjusted at an adequate strength . the receiving of the thrust force through ball bearing 219 causes the destruction of snap ring 237 , the leftward movement of housing 150 . the movement causes outerplates 51 ab to be separated from spline 281 of clutch housing 281 . when outer plates 51 ab is separated from spline 281 , similar to the disengagement of pilot clutch 51 a , the disappearance of the cam thrust force of ball cam 53 causes primary clutch 49 to be disengaged , thus separating the rear wheels . thus , even when seizing occurs in the engine when in four - wheel drive , the rear wheels are automatically separated . the receiving of the rotation of the rear wheels does not deteriorate the damaged seizing portion , thus improving a failure mode . when clutch system 13 a is disengaged ( two - wheel drive mode ), inner plates 51 aa of pilot clutch 51 a , pressure plate 67 , armature 73 a , cam ring 65 ( ball cam 53 ), thrust bearing 69 , and rotor 61 a rotate together with differential housing 7 b . pilot clutch 51 a and outer plate 51 ab rotate together with housing 150 . with the constitution , when outer plates 51 ab are located facing armature 73 a , during two - wheel drive , the drive force is transmitted from outer plates 51 ab to armature 73 a due to the friction therebetween . this causes the rear wheels to be dragged , thus lowering a fuel cost due to energy loss . the rear differential 1 c , however , is arranged of facing inner plates 51 aa and armature 73 a . no transmission of drive force due to friction prevents the drag of the rear wheels or the lowering of fuel cost . if rotor 61 a is supported by housing 150 , during a two - wheel drive , the rotation force of cam ring 65 of differential housing 7 b relative to rotor 61 a of housing 150 is applied to thrust bearing 69 , thus reducing durability . however , in rear differential 1 c , in which rotor 61 a is supported to differential housing 7 b , thrust bearing 69 is released from the relative rotation , thus preventing the lowering of durability . the support of rotor 61 a by differential housing 7 b causes housing 150 and clutch housing 23 to be separated from each other . without the necessity of supporting rotor 61 a , housing 150 is also released from the supporting of a member located inside thereof , thus allowing reduction of strength and lightening . housing 150 , released from the role of supporting member , becomes a floating structure . this reduces the need for a manufacture accuracy , thus allowing clutch housing 23 to be press manufactured . thus , comparing to the conventional art in which a differential housing is cut - manufactured in high accuracy after forging or molding , rear differential 1 c becomes remarkably light and costs remarkably low . the entire contents of japanese patent applications p2000 - 211544 ( filed jul . 12 , 2000 ), p2000 - 319911 ( filed oct . 19 , 2000 ), and p2001 - 74746 ( filed mar . 15 , 2001 ) are incorporated herein by reference . while preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described using specific terms , such description is for illustrative purposes , and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims . | 8 |
fig1 illustrates a simplified printed circuit board ( pcb ) 10 on which is mounted the anemometer sensor 12 and a controller 14 . in one embodiment , the pcb 10 is only 3 × 3 cm or less . the pcb 10 may be conventional and preferably thermally non - conductive . the circuitry on the pcb 10 is connected by copper traces . the pcb &# 39 ; s power and i / o pins 16 may be inserted into a socket of a mother board or into a cable connector . in one embodiment , it is desired to know the air flow at various locations in an electrical equipment box , and identical pcbs 10 may be located at various locations in the box . a bipolar transistor housed in a package 18 is mounted on the pcb 10 . the package may be a surface mount package having three or more terminals the package 18 has a metal pad 20 to which the silicon die is thermally coupled . the metal pad 20 is face up . a highly thermally conductive rod 22 is affixed to the thermal pad 20 and acts as a heat sink . in one embodiment , the rod 22 is copper and its shape is cylindrical for omnidirectional detection of air flow . in one embodiment , the rod 22 is less than 2 mm in diameter and about 2 - 3 cm long . the rod 22 may terminate in a rectangular metal base that is either soldered or otherwise thermally coupled , such as with a thermally conductive epoxy , to the metal pad 20 . slots 23 formed through the pcb 10 effectively thermally insulate the package 18 from other heat sources on the pcb 10 . in one embodiment , the package 18 is mounted over a thermally insulating pad or an air gap to prevent the pcb 10 from acting as a heat sink for the transistor . this will improve consistency in the air flow velocity measurements from system to system since the tolerances of the pcb 10 and its connection to other heat sources and heat sinks will not affect the anemometer . the wires connecting the transistor to the pcb 10 terminals should be as thin as possible to minimize the transfer of heat between the transistor and the pcb 10 . an optional temperature sensor 24 is also mounted on the pcb 10 for determining the temperature of the pcb 10 . the ambient air temperature may be optionally detected by the sensor 12 by measuring the base - emitter voltage drop while the sensor 12 is not being used for detecting air flow velocity . a fan 30 draws cool air 31 , through a filter , from outside the box , and the heated air escapes though vents in the box . the sensor 12 may be placed directly in front of the fan 30 to detect the air flow generated by the fan 30 or may be located in other locations in the box to detect if there is adequate air circulation . cooling efficiency is the ability to remove heat from an object ( e . g ., a transistor ) and is a function of air flow over it , air temperature , object temperature , humidity , barometric pressure , surface contamination ( dust ), and other factors . for short periods of time , all factors except the object temperature may be assumed to be constant and the air flow rate may be suitably derived using the techniques described herein . for more accurate measurement , the pcb 10 temperature may be taken into account as well as any detected air temperature transients . since the bipolar transistor die , package 18 , and rod 22 may be fabricated to strict tolerances and specifications ( the packaged transistor must meet its data sheet specifications ), their performance can be very predictable without any calibration by the user . fig2 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the invention , which may be entirely contained on the pcb 10 . the various switches in fig2 may be transistor switches . fig3 is a flow chart of a process performed by the circuitry of fig2 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention to derive air flow velocity . in an actual embodiment , the various algorithms and steps identified in fig3 may be condensed into fewer algorithms to save processing time , but the algorithms are delineated in fig3 for clarity of explanation . in step 40 of fig3 , the switches 42 and 44 are closed to drive the transistor 46 at a certain current for a certain time to heat it . the transistor 46 may be any bipolar transistor in a suitable package with a metal thermal pad , available from a variety of manufacturers . a reference voltage source 47 provides a fixed reference voltage to one input of a differential amplifier 48 , and its other input is the voltage at the emitter resistor 50 . the current through the transistor 46 is set so that the voltage at the resistor 50 equals the reference voltage . the optimal current is dependent on the type of transistor 46 used and is preferably relatively high to quickly heat the transistor , such as 80 % of its rated current . the amount of heating is determined by the current times the voltage across the transistor 46 ( between nodes 52 and 53 ). this power is dissipated by the transistor 46 during the heating cycle . a timer 54 , which includes a clock and a state machine , controls the timing of the various switches and the processing . in step 58 , the transistor 46 temperature rises to a peak temperature , determined by the power and the timer 54 . the temperature does not have to level off , and the absolute temperatures are not relevant to the determination of air flow velocity . fig4 illustrates the temperature rise of the base - emitter junction during the heating cycle from time t 0 - t 1 . at time t 1 , the timer 54 opens switches 42 and 44 and closes switches 60 and 62 , causing the base and collector to be shorted and the current from the current source 64 to flow through the base - emitter junction to create a vbe diode drop . the vbe is dependent on temperature in a well known manner . n is a junction constant ( typically around 2 for diodes , 1 for transistors , determined empirically ) the sub - expression , k * t / q , has units of voltage and is referred to as the thermal voltage vt . vt is typically around 26 millivolts at room temperature . accordingly , given that the current i of the current source 64 is known , the diode drop v ( i . e ., vbe ) is known by measurement , and the constants are known for the particular transistor ( e . g ., provided by the transistor manufacture or otherwise determined empirically ), the only unknown is the junction temperature t , which is easily calculated . in step 66 of fig3 , the vbe is measured by the timer 54 controlling the analog - to - digital converter ( adc ) 68 to sample the vbe at certain intervals , such as at 100 ms intervals . the adc 68 may have any resolution , such as from 14 to 24 bits , depending on the accuracy desired . the emitter voltage is equal to the current source 64 current times the resistor 50 value , and the base voltage is detected via the closed switch 62 . in step 70 , the adc 68 converts the vbe measurements to digital codes for digital processing by the data processing circuit 72 . fig5 illustrates an example of the vbe values 73 measures during the cooling cycle over 20 seconds , where the vbe had an initial value of about 0 . 6 volts at the beginning of the cooling cycle and a voltage of about 0 . 7 volts at 20 seconds . in step 74 , the data processing circuit 72 uses equation 2 to calculate the junction temperature associated with each vbe measurement . these temperatures are then stored in a memory as part of the data processing circuit 72 , and the temperature value set defines an exponential decay curve . fig4 illustrates temperature values 76 derived from the vbe samples and stored in the memory . the data processing circuit 72 may use firmware to perform all calculations or may use a programmed microprocessor . as stated previously , the various conversions described herein may be condensed into fewer steps , and the steps in fig3 are delineated for clarity of explanation . for example , the conversion from the vbe data to the temperature data need not be performed , and a conversion algorithm ( a transfer function ) is used to convert the time constant of the vbe decay directly to the air flow velocity . in step 78 , after a predetermined period ( e . g ., 2 minutes ) or after it is determined that sufficient cooling has taken place ( e . g ., the delta temperature or vbe values are approximately zero ), the data processing circuit 72 then applies a well - known algorithm , such as a least squares algorithm , to the temperature data to create a best fit curve having the exponential decay properties of e − t / tc , where tc is the thermal constant . any other constants moving the entire curve up or down may be ignored since only the rate of decay is relevant . when tc equals t , the junction temperature has dropped to about 37 % of the peak junction temperature . in another embodiment , the curve may also include linear equations or polynomial equations that affect the calculation of the time constant . in another embodiment , the best fit curve analysis is performed directly on the vbe curve , obviating any need to calculate the temperatures associated with each vbe measurement . in step 80 , the data processing circuit 72 calculates the thermal time constant tc from the best fit curve . tc may be the time constant of the temperature curve or the vbe curve . in step 82 , the data processing circuit 72 then uses a transfer function or look - up table to equate the tc to an air flow velocity . the transfer function is an algorithm that is created using experimental data to correlate the time constant to the air flow velocity . different transfer functions may be used for different applications or air characteristics . in one embodiment , the transfer function is a fourth order transfer function . in another embodiment , a look - up table may be used to cross - reference the time constant to the air flow velocity . the transfer function or look - up table may generate the values shown in the tc vs . air flow graph of fig6 , where air flow is given in linear feet per minute . in the example , the time constant was calculated to be about 11 seconds , corresponding to an air flow velocity of 187 linear feet per minute . any units may be used , such as miles per hour , etc . the graph of fig6 ( in the form of a transfer function or look - up table ) may be generated empirically by the anemometer manufacturer during testing of a sample anemometer in an air flow chamber . the tc may be that of the temperature decay curve or the vbe decay curve . there may be a variety of transfer functions or look - up tables stored in the system for converting the tc to the air flow velocity , where the selection of the particular function or look - up table depends on measured ambient air temperature ( air intake temperature ), humidity , barometric pressure , etc ., where such variables affect the rate of cooling of the base - emitter junction to varying degrees . for example , higher humidity , higher barometric pressure , or higher ambient temperature may each cause an air flow to cool the junction at a different rate . such detectors may be remote from the pcb 10 ( fig1 ) and feed data to the data processing circuit 72 via the i / o pins 16 . such fine tuning of the air flow velocity measurement is not necessary in many applications where a precise measurement is not required . the temperature of the pcb 10 ( fig1 ) may also affect the tc vs . air flow values if there is thermal coupling between the pcb 10 and the transistor 46 and the pcb 10 temperature fluctuates during a measurement cycle . the temperature sensor 24 may supply such pcb 10 temperature data to the data processing circuit 72 to correct for such transients . once the air flow velocity is determined , it may be output via the i / o pins 16 to an external monitor , or it may be compared to a pass / fail threshold programmed into the data processing circuit 72 . the data processing circuit 72 may issue a warning signal if the air flow velocity is determined to be outside the acceptable range , as shown in step 84 . other related techniques are also envisioned where the thermal time constant is derived to determine the air flow velocity . although the calculations have been delineated in fig3 for clarity of explanation , the vbe value set may be applied directly to an algorithm that derives the thermal time constant and the air flow velocity without the separate steps of calculating junction temperatures , etc . such condensing of the algorithms is within the skills of those in the field of programming . in another embodiment , the following expression may be used to derive a decay constant between any two vbe samples , and a least squares technique is used to derive the best fit decay constant to the curve for the entire set of vbe samples . the best fit decay constant then is used to determine the air flow velocity using a suitable look - up table . hence , a time constant , related to a rate of decay of either vbe or temperature , is used for deriving the air flow velocity . where , n is a sample ( e . g ., 1 , 2 , 3 , etc .) and other techniques may be used to measure the air flow using the basic anemometer structure of fig1 . in one embodiment , a resistive heater is mounted on the pcb 10 next to the package 18 , in the package 18 , or under the package 18 , and a current is applied to the heater to heat the package 18 during the heating cycle ( fig4 ) of the base - emitter junction . in another embodiment , the package 18 may be initially cooled by , for example , a peltier cooler located under the package 18 . the junction is cooled for a period to create an initial temperature , then power to the peltier cooler is removed . the rate of heating of the junction to ambient temperature , or any other temperature , is then related to the air flow velocity , and such velocity is calculated using techniques similar to those described above . in another embodiment , the vbe is measured at two known currents at periodic intervals during the cooling cycle . the temperature of the junction may then be calculated at each interval as : t =[ q /( n * k )]*[ vbe 2 − vbe 1 ]/ ln ( id 2 / id 1 ) eq . 3 where vbe 1 and vbe 2 are the base - emitter voltage drops at the currents id 1 and id 2 , respectively . the best fit exponential decay temperature curve is then calculated , and the thermal time constant tc ( or the vbe time constant ) is then derived to determine the air flow velocity , as previously described . in another technique , a first known power level is applied to the transistor 46 by controlling the voltage source 48 or resistor 50 . after a certain delay to ensure the temperature has settled , the temperature of the base - emitter junction is then derived . the power is then increased to a second known current level , and the junction temperature is measured again after a certain time . the equation delta p / delta t then conveys the thermal resistance between the junction and the air while cancelling out any constants . the thermal resistance is related to the air flow velocity in a known manner , so air flow velocity may then be calculated . for example , for little or no air flow , an increased power will result in a large increase in junction temperature , while a high air flow will result in a lower increase in junction temperature . the change in temperatures can thus be cross - referenced to air flow velocity by using a transfer function or look - up table . this alternative technique is considered not as reliable as the technique of fig3 where the thermal time constant is used to derive air flow velocity , since this alternative technique is more sensitive to temperature transients during the test time due to the longer settling time requirement . in a related embodiment , a suitable transfer function is directly applied to the changes in vbe to derive the air flow velocity , where the transfer function takes into account the relationship between vbe and the junction temperature . the temperature curve analysis algorithm , or alternatively a vbe curve analysis algorithm , may be designed to identify anomalous measurements indicative of thermal or air flow transients . if such anomalies are detected , the program disqualifies the measurement cycles , and the detection process is repeated . in valuable equipment systems without an anemometer , periodic replacements of the air filters are performed in the event that they are blocked by dust or dirt . by using the present anemometer , there is no need to automatically replace the air filters at predefined intervals since it is assumed the filter is adequate if the air flow velocity is within the acceptable range . the proper operation of the fans is also determined by the anemometer . additionally , during the design of the equipment box ( e . g ., a server , slot machine , etc . ), several of the anemometers may be distributed throughout the box where circuitry is located to determine if the air flow is adequate around that location . if not , the fan or circuitry location may be changed to achieve adequate cooling . in the final product , only one anemometer may need to be used proximate to the fan or air exit vent to determine the proper operation of the cooling system . however , valuable system data may be gathered from the field by leaving a full complement of anemometers in the final product . although air has been used as the fluid in the examples , the anemometer may be used to measure the flow velocity of any fluid , such as a liquid . in addition to the pcb 10 circuitry providing the air flow velocity , the temperature sensor 24 or the base - emitter voltage drop of the transistor 46 may be used to convey ambient temperature between the air flow velocity measurement cycles , assuming the transistor temperature has settled . this ambient temperature may be transmitted to a remote monitor via the i / o pins 16 , or a warning signal may be generated if the temperature is outside an acceptable range . as a premise for accurate air ( fluid ) flow velocity measurement without requiring calibration , the anemometers should not significantly vary from one anemometer to the next . the transistor 46 specifications are adequately controlled by the manufacturer and specified in a data sheet . the precision of the other circuitry must also be adequately controlled and not significantly affected by ambient temperature . any variation in circuit performance due to ambient ( pcb 10 ) temperature variation may be corrected by measuring the temperature of the pcb 10 and making the corresponding corrections to the data . however , since the ambient temperature is assumed to change at a slow rate relative to the cooling period for the air flow velocity measurement , the correction due to changes in ambient temperature is considered optional for many applications . although the size and construction of the package 18 may vary due to manufacturing tolerances , the effects of such variations on cooling of the transistor 46 may be minimized by carefully controlling the dimensions and mass of the metal rod 22 heat sink . in other words , the characteristics of the metal rod 22 heat sink may be controlled to dominate the properties of the anemometer . since the dimensions of the metal rod 22 heat sink significantly affect the performance of the anemometer , the dimensions of the metal rod 22 should be carefully controlled to avoid the need for calibration . in experiments performed by the inventors , a 1 % variation of the derived thermal time constant tc ( under identical conditions ) from one anemometer to the next results in about a 10 % variation in the linear feet per minute air flow velocity calculation , which is significant . a particularly important characteristic of the metal rod 22 is its mass , directly related to its volume . a variation in its diameter has been shown to be more significant than the same percent change in its height , since variations of the thermal mass of the rod 22 are cancelled to some degree by related variations in the surface area of the rod 22 . the thermal time constant of the rod ( thermal tc ) is a function of the mass of the rod 22 divided by the surface area of the rod 22 . accordingly , the diameter of the rod 22 must be tightly controlled since it has the most effect on the thermal tc of the rod 22 . in one example , a diameter tolerance of +/− 0 . 25 mil and a height tolerance of +/− 1 mil results in a +/− 3 . 1 % tolerance in the air flow velocity measurement , which is acceptable . since the mass of the rod 22 is much greater than the mass of the metal pad 20 of the package 18 , variations in the thermal pad 20 are not very significant . the tolerances of the rod 22 can be more tightly controlled than the tolerances of the metal pad 20 . fig7 shows the cylindrical rod 22 of fig1 having a metal base 90 for soldering to the metal pad 20 ( fig1 ) of the package 18 . the shape of the rod 22 may be varied for directionality , since the effective surface area exposed to the air flow can be directionally controlled . for example , as shown in fig8 , the rod 92 may be a rectangular column to increase its surface area exposed to the air flow if the wider flat surface of the rod 92 were angled normal to the direction of the air flow . multiple rods 22 / 92 may be attached to a single base 90 , such as one rod per corner of the base 90 , where the orientation of the rod array changes the surface area exposed to the air flow . if the tolerances of the metal rod 22 heat sinks are not very controllable ( e . g ., greater than 1 %), then calibration of the anemometer may be needed if high accuracy of the air flow velocity determination is required . calibration may be done with zero air flow velocity . however , for a pass / fail air flow detector , no calibration is needed . since the temperature of a sensor with a larger thermal tc generally reacts more slowly to changes in air flow , the mass of the rod 22 ( and to a lesser extent , its surface area ) affects the ability of the anemometer to respond to air flow transients . so the rod 22 may be specifically designed for a particular application to control the anemometer &# 39 ; s sensitivity to air flow transients . in contrast to a hot wire , the thermal tc of a hot wire is very small , so the wire is very sensitive to air flow transients , requiring electronic averaging techniques to derive the average air flow velocity . in one embodiment , instead of a transistor 46 being used as the temperature sensor , a diode or resistor may be used if it can be sufficiently heated by a high current during the heating cycle . fig9 illustrates a fan assembly 96 including the anemometer . a fan 98 has a frame that is molded to provide a support arm 100 for the pcb 10 and the anemometer . the rod 22 heat sink is shown . a cable that supplies power and control to the fan 98 also electrically connects to the pins 16 ( fig1 ) on the pcb 10 . thus , the pcb 10 is thermally insulated from other equipment and optimally located in front of the fan 98 to detect any obstruction of air at the air intake port or any malfunction of the fan . the anemometer algorithms and look - up tables may be calibrated for the fan assembly 96 , resulting in extremely accurate air flow velocity measurements . while particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described , it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects . the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention . | 6 |
the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for sorting veneer carpets . veneer carpets are produced for different purposes and products . they serve , inter alia , to line doors , furniture , paneling , etc . when veneer carpets are produced , individual veneer pieces are connected to one another to form veneer carpets . this is accomplished on so - called veneer assembling machines . especially in big factories , large quantities of veneer carpets are produced . since different qualities and / or different sizes are required for different purposes , a sorting operation has to be carried out after production of the veneer carpets for sorting the veneer carpets , for instance according to the quality of the veneers , such as grain , color , or the like , or on the basis of the images produced by the grain of the wood , according to the quality of the joints or according to size . to this end the veneer carpets which are stacked on pallets , or the like , are classified by an operator visually or , alternatively , by a camera system in combination with an image evaluating means . when a classification into a specific category has been made by the operator or by the camera system , the operator must supply the veneer carpet just classified from the pallet , or the like , to a processing means , such as a trimming or final gluing machine , or to a transporting means which conveys the classified veneer carpets to a veneer stack assigned to the associated class . on account of the size of the veneer carpet , the operator must often seize the veneer carpet with both of his hands in order to place it on the transporting means or to feed it to the processing means . however , since he already needs both of his hands for handling the veneer carpets , it is no longer possible to define the chosen classification for the respective veneer carpet , for instance by way of a manual input . this can only be carried out before or after the handling of the respective veneer carpet . as a consequence , however , there is not only a delay in the further processing or in the transportation of the veneer carpet , but there may also be errors during input , e . g . when the operator &# 39 ; s attention has been diverted and he has thus forgotten the chosen class as such or when he has not entered the chosen class because of the disturbance . it is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus of the above - mentioned type which ensures a faster , easier and more reliable input of the chosen classification . this object is achieved with respect to the method by the features indicated in claim 1 . since the classification is entered via speech recognition , the selected class can directly be input while the veneer carpet is handled . a faster handling is thereby made possible and error sources are minimized by virtue of the simplified input . acceptance by the operator is also improved because he no longer needs to press any buttons for indicating the chosen class , but can easily input the appropriate class verbally . this object is further achieved with respect to the apparatus by the features indicated in claim 6 . since the apparatus is equipped with a device for speech input , in particular a microphone , that is provided within the operator &# 39 ; s area of movement , it is easily possible for the operator to input the chosen classification directly while he is handling the veneer carpet , i . e ., even in cases where none of his hands are free . this reduces the operator &# 39 ; s work load and effects a faster processing of the veneer carpets . when according to an advantageous development the information contained in the audio signals controls the transportation and / or further processing of the veneer carpets through speech recognition , it is guaranteed that a reliable and error - free processing of the veneer carpets can be carried out according to the respective audio signals . to prevent unintended noise from causing a wrong storage of the veneer carpet or disturbance of the sorting system , the audio signals are recorded according to the invention only during a defined period of time . it can thus be ensured that only the desired information is used for influencing the control means . the period for recording the audio signals is indicated to the operator acoustically and / or optically according to an advantageous development . to this end there may be provided an acoustic and / or optical display device which indicates the period that is available for recording the audio signals . as a result of such a display , the operator knows exactly when he can influence the control means via audio signals . this enhances the reliability of the classification . to avoid a situation in which not any possible audio signal can influence the control means , an identification software is provided according to a preferred development for comparing the audio signal input with a predetermined sequence . when the predetermined sequences are assigned to the storage places , an error - free assignment to the individual storage places can be ensured through this measure . to avoid an unnecessary limitation of the area of movement of the operator , the device for speech input may also be provided on the operator according to a preferred development . since for reasons of noise protection headphones can also be worn by the operator in many cases , it is particularly advantageous when the speech input device is provided on a headphone worn by the operator . the signal for indicating the input period can preferably be output through this headphone as well . thus input and output devices can be combined with one another in a useful way , and aspects regarding industrial safety can additionally be taken into account . to ensure in such a case that the operator &# 39 ; s freedom of movement is not restricted by cables , or the like , the transmission from the speech input device and to the headphone is wireless . further advantages , features and developments of the present invention will become apparent from the description of a preferred embodiment . the veneer carpets which are stacked on pallets , or the like , are classified by an operator visually or via a camera system in combination with an image evaluating means . while the operator picks up the veneer carpet just classified from the pallet , or the like , and supplies it to a processing means , a speech input device , such as a microphone , which is provided within the area of movement of the operator is switched on for a defined period of time . this period is made known to the operator via optical and / or acoustic signals . during this period the operator speaks into the microphone to indicate the chosen classification . a speech recognition means compares the spoken audio sequence with predetermined sequences which are assigned to the storage places in the sorting system , and controls product flow and transportation to one of the storage places on the basis of the information gained , e . g . by activating gates via which the veneer carpet is supplied to the respective storage place . the speech input device may also be provided on the operator himself , for instance , on his clothes , or may be connected to a headphone through which the acoustic signal may then also be output for indicating the input period . to avoid an unnecessary limitation of the operator &# 39 ; s freedom of movement in such an instance , the transmission may also be wireless . the classified veneer carpets are conveyed along a transportation path at which several storage places are located . the storage places may e . g . be formed by pallets , or the like . each pallet is assigned to a specific class . the veneer carpets are transported by a transportation means , e . g . in the form of belts , along the transportation path . when the veneer carpets have reached the area of their class , the belts of the transportation means can be moved vertically such that the veneer carpet can be removed from the transportation means upwards , downwards or also to the side to be deposited on a stack in the area of its class . the veneer carpet may be deposited such that it is gripped at one edge , e . g . on its front edge , and pulled over the existing veneer stack up to the front edge thereof and is there deposited in a specific position . along the transportation path at least as many storage places are present as classes are to be formed . however , it is also possible to provide a few additional unoccupied storage places . for instance , when a veneer stack has reached its maximum stacking height at a storage place , one of these unoccupied storage places may be provided with the classification of the occupied storage place by the control means provided in connection with speech recognition , so that the veneer carpets are conveyed to this new storage place from now on . at the same time , the control device may produce a message that there is a full pallet at a storage place . this pallet can now be replaced by a new , empty one . a continuous operation of the sorting system is guaranteed because of this measure . | 1 |
referring to fig1 , a scanning process according to a possible embodiment of the invention images a fine detail picture 2 adjacent to several coarse detail pictures 4 that may line up within a scanning area 6 of a standard optically or electrically addressable scanning element ( not shown ). the scanning element may comprise a scanning disc or drum with apertures , lenses or mirrors , a cathode - ray pickup tube or display , or any other sort of television sensor or display , such as a ccd sensor array or lcd display . by way of example only , fig1 shows a laterally scanning area 6 with a 1280 by 720 pixel , 16 : 9 aspect ratio . the invention is applicable to a scanning area 6 with any number of pixels , any aspect ratio , and any direction of scan . also , any convenient number of coarse pictures 4 may combine with the fine detail picture 2 . assuming that the coarse pictures 4 are to have one - third the lateral and vertical resolution of the fine picture 2 , the fine picture 2 will have a lateral resolution of 960 lines and vertical resolution of 720 lines whilst each coarse detail picture will have a lateral resolution of 320 lines and a vertical resolution of 240 lines . thus , with lateral scanning , three coarse detail pictures 4 should line up along the left or right side of the fine detail picture 2 . preferably , the coarse detail pictures 4 are image - reversed relative to the fine detail picture 4 for reasons described hereinafter . arbitrarily , fig1 shows the coarse detail pictures 4 lined up along the right side of the fine detail picture 2 within the scanning area 6 so that with left - to right scanning , scanning of the coarse pictures 4 occurs toward the end of each scanning line . picture synchronisation may be easier with this arrangement . according to the invention , to achieve minimum bandwidth , the scanning process should scan the coarse detail pictures 4 with equal horizontal and vertical resolution and the bandwidth or data rate whilst scanning the coarse detail pictures should approach that whilst scanning the fine detail picture 2 . in other words , since the lateral resolution of the coarse detail pictures 4 is one third that of the fine detail picture 2 , the vertical resolution of each coarse picture 4 should be one third of the fine detail picture 2 and the scanning rate for each coarse detail picture 4 should be three times as fast as that of the fine detail picture 2 . since the fine detail picture 2 should have three times the resolution of each coarse detail picture 4 , the fine detail picture 4 should be three times as wide as each coarse detail picture . with 1280 pixels available for both the fine detail picture 2 and the coarse detail pictures 4 in the lateral dimension , the number of pixels for the fine detail picture 2 in the lateral dimension should then be an integer evenly divided by three that is closest to 1280 ×( ¾ )= 960 . the resolution of the fine detail picture 2 is then 960 by 720 pixels and the resolution of each coarse definition picture is 320 by 240 pixels . this results in an aspect ratio for both coarse and fine detail pictures of 4 : 3 . the total scanning area 6 of the coarse detail pictures 4 lined up along the right side of the fine detail picture 2 is then 1280 by 720 pixels . note that scanning with this arrangement works exactly like shown in mr baird &# 39 ; s patent , except that resolution of the coarse detail pictures 4 is uniformly one third of the fine detail picture and that the scanning process comprises scanning four complete coarse detail pictures 4 for every fine detail picture 2 . this may not be evident at first glance , but note that the coarse detail pictures 4 are image - reversed with respect to the fine detail picture 2 . in this way , whilst the scanning process scans the first one fourth of the fine detail picture , which contains both coarse and fine detail for the first one fourth of the fine detail picture 2 , it also scans the last three fourths of the first coarse detail picture 4 . thus , the scanning process creates a full first picture with coarse detail during this period . whilst the scanning process scans the second fourth of the fine detail picture 2 , which contains both coarse and fine detail for the second one fourth of the fine detail picture 2 , it also scans the first fourth of the first coarse detail picture 4 and the third and last fourth of the second coarse detail picture 4 , thereby creating a full second picture with coarse detail during this period . whilst the scanning process scans the third fourth of the fine detail picture 2 , which contains both coarse and fine detail for the third one fourth of the fine detail picture 2 , it also scans the first and second fourths of the second coarse detail picture 4 as well as the first fourth of the third coarse detail picture 4 , thus creating a full third picture with coarse detail during this period . finally , whilst the scanning process scans the last fourth of the fine detail picture 2 , which contains both coarse and fine detail for the last fourth of the fine detail picture 2 , it also scans the first three fourths of the third coarse detail picture 4 . thus , if the scanning process scans the fine detail picture 2 at a rate of 12 . 5 fps to impart relatively smooth motion , then it scans the coarse detail pictures at four times this rate , or 50 fps , to minimise or eliminate apparent flicker . the required bandwidth is in this instance is 5 . 76 mhz . as a point of comparison , without any form of optical compression , a television system that offers an image with 960 by 720 pixels at 50 fps would require a bandwidth of 17 . 28 mhz . this is an effective compression of three to one : better than the two to one compression available with traditional odd / even line interlacing . the scanning process according to the invention may pass each of the three coarse pictures 4 through a different primary colour filter so that each of the three coarse pictures 4 represent a different primary colour portion of a full colour picture . the scanning process combines the three different primary colour image - reversed coarse detail pictures 4 with the fine detail picture 2 to form a complete colour picture with coarse detail represented in colour and fine detail represented in monochrome , much like other colour television systems in current use . there is no increase in bandwidth by adding colour in this fashion . however , the resulting full colour picture is of a field sequential nature with a colour picture frame rate that is the same as the fine detail picture frame rate , or 12 . 5 fps in the hereinbefore described example . for pictures that contain large areas of saturated colour , flicker may be apparent at such a low effective frame rate . for pictures that have low or no colour saturation , apparent flicker should approach the coarse picture detail frame rate of 50 fps . a plethora of different fixed optical systems are suitable for generating and combining the fine detail picture 2 with the image - reversed coarse detail pictures 4 , but fig2 shows a simple optical system 8 by way of example for use in reproducing an sds television signal with a scanning process according to the invention using a standard optically or electrically addressable scanning element that reproduces a composite picture with the format shown in fig1 . the optical system 8 comprises a fine detail optical path 10 for fine detail picture and a coarse detail optical path 12 for each coarse detail picture . the fine detail optical path 10 may simply comprise a converging magnification lens 14 wherein the optical system 2 positions the magnification lens 14 at a distance from the fine detail picture 2 in the scanning area 6 that is less than the focal length of the magnifying lens 14 to produce an erect magnified virtual image of the fine detail picture 2 . for instance , if the magnifying lens 14 has a focal length of 16 cm , then positioning the magnification lens 14 at a distance of 8 cm from the fine detail picture 2 produces an erect virtual image of the fine detail picture magnified by a factor of two . assuming the scanning area has a width of 4 cm so that the fine detail picture is 3 cm wide and each coarse detail picture is 1 cm wide , the virtual image of the fine detail picture is 6 cm wide . the total length of the fine detail optical path is 8 cm . each coarse detail optical path 12 may comprise a converging erecting lens 16 that produces an erect magnified real image of its corresponding image - reversed coarse detail picture . furthermore , the three coarse detail optical paths 12 intersect the fine detail optical path 10 to produce a composite fine and coarse detail image through the magnifying lens 14 . for instance , if each erecting lens 16 has a focal length of 2 . 25 cm , then positioning each erecting lens a distance of 3 cm from its respective coarse detail picture produces an erect real image of the respective image - reversed coarse detail picture magnified by a factor of three at a distance of 12 cm from the erecting lens . with the erect real image of each coarse detail picture positioned the same distance from the magnification lens as the fine detail picture , that is , 8 cm , the magnification lens shall produces an erect virtual image of each coarse detail picture that is magnified by a factor of two . furthermore , the optical system 8 cants each of the erecting lenses 16 to superimpose its respective virtual image on the virtual image of the fine detail picture 2 , thereby forming a composite image of the fine and coarse detail pictures . the total length of each coarse detail optical path is 23 cm . the optical system 8 folds each coarse detail optical path 12 to converge it through the magnification lens 14 with the fine detail optical path 10 . a first mirror 18 , a second mirror 20 and third mirror 22 , in combination with a half silvered mirror 24 , provide folded coarse detail optical paths 12 with the proper optical length and direction for each of these paths as well to superimpose the virtual image of each coarse detail picture 4 on the virtual image of the fine detail picture 2 . in this example , the rotational axis of the first mirror is 0 . 5 cm from the coarse detail pictures 4 and the centreline of each erecting lens is 2 . 5 cm from the axis of the first mirror 18 . the axis of the second mirror 20 is 4 . 75 cm from the centreline of each erecting lens 16 and the axis of the third mirror 22 is 3 . 5 cm from the axis of the second mirror 20 . finally , the axis of the half - silvered mirror 24 is 7 . 75 cm from the axis of the third mirror 22 and the axis of the half - silvered mirror 24 intersects the centreline of the fine detail optical path 10 a distance of 4 cm from the centreline of the magnifying lens 14 . the same arrangement is suitable for generating the generated fine detail picture 2 and the coarse detail pictures 4 within the scanning area of a standard optically or electrically addressable scanning element in a television camera . the optical system 8 then projects the fine detail picture 2 and the coarse detail pictures 4 upon the scanning area 6 of a standard optically or electrically addressable scanning element as shown in fig2 . optionally , the optical system 8 may mount a different primary colour filter 26 in each coarse detail optical path 12 to render a field sequential full colour television image . the optical system 8 combines the three primary colour coarse detail pictures 4 with the fine detail picture 2 to capture or reproduce a full colour composite picture . of course , the scanning process according to the invention may comprise as little as two coarse detail pictures 4 in combination with a fine detail picture 2 or it may comprise more than three coarse detail pictures 4 in combination with a fine detail picture 2 . it may comprise multiple rows or columns of such coarse detail pictures 4 adjacent the fine detail picture 2 . in the case of vertical scanning , it may be convenient to place the coarse detail pictures above or below the fine detail picture 2 . the described embodiment of the invention is only an illustrative implementation of the invention wherein changes and substitutions of the various parts and arrangement thereof are within the scope of the invention as set forth in the attached claims . | 7 |
fig1 a shows an axial section through a rotor 1 in simplified fashion to explain the basic design of the rotor configured according to the invention . this includes a rotor shaft mounted in a housing ( not shown here in particular ), whose geometric axis 2 coincides with the axis of symmetry or rotation of rotor 1 . rotor 1 also includes a support disk 3 arranged to rotate in unison on the rotor shaft , on whose faces 3 . 1 and 3 . 2 an annular pole structure 4 and 5 coaxial to rotor axis 2 is arranged . each pole structure 4 and 5 comprises two adjacent rows 8 , 9 , and 10 , 11 of alternately magnetized permanent magnet arrangements 12 in the peripheral direction separated by an intermediate layer 6 and 7 made of magnetically and electrically nonconducting material , here designated 12 a and 12 b for rows 8 and 9 , collector and soft iron elements 13 lying in between , here designated 13 a , 13 b , 13 c and 13 d for rows 8 , 9 , 10 and 11 . the collector and soft iron elements 13 are preferably made from a number of sheet elements arranged one behind the other , which are preferably kept in shape by means of a casting mass , which simultaneously forms an insulation layer on the collector elements . it is also conceivable to join the individual sheet elements together by bonding . an end ring 16 and 17 is allocated on the face to each pole structure 4 and 5 . each magnet arrangement 12 includes essentially two magnets — an inner magnet 12 . 1 and an outer magnet 12 . 2 , here represented by 12 . 1 a , 12 . 2 a , 12 . 3 a , 12 . 4 a and 12 . 1 b , 12 . 2 b , 12 . 3 b , 12 . 4 b . the inner magnet 12 . 1 is then arranged in the radial direction referred to the rotor axis 2 on a smaller diameter di im than the outer magnet 12 . 2 of each magnet arrangement 12 . attachment of the magnets 12 . 1 and 12 . 2 in the peripheral direction essentially occurs by shape - mating with the collector and soft iron elements 13 adjacent to magnet arrangements 12 in the peripheral direction , as shown in fig1 b . the use of a casting or bonding mass , for example , in the form of glue , is additionally conceivable . a shape - mated connection element 14 is allocated to each magnet arrangement 12 . the shape - mated connection element 14 is preferably designed as a plate stamped from nonmagnetic sheet . this preferably extends in the axial direction beyond the axial extent of magnet arrangement 12 . complementary grooves 21 and 22 in the elements adjacent to rings 8 , 9 , 10 , and 11 are allocated to the protrusions 19 or 20 so formed . the connection elements 14 extend in the peripheral direction essentially over the extent of magnets 12 . 1 and 12 . 2 in the peripheral direction . the connection elements 14 are inserted in each magnet arrangement 12 between the inner and outer magnets 12 . 1 or 12 . 2 in the complementary grooves 21 and 22 on the elements adjacent to magnet arrangement 12 in the axial direction , here the grooves 21 a on end ring 16 and 22 a on intermediate ring 6 and 21 b on intermediate ring 6 and 22 b on support disk 3 . under the influence of centrifugal force shape - mating is therefore produced between the individual collector and soft iron elements 13 and the magnets 12 . 1 and 12 . 2 in the radial direction , since the shape - mated connection element 14 fixed the position of magnets 12 . 1 and 12 . 2 of magnet arrangements 12 in the radial direction and the magnet arrangements 12 with the collector and soft iron elements 13 have a shape - mated connection in the peripheral direction and are limited in the radial direction in their movement path . additional connection elements by external force can also be provided , for example , in the form of screw connections 31 , which tighten the pole structures 4 and 5 to the support disk 3 . fig1 b shows in a simplified depiction a view i — i corresponding to fig1 a , i . e ., a view of the face of the pole structure 4 running in the peripheral direction , in particular , a view of row 9 . each of the collector and soft iron elements 13 adjacent to the magnet arrangements 12 has a first radially inward lying stop 24 in the radial direction referred to rotor axis 2 . these inward lying stops 24 are formed by a protrusion 25 , which is arranged in the region of the inside diameter d is of a collector and soft iron element 13 on its faces 26 and 27 facing away from each other in the peripheral direction . it is prescribed according the invention that only one outward lying stop surface be formed in the radial direction for a magnet arrangement 12 . this outward lying stop and the stop surface is denoted 28 and in the depicted case is arranged in the region of the outside diameter d as of the collector and soft iron element 13 on a face 26 so that during rotation of rotor 1 the outer magnet , here represented by 12 . 2 bx is supported under the influence of centrifugal force with its outer face 30 on stop 28 . the outside diameter d am of magnet arrangement 12 b and the outer magnets 12 . 2 b , then corresponds to diameter d iaf of the stop or stop surface 28 . at least one of the two collector and soft iron elements 13 . 1 b or 13 . 2 b directly adjacent to a magnet arrangement 12 bx in the peripheral direction , here 13 . 1 b , is free of a second outer stop at least on the face 27 facing the magnet arrangement 12 in the region of the outside diameter d am of the magnet arrangement 12 bx . in the depicted case , this freedom is formed by the implementation of a specified minimum spacing a between the outside diameter d am of magnet arrangement 12 bx and a protrusion 32 . the minimum spacing a should always be chosen so that support of the magnetic arrangement 12 bx , especially individual magnets 12 b . 1 and 12 b . 2 in the radial direction on one of the two adjacent collector and soft iron elements is avoided . however , a design of the collector and soft iron element 13 b free of an outer protrusion 32 in the region of end 27 is also conceivable . in the variant depicted in fig1 b the second collector and soft iron element 13 . 1 b adjacent to the magnet arrangement 12 bx also has the protrusion 32 in the region of its face 27 , but this protrusion merely serves for precentering of the magnet arrangements . the individual collector and soft iron elements 13 b are designed nonsymmetric to implement the function . in this preferred variant with nonsymmetrically designed collector and soft iron elements 13 b , the collector and soft iron elements are always arranged in the peripheral direction so that the faces 26 and 27 designed in the same manner are always aligned in the same direction in the peripheral direction . preferably , it is also prescribed that the number of stop surfaces and thus the possible threatened sites of an insulation layer interruption be minimized in the radial direction for magnets 12 . 1 b and 12 . 2 b , as well as intermediate plate 14 . for this reason , no additional stop surface beyond the radially inner stop 24 is provided in the radial direction for the intermediate plate or the individual magnets on the stop - free collector and soft iron element adjacent to magnet arrangement 12 bx , here 13 . b 1 . the entire magnet arrangement 12 bx with intermediate plate 14 lies against a surface , whereas on the opposite collector and soft iron element 13 . 2 b , the face 26 forms at least two partial stop surfaces 33 and 34 . in a variant according to fig1 b shape - mating between the magnet arrangement 12 bx and the collector and soft iron elements primarily occurs with the collector and soft iron element 13 . 2 b . fig2 shows a variant according to the invention for a one - sided force take - up in a view of a pole structure as described in fig1 b for a rotor variant with a one - part magnet arrangement 12 b . the basic design corresponds to that described in fig1 . the same reference numbers are used for the same elements . the two collector and soft iron elements 13 . 1 b and 13 . 2 b are arranged next to the magnet arrangement 12 b , here 12 bx . in this case , the collector and soft iron element 13 . 2 b has a protrusion on its face directed toward magnet arrangement 12 bx in the region of its outside diameter d as , which forms a stop 28 in the radial direction for the magnet arrangement 12 bx . the collector and soft iron element 13 . 1 b adjacent to the opposite side of the magnet arrangement is free of an outer stop in the radial direction on the face 27 facing the magnet arrangement in the region of its outside diameter d as . the protrusion 32 also provided here is arranged at a spacing a from outside diameter d am . here again the collector and soft iron elements 13 are designed nonsymmetric . the identically configured faces 26 and 27 are aligned the same in the peripheral direction . however , as illustrated in fig3 there is also the possibility of providing at least two different collector and soft iron element types 13 ( a first collector and soft iron element type 13 . 1 c and a second collector and soft iron element type 13 . 2 c ) in the rotor , which are arranged in alternation in the peripheral direction between the magnet arrangements 12 . each collector and soft iron element of the first type 13 . 1 c forms a radially outer stop surface 28 to support the magnet arrangement 12 in the radial direction in the region of its two faces 28 a and 28 b directed toward the adjacent magnet arrangements 12 in the peripheral direction , whereas each collector and soft iron element of the second type 13 . 2 c is free of a radially outer stop surface to support the magnet arrangement in the region of its two faces 30 a and 30 b directed toward the adjacent magnet arrangements 12 in the peripheral direction . each of the collector and soft iron elements 13 . 1 c and 13 . 2 c is preferably designed for this purpose symmetrical with reference to a line of symmetry running in the radial direction in the incorporation position . thermal damage can also be avoided with this solution , since a conducting connection cannot be produced via a number of magnet arrangements 12 and collector and soft iron elements 13 in the peripheral direction , owing to the blocking effect of the missing stop surfaces on the collector and soft iron elements of the second type 13 . 2 c radial direction on the face 27 facing the magnet arrangement in the region of its outside diameter d as . the protrusion 32 also provided here is arranged at a spacing a from outside diameter d am . here again the collector and soft iron elements 13 are designed nonsymmetric . the identically configured faces 26 and 27 are aligned the same in the peripheral direction . | 7 |
in the dyeing of hosiery goods , wastes are generated from the dye bath itself and from spent waste waters utilized in various rinsing and finishing operations . various chemical agents or constituents are added to the dye bath , and to the finish water to give soft , full bodied hand to the hosiery articles and to aid in further processing of the hosiery . basically , three different types of dyes are used in hosiery dyeing . such dyes consist of acid dyes , disperse dyes and basic dyes . the dye or dyes employed in a particular dyeing operation will vary depending upon the nature of fibrous materials being dyed , i . e ., whether synthetic or natural fibers , and a number of manufacturing variables and preferences . dyeing of the various yarns may be accomplished within a chamber or cabinet , a paddle machine or a rotary tub . referring to fig1 the dyeing system of the present invention includes combining a first batch of hosiery articles with an appropriate dye bath in a dyeing machine or vat 10 . the dye bath includes selected chemical agents and various dye colors at differenct concentrations . the appropriate dye bath is heated to a desired temperature in a conventional manner and the hosiery articles or goods dyed according to precribed procedure . upon completion of the dyeing operation , the remaining dye bath unabsorbed by the hosiery goods is transferred through a conduit 12 to a waste water holding tank 14 . if the amount of dye in the unabsorbed dye bath is not sufficiently great or valuable , it may not be feasible to analyze and reuse or recirculate the dye bath , and the unabsorbed dye bath is clarified periodically in a treatment zone . however , such dyes may be reused , if desired , as will be subsquently described . treated or clarified water from treated waste water holding tank 16 is directed through conduit 18 to the machine or vat 10 for rinsing of the hosiery goods to remove excess dye therefrom . a single rinsing operation may be possible , but generally two or more rinses are required to remove generally all traces of dyes in the rinse waters . after the first rinsing operation , the rinse waste water is directed through conduit 12 to the waste water holding tank 14 . additional rinsing operations , if required , are accomplished in the same manner with clarified water from tank 16 being transferred to vat 10 for rinsing of the goods and the rinse waste being transferred to the holding tank 14 . upon sufficient rinsing of the goods , clarified water again is directed from holding tank 16 to the vat 10 for the finishing operation . appropriate selected chemical agents are added to the water in vat 10 to improve the feel or hand of the goods , and also to improve the sewability and snag resistance of the hosiery goods . upon proper finishing of the hosiery goods , the finish waste water is transferred through conduit 12 to waste holding tank 14 . the dyed hosiery goods , upon being rinsed and properly finished , are removed from the vat 10 in preparation for the dyeing of a second batch of goods . in a dyeing cycle , a portion of the water is retained by the hosiery goods . this water must be replaced for the next dyeing cycle , and as desired or required clean water from a municipal water system may be directed through line 38 to the holding tank 16 or directly to the vat 10 , for use as make - up water . periodically , waste waters in the holding tank 14 are directed via conduit 20 to a treatment zone or apparatus 22 . in zone 22 , the waste water may be treated by any one or combination of several processes , which include ozonation and electrolysis . in the treatment zone all or substantially all of the dyes are removed while at least portions of certain of the chemical agents are permitted to remain in the clarified or treated water depending on degree of treatment . the clarified water is directed through conduit 24 to holding tank 16 for subsequent recycling through the system as required . this process or dye cycle can be repeated indefinitely with the water recirculating in the closed loop . therefore , savings in water and chemical costs are realized while eliminating waste discharge to a sewage system . referring to fig2 upon dyeing of the goods within vat 10 , the unabsorbed dye bath is transferred through conduit 26 to a dye waste tank 28 where it is retained for subsequent dyeing operations . water from rinse tank 30 is directed via conduit 32 to the machine or vat 10 for rinsing of the goods to remove excess dye therefrom . after the first rinsing operation , the rinse waste water is removed through conduit 12 to the waste water holding tank 14 . a second rinsing operation of the goods is accomplished by conveying water from a tank 34 through conduit 36 to the machine 10 . upon completion of the second rinse , the second rinse waste water is directed via conduit 40 to the rinse waste tank 30 and is retained there until used as the first rinse water in the following dyeing cycle . clean or clarified water next is directed to the hosiery goods in machine 10 through line 18 from the holding tank 16 or directly from a municipal water system through line 38 . appropriate selected chemical finishing agents are added . upon completion of the finishing operation , the finish waste water flows through conduit 42 to finish waste tank 34 . peridically , waste water in holding tank 14 is transferred through conduit 20 to a treatment zone 22 , and subsequently through pipe 24 to the treated waste water holding tank 16 . the clarified water can be periodically directed from holding tank 16 to the machine 10 , via line 18 , for the finish operation . a conduit 44 is provided to permit specified amounts of the first rinse waste water to flow into the dye waste tank 28 as make - up water to maintain an operational level , as required . the dye waste in tank 28 may be directed periodically , if required , through conduit 46 , tank 14 and conduit 20 to the treatment zone 22 for clarification . thus it can be seen that during the normal dyeing , first and second rinsing , and finishing operations , the clarified water cascades through the finishing and rinsing operations , progressively increasing in contaminants before finally reaching the waste waster holding tank 14 . that is , finish waste water of a first dye cycle is used as the second rinse water in the next following dye cycle and the second rinse waste water is used as the first rinse water in the next or third dye cycle . during the dyeing operation , a portion of the dye bath is absorbed in the hosiery goods . the unabsorbed dye bath is removed and held in tank 28 , and make - up water must be added to the dye bath to compensate for the loss prior to the dyeing of a subsequent batch of goods . the make - up water consists of waste water which flows through conduit 44 from tank 14 . this make - up water includes a substanial quantity of dye and chemical agents , having been through previous finishing and rinsing operations , and therefore less dyes and chemicals are required to be added to the dye bath prior to dyeing bath a second batch of hosiery goods . make - up water for the complete system is received from a water supply through conduit 38 . in the embodiment of fig1 dyes are removed in the treatment zone 22 while all chemicals are not removed depending on degree of treatment and can be recycled through the system . the dye bath may be recirculated through unlimited or indefinite dyeing operations or cycles before being directed , if required , to the treatment zone 22 . the cleanliness or quality of the dye bath is not significant and after a number of cycles or reuse , the character of the bath remains constant . a small amount of the dye bath directed from the dye waste tank 28 back to the machine 10 via line 38 for a subsequent dyeing cycle is diverted through line 50 and analyzed by instrumentation 52 to determine the quantities and colors of the various dyes that must be added to result in a desired dye shade of the hosiery goods . for analyzing the dye bath , the instrumentation 54 may comprise a microprocessor including a spectrophotometer with a computer and printer of the type manufactured by process analyzers , inc ., 1101 state street , princeton , new jersey . the spectrophotometer reads the various colors in the dye bath , for example , red , blue and yellow , and such information enters the computer , which has been programmed with a specific standard dye formula . the computer will compare the dye formula with the dye bath and the printer will print out the quantity and colors of the dyes that must be added to the bath to dye the specific shade programmed in the computer . also , the computer may be programmed to automatically measure and control dyes to be added through conventional chemical feeders . the waste water in zone 22 , in each of fig1 and 2 , may be treated by any one or combination of several systems . preferably the water is treated by electrolysis or ozonation . although not shown , the treated waste water may be directed through a filter to substantially remove suspended solids thereform , prior to entering the treated waste water holding tank . while not illustrated on the drawing , it is to be understood that appropriate valves and pumps are provided for directing or transferring the various fluids to and from the vat 10 , the treatment zone , and the various tanks . in each of the systems illustrated , the hosiery goods can be dyed various shades , that is , go from dark to light shades or from light to dark shades using the dye bath or treated waste from a previous dyeing operation , as long as the entire hosiery article or garment is to be dyed with a single dye formula . | 3 |
fig1 in the drawings shows a deployment sequence for a hardened target success signal - communicating weapon device according to the present invention . in the fig1 drawing there is represented a time sequence of events occurring after release of the weapon device 100 by an aircraft 102 . each event in this fig1 sequence is isolated from preceding and succeeding events by the divider symbols 105 . following deployment of the weapon device 100 , which may occur at a representative aircraft velocity of 1000 feet per second ( 682 miles per hour ) as indicated at 106 , 112 and 126 in the fig1 drawing , an altimeter device 208 in fig2 which becomes exposed beyond the weapon device tail section , may be used to deploy a main parachute 110 in order to separate a radio frequency repeater device 116 ( 202 in fig2 ) from the weapon device 100 during its airborne flight phase . as indicated by the weapon device velocity values at 106 , 112 and 126 in fig1 the parachutes 104 and 110 are arranged to extract the repeater package while it is airborne rather than to decrease the velocity of the weapon device appreciably . orientation of the weapon device is provided by a tail kit guidance package in order to attain a penetration attitude substantially normal to the earth &# 39 ; s surface and thereby prevent bounce or skip of the weapon device . the purpose of the parachutes 104 and 110 is therefore to extract the repeater with sufficient flight time remaining to receive an ensuing subterranean penetration data history and detonation signal from the penetrating warhead . at some altitude such as the 500 feet indicated at 115 in fig1 the fig2 altimeter 208 jettisons itself allowing a repeater package 116 to be extracted from a rearward cavity of the weapon device 100 while the warhead remainder of the device is allowed to continue with fin guidance toward the impact - penetration event represented at 120 in fig1 . shortly after impact the tail fins are stripped off by penetration thus exposing the tail transmitter of the invention , as it is located in a rearward portion of the weapon device 100 . the signals represented at 122 in fig1 are emitted and received in the repeater package 116 and retransmitted at some convenient frequency to a remote location where recording and detailed analysis of the weapon device 100 experiences may be accomplished . such retransmission may use any of several known techniques including communicating by a telemetry method . the most significant portion of these signals 122 and 118 of course occur commencing with the t = 0 weapon to surface impact indicated at 120 in fig1 and ensue for a period such as the 250 milliseconds indicated at 125 . during at least part of the 250 millisecond interval indicated at 125 in fig1 the repeater 116 may remain airborne via the parachutes 104 and 110 in order to achieve efficient communication with a receiver located at a distant mission analysis center ; signals of any convenient frequency including microwave , uhf , infrared or other frequencies may be used for this communication . efficient communication with the penetrating weapon 100 may be assured by tethering the repeater and its parachute to the weapon . the tether will slacken or break at impact allowing the repeater to descend more slowly as it listens and relays data signals from the burrowing transmitter . alternately in some arrangements of the invention it may also be desirable to locate the repeater on the earth &# 39 ; s surface rather than in the air during this communication period . since the effects of such subterranean signal transmission include communicated signal polarization changes it is desirable for the repeater receiving the subterranean signals to be capable of receiving multiple different signal polarizations without significant signal level attenuation . during the 250 - millisecond interval at 125 in fig1 accelerometer and other desired signals descriptive of the penetration experiences of the weapon device 100 are communicated to the mission analysis center preferably in real time although a delayed communication capability may be incorporated into the repeater 116 . these signals may include a final signal indicating energization of or an actual detonation of a faze and a main warhead charge in the weapon device 100 as is represented at 134 in fig1 . variations in the fig1 sequence are of course possible within the scope of the present invention . such variations may include for example launch of the weapon device 100 , or a related device such as a cannon sized device , from a ground - based or airborne cannon , communication of the munitions penetration data to the aircraft pilot or other crewmember or to an aircraft recorder in lieu of or in addition to communication to an analysis center , absence of one or more of the parachutes 104 and 110 and communication of additional or different signals from the weapon device 100 . additional details , particularly details regarding what are believed to be the most unconventional and technically challenging aspects of the fig1 sequence , the subterranean communication and the need for impact - tolerant hardware in the weapon device 100 are disclosed in subsequent portions of this document . as recited above deceleration forces measuring in the range of 22 , 000 times the force of gravity have been measured in connection with the impact of the weapon device 100 with the concrete of a buried hardened target as represented at 124 in fig1 . since such impact events precede the occurrence of events providing the most useful information from the weapon device 100 , i . e ., precede the occurrence of penetrations within the target 124 and the final detonation of the warhead , it is necessary for the communications apparatus accompanying the weapon device 100 to perform during the presence of forces resulting from these decelerations . this requirement is made more complex by the consideration that the most practical location for the communications apparatus is in the rear - most portion of the weapon device 100 , a location that can for example experience “ tail slap ” tri - axial motion during hard impacts . this location however does not interfere with use of a standard munitions guidance kit ( such as used for example with the u . s . military &# 39 ; s blu - 109 2000 pound class hardened target penetrator bomb in the form of a frequently attached fin kit ) with the weapon device 100 . this rear most location is also most desirable for accomplishing the subterranean communications represented at 122 in fig1 . fig2 in the drawings shows a physical representation of components usable with the exemplary blu - 109 weapon in performing the fig1 data collected target neutralization sequence . the fig2 components are intended to be located at the rear of for example a blu - 109 weapon , extending backward from the normal rear face of the device and are contained in a cylindrical cavity within the guidance fin kit that is attached to this rear face location on the weapon ; this fin kit and the other rearward portions of the fig2 apparatus are not shown in fig2 for the sake of drawing simplicity . the fig2 radar altimeter 208 extends beyond the fins of this kit after they unfold at weapon release . the altimeter jettisons itself , the parachute and the repeater when the remaining altitude provides enough flight time to acquire up to 250 milliseconds of subterranean data from the warhead . the lowermost of the fig2 objects , a “ birthday cake ” assembly 201 , accompanies the blu - 109 weapon through impact and its subterranean antenna , transmitter , and power supply ( not shown in fig2 ) must perform throughout target penetration shocks as is discussed subsequently herein . the fig2 drawing also shows possible outline dimensions for the represented components . such dimensions include the overall “ birthday cake ” assembly diameter near 14 inches , a tail cavity diameter of 5 inches for the repeater and other components and an overall height of these components of 3 . 5 feet . in the fig2 drawing there is therefore shown an unhardened communications relay or repeater assembly 200 for a weapon such as the blu - 109 device . this unhardened assembly includes power and control apparatus for deploying the repeater and its drag chute at the command of the protruding radar altimeter 208 in fig2 . in the fig2 drawing there appears moreover the “ birthday cake ” assembly 201 in which an impact - hardened weapon to repeater antenna is disposed , a repeater housing module 202 in which the fig1 repeater package 116 is housed , a parachute module 206 in which the fig1 parachutes 104 and 110 are received and an altimeter device module 208 in which a radar altimeter or timer or comparable deployment controlling apparatus is disposed . the fig2 arrangement of components is used to enable the sequence shown in fig1 . at 204 in the fig2 drawing is represented a container for the repeater to weapon tether discussed in connection with fig1 . at the perimeter of the “ birthday cake ” assembly a metallic flange 212 by which the fig2 apparatus is attached to the blu - 109 or other weapon is shown . this flange is also used with a restraining ring ( not shown ) to secure the birthday cake assembly . a ground plane element for the antenna of the “ birthday cake ” assembly 201 appears at 210 in fig2 . additional details concerning the “ birthday cake ” assembly 201 , including its impact hardening , antenna element configuration and fabrication details are disclosed in the co pending patent application afd 455a which is first identified above and incorporated by reference herein . the antenna lengthening and impact soil debris - isolating nature of the dielectric resin used to surround the antenna element and to provide impact force resistance are of particular interest in this antenna arrangement . fig3 in the drawings shows the manner in which the “ birthday cake ” assembly lower portions of the fig2 communications assembly 200 may attach to and cooperate with the typical blu - 109 weapon . in the fig3 drawing the rearmost body portion of the blu - 109 weapon appears in a representative cross section outline form at 300 . the fig3 drawing omits many details of the blu - 109 weapon since for example it actually incorporates wall thickness dimensions of about one inch and includes components not shown in fig3 . the mounting flange 302 comprises the rearmost body portion of the blu - 109 ; mounting bolts by which the “ birthday cake ” assembly flange 212 of fig2 attaches to this mounting flange 302 appear at 304 . the “ birthday cake ” assembly 201 is shown to be excessively separated from the flange 302 at 312 in fig3 for drawing clarity purposes . the interior space of the fig3 device at 310 is used to contain munitions explosive material and the frontal portion of the device at 308 comprises a hardened - material , structurally rigid target - engaging portion . the annular inverse pyramidal space at 306 in fig3 may be used to contain an electronics circuit package ( an impact - hardened electronics package ) for the communications assembly 200 in keeping with a goal that the present munitions success information system be housed outside of the normal confines of the weapon and thereby serve as an electively added refinement to the weapon as needed . the impact - hardened electronics package for the fig3 device may include integrated circuit and discrete transistor electronic devices packaged in the manner described in the above identified and incorporated by reference herein co pending patent application afd456 and additional impact hardening techniques . these impact - hardened devices include a battery energy source , hardened oscillator , half watt keyed amplifier , a 20 watt discrete transistor driver and a discrete transistor radio frequency power amplifier operating in the range of 200 watts of radio frequency energy output in accordance with data disclosed in the following topic of this document . a ground plane portion of the communications assembly 200 appears at 210 in the fig2 drawing ; this ground plane is actually disposed at the lower face of the assembly without the intervening gap shown for clarification purposes in fig2 . in contrast with the invention of the above identified u . s . patent application of applicants &# 39 ; docket number afd456 it is desirable for the radio frequency signals of the present invention apparatus to remain continuous and active throughout a penetration event sequence . interruption of these signals by a spike of deceleration force for example , although undesirable , may be acceptable in the case of the locator beacon device of the ser . no . 09 / 832 , 439 document but not in the present data communication instance . the buried hardened target penetration represented at 121 in the fig1 drawing is an event of great interest in performing a success assessment for the fig1 sequence . the time delay between earth penetration at 120 and arrival at target 124 , the delay occurring during an early part of the 250 millisecond interval recited at 125 in fig1 together with the force magnitude and duration of each of the first , second and subsequent impact events and the special signal generated at warhead detonation , are particularly significant events in a success analysis of the fig1 sequence . collecting signals descriptive of these several events implies the need for communication through a lengthening subterranean path from the penetrating weapon while it is moving through the earth and the target hardening layers . subterranean communication of this nature has heretofore been accomplished while using lower frequency - disposed portions of the radio frequency spectrum as disclosed above herein . in the present instance however the physical dimensions of practical weapons are incompatible with the efficient antenna lengths needed for these lower frequency communications and resort to frequencies in the ultra high radio frequency range is believed desirable . the subterranean use of such frequencies appears however to have in the past been limited to intentionally energy dissipative instances wherein ground heating for oil production or other purposes is desired or instances wherein subterranean measurements are being made for example for mineral exploration purposes . we have accomplished measurements indicating however that communication at ultra high radio frequencies is possible through a subterranean path at least to a degree sufficient to support the present weapon data communication need . fig5 in the drawings illustrates the results of a portion of these measurements conducted in a grout - lined plastic piped well in sandy florida soil and at a frequency in the 300 - megahertz ultra high radio frequency range . in the fig5 drawing the vertical scale at the left represents signal strength with respect to a one - milliwatt reference and the horizontal scale at 502 represents length of the slant range subterranean path . the well providing the fig5 data comprises a 2 - inch diameter pvc pipe lined with one inch of concrete grout to a depth beyond the 90 ft water table . signal strength measurements for one and 600 - milliwatt transmitters are taken as each transmitter is lowered toward the water table . as indicated at 510 in the fig5 drawing the point of received signal measurement is located at a horizontal distance of 17 . 5 feet from the well opening into the earth . depths beyond 35 feet are believed to preclude significant air path transmission of test signals from the buried antenna that would emerge from points less than the 17 . 5 ft radial previously discussed . the uppermost curve at 504 in fig5 represents measurements made with a transmitter input power of 600 milliwatts and the lower curve at 506 with an input power of 1 milliwatt . the horizontal line at 512 in fig5 represents the − 96 dbm signal strength sensitivity threshold of an ash receiver of the type described later herein ( the fig5 test signals are received using a signal integrating spectrum analyzer of roughly − 135 dbm sensitivity ). under these conditions therefore fig5 signals above the receiver threshold line 512 represent successful communications from the subterranean antenna . notably even with the modest power levels shown in fig5 ( power levels summarized at 508 in fig5 ) subterranean uhf communication over path lengths of 40 and 65 feet are reasonably feasible . in order to accommodate greater distances between a subterranean antenna and the contemplated above ground repeater / receiver , and to accommodate soil conditions perhaps less favorable to signal conveyance , greater power levels , levels in the range of 200 watts of radio frequency power , are preferred for the warhead transmitter . use of the repeater represented at 116 in the fig1 drawing and the repeater location - determining tether 204 in fig2 are accommodations of the attenuated ultra high radio frequency signal transmission achieved through various soil and target types to be expected during operational use of the present invention data collection invention . under the most favorable conditions contemplated it may be possible to omit the repeater apparatus 116 and rely on direct warhead to analysis - location transmission however presently available data suggests this is a very limited possibility . uhf transmitter output power in the 250 - watt range may be obtained for example with the use of a motorola mrf 275g ceramic field effect transistor as a final radio frequency amplifier stage . a one time “ thermal battery ” such as the eap - 12181 battery manufactured by the eagle picher corporation may be used as an energy source of this capability ( over the milliseconds short operating time needed ) for the warhead transmitter . batteries of this type may be used to energize a twenty - four volt , fifteen - ampere load for a period of 250 milliseconds for example . batteries of this type are provided with an electro - thermally removable internal seal maintaining the reactive components in a separated condition until an externally sourced electrical activation signal is applied to the battery to rupture the seal , commence the exothermic chemical reaction and initiate the production of electrical energy . a pull pin upon weapon launch from the aircraft may provide the activation signal for the transmitter and repeater power and the altimeter . the activation signal for the warhead transmitter ( the birthday cake transmitter ) power may be provided by the altimeter signal that extracts the repeater from the tail kit or from impact with the earth . the “ birthday cake ” assembly transmitter may be operated at a low power level when the repeater is first extracted in air and operated at the higher power level upon earth impact in order to conserve energy and yet overcome the greater signal losses encountered with soil and target penetration . following a similar line of reasoning the “ birthday cake ” assembly transmitter may be specially tuned for maximum efficiency in a soil and debris environment where the signal absorption is greatest . such a less efficient - in - air arrangement offers the additional advantage that the receiver sensitivity does not have to change as dramatically when the transmitter is suddenly buried . custom tailoring of the battery to fit in the space 306 or a comparable space in another weapon / communications apparatus package and to tolerate impact deceleration forces is appropriate . data signals of the deceleration measurement type and other types as generated in the weapon fuze and described above herein may be applied to a modulation input port of the transmitter . several arrangements for generating data signals of the deceleration measurement type and other types in the weapon fuze are found in the series of patents including the following : although conventional radio frequency energy receiver apparatus may be used to embody the receiver portion of the repeater 116 in fig1 we have found that improved results including greater weak signal sensitivity ( e . g . − 92 dbm ) and wider signal dynamic range acceptance characteristics may be obtained with use of the ash ( amplifier - sequenced hybrid ) receiver arrangement that is available from the rf monolithics , incorporated company of dallas , tex . this receiver is available in the form of a small package , low operating voltage and current integrated circuit of “ rx1120 ” nomenclature for example for use in the 300 megahertz uhf range . receivers of this type are based on the principle of segregating an employed unusually large degree of signal amplification into plural segments . these amplifier segments are isolated by a signal time delay element ( usually accomplished with a surface acoustic wave , or saw , delay line ) in order that the large degree of amplification employed operates in time sequence and thereby avoid amplifier oscillation . the direct conversion — energy packet acceptance reception accomplished in the ash receiver , as opposed to conventional superhetrodyne — envelope detection , is a notable aspect of the present invention and is supported by believed to be new knowledge of the phase and wave polarization anomalies caused by radiating radio frequency energy signals through soil . soil properties can for example destroy envelope accuracy but only attenuate energy packets . soil effects may also change signal polarization ; these effects suggest the use of repeater 116 reception of multi polarization capability . moreover in addition to and in extension of the transmitter power level changes discussed above , in connection with battery considerations , the transmitter - antenna efficiency in the present invention “ birthday cake ” assembly may also be specially tailored for greatest efficiency in dense media in order that less power is radiated in light media where losses are lower . such arrangement additionally moderates the rate at which the repeater 116 receiver gain must react to the drastic changes in attenuation represented in fig5 . in this regard it is interesting to appreciate that the weapon device 100 traverses the fig5 attenuation curve in the early part of the 250 milliseconds interval recited at 125 . with respect to repeater 116 receiving signals of differing polarization , it is likely that , in addition to signal polarization changes attributed to communication through paths of changing subterranean length and changing subterranean media content , this communication may also involve a spinning or otherwise moving repeater receiver since the repeater can be suspended in the air during the period of most relevant data transmission . for such signal diversity reception conditions a receiver coupled to a single multiple polarization - responsive antenna or to a plurality of differing polarization - responsive antennas may be used in the repeater 116 . a more practical arrangement for this receiver however appears to call for use of a plurality of different receiver circuits , three receiver circuits for example , with each such receiver circuit coupled to an antenna of differing signal polarization preference . in view of the small size and relatively low cost of the preferred ash receivers the increased complexity thus imposed appears justified . receivers of the ash type are described in several u . s . patents including the u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 454 , 488 ; 4 , 616 , 197 ; 4 , 749 , 964 ; 4 , 92 , 925 and others pending at the 1994 time of printing the rf monolithics catalog available during preparation of this document . most of these and other rf monolithics inc . ( and indeed certain other texas corporation ) patents involve the name of one darrell l . ash as an inventor . the contents of these patents are also hereby incorporated by reference herein . additional information concerning the ash receiver , its unusually high sensitivity , unusual dynamic range and its incorporation into useful apparatus is disclosed in the rf monolithics inc publication “ ash transceiver designer &# 39 ; s guide ” ( also hereby incorporated by reference herein ) one version of which is identified as updated 2001 . 01 . 11 . this and additional relevant technical information are also available by way of a rf monolithics internet home page , currently at http :// www . rfm . com /. in summary , the disclosed hardened target penetrator weapon system deploys a receiver repeater deployed before weapon impact and a warhead transmitter capable of surviving impact and shocks during soil and buried target penetration . the transmitter sends target properties and fuze performance information to the deployed repeater receiver for retransmission to an analysis or command center . the target and fuze information ultimately reduce the increased risk to pilots associated with repeated target strikes and also provide data to enhance future weapon developments . the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment 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 . obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings . the embodiment was 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 inventions in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular 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 . | 5 |
fig1 illustrates an implantable device 100 suitable for implementing the present invention . device 100 comprises an implanted control unit 110 , which controls application of a sequence of neural stimuli in accordance with the present invention . in this embodiment the unit 110 is also configured to control a measurement process for obtaining a measurement of a neural response evoked by a single stimulus delivered by one or more of the electrodes 122 . device 100 further comprises an electrode array 120 consisting of a three by eight array of electrodes 122 , each of which may be selectively used as either the stimulus electrode or sense electrode , or both . the activation and simultaneous suppression of different areas of tissue is highly desired for treatment of a number of neurological disorders . the activation of micturition or defection without contraction of the sphincter is highly desirable for treatment of incontinence . the goal of stimulation of the spinal cord is to block transmission of pain signals from aδ and c fibres , via the inhibitory effect of the activation of aβ fibres . the ascending aβ fibres produce a psycho - physiological response which results in the paraesthesia ( described as tingling by recipients ). a number of ways to reduce or eliminate this effect have been suggested . it has been reported that burst mode stimulation or continuous stimulation at high frequencies can produce pain relief without accompanying paraesthesia , however the mechanisms are not clear . one possible explanation is that the high frequency stimulation results in a highly uncorrelated neural firing pattern in the ascending aβ tracts . high frequency stimulation results in the continuous activation of the fibres and produces a randomised firing pattern . the recovery time ( refractory period ) between each fibre is slightly different and if a depolarisation potential is present as the fibre comes out of refractory period , it will depolarise again , but not synchronised with other fibres which may still be in their refractory periods . the net result is a randomisation of the firing pattern and a return of the stochastic response in the fibre . measurements of the evoked neural response provide a direct measure of the degree of correlation of the firing pattern . fig2 a shows the aβ response amplitude growth functions with respect to stimulus amplitude , for stimulation of the sheep spinal cord at 40 , 80 and 120 μs . the recruitment is related to charge and so stimulation at 1 ma for 120 μs produces an equivalent charge for stimulation at 3 ma for 40 μs , with vertical lines highlighting two respective points of equal charge delivery for each trace . fig2 b shows the compound action potential recorded at equivalent charges for the three different pulse widths . the peak height is smaller and the evoked response peak is wider at the equivalent charge for the longer pulse width than for the shorter pulse width , and this is indicative of a less correlated evoked response . the probability of any single fibre responding is a function of the properties and history of the fibre and the amplitude of the current pulse . although short and long pulses for an equivalent charge may recruit the same number of fibres the longer lower current amplitude pulse will recruit the fibres over a longer time scale than the higher current shorter pulse width . patients report a preference for stimulation with longer pulse widths and the reason for this preference may be because the perceptual side effect is lower , because there is a lower correlation between the fibres firing . given this observation , highly uncorrelated responses may give rise to much lower psycho - physical side effects such as tingling sensations and paraesthesia . the evoked responses measured for the longer pulse widths are broader in fig2 b , indicating less correlation in the firing pattern . measurement of the evoked response provides a unique way to assess the degree of correlation amongst fibres in a group , as the peak width and amplitude of the measured response directly relates to the degree of timing synchronisation of the single fibre action potentials which sum to form the compound action potential . the goal of stimulus design is to achieve a high level of recruitment at the segmental level and a low level of correlation for the ascending segments . the neural response measurement obtained at each sense electrode may be conducted in accordance with the techniques set out in daly ( 2007 / 0225767 ), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference . additionally or alternatively , the neural response measurement may be conducted in accordance with the techniques set out in nygard ( u . s . pat . no . 5 , 785 , 651 ), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference . additionally or alliteratively , the neural response measurement may be conducted in accordance with the techniques set out in the australian provisional patent application filed simultaneously herewith in the name of national ict australia ltd entitled “ method and apparatus for measurement of neural response ”. the degree of correlation within an evoked response can be measured with such techniques , and pulse sequences can be designed to produce evoked responses of a desired character . a typical recruitment curve is shown in fig2 a . the strength of the aβ potentials directly relates to the number of fibres recruited , and therefore stimulation at successive larger and larger pulse amplitudes will recruit successively more fibres . if the pulses are timed so that they occur within the refractory period of the excited neurons from the previous pulse then different sub populations of neurons can be selected with each pulse . the timing of each pulse can be so arranged so that the travelling caps from each individual pulse cancel each other as they sum at some distance from the stimulation site . this indicates the degree of desynchronisation between the fibres , and as the sensory input is based on correlation of firing patterns the sensation ( paraesthesia ) is reduced . however , the activation of the inhibitory effect of the aβ fibres at the segmental level is not reduced , permitting aβ inhibition of ai and c propagation to occur , as desired . fig3 illustrates the principle of applying a sequence of neural stimuli and allowing the respective evoked responses 302 , 304 , 306 to propagate along the fibre . the numerical summation of five such partially overlapping compound action potentials , of which only three appear in fig3 , is shown at 308 . fig3 shows the effect of the summation of the evoked response from five pulses with the timing intervals between the pulses so arranged as result in the arrival of the evoked response waveform at a designated point along the electrode array such that the averaged signal recorded at that point is minimised . for the data shown in fig3 the timing difference between each cathodic pulse is 0 . 3 ms . fig4 is a schematic illustration of a potential pulse sequence ( lower ) and the amplitude growth curve associated with the sequence ( upper ). current levels a - c are represented on both portions of fig4 . the initial pulse of amplitude a can be expected to recruit only a portion of the available population . application of the subsequent stimulus of greater amplitude can then be expected to recruit a further portion , but not all , of the available neural population , even though stimulus b is applied during the refractory period after stimulus a . similarly , stimulus c can be expected to recruit a further portion of the available neural population . c may be applied during the refractory period of stimulus b only , or possibly within the refractory period of both stimuli a and b . the sequence of neural stimuli a - b - c can thus be expected to recruit perhaps a similar amount of the available neural population as would stimulus c if applied alone , however the progressive recruitment of portions of the neural population at progressive times provides for a significantly decorrelated evoked response as compared to the response resulting from a single stimulus of amplitude c . the concept of a selection of stimulus sequences based on the ert recorded parameters can be greatly extended . for instance the example of fig4 demonstrates achieving an uncorrelated ensemble response in the fibre population being stimulated . fig5 illustrates ert responses to bursts of stimulation with differing frequencies . the degree of correlation can be inferred from the ert signal . a normal stimulus can be used to assess the stimulation response amplitude in the absence of any further desynchronising pulses . the amplitude of the single probe pulse is adjusted to represent the total charge delivered over time for the corresponding desynchronising pulse train . the amplitude of the response measured from the single probe pulse represents a fully synchronised response . the desynchronising pulse train is then output and the response measured . the ratio of the two responses is proportional to the level of synchronisation and so can be used as a control parameter for adjusting the characteristics of the device . for instance the control parameter may be adjustable by the patient to allow the patient to adjust the level of perceived paraesthesia . the control variable may also be used by the system for detection of a change of state in the neural tissue for a diagnostic purpose . a single non - decorrelating stimulus can be applied to the nerve by the device periodically or occasionally in order to elicit an evoked response which is then used as the input to the control loop . this probe stimulus can be adjusted so that its charge is equivalent to the charge presented by the desynchronising stimuli . the frequency of the probe pulse to desynchronising pulses can then be adjusted to minimise the perceptual side effects . the probe frequency can also be adjusted on demand , responding more rapidly to changes in movement , for example . conduction of the compound action potentials occurs both orthodromically ( up the spine ) and antidromically ( down the spine ). careful choice of stimulus design can be used to create a situation where the degree of synchronisation can be different in both directions , and controllably so . for example it may be desirable to generate stimuli which result in synchronising aβ activation in the antidromic direction and a desynchronising activity in the orthodromic direction . one possible scheme for doing this is illustrated in fig6 . a stimulus pulse , preferably biphasic , is discharged at an electrode ( electrode ‘ 0 ’ indicated on the left side of fig6 ). at some time interval later a 2 nd stimulus pulse is discharged between another two electrodes . for convenience this is illustrated in fig6 as the electrode ( number “ 1 ”) adjacent to the first electrode . the 2 nd discharge is arranged so that it occurs in time and place such that its resultant cap propagation to an electrode ( e . g . ‘+ 6 ’) in one direction ( the upward direction in fig6 ) sums with each other evoked cap . in contrast , in the other direction ( the downward direction in fig6 ), the respective caps are misaligned and decorrelated for example when observed at electrode ‘− 3 ’. a possible means but not the only means to achieve such directional selectivity of cap correlation is to arrange a series of stimulus pulses with an interpulse interval equal to the difference in propagation time required for desynchronisation of the cap in the ascending direction . note that the order in which the stimuli are presented does not need to be sequential . the amplitudes of the individual stimuli can also be varied according to the scheme of fig4 . the timing of presentation can also be dithered to adjust the timing . fig7 illustrates experimental results obtained by applying a series of four stimuli of ascending amplitude on four adjacent electrodes to a sheep spinal cord . each stimulus was a tripolar stimulus for which the respective centre electrode was , in order , electrode e 7 , e 8 , e 9 and e 10 , being the four centrally positioned electrodes of a 16 electrode linear electrode array . each stimulus was biphasic with each phase having a pulse width of 20 μs , and the interphase gap being 10 μs . the stimuli were of ascending amplitude , being 2 ma , 2 . 5 ma , 3 ma and 3 . 5 ma respectively . the inter - stimulus interval between each successive pair of stimuli on the respective electrodes was 33 μs , so that the pulse - to - pulse time was 83 μs , to optimally correlate the net evoked response in the antidromic ( ie caudal ) direction . as can be seen in fig7 the antidromic response 704 measured on electrode e 16 was well correlated from the four constituent parts , and is of large amplitude . in contrast , the four orthodromic responses were effectively decorrelated and produced a net response 702 measured at electrode e 3 which was of much reduced amplitude compared to response 704 travelling in the opposite direction , even though both were produced by the same burst of four stimuli . fig8 shows the responses measured at different inter - stimulus intervals . as can be seen the inter - stimulus interval strongly affects efficacy of this technique , and so preferred embodiments provide a feedback loop in order to optimize this parameter , and all other stimulus parameters , in setting up the stimuli burst . fig9 illustrates a suitable feedback controller for controlling the parameters of the stimuli burst in an automated manner , so as to use the measured evoked responses in each direction to determine the stimulus parameters required to achieve a desired directional effect . such automated feedback permits the relatively large parameter space to be efficiently explored to identify optimal stimuli burst parameters . it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and / or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described . the present embodiments are , therefore , to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive . | 0 |
as illustrated in fig1 a disk recording and reproducing device according to the present invention has a chassis 1 comprising an aluminum die casting , first and second side panels 2 , 3 attached to opposite sides of the chassis 1 , and a front panel 4 attached to a front side of the chassis 1 . since the front panel 4 has a front design which varies from device type to device type , the front panel 4 is attached to the chassis 1 in a final assembling process for the disk recording and reproducing device . alternatively , where the disk recording and reproducing device is to be assembled in a system device such as a computer , a front panel of the system device doubles as part of that of the disk recording and reproducing device . the chassis 1 has in its front side a recess 5 in which an eject button unit 6 is accommodated . the eject button unit 6 is composed of an eject button 7 , a button holder 8 , a slide 9 , and a button return spring 10 . fig2 and 3 are illustrative of the eject button 7 . the eject button 7 has a cavity 11 opening in its rear end so that a front end of the slide 9 can be force - fitted into the cavity 11 . the eject button 7 also has locking holes 12 defined in upper and lower sufaces thereof and communicating with the cavity 11 . fig4 , and 6 show the button holder 8 . the button holder 8 has a guide hole 13 defined therethrough and includes an upper attachment 15 extending laterally and having attachment holes 14 . the button holder 8 also has front and rear stoppers 16 projecting downwardly from a lower surface thereof . fig7 , 9 , and 10 illustrate the slide 9 . the slide 9 has a plurality of ridges 17 of triangular cross section on sides of a front end thereof , and locking teeth 18 on upper and lower surfaces thereof . the slide 9 also has locking flanges 19 on a rear end thereof . as shown in fig9 the slide 9 includes a spring housing hole 20 defined therein and opening in the rear end thereof . assembling of the eject button unit 6 will be described with reference to fig1 and 12 . as illustrated in fig1 , the front end of the slide 9 is inserted into the guide hole 13 in the button holder 8 until the flanges 19 abut against an end face of the button holder 8 and the front end of the slide 9 projects foward from the button holder 8 . the front end of the slide 9 is then force - fitted into the cavity 11 in the button 7 until the locking teeth 18 are locked in the locking holes 12 , respectively , in the button 7 . when the front end of the slide 9 is forcibly inserted into the cavity 11 , the ridges 17 on the slide 9 locally contact inner surfaces of the cavity 11 under high contact pressure . such pressed engagement of the ridges 17 with the inner surfaces of the cavity 11 , together with the engagement of the locking teeth 18 in the locking holes 12 , retain the button 7 and the slide 9 firmly together , and the assembly is slidably supported on the button holder 8 . then , the button return spring 10 is pushed under compression into the spring housing hole 20 in the slide 9 . the assembled eject button unit 6 is now inserted in the recess 5 in the chassis 1 as shown in fig1 . before the eject button unit 6 is inserted in place , an eject lever 21 is slidably mounted on the chassis 1 and has its front end bent into a spring seat 22 which is inserted in the recess 5 . as shown in fig1 , the bottom of the recess 5 has a positioning land 23 with its front and rear edges engaging the stoppers 16 , 16 , respectively , of the button holder 8 . the attachment 15 of the button holder 8 is fixed to the chassis 1 by screws 24 . the eject button unit 6 is now fixed in position to the chassis 1 . the button return spring 10 has a rear end resiliently seated on the spring seat 22 of the eject lever 21 . the assembly of the eject button 7 and the slide 9 is urged forward without relative wobbling movement under the resilient force of the spring 10 . as illustrated in fig1 , the eject lever 21 has two oblong holes 25 , 25 defined therein and spaced from each other a certain distance in the longitudinal direction thereof in which the eject lever 21 is slidable . the spring seat 22 projects downwardly from the front end of the eject lever 21 , which has a switch operating member 26 projecting downwardly from a rear end thereof . as shown in fig1 the switch operating member 26 is narrower than other portions of the eject lever 21 so that the switch operating member 26 can be bent relatively easily for adjusting the timing of contacting engagement between the switch operating member 26 and a microswitch 27 ( described later ), that is , the timing of opening and closing of contacts of the microswitch 27 , after the device has been assembled . the eject lever 21 also has an engagement tongue 28 extending toward the first side panel 2 , and a spring retainer 29 extending away from the engagement tongue 28 . attachment of the eject lever 21 to the chassis 1 will be described with reference to fig1 and 16 . as shown in fig1 , two guide posts 30 , 30 project upwardly from the chassis 1 for insertion through the respective oblong holes 25 , 25 in the eject lever 21 , each of the guide posts 30 , 30 having a smaller - diameter portion 31 in the form of a circumferential groove near an upper end thereof . as illustrated in fig1 and 15 , a plurality of washers 32 and the eject lever 21 are successively fitted over the guide posts 30 , and then a retainer plate 33 is mounted on the guide posts 30 , 30 . the retainer plate 33 is made of a resilient thin metal sheet and has wider apertures 34 in opposite ends thereof which are wide enough to allow heads of the guide posts 30 to pass freely therethough and narrower apertures 35 communiating with the wider apertures 34 and disposed inwardly thereof , the narrower apertures 35 having a width which is substantially the same as the diameter of the smaller - diameter portions 31 of the guide posts 30 . the narrower apertures 35 are spaced from each other a distance which is substantially the same as or slightly smaller than the distance between the smaller - diameter portions 31 . the opposite ends of the retainer plate 33 are interconnected by an intermediate connector 36 which is relatively narrow so as to be bendable easily . as indicated by the dot - and - dash lines in fig1 , the intermediate connector 36 of the retainer plate 33 is bent upwardly with the ends of the retainer plate 33 located downwardly , and the wider apertures 34 are positioned above the guide posts 30 . then , the retainer plate 33 is lowered until the heads of the guide posts 30 enter the wider apertures 34 , whereupon the retainer plate 33 is released . the retainer plate 33 springs back to the flat shape as indicated by the solid lines in fig1 to cause the narrower apertures 35 to fit over the smaller - diameter portions 31 . thus , the eject lever 21 is locked by the retainer plate 33 against removal . fig1 shows a modification of the retainer plate 33 . the modified retainer plate 33 includes wide apertures 35 defined in opposite ends thereof and progressively spreading outwardly . the modified retainer plate 33 can be attached in the same manner as the retainer plate 33 of fig1 is mounted . as assembled , the wide apertures 35 are fitted over the smaller - diameter portions 30 of the guide posts 30 . as shown in fig1 , a tension spring 38 engages the spring retainer 29 of the retainer plate 33 and a spring retainer 37 on the chassis 1 for normally urging the eject lever 21 in a direction toward an eject standby position . the micrsoswitch 27 is positioned rearwardly and downwardly of the eject lever 21 and has an actuator 39 disposed in confronting relation to the switch operating member 26 . the eject lever 21 is movable in ganged relation to a slide plate 40 . as illustrated in fig1 and 19 , the slide plate 40 has two oblong holes 41 , 41 defined therein and spaced at a certain interval in the longitudinal direction thereof in which the slide plate 40 is slidable . rollers 42 disposed respectively in the oblong holes 41 are rotatably mounted on an inner surface of the first side panel 2 , so that the slide plate 40 is slidably supported on the first side panel 2 by the rollers 42 in the oblong holes 41 . the slide plate 40 also has an engagement hole 43 defined therein between the oblong holes 41 , 41 . the engagment tongue 28 of the eject lever 21 is fitted in the hole 43 to connect the eject lever 21 and the slide plate 40 together . the slide plate 40 has an angular cam slot 44 having a lower slanted edge 47 serving as a lifting cam surface and an upper curved edge 48 serving as a engaging cam surface . as shown in fig1 the first side panel 2 has a vertical restricting groove 49 defined therein in confronting relation to the cam slot 44 in the slide plate 40 . a disk holder 45 has an outer side wall centrally on which there is rotatably supported an up - down roller 46 having an inner half inserted in the cam slot 44 and an outer half inserted in the restricting groove 49 . the disk holder 49 has front ends 50 one angularly movably supported on a shaft 51 of the front roller 42 and the other angularly movably supported on a shaft 52 projecting from an inner surface of the second side panel 3 . the disk holder 45 comprises a swing holder 45a and a load lever 45b . a lock lever 54 is angularly movably supported by a shaft 53 on an inner rear surface of the first side panel 2 . the lock lever 54 is normally urged by a helical torsion spring 55 in a direction to turn forwardly or counterclockwise in fig1 . in fig1 and 20 , a tension spring 56 acts between the first side panel 2 and the disk holder 45 for normally urging the disk holder 45 in a direction toward a load position . although not shown , the chassis 1 supports thereon a disk drive mechanism , a mechansim for feeding a carriage on which a magnetic head is mounted , and a circuit board . in a final assembling stage , the front panel 4 ( fig1 ) is mounted on the front side of the chassis 1 . the front panel 4 has a disk insertion slot 57 and a button insertion opening 58 defined therein . by attaching the front panel 4 to the chassis 1 , the center of the eject button 7 mounted and locked on the chassis 1 is well aligned with the center of the button insertion opening 56 , so that the eject button 7 is inserted centrally in the button insertion opening 56 without positional deviation . operation of the disk recording and reproducing device up to insertion of a magnetic disk cartridge 59 into the load position will now be described . fig1 shows the position of the parts prior to insertion of the magnetic disk cartridge 59 . at this time , the disk holder 45 is in an unload position ( upper position ) in alignment with the disk insertion slot 57 in the front panel 4 , with the rear end of the disk holder 45 engaging the lock lever 54 and positioned thereby . the slide plate 40 together with the eject lever 21 is pushed in a rearmost eject position against the resiliency of the tension spring 38 ( fig1 ), and the up - down roller 46 is positioned between an upper end of the lifting cam surface 47 and the engaging cam surface 48 . with the up - down roller 46 thus positioned , the slide plate 40 and the eject lever 21 are held in the eject position without being moved back to the eject standby position , through the engagement between the up - down roller 46 and the engaging cam surface 48 . as the eject lever 21 is held in the eject position , the switch operating member 26 is spaced from the actuator 39 of the microswitch 27 in the same manner as shown in fig1 . the microswitch 27 is then turned off . although the eject lever 21 is in the rear eject position , the eject button 7 projects forwardly from the front panel 4 under the resiliency of the button return spring 10 . now , the magnetic disk cartridge 59 is inserted through the insertion slot 57 into the disk holder 45 . just before the magnetic disk cartridge 59 is completely inserted , the leading edge of the magnetic disk cartridge 59 engages an abutment surface 60 ( fig1 ) of the lock lever 54 . continued insertion of the magnetic disk cartridge 59 turns the lock lever 59 clockwise against the resiliency of the helical torsion spring 55 . immediately after the magnetic disk cartridge 59 has been inserted , the disk holder 45 is disengaged from the lock lever 54 . the disk holder 45 is now released and pulled downwardly under the force of the tension spring 56 as shown in fig2 . the downward movement of the disk holder 45 causes the up - down roller 46 to be lowered off the engaging cam suface 48 while being guided by the restricting groove 49 ( fig1 ) in the first side panel 2 . the slide plate 40 is released , and withdrawn together with the eject lever 21 back to the eject standby position ( front position ) under the force of the tension spring 38 ( fig1 ). upon return of the eject lever 21 , the switch actuating member 26 engages and moves the actutator 39 to close the contacts of the microswitch 27 , which then issues a set signal indicating that the magnetic disk cartridge 59 is located in the load position . thereafter , information is written on or read out of the disk . the magnetic disk cartridge 59 will be ejected out of the device in the following manner : when the eject button 7 is depressed in fig1 , the slide 9 causes the eject lever 21 to move rearwardly ( to the right as shown ) as illustrated in fig1 . the switch operating member 26 is released from the actuator 39 , whereupon the microswitch 27 is turned off and produces no signal . fig1 shows the eject lever 21 as pushed to the eject position . on the movement of the eject lever 21 , the slide plate 40 also moves rearwardly to cause the up - down roller 46 to be lifted by the slanted surface of the lifting cam slot 47 and the restricting groove 49 in the first side panel 2 . the disk holder 45 housing the magnetic disk cartridge 59 therein is then moved from the load position to the unload position against the resilient force of the tension spring 56 . when the disk holder 45 engages the lock lever 54 as shown in fig1 , the up - down roller 46 reaches an upper end of the lifting cam slot 47 to engage the engaging cam surface 48 . the disk holder 45 is now held in the unload position , while the eject lever 21 and the slide plate 40 are held in the eject position . the magnetic disk cartridge 59 is then ejected forwardly through the insertion slot 57 by a known eject mechanism ( not shown ). although a certain preferred embodiment has been shown and described , it should be understood that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims . | 6 |
the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the circuit illustrated in fig9 mounted within a steel housing such as that illustrated by fig1 . a steel housing sh has a - longitudinal axis la , a bottom wall bw , a top wall tw , side walls sw1 and sw2 , and end walls ew1 and ew2 . within steel housing sh is mounted a power supply circuit psc ( such as that indicated by element 23 in fig2 ). this power supply circuit is connected with a ballast circuit bc ; which ballast circuit preferably includes the circuitry of fig9 except for its leakage transformer lt ; which leakage transformer is shown as a separate entity mounted in such manner as to have its main plane mp -- i . e ., a plane parallel to the magnetic flux in its ferrite core -- disposed perpendicularly to longitudinal axis la of the steel housing sh . also , leakage transformer lt is mounted a substantial distance away from end walls ew1 and ew2 of steel housing sh . as with any leakage transformer , leakage transformer lt has a magnetic leakage flux ; which magnetic leakage flux -- for the e - core - type leakage transformer actually illustrated -- extends mainly into the air space at each side of the leakage transformer &# 39 ; s main plane . however , the density ( or intensity ) of the leakage flux diminishes sharply with distance away from the leakage transformer &# 39 ; s main plane . thus , to minimize the degree to which this leakage flux couples with the walls of the steel housing ( thereby to minimize concomitant wasteful power dissipation ) it is important to locate these walls as far away as reasonably possible from the leakage flux . since it is indeed for several practical reasons desirable that the housing be made of steel , and since the size and shape of the steel housing is to a large extent given , the only realistic option available for minimizing useless power dissipation in an electronic ballasts with a leakage transformer is to locate this leakage transformer within the steel housing in such manner as to minimize the degree with which the leakage flux couples with the steel walls of the housing . ideally , minimum coupling would result with the leakage transformer disposed in the exact middle of the steel housing , with its main plain perpendicular to the housing &# 39 ; s longitudinal axis . however , for most practical purposes , it is entirely sufficient to position the leakage transformer somewhat off center , such as indicated in fig1 . ordinarily , for ease of assembly , e - core - type transformers in electronic ballasts are located within the steel housing such that the transformer &# 39 ; s main plane is parallel with the housing &# 39 ; s bottom top walls bw / tw ; which is the absolute worst location with respect to generating unnecessary power losses . the dimensions of a commonly used steel casing for electronic ballasts are as follows : bottom wall bw and top wall tw are each about 2 . 3 &# 34 ; wide and 8 . 2 &# 34 ; long ; side walls sw1 and sw2 are each about 1 . 5 &# 34 ; high and 8 . 2 &# 34 ; long ; and end walls ew1 and ew2 are each about 2 . 3 &# 34 ; wide and 1 . 5 &# 34 ; high . thus , for ballast housings with aspect ratios approximately like those of the above - indicated commonly used steel housing , a most energy - efficient location for the leakage transformer is as shown in fig1 . never - the - less , any position where the transformer &# 39 ; s main plane is substantially perpendicular to the plane of bottom wall bw is substantially more efficient than a position where the transformer &# 39 ; s main plane is parallel with the bottom wall . it is also important to position the leakage transformer about in the middle between bottom wall bw and top wall tw . ( a ) with reference to fig2 and 5 , adjustment of the amount of power supplied to load 26 &# 39 ;, and thereby the amount of light provided by lamp 71 , may be accomplished by applying a voltage of adjustable magnitude to input terminals ip1 and ip2 of the toroid heater ; which is thermally coupled with the toroidal ferrite cores of saturable transformers 47 , 49 . ( b ) with commonly available components , inverter circuit 24 of fig2 can be made to operate efficiently at any frequency between a few khz to perhaps as high as 50 khz . however , for various well - known reasons ( i . e ., eliminating audible noise , minimizing physical size , and maximizing efficiency ), the frequency actually chosen is in the range of 20 to 40 khz . ( c ) the fluorescent lighting unit of fig1 could be made in such manner as to permit fluorescent lamp 11 to be disconnectable from its base 12 and ballasting means 16 . however , if powered with normal line voltage without its lamp load connected , frequency - converting power supply and ballasting circuit 16 is apt to self - destruct . to avoid such self - destruction , arrangements can readily be made whereby the very act of removing the load automatically establishes a situation that prevents the possible destruction of the power supply and ballasting means . for instance , with the tank capacitor ( 52 ) being permanently connected with the lamp load ( 11 )-- thereby automatically being removed whenever the lamp is removed -- the inverter circuit is protected from self - destruction . ( d ) at frequencies above a few khz , the load represented by a fluorescent lamp -- once it is ignited -- is substantially resistive . thus , with the voltage across lamp 11 being of a substantially sinusoidal waveform ( as indicated in fig3 d ), the current through the lamp will also be substantially sinusoidal in waveshape . ( e ) in the fluorescent lamp unit of fig1 fluorescent lamp 11 is connected with power supply and ballasting circuit 16 in the exact same manner as is load 26 connected with the circuit of fig2 . that is , it is connected in parallel with the tank capacitor ( 52 ) of the l - c series - resonant circuit . as is conventional in instant - start fluorescent lamps -- such as lamp 11 of fig1 -- the two terminals from each cathode are shorted together , thereby to constitute a situation where each cathode effectively is represented by only a single terminal . however , it is not necessary that the two terminals from each cathode be shorted together ; in which case -- for instant - start operation -- connection from a lamp &# 39 ; s power supply and ballasting means need only be made with one of the terminals of each cathode . ( f ) in fig9 a parasitic capacitance is shown as being connected across terminals bot1 and bot2 . the value of this parasitic capacitance may vary over a wide range , depending on unpredictable details of the particular usage situation at hand . values for the parasitic capacitance will expectedly vary between 100 and 1000 pico - farad -- depending on the nature of the wiring harness used for connecting between the output of secondary winding sw and the plural terminals of lamps fl1 / fl2 . ( g ) the worst case of parasitic oscillation associated with the circuit arrangement of fig9 is apt to occur when the value of the parasitic capacitance ( i . e ., the capacitance of the ballast - to - lamp wiring harness ) is such as to cause series - resonance with the output - series inductance of secondary winding sw at the third harmonic component of the inverter &# 39 ; s output voltage . the next worst case of parasitic oscillation is apt to occur when the value of the parasitic capacitance is such as to series - resonate with the output - series inductance at the fifth harmonic component of - the inverter &# 39 ; s output voltage . with the typical value of 5 . 4 milli - henry for the output - series inductance , it takes a total of about 600 pico - farad to resonate at the third harmonic component of the inverter &# 39 ; s 30 khz output voltage ; and it takes about 220 pico - farad to resonate at the fifth harmonic component of the inverter &# 39 ; s output voltage . these capacitance values are indeed of such magnitudes that they may be encountered in an actual usage situation of an electronic ballast . moreover , at higher inverter frequencies , the magnitudes of the critical capacitance values become even lower . ( h ) fig1 shows cathode heater windings chw placed on a bobbin separate from that of primary winding pw as well as separate from that of secondary winding sw . however , in many situations , it would be better to place the cathode heater windings directly onto the primary winding bobbin b1 . in other situations it would be better to place the cathode heater windings directly onto the secondary winding bobbin b2 . if the cathode heater windings are wound on bobbin b1 ( i . e . in tight coupling with the primary winding ), the magnitude of the cathode heating voltage will remain constant regardless of whether or not the lamp is ignited ; which effect is conducive to maximizing lamp life . on the other hand , if the cathode heater windings are wound on bobbin b2 ( i . e . in tight coupling with the secondary winding ), the magnitude of the cathode heating voltage will be high prior to lamp ignition and low after lamp ignition ; which effect is conducive to high luminous efficacy . by placing the cathode heater windings in a location between primary winding pw and secondary winding sw , it is possible to attain an optimization effect : a maximization of luminous efficacy combined with only a modest sacrifice in lamp life . that is , by adjusting the position of bobbin b3 , a corresponding adjustment of the ratio of pre - ignition to post - ignition cathode heater voltage magnitude may be accomplished . ( i ) for easier lamp starting , a starting aid capacitor may be used in shunt across one of the fluorescent lamps fl1 / fl2 . also , a starting aid electrode ( or ground plane ) may advantageously be placed adjacent the fluorescent lamps ; which starting aid electrode should be electrically connected with the secondary winding , such as via a capacitor of low capacitance value . ( j ) to control ( reduce ) the degree of magnetic coupling between primary winding pw and secondary winding sw , a magnetic shunt may be positioned across the legs of the e - cores -- in a position between bobbins b1 and b3 . ( k ) considering the waveforms of fig1 a , 11a and 11e each to include 360 degrees for each full and complete cycle : ( i ) each half - cycle would include 180 degrees ; ( ii ) each total up - slope would include almost or about 60 degrees ; ( iii ) each total down - slope would include almost or about 60 degrees ; and ( iv ) each horizontal segment would include about 120 degrees or more . yet , as previously indicated , substantial utility may be attained even if each complete up - slope and down - slope were to include as little 18 degrees . ( l ) in the fig9 circuit , the inverter &# 39 ; s operating frequency is not ordinarily ( or necessarily ) equal to the natural resonance frequency of the parallel - tuned l - c circuit that consists of slow - down capacitor sdc and the input - shunt inductance of primary winding pw . rather , the inverter &# 39 ; s actual operating frequency is ordinarily lower than would be this natural resonance frequency . ( m ) in a trapezoidal waveform that constitutes a best fit for a sinusoidal waveform , the peak magnitude is lower than that of the sinusoidal waveform , and the up - slope and down - slope are each steeper that the corresponding slopes of the sinusoidal waveform . ( n ) the fig9 inverter arrangement has to be triggered into self - oscillation . a suitable automatic triggering means would include a resistor , a capacitor , and a so - called diac . however , manual triggering may be accomplished by merely momentarily connecting a discharged capacitor ( of relatively small capacitance value ) between the gate of transistor fet1 and the b + bus . ( o ) most switching - type field effect transistors have built - in commutating ( or shunting ) diodes , as indicated in fig9 . however , if such were not to be the case , such diodes should be added externally , as indicated in the fig2 circuit . ( p ) in ordinary inverter circuits , the inverter output voltage is effectively a squarewave voltage with very steep up - slopes and down - slopes . in inverters using so - called field effect transistors , the time required for the inverter &# 39 ; s squarewave output voltage to change between its extreme negative potential to its extreme positive potential is usually on the order of 100 nano - seconds or less . in inverters using bi - polar transistors , this time is usually on the order of 500 nano - seconds or less . in the inverter of the fig9 circuit , however , this time has been extended -- by way of the large - capacitance - value slow - down capacitor sdc -- to be on the order of several micro - seconds , thereby achieving a substantial reduction of the magnitudes of the harmonic components of the inverter &# 39 ; s ( now trapezoidal ) output voltage . ( q ) in an actual prototype of the fig9 ballast circuit -- which prototype was designed to properly power two 48 inch 40 watt t - 12 fluorescent lamps -- the following approximate parameters and operating results prevailed : 9 . power consumption when loaded with two f40 / t12 fluorescent lamps : about 70 watt ; 10 . power consumption when unloaded but with slow - down capacitor removed : about 80 watt . it is be noted that the natural resonance frequency of the l - c circuit consisting of a slow - down capacitor of 0 . 02 micro - farad as parallel - combined with a shunt - input inductance of about 1 . 4 milli - henry is about 30 khz . this means that -- as far as the fundamental component of the 30 khz inverter output voltage is concerned -- the parallel - tuned l - c circuit represents a very high impedance , thereby constituting no substantive loading on the inverter &# 39 ; s output . ( r ) of course , the fig9 ballast circuit can be made in the form of a push - pull circuit such as illustrated by fig7 ; in which case center - tapped transformer 96 would be modified in the sense of being made as a leakage transformer in full correspondence with leakage transformer lt of fig9 . also , of course , inductor 119 , capacitor 118 , and load 121 would be removed . instead , the load would be placed at the output of the secondary winding of the modified center - tapped transformer 96 ; which would be made such as to have appropriate values of input - shunt inductance and output - series inductance . capacitor 117 would constitute the slow - down capacitor . ( s ) the ballast housing illustrated in fig1 would ordinarily be made of steel . however , it might be made of other materials , such as aluminum . never - the - less , except if properly orienting the leakage transformer , substantial losses may still result due to coupling of the leakage flux to the walls of the housing . ( t ) the shape of the ballast housing of fig1 may be described as parallelepiped . alternatively , it may be described as being a cylinder with a substantially rectangular cross - section . this cylinder would typically be about 8 . 2 &# 34 ; long ; and its approximately rectangular cross - section would be about 2 . 3 &# 34 ; wide and about 1 . 5 &# 34 ; high . ( u ) the magnetic core of leakage transformer lt is actually a ferro - magnetic core made of ferrite . the magnetic flux lines in this ferro - magnetic core are substantially parallel with each other ; and the a plane passing through the middle of the ferrite core and oriented parallel with the magnetic flux lines therein is referred - to as the main plane of the magnetic core or of the leakage transformer . ( v ) it is thought that the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and that many changes may be made in the form and construction of its components parts , the form described being merely a preferred embodiment of the invention . | 7 |
the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanied drawings . the interpretations of the terms and wordings used in description and claims should not be limited to common or literal meanings . the embodiments of the present invention are provided to describe the present invention more thoroughly for those skilled in the art . fig2 is a flow diagram depicting a semiconductor chip bonding method in accordance with the present invention . referring to fig2 , a wafer having a plurality of semiconductor chips disposed on a front surface thereof is prepared ( s 100 ). the wafer includes the plurality of semiconductor chips diced along a scribe lane on the wafer by a semiconductor chip unit . a surface on which the plurality of semiconductor chips are formed is hereinafter referred to as a front surface and a surface opposite to the front surface is hereinafter referred to as a back surface . thereafter , the wafer is disposed on a wafer holder in a manner that the front surface of the wafer faces downward ( s 110 ). thereafter , each of the plurality of semiconductor chips is pushed downward by a pusher ( not shown ) to be disposed on a tray therebelow . the tray includes a plurality of semiconductor chip guides having a predetermined distance therebetween . the tray may be moved in order to dispose the semiconductor chip in a certain semiconductor chip guide . the tray may be conveyed in a predetermined direction for a pick & amp ; place when the disposition of the plurality of semiconductor chips is complete . the tray may be moved in order to adjust a distance between the plurality of semiconductor chips disposed in the tray . for instance , a distance between the objects to be bonded ( an arrangement gap ) varies according to a size of each of the objects when the object is an antenna of an rfid tag that fed through a magazine or a roll having the objects continuously loaded therein . that is , a number of the objects included a unit length is small when the size of the object is large , and the number of the objects included the unit length is large when the size of the object is small . the distance between the plurality of semiconductor chips disposed in the tray may be adjusted . for instance , when a length of the object is 1 , the semiconductor chips are disposed in an entirety of the plurality of semiconductor chip guides . when the length of the object is 2 , the semiconductor chips are disposed in every two of the plurality of semiconductor chip guides . through such adjustment , the semiconductor chip may correspond to the object to be bonded by a ratio of 1 : 1 . preferably , the semiconductor chip pushed downward is guided to the tray by a vacuum suction disposed therebelow in order to guide the semiconductor chip in a desired semiconductor chip guide . the semiconductor chips disposed in the tray are already flipped , that is , a surface of the semiconductor chip having a contact pad is facing downward . thereafter , the tray is conveyed to a proper position for the pick & amp ; place ( s 130 ). the plurality of semiconductor chips are sequentially picked up by a robot arm ( not shown ) ( s 140 ) to be disposed on and aligned to the object to be bonded ( s 150 ). thereafter , the semiconductor chip is bonded to the object to be bonded . the bonding process may comprise a pressure - bonding each of the plurality of semiconductor chips to the object to be bonded and a heat - bonding each of the plurality of semiconductor chips to the object to be bonded ( s 160 ). when the bonding process is complete , a test may be carried out by applying a predetermined signal to determine whether the bonding process is carried out properly and the semiconductor chip operates correctly . when the bonding process is carried out properly and the semiconductor chip operates correctly according to a result of the test , a protective layer may be formed to protect a bonding region of the semiconductor chip and the object to be bonded ( s 170 ). it is preferable that the protective layer comprises an epoxy resin . thereafter , the protective layer may be cured by radiating an ultraviolet ray ( s 170 ). as described above , in accordance with the method of the present invention , a separate chip flipping process is not required since the die is pushed downward to be disposed in the tray after the front surface of the wafer is mounted to face downward . in addition , a productivity is maximized and a manufacturing cost of the bonding apparatus may be minimized since the flip chip bonding may be carried out using only one robot arm . | 7 |
referring to fig1 , one example of an environment of the invention is provided by a subsurface pit enclosure 11 . the pit is typically made of metal , concrete , plastic or other materials and a lid which is removable to open the enclosure 11 for access . the pit enclosure 11 is located along the route of water supply pipe 17 . a water meter housing 16 is connected in the water supply line 17 . a water meter register unit 20 is mounted on top of the water meter housing 16 . as known in the art , a mechanism within the meter registers converts mechanical movements of a meter to visual and numerical representations of consumption often shown in an odometer type read - out device . the register 20 is preferably a unit that is commercially distributed by badger meter , inc ., the assignee of the present invention , under the trade designation “ recordall ” transmitter register ( rtr ). besides displaying units of consumption , this device 20 uses a transducer that is described in strobel et al ., u . s . pat . no . 4 , 868 , 566 , entitled “ flexible piezoelectric switch activated metering pulse generators ,” to convert the mechanical movements of the meter to electrical signals . other metering transducers known in the art and using optics and an analog - to - digital encoder ( ade ) circuit can also be used to send metering data signals from the register 20 . the register 20 connects via a shielded cable 21 to a transmitter assembly 10 , which is housed in a tubular housing of plastic material that hangs down from the pit lid . the register 20 transmits electrical signals to the transmitter assembly 10 , for further transmission through a radio network . besides the cable 21 , it is also known in the art to transmit these signals wirelessly to an antenna mounted in the pit lid as well . the transmitter assembly 10 communicates via low power rf signals with a receiver which can be a mobile receiver ( not shown ) in a vehicle 27 or a handheld receiver 25 carried by a service person 26 . the pit transmitter assembly 10 transmits a plurality of signals making up an electronic message that includes an identification code , meter reading data , and an error code for checking the data at the receiving end . the meter data is collected from various customer locations for billing purposes . referring to fig2 , a utility data transmitter unit 30 inside transmitter assembly 10 includes an electrical circuit typically formed on a circuit board and including a microelectronic cpu 36 operating according to a control program stored in a program memory 31 , which in this case is an a non - volatile memory , such as an eeprom . the memory is non - volatile in that it can only be altered with a special programming unit , which communicates with the transmitter through an optical i / o port 32 . as further seen in fig2 , the cpu 36 receives metering data signals from a metering transducer mentioned above through a meter signal input section 33 . this input section 33 can receive a pulse input or an input from an analog - to - digital encoder ( ade ) circuit of a type known in the art . the input section 33 then transmits these signals to the cpu 36 . the cpu 36 then transmits these signals as metering data signals in a message protocol , which is converted to radio frequency ( rf ) signals by an rf modulator section 34 . the distance between the meter with the meter register to the transmitter ranges from a foot or less to greater distances considered to be in the same “ local area ” which shall encompass a range up to about 250 feet . the utility data transmitter unit 30 operates in one of two modes of operation , one - way or bidirectional . in the one - way mode , the transmitter unit “ wakes up ” periodically to transmit metering data to any compatible mobile collector within range . it would be desirable to provide a transmitter for mobile systems of the type used for fixed network systems utilizing a higher power level . in the present invention , this is accomplished by transmitting a frequency - hopping spread - spectrum mode of operation , which is the subject of different fcc regulations permitting a higher power level . this power level is limited to ¼ watt for a number of channels from 25 to 50 channels and to one ( 1 ) watt for systems utilizing at least 50 channels . in the present embodiment , the lower number of channels and the lower power limit is selected , but in other embodiments of the invention the higher number of channels can be used to further utilize the higher power limit . a power supply section 35 of the utility data transmitter unit 30 supplies the necessary power to the rf modulator section 34 as well as to other components of the transmitter unit 30 . fig2 also shows a handheld collection unit 25 of a type offered under the trade designation badger - radix that can be used to both collect metering data through rf signals and can also read data profiling data through an optical or touch type port 15 and i / o port 32 on the transmitter unit 30 that can also be optical , including a port for transmitting and receiving signals in the infrared frequency range , or another type of rf communication port . the handheld unit 25 is placed in a cradle 13 that includes an electrical connector that allows data to be exchanged with a computer 12 running a windows ® operating system . it is also possible to collect data profiling data through the same rf messages used to transmit metering data , provided that a two - way protocol is used to request the data profiling data . referring to fig3 , a data profile has been downloaded to the computer 12 and is displayed in a screen display 40 comprising a window with a table have usage periods 42 of one hour in duration over a 22 - hour time period . the usage numbers are given in numbers such as 0 . 1 , 6 . 2 , 1 . 3 and these are determined from the reading numbers . the usage numbers can be determined either by an arithmetic section in the cpu 36 or by using a separate usage counter within the cpu 36 . the data profile can be displayed in tabular or graphical form , including a bar graph . the table shown in fig3 relates to one transmitter which is identified by serial number in data window 41 . this has been a description of the preferred embodiments , but it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that variations may be made in the details of these specific embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention , and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the following claims . | 8 |
embodiments of the present invention will be described referring to the accompanying drawings . fig1 and 2 illustrate an automatic film unloading apparatus 1 according to the present invention , and fig3 to 6 show an intermediate film takeup cartridge for use in the automatic film unloading apparatus according to the present invention . as illustrated in fig1 and 2 , the automatic film unloading apparatus 1 of the present invention comprises a film drawing means 2 , a light shielding door opening and closing means 3 , a film disconnecting means 4 , a pair of cases 5 , a takeup reel rotating means 6 , a case turning means 7 , and a taken - up film feeding means 8 . also , denoted by the numeral 9 is a cartridge loaded with a roll of undeveloped film a . the film drawing means 2 is provided for driving a spool 10 of the film cartridge 9 loaded with the undeveloped film roll a to unload the undeveloped film a from the cartridge 9 and includes a motor 2a , a power transmission mechanism 2b , and a rotary shaft 2c as shown in fig2 . the rotary shaft 2c is shaped for engagement with a bore ( not shown ) of the spool 10 of the cartridge 9 . the light shielding door opening and closing means 3 is provided for opening and closing a light shielding door 11 of the cartridge 9 loaded with the undeveloped film a , and includes a motor 3a , a power transmission mechanism 3b , and a rotary shaft 3c as shown in fig2 . the rotary shaft 3c is shaped for engagement with the light shielding door 11 of the cartridge 9 for opening and closing operations . the film drawing means 2 and the light shielding door opening and closing means 3 both are mounted on a common movable plate 12 so that their respective rotary shafts 2c and 3c are engaged with their corresponding holes ( not shown ) in the cartridge 9 transferred to a specific location in an automatic developer apparatus ( not shown ) as the movable plate 12 travels . the film disconnecting means 4 comprises a motor 4a , a pulley 4b ( or a sprocket ), a belt 4c ( or a chain ), a pulley 4d ( or a sprocket ), an actuating rod 4e fixedly mounted to the pulley 4d , and a disconnecting arm 4f of an arcuate shape mounted to the distal end of the actuating rod 4e . the film disconnecting means 4 is designed such that the disconnecting arm 4f is actuated by the motor 4a via the pulley 4b , the belt 4c , the pulley 4d , and the actuating rod 4e to move into the cartridge 9 through the light shielding door 11 opened by the light shielding door opening and closing means 3 and engage with an engaging hole ( not shown ) of the spool 10 to which the trailing end of the undeveloped film a is joined , for disconnecting the undeveloped from a from the spool 10 . the two cases 5 are provided for temporarily storing the undeveloped film a unloaded from the cartridge 9 and are connected to each other by a link bar 15 . when the two cases 5 are turned 180 degrees , the exit 14a of a guide passage 14 from the light shielding door 11 of the cartridge 9 comes opposite to a film outlet 13 of one of the two cases 5 for the undeveloped film a and a film outlet 13 of the other case 5 comes to a location where the undeveloped film a in the other case 5 is joined to a film leader 17 . each of the cases 5 contains a takeup reel 5a for rewinding the undeveloped film a , a leaf spring 5b , and a holddown roller 5c . the takeup reel 5a of the case 5 is driven by the takeup reel rotating means 6 for forward and backward rotations . the takeup reel rotating means 6 comprises a motor 6a , a pulley 6b ( or a sprocket ), a belt 6c ( or a chain ), a pulley 6d ( or a sprocket ), a toothed wheel 6e mounted coaxially of the pulley 6d , and another toothed wheel 6f meshed with the toothed wheel 6e and also with a toothed wheel 6g mounted on the takeup reel 5a of the case 5 . as the motor 6a is actuated , the pulley 6b , the belt 6c , the pulley 6d , the toothed wheel 6e , the toothed wheel 6f , and the toothed wheel 6g rotate the takeup reel 5a allowing the undeveloped film a unloaded from the cartridge 9 to be rewound on the takeup reel 5a . the two cases 5 are turned by the case turning means 7 which comprises a motor 7a , a pulley 7b ( or a sprocket ), a belt 7c ( or a chain ), and a pulley 7d ( or a sprocket ). the pulley 7d is fixedly mounted to a support shaft 16 which is joined to the center of the link bar 15 for turning the two cases 5 thereabout . as the motor 7a is actuated , the pulley 7b , the belt 7c , and the pulley 7d rotate to drive the support shaft 16 , thus allowing the link bar 15 to turn 180 degrees together with the two cases 5 . the taken - up film feeding means 8 is provided for rotating the takeup reel 5a of the case 5 located at the leader joining side to unloading the undeveloped film a from the takeup reel 5a . the taken - up film feeding means 8 comprises a motor 8a , a pulley 8b ( or a sprocket ), a belt 8c ( or a chain ), a pulley 8d ( or a sprocket ), a toothed wheel 8e mounted coaxially of the pulley 8d , and another toothed wheel 8f meshed with the toothed wheel 8e and also with a toothed wheel 8g mounted on the takeup reel 5a of the case 5 . as the motor 8a is actuated , the pulley 8b , the belt 8c , the pulley 8d , the toothed wheel 8e , the toothed wheel 8f , and the toothed wheel 8g rotate to drive the takeup reel 5a allowing the undeveloped film a to be transferred from the takeup reel 5a to the film leader 17 for joining thereto . the operation of the automatic film unloading apparatus 1 of the present invention starts with placing the cartridge 9 loaded with a roll of undeveloped film a in its position shown in fig1 followed by actuation of the light shielding door opening and closing means 3 and the film unloading means 2 to open the light shielding door 11 of the cartridge 9 and to rotate the spool 10 of the cartridge 9 , hence permitting the undeveloped film a to be unloaded from the cartridge 9 and rewound in one of the two cases 5 . more specifically , the leading end of the undeveloped film a from the cartridge 9 is fed to and rewound on the takeup reel 5a of the case 5 by the operation of the takeup reel rotating means 6 . when the undeveloped film a has nearly been rewound on the takeup reel 5a , the film disconnecting means 4 is actuated so that its disconnecting arm 4f moves into the cartridge 9 and disconnects the trailing end of the undeveloped film a from the spool 10 . the undeveloped film a upon being disconnecting from the spool 10 of the cartridge 9 is rewound on to the takeup reel 5a of the case 5 . when the undeveloped film a has been disconnected from the spool 10 , the film disconnecting means 4 stops its movement and the disconnecting arm 4f is returned to an original position . this is followed by ceasing operation of the related means 2 , 3 , and 6 . as the case 5 has been loaded with the undeveloped film a , the case turning means 7 is actuated to turn the case 5 through 180 degrees up to the location where the film leader 17 stands by . simultaneously , the other case 5 is turned to move from the film leader location to the unloading location where the unloaded film a is received from the cartridge 9 . the case 5 upon arriving at the film leader location is unloaded by the operation of the taken - up film feeding means 8 so that the trailing end of the undeveloped film a on the takeup reel 5a is released and joined to engaging holes ( not shown ) of the film leader 17 . accordingly , the undeveloped film a in the cartridge 9 can automatically be unloaded and rewound in one of the two cases 5 which is then turned to the location where the film leader 17 stands by . the above procedure may be executed with two or more undeveloped films a being unloaded at a time from their respective cartridges 9 disposed in parallel and joined to the film leader 17 at the joining location . an intermediate film takeup cartridge according to the present invention for use in an automatic film developer apparatus will be described referring to fig3 to 6 . the intermediate film takeup cartridge denoted by 18 is installed in an automatic film developer apparatus for temporarily storing a sheet of developed film 19 unloaded from its cartridge ( not shown ). the intermediate cartridge 18 comprises two main sections , i . e . an intermediate cartridge body 20 and a base 21 ( see fig6 ). the intermediate cartridge body 20 includes a film takeup roller 22 rotatably mounted thereon and connected by a belt 24 to a motor 23 ( fig4 ) located on the automatic film developer apparatus ( not shown ). the intermediate cartridge body 20 includes a film guide passage 25 thereof extending along the outer surface of the film takeup roller 22 and a guide member 26 for guiding a sheet of undeveloped film 19 rewound on the film takeup roller 22 . the guide member 26 ( fig3 and 5 ) comprises two rollers 27 , a roller shaft 28 , a support bracket 29 , a bracket pivot shaft 30 , and a spring 31 . the support bracket 29 is pivotably mounted on the bracket pivot shaft 30 adjacent to the guide passage 25 in the intermediate cartridge body 20 . the roller shaft 28 is rotatably mounted in parallel to the bracket pivot shaft 30 on the distal end of the support bracket 29 and the two rollers 27 are mounted close to operation end regions of the roller shaft 28 . one end of spring 31 is mounted close to a distal end region of the back of the support bracket 29 and at the other end of springs 31 is in a recess 32 provided in the intermediate cartridge body 20 . the spring 31 remains urging the support bracket 29 against the film takeup roller 22 so that the two rollers 27 on the roller shaft 28 of the support bracket 29 project across the film guide passage 25 and come into direct contact with the outer surface of the film takeup roller 22 . the base 21 ( fig3 and 4 ) is arranged for joining with and separating from the intermediate cartridge body 20 . the joining of the base 21 with the intermediate cartridge body 20 is by means of a retaining screw 33 inserted in a through hole 34 ( fig6 ) provided in the lowermost portion of the intermediate cartridge body 20 and threaded into a screw bore 35 provided in the lowermost portion of the base 21 . the base 21 has a film introduction passage 36 therein which extends along the outer surface of the film takeup roller 22 and is communicated at one end with the film guide passage 25 of the intermediate cartridge body 20 . the film introduction passage 36 is also communicated at the other end thereof with a film takeup inlet 37 provided in the uppermost portion of the base 21 . this allows the undeveloped film 19 unloaded from its cartridge ( not shown ) to be passed through the film takeup inlet 37 and fed into the intermediate cartridge 18 . provided in an intermediate portion of the film introduction passage 36 of the base 21 is a guide member 38 which is identical in construction to the guide member 26 of the intermediate cartridge body 20 . the guide member 38 comprises two rollers 39 , a roller shaft 40 , and a support bracket 41 , a bracket pivot shaft 42 , and a spring 43 . the support bracket 41 is pivotably mounted on the bracket pivot shaft 42 in the base 21 . the roller shaft 40 is rotatably mounted in parallel to the bracket pivot shaft 42 on the distal end of the support bracket 41 . the two rollers 39 are mounted close to opposite end regions of the roller shaft 40 . the spring 43 for urging the support bracket 41 has one end close to distal end region of the back of the support bracket 41 and another end in a recess 44 provided in the base 21 . the spring 43 remains urging the support bracket 41 so that the two rollers 39 come into direct contact with the film takeup roller 22 . a sensor 45 ( fig3 ) is provided adjacent to the film takeup inlet 37 for detecting the introduction of the undeveloped film 19 into the intermediate film takeup cartridge 18 . for installation of the intermediate film takeup cartridge 18 , the intermediate cartridge body 20 and the base 21 are joined by the retaining screw 33 to each other and placed at a predetermined position in the automatic film developer apparatus ( not shown ) with the belt 24 mounted between the film takeup roller 22 and the motor 23 . operation of the automatic film developer apparatus starts with the undeveloped film 19 being automatically unloaded from its cartridge and fed to the intermediate film takeup cartridge 18 . the undeveloped film 19 is detected by the sensor 45 before the film takeup inlet 37 of the intermediate cartridge 18 . in response , the motor 23 is actuated to rotate the belt 24 and the film takeup roller 22 . as the undeveloped film 19 moves in the film introduction passage 36 , it is pressed down by the rollers 39 of the guide member 38 against the film takeup roller 22 . the undeveloped film 19 is further advanced to the film guide passage 25 of the intermediate cartridge body 20 and pressed down by the rollers 27 of the guide member 26 against the film takeup roller 22 . as the film takeup roller 22 rotates , the undeveloped film 19 is rewound on the roller 22 . upon the trailing end of the undeveloped film 19 departing from the sensor 45 , the motor 23 is deenergized to stop the rotation of the film takeup roller 22 . if the sensor 45 fails to detect the trailing end of the film , the entire length of the undeveloped film 19 is rewound on the film takeup roller 22 . in that case , the retaining screw 33 is unscrewed for separating the intermediate cartridge body 20 from the base 21 . then , the undeveloped film 19 on the film takeup roller 22 of the intermediate cartridge body 20 is exposed and can easily be unloaded in a dark room or the like . this allows the undeveloped film 19 to be removed easily and readily from the film takeup roller 22 without giving undesired injury or exposure before joining again the intermediate cartridge body 20 to the base 21 . | 6 |
the following description discloses two embodiments of the present invention . the first embodiment is a programmable electronic activity detector and command generator illustrated in fig1 - 3e . fig2 a - 2e and 3a - 3e illustrate the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , the embodiment includes a machine interface 202 which consists of the connection of the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 to the circuit board 300 of an electronic device . in this instance , as shown in fig2 a - 3e , the electronic device would be a typical slot machine having display data output , machine input information and machine output information which may be either sampled on the circuit board itself as will be necessary with many retrofit situations , or the slot machine may include a wiring harness which allows for simple connection to each of the data output locations from the circuit board . in either event , the machine interface 202 will access the information sites on the circuit board and allow for the event occurrence data to be transferred to the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 . the machine interface 200 is connected , in the preferred embodiment , through a series of diodes and dip switches to the event detector devices 204 a - o which operate to read the machine outputs . the event detector devices may be of various types of detectors , including optical isolators or the like , so long as the primary function of unobtrusively determining event occurrences is fulfilled . each of the event detector devices 204 a - o are connected to one of the machine output lines 201 a - o and therefore when an event occurs on any of the machine output lines 201 a - o , the event detector device 204 a - o associated with that event will signify the occurrence of that event yet prevent any potential modification of the event status due to the one - way nature of the event detector devices . after the event detector device 204 a - o activates in response to event occurrence on the machine board , the event occurrence notification signal corresponding to that event occurrence is transmitted to the data capture segment 206 of the embodiment 200 . the data capture segment 206 consists of a plurality of input registers which receive the incoming event occurrence notification signal from the event detector devices 204 a - o and interfaces the signal from the machine interface 202 to the event occurrence information signal computing device or main computing unit 240 . the input registers 208 b and 208 c are each preferably connected to the machine inputs and machine outputs on the machine output line 201 d - o whereas input register 208 a is preferably connected to the display data coming from machine output lines 201 a , 201 b and 201 c . the display data is in serial format coming from the circuit board 300 of the slot machine and thus must be changed over to parallel to permit the main computing unit 240 to access the incoming display data . for this reason , each of the incoming display unit lines is converted from serial to parallel format by an appropriate converter , shown as converter units 210 a , 210 b and 201 c . the display data is then fed into input register 208 a before being forwarded onto the main computing unit 240 . finally , input register 208 d is designed for use with eight - bit addressing systems for future possible uses . it should be clear that an additional operational feature of the data capture portion 206 of the embodiment 200 of fig1 - 3e is that the data capture portion 206 must be organized to permit the main computing unit 240 to sample the incoming data to determine event occurrences on the circuit board 300 of the slot machine . this would commonly be done by clock pulse synchronization or multiplexing in which the main computing unit 240 is programmed to periodically “ poll ” each of the input registers 208 a - d to determine if an event has occurred . each of the input registers 208 a - d may be polled in turn to determine an event occurrence detected by the input registers 208 a - d thus permitting the connection of all of the input register outputs to be placed on a signal bus line 212 leading to the main computing unit 240 . the polling operation will be made more clear in the discussion regarding the main computing unit 240 , but it should be generally understood that the input registers 208 a - d operate in a manner generally understood by those skilled in the art . the input registers 208 a - d of the data capture portion 206 are connected in information transmission connection by bus 212 to the programmable event occurrence information signal computing device 240 which will , be referred to herein as the mcu ( main computing unit ). the mcu 240 is programmed to scan the input registers within the data capture portion 206 of the alternative embodiment and remove , identify and compare the event occurreñ 1 ce notification signals found within those registers to a decision table preloaded into the registers of the mcu 240 itself . this decision table may take any accepted form so long as the mcu 240 is able to access the data , identify particular event occurrence information signals and output command signals to connected output devices which command those output devices to perform certain functions based on particular machine events . for example , common machine events may include coin in , handle pull , jackpot , any other payoff combination or non - winning combination or the like . the mcu 240 will preferably be an eight - bit cmos microcontroller manufactured by microchip technology , inc ., part no . pic16c6x . of course , it is to be understood that numerous other types of microcontrollers may be used with the present invention provided those microcontrollers are programmable to perform the same or similar operations . although the mcu 240 is shown as being wired into the system in one particular design in fig3 a - 3e , it should be further understood that the exact layout and connection of the hardware elements described herein is not overly critical to the present invention so long as the embodiment 200 is able to function as intended . furthermore , although the mcu 240 of the present invention is programmed using risc code , it is to be understood that the exact object code to be used in the mcu 240 is not critical to the invention so long as the mcu 240 operates to perform all of its intended functions . when the mcu 240 identifies that an event occurrence information signal received from one of the input registers 208 a - d corresponds to a table event within the register of the mcu 240 , the mcu 240 , due to its programming , determines that a command signal should be sent to a connected output device . as best seen in fig6 , the mcu 240 is programmed and hardwired to output command signals in two basic formats , one being a simple command pulse or device trigger for the triggering of an output device such as a bell , whistle , or light , and the second being a serial interface for connection to more sophisticated output devices such as a sound card or a printer . the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 of the present invention is designed to substitute alternative output device responses for particular event occurrences in the slot machine . obviously , modification and / or replacement of all of the event occurrences produced by the machine is not necessary nor even advisable in many instances and therefore the mcu 240 is operative to replace or supplement only those events designated for replacement by the event table in the mcu and allow the remaining machine outputs to be produced normally by the slot machine . when the mcu 240 detects that a designated event has occurred in the slot machine by a match of a selected event occurrence information signal and an event held within the table , the mcu 240 generates a command signal which is sent to connected output devices . depending on the event occurrence in the slot machine , the command signal which is output by the mcu 240 will be a command pulse , which will be sent via the auxiliary triggers 242 a and 242 b which send a simple trigger pulse to connected output devices designed for activation by such command pulses , or will be a serial format command signal for commanding serial output devices such as an audio card , a printer or other such serial output device . the information transmission connection of the mcu 240 to the serial output devices would preferably consist of a serial peripheral interface 244 of an industry standard format . finally , the serial command signals output by the mcu 240 would preferably be in standard serial format to permit the use of many different types of output devices with the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 , connection to which would be by a standard serial cable . of course , as a virtually limitless number of types of output devices may be used with the presently described device , the command signals output by the mcu 240 may be modified to conform to the particular connected output device , as would be understood by one skilled in the art . the command signals sent by the mcu 240 would preferably be in the format commonly used for command of printers , sound cards and the like to facilitate the use of the present invention with already existing hardware , and the programming and operation of such devices is well - known in the prior art . one important aspect of the present invention is that allowance has been made for the mcu 240 to include a network interface 260 which can be used to connect the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 to a central control system ( not shown ). through the network interface 260 , the central control system will be able to collect event information from the slot machine and also will be able to download command information to the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 to activate connected output devices . a prime example of the use of this connection would be to immediately reward a game player upon hitting a certain combination on the reels , which was being monitored over the central control system . it is expected that the network system would be implemented as was previously discussed , although any appropriate network system could be used for the present invention . one other possible use of the present invention is as a tie - in with state - run lotteries in which the network capabilities of the present invention would be used to provide a wide - area “ powerball ” type jackpot payoff on one particular combination being achieved . the specific nature of this implementation will be made apparent in future documentation , but this and other such examples serve to illustrate the virtually limitless possibilities for use of the present invention . the second embodiment of the present invention is similar in function to the first embodiment , but incorporates additional features which further emphasize the unique aspects of the present invention . the bonus printing and dispensing method of the present invention includes the features of the previous embodiment but provides a bonus printing and dispensing device operatively connected to the mcu 240 and the command signals sent by the mcu 240 correspond to the occurrence of preselected event or series of events occurring on the electronic gaming device . the detection of a preselected event or series of events is performed by the event detector devices 204 a - o which signal the occurrence of the event by the transmission of an event occurrence notification signal corresponding to that event occurrence to the data capture segment 206 of the embodiment 200 . the event detector devices 204 a - o may be of various types as described previously , and may even be constructed as integral elements of the gaming device , so long as they function to detect event occurrences in the gaming device . the mcu 240 is programmed to recognize those preselected event occurrences , the programming being done by standard programming methods understood to those skilled in the art , and issue command signals to the connected bonusing system of the present invention , which , in the preferred embodiment , may include a bonus information printing device , bonus item dispensing device and / or a connected electronic gaming device to output a bonus item or bonus information . it is important to note that the bonus printing or dispensing device is separate from the standard payout device of the electronic gaming device and is controlled separately by the mcu 240 . this means that the bonus payout is independent of the regular payout and can be modified without affecting the payout of the gaming device . this allows the casino or operator to modify the bonus payouts according to its wishes , without requiring additional inspection by a gaming commission or its agent . a preferred embodiment of the bonusing system of the present invention would include a printing device operative to print bonus prize information which would be redeemable for a selected bonus prize . when a preselected event or series of events occurs on the gaming device , the printing device is commanded by the mcu 240 to dispense a printed ticket or voucher which can be redeemed for the selected bonus item or prize . alternatively , the system would include a dispensing device which could be a vending device or the like which operative to output bonus items including coin , cash , bonus tickets , lottery tickets , scratch off tickets , complimentaries , promotional materials , and other such bonus awards . of course , the key and critical element of the above invention is that bonus payout is printed or dispensed by a separate device independent of the standard payout device of the gaming device and is tied to the occurrence of selected reel or outcome combinations on the electronic gaming device , and other occurrences on the gaming device do not directly influence the bonus payout . the above - described invention is believed to provide a substantial improvement over the prior art , as the player of the gaming device will not only win standard payouts but will also win bonus prizes based on selected events or series of events occurring . moreover , as the present invention provides a legitimate bonus versus a split payment of a predetermined amount , the player is more likely to continue playing the gaming device regardless of outcome , as they will still be receiving bonus prizes . finally , as the present invention provides bonuses not connected with the payment calculations of the machine , the player may receive bonuses despite not hitting a standard payout combination . it is to be understood that numerous additions , modifications , and substitutions may be made to the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 and printing and dispensing bonusing system of the present invention which fall within the intended broad scope of the appended claims . for example , the microprocessors may potentially be combined into a single microprocessor chip programmed to perform the functions of each of the three chips . furthermore , the specific object code used to program the microprocessors may be modified or changed in many ways so long as the function of each of the elements of the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 and printing and dispensing bonusing system are able to function in the correct and efficient manner . also , the detection devices of the present invention , described herein as optical interfaces , may be modified , changed or replaced entirely with detection devices which fulfill the intended function of identification of event occurrences and transfer of that information to the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 . possibilities include optical readers which read the reel combinations produced by the machine and electromagnetic pulse detectors for detection of event occurrence signals , in addition to detectors directly connected to the gaming device or formed integrally therewith . also , the exact designs and structures of the programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 and printing and dispensing bonusing system may be rearranged or modified as necessary to fit within the gaming device environment . finally , the printing and dispensing bonusing system of the present invention may be modified or changed to issue different types of bonuses in connection with different series of occurrences on the gaming device , in addition to various types of printing and dispensing devices . there have thus been shown and described a programmable electronic activity detector and command generator 200 and a printing and dispensing bonusing system which accomplish at least all of their stated objectives . while the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments , those skilled in the art , having benefit of this disclosure , will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed here . accordingly , the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims . | 6 |
fig1 shows the simplified diagram of a simple closed loop servo - control system . the position of a piston 10 is controlled from a control means 12 . this position is detected by a position sensor 14 and the difference between the two electric magnitudes generated by the control means 12 and sensor 14 is provided by a subtractor 16 . this difference is amplified by an amplifier 18 and it is then applied to a control coil 20 of a servovalve 22 . the hydraulic part 24 of this latter receives from a pump 26 hydraulic pressurized fluid and it distributes the hydraulic pressure to one or other of the faces of piston 10 through ducts 23 , 25 depending on the sense of said difference , and in proportions which are linked to its magnitude . fig2 shows the relationship which is established between the electric magnitude i applied to the input of coil 20 and the hydraulic magnitude p which results therefrom . response curve 28 is obtained with a servovalve device of the prior art with however the defects shown in an exaggerated way to clarify the drawing , whereas curve 30 , a straight line passing through the origin , represents a desired response curve to be obtained precisely with the device of the invention . the analysis of curve 28 reveals especially the defects of the badly placed zero points a and b of the gain which varies about zero , of the gain which varies close to the maximum and hysteresis limits . according to the invention , these defects are palliated by inserting a so - called electronic matching circuit 32 shown with a broken line in fig1 between the output of amplifier 18 and the input of the electric control signal for servovalve 22 . this electric matching circuit 32 , shown in more detail in fig3 comprises an input buffer amplifier 34 , an analog - digital converter 36 , a memory 38 , a digital - analog converter 40 and an output buffer amplifier 42 . memory 38 stores , for each value admitted as input signal , the corresponding value which will result in the desired hydraulic magnitude outputted by the servovalve . to effect this transformation , the input signal serves for addressing the memory and the valve stored at this address corresponds in fact to the input value . the two converters 36 and 40 used advantageously a number of elements in common which may be used in timesharing . this is possible because of a maximum electric conversion frequency of the order of about ten kilohertz which exceeds by far the maximum hydraulic response frequency which is located round about a hundred hertz or so . to obtain a better approximation of the ideal response curve , two sets of values are fed into the memory , one corresponding to the rising part of curve 28 and the other corresponding to the descending part . in this case , fig3 is modified as shown in fig4 in which a device 44 is incorporated for detecting the direction of variation of the control signal , and an additional binary addressing element 45 has been added . for example , the heavy weight bit would indicate the rising direction for its logic value 1 and the descending direction for its logic value 0 . generally , each memory is matched to its own servovalve towards the end of manufacture thereof . so as to obtain a linear response , the operation is carried out in the following way described with reference to fig5 . a new servovalve 22 is installed in a checking and measuring device 46 . an electric control magnitude i is applied to servovalve 22 and the hydraulic magnitude p which results therefrom is measured . after adequate conversion into a digital signal in an analog - digital converter 48 , magnitude p addresses memory 38 , whereas the electric control magnitude , also after adequate conversion into digital form in a converter 49 , is written into the memory which is then operating in the write mode . the electric magnitude i is modified so that the hydraulic magnitude p marks each available address at the resolution used . programmable read - only memories ( proms ) are used . in use , a control signal proportional to the desired hydraulic magnitude p is used for addressing memory 38 which therefore automatically delivers the electric magnitude i for obtaining it . in a first general use , an electronic matching circuit in accordance with the invention serves for reducing the defects of manufacture . however , it may provide other interesting possibilities and from the simple correction of manufacturing faults attain linearization of a servovalve apparatus with non linear distribution law . besides overall linearization of the device , it is possible in the scope of the invention to act on certain characteristics proper to the servovalve itself , which is made possible by the presence of the electronic matching circuit , and to obtain , by causing the means used to cooperate , other desirable qualities for the device . the reduction of the &# 34 ; drive flatness &# 34 ; of a hydraulic motor controlled by the servovalve , improvement in the capacity of the servovalve to respond to a weaker control signal and the possibility of having response performances on demand , the possibility of increasing the manufacturing tolerances for the servovalve for a given linearity , or conversely of linearizing the servovalve with tolerances imposed greater than those possible without the matching circuit , to better understand how to obtain these results in accordance with the invention , the operation of a typical servovalve will be recalled schematically with reference to fig6 . coil 20 surrounds an armature 50 , the coil - armature assembly being housed in a magnetic circuit 52 . an electric current i flowing through coil 20 creates a couple which tends to cause armature 50 to rock . this action drives a blade 54 which is integral with the armature , but which is plunged in an oil circuit . the possibility for blade 54 to move is provided by a flexible tube 56 which surrounds it and which provides the seal between the oil circuit and the electric circuit . blade 54 is extended by a retroaction spring 58 whose end is engaged in a valve - spool 60 . blade 54 is placed between two nozzles 61 and 62 which are supplied with pressurized oil through two calibrated orifices 63 and 64 . the oil arrives in the body 24 of the servovalve through a pressure inlet 70 and it is discharged through return outlet 72 . when blade 54 moves towards one of the nozzles , 62 for example , it moves at the same time away from the other one , causing a greater oil flow through the nozzle 61 from which it is moving away with respect to the flow through the nozzle 62 which it is approaching . the result is that the pressure increases behind the approached nozzle 62 and decreases behind the other nozzle 61 ; the valve - spool 60 is then subjected to a differential pressure . when the valve - spool 60 moves under the action of this pressure , it drives with it the retroaction spring 58 , creating a couple opposed to the initial electromagnetic couple . at the point of equilibrium of these couples , blade 54 is again centered between the two nozzles 61 and 62 and the valve - spool stops in a position determined by the magnitude of the initial electromagnetic couple . valve - spool 60 is housed in a sleeve 74 which is provided with different ports 75 , 76 which are gradually uncovered by pistons 67 , 68 which form part of the valve - spool 60 . depending on the direction of movement of valve - spool 60 , the ports are placed in relationship either with the pressure inlet 70 or with the return outlet 72 . the ports control an oil flow through two user orifices 65 and 66 . there are then two effects : an electromagnetic couple results in movement of the valve - spool and the position of the valve - spool determines the uncovered proportion of ports , controlling the oil flow therethrough . in fact , generally , the sleeves of the servovalves have rectangular ports resulting in linear flow laws . around low flow rates , the parameters playing a role in the response of the servovalve are the axial and radial adjustment of the valve - spool in the sleeve and more precisely the covering and uncovering zones around the neutral point . different leaks further add background &# 34 ; noise &# 34 ;. the performances depend essentially on the machining accuracy of the servovalve and adjustment thereof on the test bench . it is in practice very difficult to obtain optimal results about zero ; the improvement of one parameter causing necessarily the deterioration of another . for example , improving the accuracy of zero intersection by increasing the travel path of the valve - spool results in a degradation of the dynamic performances . however , in accordance with the teaching of the invention , a modification of the shape of the ports in association with the electronic matching circuit , allows a better accuracy of the intersection at zero to be obtained in addition to the desired linearization of the device . for this , the shape of the ports departs from the usual rectangular shape . fig7 shows a top view of such a non rectangular port 75 . on the drive side 84 it has a very fine section of the order of a few hundredths of a millimeter , then it widens gradually towards a conventional rectangular shape . ideally , the curve would be exponential but , for convenience in manufacture , it is traced in two circles having centers 80 , 82 and a common tangent about half - way between point 84 and the rectangular part 75 . to pierce such ports in the sleeve , an electro - erosion process is used with a set of electrodes which approach successively the desired shape . with this shape , such as shown in fig7 or a closely related shape , it will be noted that the first part of the port to be uncovered , 84 , gives a finer control about zero at the same time as a good dynamic response , that is to say that with the section of the ports increasing with the direction of movement of the valve - spool , equal movements of fixed magnitude about zero control oil flows of a volume less than those which would be controlled far from zero . with the preceding description , the remarkable effects provided by the invention will be better understood , which effects have been mentioned above . thus the reduction of drive flatness . it is known that in the prior art , whatever the hydraulic motor used with a servovalve flow , the pressure in the user orifices 65 , 66 ( fig6 ) cannot be determined when the valve - spool 68 is opposite port 75 , 76 , which position is called &# 34 ; about zero &# 34 ;. this pressure is in fact related to the level of the hydraulic leaks depending on manufacturing accuracy and on the surface states of the valve - spool / sleeve assembly : accuracy in the diameter of the valve - spool , accuracy in the diameter of the bore of the sleeve , functional tolerance in the valve - spool / sleeve fitting , accuracy in the position of the longitudinal ridge of the valve - spool facing the ridge of the sleeve -- called &# 34 ; intersection at zero &# 34 ;. at present , so as to have a reduction of the &# 34 ; drive flatness &# 34 ; covering and uncovering of the port ridges facing the valve - spool ridges must be obtained at the pressure 70 and return 72 orifices . covering over the return orifices 72 and uncovering the pressure orifice 70 causes a very high pressure in the user orifice 65 , 66 . conversely , uncovering return orifice 72 and covering over pressure orifice 70 causes a very low pressure . depending on the type of hydraulic motor , the user pressure is either low or high . if the pressure is high the internal friction of the motor will be high and dependent on the mechanical constructional characteristics of the motor ( manufacturing tolerances , deformation of the constructional elements etc . . . ). a certain initial pressure , causing rotation of the motor , is then necessary so as to &# 34 ; unstick &# 34 ; the moving parts . this initial pressure , called &# 34 ; stick - slip &# 34 ; must overcome the frictional forces between parts and allow the motor to rotate , while responding more rapidly to the electric control signal of the servovalve . in fact , the motor cannot rotate before its parts are unstuck . on the other hand , in accordance with the invention , this transitory period or unsticking of the parts is not ensured , or drive flatness , is reduced , resulting from the reduction of the influence of friction and there is an improvement in controlling the pressure about zero . by thus influencing the unsticking pressure , the motor is brought better under control at low speeds . the hydraulic leaks are reduced because the section of the ports about zero , the facing valve - spool / port ridges , is considerably reduced . the reduction of the intrinsic drift due to the distributor alone results from the fact that , in accordance with the invention , the valve - spool has necessarily a longer travel path for the same flowrate in the known art . thus , poor positioning of the valve - spool has less influence on the drifts of the characteristics of the servovalve , since its travel path is higher about zero . in so far as improvement in the smoothness of the low speeds of the servo - motor is concerned , it will be noted that with conventional servovalves the instability of the valve - spool causes instability of the pressures and flowrates about zero and so causes unevennesses in the speed of the motor . in accordance with the invention , there is a pressure gain so the pressure and flowrate variations about zero are much better dominated and consequently the movement is stabler and smoother at low speeds . the improvement in the capacity of the servovalve to respond to a smaller control signal and the possibility of having response performances on demand , which capacity 13 called &# 34 ; resolution &# 34 ; is obtained about zero , i . e . for a small electric signal , since the travel path of the valve - spool is greater for bringing small flowrates under control . the response performances may be on demand since they may be established according to the law ( s ) of the electric control signal associated or not with the laws of the shapes of ports 75 , 76 . the possibility of increasing the manufacturing tolerances for the servovalve for a given linearity results from the fact that the electronic matching circuit allows the defects of present manufacturing to be brought better under control and improves the performances of present servovalves which are related to the quality and accuracy of manufacture and more especially of the valve - spool / sleeve assembly . conversely , to linearize the servovalve with higher imposed tolerances than those possible without the matching circuit is more significant and it is possible to obtain extreme resolution by associating the narrowing of the manufacturing tolerances with a matching circuit whose performances are only limited by the present technical possibilities . the reduction of the effects of erosion follows from the reduction of the perimeter of the ridges of the valve spool and of the sleeve in contact with the passage of the hydraulic pressurized oil transporting the erosive particles . thus , an electrohydraulic servovalve device has been described whose performances are greatly improved with respect to those of devices of the prior art , by introducing into the device a so - called matching electronic circuit controlling the servovalve used , which further allows certain modifications to be made to certain mechanical characteristics of the servovalve , further contributing to improving the performances of the device . | 8 |
in a packet - switched network environment , the audio signal is encoded into a sequence of packets . through the network , the voice packets transmit from a transmitting end to a receiving end . after the voice packets arrived at the receiving end , the method and apparatus of the present invention is used to perform the dynamic adjustment of playout delay , silence length and the jitter buffer zone . fig2 shows a flowchart illustrating the method for dynamically adjusting the playout delay of audio signals according to the present invention . as shown in fig2 , the receiving end stores a plurality of received voice packets in a jitter buffer . based on the number of voice packets in the jitter buffer , the receiving end dynamically determines whether to adjust the silence length in the voice packets in order to adjust the playout delay for the voice packets , as shown in step 201 . this is because the human hearing is less sensitive to the changes in the silence . the silence of the voice packets can be detected by a voice active detection ( vad ) mechanism . step 202 is to divide the jitter buffer into three zones for temporarily storing the received voice packets and provide a dynamic adjustment of silence length to extend or shrink the playout delay . the silence length is determined according to the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer . step 203 is to dynamically adjust the jitter buffer zones . according to the three steps in the flowchart of fig2 , the probability of processing the voice signals can be reduced so that the voice quality is better ensured and the overall computation is also reduced . fig3 shows the zones of the jitter buffer and the processing of each zone . the jitter buffer is divided into three zones . as shown in fig3 , zones a 1 - a 3 of the jitter buffer are based on the lower bound of normal delay ( l ), the upper bound of normal delay ( u ) and the maximum acceptable delay ( max ). max is the maximum delay that is acceptable in the voice communication . when the number of voice packets in the jitter buffer exceeds max , the jitter buffer discards the voice packets beyond max , as indicated by zone a 4 of fig3 . when the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is between max and u , it indicates the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is too many , but remains within the storage limit of the jitter buffer . in this scenario , the voice active detection ( vad ) mechanism is activated to detect the silence of the voice packets and shrink the silence length to reduce the playout delay . when the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is between u and l , it indicates the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is within the acceptable range , and no further processing is required . when the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is less than l , it indicates the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is too few , but there remain voice packets for playout . in this scenario , the vad is activated to detect the silence in the voice packets and extend the silence to increase the playout delay . when the network starts to get congested , the duration between the voice packet arrivals at the receiving end increases . the number of voice packets in the jitter buffer decreases . if the network congestion continues , the jitter buffer will become empty and the voice communication is interrupted . in this scenario , it indicates that the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is less than l , as shown in fig3 . to prevent the jitter buffer from becoming empty , the vad mechanism detects the silence in the voice packets and extends the silence to increase the playout delay until the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer returns to the normal delay range , i . e ., between u and l . if the voice packets are still all played out after the extending of the silence , the receiving end has no data to play , shown as zone a 0 in fig3 . on the other hand , if the network congestion disappears and the arriving duration between voice packets at the receiving end is shrunk , the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer increases . once the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer exceeds max , the voice packets beyond max will be discarded . this will lead to the loss of part of the conversation . this is shown in fig3 as when the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is between max and u , the vad mechanism must detect the silence in the voice packets and shrink the silence to decrease the playout delay until the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer returns to the normal delay range , i . e ., between u and l . fig4 a shows the flowchart of the silence length adjustment , all measured in the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer . as shown in fig4 a , step 401 is to receive the voice packets at the receiving end , and step 402 is to check the voice packets at the receiving end to determine whether the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is within the normal delay range . if so , the received voice packets are stored in the jitter buffer , as step 403 ; otherwise , the vad is activated to detect the silence in the voice packets in the jitter buffer , as step 404 . when the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer exceeds u , the silence is shrunk , as step 405 . when the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is below l , the silence is extended , as step 406 . fig4 b shows the silence adjustment , and the sizes of the maximum shrinking and maximum extending . according to the present invention , the maximum extending size and the maximum shrinking size are determined by the lowest voice quality that is acceptable to the user . it is worth noticing that the size of silence adjustment is according to the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer . fig4 b also shows the silence adjustment . when the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer moves further from l , it indicates the jitter buffer is becoming empty . the silence length must be extended . similarly , when the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer moves closer from l , it indicates the network congestion is alleviated , and the silence length must be shrunk . similarly , when the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer moves further from u , the same adjustment mechanism is used . the adjustment size of the silence can be determined by a function , such as linear function , step function , or an exponential - like function . although the variable playout delay provides better voice quality , as described earlier , the conventional techniques use time stamps in the voice packets to compute the network delay , which may lead to errors . this is because clocks on the transmitting end and the receiving end may not be synchronized ; therefore , sampling rates and the time on both ends are not synchronized . to improve the voice quality and reduce the overall computation , the present invention provides dynamic adjustment of jitter buffer zones . the zone size can be changed according to the network congestion conditions . except when the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer is within the range u and l , all the voice packets must be processed before playback . the processing of voice packets will cause the degradation of the voice quality . therefore , it is of the best interest of the voice quality to maintain the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer within the u and l so that no processing and silence adjustment is required . to achieve this object , the present invention provides a method to dynamically adjust the jitter buffer zones according to the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer . through the probability model to estimate the network saturations , the present invention can automatically adjust the jitter buffer zones . the object of the zone size adjustment is to keep the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer to stay within u and l to reduce the probability that the voice packets need to be processed before playbout . fig5 shows the flowchart of adjusting u and l . as shown in fig5 , a probability model is used to obtain the probability distribution p tn ( a 0 )- p tn ( a 4 ) corresponding to zones a 0 - a 4 in the next time intervals [ t n , t n + 1 ], as step 501 . the probability model is described as follows . let p t0 ( ai ) be the initial value of zone ai , and p t0 ( a 0 )= p t0 ( a 1 )= p t0 ( a 2 )= p t0 ( a 3 )= p t0 ( a 4 )= ⅕ , where i = 0 - 4 . p tn − 1 , tn ( a 0 ) represents the probability that the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer falls in zone a 0 in the time interval [ t n − 1 , t n ]. according to p tn − 1 , tn ( ai ) and previous p tn − 1 , it is possible to predict the p tn ( ai ), the probability that the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer falls zone a 0 in the time interval [ t n , t n + 1 ]. in other words , the computation is : p tn ( ai )= p tn − 1 , tn ( ai )× α + p tn − 1 ( ai )×( 1 − α ), i = 0 ˜ 4 , where α is used to determine the sensitivity of p tn to the network jitter , and sum of all the p tn must be equal to 1 , that is : ∑ i = 0 4 p tn ( ai ) = 1 , then , the pre - defined values t a0 , t a1 and t a3 are compared with p tn . the result of the comparison is used to determine whether l and u should be adjusted , as step 502 . if no adjustment is required , n is incremented and the method returns to step 501 . otherwise , u and l are adjusted , n is incremented and the method returns to step 501 . there are four scenarios for the u and l adjustment : both u and l increased , u increased and l decreased , u decrease and l increased , and both u and l decreased . fig6 will describe the four scenarios respectively . refer to fig6 , the first scenarios is that when p tn ( a 0 )& gt ; t a0 , the indication is that the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer decreases ; therefore , the number must be increased . by increasing both u and l , as step 601 , the voice packets have more probability to extend the silence . the second scenarios is that when p tn ( a 0 )& lt ; t a0 , the indication is that the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer increases ; therefore , the number must be decreased . by decreasing both u and l , as step 602 , the voice packets have more probability to shrink the silence . the third scenario is that when p tn ( a 1 )& gt ; t a1 and p tn ( a 3 )& gt ; t a3 , the indication is that the network jitter increases ; therefore , u must be increased and l must be decreased , as step 603 . the fourth scenario is that when p tn ( a 1 )& lt ; t a1 and p tn ( a 3 )& lt ; t a3 , the indication is that the network jitter decreases ; therefore , u must be decreased and l must be increased , as step 604 . as described , the present invention uses a probability model to estimate the network conditions ( jitter ), and an algorithm to compute l and u of the jitter buffer so that the zones in the jitter buffer can be dynamically adjusted according to the network conditions . this achieves the object to increase the probability that the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer will fall in the range of u and l . fig7 shows a schematic view of a block diagram of an apparatus of the present invention . the apparatus 100 for dynamically adjusting the playout delay includes a jitter buffer 701 , a dynamic playout delay adjustment module 703 , a dynamic silence length adjustment module 705 , and a dynamic jitter buffer zone adjustment module 707 . jitter buffer 701 temporarily stores a plurality of received voice packets , and delays and re - orders the playout time of the voice packets . dynamic playout delay adjustment module 703 divides jitter buffer 701 into three zones , and dynamically extends or shrinks the silence length of the voice packets to adjust the playout delay of the voice packets . dynamic silence length adjustment module 705 dynamically adjust , according to the number of the voice packets in jitter buffer 701 , the shrinking or extending size of the silence length . dynamic jitter buffer zone adjustment module 707 dynamically adjusts , according to the number of the voice packets in jitter buffer 701 , the sizes of the three zones of jitter buffer 701 . as described earlier in fig3 , the jitter buffer includes an extended silence zone a 1 , a normal delay zone a 2 , and a shrinking silence zone a 3 . extended silence zone a 1 includes a maximum extending size , and shrinking silence zone a 3 includes a maximum shrinking size . the two sizes are determined by the lowest quality that is acceptable to the user , and the silence of the voice packets can be detected by the vad mechanism . fig5 - 6 describe the zone adjustment of the jitter buffer . a probability model is used to estimate the network jitter and an algorithm is used to compute l and u of the jitter buffer . dynamic jitter buffer zone adjustment module 707 further includes a probability model estimation unit 707 a and a zone size adjustment unit 707 b . probability model estimation unit 707 a obtains the probability distribution p tn − 1 , tn corresponding to the previous time interval [ t n − 1 , t n ] of zone a 0 - a 4 , and combines p tn − 1 to predict p tn ( ai ) corresponding to probability that the number of the voice packets in the jitter buffer falls into the range ai in the next time intervals [ t n , t n + 1 ]. zone size adjustment unit 707 b compares t a0 , t a1 and t a3 , p tn ( ai ) to determine whether to increase or decrease u and l of zone a 2 . in summary , the present invention provides a method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting playout delay of audio signals . the zones in the jitter buffer are adjusted according to the distribution of the number of voice packets . through a probability model to estimate the network variation and an algorithm for adjusting the zones , the zones can be automatically adjusted according to the network conditions . the impact of the voice quality caused by the network jitter is reduced , and the smoothness of the voice is increased . the present invention reduces the probability of processing the voice signals so that the voice quality is better ensured and the overall computation is also reduced . although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments , it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described thereof . various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description , and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art . therefore , all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims . | 6 |
as used herein , a networked device is a device that is connected in a network typically to one or more computer users to provide certain functionality to the computer users . examples of networked devices are a printer , a scanner , a copier , a facsimile device , a device combining the functionality of any of these devices ( often referred to as a multi - function device ( mfd )), and the like . fig1 illustrates a diagram of a system or apparatus 110 suitable for implementing the exemplary embodiments . the system 110 may be embodied within devices such as a desktop computer , a laptop computer , a handheld computer , a handheld communication device , or another type of computing or electronic device , or the like . the system 110 may include a memory 120 , a processor 130 , input / output devices 140 , a display 150 , a database 160 , and a bus 170 . the bus 170 may permit communication and transfer of signals among the components of the computing device 110 . it is noted that the display 150 and input / output devices 140 may not be needed in certain embodiments . the processor 130 may include at least one conventional processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes instructions . the processor 130 may be a general purpose processor or a special purpose integrated circuit , such as an asic , and may include more than one processor section . additionally , the system 110 may include a plurality of processors 130 . the memory 120 may be a random access memory ( ram ) or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processor 130 . memory 120 may also include a read - only memory ( rom ), which may include a conventional rom device or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for the processor 130 . the memory 120 may be any memory device that stores data for use by the system 110 . the input / output devices 140 ( i / o devices ) may include one or more conventional input mechanisms that permit a user to input information to the system 110 , such as a microphone , touchpad , keypad , keyboard , mouse , pen , stylus , voice recognition device , buttons , and the like , and output mechanisms , such as one or more conventional mechanisms that output information to the user , including a display , one or more speakers , a storage medium , such as a memory , magnetic or optical disk , disk drive , a printer device , and the like , and / or interfaces for the above . the display 150 may typically be an lcd or crt display as used on many conventional computing devices , or any other type of display device . the system 110 may perform functions in response to the processor 130 by executing sequences of instructions or instruction sets contained in a computer - readable medium , such as , for example , the memory 120 . such instructions may be read into the memory 120 from another computer - readable medium , such as a storage device , or from a separate device via a communication interface , or may be downloaded from an external source such as the internet . the system 110 may be a stand - alone system , such as a personal computer , or may be connected to a network such as an intranet , the internet , and the like . other elements may be included with the system 110 as needed . the memory 120 may store instructions that may be executed by the processor to perform various functions . for example , the memory may store printer driver or other instructions to allow the system to perform various printing functions in association with a particular printer connected to the system . the printer driver instructions are typically unique to each specific type of printer , and the system 110 may store a plurality of print drivers each for a different printer . instructions for drivers for networked devices other than printers may also be used . employees in a company , medical office , or other organization may utilize one or more of the systems 110 described above . ad - hoc workflows may form when workflows are automatically re - created due to equipment failures , organization changes or disruptions , employee substitutions , or for other reasons . fig2 shows an example of a linear ad - hoc workflow with a number ( n ) of tasks , such as task 1 , task 2 , task 3 , task ( n - 1 ), and task n . as stated earlier , it is helpful to provide some measure of security with respect to a document that undergoes various tasks from various people over time . in accordance with the exemplary embodiments described herein the actions ( or tasks ) ( 1 to n ) performed by each person or employee on each document ( 1 to m ) at a certain stage in the workflow may be recorded within the document as a proof . with reference to fig3 , at a high level , the process starts ( 301 ), and a proof may then be created by combining the message digest ( md ) of a document before one or more actions are performed on the document ( or a set of documents such as a document set that includes one or more documents ) with the message digest of the document after the actions have been performed on the document , repetitively , until the last task n ( 302 ). it is to be understood that the process of combining the two message digests could be accomplished using various means , including , but not limited to , concatenation , simple arithmetic , and / or logical operators . the resulting quantity may then be digitally signed with the user &# 39 ; s private key and / or the workflow system &# 39 ; s private key ( s ) ( 303 ), whereupon the process may be ended ( 304 ). fig4 shows a flowchart of an exemplary method of creating chained values in greater detail . once the process begins for a given task ( 401 ), task i is set to 0 , where i represents a given task ( 402 ). next , a chained value ( cv ) is generated ( 403 ). the initial chained value , cv ° , is a random number . generally , the random number is a 32 - bit , 48 - bit , 56 - bit , 64 - bit , or 128 bit string of 0 s and 1 s . the initial chained value depends at least upon the strength of the message digest ( i . e ., whether it is based on a one - way hash function , a cryptographic hash function , or a secure hash algorithm ) and what the one - way hash function &# 39 ; s algorithm gives as an output . as used herein , a hash , also called a digest , is a unique string of data . a hash is created when a collection of information that someone wants to protect is run through a hash function . the process of creating a hash is called hashing . the resulting hash is unique to the original message and therefore can be used as a fingerprint of that data . since a hash creates an identifiable signature of data it can be used to determine whether a set of data has been changed ; in other words it is possible to verify the integrity of data . for example , to make sure that financial documents that have been stored have not been tampered with , it is possible to create a hash of the known correct data . now , whenever a check of the data is needed , the data is hashed again and the two hashes should match if the most current data has not been changed . hashes are also called one - way hashes because once they are created they cannot be reversed . this means that a hash cannot be deciphered to determine the contents of the original message . therefore , hashes can only be used to compare data . hashes are created with hash functions , which are cryptographic algorithms . an algorithm that is considered secure should not create collisions meaning two different sets of data creating the same hash value . in addition , a secure hash algorithm should create hashes that are the same length no matter the size of data being hashed . one of the advantages of a fixed length hash is that other programs can use it easily since it is consistent . thus , a one - way hash function is an algorithm that turns messages or text into a fixed string of digits , usually for security or data management purposes . the “ one way ” means that it is nearly impossible to derive the original text from the string . a one - way hash function is used to create digital signatures , which in turn identify and authenticate the sender and message of a digitally distributed message . a “ message digest ” is the representation of text in the form of a single string of bits , created using a one - way hash function . encrypting a message digest with a private key creates a digital signature , which is an electronic means of authentication . as used herein , a cryptographic hash function refers to a hash function , that is , an algorithm that takes an arbitrary block of data and returns a fixed - size bit string , the ( cryptographic ) hash value , such that an ( accidental or intentional ) change to the data will ( with very high probability ) change the hash value . the data to be encoded is often called the “ message ,” and the hash value is sometimes called the “ message digest ” or simply the digest . some of the standard algorithms include md5 , rc4 , sha , sha - 1 , sha - 256 , etc . there are public domain implementations ( available in source code or as binary libraries ) of the one - way hash functions written in c , java , c ++, c #, ruby or php . a one - way hash function ( e . g ., a message digest or secure hash algorithm ) generally takes a piece of data and transforms ( or maps ) it into a fixed - bit string . although pieces of long data are broken into manageable chunks of data and taken one at a time , ultimately the entire data is converted into this fixed - bit string . for instance , the one - way hash function called md5 gives as its output a 128 - bit string . if , for example , cv 0 uses a 128 - bit string of 0 s and 1 s , then every value cv 1 to cv n would be a 128 - bit string . returning now to fig4 , once the certain random number cv 0 is generated , j is set to 1 ( 404 ), where j represents each document within each task . thus , “ j = 1 ” refers to the first document with a task . the hash of document j is then calculated ( 405 ). as shown in the figure , md j = hash ( d j ), where md refers to the message digest of a document . the cumulative message digest ( md ) of documents in the set up to document j is then calculated ( 406 ) ( e . g ., md j = md j − 1 ⋄ md j , where “⋄” is any binary logic operator , such as xor , or , nor , and ; or an algorithm such as md5 . further , the exemplary embodiment makes use of standard algorithms for creating a one - way hash of the input data . next , a determination as to whether all of the documents in the set are hashed ( 407 ). if not , then j is incremented by 1 ( 408 ) ( e . g ., j = j + 1 ), and the calculation of the hash of the next document is made ( 405 ). if , however , all of the documents in the set have been hashed , then the chained value for the given task ( cv i ) is calculated ( 409 ). as shown in the figure , cv i = c i − 1 ⋄ md j . that is , a proof may be created by combining the message digest of the document before one or more actions are performed on the document ( or a set of documents such as a document set that includes one or more documents ) with the message digest of the document after the last action ( in the current workflow task ) is performed by a user in the workflow . this quantity may be digitally signed ( either by the user &# 39 ; s private key or the system &# 39 ; s private key or both ). the message digest of the document before one or more actions are performed is called cv k for the k th step or task in the workflow . it is combined with the message digest of the current task , which may have one or more actions — all these actions can be said to comprise one action for simplicity . for example : a health care provider such as a physician assistant could enter a particular patient vitals — click the submit button , look at patient &# 39 ; s current prescription , then enter what the patient is really consuming i . e ., whether the patient is following the prescription , enter those details in another web page or form — click the submit button , etc . each of the click submissions is an action . all the actions can be said as comprising one task performed by a health care provider for a patient and all the data generated for these actions could be combined and message digested / hashed . in another embodiment , each of the actions could be treated as one single task in the workflow . next , a determination is made as to whether the end of the workflow has been reached ( 410 ). if the end of the workflow has not been reached , then the task is incremented ( 411 ) ( e . g ., i = i + 1 ). optionally , an audit log for cv i may be created , and the documents and other related data may be stored in the database 160 ( 412 ). as used herein , an audit log ( or audit trail ) refers to a security - relevant chronological record , set of records , or destination and source of records that provide documentary evidence of the sequence of activities that have affected at any time a specific operation , procedure , or event . audit records typically result from activities such as financial transactions , scientific research and health care data transactions , or communications by individual people , systems , accounts , or other entities . the process that creates an audit log is typically required to run in a privileged mode so it can access and supervise all actions from all users ; a normal user should not be allowed to stop and / or change it . returning now to fig4 , once again , j is set to 1 ( 404 ). steps 405 to 408 are repeated for all the documents in the set for the next task in the workflow . it should be noted that instead of calculating the hash of every document , alternatively , the hash value of only changed documents may be calculated . the chained value for this next task is calculated in step 409 . if the end of the workflow has been reached , then the process is stopped ( 413 ). fig5 illustrates in schematic form the creation of chained values ( e . g ., cv i − 1 , cv i , cv i + 1 , and so on ) for a number ( n ) of tasks ( e . g ., task i − 1 , task i , task 1 + 1 , and so on ) in schematic form . each task includes a number ( m ) of documents . thus , in essence the proof is a chained set of values , i . e ., cv k ( where k = 1 to n )— for tasks 1 to n . the exemplary method offers a tamper - proof verification of actions performed on the object at each task . note that an object such as a document is envisioned to traverse through each of the tasks where a process or a user ( e . g ., an employee ) performs one or more actions . this proof enables a process or person at task ( i + 1 ) to cryptographically prove through one - way hash functions , such as md5 or sha - 1 , that previous tasks have been completed before the task ( i + 1 ) was performed . it is noted that the md5 message - digest algorithm is a widely used cryptographic hash function that produces a 128 - bit ( 16 - byte ) hash value and that sha - 1 is a cryptographic hash function , which produces a 160 - bit message digest based on principles similar to those used in the design of the md4 and md5 message digest algorithms . the proof could be performed by workflow software that also displays the users or processes who performed the task ( deciphering the digital signatures on the chained values ). if someone tampers ( e . g ., deletes an object within a document , deletes a document within the set of documents , and / or adds or modifies objects within a document ) with the object and performs tasks previously completed , then the message digest of the document would be different from the one that was performed when the document was at the same task in the workflow earlier , since the document would have been altered significantly and the propagated chained values would be incongruent with the newly created chained value . this embodiment is particularly useful when someone deletes a document along with its stored message digest as the deleted document is inextricably linked to other documents using a chained value . thus , this could also be used for auditing a workflow by verifying it against workflow tampering . in addition , a timestamp may be included in the digital signatures , which would be used to detect the date and time of any tampering ( if the same or another authenticated employee tampered with the document at a later date ). embodiments may also include non - transitory computer - readable medium for carrying or having computer - executable instructions or data structures stored thereon . such computer - readable medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer . by way of example , and not limitation , such computer - readable medium can comprise ram , rom , eeprom , cd - rom or other optical disk storage , magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices , or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer - executable instructions or data structures . when information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection ( either hardwired , wireless , or combination thereof ) to a computer , the computer properly views the connection as a computer - readable medium . thus , any such connection is properly termed a computer - readable medium . combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of the computer - readable medium . computer - executable instructions include , for example , instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer , special purpose computer , or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions . computer - executable instructions also include program modules that are executed by computers in stand - alone or network environments . generally , program modules include routines , programs , objects , components , and data structures , and the like that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types . computer - executable instructions , associated data structures , and program modules represent examples of the program code means for executing steps of the methods disclosed herein . the particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described therein . the instructions for carrying out the functionality of the disclosed embodiments may be stored on such a computer - readable medium . the instructions from a computer - readable medium may be used by an electronic device , such as the system 110 , to cause the functionality of the embodiments to occur . these instructions may be loaded into a memory of the system 110 to be executed by a processor as needed . note that it is not necessary for an audit log to be kept on a central server . moreover , when a document traverses between organizations , it may be difficult to have a central server between the two organizations unless prior arrangements have been made . this is even more difficult when the object traverses between paper and digital domain , and when it traverses into and out of the hands of a non - user of the workflow . in a health care system , medical records typically traverse the electronic and paper domains several times . for example , a patient &# 39 ; s initial complaint along with an appointment setup may be a recorded telephonic voice message . the patient &# 39 ; s initial visit to a doctor may trigger a diagnostic task with a visit to the lab for a blood test . this is generally a paper document that lists what kinds of tests should be performed on the blood sample taken from the patient . test results can be sent electronically or via paper to the doctor &# 39 ; s office . a doctor &# 39 ; s prescription is taken to a pharmacy by the patient in paper form or it may be sent electronically . the pharmacist examines the prescription for availability of generic drugs , sends a request to a health savings account maintained by a bank and to the insurance company for necessary payment . the pharmacist - assistant fills in the prescription and dispenses the drug . in this scenario , the document moves between paper and electronic domains several times and crosses many organizations before being archived . at each stage , access rights are verified before any operation is performed . the digital signatures are used to provide non - repudiation of the actions having been performed on the object by a user , when the user signs off ( completes ) each task . audit logs can of course be maintained as a secondary proof . a surgeon could not hide having operated on the wrong leg of a patient by changing the health records of the patient . a mortgage lender could not deny having used a different interest rate from the original agreed upon value by tampering with the documents . an audit log itself could not be tampered with by officers on duty at a plant , such as a chemical , power , nuclear , or manufacturing plan , after a deadly accident occurs . it will be appreciated that variants of the above - disclosed and other features and functions , or alternatives thereof , may be combined into many other different systems or applications . various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives , modifications , variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims . | 6 |
fig1 is a process flow diagram depicting the recovery of powder - laden gaseous crude from an organohalosilane reactor system and the purification thereof by an array of sintered metal filters utilized in the process of the present invention . fig2 is a process flow diagram depicting the organohalosilane gaseous crude purification process of the present invention utilizing a relatively more elaborate sintered metal filter array and blowback system . the process of the present invention is particularly well suited for use with the manufacture of methylchlorosilanes wherein it is possible to remove the residual powder from gaseous chlorosilanes without experiencing the aforementioned problems . this object is achieved by incorporating sintered metal filters in a vessel in the line coming from the last cyclone . such sintered metal filters are effective for screening out the powder while allowing clean gaseous crude to flow directly to the condensers . periodically it is necessary that the powder be blown off the filtered surfaces by passing any hot gas in the reverse direction . ordinarily hot methylchloride gas is quite suitable for this . the process of the present invention will be better understood with reference to fig1 . gaseous methylchloride is blown into the bottom of fluid bed reactor 1 through inlet line 2 . this gas flows upward through sieve plate 3 and through a fluidized bed of silicon and copper contained in the reactor . the copper and silicon powder are introduced continuously into the reactor through inlet line 4 . the methylchloride reacts with the silicon in the fluidized bed to produce methylchlorosilanes . the particular silanes of most interest are dimethyldichlorosilane , methyltrichlorosilane , trimethylchlorosilane and a series of other gaseous reaction products . of course , it is to be emphasized that such an alkylhalosilane reaction system need not be limited to the methylchlorosilanes series of products . the direct process reaction is carried out at a temperature of approximately 250 °- 350 ° c . and preferably in the range of approximately 280 °- 300 ° c . the product gases which carry some residual powder from the fluid bed reactor leave the reactor through line 5 and enter cyclone 6 wherein a large amount of the residual powder may be recovered . as mentioned earlier , not all of the residual powder is so recovered since cyclone efficiency is not one hundred percent . the separated powder from cyclone 6 drops back into reactor 1 through line 7 and is reutilized therein . the product gases containing remaining residual powder leaves cyclone 6 through line 8 and enters cyclone 9 where additional powder is removed from the gases . this powder drops out of the cyclone through line 10 where it can be collected and reutilized or discarded . next the product gases which still contain some residual powder leave cyclone 9 through line 11 and are directed to the sintered metal array utilized in the process of the present invention . additional cyclones could be utilized for further removal of powder from the product gases but these would not be economical because the efficiency of a cyclone drops rapidly when the size of the powder to be removed is in the range of just a few mirons . in accordance with the process of the present invention the powder - laden product gas is then directed through line 11 to vessel 12 wherein one or more sintered metal filter elements 14 are arranged in an array to filter out the powder . the number of filter elements 14 required in this process depends on the process parameters at any particular time . those skilled in the art will be able to utilize a proper number of sintered metal filters for effectively removing the powder contained in the gaseous product without undue experimentation . the important design criterion for selecting the proper number of filters is the filter surface velocity of the gas which is to be filtered . the velocity should be such so as to prevent continuous penetration of powder particles into the filter medium . the velocity should not normally exceed 10 ft / min at the filter surface and preferably will be approximately 3 to 5 ft / min . as an example , if the flow rate of the powder - laden gas is 1000 cubic ft / min at a selected process temperature and pressure , then for a chosen filter surface velocity of 4 ft / min the filter area requirement is 1000 ÷ 4 = 250 square feet . then , given filters of fixed length and diameter for each element , the surface area for each element can be determined and the total number of elements in the filter array can be calculated . the residual powder is deposited on the outside of filter elements 14 while the gaseous crude product passes through the filter elements . the powder - free crude gas leaves filter vessel 12 through line 13 and is then condensed and separated into the different methylchlorosilane products . periodically the powder deposited on the outside of filter elements 14 is blown back or removed by blowing gas through filter elements in a direction opposite to the flow direction of the chlorosilanes . line 15 may be utilized for the purpose of the blowback process . the blowback can be methylchloride gas , inert gas or any other gas including the gaseous chlorosilanes . the blown powder leaves the vessel 12 through line 16 by gravity and is collected in hopper 17 , the powder can then be transferred from hopper 17 through line 18 and is discarded or recycled in the same or some other process . thus , it can be seen that the process of the present invention makes it possible by a simple means to quantitatively separate essentially all of the silicon and copper residual powder contained in gaseous chlorosilanes before the reaction gas is condensed and without wasting valuable gaseous chlorosilane products nor expending costly energy for incinerating a slurry product . as a result of this process it is additionally possible to achieve a marked increase in silicon yield , i . e . the extent to which silicon can be utilized in making such chlorosilane products in the direct process . furthermore , the reduction in waste and significant savings in energy are readily apparent from the above description . the sintered metal filters used in the process of the present invention are commercially available products which can be obtained from several sources including pall trinity micro corporation of cortland , n . y ., and mott metalurgical corporation of farmington , conn . these filters are generally produced by starting with stainless steel , nickel , inconel or monel metal powders . useful grades of stainless steel include stainless steel 316 , 304 , and 347 . these metal powders are laid in the form of a sheet and heated in a furnace in a reducing atmosphere . the temperature is raised to just below the melting point whereupon the particles fuse at points of contact thereby forming a sheet . the porous sheet is then rolled into a cylinder of desired diameter and welded at the seams , although seamless tubes are available . one end of the filter element is capped and the other end is fixed to the tube sheet support member within the filter vessel . new filter elements have a characteristic pressure drop . when the filter becomes coated with powder the pressure drop becomes greater but upon blowback it returns to nearly the initial state . initially for the first few cycles there will be some powder penetration of the filter element which will not be corrected by blowback , but after this point there will usually be no further powder penetration and a steady state operation for thousands of cycles can be expected . a pilot unit utilizing the process of the present invention was constructed as shown schematically in fig2 . the unit was constructed with a side stream from a commercial methylchlorosilane process . powder - laden crude gas from such a commercial reactor enters cyclone 25 through line 26 . most of the powder is separated from the gas stream in cyclone 25 and this powder leaves the cyclone through line 27 . the remaining powder is then carried out of the cyclone by the gaseous chlorosilane reaction product through line 28 . in this commercial process , the powder - laden gaseous crude then enters the scrubber which is not shown in fig2 but has been described earlier , through line 28 . a small stream of this powder - laden gaseous crude was directed into filter vessel 30 through line 29 . the dust was deposited on the outside of two filter elements 31 . the filter elements were supplied by pall trinity micro corporation . one element was made up of stainless steel 316 while the other element was made up of inconel 600 . the filter elements were suspended in vessel 30 by using a support member 32 called a tube sheet . the elements were 70 inches long and 23 / 8 inches in diameter . dust - free chlorosilanes passing through the filter elements leave the filter vessel through line 33 where they flow through valve 34 and enter flow meter 35 after passing through line 36 . the flow meter 35 indicates the flow rate of chlorosilanes through the filter assembly . the flow rate is regulated at the desired level by adjustment of valve 38 . the chlorosilanes leave the flow meter 35 through line 37 , thereby flowing through valve 38 and line 39 and thereafter they may be condensed . periodically the powder is blown off from the filter surface by blowing methylchloride vapors through line 40 and valve 4 and line 42 into the filter vessel 30 through line 33 and closing valve 34 . the methylchloride vapors thus flow in the reverse direction and flow through the filter elements 31 into the vessel 30 when valve 34 is closed . this flow may last from one - half second to five seconds in the form of a pulse . the pulsing flow blows the dust from the outside of the filter surface . the dust passes through line 43 and into the vessel 44 . from vessel 44 it may be collected through line 45 . during the time when chlorosilanes were filtered , valve 34 is open and valve 41 is closed so as to prevent the flow of methylchloride . during blowback , valve 34 is closed and valve 41 is open . the operation of valves 34 and 41 is controlled in such a manner that when one closes the other one opens . the blowback operation may be carried out every few minutes depending on dust loading of the crude gaseous chlorosilanes . pressure drop across the filter elements due to the dust buildup was measured by a differential pressure cell 46 connected to the high pressure side by line 47 and the low pressure side of the filter elements by the line 48 . this differential pressure measurement can be an important evaluation for the performance of the filter elements . in a test of the process of the present invention , the temperature of incoming dust - laden chlorosilane was 230 ° c . and the flow rate was such that the velocity across filter elements 31 was approximately 3 to 3 . 6 feet per minute . the pressure drop across the filter element due to dust buildup was approximately 0 . 5 to 0 . 6 psi before blowing back . the dust was blown back every 2 minutes and the length of blowback period was 2 seconds . after approximately 20 blowback cycles the pressure drop across the filter elements reached a steady value and remained so through the conclusion of the test . during the test , the total number of blowbacks were 116 . a sample of collected powder was analyzed for silicon and copper content . the silicon content was 35 % and copper content was 14 % by weight . this powder was reacted with hydrochloridic acid gas in the laboratory . approximately 46 % of the available silicon was converted into useful chlorosilanes . about 85 % of the chlorosilanes consisted of trichlorosilane and silicontetrachloride . thus it is evident that the recovered residual powder may be readily converted into useful and valuable chlorosilane products . | 2 |
various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings . while the following description will generally discuss each embodiment separately , two or more embodiments may be combined to increase the accuracy of diseased or cancerous tissue detection . further , while the present description will generally use only two bands of ir wavelengths , the use of three or more bands of ir wavelengths will further increase system sensitivity to diseased tissue . fig1 illustrates an area of tissue and skin 100 , of which a portion is diseased , such as by a cancerous lesion . this area of tissue and skin 100 is imaged by a diagnostic system 110 employing the methodology of the present invention . the diagnostic system 110 comprises a dual - band ir imager 112 and a computer 114 . in the healthy portion of the area of tissue and skin 100 , the body regulates its temperature using neuronal modulation of blood perfusion 120 . the neuronal modulation of blood perfusion 120 includes vasodilation to cool the body and vasoconstriction to warm the body in the body &# 39 ; s effort to maintain a desired temperature 122 . this results in normal temperature oscillations 124 about the desired temperature 122 . the body uses the skin as a radiator to remove excess heat causing the skin temperature 126 to oscillate . the skin temperature 126 oscillates over a band of neuronal thermoregulatory frequencies ( trfs ) 128 . the skin therefore radiates an ir flux 130 as excess heat is given off by the skin in the body &# 39 ; s effort to maintain the desired temperature 122 . while this process is generally discussed in terms that the tissue underlying the skin is cancerous , this method lends itself to the detection of skin cancer as well . for that reason , while the term tissue and skin may be used separately , skin will also be considered tissue for the purposes of this description . the diagnostic system 110 takes a series of infrared images of the tissue and skin 100 using the dual - band ir imager 112 and processes the resultant images using the computer 114 . the actual images will be composed of many individual pixels , each corresponding to a different portion of the imaged tissue and skin 100 . the dual - band ir imager 112 may be based upon a 256 pixel by 256 pixel or 480 pixel by 640 pixel dual - band ir photodetector array . to increase sensitivity , the dual - band ir imager 112 images the tissue and skin 100 in two different bands of ir wavelengths resulting in two different series of ir images . by using the two different series of ir images , the occurrence of false positives and false negatives may be reduced . the second series of ir images in the second band of ir wavelengths may serve as a check on the first series of ir images in the first band of ir wavelengths , thereby increasing overall diagnostic system 110 sensitivity depending upon the data analysis method . the use of n independent bands of ir wavelengths generally leads to a √ n increase in sensitivity . with the two bands used throughout this description , this increase in sensitivity leads from a single band ir diagnostic system having a sensitivity of 30 m ° c . to a dual - band ir diagnostic system 110 having a sensitivity of 21 m ° c . alternatively , if 30 m ° c . is the desired diagnostic system 110 sensitivity , then the dual - band ir imager 112 can incorporate two single - band ir photodetector arrays each having a sensitivity of 42 m ° c ., thereby improving manufacturability . the increased sensitivity of the dual - band ir imager 112 over a single - band ir imager decreases the occurrence of false positive and false negatives due to tissue and skin variations . different portions of the skin may radiate different levels of ir flux , even though both the skin and the underlying tissue are healthy . as an example , a birthmark will likely radiate heat differently than normal skin . similarly , a tattoo may create a false positive or false negative , as it too will radiate heat differently than normal skin . for a very sensitive single - band ir imager , a large freckle may lead to a false positive or false negative . however , by using two series of ir images , each taken in different bands of ir wavelengths , false positives and false negatives due to variations in skin color will be minimized . variations in the underlying tissue can also affect detection of diseased tissue . while a breast may have relatively uniform tissue , an arm will include areas of significant muscle tissue adjacent to bony regions such as the elbow and wrist , resulting in ir image variations . the nitric oxide ( no ) modulation of blood perfusion 140 will be described next . a diseased portion of the tissue and skin 100 , due to a cancer 142 in this discussion , provokes an immune response 144 within the tissue and skin 100 . this immune response 144 results in increased macrophage activity 146 , which produces no 148 . some cancers , such as breast cancer , are known to elevate the local level of ferritin 150 within the diseased tissue . elevated levels of ferritin 150 further increases the amount of no 148 produced within the diseased tissue . nitric oxide causes vasodilation 152 of the capillary bed leading to enhanced blood perfusion 156 within the diseased tissue . a side effect of the presence of no is that neuronal control ( vasodilation and vasoconstriction ) of the capillary bed is impaired 154 . the net result is that temperature in the diseased tissue will be controlled more by no - based blood perfusion rather than by neuronal processes . that is , no controlled temperature oscillations 158 will dominate over the attenuated neuronal temperature oscillations 160 . a second side effect of no controlled blood perfusion is an increase in spatial homogeneity of skin temperature 162 . that is , there will be less temperature variation in the skin surface temperature due to the no - induced vasodilation of the capillary bed . no controlled blood perfusion will occur at non - neuronal trfs 164 , as will be discussed in detail below . as with healthy tissue , the temperature of the skin overlying diseased tissue will create an ir flux 166 that can then be imaged by the dual - band ir imager 112 . the first embodiment of the present invention is based upon the average temperature of the imaged tissue . the first embodiment converts the first and second series of ir images into thermal images , i . e ., converts each pixel from the ir image to a corresponding temperature . each individual thermal image therefore is a two - dimensional array of temperatures and each of the first and second series of thermal images is a series of two - dimensional arrays of temperatures . at the preferred imaging rate of 30 to 60 images per second and a 10 to 60 second series of images , the first and second thermal images can readily include over 1000 individual thermal images . the first embodiment next subdivides the tissue area imaged into a number of subareas . these subareas correspond to two pixel by two pixel portions of the thermal images or larger . a preferred upper limit on the subarea size is an eight pixel by eight pixel subarea as larger areas will tend to average out any local variations that might indicate the presence of diseased tissue . the first embodiment then finds the average temperature value for each of these subareas . this is done for each individual thermal image in both the first and the second series of thermal images resulting in first and second pluralities of average temperature values . these first and second pluralities of average temperature values are then analyzed in view of fig2 . fig2 illustrates a histogram showing all of the average temperature values for the first plurality of average temperature values 200 . curve 202 is the composite curve showing the average temperature values for skin overlying both healthy and diseased tissue . curve 204 corresponds to the average temperature values for the skin overlying a healthy region of tissue . curve 204 therefore corresponds to skin whose underlying tissue is thermally regulated by neuronal control of blood perfusion . the peak temperature value for this healthy tissue is denoted t h . in regions of skin overlying diseased or cancerous tissue , the average temperature value curve 206 is formed . due to the generally vasodilated state of the capillary bed in diseased tissue , the average temperature value for these regions is greater . the higher peak average temperature value for these diseased regions is denoted by t d . a preliminary determination that a cancerous lesion may be present requires that a cluster of six adjacent subareas each have abnormal average temperature values . a first average temperature value for the first series of thermal images is calculated . this first average temperature value is preferably found by proportionately weighting each of the subareas based upon their size . in particular , when a spatial distribution of the first average temperature values within the cluster of six adjacent subareas is less than about 20 % or more than about 100 % of the first average temperature value , tissue corresponding to the cluster of six adjacent subareas is preliminarily determined to be diseased . this preliminary determination is confirmed if the same series of calculations and comparisons on the second series of thermal images yields the same cluster of six adjacent subareas . as each of the first and second series of ir images is preferably taken periodically , trfs can be determined . the second embodiment of the present invention makes use of these trfs . fig3 illustrates a trf histogram for both healthy and diseased tissue 300 . curve 302 is a composite for both the healthy and diseased tissue while curve 304 corresponds to healthy tissue and curve 306 corresponds to diseased tissue . curve 304 for healthy tissue reflects neuronal control blood perfusion and generally has a frequency of between 10 and 700 millihertz . in contrast , curve 306 for diseased tissue reflects no - based control of blood perfusion and has a higher frequency , generally in the range of 0 . 8 to 2 . 0 hz . the second embodiment makes use of the differences in trfs by finding the contributing frequency for each subarea in the first series of thermal images . this contributing frequency may be determined by analyzing the average temperature value for a subarea based on the known periodic nature of the first series of thermal images . the preferred method to determine the contributing frequency is to subject the average temperature values to a fast fourier transform that rapidly finds the frequency components or ranges of frequencies for a time varying signal . as shown in fig3 , while more healthy tissue subareas had a trf of f h , there is some variation about this frequency . however , very few healthy tissue subareas had a trf as high as f d , the strongest of the diseased tissue trfs . once the contributing frequency for each subarea using the first series of thermal images is determined , first lower and upper threshold frequencies are found , preferably by weighting each subarea based upon their size . as before , a cluster of six adjacent abnormal subareas leads to a preliminary diseased tissue diagnosis . in particular , when a spatial distribution of the contributing frequency of the cluster is less than the first lower threshold frequency or more than the first upper threshold frequency , tissue corresponding to the cluster is preliminarily diagnosed as being diseased . this preliminary diagnosis is confirmed if the same series of determinations and comparisons on the second series of thermal images yields the same cluster of six adjacent subareas . the third embodiment is similar to the second embodiment in that it uses the contributing frequency of each subarea . in particular , the third embodiment uses the amplitude of the contributing frequencies . as shown in fig3 , the diseased tissue curve 306 has only a small frequency amplitude at f h , thus providing another means for cancer discrimination . the third embodiment therefore searches for a cluster in which a spatial distribution of the amplitude of the contributing frequency is less than a first lower threshold amplitude or more than a first upper threshold amplitude . the first lower and upper threshold amplitudes are determined using the first series of thermal images and is preferably weighted by subarea size . as with the previous embodiments , the use of the second series of thermal images is used to confirm a preliminary diseased diagnosis from the first series of thermal images . in contrast to the first three embodiments that use the two series of thermal images sequentially , the fourth embodiment uses the two series of thermal images in parallel . fig4 illustrates a series of correlation curves 400 for two different bands of ir wavelengths , the two bands centered around λ 1 and λ 2 . the fourth embodiment includes taking a baseline radiance measurement of known healthy skin and tissue in the two different bands of ir wavelengths , thereby generating a healthy skin and tissue correlation curve 402 . this healthy correlation curve 402 can be mathematically defined most simply in terms of a slope and an intercept , that is λ 2 = m h λ 1 + b h . it should be noted that depending upon the wavelengths within the two bands of ir wavelengths , the properties of the skin and underlying tissue , etc ., additional terms might be required to more accurately describe the correlation . in the simple slope and intercept form , the precise values for m h and b h will likely be a function of the skin and the underlying tissue . for example , the m h and b h values for a breast cancer screening will likely be different from the m h and b h values for a bony structure such as the wrist or ankle . once the appropriate healthy correlation curve 402 is determined , the subareas within the first and second series of thermal images will also be correlated . this correlation may produce subareas having diseased correlation curve 404 or 406 . diseased correlation curve 404 may be described as λ 2 = m d1 λ 1 + b d1 , while diseased correlation curve 406 may be described as λ 2 = m d2 λ 1 + b d2 . the fourth embodiment then compares the slope m d1 or md d2 with m h . if a spatial distribution of the m d1 or m d2 values for a cluster are different than m h , then the tissue corresponding to the cluster is determined to be diseased . how different the slope values will be will depend upon the types of underlying tissue as noted above , as well as the specific wavelengths λ 1 and λ 2 chosen . the radiance measurements of healthy skin taken for the fourth embodiment may be made as a function of integration time for the dual - band ir imager 112 , the temperature of the skin and tissue being imaged , or a combination thereof . the temperature of the skin and tissue can be varied by directing either a warming or a cooling stream of air on the skin and tissue resulting in thermal stress to the skin and tissue . alternatively , this thermal stress may be induced by directing a flow of water vapor to the skin and tissue . while this thermal stress finds particular application with the fourth ( and fifth ) embodiments , it can readily be used in conjunction with the other embodiments as well . due to the oscillatory nature of thermal regulation , the sensitivity of the fourth ( and fifth ) embodiments can be increased . by finding the contributing frequency for each of the subareas , the correlation between the two series of thermal images can be made at neuronal frequencies or at no modulation frequencies . it is anticipated that correlations made at no modulation frequencies will be especially sensitive for discriminating healthy versus diseased skin and tissue regions . while the fourth embodiment uses the slope of the correlation between the two series of thermal images , the fifth embodiment uses the intercept of the correlation between the two series of thermal images . to this end , the fifth embodiment compares b d1 or b d2 with b h . when the spatial distribution of b d1 or b d2 for a cluster are different from b h , tissue corresponding to the cluster is diagnosed as being diseased . as before , this difference is a function of the underlying tissue and the specific wavelengths chosen . the sixth embodiment of the present invention is based upon detectable differences in the hst between healthy and diseased skin and tissue . the hst for a subarea is found by determining both the average temperature value and the temperature standard deviation and then dividing the average temperature value by the temperature standard deviation . the hst is found for each subarea for each of the first series of thermal images . fig5 shows the resultant histogram 500 of hst values from the first series of thermal images for the skin overlying both healthy and diseased tissue . curve 502 is the overall hst curve while curve 504 corresponds to healthy skin and tissue while curve 506 corresponds to diseased skin and tissue . the temperature standard deviation found in diseased tissue is lower than that of healthy tissue due to the overall vasodilated state of the capillary bed . this lower standard deviation results in higher hst values for diseased skin and tissue regions , centered about hst d as shown in fig5 . in contrast , healthy skin and tissue temperature is controlled by neuronal processes that include both vasodilation and vasoconstriction . this results in wider variations in skin temperature , larger temperature standard deviations and therefore smaller hst values . fig5 shows the healthy skin and tissue regions to have hst values centered about hst h . an overall first average hst for the first series of thermal images is also computed . a preliminary diseased tissue diagnosis is made when spatial distribution of a cluster of six adjacent subareas have hst values of less than about 20 % or more than about 100 % of the first average hst . this preliminary diagnosis is confirmed if the same series of calculations and comparisons on the second series of thermal images yields the same cluster of six adjacent subareas . the seventh embodiment makes use of the differences in trfs of the hst values by finding the contributing frequency for each subarea in the first plurality of hst values . the seventh embodiment will generate a frequency histogram similar to that of fig3 in that healthy tissue subareas will have a trf of hst values with some variation about a healthy tissue center frequency . likewise , diseased tissue subareas will have trf of hst values with some variation about a higher diseased tissue center frequency . once the contributing trf of hst values for each subarea using the first series of thermal images is determined , a first average contributing frequency is found . a cluster of six adjacent abnormal subareas leads to a preliminary diseased tissue diagnosis . in particular , when a spatial distribution of the magnitude of the contributing trf of hst values of the cluster is less than about 20 % or more than about 100 % of the first average contributing frequency , tissue corresponding to the cluster is preliminarily diagnosed as being diseased . this preliminary diagnosis is confirmed if the same series of determinations and comparisons on the second series of thermal images yields the same cluster of six adjacent subareas . fig6 illustrates a temperature standard deviation histogram 600 employed by the eighth embodiment of the present invention . the eighth embodiment requires determining the temperature standard deviation for each of the subareas for each one of the first series of thermal images . curve 602 corresponds to the resultant overall histogram for the temperature standard deviations and is a combination of a curve 604 representing the temperature standard deviations for healthy skin and tissue and curve 606 representing the temperature standard deviations for diseased skin and tissue . the standard deviation for diseased skin and tissue will be lower as noted above due to the generally vasodilated state of the capillary bed leading to more constant temperatures relative to skin and tissue under neuronal controlled blood perfusion . a preliminary diagnosis of diseased skin and tissue corresponding to a cluster of six adjacent subareas requires the cluster to have a spatial distribution of temperature standard deviation of less than about 20 % or more than about 100 % of a first average temperature standard deviation based upon the first series of thermal images . the preliminary diagnosis based upon temperature standard deviation is confirmed if the same series of determinations and comparisons on the second series of thermal images yields the same cluster of six adjacent subareas . each of the embodiments will now be described in reference to fig7 through 10 . the first through third embodiments are illustrated by the block diagram shown in fig7 . in each of the first through third embodiments , two series of ir images of the tissue are recorded in two corresponding different bands of ir wavelengths by the dual - band ir imager 112 . the two series of ir images are then converted by a converter 704 into two series of thermal images . an averager 706 then determines a series of average temperatures for each of the subareas using both series of thermal images . the averager 706 also determines an overall average temperature using both series of thermal images . all of this average temperature information is then analyzed by an analyzer 708 in the first embodiment . in the second embodiment , the two series of thermal images undergo frequency analysis , i . e ., the contributing frequencies for the subareas are determined , by a frequency analyzer 710 . the contributing frequencies are then analyzed by the analyzer 708 to determine if any clusters indicate the presence of diseased tissue based upon contributing frequencies . like the second embodiment , the third embodiment uses the frequency analyzer 710 . the third embodiment requires the analyzer to analyze the amplitude of the contributing frequencies and any clusters having unusual frequency amplitudes may be diagnosed as corresponding to diseased tissue . the fourth and fifth embodiments are illustrated in the block diagram of fig8 . as with the first three embodiments , two series of ir images of the tissue are recorded in two corresponding different bands of ir wavelengths by the dual - band ir imager 112 . the two series of ir images are then converted by the converter 704 into two series of thermal images . the averager 106 then determines a series of average temperatures for each of the subareas using both series of thermal images . the dual - band ir imager 112 also records radiance images in both bands of ir wavelengths , which are subsequently converted into thermal images . both sets of average temperature data and the radiance image data are correlated by a correlator 722 . an analyzer 724 then analyzes the correlation data produced by the correlator 722 . in the fourth embodiment , the analyzer 724 analyzes the slope of the correlation data while in the fifth embodiment the analyzer 724 analyzes the intercept of the correlation data . fig8 also illustrates an element 726 for subjecting tissue to a thermal stress . as noted above , the element 726 can create this thermal stress by directing a stream of warm or cool air over the tissue or by directing a mist at the tissue . while the element 726 is illustrated only in fig8 corresponding to the apparatus for implementing the fourth and fifth embodiments , it can readily be included apparatuses for implementing the first through third and sixth through eighth embodiments . an apparatus for implementing the sixth and seventh embodiments is illustrated in block fashion in fig9 . as with the first five embodiments , two series of ir images of the tissue are recorded in two corresponding different bands of ir wavelengths by the dual - band ir imager 112 . the two series of ir images are then converted by the converter 704 into two series of thermal images . in the sixth embodiment , the two series of thermal images are then processed by the processor 744 . the processor 744 determines average temperatures and standard deviations for each of the subareas using both series of thermal images . the processor 744 then determines hst values for each of the subareas for both series of thermal images . lastly , the processor 744 determines the average hst value for both series of thermal images . an analyzer 746 then analyzes this hst data to determine if any clusters correspond to diseased tissue . in the seventh embodiment , the two series of thermal images undergo frequency analysis by the frequency analyzer 710 . the resultant frequency analyzed data is then analyzed by the analyzer 746 to determine of diseased tissue is present . fig1 illustrates the various blocks required for implementing the eighth embodiment of the present invention . two series of ir images of the tissue are recorded in two corresponding different bands of ir wavelengths by the dual - band ir imager 112 . the two series of ir images are then converted by a converter 704 into two series of thermal images . these two series of thermal images then undergo a series of processes by the processor 744 described above . the various averaged data is then analyzed by an analyzer 764 . in the eighth embodiment , the analyzer 764 determines if any clusters have abnormal standard deviations that would indicate the presence of diseased tissue . the diagnostic system 110 , and in particular , the dual - band ir imager 112 will now be described in greater detail . the first and second bands of ir wavelengths detected by the dual - band ir imager 112 are preferably within the long wavelength ir ( lwir ), which corresponds to radiation having a wavelength of eight to twelve microns . for example , the first band of ir wavelengths might cover the wavelength range of eight to nine microns while the second band of ir wavelengths might cover from ten to eleven microns . the lwir is preferred as the human body ir emissions peak within this range of wavelengths . the first and second bands of ir wavelengths could alternatively be in the middle wavelength ir ( mwir ) corresponding to radiation having a wavelength of three to five microns . as a further alternative , the two bands of ir wavelengths could include one in the lwir and one in the mwir . the dual - band ir imager 112 may be formed in one of several ways . the dual - band ir imager 112 could include two single - band ir photodetector arrays , each sensitive to different bands of ir wavelengths . alternatively , the two single - band ir photodetector arrays could be identical with the different bands of ir wavelength response due to filters . using two single band ir photodetectors will require the use of a beam splitter to cause spatially registered images to be focused on each of the single - band ir photodetector arrays . while the use of two single - band ir photodetector arrays will probably decrease the cost of each single - band ir photodetector array , the overall system cost will likely increase . such a two photodetector array - based dual - band ir imager 112 will require the aforementioned beamsplitter , and probably two separate coolers as each single - band ir photodetector array will require cooling . such a two photodetector array - based dual - band ir imager will also require very tight tolerances to ensure that the image is truly spatially registered on both photodetector arrays , thereby reducing manufacturability . a single dual - band ir photodetector array appears more feasible and manufacturable . several dual - band photodetector technologies have been demonstrated including those using hgcdte and gaas - based multiple quantum well ( mqw ) semiconductor materials . dual - band photodetectors using hgcdte semiconductor materials have high quantum efficiencies , but place strict requirements on the hgcdte manufacturing process . while dual - band hgcdte photodetectors operating in the mwir and lwir have shown excellent performance , the use of hgcdte semiconductor material for the preferred lwir - lwir configuration places extremely strict requirements on the starting hgcdte semiconductor material . for these reasons , it appears unlikely that a commercial hgcdte dual - band ir camera is feasible using current manufacturing technology . gaas - based mqw semiconductor material appears to be a more manufacturable technology and is thus preferable for the present invention . the gaas - based starting material is commercially available from several sources and the fabrication processes are in use in a number of facilities . gaas - based mqw semiconductor material may be fabricated into quantum well ir photodetectors ( qwips ) and enhanced qwips ( eqwips ). dual - band qwips and eqwips have been demonstrated to date with the eqwip offering better sensitivity due to its resonant optical cavity and reduced noise . various embodiments of the eqwip are described and claimed in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 539 , 206 , 6 , 133 , 571 , 6 , 157 , 042 , and 6 , 355 , 939 and are hereby incorporated by reference . additional preferred embodiments of the eqwip are described in copending application numbers 21201 and 21301 . the present invention , by imaging a human being , encounters problems should the patient move during the image taking portion of the process . to minimize this effect , the images for the two different series of ir images are preferably taken in an alternating fashion . that is , first an ir image is taken from the first band of ir wavelengths and then an ir image is taken from the second band of ir wavelengths . by alternating the ir wavelength bands , the correlation between the first image in both series of ir images increases when compared to taking all of the first series of ir images over the course of 10 to 60 seconds and then taking all of the second series of ir images . to further minimize problems due to patient motion , the imaging rate should be relatively high , preferably in the range of 30 to 60 hz or greater . an added benefit of the increased imaging rate is that any of the embodiments using frequency - based analysis will have increased frequency resolution . the computer 114 within the diagnostic system 110 will be required to store significant quantities of data and undertake substantial numerical processing . the computer 114 will need to store several thousands of individual ir images and thermal images for each patient . as each of these could include 640 pixels by 480 pixels - worth of data , a rather sizeable hard disk drive and large amount of ram will be beneficial . due to the substantial amount of numerical processing that will be undertaken , a separate numerical processing board may be advantageous . although the present invention has been fully described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art . therefore , such changes and modifications should be construed as being within the scope of the invention . | 0 |
a description of example embodiments of the invention follows . an example embodiment of the present invention is device 100 shown in fig1 a . device 100 includes detector 120 that captures at least a first and a second images 103 a and 103 b of object 150 within a single frame 105 . device 100 includes illumination source 110 configured to generate at least the first image 103 a and the second image 103 b . referring to fig1 b , device 100 includes illumination source 110 , detector 120 , and focusing element 130 . detector 120 is configured to capture frames according to a frame acquisition time . illumination source 110 is configured , in cooperation with focusing element 130 and detector 120 , to generate at least first and second images of illumination source 110 on the detector 120 within a given frame . such images are shown in fig2 a as images 204 and 206 within frame 202 and in fig2 b as images 224 and 226 in frame 222 . referring to fig2 a , the first image 204 and the second image 206 form a spatial sequence and are spatially separated from each other on focal plane 200 of detector 120 by at least one pixel 208 . because illumination source 110 has a time delay between generating the first image and the second image , the first and the second images 204 and 206 are generated in a temporal sequence . the time delay is less than or equal to the frame acquisition time of detector 120 . in one example , device 100 further includes processing module 140 , configured to determine motion of object 150 relative to illumination source 110 based on the spatial sequence and the temporal sequence of the first image ( 204 , 224 ) and the second image ( 206 , 226 ). in one example , device 100 further including transmitter 160 configured to transmit at least the first image ( 204 , 224 ) and the second image ( 206 , 226 ) to a remote storage site ( not shown ). in certain example embodiments , illumination source 110 can be located on object 150 . in other example embodiments of device 100 shown in fig1 , illumination source 110 can be configured to emit electromagnetic energy at the object causing the electromagnetic energy to reflect , refract or diffract from object 150 to detector 120 . in one example , detector 120 , focusing element 130 , and illumination source 110 can be integrated in a handheld device . in certain example embodiments of device 100 , illumination source 110 is further configured , in cooperation with focusing element 130 and detector 120 , to generate a third image ( 210 in fig2 a , 230 in fig2 b ) of illumination source 110 on detector 120 within the given frame ( frame 202 in fig2 a , frame 222 in fig2 b ). the first image , second image , and third image each being spatially separated from each other on the focal plane of the detector by at least one pixel , as shown in fig2 ( a ) . referring to fig2 a , in this example , illumination source 110 has a first time delay between generating the first image 204 and the second image 206 , and a second time delay between generating the second image 206 and the third image 210 . the first time delay and the second time delay are each less than or equal to the frame acquisition time of the detector . in certain example embodiments , illumination source 110 includes at least two light emitters 170 a , 170 b , and 170 c , shown in fig1 . for example , light emitters 170 a , 170 b , and 170 c can form an array of sequentially activated light emitters . light emitters 170 a , 170 b , and 170 c can be activated in a sequence that is free - running , synchronous , or plesiochronous with respect to the detector . as used herein , the terms “ free - running ,” “ synchronous ,” and “ plesiochronous ” refer to interrelationship between two or more cyclic events . “ free - running ” is when both events ( for example , the led repetition rate and the camera frame rate ) are completely independent of each other . their rates could be very different from each other or very close to each other — but neither one is influenced by the other . “ synchronous ” is when both events are coupled such that they both run at exactly the same rate , and with the same time relationship to each other . for example , the detector can be used to control the led repetition rate such that each led turns on and off at a specific time in each frame . “ plesiochronous ” is when both events run at rates which are very close to , but not exactly the same as , each other . for example , the led repetition rate can be very close to the detector frame rate . in one example embodiment , illumination source 110 includes a single spatially modulated light emitter 170 a . in this example , focusing element 130 can be an optical component within an optical train ( not shown ), such that light emitter 170 a is spatially modulated by the optical train . in another example , light emitter 170 a can be movable . another example of the present invention is a method of detecting relative motion of an object and an illumination source . referring to fig2 a , to detect the relative motion , position tags ( x 1 , y 1 ), ( x 2 , y 2 ), and ( x 3 , y 3 ) and time tags ( t 1 ), ( t 2 ), and ( t 3 ) are assigned to each of at least three spatially distinct images 204 , 206 , and 210 , respectively , of the illumination source captured in a spatial sequence and a temporal sequence in a first frame 202 of focal plane 200 of detector 120 . the assigned tags are then compared to each other as well as to reference position tags and reference time tags . as used herein , “ comparing ” the tag refers to numerically comparing and analyzing ( a ) the positional coordinates ( x i , y i ) of the captured images and the reference images , and ( b ) the values of time ( t i ) assigned to each image . based on this comparing , the relative motion of object 150 and illumination source 110 can be detected and measured . in certain examples , the reference position tags and the reference time tags are based on prior knowledge of the positional sequence and the temporal sequence of the at least three images . in other examples , the reference position tags and the reference time tags are the position tags and time tags assigned to at least three images of the illumination source captured in a second frame . for example , images 204 , 206 , and 210 of frame 202 can serve as reference images for images 224 , 226 and 230 of frame 222 . the operation of the above - described method is further explained with reference to the flow diagram depicted in fig2 c . the process 250 includes four operations . in operation 252 , at least three images of the illumination source reflected , diffracted or refracted from an object are captured in a single frame . in operation 254 , position tag and time tag to representations of each of at least three images captured in a single frame are assigned . in operation 254 , corresponding assigned tags are compared to each other and to reference tags . in operation 258 , the relative motion of the object and the illumination source are detected . in certain examples , the methods described herein can be used to determine relative motion of not only object 150 of fig1 , but also at least one additional object ( not shown ) and illumination source 110 . in other examples , the devices and methods described herein can be used to compute an object &# 39 ; s position as a function of time and the object &# 39 ; s velocity as the function of time . in particular , the methods and devices described herein can be used to compute the object &# 39 ; s angular velocity . another example embodiment of the present invention can be used to detect saccades . this example embodiment is a method of detecting saccades in a subject . in this example , referring to fig1 , object 150 can be an eye of a human or an animal . the devices and methods described herein can be used to detect the saccades along at least two axes . in other examples , the methods and devices described herein can be used to both distinguish large saccades from small saccades , and further , to quantify saccade magnitude and duration . small versus large saccades can be distinguished based on both positional variance as well as duration . first , the motion axis is defined as the axis normal to the line defined by the images of at least two illumination sources . next , positional variance is defined as the variance of the source image locations from their mean position along the motion axis in a single frame . finally , saccade duration is defined as the number of frames in which the change in positional variance is greater than or equal to one pixel . small saccades can be defined as the set of frames where positional variance per frame is less than or equal to one pixel and saccade duration is less than of equal to one frame . large saccades can be defined as the set of consecutive frames such that positional variance per frame is greater than one pixel and saccade duration is greater than or equal to two frames . these criteria can be adjusted as needed , based upon the pixel angular subtense of the image sensor . a linear measure of saccade magnitude and duration is also available from the devices and methods described herein . either visible or infrared ( ir ) leds can be used , dependent on the spectral bandpass of the camera and the perception of the subject . the relatively low corneal irradiance minimizes distractions . no electrical connection is required between the illumination source and the imaging device . simple user - adjustable timing combined with advanced image processing methods eliminates the need for absolute synchronization . the system requires no specialized head mount as derivable information from the imagery data allows for effective near real - time registration . the devices and methods described herein can be employed in a number of applications . for example , the devices and methods described herein can be used to capture high - speed saccade and microsaccades to assist in clinical diagnosis . potential clinical applications include : ancillary or first phase assessment of such conditions as traumatic brain injury , concussion ; psychiatric disorders such as add , autism assessment ; dyslexia ; multiple sclerosis , ocular palsies or flutters , brain lesions or tumors affecting vision or eye motion , sobriety assessment and compliance . further applications include the use of the devices and methods described herein in telemedicine . examples include self - monitoring by the subjects with limited mobility or without accessibility to immediate medical care . further applications include the use of the devices and methods described herein in human - machine interfaces , for example , for eye tracking in video games , or for technologies enabling gestureless communication . further application of the devices and methods described herein is for low resolution mapping of corneal curvature via eye movement . a tess system was built using two hardware components : the strobed light sources and a pda or cell phone containing a standard ccd or cmos imager with a recording capability . one example of such a device is shown in fig3 . another example , used in the experiments described below , is shown in fig4 . the tess system included a software component for image processing and strobe rate tuning . the software component includes a processing module that performs robust source image detection , identifies key eye features such as the pupil and iris to derive and estimate gaze direction , and a novel temporal deconvolution component that associates source image location with interframe time stamps . this derived per - frame spatial - time tag association , along with estimated gaze angle , is used to generate a time - varying scan of eye motion at a temporal resolution greater than the native frame - capture rate of the camera . in this example , a linear , curved , or otherwise spatially defined pattern of discrete light sources generated a light signal that reflected off of a curved corneal surface of the eye to reach the imager . a linear array of ten leds separated far enough apart to create discrete points of light on the imager were used as an illumination source . the leds were activated in a sequential , alternating , or otherwise temporally unique strobing sequence , generating a series of separate corneal reflections on the imager focal plane . in one example , a linear “ 1 - of - n ” strobe sequence , similar to the approach lighting system used at airport runways , was used . the spatial pattern in combination with the temporal sequencing of the light sources was designed so that the physical locations of the illuminated points on the imager contain both temporal and spatially encoded information concerning the motion of the eye . numerical methods designed to first deconvolve the temporal information encoded in each of the discrete image frames , and then to recombine the data from a sequence of image frames to construct a spatial time course for the eye position as a function of time were used . the process of deconvolving the temporally encoded information includes identifying the source image associated with the first illumination source that appears during the frame acquisition time . if the led sequence and camera frame rate is synchronous , the first source image location is associated with the start of the led sequence . if the led sequence and camera rate is asynchronous or plesiochronous , the uncertain delay during camera capture and readout will lead to low intensity or missing source images . the first source image location during acquisition of a single frame , and thus the start or first time tag of the temporal sequence , will then be associated with the dimmest or missing source image location . subsequent source images are then identified in a cyclic sequence , beginning from the first source image location , and are associated with consecutive interframe time tags . the device shown in fig4 was used to track eye movements of a human subject . during ocular motion , the temporally multiplexed led image sequence reflected from the corneal surface and appeared spatially shifted in the resultant video image frame . the rate of ocular motion was directly correlated to the location and degree of the reflected source shift . the multiplicative improvement in temporal sampling was directly related to the number of leds along each axis . for example , if ten discrete leds were used , then the effective ocular sampling rate was ten times the camera frame rate . the system consisted of a video camera running at 15 fps to image an eye undergoing motion in the presence of temporal structured illumination . a sequence of ten led sources were positioned linearly and cycled once during each frame , providing the equivalent of 150 fps sampling of eye motion , tagged in time by the led source corneal reflectance position . fig5 a and fig5 b show the resultant output images for a stationary eye and one with multiple inter - frame saccades . note the deviation from the almost linear pattern displayed in fig5 a that resulted from rapid eye movement , shown in fig5 b . this deviation is even more pronounced during larger eye motions as shown in fig6 . in fig6 , large eye movements were tracked via spline fit of the corneal reflection distribution . timing for initiation of large eye movements was possible at effective time samples much higher than collection video rates . in frame 4 of fig6 , for instance , the start time for eye movement to the subject &# 39 ; s right occured at approximately 0 . 02 seconds after the start time for acquiring the frame . fig7 a , fig7 b , and fig7 c illustrate how the deviation from a linear pattern of reflection was used to detect eye saccades . fig7 a shows corneal reflection in the presence of inter - frame saccade . fig7 b and fig7 c show reflection location and offset indicating amount and timing of saccade . the dark pixel corresponded to sequence start . in this case , an inter - frame saccades began at t 6 , or 0 . 04 seconds after frame 25 acquisition time . fig7 a through 7c demonstrate that the resultant deviation from the stationary reflectance pattern can be used to indicate inter - frame saccade time and amplitude during a single frame acquisition time at relatively low video sample rates . fig8 shows an output saccade detection product . in fig8 , saccade detection at 150 fps was derived from 15 fps video . note that in frame 25 of fig8 , an interframe saccades has taken place . data collected with the iphone2 using external line lighting indicates that there was sufficient resolution in mobile devices to be able to detect saccades effectively via the pixel deviation . as shown in fig9 , sample data was taken with a hand - held iphone 2 , which possessed sufficient resolution and contrast . while this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to example 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 |
within the scope of the present invention it has been found that 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine may take on various polymorphous crystal modifications and that the compound prepared in wo 2004 / 018468 is present at ambient temperature as a mixture of two enantiotropic polymorphs . the temperature at which the two polymorphs transform into one another is 25 ± 15 ° c . ( see fig1 and 2 ). the pure high temperature form ( polymorph a ), which can be obtained by heating the mixture to temperatures & gt ; 40 ° c ., melts at 206 ± 3 ° c . in the x - ray powder diagram ( see fig3 ) this form shows characteristic reflexes at the following d values : 11 . 49 å , 7 . 60 å , 7 . 15 å , 3 . 86 å , 3 . 54 å and 3 . 47 å ( cf . also table 1 and 2 ). ( a ) refluxing 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine in absolute ethanol and optionally filtering the mixture , ( b ) cooling the hot solution or the hot filtrate until crystallisation sets in , ( c ) diluting with a solvent such as tert .- butylmethylether , ( d ) suction filtering the solvent mixture and ( e ) drying the polymorph a at 45 ° c . in vacuo . the low temperature form ( polymorph b ) is obtained by cooling to temperatures & lt ; 10 ° c . in the x - ray powder diagram ( see fig4 ) this form shows characteristic reflexes at the following d values : 11 . 25 å , 9 . 32 å , 7 . 46 å , 6 . 98 å and 3 . 77 å ( cf . also table 3 and 4 ). ( a ) dissolving 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine in absolute ethanol and refluxing and optionally filtering the mixture , ( b ) cooling the hot solution or the hot filtrate for crystallisation to a temperature below 10 ° c ., ( c ) diluting with a solvent such as tert .- butylmethylether , ( d ) suction filtering the solvent mixture and ( e ) drying the polymorph at a temperature below 10 ° c . in vacuo . another polymorph ( polymorph c ) shows characteristic reflexes in the x - ray powder diagram ( see fig5 ) at the following d values : 12 . 90 å , 11 . 10 å , 6 . 44 å , 3 . 93 å and 3 . 74 å ( cf . also table 5 ). ( a ) 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine is dissolved in methanol and refluxed and optionally filtered in the presence of activated charcoal , ( b ) the methanolic solution is cooled to a temperature of 40 - 60 ° c ., ( c ) a solvent such as tert .- butylmethylether or diisopropylether is added , ( d ) the resulting suspension is first of all cooled slowly to 15 - 25 ° c . and then later to 0 - 5 ° c ., ( e ) the crystals formed are suction filtered and washed again with tert .- butylmethylether or diisopropylether and ( f ) the crystals thus obtained are dried at a temperature of 70 ° c . in the vacuum dryer . another polymorph ( polymorph d ) melts at 150 ± 3 ° c . this polymorph is obtained if polymorph c is heated to a temperature of 30 - 100 ° c . or dried at this temperature . finally , there is also polymorph e , which melts at a temperature of 175 ± 3 ° c . anhydrous polymorph e is formed if polymorph d is melted . on further heating , polymorph e crystallises out of the melt . the polymorphs thus obtained may be used in the same way as the mixture of the two polymorphs a and b described in wo 2004 / 018468 for preparing a pharmaceutical composition which is suitable for treating patients with type i and type ii diabetes mellitus , prediabetes or reduced glucose tolerance , with rheumatoid arthritis , obesity , or calcitonin - induced osteoporosis , as well as patients in whom an allograft transplant has been carried out . these medicaments contain in addition to one or more inert carriers at least 0 . 1 % to 0 . 5 %, preferably at least 0 . 5 % to 1 . 5 % and particularly preferably at least 1 % to 3 % of one of the polymorphs a , b , or c . the following examples are intended to illustrate the invention in more detail . crude 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine is refluxed with 5 times as much absolute ethanol and the hot solution is filtered clear through activated charcoal . after the filtrate has been cooled to 20 ° c . and crystallisation has set in , the solution is diluted to double the volume with tert .- butylmethylether . then the suspension is cooled to 2 ° c ., stirred for 2 hours , suction filtered and dried in the vacuum dryer at 45 ° c . plymorph a melts at 206 ± 3 ° c . in the dsc diagram another slightly endothermic signal can be seen at approx . 25 ° c . this is a fully reversible solid - solid phase transition between the two enantiotropic crystal modifications a and b . the form a is the thermodynamically stable modification above this transformation temperature , wl form b is the thermodynamically stable modification below this transformation temperature . fig2 shows a cyclic dsc diagram , in which the phase transition from − 40 ° c . to 120 ° c . and vice versa has been run through a total of 3 times . during heating , the phase transition is observed as an endothermic signal and , correspondingly , during cooling it is observed as an exothermic signal . during the first heating cycle the phase transition may also be observed as an endothermic double signal or as a very broad signal while in all the other cycles the signal occurs as a very sharp endothermic or exothermic signal , depending on whether heating or cooling is taking place . fig3 shows an x - ray powder diagram of the anhydrous form a crude 1 -[( 4 - methyl - quinazolin - 2 - yl ) methyl ]- 3 - methyl - 7 -( 2 - butyn - 1 - yl )- 8 -( 3 -( r )- amino - piperidin - 1 - yl )- xanthine ( 26 kg ) is refluxed with 157 l methanol , combined with 1 . 3 kg of activated charcoal and after 30 minutes &# 39 ; stirring the mixture is filtered and rinsed with 26 l methanol . 122 l of methanol are distilled off from the filtrate , then the residue is cooled to 45 - 55 ° c . 52 l of tert .- butylmethylether are added to the residue over 30 minutes . then the mixture is stirred for another 60 minutes at 45 - 55 ° c . crystallisation takes place within this time . a further 78 l tert . butylmethylether are added to the suspension over 30 minutes and then it is stirred again for a further 60 minutes at 45 - 55 ° c . it is diluted to four times the volume . the suspension is slowly cooled to 15 - 25 ° c . and stirred overnight at this temperature . after the suspension has been cooled to 0 - 5 ° c . the crystals are suction filtered , washed with 2 batches tert .- butylmethylether and dried at 70 ° c . in the vacuum dryer . fig5 shows an x - ray powder diagram of polymorph c in the dsc diagram of form c a whole range of signals can be observed . the strongest signal is the melting point of the anhydrous form a at approx . 206 ° c ., which is produced in the dsc experiment . before the melting point a number of other endothermic and exothermic signals can be observed . thus , for example , a very broad and weak endothermic signal can be seen between 30 and 100 ° c ., which correlates with the main loss of weight in thermogravimetry ( tr ). a tg / ir coupling experiment provides the information that only water escapes from the sample in this temperature range . an x - ray powder diagram taken of a sample maintained at a temperature of 100 ° c . shows different x - ray reflexes from the starting material , suggesting that form c is a hydrate phase with stoichiometry somewhere in the region of a hemihydrate or monohydrate . the temperature - controlled sample is another anhydrous modification d , which only stable under anhydrous conditions . the d form melts at approx . 150 ° c . another anhydrous crystal modification e crystallises from the melt , and when heated further melts at approx . 175 ° c . finally , form a crystallises from the melt of form e . form e is also a metastable crystal modification which occurs only at high temperatures . | 2 |
according to the invention , the creation of a canonical image is performed by warping the original image using a predefined parametric transformation . the parameters of the transformation are found by minimizing the mean squared error ( mse ) between the warped image and its projection onto an eigenspace learned from the database . the warping of the image is done by deforming a rectangular grid and resampling the image with the deformed grid . in the following the notation of slant letters is used for functions of ( x , y ) and bold letters are used to represent their corresponding column stack rearrangement as vectors . for example φ is the column stack representation of φ ( x , y ). if { φ 1 x ( x , y ), . . . , φ k x ( x , y ), φ 1 y ( x , y ), . . . , φ k y ( x , y )} is a set of 2k functions then the allowed deformations , written as mappings from ( x , y ) to ( x ′, y ′), are : where , { s i , t i } i = 1 k are 2k scalar parameters that define the desired transformation . the l eigen vectors of the covariance matrix of the images ( in column stack representation ) in the database which correspond to the l largest eigen values are { ψ i } i = 1 l . the mean of the faces in the database is μ . if the images have size m × n pixels , then the vectors { ψ i } i = 1 l , and the vector μ are of size mn × 1 . the vectors { ψ i } i = 1 l , are called eigenfaces and the subspace spanned by them is called the eigenspace . every new probe image of a face can be approximated by where i is a column - stack representation of the image and { p i } i = 1 n are l scalar parameters which are referred to as the eigenspace coefficients . the quality of the reconstruction depends on the resemblance of the image to the database images used to construct the eigenfaces . the purpose of the normalization algorithm is to warp the image so that it can be best approximated by a combination of the eigenfaces . the algorithm works iteratively to estimate the transformation parameters for the warping and the eigenspace coefficients . in the previous section was described the basic mathematical principles on which the invention is based . in this section will be described an algorithm which takes an image of a face as input and produces a canonical image that best complies with a given database of images . ( x ( 0 ) , y ( 0 ) )=[ 1 . . . n ]×[ 1 . . . m ] represents a rectangular grid and { s i ( k ) , t i ( k ) } i = 1 k , and { p i ( k ) } i = 1 l are the estimated parameters at the k th iteration of the algorithm of the invention . the grid points at the k th iteration are denoted ( x ( k ) , y ( k ) ) and are given by : the image , sampled at ( x ( k + 1 ) , y ( k + 1 ) ), is a function of the parameters { s i ( k + 1 ) , t i ( k + 1 ) } i = 1 k . a taylor series expansion of i ( x ( k + 1 ) , y ( k + 1 ) ) about the parameters from the k th iteration —{ s i ( k ) , t i ( k ) } i = 1 k , is now performed in order to obtain the “ resampled image . the next step is to obtain a good approximation of the re - sampled image as a linear combination of the eigenspase basis vectors . this constraint is formulated as follows : equation ( 4 ) should hold for every point on the grid . therefore there are mn equations with 2k + l unknown parameters . the set of equations can be written in matrix form using the column stack representation of all the 2d functions : in equation ( 5 ) and the following definitions , the dot mark is used to describe element - wise multiplication . φ =( i x · φ 1 x i x · φ 2 x . . . i x · φ k x i y · φ 1 y i y · φ 2 y . . . i y · φ k y ) r ( k ) =( s 1 ( k ) s 2 ( k ) . . . s k ( k ) t 1 ( k ) t 2 ( k ) . . . t k ( k ) ) t the elements of the vector q ( k + 1 ) are the unknown parameters at the k + 1 iteration , whereas the elements of the vector r ( k ) are known from the k th iteration . rewriting equation ( 5 ) using the above definitions yields : a least squares solution to the system of equations is obtained by multiplying both sides by the pseudo inverse of the matrix a : q ( k + 1 ) =( a t a ) − 1 a t ( i − μ − φr ( k ) ) ( 7 ) the use of equation 7 allows simultaneous determination of the eigenspace coefficients and the transformation parameters . this is to be contrasted with the prior art method of obtaining a solution by dividing each iteration into two stages : relying on the transformation parameters from the previous iteration to solve for the eigenspace coefficients in the first stage , and then relying on the eigenspace coefficients from the current iteration to solve for the transformation parameters in the second stage . an alternative method to that of equation 7 for obtaining a solution is now presented . this method is similar to that of the prior art method and is suboptimal , however more efficient . the vector p ( k + 1 ) is obtained by projecting the warped image at the k th iteration onto the eigenspace : after solving for p ( k + 1 ) , a least squares solution for r ( k + 1 ) is obtained by using the pseudo inverse of the matrix φ . ( φ t φ ) − 1 φ t ( ψ p ( k + 1 ) − i + μ + φr ( k ) = r ( k ) +( φ t φ ) − 1 φ t ( ψ p ( k + 1 ) − i + μ ) ( 10 ) initial conditions for normalization are determined by using the output of the face detection stage . derivatives of the image are computed by convolving the image with a kernel ( such as the sobel mask ). resampling the image at non integer locations is done using some type of interpolation such as bilinear or bicubic . 1 . set k = 1 and initialize the vector r ( k ) using the face detection stage . 2 . construct the grid ( x ( k ) , y ( k ) ) using the elements of the vector r ( k ) as specified in equation ( 1 ). 3 . resample the image to obtain i and calculate derivatives i x and i y . 4 . construct the matrices φ , a and calculate q ( k + 1 ) using equation ( 7 ) or calculate p ( k + 1 ) and r ( k + 1 ) separately using equations ( 8 ) and ( 10 ). 5 . set k ← k + 1 . 6 . construct the vector r ( k ) from the elements of the vector q ( k ) . 7 . if not converged return to 2 . fig1 a to 1c show how the normalization algorithm produces a canonical image of a face by using an eigenspace of frontal views of faces and a polynomial transformation . fig1 a is the original probe image as obtained from the detection stage . as can be seen , the image was taken from the side and the face is looking to the left . in order to match the image of fig1 a with those in the database , in which all of the images are looking straight forward , the canonical face shown in fig1 b is produced by the normalization algorithm . fig1 c shows the reconstruction of the normalized face using an eigenspace constructed from frontal view faces in the database . fig2 a shows the deformed grid plotted over the original probe image and fig2 b shows the corresponding rectangular grid plotted over the resampled ( warped ) image shown in fig1 b . in the previous section an algorithm which takes an image of a face as input and produces a canonical image that best complies with a given database of images was described . in order to obtain the best recognition rates , the faces in the database must be normalized with respect to each other . in this section an algorithm for normalizing the reference images prior to their enrollment into the database is provided . the concept behind the database normalization algorithm of the invention is to obtain the best approximation for each of the images as a combination of eigenfaces learnt from the other images . the method of the invention brings all the images in the database to a canonical form , which is dictated by the nature of the images alone and not by the use of some arbitrary criterion . this guarantees the best accuracy possible with a given capacity for storing the eigenspace coefficients for each face . if it is desired to construct the data base from n images labeled i 1 , . . . , i n . the vectors { ψ i } i = 1 l and μ ( described in section 1 , hereinabove ) are computed from the images i 2 , . . . , i n . then the first image i 1 is normalized to best match the eigenspace defined by these computed vectors by using the method described in section 2 . now a second eigenspace is computed from images i 1 , i 3 , . . . , i n and the image i 2 is normalized to fit this eigenspace . the process is continued , each time normalizing one image so as to match the eigenspace constructed by the others . after finishing normalizing the whole set of images , the whole process is repeated several more times until no significant change is observed between iterations . the method of the invention for normalization of the database can be summarized as follows : 1 . set k =, j = 1 . 2 . construct an eigenspace from the images i 1 , . . . , i n excluding i j . 3 . normalize the image i j with respect to the eigenspace obtained in step 2 . 4 . set j ← j + 1 . 5 . if j = n and converged then end , else set k ← k + 1 , j = 1 and return to step 2 . although embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration , it will be understood that the invention may be carried out with many variations , modifications , and adaptations , without departing from its spirit or exceeding the scope of the claims . | 6 |
as shown in fig1 a seat 1 for a vehicle includes a seat cushion 2 , a backrest 3 , and a seat reclining device 4 for adjusting the reclining angle of the backrest 3 relative to the seat cushion 2 . the vehicle seat 1 can be moved upwardly and downwardly by a lifter 5 that includes a pair of parallel link mechanisms , one end of which supports the seat cushion 2 . the position of the seat 1 in the forward and reverse directions is adjustable by a seat slide device 8 . the seat slide device 8 includes a lower rail 6 fixed on a vehicle floor and an upper rail 7 slidably positioned relative to the lower rail 6 for supporting the other end of the parallel link mechanism . the structure associated with the seat reclining device 4 is illustrated in fig2 - 4 . an external gear ( or an internal gear ) member 9 is secured to a lower arm 23 of the seat cushion 2 and is formed as a disc - shaped member . an external gear 10 is formed on the outer periphery of a half - die - cut processed annular portion 11 formed on the external gear member 9 . the half - die - cutting process used to form the annular portion 11 is a kind of press forming process in which a steel plate is pressed and partially sheared in the plate thickness direction to form a concave or recessed portion on the plate while a partially continuous portion on the edge of the concave or recessed portion . a plurality of half - die - cut convex portions or projections 12 are formed on a side surface of the external gear member 9 at positions spaced radially outwardly of the annular portion 11 . further rectangularly shaped ( or cylindrically shaped ) convex portions or protuberances 13 are formed on the top surface of the convex portions or projections 12 and extend from the convex portions or projections 12 in the outward direction . preferably , the convex portions or protuberances 13 are also formed by a half - die - cut process . a disc shaped internal gear ( or external gear ) member 14 is secured to an upper arm 24 of the backrest 3 and is opposed to the external gear ( or internal gear ) member 9 . the internal gear member 14 includes an annular portion 15 formed by a half - die - cutting process , an internal gear 16 formed on the inner periphery of the annular portion 15 , and a plurality of spaced apart stoppers 17 extending in the radially outward direction from the outer periphery of the annular portion 15 . the outer peripheral portions of the external gear member 9 and the internal gear member 14 are covered with a ring member 18 . the ring member 18 is appropriately configured to be engaged by or to receive the convex portions or protuberances 13 . in the illustrated embodiment , the ring member 18 includes several holes or bores 19 into which the convex portions or protuberances 13 are inserted and positioned . the protuberances or convex portions 13 thus form engaging elements that engage a portion of the ring member 18 , and the ring member 18 is appropriately configured to receive or be engaged by the engaging elements 13 . in this embodiment , each of the bores 19 in the ring member 18 is located at the central portion of respective concave or recessed portions 20 which are formed on the side surface of the ring member 18 . the bores 19 are engaged with the foot portion of the convex portions or protuberances 13 . referring to fig2 - 4 , the external ( or internal ) member 9 is supported via a pair of wedge shaped members 22 and a spring 25 on a boss portion of an actuating member 21 which receives the input from the operation member . the internal gear ( or external gear ) member 14 is geared with the external gear ( or internal gear ) member 9 having one or two less gear teeth in number . the actuating member 21 and the external gear ( or the internal gear ) member 9 eccentrically rotate with respect to each other . as a result , the meshing condition between the external gear 10 and the internal gear 16 will be as shown in fig3 . in this case , the stoppers 17 are positioned between the convex portions or projections 12 of the external gear ( or internal gear ) member 9 . the ring member 18 for maintaining the relative positional relationship between the external gear member 9 and the internal gear member 14 is provided on the outer periphery of the external gear member 9 and the internal gear member 14 . the convex portions or protuberances 13 are fixedly inserted into the bores 19 in the ring member 18 . when rotational torque is inputted to the actuating member 21 via a shaft 30 from an electrical motor ( not shown ), the internal gear ( or external gear ) member 14 which is co - centered or co - axial with the axis of the actuating member 21 rotates around the axis of the external gear ( or internal gear ) member 9 . the internal gear member 14 is moved by the wedge shaped members in the radially outward direction . then the internal gear member 14 is rotated relative to the external gear ( or internal gear ) member 9 with decreased rotational speed from that of the shaft 30 in accordance with the difference in the number of gear teeth between the external gear 10 and the internal gear 16 . the upper arm 24 reclines relative to the lower arm 23 and the reclining angle of the backrest 3 is thus adjusted . as a result , in accordance with the direction of input of the rotational torque , the backrest 3 reclines in the forward or backward direction relative to the seat cushion 2 . the range of the reclining movement is restricted by the contact of the stoppers 17 with the convex portions or projections 12 . the contact force ( i . e ., the stopper force ) of the stopper 17 to the convex portion 12 is transmitted from the convex portions or projections 12 to the external ( or internal ) gear member 9 and to the lower arm 23 . simultaneously , at least a part of the contact force is transmitted to the ring member 18 via the convex portions or protuberances 13 . accordingly , the strength of the convex portions or projections 12 increases and the force applied on the external gear ( or internal gear ) member 9 is reduced . it is apparent from the foregoing that although the stopper member including the stopper ( s ) 17 and the convex portion ( s ) or projection ( s ) 12 is provided between the external gear member 9 and the internal gear member 14 , because at least a part of the stopper force is transmitted to the ring member 18 via the convex portion ( s ) or protuberance ( s ) 13 , excessive load is not input on the external gear member 9 and the internal gear member 14 , and thus the relative rotation between the external gear member 9 and the internal gear member 14 is ensured . this configuration is especially effective when the backrest 3 is reclined rearwardly to the maximum angle and is used , for example , as a flat bed . in this case , an excessive force may sometimes be applied on the reclining device , such as when children jump on the backrest 3 . the relatively simple but strengthened stopper configuration of the present invention inhibits or substantially prevents the external and internal gear member 9 , 14 from being deformed , and helps ensure that a smooth meshing engagement between the external gear 10 and the internal gear 16 is maintained . also , the stoppers 17 are fully accommodated in the reclining mechanism and so the reclining range is affected from dimensional variations in the backrest 3 or the seat cushion 2 . an accurate reclining range is thus obtained . the principles , preferred embodiment and mode of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification . however , the invention which is intended to be protected is not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiment disclosed . further , the embodiment described herein is to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive . variations and changes may be made by others , and equivalents employed , without departing from the spirit of the present invention . accordingly , it is expressly intended that all such variations , changes and equivalents which fall within the apart and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims , be embraced thereby . | 1 |
below , an embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings . however , this embodiment does not limit the technical scope of the present invention . fig3 is a block diagram showing the composition of one embodiment of an image processing apparatus 31 to which the present invention is applied . the cpu ( central processing unit ) 41 executes a game program previously stored in a work ram ( random access memory ) 42 , and generates polygon data constituting objects , and viewpoint information for the displayed screen , and the like . the polygon data and display list generated by the cpu 41 is stored in , and read out from , the work ram 42 . texture data read out from an external data memory 33 ( for example , a hard disk , or the like ), according to need , is also stored temporarily in the work ram 42 . the cpu 41 supplies polygon data , which is generated in accordance with operational inputs and the game program and is defined in terms of an object co - ordinates system , to a geometry processing unit 44 . the geometry processing unit 44 converts the supplied polygon data based on an object co - ordinates system to data based on a three - dimensional global co - ordinates system . thereupon , the geometry processing unit 44 conducts perspective conversion whereby the polygon data converted to a three - dimensional global co - ordinates system is converted to a two - dimensional screen co - ordinates system . the polygon data defined in terms of a screen co - ordinates system generated by the geometry processing unit 44 in this way is stored in a polygon buffer 46 . polygon data for one frame is stored in the polygon buffer 46 . a hidden surface erasing unit 45 then conducts hidden surface erasure processing with respect to the polygon data in the polygon buffer 46 . this hidden surface erasure processing involves displaying the forwardmost polygons in the display screen , on the basis of their distance from the viewpoint ( z value ). the polygon data for which hidden surface erasure processing has been completed by the hidden surface erasing unit 45 is then supplied to a rendering unit 47 , where rendering is carried out . one example of polygon data stored in the polygon buffer 46 is shown in fig4 . this diagram shows one example of vertex data constituting a polygon 1 . in this example , polygon 1 is constituted by four vertex data . data for vertex 1 comprises : screen co - ordinates indicating a position on a display screen ( sx , sy ); a z value indicating a depth in the display screen ; colour information ( r , g , b , a value ); texture co - ordinates ( tx , ty ); a normal vector ( nx , ny , nz ); and the like . data for vertex 2 , vertex 3 and vertex 4 is constituted similarly to the data for vertex 1 . the polygon data stored in the polygon buffer 46 is read out as appropriate , and when hidden surface erasure processing has been completed , data for the polygons to be displayed is supplied to the rendering unit 47 . the rendering unit calculates a lod ( level of detail ), on the basis of the size of the supplied polygon data . for example , if the polygon data is larger in size , then the level of detail is set to a higher level ( low lod value ), and if the polygon data is smaller in size , then the level of detail is set to a lower level ( high lod value ). in other words , texture data of optimum resolution with respect to the size displayed on the screen is selected . thereupon , the rendering unit 47 converts the polygon data to pixel data as illustrated in fig5 . fig5 shows data for three pixels in a polygon , as calculated from the four vertex data constituting the polygon 1 shown in fig4 . pixel 1 is constituted by screen co - ordinates ( sx , sy ), a z value , colour information ( r , g , b , α value ), texture co - ordinates ( tx , ty ), lod ( level of detail ), and a normal vector ( nx , ny , nz ). the data for pixel 2 and pixel 3 is constituted similarly to the data for pixel 1 . this pixel data is generally calculated by perspective interpolation . the pixel data generated by the rendering unit 47 is supplied to a texture processing unit 48 . fig6 shows an example of the composition of the texture processing unit 48 . the texture processing unit 48 carries out texture mapping . texture data read out from the work ram 42 is supplied to the texture data updating unit 61 . this texture data updating unit 61 records and updates the supplied texture data in a texture memory 65 . as illustrated in fig7 a - 7e , the updating of the mipmap texture data is carried out in sequence from the texture data 71 of lowest level of detail ( lod = 4 ) to the texture data of higher level of detail ( lower lod value ). fig7 a shows texture data 71 of lod = 4 ( lowest level of detail ), fig7 b shows texture data 72 of lod = 3 , fig7 c shows texture data 73 of lod = 2 , fig7 d shows texture data 72 of lod = 1 , and fig7 e shows texture data 71 of lod = 0 ( highest level of detail ). in the example in fig7 a - 7e , firstly , texture data 71 of lod = 4 ( lowest level of detail ) is updated , and then texture data 72 ( lod = 3 ) is updated . thereupon , texture data 73 ( lod = 2 ) through to texture data 75 ( lod = 0 ) are updated in sequence . the texture data having the lowest level of detail ( highest lod value ) have a small data volume , and therefore the updating process for this data is completed in a short period of time . therefore , even if the time period for updating processing is short , there is a higher probability that updating for texture data of a lower level of detail will have been completed . consequently , even in cases where updating has not been completed for texture data of all levels of detail , it is more reliable that updating of texture data of a lower level of detail will have been completed . in fig7 a - 7e , it is assumed that updating of the mipmap - format texture data starts with texture data 71 of lod = 4 , and is ended partway through texture data 75 having the highest level of detail of lod = 0 . the obliquely shaded updated texture data area is the area where data has been updated , and the non - updated texture data area 82 is the area where data has not yet been updated . the texture data updating unit 61 supplies the level of detail for which updating has been completed ( hereinafter , called the ‘ updated lod value ’, for the sake of convenience ,) to a texture header memory 62 . in the example in fig7 a - 7e , the texture data updating unit 61 supplies the updated lod value ( lod = 1 ) to the texture header memory 62 . attribute information for texture corresponding to a texture id is previously stored in the texture header memory 62 . this texture attribute information comprises , for example , storage position data for the texture data corresponding to the texture id in the texture memory 65 . this storage position data typically constitutes the origin and size of the storage area . the rendering unit 47 supplies the texture id in the generated pixel data to the texture header memory 62 . the texture header memory 62 converts the supplied texture id to corresponding texture attribute information , and this texture attribute information is then supplied to an address generator 64 . the texture header memory 62 records the updated lod value ( in the example in fig7 lod = 1 ) supplied by the texture data updating unit 61 , and supplies it to a clipping circuit 63 . the rendering unit 47 supplies the lod value ( level of detail ) in the generated pixel data to the clipping circuit 63 . the clipping circuit 63 compares the lod value supplied by the rendering unit 47 ( for example , lod = 0 ) with the updated lod value supplied by the texture header memory 62 ( in the example in fig7 lod = 1 ), and it outputs the higher lod value ( lower level of detail ). in other words , in the example in fig7 lod = 1 is output . namely , the supplied lod value is clipped to the updated lod value . in this case , texel data 93 and 94 having lod = 0 ( highest level of detail ) have not yet been updated , but the corresponding texel data 91 and 92 having lod = 1 have already been updated . consequently , in cases where texture data of lod = 0 is demanded , rather than accessing the texture data in texels 93 and 94 of texture data 75 , which has not been updated , instead , the texels 91 and 92 in texture data 74 of the level of detail one below ( lod value one above ) are accessed and read out . consequently , there is no display of texture data which has not been updated , and hence there is no significant distortion of images . the lod value ( level of detail ) output by the clipping circuit 63 is supplied to the address generator 64 . the rendering unit 47 supplies the texture co - ordinates ( tx , ty ) in the generated pixel data to the address generator 64 . the rendering unit 47 then supplies the texture id , lod value , and pixel data other than the texture co - ordinates ( tx , ty ) to a shading unit 49 . the address generator 64 generates a corresponding address in the texture memory 65 , from the supplied texture attribute information ( for example , the origin and size of the storage area ), the lod value ( level of detail ) and the texture co - ordinates ( tx , ty ), and it stores the generated address signal in the texture memory 65 . fig8 shows one example of mipmap - format texture data on a texture co - ordinates system . in the example in fig8 the horizontal axis is the x axis and the vertical axis is the y axis . the storage areas for the texture data 75 through to 71 having lod = 0 ( highest level of detail ) to lod = 4 ( lowest level of detail ) have respectively analogous shapes , as shown in the diagram . texture data a and texture data b corresponding to the texture id are displayed on the texture data 75 having lod = 0 . texture data a is expressed by origin ( 0 , 0 ) and size ( 256 , 256 ). texture data b is expressed by origin ( 256 , 0 ) and size ( 256 , 128 ). these storage position data ( origin and size ) are the aforementioned texture attribute information . texel a 0 ( tx , ty ) is located on texture data a . texels a 1 , a 2 , a 3 and a 4 represent texels corresponding to texel a 0 at the different levels of detail from lod 1 to lod 4 . the method for calculating address co - ordinates in the texture memory 65 is now described with reference to texture data a . the address generator 64 identifies the address of texture data a ( texel a 0 ) in the texture data 75 having lod = 0 , on the basis of the origin ( 0 , 0 ) and size ( 256 , 256 ) forming the attribute information for texture data a , and the texture co - ordinates ( tx , ty ). thereupon , the address generator 64 calculates the texture co - ordinates ( address ) of the texel corresponding to texel a 0 ( tx , ty ) on the basis of the supplied lod value . these co - ordinates are calculated by using formulae ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) below . consequently , if the lod value is 1 , for example , then the co - ordinates of texel al will be calculated as ( tx / 2 , ty / 2 ), with respect to the origin of the texture data 74 . moreover , the address generator 64 also generates a texture data mixture ratio signal , on the basis of the supplied texture attribute information , the lod value ( level of detail ) and the texture co - ordinates ( tx , ty ), and the generated mixture ratio signal is supplied to an interpolator 66 . a method for generating colour data by means of a bilinear filter is now described with reference to fig9 . fig9 is an example wherein one pixel corresponds to a plurality of texels ( texel a to texel d ). in fig9 the horizontal axis is the x axis and the vertical axis is the y axis . taking the smaller portion of x as ftx and the smaller portion of y as fty , for the mixture ratio signal , and taking the colours of the respective texels a to d as a , b , c , d , the colour data based on a bilinear filter is calculated from formula ( 5 ), by means of equations ( 3 ) and ( 4 ). colour data = tmp 0 ·( 1 − fty )+ tmp 1 · fty ( 5 ) when the address signal is supplied to the texture memory 65 , the corresponding texture data is read out and the read out texture data is supplied to the interpolator 66 . the interpolator 66 conducts the aforementioned bilinear filtering process on the basis of the supplied texture data and mixture ratio signal . here , filtering is carried out because there is not necessarily a one - to - one correspondence between the pixels in the display screen and the texels in the texture memory , and in the example in fig9 one pixel ( picture element ) corresponds to a plurality of texels . the processing implemented by the interpolator 66 is not limited to bilinear filtering , for example , it may also carry out trilinear filtering . as stated previously , bilinear filtering is a method for filtering from 4 texels in a single texture map . trilinear filtering is a method whereby bilinear filtering from 4 texels is carried out respectively for two consecutive mipmap data , and interpolation is then performed between the two mipmap data according to the smaller lod ( interpolating for a total of 8 texels ). the interpolator 66 supplies the filtered colour signal to the shading unit 49 . returning to fig3 the shading unit 49 conducts shading processing . for example , the colour data of pixels is adjusted in accordance with the colour and position of the light source . the shaded image data generated by the shading unit 49 is then supplied to a frame buffer 50 , where it is stored temporarily . the digital - format image data stored in the frame buffer 50 is supplied to a digital / analogue ( d / a ) converting unit 51 . the analogue signal generated by the digital / analogue ( d / a ) converting unit 51 is then supplied to the display apparatus 32 and displayed on a screen . next , the processing operations conducted by the texture processing unit 48 are described with reference to the flowchart in fig1 . firstly , at step s 1 , when the texture data read out from work ram 42 is supplied to the texture data updating unit 61 , the texture data updating unit 61 updates the texture data and the updated texture data is stored in the texture memory 65 . this texture data updating process is carried out in sequence , starting from the texture data of the lowest level of detail ( highest lod value ). at step s 2 , the texture data updating unit 61 determines whether or not the updating time period has ended and the timing for displaying the scene has been reached . if it is determined at step s 2 that the timing for displaying a scene has been reached , then the routine returns to step s 1 , and texture data updating processing is executed again . if it is determined at step s 2 that the timing for displaying the scene has been reached , then the routine moves on to step s 3 . at step s 3 , the texture data updating unit 61 ends the updating of texture data and supplies the updated lod value to the texture header memory 62 , where it is stored . at step s 4 , pixel data ( texture id , lod , texture co - ordinates ( tx , ty ), and other data ) is supplied from the rendering unit 47 to the texture processing unit 48 . at step s 5 , when texture id is supplied to the texture header memory 62 , then the texture header memory 62 converts the texture id to corresponding texture attribute information , and this texture attribute information is supplied to the address generator 64 . the texture header memory 62 supplies the temporarily stored updated lod value to the clipping circuit 63 . at step s 6 , the clipping circuit 63 compares the lod value ( level of detail ) supplied by the rendering unit 47 with the updated lod value supplied by the texture header memory 62 . at step s 7 , the clipping circuit 63 determines whether the lod value ( level of detail ) supplied by the rendering unit 47 is smaller than the updated lod value , in other words , whether or not the level of detail thereof is higher . at step s 7 , if it is judged that the lod value ( level of detail ) supplied by the rendering unit 47 is smaller than the updated lod value , in other words , if the level of detail is higher , then the routine proceeds to step s 8 , where the clipping circuit 63 clips the lod value to the updated lod value and supplies this updated lod value to the address generator 64 . if , at step s 7 , it is determined that the lod value ( level of detail ) supplied by the rendering unit 47 is not smaller than the updated lod value , in other words , if it is not a higher level of detail , then the routine proceeds to step s 9 , where the clipping circuit 63 outputs the lod value supplied by the rendering unit 47 , without alteration , to the address generator 64 . at step s 10 , the address generator 64 generates a corresponding address in the texture memory 65 on the basis of the supplied texture attribute information , lod value ( level of detail ), and texture co - ordinates ( tx , ty ), and the generated address signal is supplied to the texture memory 65 . at step s 11 , texture data is read out from the supplied address signal , and the texture data read out is supplied to the interpolator 66 . the interpolator 66 carries out trilinear filtering on the basis of the supplied texture data , and outputs a colour signal . at step s 12 , it is determined whether or not the processing of texture data for one frame has been completed , and if it is determined that the processing of texture data for one frame has not been completed , then the routine returns to step s 4 , and the processing in steps s 4 through to s 12 is carried out again . if it is determined at step s 12 that texture data processing for one frame has been completed , then the processing operation is completed . in this embodiment of the present invention , it is also possible to calculate the optimum combination of updateable lod values previously on the basis of the texture updating time , in such a manner that texture data having these calculated lod values is updated . in this case , the updated lod values may be at sporadic intervals . when rendering , if the calculated lod value is not yet updated , then rendering is carried out by using texture data for the nearest lod value which has been updated . fig1 is a block diagram showing the composition of a further embodiment to which the present invention can be applied . in the image display apparatus 31 shown in fig3 the geometry processing unit 44 , hidden surface erasing unit 45 , rendering unit 47 , texture processing unit 48 and shading unit 49 are implemented by dedicated hardware , but in the example shown in fig1 , all or a portion of image processing , such as geometry processing , hidden surface erasing , rendering , texture processing , shading , and the like , is implemented by a general - purpose computer by means of a computer program . an input unit 101 , cpu 102 , hard disk 103 , memory 105 and frame buffer 106 are mutually connected by means of a bus 109 . an operator inputs operating information by controlling the input unit 101 . a game program and an image processing program are previously stored on the hard disk 103 . the cpu 102 reads out and executes the game program and image processing program from the hard disk 103 , as and when necessary . data , or the like , required by the cpu 102 when executing the program is stored in a work ram 113 in the memory 105 , as and when necessary . polygon data for one frame is stored in a polygon buffer 111 in the memory 105 , and a z value is stored in a z buffer 112 . the generated image data is stored in the frame buffer 106 . image data read out from the frame buffer 106 is supplied to the digital / analogue ( d / a ) converting unit 107 . the digital / analogue ( d / a ) converting unit 107 converts the supplied digital data ( image data ) to an analogue signal , which is displayed on the display unit 108 . as a storage medium providing a user with a computer program for executing the aforementioned processing , in addition to an information storage medium , such as a magnetic disk , cd - rom , or the like , it is also possible to include network - based transmission media , such as the internet , digital satellites , or the like . as described above , according to the present invention , since updating of mipmap - format texture data is carried out starting from the lowest level of detail , and it is recorded up to which level of detail the updating of texture data has been completed , then even in cases where updating of texture data has not been completed in time , it is possible to conduct texture processing using texture data having a lower level of detail , which has been completed . consequently , it is possible to prevent significant distortion of images , such as mixing of updated and non - updated texture data , for example . the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above - described aspects of the invention , but rather extends to the invention disclosed in the claims , and to equivalents thereof . | 6 |
a module with analogue inputs comprises several pathways 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 isolated with the aid of optical isolation static relays , also called “ optomos ” ( trademark ). this type of component is in particular described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 390 , 790 . more precisely , this type of optical isolation static relay 1 a , 1 b , 2 a , 2 b , 3 a , 3 b , 4 a , 4 b ( hereinafter 1 a - 4 b ) comprises an input circuit composed of a light - emitting diode able to convert an input control signal ( i in fig1 ) into infrared light . the light - emitting diode is optically coupled to a conversion circuit formed of an assembly of photovoltaic cells and of associated drive circuits . the photovoltaic cell generates the voltage necessary for the control of a mosfet circuit ( represented in a simplified manner by a simple breaker ) which switches the output load . with reference to fig1 , in a module with isolated analogue inputs , each pathway comprises two optical isolation static relays ( hereinafter static relay ). for each input pathway , the two static relays are linked in series by their input circuit . the inputs of the mosfet circuits are linked to a terminal block which defines hardware - wise the various pathways to which the sensors will connect . control means 6 make it possible to selectively control each input pathway 1 - 4 by dispatching the control signal into the input circuits of the two static relays in series . the optical isolation static relays support voltages of possibly as much as 600 volts for switching times of less than 1 ms . the optical isolation static relays 1 a - 4 b make it possible to isolate the pathways from one another . for the unselected input pathways , these static relays each allow through a not inconsiderable leakage current . the addition of these leakage currents gives rise to errors in the measurements which may turn out to be crippling when the number of pathways is greater than four . according to the invention , a low - voltage analogue multiplexer 5 ( dc supply voltage lying between + 30 vdc and − 30 vdc approximately ) is therefore placed between the analogue - digital converter adc and the static relays 1 a - 4 b . this multiplexer 5 exhibits a number of channels that is at least equal to the number of pathways of the input module . in fig1 , each channel 5 a - 5 h of the multiplexer 5 is controlled by a distinct breaker connected on the one hand to the mosfet circuit of the first optical isolation static relay 1 a , 2 a , 3 a , 4 a of a pathway 1 - 4 and on the other hand to the analogue - digital converter adc . the output of the mosfet circuit of the second static relay 1 b , 2 b , 3 b , 4 b of each pathway is for its part linked to the analogue zero volts . the breakers of the multiplexer 5 can for example exhibit a structure of mosfet type and they make it possible to limit the leakage currents destined for the analogue - digital converter adc to a few nanoamperes . the multiplexer 5 comprises for example eight channels 5 a - 5 h and control means 7 making it possible to selectively control each of the pathways . the multiplexer 5 is for example available under the reference adg508f . the control means 7 of the multiplexer are for example coupled to the control means 6 of the static relays 1 a - 4 b so as to synchronize the selective open / close control of each of the pathways 1 - 4 and the selective open / close control of the corresponding channel 5 a - 5 h of the multiplexer 5 . when its number of channels is sufficient , the multiplexer 5 can carry out two functions . the first function already described above is to reduce the leakage currents of the static relays 1 a - 4 b by connecting each input pathway to a channel 5 a - 5 d of the multiplexer 5 . the multiplexer can furthermore be involved in the autocalibration of the measurement chain . specifically , so as to avoid procedures for periodic calibration so as to guarantee the precision of the measurements , it is known to embed an autocalibration function carried out by virtue of the microprocessor of the card of the input module . the autocalibration of the measurement chain is carried out with the aid of a reference circuit of precise voltage and the multiplexer . in this case , the multiplexer 5 makes it possible to route the voltage reference in order to measure it and to short - circuit the input of the bus in order to measure the offset voltage . these two measurements carried out cyclically make it possible to compensate for the acquisition chain measurement errors . thus , when , as represented in fig1 , the module comprises four input pathways 1 - 4 and the multiplexer comprises eight channels 5 a - 5 h , four channels 5 a - 5 d of the multiplexer 5 are placed in series with the optical isolation static relays so as to limit the leakage currents and the other four channels 5 e - 5 h can be employed in the following manner : one channel routes the voltage reference , one channel routes the ground , one channel routes the power supply ( 5 volts ) intended to detect a reference voltage fault , one channel is unused and is grounded . it is of course understood that it is possible , without departing from the scope of the invention , to contemplate other variants and refinements of detail and even to envisage the use of equivalent means . | 6 |
referring now to fig1 and 2 , an i / o rack 10 may provide for a rack housing 12 having multiple openings 14 for orienting and supporting corresponding replaceable i / o modules 16 . the i / o modules 16 generally provide an electrical interface between an industrial controller 17 and an industrial process or machine 18 , the latter having actuators presenting loads 20 as powered by external field - side power sources 22 which may be ac sources ( as shown ) or dc sources as will be described . each of the i / o modules 16 may have exposed screw terminals 24 or similar releasable terminals for connecting circuitry of the i / o module 16 via electrical conductors 26 to the load 20 and field - side power source 22 of the industrial process or machine 18 . the housing 12 of the i / o rack 10 may be supported , for example , on a din rail 29 of a type known in the art or may provide for other mounting arrangements allowing it to be located close to the desired controlled loads 20 . the i / o rack 10 may connect via a control network 28 , for example , ethernet ip , to industrial controller 17 for communication of control data between the i / o modules 16 of the i / o rack 10 and the industrial controller 17 . generally , the industrial controller 17 will include at least one processor 30 executing a stored control program 32 contained in a communicating memory 34 to provide for communication with the control network 28 to exchange signals with the i / o rack 10 for control of the industrial process or machine 18 according to a stored control program 32 . the stored control program 32 reads signals indicating the state of the industrial process or machine 18 ( from sensors or the like ) and writes outputs to the i / o rack 10 to control the loads 20 according to those sensed inputs and the logic of the control program 32 . the industrial controller 17 may include a connection to a user interface terminal 35 ( for example including a display , computer , keyboard , and mouse or the like ) allowing programming and other control of the industrial controller 17 and providing for output of information to an operator . industrial controllers 17 suitable for use with the present invention include , for example , programmable controllers commercially available from rockwell automation , inc . some of the i / o modules 16 of each i / o rack 10 may include a provision for an isolation barrier 36 ( indicated by the like numbered dotted line in fig2 ) between the electrical power and circuitry of the industrial process or machine 18 , and directly connected portions of the i / o module 16 and the circuitry of the industrial control system including the industrial controller 17 , the network 28 , the racks 10 and remaining portions of the i / o modules 16 . circuitry on the side of the isolation barrier 36 toward the industrial process or machine 18 will be termed “ field - side ” circuitry and circuitry on the side of the electrical isolation towards the industrial controller 17 will be termed “ controller - side ” circuitry . electrical isolation , as is understood in the art , may be accomplished by an optical isolator or transformer that prevents dc conduction through the isolation barrier 36 to prevent damage to the controller - side circuitry in the event of fault on the field - side circuitry . this isolation prevents simple sharing of electrical power between the circuits on the controller - side in the field - side by conductors spanning the isolation barrier 36 . referring now to fig3 , each i / o rack 10 may provide a backplane 40 providing a set of electrically releasable electrical connectors 42 communicating with a backplane bus 44 providing parallel or serial digital communication and electrical power . electrical power may be provided by a power supply 43 . the digital communication on the backplane bus 44 may be moderated by a rack controller 46 including network circuit 45 communicating with the industrial control network 28 . the rack controller 46 and network circuit 45 may be , for example , one or more electronic processors executing a stored program stored in memory or the like . the electrical connectors 42 forming the backplane bus 44 may connect with corresponding electrical connectors 47 positioned at the rear of each i / o module 16 allowing electrical connection between controller - side circuitry of the i / o rack 10 and the controller - side circuitry of the i / o module 16 for directly communicating data and power therebetween when an i / o module 16 is inserted into the i / o rack 10 . within each i / o module 16 , a module controller 48 may execute a stored program 50 to coordinate functions of the i / o module 16 by communicating with multiple output circuits 52 and corresponding single shared or multiple zero crossing detector circuits 54 . each of these output circuits 52 and zero crossing detector circuits 54 may provide internally for isolation barrier 36 between controller - side and field - side circuitry as will be described . each of these output circuits 52 and zero crossing detector circuits 54 also communicates with a shared set of terminals 24 ( only three shown for clarity ) that may , for example , be screw type terminals releasably receiving electrical conductors 26 . generally two of the terminals 24 will connect to line voltage ( if needed for zero crossing detection ) and a third will provide a switched output . as will be understood in the art , the zero crossing detector circuit 54 provides a detection of zero crossing of the waveform applied to the terminals 24 connected to the line voltage to produce a zero crossing signal 55 transmitted to the module controller 48 and indicating the timing of the zero crossing of the ac waveform on the terminals 24 . the zero crossing detector circuits may be any of a wide variety of different circuit types , for example , circuits receiving an ac signal through a full wave rectifier that drives a conventional optocoupler . the optocoupler &# 39 ; s input may be in series with a voltage threshold sensitive device ( such as a zener diode or a properly configured transistor ) providing a switching near the zero crossings of the ac signal to produce a pulse zero crossing signal 55 near the zero crossing of the ac signal . the module controller 48 receiving this zero crossing signal 55 provides a switch state signal 56 for each output circuit 52 indicating a desired control of electrical power at the terminals 24 ( based on signal 56 ). in one mode of operation , conduction between terminals 24 ( switch state ) is changed by output circuit 52 ( either by opening or closing the circuit between terminals 24 ) only at the zero crossings of the ac waveform on the terminals 24 to reduce power dissipation in the internal switching elements used to control power conducted through the terminals 24 to accommodate the architecture of the switching element characteristics ( for example when a thyristor is used ), and / or to reduce the generation of electromagnetic interference . in another mode of operation , conduction between the terminals 24 may be changed by the output circuit 52 ( again either by opening or closing the circuit between terminals 24 ) at a predetermined offset from the zero crossing . this allows modulation of the ac signal , for example , to control power to a load by switching the ac signal on and off with different duty cycles much in the manner of pulse width modulation . unlike conventional triac circuitry , the fet transistors 76 and 78 may both switch on and off at any point in the cycle of the ac waveform . referring now to fig4 , the output circuit 52 may receive a switch state signal 56 from the controller 17 , for example , at the base of the pnp transistor 60 . the pnp transistor 60 may in turn drive an led 62 in a photovoltaic optocoupler 64 . the emitter of the pnp transistor 60 , for example , may be connected to a controller - side power source 67 being a positive dc voltage and a collector of the pnp transistor 60 may connect to through current - limiting resistor 65 to the anode of the led 62 whose cathode is connected to ground of the controller - side power source 67 . light from the led 62 , when the transistor 60 is on , may generate electrical voltage on the photovoltaic pile 66 comprised of a set of series connected photodiodes . the photovoltaic pile 66 may provide a positive voltage at an anode of the photovoltaic pile 66 connected to circuit point b with reference to a cathode of the photovoltaic pile 66 , the latter connected to field circuit internal ground 68 . thus , voltage applied at signal 56 results in an increase in voltage at circuit point b . a bypass resistor 81 is placed to shunt the photovoltaic pile 66 to improve the response time of the circuit as will be described below . circuit point b connects to the anode of a diode 70 and to the base 72 of a pnp pull - down transistor 74 whose collector is connected to the field circuit internal ground 68 and whose emitter connects with the cathode of diode 70 at circuit point a . circuit point a connects in turn to the gates of two back - to - back series connected metal oxide semiconductor field effect ( mosfet ) transistors 76 and 78 . transistor 76 has its drain connected to a first terminal 24 and its source connected to the source of second transistor 78 . second transistor 78 has its drain connected to the second terminal 24 . the junction between transistors 78 and 76 is connected to the field circuit internal ground 68 . an mov voltage - limiting device 80 is placed to shunt the terminals 24 to protected transistors 76 and 78 from high - voltage spikes from conductors 26 and load - stored inductive energy . transistors 76 and 78 are connected in series such that when transistor 76 is conducting in first quadrant mode , transistor 78 is conducting in third quadrant mode . if polarity is reversed , transistor 76 will conduct in third quadrant mode and transistor 78 will conduct in first quadrant mode . first quadrant mode is drain positive and source negative , third quadrant is source positive and drain negative with n channel devices . referring now to fig4 and 5 , it will be appreciated that when the led 62 is conducting ( before time t 0 ) the voltage 82 at circuit point b rises to a high state turning off pull - down transistor 74 and biasing point a and the gates of transistors 76 and 78 to a similar high state at voltage 84 substantially equal to voltage 82 . this biasing of the transistors 76 and 78 allows bipolar conduction of current between terminals 24 through the transistors 76 and 78 . when the led 62 is deenergized ( after time t 0 ), the voltage 82 at point b drops as a result of current passing through a bypass resistor 81 shunting the photovoltaic pile 66 . as the voltage 82 at point b drops , the voltage at point a remains relatively high by virtue of the blocking action of diode 70 and the high impedance of the gates of transistors 76 and 78 , continuing the conduction of the transistors 76 and 78 in a low impedance conduction mode . as long as the declining voltage 82 at point b remains above a transistor turn on voltage 86 , pull - down transistor 74 is back biased to remain off , preserving the voltage level of a at voltage 84 . when the voltage at point b drops below the voltage 86 , pull - down transistor 74 turns on , rapidly pulling the voltage level a near to ground . this rapid turn off reduces power dissipation in the transistors 76 and 78 during a turn off of these transistors . as noted , turn off and turn on of the transistors 76 and 78 may be synchronized to zero crossings of an ac waveform , with the decay of waveform at point b being relatively short by virtue of the bypass resistor 81 . referring now to fig6 a - 6 c , the use of mosfet transistors 76 and 78 , as shown , permit a number of different configurations of the load 20 and field - side power source 22 and connection to the terminals 24 of the i / o module 16 . in a conventional ac control situation , per fig6 a , an ac field - side power source 22 may be connected between a field - side ground and either of the terminals 24 and the load 20 connected between the remaining terminal 24 and the field - side ground 84 . similarly , but not shown , the load 20 may be placed in any other location in the circuit path shown including between the field - side power source 22 and the terminal 24 . in this way versatile ac signal control may be obtained . it should be emphasized that the grounds associated with the field - side power sources 22 ( external field side grounds 84 ) are distinct from the internal field - side ground 68 described above and the two should not be connected . the ability of the internal field side ground 68 to float with respect to the external field side grounds 84 provides the flexibility of the current circuit . referring to fig6 b , for the control of a dc circuit including dc field - side power source 22 ′, the i / o module 16 may act as a “ sinking ” module with the load 20 connected between a positive terminal of the field - side power source 22 ′ and one terminal 24 and the remaining terminal 24 connected to ground . alternatively , as shown in fig6 c , the positive terminal of the field - side power source 22 ′ may be connected directly to a terminal 24 and the remaining terminal 24 may be connected to the load 20 which then leads to ground in a so - called “ sourcing ” mode . referring now to fig7 , in one embodiment , the output circuit 52 may provide for a printed circuit board 90 associated with multiple removable modules 92 and 92 ′ that may be alternatively releasably attached to the printed circuit board 90 , for example , through electrical connector sockets 94 on the printed circuit board 90 and corresponding pins 96 on the modules 92 or 92 ′. the module 92 may hold the fet transistors 76 and 78 having a first voltage or current characteristic ( for example , high - voltage operation ) and the module 92 ′ may hold fet transistors 76 ′ and 78 ′ having a different voltage or current characteristic ( for example , higher current operation but lower voltage operation than transistors 76 and 78 ). the printed circuit board 90 may hold the remaining circuitry of the output circuit 52 , allowing the fet transistors 76 and 78 to be selected between high - voltage fet transistors and lower voltage higher current fet transistors by simply plugging in one or the other of modules 92 or 92 ′. in this way , a single i / o module 16 may provide for a wide range of different interface types , including both ac and dc voltages configured in different ways as discussed above with respect to fig6 and having different voltage or current requirements , by the replacement of the module 92 or 92 ′ at a distributor or in the field . it will be appreciated that many modifications may be made to the circuit including , for example , use of the photovoltaic optocoupler 64 with other solid - state switching element configurations including , for example , a single mosfet having its drain and source connected between terminals 24 . referring now to fig8 , in an alternative embodiment , electrical connectors 42 forming the backplane bus 44 may connect with corresponding electrical connectors 47 positioned at the rear of a dedicated dc output i / o module 100 . as discussed above , these interconnections may allow electrical communication between controller - side circuitry of the i / o rack 10 and the controller - side circuitry of the i / o module 100 for directly communicating data and power therebetween when an i / o module 100 is inserted into the i / o rack 10 . within each i / o module 100 , a module controller 48 may execute a stored program 50 to coordinate functions of the i / o module 100 by communicating with multiple output circuits 102 . as with the ac i / o module 16 discussed above , these output circuits 102 may provide internally for an isolation barrier 36 between controller - side and field - side circuitry as will be described . generally , each of these output circuits 102 also communicates with a shared set of terminals 24 ( only two shown for clarity ) that may , for example , be screw type terminals releasably receiving electrical conductors 26 . the module controller 48 provides a switch state signal 56 for each output circuit 102 indicating a desired control of electrical power at the terminals 24 . referring now to fig9 , each dc output circuit 102 may receive the switch state signal 56 from the controller 48 at a controller - side data input 103 of a power / data magnetic isolator 104 providing the isolation barrier 36 . the switch state signal 56 is relayed in isolated fashion to a field - side data output 110 so as to communicate the information from the state switched signal 56 to the field - side data output 110 . data may also flow in the opposite direction from a field - side data input 112 through the power / data magnetic isolator 104 to an isolated controller - side data output 114 , similarly relaying data received at the field - side data input 112 in isolated fashion to the controller - side data output 114 . generally , the power / data magnetic isolator 104 will also receive a source of controller - side power 106 , for example a dc voltage on the controller - side of the isolation barrier 36 ( referenced to controller ground 152 isolated from and floating with respect to ground 150 , and will provide a field - side power output 108 providing the same or a different dc voltage derived from the controller - side power 106 ( for example , by dc to dc conversion ). referring also to fig1 , in one embodiment , the power / data magnetic isolator 104 may provide for a first and second isolation transformer 118 a and 118 b , each having corresponding primary windings 120 ( 120 ′) and secondary windings 122 ( 122 ′) respectively with isolation transformer 118 a having its primary winding 120 on the controller - side of the isolation barrier 36 and secondary windings 122 on the field - side of the isolation barrier 36 and transformer 118 b having its primary winding 120 ′ on the field - side of the isolation barrier 36 and secondary winding 122 ′ on the controller - side of the isolation barrier 36 . it will be understood that electrical power ( and data ) communicated between the primary windings 120 ( 120 ′) and secondary windings 122 ( 122 ′) will be isolated ( meaning that there is no dc electrical conduction path at the operating voltages between the windings ) and that the electrical power at the secondary winding will be “ floating ” with respect to the voltage at the primary winding ( meaning generally that there is no dc connection between the ground references for these two voltages within the output circuit 102 ). electrical power may be communicated through the power / data magnetic isolator 104 by transforming the controller - side power 106 at an oscillator 124 into an alternating current waveform driving the primary winding 120 of the first transformer 118 a . a corresponding oscillating ac waveform will be received at the secondary winding 122 which may be processed by a rectifier 126 and a voltage regulator 130 to provide a dc power output 108 . the particular voltage of the dc power output will depend on the turns ratio of the transformer 118 a , the regulation voltage of the voltage regulator 130 which may include dc to dc conversion , for example , through isolated feedback control of the oscillator 124 . data may be communicated through the power / data magnetic isolator 104 , for example , from controller - side data input 103 , by providing the data to a modulator 132 , for example , converting a binary pulse train into high frequency pulses at the transitions of the pulse train . these high frequency signals may be received by a demodulator 134 connected to the secondary winding 122 to provide data at the field - side data output 110 . generally the electrical power communicated through the power / data magnetic isolator 104 will provide power to the demodulator 134 and a buffer output so that data on the field - side data output 110 is expressed as an electrical signal similar to that obtained through standard logic gate . similarly , data received on the field - side data input 112 may be received at modulator 136 to be transmitted to the primary winding 120 ′ of isolation transformer 118 b to be conveyed to a corresponding demodulator 138 connected to the secondary winding 122 ′ of the transformer 118 b to be provided to the controller - side data output 114 . the transformers 118 a and 118 b may be implemented , for example , using integrated circuit techniques providing planar coils separated by planar layers of the cmos circuit or the like . a power / data magnetic isolator 104 suitable for this purpose is commercially available from analog devices of norwood mass ., usa under the trade name of adum5201 . referring again to fig9 the signal 56 , as transferred in isolated fashion through the power / data magnetic isolator 104 , may pass through a resistor 140 to the gate of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect ( mosfet ) transistor 142 . transistor 142 has its drain connected to a first terminal 24 and its source connected to a second terminal 24 of the dc i / o module 100 ( shown in fig8 ). a voltage limiting protective element 144 , such as a zener diode or mov , may be connected across the drain to source to protect the transistor 142 from high voltage spikes applied to the terminals 24 exceeding drain to source output voltage of the transistor 142 . in one embodiment , the transistor 142 may be an auto - protected transistor providing one or more of voltage clamping , current limiting , and temperature protection by internal transistor structures . in the event of over temperature , for example , the path through the transistor 142 between the drain and source may open and the path between the gate and source may be shunted with a low resistance by internal protective mechanisms . a mosfet transistor suitable for use in this application is commercially available from stmicroelectronics of geneva , switzerland under the trade name of omnifet ii . this and other similar fault condition of the transistor 142 may be detected through the use of a pnp transistor 146 having its base connected through resistor 141 to the junction of resistor 140 and the gate of transistor 142 and having its emitter connected to the junction between resistor 140 and field - side data output 110 of the power / data magnetic isolator 104 . a collector of the transistor 146 is connected through resistor 148 to a ground output 150 ( providing the reference for output 108 ) being isolated from a corresponding ground 152 ( providing the reference for controller - side power 106 ) on the controller - side of the isolation barrier 36 . a junction between the resistor 148 and a collector of the transistor 146 is connected to the field - side data input 112 . during normal operation of the transistor 142 , the emitter and base of transistor 146 will be substantially at equal potential ( either both high - voltage or low - voltage ) because of the high impedance of the gate of the transistor 142 . in this state , the transistor 146 will be off and the voltage at the field - side data input 112 will be low indicating no fault condition . when a fault of the transistor 142 occurs , the shunting of the gate to the source by a low resistance lowers the voltage on the base of transistor 146 with respect to its emitter ( when the field - side data output 110 is in its high state ) causing a conduction of the transistor 146 raising the voltage at the field - side data input 112 . this voltage at field - side data input 112 is relayed in isolated fashion to controller - side data output 114 to provide an indication to the controller 48 that the connected transistor 142 is in a fault condition . referring now to fig1 a and 11 b , as discussed above , the use of the mosfet transistor 142 powered by a floating gate voltage , permit a number of different configurations of the load 20 and field - side power source 22 in connection to the terminals 24 of the i / o module 100 . these configurations are possible because the signal at the gate of mosfet transistor 142 ( v gs ) is independent of the field - side power source 22 and thus unaffected by different configurations of the field - side power source 22 with respect to attachment to the terminals 24 . referring to fig1 a , for the control of a dc circuit including dc field - side power source 22 ′, the i / o module 100 may act as a “ sinking ” module with the load 20 connected between a positive terminal of the field - side power source 22 ′ and one terminal 24 ( connected to the drain of transistor 142 ) and the remaining terminal 24 connected to external ground 85 ( not connected to internal ground 150 ). alternatively , as shown in fig1 b , the positive terminal of the field - side power source 22 ′ may be connected directly to a terminal 24 and the remaining terminal 24 may be connected to the load 20 which then leads to ground 85 in a so - called “ sourcing ” mode . referring now to fig1 as discussed above , in one embodiment , the output circuit 100 may provide for a printed circuit board 90 associated with multiple removable modules 92 and 92 ′ that may be alternatively releasably attached to the printed circuit board 90 , for example , through electrical connector sockets 94 on the printed circuit board 90 and corresponding pins 96 on the module 92 or 92 ′. the module 92 may hold the fet transistors 142 having a first voltage or current characteristic ( for example , high - voltage operation ) and the module 92 ′ may hold fet transistors 142 ′ having a different voltage or current characteristic ( for example , higher current operation but lower voltage operation than transistors 142 ). the printed circuit board 90 may hold the remaining circuitry of the output circuit 100 , allowing the fet transistors 142 to be selected between high - voltage fet transistors and lower voltage higher current fet transistors by simply plugging in one or the other of modules 92 or 92 ′. in this way , a single i / o module 100 may provide for a wide range of different voltage or current requirements by the replacement of the module 92 or 92 ′ at a distributor or in the field . it will be appreciated that many modifications may be made to the circuit including , for example , use of the photovoltaic optocoupler 64 with other solid - state switching element configurations including , for example , a single mosfet having its drain and source connected between terminals 24 . while the fet transistors are described in the above embodiments with respect to switching external field - side ac and dc power , it will be appreciated that they may also be used to switch general analog signals ( ac or dc ) or to provide effectively bounce less contacts mimicking the operation of a relay or the like . certain terminology is used herein for purposes of reference only , and thus is not intended to be limiting . for example , terms such as “ upper ”, “ lower ”, “ above ”, and “ below ” refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made . terms such as “ front ”, “ back ”, “ rear ”, “ bottom ” and “ side ”, describe the orientation of portions of the component within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component under discussion . such terminology may include the words specifically mentioned above , derivatives thereof , and words of similar import . similarly , the terms “ first ”, “ second ” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context . when introducing elements or features of the present disclosure and the exemplary embodiments , the articles “ a ”, “ an ”, “ the ” and “ said ” are intended to mean that there are one or more of such elements or features . the terms “ comprising ”, “ including ” and “ having ” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements or features other than those specifically noted . it is further to be understood that the method steps , processes , and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated , unless specifically identified as an order of performance . it is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed . references to “ a microprocessor ” and “ a processor ” or “ the microprocessor ” and “ the processor ,” can be understood to include one or more microprocessors that can communicate in a stand - alone and / or a distributed environment ( s ), and can thus be configured to communicate via wired or wireless communications with other processors , where such one or more processor can be configured to operate on one or more processor - controlled devices that can be similar or different devices . furthermore , references to memory , unless otherwise specified , can include one or more processor - readable and accessible memory elements and / or components that can be internal to the processor - controlled device , external to the processor - controlled device , and can be accessed via a wired or wireless network . co - pending patent applications entitled input circuit for industrial control with low heat dissipation ser . no . ______ and zero - crossing detector for industrial control with low heat dissipation ser . no . ______ filed on even date herewith and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety . it is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein and the claims should be understood to include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims . all of the publications described herein , including patents and non - patent publications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties . | 7 |
fig1 illustrates a flatbed scanner 10 in one embodiment of the invention . scanner 10 includes a housing 12 , a cover 14 hingedly attached to housing 12 , a transparent ( e . g ., glass ) platen 16 atop housing 12 , and a carriage 18 within housing 12 . carriage 18 travels within housing 12 on a vertical gear channel 20 and a horizontal gear channel 22 . carriage 18 includes a rectangular photodetector array 24 and an illumination ring 26 . in one embodiment , photodetector array 24 has multiple ( e . g ., more than three ) rows of complementary metal oxide semiconductor ( cmos ) sensors . in one embodiment , photodetector array 24 consists of a variety of red , blue , and green photodiodes and the actual color at the site of each photodiode is interpolated from the colors of the neighboring photodiodes . in a lower - end scanner with a slower throughput , photodetector array 24 may have a resolution of 352 × 288 pixels . in a higher - end scanner with a faster throughput , photodetector array 24 may have 1 . 3 megapixel of resolution to enable the entire page to be scanned more quickly . in one embodiment , illumination ring 26 are light emitting diodes ( leds ) formed around photodetector array 24 on the same die . fig2 illustrates a cross - section view of carriage 18 along line a ( fig1 ) in one embodiment of the invention . photodetector array 24 and illumination ring 26 are mounted on a plate 32 . mounting plate 32 includes a horizontal guide 34 . a motor 36 and associated gear system 38 are mounted to plate 32 . a horizontal carriage bar 40 defines a horizontal guide channel 42 that receives guide 34 . horizontal carriage bar 40 further defines gear channel 22 that receives a gear from gear system 38 . gear channel 22 includes teeth that engage gear system 38 . in operation , motor 36 drives gear system 38 to move carriage 18 horizontally across the object to be scanned . a flex cable 50 ( fig3 ) moves the image data from photodetector array 24 to horizontal carriage bar 40 . fig3 illustrates a cross - section view of carriage 18 along line b ( fig1 ) in one embodiment of the invention . horizontal carriage bar 40 includes vertical guides 44 a and 44 b . a motor 46 and associated gear system 48 are mounted to horizontal carriage bar 40 . housing 12 defines vertical guide channels 52 a and 52 b that receive corresponding guides 44 a and 44 b . housing 12 further defines gear channel 20 that receives a gear from gear system 48 . gear channel 20 includes teeth that engage gear system 48 . in operation , motor 46 drives gear system 48 to move carriage 18 vertically down the object to be scanned . a flex cable 52 moves the image data from horizontal carriage bar 40 to the scanner base for the data to be processed by the scanner electronics . during scanning , the object to be scanned is placed on glass platen 16 . illumination ring 26 then illuminates a portion of the object . light is reflected from this portion of the object and simultaneously captured as multiple ( e . g ., more than three ) scan lines by rectangular photodetector array 24 . photodetector array 24 converts the light intensity of this portion into electrical signals . fig4 illustrates that , instead of slowly moving scan line by scan line as in conventional flatbed scanners , carriage 18 moves horizontally or vertically in large increments ( e . g ., exemplified by a movement 62 of sensor 64 ) equal to or greater than the corresponding width and height of photodetector array 24 in one embodiment of the invention . this allows for a faster scanning process . after the entire object is scanned , software is used to interpolate pixel colors and to stitch together the scanned portions into a single color image of the object . software can also be used to correct any non - uniform lighting . fig5 illustrates that the resolution can be increased by micro - stepping rectangular photodetector array 24 both horizontally and vertically in small increments ( e . g ., exemplified by a movement 66 of sensor 64 ) in one embodiment of the invention . the horizontal increment is less than the horizontal spacing between adjacent sensors while the vertical increment is less than the vertical spacing between adjacent sensors . for example , if photodetector array 24 produces 300 × 300 dpi , then the resolution can be doubled to 600 × 600 dpi by ( 1 ) capturing an image of the object , ( 2 ) moving photodetector array 24 by half ( ½ ) a dpi in the horizontal and the vertical directions , and ( 3 ) capturing another image of the object . software is then used to combine the two images to form a 600 × 600 dpi image of the object . after a micro - step , carriage 18 can move horizontally or vertically in a large increment to scan the next area on the object , followed by another micro - step . fig6 illustrates a side cross - sectional view of a sheet feeder scanner 100 in one embodiment of the invention . scanner 100 includes a housing 102 , a sheet feeder 104 , feed rollers 106 , and a carriage 108 within housing 102 . sheet feeder 104 grabs a single sheet 110 of document from a stack 112 and moves it vertically to feed rollers 106 . feed rollers 106 move sheet 110 past carriage 108 . carriage 108 includes rectangular photodetector array 24 and illumination ring 26 . to scan sheet 110 , carriage 108 travels horizontally within housing 102 on horizontal gear channel 22 and horizontal guide channel 42 . carriage 108 is similar to carriage 18 but without the vertical travel components because feed rollers 106 function to move the paper vertically past carriage 108 . instead of moving the paper slowly scan line by scan line as in conventional sheet feeder scanners , feed rollers 106 vertically move single sheet 110 in large increments equal to or greater than the height of photodetector array 24 . again , this allows for a faster scanning process because portions of the documents are simultaneously captured as multiple scan lines by rectangular photodetector array 24 . fig7 illustrates a side cross - sectional view of a flatbed scanner 200 in one embodiment of the invention . scanner 200 includes a housing 212 , a glass platen 216 atop housing 212 , a stationary rectangular photodetector array 218 with optics 220 , and light sources 222 . during scanning , the object to be scanned ( e . g ., object 224 ) is placed on glass platen 16 . light sources 222 then illuminates the entire object by directing light onto object 224 or bouncing light off the sidewalls of housing 212 and then onto object 224 . light is reflected from object 224 and directed by optics 220 onto rectangular photodetector array 218 . photodetector array 218 converts the light intensity of the scanned object into electrical signals . instead of moving a carriage as in conventional scanners , photodetector array 218 remains stationary and scans the entire object at once . again , this allows for a faster scanning process because multiple scan lines are captured simultaneously by photodetector array 218 . software can be used to interpolate pixel colors and to correct any non - uniform lighting . various other adaptations and combinations of features of the embodiments disclosed are within the scope of the invention . numerous embodiments are encompassed by the following claims . | 7 |
reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention ( s ), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below . while the invention ( s ) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments , it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention ( s ) to those exemplary embodiments . on the contrary , the invention ( s ) is / are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments , but also various alternatives , modifications , equivalents and other embodiments , which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . description of components that are not necessary for explaining the present invention will be omitted , and the same constituent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals in this specification . in the detailed description , ordinal numbers are used for distinguishing constituent elements having the same terms , and have no specific meanings . fig1 is a schematic diagram of a gear train according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . pg 1 represents a first planetary gear set , pg 2 represents a second planetary gear set , pg 3 represents a third planetary gear set , c 1 represents a first clutch , c 2 represents a second clutch , c 3 represents a third clutch , c 4 represents a fourth clutch , b 1 represents a first brake , b 2 represents a second brake , is represents an input shaft forming an input member , and og represents an output gear forming an output member in the drawings . the first , second , and third planetary gear sets pg 1 , pg 2 , and pg 3 are disposed on the same axis ( input shaft ). a rotation speed input from the input shaft is is changed by the first , second , and third planetary gear sets pg 1 , pg 2 , and pg 3 and is output through the output gear og . the first planetary gear set pg 1 is disposed close to an engine , and the second and third planetary gear sets pg 2 and pg 3 are sequentially disposed at the rear of the first planetary gear set pg 1 . the input shaft is is an input member and denotes a turbine shaft of a torque converter . torque transmitted from a crankshaft of the engine is converted by the torque converter and is input to the gear train through the input shaft is . the output shaft os is an output member and is connected to a well - known differential apparatus so as to transmit an output of the gear train to driving wheels . the first planetary gear set pg 1 is a double pinion planetary gear set , and includes a first sun gear 51 , a first ring gear r 1 , and a first planet carrier pc 1 supporting a first pinion p 1 engaged with both gears s 1 and r 1 . the second planetary gear set pg 2 is a single pinion planetary gear set , and includes a second sun gear s 2 , a second ring gear r 2 , and a second planet carrier pc 2 supporting a second pinion p 2 engaged with both gears s 2 and r 2 . the third planetary gear set pg 3 is a double sun gear planetary gear set , and includes a third sun gear s 3 and a fourth sun gear s 4 , a third pinion p 3 engaged with the third and the fourth sun gears s 3 and s 4 , a third planet carrier pc 3 supporting the third pinion p 3 , a center member cm disposed between the third and fourth sun gears s 3 and s 4 and connected to the third planet carrier pc 3 , and a third ring gear r 3 engaged with the third pinion p 3 . the center member cm is coupled to the third planet carrier pc 3 and rotates integrally with the third planet carrier pc 3 . in addition , the second planetary gear set pg 2 and the third planetary gear set pg 3 are connected to each other by first and second connecting members m 1 and m 2 . the first connecting member m 1 connects the second sun gear s 2 with the third sun gear s 3 , and the second connecting member m 2 connects the second planet carrier pc 2 with the third ring gear r 3 such that the second planetary gear set pg 2 and the third planetary gear set pg 3 are operated as one compound planetary gear set . in addition , the first , second , and third planetary gear sets pg 1 , pg 2 , and pg 3 are combined by four clutches c 1 , c 2 , c 3 , and c 4 and two brakes b 1 and b 2 . the first planet carrier pc 1 is directly connected to the input shaft is so as to be always operated as an input element , the first sun gear 51 is connected to a transmission housing h so as to be always operated as a fixed element , and the second planet carrier pc 2 and the third ring gear r 3 are directly connected to the output gear og so as to be always operated as an output element . in addition , the first clutch c 1 selectively connects the first ring gear r 1 with the second ring gear r 2 , the second clutch c 2 selectively connects the first ring gear r 1 with the second sun gear s 2 , the third clutch c 3 selectively connects the input shaft is with the center member cm , and the fourth clutch c 4 selectively connects the input shaft is with the second sun gear s 2 . in addition , the first brake b 1 selectively connects the fourth sun gear s 4 with the transmission housing h , and the second brake b 2 selectively connects the third planet carrier pc 3 with the transmission housing h . connections of the rotation elements and the friction members may be well understood referring to fig2 . meanwhile , the first and second clutches c 1 and c 2 are disposed at an external circumference of the second planetary gear set pg 2 , the first and second brakes b 1 and b 2 are disposed at the rear of the third planetary gear set pg 3 , and the third and fourth clutches c 3 and c 4 are disposed at the rear of the first and second brakes b 1 and b 2 . if the friction elements are dispersed as described above , formation of hydraulic lines for supplying hydraulic pressure to such friction elements may be simplified , and weight balance in the automatic transmission may be enhanced . fig3 is an operational chart for a gear train according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . that is , fig3 shows which clutches and brakes are operated at each shift - speed . as shown in fig3 , two friction members are operated at each shift - speed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . that is , the first clutch c 1 and the second brake b 2 are operated at a first forward speed d 1 , the first clutch c 1 and the first brake b 1 are operated at a second forward speed d 2 , the first and second clutches c 1 and c 2 are operated at a third forward speed d 3 , the first and fourth clutches c 1 and c 4 are operated at a fourth forward speed d 4 , the first and third clutches c 1 and c 3 are operated at a fifth forward speed d 5 , the third and fourth clutches c 3 and c 4 are operated at a sixth forward speed d 6 , the second and third clutches c 2 and c 3 are operated at a seventh forward speed d 7 , the third clutch c 3 and the first brake b 1 are operated at an eighth forward speed d 8 , and the second clutch c 2 and the second brake b 2 are operated at a reverse speed rev . fig4 is a lever diagram for a gear train according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in the drawings , a lower horizontal line represents a rotational speed is “ 0 ”, and an upper horizontal line represents a rotational speed is “ 1 . 0 ”, that is , the rotational speed thereof is the same as that of the input shaft is . three vertical lines of the first planetary gear set pg 1 sequentially represent the first sun gear s 1 being a first rotation element n 1 , the first ring gear r 1 being a second rotation element n 2 , and the first planet carrier pc 1 being a third rotation element n 3 from the left to the right , and distances therebetween are set according to a gear ratio ( teeth number of the sun gear / teeth number of the ring gear ) of the first planetary gear set pg 1 . four vertical lines of the second and third planetary gear sets pg 2 and pg 3 sequentially represent the second , third , and fourth sun gears s 2 , s 3 , and s 4 being a fourth rotation element n 4 , the third planet carrier pc 3 being a fifth rotation element n 5 , the second planet carrier pc 2 and the third ring gear r 3 being a sixth rotation element n 6 , the second ring gear r 2 being a seventh rotation element n 7 , and distances therebetween are set according to gear ratios ( teeth number of the sun gear / teeth number of the ring gear ) of the second and third planetary gear sets pg 2 and pg 3 . position of each rotation element in the lever diagram is well known to a person of an ordinary skill in the art who designs a gear train , and thus detailed description will be omitted . as shown in fig3 , the first clutch c 1 and the second brake b 2 are operated at the first forward speed d 1 . accordingly , in a state that a rotation speed of the input shaft is is input to the third rotation element n 3 , the first rotation element n 1 is operated as the fixed element . therefore , the rotation elements of the first planetary gear set pg 1 forms a first shift line t 1 and the reduced rotation speed is output through the second rotation element n 2 . in a state that the reduced rotation speed is delivered to the second planetary gear set pg 2 through the seventh rotation element n 7 by an operation of the first clutch c 1 , the fifth rotation element n 5 is operated as the fixed element by an operation of the second brake b 2 . therefore , a first shift line sp 1 is formed as shown in fig4 . therefore , the first shift line sp 1 crosses the vertical line of the sixth rotation element n 6 that is the output element and the first forward speed d 1 is output . the second brake b 2 which was operated at the first forward speed d 1 is released and the first brake b 1 is operated at the second forward speed d 2 . in a state that the reduced rotation speed is input to the seventh rotation element n 7 such as the first forward speed d 1 , the fourth rotation element n 4 is operated as the fixed element by an operation of the first brake b 1 . therefore , a second shift line sp 2 is formed as shown in fig4 . therefore , the second shift line sp 2 crosses the vertical line of the sixth rotation element n 6 that is the output element and the second forward speed d 2 is output . as shown in fig3 , the first brake b 1 that was operated at the second forward speed d 2 is released and the second clutch c 2 is operated at the third forward speed d 3 . in a state that the reduced rotation speed is input to the seventh rotation element n 7 such as the second forward speed d 2 , the reduced rotation speed is also input to the fourth rotation element n 4 by an operation of the second clutch c 2 . as shown in fig4 , the second and third planetary gear sets pg 2 and pg 3 become direct - coupling state and a third shift line sp 3 is formed . therefore , the third shift line sp 3 crosses the vertical line of the sixth rotation element n 6 that is the output element and the third forward speed d 3 is output . as shown in fig3 , the second clutch c 2 that was operated at the third forward speed d 3 is released and the fourth clutch c 4 is operated at the fourth forward speed d 4 . in a state that the reduced rotation speed is input to the seventh rotation element n 7 such as the third forward speed d 3 , a rotation speed of the third rotation element n 3 ( the same as that of the input shaft ) is input to the fourth rotation element n 4 by an operation of the fourth clutch c 4 . as shown in fig4 , a fourth shift line sp 4 is formed . therefore , the fourth shift line sp 4 crosses the vertical line of the sixth rotation element n 6 that is the output element and the fourth forward speed d 4 is output . as shown in fig3 , the fourth clutch c 4 that was operated at the fourth forward speed d 4 is released and the third clutch c 3 is operated at the fifth forward speed d 5 . in a state that the reduced rotation speed is input to the seventh rotation element n 7 such as the fourth forward speed d 4 , the rotation speed of the input shaft is is input to the third planet carrier pc 3 forming the fifth rotation element n 5 through the center member cm by an operation of the third clutch c 3 . as shown in fig4 , a fifth shift line sp 5 is formed . therefore , the fifth shift line sp 5 crosses the vertical line of the sixth rotation element n 6 that is the output element and the fifth forward speed d 5 is output . as shown in fig3 , the first clutch c 1 that was operated at the fifth forward speed d 5 is released and the fourth clutch c 4 is operated at the sixth forward speed d 6 . in a state that the rotation speed of the input shaft is is input respectively to the fifth and fourth rotation elements n 5 and n 4 by the operations of the third and fourth clutches c 3 and c 4 . as shown in fig4 , the second and third planetary gear sets pg 2 and pg 3 become the direct - coupling state and a sixth shift line sp 6 is formed . therefore , the sixth shift line sp 6 crosses the vertical line of the sixth rotation element n 6 that is the output element and the sixth forward speed d 6 is output . as shown in fig3 , the fourth clutch c 4 that was operated at the sixth forward speed d 6 is released and the second clutch c 2 is operated at the seventh forward speed d 7 . in a state that the rotation speed of the input shaft is is input to the fifth rotation element n 5 by the operation of the third clutch c 3 , the rotation speed of the second rotation element n 2 is input to the fourth rotation element n 4 by the operation of the second clutch c 2 . as shown in fig4 , a seventh shift line sp 7 is formed . therefore , the seventh shift line sp 7 crosses the vertical line of the sixth rotation element n 6 that is the output element and the seventh forward speed d 7 is output . as shown in fig3 , the second clutch c 2 that was operated at the seventh forward speed d 7 is released and the first brake b 1 is operated at the eighth forward speed d 8 . in a state that the rotation speed of the input shaft is is input to the fifth rotation element n 5 such as the seventh forward speed d 7 , the fourth rotation element n 4 is operated as the fixed element by the operation of the first brake b 1 . as shown in fig4 , an eighth shift line sp 8 is formed . therefore , the eighth shift line sp 8 crosses the vertical line of the sixth rotation element n 6 that is the output element and the eighth forward speed d 8 is output . as shown in fig3 , the second clutch c 2 and the second brake b 2 are operated at the reverse speed rev . in a state that the rotation speed of the second rotation element n 2 is input to the fourth rotation element n 4 by the operation of the second clutch c 2 , the fifth rotation element n 5 is operated as the fixed element by the operation of the second brake b 2 . as shown in fig4 , a reverse shift line rs is formed . therefore , the reverse shift line rs crosses the vertical line of the sixth rotation element n 6 that is the output element and the reverse speed rev is output . as described above , eight forward speeds and one reverse speed are achieved by combining two simple planetary gear sets and a double sun gear planetary gear set having two sun gears and a center member disposed between the sun gears and connected to a planet carrier with four clutches and two brakes with four clutches and two brakes . therefore , power delivery performance and fuel economy may be improved , and particularly , performance in reverse speeds may be improved according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention since the frictional members are dispersedly disposed , formation of hydraulic lines may be simplified , weight balance in an automatic transmission may be enhanced . the foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description . they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed , and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings . the exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application , to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention , as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents . | 5 |
a preferred embodiment of the “ multiple shape changing roller unit ” is illustrated in fig1 . the “ multiple shape changing roller unit 010 ” main parts generally comprise of a slotted patterned frame 020 and a roller cover & amp ; rod assembly 060 . the slotted patterned frame 020 , includes a slotted patterned frame handle 030 , a slotted patterned frame hanging hole 040 , and a slotted patterned frame slot pattern 050 . the roller cover & amp ; rod assembly 060 , includes a rod 70 , & amp ; a roller cover 150 , a roller cover & amp ; rod assembly connecting bolt 062 , and a roller cover & amp ; rod assembly connecting wing nut 064 . the rod 070 , includes a rod permanent retaining end 110 , a rod attachment hole 130 , a rod stop for roller cover 140 the roller cover 150 , includes a roller cover material 160 , a roller cover core 280 , a roller cover core inside surface 290 , a roller cover core outside surface 300 , and a roller cover core hole 310 the roller cover 150 , is permanently attached to the rod 070 . the roller cover and rod assembly 060 is detachably mounted to the slotted patterned frame 020 . the roller cover 150 , with the desired roller material 120 , is chosen for the specific coating applications . the slotted patterned frame 020 , can be manufactured in a plurality of ways comprising molded , machined , laser cut , water cut , plasma cut , wire edm cut , die cut and stamped . the preferred method is injection molding due to the low cost for high volume . for low volume production machined , laser cut , water cut , plasma cut , wire edm cut , die cut and stamped frames will be built . there are a plurality of materials the slotted patterned frame 020 , can be made from comprising plastic , metal , and wood . the preferred material is plastic in high volume applications . from the description above , a number of advantages of the “ multiple shape changing roller unit ” become evident : ( a ) provides a way to concurrently paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off or apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to different sides around the surface area of multisided objects comprising of bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( b ) provides a faster way to paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off or apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( c ) provides a more efficient way of painting , staining , dusting , polishing , striping , sanding , cleaning , wiping off or applying chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( d ) provides a cheaper way to paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off & amp ; apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( e ) provides an easier way to paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off & amp ; apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( f ) provides a simple way paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off & amp ; apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( g ) provides a reduction in the number of people require to paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off & amp ; apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( h ) provides a better way to paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off & amp ; apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; the first step would be to determine what application the “ multiple shape changing roller unit ” is going to be used in . this would determine which roller material you needed . if you were painting , staining , dusting , polishing , striping , cleaning , wiping off & amp ; applying chemicals ( liquid and powder ), drying , sanding , or scraping each of theses different operations would require you to pick out a different roller material for that specific operation . once you have decided what roller material you need for the specific job , such as needing a painting roller material for painting porch railing , you would then be ready to start using the “ multiple shape changing roller unit ”. an operator would adjust both roller cover and rod assemblies to the proper shape for the specific object the roller cover will act upon . the bolt & amp ; wing nut for the roller cover & amp ; rod assembly will then be tightened to the desired position . an operator would then put the slotted patterned frame handle of the “ multiple shape changing roller unit ” in the palm of his hand and wrap his fingers around the handle . while holding the “ multiple shape changing roller unit ”, dip the roller covers into the paint , stain , polish , stripping compound , or other chemicals ( liquid and powder ). use a special pan to wipe off excess coating from the roller covers , before application , to ensure uniform coating is left on the roller covers without coating dripping from the roller covers . if it is a dusting , sanding or wiping operation where no coating will be applied to a multisided object then there will be no need to dip the roller covers into a substance or coating . place the roller covers around the multisided object . after the roller cover opening is around the multisided object , proceed to move along the right surface area length of the multisided object to ensure that the rollers are applied around a 180 degree section of the entire surface area length of the right side of the multisided object . as you use the handle to apply pressure against the multisided object with the roller covers , the roller covers will rotate as you move up and down along the surface area length of the multisided object . then while standing on the same side of the multisided object , flip the multi - head opening so that the opening facing the opposite direction . then proceed to roll along the left surface area length of the multisided object to ensure that the coating is being applied to the other 180 - degree section of the surface area length of the left side of the multisided object . the roller covers should form a loop around the multisided object allowing you to apply liquid or powder to part or all of the surface area of the of the multisided object . sometimes it may be necessary to flip the “ multiple shape changing roller unit ” over causing the roller covers to face the opposite direction so that the other sections of the multisided object can also be acted upon by the roller covers . this application can be repeated until the entire surface area of the multisided object , 360 degrees around , is covered by the roller covers ensuring that the liquids or powder on the roller covers is applied to the multisided object &# 39 ; s complete surface or if no chemicals are used the roll material has acted on the entire surface of the multisided object . this can all be done from standing on one side of the multisided object . in the dusting , drying , sanding and surface stripping applications the same process as above is repeated except there is no liquid or power being applied to the multisided object . the roller material of the roller cover is only being applied to the surface area of the multisided object and these different roller materials act on the object to dust , dry , sand and strip the surface area of the multisided object . this process is repeated until the entire surface area of the multisided object , 360 degrees around the entire surface area of the object is dusted , dried , sanded , or stripped . accordingly , the reader will see that the “ multiple shape changing roller unit ” of this invention has advantages in that ( a ) it provides a way to concurrently paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off or apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to different sides around the surface area of multisided objects comprising of bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( b ) it provides a faster way to paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off or apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( c ) it provides a more efficient way of painting , staining , dusting , polishing , striping , sanding , cleaning , wiping off or applying chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( d ) it provides a cheaper way to paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off & amp ; apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( e ) it provides an easier way to paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off & amp ; apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( f ) it provides a simple way paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off & amp ; apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( g ) it provides a reduction in the number of people require to paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off & amp ; apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; ( h ) it provides a better way to paint , stain , dust , polish , strip , sand , clean , wipe off & amp ; apply chemicals ( liquid and powder ) to multisided objects comprising bars , posts , poles , shafts , spindles , railings , supports , and columns but not limiting to the aforementioned group of objects ; further objectives and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description . although the description above contains much specificity , these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention . thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents , rather than just by the examples given . | 1 |
one embodiment of the reusable - form fitting gift wrap is illustrated in fig1 a to 1e . fig1 a shows the reusable - form fitting gift wrap comprising a covering element 100 , a fastening element 102 and a record keeping element 104 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said covering element 100 is comprised of supple material 110 . said supple material 110 can be of any material that can be repeatedly folded and straightened out without causing damage to said material . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said supple material 110 be comprised of a square , roughly 45 ″ across , sheet of decorative cotton having a finished edge serving to prevent fraying . however said supple material 110 can be of varying size , shape , and be without finished edge . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said fastening element 102 is comprised of a top portion of fastening element 106 and a base portion of fastening element 118 . said top portion of fastening element 106 is comprised of a decorative element 112 . adhering to the underside of said decorative element 112 is an unspecified strip portion of hook and loop fastener 114 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said decorative element 112 be of a decorative bow , 5 ″ in diameter , consisting of ribbon loops , and that a 2 ″ strip of hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h be sewn to the underside of said decorative element 112 . however , said decorative element 112 can be of different form , shape , size and material , and said unspecified strip portion of hook and loop fastener 114 can be of different lengths , width , be comprised of the loop portion of said hook and loop fastener 114 l , and adhere to underside of decorative element 112 by virtue of adhesive such as glue . said base portion of fastening element 108 is comprised of a length of fabric ribbon 118 . adhering to face side , and roughly in the center of said fabric ribbon 118 , is an unspecified strip portion of hook and loop fastener 114 complimentary to said unspecified strip portion of hook and loop fastener 114 used in said top portion of fastening element 102 . therefore , if said top portion of fastening element 106 comprised said hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h , base portion of fastening element 108 would comprised said loop portion of said fastener 114 l . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said fabric ribbon 118 of base portion of fastening element 106 comprise of a fabric ribbon 135 ″ in length and 1 ″ in width and that said portion of unspecified hook and loop fastener 114 comprise of a 2 ″ strip of the loop portion of hook and loop fastener 114 l and be sewn lengthwise to said fabric ribbon 118 . however , said fabric ribbon 118 can be of different length and width , said unspecified strip of hook and loop fastener 114 can be comprised of the hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h of different length and width , and adhere to face side of said base portion of fastening element 108 by virtue of adhesives such as glue . options for an accessory record keeping element 104 to the present embodiment are shown in fig1 a , 1 b and 1 d . said accessory record keeping element 104 is comprised of a body component of accessory record keeping element 121 , and a latch component of accessory record keeping element 128 . i presently contemplate for one embodiment , shown in fig1 a , that said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 comprise of a plurality of sheets of paper 123 , a protective decorative covering 124 , a place marking 127 and a means of binding 125 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said plurality of sheets of paper 123 be circular , with a diameter of 2 ″, and without marking , and protective decorative covering 124 be roughly the same size and shape of said sheets of paper 123 and be made of the same supple material 110 as said covering element 100 with said binding 125 comprising of stitching sewn across top portion of said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 and that said place marking 127 be comprised of a fabric ribbon . however , said sheets of paper 123 can be of varying shape and size , can be blank or have decorative prints and wording and can also be laminated to add a reusable wipe - off option . said protective decorative covering 124 can be blank or have decorative print or wording and can comprise of a different material such as other fabrics , plastic , leather or wood . said binding 125 may be bound together by virtue of glue adhesives , or staples . said place marking 127 can comprise of thread , leather , metal or plastic and can be braided for added interest . said accessory record keeping element 104 may also be without said place marking 127 . in one embodiment , shown in fig1 f , i presently contemplate that said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 comprise a protective casing element 130 and a label element 134 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said label element 134 ( shown open in fig1 f ) comprise of an elongated sheet of paper folded onto its self in a plurality of accordion folds 136 whereby creating a booklet form containing a plurality of divided tabs 135 . one of said tabs 135 can be chosen as a dedicated tab 135 d as means to labeling a current message . by means of manipulating accordion folds 136 said dedicated tab 135 d can be viewed as the top tab 135 of said label element 134 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said protective casing element 130 comprise a viewing window 132 and an opening 131 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said label element 134 can be placed into and removed from said protective casing element 130 by virtue of said opening 131 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that when said label element 134 is placed within said protective casing element 130 said label element 134 being in folded position and with said dedicated tab 135 d being viewed as the top tab 135 , said dedicated tab 135 d can be viewed through said viewing window 132 allowing user to display one current message while hiding other recorded messages which may be read once said label element 134 is removed from said protective casing element 130 by means of said opening 131 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said protective casing element 130 be made of a hard material such as plastic , and be of rectangular shape 2 ″ wide , 1 ″ high and 0 . 5 ″ deep . however , said protective casing element 130 can be made of other material of varying stiffness , such as leather , cardboard , stiff fabric or wood and be of different shape and size . i also presently contemplate for this embodiment that said opening 131 be located at one end of said protective casing element 130 and said label element 134 be comprised of a singular sheet of paper roughly 12 ″ long by 2 ″ wide . however , said opening 131 can be located on any side of said protective casing element 130 and said label element 134 can be of varying shape and size . fig1 a shows one embodiment of said accessory record keeping element 104 comprising of a body component of accessory record keeping element 121 , and a latch component of accessory record keeping element 128 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment , that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 be comprised of a length of fabric ribbon having both ends meeting together forming a loop and sewn to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 . however said latch component can be comprised of a split ring , a clip such as a carabineer , or an unspecified strip portion of hook and loop fastener . fig1 f shows one embodiment of said accessory record keeping element 104 comprised of a body component of accessory record keeping element 121 , and a latch component of accessory record keeping element 128 with an additional lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . i presently contemplate in this embodiment that said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 comprise of a length of fabric ribbon . however lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 can comprise of other materials capable of adding length and flexibility to said accessory record keeping element 104 . i presently contemplate in this embodiment that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 be comprised of a split ring and be connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 by said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . however said latch component can be comprised of a split ring , a clip such as a carabineer , or an unspecified strip portion of hook and loop fastener . for the manner of using embodiment shown in fig1 a - 1e i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 is laid on a flat surface decorative side facing down . an item is placed on top of and centered to said covering element 100 . if said covering element 100 is excessive in size relative to the size of the item being wrapped , the width and or length of said covering element 100 can be shortened by means of folding said covering element 100 , onto itself , repeating folds until said covering element 100 is desired width and length . said covering element 100 is then folded , closely wrapping around one side of the item overlapping seems of said covering element 100 leaving two parallel ends of the item unwrapped . said base portion of fastening element 108 is laid across the top of the item such that said base portion of fastening element 108 is elongated and perpendicular to the overlapping seams of said covering element 100 , with said loop side of hook and loop tape 114 l , face side up and located in the centre and on top of the partially wrapped item . ends of said base portion of fastening element 108 are folded down the sides of the item whereby holding down side edges of said covering element 100 tightly around the item . the partially wrapped item is then flipped over . on top and in the center of underside of the partial wrapped item , the ends of said base portion of fastening element 108 are intertwined to each other 90 ° to interlock ( fig1 b ). remaining ends of said base portion of fastening element 108 are laid across yet unwrapped ends of partially wrapped item . holding remaining ends of base portion of fastening element 108 closely to the unwrapped ends of the item , the item is flipped once more whereby returning item to right side up position . remaining ends of said covering element 100 are folded , whereby concealing remaining ends of the item . ends of said base portion of fastening element 108 are folded up the remaining ends of the wrapped item whereby holding down end edges of said covering element 100 tightly to the item . ends of said base portion of fastening element 108 are then laid across said loop portion of hook and loop fastener 114 l , positioned in centre of gift . ends of said base portion of fastening element 108 are twisted 180 ° around each other whereby interlocking to each other . said accessory record keeping element 104 can be added to the wrapped item by means of slipping the latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 onto the said base portion of fastening element 108 . said top portion of fastening element 106 is fastened to said base portion of fastening element 108 by means of joining said hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h component of top portion of fastening element 106 to said loop portion of hook and loop fastener 114 l of said base portion of fastening element 108 . whereby said fastening element 102 , comprising of said top portion of fastening element 106 and said base portion of fastening element 108 , serves as a means of fastening said covering element 100 in place . to unwrap , said top portion of fastening element 106 is removed by means of pulling or peeling , off of said base portion of fastening element 108 whereby said base portion of fastening element 108 is released , whereby also releasing said covering element 100 intact . fig1 d and 1e show examples by which items differing in shape and size can be wrapped with this described embodiment . thus demonstrating that said covering element 100 and fastening element 102 adjust to different sizes and shapes which thereby constitute a means for variability and adjustability . for the manner of using embodiment shown in fig1 f i presently contemplate that a message is written on said chosen dedicated tab 135 d , said label element 134 is folded with said dedicated tab 135 d as top tab . through said opening 131 , said folded label element 134 is placed into said protective casing element 130 , right side up allowing said dedicated tab 135 d to be viewed through said viewing window 132 . the next giver of the reusable - form fitting gift wrap , removes said label element 134 from said protective casing element 130 , writes a new message on the newly dedicated tab 135 d and folds said label element 134 with newly dedicated tab 135 d as top tab and places said label element 134 back in the said protective casing element 130 and so on . said accessory record keeping element 104 can then be fastened to gift item by means of said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 . there are various possibilities with regard to the relative components and disposition of said covering element 100 , said fastening element 102 and said accessory record keeping element 104 . in one embodiment shown in fig2 a i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 is comprised of two sheets of said supple material 110 of roughly equal shape and size . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said supple material 110 be comprised of a square , roughly 45 ″ across , sheet of decorative cotton . however said supple material 110 can be of varying sizes and shapes and consist of any material that can be repeatedly folded and straightened out without causing damage to said material such as any other fabrics or supple plastics . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said two sheets of supple material 110 be of different decorative designs to allow reversibility , and interest . however both sheets of supple material 110 can be of the same decorative design . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said sheets of supple material 110 are sewn together along all edges , decorative sides facing out , creating a large enclosed inner pocket . fig2 b shows additional top stitching 212 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said top stitching 212 outline a grid form , forming equal square divided pockets 216 . however said top stitching 212 can outline various other forms . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that there be breaks in said top stitching 212 in predetermined areas , forming an opening in stitching 214 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said fastening element 102 comprises of a plurality of magnet buttons 210 fig2 c . said top stitching 212 serving in keeping said magnet button 210 from clumping together fig2 d - 2e . said opening in stitching 214 serving to allow said magnet buttons 210 to slide to and from a plurality of predetermined said pockets 216 , whereby allowing greater ease in placing said magnet buttons 210 in desired position . i presently contemplate for this embodiment the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 fig2 f , 2 h , 2 i . however this embodiment can be complete in itself without the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 be comprised of a metal item roughly 1 ″ in diameter such as a metal washer . however , said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 may be made of metal or magnet of varying shape and size . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 , be connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 by said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . however said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 , may be directly connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 without the use of said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . for the manner of using embodiment shown in fig2 a - 2i i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 is laid on a flat surface decorative side facing down . an item is placed on top of and centered to said covering element 100 . if said covering element 100 is excessive in size relative to the size of the item being wrapped , the width and or length of said covering element 100 can be shortened by means of folding said covering element 100 , onto itself , repeating folds until said covering element 100 is desired width and length . said magnet buttons 210 are strategically positioned by means of manual manipulation from the outside of said covering element 100 anticipating ideal points of closure . said covering element 100 is folded over item whereby said covering element 100 is enveloping and therefore taking the shape of the item . said magnet buttons 210 are adjusted by means of manual manipulation from the outside of said covering element 100 , and aligned with previously positioned corresponding said magnet buttons 210 , whereby latching together . said supple material 110 of said covering element 100 now held between said magnet buttons 210 whereby said covering element 100 is firmly held in place . said accessory record keeping element 104 can be added to the wrapped item by means of said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 adhering to one of the said magnet buttons 210 . fig2 h and 2i show examples by which items differing in shape and size can be wrapped with this described embodiment . thus demonstrating that said covering element 100 and fastening element 102 adjust to different sizes and shapes which thereby constitute a means for variability and adjustability . in one embodiment shown in fig3 a i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 is comprised of said supple material 110 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said supple material 110 comprise of a square , roughly 45 ″ across , sheet of decorative cotton with a finished edge serving to prevent fraying . however a second sheet of said supple material 110 may be added to reverse side adding reversibility option . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said fastening element 102 comprises of a series of loose top stitching 310 sewn into the fabric using a loose straight stitch , preferably creating an esthetically pleasing pattern , and a predetermined number of small pivoting hooks 312 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said small pivoting hooks 312 be 0 . 5 ″ long , consisting of a hook portion and an eyelet portion and sewn to underside of at least on edge of said supple material 110 approximately 2 ″ apart . i presently contemplate for this embodiment the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 fig3 a . however this embodiment can be complete in itself without the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 be comprised of a hook 314 roughly 0 . 75 ″ long . however said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 can be comprised of a split ring , a clip such as a carabineer or a ribbon loop . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 be connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 by said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . however said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 , may be directly connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 without the use of said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . for the manner of using embodiment shown in fig3 a - 3d i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 is laid on a flat surface decorative side facing down . an item is placed on top of and centered to said covering element 100 . if said covering element 100 is excessive in size relative to the size of the item being wrapped , the width and or length of said covering element 100 can be shortened by means of folding said covering element 100 , onto itself , repeating folds until said covering element 100 is desired width and length . said covering element 100 is folded over item whereby said covering element 100 is enveloping and therefore taking the shape of the item . edges of said covering element 100 are fastened by means of latching said hook 312 onto nearest corresponding top stitching 310 whereby holding said covering element 100 tightly and securely in place . said accessory record keeping element 104 can be added to the wrapped item by means of said hook 314 serving as said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 adhering to said loose top stitching 310 . fig3 b and 3d show examples by which items differing in shape and size can be wrapped with this described embodiment . thus demonstrating that said covering element 100 and fastening element 102 adjust to different sizes and shapes which thereby constitute a means for variability and adjustability . in one embodiment shown in fig4 a i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 is comprised of said supple material 110 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said supple material 110 be comprised of a square , roughly 45 ″ across , sheet of decorative cotton with a finished edge serving to prevent fraying . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that the closing mechanism comprises of a predetermined plurality of button holes 410 diagonally aligned with each of three of the four corners of said supple material 110 and one button 412 sewn to the decorative side of the fourth corner . however button holes and button can be oriented differently on said covering element 100 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 fig4 a . however this embodiment can be complete in itself without the use of said accessory of the accessory record keeping element 128 be comprised of a length of ribbon 118 having both ends meeting together forming a loop and sewn to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 . however said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 can be comprised of elastic , string , plastic or other supple material forming a loop , or comprise of an additional button or button hole added to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 . furthermore , said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 may be connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 by a said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . for the manner of using embodiment shown in fig4 a - 4d i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 is laid on a flat surface decorative side facing down . a first item is placed on top and in the center of said covering element 100 , item being positioned diagonally to the corners . corner comprising of said button 412 is placed on top of the item and roughly centered to said item . then , each of the three corners comprising said plurality of button holes 410 , are folded to the sides of the item , one at a time , said button 412 being matched to the nearest fitting said button hole 410 and secured , whereby holding said covering element 100 tightly and securely in place . once all edges have been secured , any excess of said covering element 100 can be tucked in to create a neat and snug fit . said accessory record keeping element 104 can be added to the wrapped item by means of said ribbon 118 forming a loop serving as said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 by means of hooking onto said button 412 . fig4 c and 4d show examples by which items differing in shape and size can be wrapped with this described embodiment . thus demonstrating that said covering element 100 and fastening element 102 adjust to different sizes and shapes which thereby constitute a means for variability and adjustability . in one embodiment shown in fig5 a i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 is comprised of a plurality of pieces of supple material 510 . adhering to two joint edges of one side of said pieces of supple material 510 , are two strips of the hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h , meeting in one corner at a 90 degree angle . adhering to two joint edges of opposite side of said pieces of supple material 510 , is a strip of the loop portion of hook and loop fastener 114 l , at a 90 degree angle and meeting in opposite corner as that of the two strips of the hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h on the other side of said pieces of supple material 510 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said pieces of supple material 510 be of a square shape and roughly 6 ″ across , that said strips of hook and loop fastener 114 l and 114 h be 4 ″ in length and 1 ″ wide and be sewn to said pieces of supple material 510 . however said pieces of supple material 510 can be of triangular , rectangular , octagonal and other shapes comprising straight edges and be of different dimensions . said strips of hook and loop fastener 114 l and 114 h can also be of varying lengths and widths and adhering to said pieces of supple material 510 by virtue of other adhesive such as glue . a second sheet of said pieces of supple material 510 may also be added to reverse side adding reversibility option . i presently contemplate for this embodiment the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 . however this embodiment can be complete in itself without the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 . fig5 a shows said accessory record keeping element 104 comprising said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 , and said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 . in embodiment , i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 be comprised of an unspecified strip portion of hook and loop fastener 114 , adhering directly to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 . however other elements may be used as said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 such as fabric capable of adhering to hook and loop fastener 114 or any element which may be held in place between two said strips of hook and loop fastener 114 l and 114 h . furthermore , said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 may be connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 by a said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . for the manner of using embodiment shown in fig5 a - 5e i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 comprised of a plurality of said piece of supple material 510 overlapped and aligned to meet loop portion of hook and loop fastener 114 l with said hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h and fastened together to make said covering element 100 desired size . fig5 e shows a closer look at the seams created by adjoining components of said covering element . said supple material 510 are added as needed to adjust the size of the said covering element 100 to the size of the gift fig5 b . once the proper size of said covering element 100 is produced , the assembled said covering element 100 is placed on a flat surface with the decorative side facing down . an item is placed on top of and centered to said covering element 100 , said covering element 100 is folded over item whereby said covering element 100 is enveloping and therefore taking the shape of the item . said covering element 100 is then secured by joining edges together matching up said loop portion of hook and loop fastener 114 l to said hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h . said accessory record keeping element 104 can be added to the wrapped item by means of an unspecified strip portion of hook and loop fastener 114 serving as said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 adhering to a complimentary unspecified strip portion of hook and loop fastener 114 of said covering element 100 . fig5 c and 5d show examples by which items differing in shape and size can be wrapped with this described embodiment . thus demonstrating that said covering element 100 and fastening element 102 adjust to different sizes and shapes which thereby constitute a means for variability and adjustability . furthermore this embodiment allows the user to mix and match different fabric patterns , add special , personalized squares to the gift and collect special individual sentimental squares for keepsake . in one embodiment shown in fig6 a , i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 comprises of said supple material 110 and that said fastening element 102 comprises a plurality of removable , reusable adhesive strips 610 which can be decorated if desired . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said removable , reusable adhesive strips 610 consist of a 2 ″ strip of 1 ″ wide hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h and that said supple material 110 be of a consistency that would adhere to said removable , reusable adhesive strips 610 , and be of a square , roughly 45 ″ across , with a finished edge serving to prevent fraying . i presently contemplate for this embodiment the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 . however this embodiment can be complete in itself without the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 . fig6 a shows said accessory record keeping element 104 comprising said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 , and said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 . in embodiment , i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 be comprised of a hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h , adhering directly to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 . however said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 may be connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 by a said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 and other said latch components can be used such as any element which may be held in place between said covering element 100 and said reusable adhesive strips 610 . for the manner of using embodiment shown in fig6 a - 6c i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 is laid on a flat surface decorative side facing down . an item is placed on top of and centered to said covering element 100 . if said covering element 100 is excessive in size relative to the size of the item being wrapped , the width and or length of said covering element 100 can be shortened by means of folding said covering element 100 , onto itself , repeating folds until said covering element 100 is desired width and length . said covering element 100 is folded over item whereby enveloping and taking the shape of the item . said covering element 100 is held in position by means of placing said removable , reusable adhesive strip 610 to seams overlapping meeting edges . whereby said removable , reusable adhesive strips 610 are used similarly to that of traditional tape , whereby holding said covering element 100 tightly and securely in place . said accessory record keeping element 104 can be added to the wrapped item by means of a hook portion of hook and loop fastener 114 h serving as said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 adhering directly to said covering element 100 . fig6 b and 6c show examples by which items differing in shape and size can be wrapped with this described embodiment . thus demonstrating that said covering element 100 and fastening element 102 adjust to different sizes and shapes which thereby constitute a means for variability and adjustability . in one embodiment shown in fig7 a i presently contemplate that the body of said covering element 100 is comprised of said supple material 110 and said fastening element 102 comprised of open ended hollow cylinder 710 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment the use of two sheets of said supple material 110 , sheet of said supple material 110 a and sheets of said supple material 110 b , and that said two sheets of supple material 110 be comprised of a faux fur fabric and being roughly 45 ″ across and 15 ″ wide . in this embodiment sheet of said supple material 110 a is lined with pink fabric and trimmed to a point to resemble bunny ears . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said open ended hollow cylinder 710 be decorated to resemble a bunny head without ears . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said open ended hollow cylinder 710 measure roughly 3 ″ high with a diameter of 1 . 5 ″ and made of stiff cardboard . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said decorative option comprise of two identical pieces of felt fabric side panels 712 making up sides of bunny head and one felt fabric back panel 713 making the back side of bunny head . said felt fabric side panels 712 and felt fabric back panel 713 being sewn together at their side edges , leaving the top and bottom open . an undetermined amount of polyester filling 714 is stuffed between the outer surface of said open ended hollow cylinder 710 and the inside of said sewn up felt fabric side panels 712 and felt fabric back panel 713 . said open ended hollow cylinder 710 adhering to top and bottom of sewn felt fabric side panels 712 and felt fabric back panel 713 by virtue of adhesive glue surrounding the circumference of both top and bottom of said open ended hollow cylinder 710 . a button eye 716 adheres to each of said felt fabric side panels 712 and a nose 718 is embroidered between and in the center of said identical felt fabric side panels 712 . however , number of sheets of said supple material 110 used can be other than two , and can be comprised of any material that can be repeatedly folded and straightened out without causing damage to said material . said supple material 110 can be of different length and width and may be decorated differently than specified in this embodiment . the closing mechanism can comprises of other circular hollow item of different dimensions and different material , and can be void of decorated aspect . said closing mechanism can also be decorated differently than specified in this embodiment fig7 e . i presently contemplate for this embodiment the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 . however this embodiment can be complete in itself without the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 . fig7 a shows said accessory record keeping element 104 comprising said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 , and said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 . in embodiment , i contemplate that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 be comprised of a length of ribbon having both ends meeting together forming a loop and sewn to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 . however said latch component can be comprised of elastic , plastic , leather or metal forming a loop . furthermore said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 may be connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 by a said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . for the manner of using embodiment shown in fig7 a - 7e i presently contemplate that said additional sheet of said supple material 110 b is wrapped around a first item leaving two parallel ends of the gift exposed . sheet of said supple material 110 a is laid decorative side down on a flat surface . the partially wrapped item is then placed in the center of sheet of said supple material 110 a , with the exposed ends of the item facing lengthwise with sheet of supple material 110 a . if desired , sheet of said supple material 110 a can be narrowed further to accommodate the size of the item by folding edges in and tucking them under said item . both ends of sheet of said supple material 110 a are folded up , whereby covering the two previously exposed ends of the item . both ends of said sheet of said supple material 110 a are passed through said open ended hollow cylinder 710 and pulled tightly until said covering element 100 is fitting snug around the item . gift item may be removed from its wrapping by loosening of removing said open ended hollow cylinder 710 returning said covering element 100 and fastening element 102 to previous state ready to wrap a second item . said accessory record keeping element 104 can be added to the wrapped item by means of said length of ribbon having both ends meeting together forming a loop serving as said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 when slid onto joined ends of said sheet of said supple material 110 a , before or after the addition of said open ended hollow cylinder 710 . fig7 d and 7e show examples by which items differing in shape and size can be wrapped with this described embodiment . thus demonstrating that said covering element 100 and fastening element 102 adjust to different sizes and shapes which thereby constitute a means for variability and adjustability . in one embodiment shown in fig8 a i presently contemplate that the body of said covering element 100 is comprised of said supple material 110 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said supple material 110 be comprised of a square , roughly 45 ″ across , sheet of decorative cotton with a finished edge serving to prevent fraying . however a second sheet of said supple material 110 may be added to reverse side adding reversibility option . in embodiment said fastening element 102 is comprised of two spring metal clips 812 ( back view shown larger in fig8 b ) be connected in the center by a length of stretch elastic ribbon 810 , and that said elastic ribbon 810 be 8 ″ long in relaxed position and be 1 ″ wide . however as shown in fig8 d said clips can comprise garter clips 814 and can be made of plastic . also said elastic ribbon 810 can be of different length and width . an adjustable component may also be added to said elastic ribbon 810 whereby the tension of said elastic ribbon 810 can be adjusted . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that two said closing mechanisms 102 be used to fasten said covering element 100 however other amounts can be used . i presently contemplate for this embodiment the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 . however this embodiment can be complete in itself without the use of said accessory record keeping element 104 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 be connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 by said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . however said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 , may be directly connected to said body component of accessory record keeping element 121 without the use of said lead component of accessory record keeping element 126 . i presently contemplate for this embodiment that said latch component of the accessory record keeping element 128 can be comprised of a split ring , a clip such as a carabineer or a ribbon loop . for the manner of using embodiment shown in fig8 a - 8e i presently contemplate that said covering element 100 is laid on a flat surface decorative side facing down . a first item is placed on top of and centered to said covering element 100 . if said covering element 100 is excessive in size relative to the size of the item being wrapped , the width and or length of said covering element 100 can be shortened by means of folding said covering element 100 , onto itself , repeating folds until said covering element 100 is desired width and length . said covering element 100 is folded over item whereby said covering element 100 is enveloping and therefore taking the shape of the item . said covering element 100 is held in position by means of fastening one of said spring metal clip 812 to one seem edge of said covering element 100 then stretching said elastic ribbon 810 of fastening element 102 whereby reaching an opposite seem edge of said covering element 100 to which second said spring metal clip 812 is fastened , whereby holding said covering element 100 tightly and securely in place . fig8 c and 8e show examples by which items differing in shape and size can be wrapped with this described embodiment . thus demonstrating that said covering element 100 and fastening element 102 adjust to different sizes and shapes which thereby constitute a means for variability and adjustability . | 1 |
the present invention relates to a process for preparing a thermally stable polyimide consisting essentially of recurring units of the formula ( iii ): ## str3 ## wherein x represents a carbonyl radical or a sulfonyl radical , r represents a tetravalent radical selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic radical having 2 or more carbon atoms , a cyclic aliphatic radical , a monocyclic aromatic radical , a fused polycyclic aromatic radical and a polycyclic aromatic radical wherein the aromatic rings are linked together directly or via a bridge member . the process of the present invention comprises reacting ; ( a ) an aromatic diamine represented by the formula ( iv ) ## str4 ## wherein x has the same meaning as set forth above . ( b ) a tetracarboxylic dianhydride represented by the formula ( v ) ## str5 ## wherein r is as above defined . ( c ) a dicarboxylic anhydride represented by the formula ( vi ) ## str6 ## wherein z represents a divalent radical selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic radical , a cyclic aliphatic radical , a monocyclic aromatic radical , a fused polycyclic aromatic radical , and a polycyclic aromatic radical wherein the aromatic radicals are linked to one another directly or via bridge member , to form a polyamic acid , and dehydrating or imidizing the polyamic acid to form a polyimide . preferably , the molar ratio of the tetracarboxylic dianhydride is from about 0 . 9 to about 1 . 0 mole per mole of aromatic diamine . preferably , the molar ratio of the dicarboxylic anhydride is from about 0 . 001 to about 1 . 0 mole per mole of aromatic diamine . the aromatic diamines used in the process of this invention are 3 , 3 &# 39 ;- diaminobenzophenone or bis ( 3 - aminophenyl ) sulfone . they may be used singly or in combination . other diamines may be used in the process of the invention as long as such diamines do not cause adverse effects on the properties of the polyimide produced by the process of this invention . exemplary other aromatic diamines include , m - phenylenediamine , o - phenylenediamine , p - phenylenediamine , m - aminobenzylamine , p - aminobenzylamine , bis ( 3 - aminophenyl ) ether , ( 3 - aminophenyl )( 4 - aminophenyl ) ether , bis ( 4 - aminophenyl ) ether , bis ( 3 - aminophenyl ) sulfide , ( 3 - aminophenyl )( 4 - aminophenyl ) sulfide , bis ( 4 - aminophenyl ) sulfide , bis ( 3 - aminophenyl ) sulfoxide , ( 3 - aminophenyl )( 4 - aminophenyl ) sulfoxide , bis ( 4 - aminophenyl ) sulfoxide , ( 3 - aminophenyl )( 4 - aminophenyl ) sulfone , bis ( 4 - aminophenyl ) sulfone , 3 , 4 &# 39 ;- diaminobenzophenone , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- diaminobenzophenone , bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] methane , 1 , 1 - bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] ethane , 1 , 2 - bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] ethane , 2 , 2 - bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] propane , 2 , 2 - bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] butane , 2 , 2 - bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ]- 1 , 1 , 1 , 3 , 3 , 3 - hexafluoropropane , 1 , 3 - bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy ) benzene , 1 , 3 - bis ( 4 - aminophenoxy ) benzene , 1 , 4 - bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy ) benzene , 4 , 4 - bis ( 4 - aminophenoxy ) biphenyl , bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] ketone , bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] sulfide , bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] sulfoxide , bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] sulfone , bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] ether , bis [ 4 -( 4 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] ether , 1 , 4 - bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) benzoyl ] benzene , 1 , 3 - bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) benzoyl ] benzene , bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] methane , 1 , 1 - bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] ethane , 2 , 2 - bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] propane , 2 -[ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ]- 2 -[ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 - methylphenyl ] propane , 2 , 2 - bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 - methylphenyl ] propane , 2 -[ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ]- 2 -[ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 5 - dimenthylphenyl ] propane , 2 - bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 5 - dimethylphenyl ] propane , 2 , 2 - bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] butane , 2 , 2 - bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ]- 1 , 1 , 1 , 3 , 3 , 3 - hexafluoropropane , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy ) biphenyl , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 - methylbiph - enyl , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 3 &# 39 ;- dimethylbiphenyl , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 5 - dimethylbiph - enyl , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 5 , 5 &# 39 ;- tetramethylbiphenyl , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 3 &# 39 ;- dichlorobiph - enyl , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 5 &# 39 ;- dichlorobiphenyl , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 5 , 5 &# 39 ;- tetrachlorobiphenyl , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 3 &# 39 ;- dibromobiphenyl , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 5 - dibromobiphenyl , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- bis ( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 5 , 5 &# 39 ;- tetrabromobiphenyl , bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] ketone , bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] sulfide , bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 - methoxyphenyl ] sulfide , 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ][ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 5 - dimethoxyphenyl ] sulfide , bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy )- 3 , 5 &# 39 ;- dimethoxyphenyl ] sulfide , and bis [ 4 -( 3 - aminophenoxy ) phenyl ] sulfone . exemplary tetracarboxylic dianhydrides which may be used in the process of this invention include , ethylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride , butanetetracarboxylic dianhydride , cyclopentanetetracarboxylic dianhydride , pyromellitic dianhydride , 1 , 1 - bis ( 2 , 3 - dicarboxyphenyl ) ethane dianhydride , bis ( 2 , 3 - dicarboxyphenyl ) methane dianhydride , bis ( 3 , 4 - dicarboxypenyl ) methane dianhydride , 2 , 2 - bis ( 3 , 4 - dicarboxyphenyl ) propane dianhydride , 2 , 2 - bis ( 2 , 3 - dicarboxyphenyl ) propane dianhydride , 2 , 2 - bis ( 3 , 4 - dicarboxy - phenyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 , 3 , 3 , 3 - hexafluoropropane dianhydride , 2 , 2 - bis ( 2 , 3 - dicarboxyphenyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 , 3 , 3 , 3 - hexafluoropropane dianhydride , 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride , 2 , 2 &# 39 ;, 3 , 3 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride , 2 , 2 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride , 2 , 2 &# 39 ;, 3 , 3 &# 39 ;- biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride , bis ( 3 , 4 - dicarboxyphenyl ) ether dianhydride , bis ( 2 , 3 - dicarboxyphenyl ) ether dianhydride , bis ( 3 , 4 - dicarboxy . phenyl ) sulfone dianhydride , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;-( p - phenylenedioxy ) diphthalic dianhydride , 4 , 4 &# 39 ;-( m - phenylenedioxy ) diphthalic dianhydride , 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 - naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride , 1 , 4 , 5 , 8 - naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 - benzenetetracarboxylic dianhydride , 3 , 4 , 9 , 10 - perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride , 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 - anthracenetetracarboxylic dianhydride and 1 , 2 , 7 , 8 - phenanthrenetetracarboxylic dianhydride . the preferred tetracarboxylic dianhydride used in the process of this invention is 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride . the tetracarboxylic dianhydride may be used singly or in combination of two or more . exemplary dicarboxylic anhydrides which may be used in the method of this invention include , phthalic anhydride , 2 , 3 - benzophenonedicarboxylic anhydride , 3 , 4 - benzophenonedicarboxylic anhydride , 2 , 3 - dicarboxyphenyl phenyl ether anhydride , 3 , 4 - dicarboxyphenyl phenyl ether anhydride , 2 , 3 - biphenyldicarboxylic anhydride , 3 , 4 - biphenyldicarboxylic anhydride , 2 , 3 - dicarboxyphenyl phenyl sulfone anhydride , 3 , 4 - dicarboxyphenyl phenyl sulfone anhydride , 2 , 3 - dicarboxyphenyl phenyl sulfide anhydride , 3 , 4 - dicarboxyphenyl phenyl sulfide anhydride , 2 - naphthalenedicarboxylic anhydride , 2 , 3 - naphthalenedicarboxylic anhydride , 1 , 8 - naphthalenedicarboxylic anhydride , 1 , 2 - anthracenedicarboxylic anhydride , 2 , 3 - anthracenedicarboxylic anhydride and 1 , 9 - anthracenedicarboxylic anhydride . the above mentioned dicarboxylic anhydride may be used singly or in combination . preferred molar ratios of the aromatic diamine , tetracarboxylic dianhydride and dicarboxylic anhydride are from about 0 . 9 to about 1 . 0 mole of tetracarboxylic dianhydride and from about 0 001 to about 1 . 0 mole of dicarboxylic anhydride per mole of aromatic diamine . in preparing the polymide , the molar ratio of the aromatic diamine to the tetracarboxylic dianhydride is usually adjusted to control the molecular weight of the polyimide formed . in the method of this invention , when the molar ratio of the tetracarboxylic dianhydride to the aromatic diamine is in the range of from about 0 . 9 to about 1 . 0 , polyimide having good melt viscosity is obtained . the amount of dicarboxylic anhydride simultaneously present in the reaction mixture is preferably in the range of from about 0 . 001 to about 1 . 0 mole per mole of aromatic diamine . when the amount is less than 0 . 001 mole , heat stability in the molten state of the polyimide of this invention may not be obtained . when the molar ratio of dicarboxylic anhydride to the aromatic diamine is greater than 1 . 0 , the mechanical properties of molded products are not as good . most preferably the molar ratio of the dicarboxylic anhydride to the aromatic diamine is from about 0 . 01 to about 0 . 05 mole of dicarboxylic anhydride per mole of aromatic diamine . suitable organic solvents which may be used in the method of this invention include n , n - dimethylformamide , n , n - dimethylacetamide , n , n - diethylacetamide , n , n - dimethylmethoxyacetamide , n - methyl - 2 - pyrolidone , 1 , 3 - dimethyl - 2 - imidazolidinone , n - methylcaprolactam , 1 , 2 - dimethoxyethane , bis ( 2 - methoxyethyl ) ether , 1 , 2 - bis ( 2 - methoxyethoxy ) ethane , bis [ 2 -( 2 - methoxyethoxy ) ethyl ] ether , tetrahydrofuran , 1 , 3 - dioxane , 1 , 4 - dioxane , pyridine , picoline , dimethyl sulfoxide , dimethyl sulfone , tetramethylurea , hexamethylphosphoramide , phenol , m - cresol , p - cresol , p - chlorophenol , xylenol and anisole . the organic solvents may be used singly or in combination . in the method of this invention , the starting materials , e . g . the aromatic diamine , tetracarboxylic dianhydride and dicarboxylic anhydride are added to the organic solvent and reacted . the reaction can be carried out by any of the following methods . ( a ) after reacting aromatic diamine with tetracarboxylic dianhydride , dicarboxylic anhydride is added and reacted . ( b ) after reacting aromatic diamine with dicarboxylic anhydride , tetracarboxylic dianhydride is added and reacted . ( c ) aromatic diamine , tetracarboxylic dianhydride and dicarboxylic anhydride are reacted at the same time . the reaction temperature is preferably in the range of from about 0 to about 250 ° c . and most preferably from about 0 ° to about 60 °. any reaction pressure may be used and ambient pressure is sufficient to carry out the reaction . the reaction time is dependent upon the aromatic diamine , tetracarboxylic dianhydride , dicarboxylic anhydride , solvent and reaction temperature . preferably , the reaction time is from about 4 to about 24 hours . polyamic acid is formed by the above mentioned reaction . the resultant polyamic acid is dehydrated by heating at from about 100 to about 400 ° c . or chemically imidized by using a usual imidizing agent . the polyimide obtained consists primarily of recurring units of the formula ( iii ): ## str7 ## wherein , x and r are as above defined . the polyamic acid is generally formed at low temperatures and then thermally or chemically imidized . the polyimide , however , can also be obtained by simultaneously conducting the formation and thermal imidization of the polyamic acid at a temperature of from about 60 to about 250 ° c . in this method , an aromatic diamine , tetracarboxylic dianhydride and dicarboxylic anhydride are suspended or dissolved in an organic solvent and reacted by heating . thus , the formation and imidization of the polyamic acid are carried out at the same time and produce a polyimide consisting primarily of the recurring units of the above formula . when the polyimide of this invention is processed by fusion molding , other thermoplastic resins may be incorporated in suitable amounts depending upon the application so long as no adverse effects occur contrary to the objects of this invention . illustrative examples of thermoplastic resins which may be used with the polyimide include polyethylene , polypropylene , polycarbonate , polyarylate , polyamide , polysulfone , polyethersulfone , polyetherketone , polyphenylenesulfide , polyamideimide , polyetherimide and modified polyphenyleneoxide . fillers which are used for usual resin compositions may be employed in an amounts which has no adverse effects on the objects of this invention . suitable fillers which may be used include , wear resistance improvers such as graphite , carborundum , quartz powder , molybdenum disulfide and fluororesins ; reinforcing materials such as glass fiber , carbon fiber , boron fiber , silicon carbide fiber , carbon whisker , asbestos , metal fiber and ceramic fiber ; flame retardants such as antimony trioxide , magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate ; electrical property improvers such as clay and mica ; tracking resistance improvers such as barium sulfate , silica and calcium metasilicate ; thermal conductivity improvers such as iron powder , zinc powder , aluminum powder and copper powder ; and other miscellaneous additives such as glass beads , glass spheres , talc , diatomaceous earth , alumina , silicate balloon , hydrated alumina , metal oxides and coloring agents . the present invention will be further classified by the following examples which are intended to be purely exemplary of the invention . to a reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer , reflux condenser and nitrogen inlet tube , 212 g ( 1 . 0 mole ) of 3 , 3 &# 39 ;- diaminobenzophenone and 2 , 970 g of n , n - dimethylacetamide as a solvent were charged . then 312 g ( 0 . 97 mole ) of 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride were added by portions at room temperature in a nitrogen atmosphere so as not to raise the temperature of the solution and were stirred for about 20 hours at the room temperature . to the polyamic acid solution thus obtained 22 . 2g ( 0 . 15 mole ) of phthalic anhydride were added at room temperature in anitrogen atmosphere and further stirred for an hour . then 202 g ( 2 moles ) of triethylamine and 306 g ( 3 moles ) of acetic anhydride were added dropwise to the solution . yellow polyimide powder started to precipitate after about one hour from the completion of dropwise addition . the reaction mixture was further stirred for 10 hours at the room temperature . the resultant slurry was filtered , washed with methanol and dried at 180 ° c . for 2 hours . the amount of polyimide powder obtained was 487 g . the polyimide powder had a glass transition temperature of 250 ° c ., a melting point of 298 ° c . by dsc method and an inherent viscosity of 0 . 52 viscosity was measured at 35 ° c . in a solvent mixture ( 90 / 10 weight ratio of p - chlorophenol / phenol ) at a concentration of 0 . 5 g / 100 ml solvent the melt viscosity of the polyimide powder thus obtained was repeatedly measured using a japan polymer society type flowtester ( trade mark , cft - 500 ; a product of shimazu seisakusho co .) with an orifice having diameter of 0 . 1 cm and a length of 1 cm . after being kept at 380 ° c . for minutes , the sample was extruded with a pressure of 100 kg / cm 2 . the strand obtained was crushed and extruded again . the procedure was continuously repeated 5 times . the relationship between the repetation number and the melt viscosity is illustrated by curve a in fig1 . almost no variation is found in the melt viscosity even though number of repetitions is increased , which indicates good heat stability of the molten polyamide . the same procedure as described in example 1 was carried out without using phthalic anhydride . the amount of polyimide powder obtained was 464g and the polyimide had an inherent viscosity of 0 . 52 dl / g . the repeated measurement of the melt viscosity was carried out on the polyimide powder thus obtained by the method described in example 1 . the melt viscosity increased with an increase of in the number of repetitions . the heat stability of the molten polyimide thus obtained was inferior to that obtained in example 1 . to the same reaction vessel as described in example 1 , 248g ( 1 . 0 mole ) of bis ( 3 - aminophenyl ) sulfone and 3 . 170 g of n , n - dimethylacetamide as a solvent were charged . then 312 g ( 0 . 97 mole ) of 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride were added by portions at room temperature in a nitrogen atmosphere so as not to raise the temperature of the solution and stirred for about 20 hours at room temperature . to the polyamic acid solution thus obtained , 22 . 2 g ( 0 . 15mole ) of phthalic anhydride were added at room temperature in a nitrogen atmosphere and further stirred for one hour . then 202 g ( 2 moles ) of triethylamine and 306 g ( 3 moles ) of acetic anhydride were added dropwise to the solution . yellow polyimide powder started to precipitate after about one hour from the completion of dropwise addition . the reaction mixture was further stirred for 10 hours at room temperature . the resultant slurry was filtered , washed with methanol and dried at 180 ° c . for 2 hours . the amount of polyimide powder obtained was 522 g . the polyimide powder had a glass transition temperature of 269 ° c ., and an inherent viscosity of 0 . 51 dl / g . the melt viscosity of the polyimide powder thus obtained was repeatedly measured by the method described in example 1 . the relationship between the repeatition number and the melt viscosity did not vary even though repeatition number is increased , which indicates good heat stability of the molten polyimide . the same procedure as described in example 2 was carried out without phthalic anhydride . the amount of polyimide powder obtained was 496 g and the polyimide had an inherent viscosity of 0 . 52 dl / g . the repeated measurement of the melt viscosity was carried out on the polyimide powder thus obtained by the method described in example 2 . the results are illustrated by curve b in fig2 . the melt viscosity increased with an increase in the number of repetitions . the heat stability of the molten polyimide thus obtained was inferior obtained in example 2 . to the same reaction vessel as described in example 1 , 212 g ( 1 . 0 mole ) of 3 , 3 &# 39 ;- diaminobenzophenone and 2 , 970 g of n , n - dimethylacetamide as a solvent were charged . then 8 . 88 g ( 0 . 06 mole ) of phthalic anhydride and 312 g ( 0 . 97 mole ) of 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride were added at room temperature in a nitrogen atmosphere so as not to raise the temperature of the solution and stirred for 20 hours at the room temperature . then 202 g ( 2 moles ) of triethylamine and 306 g ( 3 moles ) of acetic anhydride were added dropwise to the solution . the reaction mixture was stirred for 20 hours at room temperature . the resultant light yellow slurry was filtered , washed with methanol and dried at 180 ° c . for 8 hours under reduced pressure . the amount of light yellow polyimide powder thus obtained was 458 g . the polyimide powder had a glass transition temperature of 250 ° c ., melting point of 298 ° c . and an inherent viscosity of 0 . 50 dl / g . the heat stability of the molten polyimide was evaluated by measuring the variation of melt viscosity when the residence time of the molten polyimide was changed in the cylinder of the flow tester . the cylinder temperature was 380 ° c . the pressure at the measurement was 100 kg / cm 2 . the results are illustrated by curve a in fig3 . almost no variation was found in the melt viscosity even though the residence time was extended , which indicates good heat stability of the molten polyimide . the same procedure as described in example 3 was carried out without phthalic anhydride . the light yellow polyimide powder thus obtained had a glass transition temperature of 250 ° c . and an inherent viscosity of 0 . 50 dl / g . the heat stability of the molten polyimide was evaluated by the method described in example 3 . the melt viscosity increased with an increase in residence time . the heat stability of the molten polyimide thus obtained was inferior to that obtained in example 3 . the results are illustrated by curve b in fig3 . to the same reaction vessel as described in example 1 , 212 g ( 1 . 0 mole ) of bis ( 3 - aminophenyl ) sulfone and 3 , 170 g of n , n - dimethylacetamide as a solvent were charged . then 8 . 88 g ( 0 . 06mole ) of phthalic anhydride and 312 g ( 0 . 97 mole ) of 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride were added at room temperature in a nitrogen atmosphere so as not to raise the temperature of the solution and stirred for 20 hours at room temperature . the 202 g ( 2 moles ) of triethylamine and 306 g ( 3 moles ) of acetic anhydride were added dropwise to the solution . the reaction mixture was stirred for 20 hours at room temperature . the resultant light yellow slurry was filtered , washed with methanol and dried at 180 ° c . for 8 hours under reduced pressure . the amount of light yellow polyimide powder thus obtained was 521 g . the polyimide powder had a glass transition temperature of 269 ° c . and an inherent viscosity of 0 . 50 dl / g . the heat stability of the molten polyimide was evaluated by measuring the variation of melt viscosity when the residence time of the molten polyimide is changed in the cylinder of the flow tester . the cylinder temperature was 380 ° c . the pressure at the measurement was 100 kg / cm 2 . the results are illustrated by curve a in fig4 . almost no variation is found in the melt viscosity even though the residence time is extended , which indicates good heat stability of the molten polyimide . the same procedure as described in example 4 was carried out without phthalic anhydride . the light yellow polyimide powder thus obtained had a glass transition temperature of 296 ° c ., and an inherent viscosity of 0 . 50 dl / g . the heat stability of the molten polyimide was evaluated by the method described in example 4 . the melt viscosity increased with an increase in residence time . the heat stability of the molten polyimide thus obtained was inferior to that obtained in example 4 . to the same reaction vessel as described in example 1 , 212 g ( 1 . 0 mole ) of 3 , 3 &# 39 ;- diaminobenzophenone , 315 . 6 g ( 0 . 98 mole ) of 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride , 5 . 92 g ( 0 . 04 mole ) of phthalic anhydride and 2 , 970 g of m - cresol were charged and gradually heated with stirring in a nitrogen atmosphere . a brown transparent homogeneous solution was obtained at about 120 ° c . the solution was heated to 150 ° c . yellow polyimide powder started to precipitate after stirring for about 20 minutes at this temperature . after stirring the reaction mixture for an additional 2 hours at 150 ° c ., the precipitate was filtered , washed with methanol and then acetone , and dried at 180 ° c . for 8 hours under reduced pressure . the amount of polyimide powder thus obtained was 485 g and the polyimide had an inherent viscosity of 0 . 57 dl / g , and a glass transition temperature of 215 ° c . the repeated measurement of the melt viscosity was carried out on the polyimide powder thus obtained by the method described in example 1 . the temperature at the measurement was 400 ° c . the pressure at the measurement was 100 kg / cm 2 . the results obtained are illustrated by fig5 . almost no variation is found in the melt viscosity even though the number of repetitions is increased , which indicates good heat stability of the molten polyimide . to the same reaction vessel as described in example 1 , 248 g ( 1 . 0 mole ) of bis ( 3 - aminophenyl ) sulfone , 315 . 6 g ( 0 . 97 mole ) of 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride , 5 . 92 g ( 0 . 04 mole ) of phthalic anhydride and 3 , 170 g of m - cresol were charged and gradually heated with stirring in a nitrogen atmosphere . a brown transparent homogeneous solution was obtained at about 120 ° c . the solution was heated to 150 ° c . yellow polyimide powder was started to precipitate after stirring for about 20 minutes at this temperature . after stirring the reaction mixture for 2 further hours at temperature , the precipitate was filtered , washed with methanol and then acetone , and dried at 180 ° c . for 8 hours under reduced pressure . the amount of polyimide powder thus obtained was 520 g and the polyimide had an inherent viscosity of 0 . 56 dl / g and a glass transition temperature of 270 ° c . the repeated measurement of the melt viscosity was carried out on the polyimide powder thus obtained by the method described in example 1 . the temperature at the measurement was 400 ° c . the pressure at the measurement was 100 kg / cm 2 . the results obtained are illustrated by fig6 . almost no variation is found in the melt viscosity even though the number of repretitions is increased , which indicates good heat stability of the molten polyimide . | 2 |
with reference now to the drawings and , more particularly , to fig1 thereof , the nozzle assembly of this invention will now be described . the nozzle assembly of this invention has applicability to conveyorized washing or rinsing apparatus , particularly apparatus used to wash or rinse rosin solder fluxes from printed circuit boards after soldering of surface mounted devices thereto . frequently , such washing or rinsing apparatus is used in an in - line configuration with the solder reflow apparatus . however , it is to be understood , that the apparatus of this invention may also be used with conveyorized or non - conveyorized systems used to wash or rinse other product loads . fig1 is a schematic illustration of a conveyorized washing or rinsing apparatus 10 having a conveyor 12 passing over supports 16 for transporting a product load 14 therethrough . product load 14 may be , e . g . a printed circuit board , having devices soldered thereto and may have been received from a soldering apparatus ( not shown ) disposed in - line with apparatus 10 . in this instance , apparatus 10 could be used to wash rosin soldering fluxes from printed circuit boards using solvents . apparatus 10 could also be a rinsing apparatus disposed in - line with a washing apparatus . in this instance , apparatus 10 would be used to rinse solvents from the product load 14 , typically with water . disposed above , and typically below , conveyor 12 are nozzle assemblies 20 which spray product load 14 with a liquid for either washing or rinsing thereof . while nozzle assembly 20 is shown used in conjunction with a conveyorized washing or rinsing apparatus 10 , it is to be understood that the combination of assembly 20 with such a conveyorized apparatus is for purpose of illustration only , and that nozzle assembly 20 can be used with a non - conveyorized apparatus as well . nozzle assembly 20 will now be described with particular reference to fig2 - 5 assembly 20 includes one or more nozzle manifolds 22 and 23 and associated nozzle actuators 24 , a motor 26 , linkages 28 coupling motor 26 to actuators 24 , nozzles 30 and housing 32 . if nozzle assembly 20 is used with a conveyor 12 , manifolds 22 and 23 and associated actuators 24 are preferably disposed transversely of the direction of movement of conveyor 12 . housing 32 includes a coupling 34 adapted to be connected to a source of fluid . housing 32 also includes conduits 35 and 37 which provide fluid communication between the opening in coupling 34 and manifolds 22 and 23 respectively to conduct a fluid from the source through coupling 34 into the manifolds 22 and 23 . this fluid flow is illustrated by the arrows in fig3 . once the fluid enters manifolds 22 and 23 , it is evenly distributed to nozzles 30 , as will be described . it is desirable to render the oscillatory movement of the nozzles as frictionless as possible , to minimize the load on the system , to reduce power requirements , and to avoid any possible jamming or binding of the system . it is also desirable to reduce the mass of the nozzle actuators to as little as possible , to also minimize the system load and potential damage by minimizing their moment of inertia . as shown in fig2 - 5 , nozzles 30 each extend from a manifold 22 or 23 , and are typically equally spaced from one another . nozzles 30 are mounted in such a way that they are free to oscillate , yet are retained in their location on manifold 22 and are in fluid communication with the interior of manifold 22 . in a preferred embodiment , the nozzles 30 on each manifold 22 or 23 are oscillated in unison by a nozzle actuator 24 which extends along the length of manifold 22 or 23 , and which engages the tips of each nozzle 30 on its associated manifold 22 or 23 . actuator 24 preferably comprises an elongated base 38 and a pair of similarly elongated wings 36 extending at an angle from either side of base 38 . actuator 24 is typically thin and lightweight , but possesses sufficient structural strength not to buckle under the force required to produce the oscillatory movement of nozzles 30 . structural strength is provided by wings 36 . base 38 is provided with a plurality of apertures through which the tips of nozzles 30 project . typically , each aperture 40 is just large enough to accommodate the tip of the nozzle 30 , thereby maintaining tight engagement of the tips and control over movement of the nozzle tips . each actuator 24 is typically secured to its associated manifold 22 or 23 at each end by a flexible hinge ( not shown ). this hinge maintains the proper spacing between actuator 24 and manifold 22 or 23 , and prevents the actuator from separating from the manifold or from becoming disengaged from the nozzles . each actuator 24 is coupled to motor 26 at a point intermediate its ends by linkages 28 . each linkage 28 comprises an arm 42 and an arm 44 . arm 42 is pivotally mounted to housing 32 at central pivot 50 which is located at about the center of arm 42 . arm 44 extends from shaft 46 of motor 26 to arm 42 , and is journaled at one end to shaft 46 in an eccentric or offset relation therewith . arm 44 is pivotally mounted at its opposite end to arm 42 at pivot 48 which is disposed intermediate pivot 50 and one of actuators 24 . an enlarged hole is provided for pivot 48 for lateral adjustment of pivot 48 with respect to arm 42 . the position of pivot 48 may be adjusted by loosening a screw or the like ( not shown ) and sliding pivot 48 to a different position within the hole . such adjustment allows the user to set the travel limits of each actuator 24 to maintain the oscillations of nozzles 30 within desired limits . it is readily apparent that rotation of shaft 46 of motor 26 produces circular movement of the end of arm 44 connected to shaft 46 which oscillates arm 44 in a direction generally parallel to its length which in turn causes arm 42 to pivot back and forth about pivot 50 in a regular cycle . this pivoting of arm 42 produces linear oscillatory movement of actuators 24 in a direction parallel to their lengths . actuator 24 associated with manifold 22 moves in a direction opposite of the actuator 24 associated with manifold 23 , but preferably it moves an equal amount . however , if pivot 50 is offset from the center between manifolds 22 and 23 , actuators 24 would move unequal distances . this oscillatory movement of actuators 24 in turn causes the nozzles 30 to reciprocate back and forth in a regular cycle . a preferred embodiment of nozzles 30 will now be described with particular reference to fig7 . each nozzle 30 includes a base 54 and a tip 56 . base 54 is fixedly mounted onto a wall 58 of manifold 22 or 23 . a cavity within the interior of base 54 has an opening 60 which is in fluid communication with the interior of manifold 22 or 23 . disposed in the lower portion of the cavity of each base 54 opposite opening 60 is a rounded pocket 62 having an opening 64 . tip 56 includes upper rounded portion 66 and a lower portion 68 . rounded portion 66 is seated in cooperatively formed pocket 62 of base 54 and is free to pivot within pocket 62 . the force of fluid entering the cavity within base 54 urges portion 66 into pocket 62 to cause it to seat within pocket 62 to seal opening 64 . to the extent that some fluid does penetrate between portion 66 and pocket 62 , it acts as a lubricant to facilitate the free movement of tip 56 with respect to base 54 . lower portion 68 of tip 56 extends through opening 64 and through an aperture 40 in nozzle actuator 24 . a channel 67 within tip 56 is in fluid communication with the interior of the cavity in base 54 . opening 64 is flared outwardly on a side of base 54 facing actuator 24 to accommodate lateral movement of tip 56 , as shown . an enlarged flange 70 is provided on the outer surface of tip 56 to prevent tip 56 from retreating into the cavity in base 54 during periods of inactivity . one embodiment of flange 70 is an o - ring which seats in a groove in tip 56 and which is covered with teflon ® shrink tubing . the angle 98 ( fig7 ) subtended by the outer limits of the stream of liquid emitted from tip 56 is a function both of the angle through which tip 56 oscillates back and forth , and the speed of oscillation of tip 56 . obviously , as the angle through which tip 56 oscillates increases , so does angle 98 . in addition , as the speed of oscillation is increased , because of the momentum imparted to the fluid emitted by tip 56 , the size of angle 98 also increases somewhat . the angle through which tip 56 oscillates is determined by a number of factors . these factors include the offset of mount 86 from shaft 46 , the distance between pivot 48 and pivot 51 on actuator 24 , the distance between pivot 48 and pivot 50 , and the distance between pivots 50 and 51 . one skilled in the art would understand how to increase the angle through which tip oscillates by increasing the offset of mount 86 from shaft 46 and / or by increasing the distance between pivots 48 and 51 and / or by decreasing the distance between pivots 48 and 50 and / or by increasing the distance between pivots 50 and 51 . the speed of oscillation of tip 56 is controlled by the speed of motor 26 . in the preferred embodiment , in which motor 26 is powered by the fluid emitted by nozzles 30 , the speed of motor 26 is a function of the rate of rotation of rotor 80 , which is determined by the amount and velocity of the fluid entering the rotor cavity 92 . the flow of fluid into rotor cavity 92 is controlled by a valve 100 , as shown in fig2 . valve 100 typically comprises a ballcheck valve which is operated in the usual manner . in another embodiment , a ballcheck valve 102 may be associated with each manifold 22 or 23 . valves 102 can be manually adjusted as desired . in this manner , the flow rate through each manifold can be varied independently of the other depending upon the particular application . in particular , the spray volume can be varied in the direction of movement of the product load . in a preferred embodiment , a shroud 72 is associated with each manifold 22 or 23 and covers all of nozzles 30 and actuator 24 associated with that manifold , as shown in fig3 . shroud 72 prevents damage to nozzles 30 or actuator 24 caused by the inadvertent impact of elements of product load 14 , or by handling during assembly . shroud 72 typically is bonded to manifold 22 or 23 , as shown . an aperture 74 in shroud 72 is associated with each nozzle 30 to allow the fluid from nozzle 30 to pass therethrough . in addition , a slot 76 is provided on the side of each shroud 72 , as shown in fig2 to accommodate arm 42 . motor 26 may be any conventional motor capable of imparting the desired oscillatory motion to arm 44 . such a motor could be powered electrically o using any other power source . in a preferred embodiment , motor 26 is a fluid powered motor which can be driven by the same fluid which is conducted to manifolds 22 and 23 . a preferred , fluid powered motor will now be described , with particular reference to fig4 . motor 26 includes a rotor 80 disposed in a rotor cavity 92 , a plurality of vanes 82 , a rotor shaft 46 , an eccentric mount 86 , and a central , resilient washer 90 . rotor shaft 46 is centrally disposed on rotor 80 and is offset with respect to the center of rotor cavity 92 . rotor cavity 92 is in fluid communication with coupling 34 by means of conduit 94 . fluid entering conduit 94 passes into rotor cavity 92 and bears against vanes 82 to urge rotor 80 in a clockwise direction , as shown in fig4 . fluid is exhausted through conduit 96 . washer 90 urges vanes 82 radially outwardly away from rotor shaft 84 against the walls of rotor cavity 92 . on the left - hand side of the cavity , as shown in fig4 where there is additional space , vanes 82 are fully extended to allow fluid to impinge thereon . as the rotor continues to rotate , vanes 82 engage the other side of the wall of the rotor cavity 92 , as shown on the right - hand side of the drawing in fig4 . the closer proximity of the wall urges the vane radially inwardly against the biasing effect of washer 90 , which permits rotor 80 to continue to rotate without restriction . this eccentric mounting of rotor 80 permits rotor 80 only to rotate in one direction , and the extended vanes 82 on the left - hand side , as shown in fig4 provided a high torque to rotor 80 . mount 86 is disposed in an offset relation with respect to rotor shaft 46 to produce the desired oscillatory motion of arm 44 . the operation of the nozzle assembly 10 of this invention will now be described , with particular reference to fig3 and 7 . when it is desired to operate the nozzle assembly 10 of this invention using a washing or rinsing liquid , the liquid is supplied to the apparatus through coupling 34 . in the preferred embodiment , as the liquid enters coupling 34 , a portion of the flow enters conduit 94 , while the remainder of the flow is split in two equal portions which pass through conduits 35 and 37 and enter into respective manifolds 22 and 23 . the liquid entering conduit 94 impinges upon vanes 82 producing rotation of rotor 80 in a clockwise direction , as shown in fig4 because of the eccentric location of mount 86 with respect to shaft 46 , rotation of rotor 80 causes arm 44 to oscillate in a direction generally along its length . this oscillation causes arm 42 to pivot alternately clockwise and counterclockwise about pivot 50 , as shown in fig2 . this alternating pivoting action produces a corresponding linear oscillation of actuators 24 in a direction along their length , one actuator 24 moving in a direction opposite of that of the other actuator 24 . thus , as one actuator 24 is moving left - to - right , as shown in fig2 the other actuator 24 is moving from right - to - left . at the same time , liquid enters manifolds 22 and 23 and is equally distributed to each of nozzles 30 by manifolds 22 and 23 once the manifold is filled . the liquid entering each nozzle 30 first enters the cavity within base 54 through opening 60 . the pressure of the liquid entering the cavity urges portion 66 into pocket 62 so that it seats therein . a solid - stream of liquid passes through channel 67 and is emitted from tip 56 , oscillation of actuator 24 , e . g . left - to - right , as shown in fig7 produces corresponding oscillation of each tip 56 associated with that manifold , providing a spray which subtends angle 98 , as shown in fig7 . the faster the rotation of rotor 80 , the greater the angle 98 subtended by the spray , and conversely . the angle through which tip 56 pivots is typically limited by the lengths and arrangements of the elements of linkage 28 , as described . the rate of rotation of rotor 80 is controlled using valve 100 which regulates the fluid flow rate into rotor cavity 92 . the flow rate of the fluid from pairs of nozzles 30 can be regulated by the use of valves 102 . another embodiment of this invention will now be described with particular reference to fig8 . like numbers will be used for like parts , where possible . the primary difference between the embodiment of fig8 and the embodiment of fig2 - 7 is that in the embodiment of fig8 there are four manifolds 22 , 23 , 114 and 115 instead of just the two manifolds 22 and 23 as shown in fig2 . all four manifolds 22 , 23 , 114 and 115 are driven from the same motor 26 . the structure of each manifold 114 , 115 , 22 and 23 is identical and need not be further described . each manifold 114 , 115 , 22 and 23 has associated with it nozzles 30 and associated nozzle actuators 24 . manifolds 114 and 115 are coupled to manifold 22 and 23 respectively by housing mounts 110 which each include ( not shown ) a fluid conduit which conducts fluid from coupling 34 into manifolds 114 and 115 . each mount 110 has an arm 112 pivotally mounted thereto at pivot 108 . each arm 112 is also pivotally mounted at one end to arm 42 at pivot 51 , and is pivotally mounted at its opposite end to an actuator 24 at pivot 106 which is associated with either manifold 114 or manifold 115 . in operation , as motor 26 produces oscillatory motion of arm 44 , each of actuators 24 is caused to oscillate back and forth along its length to produce oscillation of associated nozzles 30 . for example , as shown in fig8 if arm 44 is withdrawn toward motor 26 , rotation of arm 42 in a counterclockwise direction is produced , as shown in fig8 . this rotation produces equal and opposite movement of the actuators 24 associated with manifolds 22 and 23 which are disposed on either side of motor 26 . this movement produces rotation of both of arms 112 in a clockwise direction , which in turn causes actuators 24 associated with manifolds 114 and 115 to move in opposite directions but over the same distance , as shown in fig8 . all of the directions of rotation and movement are reversed when arm 44 oscillates in a direction away from motor 26 . the nozzle assembly of this invention has many advantages over prior art sprayer heads . this invention provides a wide - angle spray as emitted from existing sprayer heads , but the force of the spray per unit area is much greater than in conventional sprayer heads since the stream of liquid emitted from each nozzle 30 is solid . typically , the force of liquid on the surface of the product load is in the range of 150 to 800 times greater than that found in conventional sprayers . in addition , the oscillatory motion of the nozzle not only permits a wider horizontal coverage , but , because the direction and pressure of the spray varies with time , nozzle 30 provides a better cleansing action for removal of liquids and particles from the product load . in a preferred embodiment , nozzles 30 pivot through a 16 ° angle , or ± 8 ° from the vertical . in this embodiment , if a surface is disposed 31 / 2 inches from the end of tip 56 , the path covered by nozzle 30 is one inch wide . thus , if the nozzles 30 are spaced approximately one inch apart , the entire facing surface of the product load is covered by spray . the rotational speed of the rotor , as previously discussed , determines the oscillatory rate of nozzle actuators 24 . thus , the rotational speed required by the rotor to attain full surface coverage by the nozzles is a function of the speed of conveyor 12 , divided by the diameter of the spray emitted by nozzle 30 . since the nozzles are pivoted to produce the desired coverage , and because the nozzles pivot easily in their seated condition , and because the actuators themselves are formed of a lightweight metal , the invention reduces the inertial effects to a minimum , and requires a minimum amount of force to be applied to produce this oscillation . as a result , a relatively small pumping system is required to attain the liquid impact level sufficient to produce the desired cleaning or rinsing of the product load . since the dwell time is not a variable in the impact considerations , the nozzle jet can be scanned at high rates with little or no loss of effect . this invention may be utilized with in - line aqueous cleaners which are used to flush rosin solder fluxes from printed circuit boards after surface mounted devices are soldered thereto . in addition , the nozzle assembly of this invention may be used in conjunction with an in - line rinsing system , which thereafter removes the solvents from the board using water . the nozzle action permits the product load to be impacted with sufficient force to remove the solder fluxes , and allows wicking of the solvent or water into small spaces or crevices in the assembly . this nozzle assembly may also be used with batch cleaners , or it can also be used in conjunction with gaseous flow through a nozzle for drying or cleaning purposes . in view of the above description , it is likely that modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art which are within the scope of this invention . the above description is intended to be exemplary only , the scope of the invention being defined by the following claims and their equivalents . | 7 |
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