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a propeller and exhaust system for an outboard motor wherein performance is improved by permitting the flow of some exhaust gases in proximity to the propeller blades at low speeds so as to aerate this area and so as to preclude the aeration when the speed of the propeller exceeds a predetermined speed for improving thrust .

referring first to the embodiment of fig1 through 4 and primarily to fig1 an outboard motor constructed in accordance with this invention is identified generally by the reference numeral 11 . the motor 11 is provided with a clamping bracket assembly 12 of a known type so as to permit attachment to a transom 13 of an associated watercraft , which is only shown partially . the motor 11 includes a power head 14 in which an internal combustion engine 15 of any known type is provided . depending from the power head 14 is a drive shaft housing 16 in which a drive shaft 17 , which is driven by the engine 15 , is journaled in a known manner . a lower unit 18 is positioned beneath the drive shaft housing 16 and contains a convental forward / neutral / reverse transmission 19 for driving a propeller shaft 21 which is jouranled in the lower unit 18 . a propeller 22 , constructed in accordance with this invention , is affixed in a manner to be described to the propeller shaft 21 . referring now primarily to fig2 through 3 , the propeller 22 includes a hub assembly , indicated generally by the reference numeral 23 . the hub assembly 23 includes an inner annular member 24 in which an elastomeric sleeve 25 is press fit . the inner end of the elastomeric sleeve 25 is received around a hub sleeve 26 and is affixed to it by means of a shrink fit . the hub sleeve 26 is formed with internal splines that cooperate with external splines 27 formed on the propeller shaft 21 for rotatably coupling the hub sleeve 26 to the propeller shaft 21 . the propeller assembly 22 is affixed to the propeller shaft 21 by means including a nut 28 . the hub portion 23 is provided with an outer annular member 29 from which a plurality of propeller blades 31 integrally extend . in the illustrated embodiment , there are three propeller blades 31 . it is to be understood , however , that the invention can be used in conjunction with propellers having different numbers of blades or different driving configurations . a plurality of circumferentially spaced , axially extending main exhaust passages 32 are formed in the hub portion 29 between the outer portion 29 and the inner portion 24 . the outer and inner portions 29 , 24 , are integrally connected by means of a plurality of radially extending ribs 33 . the ribs 33 extend axially only partially through the hub portion 23 so as to provide a substantially open inlet end 34 at the forward end of the propeller 22 which open inlet end is adapted to register with an exhaust passage 35 that extends through the drive shaft housing 16 and lower unit 18 for delivering exhaust gases from the engine 15 through a muffling system ( not shown ) to the propeller inlet end 34 . the rear end of the propeller hub 23 is also open around the nut 28 so as to provide a main exhaust gas discharge 36 . the exhaust gases flow axially through the propeller 22 from the inlet end 34 through the exhaust passages 32 for discharge into the water through the outlet end 36 . the propeller 22 and exhaust system are provided with a plurality of aerating devices 37 ( fig4 ) for introducing exhaust gases under certain conditions in proximity to the propeller blades 31 . by introducing exhaust gases in proximity to the propeller blades 31 , the water in this area is aerated so as to reduce its viscosity . this in turn reduces the resistance to rotation of the propeller 22 and facilitates acceleration of the propeller 22 . in accordance with the invention , however , this aeration is discontinued by the devices 37 when the rotational speed of the propeller 22 exceeds a predetermined value . in this way , the aeration is not accomplished during steady state running or at high speed running so as to improve the thrust by reducing the aeration . the devices 37 each comprise cylindrical housing members 38 that are press fit into bores that extend generally radially through the hub portion 23 from the outer cylindrical part 29 to and which terminate within the inner cylindrical portion 24 . the bores in which the housings 38 are pressed extend generally radially and are positioned forwardly of the blades 31 and in an area between the ribs 33 and within the exhaust gas passages 32 . the housings 38 are formed with bores 39 that extend transversely through the housing 38 so as to provide an exhaust gas path through this housing in registry with the exhaust gas passages 32 . the bores 39 intersect a counterbored portion made up of a larger bore 41 , an intermediate bore 42 and a smaller bore 43 that are disposed in that radial alignment extending outwardly from the inner member 24 to the outer member 29 . a velocity responsive valve comprising a ball 42 is provided in this counterbored portion . the ball 44 is supported in the larger diameter bore 41 and is urged by a coil spring 45 into a position in which it engages the base of the bore at the inner cylindrical portion 24 so as to permit free communication between the bores 39 . the upper end of the spring 45 is received within the intermediate bore 42 and engages a seat between the bores 42 and 43 . when the ball is held in this position , exhaust gases may enter the bore 39 and larger diameter bore 41 from the exhaust gas inlet 34 . the exhaust gases may flow radially outwardly through the bore portions 42 and 43 through a resulting passageway , indicated at 46 , for discharge forwardly of the propeller blades 31 . when the propeller 22 is rotating at sufficient velocity so as to overcome the action of the spring 45 , the balls 44 will be urged radially outwardly by the centrifugal force and engages a seat 47 that is formed between the bore portions 41 and 42 . when the seat 47 is engaged by the ball 44 , the passage 46 will be closed and the discharge of exhaust gases in proximity with the propeller blades 31 will be discontinued . when the motor 11 is operating at low speeds , the propeller 22 will rotate slowly and there will be insufficient centrifugal force generated on the balls 44 to overcome the action of the spring 45 . hence , a portion of the exhaust gases delivered from the exhaust passage 34 will be diverted through the bores 39 for discharge through the passages 46 in proximity to the propeller blades 31 . this will achieve an aeration effect which will reduce the viscosity of the water surrounding the propeller blades 31 and reduce the resistance to rotation . hence , if the engine is being started or accelerated , the acceleration will be rapid due to the low resistance . as the speed of the propeller 22 increases to the value at which the balls 44 begin to move , the centrifugal force on the balls 44 will cause the springs 45 to be compressed and the balls 44 will engage the seats 47 to close the ports 46 . aeration in proximity to the propeller blades 31 will be discontinued and a good driving thrust can be enjoyed . hence , the propeller 22 will operate with good efficiency at cruising or high speeds . as has been noted , the ports 46 should be placed in proximity to the propeller blades 31 so as to provide the desired aeration at low speeds . in the embodiment of fig1 through 4 , the devices 37 are positioned upstream of the propeller blades 31 . they may be placed at other locations including a location immediately downstream , as shown in the embodiment of fig5 . in all other regards , this embodiment is the same as the embodiment of fig1 through 4 and further description is not believed to be necessary . for the same reason , the same components have been identified by the same reference numeral . it is also to be understood that the number of devices 38 employed can be equal to the number of blades of the propeller or may be greater or lesser than the number of propeller blades . furthermore , other types of control valves can be used than the ball type valve disclosed . it is desirable , however , to use a centrifugally operated valve because such valves are , as is well known , speed responsive . although certain embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and others described , various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention , as defined by the appended claims .

US-51384883-A

a turboprop powerplant with at least a compressor having a forward compressor inlet and a shaft extending axially through the compressor and having a shaft axis , an inlet duct encircling the shaft passing therethrough , the inlet duct having an aft end in gas communication with the compressor inlet and a forward end having at least two branches each with an inlet orifice , each inlet orifice having a centroid in a radial plane through and transverse to the shaft axis , the centroids and shaft axis defining an angle less than 180 °.

fig1 shows an axial cross - section through a conventional turboshaft gas turbine engine 1 adapted for rotary wing aircraft to show the main components common to gas turbine engines and display optional configurations for the inlet duct . it will be understood however that the invention is also applicable to any type of gas turbine engine with an inlet duct and a forwardly projecting shaft or gearbox such as a turboprop for fixed wing aircraft , an auxiliary power unit , or stationary electric generator engine . gas turbine engines are also adapted for non - aircraft applications such as locomotives , ships , military vehicles , fossil fuel pumping and electrical power generation . depending on the particular arrangement of the engine shaft , engine mounting locations and air inlet duct configuration , the invention may be applied to any such gas turbine engine . air intake into the engine 1 is diverted around the forwardly extending engine shaft 2 through the inlet duct 3 and is expelled through the exhaust outlet 4 . in the turboshaft engine 1 of fig1 , the inlet duct draws in air radially through a 360 ° circumferentially open orifice that is usually fitted with a screen ( not shown ). the air then passes through the low - pressure axial compressor 5 and high - pressure centrifugal compressor . compressed air exits the compressor section through a diffuser 6 and is contained within a plenum 7 that surrounds the combustor 8 . fuel is supplied to the combustor 8 through fuel tubes 9 which is mixed with air from the plenum 7 when sprayed through nozzles into the combustor 8 as a fuel air mixture that is ignited . a portion of the compressed air within the plenum 7 is admitted into the combustor 8 through orifices in the combustor walls or is used for cooling to eventually mix with the hot gases from the combustor 8 and pass over the nozzle guide vane 10 to drive the turbines 11 before exiting the tail of the engine as exhaust . it will be understood that the portions of the engine 1 shown in fig1 that are downstream or aft of the air inlet duct 3 and forward reduction gear box are generally common to all gas turbine engines . therefore , the remaining fig2 through 8 focus on the forward portion of the engine showing the various configurations of the air inlet duct , forward engine mounting surfaces and reduction gear box . fig2 and 3 show a first prior at configuration with a single inlet orifice which draws in air through dual feeder ducts 13 that terminate in an annular outlet in communication with the inlet to the compressor 5 . a portion of the air drawn through the single inlet orifice 12 is expelled through the bypass duct 14 . as inlet air is forced to curve upwardly toward the dual feeder ducts 13 , relatively heavy foreign particles are separated under centrifugal force and expelled through the bypass duct 14 thereby preventing foreign particles and objects from entering into the compressor 5 . as a feature of reference , the connecting flange 15 is shown both in fig3 and fig2 . referring to fig2 , the engine shaft 2 projects forwardly into the upwardly offset reduction gearbox 16 . the shaft 2 has a central shaft axis 17 . it will be appreciated therefore that when a single inlet orifices 12 is used , the inlet duct 3 is offset downwardly , whereas the engine shaft 2 projects forwardly and is offset upwardly by the offset reduction gearbox reduction 16 , to drive a propeller for example attached to output shaft 18 . a disadvantage of this prior art arrangement is that the shaft 17 must be significantly extended with forward shaft portion 19 which enables the dual feeder ducts 13 to be configured with a relatively large curvature and thereby aerodynamic losses are reduced . the longer the forward shaft portion 19 is , the larger the radius of curvature of the dual feeder ducts 13 can become . however there is a trade off penalty in the resultant increased length of the engine and overall weight . an advantage of this prior art arrangement however is that the reduction gearbox 16 is a relatively heavy and robust structure which can be used for supporting the engine on the air frame structure . as shown in fig2 therefore the offset reduction gearbox 16 includes a forward top engine mountain surface 20 . lateral sides of the gearbox 16 can also include lateral engine mounting surfaces 20 , 21 which are not shown in fig2 but are as shown in fig9 adjacent the top block 22 and lateral block 23 which serve to mount the engine on a yolk of the airframe . therefore , to summarize to arrange the single inlet 12 arrangement shown in fig2 and 3 has the advantage of favorable forward mounting arrangements at the top and lateral points but imposes the disadvantages of extended engine length , increased weight , size and cost penalties . fig4 and 5 show a second prior art inlet duct arrangement where the length of the engine is extended less because the inlet duct 3 is bifurcated having an upper engine orifice 24 and a mirror image lower inlet orifice ( not shown ). fig4 and 5 show the upper connecting flange 25 whereas fig5 shows the lower connecting flange 26 . it will be understood that the top section shown in fig4 is simply reproduced in a mirror image for the bottom portion of the air inlet duct 3 and the forwardly extending reduction gearbox 27 has an input engaging the concentric engine shaft 2 . fig5 shows a disadvantage of this arrangement since the forward top engine mounting surface 20 must be located further back towards the aft of the engine as well as the lateral engine mounting surfaces 21 rather than ideally forward on a surface of the forwardly extending reduction gearbox 27 . in effect , the dual top and bottom portions of the inlet duct 3 interfere with the ideal positioning of the top and lateral mounting surfaces 20 and 21 . by mounting the engine 1 towards the aft section , the structure must compensate for the increased stress and therefore the prior art bifurcated inlet duct also results in weight and cost penalties . the advantages of the bifurcated inlet duct however are that the travel path of air inlet does not require the lengthening of the engine to reduce aerodynamic losses . fig6 – 9 show the hybrid inlet configuration in accordance with the invention which acquires the advantages of both the above described prior art arrangements without suffering the full impact of the disadvantages . although fig6 shows an upwardly offset reduction gearbox 16 it will be understood that the invention is not restricted to this type of gearbox and can be also applicable to the forwardly extending reduction gearbox as shown in fig4 for example . advantageously , the gearbox 16 can be used to mount the engine from the top on the forward top engine mounting surface 20 as indicated in fig6 and 9 . further , as indicated in fig9 , the gearbox 16 can be fitted with a lateral engine mounting surface 21 which connects to the lateral block 23 . it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a similar lateral block 23 and lateral mounting surface 21 are provided on the other side of the engine ( not shown ) and that the engine is installed and removed from the aircraft by raising and lowering into an inverted yoke structure as indicated in fig9 . further , as best seen in fig6 , the shaft 2 includes a forward shaft portion 19 which is relatively short compared with that shown in the prior art of fig2 . the engine length is relatively short as a result of the use of dual inlet orifices 28 which intake air into two branches 29 to the main inlet duct 30 that communicate with the compressor 5 . therefore , the invention provides a novel inlet duct 3 having an aft end 30 that is adapted for gas communication with the inlet of the engine compressor 5 and encircles the engine shaft 2 that passes through the main duct 30 . at least two inlet duct branches 29 have a forward end with an inlet orifice 28 . as shown in the example embodiment of fig6 through 9 , the inlet orifice 18 can be disposed entirely below the axial shaft axis 17 of the engine . in this location , the branches 29 and inlet orifices 28 are free from interference with the engine support yoke , the top and lateral blocks 22 and 23 , as well as being clear of the gearbox 16 . stated otherwise , the outer walls of the branches 29 are disposed within a three dimensional space envelope that is clear of the lateral engine mounting surfaces . fig7 shows the outer duct walls of the branches 29 within a three dimensional space envelope and illustrates the smooth arcuate transition which is achieved between the forward end with two spaced apart inlet orifices 28 to the annular aft end 30 that merges with the annular inlet ( not shown ) of the compressor ( 5 in fig1 ). with reference to fig7 and 8 , each inlet orifice 28 has a centroid 31 in a radial plane 32 through and transverse to the shaft axis 17 . the centroids 31 and the shaft axis 17 define an angle “ a ” that is less than 180 ° and can be reduced to an angle “ a ” of 90 ° or less depending on the design requirements of the engine 1 . referring to the outer walls of the branches 29 of the inlet duct 3 , the space envelope shown in fig7 within which the forward end of the branches 29 are contained , subtends an angle “ b ” of less than 180 ° about and transverse to the shaft axis 17 . as best seen in fig9 , the engine 1 has a forward top engine mounting surface 20 and two forward lateral engine mounting surfaces 21 . in the example shown , the branches 29 are disposed below the lateral engine mounting surfaces 21 in a space envelope that is free from interference from with the engine support yoke and gearbox 16 . in the embodiment shown , the lateral engine mounting surfaces 21 are symmetric left and right , as are the left and right branches 29 . however , depending on the specific mounting structure , the disposition and orientation of the branches 29 may be oriented accordingly to avoid interference . although the above description relates to a specific preferred embodiment as presently contemplated by the inventors , it will be understood that the invention in its broad aspect includes mechanical and functional equivalents of the elements described herein . for example , other gearbox configurations may be provided , and other conduit paths may be provided . still other changes will be apparent to the skilled reader in light of the teachings of this application .

US-82369504-A

one embodiment of an apparatus and method for treating agricultural animal wastewater that costs less to build , is easy to operate , and requires little energy input . the method employs natural systems for wastewater treatment ; an initial anaerobic digestion treatment followed by batch floating aquatic plant treatment . the batch floating aquatic plant treatment of effluent and subsequent batch discharge provides increased control of the treatment process . opportunistic collection and use of biogas and floating aquatic biomass results in additional benefits . the apparatus reduces the cost and land area required for the system by subdividing a lagoon into an anaerobic digestion treatment zone below the apparatus and a floating aquatic plant treatment zone above the apparatus . in addition , the apparatus is disposed in the lagoon in such a way that it facilitates the collection of biogas evolving from anaerobic digestion treatment beneath the apparatus by diverting it to areas to be collected .

a first embodiment of the apparatus and method is illustrated by fig1 a - 1d and fig2 a . fig1 a illustrates how a sheet of material 8 subdivides an existing or newly constructed anaerobic lagoon 6 to create an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 below the sheet of material 8 and a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 above the sheet of material 8 . both treatment zones are sufficiently sized to allow for temporary storage . the sheet of material 8 is flexible and impermeable . the sheet of material &# 39 ; s 8 flexibility is illustrated in fig1 a with an alternate position of the sheet of material 9 that results from changes in the liquid volume of the two treatment zones . fig1 a also illustrates several conveyance means and the direction of flow through the treatment zones . fig1 b - 1d illustrate how the sheet of material 8 diverts biogas evolving from anaerobic digestion treatment 22 in the anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 to a biogas collection means . in this embodiment , the biogas collection means is a plurality perforated pipes 20 that create preferential pathways for biogas to escape from below the sheet of material and non - perforated piping 19 to convey the biogas . fig2 a is a flow chart illustrating the method of this embodiment that the apparatus of this embodiment facilitates in an existing or newly constructed anaerobic lagoon 6 . in addition , fig2 a illustrates the transfer of floating aquatic plant biomass to be digested 28 a in the anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 where additional biogas will be produced and combusted to generate electricity 27 a . fig2 a also illustrates a conditioning 23 of once treated effluent prior to batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 and an optional polishing 25 of twice treated effluent prior to discharge 26 and an optional polishing 25 of twice treated effluent prior to discharge through a granular media filter to the environment 26 a . in this first embodiment of the apparatus and method , untreated agricultural animal wastewater 21 is conveyed 15 to an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 below a sheet of material 8 where it receives anaerobic digestion treatment 22 . following sufficient anaerobic digestion treatment 22 and temporary storage , the once treated effluent is conveyed 16 to a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 above the sheet of material 8 where it undergoes conditioning 23 by diluting it with a retained portion of twice treated effluent from the previous batch . following dilution , the batch once treated effluent receives floating aquatic plant treatment 24 . in this embodiment the floating aquatic plants 14 utilized for treatment are water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ). following sufficient batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 , the batch of twice treated effluent is optionally polished 25 and then a portion is conveyed 17 to be discharged through a granular media filter to the environment 26 a . the remaining portion is for diluting a subsequent batch of once treated effluent . biogas evolving from anaerobic digestion treatment 22 below the sheet of material 8 is diverted by the sheet of material 8 to a biogas collection means where the biogas is collected and combusted to generate electricity 27 a . floating aquatic plant biomass generated from floating aquatic plant treatment 24 is harvested and transferred to be digested 28 a in the anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 . this embodiments use of floating aquatic plant biomass is particularly synergistic as it eliminates the cost of transporting floating aquatic plant biomass and increases the return on the biogas collection means investment by increasing biogas production and generating more electricity . batch floating aquatic plant treatment of anaerobically treated effluent utilizing water hyacinth : anaerobic digestion treatment of agricultural animal wastewater is well understood . the following provides information and an example calculation demonstrating how batch floating aquatic plant treatment utilizing water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ), in conjunction with conventional anaerobic digestion treatment , can substantially treat a years worth of wastewater produced by a swine farm in a single growing season . for locations where the climate allows for year round water hyacinth growth / treatment , treatment goals would only be easier to achieve . 1 . water hyacinth is a floating aquatic plant native to south america and one of the worlds fastest growing plants . 2 . the number of water hyacinth plants can more than double in seven days in conditions of high temperature and humidity . 3 . one acre of water hyacinth can weigh more than 200 tons ( 9 . 2 pounds per square feet ); floating mats may double their size in as little as 6 - 18 days [ 7 ]. 4 . water hyacinth treats wastewater contaminants by microbial attached growth on the roots , assimilation into biomass , adsorption into biomass , and entrapment in the roots . a ) biological oxygen demand ( bod ) is treated by microbial attached growth . b ) n is treated by microbial attached growth . c ) n and p are treated by assimilation into biomass . d ) metals such as copper and iron are treated by assimilation and adsorption into plant biomass . e ) suspended solids are treated by entrapment in the root system . 5 . water hyacinth is 92 - 95 % water with a dry weight content of 2 . 9 % n and 0 . 6 % p [ 5 ]. 6 . water hyacinth has been proven to be able to achieve tertiary standards in continuous flow municipal wastewater treatment systems ( bod & lt ; 10 mg / l , tn and tp & lt ; 5 mg / l ) [ 5 ]. 7 . lab experiments have shown that the lower bounds for bod , n , and p removal using water hyacinth in batch treatments are 1 . 3 mg / l , 0 . 2 , and 1 . 4 mg / l respectively [ 1 ]. 8 . water hyacinth n removal rates have been documented as high as 266 mg per square foot per day [ 3 ]. 9 . in a pilot scale field the present inventor conducted on a swine farm in north carolina in 2008 , water hyacinth exhibited robust growth comparable to the references above in 100 % anaerobically treated swine lagoon effluent . the calculation below demonstrates how the n , p , and bod contained in anaerobically treated swine farm effluent is substantially treated by batch floating aquatic plant treatment utilizing water hyacinth . while the detailed description of the first embodiment above and referenced figures do not provide dimensions , the liquid surface of the floating aquatic plant treatment zone 13 is assumed to be 50 , 000 square feet for the purpose of the calculations below . parameters for a swine nursery with 2 , 600 head of swine at 35 pounds / head average [ 4 and 8 ]: 1 . 91 , 000 pounds average live weight . 2 . 1 , 200 gallons of wastewater volume accumulation per day . 3 . 438 , 000 gallons of wastewater volume ( lagoon effluent ) to be treated in batches by floating aquatic plants per year ( during the water hyacinth growing season ). 1 . bod = 3 . 33 pounds per 1 , 000 gallons or 1 , 459 pounds bod per year . 2 . n = 2 . 91 pounds per 1 , 000 gallons or 1 , 275 pounds n year . 3 . p = 0 . 63 pounds per 1 , 000 gallons or 276 pounds p per year . based on the parameters listed above , a little less than one million pounds of water hyacinth ( wet weight ) would have to be grown per growing season to treat all of the wastewater produced by the example swine nursery during a year . one million pounds of wet weight water hyacinth would equal 50 , 000 pounds of dry weight ( using the conservative 5 % figure for dry weight ). 50 , 000 pounds of dry weight water hyacinth would equal the removal of 1 , 450 pounds of n and 300 pounds of p through assimilation alone . this also does not take into consideration the nitrification / de - nitrification route to treat n making the estimate more conservative . bod is treated by attached growth bacteria grown on the water hyacinth root system and has a removal rate of 0 . 00067 pounds of bod per pound of water hyacinth [ 5 ]. at this rate , a 100 , 000 pound mat of water hyacinth would remove 67 pounds of bod per day . this is the equivalent of treating all 1 , 459 pounds of bod used in our example in only 28 days . one thousand pounds of water hyacinth placed on a 50 , 000 square foot wastewater surface at the beginning of a growing season would grow to more than 500 , 000 pounds in 9 weeks . this would equal a 10 pounds per square foot wet weight density . after harvesting to 25 % coverage ( 125 , 000 pounds ) the water hyacinth would grow back to 500 , 000 pounds in approximately 2 weeks ( repeat as necessary ). based on this , 1 million pounds of water hyacinth could be grown in approximately 12 weeks ( 84 days ). for reference , the growing season for water hyacinth would be approximately 120 - 150 days in north carolina . based on the above information and example calculation , it is feasible for batch floating aquatic plant treatment utilizing water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ), in conjunction with conventional anaerobic digestion treatment , to substantially treat a years worth of wastewater produced by the example swine nursery in a single growing season . thus , the reader will see that the first embodiment of the method and apparatus provides a technically , operationally , and economically feasible agricultural animal wastewater treatment system that costs less to build , is easier to understand and operate , and requires little energy input . in addition to eliminating the discharge of animal waste to surface waters and groundwater , this embodiment also : the apparatus &# 39 ; sheet of material acts as a cover over the anaerobic digestion treatment zone which significantly reduces ammonia volatilization to the atmosphere . in addition , retaining a portion of twice treated effluent in the floating aquatic plant zone for the purpose of diluting a subsequent batch of once treated effluent lowers both the ammonia concentration and its ph . lower concentrations of ammonia and ph also significantly reduce ammonia volatilization to the atmosphere . the apparatus &# 39 ; sheet of material acting as a cover over the anaerobic digestion treatment zone as well as the collection and combustion of biogas evolving from anaerobic digestion treatment significantly reduces odor emissions . 3 . substantially eliminates the release of disease - transmitting vectors and airborne pathogens , and the apparatus &# 39 ; sheet of material acting as a cover over the anaerobic digestion treatment zone eliminates the release of disease - transmitting vectors and airborne pathogens . conventional anaerobic treatment lagoon hydraulic retention times are around 180 days which is more than sufficient to significantly reduce pathogens . natural systems such as those employed by the apparatus and method provide very effective control of disease transmitting vectors and airborne pathogens . large floating mats of water hyacinth provide habitat for animals species such as frogs that help control mosquito populations . 4 . substantially eliminates nutrient and heavy metal contamination of soil and groundwater . nutrients are removed through anaerobic digestion and batch floating aquatic plant treatment . p is removed by water hyacinth through assimilation . n is removed through assimilation and attached microbial growth on the root system . metals such as iron and copper treated by water hyacinth through assimilation and adsorption into plant biomass . a second embodiment of the apparatus and method is illustrated by fig1 a - 1d and fig2 b and is very similar to the first embodiment with the exception being the absence of specificities related to the useful purposes for biogas and floating aquatic plant biomass . fig1 a illustrates how a sheet of material 8 subdivides an existing or newly constructed anaerobic lagoon 6 to create an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 below the sheet of material 8 and a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 above the sheet of material 8 . both treatment zones are sufficiently sized to allow for temporary storage . the sheet of material 8 is flexible and impermeable . the sheet of material &# 39 ; s 8 flexibility is illustrated in fig1 a with an alternate position of the sheet of material 9 that results from changes in the liquid volume of the two treatment zones . fig1 b - 1d illustrate how the sheet of material 8 diverts biogas evolving from anaerobic digestion 22 in the anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 to a biogas collection means . in this embodiment , the biogas collection means is a plurality perforated pipes 20 that create preferential pathways for biogas to escape from below the sheet of material and non - perforated piping 19 to convey the biogas to be utilized for a first useful purpose 27 . fig2 b is a flow chart illustrating the method of this embodiment that the apparatus of this embodiment facilitates in an existing or newly constructed anaerobic lagoon 6 . in addition , fig2 b illustrates the opportunistic collection and use of byproducts from anaerobic digestion treatment 22 ( biogas ) and batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 ( biomass ), as well as an optional conditioning 23 of once treated effluent prior to batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 and an optional polishing 25 of twice treated effluent prior to discharge 26 . in this second embodiment of the apparatus and method , untreated agricultural animal wastewater 21 is conveyed 15 to an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 below a sheet of material 8 where it receives anaerobic digestion treatment 22 . following sufficient anaerobic digestion treatment 22 and temporary storage , the once treated effluent is conveyed 16 to a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 above the sheet of material 8 where it is optionally conditioned 23 prior to receiving batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 . in this embodiment the floating aquatic plants 14 utilized for treatment are water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ). following sufficient batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 , the batch of twice treated effluent is optionally polished 25 and then conveyed 17 to be discharged 26 . biogas evolving from anaerobic digestion treatment 22 below the sheet of material 8 is diverted by the sheet of material 8 to a biogas collection means where the biogas is collected to be used for a first useful purpose 27 . floating aquatic plant biomass generated from floating aquatic plant treatment 24 is harvested from the floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 to be used for a second useful purpose 28 . a third embodiment of the apparatus and method is illustrated by fig1 a and 2c and is very similar to the second embodiment with the exception being that this embodiment does not incorporate a biogas collection means or useful purposes for biogas or floating aquatic plant biomass . fig1 a illustrates how a sheet of material 8 subdivides an existing or newly constructed anaerobic lagoon 6 to create an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 below the sheet of material 8 and a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 above the sheet of material 8 . both treatment zones are sufficiently sized to allow for temporary storage . the sheet of material 8 is flexible and impermeable . the sheet of material &# 39 ; s 8 flexibility is illustrated in fig1 a with an alternate position of the sheet of material 9 that results from changes in the liquid volume of the two treatment zones . fig2 c is a flow chart illustrating the method of this embodiment that the apparatus of this embodiment facilitates in an existing or newly constructed anaerobic lagoon 6 . in addition , fig2 c illustrates an optional conditioning 23 of once treated effluent prior to batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 and an optional polishing 25 of twice treated effluent prior to discharge 26 . in this third embodiment of the apparatus and method , untreated agricultural animal wastewater 21 is conveyed 15 to an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 below a sheet of material 8 where it receives anaerobic digestion treatment 22 . following sufficient anaerobic digestion treatment 22 and temporary storage , the once treated effluent is conveyed 16 to a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 above the sheet of material 8 where it is optionally conditioned 23 prior to receiving batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 . in this embodiment the floating aquatic plants 14 utilized for treatment are water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ). following sufficient batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 , the batch of twice treated effluent is optionally polished 25 and then conveyed 17 to be discharged 26 . a fourth embodiment of the apparatus and method is illustrated by fig1 a and 2d and is very similar to the third embodiment with a couple of exceptions . this embodiment does not incorporate a biogas collection means or useful purposes for biogas or floating aquatic plant biomass , nor does it incorporate conditioning 23 of once treated effluent prior to batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 or polishing 25 of twice treated effluent prior to discharge 26 . fig1 a illustrates how a sheet of material 8 subdivides an existing or newly constructed anaerobic lagoon 6 to create an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 below the sheet of material 8 and a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 above the sheet of material 8 . both treatment zones are sufficiently sized to allow for temporary storage . the sheet of material 8 is flexible and impermeable . the sheet of material &# 39 ; s 8 flexibility is illustrated in fig1 a with an alternate position of the sheet of material 9 that results from changes in the liquid volume of the two treatment zones . fig2 d is a flow chart illustrating the method of this embodiment that the apparatus of this embodiment facilitates in an existing or newly constructed anaerobic lagoon 6 . in this fourth embodiment of the apparatus and method , untreated agricultural animal wastewater 21 is conveyed 15 to an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 below a sheet of material 8 where it receives anaerobic digestion treatment 22 . following sufficient anaerobic digestion treatment 22 and temporary storage , the once treated effluent is conveyed 16 to a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 above the sheet of material 8 where it receives batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 . in this embodiment the floating aquatic plants 14 utilized for treatment are water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ). following sufficient batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 , the batch of twice treated effluent is then conveyed 17 to be discharged 26 . additional embodiments are illustrated as flow charts in fig2 a - 2d . each of these flow charts represent individual embodiments of the method independent of the apparatus . fig2 a illustrates the opportunistic collection and use of byproducts from anaerobic digestion treatment 22 ( biogas ) and batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 ( biomass ), as well as a conditioning 23 of once treated effluent prior to batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 and an optional polishing 25 of twice treated effluent prior to discharge through a granular media filter to the environment 26 a . in addition , fig2 a illustrates the transfer of floating aquatic plant biomass to be digested 28 a in the anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 where additional biogas will be produced and combusted to generate electricity 27 a . fig2 b illustrates the opportunistic collection and use of byproducts from anaerobic digestion treatment 22 ( biogas ) and batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 ( biomass ), as well as an optional conditioning 23 of once treated effluent prior to floating aquatic plant treatment and an optional polishing 25 of twice treated effluent prior to discharge 26 . fig2 c illustrates an optional conditioning 23 of once treated effluent prior to floating aquatic plant treatment and an optional polishing 25 of twice treated effluent prior to discharge 26 . fig2 d is a flow chart illustrating a basic embodiment of the method . in the fig2 a embodiment of the method , untreated agricultural animal wastewater 21 is conveyed 15 to an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 where it receives anaerobic digestion treatment 22 . following sufficient anaerobic digestion treatment 22 and temporary storage , the once treated effluent is conveyed 16 to a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 where it undergoes conditioning 23 by diluting it with a retained portion of twice treated effluent from the previous batch . following dilution , the batch once treated effluent receives floating aquatic plant treatment 24 . in this embodiment the floating aquatic plants 14 utilized for treatment are water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ). following sufficient batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 , the batch of twice treated effluent is optionally polished 25 and then a portion is conveyed 17 to be discharged through a granular media filter to the environment 26 a . the remaining portion is for diluting a subsequent batch of once treated effluent . biogas evolving from anaerobic digestion treatment 22 below the sheet of material 8 is diverted by the sheet of material 8 to a biogas collection means where the biogas is collected and combusted to generate electricity 27 a . floating aquatic plant biomass generated from floating aquatic plant treatment 24 is harvested and transferred to be digested 28 a in the anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 . this embodiments use of floating aquatic plant biomass is particularly synergistic as it eliminates the cost of transporting floating aquatic plant biomass and increases the return on the biogas collection means investment by increasing biogas production and generating more electricity . in the fig2 b embodiment of the method , untreated agricultural animal wastewater 21 is conveyed 15 to an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 where it receives anaerobic digestion treatment 22 . following sufficient anaerobic digestion treatment 22 and temporary storage , the once treated effluent is conveyed 16 in to a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 where it is optionally conditioned 23 prior to receiving batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 . in this embodiment the floating aquatic plants 14 utilized for treatment are water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ). following sufficient batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 , the batch of twice treated effluent is optionally polished 25 and then conveyed 17 to be discharged 26 . biogas evolving from anaerobic digestion treatment 22 is collected by a biogas collection means to be used for a first useful purpose 27 . floating aquatic plant biomass generated from floating aquatic plant treatment 24 is harvested from the floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 to be used for a second useful purpose 28 . in the fig2 c embodiment of the method , untreated agricultural animal wastewater 21 is conveyed 15 to an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 where it receives anaerobic digestion treatment 22 . following sufficient anaerobic digestion treatment 22 and temporary storage , the once treated effluent is conveyed 16 to a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 where it is optionally conditioned 23 prior to receiving batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 . in this embodiment the floating aquatic plants 14 utilized for treatment are water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ). following sufficient batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 , the batch of twice treated effluent is optionally polished 25 and then conveyed 17 to be discharged 26 . in the fig2 d embodiment of the method , untreated agricultural animal wastewater 21 is conveyed 15 to an anaerobic digestion treatment zone 10 where it receives anaerobic digestion treatment 22 . following sufficient anaerobic digestion treatment 22 and temporary storage , the once treated effluent is conveyed 16 to a floating aquatic plant treatment zone 11 where it receives batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 . in this embodiment the floating aquatic plants 14 utilized for treatment are water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ). following sufficient batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 , the batch of twice treated effluent is then conveyed 17 to be discharged 26 . there are various possibilities for how the method could be implemented independent of the apparatus . the alternative embodiment illustrated in fig3 utilizes two lagoons ; an existing or newly constructed anaerobic lagoon 6 for anaerobic digestion treatment 22 and a floating aquatic plant treatment lagoon 7 for batch floating aquatic plant treatment 24 . both lagoons are sufficiently sized to allow for temporary storage . in this embodiment the floating aquatic plants 14 utilized for treatment are water hyacinth ( eichhornia crassipes ). this configuration could facilitate the methods illustrated by fig2 c or fig2 d . another alternative embodiment ( no fig .) would be the two lagoon set up illustrated in fig3 and described above including a biogas capture means over the existing or newly constructed anaerobic lagoon 6 . this configuration could facilitate the methods illustrated by fig2 a or fig2 b . accordingly , the reader will see that one or more embodiments of the method and apparatus provide a technically , operationally , and economically feasible agricultural animal wastewater treatment system that costs less to build , is easier to understand and operate , and requires little energy input . in addition one ore more embodiments 1 . eliminates the discharge of animal waste to surface waters and groundwater , 2 . substantially eliminates atmospheric emissions of ammonia , 3 . substantially eliminates the emission of odor , 4 . substantially eliminates the release of disease - transmitting vectors and airborne pathogens , and 5 . substantially eliminates nutrient and heavy metal contamination of soil and groundwater . while the above descriptions contain many specificities , these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any embodiment , but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof . many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the various embodiments . for example , various other types ( species ) or combinations of floating aquatic plant types can be utilized for floating aquatic plant treatment ; the size , shape , or composition of the sheet of material can vary ; the liquid conveyance means &# 39 ; can have many different forms ; the biogas conveyance and collection means can have many different forms ; the type , size , volume , liquid surface area , and number of reservoirs making up the two treatment zones could vary , etc . thus , the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents , and not by the examples given . 1 ) advanced extraction and lower bounds for removal of pollutants from wastewater by water plants , water environment research , march 2007 , vol 79 , issue 3 , p 287 - 296 , zimmels et al . 2 ) agricultural waste management field handbook ( 210 - awmfh , 4 / 92 ) 1 - 19 , united states department of agriculture ( usda ). 3 ) feasibility manual for aquatic plant wastewater treatment with energy recovery , chynoweth 1989 . 4 ) manure production nutrient content data , ( usda ) natural resource conservation service . 6 ) north carolina state university college of agriculture and life sciences &# 39 ; smithfield agreement website : http :// www . cals . ncsu . edu / waste_mgt / smithfield_projects / smithfieldsite . htm 7 ) the growth and management of eichhornia crassipes and salvinia spp . in their native environment and in alien situations , mitchell d s . 1976 .

US-42001309-A

artifical bait comprising a water - insoluble matrix which is permeable by diffusion at a predetermined and controlled rate over a prolonged period of time to an attractant incorporated therein upon immersion in an aqueous medium .

in its preferred aspect , the semi - rigid , flexible , water - insoluble , hydrophilic matrix comprises the solid or semi - solid phase formed from a colloidal solution of a liquid , preferably water , in a macromolecular composition including gelatin , agar , locust bean gum , celufil ( a partially hydrolyzed cellulose manufactured by u . s . biochemical corp .) and glycerol prepared at a temperature not exceeding 100 ° c . all as to be more fully set forth hereinafter . the hydrophilic , gel - like solid phases of such colloidal solution is peculiarly adapted for the formation of artificial fish baits having the texture and consistency of common and natural fish prey . the attractant is preferably incorporated in the matrix by inclusion in the colloidal solution prior to the formation of at least a portion of the solid or semi - solid phase thereof . if the attractant is homogeneously distributed throughout the colloidal solution prior to gelling to form the solid phase , the attractant will be uniformly distributed throughout the resulting matrix . if the colloidal solution is partially gelled prior to the addition of the attractant , the latter will be concentrated mainly at the outer surfaces of the resulting solid or gelled matrix . thus , the matrix can be formed such that a gradient concentration of attractant is achieved throughout the dimensions of the bait . the predominate matrix - forming substances , gelatin , agar and locust bean gum , form gels closely resembling natural fish prey in texture and are subject to control of attractant release rates . matrices formed from these substances in gel - like form have a pliable , flesh - like texture which , when grasped or otherwise contacted by fish , feels and , when an attractant is incorporated therein , tastes like a natural food . it is preferred to include within the matrix a flexible , reinforcing substrate which substantially maintains the physical integrity of the matrix upon immersion in an aqueous medium . generally , the artificial bait is formed in flat layers and cut into strip - like lengths for use on a fish hook . it is preferred to pour the colloidal solution into a shallow pan and to place therein a layer ( s ) of the reinforcing substrate prior to formation of the solid phase . the reinforcing element is then internally imbedded within the solid phase of the matrix , thereby acting as an internal reinforcement of the matrix . suitable reinforcing , flexible substrates include natural and synthetic woven and non - woven fabrics , paper , natural and synthetic plastics , leather , hide , metal , wood and composites thereof . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the reinforcing substrate ( s ) may be included within the matrix at any point prior to formation of the completely gelled , solid phase of the collodial solution . any suitable fish attractant may be incorporated within the matrix of the artificial bait . suitable attractants include liquified fish or other marine products , fish oils , anise and synthetic attractants . generally , any fish attractant in liquid form , capable of diffusion through the matrices of the artificial baits of the present invention may be utilized . a suitable method for preparing a fish attractant involves the utilization of any existent natural bait , i . e ., squid , shrimp , herring , spanish sardines , bunker , fish meal or dried fish foods of the type which will liquify when added to the soft , non - gelled matrix . additionally , materials which are normally disposed of in fishery operations , such as shrimp heads , fish heads , carcases , trash fish , trash invertebrates , etc ., may also be employed to prepare attractant mixtures . obviously , different attractant mixtures have a different stimulatory capacity for a particular species of fish . accordingly , attractant mixtures may be tailored for specific &# 34 ; target &# 34 ; species . very useful attractants can be prepared following the procedures disclosed in the following publications : carr et al , &# 34 ; chemical stimulation of feeding behavior in the pinfish , lagodon rhomboides : a new approach to an old problem &# 34 ;, comp . biochem , physiol ., vol . 54a , pp 161 - 166 ( 1976 ); carr et al , &# 34 ; chemical stimulation of feeding behavior in the pinfish , lagodon rhombiodes : characterization and identification of stimulatory substances extracted from shrimp &# 34 ; comp . biochem , physiol ., vol . 54a , pp 437 - 441 ( 1976 ); carr et al , &# 34 ; chemoreception and feeding behavior in the pigfish , orthopristics chrysopterus : characterization and identification of stimulatory substances in a shrimp extract ,&# 34 ; comp . biochem ., physiol ., vol . 55a , pp 153 - 157 ; the artificial bait is prepared by providing a colloidal solution of a liquid , preferably water , in the macromolecular substance which provides the resulting matrix ; adding thereto the attractant and allowing the colloidal solution to substantially completely solidify thereby forming the matrix containing the entrapped attractant . where it is desired to include a flexible , reinforcing substrate , the latter is provided within the colloidal solution prior to complete solidification of the matrix . where is it desired to provide a gradient concentration of the attractant throughout a dimension of the matrix , the attractant is added to the colloidal solution in the desired shape after partial solidification and / or at various stages of the solidification process . the amount of attractant solute depends ultimately upon the intended use of the artificial bait and upon the nature of the attractant . generally , the amount of solute containing attractant may vary from about 0 . 1 to 30 %, by weight , based on the weight of the artificial bait . preferrably the attractant is incorporated within the colloidal solution by stirring or mixing . alternatively , the attractant may be added only to the surface of the partially solidified or soft gel by dropwise addition , spraying , sprinkling , etc . the colloidal solution or soft gel may be poured over the reinforcing material to provide strength and structural integrity . this procedure makes it very convenient to prepare the gels in sheets of convenient size using shallow trays or molds . depending upon the characteristics of the desired product , the colloidal solution or soft gel may be poured onto the reinforcing material , or both under and onto the reinforcer . alternatively , the reinforcing material may be added to the surface of the soft gel followed by the addition of further amounts of colloidal solution . a further alternative embodies introduction of the colloidal solution or soft gel into or onto a hollow reinforcing material . the resulting gel containing reinforcing material and attractant is then dried or dehydrated . drying increases the strength , durability and longevity of attractant release but decreases the rate of attractant release . drying is accomplished at room temperature or up to about 50 ° c . by circulating air over the gels via fans or blowers . drying may also be accomplished in vacuo or by lyophilization . the duration of drying time is dependent upon the desired consistency of the finished bait . drying times of 4 to 8 hours have been employed most frequently with baits intended for normal use . following completion of the drying step , the sheet of bait can be conveniently cut to any desired size , then wrapped or otherwise packaged and stored until needed . the baits are designed for placing on a hook and fishing in the same manner as is done with non - live natural baits . the baits can be fished alone or together with a natural bait or cut into strips or sections and used in conjunction with jigs , and certain other conventional artificial lures , etc . further , certain of the baits can be added to traps or pots to replace other baits or enhance the effectiveness of existing baits . a 64 liter batch of improved bait consists of the following substances in 49 liters of water plus 11 liters of glycerol : ______________________________________codedesignation component amount ( kg ) ______________________________________al agar 0 . 64 locust bean gum 0 . 288g gelatin 1 . 28cs celufil 1 . 28 sorbic acid 0 . 12______________________________________ the following steps comprise the preferred method of preparing the bait from the components al , g , and cs , as set forth above : the bait is prepared in two steps hereinafter designated stages i and ii . stage i contains water and the agar and locust bean gum and stage ii contains water and remainder of the of the ingredients cs , g and attractant . 1 . measure out of 42 liters of water in large pot . cover with lid and bring to boil . 2 . with mixer on high speed to give vortex , add al slowly to edge of vortex . 3 . let mixing continue until temperature rises again to least 96 ° c . ( stage ii is prepared while stage i is brought to its initial boiling temperature ) 2 . turn mixer to high speed and slowly add cs . ( this may require some stirring with a spoon to get it distributed homogeneously ). 3 . add 11 liters of glycerol . rinse glycerol container with small amount of hot water and add to the above . 4 . heat mixture to greater than 60 ° c . while constantly mixing with mixer at medium speed . 5 . turn mixer to high speed and slowly add the gelatin making sure all of the gelatin goes into solution . 7 . after both stages i and ii are ready , drain stage ii into stage i . rinse stage ii - pot with small amount of hot water and add to the above . mix the combined stages for 5 - 10 minutes . at this time or following step 2 the selected attractant should be added if the attractant is to be uniformly distributed throughout the resulting matrix . with the temperature of the mixture maintained above 80 ° c . and preferably at 85 °- 90 ° c . the mixture is then poured into cooling trays and the reinforcement for the bait is added . if two layers of , for example , cheesecloth are to provide a sandwich for the matrix , the first layer of cheesecloth is laid on the bottom surface of the tray and wetted with a small amount of water and tamped or rolled to force out entrapped air . with the bottom layer of cheesecloth throughly wetted , the matrix mixture is poured into the tray and a top layer of cheesecloth is laid upon the mixture and gently tamped downwardly to insure a good bond between the matrix and the cheesecloth . if only a single layer of reinforcing cloth is employed , the entire matrix mixture is poured into a tray and the cheesecloth reinforcement is laid over the top thereof and gently tamped to thoroughly impregnate the cloth with the mixture . after the mixture has thoroughly gelled , the bait sheets are removed from their trays and placed on a drying rack . if only a single layer of reinforcing cloth is employed , the cloth side should be placed downwardly on the drying rack to prevent cutting of the undried bait . it has been found that suitable bait of a commercial quality can be prepared in a single stage rather than the two stages set forth hereinbefore , by following the following steps : 1 . add following to large pot and stir briefly with spoon to mix the two liquids : b . 11 liters of glycerol . rinse glycerol container with small amount of water and add to the pot . 3 . with a mixer on high speed to give a vortex , add al slowly to edge of vortex and scrape into the solution any al that sticks to the side of the pot . 5 . continue mixing until all lumps of al are gone and until the temperature in the pot is at least 96 ° c . step 5 is the key to the success of the operation . leave mixer on high speed for the following steps : 9 . mix for at least 10 more minutes before starting the pouring operation making sure the temperature of this entire mix is greater than 85 ° c . before it is poured . the following table sets forth suitable ranges of ingredients based on an approximate 64 liter batch : ______________________________________component range______________________________________water 30 to 60 litersglycerol 3 to 20 liters______________________________________codedesignation component ( s ) amount ( kg ) ______________________________________al agar 0 . 16 to 2 . 6 kg locust bean gum 0 . 06 to 1 . 3 kgg gelatin 0 . 32 to 5 . 2 kgcs celufil 0 to 6 . 4 kg sorbic acid 0 . 03 to 0 . 37 kg______________________________________ the drying racks containing the gelled bait are placed in a suitable dryer . a suitable drying temperature is about 40 °- 45 ° c . with circulation of air within the dryer . at this temperature drying of the gelled bait is completed in about 4 to about 8 hours . with the undried sheet approximately about 1 cm in thickness an ideal weight at the completion of drying would be about 1 . 1 g to about 1 . 2 g per square inch . or stated differently with each sheet approximately 4 by 36 inches , an ideal dried weight would be about 140 to 152 grams per sheet an acceptable weight range would be from about 130 to about 166 grams per sheet . after the drying process these sheets are permitted to return to room temperature and thereafter the sheets of bait are cut into the appropriate size and wrapped in a plastic sheet for storage or packaged in a closed container for sale or use .

US-36920882-A

apparatus for the transfer of an outline to a surface including a flexible tape strip having an adhesive surface and a second opposite surface , and ink - bearing means positioned on the second surface .

we turn now to the description of the preferred embodiment , after briefly describing the drawings . fig1 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the invention . fig2 is an elevation , partially broken away , of said embodiment . fig3 is a sectional view of said embodiment taken along 3 -- 3 of fig2 . fig4 is a perspective view of said embodiment in operation . fig5 is a sectional view of said embodiment in operation taken along 5 -- 5 of fig4 . fig1 - 3 illustrate outline transfer apparatus 5 . clear , flexible cellophane protective strip 30 has an adhesive surface 25 which , during storage , adheres it to inked felt strip 10 , and to the non - adhesive surface 20 of clear , flexible cellophane strip 40 . felt strip 10 is also attached to surface 20 of strip 40 , which strip has on its opposite side a pressure - sensitive adhesive surface 50 . strips 40 and 30 preferably have parallel longitudinal edges and are about 1 . 5 cm wide , while felt strip 10 is preferably square in cross - section and about 1 mm thick and 1 mm wide . the transfer apparatus of fig1 - 3 is shown , in fig4 and 5 , transferring the shape of triangular slot 60 ( fig4 ) in board 70 to surface 80 of board 90 ( fig5 ). tape strip 40 is applied from a roll ( not shown ) to board 70 by cutting three pieces of tape from the roll , one for each side of triangular slot 60 , and applying them to the board so that felt strip 10 follows the outline of slot 60 ( fig4 ). each piece of tape is cut at a slant so that the ends mate to form the triangle . protective strip 30 ( not shown ) is then removed , and the two boards are pressed together ( fig5 ) so that inked felt strip 10 transfers the slot outline to surface 80 of board 90 . other embodiments are within the following claims . for example , although strips 40 and 30 are preferably ordinary cellophane , any clear , flexible material can be used .

US-26464281-A

a battery powered motor vehicle for transporting a rider in a standing position can be steered by either selective distribution of the riders weight , or alternative by turning a steering console . by attaching a cargo rack , the battery powered motor vehicle can be converted to a hand truck for transporting cargo . in the hand truck mode , the battery powered motor vehicle can either be powered wherein the vehicle moves in reverse , or manually pushed wherein the vehicle is in a neutral state .

referring initially to fig1 – 6 , there are illustrated side elevation , top plan , front elevation , rear elevation , opposite side elevation , and bottom plan views respectively of a battery powered motor vehicle for transporting a rider , generally designated as 20 . fig2 shows a rider being transported by battery powered motor vehicle 20 . battery powered motor vehicle 20 includes a body 22 having a platform 24 for a rider to stand upon , platform 24 having a right side 26 and an opposite left side 28 , and being partially covered by a non - slip mat . battery powered motor vehicle 20 further includes a steering column 30 having a top end 32 and an opposite bottom end 34 , bottom end 34 of steering column 30 is rotatably connected to body 22 wherein steering column 30 rotates about a first vertical axis 36 . a steering console 38 is connected to top end 32 of steering column 30 . a right front wheel 37 is connected to right side 26 of body 22 , right front wheel 37 having a right hub electric motor 39 ( refer also to fig7 ). a left front wheel 40 is connected to left side 28 of body 22 , left front wheel 40 having a left hub electric motor 41 . right hub electric motor 39 is mechanically and electrically independent from left hub electric motor 41 . that is , right 39 and left 41 hub electrical motors have no common axle and each is independently electrically driven . a right back wheel 42 is rotatable about a second vertical axis 44 , and a left back wheel 46 is rotatable about a third vertical axis 48 . left back wheel 46 is spaced apart from and parallel to right back wheel 42 . right 42 and left 46 back wheels are mechanically linked to steering column 30 , so that when steering column 30 is rotated to the right about first vertical axis 36 , right 42 and left 46 back wheels rotate to the left about second 44 and third 46 vertical axes respectively ( refer to fig1 ), and when steering column 30 is rotated to the left about first vertical axis 36 , right 42 and left 46 back wheels rotate to the right about second 44 and third 46 vertical axes respectively ( refer to fig1 ). battery powered motor vehicle 20 is power movable in either a forward or reverse direction . power movable means being moved by delivering electrical power to right 37 and left 40 . now also referring to fig8 and 9 , when battery powered motor vehicle 20 is moving forward , the rider may selectively place a majority of his / her weight upon right side 26 of platform 24 thereby causing an increased mechanical load to be placed on right hub electric motor 39 and a decreased mechanical load to be placed on left hub electric motor 41 , thereby causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to turn gradually to the right . as defined herein , “ to turn gradually ” means that it takes battery powered motor vehicle 20 more than two body lengths of forward motion to turn 90 °. now referring to fig1 and 11 , when battery powered motor vehicle 20 is moving forward , the rider may selectively place a preponderance of the his / her weight upon left side 28 of platform 24 , thereby causing an increased mechanical load to be placed on left hub electric motor 41 and a decreased mechanical load to be placed on right hub electric motor 39 , thereby causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to turn gradually to the left . now referring to fig1 , when battery powered motor vehicle 20 is moving forward , the rider may selectively turn steering console 38 to the right wherein steering column 30 rotates to the right about first vertical axis 36 ( refer to fig1 ) causing right 42 and left 46 back wheels to rotate to the left about second 44 and third 48 vertical axes respectively , thereby causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to turn sharply to the right . as defined herein , “ to turn sharply ” means that it takes the vehicle no more than two body lengths of forward motion to turn 90 °. and when battery powered motor vehicle 20 is moving forward , the rider may selectively turn steering console 38 to the left wherein steering column 30 rotates to the left about first vertical axis 36 ( refer to fig1 ) causing right 42 and left 46 back wheels to rotate to the right , thereby causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to turn sharply turn to the left . fig7 is an enlarged simplified cross sectional view of right hub motor 39 . right hub motor 39 includes a stator 50 which is fixedly attached to body 22 , and a rotor 52 which is attached to right front wheel 37 by a spoke 54 . right hub motor 39 receives power from a rechargeable lithium battery which is controlled by an accelerator control disposed on steering console 38 . fig8 is a front elevation view of battery powered motor vehicle 20 showing the rider &# 39 ; s weight being placed on the right side 26 of the battery powered motor vehicle &# 39 ; s platform 24 . fig9 is a top plan view of battery powered motor vehicle 20 gradually turning to the right . fig1 is a front elevation view of the battery powered motor vehicle 20 showing the rider &# 39 ; s weight being placed on the left side 28 of the battery powered motor vehicle &# 39 ; s platform 24 . fig1 is a top plan view of the battery powered motor vehicle 20 gradually turning to the left . fig1 is a top plan view of the battery powered motor vehicle &# 39 ; s steering console 38 turned to the right , back wheels 42 and 46 resultantly turned to the left , and battery powered motor vehicle 20 sharply turning to the right . fig1 is a top plan view of the battery powered motor vehicle &# 39 ; s steering console 38 turned to the left , back wheels 42 and 46 resultantly turned to the right , and battery powered motor vehicle 20 sharply turning to the left . fig1 and 15 are side elevation and top plan views respectively of battery powered motor vehicle 20 placed in a storage and shipping configuration . body 22 has a rear portion 56 . when battery powered motor vehicle 20 is not moving , steering column 30 is selectively positionable with respect to body 22 from a substantially vertical position ( refer to fig1 ) to a substantially horizontal position wherein steering column 38 is directed toward rear portion 56 of body 22 . steering column 30 is released by removing a threaded pin 58 ( refer to fig3 ) which holds steering column 30 in the horizontal position . fig1 and 17 are side elevation and rear elevation views respectively of battery powered motor vehicle 20 with a cargo rack 60 installed and loaded with cargo 500 , and fig1 is a side elevation view of battery powered motor vehicle 20 moving cargo 500 . cargo rack 60 is selectively connectable to battery powered motor vehicle 20 for converting battery powered motor vehicle 20 into a hand truck . in the shown embodiment cargo rack 60 has wire mesh sides to keep cargo 500 in place . also in the shown embodiment , cargo rack 60 is attached to steering column 30 . when cargo rack 60 is connected to battery powered motor vehicle 20 , a user may ( 1 ) place cargo 500 upon platform 24 , ( 2 ) tilt battery powered motor vehicle 20 so that right 42 and left 46 back wheels are off of the ground , ( 3 ) grasp steering console 38 and cause battery powered motor vehicle 20 to move in a reverse direction , and ( 4 ) walk behind battery powered motor vehicle 20 to transport cargo 500 to a desired location . fig1 is a side elevation view of battery powered motor vehicle 20 with a seat support 62 disposed on rear portion 54 of body 22 , and showing a seat 64 in a undeployed downward position . and , fig2 is a side elevation view of battery powered motor vehicle 20 with showing seat 64 in an deployed upward position . seat support 62 extends upward from rear portion 54 of body 22 . a seat column 66 has a first end 68 and an opposite second end 70 , first end 68 pivotally connected to seat support 62 . seat 64 is pivotally connected to second end 70 of seat column 66 . seat column 66 may be selectively pivoted from a downward orientation ( fig1 ) to an upward orientation ( fig2 ) wherein a user may sit upon seat 64 while he / she is riding battery powered motor vehicle 20 . additionally , seat 64 rotates about second end 70 of seat column 66 to accommodate the motion of the rider . fig2 is a side elevation view of a rider in a standing position riding battery powered motor vehicle 20 . in terms of use , a method for steering a battery powered motor vehicle 20 includes : a body 22 having a platform 24 for a rider to stand upon , platform 24 having a right side 26 and an opposite left side 28 ; a steering column 30 having a top end 32 and an opposite bottom end 34 , bottom end 34 of steering column 30 rotatably connected to body 22 , and steering column 30 rotatable about a first vertical axis 36 . a steering console 38 connected to top end 32 of steering column 30 ; a right front wheel 37 connected to right side 26 of body 22 , right front wheel 37 having a right hub electric motor 39 ; a left front wheel 40 connected to left side 28 of body 22 , left front wheel 40 having a left hub electric motor 41 ; right hub electric 39 motor mechanically and electrically independent from left hub electric motor 41 ; a right back wheel 42 rotatable about a second vertical axis 44 ; a left back wheel 46 rotatable about a third vertical axis 48 , left back wheel 46 spaced apart from and parallel to right back wheel 42 ; right 42 and left 46 back wheels mechanically linked to steering column 30 so that when steering column 30 is rotated to the right about first vertical axis 36 , right 42 and left back 46 wheels rotate to the left about second 44 and third 48 vertical axes respectively , and when steering column 30 is rotated to the left about first vertical axis 36 , right 42 and left 46 back wheels rotate to the right about second 44 and third 48 vertical axes respectively ; battery powered motor vehicle 20 power movable in either a forward or reverse direction ; ( b ) causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to move in the forward direction ; ( c ) the rider performing at least one of the following four maneuvers : ( 1 ) placing a majority of the riders &# 39 ; s weight w upon right side 26 of platform 24 thereby causing an increased mechanical load to be placed on right hub electric motor 39 and a decreased mechanical load to be placed on left hub electric motor 41 , thereby causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to turn gradually to the right ; ( 2 ) placing a majority of the riders &# 39 ; s weight w upon left side 28 of platform 24 , thereby causing an increased mechanical load to be placed on left hub electric motor 41 and a decreased mechanical load to be placed on right hub electric motor 39 , thereby causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to turn gradually to the left ; ( 3 ) turning steering console 38 to the right wherein steering column 30 rotates to the right causing right 42 and left 46 back wheels to rotate to the left about second 44 and third 48 vertical axes respectively , thereby causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to turn sharply to the right ; and , ( 4 ) turning said steering console 38 to the left wherein steering column 30 rotates to the left causing right 42 and left 46 back wheels to rotate to the right about second 44 and third 48 vertical axes respectively , thereby causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to turn sharply to the left . in another embodiment of the invention , a method for a user to move cargo 500 using a battery powered motor vehicle 20 , includes : ( a ) providing a battery powered motor vehicle 20 , including : a body 22 having a platform 24 , platform 24 having a right side 26 and an opposite left side 28 ; a steering column 30 having a top end 32 and an opposite bottom end 34 , bottom end 34 of steering column 30 rotatably connected to body 22 , steering column 30 rotatable about a first vertical axis 36 ; a steering console 38 connected to top end 32 of steering column 30 ; a right front wheel 37 connected to right side 26 of body 22 , right front wheel 37 having a right hub electric motor 39 ; a left front wheel 40 connected to left side 28 of body 22 , left front wheel 40 having a left hub electric motor 41 ; right hub electric motor 39 mechanically and electrically independent from left hub electric motor 41 ; battery powered motor vehicle 20 power movable in either a forward or reverse direction ; a right back wheel 42 rotatable about a second vertical axis 44 ; a left back wheel 46 rotatable about a third vertical axis 44 , left back wheel 46 spaced apart from and parallel to right back wheel 42 ; a cargo rack 60 selectively connectable to battery powered motor vehicle 20 ; ( b ) connecting cargo rack 60 to battery powered motor vehicle 20 thereby converting battery powered motor vehicle 20 into a hand truck ; ( c ) placing cargo 500 upon platform 24 ; ( d ) tilting battery powered motor vehicle 20 so that right 42 and left 46 back wheels are off of the ground ; ( e ) the user grasping steering console 38 and causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to move in the reverse direction ( wheels 37 and 40 rotating in a reverse direction ); and , ( e ) the user walking behind battery powered motor vehicle 20 to transport cargo 500 to a desired location . in another embodiment of the invention , a method for a user to move cargo using a battery powered motor vehicle in an unpowered state , comprising : ( a ) providing a battery powered motor vehicle 20 , including : a body 22 having a platform 24 , platform 24 having a right side 26 and an opposite left side 28 ; a steering column 30 having a top end 32 and an opposite bottom end 34 , bottom end 34 of steering column 30 rotatably connected to body 22 , steering column 30 rotatable about a first vertical axis 36 ; a steering console 38 connected to top end 32 of steering column 30 ; a right front wheel 37 connected to right side 26 of body 22 , right front wheel 37 having a right hub electric motor 39 ; a left front wheel 40 connected to left side 40 of body 22 , left front wheel 40 having a left hub electric motor 41 ; right hub electric motor 39 mechanically and electrically independent from left hub electric motor 41 ; battery powered motor vehicle 20 having a neutral state wherein right 39 and left 41 front wheels freely rotate in either a forward or reverse direction ; a right back wheel 42 rotatable about a second vertical axis 44 ; a left back wheel 46 rotatable about a third vertical axis 48 , left back wheel 46 spaced apart from and parallel to right back wheel 42 ; a cargo rack 60 selectively connectable to battery powered motor vehicle 20 ; ( b ) connecting cargo rack 60 to battery powered motor vehicle 20 thereby converting battery powered motor vehicle 20 into a hand truck ; ( c ) placing cargo 500 upon platform 24 ; ( d ) tilting battery powered motor vehicle 20 so that right 42 and left 46 back wheels are off of the ground ; ( e ) the user grasping steering console 38 and causing battery powered motor vehicle 20 to be in the neutral state ; and , ( e ) the user and walking behind battery powered motor vehicle 20 and pushing battery powered motor vehicle 20 in a reverse direction to transport cargo 500 to a desired location . the preferred embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications , variations , and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve an equivalent result , all of which are intended to be embraced within the scope of the appended claims .

US-87725104-A

a method is provided for producing a hybrid multi junction photovoltaic device . the method begins by providing a plurality of planar photovoltaic semi - transparent modules . each of the modules is a fully functional , thin - film , photovoltaic device and includes first and second conductive layers and at least first and second semiconductor layers disposed between the conductive layers . the first and second semiconductor layers define a junction at an interface therebetween . the method continues by disposing the modules one on top of another and hybridly adhering them to each other . at least one of the modules is configured to convert a first spectral portion of optical energy into an electrical voltage and transmit a second spectral portion of optical energy to another of the junctions that is configured to convert at least part of the second spectral portion of optical energy into an electrical voltage .

in the following detailed description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of exemplary embodiments or other examples described herein . however , it will be understood that these embodiments and examples may be practiced without the specific details . in other instances , well - known methods , procedures , components and circuits have not been described in detail , so as not to obscure the following description . further , the embodiments disclosed are for exemplary purposes only and other embodiments may be employed in lieu of , or in combination with , the embodiments disclosed . embodiments of this apparatus and method may facilitate the ability to efficiently and economically convert electro - magnetic energy in the form of light into electrical energy in the form of electrical current . embodiments of this apparatus and method may also facilitate large volume production and widespread usage of photovoltaic devices . the invention provides an alternative method of producing a multi junction photovoltaic device . as well known in the art , multi junction devices in general are one of the most efficient means for conversion solar energy into electricity . currently , the best performing solar cells are based on epitaxially grown , crystalline semiconductor multi - junctions . these are complex devices , which are manufactured using difficult and expensive manufacturing processes and their high cost can make them prohibitive for wide spread use and high volume production . this invention , on the other hand , proposes to use substantially less complex and expensive thin - film processing techniques for manufacturing of multi junction photovoltaic devices . using multi junction design and thin - film technology , a new efficient photovoltaic device with expanded capabilities and application range can be produced . thin - film materials , in general and depending on their chemical origin , can be deposited and layered by a variety of different methods , using for example evaporation , sputtering , spraying , inkjet printing etc ., most of which could be very inexpensive . unlike crystalline , lattice - matched semiconductor films , any of these thin film materials can be deposited on a variety of substrates and / or superstrates , including various glasses , polymers , metal sheets , foils and others . this further facilitates the production of efficient and inexpensive photovoltaic media and enables a number of new manufacturing approaches , which are disclosed here . as shown in fig1 and 2 , a multi - layered and multi junction photovoltaic device 100 may be produced from two or more photovoltaic modules such as the three photovoltaic modules 111 , 112 and 113 shown in fig1 and 2 . each of the photovoltaic modules 111 , 112 and 113 includes one or more junctions formed from an optically active semiconductor having a specific bandgap . when photovoltaic device 100 is illuminated by light 101 , one of its junction layers may absorb a part of light with photon energies above a corresponding bandgap and transmit a part of light ( i . e . light 102 and 103 ) with photon energies below a corresponding bandgap . the junctions within and between modules may be arranged so that the bandgaps of lower lying junctions are smaller than the bandgaps of higher lying junctions ; this condition improves the conversion efficiency of the device . furthermore , these modules may be electrically isolated from each other and provided with two individual electrical contacts 130 of opposite polarity for producing electrical current connectors 140 . fig3 shows an example of a single photovoltaic module 111 , which may be representative of the type of modules employed in the photovoltaic device 100 shown in fig1 and 2 . in this example module 111 includes at least two semiconductor layers 303 and 304 that define a junction at their interface 334 . if more than two semiconductor layers are employed , the module 111 will include multiple junctions . the junction may be a heterojunction in which the layers 303 and 304 are formed of dissimilar materials . alternatively , the junction or junctions may be of any type known in the art such as , but not limited to p - n junctions , p - i - n junctions , mis junctions and the like . the module 111 may include additional semiconductor and buffer layers that alter or improve the device performance . photovoltaic module 111 also includes transparent conducting layers 302 and 305 , so that all of layers 302 - 305 are situated in a monolithic stack on a substrate 301 . in summary , a single module ( e . g . modules 111 , 112 and 113 ) includes at least a substrate , two conducting layers , and two or more semiconductor layers ( which form 1 or more junctions ). an individual module from time to time may be referred to herein as a subcell . as previously noted , the number of photovoltaic modules , n may be larger than two : the greater the number of modules , the higher is the maximum achievable conversion efficiency . it should be noted that a photovoltaic device that is formed from n modules includes n or more junctions , depending on the number of semiconductor layers in each module . the number of junctions in each module forming a single photovoltaic device may or may not be the same . also , the semiconductor materials that are employed in the modules may be , for example , a compound semiconductor formed from an inorganic , polymer - based material , an organic dye - based material , a nanoparticle composite material , a quantum dot composite material , or a mixture of the above materials . the specific material composition used in each module will generally be optimized for the particular photovoltaic device that is being designed . these modules forming the photovoltaic device are situated in a stack and further processed so that they adhere to one another . a number of electro - optic materials have been developed in recent years that are suitable for thin film processing techniques , including cdte , cigs ( copper indium gallium selenide ), organic and polymer semiconductor . these thin - film technologies greatly simplify the production of a multi - junction , non - single crystalline ( e . g ., polycrystalline , amorphous ) photovoltaic device . unlike wafer - based semiconductor technologies that use such materials as si , ge , gaas and gainp , thin - film technologies allow deposition of functional semiconductor thin films only few microns thick on a variety of substrates including flexible substrates . furthermore , it generally enables the production of large area , single - sheet , multi - layered electro - optic devices , e . g . using roll - to - roll manufacturing . the latter is not possible using a standard single - crystal semiconductor technology due to the typically limited and small size of semiconductor wafers . as a general rule , thin film materials are typically direct bandgap semiconductors , unlike some of the single crystal semiconductors , such as si and ge . thin - film layers formed from various semiconductors may be manufactured separately as large sheets on independent substrates . these sheets then could be attached , glued , laminated , or otherwise hybridly joined , together to form a single large area , integrated multi junction device . since multiple junction layers are hybridly integrated into a single sheet , they can be produced and optimized independently from one another . all of the individual photovoltaic modules may be attached to a common substrate that may be sturdy yet flexible . the substrate also may be coated with a reflective layer . one or more surfaces in this device could be textured to provide a relief pattern for multiple light reflections and scattering , which improves light absorption and subsequently its power conversion efficiency . a large number of different semiconductor materials are currently available and known to be suitable for thin - film manufacturing . one advantage of this invention is that its approach is universal and does not rely on a particular material . some examples of currently available semiconductors could be divided into two large groups : organic and inorganic semiconductors . organic semiconductors include various types of π - conjugated polymers and oligomers . although they are particularly suitable for low - cost manufacturing and could be deposited by simple evaporation , their photovoltaic performance is not yet as good as that of inorganic semiconductors . suitable inorganic materials include cdte , cigs , a - si and the like . all these semiconductors tend to have a direct bandgap and subsequently strong optical absorption at photon energies above the bandgap . thus a rather thin film of only few microns thick could absorb most photons and achieve very high quantum efficiency . in the present invention individual modules may be first produced from the aforementioned materials using known thin film technologies . the modules may be manufactured using transparent conducting layers and preferably transparent substrates . alternatively , an opaque sacrificial substrate may be used that subsequently could be detached and discarded or reused . after fabricating the individual modules they may be assembled in a single stack and hybridly attached to each other according to the techniques discussed below . this approach to fabrication of multi junction photovoltaic devices is very flexible and can be tailored for a very large variety of semiconductor materials . however , there are some specific requirements which need to be met in most cases : ( 1 ) the conducting layers in the individual modules should be substantially transparent to light with photon energies below the bandgap of a corresponding semiconductor layer ; ( 2 ) the bandgaps of a semiconductor material in a light absorbing layer of each junction module should satisfy the relation ( in the order from top to bottom ): where n is the number of junctions in the photovoltaic device ; ( 3 ) most of the materials used in the manufacturing of laminated multi junction solar cell , including conducting , semiconducting and insulating layers , should be compatible with low temperature , low cost thin - film manufacturing methods and processes ; ( 4 ) some of the individual modules are preferably flexible to facilitate the lamination process ; ( 5 ) most of the exposed surfaces should be optically smooth ( roughness is smaller than the wavelength of light ) in order to avoid excessive light scattering . in most cases there may be only a few exceptions to these requirements . for example , the bottommost conducting layer need not be transparent . since there are no additional modules below it , this layer could be either opaque or reflective , in the latter case increasing light absorption and subsequently its conversion efficiency . also , conducting layers may include partially transmitting metal grids for reducing in - series resistance of corresponding modules . furthermore , at least one of the modules could be manufactured using approaches other than thin - film technology , as long as additional modules can be added hybridly , e . g . via sequential lamination . although , it is preferable to use substrates that are optically smooth on both sides , it may be possible to reduce the effect of optical scattering on the rough substrate surfaces by adding intermediate refractive index - matching layers between modules . such layers could also perform dual functions ; as for example a thin adhesive layer may bond together two adjacent modules and at the same time smooth out an optical interface between these modules , so that optical scattering between them is reduced . hybrid integration of multiple modules on a single substrate enables several intermediate , but critical testing procedures . since all of these modules can be manufactured separately to produce fully functioning photovoltaic cells , the resulting cells or modules , could be tested and screened on performance before they are assembled into a fully stacked multi junction device . thus only good known modules will be used in the eventual assembly and attachment process . this procedure makes a tremendous difference in the overall production yield , performance and cost of the multi junction photovoltaic devices . for example , if three modules , each with a single junction , are hybridly integrated have a 50 % yield each , then the overall manufacturing yield of this integrated triple junction photovoltaic device will still be 50 % ( assuming nearly 100 % yield in the process of assembling the subcells ). on the other hand , a monolithically integrated device , in which the same three junctions are grown or deposited sequentially on the same substrate , will have 12 . 5 % manufacturing yield , due to the fact that one cannot pick and choose the good parts in this process and thus the total yield is the product of all fractional yields for each junction layer . the difference in yield becomes even more dramatic if the individual modules each contain more than one junction . a plant for large volume manufacturing of thin - film solar cells would typically use roll - to - roll or similar large area processing facility . to facilitate the selection process of good known parts for further integration into photovoltaic devices , individual subcells could be segmented as shown in fig4 for one - dimensional ( a ) and two - dimensional segmentation ( b ). all of the segments or subcells 401 in this instance are nominally identical and manufactured simultaneously on the same roll of film , foil or substrate 402 . these subcells , however , are electrically and physically separated from each other , so that they can be tested both optically and electrically and selected on the basis of their individual performance . thus only the best performing sections of a particular module could be separated , diced out , peeled off or otherwise detached from the rest of the substrate roll . thus selected sections could then be used in the hybrid assembly of multi - junction devices . lamination technology is currently used in solar cell manufacturing primarily for encapsulation and protection from adverse environmental conditions . lamination is defined herein as a method of sandwiching two layers , one of which may be a plastic or other flexible film , with the application of pressure and / or heat , usually with an adhesive layer between them . both of these layers are pre - manufactured as standalone layers . fig5 shows prior art applications of laminates in solar cell manufacturing , in which one or more coats of protective plastic 501 are laminated above and / or underneath the module 111 . they may also be used to protect part of electrical leads 502 . the protective laminated films are electrically inactive and play no direct role in the operation of a photovoltaic device . on the other hand , in the present invention the lamination process is used to attach optically and electrically active layers . in fact , each one of the laminated layers is an independent fully functioning photovoltaic cell . fig6 shows schematically an approach of producing thin - film multijunction photovoltaic devices in accordance with the present invention . the method includes the following steps : ( 1 ) laminating together two or more modules such as the three modules 111 , 112 and 113 are shown in fig6 , which include transparent substrates 601 , 602 and 603 , respectively , and , optionally ( 2 ) laminating an additional protective coating 620 over the whole stack and part of electrical leads 630 . the last step may be redundant due to existing protective layers in the laminated modules . additional bonding or adhesive layers 610 may be required in the first lamination step to form a bond between the bottom of a substrate of an upper module with the top of the conductive layer of a lower module . further additional steps in this manufacturing process may include making electrical contacts with each exposed cathode and anode in the stack and providing respective electrical current paths 630 to an external circuit . while the present invention has been described in terms of a photovoltaic device that is formed from two or more photovoltaic modules that are hybridly integrated in a multi - layered stack , the present invention encompasses other types of devices as well . that is , in addition to photovoltaic cells or modules , other types thin - film electro - optic modules can be hybridly integrated in a multi - layered stack . for example , large area light emitting devices ( leds ) can be laminated in a stack of multiple leds on top of each other . this could be done for different purposes , e . g . to achieve higher brightness , different colors , white - light emitting multi - layered leds and others . furthermore , segmented multi - layered leds could be used as displays , in which each segment represents a separate pixel . unlike conventional pixels , these pixels could produce true color emission across a large area . similar to the modules used to form a photovoltaic device , the modules uses to form these other types electro - optic devices include at least a substrate , two conducting layers , and two or more semiconductor layers ( which form 1 or more junctions ). existing lamination techniques can be modified and adopted for use in the lamination of thin film electro - optic devices such as photovoltaic devices . fig7 - 12 show examples of the lamination processes , which include roll - to - roll lamination of flexible films with rigid substrates and flexible films , multiple film lamination , segmented film lamination , segmented panel - to - panel lamination and others . a variety of lamination methods could be adopted in manufacturing of thin - film multi junction electro - optic devices . these methods include wet lamination , dry lamination , pressure , thermal lamination , hot - melt lamination , chemical lamination , uv - assisted lamination , extrusion lamination and combinations thereof . most of these approaches have to be tailored to work with specific thin - film materials and multi junction designs . fig2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention , in which three different photovoltaic modules 111 , 112 and 113 are utilized . maximum sunlight power conversion efficiency of this architecture is about 56 % for highly concentrated sunbeam and about 50 % for regular sunlight intensity ( so called condition am1 . 5 ). all three modules contain active polycrystalline semiconductor materials based on , for example , a cigs ( copper indium gallium selenide ) material system or a related alloy , and the corresponding junctions are produced using single junction designs known in the art . by varying the in and ga relative concentrations the bandgaps in layer 111 may be adjusted to about 1 . 7 ev , in layer 112 — to about 1 . 4 ev and in layer 113 — to about 1 . 1 ev . the thickness of each layer may be in the range of 1 to 5 microns . each module may also contain buffer layers , such as , for example , a thin cdse layer with a thickness in the range of 10 to 1000 nm . the semiconductor layers in each module may be located between appropriately matched transparent conducting layers 130 . the conducting layers 130 may be formed from thin layers of ito or zno with a thickness in the range of 0 . 1 to 5 μm . each module also includes a substrate , such as a polyimide film , with a thickness in the range from 10 to 1000 microns , which is transparent in the appropriate spectral range and which is used primarily as a carrier for other layers in the module . these modules are laminated so that they adhere to each other to form a single laminate film with multiple individual electrical contacts for each module . the various modules shown in fig2 may be also laminated onto a common carrier substrate 210 , such as a thin polyimide film with a thickness in the range of 25 to 1000 microns . this substrate may be coated with metal such as al , mo , au or cu to reflect unabsorbed light back into the individual modules . as shown , the modules may be staggered or laterally offset from one another so that each conducting layer 130 has an exposed region 230 . the exposed regions 230 , which may be covered with additional metallization pattern to provide better conductivity , serve as surfaces that can connect the modules to external electrical circuits . as a result , the three modules shown in the device of fig2 may have up to six electrical output connectors . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that some of the modules include a substrate made from polyamide . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that some of the modules are in addition coated on at least one of the surfaces with a thermosetting resin such as ethylene - vinylacetate ( eva ). in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that some of the modules are coated with a thin protective plastic film , such as polyethylene terephthalate ( pet ), on the side opposite from the substrate , so as to protect sensitive electronic parts of the module during the lamination process . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that the carrier substrate , such as silicone , is transparent and is attached and laminated on the top of the first module 111 . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified by laminating additional conducting films , foils or wires , so that three of electrical output connectors may be shorted or connected to the ground without loss of device functionality . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that additional modules having junctions with different bandgaps may be laminated and provided with additional individual electrical contacts . in this embodiment the total number of junctions and bandgaps may be greater than four , and the bandgap values are chosen to maximize device conversion efficiency for a given number of junctions . some of the electrical outputs may be interconnected locally or via an external circuit , so as to produce either in series connection , in parallel connection , common anode or common cathode configurations or combinations thereof . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that the junction layers may be produced on separate sacrificial substrates and detached from these substrates before or during the lamination process . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that the modules may be bonded together to produce a single multi - layered photovoltaic film . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that the modules may be glued together to produce a single multi - layered photovoltaic film . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that the modules are segmented and laminated onto a single carrier substrate . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that some of the modules are laminated together so that their substrates are exposed to the light that is to be converted . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that the modules that are stacked and hybridly attached to each other are light emitting modules ( lem ). each lem could be activated and operated independently from the others . furthermore , each lem contains an emitting semiconductor layer with a different characteristic bandgap and thus different characteristic emission spectrum . thus , different emission spectra from different lems could be combined to produce different color combinations including that of white light . also , independent control of emission intensities can be achieved by varying the different currents supplied to different lems , which allows one to continuously vary and change the color of the combined emission of the lem stack . furthermore , each lem may be segmented into an array or a matrix of individual light emitting pixels with individual electrical controls , so that a stack of segmented lems will function as a bright , efficient , true color display . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig2 may be modified , so that the modules that are stacked and hybridly attached to each other are electro - optical sensors . some of these sensors may be configured to analyze an optical spectrum . that is , the sensor modules may comprise a stack of layers with multiple quantum dots each having independent electrical output so that they function as a spectrum analyzer of the absorbed light . other sensors may be configured to probe temperature , moisture , impurity content , various specific airborne chemicals and other atmospheric conditions . furthermore , the sensor modules could include micro - fluidic channels and chemical sensors and may be further segmented to be sensitive and responsive , for example , to specific dna strands , thus enabling the resulting device to conduct dna analysis or other types of complex chemical analysis . fig7 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention , in which an apparatus and a process are shown for laminating one photovoltaic module 702 on a flexible substrate , such as a high temperature polyimide film , onto another photovoltaic module 701 deposited on a rigid substrate , such as soda lime glass . module 701 may be in the form of a panel , i . e . a flat sheet of rigid or semi - rigid material , the size of which is on the same order of magnitude as the size of a typical solar cell panel ( e . g . 50 cm by 100 cm ) and thus may fit entirely onto rollers 710 . several lamination methods could be used including pressure lamination and thermal lamination . a combination of these two methods could be implemented using a thermosetting adhesive layer of eva . module 701 can be coated with a thin ethylene vinyl acetate ( eva ) layer with a thickness of about 10 - 20 microns , after which rollers 710 feed the prepared substrate towards hot rollers 730 . those in turn apply pressure 5 - 10 kg / cm 2 and heat to achieve local temperatures of about 100 ° c . at the modules &# 39 ; contact point , causing the eva to melt and bond the modules together forming a stack 703 that defines a two - module photovoltaic device . generally , relatively thin adhesion layers are necessary for better optical transmission between stacked modules , as compared with the current standard lamination and encapsulation techniques . roller 720 feeds the film with module 702 and maintains the correct tension in the film . module 702 may be laminated either substrate side down or substrate side up . in the latter case the substrate of module 702 will also serve as the top protection layer of the combined module 703 . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig7 may be modified by including an aligner 740 , so that the laminated module 702 may be aligned , laterally offset and attached to the module 701 to thereby expose electrical contacts on both modules for subsequent connections to external electrical circuits . current lamination techniques generally do not provide such alignment capabilities and precision positioning in the attachment process , and therefore are mostly useful for encapsulation . furthermore , additional monitors , sensors and gauges 750 may be used to monitor and report processing parameters , such as pressure , temperature and humidity , as well as module conditions , such as feeding speed , film tension , attachment failures and others . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig7 may be modified , so that the laminated modules 701 and 702 have metal grids on at least one of their conducting layers in order to reduce contacts ohmic resistance . these metal grids may have matching patterns . furthermore , aligner system 740 may then be also used to align the two metal grids exactly on top of each other , in order to avoid cross - shadowing , in which the light shadow from the upper metal grid is not overlapping with the light shadow from the lower grid . in yet another embodiment , the apparatus and method described above and shown in fig7 may be modified , so that the laminated module 702 is a multi junction laminate film consisting of at least two different laminated photovoltaic modules . fig8 shows an exemplary embodiment of this invention , in which an apparatus and a process are shown for laminating a module 802 having a flexible substrate onto another module 701 having a rigid substrate . a sacrificial flexible carrier substrate 804 is used in this case to facilitate the lamination process and reduce the overall thickness of a resulting multi junction device . carrier substrate 804 may be laminated to module 802 in advance using , for example , cold lamination with a pressure sensitive adhesive to produce a composite film 805 . module 802 may pealed off and separated from the carrier 804 using rollers 820 and 825 . this approach allows one to use a thinner flexible substrate in module 802 , thus reducing the overall thickness of the resulting device 803 to thereby improve light transmission between the modules . fig9 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention , in which an apparatus and a process are shown for laminating two ( or more ) modules 910 and 920 having flexible substrates onto another module 901 having a rigid substrate , to produce sequentially laminated stacks provided by laminating units 902 and 903 , respectively . fig1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention , in which an apparatus and a process are shown for laminating together two modules 1001 and 1002 , which both have flexible substrates . although different lamination methods could be used , including pressure lamination , thermal lamination and others , extrusion lamination may be particularly adaptable for this process , in which a thin layer of melted adhesive 1003 is applied between the modules , followed by cooling and rolling into a roll 1004 . fig1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention , in which an apparatus and a process are shown for laminating a segmented electro - optic module 1102 onto another segmented electro - optic module 1101 to form a segmented electro - optic laminate 1103 . segmented electro - optic module 1102 includes a flexible substrate and segmented electro - optic module 1102 includes a rigid substrate . a sacrificial flexible carrier film 1104 may be used in this process . furthermore , each segment of the modules 1101 and 1102 may represent a previously tested , good known part . laminating rollers 1110 and aligner 1120 are used to align and attach the respective segments of modules 1101 and 1102 to one another as monitored and controlled via a view - vision system 1140 . the lamination rollers 1110 also serve to peal off the sacrificial substrate 1104 . fig1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention , in which an apparatus and a process are shown for laminating a segmented electro - optic module of an individual panel 1201 onto another segmented electro - optic module of an individual panel 1202 . each segment of the processed modules may represent a good known part . individual panels may be made from either rigid or flexible substrates to satisfy the aforementioned multi - layer electro - optic hybrid integration requirements . in this embodiment , pick - and - place robotic tools 1210 may be used to facilitate high volume production and minimize manufacturing costs . also , vacuum lamination apparatus 1211 and processes can be utilized to further improve the performance and reliability of the resulting multi - layer device 1203 . variations of the apparatus and method described above are possible without departing from the scope of the invention .

US-77739210-A

the modular dual mug and cup holder is allowed access upon sliding opening movement of the holder out of a housing , such as an armrest , into an open position . in a closed position , the holder slides into the housing disallowing access thereto . the holder includes a sliding member having a center planar divider with arcuate cutouts therein , and a pair of arcuate cup members producing generally circular cavities with the center support for holding containers or cups . in the closed position , the arcuate cup members are pivoted in overlapping orientation with one another and with the center planar divider for compact insertion within the housing . the holders slide outwardly automatically upon release of a push - push latch and a biasing spring .

a container holder assembly adapted to be utilized in a vehicle for supporting containers 12 is generally illustrated at 10 in fig1 - 3 . the assembly 10 includes a pair of container holders 14 , 16 each for supporting a container 12 . the assembly 10 has a closed position ( fig1 ) preventing access to the container holders 14 , 16 , and an open position ( fig2 ) allowing access to the container holders 14 , 16 . the assembly 10 may be implemented as an armrest assembly , a console , or the like . the preferred embodiment is illustrated as part of an armrest , however , it is to be understood that the features may be utilized in other types of assemblies , i . e ., console , dash board , seat , etc . the assembly 10 includes housing means 18 forming the armrest , as commonly known in the art . the housing means 18 is formed by a base plate 27 and a hollowed armrest bun or enclosure 29 secured to the base plate 27 . the housing means 18 includes a cavity 20 formed therein between the base plate 27 and the bun 29 . the bun 29 comprises a rigid plastic interior retainer 22 of a high strength plastic , such as abs . the retainer 22 has a foam - in - place covering layer 24 molded thereto . a suitable material for the covering layer 24 is a polyurethane foam composition though other foam materials or soft padding are equally suitable for use with the present invention . a cover material 26 covers the foam 24 for aesthetics and wear properties . the bun 29 may be formed by commonly known molding principles and while it is shown as a composite plastic construction other housing means , including injection molded thermoplastic materials or metal fabricated housing can be used . the plastic retainer 24 is configured in a generally rectangular form having the hollow cavity 20 therein formed with the base plate 27 as a side of the rectangular form . the bun 29 is attached to the base plate 27 and has an open end 28 providing access to the cavity 20 . the assembly 10 also includes holder means 30 slideably retained within the housing means 18 having a closed position contained within the cavity 20 of the housing means 18 and an open position extending outwardly from the housing means 18 through the open end 28 . the holder means 30 forms and provides the pair of container holders 14 , 16 . the holder means 30 includes a top plate 32 slideably connected within the housing means 18 having a center divider member 34 . a pair of arcuate cup members 36 , 38 are pivotally connected with the top plate 32 for pivoting within and in overlapping relation with the center divider member 34 in the closed position and for pivoting outwardly and laterally from the center divider member 34 of the top plate 32 forming the pair of container holders 14 , 16 with the center divider member 34 in the open position . in other words , when the holder means 30 is in the closed position , the arcuate cup members 36 , 38 are pivoted to a position under and vertically aligned with the center divider member 34 . this allows the holder means 30 to slide and fit within the housing means 18 extending within the width of the cavity 20 . in the open position , the arcuate cup members 36 , 38 are pivoted outwardly from alignment with the center divider member 34 to a width greater than the width of the cavity 20 . each arcuate cup member 36 , 38 provides a partial cup shaped holder with a base 39 . the center divider member 34 includes arcuate cutouts 40 formed therein opposing one another such that circular or cylindrical cavities 42 are provided for the two container holders 14 , 16 between and formed by the center divider member 34 and arcuate cup members 36 , 38 . the housing means 18 includes a support plate 44 fixedly secured to the base plate 27 by clips 46 and screws 48 . the support plate 44 includes an upper surface 50 having side slide tracks 52 on each longitudinal side 53 thereof . the support plate 44 also includes a frontal recessed portion 54 in the upper surface 50 thereof to allow clearance for the arcuate cup members 36 , 38 when in the closed position for storage in the cavity 20 . center tracks 65 , 67 are provided along the longitudinal center of the support plate 44 on the surface 50 and within the recessed portion 54 . the recess 54 includes cup guide tracks 56 therein for guiding linear sliding and arcuate pivotal movement of the cup members 36 , 38 into and out of the cavity 20 . therefore , the cup guide tracks 56 include a linear portion extending outwardly to a curved or arcuate portion . at the end of the cup guide tracks 56 are external molded - in spring fingers 57 which form the outer rail of the track 56 in the curved portion and which bias the arcuate cup members 36 , 38 to a first smaller cup holder size . the finger 57 are not connected to the support plate 44 directly , but extend from the remainder of the stack 56 which is molded as part of the support plate 44 . the fingers 57 may be pivoted outwardly upon an outward force on the member 36 , 38 to provide a larger sized holder . stops 59 spaced from the fingers 57 limit the pivotal movement of the fingers 57 to prevent permanent damage or breakage thereto . the arm 41 of the cup members 36 , 38 includes a pin 58 extending downwardly therefrom for engagement within the track 56 to slide therein and guide the cup members 36 , 38 linearly out of the cavity 20 and thereafter pivoting same outwardly . the holder means 30 includes a slide plate 60 slideably connected on the support plate 44 and fixedly secured to the top plate 32 for sliding therewith . screws 33 secure the plates 32 , 60 to one another . the slide plate 60 includes track arms 62 extending perpendicular and downwardly therefrom for engagement and longitudinal linear guidance within the side slide track 52 of the support plate 44 . ribs 63 on the interior surface of the arms 62 engage with notches forming the track 52 . the slide plate 60 also includes a center blade 64 engaging the center recessed guide track 65 , and a rear pin 69 engaging the track 67 . the slide tracks 52 , 65 , 67 control the sliding movement of the slide plate 60 and therefore top plate 32 longitudinally into and out of the housing means 32 between the closed and open positions . the support plate 44 includes a rear stop wall 71 and a cup stop wall 73 for limiting insertion of the holder means 30 into the cavity 20 . the slide plate 60 includes pins 75 extending upwardly therefrom for receiving an aperture 77 of the arcuate cup members 36 , 38 to support the pivotal members 36 , 38 sandwiched between the slide plate 60 and top plate 32 . the holder means 30 includes latch means 80 for maintaining the holder means 30 in the closed position and for releasing same to allow the holder means 30 to move to the open position upon application of an external force . the latch means 80 includes a push - push type latch 82 secured to the rear stop wall 71 and which releases upon a first force or pushing action , and latches upon a second pushing force . the latch 82 may be of the type offered by south co . products . a hook 84 is provided on the end of the top plate 32 for engagement and disengagement within the latch 82 . the holder means 30 includes drive means 64 for initiating and producing the sliding movement of the slide plate 60 from the closed position to the open position . the drive means 64 includes a spring 81 positioned about a spring rod 66 . the rod 66 is connected between the rear stop wall 71 of the support plate 44 and a front portion of the upper surface 50 . a washer 83 is connected about the rod 66 between the spring 81 and stop end 85 . the washer 83 abuts against the end of the top plate 32 to bias the top plate 32 toward the open position . the spring 81 biases the washer 83 and therefore top plate 32 . the end 85 of the rod 66 is secured to the support plate 44 at by a snap flange 87 into recesses 89 . the holder means 30 includes dampener means 86 for controlling the automatic sliding movement of the slide plate 60 . the dampener means 86 includes a dampener 88 having a gear with teeth thereon and fixedly connected to the support plate 44 at recess 90 . the teeth interact with a gear track ( not shown ) on the lower side of the slide plate 60 to control slow movement thereof . a door 70 closes the open end 28 when the holder means 30 is in the closed position . the door 70 is of the same construction as the bun 29 , i . e ., rigid retainer , foam , material . in this manner , the assembly 10 appears as a relatively uniform armrest in the closed position with the outer material matching and the door 70 closing the cavity 20 . the door 70 is connected to the end 72 of the top plate 32 at the center divider member 34 . the door 70 may be connected via a rigid bracket 74 , or may be by a pivotal hinge to allow relief for the movement to activate the push - push latch 82 . the container holders 14 , 16 are formed by the top plate 32 and arcuate cup members 36 , 38 . the base 39 of the arcuate cup 36 , 38 is generally circular with vertical sides 78 extending perpendicular thereto . the sides 78 are formed partially around the circular base 39 thereby providing circular walls for supporting a container 12 . the sides 78 are stepped to provide a narrowed base 39 with small radial dimension or diameter adjacent the base 39 , and a step 91 to an enlarged diameter or radial dimension . the center divider member 34 includes a flange 93 extending perpendicular therefrom with a ledge 94 aligned with and to continue the step 91 about the circumference of the holders 14 , 16 . this stepped sides 91 and ledge 94 allow different diameter containers 12 to be inserted therein and securely maintained . for example , a large container will have its base rest on the step 91 and ledge 94 . a small container will have it base rest on the base 39 . in operation , the assembly 10 is initially in the closed position ( fig1 ) with the bases 39 of the arcuate cup members 36 , 38 in overlapping relation , the center divider 34 there above and overlapping the cup members 36 , 38 such that the holder means 30 is enclosed within the cavity 20 . the slide plate 60 and top plate 32 are slid against the rear stop 71 of the support plate 44 with the spring 81 compressed and slide plate 60 latched . upon an inward force applied to the door 70 , the latch 82 releases and the spring 81 biases the slide plate 60 outwardly with movement controlled by the dampener 88 . the cup pins 58 slide in the track 56 pivoting the members 36 , 38 outwardly when moved out of the cavity 20 . when the holder means 30 is fully opened , the holders 14 , 16 receive containers 12 . if an enlarged container is utilized , the members 36 , 38 may be forced outwardly a limited distance by the spring fingers 57 to receive a larger container 12 . for closing , the door 70 is pushed and the members 36 , 38 are pivoted into overlapping relation by guidance by the tracks 56 into the cavity 20 . the latch 82 closes maintaining the holder means 30 . any typical molding materials may be utilized to form the plates 32 , 44 , 60 . in the preferred embodiment , the top plate 32 and arcuate members 36 , 38 are made of abs / polycarbonate blend , the slide plate is preferably made of abs , and the support plate 44 is made of acetal . the invention has been described in an illustrative manner , and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation . obviously , many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings . it is , therefore , to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described .

US-95976392-A

a current - sensing switching circuit having a first terminal clamp for the current feed for a first unit is proposed , which is based on the state of a second unit whose state is detected at a second terminal clamp . the first terminal clamp is switched , based on the current that is picked off at the second terminal clamp .

a receiver circuit 2 of a door - locking system of a vehicle as shown in fig1 may include a motorola romeo - 2 receiver chip 4 for the demodulation of received uhf signals , and an anti - interference amplifier ( lna ) 6 for the amplification of the demodulated signals . demodulator 4 has two operating modes : a run mode in which demodulator 4 drains a minimum current of 4 ma from current feed 10 via a load terminal 15 , and a sleep mode in which demodulator 4 only drains ≈ 270 μa . to save energy , terminal clamp 13 energizes the lna only when demodulator 4 is in run mode . a current - sensing switching circuit 8 accomplishes this by measuring the current which demodulator 4 drains at load terminal 15 and by supplying a voltage that is close to the supply voltage when demodulator 4 is in run mode , and supplying a voltage that is close to zero when demodulator 4 is in sleep mode . a tandem switch , therefore , may ensure that demodulator 4 and lna 6 run and idle in tandem . current - sensing switching circuit 8 includes a current - sensing circuit 16 and a vcc switching circuit 44 . current - sensing circuit 16 may be supported by a conventional current - mirror circuit , for example , as a constant current source . as shown in fig2 a conventional current - mirror circuit 12 includes two nominally identical pnp transistors 21 and 22 ( siemens bc8568 ) the emitters of which are connected to a common supply - voltage bus bar 14 , and the bases of which are directly connected to one another . the collector of first transistor 21 is short - circuited with the base and grounded by a resistor 23 . the collector of second transistor 22 provides the output of the electric circuit and is connected to an external load . the current flowing through first transistor 21 is given by i =( v supply − v be )/ r . since the base emitter transition junctions of both transistors may be identically forward - biased , the same current may flow through both transistors , and the collector current of second transistor 22 thus provides a constant current source . current - sensing circuit 16 may be a modified mirror circuit , as shown in fig3 including a current - sensing resistor 31 in the supply bus bar between the collectors of the two transistors 21 and 22 , a third resistor 32 between the supply bus bar and the collector of second transistor 22 , and a fourth resistor 33 between the collector of second transistor 22 and ground . the presence of current - sensing resistor 31 and of third resistor 32 causes an asymmetry in the emitter potentials of the two transistors , which is a function of the current drained by load 4 . the relative current flowing through first transistor 21 and second transistor 22 may be determined by the relative values of current - sensing resistor 31 and third resistor 32 as well . the resulting output voltage via fourth resistor 33 bears the same relationship to the load current . this output voltage may be used in current - sensing switching circuit 8 to operate vcc switching circuit 44 , as shown in fig4 and 5 . as a result , the resistances are selected according to the switching characteristics of this circuit . to be more specific : the value of third resistor 32 may be selected such that , in the unloaded state ( i . e ., in sleep mode ), the voltage via fourth resistor 33 is lower than the lower threshold voltage required to activate vcc switching circuit 44 . the value of current - sensing resistor 31 may be selected such that , given a normal load ( i . e ., in run mode ), the output voltage via fourth resistor 33 is greater than the upper threshold voltage level required to activate vcc switching circuit 44 . for circuit 2 , these voltages are 200 mv or 2v via fourth resistor 33 . [ 0016 ] fig4 and 5 illustrate exemplary embodiments of a receiving circuit , which supplies the current to external lna 6 for the , for example , two motorola romeo - 2 demodulators 4 used and that run in the run or sleep mode . it is possible to divide these circuits into three logical blocks : a load 4 , current - sensing circuit 16 and vcc switching circuit 44 . as described above , the output voltage of current - sensing circuit 16 is proportional to the current drained by load block 4 . this output voltage may be used to operate vcc switching circuit 44 , which provides a connected output at terminal clamp 13 . the output voltage of current - sensing circuit 54 is run via an npn - transistor inverter . switching circuit 54 switches current feed 10 of terminal clamp 13 of external lna 6 when demodulator 4 is in run mode . [ 0017 ] fig4 shows demodulator 4 with an effective load of 1 . 1 kω and a current drain of 4 . 3 ma in run mode . output 13 is 4 . 992 v of a supply voltage of 5 . 000 v . in run mode , as shown in fig5 demodulator 4 has a load of 18 kω and drains a current of less than 0 . 3 ma . the corresponding output voltage at terminal clamp 13 , at ≈ 152 nv , is low . from this it may be inferred that , when demodulator 4 switches from sleep mode to run mode , the output voltage changes from ≈ 152 nv to 4 . 992 v , which may also be expressed as a change from 0 . 0 to 5 . 0 v . if terminal clamp 13 is used to switch on external lna 6 in fig1 lna 6 may be energized when demodulator 4 is in run mode . demodulator 4 and lna 6 are switched on in tandem . the example current - sensing switching circuit 8 described above includes an operating current of a switching element that is a more reliable indicator of the working state than the output voltage since it is less sensitive to electrical noise or temperature fluctuations . the current - sensing switching circuit according to the present invention may be very stable across a large temperature range if a matched transistor pair is used that is produced on a single substrate . moreover , the current - sensing switching circuit may be less costly than a voltage - sensing switching circuit .

US-29691603-A

assays for separating magnetic particles include separating magnetically responsive particles from a liquid dispersion disposed in a plurality of reaction vessels , and transporting the reaction vessels in sequence past at least one processing position . a robotics reagent arm and probe dispense reagents into the reaction vessels and a reaction monitoring device is capable of relative movement with respect to the transporting device . incomplete separation is effected by positioning a magnetic field in contact with the reaction vessel for a first shortened time interval during which the particles partially aggregate and afterwards are removed from the reaction vessel . the magnet is repositioned in contact with the reaction vessel for a third time interval to achieve full separation of particles from the liquid .

fig1 illustrates an automated clinical chemistry system 10 in which this invention may be used to advantage . system 10 includes a computer 12 with an appropriate display means 11 and keyboard 16 used to control all aspects of the system &# 39 ; s operation . such operations include system quality control , sample analysis , and generally controlling all active devices within the system 10 including a printout means 13 and a display means 11 of test results . a reagent tray 26 cooperates with a robotics arm comprising a reagent arm 34 and a reagent probe 36 described herein to provide analysis reagents . sub - analysis modules 17 , for instance useful for measuring fluid ionic content and comparing with standard fluids , contained in wells 9 and supplied by a fluid arm 19 to the module 17 , may be included . analytical portions of the system are normally enclosed in a temperature chamber 21 shown in portion for simplicity . fig2 shows a sample carousel 18 , having a plurality of sample wells 19 , which is disposed relative to a rotatable sample arm 20 to transfer samples contained in sample wells 19 to a reaction vessel 22 ( fig5 ) supported on reaction vessel transport means 24 preferably adapted as a reaction vessel wheel 24 . reagent tray 26 ( fig1 and 4 ) is disposed beneath reaction vessel wheel 24 and is adapted to support a plurality of reagent cartridges 28 , best seen in fig3 which contain various analysis reagents in either liquid or tablet form . reagent cartridge 28 carries a bar code which is read by bar code reader 30 to correlate within computer 12 the reagent contents and location as the cartridges 28 are introduced onto the reagent tray 26 via a reagent shuttle 32 . a cartridge follower 15 is provided to assist loading of reagent cartridges 28 . fig4 illustrates a robotic reagent arm 34 which acts in cooperation with a probe 36 to access any one reagent cartridge 28 and aspirate and dispense reagent into reaction vessels 22 ( fig5 ) at any position around the reaction vessel transport means 24 . stepping motors 35 rotate reagent arm 34 and position reagent probe 36 to access any other reagent cartridges 28 to hydrate , mix and transfer other reagents from other appropriate reagent cartridges 28 as required to be used in analytical tests , preferably photometric tests . reagent probe 36 is preferably a ultrasonic mechanism used for hydrating , aspirating , dispensing and mixing reagents . reaction vessels 22 may be supplied , as in the dimension ™ instrument sold by e . i . du pont de nemours and company , wilmington , del . by pulling two ribbons 43 of clear polymeric film from a reaction vessel film cartridge ( not shown ) onto the periphery of the reaction vessel transport means 24 , shaping and sealing the ribbons with a molder 43 to form each reaction vessel 22 . reaction vessel wheel 24 has about 100 separate reaction vessels 22 created , as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 128 , 103 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention . after the reaction vessels 22 are formed , sample arm 20 draws a sample from a sample well 19 in the sample carousel 18 and adds it to a reaction vessel 22 . as described above , reagent arm 34 and probe 36 act to provide reagents as they are needed to reaction vessels 22 and mix the sample and reagents together . in another embodiment , a second reagent arm and probe ( not shown ) are provided to perform tandem operations in supplying and mixing reagents as needed . when an analysis of the sample in reaction vessel 22 is completed , the reaction vessels are removed from the transport means 24 by vessel disposal means 15 . a photometric measuring means 38 , located beneath the reagent arm 34 and beneath the reaction vessel transport means 24 , measures light absorbency occurring at various wavelengths during transmission of light through the reaction fluid contained the reaction vessel 22 . a source lamp 40 emits a light beam which passes through various lens housed in a photometer arm 42 to a photodetector 44 which , being mounted on the outer - end of the photometer arm 42 adjacent the outer periphery of the reaction vessel 22 , rotates about the reaction vessel transport means 24 . using techniques well known in the art , photometric measuring means 38 relays absorbency readings to the computer 12 where the readings are converted into concentration units and displayed on display means 11 or printout 13 . fig5 shows a key feature of the present invention whereby a magnetic positioning means 50 , secured to photodetector arm 42 , acts to position a source of a magnetic field , preferably a magnet 52 , such that the flux axis of the magnet 52 passes through approximately the bottom center of each reaction vessel 22 and attracts magnetic particles , contained within the reaction vessel and which act as a solid phase support for heterogeneous diagnostic assays , toward the sidewall thereof . magnet 52 is shaded for purposes of illustration only and not to indicate cross - sectioning . magnetic particles used to form magnet 52 are preferably chromium dioxide particles having a surface area of about 40 m 2 / gm . magnet 52 has a flat rectangular surface 55 and is mounted within an opening in mounting block 54 such that surface 55 is generally parallel to a reaction vessel 22 at position 25 , which it is facing . mounting block 54 is formed of a suitable engineering plastic or non - ferrous material . the center of the magnet 52 is positioned about at the same horizontal plane as is the bottom of reaction vessel 22 . mounting block 54 is mounted in a conventional manner on a support arm 56 which has at its upper end in the drawing an alignment groove 67 which engages an alignment post 63 secured to a cross member 64 . the cross member 64 is secured to the photometer arm 42 . the lower end ( in the drawing ) of the support arm 56 is secured to retainer 60 ( by a screw not shown ) which is slideably attached to a beam 62 by a groove in retainer 60 which engages an alignment rod 61 . beam 62 is attached to a cross member 64 which in turn is secured to photometer arm 42 of photometric measuring means 38 . as best seen in fig5 an actuator 58 is attached to beam 62 through a linkage 59 . thus the actuator 58 , when actuated by the computer 12 , has an extendable actuating rod 57 secured to the retainer 60 . when the actuator is activated , when actuating rod 57 moves retainer 60 along alignment rod 61 , thus moving support arm 56 , guided by pin 63 and alignment rod 61 , radially over alignment post 63 thereby bringing magnet 52 proximate the processing position 25 of reaction vessel 22 between the two positions 51 and 53 . position 51 is preferably in contact with the reaction vessel 22 at a position to provide an effective magnetic field . this is referred to as an effective magnetic position . actuator 58 is adapted such that when not activated , actuating rod 57 is retained within actuator 58 , so that support arm 56 is moved radially outward to position magnet 52 at position 53 . in this position magnet 52 provides an ineffective magnetic field to the reaction vessel 22 and any particles therein . a &# 34 ; magnetically effective position &# 34 ; is defined as that position of magnet 52 ( position 55 ) required to produce a &# 34 ; magnetically effective magnetic field ,&# 34 ; i . e ., a magnetic field in the range 2000 - 5000 gauss , preferably about 3000 gauss measured at the center of a radially adjacent reaction vessel 22 . a &# 34 ; magnetically ineffective position &# 34 ; is defined as that positioning of magnet 52 ( position 53 ) that produces a &# 34 ; magnetically ineffective magnetic field ,&# 34 ; i . e ., a magnetic field of strength less than about 50 gauss measured at the center of a radially adjacent reaction vessel 22 . actuator 58 is preferably an air - operated cylinder similar to that commercially known as &# 34 ; airpot &# 34 ; and is available from the airpot corporation , norwalk , conn . radial positioning of magnet 52 at positions 51 and 53 is accomplished by means of pressurized air supplied in a conventional manner to actuator 58 from a small diaphragm type air pump ( not shown ). to deactivate the actuator 58 , the pump is turned off and an exhaust valve opened , thereby releasing pressure so that the actuator rod 57 returns to its original position relative to actuator 58 . the source of the magnetic field is preferably a permanent magnet 52 of neodymium / iron / boron composition having a magnetic strength of approximately 3000 to 3500 gauss measured on the face of the magnet 52 , and is rectangularly shaped , approximately 0 . 5 inch in length and 0 . 25 inches in thickness . other sizes , shapes , materials and strengths may be used as decreased . in operation , photometric measuring means 38 is conventionally controlled by the computer 12 of the clinical chemistry system 10 to assume a position at a first reaction vessel processing position designated hereinafter as 23 and illustrated by a dot - dash line in fig5 . magnet 52 , by its being within mounting block 54 and slideably attached to photometric measuring means 38 ( photodetection arm 42 ), is positioned at the second reaction vessel processing position , next adjacent to and to the angular right ( in the drawing ) of the first reaction vessel processing position 23 , designated hereinafter as 25 ( also illustrated by a dot - dash line in fig5 ). an advantage of the present invention is the improved utility of magnet 52 in attracting the magnetic particles contained within reaction vessel 22 , out of suspension and against the side - wall of the reaction vessel 22 . this improvement is achieved by firstly positioning magnet 52 closely adjacent to or in contact with ( position 51 ) reaction vessel 22 to provide a magnetically effective field , at processing position 25 for a first time interval t1 greater than a time interval required to effect a partial magnetization , or &# 34 ; pre - magnetization ,&# 34 ; of the magnetic particles . this results in a partial clumping together of the magnetic particles . a feature of the invention is that the first time interval t1 , which must produce a partial magnetization of the particles , must be less than the time interval required to effect a substantially complete separation of the particles from the dispersion . at the partial &# 34 ; pre - magnetization &# 34 ; stage , smaller individual magnetic particles are attracted to one another and effectively form larger &# 34 ; particles &# 34 ; from the individual magnetic particles . secondly , removing the source of magnetic field to a distance from the processing position ( position 53 ) to produce a magnetically ineffective magnetic field within the reaction vessel 22 for a second time interval t2 . the time interval t2 is not critical and may accommodate system timing needs . thirdly , positioning magnet 52 proximate the processing position 25 , preferably at position 51 , for a third time interval t3 greater than a time interval required to effect a complete separation of the particles from the dispersion . it had previously been considered disadvantageous that a pre - magnetization of the magnetic particles into larger &# 34 ; particles &# 34 ; occur because gravitational effects may cause the larger &# 34 ; particles &# 34 ; to settle out of solution faster thereby requiring a resuspension . in contrast , in the present invention , the pre - magnetization of individual particles into larger &# 34 ; particles &# 34 ; achieved during the first time interval t1 permits a more rapid final separation to be completed during the third time interval t3 . it has been determined that the same degree of separation of magnetic particles from liquid solution , known in the prior art to require about 30 seconds , can be achieved by the method of the present invention by preferably utilizing first and third magnetic separation time intervals t1 and t3 , respectively , in the range 2 to 8 seconds , preferably about 4 seconds each , separated by a second time interval t2 in the range 6 to 12 seconds , preferably about 8 seconds . in addition to reducing the overall time required to affect separation , a further advantage of the present invention is that the system 10 is free to perform additional and unrelated diagnostic activities relative to reaction vessel 25 during the second time interval t2 thereby improving overall system throughput . after the third time interval t3 , magnetic separation is complete and reagent probe 36 removes supernatant from the reaction vessel 25 position and transfers it to reaction vessel 23 . these may be read by the photometric measuring means 38 . reaction vessels 23 and 25 may be any next adjacent positions on sample transport means 24 , to where the reagent probe 36 and reagent arm 34 are accessible . although the chemistry system 10 may be programmed in any desired manner , the following description of an operation for performing a digoxin assay is given as illustration of the present invention . similar program commands are used in conjunction with other diagnostic assays . the reagents described below are available commercially under the tradename dgna flex ™ reagent cartridge 28 which is intended for the detection of digoxin in human specimens using the dupont dimension ( r ) clinical chemistry system . 1 . antibody - beta - galactosidase conjugate reagent , hereafter designated conjugate , is a covalently cross - linked aggregate of antidigoxin antibody and beta - galactosidase . as seen in fig3 the conjugate solution is contained in wells designated as 1 and 2 of dgna flex ™ reagent cartridge 28 . 2 . chromium dioxide particle reagent , hereafter designated cpr , being a suspension of magnetizable particles , preferably chromium dioxide particles having a surface area of about 40 m 2 / gm , on which a coating of an appropriate biologically reactive substance , in the present example a covalent coating of ouabain - bovine serum albumin molecules , has previously been introduced . cpr is contained in wells designated as 3 and 4 of dgna flex ™ reagent cartridge 28 . 3 . cholorophenol red - b - d - galactopyranoside reagent , hereafter designated cprg , being a solution of cholorophenol red - b - d - galactopyranoside in a buffer is contained in wells designated as 5 and 6 of dgna flex ™ reagent cartridge 28 . the following procedural method can be used to perform a digoxin assay using the apparatus of this invention in the clinical chemistry system 10 . 1 . prior to testing specimens containing an unknown concentration of digoxin , five calibrator samples are normally tested in a &# 34 ; calibration &# 34 ; mode of the system . the &# 34 ; assigned values &# 34 ; of each calibrator is manually entered into the computer 12 before the tests . appropriate calibrators and reagent cartridge 28 are loaded on the system 10 . after the tests are completed , computer 12 automatically performs a mathematical regression using the signals and assigned - values of all five samples . the regression employs an algorithm known to those skilled in the art as &# 34 ; logit function &# 34 ; and computes a series of &# 34 ; linearization coefficients &# 34 ; that are subsequently retained in memory within in computer 12 . 2 . a digoxin test is scheduled on computer 12 . a sample specimen is placed in a sample well 19 and the dgna flex ™ reagent cartridge 28 is loaded onto sample transport means 24 using shuttle 32 . the sequence of events by which the system 10 performs the digoxin test follow . 3 . upon receiving commands to perform a digoxin test , the system 10 forms two reaction vessels 23 and 25 situated around the perimeter of the sample transport means 24 . the sample transport means 24 is contained in a chamber not shown which is maintained at a constant temperature of 37 degrees c . 4 . a 100 μl aliquot of conjugate is automatically withdrawn from the dgna flex ™ reagent cartridge 28 and dispensed into reaction vessel 23 by probe 36 . 5 . a 175 μl aliquot of cprg is withdrawn from the dgna flex ™ reagent cartridge 28 and disposed into reaction vessel 25 by the probe 36 . 6 . after 60 seconds , a 30 microliter sample of the specimen is withdrawn from the sample well 19 situated on sample transport means 24 and dispensed into reaction vessel 23 by probe 20 . probe 20 is vibrated ultrasonically for 2 seconds while immersed in the solution to provide thorough mixing of the specimen with the conjugate solution . 7 . after an incubation period of approximately 250 seconds , a 75 microliter aliquot of cpr suspension is withdrawn from the dgna flex ™ reagent cartridge 28 and dispensed into reaction vessel 23 by probe 36 which is vibrated ultrasonically for about 3 seconds while immersed in the liquid to ensure consistent re - suspension of the cpr particles . after dispensing the suspension into reaction vessel 23 , probe 36 is again vibrated for 2 seconds while immersed in the solution to achieve consistent suspension of the cpr in the reaction mixture . 8 . the mixture is allowed to incubate for approximately 2 minutes during which the conjugate molecules stoichiometrically bound to the digoxin molecules provided by the specimen remain in solution , while excess conjugate is bound by a ouabain - bsa coating on cpr particles . 9 . approximately 2 minutes after the dispensing of cpr , photometer arm 42 moves to a position such that the permanent magnet 52 is directly facing reaction vessel 23 in position 51 in contact with reaction vessel 23 radially outward from sample transport wheel means 24 . 10 . photometer arm 42 supporting permanent magnet 52 in position 51 is held stationary for first time interval t1 , preferably about 4 seconds , previously determined to be required for the magnetic field associated with magnet 52 to partially magnetize the cpr and , in effect , begin aggregation of the magnetic particles . after first time interval t1 , actuator 58 is deactivated to move arm 56 radially outward causing magnet 52 to take position p2 displaced radially outward from sample transport wheel means 24 a magnetically ineffective distance previously determined to be required for the magnetic field associated with magnet 52 to have negligible magnetic effect on the cpr particles , preferably a distance of about 0 . 75 inches . 11 . during a second time interval t2 , previously determined as allowing only negligible settlement of the partially magnetized cpr particles from the previous consistent suspension of cpr in the reaction mixture , preferably about 8 seconds , photometric measuring means 38 is available to perform other diagnostic tests . during second time interval t2 , additional photometric tests may be readily accomplished , thereby enabling an effective increase in the overall system 10 productivity . 12 . after second time interval t2 is completed , photometer arm 42 supporting magnetic positioning means 50 is returned to a position in alignment with reaction vessel 22a . actuator 58 is activated to move arm 56 radially inward causing magnet 52 to again take position p1 for a third time interval t3 previously determined as required to produce a complete separation of cpr particles , preferably about 4 seconds . 13 . reagent probe 36 is commanded to withdraw a 60 microliter microliter aliquot of liquid , now free of cpr particles , from reaction vessel 23 and dispense it into reaction vessel 25 , for enzymatic measurement in reaction vessel 25 . excess conjugate molecules are bound to the cpr and retained in reaction vessel 23 . 14 . after 25 seconds , the photometer arm 42 is moved to face reaction vessel 25 . absorbency at ten wavelengths are measured . the difference of absorbency between 577 nm and 700 nm is computed by the computer and recorded as ra ( initial reading ). 15 . twenty seconds after the initial reading , the photometric measuring means 38 measures the absorbency of reaction vessel 25 again . the difference of absorbency between 577 nm and 700 nm is computed and recorded as rb ( second reading ). 16 . the difference between rb and ra is computed and recorded as the photometric signal of the test . the signal is used to compute the concentration of digoxin in the specimen by comparison with the results of the calibration procedure in step 1 . a further advantage of the present invention arises from positioning magnet 52 at a magnetically ineffective position , i . e ., position 53 , during angular movement of photometric arm 42 relative to reaction vessels 22 located on sample transport means 24 . in some of the prior art , magnet 52 was typically retained proximate reaction vessels 22 during angular movement of photometric arm 42 . the relative movement to reaction vessels 22 during various incubation times caused premature aggregation of magnetic particles reagents possibly resulting in erroneous test results since an insufficient number of particles was available for excess antibody binding . table 1 provides a comparison of residual particle absorbencies measured at 700 um in the instance that magnet 52 is maintained fixed in position 51 as compared to switching magnet 52 from position 51 to 53 as provided by the present invention . table 1______________________________________ &# 34 ; residual particle absorbency &# 34 ; resultsnumber of magnet 52 fixed magnet 52 switchedmagnetic exposures at position 51 to position 53______________________________________1 + 82 - 192 + 32 - 203 + 32 - 204 + 20 - 205 + 18 - 20______________________________________ as may be seen from table 1 , the readouts obtained when the magnet is switched to position 53 are low noise and constant regardless of the number of exposures . with the magnet fixed at position 51 , the readings are noisy and vary with the number of exposures . because the reaction vessels are positioned on the circumference of the reaction vessel transport means , they are necessarily in a singulated file , next adjacent one another . consequently , in the prior art when a fixed position magnet was employed to effect magnetic separation , as the photometer arm bearing the fixed position magnet moved radially around the circumference , the magnetic field was operating on all the intervening reactions vessels . this had the undesirable effect of introducing a small but spurious premature magnetic separation of the sample within the reaction vessels exposed to the fixed position magnet . this premature separation produced an uncontrolled variable in the &# 34 ; residual particle absorbency &# 34 ; as given table 1 for the magnet fixed at position 51 . as further shown in table 1 , with the new capability of removing the magnet 52 away from the reaction vessels during movement of the photometric arm past the next adjacent reaction vessels of the present invention , the spurious &# 34 ; residual particle absorbency &# 34 ; is effectively reduced with the magnet in position 53 .

US-58533396-A

an improved sprinkler of the type adapted to rotate and create a redefined horizontal spray pattern around it . a rotating turbine drives a cylindrical nozzle assembly having a plurality of nozzle openings therein . the nozzle openings deliver streams of water of variable length and volume . a pattern defining disk is used to continuously and proportionately expose the nozzle openings to the source of pressurized water according to a preset function of the instantaneous rotational position of the nozzle opening as the cylindrical member turns to create the spray pattern . the nozzle openings supply a relatively constant volume of water to all portions of the pattern .

referring more particularly to the drawings , fig1 shows an elevational view of a pop - up type sprinkler assembly , generally denoted 20 . the specific improvement to a sprinkler of the present invention in its operating portion is primarily embodied in the pop - up type sprinkler assembly 20 . a detailed description of such general assemblies can be seen in my aforementioned prior u . s . pat . no . 3 , 854 , 664 . for purposes of the present invention , assembly 20 will be described only briefly . inlet pipe 22 from a source of pressurized water leads into a closed sprinkler body 24 . the body 24 has a cap 42 with a circular opening 23 in the top thereof through which a cylindrical member 28 is disposed capable of sliding vertically up and down through the circular opening 23 . cylindrical member 28 is biased in a downward direction by biasing spring 26 and by gravity . when pressurized water is introduced to the sprinkler body 24 , cylindrical member 28 is forced upwardly through the circular opening 23 against the force of gravity and the biasing spring 26 . when water pressure is turned off , cylindrical member 28 retracts once again into the body 24 through the circular opening 23 . a cylindrical screen member 27 is disposed around cylindrical member 28 and has small openings to allow water to pass through but to prevent the passage into the operating sprinkler mechanism of particles sufficiently large as to foul the operating mechanism . disposed within cylindrical member 28 and moving in combination therewith is a turbine - gear motor drive , generally denoted 34 . the bottom of cylindrical member 28 contains a stator 32 having a hole 30 through which water can pass and impinge upon an impeller 33 of the turbine - gear motor drive 34 . as the impeller 33 is rotated by the water passing thorugh the hole 30 , a plurality of gears ( not shown ) attached thereto cause upper shaft 36 to be rotated slowly . upper shaft 36 is attached to a generally cylindrical nozzle assembly 44 according to the present invention , causing it to rotate . the nozzle assembly 44 rotates within a ring member 48 disposed beneath the upper portion of the sprinkler body 24 . the ring member 48 also engages the closing spring 26 and the screen 27 to maintain them in proper position within the sprinkler 20 . water passing around the turbine - gear motor drive 34 enters the nozzle assembly 44 and exits through the nozzle openings 52 to create emitted sprinkling water streams 56 as the nozzle assembly 44 rotates . the specific improvements of the present invention as incorporated within the known basic pop - up sprinkler mechanism will now be described . from basic hydrodynamics , it is known that fluid pressure and distance are directly proportional , whereas flow rate ( and corresponding volume ) are in a square relationship to pressure . thus , as the pressure of a stream of water is doubled , the volume of water in the stream only increases by the square root of two ( 1 . 41 ). the only means of adjusting the sprinklers of the prior art to cover a larger area is to increase the pressure to the sprinkler head . accordingly , if the pressure to a prior art sprinkler is doubled , the sprinkler head would throw water twice the distance . the amount of water from the sprinkler head , however , would only increase by 1 . 41 . the result is that larger patterns can only be watered at a lower preciptiation rate than smaller patterns with the prior art sprinklers . as mentioned , the other problem with the prior art sprinklers is that the only type of spray patterns coverable are rectangular spray patterns . the prior art sprinklers are not capable of covering a nonrectangular spray pattern of arbitrary shape . the present invention overcomes all of these limitations . specifically , the nozzle assembly 44 is provided with a plurality of nozzle openings 52 , as shown in more detail in fig2 - 5 . as shown in fig2 each of the openings 52 is shaped in cross - section to have a radial shape relative to a point exterior of the nozzle assembly 44 . as shown in fig4 and 5 , each of the nozzle openings 52 appears as a &# 34 ; v &# 34 ; shape relative to a plane normal to the axis of rotation . the nozzle assembly of the present invention produces a tight , well - knit plurality of streams due to the true arc curve of the nozzle opening 52 . as shown in fig2 the nozzle assembly 44 is a generally cyldindrical element having a plurality of the nozzle openings 52 . attached to the nozzle assembly 44 , via a screw 54 engaging a threaded opening 63 in the nozzle assembly 44 , is a top cap 46 . the top cap 46 limits the downward travel of the nozzle assembly 44 within the sprinkler body 24 under the force of gravity and the closing spring 26 . the cap 46 also has an integral helical toothed ring 60 , as will be described hereinafter . the nozzle assembly 44 can be a molded plastic part . the one - piece molding of the present invention is to be contrasted with the nozzles of the prior art sprinklers which were two - part assemblies welded together . disposed beneath the nozzle assembly 44 is a bulkhead 40 having a spray pattern opening 39 therein , as shown in fig5 . the bulkhead 40 is fixedly mounted for nonrotation in the sprinkler body 20 by means of a slot 64 on the bulkhead 40 which engages a boss 62 extending outwardly from the inner housing 28 . the bulkhead 40 rests upon a resilient sealing ring 38 , which insures that all water passing from within the sprinkler body 20 to the environment through the nozzle assembly 44 passes through the pattern opening 39 in the bulkhead 40 . the bulkhead 40 is preferrably of smooth , corrosion - resistant , wear - resistant metal such as stainless steel . high strength , wear - resistant , graphite filled plastic has also been tried with some success . in operation , the spray pattern 39 in the bulkhead 40 directs the water from within the sprinkler body 20 through the nozzle openings 52 as the length of the nozzle openings 52 is instantaneously and continuously varied by the bulkhead 40 . with reference to fig5 one can easily envision how the exposed length of the nozzle openings 52 are changed as the nozzle assembly 44 rotates relative to the bulkhead 40 . referring to fig5 it is seen that the exposed length of the nozzle opening 52 in the 9 : 00 o &# 39 ; clock position is significantly less than the exposed length of the nozzle opening 52 in the 10 : 00 o &# 39 ; clock position . that is , the effective opening of each of the nozzles 52 is continuously varied as the nozzle assembly 44 rotates relative to the bulkhead 40 . as a result , each of the nozzle openings 52 will vary the projected distance of their associated water streams proportionately to the length of the exposed nozzle openings . most importantly , the v - shape of each of the nozzle openings ( in a plane normal to the shaft 36 ) provides a volume of water which increases as the square of the length of an exposure of the nozzle opening 52 via the bulkhead 40 . that is , with reference to fig5 as the exposed length of the nozzle opening 52 in the 10 : 00 o &# 39 ; clock position is approximately twice the length of the exposed nozzle opening 52 in the 9 : 00 o &# 39 ; clock position , the nozzle opening 52 in the 10 : 00 o &# 39 ; clock position will project a stream twice as far as the nozzle opening 52 in the 9 : 00 o &# 39 ; clock position and with four times the volume . accordingly , each nozzle emits a stream whose distance increases linearly with the length of the exposed nozzle opening 52 and whose volume increases as the square of the exposed length of the nozzle opening 52 . therefore , the limitation of the prior art sprinklers in covering greater distances only by increasing the pressure , which effected a corresponding decrease in the volume metric flow rate has been overcome . the design of the nozzle assembly 44 and the bulkhead 40 provides variable length streams of water at a constant volumetric flow rate , thereby achieving a relatively uniform precipitation rate over the entire pattern to be watered . as should be obvious from the foregoing , the spray pattern achievable with the present invention can have any configuration employing straight or curved boundaries , or any combination thereof . a rectangular spray pattern has been shown with the present invention only to make easier the explanation of its operation . the foregoing demonstrates the simplicity of the present invention and its effectiveness in not only in generating streams having a distance of throw directly proportional to the exposure of the nozzle opening to the water within the sprinkler body 24 , but also in delivering the correct volume of water to each sector of the spray pattern . it should be noted that an increase or decrease in the precipitation rate produced by the nozzle assembly 44 can be effected by changing the number of nozzle openings 52 in the cylindrical assembly 44 . prototypes of the invention have been made using 6 , 9 , 12 or 18 nozzle openings 52 to change the precipitation rate over the pattern to be covered . it has been found that 6 openings with 6 pounds of pressure will produce a uniform precipitation rate over a pattern which is 5 feet by 10 feet , while 18 openings with 30 pounds of pressure produces an even precipitation rate over a pattern of 25 feet by 55 feet . the precipitation rate is said to be constant insofar as a 1 . 5 to 1 ratio of precipitation between the farther and closer areas of the pattern is maintained . accordingly , the number of nozzles and the pressure of the water supply is selected according to the particular size of the pattern to be covered . while the number of nozzle openings 52 may be changed to vary the precipitation rate produced by the nozzle assembly 52 , it has been found that an optimum shape for each nozzle opening is as follows , with reference to fig5 . dimension a is optimally on the order of 0 . 015 inches , and dimension b is optimally 8 degrees . the radius of curvature of the curved portion of the nozzle , ( dimension c ) in fig2 is approximately 0 . 6 inches . as noted above , different pressures and different nozzle openings are used depending upon the size of the pattern to be covered . for correct operation of the present invention , water at a relatively constant pressure must be supplied to the sprinkler body . in this regard , the inlet pipe 22 is preferrably connected to a pressure regulator to insure a uniform pressure . an internal pressure regulator may also be used with the invention . the operation of the present invention is enhanced by the inclusion of a generally helical toothed ring 60 attached to the top cap 46 on the nozzle assembly 44 . this toothed ring , as shown in fig1 , and 4 , is used to deflect water from the nozzle openings 52 to an area closer to the sprinkler 20 . the top cap 46 is rotatable relative to the nozzle assembly 44 by way of the screw 54 in the boss 63 formed within the nozzle assembly 44 . by rotating the top cap 46 downwardly , more of the teeth on the ring 60 are brought into contact with the emitted streams 56 to deflect them closer to the sprinkler 20 . the toothed ring finds application with large spray patterns and with corresponding high pressures in the sprinkler body to propel the streams to cover the patterns . if the pressure is reduced to achieve a smaller pattern or area of coverage , most of the water tends to fall in the outer perimeter of the pattern . accordingly , by adjusting the helical toothed ring 60 downwardly , the teeth on the helical ring 60 progressively encounters more of the emitted streams and deflects these streams to reduce the distance of throw . thus , an increasing number of the streams can be pulled in to correct the distribution pattern that exists at low pressures . the toothed adjustment ring 60 is adjusted downward if there is not enough water close to the sprinkler 20 and is adjusted upward if there is too much water close to the sprinkler 20 . as shown in cross - section in fig2 the helical nature of the ring is achieved by having smaller teeth 60a and larger teeth 60b on the ring . the combination of the novel design of the nozzle assembly 44 and the bulkhead 40 when combined with the helical toothed ring 60 achieves relatively uniform watering over a wide variety of spray patterns . in the foregoing description of the present invention , a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed . it is to be understood that other mechanical and design variations are within the scope of the present invention . accordingly , the invention is not limited to the particular arrangement which has been illustrated and described in detail herein .

US-46902783-A

a medical device is herein described for provision of a pressurized fluid through interchangeable probes . in the preferred embodiment of this medical device , the interchangeable probes are mounted to a handset having a quick disconnect / reconnect mount which not only permits rapid attachment and removal of such probes to the handset , but also the freedom of change in orientation of the probe relative to the handset to accommodate variable condition / requirements of an operative procedure and clinician preferences . in the preferred embodiment of this invention , quick disconnect / reconnect mount of this invention permits rotational movements of the probe tip while preserving sealing engagement thereof to the handset .

the following description is made in reference to one or more of the accompanying drawings . where a component appears in more than one drawing , it is assigned a common reference numeral for continuity of expression and ease of understanding . the basic configuration of the trumpet valve concept is described in co - pending application ser . no . 07 / 470 , 771 filed jan . 26 , 1990 , now u . s . pat . no . 5 , 188 , 591 which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety . fig1 through 3 illustrate a first embodiment of the improved medical device which includes a trumpet valve generally shown at 10 . the valve consists of a valve housing or body 12 which defines a pair of valve chambers 14a and 14b adapted for reciprocating movement of a pair of pistons 16a and 16b . the original trumpet valve concept , as described and claimed in the above - referenced commonly assigned application / patent , is basically symmetrical in overall appearance . the basic operation of the improved trumpet valve of the present invention is essentially the same as set forth in the co - pending patent application . more specifically , trumpet valve 10 is initially connected to a source of pressurized fluid and to a source of negative pressure via a pair of fittings ( not shown ) which extend from the valve body . in addition , the clinician / surgeon mounts an interchangeable probe tip , generally shown at 21 , onto either one or two positions 18a or 18b on valve body 12 designed for this purpose . the position not having probe tip 21 mounted thereto will have a cap 22 mounted thereto . once valve 10 is assembled and connected to the pressurized source of fluid and negative pressure through the fittings it is ready for use . typically , valve 10 can be used in a hydrodissection procedure or in conjunction with other laparoscopic instruments to perform various types of biopsy or infusion of irrigation fluid to clear the operative field and thereby allow for free and unobstructive access and view . fig2 is an exploded view of the medical device of fig1 illustrating the individual components thereof . more specifically , the three components of the medical device and their relationship to one another reveals the basic valve body 12 having an accepting member 25 for the acceptance and attachment of an adaptor 24 . as seen in fig3 accepting member 25 can be a threaded orifice or aperture defined at either or both ends of valve body 12 for receiving the first end of adaptor 24 . the threaded orifice allows for threading engagement with a complimentary thread 26 of the first end of an adaptor 24 . in the specific embodiment of this mating , adaptor 24 is removably but securely engaged with valve body 12 . the second end of adaptor 24 is provided for operative and rapid engagement and disengagement thereof with a probe 17 . the probe 17 includes a probe shaft 19 which is housed at a first end by a probe shaft attachment member 20 . as seen in the drawings , attachment member 20 is a housing encompassing the first end of shaft 19 and is operatively associated with the second end of adaptor 24 . when the first end of adaptor 24 is removeably secured to accepting member 25 , adaptor 24 functions as a male protruding member for removable engagement with a female adaptor receiving cavity of attachment member 20 . as the probe mount is easily and quickly removable from adaptor , numerous probe mounts , having various probe tip configurations and diameters , can readily be interchanged , without replacing valve body 12 and adaptor 24 , for various situations which can arise during surgery . fig3 is an enlarged cross sectional view in partial of a section of trumpet valve 10 showing adaptor 24 having threads 26 and removably connected to a probe shaft attachment member 20 and to accepting member 25 on valve body 12 . as adaptor 24 has threads 26 at its first end it can be used with new or existing prior art valve bodies . as seen in fig3 adaptor 24 is threaded on a first end ( or distal portion thereof ) which is removably connected to accepting member 25 of valve body 12 and modified in a somewhat different fashion of a portion thereof which is designed for rapid coupling and de - coupling to an interchangeable probe 17 having a probe tip 21 . more specifically , adaptor 24 is further provided with complimentary snap - lock seal , generally shown at 27 , on the distal end thereof including means for sealing engagement with probe shaft attachment member 20 and means for snap lock engagement and disengagement at the proximal end of probe 17 with adaptor 24 . as seen in fig2 and 3 the seal 27 is in the form of a ring 28 mounted near the second end of adaptor 24 . preferably , ring 28 is constructed from silicone . the snap lock engagement / disengagement of probe shaft attachment member 20 to adaptor 24 is provided by complimentary detent , molded into adaptor collar 30 and groove 32 in the receiving cavity of attachment member 20 which mates with adaptor 24 . the detent / groove combination provide for physical retention of probe shaft attachment member 20 to adaptor 24 during use and the quick release thereof when the clinician desires to interchange one probe tip for another . furthermore , collar 34 of probe shaft attachment member 20 is shown flush against collar 36 of adaptor 24 to provide an additional seal between adaptor 24 and probe shaft attachment member 20 . collar 36 of adaptor 24 is also shown flush against the end of accepting member 25 to provide an additional seal between adaptor 24 and accepting member 25 . seal means 27 , which prevents leakage of probe shaft attachment member 20 once mounted to adaptor 24 , can be located on or within the probe itself in lieu of on adaptor 24 or both adaptor 24 and probe shaft attachment member 20 can contain separate yet complimentary sealing means . as mentioned above , seal means 27 can be an o - ring 28 disposed on the outer surface portion of the second end of adaptor 24 . o - ring 28 can be associated with a second groove defined by the inner surface portion of shaft attachment member 20 or can be associated with the inner surface portion of shaft attachment member 20 without the second groove . alternatively , seal means 27 can be an o - ring 28 disposed on the inner surface portion of shaft attachment member 20 . in this alternative embodiment for seal means 27 , o - ring 28 is associated with a groove defined by the outer surface portion of the second end of adaptor 24 or is associated with the outer surface portion without the groove . though probe 17 is shown mounted to fitting 18b and cap 22 is shown fitted to fitting 18a , the invention is not limited to this configuration and probe 17 can be used mounted to fitting 18a while cap 22 is mounted to fitting 18a . thus , the present invention can be easily used by either a right or left hand user . fig4 and 5 illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention . in this embodiment , valve body 112 operates and is constructed similar to valve body 12 of the first embodiment with one exception . as seen in the drawings , the probe 117 includes a probe shaft 119 which is housed at a first end by a probe shaft attachment member 120 . as seen in the drawings , attachment member 120 is a housing encompassing the first end of shaft 119 and is operatively associated with an exposed end of a probe mount member 124 . probe mount member 124 is a male protruding member constructed integral with valve body 112 for removable engagement with a female receiving cavity of shaft attachment member 120 . in the second embodiment , probe mount member 124 is constructed integral with valve body 112 . as with the first embodiment , the exposed end of probe mount member 124 is provided for operative and rapid engagement and disengagement thereof with a probe shaft attachment member 120 . probe shaft attachment member 120 is connected to probe mount member 124 essentially identical to probe shaft attachment member 20 and adaptor 24 of the first embodiment . thus , probe mount member 124 is provided with a complimentary snap - lock seal , generally shown at 127 , which includes means for sealing engagement with probe shaft attachment member 120 and means for snap lock engagement and disengagement between probe shaft attachment member 120 and probe mount member 124 . seal means 127 can be an o - ring 128 disposed on the outer surface portion of the probe mount member 124 . o - ring 128 can be associated with a second groove defined by the inner surface portion of attachment member 120 or can be associated with the inner surface portion of attachment member 120 without the second groove . alternatively , seal means 127 can be an o - ring 128 disposed on the inner surface portion of attachment member 120 . in this alternative embodiment for seal means 127 , o - ring 128 is associated with a groove defined by the outer surface portion of the probe mount member 124 or is associated with the outer surface portion without the groove . seal 127 is in the form of a ring 128 mounted near the end of probe mount member 124 . the snap lock engagement / disengagement of probe shaft attachment member 120 to probe mount member 124 is provided by complimentary detent , molded into probe mount collar 130 and groove 132 in the receiving cavity of shaft attachment member 120 which mates with of probe mount member 124 to provide for physical retention of probe shaft attachment member 120 to probe mount member 124 during use and the quick release thereof when the clinician desires to interchange one probe tip for another . furthermore , probe shaft attachment member 120 is shown substantially encompassing the entire length of probe mount member 124 to provide an additional seal between probe mount member 124 and probe shaft attachment member 120 . seal means 127 , which prevents leakage of probe shaft attachment member 120 once connected to probe mount member 124 , can be located on or within the probe itself in lieu of on probe mount member 124 or both probe mount member 124 and probe shaft attachment member 120 can contain separate yet complimentary sealing means . a cap 122 is provided at the end of valve body 112 not having probe shaft attachment member 120 mounted thereto . by having the capability of mounting probe shaft attachment member 120 at either end of valve body 112 , the device shown in fig4 and 5 can be used either for right or left handed use . fig6 and 7 illustrate a third embodiment of the present invention . in this embodiment , valve body 112 is operated and constructed similar to valve body 12 of the first embodiment . valve body 212 includes an accepting member 225 . as seen in the drawings , accepting member 225 can be a threaded orifice or aperture defined at either or both ends of valve body 212 for receiving the first end of adaptor 224 . in this third embodiment , adaptor 224 is similar to adaptor 24 of the first embodiment and is removeably but securely engaged with valve body 212 . as seen in the drawings , the probe 217 includes a probe shaft 219 which is housed at a first end by a probe shaft attachment member 220 . as seen in the drawings , attachment member 220 is a housing encompassing the first end of shaft 219 and is operatively associated with the second end of adaptor 224 . the first end of adaptor 224 is threaded to allow for removable securement to accepting member 225 of valve body 212 . when the first end of adaptor 224 is removeably secured to accepting member 225 , adaptor 224 functions as a male protruding member for removable engagement with a female adaptor receiving cavity of shaft attachment member 220 . the second end of adaptor 224 is provided for operative and rapid engagement and disengagement thereof with probe shaft attachment member 220 . adaptor 224 is designed for rapid coupling and decoupling to an interchangeable probe 217 . more specifically , adaptor 224 is further provided with complimentary snap - lock seal , generally shown at 227 , on the proximal end thereof including means for sealing engagement with probe shaft attachment member 220 and means for snap lock engagement and disengagement at the proximal end of probe shaft attachment member 220 with adaptor 224 . seal means 227 can be an o - ring 228 disposed on the outer surface portion of the second end of adaptor 224 . o - ring 228 can be associated with a second groove defined by the inner surface portion of attachment member 220 or can be associated with the inner surface portion of attachment member 220 without the second groove . alternatively , seal means 227 can be an o - ring 228 disposed on the inner surface portion of attachment member 220 . in this alternative embodiment for seal means 227 , o - ring 228 is associated with a groove defined by the outer surface portion of the second end of adaptor 224 or is associated with the outer surface portion without the groove . seal 227 is in the form of a ring 228 mounted near the second end of adaptor 224 . the snap lock engagement / disengagement of probe shaft attachment member 220 to adaptor 224 is provided by complimentary detent , molded into adaptor collar 230 and groove 232 in the receiving cavity of probe shaft attachment member 220 , which mates with adaptor 224 . this , detente / groove combination provides for physical retention of the interchangeable probe 217 to adaptor 224 during use and the quick release thereof when the clinician desires to interchange one probe tip for another . furthermore , probe shaft attachment member 220 is shown substantially encompassing the entire length of adaptor 224 and accepting member 225 to provide an additional seal between adaptor 224 and probe shaft attachment member 220 . collar 236 of adaptor 224 is also shown flush against the end of accepting member 225 to provide an additional seal between adaptor 224 and accepting member 225 . seal means 227 , which prevents leakage of the interchangeable probe 217 once mounted to adaptor 224 , can be located on or within probe shaft attachment member 220 itself in lieu of on adaptor 224 or both adaptor 224 and probe shaft attachment member 220 can contain separate yet complimentary sealing means . though the interchangeable probe 217 is shown mounted to fitting 218b and cap 222 is shown fitted to fitting 218a , the invention is not limited to this configuration and the interchangeable probe 217 can be used mounted to fitting 218a while cap 222 is mounted to fitting 218b . thus , the present invention can be easily used by either a right or left hand user . as the probe mount is easily and quickly removable from adaptor , numerous probe mounts , having various probe tip configurations and diameters , can readily be interchange , without replacing valve body and adaptor , for various situations which can arise during surgery . a representative sample of such interchangeable probe mounts are illustrated in fig1 . however , numerous other probe mounts not shown can also be used with the present invention . fig8 illustrates the articulation of electrosurgical probe in relation to the handset . such articulation is possible due to the sealing engagement / coupling of the electrosurgical probe shaft attachment member 20 to the unique adaptor 24 of this invention . thus , probe shaft attachment member 20 is allowed to rotate freely 360 degrees with respect to valve body 12 and adaptor 24 while retaining its sealed relationship with adaptor 24 at all times . fig9 and 9a illustrates the concepts of quick disconnect probe tip of the present invention in conjunction with a prior art pistol type grip valve 50 . adaptor 52 can be removeably connected to valve 50 . alternatively , adaptor 52 is integral with or permanently affixed to valve 50 . probe 54 sealably connects to adaptor 25 in a similar manner as described above for the various embodiments shown in the drawings . the foregoing describes a number of representative and preferred embodiments of this invention . it is not the purpose and intent of the foregoing to , however , delineate the scope of the invention which is set forth in the claims appended hereto . further , it should be recognized that numerous other probe tip configurations and diameters , not shown herein , may also be used with the concepts of the present invention . it is to be understood that while it has been illustrated and described certain forms of the invention , it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement or parts herein described and shown . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification .

US-28694994-A

when electrode films are prepared for lithium electrochemical cells , problems are often encountered in laminating the films with an appropriate intervening electrolyte layer . this presents a significant challenge because proper alignment of the three layers and complete lamination at the interfaces are crucial to good cell performance . often lamination is imperfect with gaps and defects at the interfaces . the disclosure herein describes a method of casting or extruding a polymer electrolyte directly onto an electrode film to create an electrode assembly with a continuous , defect - free interface . in some arrangements , there is some slight intermixing of the layers at the interface . a complete cell can be formed by laminating two such electrode assemblies to opposite sides of an additional electrolyte or to one another .

the preferred embodiments are illustrated in the context of joining battery cell component layers . the skilled artisan will readily appreciate , however , that the materials and methods disclosed herein will have application in a number of other contexts where ionic or electric conductivity between individual layers is desirable , particularly where solid electrolytes are used . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , the need described above can be met with a novel method of making battery cell components . a solid polymer electrolyte layer is cast directly onto an electrode layer , thereby forming an interface that is free of void space and defects and ensuring no interfacial impediments to ion conduction between the electrolyte and the electrode . these and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings . in this disclosure , the terms “ negative electrode ” and “ anode ” are both used to mean “ negative electrode .” likewise , the terms “ positive electrode ” and “ cathode ” are both used to mean “ positive electrode .” it is to be understood that the term “ liquefied solid ,” as used herein in reference to electrolytes , is meant to denote a liquid form of a solid electrolyte wherein the liquid has been formed either through dissolution in a solvent or through melting . the “ liquefied solid ” is allowed to solidify by drying or cooling before an electrochemical cell is charged or discharged . thus , when used in the cell , the electrolyte is a solid electrolyte . this term is used to distinguish such an electrolyte from commonly known liquid electrolytes , which participate in the electrochemical reactions of a cell in their liquid form . currently battery cell components are assembled into a cell using the steps outlined in fig1 . in step 100 , cathode active particles , carbon particles , optional binder , and polymer electrolyte are combined together to form a cathode film on a metallic or other conductive substrate , which serves as a current collector . in step 110 , anode active particles , carbon particles , optional binder , and polymer electrolyte are combined to form an anode film on a current collector . for some electrodes , a solid polymer electrolyte acts as a binder , so no additional binder is used . for other electrodes , a binder is used in addition to the polymer electrolyte . in step 120 , a polymer electrolyte film is formed . in general , each of the films is formed either by casting or by extrusion . in step 130 , the free - standing cathode , anode , and electrolyte films are arranged in a stack with the electrolyte film between the cathode and the anode films . in step 140 the stack is aligned to be sure that the maximum surface area of each film is available to the cell and to prevent the two electrodes from coming into physical contact and shorting the cell . in step 150 , pressure and / or heat is applied to the stack to bond the layers together . fig2 is a schematic illustration that shows a problem that can occur when a cell is assembled according to the steps outlined in fig1 . a portion 200 of a cell , which includes an electrode film 210 and a solid polymer electrolyte layer 220 is shown . the electrode film 210 includes a variety of randomly distributed particles ( shown collectively as black regions 212 ), such as electrode active particles , conductive carbon particles , and binder particles , all surrounded by solid polymer electrolyte ( grey regions ) 214 . in this illustration , no porosity is shown , but some electrodes may contain pores . in most cases , surface 222 of the electrode film 210 is not perfectly flat , and surface 224 of the solid polymer electrolyte layer 220 is not perfectly flat . when the electrode film 210 and the solid polymer electrolyte layer 220 are pressed together , it is difficult to form a continuous , gap - free interface between the two layers because the layers are not soft , do not flow readily , and tend to retain their non - uniform surfaces . most often gaps 230 are formed between the electrode film 210 and the solid polymer electrolyte layer 220 . each gap 230 is a region through which ions cannot flow between the electrode film 210 and the solid polymer electrolyte layer 220 , thereby reducing the net ionic current that can flow through the cell , increasing cell resistance and resulting in poor performance during charge and discharge . when liquid electrolytes are used , porous electrode films are laminated onto either side of a porous separator , and the entire assembly is filled with the liquid electrolyte and sealed . thus , the liquid electrolyte fills any gaps that may result when electrodes are pressed onto the separator layer . as discussed above , no such filling in of gaps occurs when a solid electrolyte is used instead of the conventional liquid electrolyte . in one embodiment of the invention , a battery cell is constructed according to the steps outlined in fig3 . in step 300 , first electrode active particles , carbon particles , optional binder and a first liquefied solid polymer electrolyte are combined to form a slurry . the slurry is then cast onto a current collector to form a first electrode film . in some arrangements , where there is sufficient electronic conductivity in the first electrode film without the addition of carbon particles , no carbon particles are included in the first electrode film . in some arrangements , where the first solid polymer electrolyte can act as both electrolyte and binder , no additional binder is included in the first electrode film . the first electrode film may contain pores . pore volume can be reduced by pressing or calendaring the film . in step 310 , a liquefied second polymer electrolyte layer is cast onto the first electrode film to form a first dual - layer electrode assembly . in one arrangement , the second solid polymer electrolyte can be combined with a solvent to form a liquefied second polymer electrolyte that is appropriate for the casting process . as is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , the viscosity of such a liquefied polymer electrolyte can be adjusted as desired by choice and amount of solvent . in one embodiment of the invention , a wetting agent is added to the liquefied second polymer electrolyte to ensure that the electrolyte wets the first electrode film . in one arrangement , the solvent used to make the liquefied second polymer electrolyte is also a solvent for the first polymer electrolyte . when the liquefied second polymer electrolyte is cast onto the first electrode film , there is some dissolution of the first polymer electrolyte at the surface and some intermixing of the first polymer electrolyte and the second polymer electrolyte at the interface , which ensures uniform and continuous contact between the layers . in some arrangements , the liquefied solid polymer electrolyte can percolate through and fill pores in part or all of the first electrode film . the liquefied second polymer electrolyte is allowed to dry so that it solidifies into a second solid polymer electrolyte layer . in another arrangement , in step 310 the second solid polymer electrolyte can be melted to form a liquefied second polymer electrolyte that is appropriate for the casting process . as is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , the viscosity of such a liquefied polymer electrolyte can be adjusted as desired by choice of temperature . in one embodiment of the invention , a wetting agent is added to the liquefied second polymer electrolyte to ensure that the electrolyte wets the first electrode film . in one arrangement , the temperature used to melt the second polymer electrolyte can also melt the first solid polymer electrolyte . when the liquefied second polymer electrolyte is cast onto the first electrode film , there is some melting of the first polymer electrolyte at the surface and some intermixing of the first polymer electrolyte and the second polymer electrolyte at the interface , which ensures uniform and continuous contact between the layers . in some arrangements , the liquefied solid polymer electrolyte can percolate through and fill pores in part or all of the first electrode film . the liquefied second polymer electrolyte is allowed to cool so that it solidifies into a second solid polymer electrolyte layer . in step 320 , second electrode active particles , carbon particles , optional binder and a third solid polymer electrolyte are combined with a solvent or heated to the melting temperature of the third solid polymer electrolyte to form a slurry . wetting agents can be used in the slurry if desired . the slurry is then cast onto the second polymer electrolyte film and allowed to dry or cool . thus the second electrode assembly is formed on the second electrolyte layer which is adjacent the first electrode assembly . in other arrangements , a fourth electrolyte layer is formed on the second electrolyte layer and then the second electrode assembly is cast directly onto the fourth electrolyte layer . in either case , a complete cell stack is formed by repeated casting of layer upon layer . in one arrangement , the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolytes are each different from one another . in another arrangement , the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolytes are all the same . in yet other arrangements , the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolytes can include only three different solid polymer electrolytes , or only two different solid polymer electrolytes , distributed in any combination among the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolyte regions . in another embodiment of the invention , a battery cell is constructed according to the steps outlined in fig4 . in step 400 , first electrode active particles , carbon particles , optional binder and a liquefied first polymer electrolyte are combined to form a first electrode slurry . the first polymer electrolyte is dissolved in solvent or melted to make a liquefied solid so that the slurry has properties appropriate for extrusion . in step 410 , second electrode active particles , carbon particles , optional binder and a liquefied third polymer electrolyte are combined to form a second electrode slurry . the third polymer electrolyte is dissolved in solvent or melted so that the slurry has properties appropriate for extrusion . in step 420 , a second polymer electrolyte is liquefied to prepare for the extrusion process . the second polymer electrolyte is dissolved in solvent or melted so that the slurry has properties appropriate for extrusion . in step 430 , the first electrode slurry , the second electrode slurry and the second polymer electrolyte are arranged to feed into an extruder so that they can exit the extruder in a stacked configuration with the second polymer electrolyte between the first electrode and the second electrode . the extruder may have three separate , stacked feeds , in which case the first electrode slurry and the second electrode slurry enter the extruder one each through the outermost feeds , and the second polymer electrolyte enters the extruder through the middle feed . the first electrode slurry , the second electrode slurry , and the second liquefied polymer electrolyte are coextruded to form a three - layer electrochemical cell stack . in other arrangements , the extruder has four separate , stacked feeds , and a liquefied fourth electrolyte enters the extruder through the second middle feed . the two electrode slurries and the two liquefied polymer electrolytes are coextruded to form a four - layer electrochemical cell stack . the materials in the stack layers are in liquefied form during the coextrusion so they form integrated interfaces as they solidify into the cell stack . in one arrangement , the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolytes are each different from one another . in another arrangement , the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolytes are all the same . in yet other arrangements , the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolytes can include only three different solid polymer electrolytes , or only two different solid polymer electrolytes , distributed in any combination among the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolyte regions . in one embodiment of the invention , a battery cell is constructed according to the steps outlined in fig5 . in step 500 , first electrode active particles , carbon particles , binder and a liquefied first polymer electrolyte are combined to form a slurry . the slurry is then either cast onto a current collector or extruded and then adhered to a current collector to form a first electrode film . in some arrangements , where there is sufficient electronic conductivity in the first electrode film without the addition of carbon particles , no carbon particles are included in the first electrode film . in some arrangements , where the first solid polymer electrolyte can act as both electrolyte and binder , no additional binder is included in the first electrode film . in step 510 , a liquefied second polymer electrolyte layer is cast onto the first electrode film to form a first dual - layer electrode assembly . the second solid polymer electrolyte can be combined with a solvent to form a liquefied second polymer electrolyte that is appropriate for the casting process . as is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , the viscosity of such a liquefied polymer electrolyte can be adjusted as desired by choice and amount of solvent . in one embodiment of the invention , a wetting agent is added to the liquefied second polymer electrolyte to ensure that the polymer wets the first electrode film . in one arrangement , the solvent used to make the liquefied second polymer electrolyte is also a solvent for the first polymer electrolyte . when the liquefied second polymer electrolyte is cast onto the first electrode film , there is some dissolution of the first polymer electrolyte at the surface and some intermixing of the first polymer electrolyte and the second polymer electrolyte at the interface , which ensures uniform and continuous contact between the layers . the second polymer electrolyte is allowed to dry so that it solidifies into a second solid polymer electrolyte layer . in another arrangement , in step 510 the second solid polymer electrolyte can be melted to form a liquefied second polymer electrolyte melt that is appropriate for the casting process . as is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , the viscosity of such a liquefied polymer electrolyte can be adjusted as desired by choice of temperature . in one embodiment of the invention , a wetting agent is added to the liquefied second polymer electrolyte to ensure that the polymer wets the first electrode film . in one arrangement , the temperature used to melt the second polymer electrolyte can also melt the first solid polymer electrolyte . when the liquefied second polymer electrolyte is cast onto the first electrode film , there is some melting of the first polymer electrolyte at the surface and some intermixing of the first polymer electrolyte and the second polymer electrolyte at the interface , which ensures uniform and continuous contact between the layers . the second polymer electrolyte is allowed to cool so that it solidifies into a second solid polymer electrolyte layer . in step 520 , second electrode active particles , carbon particles , binder and a liquefied third polymer electrolyte are combined to form a slurry . the slurry is then either cast onto a current collector extruded to form a second electrode film . in some arrangements , where there is sufficient electronic conductivity in the second electrode film without the addition of carbon particles , no carbon particles are included in the second electrode film . in some arrangements , where the third solid polymer electrolyte can act as both electrolyte and binder , no additional binder is included in the second electrode film . in step 530 , a liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte layer is cast onto the second electrode film to form a second dual - layer electrode assembly . the fourth solid polymer electrolyte can be combined with a solvent to form a liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte that is appropriate for the casting process . as is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , the viscosity of such a liquefied polymer electrolyte can be adjusted as desired by choice and amount of solvent . in one embodiment of the invention , a wetting agent is added to the liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte to ensure that the polymer wets the second electrode film . in one arrangement , the solvent used to make the liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte is also a solvent for the third solid polymer electrolyte . when the liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte is cast onto the second electrode film , there can some dissolution of the third solid polymer electrolyte at the surface and some intermixing of the third polymer electrolyte and the fourth polymer electrolyte at the interface . the liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte is allowed to dry so that it solidifies into a fourth solid polymer electrolyte layer . in another arrangement , in step 530 the fourth solid polymer electrolyte can be melted to form a liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte melt that is appropriate for the casting process . as is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , the viscosity of such a liquefied polymer electrolyte can be adjusted as desired by choice of temperature . in one embodiment of the invention , a wetting agent is added to the liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte to ensure that the polymer wets the second electrode film . in one arrangement , the temperature used to melt the fourth polymer electrolyte can also melt the second solid polymer electrolyte . when the liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte is cast onto the second electrode film , there is some melting of the third polymer electrolyte at the surface and some intermixing of the third polymer electrolyte and the fourth polymer electrolyte at the interface , which ensures uniform and continuous contact between the layers . the liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte is allowed to cool so that it solidifies into a fourth solid polymer electrolyte layer . in step 540 , a cell stack is formed by positioning the first electrode assembly adjacent the second electrode assembly with the second solid polymer electrolyte layer and the fourth solid polymer electrolyte facing one another . in step 550 , pressure and in some arrangements , heat , are applied to the cell stack to bond the electrolyte layers together and form the cell . in one arrangement , if the liquefied second polymer electrolyte layer and the liquefied fourth polymer electrolyte layer have not yet solidified fully , there may be some mixing of one in the other at the interface , ensuring good contact between the second solid polymer electrolyte layer and the fourth solid polymer electrolyte layer . in another embodiment of the invention , the polymer electrolyte layers are not cast onto the electrode film as has been described in steps 510 and 530 in fig5 . alternatively , coextrusion is used . details of the coextrusion method have been described above with reference to fig4 . in one arrangement , the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolytes are each different from one another . in another arrangement , the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolytes are all the same . in yet other arrangements , the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolytes can include only three different solid polymer electrolytes , or only two different solid polymer electrolytes , distributed in any combination among the first , second , third , and fourth solid polymer electrolyte regions . fig6 is a schematic drawing of a dual - layer electrode assembly 600 made according to the novel methods described in fig3 , 4 , or 5 above . the assembly 600 has an electrode film 610 and a solid polymer electrolyte layer 620 . the electrode film 610 includes a variety of randomly distributed particles ( shown collectively as black regions 612 ), such as electrode active particles and optionally , conductive carbon particles and / or binder particles , all surrounded by a solid polymer electrolyte ( grey regions ) 614 . for the purpose of this illustration , no porosity is shown , but the electrode film 610 may contain pores in some arrangements . the electrode film 610 has an irregular surface 622 . in some arrangements , the surface 622 is flat . as described above in reference to fig3 , 4 , 5 , a solid polymer electrolyte is either dissolved in a solvent or melted to form a liquefied solid and then cast onto the electrode film 610 . the liquefied polymer electrolyte fills in the irregularities in the surface 622 . the liquefied polymer electrolyte dries or cools to solidify into the solid polymer electrolyte layer 620 , which has a continuous interface 640 with the electrode film 610 . the interface 640 has no gaps . in addition , there can be some mixing of the electrolyte 614 ( from the electrode film 610 ) in the liquefied electrolyte 620 during the casting process , further ensuring good conformity and excellent contact between the electrode film 610 and the solid polymer electrolyte 620 . good and continuous contact between the layers in a battery cell is one characteristic that is essential to achieving the best possible performance from the cell . fig7 is a schematic illustration of a battery cell 700 that includes two dual - layer electrode assemblies 705 a , 705 b , made according to any of the novel methods described above in fig3 , 4 , or 5 . the first dual - layer assembly 705 a has a solid polymer electrolyte layer 720 a that has been cast onto or coextruded with a first electrode film 710 a . the second dual - layer assembly 705 b has a solid polymer electrolyte layer 720 b that has been cast onto or coextruded with a second electrode film 710 b . the solid polymer electrolyte layer 720 a and the solid polymer electrolyte layer 720 b have been pressed , and perhaps heated , together to form the battery cell 700 . in one arrangement , the polymer electrolyte layers 720 a , 720 b have not yet solidified fully when they are pressed together . the interface 725 between the two solid polymer electrolyte layers 720 a , 720 b has no gaps . in addition , there can be some mixing ( either by dissolution or by diffusion through the melt ) of the electrolytes 720 a , 720 b in one another as they are pressed together and , in some arrangements , heated , further ensuring good conformity and excellent contact between the dual - layer electrode assemblies 705 a , 705 b , and eliminating the possibility of degraded battery performance because of poor contact between component layers . in fig7 , optional current collectors 750 a , 750 b that provide electronic conduction paths to and from electrodes 710 a , 710 b , respectively , are also shown . in another embodiment of the invention , a battery cell is constructed according to the steps outlined in fig8 . in step 800 , first electrode active particles , carbon particles , binder and a liquefied first polymer electrolyte are combined to form a slurry . the slurry is then either cast or extruded to form a first electrode film . in some arrangements , where there is sufficient electronic conductivity in the first electrode film without the addition of carbon particles , no carbon particles are included in the first electrode film . in some arrangements , where the first polymer electrolyte can act as both electrolyte and binder , no additional binder is included in the first electrode film . in step 810 , a second solid polymer electrolyte layer is cast onto the first electrode film to form a first dual - layer electrode assembly . the second solid polymer electrolyte can be combined with a solvent to form a liquefied second polymer electrolyte that is appropriate for the casting process . as is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , the viscosity of such a polymer electrolyte solution can be adjusted as desired by choice and amount of solvent . in one embodiment of the invention , a wetting agent is added to the second polymer electrolyte solution to ensure that the solution wets the first electrode film . in one arrangement , the solvent used to make the second polymer electrolyte solution is also a solvent for the first polymer electrolyte . when the second polymer electrolyte is cast onto the first electrode film , there is some dissolution of the first polymer electrolyte at the surface and some intermixing of the first polymer electrolyte and the second polymer electrolyte at the interface , which ensures uniform and continuous contact between the layers . the second polymer electrolyte is allowed to dry so that it solidifies into a second solid polymer electrolyte layer . in another arrangement , in step 810 the second solid polymer electrolyte can be melted to form a dissolved or melted liquefied second polymer electrolyte that is appropriate for the casting process . as is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , the viscosity of such a liquefied polymer electrolyte can be adjusted as desired by choice of temperature . in one embodiment of the invention , a wetting agent is added to the liquefied second polymer electrolyte to ensure that the electrolyte wets the first electrode film . in one arrangement , the temperature used to melt the second polymer electrolyte can also melt the first solid polymer electrolyte . when the second polymer electrolyte is cast onto the first electrode film , there is some melting of the first polymer electrolyte at the surface and some intermixing of the first polymer electrolyte and the second polymer electrolyte at the interface , which ensures uniform and continuous contact between the layers . the second polymer electrolyte is allowed to cool so that it solidifies into a second solid polymer electrolyte layer . in step 820 , second electrode active particles , liquefied third polymer electrolyte , and , optionally , carbon particles and binder are combined and to form a slurry . the slurry is then either cast or extruded to form a second electrode film . the second electrode film is placed adjacent the second solid polymer electrolyte layer and aligned to form a battery cell stack in step 830 . in step 840 , pressure , and , in some arrangements , heat , is applied to the stack to bond the second electrode film to the dual - layer electrode assembly to form a cell . in one arrangement , if the second polymer electrolyte layer has not yet solidified fully , there can be some intermixing of the third polymer electrolyte with the second polymer electrolyte at the interface . fig9 is a schematic illustration of a battery cell 900 that has been fabricated according to the steps outlined in fig8 . a dual - layer electrode assembly 905 includes a first electrode film 910 and an electrolyte layer 920 . the first electrode film 910 has been formed by combining first electrode active particles , a first polymer electrolyte , and , optionally , binder and / or carbon particles to form a slurry . the slurry is then either cast or extruded to form the electrode film 910 . a second solid polymer electrolyte is dissolved in a solvent or melted to form a liquid and then cast onto the electrode film 910 . the liquefied second polymer electrolyte solidifies , either through drying or cooling , to form the second solid polymer electrolyte layer 920 , which has a continuous interface 940 with the first electrode film 910 . the first electrode assembly 910 and the electrolyte layer 920 are well - bonded together at interface 940 , as has been described above . a second electrode film 915 has been formed by combining second electrode active particles , a third polymer electrolyte , and , optionally , binder and / or carbon particles to form a slurry . the slurry is then either cast or extruded to form the second electrode film 915 . the second electrode 915 and the dual - layer electrode assembly 905 have been pressed , and perhaps heated together , forming an interface 945 between the second electrolyte layer 920 and the second electrode 915 . in one arrangement , the polymer electrolyte layer 920 has not solidified fully when the second electrode 915 is pressed against it . solvent from the electrolyte layer 920 may be able to dissolve a surface portion of the electrolyte in electrode layer 915 , or heat from the electrolyte layer 920 may be able to melt a surface portion of the electrolyte in electrode layer 915 , causing some intermixing of the electrolytes and aiding in the formation of a seamless interface with few or no defects , such as gaps . in another embodiment of the invention , the first electrode film 910 , the second polymer electrolyte layer 920 , and the second electrode film 915 can be coextruded , as has been described above . as discussed above , in one embodiment , there is only one solid polymer electrolyte used throughout a battery cell — in both electrodes and in a single layer or multiple layers between the electrodes . in other embodiments , a different solid polymer electrolyte is used in each region of the cell . in yet other arrangements three different solid polymer electrolytes , or two different solid polymer electrolytes , are used throughout the cell in various arrangements among the electrolyte regions of the cell . various wetting agents can be used to ensure that , during the casting or extrusion process , a liquefied solid polymer electrolyte ( solution or melt ) is able to wet an adjacent layer in the cell stack . examples of such wetting agents include , but are not limited to n - methylpyrolidinone , dimethylformamide , acetonitrile , toluene , benzene , acetone . in one embodiment of the invention , after the electrode assembly or the entire battery cell is made , the electrode thin film has a porosity less than about 10 %. in another embodiment , after the electrode assembly or the entire battery cell is made , the electrode thin film has a porosity less than about 1 %. in some arrangements , the electrode thin film can be calendared to reduce or remove open pores within the film before an electrolyte is cast into it . examples of negative electrode active materials that can be used in the embodiments of the invention include , but are not limited to metals , alloys , or metal oxides , which can form well - defined intermetallic / intercalation phases with lithium , are used . examples of appropriate materials include , but are not limited to , metals such as , aluminum ( al ), silicon ( si ), germanium ( ge ), tin ( sn ), lead ( pb ), antimony ( sb ), magnesium ( mg ); si alloys with elements such as tin ( sn ), nickel ( ni ), copper ( cu ), iron ( fe ), cobalt ( co ), manganese ( mn ), zinc ( zn ), indium ( in ), silver ( ag ), titanium ( ti ), germanium ( ge ), bismuth ( bi ), antimony ( sb ), chromium ( cr ), and their alloys and oxides ; carbon and silicon carbides ; alloys such as cu — sn , sb — sn ; and lithium or lithium - rich alloys such as li — al , li — si , li — sn , li — hg , li — zn , li — pb , and li — c . examples of positive electrode active materials that can be used in the embodiments of the invention include , but are not limited to materials having the general formula li x a 1 - y m y o 2 , wherein a includes at least one transition element selected from a group including mn , co , and ni ; m includes at least one element selected from a group including b , mg , ca , sr , ba , ti , v , cr , mn , fe , co , ni , cu , al , in , nb , mo , w , y , and rh ; x ranges between 0 . 05 ≦ x ≦ 1 . 1 ; and y ranges between 0 ≦ y ≦ 0 . 5 . there are a variety of solid polymer electrolytes that are appropriate for use in the inventive methods described herein . in one embodiment of the invention , the solid polymer electrolyte contains one or more of the following optionally cross - linked polymers : polyethylene oxide , polysulfone , polyacrylonitrile , siloxane , polyether , polyamine , linear copolymers containing ethers or amines , ethylene carbonate , nafion ®, and polysiloxane grafted with small molecules or oligomers that include polyethers and / or alkylcarbonates . in one embodiment of the invention , the solid polymer electrolyte , when combined with an appropriate salt , is chemically and thermally stable and has an ionic conductivity of at least 10 − 5 scm − 1 at a desired operating temperature . examples of appropriate salts include , but are not limited to metal salts selected from the group consisting of chlorides , bromides , sulfates , nitrates , sulfides , hydrides , nitrides , phosphides , sulfonamides , triflates , thiocynates , perchlorates , borates , or selenides of lithium , sodium , potassium , silver , barium , lead , calcium , ruthenium , tantalum , rhodium , iridium , cobalt , nickel , molybdenum , tungsten or vanadium . examples of specific lithium salts include liscn , lin ( cn ) 2 , liclo 4 , libf 4 , liasf 6 , lipf 6 , licf 3 so 3 , li ( cf 3 so 2 ) 2 n , li ( cf 3 so 2 ) 3 c , lin ( so 2 c 2 f 5 ) 2 , lin ( so 2 cf 3 ) 2 , lin ( so 2 cf 2 cf 3 ) 2 , lithium alkyl fluorophosphates , lithium oxalatoborate , as well as other lithium bis ( chelato ) borates having five to seven membered rings , lithium bis ( trifluoromethane sulfone imide ) ( litfsi ), lipf 3 ( c 2 f 5 ) 3 , lipf 3 ( cf 3 ) 3 , lib ( c 2 o 4 ) 2 , and mixtures thereof . in other embodiments of the invention , for other electrochemistries , electrolytes are made by combining the polymers with various kinds of salts . examples include , but are not limited to agso 3 cf 3 , nascn , naso 3 cf 3 , ktfsi , natfsi , ba ( tfsi ) 2 , pb ( tfsi ) 2 , and ca ( tfsi ) 2 . as described in detail above , a block copolymer electrolyte can be used in the embodiments of the invention . fig1 a is a simplified illustration of an exemplary diblock polymer molecule 1000 that has a first polymer block 1010 and a second polymer block 1020 covalently bonded together . in one arrangement both the first polymer block 1010 and the second polymer block 1020 are linear polymer blocks . in another arrangement , either one or both polymer blocks 1010 , 1020 has a comb structure . in one arrangement , neither polymer block is cross - linked . in another arrangement , one polymer block is cross - linked . in yet another arrangement , both polymer blocks are cross - linked . multiple diblock polymer molecules 1000 can arrange themselves to form a first domain 1015 of a first phase made of the first polymer blocks 1010 and a second domain 1025 of a second phase made of the second polymer blocks 1020 , as shown in fig1 b . diblock polymer molecules 1000 can arrange themselves to form multiple repeat domains , thereby forming a continuous nanostructured block copolymer material 1040 , as shown in fig1 c . the sizes or widths of the domains can be adjusted by adjusting the molecular weights of each of the polymer blocks . in one arrangement the first polymer domain 1015 is ionically conductive , and the second polymer domain 1025 provides mechanical strength to the nanostructured block copolymer . fig1 a is a simplified illustration of an exemplary triblock polymer molecule 1100 that has a first polymer block 1110 a , a second polymer block 1120 , and a third polymer block 1110 b that is the same as the first polymer block 1110 a , all covalently bonded together . in one arrangement the first polymer block 1110 a , the second polymer block 1120 , and the third copolymer block 1110 b are linear polymer blocks . in another arrangement , either some or all polymer blocks 1110 a , 1120 , 1110 b have a comb structure . in one arrangement , no polymer block is cross - linked . in another arrangement , one polymer block is cross - linked . in yet another arrangement , two polymer blocks are cross - linked . in yet another arrangement , all polymer blocks are cross - linked . multiple triblock polymer molecules 1100 can arrange themselves to form a first domain 1115 of a first phase made of the first polymer blocks 1110 a , a second domain 1125 of a second phase made of the second polymer blocks 1120 , and a third domain 1115 b of a first phase made of the third polymer blocks 1110 b as shown in fig1 b . triblock polymer molecules 1100 can arrange themselves to form multiple repeat domains 1125 , 1115 ( containing both 1115 a and 1115 b ), thereby forming a continuous nanostructured block copolymer 1130 , as shown in fig1 c . the sizes of the domains can be adjusted by adjusting the molecular weights of each of the polymer blocks . in one arrangement the first and third polymer domains 1115 a , 1115 b are ionically conductive , and the second polymer domain 1125 provides mechanical strength to the nanostructured block copolymer . in another arrangement , the second polymer domain 1125 is ionically conductive , and the first and third polymer domains 1115 provide a structural framework . fig1 a is a simplified illustration of another exemplary triblock polymer molecule 1200 that has a first polymer block 1210 , a second polymer block 1220 , and a third polymer block 1230 , different from either of the other two polymer blocks , all covalently bonded together . in one arrangement the first polymer block 1210 , the second polymer block 1220 , and the third copolymer block 1230 are linear polymer blocks . in another arrangement , either some or all polymer blocks 1210 , 1220 , 1230 have a comb structure . in one arrangement , no polymer block is cross - linked . in another arrangement , one polymer block is cross - linked . in yet another arrangement , two polymer blocks are cross - linked . in yet another arrangement , all polymer blocks are cross - linked . multiple triblock polymer molecules 1200 can arrange themselves to form a first domain 1215 of a first phase made of the first polymer blocks 1210 a , a second domain 1225 of a second phase made of the second polymer blocks 1220 , and a third domain 1235 of a third phase made of the third polymer blocks 1230 as shown in fig1 b . triblock polymer molecules 1200 can arrange themselves to form multiple repeat domains , thereby forming a continuous nanostructured block copolymer 1240 , as shown in fig1 c . the sizes of the domains can be adjusted by adjusting the molecular weights of each of the polymer blocks . in one arrangement the first polymer domains 1215 are ionically conductive , and the second polymer domains 1225 provide mechanical strength to the nanostructured block copolymer . the third polymer domains 1235 provides an additional functionality that may improve mechanical strength , ionic conductivity , chemical or electrochemical stability , may make the material easier to process , or may provide some other desirable property to the block copolymer . in other arrangements , the individual domains can exchange roles . choosing appropriate polymers for the block copolymers described above is important in order to achieve desired electrolyte properties . in one embodiment , the conductive polymer ( 1 ) exhibits ionic conductivity of at least 10 − 5 scm − 1 at electrochemical cell operating temperatures when combined with an appropriate salt ( s ), such as lithium salt ( s ); ( 2 ) is chemically stable against such salt ( s ); and ( 3 ) is thermally stable at electrochemical cell operating temperatures . in one embodiment , the structural material has a modulus in excess of 1 × 10 5 pa at electrochemical cell operating temperatures . in one embodiment , the third polymer ( 1 ) is rubbery ; and ( 2 ) has a glass transition temperature lower than operating and processing temperatures . it is useful if all materials are mutually immiscible . in one embodiment of the invention , the conductive phase can be made of a linear polymer . conductive linear polymers that can be used in the conductive phase include , but are not limited to , polyethers , polyamines , polyimides , polyamides , alkyl carbonates , polynitriles , and combinations thereof . the conductive linear polymers can also be used in combinationwith polysiloxanes , polyphosphazines , polyolefins , and / or polydienes to form the conductive phase . in another exemplary embodiment , the conductive phase is made of comb polymers that have a backbone and pendant groups . backbones that can be used in these polymers include , but are not limited to , polysiloxanes , polyphosphazines , polyethers , polydienes , polyolefins , polyacrylates , polymethacrylates , and combinations thereof . pendants that can be used include , but are not limited to , oligoethers , substituted oligoethers , nitrile groups , sulfones , thiols , polyethers , polyamines , polyimides , polyamides , alkyl carbonates , polynitriles , other polar groups , and combinations thereof . further details about polymers that can be used in the conductive phase can be found in international patent application no . pct / us09 / 45356 , filed may 27 , 2009 , international patent application no . pct / us09 / 54709 , filed aug . 22 , 2009 , u . s . provisional patent application no . 61 / 145 , 518 , filed jan . 16 , 2009 , u . s . provisional patent application no . 61 / 145 , 507 , filed jan . 16 , 2009 , u . s . provisional patent application no . 61 / 158 , 257 , filed mar . 6 , 2009 , and u . s . provisional patent application no . 61 / 158 , 241 , filed mar . 6 , 2009 , all of which are included by reference herein . there are no particular restrictions on the electrolyte that can be used in the block copolymer electrolytes . any electrolyte salt that includes the ion identified as the most desirable charge carrier for the application can be used . it is especially useful to use electrolyte salts that have a large dissociation constant within the polymer electrolyte . non - lithium salts such as salts of aluminum , sodium , and magnesium are examples of other salts that can be used . suitable examples include alkali metal salts , such as li salts . examples of useful li salts include , but are not limited to , lipf 6 , lin ( cf 3 so 2 ) 2 , li ( cf 3 so 2 ) 3 c , lin ( so 2 cf 2 cf 3 ) 2 , lib ( c 2 o 4 ) 2 , b 12 f x h 12 - x , b 12 f 12 , and mixtures thereof . in one embodiment of the invention , single ion conductors can be used with electrolyte salts or instead of electrolyte salts . examples of single ion conductors include , but are not limited to sulfonamide salts , boron based salts , and sulfates groups . in one embodiment of the invention , the structural phase can be made of polymers such as polystyrene , hydrogenated polystyrene , polymethacrylate , poly ( methyl methacrylate ), polyvinylpyridine , polyvinylcyclohexane , polyimide , polyamide , polypropylene , polyolefins , poly ( t - butyl vinyl ether ), poly ( cyclohexyl methacrylate ), poly ( cyclohexyl vinyl ether ), poly ( t - butyl vinyl ether ), polyethylene , fluorocarbons , such as polyvinylidene fluoride , or copolymers that contain styrene , methacrylate , or vinylpyridine . additional species can be added to nanostructured block copolymer electrolytes to enhance the ionic conductivity , to enhance the mechanical properties , or to enhance any other properties that may be desirable . the ionic conductivity of nanostructured block copolymer electrolyte materials can be improved by including one or more additives in the ionically conductive phase . an additive can improve ionic conductivity by lowering the degree of crystallinity , lowering the melting temperature , lowering the glass transition temperature , increasing chain mobility , or any combination of these . a high dielectric additive can aid dissociation of the salt , increasing the number of li + ions available for ion transport , and reducing the bulky li +[ salt ] complexes . additives that weaken the interaction between li + and peo chains / anions , thereby making it easier for li + ions to diffuse , may be included in the conductive phase . the additives that enhance ionic conductivity can be broadly classified in the following categories : low molecular weight conductive polymers , ceramic particles , room temp ionic liquids ( rtils ), high dielectric organic plasticizers , and lewis acids . other additives can be used in the polymer electrolytes described herein . for example , additives that help with overcharge protection , provide stable sei ( solid electrolyte interface ) layers , and / or improve electrochemical stability can be used . such additives are well known to people with ordinary skill in the art . additives that make the polymers easier to process , such as plasticizers , can also be used . in one embodiment of the invention , neither small molecules nor plasticizers are added to the block copolymer electrolyte and the block copolymer electrolyte is a dry polymer . further details about block copolymer electrolytes are described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 225 , 934 , filed oct . 1 , 2008 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 271 , 1828 , filed nov . 14 , 2008 , and international patent application no . pct / us09 / 31356 , filed jan . 16 , 2009 , all of which are included by reference herein . this invention has been described herein in considerable detail to provide those skilled in the art with information relevant to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required . however , it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by different equipment , materials and devices , and that various modifications , both as to the equipment and operating procedures , can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself .

US-200913128233-A

the invention provides efficient and effective processes for recovering metals such as aluminum , magnesium and lithium from mixed waste sources such as auto shredder residue , aluminum cans , waste particles of aluminum alloy and municipal waste . the metal - waste source is dissolved in a more noble metal solvent at a temperature at which contaminants do not dissolve . the purified metal is then recovered from the solvent , preferably by electrorefining .

the present invention is drawn to a process that effectively and efficiently reclaims secondary aluminum from mixed waste sources . in this process , the aluminum is dissolved in a solvent and thereby separated from undesirable wastes present . the aluminum is then recovered from the solvent . in instances in which magnesium or lithium are present , these metals may also be recovered by the methods of the present invention . in one embodiment of the invention , the waste containing the secondary aluminum is dissolved in a zinc solvent at a temperature between about 500 ° c . and about 600 ° c . and the aluminum is recovered from the solvent by electrorefining . the secondary aluminum may be dissolved into the zinc solvent in any convenient dissolver apparatus within the temperature range . in a preferred embodiment , the dissolution of the aluminum , and magnesium or lithium where present , is conducted in a rotary furnace , indirectly heated on its shell . internal to the furnace is a spiral which acts in the same way as a cement truck in that , as the shell rotates in one direction , solids are moved forward and exit the front , while the liquid alloy passes through holes in the spiral . zinc solvent is fed to the inside of the shell . depleted aluminum alloy returned from an electrorefining cell may also be fed to the inside of the shell simultaneously with or in a similar manner to the zinc solvent . a feeder , such as a screw feeder , feeds the secondary metal / waste to the inside of the furnace . certain insoluble materials , such as silicon , will tend to float on the aluminum - zinc alloy . at the rear of the furnace there is a dross ladle which passes through the surface of the alloy and removes floating solids which are discharged to a conveyor on the rear center line . the pregnant alloy overflows a weir to a launder , which carries it to a temperature controlled holding vessel for transfer to the refining cells . the furnace , spiral , and drossing fixtures are all protected by suitable refractory coatings . the retention time for the aluminum - containing feed is a function of its thickness or massiveness . generally , one - half hour to about one hour will be a sufficient retention time to effectively dissolve the secondary aluminum present in the source materials . the heat needed for the endothermic dissolution of aluminum is preferably provided by the recycling alloy and by heat on the external surface of the shell . this heat may be provided by gas combustion , but the gas stream from the cooling of the refining cells may also be used as a heat source for the dissolution process . there are many suitable electrorefining apparatuses known in art that are suitable for recovering the aluminum dissolved in the solvent . in one embodiment of the invention , the refining cell in is a vertical configuration as illustrated in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 118 , 292 , which is incorporated herein by reference . this configuration is particularly desirable in instances when magnesium or lithium are present and must be removed from the zinc - aluminum alloy prior to the transfer of the bulk of the aluminum . more preferably , an electrorefining cell having a horizontal configuration is employed . in one embodiment , a graphite block is machined to provide channels in which the aluminum - zinc alloy ( typically having 40 wt % aluminum ) is flowed . this is connected to the cell anode . multiple weir are configured on the bottom of the channels causing the flow to be turbulent and bring fresh alloy to the depleting surface . ceramic woven cloths that function as a diaphragm are positioned in the channels . suitable woven ceramics for use in these cells include aluminum silicates , high alumina ceramic , zirconia and other ceramics . these ceramic cloths are fed molten salt from a down corner to provide a layer of salt in the cloth and below it . this provides a barrier to the liquid anodic alloy and the cathodic aluminum or aluminum - magnesium alloy . the salt is chosen to be lighter than the alloy but heavier than the pure aluminum . suitable salts include equimolar sodium chloride - aluminum chloride with magnesium chloride and sufficient barium chloride for the needed density . the salt is provided from a down spout to seep along the cloth , overflow a weir and be recycled or purified as needed . the top ridges of the channels are covered with a ceramic to provide support to the ceramic cloth diaphragm and to insulate the anode from the pure aluminum cathode . the depleted zinc solvent passes over a weir and out of the cell to be returned to the dissolver apparatus , or to further purification processing as required . the electrorefining cell may be divided into two zones . a first zone may refine out magnesium as an aluminum - magnesium master alloy . a 40 wt % aluminum - magnesium alloy is a very useful and valuable product and the refining may be ceased with the production of this alloy , if desired . the cathode is preferably a graphite block machined to provide cathodic leads into the aluminum cathode . as aluminum accumulates in this cathodic section , it overflows a weir and exits the cell . an argon blanket may be used to protect the top surface of the aluminum . by machining the top surface of the cathode into the anode configuration , a bipolar cell may be constructed and a stack of such bipolar units may be prepared for commercial operations . a high current density is preferably used for the electrorefining process . the current density is preferably in the range of about 500 amps per square foot to about 1500 amps per square foot at 0 . 5 to about 1 . 5 volts depending on the salt layer thickness prepared . at these high current densities , a great deal of heat is generated . in one embodiment , this heat is removed by holes drilled in the anodic section of the electrorefining cell below the level of the zinc and fitted with ceramic pipes . these pipes , in combination with air cooling can control the cell temperature . preferably , the pure aluminum is maintained at about 700 ° c ., but the zinc alloy is kept below about 600 ° c . this heat may be usefully transferred to and used in the dissolving stage . the cell is provided with a surrounding ceramic that is at salt level and extends up to the level of the cathodic aluminum and down to the zinc alloy level . this provides containment with shifting levels of the components . where very high purity aluminum is desired , a tin solvent may be substituted for the zinc . tin has a very low vapor pressure at aluminum melting temperatures . it may then be desirable to refine the aluminum a second time by taling aluminum refined from a zinc solvent and re - processing that aluminum using the processes of the present invention with a tin solvent . this second dissolution and refining from tin results in a much higher purity aluminum , but , because tin is more expensive and less efficient than zinc , this re - processing should be reserved for applications in which a very high purity aluminum is required . additional objects , advantages , and novel features of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following examples thereof , which are not intended to be limiting . to ascertain the effectiveness of dissolving secondary aluminum in zinc on a commercial scale ( as opposed to melting aluminum ), the yield of a large amount of dissolved secondary aluminum was measured . three tons of molten zinc solvent where placed in a die casting kettle and held at 525 ° c . three additions of shredded , delaquered used beverage cans totaling 1984 pounds were added to the zinc solvent . the average recoveries from these aluminum additions were aluminum 88 % and magnesium 98 %. drossiig lowered the manganese content nearly 50 % to about 0 . 8 %. this illustrates the high yields obtainable by dissolving secondary aluminum as opposed to melting , even with a very thin source of secondary aluminum . similar to example 1 above , the yield obtained by dissolving scrap aluminum alloys in zinc was tested by dissolving 1992 pounds of alloy 380 borings and shavings a three tons of molten zinc in three batches . the 380 alloy is nominally 92 % aluminum , 8 . 5 % silicon and 0 . 5 % manganese . despite the fineness of the feed materials , the recovery of aluminum in the three additions averaged about 92 %. drossing lowered the level of manganese combined with silicon to about 0 . 01 % and the silicon to about 1 . 35 %. this illustrates the high yields and purifications obtainable by the zinc dissolution system . the foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . furthermore , the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein . consequently , variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings , and the skill or knowledge of the relevant art , are within the scope of the present invention . the embodiment described hereinabove is further intended to explain the best mode known for practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such , or other , embodiments and with various modifications required by the particular applications or uses of the present invention . it is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art .

US-9439706-A

a coating material , in particular for high temperature applications , comprises a binding agent and at least one filler material , which can be deposited on a metal surface . for this , the binding agent contains at least one siloxane with an organic residual share of less than 25 weight %. it is preferable if the siloxane or siloxanes is cross - linked three and / or four times .

a coating material with the following components is produced as shown in the following : a . the amount of 10 . 89 g 1 % h 2 so 4 is added to 8 , 9 g ( 0 . 05 mol ) methyltriethoxysilane ( mteos ) and 10 . 40 g ( 0 . 05 mol ) tetraethoxysilane ( teos ), the mixture stirred for 1 h at room temperature ( rt ) at 700 rpm and then thinned down with 38 . 5 g isopropanol to obtain 10 % solid matter . the amount of 2 . 02 g carbon black fw200 is then added to the binding agent for the black coloring and the mixture dispersed for 10 min at stage 3 ( 16000 rpm ) into a homogenizer , e . g . the ultraturrax ®. b . the amount of 14 . 54 g 1 % h 2 so 4 is added to 20 . 80 g ( 0 . 1 mol ) tetraethoxysilane ( teos ), the mixture stirred for 1 h at room temperature ( rt ) at 700 rpm and then thinned down with 24 . 73 g isopropanol to obtain 10 % solid matter . the amount of 1 . 80 carbon black fw200 is then added to the binding agent for the black coloring and this mixture is dispersed for 10 min at stage 3 ( 16000 rpm ) into a homogenizer , e . g . the ultraturrax ®. c . the amount of 14 . 54 g 1 % h 2 so 4 is added to 20 . 80 g ( 0 . 1 mol ) tetraethoxysilane ( teos ), the mixture stirred for 1 h at room temperature ( rt ) at 700 rpm and then thinned down with 24 . 73 isopropanol to obtain 10 % solid matter . 1 g 10 % zircon acetate solution is added as catalyst . the amount of 1 . 80 carbon black fw200 is then added to the binding agent for the black coloring and this mixture dispersed for 10 min at stage 3 ( 16000 rpm ) into a homogenizer , e . g . the ultraturrax ®. d . the amount of 10 . 89 g 1 % h 2 so 4 is added to 17 . 80 g ( 0 . 1 mol ) methyltriethoxysilane ( teos ), the mixture stirred for 1 h at room temperature ( rt ) at 700 rpm and then thinned down with 24 . 73 isopropanol to obtain 10 % solid matter . 1 g 10 % zircon acetate solution is added as catalyst . the amount of 2 . 20 carbon black fw200 is then added to the binding agent for the black coloring and this mixture dispersed for 10 min at stage 3 ( 16000 rpm ) into a homogenizer , e . g . the ultraturrax ® the coating material obtained in this way is subsequently processed further . depending on the solid matter content , the material is applied to the object to be coated , e . g . a grill or cooking equipment , with the aid of a blade - roller or a pure roller . it is furthermore also possible to apply a coating by means of spraying , immersing , or other technique . with the above examples a ) and b ), a 10 mm blade is used for a 10 μm wet - film cover . with a solid density of 0 . 8 g / cm 3 ( ipa ) and 2 . 2 g / cm 3 for an amorphous sio 2 grid , a dry layer thickness of approximately 300 to 400 nm is obtained . the layer thickness can range between 100 nm and 5 μm and is preferably between 250 nm and 3 μm . the coating is preferably deposited on an aluminum foil , wherein the heat transfer is improved by the dark color pigments and the coated aluminum foil is particularly suitable for use as grill foil . it is possible to achieve excellent adherence of the coating to the aluminum foil in this way for the temperature range between 200 and 400 ° c ., as well as creasing resistance of the unit consisting of aluminum foil and coating . the aluminum foil , for example , has a thickness of approximately 12 μm while the coating thickness is 1 to 2 μm . thus , the unit consisting of aluminum foil and coating can be crumpled up without peeling of spalling of the coating . a grilling dish can furthermore be produced by deep - drawing the aluminum foil with coating , having an approximate thickness of 50 to 100 μm and preferably 80 μm . with an aluminum foil coated in this way , the coating does not separate off following a 2 hour cooking test . further tests have proven that the coating can be wiped down ( wet and dry ) and has a high - gloss surface . instead of on an aluminum foil , the coating material can also be used for other items in the food sector , such as cooking and grilling equipment , frying pans , pots , ceran ® panels , waffle irons , baking sheets , ovens , fryers . a particularly good nonstick coating , e . g . for pans , can be obtained in this way by adding teflon particles or fluoridation . a different area of application for this coating are structural components subjected to heat , such as machine parts , motors , rotors , gears , heat exchangers , heating components , reflectors , solar system components . the coating ensures a good heat transfer for these components as well . non - black filler materials can also be used for creating optional color with the coating . the present invention has created an emission - free , dark , flexible and deep - drawing surface coating that is resistant to high temperatures and absorbs radiated heat . the coating material is suitable for use in the food preparation area and can be used to coat metals , in particular metal foils , selected from aluminum , magnesium or ferrous alloys ( steel ). the coating material has a glass - type matrix that is organically flexible in the range of & lt ; 25 weight %, which presents no problem for the food preparation , is filled with dark ( preferably black ) pigments that are non - poisonous with respect to the food preparation and has a layer thickness of & lt ; 5 μm , in particular 0 . 4 μm to 2 μm . the binding agent is composed preferably of silanes with four hydrolizable groups and / or silanes with 3 hydrolizable groups and a methyl group . a pigment , preferably carbon black , is dispersed in the binding agent in a concentration of 5 - 50 weight %. no admixture of auxiliary agents for dispersing the pigments , as well as for the flow of the coating agent , is required in this case . with a metal foil coated in this way , preferably an aluminum foil , no odors or damaging gases are formed when it is heated . the metal foil in this case has a foil thickness of between 8 μm and 100 μm . the invention has been described in detail with respect to exemplary embodiments , and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art , that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects , and the invention , therefore , as defined in the appended claims , is intended to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit of the invention .

US-94722404-A

a feeder system for uniformly dispensing particulate raw batch material at a constant flow rate from a high temperature environment . a rotating , height adjustable disc is located below an outlet of a raw material hopper which gravity feeds particulate raw material to the disc surface . the raw material then falls off the disc edge at a constant rate as the disc rotates and is then caught by a receiving means which transports the raw material to a processing area outside of the high - temperature zone . the amount of a given material dispensed depends on the separation distance between the disc and the hopper , the speed of rotation of the disc , and the diameter of the disc surface . means for rotating the disc , as well as means for adjusting the separation between the disc and the hopper are provided outside of the high temperature environment and are adapted for use in vacuum systems , especially in conjunction with a furnace apparatus for growing crystals from a melt .

the present invention is a particulate raw material feeder apparatus for use in high temperature systems when the raw material is to be transported outside of the high temperature area for processing . it allows bearing members between movable parts to be located outside the high temperature zone and consequently allows a longer useful life of the feeder and the use of less expensive materials outside the hot zone in its fabrication . the feeder system is also designed for accurate , steady flow rates of raw materials to the processing area and is especially designed for vacuum system use . in an apparatus for growing single crystals from the melt , the purity of the raw material is critical . therefore , the whole system is held under an air - evacuated atmosphere to prevent raw material particles from absorbing vaporous impurities . the temperature of the raw material is also raised considerably to aid in removing impurities and also to provide a smaller difference in temperature between the melt and the replenishing particulate raw material so that smaller thermal gradients will be produced when the material is fed to the melt . in fig1 a feeder mechanism of the present invention for delivering raw material to a crystal growing apparatus is shown . the preheat furnace 4 is shown as a closed cylindrical structure with electrical furnace elements 6 , which would be conventionally attached to energizing means ( not shown ), and a water - cooled bottom plate 5 having a circular hole 15 centered about the longitudinal axis of the furnace cylinder . conventional thin refractory metal heat shields 13 are provided along the bottom of the furnace to reduce radiation losses through the bottom hold and conventional refractory furnace muffle 14 is provided to reduce heat losses through the furnace sidewalls . the actual feeder mechanism is partially contained within the preheat furnace 4 and is fabricated from materials which can withstand the operating temperatures , such as the refractory metals , molybdenum , tungsten or platinum . the raw material hopper 2 is filled with raw material 1 and is supported by support rods 7 fixed to the furnace bottom 5 . the hopper is substantially centered in the furnace and has an outlet opening 3 disposed substantially axially with the furnace longitudinal axis . a funnel 11 having a downwardly extending conduit 12 is positioned axially with the outlet opening and is adapted to receive raw material discharged from the hopper . the conduit 12 extends through a hole in the heat shields 13 and out of the preheat furnace through the bottom hole 15 . the conduit either itself extends to the crystal growing furnace or a tubular extension may be fixed thereto to extend to the crystal growing furnace . a disc shaped metering means or disc 9 may be fixed directly to the funnel 11 or may be fixed to a disc support 8 which is then secured to the funnel by means of a mounting bolt 10 . in either case , the disc is disposed concentrically with the funnel 11 and the outlet opening 3 and the distance between the outlet opening and the disc is experimentally determined for the particular raw material 1 . the disc 9 preferably has a surface area larger than the area of the outlet opening for best operation of the feeder . it has been found that the spacing of the disc from the outlet opening , the size of the disc ( for given outlet opening ), and the speed of rotation of the disc affect the flow rate of the particular raw material . the funnel 11 and the disc 9 are rotated by the action of a rotation means 20 on the conduit 12 . the rotation means is in a relatively cool region of the system between the preheat furnace 4 and the crystal growing furnace 39 ( represented schematically as a box for simplicity in fig1 ). the funnel rotation means 20 is separated from the bottom plate 5 of the raw material preheat furnace 4 by a longitudinally extendable upper bellows 21 and is separated from the crystal growing furnace 39 by a longitudinally extendable lower bellows 22 ; the entire assembly between the preheat furnace 4 and the crystal growing furnace 39 being made gas tight with appropriate placement , as will be understood in the art , of metal or elastomer sealing rings between the preheat furnace 4 , upper bellows 21 , funnel rotation means 20 , lower bellows 22 and crystal growing furnace 39 . many of the parts below the preheat furnace , and especially the bellows , may advantageously be made of a stainless steel . in fig2 the cross - sectional view of the funnel rotation means 20 is enlarged along with the bellows 21 and 22 and includes a sleeve portion 24 surrounding the funnel conduit 12 and fixed , for example with set screws , in relation thereto for rotation therewith . the sleeve portion 24 has outwardly extending shoulders adapted to receive and hold a ring - shaped inner magnet 25 for rotation with the sleeve 24 and the conduit . the sleeve comprises two cylindrical pieces for ease of assembly with the conduit and the magnet . the magnet is preferably a ceramic sleeve type permanent magnet such as may be obtained from stackpole carbon co . under the trademark ceramagnet , in which multiple magnetic poles extending axially and parallel are magnetized on the outer surface of the magnet . sleeve portion 24 , at its upper and lower ends respectively , bears on the edges of the inner races of ball bearings 26 and 27 , and rotates in conjunction with such races . the outer races of ball bearings 26 and 27 are fixed , at their upper and lower edges respectively , in relation to bearing collars 35 and 36 , each extending around the outside circumference of its respective race . bearing collar 35 is additionally fixed to and supported by the internal upper surface of upper flange 28 of the rotational means which in turn joins and seals the upper bellows 21 . bearing collar 36 is fixed to lower flange 29 of the rotational means which joins and seals the lower bellows 22 . cylinder wall 30 is sealably fixed to and extends between the upper flange 28 and the lower flange 29 and houses the rotatable sleeve portion 24 , inner magnet 25 , bearings 26 and 27 , and bearing collars 35 and 36 . the cylinder wall is preferably in a closely spaced apart relation with the inner magnet . the joints between opposing surfaces and flanges of the bellows and rotation means are made gas tight with the appropriate placement of elastomer o - ring seals 33 . an outer ring - shaped magnet 32 similar to the inner magnet but having its inside surface magnetized , surrounds the external surface of the cylinder wall 30 in a radially outward position from or at about the same height as the inner annular magnet 25 . the outer magnet is rotatably mounted in a closely spaced apart relation with the cylinder wall by a bearing 31 with an internal annular recess adapted to accept the outer magnet . as shown in fig1 the magnet may be rotated by any convenient means , for example , by means of an electric motor 42 and a belt and pulley system such that pulley 40 surrounding the bearing 31 is driven by a smaller pulley 41 fixed to the motor shaft . the inner races of bearing 31 are fixed with respect to the cylinder wall and positioned by the upper flange 28 on the bearing upper end and by a retaining ring 37 on the bearing lower end . again referring to fig1 the funnel rotation means is also height adjustable to raise or lower the funnel 11 and the disc 9 in the preheat furnace and thereby increase or decrease the spacing between the disc and the raw material hopper outlet opening 3 . the height adjustment means as shown in fig1 includes the upper and lower bellows and a threaded rod 23 which extends from the preheat furnace side of the upper bellows through a hole in the lower flange 29 and to the crystal growing furnace side of the lower bellows . the lower flange 29 is slideable upward or downward on the threaded rod thereby raising or lowering the whole funnel rotation means as one bellows extends and the other contracts . the position of the lower flange is then held stationary during use by means of lock nuts 38 tightened above and below the lower flange . the lower bellows 22 is sealed to the crystal growing furnace 39 in an advantageous position which allows the funnel conduit 12 to extend directly to the crucible or preferably to deposit the raw material into a second funnel means ( not shown ) within the crystal furnace which then directs the raw material to the crucible . the latter arrangement allows the funnel assembly of the present invention to be raised and lowered slightly without affecting the ultimate position of delivery of the raw material to the crucible by the independent second funnel . the feeder mechanism shown in fig3 is an alternative design for the feeder of fig1 . fig3 shows a breakaway of the bottom plate of the furnace assembly shown in fig1 in combination with the alternative feeder and with consistent reference numbering to fig1 showing the hopper 2 , hopper outlet opening 3 , metering means 9 , disc support 8 , funnel 11 , funnel conduit 12 , furnace bottom 5 , furnace bottom hole 15 , upper bellows 21 , upper flange 28 , rotation means 20 , retaining ring 37 , pulleys 40 and 41 , and motor 42 . in addition , fig3 shows the adaptations made to accommodate the alternative design in which the funnel for collecting and transporting particulate material to the crucible is stationary and the metering means is fixed to and rotated with a solid rod 50 extending from the bottom of the metering means , through an opening in the sidewall of the funnel and into the rotation means 20 . since the solid rod 50 being rotated by the rotation means does not need to extend to the crystal furnace , the lower flange 29 of the apparatus of fig1 has been replaced by a solid plate 51 which seals the above apparatus and is supported by appropriate means . the funnel conduit extends through a gas - tight seal in a second opening in the furnace bottom . a flexible hose member may be joined to the funnel conduit outside of the pre - heat furnace and may extend and carry the particulate material to the crystal growing furnace . the present feeder design provides a very constant method of delivering particulate material . in addition , the rate of delivery is closely controllable and adaptable to changes in particle size of the raw material . the rate of delivery has been experimentally found using a prototype of the fig1 feeder consisting of the hopper , disc , funnel and bearings . the rate has been determined for various speeds of disc rotation , sizes of disc and spacing between the disc and the hopper outlet opening , to show the degree of control the operator has over the delivery of the material . in fig4 the results of the experimentation are graphically displayed . the curves represent the rates of delivery in grams per minute for various speeds ( revolutions per minute ) of rotation of the disc . the size of the disc and spacing of the disc from the outlet opening are shown below . the inside diameter of the hopper outlet opening was 1 1 / 16 inches ( 2 . 7 cm ). ______________________________________ disc diameter spacing between disc ( centimeters ) and outlet ( centimeters ) ______________________________________curve a 3 . 81 0 . 715curve b 3 . 81 0 . 556curve c 4 . 44 0 . 715curve d 4 . 44 0 . 556curve e 4 . 44 0 . 556______________________________________ the material used in producing curves a - d was a crushed boule of polycrystalline alpha - alumina with a particle size of about - 8 + 20 tyler mesh . the material used in generating curve e was a sintered alpha - alumina product with substantially spherical particles and a size of about - 8 + 20 tyler mesh . the results show that accurate control over the raw material feed rate can be realized by controlling the speed of rotation , disc size and disc spacing .

US-53704274-A

an axial flow turbomachine has at least one circumferential row of aerofoil members in which at least one of the two end walls between successive blades is given a non - axisymmetric profile to modify the boundary layer flow at the wall . in one form of the profile , a convex region adjacent each member pressure surface and a complementary concave region adjacent each member suction surface extend over at least a major part of the blade chord lengths to reduce the transverse pressure gradient and thereby reduce vortical energy losses . in another form of the profile , at least one end wall has complementary convex and concave regions extending through the zone of the trailing edges of the members on the suction end pressure surface sides respectively of each member , thereby to reduce over turning of the flow . both forms of profiling can be employed in combination .

the invention will now be further described by way of example , firstly with reference to the embodiment of fig2 to 8 of the drawings . the gas turbine 10 of fig2 is one example of a turbomachine in which the invention can be employed . it is of generally conventional configuration , comprising an air intake 11 , ducted fan 12 , intermediate and high pressure compressors 13 , 14 respectively , combustion chambers 15 , high medium and low pressure turbines 16 , 17 , 18 respectively , rotating independently of each other and an exhaust nozzle 19 . the intermediate and high pressure compressors 13 , 14 are each made up of a number of stages each formed by a row of fixed guide vanes 20 projecting radially inwards from the casing 21 into the annular gas passage through the compressor and a following row of compressor blades 22 projecting radially outwards from rotary drums coupled to the hubs of the high and medium pressure turbines 16 , 17 respectively . the turbines similarly have stages formed by a row of fixed guide vanes 23 projecting radially inwards from the casing 21 into the annular gas passages through the turbine and a row of turbine blades 24 projecting outwards from a rotary hub . the high and medium pressure turbines 16 , 17 are single stage units . the low pressure turbine 18 is a multiple stage unit and its hub is coupled to the ducted fan 12 . fig3 to 8 show fragmentarily one of the turbine blade rows 24 . each blade 29 comprises an aerofoil member 30 , a sectoral platform 31 at the radially inner end of the member , and a root 32 for fixing the blade to its hub . the platforms 31 of the blades abut along rectilinear faces ( not shown ) to form an essentially continuous inner end wall 33 of the turbine annular gas passage which is divided by the blades into a series of sectoral passages 36 . the aerofoil members 30 have a typical cambered aerofoil section with a convex suction surface 34 and a concave pressure surface 35 . fig3 indicates mid - camber lines 37 of adjacent sectoral passages , equidistant from the camber lines of the pairs of aerofoil members 30 bounding the passages . in the example illustrated , at the leading edges 38 of the platforms 31 the inner wall is axisymmetrical , ie . having a circular cross - section . further rearwards , the platforms are smoothly profiled to give the end wall 33 an elongate radial depression or trough 40 between the mid - camber line 37 and the suction surface 34 of each blade and an elongate radial projection or hump 41 between the mid - camber line 37 and the pressure surface 35 of each blade . both the trough 40 and the hump 41 begin a short distance rearwards of the leading edges 42 of the blades and have their maxima in the front half chord length of the blades . they blend with an axisymmetric rear region of the end wall 33 through portions of reverse curvature 43 , 44 , near the trailing edges of the blades , as can be seen in fig7 and 8 . in transverse cross - section , as shown by fig6 the troughs 40 and humps 41 give the end wall 33 an undulating cross - sectional profile 45 which , at any axial station , is circumferentially periodic in phase with the blade pitch , and in which profile the areas of the troughs and the humps essentially balance each other . a concave part of the profile extends from the base of the aerofoil member at its suction surface and a convex part of the profile extends from the base at the pressure surface . preferably , the concave profile meets the blade surface at an obtuse angle . the effect of each hump 41 is to generate a local acceleration of the fluid flow , with an accompanying decrease in static pressure adjacent to the pressure side of the passage . this acts counter to the effect of the adjacent concave pressure surface which generates a local diffusion of the flow and increase of static pressure . similarly , each trough 40 gives rise to a local increase of static pressure adjacent to the suction side of the passage acting counter to the local pressure decrease generated by the convex suction surface . by influencing the local pressures with the profiling described , the over turning of the inlet boundary layer , ie . the cross - flow a of fig1 and thus its rolling up into the passage vortex , is delayed . this leads to a reduction of the velocities of the over turned end wall boundary flows both at the inlet ( cross - flow a ) and in the new boundary layer formed further downstream ( cross - flow b ) so lowering the secondary kinetic energy of the passage vortex and the associated energy loss . the reduced secondary kinetic energy of the passage vortex and its delayed development also result in reduced secondary flow deviations in the passage flow . in addition , further control of the end wall boundary layer parameters becomes possible , including skin friction coefficient and surface heat transfer . experimental test results have indicated that significant reductions can be achieved in the loss coefficient ( cpo ), the secondary flow deviations , as measured by the exit angle , and the secondary kinetic energy loss . in the embodiment of fig9 to 13 , as in the preceding example , portions of a turbine blade row of the gas turbine 10 are shown and parts corresponding to those already described are indicated by the same reference numbers . the individual blades 29 have roots 32 for fixing to a rotor hub and the aerofoil members 30 of the blades have a typical cambered section with a convex suction surface 34 and a concave pressure surface 35 . at the base of each aerofoil member the blade has an integral platform 31 , the inner end wall 33 of the annular gas passage through the blade row being formed by the abutting platforms of the blades . the annular gas passage is divided by the blades into a series of sectoral passages 36 . the lines x — x and y — y in fig1 over the axial length of the blade row , lie mid - way between the surfaces of the blade shown and the mid - passage lines to each side of it , which are themselves the mean camber lines 37 of two adjacent blades of the row . as in the first embodiment , the inner end wall 33 of each sectoral passage is given a non - axisymmetric profile . in this instance the end wall profiling is intended to achieve a reduction in the over - turning of the exit flow from the end wall and is located in the region of the trailing edges of the blades . on the suction surface side of the sectoral passage , from the mid - camber line 37 the end wall has an elongate radial projection or hump 50 , while on the pressure surface side of the passage from the mid - camber line 37 , the end wall has an elongate radial depression or trough 51 . these projections and depressions are preferably complementary , ie . they leave the cross - sectional areas of the sectoral passages essentially unchanged . in the illustrated example , the maximum height of the hump and the maximum depth of the trough is approximately at the blade trailing edge 52 , but these maximum amplitudes can occur within 15 % of the blade chord to either side of the trailing edge . the maxima also are in regions of minimum radius of curvature , forwards and rearwards of which the profiling is more gently blended into the main profile of the end wall 33 . as fig1 shows in transverse cross - section at the trailing edge plane , the humps 50 and troughs 51 have a smoothly curved profile 54 and their maxima are at a small spacing from the adjacent blade surfaces . thus , the hump or projection close to the suction surface 35 has a decreasing height as it approaches the blade , so that the surfaces meet at an acute angle . conversely , at the pressure surface 34 the blade and trough surfaces meet at an obtuse angle . the effect of the humps 50 and troughs 51 is to raise the local static pressure on the pressure side of each sectoral passage at the trailing edge and lower it on the suction side , thereby urging flow to move round the blade trailing edge from pressure to suction side . in conjunction with the small corner vortex ( see the takeishi model in fig1 ) this flow opposes the over turned end wall boundary layer and reduces the degree of over turning . as a result , the circumferentially averaged secondary flow deviation at the end wall exit region is reduced . it is also possible to achieve better control of such end wall boundary layer parameters as skin friction coefficient and surface heat transfer . the effects of the profiling in this second example also tend to increase aerodynamic loss in the aerofoil member row , but this can be accepted if it is sufficiently outweighed by the improved flow conditions that are obtained in the following row from reduction of the over turning . it has to be mentioned also that the contouring tends to increase pressure variation circumferentially at the exit from the row , so a greater pressure must be maintained between the rotor disc and following row of stator vanes to control leakage , but in appropriate circumstances an overall efficiency gain can be achieved . although both the examples described above refer only to profiling of the inner end walls of the sectoral passages in a turbine blade row , it will be understood that if a co - rotating outer end wall of the row is provided by a circumferential shroud continuous with the outer tips of the aerofoil members , that outer wall can be similarly profiled . this is illustrated in fig6 where a shroud 58 provides an outer end wall 59 , with profiling comprising outwardly directed depressions or troughs 60 adjacent the aerofoil suction surfaces and inwardly directed projections or humps 61 adjacent the aerofoil pressure surfaces . the shroud 58 can be constructed in known manner from a series of abutting sectoral elements that are integral with individual or groups of blades of the row . it is of course also possible within the scope of the invention to provide a row of aerofoil members with a profiled outer end wall and an axisymmetric inner end wall . it will be further apparent that the end wall profiling in accordance with the invention can be applied to the rows of blades 22 of the compressors 13 , 14 of the gas turbine in the same manner as for the turbine blade rows illustrated , and similarly to the static rows of compressor guide vanes 20 or turbine guide vanes 23 . the illustrated examples can also be seen as instances of these further possibilities . as will be understood , differences in the aerodynamic duty in each case will determine the form and extent of the profiling . thus the axial flow onto a turbine entry guide vane row will require the cross - flow reduction profiling exemplified in the embodiment of fig3 - 8 to be positioned at least mainly in the rear half of the blade chords , whereas the angled entry flows further downstream will require the profiling to be positioned further forwards . it will also be understood that the two embodiments shown with reference to fig3 - 8 and fig9 - 13 respectively can give complementary benefits and it is possible to use both forms of profiling according to the invention in combination , although for clarity of illustration this has not been shown .

US-42561599-A

a safety lock for a clamp closing a therapeutic fluid conduit , the clamp comprising a clamping end and a locking end which wrap around a fluid conduit receiving space wherein , when in a clamped position , the locking end mates with the clamping end to maintain a clamping projection in the fluid conduit receiving space , the lock comprising a first attachment at a first end thereof , the first attachment being sized and shaped to receive therein a portion of the clamping end , the first attachment abutting the clamping projection to define a maximum travel of the lock along the clamping end toward the locking end and a second attachment at a second end thereof preventing the locking end from moving away from the clamping end .

the present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and to the appended drawings , wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals . the present invention relates to devices for closing the proximal ends of catheters and other medical tubes to prevent leaks and contamination by external materials . the exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a safety clamp lock which assures that a clamp on the end of the catheter or other medical conduit remains closed despite forces applied accidentally thereto during normal patient activity . many catheters have an end cap to prevent a catheter from completely opening when a clamp is accidentally opened . however , these caps are often insufficient to completely isolate the catheter . the safety lock according to the invention prevents the clamp from opening in the first place unless the safety lock has first been disengaged . the exemplary safety lock may be added to a clamp without modifying the clamp itself , thus making it useful for enhancing the utility of a wide range of existing devices . in addition , the safety lock according to embodiments of the invention comprises at least one display area on which information may be displayed for presentation to a user . for example , a planar display area may be provided on which information may be printed or otherwise displayed . printed , etched or molded writing , symbols , drawings , etc . may be applied to the display regions of the safety lock . the display regions are preferably oriented so that , when in place on a catheter , they are visible to a person operating the clamp and the safety lock . as shown in fig1 , 2 and 3 , a safety lock 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention is ergonomically shaped to facilitate grasping by a user for placement on a clamp to lock the clamp so that it can not be opened while the lock 100 is attached thereto as shown in fig4 and 5 . it is not necessary to modify the conventional clamp in any way to use the safety lock 100 , thus increasing its usefulness . the safety lock 100 comprises an attachment band 102 connected by a body 110 to a engagement face 106 extending therefrom . the attachment band 102 forms a first attachment point to the clamp 150 and has dimensions sufficient to allow a locking end 152 of the clamp 150 to be inserted therethrough until the lock 100 is in place . for example , the locking end 152 is threaded through the attachment band 102 , until a clamping protrusion 156 abuts the attachment band 102 . as would be understood by those skilled in the art , the locking end 152 is designed to engage a clamping end 154 to retain the clamp 150 in a closed configuration over a catheter or other medical conduit which extends through an opening 160 with the clamping protrusion 156 locking the locking end 152 in the closed position . in this position , the attachment band 102 is captured by the clamp 150 preventing removal of the safety lock 100 therefrom . the engagement face 106 of the safety lock 100 limits movement of the locking end 152 when the safety lock 100 is attached to the clamp 150 . it also provides a second attachment point of the lock 100 to the clamp 150 . more specifically , the engagement face 106 prevents the locking end 152 from moving away from the clamping end 154 preventing disengagement of the locking end 152 form the clamping end 154 while the lock 100 remains in place . the engagement face 106 comprises a protrusion 120 that reaches into the clamp 150 and extends into the slot 158 , to secure the position of the safety lock 100 . a raised area 108 projects from an end of the protrusion 120 to engage an edge of the slot 158 . as this raised area 108 slides over the edge of the slot 158 , the user receives tactile feedback providing an alert that the safety lock 100 is in the locked position over the clamp 150 ( i . e ., to the left in fig4 ). in the locked position as shown in fig6 , the lock 100 covers outer surfaces of the locking end 152 and the clamping end 154 deflecting items which might otherwise engage the end of the locking end 152 out of engagement with the clamping end 154 . in one embodiment of the invention as shown in fig1 , the lock 262 is biased so that , when in the locking position , a force is applied between the attachment band 264 and the engagement mechanism 268 drawing the locking end 152 toward the clamping end 154 . alternatively , as would be understood by those skilled in the art , the bias of the lock 262 may be selected to resist flexing of the lock 100 away from the locking position . in the locking position shown in fig6 , the protrusion 120 engages the slot 158 preventing the engagement face 106 from being rotated counterclockwise as seen in fig7 to expose the locking and clamping ends 152 , 154 , respectively . the body 110 comprises planar surfaces and rounded profiles arranged to follow contours of the clamp 150 with an inner surface of the body 110 contoured to lie generally along an outer surface of the clamping protrusion 156 when the safety lock 100 is in the locked position over the clamp 150 while the engagement face 106 lies over and covers the portion of the lock extending from the locking end 152 to the slot 158 . the body 110 also comprises geometrical features that facilitate disengaging the lock 100 including , for example , a step 122 providing an abutment surface on the body 110 which a user may engage to push the safety lock 100 ( to the right in fig6 and 7 ) while pushing the engagement face 106 away from the locking end 152 to disengage the raised area 108 . this releases the protrusion 120 from the slot 158 allowing the attachment band 102 to move toward the clamping end 156 until the protrusion 120 clears the slot 158 . at this point , the lock 100 is disengaged and the clamp 150 may be opened in the usual manner by pushing the locking end 152 radially outward allowing the locking end 152 to spring free from the clamping end 154 as shown in fig7 . an additional feature of the body 110 may be used to assist in opening the clamp 150 when desired while disengaging the safety lock 100 . in the exemplary embodiment , a second step 124 may be formed on the underside of the body 110 which , when engaged on a clamp , faces an upper surface of the clamping end 154 abutting the locking end 152 . when the user desires to open the clamp 150 , a force is applied to the step 122 to slide the safety lock 100 toward the locking end 152 ( to the right in fig6 ). as the body 110 moves in this direction , the second step 124 abuts the locking end 152 pushing it away from the clamping end 154 , helping to disengage the two components . the motion also disengages the safety lock 100 from the clamp 150 , as described above . fig4 shows the safety lock 100 coupled to the clamp 150 in a disengaged position while the clamp 150 is closed and fig6 shows the safety lock 100 fully engaged on the closed clamp 150 while fig7 shows the lock 100 in the disengaged position while the clamp 150 is open . as shown in the exemplary embodiment of fig6 and described above , the engaged safety lock 100 is retained on the clamp 150 by the attachment band 102 and by the protrusion 120 which is received within the slot 158 . in this configuration , the edge 104 presses inward on or is against the clamping end 154 , while the engagement face 106 presses the locking end 152 toward the clamping end 154 keeping the clamping and locking ends 154 , 152 , respectively , of the clamp 150 engaged with one another . alternatively , once locked in place on a clamp 150 , the lock 100 may be configured so that it cannot be unlocked until a failure point of its structure is severed through the application of a predetermined force . the protrusion 108 may , for example , be in the shape of a barb that will slide in the slot 158 but which cannot be easily removed without deforming the barb . alternatively as shown in fig1 . features 268 may be formed in the shape of a barb so that once the features 268 engage the feature 152 of the clamp 150 the force required to disengage the features 268 therefrom will deform and render unusable the features 268 on the safety lock 262 , indicating that the clamp 150 may have been opened . after the safety lock 100 has been translated to the right into the disengaged position , the clamp 150 may be opened in the usual manner as shown in fig7 and the safety lock 100 may then be removed from the clamp 150 . as described above , the opening of the clamp may be made simultaneous with the opening of the lock 100 because , as the lock 100 is moved toward the locking end 152 , the protrusion 120 is freed from the slot 158 and the second step 124 displacing the engagement face 106 from the locking end 152 and releasing the locking end 152 from the clamping end 154 . in this position only the attachment band 102 retains the safety lock 100 on the clamp 150 and the lock 100 may be removed from the clamp 150 by threading the locking end 152 out of the attachment band 102 in an action reverse that used to engage the two components . the safety lock 100 is preferably provided with several flat surfaces that may be advantageously used to display graphical information . in the exemplary embodiment , the safety lock 100 comprises two substantially planar display surfaces 112 , 114 formed on the body 110 . the display surfaces 112 and 114 form a printable area of the safety lock 100 , such that graphical information may be printed , etched molded or applied thereon . the graphical information may include , for example , written instructions , warnings , diagrams , drawings , color coding and any other information . according to the invention , various modifications may be carried out on the safety lock to address specific needs . for example , as shown in fig8 , additional printable areas may be provided on the safety lock 200 . in this embodiment , two display surfaces 202 , 204 corresponding to the display surfaces 112 , 114 if the lock 100 are arranged on the body 210 of the lock 200 and are supplemented by additional display surfaces 206 , 208 oriented along a plane different than that of the display surfaces 202 , 204 , so that they are visible from different angles . for example , fig9 shows a safety lock 220 comprising a body 222 having two substantially planar portions 228 , 230 joined by a substantially straight segment 232 rather than the curved segment of previously described embodiments . this embodiment may be easier and less expensive to manufacture , among other advantages . for example , the section 232 may be used to display additional communications and / or may act as a spring device maintaining the protrusion 120 engaged with the slot 158 . the exemplary embodiment shown in fig9 retains the edge 224 and the second step 226 , which in this case ramps gradually away from the portion 230 at an obtuse angle . as shown in fig1 , a lock 240 according to a further exemplary embodiment may be attached to a clamp after the tubing ( such as a catheter body ) has been placed therethrough . for example , a first end of the safety lock 240 may be connected to a first end the clamp by an engagement face 244 with a protrusion 246 which is received within a slot of the locking end of a clamp , as described above . on the opposite end , the attachment band 102 of the previous embodiments is replaced by a pair of legs 248 with protrusions 250 extending laterally inward therefrom to engage edges of the clamp . the legs 248 and the protrusions 250 allow the lock 240 to be snapped in place over the clamp without having to thread the clamp through a slot as with the attachment band 102 . thus , the lock 240 may be put in place on a clamp which has already been closed around a conduit . as shown in fig1 , a lock 260 according to a further embodiment of the invention includes an alternative mechanism for attaching to the locking end 152 of a clamp 150 . the lock 260 includes an attachment band 264 similar to that in the above described embodiments at a first end of a body 262 thereof . the second end of the body 262 includes attachment members 268 extending therefrom for gripping around the locking end of the clamp in a manner similar to the manner in which the legs 248 and the protrusions 250 of the lock 240 grip the clamping end of the clamp . the attachment members may , for example , comprise snaps or detents which pass around the sides of the locking end and lock the lock 240 thereto . if barbs are used , the lock 260 would better keep the clamp closed . if detents are used , the lock 260 would enhance the clamp &# 39 ; s ability to remain closed . a feature 268 formed in the shape of a barb may be more easily engaged with the feature 152 of clamp 150 but requires increased force to be disengaged therefrom . if feature 268 is of a rounded shape ( detent ) the same force would be used to engage and disengage feature 268 to feature 152 of clamp 150 . those skilled in the art will understand that an alternative lock design may employ a first end including legs and protrusions similar to the legs 248 and the protrusions 250 of the lock 240 with a second end as shown in the embodiment of fig1 . the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments . those skilled in the art will understand that changes may be made in details , particularly in matters of shape , size , material and arrangement of parts . accordingly , various modifications and changes may be made to the embodiments . the specifications and drawings are , therefore , to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense .

US-19465608-A

the invention provides a back up power supply for avionics equipment that can be installed in existing avionics equipment trays without having to rewire the aircraft . according to a preferred embodiment of the invention ), the power supply / cvr combination is retrofit in an existing cvr rack . the power supply is modular ; removable / replaceable ; and is “ independent ” relative to the main aircraft power source and wiring . the modular power supply is designed to fit into a conventional cvr tray ; and the modular power supply is designed to accept an existing cvr . according to a preferred embodiment , the power supply is “ plug compatible ” with the existing electrical connector in the cvr tray and includes circuitry which allows both the power supply and cvr to be tested using the existing cvr test button in the cockpit ; and to report faults from either unit using existing aircraft wiring . the power supply includes circuitry which automatically electrically disconnects it from the cvr and exposed pins when the power supply is removed from the cvr tray .

referring now to fig1 through 3 , a prior art cvr tray 10 is shown . the tray 10 is supported by four non - conductive vibration isolators 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 and is electrically grounded by a corresponding four grounding straps 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 . as seen best in fig3 the tray 10 has a pair of spaced apart parallel rails 28 , 30 upon which a cvr is to be received and slid toward the back of the tray 10 where a male electrical connector 32 electrically couples with a female electrical connector in the cvr . in order to assure proper alignment between the connectors , a pair of tapered alignment rods 34 , 36 as well as a pair of upstanding side supports 38 , 40 are provided adjacent to the end of the rails 28 , 30 . a pair of locking nuts 42 , 44 are provided at the end of the rails 28 , 30 opposite the electrical connector 32 . these will secure the cvr in place as shown in prior art fig4 - 6 . each of the locking nuts , e . g . 42 , has a threaded member 42 a , coupled to the tray by a pivot pin 42 b and having an end stop 42 c . on the threaded member 42 a are a sliding collar 42 d with an undercut ( not shown ) and a wing nut 42 e . the standard (“ conventional ”) avionics rack shown in fig1 - 3 has a width of 5 . 38 inches , a length of 12 . 41 inches and a height of 7 . 62 inches . turning now to fig4 - 6 , a prior art cvr 50 is shown installed in the tray 10 . the standard (“ conventional ”) cvr shown in fig4 - 6 is 4 . 88 inches wide and fits within tray 10 . the cvr 50 has a gripping handle 52 , a bracket 54 for a pinger ( not shown ), a pair of l - shaped brackets 56 , 58 , and a covered headset connector 60 . the cvr 50 is installed by sliding it on the rails ( 28 , 30 in fig1 - 3 ) until two holes in the rear ( not shown ) of the cvr engage the tapered alignment rods ( 34 , 36 in fig1 - 3 ) and the female electrical connector ( not shown ) in the rear of the cvr couples with the male electrical connector ( 32 in fig1 and 3 ). the remaining components depicted in fig4 - 6 , identified by reference numerals 12 , 14 , 16 , 20 ., 22 , 24 , 38 and 40 , are identical to the corresponding numbered components referred to and described hereinbefore with reference to fig1 - 3 . after the cvr is in position , the two locking nuts 42 , 44 are used to secure it to the tray . in particular , the wing nuts are rotated until they hit the stops and the collars are pulled back against the wing nuts , the pivoting threaded member is lifted and the collars are slid over the l - shaped brackets 56 , 58 . the wing nuts are then tightened . as mentioned above , the independent power supply of the invention is designed to fit into the existing cvr tray shown in prior art fig1 - 6 . turning now to fig7 - 10 , the independent power supply 100 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention preferably has a footprint which is substantially the same as the existing cvr ( 50 in fig4 - 6 ). this again is a preferred design for the power supply set forth for illustrative purposes only ; but is not required to practice the invention per se . for example , a power supply with a footprint of one half the size of a conventional cvr may be combined with a reduced size cvr that when combined with the power supply has approximately the footprint of and occupies approximately the same space as a conventional cvr . this and many other variants of the invention designed to fit the cvr and power supply combination within approximately the same space as a conventional cvr ( in an existing rack ), all come within th scope and spirit of the invention . reference should now be made to fig9 to best see one example of how the rear end of independent power supply 100 can be designed to couple with an existing connector ( like connector 32 of fig3 shown in a prior art tray ). in particular , as best seen in fig9 the rear end of independent power supply 100 has a pair of holes 102 , 104 adjacent to a female electrical connector 106 , all three of which are configured to interface with an existing tray in the same manner as an existing cvr . similarly , as seen best in fig8 and 10 , the front end of the independent power supply 100 has two l - shaped brackets 108 , 110 which are configured to act in the same manner as the l - shaped brackets of the existing cvr . the remainder of the independent power supply 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a generally l - shaped chassis 112 within which various circuits ( described below ) are contained including a means for storing a charge , for example , a capacitor or battery ( not shown ) which is the power source for the independent power supply 100 and means for shutting off the power supply after a predetermined period , e . g ., 10 minutes . a male electrical connector 114 with a plurality of keying guides 116 is mounted on the interior of the upstanding rear wall 118 of the chassis 112 . this connector mirrors connector 32 that the cvr would normally “ see ” being placed into a conventional tray . a pair of parallel guiding rails 120 , 122 extend from the rear wall 118 defining a platform for receiving a cvr according to a preferred embodiment of the invention , as will be described hereinafter with reference to fig1 - 13 . a pair of ratchet nuts 124 , 126 are hingedly coupled by pivot pins 128 , 130 adjacent to the front ends of the respective guiding rails 120 , 122 . turning now to fig1 - 13 , the independent power supply 100 of the invention fits into the existing cvr tray 10 as described above and as shown in these figures . more particularly , the chassis 112 lies between the rails 28 , 30 . the guide holes 102 , 104 ( fig9 ) are engaged by the tapered guide rods 34 , 36 ; and the male connector 32 ( fig1 and 3 ) is coupled to the female connector 106 ( fig9 ). the lock nuts 42 , 44 are secured over the l - shaped brackets 108 , 110 . the remaining components depicted in fig1 - 13 , identified by reference numerals 12 , 14 , 16 , 20 , 22 , 24 , 28 , 30 , 38 , 114 and 116 , are identical to the corresponding numbered components referred to and described hereinbefore with reference to fig1 - 10 . as mentioned above , the independent power supply 100 of the preferred embodiment of the invention is intended to be used with a cockpit voice recorder ( cvr ) which is designed to mate with and be mounted in the power supply . fig1 - 16 illustrates such a cvr 200 mounted in and electrically coupled to the power supply 100 . the cvr 200 generally includes an l - shaped chassis s 202 housing the electronics of the cvr 200 . the chassis 202 fits between the guide rails 120 , 122 of the power supply 100 . a female electrical connector ( not shown ) is provided on the rear wall of the chassis 202 and couples to the connector 114 , 116 on the power supply . an impact protected solid state memory 204 is mounted on the bed 206 of the chassis 202 ; and a pinger bracket 208 is mounted on the housing of the memory 204 . a pair of l - shaped brackets 210 , 212 are provided on the lower front end of the chassis . these brackets are engaged by the ratchet nuts 124 , 126 . the remaining components depicted in fig1 - 16 , identified by reference numerals 10 , 42 , 44 , 108 and 110 , are identical to the corresponding numbered components referred to and described hereinbefore with reference to fig1 - 13 . comparing fig1 - 16 with prior art fig4 - 6 , it will be appreciated that the combined power supply 100 and cvr 200 of the invention occupy approximately the same space as the conventional cvr 50 in an existing cvr tray 10 . moreover , as mentioned above , the power supply 100 and the cvr 200 are designed so that when they are coupled to each other as shown in fig1 - 16 , they have approximately the same center of gravity as the prior art cvr 50 ( fig4 - 6 ). furthermore , as mentioned above , the power supply 100 is “ plug compatible ” with the existing tray so that all of the related aircraft electronics behaves substantially the same was as if an existing cvr were in the tray . it is said that the electronics behave “ substantially ” the same because , as described in more detail below , a certain modification has been made so that the cvr test switch in the cockpit of the aircraft can be used to test both the cvr 200 and the power supply 100 and to receive fault indications therefrom . according to present specifications , well known to those skilled in the art , “ pin 12 ” on the existing cvr is coupled to a test switch in the cockpit . when this pin is grounded by the test switch , built in test equipment on the cvr conducts a self test . a passing test result is signaled by the cvr by applying a 1 ma current across “ pins 15 and 16 ”. in addition , according to present specifications , any other built in test result may be reported by grounding “ pin 23 ”. according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention , when the existing test switch for the cvr is activated in the cockpit , two self - tests are initiated one in the modular power supply 100 and another in the cvr 200 module . the result of the cvr test is reported via “ pins 15 and 16 ” and “ pin 23 ” is used t o report the test result for the power supply . referring now to fig3 , 10 , 13 and 17 , the present specifications for cvr and cvr tray include the specification that “ pins 7 and 8 ” in the tray socket 32 are “ jumpered together ”. this jumper signals to the cvr that it is in the cvr tray and prevents the cvr from switching from the record mode to the play mode . when the jumper is removed , or the cvr is removed from the tray , the cvr switches from the record mode to the play mode . the present invention preserves the functionality of this jumper with regard to the cvr record / play mode and makes additional use of the jumper as illustrated in fig1 . as shown in fig1 , a preferred embodiment of an illustrative power supply 100 includes , among other things , a capacitor 103 and a relay 105 . ( it will be appreciated that the relay 105 , though illustrated as an electromagnetic relay , may be an electronic switch .) the positive node of the capacitor 103 is coupled to one node of the relay coil and is passed through the socket 114 , 116 ( illustrated as d “ pin 9 ”) to the cvr . the negative node of the capacitor 103 passes through the “ pin 7 and 8 ” shunt to the chassis ground 107 where it is passed via pin a (“ pin 17 ”) of plug 114 , 116 to the cvr . pins b and c of the plug 114 , 116 are connected to the switching terminals of the relay 105 . these pins ( b and c ) act as the record mode switch formerly performed by “ pins 7 and 8 ”. those skilled in the art will appreciate that when the power supply 100 is in the tray coupled to the socket 32 , the relay 105 will be activated causing a jumper between pins b and c for the cvr . when the cvr is removed from the power supply , it will switch to play mode . moreover , if the cvr and power supply are removed as a unit from the tray , the jumpering of pins b and c will also cease because the relay 105 will no longer be powered . furthermore , the “ pin 7 and 8 ” jumper now also provides an additional function . it uncouples the power supply capacitor 103 from the chassis ground 107 when the power supply is removed from the tray . this safeguards the power supply 100 from potentially damaging or dangerous short circuit accidents . there has been described and illustrated a retro - fittable cockpit voice recorder with removable / replaceable independent power supply . while a particular embodiment of the invention has been described , it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto , as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise . for example , although modular power supply and recorder units have been used to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention ( to facilitate , for example , testing , repair and maintenance of one unit without having to open and re - seal / re - test both units , etc . ), an integrated power supply / recorder that fits substantially into the footprint of a conventional cockpit voice recorder comes within the teachings of the invention . as a further example , although the above described power supply is preferably generally “ l - shaped ” and has a footprint which is substantially the same as an existing cvr ; those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that so long as the independent power and cockpit voice recorder modules contemplated by the invention have , in combination , a footprint which is substantially the same as an existing cvr ( fitting into an existing tray ), the particular shape of the modules could be varied . furthermore , although the invention is described with reference to a preferred embodiment where a modular power supply is installed in an existing rack first ( followed by a modular piece of avionics equipment being coupled thereto ); those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that a reverse installation would come within the scope and teachings of the invention , i . e ., where the avionics unit is modified to accept a plug in power supply and the avionics equipment is installed in an existing tray first , followed by the power supply . it will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the disclosed invention without deviating from its spirit and scope as claimed hereinafter .

US-57889200-A

a portable containment system including a open weave netting side and a solid fabric backing that is foldable about a center support structure allows quick and easy storage and transportation of items in a vehicle cargo or trunk area . the portable containment can be used for both storing and manually transporting items outside a vehicle .

fig1 - 6 show various embodiments of a portable containment system of the present invention . in one aspect of the present invention , a portable containment system is adapted to securely contain items for storage and / or transport in a vehicle cargo or trunk area . a portable containment system 10 of the present invention includes a rectangular - shaped , solid fabric backing 18 overlaid with two sections of mesh - type netting 19 . the two sections of netting 19 have a length such that the edges of the netting 19 are spaced apart in the center 20 of the containment system 10 . the portable containment system 10 has two sides 11 and two ends 12 in the rectangular shape . each of the ends 12 of the containment system 10 has a length of end webbing 17 covering the edge of each end 17 . each side 11 of the containment system 10 has a length of side webbing 13 covering the edge of the side 11 . the side webbing 13 includes a portion extending beyond the edge of each side 11 to form a lengthwise tubular channel , or cord sheath 14 . a stretchable cord 15 , such as an elastic cord , extends the length of each side 11 inside the cord sheath 14 and beyond each end of the cord sheath 14 on each side 11 . at each terminus of the stretchable cord 15 at the end of the cord sheath 14 , the cord 15 forms a continuous cord loop 16 . an attachment clip 28 is attached to each cord loop 16 at each end of the stretchable cord 15 on both sides 11 of the containment system 10 . each clip 28 includes a biased closure mechanism 29 for removably attaching the portable containment system 10 to an attachment surface in a vehicle cargo or trunk area . along the center 20 of the portable containment system 10 , a center support structure 21 extends the width of the containment system 10 between the sides 11 . the center support structure 21 is securely attached to the fabric backing 18 by stitches sewn through a center webbing material 23 around the center support structure 21 and through the fabric backing 18 . a handle 27 is attached the center support structure 21 in the center 20 of the containment system 10 . the longitudinal axis of center support structure 21 forms a fold axis 22 for the portable containment system 10 . at the edge of each section of netting 19 near the center support structure 21 , an elastic cord 24 is extended through the netting 19 and is attached to each side 11 to form an expandable opening of each section for placing and removing items to be contained in the containment system 10 . one section of the netting 19 , attached on each side 11 with side webbing 13 and on the end with end webbing 17 and having the elastic cord 24 interwoven through the edge of the netting 19 near the center support structure 21 , comprises a first component 25 of the portable containment system 10 . the other section of the netting 19 , attached on each side 11 with side webbing 13 and on the end with end webbing 17 and having the elastic cord 24 interwoven through the edge of the netting 19 near the center support structure 21 , comprises a second component 26 of the portable containment system 10 . the first component 25 and the second component 26 are separate and allow items to be stored and / or transported while separated from other items . the portable containment system 10 provides a fully enclosed system for containing desired items . fig6 illustrates preferred materials used in making a portable containment system 10 of the present invention . table 1 provides a description of materials and material specifications for the portable containment system in fig6 . the reference numbers in parentheses in the “ number ” column of table 1 refer to the location of the materials in the embodiment in fig6 . the center support structure 21 can be flat in shape or round or a variation thereof . the first and second compartments 25 , 26 may be further subdivided into four or more smaller compartments . the compartments may be opened and closed with zippers . further , the compartments may comprise open or closed netting or closed fabric . closed fabric diminishes the visibility of the contents being held inside the compartments . the handle 27 may be attached as a separate structure . the attachment means of the portable containment system 10 to the cargo or trunk area of the vehicle , loops , hooks and similar attachment means may be used on the system . a loop attachment means would connect to a t - type fastener located in the vehicle . a hook attachment means would connect to a d - ring fastener in the vehicle . although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments , it should be recognized that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention . those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a portable containment system of the present invention may be constructed and implemented in other ways and embodiments . accordingly , the description herein should not be read as limiting the present invention , as other embodiments also fall within the scope of the present invention .

US-39234803-A

the present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for collecting and pooling the contents of a multiple number of individual sample containers , the apparatus comprising an autoclavable collection bottle capped with a closure - adaptor means having at least one passageway for transfering the fluid contents of the sample containers into the collection bottle . in one embodiment of the invention , the closure - adaptor means comprises a plastic retainer ring for securely holding a flanged cylindrical stopper in which the above - mentioned passageway is formed . still another aspect of the invention relates to a method of sample testing comprising collecting a pooled sample of a solution or gel , inoculating and / or filtering the pooled sample , and analyzing the inoculated sample or the filter retentate for microbial contamination . for instance , the present method may be used for carrying out either filtered membrane sterility testing or direct transfer preservative efficacy testing of a health care or pharmaceutical product .

as mentioned above , the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for collecting and testing a relatively viscous liquid or gel that is contained in a plurality of relatively small containers . the invention is particularly applicable to microbiological testing such as sterility , bacteriostasis , and / or preservative effectiveness testing . the present apparatus comprises an autoclavable collection bottle enclosing a collection chamber and an autoclavable closure - adaptor means for closing the collection bottle while collecting a sample . the apparatus has at least two passageways each in open communication at one end with the collection chamber . a first passageway comprises a means for receiving and attaching the uncapped top portion of a sample container such that the liquid or gel contents of the container can be dispensed through the first passageway and into the collection chamber of the bottle . a second passageway is adapted for communication with a vacuum source preferably via a flexible conduit or hose . the closure - adaptor means may be integrally molded from a suitable plastic material able to withstand the temperatures used during autoclaving . in a preferred embodiment , the closure - adaptor means is an assembly comprising a plastic retainer ring internally threaded for attachment to the externally threaded neck portion of a transparent collection bottle , the top of the retainer ring having a circular opening for securely holding a flanged substantially cylindrical stopper in which the above - mentioned first and second passageways are formed . as indicated above , the first passageway provides a means of transferring the internal contents of a sample container that is securely and sealingly attached to one end of the passageway into the internal space or chamber of the collection bottle which is in communication with the opposite end of the passageway . accordingly , the first passageway in the closure - adpator means may be internally threaded for attaching a complementarily externally threaded top portion of the sample container . alternate means of attaching a sample container to the closure adaptor means may be employed . for example , a compression fitting may be used to attach a sample container to a passageway in the closure - adapter means . various compression fitting mechanisms are known to those skilled in the art . for example , the top of the closure - adaptor means may comprise a cylindrical tubular projection having an externally threaded top portion to which attaches an internally threaded retaining ring having a circular opening adapted for receiving the top end of a sample container . to provide a compression fitting , a deformable plastic sealing ring with a circular opening aligned with the circular opening in the retaining ring is placed in the internal space between the upper inside ( ring - shaped ) surface of the retaining ring and an internal ( ring - shaped ) ledge inside the cylindrical tubular projection . when the end of the sample container is inserted in series through the circular opening of the retaining ring and through the circular opening of the sealing ring , and the retaining ring is screwed onto the end of the cylindrical tubular projection , the sealing ring is made to sealingly and fixedly engage the dispensing end of the sample container . the compression of the sealing ring , between the inside surfaces of the retaining ring and the internal ledge of the tubular projection , decreases the diameter of the circular opening in the sealing ring . a compression ring , made of a metal or rigid plastic material , may be alignedly placed adjacent and below the sealing ring , which compression ring is axially downsloping or conical in shape . such a compression ring is designed to more effectively decrease the circular opening of the sealing ring during compression . one advantage of such a compression fitting for securing a sample container to the closure - adpator means is that , by means of substituting different sealing rings each having a circular opening with a different internal diameter , the closure - adapator means may be employed with respect to variously sized sample containers . as indicated above , a second passageway supplies a vacuum for drawing or pulling at least a portion of the internal contents of the sample container into the collection chamber . the second passageway is , therefore , preferably adapted for direct or indirect connection to a flexible conduit or hose attached at its distal end to a suitable vacuum source . the proximate end of the flexible conduit may be attached to the closure - adaptor means by any conventional connection means . for instance , the second passageway in the closure - adaptor means may also be internally threaded at one end of the passageway to receive the proximate externally threaded end of a rigid tubular connecting piece . the distal end of the rigid tubular piece , which may be unthreaded , may be attached to the proximate end of the flexible conduit whereby the flexible conduit forms a sleeve - like segment over the distal end of the rigid tubular piece . alternatively , the second passageway may extend through the side of the collection bottle . for example , a vacuum hose may be connected to a tubular projection extending perpendicularly from the side of the collection bottle . the position of the tubular projection , which may depend on the size and shape of the container , should be designed so that when a vacuum is provided to the bottle , the suction of the vacuum entering the bottle does not cause the sample solution to be drawn from the sample container into the tubular projection or diverted onto the side walls of the bottle . preferably , in operation , a stream of the sample solution entering the collection chamber through the first passageway should fall in a substantially uninterrupted line to the a pool at bottom of the chamber . with reference now to the drawings , fig1 illustrates in perspective a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for collecting fluid . the apparatus , generally indicated at 11 , comprises a collection bottle 13 defining a collection chamber 14 . a closure - adaptor means 16 , comprising a retaining ring 26 for holding in place a stopper means 15 , is connected to a fluid container 21 for sampling purposes . the fluid container 21 is relatively small in size and may contain a few milliliters of a viscous fluid . in the embodiment shown in fig1 the fluid container is designed to hold a contact lens care solution , in particular a liquid enzyme product . however , the present invention is obviously applicable to collecting the contents of containers holding a variety of healthcare or pharmaceutical products , including , but not limited to , ophthalmic eye drops or ointments . the stopper means 15 is connected to a rigid tubular piece 23 that in turn is connected to a flexible rubber hose 25 for communication with any suitable vacuum source ( not shown ). sufficient vacuum is necessary to pull the fluid from fluid container 21 into collection chamber 14 of the collection bottle 13 . fig2 shows an exploded view of the apparatus of fig1 . a collection bottle 13 comprises external threads 27 extending over a neck portion of the bottle up to a rim 29 . the collection bottle is preferably made from a transparent , autoclavable material such as glass or plastic . a retainer ring 26 has internal threads 31 for mating with the external threads 27 of the collection bottle . the external surface of the retainer ring may be fluted ( scalloped from a cross - sectional top view ) in order to facilitate gripping , tightening or screwing the retainer ring over the rim and onto the external threads at the top of the collection bottle . a stopper means 15 , adapted to be held in place by the retainer ring 26 , comprises a flange 33 and a generally cylindrically shaped upper portion 35 . the stopper means 15 , in the present embodiment , has two threaded passageways , a first passageway 37 and a second passageway 39 . referring now to fig3 a top view of the stopper means 15 shows the circular perimeter of the flange 33 and the respective openings or ports 41 and 43 , respectively , of the first and second passageways 37 and 39 . the stopper means is preferably made of stainless steel in which the passageways can be conventionally tooled . returning to fig2 the passageway 37 is adapted to receive a fluid container 21 comprising dispensing end 45 , orifice 47 and external threads 49 complementary to internal threads 53 of passageway 37 . the second passageway 39 is adapted to receive a tubular connector piece 23 having external threads 51 complementary to internal threads 55 of passageway 39 . the embodiment of fig1 to 3 has the advantage that various stopper means designed for sampling differently shaped or sized sample containers may be assembled with the same standard collection bottles and retainer rings . alternatively , an integral single - piece closure - adapter means may be custom designed and molded from a suitable plastic material for specific use with a specific product container . in operation of the apparatus shown in fig1 to 3 , an uncapped fluid - holding sample container is sealingly attached to one end of the first passageway in the closure - adaptor means that in turn is sealingly attached to the top of the collection bottle . the other end of the first passageway is in open communication with the collection chamber of the collection bottle . as indicated above , the sample container is attached to the one end of the first passageway by screwing the externally threaded top portion of the sample container into the internally threaded end of the first passageway . a sufficient vacuum is then applied through the second passageway in the closure - adaptor means in order to pull at least a portion of the fluid contents of the sample container into the collection bottle . a suitable vacuum ranges from 24 to 30 inches hg , preferably 25 to 29 inches hg . after drawing out at least a portion of the fluid contents of the sample container , preferably the entire contents of the sample container , into the collection chamber , the empty or depleted sample container is unscrewed and detached from the first passageway . the procedure is repeated with a plurality of sample containers until the desired amount of the fluid , either a gel or solution , is collected for testing or analysis . for use in collecting a pooled sample for microbiological testing , the apparatus used must first be free of microorganisms . several conventional methods known to those skilled in the art that can be employed to sterilize the apparatus . preferably , the apparatus is sterilized by means of a laboratory autoclave . in one method according to the present invention , a pooled sample is collected from a plurality of sample containers , and then the pooled sample is inoculated with a test microbial agent for testing the preservative efficacy of the fluid contained in the sample containers . in another embodiment , the pooled sample may be poured over the filter of a standard filter device used for microbiological testing and a vacuum used to draw the sample solution through the filter . the collected retentate or residue is then placed in a medium and , after incubation , its sterility tested according to standard procedures . the apparatus must be sterilized , preferably autoclaved , for reuse . the closure - adapter means , including the stainless steel stopper means and the retainer ring , may be separately sterilized and packaged until reassembled with the collection bottle for reuse . the invention is especially advantageous for removing a viscous liquid or gel from a product container through an orifice in the dispensing tip of the container . the invention is applicable to products having a viscosity of zero to 5000 cps . solutions typically have viscosities of zero to 1500 cps , although gels may have higher viscosities . typically , the sample containers contain 1 to 60 ml of liquid or gel , often less than 30 ml of liquid . when the product being sampled is from containers adapted to deliver droplets of the product , the top of the container typically has a pointed tip with a small orifice . such orifices typically are 10 micron to 150 micron in diameter , more typically 30 micron to 75 micron in diameter . as mentioned above , the present invention can be used to collect and test a variety of products , including prescription or non - prescription pharmaceutical products , ophthalmic or other health care products , and food products . the products may be in the form of a gel or solution . the invention is especially applicable to collecting samples of products that are relatively viscous solutions or gels intended for dropwise delivery during consumer use .

US-6164098-A

a guide table for diverse power woodworking tools includes a pair of laterally relatively adjustable power tool guide rails . ripping of lumber by means of a sabre saw is enabled by the addition to the table of a sabre saw blade guide slot perpendicular to the guide rails , the provision of a precision adjustable lumber guide on the table parallel to the sabre saw guide slot and the provision on one guide rail of a quick attachable and removable locator device for the sole plate of a sabre saw which requires only an initial adjustment to allow subsequent usage with the same sabre saw . an adjustable lumber hold - down element is provided on one guide rail of the table .

referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals designate like parts , a multi - purpose woodworking power tool guide table comprises a table body portion 20 in the nature of a rectangular plate which may include a carrying handle 21 attached to one edge thereof . block members 22 fixed to the table body portion near the opposite ends thereof include guide slots 23 for adjustable parallel guide rails 24 in the form of angle bars as described in the referenced patent application . a longitudinal slot 25 in table body portion 20 may receive the blade of a portable circular saw or the blade of a sabre saw during the use of either power tool on the guide table in the performance of various cutting operations . the outside guide rail 24 is adjusted and locked by locking means 26 relative to the center line of slot 25 by reference to precision indicator scales 27 provided along the blocks 22 . the inner rail is then adjusted laterally and locked by additional locking means 26 to provide the necessary spacing between the two guide rails for the sole plate of the power tool being moved along the guide rail , whether a sabre saw , circular saw or router , as disclosed in the prior application . a protractor means 28 including an adjustable workpiece guide member 29 also forms a part of the guide table in the prior application to enable simple mitering cuts in workpieces and cutoff operations at various angles to the axis of the guide rails 24 . in the prior application , a pressure block assembly , not shown herein , to exert holding pressure on a workpiece abutting the protractor guide 29 is provided and the adjusting slot 30 for this pressure block assembly formed in the table body portion 20 in spaced parallel relationship to the slot 25 is shown herein and is used in a different manner , to be described . in accordance with the present invention , a second clearance slot 31 adapted to receive the blade 32 of a sabre saw 33 when used in the lumber ripping mode is formed in the table body portion 20 at right angles to the slot 25 and generally centrally of the table . the sole plate 34 of sabre saw 33 has an upturned leading end extension 35 , fig5 to be further mentioned , and the sole plate 34 is bifurcated at its leading end adjacent to the saw blade 32 as shown at 36 , fig2 . the same sabre saw 33 used to rip lumber herein may be used for the various cut - off operations described in the prior application where the sabre saw travels along the guide rails 24 , at right angles to its position shown in fig1 . as will be further described , the sabre saw is fixed relative to the rails 24 and merely supported thereon during the ripping of lumber such as the lumber workpiece 37 shown in fig1 and 2 . a very important aspect of the invention resides in the use of a quick attachable and removable locator unit 38 or attachment to locate and hold the sole plate 34 of the sabre saw securely when the saw is used in the ripping mode , and particularly to resist upward displacement of the sole plate 34 under influence of the vertically reciprocating blade 32 which cuts upwardly . the sole plate locator unit 38 comprises a mounting plate 39 which abuts the vertical flange of interior angle bar guide rail 24 with its lower edge resting on the horizontal flange of this guide rail . the unit 38 further comprises a pair of opposing longitudinally adjustable bars 40 on the face of the mounting plate 39 toward the far guide rail 24 and secured to the mounting plate by flat head screws 41 , the heads of which are received in countersunk openings of the mounting plate 39 , fig6 . the screws 41 carry nuts 42 and washers , as shown . additionally , a pair of allen screws 43 carrying nuts 44 and disposed inwardly of screws 41 are employed to secure the bars 40 to mounting plate 39 and the cylindrical heads 45 are received through locator openings 46 in the vertical web of interior guide rail 24 , as shown clearly in fig7 to position the unit 38 with precision on this guide rail . the two bars 40 have longitudinal adjusting slots 47 formed therethrough and the pairs of screws 41 and 43 pass through these adjusting slots as shown in fig6 and 7 and also in fig2 . when the nuts 42 and 44 are tightened , the two bars 40 are securely locked in their selected longitudinally adjusted positions relative to the sabre saw sole plate 34 . in this connection , the bars 40 have inclined upwardly converging end faces 48 which engage the upturned extension 35 of sole plate 34 at the opposite sides of the sole plate to prevent the sole plate from rising during the operation of the saw . when a particular sabre saw is employed to rip lumber and is placed properly on the two rails 24 following their proper adjustment , it is only necessary to adjust the two bars 40 once into contact with the extension 35 , and thereafter the same sabre saw can be reinstalled on the table in the ripping position any number of times without requiring readjusting of the bars 40 of locating and holding unit 38 . this is an important convenience feature of the invention . of equal importance and convenience is the simple procedure of installing the unit 38 on the table . after proper adjustment of the rail 24 to accept the sabre saw sole plate 34 , the unit 38 can simply be placed on the inside rail 24 by introducing the cylindrical screw heads 45 through the pilot openings 46 in the adjacent rail 24 . thereafter , the sole plate 34 is placed down on the horizontal flanges of rails 24 with its lip or extension 35 beneath the hold - down end faces 48 . the pressure which the far rail 24 exerts against the back of the sole plate 34 assures that the upturned extension 35 will press on the mounting plate 39 , fig5 and hold the unit 38 in the use position on the table without other attachment means . the invention further comprises a workpiece hold - down element 49 of l - configuration having a vertical adjustment slot 50 receiving a clamping set screw 51 held in a threaded opening of the vertical flange of interior rail 24 . by this means , the element 49 can be adjusted to contact the top face of lumber workpiece 37 and lock by set screw 51 . this prevents vertical displacement or chattering of the workpiece during the ripping operation as depicted in fig1 . both fig1 and 2 show clearly the passage of the workpiece 37 across the top of table body portion 20 and under the two rails 24 and associated elements and under the adjustable hold - down element 49 . as shown in the drawings , the horizontal flange of interior rail 24 has a clearance notch 52 for sabre saw blade 32 . to prevent lateral deviations of the saw blade 32 during the ripping operation , a pair of closely spaced parallel plates 53 are fixed to the undersurface of table body portion 20 in alignment with the larger clearance slot 31 for the saw blade . the two plates 53 define a narrow slot for the blade 32 making it impossible for the reciprocating blade to deviate from the vertical during operation . a similar feature is disclosed in the prior referenced application in connection with the longitudinal slot 25 . the invention additionally comprises a workpiece guide member 54 which lies on table body portion 20 and provides a straight edge 55 for the precision guidance of the workpiece during the ripping operation . at its rear end , the guide member 54 carries a rigid crosshead 56 similar to a t - square crosshead which slidably abuts the adjacent rear edge 57 of table body portion 20 . near its end remote from the crosshead 56 , guide member 54 is equipped with an adjusting clamp screw 58 carrying a winged nut 59 . the clamp screw or bolt 58 passes through the previously - described slot 30 in table body portion 20 and through an opening 60 formed in the member 54 . by this means , the guide member 54 can be adjusted laterally along the slot 30 and locked in the selected adjusted position while maintaining the perpendicular relationship of the guide face 55 to the axes of rails 24 . to enable the precision lateral adjustment of lumber or material guide member 54 , a graduated scale 61 on the table body portion 20 parallel to the slot 30 has its zero graduation adjacent the center line of blade slot 31 , that is , at the side edge of a blade in the slot that faces guide member 54 , and extends away from this position toward the far end of slot 30 . by utilizing the measuring scale 61 , the guide member 54 can be adjusted laterally and locked by the screw 58 to rip the workpiece 37 longitudinally at exactly the desired location measured transversely of the workpiece . it may be seen that the material ripping attachment according to the invention is simple in construction and also simple and convenient to install , adjust and remove from the multi - purpose guide table for diverse power tools . when the sabre saw 33 is lifted from the rails 24 for use in a different mode on the guide rails 24 or for replacement by a different power tool , the locator unit 38 can simply be lifted from the table without the necessity for removing screws or any other fastener . at such time , the hold - down element 49 can merely be swung ninety degrees on the axis of set screw 51 and locked by the set screw in the phantom line position shown in fig2 . the guide member 54 is easily removable from the table and can be replaced by the pressure block assembly shown in the prior application where various other operations are carried out , as described therein . it should be understood that the ripper attachment is not limited in its use to the particular table shown in the prior referenced application , but can be employed independently on a table member having a pair of adjustable supports or abutments to engage the sole plate 34 , an adjustable guide for the edge of the lumber undergoing ripping , and a suitable slot for the blade of the sabre saw . the terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation , and there is no intention , in the use of such terms and expressions , of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed .

US-20406580-A

this invention relates to the use of tenidap , 5 - chloro - 2 , 3 - dihydro - 2 - oxo - 3 -- indole - 1 - carboxamide , and the pharmaceutically - acceptable base salts thereof to inhibit activation of collagenase in a mammal and to inhibit the activity of myeloperoxidase in a mammal . this invention also relates to the use of tenidap and its salts for treating collagenase mediated disorders and diseases such as bone resorption disorders , corneal ulceration , periodontal disease , inflammatory disease and wounds of the skin and burns in mammals . the methods of this invention comprise administering an effective amount of tenidap or salts thereof to a mammal .

tenidap , which has the chemical structure ## str2 ## its pharmaceutically - acceptable base salts and the preparation thereof are described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 556 , 672 , the teaching of which are incorporated herein by reference . this invention concerns new uses for tenidap and its salts which comprise inhibiting the activation of collagenase in a mammal and inhibiting the activity of myeloperoxidase in a mammal . also within the scope of this invention are methods of treating collagenase mediated disorders and diseases in a mammal . such collagenase mediated disorders and diseases include , but are not limited to , bone resorption disorders such as osteoporosis and metastatic bone cancer , corneal ulceration , periodontal disease , inflammatory diseases and wounds of the skin and burns . as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 556 , 672 , tenidap is acidic and forms base salts . all such base salts are within the scope of this invention and can be formed as taught by that patent . such suitable salts , within the scope of this invention , include both the organic and inorganic types and include , but are not limited to , the salts formed with ammonia , organic amines , alkali metal hydroxides , alkali metal carbonates , alkali metal bicarbonates , alkali metal hydrides , alkali metal alkoxides , alkaline earth metal hydroxides , alkaline earth metal carbonates , alkaline earth metal hydrides and alkaline earth metal alkoxides . representative examples of bases which form such base salts include ammonia , primary amines , such as n - propylamine , n - butylamine , aniline , cyclohexylamine , benzylamine , p - toluidine , ethanolamine and glucamine ; secondary amines , such as diethylamine , diethanolamine , n - methylglucamine , n - methylaniline , morpholine , pyrrolidine and piperidine ; tertiary amines , such as triethylamine , triethanolamine , n , n - dimethylaniline , n - ethylpiperidine and n - methylmorpholine ; hydroxides , such as sodium hydroxide ; alkoxides such as sodium ethoxide and potassium methoxide ; hydrides such as calcium hydride and sodium hydride ; and carbonates such as potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate . preferred salts are those of sodium , potassium , ammonium , ethanolamine , diethanolamine and triethanolamine . particularly preferred are the sodium salts . an anhydrous crystalline form of such a sodium salt is disclosed in european patent application 277 , 738 , filed in the name of the assignee hereof . the teachings thereof which are incorporated herein by reference . also within the scope of this invention are the solvates such as the hemihydrates and monohydrates of the compounds hereinabove described . the methods of this invention comprise administering tenidap and the pharmaceutically - acceptable base salts thereof to a mammal . such compounds and their salts can be administered to said mammal either alone or , preferably , in combination with pharmaceutically - acceptable carriers or diluents in a pharmaceutical composition , according to standard pharmaceutical practice . such administration can be oral or parenteral . parenteral administration as used herein includes , but is not limited to , intravenous , intramuscular , intraperitoneal , subcutaneous , transdermal and topical including , but not limited to oral lavage and inhalation , administration . while it is generally preferred to administer such compounds and their salts orally , other methods may be preferred depending upon the particular collagenase - mediated disorder or disease being treated . in general , tenidap and its salts are most desirably administered in doses ranging from about 20 mg up to about 200 mg per day , with a preferred range of about 40 mg to about 120 mg per day , for oral administration and from about 1 mg up to about 200 mg per day for parenteral administration , although variations will still necessarily occur depending upon the weight of the subject being treated . the appropriate dose for inhibiting the activity of myeloperoxidase and / or inhibiting the activation of collagenase in a mammal and for treatment of collagenase mediated disorders and diseases with tenidap and its salts will be readily determined by those skilled in the art of prescribing and / or administering such compounds . nevertheless , it is still to be appreciated that other variations may also occur in this respect , depending upon the species of mammal being treated and its individual response to said medicament , as well as on the particular type of pharmaceutical formulation chosen and the time period and interval at which such administration is carried out . in some instances , dosage levels below the lower limit of the aforesaid range may be more than adequate , while in other cases still larger doses may be employed without causing any harmful or deleterious side effects to occur , provided that such higher dose levels are first divided into several smaller doses that are to be administered throughout the day . for purposes of oral administration , tablets containing excipients such as sodium citrate , calcium carbonate and dicalcium phosphate may be employed along with various disintegrants such as starch and preferably potato or tapioca starch , alginic acid and certain complex silicates , together with binding agents such as polyvinylpyrrolidone , sucrose , gelatin and acacia . additionally , lubricating agents such as , but not limited to , magnesium stearate , sodium lauryl sulfate and talc are often very useful for tableting purposes . solid compositions of a similar type may also be employed as fillers in soft elastic and hard - filled gelatin capsules ; preferred materials in this connection also include , by way of example and not of limitation , lactose or milk sugar as well as high molecular weight polyethylene glycols . when aqueous suspensions and / or elixirs are desired for oral administration , the essential active ingredient may be combined with various sweetening or flavoring agents , coloring matter or dyes and , if so desired , emulsifying and / or suspending agents , together with diluents such as water , ethanol , propylene glycol , glycerin and various like combinations thereof . although the generally preferred mode of administration of tenidap or its pharmaceutically - acceptable base salts is oral , they may be administered parenterally as well . such parenteral administration may be the preferred mode of administration for the treatment of certain collagenase - mediated disorders or diseases . for purposes of parenteral administration , solutions of tenidap or a salt thereof in sesame or peanut oil or in aqueous propylene glycol may be employed , as well as sterile aqueous solutions of the corresponding water soluble base salts previously enumerated . such aqueous solutions should be suitably buffered if necessary , and the liquid diluent rendered isotonic with sufficient saline or glucose . these particular aqueous solutions are especially suitable for intravenous , intramuscular and subcutaneous injection purposes . in this connection , the sterile aqueous media employed are readily obtained by standard techniques well known to those skilled in the art . for instance , distilled water is ordinarily used as the liquid diluent and the final preparation is passed through a suitable bacterial filter such as a sintered glass filter or a diatomaceous - earth or unglazed porcelain filter . preferred filters of this type include the berkefeld , the chamberland and the asbestos disk - metal seitz filter , wherein the fluid is sucked into a sterile container with the aid of a suction pump the necessary steps should be taken throughout the preparation of these injectable solutions to insure that the final products are obtained in a sterile condition . for purposes of transdermal administration , the dosage form of the particular compound may include , by way of example , solutions , lotions , ointments , creams , gels , suppositories , rate - limiting sustained release formulations and devices therefor . such dosage forms comprise the particular compound and may include ethanol , water , penetration enhancer and inert carriers such as gel - producing materials , mineral oil , emulsifying agents , benzyl alcohol and the like . specific transdermal flux enhancing compositions are disclosed in european patent application 271 , 983 and european patent application 331 , 382 , which have been filed in the name of the assignee of this invention , the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference . for purposes of topical administration , the dosage form of the particular compound may include , by way of example and not of limitation , solutions , lotions , ointments , creams and gels . the ability of tenidap to inhibit the activation of collagenase and to inhibit the activity of myeloperoxidase were determined by the procedures described below . whole human blood from normal volunteers was obtained by venipuncture into heparinized syringes . the majority of the red cells were removed by dextran sedimentation and neutrophils were separated by density centrifugation over hypaque ficoll . the neutrophil rich fraction was washed and residual red cells were removed by hypotonic lysis according to the procedure described by blackburn , w . d . et al ., arthritis rheum . 30 : 1006 - 1014 ( 1987 ). the neutrophils so prepared were used in the assays described below and cell viability was assured by determining their ability to exclude typan blue . in each assay the cell viability routinely exceeded 95 %. to assay for inhibition of release of activated collagenase by neutrophils , the following assay was performed . neutrophil cell suspensions were incubated at 37 ° c . for 15 - 30 minutes in the presence of varying concentrations of tenidap or other compound under study . tenidap was dissolved and diluted in water and added to the cells directly therefrom . other compounds tested were initially dissolved in 0 . 1m naoh and then diluted in water prior to addition to the cells . after the cells had been incubated in the presence of tenidap or other compound under study , the cell suspensions ( 5 × 10 6 cells / ml , 125 μl / well ) were added to igg coated and bovine serum albumin ( bsa ) blocked wells of microtiter plates and incubated for 45 minutes at 37 ° c . as controls , similar incubations were performed in the absence of igg . following incubation , the cell suspensions were centrifuged ( 750 × g ) for 5 minutes at 4 ° c . the supernatants were removed and dfp ( diisopropylfluorophosphate ) was added to a final concentration of 10 - 3 m to inactivate serine proteases . then , the collagenase activity in the dfp treated supernatants was determined by incubating , in triplicate , 200 μl aliquots of supernatant with 3 h - labeled reconstituted type - i collagen fibrils in 7 mm flat bottom tissue culture wells ( linbro ®, cat # 76 - 032 - 05 , flow laboratories mclean , va ) as described by johnson - wint , b ., anal . biochem . 104 : 175 - 181 ( 1980 ). the reconstituted fibrils in each well contained 75 μg of a mixture of 3 h - labeled and unlabeled collagen with an activity of 7 , 000 cpm . to determine the total radioactivity potentially released from the fibrils in each experiment , the reconstituted fibrils were also incubated with a mixture of clostridial collagenase ( 250 mg / ml hbss ( hank &# 39 ; s balanced salt solution , gibco , grand island , n . y .)). to maximize sensitivity and specificity of the assay , incubations were performed for eighteen hours in triplicate at 37 ° c . at the end of the incubation period , the supernatants were aspirated from each well and the radioactivity was determined by counting in a liquid scintillation counter . greater than 99 % of the radioactivity applied to each well was recovered from wells incubated with bacterial collagenase . average counts per minute released by fibrils incubated with buffer ( hbss ) alone were subtracted from the cpm measured in each supernatant . the resulting triplicate values for each supernatant were averaged and divided by the average cpm released by the bacterial collagenase to determine the percent fibril lysis produced by each supernatant . the total activated collagen released during the eighteen hour incubation was then calculated and divided by the incubation time to yield values for the collagenase activity ( ng collagen degraded / min ) in each supernatant . in parallel experiments , release of total collagenase into the supernatants was determined by activating latent collagenase in the supernatants with 1 . 0 mm mersalyl ( harris , e . d . and vater , c . a ., methodology of collagenase research : substrate purification , enzyme activation and purification . collagenase in normal pathological connective tissues . edited by d . e . woolley , j . m . evanson , chichester , john wiley & amp ; sons , 1980 ) prior to addition of the supernatants to the radiolabeled collagen fibrils . to avoid underestimation of total collagenase released due to inhibition of protease activity by oxidative metabolites generated during neutrophil activation , the supernatants used for these determinations were derived from neutrophils activated in the presence of 1 . 0 mm sodium azide ( an inhibitor of myeloperoxidase ). incubations and calculations of collagenase activity in the mersalyl treated supernatants were performed as described above . employing the foregoing assay with tenidap , piroxicam , indomethacin , ibuprofen and naproxen , at peak drug concentrations , yielded the data shown in table i , below . table i______________________________________inhibition of activated neutrophilcollagenase release peakcompound concentration ( μm ) % inhibition______________________________________tenidap 87 . 5 64piroxicam 25 18indomethacin 2 . 5 14ibuprofen 175 0naproxen 80 0______________________________________ as shown in table i , ibuprofen and naproxen , both cyclooxygenase inhibitors had no inhibitory effect on the release of activated collagenase by neutrophils . piroxicam and indomethacin , both also cyclooxygenase inhibitors , had some inhibitory effect on the release of activated collagenase , but at supraphysiological concentrations for those compounds . tenidap , at clinically relevant concentrations , significantly inhibited the release of activated collagenase from neutrophils . a further assay was conducted wherein neutrophils , prepared as described above , were incubated in the presence and in the absence of tenidap and then stimulated by incubation in the presence of igg , all as described above . the supernatants were then activated by the addition of organic mercurial mersasyl . as a result of this assay , it was found that tenidap inhibited by 22 % the total amount of collagenase released by neutrophils . thus , it was concluded that tenidap inhibition of the release of activated collagenase is due to inhibition of the activation of collagenase . the ability of tenidap to inhibit the activity of myeloperoxidase was demonstrated by the following assay . neutrophils ( 1 . 25 × 10 6 / ml , prepared as described above ) were incubated for 60 minutes at 37 ° c . in either bsa or igg coated tissue culture wells which had been blocked with bsa . following incubation , the wells were aspirated and the cells were removed by centrifugation . separately , myeloperoxidase was extracted from whole neutrophils with b 1m nacl and separated from cell debris by centrifugation . the supernatants were dialyzed against hbss . then , to the dialyzed supernatants were added varying concentrations of tenidap . myeloperoxidase activity was then determined by adding 20 μl of the supernatant to 300 μl of 0 . 2m sodium acetate buffer , ph 4 . 5 , containing 17 mg of 2 , 2 &# 39 ;- azino - di -( 3 - ethylbenzthiazoline ) sulfonic acid and 600 μl of 0 . 003 % hydrogen peroxide . the activity of myeloperoxidase in the supernatant was then determined by the change in absorbance at 412 nm using a spectrophotometer as described by shindler , j . s . et al ., eur . j . biochem . 65 : 325 - 331 ( 1976 ).

US-49586890-A

a layout method for a printed circuit board , comprising : defining a layout area on the printed circuit board ; disposing at least one padstack on the layout area ; disposing a welding material area on the padstack to partially cover the padstack and be located at one end of the padstack ; disposing a blocking area on the layout area , wherein the blocking area comprises an opening to expose the padstack ; and forming a wiring , wherein the wiring is connected with the padstack and the welding material area through the opening without overlapping the blocking area . the layout method for a printed circuit board and the printed circuit board may avoid that the outlet of the wiring is formed through the side of the welding material area to leave a blank area on the padstack .

the present application may be further described in details hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments . it should be understood that the embodiments described here are explanatory only and do not limit the present application . moreover , it should be noted that , for the convenience of description , the accompanying drawings only illustrate those parts related to the present application rather than the entire structure . the embodiments of the present application provide a layout method for a printed circuit board . fig6 and fig7 show the layout of the printed circuit board according to the embodiments . as shown in fig6 , the layout of the components in the printed circuit board includes a layout area , and at least one padstack 101 is disposed in the layout area . fig6 shows four padstacks . the actual quantity of padstacks can be designed by those skilled in the art as needed . a welding material area 201 is disposed on the padstack 101 , which is an area for an element to be connected to contact with the padstack 101 . the material of the welding material area 201 is usually soldering paste . the element to be connected or a pin of the element to be connected is welded on the welding material area 201 . the element to be connected , such as an integrated circuit , is not shown in fig6 . the welding material area 201 is at lest located at one end of the padstack 101 , and partially covers the padstack 101 . a blank area 301 on the padstack 101 that is not covered by the welding material area 201 is left . a blocking area 501 is disposed on the periphery of the padstack 101 , the blocking area 501 includes an opening to expose the padstack 101 , and the padstack 101 is disposed therein . that is , the blocking area 501 encloses the padstack 101 except one side of the padstack 101 opposite to the welding material area 201 . the blocking area 501 is marked as an area that a wiring 401 may not pass through . the wiring 401 is required to bypass the blocking area , so as to connect with the padstack 101 . therefore , when the wiring 401 is disposed , the wiring 401 is connected with the padstack 101 and the welding material area 201 through the opening . that is , the wiring 401 overlaps , and connects with the part ( i . e ., the blank area 301 shown in fig6 ) on the padstack 101 that is not covered by the welding material area 201 , so as to be connected with the welding material area 201 . specifically , the wiring 401 is connected with an element to be connected ( such as an ic ) or a pin of the element to be connected that is welded on the welding material area 201 , and the quantity of the pin being one or more , wherein the wiring 401 does not overlap the blocking area 501 . in this way , the wiring 401 enters the padstack 101 from a position that is not enclosed . that is , the wiring 401 passes through the area 301 that is not covered by the welding material area 201 , so as to be connected with the welding material area 201 on the padstack 101 . in this way , the wiring 401 is welded on the area 301 ( see fig7 ), so that there is no blank part of the padstack 101 , thus it is avoided that the blank part of the padstack 101 may serve as a sharp bulge to induce or radiate high frequency signals to influence the signal quality of the circuit . as shown in fig7 , one end of the wiring 401 ( the wiring in the embodiment , for instance , is a copper wiring ) enters the padstack 101 through one side on the padstack 101 that is not enclosed by the blocking area 501 , so as to be connected with the welding material area 201 on the padstack 101 . the other end of the wiring 401 extends outwards so as to be connected with other elements . therefore , the wiring 401 is welded on the blank area 301 that is not covered by the welding material area 201 . the above shows the case that the padstack 101 is in a rectangle . the blocking area 501 encloses three sides of the padstack 101 except one side opposite to the welding material area 201 is not enclosed , so that the wiring is disposed through this one side , so as to avoid leaving a blank area on the padstack 101 . the shape of the padstack may be either in a round or in other shapes . similarly , the blocking area is employed to enclose the padstack except an area for the outlet of the wiring , so that the part of the padstack that is not covered by the welding material area is welded with the wiring , so as to eliminate the point effect . the blocking area according to the embodiments of the present application means an area marked in advance in designing where no outlet of the wiring is allowed . the vertical lines used in the drawings are merely on schematic purpose . actually the blocking area is not composed of lines . the vertical lines only mark the area where no outlet of the wiring is allowed . the embodiments of the present application further provide a printed circuit board formed according to the above layout method for a printed circuit board . the printed circuit board includes a layout area , wherein the at least one padstack 101 is disposed in the layout area , and the actual quantity of the padstack 101 can be designed by those skilled in the art as needed . the at least one padstack 101 is provided with the welding material area 201 thereon , and the welding material area 201 partially covers the at least one padstack 101 and is located at one end of the at least one padstack 101 . the blocking area 501 is disposed on the layout area , wherein the blocking area 501 includes an opening to expose the padstack 101 , and the padstack 101 is disposed therein . the wiring 401 is also disposed in the layout area , wherein the wiring 401 is connected with the padstack 101 and the welding material area 201 through the opening without overlapping the blocking area 501 . in this way , the blocking area 501 is disposed at the periphery of the at least one padstack , and the wiring 401 does not pass through the area occupied by the blocking area 501 . the wiring 401 bypasses the blocking area 501 so as to be connected with the padstack 101 . that is , one end of the wiring 401 enters the padstack 101 through one side of the padstack 101 that is not enclosed by the blocking area 501 , so as to be connected with the welding material area 201 on the padstack 101 . that is , the wiring overlaps , and connects with the part ( i . e ., the blank area 301 shown in fig6 ) on the padstack 101 that is not covered by the welding material area 201 , so as to be connected with the welding material area . specifically , the wiring is connected with the element to be connected ( such as an ic ) or the pin of the element to be connected that is welded on the welding material area 201 . the other end of the wiring 401 extends outwards so as to be connected with other elements . therefore , the part 301 of the padstack 101 that is not covered by the welding material area 201 is welded with the wiring 401 , such that the entire padstack 101 is covered by the wiring 401 and the welding material area 201 , thus there is no blank part of the padstack . in this way , it is avoided that the blank part of the padstack acts as a sharp bulge to induce or radiate high frequency signals to influence the signal quality of the circuit . the layout method for a printed circuit board and the printed circuit board provided by the embodiments of the present application may avoid that the outlet of the wiring is formed through the side of the welding material area on the padstack to leave a blank area on the padstack , such that it is avoided that the blank area of the padstack acts as a sharp bulge to play a role of antenna to induce or radiate high frequency signals , thus the problem that the signal quality of the circuit may be bad is solved . it should be noted that the above is merely the preferred embodiments and the applied technical principles of the present application . those skilled in the art may understand that the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments described here and that various apparent changes , readjustment and substitutions can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the protection scope of the present application . therefore , although the detailed explanations are made on the present application through the above embodiments , the present application is not limited to the above embodiments , and may further include more other equivalence embodiments without departing from the concept of the present application , thus the scope of the present application is determined by the scope of the appended claims .

US-201514621003-A

the present invention aims at providing a foaming tool capable of highly efficiently producing creamy foam containing ultra fine bubbles in high proportion . the foaming tool includes a double - layered cloth body composed of vertically overlapped cloth bodies obtained by plain weaving synthetic - resin - fiber warp and wept yarns so as to cause them to alternately position up and down with weave textures of ≦ 300 μm length and width . the double - layered cloth body has an air layer interposed between the vertically overlapped cloth bodies . the double - layered cloth body is folded once at an appropriate center in the longitudinal direction thereof and thus joined edge portions are assembled and are stitched together to thereby provide a tab portion of gather . in such a constitution , below the tab portion , a foaming auxiliary portion produced by assembling of a cloth body having the same quality as that of the cloth described above is provided .

a foaming tool according to the present invention is a foaming tool which is configured such that cloth bodies having weave textures having a length and a width of 300 μm or less and obtained by plain - weaving warp yarns and weft yarns made of synthetic resin fibers such that the warp yarns and the weft yarns are alternately positioned up and down are vertically overlapped to each other and includes an air layer between the upper and lower cloth bodies are folded , and mating end portions are assembled and are stitched to form a tab portion formed of a gather portion , wherein at a lower position of the tab portion , there is provided a foaming auxiliary portion formed by assembling a cloth body which has the same quality as the above - mentioned cloth bodies . as synthetic fibers which constitute yarns of the cloth body , fibers made of hard - to - stretch polyester can be suitably used , and a size of weave textures of the cloth body is favorably set to 250 μm or less , and more favorably , set to 50 to 100 μm . here , a lower - limit size of the weave texture is a size which allows detergent to pass therethrough and assures air permeability . further , such a cloth body is obtained by plain - weaving warp yarns and weft yarns such that the warp yarns and the weft yarns are alternately positioned up and down and hence , even when the foaming tool is crumpled in use , the deformation of the weave textures is small and foam formed of bubbles having a uniform size can be easily produced . the foam generated by the foaming tools is used for washing . first of all , the whole foaming tool is suitably moistened and a suitable quantity of detergent such as soap in a solid , liquid or powder form is applied to the foaming tool and , thereafter , the foam is formed while crumpling the foaming tool with hands or the like and , at the same time , a lump of foam is taken out by squeezing the cloth body . the lump of foam which is taken out contains a large number of ultra - fine bubbles ( having a diameter of 5 to 20 μm ). by applying the lump of foam to a part to be washed , by wiping off or washing off the foam , the dirt can be easily removed from the part to be washed . here , when the part to be washed is a skin , the ultra - fine foam enter fine indentations or pores of the skin and dirt components are effectively adsorbed to the foam and hence , a washing effect is remarkably enhanced and , at the same time , it is no more necessary for the user to rub the skin or the like . accordingly , the foaming tool does not give stimulus to the skin and hence , the foaming tool can be safely used by a user who suffers from a skin disease . further , by using the foaming tool , person in hospital or a bed - ridden person , for example , who is difficult to take a bath can effectively wash his / her body . that is , after the foam produced by the foaming tool is applied to a part of body which constitutes the part to be washed , for example , his / her hand , foot , trunk portion or the like , the part to be washed is covered with a steamed towel or the like for a predetermined period and , thereafter , the towel is simply removed whereby a sufficient washing effect can be obtained . here , although the towel is not limited to the steamed towel , by using the steamed towel , the pores or the like of the skin are opened and hence , the washing effect is further enhanced and , at the same time , a body warming effect can be realized . in such a foaming tool which can produce such ultra - fine bubbles , the most characterizing constitution of this embodiment lies in that a foaming auxiliary portion which is formed by assembling a cloth body having the same quality as the quality of the above - mentioned cloth body which forms the foaming tool is provided below the tab portion . by providing the foaming auxiliary portion , the foaming auxiliary portion functions like a pump so as to supply sufficient air into the detergent by taking in or discharging outside air into the detergent thus remarkably enhances the foaming efficiency . that is , by allowing the foaming tool to contain the detergent and by crumpling the foaming tool by hand , for example , the ultra - fine bubbles are produced . here , it is considered that , if a large quantity of air can be wrapped in the foaming tool in the crumpling operation , a larger quantity of foam can be produced in a short time . the foaming auxiliary portion according to this embodiment is formed by assembling a cloth body having the same quality as a quality of the foaming tool and hence , the foaming auxiliary portion has an excellent flexibility ( resiliency ). accordingly , the foaming auxiliary portion can repeat stretching and contraction and functions just like a pump and hence , a large quantity of air can be efficiently supplied in the detergent . further , since the foaming auxiliary portion is arranged below the tab portion , only by holding the tab portion with one hand and by moving the foaming tool in a circle while pushing the foaming auxiliary portion against a palm of another hand by way of the tab portion , it is possible to generate an action substantially equal to a crumpling operation and hence , it is possible to extremely enhance the easy - to - use property of the foaming tool and , at the same time , a large quantity of ultra - fine foam can be produced in a short time . further , here , the foaming auxiliary portion appropriately stimulates a “ sweet spot ” of the palm and hence , by using the foaming tool , a massage effect which removes fatigue from a user without making the user recognize the removal of fatigue can be realized . further , the foaming auxiliary portion may be formed by assembling the cloth body after winding the cloth body in a spiral or folding the cloth body in a corrugated shape and by directing the end periphery portion of the cloth body downwardly . due to such a shape , the foaming auxiliary portion acts just like a foaming brush and hence , it is possible to further enhance the foaming effect thus enhancing the production efficiency of the foam . here , to produce finer foam , it is desirable to set a volume ratio between the detergent and water 1 : 2 to 10and , more preferably , to 1 : 2 to 5 . further , the foaming tool may interpose a foaming - enhancing cloth having irregularities on a surface thereof in the inside of the air layer which is formed between the cloth bodies arranged vertically in layers . such a foaming - enhancing cloth portion is formed of a cloth body woven which has irregularities on one side surface thereof and , favorably , has weave textures of approximately 50 to 100μ . due to the provision of such a foaming - enhancing cloth body , air is further easily mixed into the foaming tool during the crumpling operation ( foaming operation ) and hence , it is possible to produce creamier and finer foam which contain a large number of fine bubbles having a diameter of 5 to 20 μm . as a twisted yarn with which the foaming - enhancing cloth body is woven , rather thick warp yarns each of which is formed by twisting approximately one hundred of ultra - fine single threads and weft yarns finer than the warp yarns can be used . by weaving these warp yarns and weft yarns , a cloth having irregularities on a surface thereof and fine weave textures . by using the foaming - enhancing cloth body having the surface irregularities , it is possible to prevent outer cloth bodies from being brought into close contact with each other when the foaming tool is crumpled so that air retention is favorably maintained . at the same time , by assembling the thick warp yarns and the fine weft yarns , the foaming tool possesses the suitable resiliency and hence , in the same manner as the foaming auxiliary portion , the foaming - enhancing cloth body can take the outside air therein or discharge the outside air just like a pump so as to supply air to a film made of a surfactant which is stretched over the weave texture whereby it is possible to enhance foam producing effect thus effectively producing the finer bubbles . further , the film made of the surfactant which is stretched over the weave texture of the foaming - enhancing cloth body per se also becomes foam when the air is taken therein . here , such foam is retained in the inside of the air layer thus enhancing the foam producing efficiency . that is , the foaming tool which is constituted of the outer cloth body and the inner foaming - enhancing cloth body is suitably moistened and a proper quantity of soap in a solid , liquid , powder form or the like is applied to the foaming tool . when the foaming tool is crumpled , bubbles are produced by soapsuds and air . in the course of intrusion of bubbles into the inside of the foaming tool after passing through the outer cloth body and the foaming cloth body , the bubbles are reproduced into bubbles having a diameter of 50 to 100 μm which corresponds to meshes of respective cloth bodies . further , such reproduced bubbles occasionally arrive at fine spaces having a size of several microns which are produced innumerably due to a contact between surface irregularities of the outer cloth body and surface irregularities of the inner foaming - enhancing cloth body with each other so that a large number of further finer bubbles having a size of 5 to 20 μm are instantaneously produced . further , a group of the produced ultra - fine bubbles is , due to the repetition of the crumpling motion , formed into further ultra - fine bubbles and is stabilized and , thereafter , the group of the bubbles passes through the foaming - enhancing cloth body and the outer cloth body and is carried to the outside of the foaming tool . further , the group of bubbles which is carried to the outside of the foaming tool is also guided to the inside of the foaming tool again due to the continuation of the crumpling motion and hence , the production of the bubbles is successively and continuously performed . here , as described above , the pumping action of the foaming - enhancing cloth body further enhances the efficient foaming . further , also by using the foaming - enhancing cloth body in the foaming auxiliary portion , it is possible to form the foaming auxiliary portion in a state that a double - layered cloth body formed by overlapping the foaming - enhancing cloth body to the cloth body is assembled . due to such a constitution , the foaming efficiency can be further enhanced . accordingly , by using the foaming tool which is provided with the forming auxiliary portion having such a constitution , a large number of bubbles can be produced easily in a short time . for example , when the quantity of the foam which is produced by the foaming tool of the present invention and the quantity of foam which is produced by the conventional foaming tool are equal , the bubble producing time necessary for the forming tool of the present invention can be shortened to ½ to ⅓ of the bubble producing time necessary for the conventional foaming tool . here , as the foaming - enhancing cloth body , a colored foaming - enhancing cloth body may be suitably used . in this case , the color is viewed through the outer cloth body and hence , the foaming tool can bring about the calm and refined texture . that is , the foaming tool is constituted such that the cloth bodies having weave textures having a length and a width of 300 μm or less and obtained by plain - weaving warp yarns and weft yarns formed of synthetic resin fibers such that the warp yarns and the weft yarns are alternately positioned up and down are folded , and overlapped end peripheries of the cloth bodies are stitched together and , in a state that one open end portion is wrapped with another open end portion , another open end portion is folded back to the outside and an air layer is formed between the cloth bodies and , at the same time , the overlapped portions of two open end portions are assembled and are stitched to form a tab portion formed of a gather portion and , further , at a lower position of the tab portion , a foaming auxiliary portion formed by assembling a cloth body which has the same quality as the quality of the above - mentioned cloth bodies is provided . due to such a constitution , in the same manner as the above - mentioned foaming tool , it is possible to efficiently produce extremely fine , creamy , easy - to - stretch and hard - to - disappear foam in an extremely short time and , at the same time , the part to be washed can be washed by using the produced ultra - fine bubbles in a state that the foaming auxiliary portion is directly brought into contact with the part to be washed and hence , the part to be washed can be effectively washed . further , also in this case , it is preferable that the foaming - enhancing cloth body is arranged in the air layer . in the foaming tool which has been described above , it is possible to efficiently produce ultra - fine foam further easily and , using the ultra - fine foam , smart and effective washing can be performed without performing an operation such as scrubbing . further , the foaming tool is suitably used for face washing and , at the same time , exhibits the sufficient aesthetic appearance in design and hence , particularly , the foaming tool is particularly possessed by a woman or the like . here , as the part to be washed using the foam produced by the foaming tool , in addition to the face , the hand and the foot or the trunk , hair may be named . further , in addition to the parts of human body , various articles including fibers , wall paper , ceramics such as tiles and tableware , a glass product , a metal surface or a painted surface of a car body or the like , a wooden surface of a furniture or the like , and leathers may be named as the object to be washed . that is , provided that the article has small irregularities on a surface thereof , dirt components adhered to the inside of the irregularities is adsorbed by fine foam thus obtaining the effective washing effect . further , the kind of soap is also not limited and , the soap may be suitably selected and used depending on a usage thereof . hereinafter , embodiments of a foaming tool according to the present invention are specifically explained in conjunction with drawings . fig1 is a front view with a part broken away of a foaming tool according to a first embodiment , fig2 is an explanatory view of the foaming tool as viewed in a side view , fig3 is an explanatory view showing weave textures of an outer cloth body which constitutes the foaming tool , fig4 is an enlarged explanatory view of the outer cloth body as viewed in a cross - sectional view , fig5 is an explanatory view showing weave textures of an inner cloth body , fig6 is an explanatory view showing a using condition of the foaming tool , fig7 is an explanatory view showing a manufacturing method of a foaming auxiliary portion , fig8 is an explanatory view showing a form of the foaming auxiliary portion , fig9 is an explanatory view of a shape of a cloth body which constitutes the foaming auxiliary portion and fig1 is an enlarged view of bubbles which are produced by the foaming tool of the present invention . as shown in fig1 and fig2 , the foaming tool a is constituted of an outer cloth body 1 which is woven using synthetic resin fibers substantially formed of polyester and stitched into a cylindrical shape and an inner cloth body 2 which is arranged in the inside of the outer cloth body 1 as a foaming - enhancing cloth body . the outer cloth body 1 has a double - layer structure in which cloth bodies are folded in two , overlapped end peripheries thereof are stitched to each other to form a cylindrical shape , and the cloth bodies are made flat in a state that the cloth bodies are vertically overlapped to each other and , further , the cloth bodies are folded at an approximately center thereof in the longitudinal direction and the mating end portions are assembled and are stitched to each other to form a tab portion 10 formed of a gather portion at an end portion thereof . numeral 12 indicates an ornamental body such as a ribbon which is mounted on one side surface of a squeezed portion of the tab portion 10 and numeral 13 indicates a hanger ring which is also used for inserting a finger . further , the outer cloth body 1 has , as shown in fig3 , weave textures each of which has a length and a width of 300 μm or less . it is more preferable that the outer cloth body 1 is woven in plain weaving with weave textures each of which has a length and a width within a range from 50 to 100 μm , and the warp yarns 1 a and the weft yarns 1 b are alternately positioned up and down . here , the size of the weaving texture 1 c in this embodiment is set to 80 μm . accordingly , the hand feeling of the outer cloth body 1 is extremely soft . here , as shown in fig4 , the inner cloth body 2 is interposed in the inside of an air layer 3 which is formed between the outer cloth bodies 1 , 1 which have double - layer structure . the inner cloth body 2 is a fabric formed of twisted yarns made of polyester fibers in the same manner as the outer cloth body 1 and is woven in a state that the inner cloth body 2 has irregularities on one side surface thereof . here , as shown in fig5 , the inner cloth body 2 also has weave textures 2 c each of which has a size of approximately 50 to 100μ . further , as twisted yarns for weaving the inner cloth body 2 , as shown in fig5 , rather thick warp yarns 2 a which are made by twisting an approximately one hundred of ultra - fine single threads and weft yarns 2 b finer than the warp yarns can be used . the warp yarns 2 a are woven in chain and , wherein by weaving the warp yarns 2 a and the weft yarns 2 b together , irregularities are formed on one side surface of the inner cloth body 2 and , the ultra - fine weave texture 2 c is formed . further , the inner cloth body 2 may suitably have a desired tone of the color and , by allowing the color of the inner cloth body 2 to be faintly seen through the outer cloth body 2 , the foaming tool can bring about a refined and smart appearance . in addition to the above - mentioned basic constitution , this embodiment is characterized in that a foaming auxiliary portion 6 which is formed by assembling a cloth body 1 ′ having the same quality as a quality of the outer cloth body 1 is mounted on a lower portion of the tab portion 10 . in the foaming auxiliary portion 6 , an end peripheral portion of the assembled cloth body 1 ′ is directed downwardly and , as shown in fig7 ( 1 ), the foaming auxiliary portion 6 is formed by folding the cloth body 1 ′ in a corrugated shape and assembling the cloth body 1 ′ or , as shown in fig7 ( b ), by winding the cloth body 1 ′ in a vortex shape . in any case , in the foaming tool a , the foaming auxiliary portion 6 acts just like a foaming brush and hence , the foaming effect is further enhanced thus increasing the foam producing efficiency . shapes of the foaming auxiliary portion 6 are shown in fig8 ( a ) and fig8 ( b ), wherein the foaming auxiliary portion 6 shown in fig8 ( a ) has a shape formed by assembling the cloth body 1 ′ in a corrugated shape as shown in fig7 ( a ). on the other hand , the foaming auxiliary portion 6 shown in fig8 ( b ) is formed by winding the cloth body 1 ′ in a vortex shape as shown in fig7 ( b ), and a vortex portion 6 ′ appears like a rose and hence , the foaming auxiliary portion 6 exhibits the beautiful appearance at and enhances the aesthetic appearance also in design . here , to allow such a foaming auxiliary portion 6 to act like the foaming brush as described above , it is unnecessary to cut an end periphery 1 d of the cloth body 1 ′ straightly , and as shown in fig9 , the cut end periphery 1 d may have a wave form ( fig9 ( a )) or a saw - shaped form ( fig9 ( b ), ( c )). in this manner , by the foaming auxiliary portion 6 by directing the non - straight cut end periphery 1 d downwardly ( see fig8 ) , the action of the foaming auxiliary portion as the foaming brush is further enhanced . a case in which foam is produced by actually using the foaming tool a provided with such a foaming auxiliary portion 6 is explained in conjunction with fig6 . here , the case in which the foaming is performed using solid soap as detergent is explained . first of all , the foaming tool a is immersed in water or warm water and , thereafter , the foaming tool a is sufficiently squeezed and hence , the foaming tool a assumes a suitably moistened state . here , the solid soap is accommodated in the inside of a soap accommodating space 11 ( see fig2 ) which is formed by folding the foaming tool a in two by stitching together at the gather portion having the air layer 3 , the foaming tool a is crumpled such that soap components are spread all over the outer cloth body 1 and the inner cloth body 2 and , thereafter , as shown in fig6 , the tab portion 10 is picked by one hand and , at the same time , a bottom portion of the foaming tool a is supported by another hand , and the foaming auxiliary portion 6 is rubbed against the outer cloth body 1 and the inner cloth body 2 in the bottom portion of the foaming tool a in a circular motion as shown by an arrow f while the picked portion 10 is pushed against the bottom portion of the foaming tool a . here , the foaming auxiliary portion 6 acts like the foaming brush , and a large number of bubbles is produced using soapsuds and air . further , when the bubbles pass through the outer cloth body 1 and the inner cloth body 2 and advance to the inside of the foaming tool a , the bubbles are reproduced into bubbles having a diameter of 50 to 100 μm which correspond to the respective weave textures 1 c , 2 c of the outer cloth body 1 and the inner cloth body 2 . further , such reproduced bubbles occasionally arrive at fine spaces having a size of several microns which are formed innumerably due to a contact between surface irregularities of the outer cloth body 1 and irregularities of the inner foaming - enhancing cloth body 2 with each other so that a large number of bubble groups 4 formed of further ultra - fine bubbles having a size of 5 to 20 μm are instantaneously produced . further , the produced bubble groups 4 of the ultra - fine bubbles are , by repeating the rubbing motion which is substantially equal to the crumpling motion , formed into further ultra - fine bubbles and stabilized , and the bubble groups 4 pass through the outer cloth body 1 and the inner cloth body 2 and are carried to the outside of the foaming tool a . further , the foaming tool a is provided with the inner cloth body 2 having surface irregularities in the inside of the air layer 3 formed between the outer cloth body 1 and the inner cloth body 2 and hence , by preventing the outer cloth bodies 1 , 1 which assume double layers while preventing foam from being brought into close contact with each other , an air retention is favorably maintained and , further , the inner cloth body 2 has an adequate resiliency by assembling the thick warp yarns 2 a and the fine weft yarns 2 b and hence , the foaming tool a can take in and discharge the outside air like a pump so that the air is supplied to a film of surfactant which is stretched over the weave texture 2 c and hence , it is possible to enhance the foam producing effect and the finer bubbles can be effectively produced . further , the film of soapsuds stretched over the weave textures 2 a of the inner cloth body 2 per se also becomes foam when the air is taken into the film and also , such foam is held in the inside of the air layer thus enhancing the foam producing efficiency . still further , according to this embodiment , the foaming auxiliary portion 6 functions as the foaming brush and , at the same time , since the foaming auxiliary portion 6 per se has flexibility , the foaming auxiliary portion 6 repeats stretching and contraction and functions like a pump and hence , a further foaming effect can be obtained thus realizing efficient production of foam which has not been achieved by the conventional foaming tool . further , here , the foaming auxiliary portion 6 appropriately stimulates a “ sweet spot ” of the palm and hence , by using the foaming tool a , a massage effect is obtained and , by continuously using the foaming tool a , an effect which removes fatigue from a user without making the user recognize removal of fatigue can be realized . in this manner , by using the foaming tool a , the bubble groups 4 formed of a large number of bubbles can be produced easily in a short time . as a result of experiments , it is understood that the foaming tool a exhibits foam producing efficiency which is as approximately twice or three times large as the foam producing efficiency of the conventional forming tool ( for example , a foaming tool disclosed in j - p - a 2004 - 000303 ). fig1 shows an enlarged view of the foam produced using the foaming tools a according to this embodiment and , it is understood that a large number of ultra - fine bubbles having a diameter of 8 μm to 10 μm are produced . this is a level of size of bubbles which can not be produced using the conventional foaming tool . the bubble groups 4 which contain large number of ultra - fine bubbles produced in this manner can be easily put on a palm as a lump of foam by squeezing the whole foaming tool a , and the lump of foam which has been taken out is applied to a part to be washed and , thereafter , the foam is wiped off or washed off whereby a large washing effect can be obtained . further , as described above , while using the foaming tool a , the massage effect is obtained and hence , the user &# 39 ; s physical condition can be regulated . further , the lump of foam contains small quantity of water and hence , the molecular structure of surfactants securely forms an external skeleton of the foam whereby the lump of foam is hard to disappear and is easy to stretch . accordingly , it is possible to maintain an effect in which the foam adsorbs the dirt components can be maintained for a long time and , further , after the foam is wiped off , the user does not feel an uncomfortable slimy feeling . i by using the foaming tool a while making use of such properties , for example , a person in hospital or a bed - ridden person who has difficulty in taking a bath can wash his / her body in place of taking a bath . next , the foaming tool b according to a second embodiment is explained in conjunction with fig1 and fig1 . here , constitutional elements identical with the constitutional elements shown in the previous first embodiment are given the same symbols and the explanation thereof is omitted . the foaming tool b shown in fig1 is a foaming tool which is formed such that the outer cloth body 1 which is explained in the embodiment 1 and is obtained by plain - weaving is folded in two and overlapped end peripheries 16 , 16 are stitched together in a state that one open end portion 14 is wrapped with another open end portion 15 , another open end portion 15 is folded back to the outside , and an air layer 3 is formed between the cloth bodies 1 and , at the same time , the overlapped portions of two open end portions 14 , 15 are assembled and are stitched together to form a tab portion 10 formed of a gather portion and , further , at a lower position of the tab portion 10 , there is provided a foaming auxiliary portion 6 formed by assembling a cloth body which has the same quality as the quality of the above - mentioned cloth body 1 . further , the inner cloth body 2 which is explained in the embodiment 1 is also arranged in the inside of the air layer 3 . that is , the foaming tool b according to this embodiment differs from the embodiment 1 in that whole shape of the foaming tool body b which is constituted of the outer cloth body 1 and the inner cloth body 2 is slightly made flattened and wide compared to the first embodiment . in the foaming tool b according to this embodiment , first of all , the outer cloth body 1 which is cut into a rectangular shape having a predetermined size , the inner cloth body 2 which has a size approximately half of the outer cloth body 1 , and a foaming auxiliary portion 6 which is preliminarily formed are prepared . then , as shown in fig1 ( a ), first of all , the inner cloth body 2 is mounted on one side surface of the outer cloth body 1 by stitching . here , the end portion is folded back and , at the same time , a thread 7 may be favorably put into the end portion so that the thread 7 can be tightened afterwards . next , as shown in fig1 ( b ), the body is folded in a state that the surface on which the inner cloth body 2 is attached is directed to the outside , and the overlapped end peripheries 16 , 16 are stitched by a thread 8 . here , as shown in fig1 ( c ), in a state that one open end portion 14 is wrapped with another open end portion 15 , the another open end portion 15 is folded back to the outside and the air layer 3 is formed between the cloth bodies 1 and , at the same time , the overlapped portions of two open end portions 14 , 15 are assembled and are stitched together using the thread 7 to form the tab portion 10 formed of the gather portion . here , by inserting the foaming auxiliary portion 6 which is prepared separately into the cloth body from the open end portions 14 , 15 , the lower position of the tab portion 10 and the foaming auxiliary portion 6 is fixed by stitching together with the gather portion . through such steps , as shown in fig1 ( d ), the foaming tool b ( see fig1 ) which has the foaming auxiliary portion 6 arranged below the tab portion 10 and has the appearance different from the appearance of the foaming tool a can be obtained . foam which is produced using the foaming tool b having such a shape is similar to the foam produced using the foaming tool a according to the first embodiment . further , since the foaming tool b can expose the foaming auxiliary portion 6 , the foaming auxiliary portion 6 can be directly pushed against a part to be washed for washing the part to be washed with foam . the foaming auxiliary portion 6 is , as described above , formed of a cloth body 1 ′ which has the same quality as a quality of the outer cloth body 1 and hence , the foaming auxiliary portion 6 is flexible . for example , in washing an article having a fragile surface such as a lacquered ware is performed , it is possible to beautifully wash the article without damaging the surface . further , since the foaming tool body b is flattened and made wide , it is possible to efficiently wash the part to be washed by pushing the foam against the part to be washed widely . further , a foaming tool c shown in fig1 is a modification of this embodiment in which a size ratio of the foaming auxiliary portion 6 with respect to the foaming tool body b is increased . here , the foaming tool body b is made smaller than the foaming tool b shown in fig1 to make the foaming tool b compact thus particularly allowing only the foaming auxiliary portion 6 to perform the washing action with respect to the part to be washed . such a foaming tool c can be favorably used as a foaming tool specialized for washing a heel , for example . that is , as explained in the previous first embodiment , foam which is produced using the foaming tool c contains a large number of ultra - fine bubbles which can enter the skin and , due to the washing with such foam , a keratinized part of the heel is removed and hence , even the heel can have the smooth and beautiful skin . the present invention is explained in conjunction with respective embodiments heretofore . however , only specific examples are exemplified here and the present invention is not particularly limited to these constitutions . that is , the present invention is characterized in that the foaming tool for detergent which are formed such that the cloth bodies having weave textures having the length and the width of 300 μm or less and obtained by plain - weaving warp yarns and weft yarns made of synthetic resin fibers such that the warp yarns and the weft yarns are alternately positioned up and down are vertically overlapped to each other and includes an air layer between the upper and lower cloth bodies are folded at the approximate center in the longitudinal direction of the cloth bodies , and the mating end portions of the cloth bodies are assembled and are stitched together to form the tab portion formed of the gather portion , wherein , at the lower position of the above - mentioned tab portion , there is provided the foaming auxiliary portion formed by assembling the cloth body which has the same quality as the quality of the above - mentioned cloth bodies , and the size of whole body and the shape and the size of the foaming auxiliary portion may be suitably set . further , the advantageous effects described in the modes for carrying out the present invention or the embodiments of the present invention are enumerated only as the most favorable advantageous effects obtained by the present invention and , the advantageous effects according to the present invention is not limited to the advantageous effects described in the mode for carrying out the present invention or the embodiments of the invention . the present invention is useful as a foaming tool which produces foam for various washing including body washing and can produce ultra - fine , creamy , easy - to - stretch and hard - to - disappear foam in an extremely short time . further , the foaming tool has a sufficient aesthetic appearance in design and hence , the foaming tool is most favorably possessed particularly by a woman or the like and , further , while producing foam , the foaming auxiliary portion comfortably stimulates the palm so that even appropriate massage effect is obtained and hence , it is possible to enhance the commercial value of the foaming tool which is used almost everyday . further , the produced foam is applied to the part to be washed and , after a suitable time , the foam are wiped off or rinsed off whereby the effective surface washing can be performed . particularly , the foam is not necessary to be rinsed off with water and hence , the wash place is not limited . further , when the foaming tool according to the present invention is used for face washing , the foam which is extremely fine , creamy , easy - to - stretch , hard - to - disappear enter the pores of the skin and adsorb dirt and hence , it is possible to keep the skin clean .

US-65816505-A

disclosed is a process for the stereocontrolled total synthesis of thienamycin , which synthesis proceeds via intermediate ii : ## str1 ## wherein r 3 is a readily removable carboxyl protecting group .

the process of the present invention may conveniently be summarized by the following reaction diagram : ## str4 ## in words relative to the above reaction diagram , the acetone dicarboxylate starting material 1 ( r 1 is alkyl having from 1 - 6 carbon atoms , aryl , such as phenyl , or aralkyl having from 7 - 12 carbon atoms ) in a solvent such as toluene , methylene chloride , ethyl acetate , ether or the like is treated with an amine , nh 2 r ( r is hydrogen ; phenylalkyl having from 7 - 12 carbon atoms such as benzyl ; 2 , 4 - dimethoxybenzyl ; alkyl having from 1 - 6 carbon atoms such as t - butyl , or the like ) at a temperature of from - 10 ° to 110 ° c . for from 0 . 5 to 24 hours . the above reaction mixture for the transformation 1 → 2 is conducted in the presence of a dehydrating agent such as sodium sulfate , molecular sieves , or the like . the transformation 2 → 3 is accomplished by treating 2 in a solvent such as toluene , methylene chloride , ethyl acetate , ether or the like with a stoichiometric to 100 - fold excess of ketene , acetic anhydride , or acetyl halide such as acetyl chloride in the presence of a base such as a triorganoamine , for example , triethylamine , at a temperature of from - 10 ° to 95 ° c . for from 10 minutes to 15 hours . the transformation 3 → 4 is accomplished by treating 3 in a solvent such as acetic acid , ethanol , methanol or the like at a temperature of from 0 ° to 80 ° c . with a reducing agent such as sodium cyanoborohydride , sodium borohydride , sodium acetoxyborohydride , or the like , in the presence of a carboxylic acid such as acetic , tartaric , oxalic or the like . cyclization of 4 to form the lactone 5 is accomplished by heating a solution of 4 in concentrated aqueous hcl at from 25 °- 100 ° c . for from 2 hours to 12 hours . the amino deblocking transformation 5 → 22 is typically achieved by catalytic hydrogenation in a solvent such as acetic acid , water or the like under a hydrogen pressure of from 40 - 1500 psi in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst such as palladium on charcoal , palladium oxide , platinum oxide or the like . the transformation 22 → 23 is accomplished by treating 22 with an alcohol such as benzyl alcohol , phenol , 2 , 2 , 2 - trichloroethanol , methanol , or the like at a temperature of from 25 ° to 100 ° c . for from 1 to 24 hours . in the representation of desired product 23 in the above diagram , the ester moiety r 1 is determined by the identity from the alcohol , r 1 oh , used in the transformation 22 → 23 . suitable values for r 1 have been generically defined above relative to starting material 1 ; for purposes of definition r 1 embraces r 3 , also defined above . the transformation 23 → 24 is accomplished by treating 23 with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide ( dcc ), or the like in the presence of a base such as triethylamine , 4 - dimethylaminopyridine , pyridine , or the like . the deblocking of the carboxyl group is accomplished in the transformation 24 → 37 . typically the deprotection is accomplished by catalytic hydrogenation . typically , 24 and the solvent such as methanol , ethylacetate , ether , or the like under a hydrogen pressure of from 1 to 3 atmospheres in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst such as palladium on charcoal , platinum oxide , or the like is held at a temperature of from 0 ° to 40 ° c . for from 1 to 3 hours , to provide 37 . other deblocking procedures , such as hydrolysis , are also appropriate . thus , for example , when r 1 is methyl , basic hydrolysis is preferred : typically , this is accomplished by the addition of an equivalent amount of a base such as naoh , koh , ba ( oh ) 2 , na 2 co 3 , or the like to an aqueous solution of 24 ( for example , as the methyl ester ) at 25 °- 100 ° c . for from 10 min . to 10 hours . the addition 37 → 38 is accomplished by treating 37 with 1 , 1 &# 39 ;- carbonyldimidazole or the like in a solvent such as tetrahydrofuran , dimethoxyethane , or the like at a temperature of from 0 ° to 50 ° c ., followed by the addition of 1 . 1 to 3 . 0 equivalents of ( r 3 o 2 cch 2 co 2 ) 2 mg , or the like at a temperature of from 0 ° to 50 ° c . for from 1 to 48 hours . r 3 is a readily removable carboxyl protecting group such as p - nitrobenzyl , o - nitrobenzyl , benzyl or the like . the transformation 38 → 28 is accomplished by treating 38 with a triorganophosphine in the copresence of an activating agent therefor such as an azodicarboxylate , keto malonate , triflate ( trifluorosulfonyl ) or the like to yield the intermediate phosphonium of 38 which is then reacted with an equivalent to 20 - fold excess of a carboxylic acid such as formic , acetic , benzoic , or the like . typically , the azodicarboxylate or its equivalent is added to the solution comprising the β - lactam substrate , the triorganophosphine and the carboxylic acid of choice , r 8 co 2 h . the reaction is typically conducted in a solvent such as toluene , ethylacetate , diethylether , methylene chloride or the like at a temperature of from - 10 ° to 50 ° c . for from 10 minutes to 12 hours . suitable triorganophosphines are triphenylphosphine , and trialkylphosphines , wherein the alkyl group has from 1 - 6 carbon atoms , for example , tributylphosphine . suitable activating agents include , for example , azodicarboxylates such as diethylazodicarboxylate , dibenzylazodicarboxylate and diisopropylazodicarboxylate ; triflates and diloweralkyl keto malonates wherein the alkyl moiety has from 1 - 6 carbon atoms are also suitable . the transformation 28 → 16 is accomplished by treating 28 in a solvent such as methanol , ethanol or the like in the presence of an acid such as hcl , h 2 so 4 , or a base such as sodium acetate or the like at a temperature of - 10 ° to 28 ° c . for from 10 minutes to 12 hours . the diazotization 16 → 17 is accomplished by treating 16 in a solvent such as ethyl acetate , methylene chloride , toluene , or the like , with a diazotization reagent such as p - toluenesulfonyl azide , p - carboxybenzenesulfonyl azide or the like in the presence of a base such as pyridine , triethylamine , or the like at a temperature of from 0 ° to 40 ° c . for from 10 to 120 minutes . cyclization ( 17 → 18 ) is accomplished by treating 17 in a solvent such as benzene , toluene , thf or the like at a temperature of from 50 °- 110 ° c . for from 1 - 5 hours in the presence of a catalyst such as bis ( acetylacetonato ) cu ( ii )[ cu ( acac ) 2 ], cuso 4 , cu powder , rh 2 ( oac ) 4 , or pd ( oac ) 2 . alternatively , the cyclization may be accomplished by irradiating 17 through a pyrex filter ( a wave length greater than 300 nm ) in a solvent such as benzene , ccl 4 , diethylether or the like at a temperature of from 0 °- 25 ° c . for from 0 . 5 to 2 hours . [&# 34 ; oac &# 34 ;= acetate ]. establishment of leaving group x ( 18 → 19 ) is accomplished by reacting the keto ester 18 with r ° x such as p - toluenesulfonic acid anhydride , p - nitrophenylsulfonic acid anhydride , 2 , 4 , 6 - triisopropylphenylsulfonic acid anhydride , methanesulfonic acid anhydride , toluenesulfonyl chloride , p - bromophenylsulfonyl chloride , or the like ; wherein : x is the corresponding leaving group such as toluene sulfonyloxy , p - nitrophenylsulfonyloxy , methanesulfonyloxy , p - bromophenylsulfonyloxy ; or other leaving groups which are established by conventional procedures and are well known in the art . typically , the above reaction to establish leaving groups x is conducted in a solvent such as methylene chloride , acetonitrile or dimethylformamide , in the presence of a base such as diisopropylethylamine , triethylamine , 4 - dimethylaminopyridine or the like at a temperature of from - 20 ° to 40 ° c . for from 0 . 5 to 5 hours . the leaving group x of intermediate 19 can also be halogen . the halogen leaving group is established by treating 18 with a halogenating agent such as φ 3 pcl 2 , φ 3 pbr 2 , ( φo ) 3 pbr 2 , oxalyl chloride or the like in a solvent such as ch 2 cl 2 , ch 3 cn , thf , or the like in the presence of a base such as diisopropylethylamine , triethylamine , or 4 - dimethylaminopyridine or the like . [ φ = phenyl .] the leaving group x can also be a phosphate . it is typically prepared by treating 18 with diethyl chlorophosphate or the like in the presence of a base such as diisopropylethylamine , triethylamine , or 4 - dimethylaminopyridine or the like . the leaving group x can also be a carbonate . it is prepared by treating 18 with a chloroformate such as methyl , benzyl , p - nitrobenzyl or the like in the presence of a base such as diisopropylethylamine , triethylamine , or 4 - dimethylaminopyridine or the like . the leaving group x can also be an imino ester : ## str5 ## it is prepared by treating 18 with an imidoyl chloride such as n - phenyl trimethylacetimido chloride in the presence of a base such as diisopropylethylamine , triethylamine , or 4 - dimethylaminopyridine or the like . the reaction 19 → 20 is accomplished by treating 19 in a solvent such as dioxane , dimethylformamide , dimethylsulfoxide , acetonitrile , hexamethylphosphoramide , or the like in the presence of an approximately equivalent to excess of the mercaptan reagent hsch 2 ch 2 nhr 4 wherein r 4 is hydrogen or a readily removable n - protecting group such as p - nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl , o - nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl , formimidoyl , phenoxyacetyl , phenylacetyl , 2 - methyl - 2 -( o - nitrophenoxy ) propionic , and o - nitrophenoxyacetic , or the like in the presence of a base such as sodium hydrogen carbonate , potassium carbonate , triethylamine , diisopropylethylamine , or the like at a temperature of from - 40 ° to 25 ° c . for from 1 to 72 hours . the mercaptan reagent , hsch 2 ch 2 nhr 4 , is typically prepared by treating aminoethylmercaptan in the presence of the desired acid chloride in the presence of a base such as sodium bicarbonate , sodium hydroxide , or the like in a solvent such as aqueous diethylether , aqueous dioxane , aqueous acetone , or the like at a temperature of from 0 ° to 25 ° c . for from 0 . 5 to 4 hours . the final deblocking step 20 → i is accomplished by conventional procedures such as hydrolysis or hydrogenation , or enzymatically . typically 20 in a solvent such as dioxane - water - ethanol ; tetrahydrofuranaqueous dipotassium hydrogen phosphate - isopropanol ; tetrahydrofuran - water - morpholinopropane - sulfonic acid ( adjusted ph to 7 . 0 by adding sodium hydroxide ); or the like is treated under a hydrogen pressure of from 1 to 4 atmospheres in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst such as palladium on charcoal , palladium hydroxide , platinum oxicde , or the like at a temperature of from 0 ° to 50 ° c . for from 0 . 5 to 4 hours to provide i . it should be noted that intermediate 22 is racemic . resolution at this stage to the desired 2s , 3s , 4r - isomer affords optically pure thienamycin on completion of the synthesis . resolution of 22 ( or its protected intermediate 5 ) is conveniently accomplished on crystallization with an optically active acid . the preferred means of resolution is accomplished on crystallization with camphorsulfonic acid , (-) or (+) phenethylsulfonic acid and (-) or (+) α - methoxy - α - trifluoromethylphenylacetic acid , or the like . such resolution is described and claimed in concurrently filed , commonly assigned u . s . patent application ser . no . 112 , 020 filed jan . 14 , 1980 now abandoned ; this application is incorporated herein by reference to the extent that it describes the resolution of 22 . in the foregoing word description of the above schematic reaction diagram for the total synthesis of thienamycin , it is to be understood that there is considerable latitude in selection of precise reaction parameters . suggestion of this latitude and its breadth is generally indicated by the enumeration of equivalent solvent systems , temperature ranges , protecting groups , and range of identities of involved reagents . further , it is to be understood that the presentation of the synthetic scheme as comprising distinct steps in a given sequence is more in the nature of a descriptive convenience than as a necessary requirement ; for one will recognize that the mechanically dissected scheme represents a unified scheme of synthesis and that certain steps , in actual practice , are capable of being merged , conducted simultaneously , or effected in a reverse sequence without materially altering the progress of synthesis . the following examples recite a precise scheme of total synthesis . it is to be understood that the purpose of this recitation is to further illustrate the total synthesis and not to impose any limitation . all temperatures are in ° c . benzylamine ( 89 . 1 g , 0 . 83 moles ) is added over 10 minutes to a suspension of 5 a powdered molecular sieves ( 270 g ) and diethyl 1 , 3 - acetonedicarboxylate ( 160 g ) ( 0 . 79 moles ) in 350 ml toluene ( external cooling applied to control exotherm ). the suspension is stirred at room temperature for 14 - 17 hours and then filtered to provide 2 . the filter cake is washed with three portions of toluene . the combined filtrates may be used as is in the subsequent ketene reaction . ketene gas ( generated by pyrolysis of acetone ) is passed through the stirred solution of 2 ( see example 1 , above ) at 22 ° c . when starting material 2 is completely consumed ( followed by tlc - solvent system 1 : 1 hexane / etoac ), the solution is concentrated to give the product as a tan solid . recrystallization from ethanol affords the pure product 3 as colorless needles , mp 87 °- 8 ° c . ______________________________________elem . anal . calc . found______________________________________c . sub . 18 h . sub . 23 no . sub . 5 c 64 . 85 % 64 . 90 % h 6 . 95 7 . 06 n 4 . 20 3 . 94______________________________________ a solution of the enamine 3 ( 83 . 3 g , 0 . 25 mmoles ) in 400 ml hoac ( acetic acid ) is chilled to ca . 10 ° c . and sodium cyanoborohydride ( 20 . 9 g , 0 . 33 moles ) is added as a solid portionwise over 15 - 30 minutes . the cooling bath is removed and the solution stirred at room temperature ( 22 ° c .) for 3 . 5 hours . the solution is concentrated in vacuo and the residue flushed with toluene to remove most of the acetic acid . the residue is partitioned between 400 ml etoac ( ethyl acetate ) and 300 ml saturated aqueous nahco 3 . the organic layer is washed with another 300 ml portion of aqueous nahco 3 . the combined aqueous layers are back - extracted with 200 ml etoac . the organic layers are dried ( na 2 so 4 ) and concentrated in vacuo to give 4 as a colorless gum , 100 g . the crude amino alcohol 4 ( 110 g ) is cautiously dissolved in 900 ml concentrated aqueous hcl . the solution is heated to reflux and 80 - 100 ml of distillate is collected ( discarded ) during the first hour of reflux . after a 3 hr . reflux period the solution is cooled to 0 ° for 45 min and filtered . the solid is washed with three portions of 40 % etoh in isopropanol and dried in vacuo to constant weight to yield 5 : 24 - 30 g of white crystalline solid ; mp 160 °- 170 ° ( dec ). ______________________________________elem . anal . calcd . found______________________________________c . sub . 14 h . sub . 18 clno . sub . 4 . h . sub . 2 o c 52 . 91 52 . 79 h . sup . 6 . 34 6 . 41 cl 11 . 16 11 . 00 n . sup . 4 . 41 4 . 51______________________________________ a solution of the crude β - keto ester 14 ( 0 . 83 g ., 2 . 37 mmole ) and p - toluenesulfonyl azide ( 0 . 56 g , 2 . 85 mmole ) in 10 ml etoac at room temperature is treated with a solution of net 3 ( 0 . 31 g ., 3 . 08 mmole ) in 2 ml . etoac . the resulting suspension is stirred for 1 hr ., chilled to 0 ° and filtered . the product 15 ( 0 . 77 g ) is analytically pure , m . p . 160 . 5 °- 2 ° ( dec .). ______________________________________elem . anal . calcd . found______________________________________c . sub . 16 h . sub . 16 n . sub . 4 o . sub . 7 c 51 . 06 51 . 04 h 4 . 29 4 . 22 n 14 . 89 14 . 76______________________________________ a stirred suspension of the diazo compound 15 ( 500 mg , 1 . 33 mmole ) and rhodium diacetate ( 15 mg ) in dry toluene ( 35 ml ) is heated to 80 °- 5 ° for 2 . 5 hours . after filtration of the catalyst , the solution is concentrated in vacuo to give the product as a white solid , mp 92 °- 8 °. to a stirred suspension of the bicyclic ketone 16 ( 100 mg , 0 . 287 mmole ) in dry methylene chloride ( 1 ml ) is added dropwise a solution of diisopropylethylamine ( 62 mg , 0 . 481 mmole ) in dry ch 2 cl 2 ( 0 . 4 ml ) at 0 ° c . under a nitrogen atmosphere . the resulting mixture is aged for 15 min . then trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride ( 90 mg , 0 . 319 mmole ) is added to give a clear solution . to the mixture is added a solution of diisopropylethylamine ( 250 mg , 1 . 94 mmole ) in ch 2 cl 2 ( 0 . 3 ml ) followed by n - p - nitrobenzyloxycarbonylcysteamine ( 77 mg , 0 . 30 mmole ) as a solid at 0 ° c . the mixture is stirred for 30 min during which time the product crystallizes as a colorless solid . the solid is collected by filtration and washed with ch 2 cl 2 . an additional crop of product is obtained by washing the filtrate with dilute aqueous nahco 3 . the organic layer is dried with na 2 so 4 and concentrated in vacuo . the residue is crystallized from etoac . the combined yield is 108 mg ( 64 %) of product 17 . to a suspension of the bicyclic ketone 16 ( 50 mg , 0 . 144 mmole ) in acetonitrile ( 3 ml ) is added dropwise a solution of diisopropylethylamine ( 22 mg , 0 . 171 mmole ) in 1 ml ch 3 cn at - 5 ° c . under a nitrogen atmosphere . after aging at this temperature for 10 min , a solution of p - toluene sulfonic anhydride ( 51 mg , 0 . 156 mmole ) in 1 ml ch 3 cn is added . the resulting mixture is stirred for 2 hr . at 0 ° c . the solution is concentrated in vacuo to a volume of approximately 1 ml and then 3 ml of dry n , n - dimethylformamide ( dmf ) is added and the remaining ch 3 cn removed in vacuo . to the dmf solution at - 5 ° c . is added a solution of diisopropylethylamine ( 40 mg , 0 . 31 mmole ) in 0 . 5 ml dmf and the resulting mixture stored in a refrigerator for 70 hrs . the solution is diluted with brine and extracted with five portions of ch 2 cl 2 . the combined extracts are washed with brine , dried over na 4 so 4 , and concentrated in vacuo . the residue is crystallized from an ethylacetate - ether mixture to give the product 17 as a colorless solid , 68 mg ( 81 %). to a suspension of the bicyclic ketone 16 ( 100 mg , 0 . 29 mmole ) in ch 3 cn ( 1 ml ) is added dropwise a solution of diisopropylethylamine ( 37 mg , 0 . 29 mmole ) in 0 . 4 ml ch 3 cn at 0 ° under a nitrogen atmosphere . the resulting mixture is stirred for 15 min then a solution of diphenyl chlorophosphate ( 77 mg , 0 . 29 mmole ) in 0 . 4 ml ch 3 cn is added . the mixture is stirred for 15 min at 0 ° and then 15 min at room temperature . the mixture is again cooled to 0 ° and a solution of diisopropylethylamine ( 38 . 7 mg , 0 . 30 mmole ) in 0 . 4 ml ch 3 cn is added followed by n - p - nitrobenzyloxycarbonylcysteamine ( 77 mg , 0 . 30 mmole ). the reaction mixture is stored overnight in a freezer , diluted with etoac , and filtered to give the product 17 as a colorless solid , 118 mg ( 70 %). a mixture of the protected thienamycin 17 ( 4 . 9 mg , 8 . 362 × 10 - 6 mole ) and platinum oxide ( 3 . 4 mg ) in tetrahydrofuran ( 2 ml ), water ( 1 ml ) and 0 . 5 m morpholinopropane sulfonic acid ( adjusted to ph 7 . 0 by adding sodium hydroxide ) ( 0 . 5 ml ) is hydrogenated at 40 psi on a parr shaker for 60 minutes . the suspension is filtered to remove catalyst and the catalyst is washed with water ( 2 × 20 ml ). the filtrate is washed with etoac ( 2 × 15 ml ). the aqueous layer is diluted to 50 ml and assayed for thienamycin . hplc assay 81 . 4 % yield , retention time = 298 sec ., natural thienamycin 298 sec . a mixture of the β - lactam ( 2 . 50 g , 9 . 49 mmoles ) and 0 . 5 g of 10 % pd / c in 50 ml of tetrahydrofuran is hydrogenated at 40 psi on a parr shaker for 2 hours . the suspension is filtered and to the filtrate is added 1 , 1 &# 39 ;- carbonyldiimidazole ( 1 . 61 g , 9 . 93 mmoles ) as a solid and the solution is aged at room temperature under a nitrogen atmosphere for 3 hours . to this solution is added the magnesium salt of p - nitrobenzyl hydrogen malonate ( 4 . 97 g , 9 . 93 mmole ) and the resulting solution which soon becomes a suspension is stirred at room temperature for 20 hours . the suspension is concentrated in vacuo and the residue in ch 2 cl 2 is washed with dilute aqueous hcl followed by aqueous nahco 3 . each aqueous extract is back - washed with ch 2 cl 2 . the combined organic layers are dried and concentrated in vacuo to give the product as a pale - yellow gum , 2 . 92 g . pure material may be obtained as a gum by chromatography on silica gel and elution with etoac . ## str15 ## a solution of diisopropyl azodicarboxylate ( 139 mg , 0 . 69 mmole ) in 1 ml of dry tetrahydrofuran is added dropwise to a stirred , chilled ( ice - bath ) solution of the β - lactam ( 130 mg , 0 . 37 mmol ), triphenylphosphine ( 181 mg , 0 . 69 mmol ), and 95 - 100 % formic acid ( 51 mg , 1 . 11 mmol ) in 1 . 5 ml tetrahydrofuran . the solution is aged at 0 ° for 10 min . then at room temperature for 1 hour . the solution is concentrated , the residue is dissolved in 9 ml of aqueous meoh , and treated with 0 . 4 ml conc . hcl . the mixture is aged at room temperature for 1 . 5 hours and then concentrated almost to dryness . the residue is partitioned between water and two portions of ch 2 cl 2 . the combined organic extracts are dried ( mgso 4 ) and concentrated to give a yellow gum ( 430 mg ). a solution of this crude product and p - toluenesulfonyl azide ( 81 mg , 0 . 41 mmol ) in 1 ml etoac at 0 ° is treated with a solution of triethylamine ( 41 mg , 0 . 41 mmol ) in 0 . 5 ml etoac . the mixture is stirred at 0 ° and after 5 - 10 min . the diazo derivative begins to precipitate . after 45 min , the product is collected by filtration , washed with three portions of cold etoac , and dried to give the pure diazo keto ester ( 85 mg , 61 % overall ) as a pale - yellow powder , m . p . 150 °- 2 ° ( dec .). a suspension of the benzyl lactone ( 5 . 00 g 0 . 0167 moles ) and 1 . 0 g of 10 % pd / c in 200 ml acetic acid is pressurized to 1500 psi with hydrogen . the mixture is agitated at room temperature for 3 days , vented , and filtered . the recovered catalyst is washed with 2 portions ( ca . 15 ml ) of hoac . the combined filtrates are concentrated in vacuo . yield = 4 . 00 g ( 114 %) of white , foamy gum containing residual acetic acid . analytical sample prepared by crystallization from an acetic acid - acetonitrile - toluene mixture , mp 160 °- 5 ° ( dec ). ______________________________________elem . anal . calcd . found______________________________________c . sub . 7 h . sub . 12 clno . sub . 4 c 40 . 10 40 . 05 h . sup . 5 . 77 5 . 90 n . sup . 6 . 68 6 . 93 cl 16 . 91 16 . 97______________________________________ a solution of 4 . 78 moles of lactone in 19 liters of methanol is refluxed for 3 hours . after aging at room temperature overnight , the solution is concentrated under vacuum to a viscous oil . the oil is dissolved in 12 liters of methylene chloride and then treated with a solution of net 3 ( 710 ml , 5 . 02 moles ) over 1 hour at room temperature . the mixture is stirred at room temperature for 10 hours . the product is collected by filtration , washed with two 4 - liter portions of ch 2 cl 2 and air - dried to give the amino acid as a white crystalline solid . a suspension of the amino acid ( 20 . 0 g , 0 . 097 moles ) in 400 ml mecn is treated with a solution of n , n &# 39 ;- dicyclohexylcarbodiimide ( 21 . 0 g , 0 . 102 moles ) in 100 ml mecn followed by enough water ( ca . 70 ml ) to nearly achieve a homogeneous solution . the mixture is then heated to 30 °- 35 ° for 5 hours . the suspension is cooled to 0 °- 5 °, filtered , and the filtrate concentrated in vacuo . the residue is dissolved in 150 ml ch 2 cl 2 and the product is extracted into three 50 ml portions of water . this aqueous solution may be used directly in the next step ( saponification ) or it may be concentrated in vacuo to give pure β - lactam ( 16 . 8 g , 92 %). at room temperature , 1 . 05 moles of 6 n aqueous sodium hydroxide solution is added to a stirred solution of the methyl ester ( 23 . 6 g , 0 . 126 mole ) in 70 ml h 2 o . after aging at 25 ° for 1 hour , the ph of the solution is adjusted to 8 . 5 by addition of 2 n aqueous hcl and then most of the water is removed in vacuo . the residue is dissolved in 75 ml meoh , isopropanol ( 175 ml ) is then added and the suspension cooled to 0 °- 5 ° for 1 hour . the product is filtered and dried to constant weight in vacuo ( 21 . 4 g , 87 %). the sodium salt ( 10 . 0 g , 51 . 3 mmol ) in 30 ml of dry dimethyl formamide is treated with 22 . 5 ml of 2 . 3 m hcl in dmf ( 51 . 7 mmol ) to give a nearly homogeneous solution . after stirring at room temperature for an additional 10 minutes , the solution is diluted with 300 ml dry mecn . the resulting mixture is stirred for 30 min . and then treated with n , n - carbonyldiimidazole ( cdi : 8 . 29 g , 51 . 1 mmol ), stirred for another 30 min . at room temperature , treated with the magnesium carboxylate ( 12 . 8 g , 25 . 6 mmol ), and aged for 20 hours . the solvent is removed in vacuo and the residue is partitioned between 200 ml 1 n aqueous hcl and two portions ( total volume 500 ml ). the combined organic extracts are washed with dilute aqueous nahco 3 , dried over na 2 so 4 , and concentrated in vacuo to give the β - keto ester as an oil ( 15 . 1 g , 84 %). the following concurrently filed , commonly assigned u . s . patent applications are similarly directed to totally synthetic schemes for the preparation of thienamycin and in that respect complement the disclosure of the present application ; consequently , these applications are incorporated herein by reference . 1 . u . s . patent application ser . no . 112 , 085 filed jan . 14 , 1980 2 . u . s . patent application ser . no . 112 , 020 filed jan . 14 , 1980 now abandoned 3 . u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 , 021 filed jan . 14 , 1980 , now abandoned 4 . u . s . patent application ser . no . 112 , 035 filed jan . 14 , 1980 now u . s . pat . no . 4 , 287 , 123 5 . u . s . patent application ser . no . 112 , 057 filed jan . 14 , 1980 , now u . s . pat . no . 4 , 269 , 772

US-36333982-A

a method for finishing a part having excess material includes generating one or more surfaces on a model of the part to be machined , creating a machining tool path drive geometry , using the machine tool path drive geometry and one or more surfaces on the model to be machined to generate machining tool paths on the surfaces ; and running tool paths on the part in a fixture .

as a technical effect of the present invention , flexibility in the shape of a machined surface is provided . other technical effects include facilitating a more continuous mating with , for example , an air foil and platform . in various configurations , another technical effect of the present invention is that an improved surface finish is achieved . in some configurations of the present invention , a single point milling technique is provided that uses a smaller ball end mill than is used in root fillet milling . the drive geometry is a surface instead of a curve , and the final shape of the machined surface is controlled by the shape and location of the drive surface rather than the radius of the end mill . these configurations of the present invention provide flexibility in the shape of the machined surface , which in turn facilitates a more continuous mating with the air foil and platform . in general , a true arc is not required at the le and te platform fillet . the end mill also has a smaller percentage of its periphery cutting at any one time than is the case with root fillet milling , thereby providing an improved surface finish . a typical example of excess material 100 left by a forging operation at the intersection of leading edge 102 of an airfoil 104 and a platform surface 106 is shown in fig1 . in some configurations of the present invention and referring to fig2 , a drive surface used for the single point milling is created . surface 202 represents an approximate region that is machined to remove the excess material . surface 202 is created by trimming fillet surface 204 at 45 and 55 % of its chord - wise length , thereby producing surface 202 . fig3 is a side view illustrating blade surfaces . cylinder 302 represents a tapered ball nose end mill used for the milling operation . cylinder 302 has a tapered ball nose end mill 304 that is used for the milling operation . in some configurations of the present invention , ball nose end mill has a 0 . 1 inch ( 0 . 254 cm ) radius ball geometry that is used to create a 0 . 125 inch ( 0 . 3175 cm ) radius fillet . more generally , some configurations of the present invention utilize a ball nose end mill 304 that is between about 15 to 30 percent smaller than the radius size of the fillet to minimize or reduce the number of passes required . such configurations also advantageously avoid overloading the cutter and reduce cycle time . an offset surface is created from the surface 202 . for example , for one particular blade useful for practicing a configuration of the present invention , the offset is 0 . 008 inch ( 0 . 02032 cm ). this offset surface is then extended 10 to 20 % in directions a and b indicated in fig4 . these extensions enlarge the surface linearly . the new surface 402 is the drive surface for a cnc program . by offsetting and extending drive surface 402 , configurations of the present invention make it possible to create a tool path that will not undercut airfoil 104 , the platform 106 , or a forged portion of root fillet 100 . this technique also can accommodate natural manufacturing variation produced by the forging operation . fixtures used in this operation reduce or minimize effects of positional variation , and programming techniques can be used to reduce or minimize the effects of airfoil shape and thickness variation . more particularly , some non - exclusive examples of fixture configurations useful for practicing the present invention are designed to locate parts accurately to reduce or eliminate variation using three points on a platform , with two of the three points located near an area being machined . these three points establish a plane . two additional points are located on a convex or concave side of the airfoil to orient the airfoil edge and to lock rotation . another point is on the airfoil edge being machined , to locate the edge being machined . this fixture configuration compensates for variation of the airfoil and the platform of the blades and vanes , and locates the intersection of these surfaces ( i . e ., the machined area ), thereby minimizing variation . configurations of the present invention that use the fixture configurations described herein along with configurations of tool path generation methods and machining methods described herein advantageously produce acceptable surfaces with no undercuts . such configurations are also able to acceptably deal with variations in parts resulting from forging processes . thus , in some configurations and referring to flow chart 500 of fig5 , a technical effect of the present invention is achieved by defining a machining fixture at 502 and building this fixture at 504 for a part . in some configurations , the part includes airfoil and platform surfaces , and / or the part is produced by forging . a surface or surfaces are generated at 506 on a model to be machined , the surface ( s ) being drive surface ( s ) to be used for single point milling . the surface ( s ) represent an approximate region that is to be machined to remove excess material . the surface or surfaces are created in some configurations by trimming fillet surface ( s ) at 45 to 55 % of their chordwise length . at 508 , the machining tool path drive geometry is created or determined . machining tool paths are generated on surface ( s ) to be machined at 510 , and tool paths are run on the part in the fixture at 512 to finish the part being machined . as used herein , the terms “ trim ” and “ offset ” refer to operations conducted in unigraphics ® cad / cam software that is used commercially for creating cnc programs . ( unigraphics ® is a trademark of ugs plm solutions , inc . of plano , tex ., and unigraphics ® cad / cam software is available from ugs plm solutions inc ., maryland heights , mo .) although some configurations of the present invention utilize unigraphics ® cad / cam software , it will be understood that this particular brand of cad / cam software is cited only by way of non - limiting example . the present invention is not limited to the use of particular brands of software . exemplary dimensions are provided above for some configurations of the present invention . the selection of appropriate dimensions for use in other configurations is considered to be a design choice that can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art , after such a person has gained an understanding of the present invention . it will thus be appreciated that configurations of the present invention provide flexibility in the shape of a machined surface . this , in turn , facilitates a more continuous mating with , for example , an air foil and platform . in general , a true arc is not required at the le and te platform fillet . in some configurations , an end mill is used that has a smaller percentage of its periphery cutting at any one time than is the case with root fillet milling , thereby providing an improved surface finish . while the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims .

US-85282804-A

an indicator system with a dispenser providing controlled release of a volatile material contained within a dispenser , which indicates the exhaustion of the volatile material . the dispenser includes a blister that contains a vapor permeable membrane that collapses on a bottom wall due to internal vacuum forces created by the evacuation of volatile material . as the membrane collapses the remaining volatile material migrates to the periphery of the dispenser thereby indicating exhaustion of the volatile material .

referring to fig1 and 2 , a volatile material expiration indicating system 10 is illustrated , the system 10 having an evacuatable material dispenser 12 , a decorative image 14 , and a display frame 16 for holding the dispenser 12 . the decorative image 14 is attached to the frame 16 . the dispenser 12 includes a blister 18 , a peripheral flange 20 , and an impermeable laminate 22 releasably adhered to said blister 18 . the blister 18 includes a non - porous permeable membrane 24 comprised of low density polyethylene ( ldpe ), and a cup - shaped structure 26 . cup 26 includes a recycled polyethylene terephthalate ( rpet ) layer adhesively bonded to a nylon laminate . the nylon laminate includes a layer of ethylene vinyl acetate ( eva ) coextruded to each side of a middle nylon layer . the cup 26 includes a bottom wall 28 and four side walls 30 , that in conjunction with the membrane 24 acts as a sealed reservoir to contain the volatile material 32 ( fig7 ). the laminate 22 includes a layer of polypropylene , aluminum foil , and polyester . the polypropylene is adhesively bonded to the aluminum foil layer , which is adhesively bonded to the polyester layer . an extrusion bonding material is used to bond the layers together . laminate 22 preferably has a thickness of between 0 . 1 to 0 . 2 mm . the polyester layer is suitable for printing and is the outer surface of laminate 22 . preferably the membrane 24 and polypropylene layer of laminate 22 are coextruded when the blister is manufactured . the coextrusion permits for the laminate 22 to be peelably removed from the blister 18 while avoiding unnecessary reactions between an adhesive and the volatile material 32 during diffusion . cup 26 preferably has a thickness between 0 . 3 to 0 . 4 mm . the cup 26 is generally rectangular and preferably square with overall dimensions of about 3 - 5 mm thick , 50 - 60 mm long and 50 - 60 mm wide . each of its four sidewalls 30 has a corresponding width of 3 - 5 mm and a length of 50 - 60 mm . sidewalls 30 taper slightly outward as one moves from the bottom wall to the flange 20 . bottom wall 28 is also generally rectangular and has width of 48 - 58 mm and a height of 48 - 58 mm . the sidewalls 30 and bottom wall 28 of cup 26 are preferably thermoformed from a single sheet of the rpet and nylon laminate that is heated , then either blown or pressed into the flange - and - cup arrangement shown in the figures . preferably the cup 26 is clear and translucent , allowing for the visibility of the volatile material 32 contained within the blister 18 . cup 26 contains relatively shallow side walls 30 , as stated above . the shallow nature of the blister 18 allows for the membrane 24 to collapse upon the bottom wall 28 . diffusion of the volatile material 32 through the membrane 24 creates collapsing of membrane 24 upon wall 28 that maintains contact between the volatile material 32 and the membrane 24 . the contact allows for a greater percentage of overall volatile material 32 diffusion and allows for indication of volatile material 32 expiration . peripheral flange 20 is preferably planar . it is coupled to and extends outward from the top edges of the cup 26 ( e . g . the upper edges of sidewalls 30 ). flange 20 is integrally formed with the cup 26 in a thermoforming process , as described in the preceding paragraph . following placement of the volatile material 32 into the cup 26 , a seal is made between the flange 20 and the permeable membrane 24 thereby forming the dispenser 12 . at the same time laminate 22 may be attached to the blister 18 by having already been adhered to the membrane 24 . the membrane 24 and laminate 22 may be attached to the flange 20 of the blister 18 using any conventional means , such as an adhesive , heat sealing , crimping , or the like . the seal must be air - tight so as to prevent leakage of air or volatile material 32 . most preferably the membrane 24 and the laminate 22 are sealed to the cup 26 in a single step . the volatile material 32 does not completely fill the void within the blister 18 . a relatively small amount of air can be tolerated in dispenser 12 following the creation of blister 18 . preferably the air in the sealed blister is no more than 3 - 6 % of the overall volume of the blister 18 . as the volatile material diffuses out of dispenser 12 no air enters the blister 18 through the permeable membrane 24 . the membrane 24 is configured to distend and collapse without passage of air into the dispenser . when the volatile material is to be dispensed , the laminate 22 is removed from the blister 18 . preferably , the removal process will occur by a user grasping an end of the laminate 22 and peeling it off the blister 18 . a tab , extension , or other means for grasping ( not shown ) may be included as an extension of the laminate 22 to aid in removal of the laminate 22 . the extension may be at the corners , ends , or on the surface of the laminate 22 . permeable membrane 24 has a thickness of about 0 . 05 to 0 . 15 mm and has a density preferably between 0 . 88 and 0 . 95 grams / cubic centimeter . it is formed integrally with laminate 22 and is heat fused to flange 20 such that membrane 24 extends across the entire cup 26 . membrane 24 encloses and seals the cup 26 with the volatile material 32 stored inside thereby forming a thin sealed container impermeable to the volatile material 32 stored inside . this container remains impermeable until the user grasps a corner of laminate 22 and peels laminate 22 from the membrane 24 , thereby exposing permeable membrane 24 and permitting the volatile material 32 to migrate through the permeable membrane 24 and diffuse into the ambient air . the membrane 24 is preferably comprised of ldpe and is clear and translucent , allowing for visibility of the volatile material contained within the blister 18 . frame 16 is a rectangular structure , preferably square , with four substantially equal - sized side walls 34 , a front face 36 ( fig4 ) and a rear face 38 . frame 16 preferably has a thickness of between 12 and 22 mm and a height and width of between 70 and 90 mm . more preferably frame 16 has a width of approximately 15 mm and height of approximately 80 mm . front face 36 has a stepped recess 40 ( fig4 ). recess 40 gives frame 16 the appearance of a picture frame surrounding and framing the bottom ( or back ) wall 42 ( fig4 ) of the recess 40 . in the preferred embodiment , shown in fig6 and 9 , the walls of recess 40 appear in cross section to have steps or curves 44 in the manner of an ornate picture frame . the recess 40 preferably centered in the front face 36 and is disposed away from the side walls 34 . the recess 40 does not extend to the edge of the front face 36 . instead , front face 36 appears as a border extending around the edges of the recess 40 , having a constant width between 2 and 4 mm . wall 42 is preferably transparent or translucent to permit light to pass through . wall 42 , in that regard , may function as a window that permits the viewer ( from the front ) to visually perceive what is directly behind wall 42 . rear face 38 of frame 16 also is recessed . this recess is similarly stepped , and is configured to completely receive dispenser 12 , with dispenser 12 positioned so that the membrane 24 surface is substantially flush with rear face 38 . the recess is also preferably stepped , having a shallower peripheral recess 46 extending all the way around rear face 38 and a deeper central recess 48 . the deeper central recess 48 is configured and dimensioned to receive cup 26 , and the peripheral recess 46 is configured and dimensioned to receive and support flange 20 . in short , the central recess 48 and peripheral recess 46 combined have a negative shape that is the same as that of dispenser 12 . peripheral recess 46 preferably has an adhesive , spring clip , or other mechanical or adhesive retaining means that is configured to hold flange 20 in place . flange 20 and peripheral recess 46 may be adhered to one another through the use of any adhesive , or alternatively though a mechanical means , such as interference fit , or separate mechanical fastener , such as a spring clip . when an adhesive 49 is used ( as shown herein ), a flange - to - frame adhesive may be chosen to either permanently adhere the flange 12 to the display frame 16 or , alternatively , be releasably adhered for easy removal . in this manner , frame 16 can be a permanent and reusable item to which a succession of replacement dispensers 12 are affixed and later removed and replaced . central recess 48 is deeper than peripheral recess 46 since it must accommodate the greater combined thickness of cup 26 , flange 20 and membrane 24 . the bottom of cup 26 is adjacent to and preferably slightly spaced apart from the bottom 50 of central recess 46 . central recess 48 and peripheral recess 46 are preferably centrally spaced from the internal edges of rear face 38 . the distance between the bottom 50 ( fig1 ) of central recess 48 and the bottom 52 ( fig4 ) of recess 40 on the front face 36 of frame 16 ( i . e . the thickness of wall 44 ), is preferably between 2 and 5 mm . wall 42 may be transparent or translucent . the translucent properties of wall 42 enables the user to easily identify when the volatile material 32 has nearly all diffused through membrane 24 . additionally , the translucent properties of wall 42 have a decorative function . the frame is best shown ( fig3 and 4 ) to represent the translucent properties of wall 42 . the display frame 16 may be constructed from a variety of compositions , including glass , injection - molded plastic , and rubber . in the preferred embodiment , the display frame 16 is constructed from molded glass that is clear and transparent . blister 18 of the dispenser 12 is filled with a volatile material 32 . it is particularly suited for use in holding a volatile material 32 comprising an active ingredient , which is to be slowly diffused into the surrounding atmosphere , such as a fragrance , air freshener , insect repellant insecticide . in addition to the active ingredient the preferred embodiment includes a dye and thickening agent that color and thicken the volatile material 32 . the dye and thickening agent most preferably comprise less than 2 % of the overall composition . insecticides and other related chemicals may also be utilized as the volatile material 32 . where the user does not wish to have an unsightly insect repellant device , but requires the utility of a repellant , the decorative system is advantageous and blends in with the surrounding decor . the indicator system 10 allows for such a volatile material 32 to be released while having a decorative appearance . when volatile material 32 is a fragrance , the fragrance can be relatively simple in composition , or can be a complex mixture of natural and / or synthetic chemical compounds . various mixtures of volatile materials for use in the indicator system may comprise as few as two chemicals and as many as over one hundred . most conventional fragrance materials are synthetic or naturally derived volatile essential oils , such as , for example , lemon , mandarin , cedar leaf , clove leaf , cedar wood , oil of bergamot , bitter orange , geranium , lavender , orange , lavandin , neroli , rose absolute , cinnamon , and the like . synthetic types of fragrance composition , either alone or in combination with natural oils , are described in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 314 , 915 ; 4 , 411 , 829 ; and 4 , 434 , 306 , which are incorporated herein by reference . the image 14 ( fig1 and 8 ) may be graphic or textual . it may read , for example , “ please replace .” the image may be positioned in a plurality of positions , including but not limited to the following : front face 36 of frame , rear face 38 of frame , or upon the bottom wall 28 ( fig4 ). the image may be printed upon a layer of primed polyester that is adhesively adhered to the system 10 , as described above . alternatively , the image may be thermoformed into the bottom wall 28 or may be molded into the decorative frame 16 . the image 14 is shown in the shape of a tree , but may also be chosen from festive images used during various holiday seasons , such as a christmas tree , menorah , easter egg , valentine heart , pumpkin , and the like . additionally , the color of the volatile material may be chosen in conjunction with such images to aid in celebration of the respective holidays . multiple color combinations may be utilized in accordance to the decorative tastes of the user . the image 14 may be a plurality of other images that may include flowers , wildlife , cosmic displays , sporting related , and the like . depending upon the type and amount of dye utilized in conjunction with the volatile material 32 and the positioning of the image 14 , either in front of or behind volatile material 32 , the image 14 may or may not be viewable when the blister 18 is filled . preferably the image is not viewable until a majority of the volatile material 32 has been released , and the dispenser 12 nears an empty or second condition , so as to more clearly indicate use - up of the volatile material 32 . most preferably , the image 14 is viewable when the dispenser 12 is full , empty , and at any point in between . however , the image 14 would be more readily viewable when the dispenser 12 is empty , in order to enhance the decorative nature in conjunction with dispenser 12 use - up . for purposes of the present invention , expiration of the volatile material 32 or system 10 refers to use - up of the volatile material 32 . the preferred embodiment of the invention allows for the indication that the dispenser 12 is empty or near empty and little or no volatile material 32 remains . the indication of expiration is easily viewed following the near complete diffusion of the volatile material 32 . however , diffusion of the volatile material 32 is dependent upon the type of membrane utilized . preferably dispenser 12 will last 30 - 45 days before it is empty . of course , this can be changed based upon the material used as a membrane , the thickness of the membrane , surface area of the membrane , volume of the blister 18 , volume of volatile material 32 when the dispenser 12 is filled , and which particular volatile material composition is utilized . when packaged the dispenser 12 is filled ( fig7 ) with volatile material 32 and laminate 22 is adhered to the permeable membrane 24 . there is virtually no diffusion of volatile material 32 when the dispenser is filled and laminate 22 covers membrane 24 . following removal of laminate 22 , the system 10 begins to transition towards an empty or second condition . of course , there may be a small amount of volatile material 32 that remains and the dispenser 12 will be considered to have reached the second condition . as the volatile material 32 diffuses through the membrane 24 , the membrane 24 slowly collapses upon the bottom wall 28 . following diffusion of the volatile material 32 across the membrane 24 there is less material 32 contained within dispenser 12 . virtually no new air enters the dispenser 12 subsequent to diffusion of volatile material 32 . the result of this is a pressure gradient across the membrane 24 , with a higher pressure existing in the ambient air than the pressure in dispenser 12 . the pressure gradient causes the ambient air to exert a net positive pressure upon the dispenser , which presses the membrane 24 against the remaining volatile material 32 and ultimately the bottom wall 28 . continued diffusion of the volatile material 32 increases the force exerted upon the membrane 24 , which causes the remaining volatile material to migrate from a center of wall 28 towards the periphery of wall 28 . continued migration and diffusion of the volatile material 32 results in an increasing surface area contact between membrane 24 and wall 28 until dispenser 12 is empty , or nearly empty . increasing contact between the membrane 24 and the wall 28 allows for the image 14 to be more readily viewable . the pressure gradient ultimately resulting in migration of the volatile material 32 may also be viewed as occurring due to an increasing compressed vacuum presence within dispenser 12 as the volatile material continues to diffuse across membrane 24 . referring to fig8 - 11 , a small amount of volatile material 32 remains within the dispenser 12 when it is nearly empty , and is present in the form of a ring - like appearance towards the periphery of the bottom wall 28 . a dye and thickener combine to comprise approximately 2 % of the overall volatile material composition of the system 10 at the first condition . preferably a higher concentration of dye is present in the volatile material 32 when the dispenser 12 is nearly empty , as the dye substantially does not diffuse across membrane 24 . this results in a more readily viewable ring - like appearance . the color of the ring - like image is more intense in color than the coloration of the first condition because of the increased concentration of dye material . in the second condition the thickener and dye comprise nearly all of the material left within the dispenser 12 . of course , this may change dependant upon the particular dye composition and thickening agent utilized in the volatile material 32 . as the system 10 approaches and is in a second condition , the nearly expired dispenser 12 can be seen so as to indicate its end of life . when the dispenser 12 is full , or in the first condition , a decorative image may not be seen through the colored or opaque volatile material 32 . as the dispenser 12 empties , or reaches the second condition , the decorative image 14 becomes viewable indicating a level of expiration or use - up . alternatively , the decorative image 14 may be viewable while the dispenser 12 is both full and empty . indication of volatile material 32 use - up may be achieved by more readily viewing image 14 as a result of the absence of colored volatile material within the dispenser 12 . dependent upon the specific volatile material composition , there may be numerous chemicals that either do not diffuse through the permeable membrane 24 or diffuse slower than the designed active ingredients or fragrances . active ingredients may include chemicals such as esters , aldehydes , ketones , terpenes , alcohols , and aromatic compounds . as a result , material may be left within the blister 18 as it is nearly at or reaches a level of expiration in which replacement is necessary . it is understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated herein , but encompasses any and all variations falling within the scope of the appended claims . the invention provides a volatile material exhaustion indicating system for volatile material dispensers .

US-88063404-A

a green process and system are disclosed for utilizing a biomass filter aid in the filtration of a bio - oil . the process comprises filtering a bio - oil containing residual solids from a conversion reaction in the presence of the biomass filter aid to produce a filtered bio - oil . the biomass filter aid facilitates efficient removal of residual solids from the bio - oil . the spent biomass filter aid containing the residual solids may be recycled as a conversion feedstock or used as a combustion heat source in the biomass conversion system .

fig1 depicts a biomass conversion system 10 that employs a residual solids separator 12 to remove residual solids from bio - oil . it should be understood that the biomass conversion system shown in fig1 is just one example of a system within which the present invention can be embodied . the present invention may find application in a wide variety of other systems where it is desirable to efficiently and effectively remove residual solids from bio - oil . the exemplary biomass conversion system illustrated in fig1 will now be described in detail . the biomass conversion system 10 of fig1 includes a biomass source 14 for supplying a biomass feedstock to be converted to bio - oil . the biomass source 14 can be , for example , a hopper , storage bin , railcar , over - the - road trailer , or any other device that may hold or store biomass . the biomass supplied by the biomass source 14 is preferably in the form of solid particles having a mean particle size of 0 . 01 to 1 , 000 microns , 1 to 750 microns , or 50 to 500 microns . the biomass particles can be fibrous biomass materials comprising cellulose . examples of suitable cellulose - containing materials include algae , paper waste , and / or cotton linters . in one embodiment , the biomass particles can comprise a lignocellulosic material . examples of suitable lignocellulosic materials include forestry waste , such as wood chips , saw dust , pulping waste , and tree branches ; agricultural waste such as corn stover , wheat straw , and bagasse ; and / or energy crops such as eucalyptus , switch grass , and coppice . as depicted in fig1 , the solid biomass particles from the biomass source 14 can optionally be fed to a splitter 16 that splits the biomass into a feedstock fraction and a filter aid fraction . the biomass filter aid fraction can then be supplied directly or indirectly to the residual solids separator 12 , while the feedstock fraction can be supplied to a biomass feed system 18 . the splitter 16 can be any conventional device capable of dividing solid particulates into separate fractions . when the splitter 16 is employed , the biomass used as a filter aid in the residual solids separator 12 has the same composition as the biomass provided to the biomass feed system 18 . when the splitter 16 is not employed , the biomass filter aid supplied to the residual solids separator can be provided by a separate biomass filter aid source 20 . when all or part of the biomass filter aid is supplied by the separate biomass filter aid source 20 , the composition of the biomass filter aid employed in the residual solids separator 12 can be different than the composition of the biomass that is supplied to the biomass feed system 18 . as used herein , “ biomass filter aid ” means a biomass - containing medium that promotes the efficiency or effectiveness of a filtration process for removing solids from a fluid . the biomass filter aid described herein can be formed of at least 50 weight percent biomass , at least 75 weight percent biomass , or at least 90 weight percent biomass . as alluded to above , in one embodiment , the biomass filter aid can have the same composition , properties , and particle size as the biomass converted to bio - oil . referring again to fig1 , the biomass feed system 18 can be any system capable of feeding solid particulate biomass to a biomass conversion reactor 22 . as described in further detail below , in one embodiment , the biomass feed system 18 combines the fresh biomass received from the biomass source 14 with spent biomass filter aid recovered from the residual solids separator 12 . also , it may be desirable to combine the biomass with a catalyst in the biomass feed system 18 in order to promote conversion of the biomass to the desired bio - oil product . suitable catalytic materials that can be combined with the biomass prior to introduction into the conversion reactor 22 include , for example , zeolites , hydrotalcites , hydrotalcite - like materials , clays , and / or refractory oxides such as alumina . in one embodiment of the present invention , the biomass feed to the conversion reactor is unprocessed . as used herein , “ unprocessed biomass ” means biomass that has not been subjected to any pretreatments that significantly change the chemical make - up of the biomass . an example of a pretreatment that would significantly change the chemical make - up of biomass would be delignification . thus , unprocessed biomass excludes cellulose fibers extracted from lignocellulose . examples of pretreatment methods that do not significantly change the chemical make - up of biomass include particulating , grinding , agitating , drying , and mixing with a catalyst . in the conversion reactor 22 , biomass is subjected to a conversion reaction that produces bio - oil . the conversion reactor 22 can facilitate different chemical conversion reactions such as fast pyrolysis , slow pyrolysis , liquefaction , gasification , or enzymatic conversion . the conversion reactor 22 can be , for example , a fluidized bed reactor , cyclone reactor , ablative reactor , or a riser reactor . in one embodiment , the conversion reactor 22 can be a riser reactor and the conversion reaction is fast pyrolysis . fast pyrolysis is characterized by short residence times and rapid heating of the biomass feedstock . the residence times of the fast pyrolysis reaction can be , for example , less than 10 seconds , less than 5 seconds , or less than 2 seconds . fast pyrolysis may occur at temperatures between 200 and 1 , 000 ° c ., between 250 and 800 ° c ., or between 300 and 600 ° c . the product exiting the conversion reactor 22 generally comprises gas , vapors , and solids . in the case of fast pyrolysis , the solids in the product exiting the conversion reaction generally comprise particles of char , ash , and / or catalyst . as depicted in fig1 , the product from the conversion reactor 22 can be introduced into a primary solids separator 24 . the primary solids separator 24 can be any conventional device capable of separating solids from gas / vapors such as , for example , a cyclone separator or a gas filter . the primary solids separator 24 removes relatively larger solids ( e . g ., greater than 20 microns ) from the reaction product , but small residual solids remain entrained in the gas / vapor phase . the relatively large particles recovered in the primary solids separator 24 , which can include any spent catalysts and char , are introduced into a regenerator 26 for regeneration , typically by combustion . the remaining gas / vapor phase conversion products from the primary solids separator 24 are introduced into a condenser 28 . the condenser 28 condenses at least a portion of the remaining conversion products into bio - oil , while the residual gas and uncondensed vapor are drawn off in a separate stream . the bio - oil recovered from the condenser 28 comprises a liquid phase and residual solids . the amount of residual solids in the bio - oil is generally about 0 . 05 to 5 weight percent , and the residual solids can have a mean particle size of about 0 . 1 to 200 microns or 1 to 100 microns . the condenser 28 may also function as a fractionator that separates and removes residual water from the conversion products and / or bio - oil . after exiting the condenser 28 , the bio - oil is introduced into a residual solids separator 12 for removal of the residual solids present in the bio - oil . the types of residual solids separators 12 that may be used can include , for example , centrifugal separators , gravitational separators , and / or pressure separators . specific examples of the residual solids separator 12 include a horizontal plate filter , a centrifuge , a rotary filter , and a bag filter . exemplary types of residual solid separators are depicted in fig2 - 5 and are described in more detail in a later section of this document . referring again to fig1 , the residual solids separator 12 comprises a porous filter element through which the bio - oil flows in order to remove the residual particles from the bio - oil . any sufficiently - fine conventional filter known in the art may be used as the filter element . the filter element has an inlet side and outlet side relative to the residual solids separator 12 . the inlet side is capable of being supplied with and supporting a biomass filter aid . in one embodiment of the present invention , the filter element of the residual solids separator 12 is pre - coated with a biomass filter aid prior to passing the bio - oil through the filter element . such pre - coating can be carried out by any method known in the art such as , for example , spraying the biomass filter aid onto the inlet side of the filter element . in another embodiment of the present invention , the biomass filter aid is combined with the bio - oil upstream of the residual solids separator 12 to create a pre - filter mixture . the pre - filter mixture is then passed through the filter element ( optionally pre - coated with biomass filter aid ), where both the biomass filter aid and the residual solids are retained by the filter element . as shown in fig1 , the biomass filter aid can be supplied to the residual solids separator 12 by a biomass filter aid transport mechanism 30 . the biomass filter aid transport mechanism can be any conventional device for transporting solids such as , for example , a pneumatic conveyor or simply a wheeled vehicle capable of carrying a container of the biomass filter aid . when pre - coating of the filter element is employed , the biomass filter aid transport mechanism 30 supplies the biomass filter aid directly to the residual solid separator 12 . when pre - mixing of the biomass filter aid and bio - oil is employed , the biomass filter aid transport mechanism 30 supplies the biomass filter aid to a mixing location upstream of the residual solids separator 12 . when the bio - oil ( optionally pre - mixed with the biomass filter aid ) is passed through the filter element ( optionally pre - coated with the biomass filter aid ), at least 50 weight percent , 75 weight percent , or 90 weight percent of the residual solids present in the bio - oil is retained by the filter element , while substantially all of the liquid phase of the bio - oil passes through the filter element . the resulting filtered bio - oil can then be used directly or further processed into a variety of end products . after filtering the bio - oil , the spent solids on the filter element ( i . e ., spent biomass filter aid and the residual solids retained thereon , therein , and / or therewith ) can be removed from the residual solids separator 12 . in one embodiment , the spent solids removed from the residual solids separator 12 can be routed by a spent solids transport mechanism 32 to the conversion reactor 22 for use as a conversion feedstock . in another embodiment , the spent solids can be routed to a combustor 36 to provide heat that can be used in the biomass conversion system 10 . fig2 - 5 illustrate examples of residual solids separators suitable for use in conjunction with the present invention . it should be understood that these examples are included merely for the purposes of illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention unless otherwise specifically indicated . in one embodiment of the invention , the biomass filter aid may be used in a horizontal plate filter 100 , as depicted in fig2 . in this embodiment , a plurality of plate - type filter elements 102 are contained within a filter housing 104 . an unfiltered bio - oil ( optionally pre - mixed with a biomass filter aid 106 ) is introduced at the top of the horizontal plate filter 100 and passes by gravitational force through the filter elements 102 ( optionally pre - coated with a biomass filter aid 106 ). upon passing the bio - oil through the filter elements 102 , the residual solids 108 are retained on the filter element 102 , along with the biomass filter aid 106 . the resulting filtered bio - oil exits the bottom of the plate filter 100 . in another embodiment of the invention , the biomass filter aid may be used in a bag filter 200 as depicted in fig3 . in this embodiment , a bag - type filter element 202 is contained within a filter housing 204 . an unfiltered bio - oil ( optionally pre - mixed with a biomass filter aid 206 ) is introduced at the top of the bag filter 200 and passes by gravitational force through the filter element 202 ( optionally pre - coated with a biomass filter aid 206 ). upon passing the bio - oil through the filter element 202 , the residual solids 208 are retained on the filter element 202 , along with the biomass filter aid 206 . the resulting filtered bio - oil exits the bottom of the bag filter 200 . in a further embodiment of the invention , the biomass filter aid may be used in a centrifuge separator 300 as depicted in fig4 . in this embodiment , a rapidly - rotating filter element 302 is contained within a filter housing 304 . the filter element 302 ( optionally pre - coated with a biomass filter aid 306 ) surrounds an inner cavity where an unfiltered bio - oil ( optionally pre - mixed with a biomass filter aid 306 ) is introduced . the liquid phase of the bio - oil passes by centrifugal force through the filter element 302 , while the residual solids 308 and biomass filter aid 306 are retained on the filter element 302 . the centrifuge separator 300 includes a motor 310 for rotating the filter element 302 , thereby providing the centrifugal force required for separation . the resulting filtered bio - oil exits the bottom of the centrifuge 300 . in yet another embodiment of the invention , the biomass filter aid may be used in a rotary filter 400 as depicted in fig5 . in this embodiment , a cylindrical filter element 402 forming the outside surface of rotating drum is contained within a filter housing 404 . an unfiltered bio - oil ( optionally pre - mixed with a biomass filter aid 406 ) is introduced into the rotary filter 400 . upon passing the bio - oil through the filter element 402 ( optionally pre - coated with a biomass filter aid 406 ) the residual solids 408 and biomass filter aid 406 are retained on the filter element 402 . the unfiltered bio - oil may be drawn through the filter element 402 by pressurizing the outer chamber 410 and creating a pressure differential across the filter element . alternatively , a vacuum may be created in the inner chamber 412 , which draws the unfiltered bio - oil through the filter element 402 . the spent biomass filter aid 406 and residual solids retained 408 thereon may be removed from the filter element 402 by a knife 414 present in the outer chamber 410 . the filtered bio - oil exits the rotary filter after passing through the inner chamber 412 . biomass ( 2 g ; 32 . 3 weight percent of biomass particles ranging in sizes from 0 - 150 micron and 67 . 7 weight percent of biomass particles with sizes greater than 150 micron ) was evenly applied onto circular filter paper with a 7 cm diameter . a fresh bio - oil sample ( 47 g ) was filtered through the coated filter medium under vacuum conditions to obtain a filtered bio - oil ( 41 g ). pictures of the fresh / unfiltered bio - oil ( fig6 ) and the filtered bio - oil ( fig7 ) were taken under a 100 × microscope . as shown in fig6 and 7 , the filtered bio - oil was visually particle free and significantly clearer than the fresh / unfiltered bio - oil . the preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only , and should not be used in a limiting sense to interpret the scope of the present invention . modifications to the exemplary embodiments , set forth above , could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention .

US-83549910-A

in a storage box for a disk , the lid and the base of the box are hinged along one side . a security bar holds the lid and base closed . the security bar has one surface with pairs of pins at intervals therealong . the lid and the base have respective pin receiving regions , such as openings , which receive the pins of each pair to hold the box closed . a latch on the security bar projects into an internal latching region in the box to prevent removal of the security bar . the latch is rotatable by an insertable key to a release condition to release the security bar for removal .

[ 0075 ] fig1 illustrates a perspective view of a box for storing a disk such as a dvd , cd , vcd or the like . the box 1 is preferably of a substantially rectangular shape when in a closed condition and provides a full enclosure to the disk stored therein . with reference to fig2 there is shown the box of fig1 in plan view and in an open condition . the box 1 is comprised of a base portion 2 and a lid portion 3 , both rectangularly shaped . these are secured to each other in a hinged manner by a hinging means 4 extending between the base and lid portions . the box 1 provides the hinging feature 4 between one of the longer of the four edges of each of the rectangularly shaped lid and base portions . the hinge allows the base and lid portions to move between an open and closed condition . in the open condition , access can be gained to the disk supported by a central support means 5 of the base portion 2 . the central support means is preferably a push button support means of any type commonly used in such boxes , and it is able to secure a disk at its central aperture . each of the lid and base portions also includes a side wall upstand 5 along three of the edges , excluding the edge engaged to the hinging means 4 . the side wall upstands 5 of the base and lid portion are provided to mutually engage with each other when the box is in a closed condition and provide a seam 6 at the opposing and / or abutting and / or mating edges of the side wall upstands 5 of both the lid and base portions . for many disks that are sold , written information may also accompany the disk . the example of disk box 1 shown in fig2 includes clipping means 7 which are provided to clip a booklet or other written material information to the inside wall of the lid portion 3 . the security bar 8 as shown in fig3 comprises a face plate 9 having a front surface that is inaccessible in the locking condition . there projects from the front surface at least one pair of security pins 10 . as seen in fig3 four pairs of security pins project from the front surface of the face plate 9 of the security bar 8 . also projecting from the front surface of the face plate 9 is at least one and preferably two latching means 11 . the security bar preferably also has provisions for securing or housing a component of electronic article surveillance . such a component may be a security tag of an am , em or rf label . the security bar in fig3 may be provided with a planar member 13 extending forward from the face plate to an extent sufficient to allow for it to carry , either internally or secured thereon , an rf label 36 , as shown in fig2 , which label is normally larger than an am tag . an am type tag may for example be inserted into the slot 12 shown in fig3 and 26 and rest against the front surface of the face plate 9 . while the security bar of the present invention is shown in the form in fig3 the planar member need not be provided if an rf security tag is not to become engaged with the security bar . in use , the security bar 8 of the present invention is to become engaged with appropriate portions of the box 1 to thereby secure the box 1 in a closed condition to remain closed until such time as the security bar is removed . for receiving the security bar , the box is provided in the side wall upstands in each of the lid and base portion with a respective pin receiving region , particularly here an opening 14 , into which one of a respective pair of the pins 10 can engage . there are respective sets of an opening in the side wall upstands in the base and in the lid in fig4 and 5 for each pair of pins 10 in fig3 . with reference to fig5 the opening 14 in the lid portion 3 is provided opposite to the opening in the base portion 2 as shown in fig4 . when the lid and base portions are brought together to provide the box in the closed condition , a respective opening 14 of one pair is provided on each side of the seam 6 . the security bar is engageable with the box by inserting a pin of each pair into a respective opening 14 of the box . once the pins are inserted into their respective openings in the box , the box can then not be opened . in the most preferred form , the security bar is engaged to provide pins extending into respective openings 14 along the edges of the base and lid portions opposite to where the hinge 4 is provided . the movement of the security bar for engagement with the box is in a direction substantially parallel with the major surfaces of the lid and base portion when these are in the closed position . with reference to fig1 a - f , there is shown the sequence of the pin 10 being inserted into the openings 14 of the box on each side of the seam 6 . when fully engaged as for example shown in fig1 f the base can then not be pivoted away from the lid towards the open position of the box . the box is in this condition hence effectively locked closed . in order to ensure that the security bar can not undesirably become removed from the box , a latching means is provided . the latching means 11 preferably also extends from the same side of the face plate 9 of the security bar . when the latching means is engaged with the box , it also is provided within the boundary defined by the face plate and the box . access cannot be gained to the latching means by a potential shop lifter . as the pins 10 are inserted into the openings 14 , the latching means is also insertable simultaneously into an opening 15 which is defined by a rebate in the side wall upstands 5 . these rebates 16 are positioned such that when the box is in a closed condition and allows for the latching means to be inserted internally of the walls of the lid and base portions . the latching means preferably comprises a slide member 17 which acts as a guide for the movement of the security bar into the box . the slide member 17 also provides a pivot point 18 about which a latch 19 is able to pivot . the latch 19 is able to pivot about the pivot 18 provided by the latching means to move between a latching position and a released position . the latch 19 is preferably integrally molded as part of the security bar and it is the inherent plasticity of its material which allows for pivoting of the latch 19 about the pivot 18 . indeed , in a rest position the latch 19 is in the latching position and the pivot 18 is required to be stressed to move the latch to the release position . the latch position is as for example shown in fig1 a or in fig7 . this is the natural position of the latch 19 . a flange 20 is provided as part of the box such that it is engaged by the latch when the latch 19 is in a position where the pins 10 are fully engaged with there respective openings 14 . the latch presents a surface to locate against a surface of the flange which then prevents the removal of the security bar from the box . the latch itself in moving into the latching position and positioned where the security bar is locked to the box , moves to allow a one - way insertion of the latch into the box past the flange 20 until such time as the latch passes the flange whereupon the latch will restore to its latching position then preventing the retraction of this security bar from the box . if an attempt to retract the security bar is made , the fact that the flange 20 makes contact with the latch 19 off center ( in the direction of retraction ) movement of the latch to the release position will not be possible . fig2 - 24 illustrate the sequence of insertion of the security bar into the box . where the security bar also provides the planar member , the side wall upstand of the lid 3 is provided with a slot 22 into which the planar member can slide as the security bar is moved from a retracted position to a position to lock the box . the planar member is then placed within the boundaries of the box and indeed the only visible observation that can be made of the security device of the present invention is that the face plate 9 of the security bar remains exposed and visible from the exterior of the box . this face plate may include graphics to warn a potential shop lifter of the presence of the security device . where the planar member is provided in the lid 3 and with reference to fig8 the lid includes a slot 22 and a guide portion 23 to guide the movement of the planar member into the box . since the lid also includes the clipping features for clipping a booklet to the inside face of the lid , in order to prevent damage to the booklet occurring , ramp features 24 are provided . these lift the booklet away from the inward surface of the lid , at least at the point where the planar member is introduced into the box . these ramp features 24 lift the booklet up to allow for the planar member to be slid thereunder . this will prevent the booklet from getting damaged upon the insertion of the planar member into the box . the opening defined by the rebates 16 of each of the lid and base portion provides not just sufficient room for the latching means to be inserted but for a key to also be inserted for the removal of the security bar . the face plate 9 as shown in fig7 also includes an opening 26 through which a portion of a removing key can be inserted through to gain access to the release latch 27 of the latching mechanism . the release latch 27 is integrally formed with the latch 19 to be pivotable therewith and about the pivot 18 . the release latch 27 presents a surface which upon the engagement of a key , for example as shown in fig1 a - 16 f , allows for the surface to be contacted to thereby displace the release latch as well as the latch 19 about the pivot axis 18 to move the latch to the released position as shown in fig1 d . the key member has an insertable portion 29 moveable through the opening 26 of the face plate and the opening 15 of the box to become engaged with the release latch 27 . the key also includes a rebate 30 which when the insertable portion engages with the release latch 27 and pivots the latch 19 to the release position , can accommodate at least part of the latch . when in the release position , the latch is no longer able to engage with the flange 20 of the box and the security bar can then be removed . the sequence of removal is shown in fig1 a - f and also in fig1 - 20 . as can be seen in fig1 and 19 , there are preferably provided two latching mechanisms and a key to engage simultaneously with both latching mechanisms . although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof , many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art . it is preferred , therefore , that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein , but only by the appended claims .

US-3395301-A

a method of electrowinning metals in which the anode comprises a foraminate container containing particulate material chosen from the group electrically conducting non - polarizing compound of a metal and a non - metallic element .

an electrowinning cell basically comprises a tank 1 having copper busbars 2 and 3 running in parallel along either side of the tank . the busbar 2 is connected to a positive source of electricity and the busbar 3 is connected to a negative source . located in the tank 1 are a series of anodes and cathodes which alternate along the length of the tank . in the embodiment of fig1 the anodes 4 are in the form of hanger bars 5 from which depend foraminate titanium baskets 6 . the cathodes 7 are in the form of copper - cored titanium hanger bars to which are welded sheets of titanium to form the surface on which the electrowon material is deposited . the electrical supply to the anodes 4 is via the busbar 2 and the electrical supply to the cathodes 7 is via the busbar 3 . the form of the anode container is shown clearly in fig2 . a multicompartment titanium mesh basket 8 is spot - welded to titanium strips 9 which at their upper ends are spot - welded to a sheath 10 of a copper - cored hanger bar 11 . the copper core 12 provides a high conductivity throughout the length of the hanger bar 11 protected by the exterior sheath 10 . the exterior sheath also enables good electrical contact to be made between the copper and the basket . into the compartments of basket 8 is placed the anode material of the invention in a particulate form such as small blocks or small slabs . during operation of the cell , the anode material is gradually consumed and is simply replaced by adding further particles of the anode material into the basket . in an alternative form , shown in fig3 the anode comprises a foraminate titanium basket 13 which is suspended by hooks 14 from a copper hanger bar 15 . fig1 also shows the use of melded fibre structures in conjunction with the more open meshed metal or plastics material baskets . 16 shows a basket having a melded fibre structure on the inside and 17 illustrates a basket having a melded fibre structure on the outside . 18 refers to baskets having melded fibre structures on the inside and on the outside . the use of titanium anode baskets has been previously disclosed in connection with electroplating of various articles but has not been considered possible for electrowinning applications . clearly it would be useless to use pure copper in the basket in an electrowinning cell since the anode would simply dissolve completely , leaving only the titanium basket which would rapidly passivate and the electrolysis would stop . it has now been discovered that , using the anode material of the invention in a titanium anode basket , the current is able to pass through the oxide film on the titanium basket , or on the feeders , into the anode material and this conductivity is sufficient for an economic electrowinning cell . the use of particulate material means that the current density , and hence the wear rate , can be kept to an acceptably low level . prior to the present invention , it had not been realised that non - metallic particulate material could be used in an anode basket with sufficient conductivity through the titanium oxide film for the arrangement to operate as an anode for electrowinning . cobalt - silicon alloys containing 50 % cobalt , 50 % silicon , were tested in 6 inch deep titanium anode baskets at a cathode current density of 270 amps / m 2 in a cobalt sulphate liquor . the wear rate was determined to be 28mm / year . copper - silicon alloys of the composition copper plus 20 % silicon plus 8 % iron plus 2 % lead were tested as anodes in a liquor containing 6 . 5 g / l copper , 26 . 4 g / l nickel , 8 g / l arsenic to 129 g / l sulphuric acid at 200 amps / m 2 and at 60 ° c . the wear rate was determined to be 24 mm / year under laboratory conditions . materials such as magnetite , ferro - silicons , lead dioxide , manganese dioxide , cobalt oxide co 2 o 3 or other suitable material such as titanium boride may also be used in particulate form in baskets , the material being replaced as it wears . it is believed that with relatively deep baskets , a sufficient weight of material may be placed in the basket to cause sufficiently high particle to basket pressure to be achieved so that a good current transfer from the basket to the particles is made . although titanium anode baskets have been described above , it is possible to use foraminate plastics baskets such as polypropylene mesh baskets . to provide an electrical current supply to the material within the basket , a copper - cored titanium rod conductor is used which makes contact with the particles in the basket and supplies current to the particles . there are several advantages in using particulate materials . firstly , a larger surface area can be provided within a given container by the use of particles compared with the use of slabs . it is possible , therefore , to reduce the current density at the surface of the particles if a given current has to be passed through the anode . this means that the wear rate of the material can be reduced . an additional advantage is that the passivation problems which are frequently associated with these materials are reduced by the use of the material in particulate form . for example , with copper - silicon alloys such as &# 34 ; chilex &# 34 ;, the copper is dissolved and is plated out on the cathode , but the silicon can form silicon dioxide which coats the material and interferes with the anode . by using the material in a particulate form , a greater surface area is provided which means that there is a lower rate of deposition of silicon dioxide onto the particle surfaces and the diffusion path for ions through the layer is sufficiently small to permit the anode to continue to function . the materials such as copper - silicon alloys , &# 34 ; chilex &# 34 ; and cobalt - silicon alloys , &# 34 ; luilu &# 34 ; frequently contain less than 20 % of silicon and have an almost metallic appearance although they are very brittle and shatter if dropped . another advantage is that the baskets can be easily refilled on a regular basis with particles of material so that the anode may be maintained indefinitely without discontinuous replacement . a further advantage of using particulate material is that brittle material which is not usable in slab form can be readily used in particulate form where its brittleness is not disadvantageous . in fact , the brittleness of the material may even aid the manufacture of the material in particulate form .

US-66178676-A

a medication infusion system may be selectively configured to perform an emulation of any one of a plurality of device types corresponding to the environment of use . the particular parameters which relate to a given device type are set into the system either at the factory or by biomedical engineers at the hospital or other medical institution by resort to an intercoupled computer driven by appropriate software . with the system set up in this fashion , a clinical user can select a given device type and can view but cannot change the critical operating parameters thereof . substantial economies and improvement of device operation are realized by the provision of one switchable system in place of the plurality of different types of devices now required in a given institution .

in accordance with the present invention , fig1 is a schematic block diagram of a user interface for clinical configuration of a multimode medication infusion system as described in the related patent applications listed in &# 34 ; identification of related patent applications &# 34 ; above , which are hereby incorporated herein by reference . referring to fig1 user interface 10 is able to communicate with an off - line digital computer 12 via communications interface 14 . when user interface 10 is connected to computer 12 in this way , specialized software 16 is run on computer 12 to enable selected qualified personnel to change default values for various parameters associated with operation of the medication infusion system . this mode of operation of user interface 10 is called the &# 34 ; instrument configuration mode .&# 34 ; normally user interface 10 is not connected to computer 12 . user interface 10 controls the functioning of a medication infusion system employing a disposable fluid pathway that incorporates a sterile cassette containing pumping elements 18 and sensor interfaces in a multi channel configuration , as described in u . s . ser . no . 128 , 973 , entitled &# 34 ; fluid delivery control and monitoring apparatus for a medication infusion system ,&# 34 ; assigned to the assignee of this application . user interface 10 comprises user input controls 20 , a microprocessor 22 , status indicators 24 , an audio generator 26 , and display means 28 . in a preferred embodiment the user interface 10 has four basic elements an audio signal generator , status light - emitting diodes ( leds ), a liquid crystal display ( lcd ), and a plurality of user inputs . fig2 is a front view of user interface hardware in the preferred embodiment . a user interface chassis 30 houses a liquid crystal display 32 , above which are four user input controls 20a - 20d , and below which are user input controls 20e - 20k . input controls 20a - 20d are momentary - contact switches labelled &# 34 ; on / off ,&# 34 ; &# 34 ; standard display ,&# 34 ; &# 34 ; more options ,&# 34 ; and &# 34 ; start / stop ,&# 34 ; respectively . switches 20e - 20h are so - called softkeys , whose functions depend on what is being displayed on the lcd 32 . switches 20i - 20k are used to select a pump for infusion . switch 201 ( not shown ) is a patient - controlled analgesia switch . the face of each pump select switch contains two status leds . thus , pump select switch 20i has status leds 24a and 24a &# 39 ;, pump select switch 20j has status leds 24b and 24b &# 39 ;, and pump select switch 20k has status leds 24c and 24c &# 39 ;. the status leds 24 allow the user to make a quick visual check of the status of the instrument from a distance or in a darkened room , and the lcd 32 presents all detailed information about instrument status and operation . the user inputs 20a - 20k allow the operator to control instrument operation . normally a user wants to deal with only one pump at a time when setting up an infusion regimen . user interface 10 is designed to facilitate this by grouping information in a clinically useful way on lcd 32 in a specific format referred to as a &# 34 ; page .&# 34 ; many different types of pages are defined for the instrument . reference is made to the co - pending application entitled &# 34 ; user interface for multimode medication infusion system &# 34 ; for specific details of the various pages which are available for display on the display device 32 . however , details of the clinical configuration pages will be described hereinbelow . fig3 indicates the overall operational structure of the user interface . boxes with rounded corners denote liquid crystal display pages . the transitions from one lcd page to another are shown . the event which triggers a transition is shown in a rectangle superimposed on the transition ( an operator activation of a control ) or a label next to the transition ( an instrument - triggered change ). all transitions operate from top to bottom or left to right . for example , to move from the standard page to a pump status page , the operator activates a pump select key &# 34 ; a ,&# 34 ; &# 34 ; b ,&# 34 ; or &# 34 ; c .&# 34 ; many pages have &# 34 ; more options &# 34 ; softkey functions defined . note that a &# 34 ; more options &# 34 ; activation without any corresponding display change denotes that the primary set of softkey options is re - displayed . if no secondary sets of softkeys are defined , the &# 34 ; more options &# 34 ; softkey has no effect . all pages subordinate to the standard display have a transition to the standard display after 60 seconds of front panel keyboard inactivity . in addition , there is an implied transition from all lcd pages to the standard page , using the &# 34 ; standard display &# 34 ; key . an implied transition from all clinical operations display pages to a pump status page exists , by activation of the appropriate pump select key &# 34 ; a ,&# 34 ; &# 34 ; b ,&# 34 ; or &# 34 ; c .&# 34 ; some boxes in fig3 show more than one softkey function . only one of the functions in a box is available at any time , depending on conditions not shown on the chart . lcd 32 is used for all data entry and display for the system . four types of information are presented : ( b ) prompts and other information to assist in setting up and using the pump ; ( d ) detailed information about the instrument status and status for each of the pumps . there are four clinical configuration pages which may be displayed individually on the lcd device 32 . these are indicated in the left - hand side of fig3 and are shown respectively in fig4 - 7 . the relationship of clinical configuration to instrument configuration and maintenance is described in detail in the co - pending application entitled &# 34 ; user interface for multimode medication infusion system ,&# 34 ; incorporated by reference herein . clinical configuration page 1 ( fig4 ) appears on the display when the operator uses the interface device to access the clinical configuration settings . the clinical configuration settings mode provides a special feature that allows the user to enter the time and date , to select the device type , to set the volume level of the audio alarm , and to review certain default settings . the first page of the clinical configuration display shows the time , month , day and year . each of these parameters can be changed by the clinician as needed . the time can also be displayed as am / pm or 24 - hour military time . the clinical device type affects all three pump channels . it is not possible to set different clinical device types for different pump channels ; all three channels will always be the same device type , corresponding to a selected one of the available types shown in table i above . the audio alarm volume can be set to highest , high , medium , or low , and the setting determines the initial volume of the alarm tone . if an alarm is ignored , its volume will increase over time to the highest level . this page ( and any succeeding clinical configuration pages which may be needed for the purpose ) shows the default settings for the device type to which the instrument has been preset . changes to these settings are possible , but not at the clinician level . these changes can only be made with the use of specialized equipment by biomedical engineers using the instrument configuration mode , or by the manufacturer at the institution &# 39 ; s request . because it is recommended that any changes in the default settings be standardized throughout an institution , it is likely that all instruments used by the clinician will have the same default settings within each device type . the clinician can review the settings but cannot change them . power to the system is supplied by operator activation of the on / off switch . pressing this control while the instrument is &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; supplies power to the electronics ( assuming that the internal batteries are charged or an external power supply is attached ) and causes an instrument reset . the instrument then : ( c ) determines whether to operate in a non - clinical operating mode ; and ( d ) if clinical operation is entered , the standard page is displayed . otherwise , the first clinical configuration page is displayed . details of clinical operation , including the initial display of the current configuration , the entry into clinical operation , pump selection , setup and review of infusion regimen , and the like may be found in co - pending application ser . no . 128 , 978 , entitled &# 34 ; user interface for a multimode medication infusion system .&# 34 ; when the pump is configured as a home - health care instrument certain functions of the instrument are altered to prevent accidental control activation and to maximize the operational life of the battery packs . the instrument operates in low - power mode . when the instrument is &# 34 ; on ,&# 34 ; the &# 34 ; on / off &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; start / stop &# 34 ; controls must be held down for one second before the instrument powers down or the infusion regimen starts or stops . a general feedback signal is given by the instrument . if the control is released in less than one second , the control activation is ignored . because the instrument is capable of operating in a wide range or environments , performing extremely sophisticated functions , it is necessary to configure the operation of the instrument to the environment to which it is to be used . without this configuration ability the user interface would become much more complicated . in addition , it is necessary to be able to test and maintain the operation of the instrument . configurability and maintenance functions must be performed when the instrument is not being used to infuse fluids into a patient therefore , these functions are not available during normal operation and require special procedures in order to be accessed . configuration procedures are of two types : instrument configuration and clinical configuration . the basis for this division is the level of security required for the two configuration modes . instrument configuration involves changing fairly sensitive information in the instrument , and is expected to be performed only in the biomedical engineering departments . the settings done in this mode are not to be changed by clinical personnel . clinical configuration mode covers those parameters that may be changed by a knowledgeable clinical operator , based on the requirements of the patient and the environment . maintenance functions should be confined to the biomedical engineering departments . to ensure that maintenance and instrument configuration functions are only performed outside of the clinical environment , these functions can be accessed only by using the communications capability of the instrument . the details of instrument configuration and maintenance may be found in application ser . no . 128 , 978 , entitled &# 34 ; user interface for multimode infusion system ,&# 34 ; referenced above . the clinical configuration page 1 is accessed by holding the &# 34 ; more options &# 34 ; key before releasing the &# 34 ; on / off &# 34 ; control at instrument power on . this page displays a time display format which includes time , month , day , and year , as shown in fig4 . these settings may be entered or changed by using the select softkey to choose the particular setting to be changed . then the up or down arrow softkeys are used to change the value of the selected setting . pressing the accept softkey confirms the change , while the recall softkey returns the setting to the old value . each of the remaining settings on page 1 is selected and changed in the same manner . page 2 displays the device type . page 3 displays audio alarm volume . page 4 displays the default values of the selected device type . when the desired settings have been established on page 1 , the clinician presses the standard display button to advance to page 2 ( fig5 ). this involves the selection of the clinical device type . the clinician uses the select softkey to select desired clinical device type . pressing the accept softkey confirms the new device type . pressing the recall softkey returns to the old device type . depending on the institution &# 39 ; s policy , it may not be possible to change the clinical device type from the display of clinical configuration page 2 . if the clinical device type is locked out in the instrument configuration mode , it is possible to review the clinical device type but the type may not be changed through clinical configuration . changing the device type results in all previous infusion settings being cleared . thus , after a change of device type , the clinical operation mode must be entered to establish proper infusion settings for that type of instrument . pressing the standard display button advances the display to clinical configuration page 3 ( fig6 ). this is the audio alarm volume page which permits setting the initial volume levels for the audio alarm . the up and down arrow softkeys are pressed to adjust the audio volume to the desired level . thereafter , the accept softkey is pressed to accept the new setting . pressing recall returns the display to the old setting . pressing the standard display button from the display of page 3 advances the display to clinical configuration page 4 ( fig7 ). the settings which are displayed on clinical configuration page 4 can be reviewed but cannot be changed by the clinician . pressing the standard display button from the page for display returns to clinical configuration page 1 . to exit the clinical configuration mode , the apparatus must be turned off by pressing the on / off button . when the apparatus is powered on again , all new clinical configuration settings will be in effect . if the device type was changed , all previous infusion settings will have been cleared . there have thus been disclosed the pertinent details of a particular aspect of a medication infusion system in accordance with the invention which permits the clinical user to configure the device for operation as any one of a plurality of device types which are preset for operation in different infusion system environments . providing for operation of the system in this manner vastly simplifies the task of the clinician in setting up a medication infusion system for a particular selected use . moreover , it improves the safety and efficiency of utilization of the system by eliminating the possibility of critical parameter settings being changed or improperly used by mistake , whether by the clinician or by unauthorized personnel who might have access to the system . at the same time , however , the clinical configuration mode of the present invention permits the clinical operator to view various parameter settings for the device type selected so that any erroneous parameter settings may be detected before the system is used . the main benefit of the present invention , however , is the assurance which is provided that selection of a particular device type automatically establishes the proper operating parameter settings for that type of device . a secondary but still very important benefit resulting from the clinical configuration aspect of the present invention is the substantial economies which may be realized from the elimination of the hardware duplication of the different device types which are currently employed , required to be stocked in inventory , maintained , etc . although there have been described above specific arrangements of a clinical configuration of a medical infusion system in accordance with the invention for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be used to advantage , it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited thereto . accordingly , any and all modifications , variations or equivalent arrangements which may occur to those skilled in the art should be considered to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the annexed claims .

US-12896687-A

a fully automatic machine tool for simultaneously broaching parallel slots on a plurality of workpieces mounted on a rotatable table in which the table is indexed between a plurality of broaching operations to revolve the workpieces and hence to effect rotation of the workpieces about their own axes with respect to the path of broaching tools .

fig1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the broaching machine and in this view the inclined inchute is indicated at 10 and is associated with a corresponding pusher bar 12 provided with an assembly of adjustable push rods which move non - consecutive workpieces from the inchute through inclined guide tubes 14 and deposit them on a horizontal support plate along which they are advanced by a multiplicity of pushers into position registering with a like plurality of vertical pull - down broaches . the present invention relates to a machine tool and in many of its aspects it may relate to different types of machine tools . however the invention is illustrated and described in connection with a machine for broaching cylindrical holes in annular workpieces to a predetermined cylindrical configuration . the inchute 10 which comprises a base plate 16 and side plates 18 is inclined to permit a multiplicity of workpieces w to be received in the chute and to roll downwardly so that the foremost workpiece engages a stop plate 20 , the remaining workpieces forming with the foremost workpiece a solid array . it will be understood that it is important to provide the broaching machine with a plurality of stations , each of which has associated therewith a vertical pull - down broach adapted to be drawn through the opening in the aforesaid workpiece w . after each broach has been drawn completely through the workpiece , means are provided for expelling the completed workpieces from the machine and thereafter broach retrievers forming a part of the broaching machine move downwardly and engage the upper ends of the broaches and draw them to the initial position , leaving clear a space into which the following workpieces are advanced for the next broaching operation . the succeeding broaching operation of course involves downward movement of the gang of broaches carried by a retriever support bar , to insert the lower ends of the broaches through the workpieces and into engagement with connections to a puller bar adapted to be moved downwardly by suitable means , such for example as a hydraulic piston and cylinder device . the apparatus has been designed for the specific purpose of increasing the production rate of the machine and accordingly automatic means are provided which ensures rapid infeed and outfeed of the workpieces with a minimum of time consumed by all functions of the machine except for the actual broaching operation . the workpieces may be supplied to the inclined inchute 10 by any suitable mechanism and the supply of workpieces is monitored by a switch 22 which has a flexible actuator 24 adapted to being engaged by successive workpieces as they are supplied to the machine . this switch , details of which form no part of the present invention , incorporates a brief time delay mechanism so that operation of the switch by passage of a succession of workpieces passing beneath the actuator 24 will not terminate operation of the machine . in order that the present machine shall be capable of the operation on a variety of differently dimensioned workpieces , it is designed such that non - consecutive workpieces are projected from the inclined inchute 10 into curved turnover tubes 14 best seen in fig4 . for example , if the individual broach stations on the machine have a spacing 41 / 2 inches and if the individual workpieces have an outside diameter of 11 / 2 inches , it will be appreciated that every third workpiece in the solid array of workpieces in the inchute 10 is approximately aligned with an individual broach station . however in order to accommodate workpieces which in a solid array have spacings so that not all of the workpieces are aligned with an individual broaching station , means are provided for advancing the workpieces so that each is in substantially exact alignment with an associated broaching station . the individual turnover tubes 14 include a 90 ° arcuately curved portion and are formed to have a bottom wall 26 and side walls 28 forming a u - shaped tube adapted to receive a workpiece in suitably interfitting relationship so that the workpiece as it is moved through the tube , is turned over so that its axis extends vertically as it is deposited on a base plate 30 . the open sides of the support tubes are partially closed by a bent flexible plate 32 . since the support plate 30 is horizontal and the individual workpieces as they are delivered from the inclined inchute are at different heights , the lower end of the turnover tubes 14 are provided with guide tubes 34 of different heights so that all curved turnover tubes 14 for a particular workpiece may be identical . means are provided for projecting non - consecutive workpieces through openings 36 provided in the side wall 18 of the chute and for this purpose a pusher bar 12 is provided having a plurality of pusher elements 40 adjustably secured thereto in elongated slots 42 as best seen in fig2 and 4 . referring now to fig5 the pusher bar 12 is connected to an actuator plate 44 as by screws 46 and is adapted to be actuated by a piston and cylinder device 48 which in turn is connected to the actuator plate 44 by the piston 50 . guide bars 52 extend through openings in the inchute 10 so that actuation of the piston and cylinder device 48 advances the pushers 40 so as to project the individual workpieces sufficiently into the curved upper end of the turnover tubes 14 to cause them to move by gravity the remaining distance and thereby deposited on the base plate 30 as best seen in fig4 . the corresponding position of plate 44 is shown in dot and dash lines . referring now more particularly to fig3 and 4 the workpieces w are received in the individual straight vertical tubes or magazines 34 in side abutting relationship , the lowermost of which is slidably supported on the base plate 30 . spaced above the upper surface of the base plate 30 is a keeper plate 53 . a plurality of elongated feed bars 54 are provided slidable in rectilinear guideways provided between the base plate 30 and the keeper plate 53 . feed bars 54 are individually secured to feed bar brackets 56 as by screws 58 and the bracket is connected to a piston 60 extending from a feed cylinder 62 rigidly secured as by screws 64 to the keeper plate 53 . the individual feed bars 54 are spaced in conformity with the spacing of the turnover tubes 14 and magazines 34 , without reference to the precise spacing between the individual broach stations . this permits adaption of the apparatus to workpieces of different dimensions while maintaining the same spacing between adjacent work stations , as determined primarily by the broaches , broach pullers , retrievers , etc . in order to provide precise alignment of the individual workpieces with the corresponding broaches , the latter being shown at 66 in fig4 the individual feed bars , as best illustrated in fig3 are provided at the front ends thereof with semi - circular recesses 68 . these recesses are formed individually in each feed bar so as to be substantially exactly aligned with the corresponding broach station . as a result of this the recesses 68 in the different feed bars are not symmetrically provided at the forward ends of the feed bars . for example , the recess 68 in the second bar from the right in fig3 is adjacent the right side thereof , while recess 68 at the end of right hand bar is centered with respect thereto . in order to provide for proper registration between the workpieces and the broaches , a cam plate 70 is provided having at its lower side individual trackways 72 appropriately and usually differently inclined as appears in fig3 to guide the individual workpiece from its position below the magazine 34 into alignment with the corresponding broach 66 . as will be apparent from fig3 the feed bar usually engages the workpiece while the workpiece is not in alignment with the semi - circular recess 68 . as the feed bars advance the workpieces move forwardly towards the broaches along the paths determined by the corresponding inclined grooves 72 during this advance , and accordingly are brought into alignment with the associated semi - circular recesses 68 . thereafter the feed bar moves the workpiece forwardly into a located position determined by engagement with a locater pin 74 . at this time the workpiece as best illustrated in fig4 is positioned as precisely as required beneath the bottom end of the broach 66 . normally , as is conventional in broaching practice , the workpiece is not positively held but is permitted to be moved by its engagement with the broach into precisely centered relationship therewith . to accomplish this result of course the feed bars are retracted , leaving the workpieces slidable on the support 30 except as such movement is limited by its associated pin . it will be observed that as a particular workpiece is advanced to the right to the position beneath its corresponding broach , as seen in fig4 the superimposed workpiece in the magazine moves downwardly into engagement with the upper surface 76 of the feed bar 54 . after the individual workpiece has been suitably engaged by the associated broach , the feed bar 54 is retracted and as soon as its leading end moves to the left of the stack of workpieces , the bottom workpiece drops downwardly onto the top surface of the base plate 30 , ready to be advanced by the next actuation of the feed bar . the stroke of the feed bars is determined by a threaded adjustable stop 78 carried by the keeper plate 53 on which the cylinder 62 is mounted . as seen in fig4 the feed bar 54 is shown in its advanced position cooperating with the locater button 74 to locate the workpiece directly beneath the lower end of the broach 66 . the adjustable stop 78 is shown in the position it occupies when the feed bars are retracted . the broaching machine includes ganged broach retriever means indicated generally at 79 and similarly ganged broach pullers 80 adapted to engage and interlock with tangs at the lower end of the individual broaches 66 . separate piston and cylinder devices are connected to the ganged broach pullers and retrievers . while the machine illustrated herein is designed for the broaching of small cylindrical holes in annular workpieces , it is desirable to cause the individual broaches to rotate as they are pulled downwardly through the workpieces . the means for accomplishing this comprises a vertical lead bar device indicated generally at 82 which is adapted to rotate all of the individual broach pullers through the medium of suitable gearing interconnecting the pullers . this is for the purpose of eliminating tooth marks parallel to the axis of the workpiece . an important feature of the present invention is the special means designed for ejecting finished workpieces simultaneously from the machine in the shortest possible interval . it will be recalled that the individual workpieces are initially pushed prior to the broaching operation against locater pins 74 . this precludes simple ejection of the finished workpiece by movement along the line traversed by the workpiece as it moves from the magazine 34 into alignment with the broach 66 . referring now to fig3 and 7 , each work station has associated therewith ejecting means comprising a stationary unloading block or cam 84 and a movable unloading block or cam 86 . preferably both blocks 84 and 86 have inclined camming surfaces so that as the blocks approach each other the workpiece is engaged between the approaching blocks and is ejected laterally by the cam surface or surfaces thereon . it will of course be apparent that either or both of the blocks 84 or 86 may have the inclined cam surfaces which are indicated at 88 and 90 in fig3 a . stationary blocks 84 are set onto recesses in the base plate 30 and the movable blocks 86 are set into recesses in a tie bar 92 retained in longitudinal slidable relation below transverse straps 94 . a piston and cylinder device 96 is connected to the tie bar 92 . it will be recalled that the feed bars 54 are retracted to the positions indicated in fig3 after each workpiece has been suitably engaged with the associated broach . when the broaching operation is complete the upper end of the broach is moved downwardly below the workpiece which is then ready for ejection from the machine . however at this time it is still in a position engaging the locater 74 . accordingly when the cylinder 96 is actuated to move the tie bar 92 to the left as seen in fig7 the movable ejection blocks 86 all engage the right hand side of the workpieces as viewed in fig7 and shifts them laterally out of alignment with the locater pin 74 and into engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the stationary ejector block 84 . further motion of the tie bar at this time abruptly cams all of the workpieces laterally of the aligned row which they occupy into a curved turnover discharge chute 98 . this of course requires only sufficient movement of the tie bar 92 to close the blocks 84 and 86 onto the finished workpiece and accordingly it may be accomplished with limited travel in a very brief interval . the discharge chute 98 comprises a 90 ° arcuate portion defined between suitably curved sheets 100 and 102 which are conformed to spacers 104 as best seen in fig4 and 8 - 11 . the discharge chute 98 as defined between the curved sheets 100 and 102 is open at both its upper and lower ends , except at its lower end it is provided with an inclined rail or rod 106 . the inclination of the rail or rod 106 is indicated by the successive sections of fig8 - 11 and it will be understood that the finished workpieces simply roll down the rails 106 and free drainage is permitted by virtue of the open end of the discharge chute . as best seen in fig9 the base plate 30 is provided with an annular wear plate 108 against which the individual workpieces rest during the broaching operation and below the wear plate 108 are bushings 110 with the cylindrical openings 112 to receive the lower ends of the broaches and having the end portions of the openings 112 suitable inclined to guide the ends of the broaches as they enter the bushings . reference was made to a switch 22 including an actuator 24 to monitor entrance of the workpieces into the inclined inchute . it will be understood that the machine is provided with suitable switch means responsive to completion of designated operations which initiate the next successive operation . since these switches are in general of conventional construction and since the appropriate placement of the switches to monitor the particular operations will be obvious to those familiar with the art , no effort has been made to describe these switches .

US-26931181-A

a device for analyzing the metabolism of cells includes a supporting base which carries a ph measuring electrode , a control electrode designed for proton exchange with the liquid , a reference electrode , and a counterelectrode , and which , together with at least one other part , confines a hollow space containing the cells and a liquid . the electrodes are connected to electronic circuit elements . in the course of an analysis the ph value of the liquid is determined by means of the ph measuring electrode and the reference electrode . between the control electrode and the counterelectrode an electric current is passed through the liquid and controlled such that the ph of the liquid is maintained at a constant preset value beneficial to the cells , by proton exchange with the control electrode . in addition , the amount of charge required for generating the current during the measuring period is determined to obtain a measure for the intensity of the metabolic process and thus for the vitality of the cells .

a measuring device for use with electroanalytic , coulometric measurement processes for investigation of the metabolism of cells is provided with a sensor 50 configured as a container -- or chamber - like part . the sensor 50 has a body 51 with a base 53 . the base 53 is provided with an insulating part or substrate , which is formed by a plane , electrically insulating , quadrangular small plate 54 made of sapphire . on the surface constituting its upper plane face in fig1 the plate 54 is provided with four electrodes as presented in fig2 i . e ., a ph measuring electrode 56 , a control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 , a reference electrode 58 , and a counterelectrode 59 . each electrode is electrically connected to a strip conductor 56a , 57a , 58a , and 59a , respectively located on the plate . in the view from above presented in fig2 the measuring electrode 56 has a circular region shaped as a full circle . the control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 encircles the measuring electrode 56 almost completely , apart from a gap for the passage of the strip conductor 56a . the control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 thus is approximately c - shaped , forming a circular ring which is broken by the above gap , and has a surface that is considerably larger than that of the measuring electrode 56 . the surface of the control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 preferably is at least five times , and even seven to fifteen times as large as that of the ph measuring electrode 56 . compared to the electrode 57 , each of the two electrodes 58 , 59 forms a narrow , approximately semicircular arc running along part of the length of the exterior rim of the electrode 57 . the four strip conductors run parallel to a section of the edge of the plate 54 forming one of its four sides . the measuring electrode 56 and the control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 , part of which latter is also shown in fig3 each are provided with a metallic coating 65 , which is directly applied on the plate 54 and consists of a vapor - deposited layer of pure iridium , and with a monocrystalline oxide layer 66 of iridium oxide on top of the coating 65 . the strip conductors 56a and 57a are iridium layers connected with the metallic coatings of the electrodes 56 and 57 . the reference electrode 58 is made of silver chloride and the corresponding strip conductor 58a of silver . the counterelectrode 59 and its strip conductor 59a consist of platinum . between the different electrodes and strip conductors narrow spaces or gaps are provided to separate them from one another . the edges of the metallic coatings 65 and oxide layers 66 constituting the electrodes 56 , 57 are further provided with protective layers -- one of which , i . e . 68 , is shown in fig3 next to the exterior edge of electrode 57 -- providing electrical insulation and a liquid - tight seal when an analysis is performed . the protective layers 68 may be made of vapor - deposited , pure , undoped silicon or silicon dioxide . on the side of the base 53 carrying the electrodes a small plate 71 is provided , which has a through - hole 71a concentric with the group of electrodes 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , whose diameter approximately equals the enveloping circle of the group of electrodes . in addition , a cover 73 is provided which is also configured as a small plate and is placed on the side of plate 71 facing away from plate 54 , and which has a projection 73a projecting into the hole 71a . taken together , the plates 54 , 71 and the cover 73 bound a cavity 75 formed by the hole 71a , which is sealed tightly against its environment and is used as a receptacle for cells and a liquid . the cover 73 has two passages which open into the cavity 75 between the edge of the projection 73a and the rim of the hole 71a , constituting an inlet 73b and an outlet 73c for the liquid . the small plate 71 is electrically insulating and may be made of synthetic material , or of mineral glass . the cover 73 is made of plastic , for example . the plate 54 and the cover 73 are held together by detachable fastening means , such as clips . the plate 71 may be permanently attached to the plate 51 or the cover 73 , or it may be removably fixed between the cover 71 and the plate 54 so as to be detachable from either . the plate 71 may be in contact with the exterior rim of electrodes 58 , 59 ( fig1 and 3 ), although it should not cover these electrodes entirely , so that all electrodes 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 will be adjacent to the cavity 75 . the part of the iridium strip conductor strip 56a lying inside the cavity as seen in the view from above , is covered against the cavity 75 by means of an insulating layer of vapor - deposited silicon , for instance . in addition to the circular region in the center of the other electrodes , the electrode 56 could have another region in connection with the circular region , which would be linear , extend as far as to the edge of the cavity 75 , be provided with an iridium oxide layer , and would not have an insulating layer . it should be noted in this context that the thicknesses of the vapor - deposited electrodes in fig1 and 3 are exaggerated . to ensure that the cavity 75 is sealed tightly against its environment , it would be possible to add a layer of electrically insulating and elastically deformable sealing and insulating material in the area of the plate 54 surrounding the electrodes 58 , 59 and covered by plate 71 , and on top of the strip conductors as well as between them . the measuring device carrying the sensor 50 is provided with an electronic measuring unit 77 , whose block diagram is shown in fig2 . the strip conductors 56a , 57a , 58a , 59a are electrically connected to the measuring unit 77 with its electronic circuit elements , for example , by means of a plug - in connection . the measuring unit 77 is provided with a measuring amplifier 78 , whose inputs are connected to the ph measuring electrode 56 and the reference electrode 58 . the measuring unit 77 is further provided with an electrically - controlled current source 79 , whose outputs are connected to the control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 and the counterelectrode 59 . the measuring unit 77 further comprises a measuring and control circuit 80 , which is provided with a digital processor , for example , and a display - and / or recording unit 81 . the measuring and control circuit 80 is connected to an output of the measuring amplifier 78 , a control input of the current source 79 and to the display - and / or recording unit 81 . moreover , preparation and feeding means are provided for the purpose of preparing and conditioning a liquid and feeding it into the cavity 75 . the preparation means may be designed to adjust a suitable ph value in the liquid , and to heat and / or cool the liquid to a desired temperature , and to generate certain gas partial pressures in the liquid , in particular , oxygen and / or carbon dioxide partial pressures . in addition , a heating and / or cooling unit as well as a temperature control unit are provided to maintain the sensor , and , above all , the liquid and the cells contained in the cavity 75 during an analysis , at a desired temperature . means for dielectrophoresis also may be provided to influence the cell movement in the cavity 75 in such a way that the cells are attached and immobilized in defined regions of the boundary surfaces of the cavity 75 . the means for dielectrophoresis may be provided with dielectrophoresis electrodes which have a number of projections with edges , corners and / or small curvature radii , and are located and provided with an alternating current generator such that they may generate an inhomogeneous , alternating electrical field in the cavity 75 . the dielectrophoresis electrodes may be made up of metal layers which may be applied on a surface of the cover 73 adjacent to the cavity 75 . as an alternative , the dielectrophoresis electrodes could be located on the side of the small plate 54 facing away from the cavity 75 , in which case they would generate an alternating electrical field for dielectrophoresis in the cavity 75 , by acting through the plate 54 and electrodes 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 and / or through the gaps between them . if the electrodes 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 are brought into contact with a aqueous electrolytic liquid , the ph value may be determined electroanalytically , for instance , potentiometrically , with the use of the ph measuring electrode 56 and the reference electrode 58 . the electric potential arising between the two electrodes , 56 and 58 , is related more or less linearly to the ph value , at least within a ph range of 4 to 9 , approximately the ph value increasing with a decrease in potential . if between the control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 and the counterelectrode 59 an electric current is passed through the aqueous , electrolytic , proton - containing liquid , the iridium oxide of the electrode 57 may accept or release protons by redox reactions , depending on the direction of the current . such reactions may be described in a simplified way by the formula depending on the function of the electrode 57 , i . e ., whether it is primarily intended as a proton donor or as a proton acceptor during measurement , it is possible prior to this measurement and subsequent to any previous measurement to reduce the iridium of the oxide layer 66 with an electric cathode current , or to oxidize it with an electric anode current , and to saturate the oxide layer with protons or deprotonize it in the course of this process . in this context the publication of olthuis et al ., which has been referred to before , should be noted . the measuring device comprising the sensor 50 and the electronic measuring unit 77 may be used to determine the amount of acid released by living cells of the cell culture in the course of at least one metabolic process . for the purpose of measurement a sample of a suspension to be analyzed , which may contain a conditioned nutrient solution and cells suspended therein , is introduced into the cavity 75 through the inlet 73b , for instance . in addition to a quantity of water and one or more nutrients dissolved therein , the liquid may contain dissolved oxygen , depending on the type of analysis to be performed , while being free of carbon dioxide and carbonic acid upon entering the cavity 75 . the suspension may be required to fill the cavity 75 completely . after introducing the suspension , the amount of protons released and / or dissociated by the cells during a certain measurement period may be determined coulometrically . coulometric measurement may start as soon as the liquid and the cells have been introduced . a waiting period could be added to prolong the time between the point when the cells enter the cavity 75 and the beginning of measurement , however , to permit the cells to attach themselves to a surface of at least one of the sensor components , which is adjacent to the cavity 75 , so that the cells are immobilized . if means for dielectrophoresis are available , cell attachment may be controlled and accelerated by dielectrophoresis . if desired , the cavity 75 may be rinsed with an amount of fresh , conditioned liquid at the end of the waiting period and prior to the beginning of the measurement process itself , the rinsing liquid being drained from the cavity 75 through the outlet 73c . the rinsing process will contribute to the liquid having an accurately defined composition at the beginning of measurement , and in particular , an accurately defined content of dissolved gas . the temperature of liquid and cells may be adjusted to the desired value before and during a measurement process . if required , the inlet 73b and the outlet 73c , or lines connected to the inlet and the outlet , may be closed off to ensure that the cavity 75 is entirely sealed against the ambient temperature . in a coulometric measuring process the difference in potential between the ph measuring electrode 56 and the reference electrode 58 , which gives a measure for the ph value of the nutrient liquid , is determined by means of the measuring and control circuit 80 . the current source 79 generates a direct electric current flowing through the nutrient liquid between the control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 and the counterelectrode 59 . this current may be uniform or made up of a pulse train , and is directed such that the control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 can accept protons from the nutrient liquid . the measuring and control circuit 80 will automatically control the current source 79 so as to ensure that the amount of protons accepted by the electrode 57 will compensate the amount of protons released by the cells , and that the instantaneous ph value of the nutrient liquid will equal a preset ph value that is adjusted with the use of manually - operated controls and is conducive to cell development . the measuring and control circuit 80 may temporarily reverse the current direction if required , which will lead to a temporary proton release by the electrode 57 . for control purposes so - called &# 34 ; fuzzy &# 34 ; logic may be used . in addition , the measuring and control circuit 80 will measure and integrate the current flowing through the nutrient liquid between the control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 and the counterelectrode 59 during a given measurement period which may be set manually , for example . the total amount of charge passed through the nutrient liquid during the measuring period to maintain a constant ph is also determined with the use of the measuring and control circuit 80 . in this way a measure is obtained for the amount of acid that is directly released into the liquid by the cells and / or is formed in the liquid . the display and / or recording unit 81 may then be used to display and / or record the amount of charge or a proportional quantity , and , if desired , the ph value . after the end of a measurement process the cavity 75 may be rinsed with liquid in such a way that the cells will remain inside the cavity ; the composition of the liquid , or the temperature , or some other parameter may be modified . subsequent thereto another coulometric measurement may be performed . once analysis of the cells in the cavity 75 is completed the cavity 75 may be rinsed in such a way that the cells will be removed . if necessary , the cover 73 may be separated temporarily from the plate 54 for the purpose of cleaning the parts bounding the cavity 74 , the control and / or proton exchange electrode 57 may be regenerated electrochemically , if required , and a new sample may be introduced into the cavity 75 . before the nutrient liquid is introduced into the cavity 75 for measurement , a substance , for instance a drug or environmental poison , may be added to it in order to analyze its effect on the cells . in addition to the oxygen , or instead of it , some other gas may be dissolved in the nutrient liquid for the purpose of measurement . in this way the sensor 50 may be used as a small bioreactor in which cells may be cultivated and their metabolism analyzed . the multiple sensor 90 shown in fig4 comprises a body 91 with a supporting base 93 . the main component of the supporting base 93 is a small plate 94 made of sapphire carrying several -- in this instance four -- electrode groups 95 and strip conductor groups 95a . each electrode group 95 has four electrodes arranged in analogy to the electrodes 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 . each strip conductor group 95a has four strip conductors , each of which is connected to an electrode . as is shown in fig4 all strip conductors may end on one and the same side of the quadrangular plate 94 . together with a cover 97 corresponding to cover 73 , and a small plate corresponding to plate 71 and not visible in this drawing , the small plate 94 bounds a cavity for each group of electrodes , which is designed to receive a liquid to be analyzed . the cover 97 may be provided with inlets and outlets opening into a corresponding cavity in analogy to inlet 73b and outlet 73c . together with a measuring apparatus the multiple sensor 90 permits simultaneous measurement of several samples . the measuring device of the invention may be modified in several respects . for example , the small plate 54 or 94 made of sapphire may be replaced by a small plate made of ceramics or by a component of a different shape . in the sensor shown in fig1 the inlet 73b and the outlet 73c may be omitted , so that the cavity 75 is sealed completely . a sample to be analyzed may be introduced with a pipette or the like into the cavity from which the cover 73 has been removed temporarily . the same applies for the multiple sensor 90 of fig4 . it is also possible to use a multiple sensor in which more than four , for instance 6 or 24 , groups of electrodes are provided on one and the same electrically insulating , single - piece plate . the covers 73 , 97 and / or the supporting bases 53 , 93 and electrodes of the sensors shown in fig1 and 4 could also be made of transparent material , which would permit further analysis of the cells provided in the sensors , i . e ., by microscopic and / or optical methods of analysis . in the variants described above the ph measuring electrode , the control electrode , the reference electrode and the counterelectrode are arranged so as to be separated from one another , and there is no direct electrical connection between them . in this way ph measurement and the generation and control of the current used for proton exchange may take place continuously and simultaneously , or intermittently and alternatingly . it would , however , be acceptable to employ one and the same electrode as a reference electrode for ph measurement and a counterelectrode for generation of a current flowing through the liquid . in this instance ph measurement and the generation of current required for proton exchange are performed alternatingly , though a continuous , simultaneous ph measurement and current generation and control would also be possible .

US-35326894-A

balanced ph , hyperosmotic , hypoosmotic , or isoosmotic gels are ideal vehicles for drug delivery . they are especially suited for topical body cavity or injection application of drugs or diagnostic agents ; for drug or diagnostic agent delivery to the eye of a mammal ; as protective corneal shields ; or as ablatable corneal masks useful in laser reprofiling of the cornea . the compositions without the addition of a drug or diagnostic agent are useful as medical devices , for instance , in separating surgically or otherwise injured tissue as a means of preventing adhesions .

it has been found that aqueous pharmaceutical vehicles containing a film forming polymer and an ionic polysaccharide can be gelled and rendered resistant to shear thinning by contacting the mixture with a counter - ion . the gel compositions can be made isotonic or iso - osmotic and adjusted to the ph of mammalian body fluids , such as lacrimal tears . the ph and osmotic pressure of such bodily fluids are 7 . 4 and 290 mosm / kg , respectively . it is advantageous to deliver a pharmacologically active medicament to an area of the mammalian body requiring pharmacological treatment under desired ph and osmotic pressure conditions which , for instance , match those of bodily fluids . optionally , the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention can be provided in a sterile condition . a complete listing of useful water soluble , film forming polymers is not possible . representative useful polymers are the water soluble alkyl celluloses , i . e ., methyl and ethyl cellulose ; the hydroxyalkyl celluloses , i . e ., hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose ; hyaluronic acid and water soluble salts thereof , i . e ., sodium hyaluronate ; chondroitin sulfate and water soluble salts thereof , i . e ., sodium chondroitin sulfate ; polymers of acrylamide , acrylic acid , and polycyanoacrylates ; polymers of methyl methacrylate and 2 - hydroxyethyl methacrylate ; polydextrose , cyclodextrin ; polydextrin ; maltodextrin , dextran ; polydextrose ; gelatin , collagen , natural gums , i . e ., xanthan , locust bean , acacia , tragacanth , carrageenan , and agar ; derivatives of polygalacturonic acid such as pectin ; polyvinyl alcohol ; polyvinyl pyrrolidone ; polyethylene glycol ; and polyethylene oxide . more complete descriptions of some of the preferred water soluble , film forming polymers are as follows . cyclodextrin also known as cycloamylose is a cyclic oligosaccharide . cyclodextrins are produced by the enzyme conversion of prehydrolized starch to a mixture of alpha , beta , and gamma cyclodextrins and some linear dextrins . the cyclodextrins are composed of glucose units linked together by alpha ( 1 - 4 ) glycosidic bonds . sodium hyaluronate also known as hyaluronic acid is composed of repeating units of sodium glucuronate and n - acetylglucosamine . sodium hyaluronate was orginally extracted from the comb of the rooster . hyaluronic acid is a common biological agent present in a number of sources including the human umbilical cord . sodium hyaluronate can also be manufactured by fermentation of a strain of streptococcus zooepidemicus . polydextrose is a randomly bonded condensation polymer of dextrose which is only partially metabolized by mammals . the polymer can contain a minor amount of bound sorbitol , citric acid , and glucose . chondroitin sulfate also known as sodium chondroitin sulfate is a mucopolysaccharide found in every part of human tissue , specifically cartilage , bones , tendons , ligaments , and vascular walls . this polysaccharide has been extracted and purified from the cartilage of sharks . carrageenan is a linear polysaccharide having repeating galactose units and 3 , 6 anhydrogalactose units , both of which can be sulfated or nonsulfated , joined by alternating 1 - 3 and beta 1 - 4 glycosidic linkages . carrageenan is a hydrocolloid which is heat extracted from several species of red seaweed and irish moss . maltodextrins are water soluble glucose polymers which are formed by the reaction of starch with an acid and / or enzymes in the presence of water . further details of the composition and derivation of other useful water soluble , film forming polymers can be found in the handbook of pharmaceutical excipients , published by the american pharmaceutical association washington , d . c . copyright 1986 , incorporated herein by reference . the gel forming ionic polysaccharides found useful in the present invention are hydrophilic colloidal materials and include the natural gums such as gellan gum , alginate gums , i . e ., the ammonium and alkali metal salts of alginic acid and mixtures thereof . in addition , chitosan , which is the common name for deacetylated chitin is useful . chitin is a natural product comprising poly -( n - acetyl - d - glucosamine ). gellan gum is produced from the fermentation of pseudomonas elodea to yield an extracellular heteropolysaccharide . the alginates and chitosan are available as dry powders from protan , inc ., commack , n . y . gellan gum is available from the kelco division of merck & amp ; co ., inc ., san diego , calif . generally , the alginates can be any of the water - soluble alginates including the alkali metal alginates , such as sodium , potassium , lithium , rubidium and cesium salts of alginic acid , as well as the ammonium salt , and the soluble alginates of an organic base such as mono -, di -, or tri - ethanolamine alginates , aniline alginates , and the like . generally , about 0 . 2 % to about 3 . 0 % by weight and , preferably , about 0 . 5 % to about 1 . 0 % by weight of gellan , alginate or chitosan ionic polysaccharides , based upon the total weight of the composition , are used to obtain the gel compositions of the invention . in general , the drug delivery composition of the invention will contain about 0 . 01 % to about 60 % by weight of medicament or pharmaceutical , about 1 % to about 50 % by weight of the water soluble , film forming polymer , together with the above amounts of ionic polysaccharide and the balance water . in special situations , these amounts of gel forming ionic polysaccharide and water soluble , film forming polymer may be varied to increase or decrease the gel properties . useful counter - ions for gelling the gellan gum or alginate ionic polysaccharides in combination with the film forming , water soluble polymer compositions of the invention are cationic gelling agents , preferably , comprising a divalent or trivalent cation . useful divalent cations include the alkaline earth metals , preferably , selected from the group consisting of calcium and strontium . useful trivalent cations include aluminum . the most preferred counter - ions for gelling gellan gum or alginate ionic polysaccharides are contained in ionic compounds selected from pharmaceutically - acceptable gluconates , fluorides , citrates , phosphates , tartrates , sulfates , acetates , borates , chlorides , and the like having alkaline earth metal cations such as calcium and strontium . especially preferred counter - ion containing inorganic salts for use as ionic polysaccharide gelling agents include such inorganic salts as the chloride salts , such as strontium chloride , calcium chloride , and mixtures thereof . generally , a molar ratio of counter - ion to gellan , chitosan or alginate of about 1 : 1 to about 10 : 1 , preferably , about 2 : 1 to about 5 : 1 , and , most preferably , about 3 : 1 to about 5 : 1 is used . while the counter - ion , such as calcium or other counter - ions may be obtained by contact of the compositions of the invention with bodily fluids , it is preferred that a counter - ion in latent form be used in combination with the gellan gum or alginate ionic polysaccharide and film forming , water soluble polymer compositions of the invention . alternatively , a counter - ion can be combined with the ionic polysaccharide and water soluble , film forming polymer compositions of the invention utilizing a two part system in which the counter - ion is topically or otherwise applied to the compositions of the invention subsequent to their topical or other application . incorporation of the counter - ion in a latent form together with the ionic polysaccharide and film forming , water soluble polymer compositions of the invention may be accomplished by either encapsulating an aqueous solution of one of the counter - ion gelling agents , previously described above or by the incorporation of the counter - ion gelling agent into a matrix which provides for the controlled , slow - release of the gelling agent . for instance , the gelatin - encapsulated controlled release compositions disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 795 , 642 , incorporated herein by reference , disclose the preparation of a gelatin shell encapsulating a controlled release formulation in which the gelatin composition includes calcium chloride as the gelling agent . alternatively , the counter - ion can be incorporated as an aqueous solution of a cationic gelling agent encapsulated in a vesical composed , for instance , of alpha - tocopherol , as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 861 , 580 , incorporated herein by reference . generally , aqueous compositions comprising chitosan can be gelled with multivalent anion gelling agents , preferably , comprising a metal polyphosphate , such as an alkali metal or ammonium polyphosphates , pyrophosphates , or metaphosphates . representative metaphosphate , pyrophosphate , and polyphosphate gelling agents include sodium and potassium , polyphosphates , sodium and potassium pyrophosphates , sodium and potassium metaphosphates , and sodium and ammonium ( mono -, di -, tri -) phosphates . with specific reference to the use of the compositions of the invention as ophthalmic drug delivery compositions , laser ablatable shields , or corneal protective compositions , it is noted that , generally , for the avoidance of adverse physiological effects to the eye , it is desirable that the ph and osmolality of the pharmaceutical vehicle be matched to the ph and osmolality of the eye . in addition , it is noted that a large percentage of drugs administered to the eye are lost as a result of lacrimal drainage . this applies especially in situations in which a liquid composition containing a pharmacologically active medicament is applied to the cornea of the eye . accordingly , in such cases , only a small fraction of the pharmaceutical composition administered to the eye remains in contact with the cornea for a few minutes and an even smaller fraction penetrates into the cornea . to overcome these disadvantages , it is known to use viscous solutions , gels , ointments , or solid eye implants containing pharmacologically active medicaments . while progress has been made in the delivery of drugs by the use of solid implants , many patients find it difficult to tolerate the introduction of the implants into the conjunctival areas . to solve this problem , drug delivery vehicles which are liquid at room temperature and assume a semi - solid form at human body temperature have been proposed , such as those described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 188 , 373 , which disclose the use of pluronic ® polyols . in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 861 , 760 and u . s . pat . no . 4 , 474 , 751 , ophthalmic drug delivery systems are disclosed which show liquid - gel phase transitions . in the &# 39 ; 751 patent , polymers are disclosed which are tetra substituted derivatives of ethylenediamine , propylenediamine , butylenediamine , pentylenediamine , or hexylenediamine . these are described as block copolymers of poly ( oxypropylene ) and poly ( oxyethylene ) of various chain lengths . these polymers were utilized as aqueous drug delivery vehicles contain from 10 % to 50 % by weight of polymer based on the weight of the total drug delivery vehicle . in the &# 39 ; 760 patent , the liquid - gel phase transition compositions for ophthalmological use contain polymers which form gels at concentrations 10 - 100 fold lower than those used in systems such as the &# 39 ; 751 patent , involving thermogelation . accordingly , the drug delivery vehicles of the &# 39 ; 760 patent are said to be very well tolerated by the eye . the polymers utilized in the drug delivery vehicles of the &# 39 ; 760 patent are described as polysaccharides obtained by fermentation of a microorganism . the drug delivery vehicles and corneal protective shield compositions of the invention are an improvement over those compositions used in prior art methods of ophthalmological drug delivery in that the compositions can be not only optimized for physiological tolerance in the eye by formulating the vehicles useful as drug delivery compositions so as to have isoosmotic , hyperosmotic , and hypoosmotic characteristics in the gel state but are made more useful because of increased resistance to shear thinning , as the result of higher gel strength . these advantages are obtained by the incorporation of an ionic polysaccharide in admixture with a film forming , water soluble polymer . by matching the osmolality of the drug delivery compositions of the invention , for instance , to those of the lacrimal fluid of the eye , it is possible to eliminate burning or other discomfort upon application of the drug delivery vehicles of the invention to the eye . the gel compositions formed upon contact with a counter ion for the ionic polysaccharide allow retention of the gel at the desired locus for longer intervals thus increasing the efficiency of action of the delivered drug . drugs or diagnostic agents which can be administered by means of the drug delivery vehicles according to the invention are , for example : antibacterial substances such as beta - lactam antibiotics , such as cefoxitin , n - formamidoylthienamycin and other thienamycin derivatives , tetracyclines , chloramphenicol , neomycin , carbenicillin , colistin , penicillin g , polymyxin b , vancomycin , cefazolin , cephaloridine , chibrorifamycin , gramicidin , bacitracin and sulfonamides ; nalidixic acid and its analogs such as norfloxacin and the antimicrobial combination fluoroalanine / pentizidone , nitrofurazones and analogs thereof ; antihistaminics and decongestants such as pyrilamine , chlorpheniramine , tetrahydrazoline , antazoline and analogs thereof ; mast - cell inhibitors of histamine release , such as cromolyn ; anti - inflaminatories such as cortisone , hydocortisone , hydrocortisone acetate , betamethasone , dexamethasone , dexamethasone sodium phosphate , prednisone , methylprednisolone , medrysone , fluorometholone , prednisolone , prednisolone sodium phosphate , triamcinolone , indomethacin , sulindac , its salts and its corresponding sulfides , and analogs thereof ; miotics and anticholinergics such as echothiophate , pilocarpine , physostigmine salicylate , diisopropylfluorophosphate , epinephrine , dipivaloylepinephrine , neostigmine , echothiopate iodide , demecarium bromide , carbamoyl choline chloride , methacholine , bethanechol , and analogs thereof ; mydriatics such as atrophine , homatropine , scopolamine , hydroxyamphetamine , ephedrine , cocaine , tropicamide , phenylephrine , cyclopentolate , oxyphenonium , eucatropine , and analogs thereof ; other drugs can be used in the treatment of conditions and lesions of the eyes such as : antiglaucoma drugs , for example , timolol , and especially its maleic salt and r - timolol and a combination of timolol or r - timolol with pilocarpine , as well as many other adrenergic agonists and / or antagonists : epinephrine and an epinephrine complex , or prodrugs such as bitartrate , borate , hydrochloride and dipivefrine derivatives ; carbonic anhydrase inhibitors such as acetazolamide , dichlorphenamide , 2 -( p - hydroxyphenyl )- thio thiophenesulfonamide , 6 - hydroxy - 2 - benzothiazolesulfonamide , and 6 - pivaloyloxy - 2 - benzothiazolesulfonamide ; antiparasitic compounds and / or anti - protozoal compounds such as ivermectin , pyrimethamine , trisulfapidimidine , clindamycin and corticosteroid preparations ; compounds having antiviral activity such as acyclovir , 5 - iodo - 2 &# 39 ;- deoxyuridine ( idu ), adenosine arabinoside ( ara - a ), trifluorothymidine , interferon , and interferon - inducing agents such as poly i : c ; antifungal agents such as amphotericin b , nystatin , flucytosine , natamycin and miconazole ; anesthetic agents such as etidocaine cocaine , benoxinate , dibucaine hydrochloride , dyclonine hydrochloride , naepaine , phenacaine hydrochloride , piperocaine , proparacaine hydrochloride , tetracaine hydrochloride , hexylcaine , bupivacaine , lidocaine , mepivacaine and prilocaine ; ( a ) those used to examine the retina such as sodium fluorescein ; ( b ) those used to examine the conjunctiva , cornea and lacrimal apparatus , such as fluorescein and rose bengal ; and ( c ) those used to examine abnormal pupillary responses such as methacholine , cocaine , adrenaline , atropine , hydroxyamphetamine and pilocarpine ; ophthalmic agents used as adjuncts in surgery , such as alpha - chymotrypsin and hyaluronidase ; immunosuppressants and anti - metabolites such as methotrexate , cyclophosphamide , 6 - mercaptopurine and azathioprine and combinations of the compounds mentioned above , such as antibiotics / antiinflammatories combinations such as the combination of neomycin sulfate and dexamethasone sodium phosphate and combinations concomitantly used for treating glaucoma , for example , a combination of timolol maleate and aceclidine . in general the drug delivery composition of the present invention will contain from about 0 . 01 % to about 60 % by weight of the medicament or pharmaceutical , from about 1 % to about 50 % of the polymer , the above amounts of ionic polysaccharide , and the balance water . in special situations , however , the amounts may be varied to increase or decrease the dosage schedule . if desired , the ophtnalmic drug delivery vehicle , laser ablatable corneal mask , and corneal protective compositions of the invention may also contain preservatives , cosolvents , suspending agents , viscosity enhancing agents , ionic - strength and osmolality adjustors and other excipients in addition to the medicament and buffering agents . suitable water soluble preservatives which may be employed in the invent ire drug delivery vehicle are sodium bisulfite , sodium thiosulfate , ascotbate , benzalkonium chloride , chlorabutanol , thimerosal , phenylmercuric borate , parabens , benzylalcohol phenylethanol and others . these agents may be present , generally , in amounts of about 0 . 001 % to about 5 % by weight and , preferably , in the amount of about 0 . 01 to about 2 % by weight . suitable water soluble buffering agents are alkali or alkali earth carbonates , phosphates , bicarbonates , citrates , borates , acetates , succinates and the like , such as sodium phosphate , citrate , borate , acetate , bicarbonate , carbonate and tromethamine ( tris ). these agents are present in amounts sufficient to maintain the ph of the system at 7 . 4 ± 0 . 2 and preferably , 7 . 4 . as such the buffering agent can be as much as 5 % on a weight basis of the total composition . representative buffering agents or salts useful in maintaining the ph at about 7 . 4 ± 0 . 2 are alkali or alkali earth carbonates , chlorides , sulfates , phosphates , bicarbonates , citrates , borates , acetates and succinates . representative preservatives are sodium bisulfite , sodium thiosulfate , ascorbate , benzalkonium chloride , chlorobutanol , thimerosal , phenylmercuric borate , parabens , benzylalcohol and phenylethanol . the corneal mask compositions of the invention are an improvement over the prior art thermo - reversible gels containing a polyoxyalkylene polymer as the sole polymer , in that the compositions of the invention provide greater gel strength because they are more resistant to shear thinning and are characterized as thermally - irreversible . these advantages are obtained by the incorporation of an ionic polysaccharide in admixture with a water soluble , film forming polymer . they can be optimized for optimum physiological tolerance in the eye by formulating the compositions so as to have a neutral ph and isotonic characteristics . these former advantages are obtained by the incorporation of an ionic polysaccharide in admixture with a water soluble , film forming polymer . by matching the osmolality and ph of the laser ablatable corneal mask compositions of the invention to those of the lacrimal fluid of the eye , it is possible to eliminate burning or other discomfort upon application of the corneal mask of the invention to the eye . the higher gel strength compositions upon contact with a counter - ion allow retention of the gel as an in situ formed corneal mask for long intervals . the preparation of the drug delivery compositions , corneal protective compositions , and ablative corneal shield compositions of the invention is described below . the examples which follow were prepared , generally , in accordance with the following preparation procedure . a mixture of a water soluble , film forming polymer and ionic polysaccharide is stirred or shaken in admixture with the aqueous buffer solution to bring about a more rapid solution of the polymer . the pharmacologically active medicaments and various additives such as salts and preservatives can subsequently be added and dissolved . in some instances the pharmacologically active substance must be suspended since it is insoluble in water . the ph of 7 . 4 ± 0 . 2 is obtained by of appropriate buffering agents . the following examples illustrate the various aspects of the invention but are not intended to limit its scope . where not otherwise specified throughout this specification and claims , temperatures are given in degrees centigrade and parts , percentages , and proportions are by weight . in this example there is described a composition of the invention suitable for ophthalmic use as a laser ablatable corneal mask or protective corneal shield . the composition was characterized as iso - osmotic and neutral in ph . an aqueous solution was made by dissolving the hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose in aqueous buffer solution together with the sodium alginate . the hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose was characterized as grade f50lv premium , obtained from the dow chemical company . the sodium alginate , characterized as high viscosity grade hf120 was obtained from protan , inc . the proportions of ingredients in percent by weight are as follows : ______________________________________hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose 2 . 0sodium alginate , high viscosity 1 . 0glycerin 0 . 25boric acid - sodium borate buffer 96 . 75______________________________________ the boric acid - sodium borate buffer was prepared as follows : in a two liter volumetric flask , 24 . 7 grams of boric acid and 3 . 8 grams of sodium borate decahydrate were dissolved in two liters of purified water , usp . the formulation of this example had a measured ph of 7 . 2 and an osmolality of 277 mosm / kg . a small amount of the formulation was placed on a glass slide and evenly spread so as to create a thin film . the film was subsequently sprayed with an aqueous solution of calcium chloride having a concentration of 2 % to about 5 % by weight . the film was characterized as strong , transparent , and resembled a thin , soft hydrophilic corneal contact lens which would be useful as a protective corneal mask or as an ablatable mask useful in laser keratectomy . the product was further characterized by measuring the average penetration in millimeters determined using a precision penetrometer with a 1 / 4 size ( 9 . 38 grams , astm d - 1043 ) cone and plunger . the penetration of the aqueous solution of polymers prepared above was greater than 20 mm . subsequent to treatment of this solution with a few drops of a 2 %- 5 % by weight aqueous solution of calcium chloride , a gel was formed in which the penetration was reduced to 5 mn . in these examples there are described compositions of the invention for ophthalmic use as a corneal protective mask or as a laser ablatable corneal mask . utilizing the same procedure as described in example 1 , an aqueous composition containing sodium hyaluronate and sodium alginate was prepared in two separate compositions . sodium hyaluronate is commercially available from meiji seika inc . example 2 was hypoosmotic having an osmotic pressure of 249 mosm / kg and example 3 was hyperosmotic having an osmotic pressure of 319 mosm / kg . both compositions were characterized as neutral in ph . the formulations have the following proportions by weight : ______________________________________ example 2 example 3______________________________________sodium hyaluronate 1 . 0 1 . 0sodium alginate , high viscosity 1 . 0 1 . 0glycerin -- 0 . 5boric acid - sodium borate buffer 98 . 0 97 . 5______________________________________ these compositions were evaluated as described in example 1 by spreading a small amount of the formulation on a glass slide and subsequently spraying the coated slide with a 5 % by weight aqueous solution of calcium chloride . similar strong , transparent , soft films were obtained which would be useful as a protective corneal shield or as a laser ablatable corneal mask . example 3 was further characterized by measuring the average penetration in millimeters determined using a precision penetrometer with a 1 / 4 size ( 9 . 38 grams , astm d - 1043 ) cone and plunger . the penetration of the aqueous solution of polymers prepared adore was greater than 20 mm . subsequent to treatment of this solution with a few drops of a 2 %- 5 % by weight aqueous solution of calcium chloride , a gel was formed in which the penetration was reduced to 5 . 9 mn . in this example there is described a composition of the invention for ophthalmic use as a protective corneal shield or a laser ablatable corneal mask . an aqueous mixture comprising polyvinyl pyrrolidone and sodium alginate , high viscosity was prepared as follows : the percentages below are by weight . ______________________________________polyvinyl pyrrolidone 0 . 8sodium alginate , high viscosity 1 . 0glycerin 0 . 3boric acid - sodium borate buffer 97 . 9______________________________________ the composition was characterized as neutral in ph having a ph of 7 . 2 . the composition was hypoosmotic having an osmolality of 270 mosm / kg . the product was further characterized by measuring the average penetration in millimeters determined using a precision penetrometer with a 1 / 4 size ( 9 . 38 grams , astm d - 1043 ) cone and plunger . the penetration of the aqueous solution of polymers prepared above was greater than 20 mm . subsequent to treatment of this solution with a few drops of a 5 % by weight aqueous solution of calcium chloride , a gel was formed in which the penetration was reduced to 4 . 1 mm . in this example there is described a composition of the invention for ophthalmic use as a laser ablatable mask or as a protective corneal shield . in accordance with the procedure of example 1 , chondroitin sulfate and sodium alginate were prepared as an aqueous solution utilizing the percentages by weight indicated below . ______________________________________sodium chondroitin sulfate 2 . 0sodium alginate , high viscosity 1 . 0glycerin 0 . 3boric acid - sodium borate buffer 96 . 7______________________________________ the aqueous solution was characterized as neutral in ph having a ph of 7 . 0 . the aqueous solution was hyperosmotic having a measured osmolality of 354 mosm / kg . the penetration utilizing a precision penetrometer with a 1 / 4 size cone , as described above , was greater than 20 mm prior to treatment with a few drops of a 2 %- 5 % aqueous solution of calcium chloride . subsequent to treatment with the aqueous calcium chloride solution , a gel was formed in which the penetration was reduced to 5 . 1 mm . ion exchange resin beads sold under the trade name duolite were treated so as to incorporate calcium by first treating a 30 gram sample of the ion exchange resin with a solution of 0 . 1 molar hydrochloric acid so as to allow for the exchange of protons for sodium . after three washings with 0 . 1 molar hydrochloric acid , the beads were washed with water and then washed twice with a 2 % aqueous solution of calcium chloride . each of the washing steps took place over a period of 16 hours ( overnight ). the beads were thereafter filtered and washed with water utilizing coarse filter paper and a buchner glass filter assembly . the beads were then left overnight in a desiccator to dry . the dried beads of ion exchange resin which were obtained are utilized in the amount of 2 grams to fill a first compartment ( close to the needle of the syringe ) of a glass syringe utilized to apply liquids and dry materials . the syringe is sold under the tradename hypak . into the second compartment of the syringe , there is placed successively the solutions of examples 1 - 5 . pushing the plunger of the syringe forward results in mixing the solution of examples 1 - 5 with the ion exchange beads . after 5 to 10 minutes subsequent to mixing , the mixture is expelled from the syringe . after an additional 15 minutes the expelled material forms ( without drying ) a strong , transparent gel on the substrate on which it is expelled . these examples describe the successive application of an aqueous solution of examples 1 and 3 - 5 to the cornea of a rabbit eye and the conversion of the aqueous liquid to a gel by the application of a 10 % calcium chloride solution having a ph of 6 . 9 . the calcium chloride solution is applied to the concave surface of a contact lens prior to contacting the surface of the aqueous liquid coating applied upon the cornea of the rabbit eye . after applying the compositions of examples 1 and 3 - 5 to the cornea of a rabbit while placed under general anesthesia , a liquid coating is formed upon the cornea . subsequently , a 10 % aqueous solution of calcium chloride is applied to the concave surface of a hard contact lens and the contact lens is placed over the coating on the cornea of the rabbit eye . the time required for the formation of a gel is less than 5 minutes . thereafter , the contact lens is removed to expose a perfectly smooth and optically clear gelled surface of the composition of examples 1 and 3 - 5 . excimer laser keratectomy is thereafter performed utilizing an argon fluoride excimer laser ( 193 nm ). further details of the excimer laser keratectomey process can be found in archives of ophthamology , vol . 106 , feb ., 1988 , entitled &# 34 ; excimer laser keratectomy with a rotating - slit delivery system &# 34 ;, hanna et al , incorporated herein by reference . these examples describe drug compositions of the invention suitable for ophthalmic use in comparison with control examples in in - vitro tests for drug release . ______________________________________ percentage by weight______________________________________timolol maleate 0 . 50poloxamer 407 16 . 00sodium phosphate , monobasic , monohydrate 0 . 15sodium phosphate , dibasic 0 . 63glycerin 0 . 75sterile water 81 . 97______________________________________ an eye drop or medicated contact lens composition was prepared using a suitable glass container in which the sodium phosphate salts and glycerin were dissolved in sterile water . the polymer was next mixed with the buffer solution at 65 ° c . for 1 hour , followed by a further 2 - 3 hours in cold conditions . to a fixed weight of the polymer solution was added and dissolved , an accurate amount of timolol maleate ( huhtamaki oy pharmaceuticals , turku , finland ) to make a 0 . 5 % w / w concentration . ______________________________________ percentage by weight______________________________________timolol maleate 0 . 50poloxamer 407 17 . 00sodium alginate , high viscosity 1 . 50sodium borate , decahydrate 0 . 16boric acid 1 . 00glycerin 0 . 30sterile water 81 . 27______________________________________ a medicated contact lens was prepared using a suitable glass container in which the sodium borate , boric acid and glycerin we re dissolved in sterile water . sodium alginate was sprinkled in with stirring to form a uniform paste . the polymer was next mixed with this mixture at 65 ° c . for 1 hour , and for a further 2 - 3 hours under cold conditions . to a fixed weight of the polymer - alginate solution , was added and dissolved , an accurate amount of timolol maleate ( huhtamaki oy pharmaceuticals , turku , finland ) to make a 0 . 5 % w / w concentration . ______________________________________ percentage by weight______________________________________timolol maleate 0 . 50sodium hyaluronate 1 . 00sodium alginate , high viscosity 1 . 00sodium borate , decahydrate 0 . 19boric acid 1 . 21glycerin 0 . 50sterile water 95 . 60______________________________________ a medicated contact lens was prepared using a suitable glass container in which the sodium borate , boric acid and glycerin were dissolved to make a solution in sterile water . sodium alginate and sodium hyaluronate were sprinkled into this solution with continuous stirring to form a uniform paste . to a fixed weight of the hyaluronate - alginate mixture , there was added and dissolved an amount of timolol maleate ( huhtamaki oy pharmaceuticals , turku , finland ) to make a 0 . 5 % w / w concentration . an in - vitro evaluation of the contact lens of examples 16 - 18 was carried out as follows : the medicated contact lens was prepared by accurately weighing a big drop of the formulation on a glass microscopic slide ( 2 &# 34 ;× 1 &# 34 ;). two drops of a 5 % by weight calcium chloride counter - ion solution was next placed on the formula drop . after 1 minute , the excess calcium chloride was blotted away from the now formed corneal contact lens . the glass slide with contact lens in place was next placed at the bottom of the 1 liter dissolution vessel containing 500 ml of purified water , maintained at 37 ° c . the dissolution experiment was carried out as per method 2 ( paddle ) of the united states pharmacopoeia xxii , page 1579 , the united states pharmacopoeial convention , mack publishing company , 1990 . paddle stirring rate was 50 revolutions per minute . at regular time intervals , aliquots were removed from the vessels for analysis by high pressure liquid chromatography . six vessels were used for each formulation ( n = 6 ). ______________________________________timolol maleate delivery from corneallenses n = 6cumulative % oftimolol released ( sd ) time example 16 example 17 example 18______________________________________ 0 0 . 0 0 . 0 0 . 0 10 min 100 . 0 -- -- 30 min 100 . 0 -- -- 60 min 100 . 0 80 . 3 ( 12 . 0 ) 77 . 9 ( 6 . 2 ) 120 min -- 90 . 0 ( 3 . 8 ) 93 . 9 ( 2 . 2 ) 240 min -- 95 . 1 ( 6 . 1 ) 95 . 9 ( 1 . 3 ) 360 min -- 90 . 1 ( 3 . 1 ) 94 . 9 ( 2 . 5 ) 480 min -- 95 . 7 ( 3 . 3 ) 97 . 5 ( 2 . 9 ) ______________________________________ it was observed that the drug is released in - vitro , by diffusion and not by the erosion of the lens . approximately 80 % of timolol maleate is released in 1 hour and the remaining amount gradually diffuses out in 3 to 4 hours . the lenses remained intact 48 hours after the start of the experiment . on the other hand , when 0 . 9 % sodium chloride was used in place of purified water as the dissolution medium , the drug was released by both erosion and diffusion , within the first hour . the lenses are first reduced in size and then dissolved away within 6 hours . this erosion is dependent on the replacement of calcium ions ( in the lens ) with sodium ions ( from the dissolution medium ). the break up in - vivo is expected to be slow and gradual and is dependent on the sodium concentration in the tear fluid . in the following examples there are described compositions having multiple uses . for instance , they may be used as vehicles for drug delivery by topical application or by injection or useful as a protective corneal shield or in a process for excimer laser keratectomy as a laser ablatable corneal mask . the procedure for preparation and the polymeric materials utilized in the composition are those described in example 1 . the tris - hydrochloride buffer utilized in this composition was prepared utilizing the ingredients and proportions by weight indicated below . ______________________________________tris ( tromethamine , usp ) 0 . 6058concentrated hydrochloric acid 0 . 4123purified water , usp 100______________________________________ the composition was found to have a ph of 7 . 4 and an osmolality in mosm / kg of 83 . the procedure for preparation of this buffer is as follows : the weighed amount of tris was placed in a 2 - liter volumetric flask and about 1 liter of purified water was added to the flask . the concentrated hydrochloric acid was added and the solution was made up to volume by adding the remaining water in the formulation . the calcium based counter - ion solution utilized to gel the inventive drug delivery compositions of examples 19 - 22 was prepared utilizing the following proportions of ingredients in proportions by weight . ______________________________________calcium chloride , dihydrate 1 . 2calcium gluconate , anhydrous 3 . 0purified water , usp 100 . 0______________________________________ the composition had a ph of 6 . 88 and an osmolality in mosm / kg of 299 . the calcium based counter - ion solution was prepared as follows : the calcium gluconate and calcium chloride in the required amount were placed in a 200 ml volumetric flask . approximately 100 ml of water were added to partially dissolve the salts . the solution was , thereafter , warmed to 80 ° c . to facilitate disolution . the solution was cooled and the remaining water was added to make up to 200 ml volume . a composition containing both sodium alginate and sodium hyaluronate was prepared for use as a vehicle for drug delivery , a laser ablatable corneal mask , a protect ire corneal shield , or a composition for use in preventing post - surgical adhesions . the proportions by weight are as follows : the composition was found to have a ph of 7 . 6 and an osmolality of 297 mosm / kg prior to treatment with calcium ions by the addition of the previously described calcium based counter - ion solution . after treatment with calcium ions the osmolality was 302 mosm / kg . the product was further characterized by measuring the average penetration in millimeters as determined using a precision penetrometer with a 1 / 4 size ( 9 . 38 grams , astm d - 1043 ) cone and plunger . the penetration in millimeters prior to treatment of the composition of example 19 with calcium ions was greater than 20 mm . after treatment with calcium ions the penetration was 4 . 77 mm . a composition containing polyvinyl pyrrolidone and sodium alginate was prepared which is useful for the same applications as that formulation described in example 19 . the proportions in percent by weight of the ingredients of the composition are as follows : the composition had a ph of 7 . 59 and an osmolality in mosm / kg prior to treatment with calcium ions of 320 and after treatment with calcium ions of 289 . the penetration utilizing a precision penetrometer as further described in example 19 was greater than 20 prior to treatment of the composition with calcium ions and 6 . 57 after treatment with calcium ions . a composition useful for the same uses as stated in example 19 containing a combination of sodium alginate and chondroitin sulfate was prepared . the proportions of ingredients in percent by weight are as follows : ______________________________________sodium chondroitin sulfate 2 . 0sodium alginate 1 . 0sodium chloride 0 . 35tris - hydrochloride buffer 96 . 65______________________________________ the composition had a ph of 7 . 9 and an osmolality expressed in mosm / kg of 301 prior to treatment with calcium ions and 272 after treatment with calcium ions . the penetration utilizing a precision penetrometer as further described in example 19 was found to be greater than 20 mm prior to treatment with calcium counter - ions and 4 . 57 upon treatment with calcium ions utilizing the calcium counter - ion solution prepared above . a composition useful for the same uses as stated in example 19 containing a combination of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose , and sodium alginate was prepared . the proportions of ingredients and their percent by weight are as follows : ______________________________________hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose 2 . 0sodium alginate 1 . 0sodium chloride 0 . 6tris - hydrochloride buffer 96 . 4______________________________________ the composition had a ph of 7 . 59 and an osmolality expressed in mosm / kg of 326 prior to treatment with calcium ions and 301 after treatment with calcium ions . while this invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments , it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that many variations are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention , and it will be understood that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the invention , disclosed herein for the purposes of illustration , which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention .

US-17410193-A

a system for simultaneously capturing data from multiple sources from individuals training on exercise equipment is provided . the system utilizes a wireless means of either transferring data to a computer server for permanent storage and interactive analysis or to prompt the delivery of programming content or data from a computer server to the exercise units or attachments affixed thereto . the system also includes an interactive means of incorporating third - party input regarding additional characteristics about each exercise unit , entertainment system or human user that when integrated with the base line equipment data becomes highly relevant and valuable . the present invention utilizes a programmable transceiver that can receive entertainment programming and data communications from a central computer server while simultaneously receiving data from multiple devices attached to or integrated within the exercise unit .

[ 0019 ] fig1 is a diagram illustrating an electronically integrated cardiovascular exercise unit that has some form of generating and storing data such as the c - safe protocol , including the capacity for a user of the exercise unit to input personal identification codes . such exercise unit is integrated with a programmable wireless transceiver ( fig2 ) that is capable of storing data and having two - way communications with the exercise unit ( fig1 ) as well as other electronic devices such as wireless heart strap monitors ( fig3 ) and entertainment receivers ( fig4 ). the transceiver ( fig2 ) also has the capability of having two - way wireless communications with a computer server ( fig5 ) that is integrated with a compatible wireless transceiver . the transceiver ( fig2 ) also has the capacity to receive incoming entertainment programming ( fig6 ) and data transmissions from a computer server ( fig5 ). the transceiver ( fig2 ) is programmed in such a manner to capture , encrypt and package data in a systematic manner and conducting coordinated transmissions to other compatible devices and the computer server ( fig5 ) such to avoid conflict with incoming data and entertainment signals . the computer server ( fig5 ) is connected via a phone line or broadband connection to a central network - operating center ( fig7 ). the computer server ( fig5 ) is capable of storing data together with entertainment and educational audio / video programming content and initiating two - way communications with the transceiver ( fig2 ) and programming content downloading with the entertainment receiver ( fig4 ). the computer server ( fig5 ) is also capable of receiving entertainment and programming content from the central network - operating center ( fig7 ) and conducting two - way communications of data with the same . the computer server ( fig5 ) is capable of gathering , processing , coordinating and transferring incoming data from the transceiver ( fig2 ) and the central network - operating center ( fig7 ) so as to serve as a communication and intelligence link between the two devices . the central network - operating center ( fig7 ) serves as a central information hub by integrating data collected and transmitted from the computer server ( fig5 ) with inquiries and data input transferred via the internet from multiple users ( fig8 ) utilizing coordinated pre - defined interfaces and query fields ( fig9 ). the central network - operating center ( fig7 ) further serves as a central communications hub by receiving and initiating the transfer of data , programming content and reports to and from the computer server ( fig5 ) and multiple users ( fig8 ) through the pre - defined user input interfaces ( fig9 ). this is intended to result in both the pull and push of desired data and content by and between the network operating - center ( fig7 ) and computer server ( fig5 ) on one hand and the network operating - center ( fig7 ) and multiple users ( fig8 ) using the interfaces ( fig9 ) and reports ( fig1 ) on the other . overall , the central network - operating center ( fig7 ) will be able to push data and programming content through the computer server ( fig5 ) and to the transceiver ( fig2 ) and control the functions of all devices communicating with the transceiver ( fig2 ) such as the exercise unit ( fig1 ), the entertainment receiver ( fig4 ), the human body monitors ( fig3 ) and any other integrated devices capable of receiving commands . at the same time , the central network - operating center ( fig7 ) will be able to push data to the multiple users ( fig8 ) based upon input and inquiries received via the pre - defined user input interfaces ( fig9 ). there are multiple users ( fig8 ) of the overall data network . in each case , however , supplemental data is necessary to be integrated with the underlying generic or raw data ( e . g ., c - safe ) to make certain outputs meaningful for specific applications such as equipment performance and utilization assessments , training regiments and protocols , customized programming content , e - commerce initiatives and other user specific applications . to facilitate this convergence of data , multiple users ( fig8 ) will be provided multiple pre - defined user input interfaces ( fig9 ) that permit an efficient cataloging and management of c - safe type data with additional data fields that are unique to the exercise unit ( fig1 ) such as brand identity of the exercise unit ( fig1 . ), the product category of the exercise unit ( fig1 ) ( e . g ., treadmills , ellipticals , bikes , steppers , etc .) logistical factors related to the exercise unit ( e . g ., the row the unit is in or the relative window location ), environmental factors ( e . g ., a humid environment ), user identification data that integrates information unique to the user of the exercise unit ( e . g ., age , gender , training regiments , body monitoring factors ) and other correlated information that users would deem useful . in essence , equipment , human and programming profiles are created and integrated with the underlying equipment data . such supplemental data can be provided by the ultimate user of the data or by authorized third parties . the efficient convergence of all such data can facilitate valuable applications by many different users . one set of significant users of the data networks is expected to be the manufacturers of the exercise units ( fig1 ) to conduct remote diagnostic assessments and repairs , programming updates , product utilization research , durability assessments and other forms of data applications . for such applications to be practical and meaningful , such users will be provided a user interface ( fig9 ) that captures and transfers to the central network - operating center ( fig7 ) the type of information that is relevant to the manufacturer with respect to the specific exercise unit ( fig1 ) being analyzed . the user interface ( fig9 ) will enable the manufacturer to add various forms of supplemental information that makes the application of the baseline data generated by the exercise unit ( fig1 ) and c - safe meaningful . for example , environmental factors such as humidity will have a significant impact on the operation of the exercise unit ( fig1 ). the user interface ( fig9 ) will permit the manufacturer or a third - party to add such environmental information and assign it to the given exercise unit ( fig1 ). as a result , future assessments of the operation of the exercise unit ( fig1 ) and reports ( fig1 ) generated thereby will be meaningful and accurate . it can be understood that any type of unit specific information may be identified , indexed and assigned to any specific exercise unit ( fig1 ) to assist in the assessment and reporting process . the network operating center ( fig7 ) can also be programmed to send automatic notifications to manufacturers for specific exercise units ( fig1 ) regarding possible operational problems as indicated by certain data that is captured within the unit such as an excessive use of electricity or other problem indicators . such recommendations can be sent to the user interface ( fig9 ) or though e - mail notifications . health club operators that purchase and install exercise units will find data related to the utilization and maintenance of the exercise units of significant value . these applications can include the assessment of utilization of specific exercise units ( fig1 ) by health club members at different times of the day and in different locations within the club in order to determine whether additional units are needed to satisfy member demand and which types or styles of equipment are preferred . the health club operator could even determine the preferred layout of the equipment and when to rotate the location of excessively used units with less used units to prolong the useful life of the units . this is significant considering that the physical location of the equipment can significantly impact user preferences such as in the case of exercise units situated in the first row or in front of a window with a view , etc . the health club operator could also determine which units are more durable based upon the comparison of maintenance information and user hours pulled from c - safe data of a specific exercise unit ( fig1 ). for such applications to be practical and meaningful , health clubs will be provided a user interface ( fig9 ) that captures and transfers to the network - operating center ( fig7 ) the type of information that is relevant to the health club operators with respect to the specific exercise unit ( fig1 ) being analyzed . the user interface ( fig9 ) will enable the health club operator to add various forms of supplemental information that makes the application of the baseline data generated by the exercise unit ( fig1 ) and c - safe meaningful . for example , the location of an exercise unit ( fig1 ) and other environmental factors such as the presence of a personal viewing screen or wall - mounted television could have a significant impact on the utilization and corresponding useful life of the exercise unit ( fig1 ). the user interface ( fig9 ) will permit the health club operator or authorized third - parties to add such logistical and environmental information and assign it to the given exercise unit ( fig1 ). as a result , future assessments of the utilization and maintenance of the exercise unit ( fig1 ) and reports ( fig1 ) generated thereby will be meaningful and accurate . it can be understood that any type of unit specific information may be identified , indexed and assigned to any specific exercise unit ( fig1 ) to assist in the assessment and reporting process . the network operating center ( fig7 ) can also be programmed to send automatic recommendations to health club operators for certain subject areas such as when to rotate equipment or purchase additional equipment based upon the overall relative utilization of exercise units within a given facility . such recommendations can be sent to the user interface ( fig9 ) or though e - mail notifications . as an example , these recommendations could be based upon statistical analysis comparing actual equipment utilization with manufacturer &# 39 ; s warranties and making recommendations thereon to maximize warranty coverage . health care professionals and personal trainers that train individuals utilizing exercise units could provide significant value to clients who utilize exercise units ( fig1 ) that are integrated with the network data platform . these applications can include accessing the pre - defined user interface ( fig9 ) to define training regiments and protocols for clients based upon the trainer &# 39 ; s assessment of the client and the perpetual monitoring of the client &# 39 ; s exercise performance as tracked by the application of c - safe data and corresponding human response data as monitored by human body monitors . by converging this information , a trainer can assess whether the client is ready to progress to a more advanced training level based upon the integrated assessment of the client &# 39 ; s exercise performance and corresponding physiological response . training regimens can be pre - set by trainers based upon pre - defined categories of clients , such as categories that take into account age , gender , overall physical readiness and medical condition , or the trainer can perpetually monitor and define new training regiments for each client . in either case , the trainer can establish the performance and human response targets that form the basis of an overall training regiment . exception reports can be automatically generated by the network - operating center ( fig7 ) and delivered to the trainer . for example , the trainer may determine that a client cannot progress to the next training level if that client &# 39 ; s heart rate exceeds a certain level during the previous exercise session despite the fact that the client successfully completed the session . if the client satisfies all of the requirements defined by her trainer , the client will automatically advance to the next training level . if the client fails to satisfy a requirement , the network - operating center will automatically notify the trainer and the trainer can elect to become involved or have the client follow an automatic default regiment . in all cases , the equipment will automatically set itself for the individual client by applying c - safe instructions when the client inserts her individual identification code or through a wireless communication device that is unique to the client , such as a body monitoring device ( fig3 ), and compatible with the transceiver ( fig2 ). such virtual training and monitoring is only possible through the convergence of the equipment data ( exercise performance ) and physiological data ( body monitoring devices ) with supplemental data provided by a training expert . reports can be routinely generated by the network - operating center ( fig7 ) to support reimbursement payments by third parties such as insurance companies . the health club professional and trainer will also be able to use the user interface ( fig8 ) to define entertainment , motivational and education programming content for a specific client though the delivery of customized content to the entertainment receiver ( fig4 ). in such cases , the trainer can select from a pre - defined menu of programming content and select that content that the trainer deems to be best suited for a given client . for example , if the client is a smoker and is also prescribed certain medication , the health care professional or trainer can access the user interface ( fig9 ) to activate programming content ( fig6 ) that addresses the adverse physiological effects of smoking especially when taking the given medication . such activation will prompt the computer server ( fig5 ) to deliver the specified content ( fig6 ) to the entertainment receiver ( fig4 ) when the user &# 39 ; s identification code is inserted or wirelessly received by the exercise unit ( fig1 ) at the beginning of the client &# 39 ; s exercise session . the client will not be able to change the entertainment programming ( fig6 ) when such programming is an integrated component of a training or rehabilitation protocol . as such , there is an overall assurance that the client is being simultaneously trained , monitored and educated . each individual user of an exercise unit ( fig1 ) will be able to access his unique pre - defined user input interface ( fig9 ) to define his personal training regiments and physiological monitoring perimeters in the same way available to health care professionals and personal trainers as detailed above . in addition , individuals will be able to access the input interface ( fig9 ) and categorically define the type of entertainment and educational programming ( fig6 ) he wants to watch or listen to through the entertainment receiver ( fig4 ) based upon the programming offering available through the computer server ( fig5 ). for example , if a user prefers top 40 music blended with country hits and at the same time wants to learn about the benefits of circuit training , the user would simply activate the corresponding programming bins on the input interface ( fig9 ) and conforming programming content ( fig6 ) will be systematically delivered to the entertainment receiver ( fig4 ) when the user inserts his personal identification number into the exercise unit ( fig1 ). the result is a motivating and completely customized training and entertainment experience . advertisers desiring to communicate with users of the exercise unit ( fig1 ) will be provided a user input interface ( fig9 ) that can integrate advertising messages or interactive queries and surveys into the programming content ( fig6 ) based upon a matching of content with individual user characteristics . such matching may be based upon the characteristics of a specific individual as determined by an individual &# 39 ; s personal identification code and a corresponding individual profile or survey , or upon general factors such as the nature of the training facility , the time of day or even the nature of the programming content ( fig6 ) being listened to or watched . in all cases , advertisers will be provided a report that precisely defines the number impressions through a pre - defined segmentation of pertinent viewer information . advertisers can even prompt users of the exercise unit ( fig1 ) to respond to queries , surveys and even to purchase products by interacting with the user input and response capabilities of the entertainment receiver ( fig4 ) or the control panel of the exercise unit ( fig1 ). in such cases , the advertisement content inserted into the programming content ( fig6 ) can drive a user response . for example , a user interested in being able to purchase products while exercising on exercise units ( fig1 ) could access her personal user input interface ( fig9 ) and pre - establish a purchasing profile by providing the financial information needed to conduct e - commerce transactions , such as her credit card information and authorization , establish a secret password that corresponds to her unique user identification code , and define her ship to address . this information is then stored through a protected manner within the network - operating center ( fig7 ). thereafter , each time the user is in a facility training on an exercise unit ( fig1 ) she has already established her profile that enables her to efficiently effectuate e - commerce transactions through the exercise unit ( fig1 ) or entertainment receiver ( fig4 ). to illustrate the overall operation , an advertiser interested in targeting women for the virtual distribution of a given product may have an advertisement promoting the product inserted into the programming content ( fig6 ) each time a woman accesses an exercise unit ( fig1 ) as established by a user inserting her personal identification code . the advertisement could inform the woman that the product is available for sale simply by inserting her previously assigned password and entering a designated product code into the control panel of the exercise unit ( fig1 ) or the entertainment receiver ( fig4 ). the data effectuating the transaction is then bundled , encrypted and stored on the transceiver ( fig2 ) and transferred to the computer server ( fig5 ) and subsequently transferred to the network - operating center ( fig7 ). the network - operating center ( fig7 ) then compiles and analyzes the data in a secured manner and matches the input data supplied from the equipment with the user &# 39 ; s previously defined customer profile . relevant data is then forwarded by the network - operating center ( fig7 ) to the advertiser / e - retailer to effectuate the transaction . it may be desirable to have a holding period of a defined length before the transaction is transferred by the network - operating center ( fig7 ) so as to provide the user the opportunity to access her user input interface ( fig9 ) when she returns home from the training facility and approve , cancel or otherwise modify the transaction she commenced through the exercise unit ( fig1 ) before being fully processed . overall , this model provides an integrated convergence of promotional broadcasts and immediately accessible purchasing capacity targeting a specifically targeted customer base .

US-68259803-A

metal halide compositions of enhanced purity are produced by vapor phase deposition via reactions involving organometallic starting materials in a process wherein a carbon getter is provided in the reaction zone and / or adjacent the developing metal halide deposit . the carbon getter reduces carbon contamination in the product which can result from side decomposition reactions involving the organometallic starting materials .

conventionally , vapor deposition processes for metal halide production involve transporting the selected organometallic compounds in a suitable vapor stream to a reaction zone where they are reacted under selected conditions to form the metal halide , which is thereafter either collected or directly deposited on a suitable substrate . if pyrolytic carbon is formed by decomposition of the organic substituents of the organometallic starting materials under the reaction conditions employed , it will typically be incorporated directly in the desired metal halide product and , once incorporated , is not easily removed . the generation of pyrolytic carbon appears to be favored by thermal or plasma conditions in a vapor phase reaction zone which break down the organic substituents of the organometallic starting materials . such conditions have been found to exist in vapor deposition processes wherein halogenated organometallic compounds , e . g . halogenated beta - diketonates , are converted directly to metal halides by intramolecular halogen transfer reactions promoted by thermal decomposition in the absence of added halogenating agents such as hf . examples of carbon getters which may be used to reduce the pyrolytic carbon content of vapor - deposited metal halides in accordance with the invention are cf 4 , ccl 3 f , sif 4 , co 2 , 0 2 , cl 2 , nf 3 and f 2 . the preferred carbon getters for use in the invention are ccl 3 f , cl 2 , nf 3 and f 2 . the amount of getter effective to reduce the carbon content of the metal halide product depends upon the selection of the getter , and upon the particular reaction path and reaction conditions employed , but can readily be determined by routine experiment . carbon getters such as f 2 , nf 3 , cl 2 and even 0 2 can be very effective under relatively low - energy reaction conditions such as encountered in thermally driven halide deposition reactions . getters such as cf 3 and ccl 3 f require higher energies in order to undergo the dissociation needed for effective gettering , and are thus to be utilized primarily in plasma - driven processes . the gettering agents f 2 and nf 3 are effective in either plasma or thermally - driven halide deposition processes , and are thus among the most preferred of the effective compounds . cl 2 , while somewhat less effective , is advantageously less corrosive to the reaction environment . further , no tendency to form chlorides when metal fluoride products are being treated has been observed . oxygen has a tendency to form metal oxides in the reaction zone , but is quite useful where a metal oxide - containing halide deposit is desired . the method of the invention can be used in the vapor deposition of any desired metal halide or combinations of metal halides , but is particularly useful in the manufacture of halide glasses . these are non - crystalline or amorphous metal halide compositions which , in some cases , exhibit desirable optical properties such as high infrared transparency . important components of some of these halide glasses are bef 2 , zrf 4 , zncl 2 and other halides , including chlorides , fluorides , bromides and iodides of metals selected from the group : be , zr , zn , cd , al , mg , cu , y , hf , ti , ga and ce . alkali metal halides may also be present in some of these glasses . carbon getter gases can be used with any of the vapor deposition apparatus used in the prior art for the vapor deposition of glass materials , by adding a provision for introducing the gas into the reaction zone in the same manner as the carbon - containing source compounds selected for use in forming the deposit . the getter can be introduced sequentially , i . e ., after a deposit of metal halide has accumulated , or it can be introduced simultaneously with the reactants used for halide deposition . the latter procedure is preferred . apparatus for vapor - depositing metal halides by the thermal decomposition of organometallic compounds , and including a provision for introducing a getter gas into the vapor stream , is shown in the drawing . referring specifically to the drawing , a carrier gas for an organometallic source compound , such as argon , is supplied from source 8 and can be delivered to the reaction apparatus via either of delivery lines 10 or 11 , after metering through mass flow controller 9 . getter gas source 12 is also provided , containing a getter gas such as chlorine which can be metered through flowmeter 13 . while line 11 is in use , the argon carrier is passed into vaporization chamber 40 which can be heated by means of oil bath 42 . argon introduced into chamber 40 picks up vapors of a heated organometallic compound 45 , such as al ( hfa ) 3 , and transports them via glass delivery line 14 to glass reaction tube 15 . delivery line 14 is optionally provided with heating means such as an electrical heating tape for use where compound 45 tends to condense in the line . chlorine getter gas from source 12 is introduced into the vapor stream as desired via line 10 . organometallic vapors , mixed with carrier gases and oxygen , flow into tube 15 and are conveyed through reaction zone 30 , which is that section of tube 15 within the hot zone of electrically heated furnace 31 . the vertical walls of furnace 31 can be horizontally moved to adjust the length of the reaction zone . metal halides produced by the thermal decomposition of the source compound in the reaction zone are non - volatile and are deposited on the walls of tube 15 within or beyond reaction zone 30 . volatile by - products of the decomposition are transported out of the reaction zone and may be condensed in optional trap 18 or removed by scrubbing . pressure in the reaction zone is monitored by gauge 21 , and can be controlled by source 20 and needle valve 22 . the following illustrative examples show the operation of apparatus such as described with and without the use of a getter gas according to the invention . to provide a quantity of alf 3 for use , for example , in the preparation of an infrared - transmitting halide glass , a quantity of pure al ( hfa ) 3 , a white , crystalline compound melting at 73 ° c ., is provided in the vaporization chamber and heated to 80 ° c . the furnace is then heated to 500 ° c . and the delivery line 14 to 120 ° c ., while argon at a flow rate of about 400 cc / min . is passed through reaction tube 15 via delivery line 10 . system pressure is maintained at about 100 mm ( hg ) by vacuum source 20 . the reaction tube is formed of corning code 7740 glass , a heat resistant borosilicate glass having a thermal expansion coefficient of about 33 × 10 - 7 /° c . and good chemical durability . the tube has an inside diameter of about 22 mm , and the length of tube in the hot zone of the furnace is about 12 inches . after the described conditions have been established , argon flow is diverted from tube 10 into tube 11 and through chamber 40 where al ( hfa ) 3 vapors are picked up and transported through tube 14 and into reaction tube 15 and zone 30 . as the thermal decomposition of the al ( hfa ) 3 commences in the reaction zone , a grey deposit forms on the walls of reaction tube 15 in the reaction zone . vapor flow is continued for about 11 / 2 hours , and then argon flow is rediverted from tube 11 to tube 10 to clear the stream of organometallic vapors . the furnace is then allowed to cool , reaction tube 15 is removed , and a sample of the grey deposit is taken for analysis . x - ray diffraction and chemical analysis identify the product as substantially pure alf 3 , but containing about 0 . 2 % carbon as an impurity . the effectiveness of a getter gas in reducing carbon contamination in a metal halide product deposited under similar conditions is shown by the following example . the steps of example 1 above are repeated , except that a getter gas for carbon , consisting essentially of pure chlorine , is introduced into the reaction zone during the decomposition reaction . referring to the drawing , this chlorine is provided by chlorine source 12 and is metered by flowmeter 13 which includes a valve for controlling the flow of oxygen into the reaction tube . the vapor stream introduced into reaction tube 15 includes a carrier gas comprising 50 % cl 2 and 50 % ar by volume , this mixture passing through the reaction tube at a rate of 100 cc / min . the reaction tube is 31 mm in diameter and the reaction zone is 6 inches in length . system pressure is maintained at 130 mm ( hg ) during the run . with the furnace operating at 500 ° c ., the argon flow is diverted from line 10 to line 11 and through vaporization chamber 40 which is maintained at 80 ° c . heated al ( hfa ) 3 vapors are picked up by the argon and transported into the reaction zone with the chlorine getter gas from source 12 . under the described conditions a white deposit is formed on the walls of the tube 15 in the reaction zone . after a run of one hour , the argon is rediverted from tube 11 ( and the vapor generator ) to tube 10 and , after flushing the reaction tube with the pure argon - chlorine carrier mixture , the gas flows are shut off and reaction tube 15 removed from the system . analysis identifies the deposited product as principally alf 3 , with essentially no pyrolytic carbon and no aluminum chloride present in the deposit . this result is attributed to the effectiveness of the getter gas which prevents pyrolytic carbon formation . thus , the use of a carbon getter has been found to be an effective method for reducing the carbon content of vapor - deposited metal halide compositions and is expected to significantly improve the purity and optical quality of products such as metal halide glasses produced therefrom .

US-73320385-A

the present invention relates to benefit agent containing delivery particles , compositions comprising said particles , and processes for making and using the aforementioned particles and compositions . when employed in compositions , for example , cleaning or fabric care compositions , such particles increase the efficiency of benefit agent delivery , there by allowing reduced amounts of benefit agents to be employed . in addition to allowing the amount of benefit agent to be reduced , such particles allow a broad range of benefit agents to be employed .

as used herein “ consumer product ” means baby care , beauty care , fabric & amp ; home care , family care , feminine care , health care , snack and / or beverage products or devices intended to be used or consumed in the form in which it is sold , and not intended for subsequent commercial manufacture or modification . such products include but are not limited to diapers , bibs , wipes ; products for and / or methods relating to treating hair ( human , dog , and / or cat ), including , bleaching , coloring , dyeing , conditioning , shampooing , styling ; deodorants and antiperspirants ; personal cleansing ; cosmetics ; skin care including application of creams , lotions , and other topically applied products for consumer use ; and shaving products , products for and / or methods relating to treating fabrics , hard surfaces and any other surfaces in the area of fabric and home care , including : air care , car care , dishwashing , fabric conditioning ( including softening ), laundry detergency , laundry and rinse additive and / or care , hard surface cleaning and / or treatment , and other cleaning for consumer or institutional use ; products and / or methods relating to bath tissue , facial tissue , paper handkerchiefs , and / or paper towels ; tampons , feminine napkins ; products and / or methods relating to oral care including toothpastes , tooth gels , tooth rinses , denture adhesives , tooth whitening ; over - the - counter health care including cough and cold remedies , pain relievers , rx pharmaceuticals , pet health and nutrition , and water purification ; processed food products intended primarily for consumption between customary meals or as a meal accompaniment ( non - limiting examples include potato chips , tortilla chips , popcorn , pretzels , corn chips , cereal bars , vegetable chips or crisps , snack mixes , party mixes , multigrain chips , snack crackers , cheese snacks , pork rinds , corn snacks , pellet snacks , extruded snacks and bagel chips ); and coffee . as used herein , the term “ cleaning composition ” includes , unless otherwise indicated , granular or powder - form all - purpose or “ heavy - duty ” washing agents , especially cleaning detergents ; liquid , gel or paste - form all - purpose washing agents , especially the so - called heavy - duty liquid types ; liquid fine - fabric detergents ; hand dishwashing agents or light duty dishwashing agents , especially those of the high - foaming type ; machine dishwashing agents , including the various tablet , granular , liquid and rinse - aid types for household and institutional use ; liquid cleaning and disinfecting agents , including antibacterial hand - wash types , cleaning bars , mouthwashes , denture cleaners , dentifrice , car or carpet shampoos , bathroom cleaners ; hair shampoos and hair - rinses ; shower gels and foam baths and metal cleaners ; as well as cleaning auxiliaries such as bleach additives and “ stain - stick ” or pre - treat types , substrate - laden products such as dryer added sheets , dry and wetted wipes and pads , nonwoven substrates , and sponges ; as well as sprays and mists . as used herein , the term “ fabric care composition ” includes , unless otherwise indicated , fabric softening compositions , fabric enhancing compositions , fabric freshening compositions and combinations there of . as used herein , the phrase “ benefit agent containing delivery particle ” encompasses microcapsules including perfume microcapsules . as used herein , the terms “ particle ”, “ benefit agent containing delivery particle ”, “ capsule ” and “ microcapsule ” are synonymous . as used herein , the articles including “ a ” and “ an ” when used in a claim , are understood to mean one or more of what is claimed or described . as used herein , the terms “ include ”, “ includes ” and “ including ” are meant to be non - limiting . the test methods disclosed in the test methods section of the present application should be used to determine the respective values of the parameters of applicants &# 39 ; inventions . unless otherwise noted , all component or composition levels are in reference to the active portion of that component or composition , and are exclusive of impurities , for example , residual solvents or by - products , which may be present in commercially available sources of such components or compositions . all percentages and ratios are calculated by weight unless otherwise indicated . all percentages and ratios are calculated based on the total composition unless otherwise indicated . it should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation , as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein . every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specification will include every higher numerical limitation , as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein . every numerical range given throughout this specification will include every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range , as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein . applicants discovered that the problem of achieving effective and efficient benefit agent delivery can be solved in an economical manner when a benefit agent containing delivery particle , comprising a core material and a wall material that at least partially surrounds said core material and having a certain combination of physical and chemical characteristics is employed . such physical and chemical characteristics are fracture strength , particle size , particle wall thickness and benefit agent leakage . in a first aspect , a benefit agent delivery particles comprising a core material and a shell , said shell at least partially surrounding said core material , is disclosed . as tested in accordance with applicants test methods , at least 75 %, 85 % or even 90 % of said benefit agent delivery particles have a fracture strength of from about 0 . 2 mpa to about 10 mpa , from about 0 . 4 mpa to about 5 mpa , from about 0 . 6 mpa to about 3 . 5 mpa , or even from about 0 . 7 mpa to about 3 mpa ; and a benefit agent leakage of from 0 % to about 30 %, from 0 % to about 20 %, or even from 0 % to about 5 %. in one aspect , at least 75 %, 85 % or even 90 % of said benefit agent delivery particles may have a particle size of from about 1 microns to about 80 microns , about 5 microns to 60 microns , from about 10 microns to about 50 microns , or even from about 15 microns to about 40 microns . in one aspect , at least 75 %, 85 % or even 90 % of said benefit agent delivery particles may have a particle wall thickness of from about 30 nm to about 250 nm , from about 80 nm to about 180 nm , or even from about 100 nm to about 160 nm . in one aspect , said benefit agent delivery particles &# 39 ; core material may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of a perfume raw material and / or optionally a material selected from the group consisting of vegetable oil , including neat and / or blended vegetable oils including caster oil , coconut oil , cottonseed oil , grape oil , rapeseed , soybean oil , corn oil , palm oil , linseed oil , safflower oil , olive oil , peanut oil , coconut oil , palm kernel oil , castor oil , lemon oil and mixtures thereof ; esters of vegetable oils , esters , including dibutyl adipate , dibutyl phthalate , butyl benzyl adipate , benzyl octyl adipate , tricresyl phosphate , trioctyl phosphate and mixtures thereof ; straight or branched chain hydrocarbons , including those straight or branched chain hydrocarbons having a boiling point of greater than about 80 ° c . ; partially hydrogenated terphenyls , dialkyl phthalates , alkyl biphenyls , including monoisopropylbiphenyl , alkylated naphthalene , including dipropylnaphthalene , petroleum spirits , including kerosene , mineral oil and mixtures thereof ; aromatic solvents , including benzene , toluene and mixtures thereof ; silicone oils ; and mixtures there of . in one aspect , said benefit agent delivery particles &# 39 ; wall material may comprise a suitable resin including the reaction product of an aldehyde and an amine , suitable aldehydes include , formaldehyde . suitable amines include melamine , urea , benzoguanamine , glycoluril , and mixtures thereof . suitable melamines include , methylol melamine , methylated methylol melamine , imino melamine and mixtures thereof . suitable ureas include , dimethylol urea , methylated dimethylol urea , urea - resorcinol , and mixtures thereof . suitable materials for making may be obtained from one or more of the following companies solutia inc . ( st louis , mo . u . s . a . ), cytec industries ( west paterson , n . j . u . s . a . ), sigma - aldrich ( st . louis , mo . u . s . a .). in one aspect , said benefit agent delivery particles &# 39 ; core material may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of : a .) a perfume composition having a clog p of less than 4 . 5 , less than , 4 . 25 , less than 4 . 0 or even less than 3 . 75 ; b .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , 60 % or even 70 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 4 . 0 ; c .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , 35 % or 50 % or even 60 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 3 . 5 ; d .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , 40 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 4 . 0 or even less than 3 . 5 and at least 1 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 2 . 0 ; e .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , 40 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 4 . 0 or even less than 3 . 5 and at least 15 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 3 . 0 ; f .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 1 % or even 2 % of a butanoate ester and at least 1 % of a pentanoate ester ; g .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 2 % or even 3 % an ester comprising an allyl moiety and at least 10 %, 25 % or even 30 % of another perfume comprising an ester moiety ; h .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 1 % or even 5 % of an aldehyde comprising an alkyl chain moiety ; i .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 2 % of a butanoate ester ; j .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 1 % of a pentanoate ester ; k .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 3 % of an ester comprising an allyl moiety and 1 % of an aldehyde comprising an alkyl chain moiety ; l .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 25 % of a perfume comprising an ester moiety and 1 % of an aldehyde comprising an alkyl chain moiety ; m .) a perfume compositions comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 2 % or even 10 % of a material selected from ionones , like 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one , 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 2 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one and 3 - buten - 2 - one , 3 - methyl - 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexen - 2 - yl )- and mixtures thereof ; n .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 0 . 1 % or even 1 % of tridec - 2 - enonitrile , and mandaril , and mixtures thereof ; o .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 2 % or even 5 % of a material selected from 3 , 7 - dimethyl - 6 - octene nitrile , 2 - cyclohexylidene - 2 - phenylacetonitrile and mixtures thereof ; p .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 80 % of one or more perfumes comprising a moiety selected from the group consisting of esters , aldehydes , ionones , nitriles , ketones and combinations thereof ; q .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 3 % of an ester comprising an allyl moiety ; a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 20 %, 30 % or even 50 % of a material selected from the group consisting of : 1 - methylethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate ; ethyl - 2 - methyl pentanoate ; 1 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 - ethenylhexyl - 4 - enyl acetate ; p - metnh - 1 - en - 8 - yl acetate ; 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 2 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one ; 4 - acetoxy - 3 - methoxy - 1 - propenylbenzene ; 2 - propenyl cyclohexanepropionate ; bicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 1 ] hept - 5 - ene - 2 - carboxylic acid , 3 -( 1 - methylethyl )- ethyl ester ; bycyclo [ 2 . 2 . 1 ] heptan - 2 - ol , 1 , 7 , 7 - trimethyl -, acetate ; 1 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 - ethenylhex - 4 - enylacetate ; hexyl 2 - methyl propanoate ; ethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate ; 4 - undecanone ; 5 - heptyldihydro - 2 ( 3h )- furanone ; 1 , 6 - nonadien - 3 - ol , 3 , 7 - dimethyl -; 3 , 7 - dimethylocta - 1 , 6 - dien - 3 - ol ; 3 - cyclohexene - 1 - carboxaldehyde , dimethyl -; 3 , 7 - dimethyl - 6 - octene nitrile ; 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one ; tridec - 2 - enonitrile ; patchouli oil ; ethyl tricycle [ 5 . 2 . 1 . 0 ] decan - 2 - carboxylate ; 2 , 2 - dimethyl - cyclohexanepropanol ; hexyl ethanoate ; 7 - acetyl , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 - octahydro - 1 , 1 , 6 , 7 - tetramethyl naphtalene ; allyl - cyclohexyloxy acetate ; methyl nonyl acetic aldehyde ; 1 - spiro [ 4 , 5 ] dec - 7 - en - 7 - yl - 4 - pentenen - 1 - one ; 7 - octen - 2 - ol , 2 - methyl - 6 - methylene -, dihydro ; cyclohexanol , 2 -( 1 , 1 - dimethylethyl )-, acetate ; hexahydro - 4 , 7 - methanoinden - 5 ( 6 )- yl propionatehexahydro - 4 , 7 - methanoinden - 5 ( 6 )- ylpropionate ; 2 - methoxynaphtalene ; 1 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 3 - cyclohexenyl )- 2 - buten - 1 - one ; 1 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 2 - cyclohexenyl )- 2 - buten - 1 - one ; 3 , 7 - dimethyloctan - 3 - ol ; 3 - buten - 2 - one , 3 - methyl - 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexen - 2 - yl )-; hexanoic acid , 2 - propenyl ester ; ( z )- non - 6 - en - 1 - al ; 1 - decyl aldehyde ; 1 - octanal ; 4 - t - butyl - α - methylhydrocinnamaldehyde ; alpha - hexylcinnamaldehyde ; ethyl - 2 , 4 - hexadienoate ; 2 - propenyl 3 - cyclohexanepropanoate ; and mixtures thereof ; r .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 20 %, 30 % or even 50 % of a material selected from the group consisting of : 1 - methylethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate ; ethyl - 2 - methyl pentanoate ; 1 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 - ethenylhex - 4 - enyl acetate ; p - menth - 1 - en - 8 - yl acetate ; 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 2 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one ; 4 - acetoxy - 3 - methoxy - 1 - propenylbenzene ; 2 - propenyl cyclohexanepropionate ; bicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 1 ] hept - 5 - ene - 2 - carboxylic acid , 3 -( 1 - methylethyl )- ethyl ester ; bycyclo [ 2 . 2 . 1 ] heptan - 2 - ol , 1 , 7 , 7 - trimethyl -, acetate ; 1 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 - ethenylhex - 4 - enyl acetate ; hexyl 2 - methyl propanoate ; ethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate , 4 - undecanolide ; 5 - heptyldihydro - 2 ( 3h )- furanone ; 5 - hydroxydodecanoic acid ; decalactones ; undecalactones ; 1 , 6 - nonadien - 3 - ol , 3 , 7 - dimethyl -; 3 , 7 - dimethylocta - 1 , 6 - dien - 3 - ol ; 3 - cyclohexene - 1 - carboxaldehyde , dimethyl -; 3 , 7 - dimethyl - 6 - octene nitrile ; 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one ; tridec - 2 - enonitrile ; patchouli oil ; ethyl tricycle [ 5 . 2 . 1 . 0 ] decan - 2 - carboxylate ; 2 , 2 - dimethyl - cyclohexanepropanol ; allyl - cyclohexyloxy acetate ; methyl nonyl acetic aldehyde ; 1 - spiro [ 4 , 5 ] dec - 7 - en - 7 - yl - 4 - pentenen - 1 - one ; 7 - octen - 2 - ol , 2 - methyl - 6 - methylene -, dihydro , cyclohexanol , 2 -( 1 , 1 - dimethylethyl )-, acetate ; hexahydro - 4 , 7 - methanoinden - 5 ( 6 )- yl propionatehexahydro - 4 , 7 - methanoinden - 5 ( 6 )- yl propionate ; 2 - methoxynaphtalene ; 1 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 3 - cyclohexenyl )- 2 - buten - 1 - one ; 1 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 2 - cyclohexenyl )- 2 - buten - 1 - one ; 3 , 7 - dimethyloctan - 3 - ol ; 3 - buten - 2 - one , 3 - methyl - 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexen - 2 - yl )-; hexanoic acid , 2 - propenyl ester ; ( z )- non - 6 - en - 1 - al ; 1 - decyl aldehyde ; 1 - octanal ; 4 - t - butyl - α - methylhydrocinnamaldehyde ; ethyl - 2 , 4 - hexadienoate ; 2 - propenyl 3 - cyclohexanepropanoate ; and mixtures thereof ; s .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 5 % of a material selected from the group consisting of 3 - cyclohexene - 1 - carboxaldehyde , dimethyl -; 3 - buten - 2 - one , 3 - methyl - 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexen - 2 - yl )-; patchouli oil ; hexanoic acid , 2 - propenyl ester ; 1 - octanal ; 1 - decyl aldehyde ; ( z )- non - 6 - en - 1 - al ; methyl nonyl acetic aldehyde ; ethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate ; 1 - methylethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate ; ethyl - 2 - methyl pentanoate ; 4 - hydroxy - 3 - ethoxybenzaldehyde ; 4 - hydroxy - 3 - methoxybenzaldehyde ; 3 - hydroxy - 2 - methyl - 4 - pyrone ; 3 - hydroxy - 2 - ethyl - 4 - pyrone and mixtures thereof ; t .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , less than 10 % or even 5 % perfumes having a clog p greater than 5 . 0 ; u .) a perfume composition comprising geranyl palmitate ; or v .) a perfume composition comprising a first and an optional second material , said first material having : ( i ) a clog p of at least 2 , from about 2 to about 12 , from about 2 . 5 to about 8 , or even from about 2 . 5 to about 6 ; ( ii ) a boiling point of less than about 280 ° c ., from about 50 ° c . to about less than about 280 ° c ., from about 50 ° c . to about less than about 265 ° c ., or even from about 80 ° c . to about less than about 250 ° c . ; and ( i ) a clog p of less than 2 . 5 , or even less than 2 to about 0 . 1 ; and ( ii ) a odt of less than about 100 ppb , from about 0 . 00001 ppb to about less than about 100 ppb , from about 0 . 00001 ppb to about less than about 50 ppb or even from about 0 . 00001 ppb to about less than about 20 ppb . in one aspect , said benefit agent delivery particles may comprise , based on total benefit agent delivery particle weight , at least 1 weight %, from about 20 to about 95 weight %, from about 50 to about 90 weight %, or even from about 80 to about 85 weight % of a benefit agent . in one aspect , said benefit agent delivery particles &# 39 ; core material may comprise , based on total core material weight , at least about 20 , from about 50 to about 70 , or even from about 60 to about 100 wt % benefit agent . in one aspect , said benefit agent delivery particles may comprise , based on total particle weight , from about 20 weight % to about 95 weight %, from about 50 weight % to about 90 weight %, from about 70 weight % to about 85 weight %, or even from about 80 weight % to about 85 weight % of a perfume composition . in one aspect , said benefit agent delivery particles may be spray dried said benefit agent delivery particles . in one aspect , said benefit agent delivery particles may have any combination of the aforementioned parameters as listed in the aforementioned aspects . suitable materials for making may be supplied from one or more of the following companies firmenich ( geneva , switzerland ), givaudan ( argenteuil , france ), iff ( hazlet , n . j ., u . s . a ), quest ( mount olive , n . j ., u . s . a . ), bedoukian ( danbury , conn ., u . s . a . ), sigma aldrich ( st . louis , mo ., u . s . a . ), millennium specialty chemicals ( olympia fields , ill ., u . s . a . ), polarone international ( jersey city , n . j ., u . s . a . ), fragrance resources ( keyport , n . j ., u . s . a . ), and aroma & amp ; flavor specialties ( danbury , conn ., u . s . a .) or made by following the teachings of example i of u . s . pat . no . 5 , 625 , 205 and replacing the succinic acid with palmitic acid or example ii of u . s . pat . no . 5 , 652 , 205 and replacing lauroyl chloride with palmitoyl chloride . a .) preparing a first solution comprising , based on total solution weight from about 20 % to about 90 %, from about 40 % to about 80 %, or even from about 60 % to about 80 % water , a first emulsifier and a first resin , the ratio of said first emulsifier and said first resin being from about 0 . 1 : 0 to about 10 : 0 , from about 0 . 1 : 1 to about 10 : 1 , from about 0 . 5 : 1 to about 3 : 1 , or even from about 0 . 8 : 1 to about 1 . 1 : 1 ; b .) preparing a second solution comprising based on total solution weight from about 20 % to about 95 % water , a second emulsifier and a second resin , the ratio of said second emulsifier and said second resin being from about 0 : 1 to about 3 : 1 , from about 0 . 04 : 1 to about 0 . 2 : 1 , or even from about 0 . 05 : 1 to about 0 . 15 : 1 ; c .) combining a core material and said first solution to form a first composition ; d .) emulsifying said first composition ; e .) combining said first composition and said second solution to form a second composition and optionally combining any processing aids and said second composition — said first composition and said second solution may be combined in any order but in one aspect said second solution is added to said first composition or said second solution and said first composition are combined simultaneously ; f .) mixing said second composition for at least 15 minutes , at least 1 hour or even from about 4 hours to about 100 hours at a temperature of from about 25 ° c . to about 100 ° c ., from about 45 ° c . to about 90 ° c ., or even from about 50 ° c . to about 80 ° c . heat and optionally combining any processing aids to said second composition ; g .) optionally combining any scavenger material , structurant , and / or anti - agglomeration agent with said second composition during step f .) or thereafter — such materials may be combined in any order but in one aspect the scavenger material is combined first , any structurant second , and then anti - agglomeration agent is combined ; and h .) optionally spray drying said second composition in one aspect of the aforementioned process , said core material comprises a perfume raw material . in one aspect , said benefit agent delivery particles &# 39 ; core material may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of : a .) a perfume composition having a clog p of less than 4 . 5 , less than , 4 . 25 , less than 4 . 0 or even less than 3 . 75 ; b .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , 60 % or even 70 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 4 . 0 ; c .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , 35 % or 50 % or even 60 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 3 . 5 ; d .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , 40 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 4 . 0 or even less than 3 . 5 and at least 1 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 2 . 0 ; e .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , 40 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 4 . 0 or even less than 3 . 5 and at least 15 % perfume materials having a clog p of less than 3 . 0 ; f .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 1 % or even 2 % of a butanoate ester and at least 1 % of a pentanoate ester ; g .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 2 % or even 3 % of an ester comprising an allyl moiety and at least 10 %, 25 % or even 30 % of another perfume comprising an ester moiety ; h .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 1 % or even 5 % of an aldehyde comprising an alkyl chain moiety ; i .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 2 % of a butanoate ester ; j .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 1 % of a pentanoate ester ; k .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 3 % of an ester comprising an allyl moiety and 1 % of an aldehyde comprising an alkyl chain moiety ; l .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 25 % of a perfume comprising an ester moiety and 1 % of an aldehyde comprising an alkyl chain moiety ; m .) a perfume compositions comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 2 % or even 10 % of a material selected from ionones , like 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one , 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 2 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one and 3 - buten - 2 - one , 3 - methyl - 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexen - 2 - yl )- and mixtures thereof ; n .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 0 . 1 % or even 1 % of tridec - 2 - enonitrile , and mandaril , and mixtures thereof ; o .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 2 % or even 5 % of a material selected from 3 , 7 - dimethyl - 6 - octene nitrile , 2 - cyclohexylidene - 2 - phenylacetonitrile and mixtures thereof ; p .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 80 % of one or more perfumes comprising a moiety selected from the group consisting of esters , aldehydes , ionones , nitriles , ketones and combinations thereof ; q .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 3 % of an ester comprising an allyl moiety ; a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 20 %, 30 % or even 50 % of a material selected from the group consisting of : 1 - methylethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate ; ethyl - 2 - methyl pentanoate ; 1 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 - ethenylhexyl - 4 - enyl acetate ; p - metnh - 1 - en - 8 - yl acetate ; 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 2 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one ; 4 - acetoxy - 3 - methoxy - 1 - propenylbenzene ; 2 - propenyl cyclohexanepropionate ; bicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 1 ] hept - 5 - ene - 2 - carboxylic acid , 3 -( 1 - methylethyl )- ethyl ester ; bycyclo [ 2 . 2 . 1 ] heptan - 2 - ol , 1 , 7 , 7 - trimethyl -, acetate ; 1 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 - ethenylhex - 4 - enylacetate ; hexyl 2 - methyl propanoate ; ethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate ; 4 - undecanone ; 5 - heptyldihydro - 2 ( 3h )- furanone ; 1 , 6 - nonadien - 3 - ol , 3 , 7 - dimethyl -; 3 , 7 - dimethylocta - 1 , 6 - dien - 3 - ol ; 3 - cyclohexene - 1 - carboxaldehyde , dimethyl -; 3 , 7 - dimethyl - 6 - octene nitrile ; 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one ; tridec - 2 - enonitrile ; patchouli oil ; ethyl tricycle [ 5 . 2 . 1 . 0 ] decan - 2 - carboxylate ; 2 , 2 - dimethyl - cyclohexanepropanol ; hexyl ethanoate ; 7 - acetyl , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 - octahydro - 1 , 1 , 6 , 7 - tetramethyl naphtalene ; allyl - cyclohexyloxy acetate ; methyl nonyl acetic aldehyde ; 1 - spiro [ 4 , 5 ] dec - 7 - en - 7 - yl - 4 - pentenen - 1 - one ; 7 - octen - 2 - ol , 2 - methyl - 6 - methylene -, dihydro ; cyclohexanol , 2 -( 1 , 1 - dimethylethyl )-, acetate ; hexahydro - 4 , 7 - methanoinden - 5 ( 6 )- yl propionatehexahydro - 4 , 7 - methanoinden - 5 ( 6 )- yl propionate ; 2 - methoxynaphtalene ; 1 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 3 - cyclohexenyl )- 2 - buten - 1 - one ; 1 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 2 - cyclohexenyl )- 2 - buten - 1 - one ; 3 , 7 - dimethyloctan - 3 - ol ; 3 - buten - 2 - one , 3 - methyl - 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexen - 2 - yl )-; hexanoic acid , 2 - propenyl ester ; ( z )- non - 6 - en - 1 - al ; 1 - decyl aldehyde ; 1 - octanal ; 4 - t - butyl - α - methylhydrocinnamaldehyde ; alpha - hexylcinnamaldehyde ; ethyl - 2 , 4 - hexadienoate ; 2 - propenyl 3 - cyclohexanepropanoate ; and mixtures thereof ; r .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 20 %, 30 % or even 50 % of a material selected from the group consisting of : 1 - methylethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate ; ethyl - 2 - methyl pentanoate ; 1 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 - ethenylhex - 4 - enyl acetate ; p - menth - 1 - en - 8 - yl acetate ; 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 2 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one ; 4 - acetoxy - 3 - methoxy - 1 - propenylbenzene ; 2 - propenyl cyclohexanepropionate ; bicyclo [ 2 . 2 . 1 ] hept - 5 - ene - 2 - carboxylic acid , 3 -( 1 - methylethyl )- ethyl ester ; bycyclo [ 2 . 2 . 1 ] heptan - 2 - ol , 1 , 7 , 7 - trimethyl -, acetate ; 1 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 - ethenylhex - 4 - enyl acetate ; hexyl 2 - methyl propanoate ; ethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate , 4 - undecanolide ; 5 - heptyldihydro - 2 ( 3h )- furanone ; 5 - hydroxydodecanoic acid ; decalactones ; undecalactones ; 1 , 6 - nonadien - 3 - ol , 3 , 7 - dimethyl -; 3 , 7 - dimethylocta - 1 , 6 - dien - 3 - ol ; 3 - cyclohexene - 1 - carboxaldehyde , dimethyl -; 3 , 7 - dimethyl - 6 - octene nitrile ; 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexenyl )- 3 - buten - 2 - one ; tridec - 2 - enonitrile ; patchouli oil ; ethyl tricycle [ 5 . 2 . 1 . 0 ] decan - 2 - carboxylate ; 2 , 2 - dimethyl - cyclohexanepropanol ; allyl - cyclohexyloxy acetate ; methyl nonyl acetic aldehyde ; 1 - spiro [ 4 , 5 ] dec - 7 - en - 7 - yl - 4 - pentenen - 1 - one ; 7 - octen - 2 - ol , 2 - methyl - 6 - methylene -, dihydro , cyclohexanol , 2 -( 1 , 1 - dimethylethyl )-, acetate ; hexahydro - 4 , 7 - methanoinden - 5 ( 6 )- yl propionatehexahydro - 4 , 7 - methanoinden - 5 ( 6 )- yl propionate ; 2 - methoxynaphtalene ; 1 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 3 - cyclohexenyl )- 2 - buten - 1 - one ; 1 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 2 - cyclohexenyl )- 2 - buten - 1 - one ; 3 , 7 - dimethyloctan - 3 - ol ; 3 - buten - 2 - one , 3 - methyl - 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexen - 2 - yl )-; hexanoic acid , 2 - propenyl ester ; ( z )- non - 6 - en - 1 - al ; 1 - decyl aldehyde ; 1 - octanal ; 4 - t - butyl - α - methylhydrocinnamaldehyde ; ethyl - 2 , 4 - hexadienoate ; 2 - propenyl 3 - cyclohexanepropanoate ; and mixtures thereof ; s .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , at least 5 % of a material selected from the group consisting of 3 - cyclohexene - 1 - carboxaldehyde , dimethyl -; 3 - buten - 2 - one , 3 - methyl - 4 -( 2 , 6 , 6 - trimethyl - 1 - cyclohexen - 2 - yl )-; patchouli oil ; hexanoic acid , 2 - propenyl ester ; 1 - octanal ; 1 - decyl aldehyde ; ( z )- non - 6 - en - 1 - al ; methyl nonyl acetic aldehyde ; ethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate ; 1 - methylethyl - 2 - methylbutanoate ; ethyl - 2 - methyl pentanoate ; 4 - hydroxy - 3 - ethoxybenzaldehyde ; 4 - hydroxy - 3 - methoxybenzaldehyde ; 3 - hydroxy - 2 - methyl - 4 - pyrone ; 3 - hydroxy - 2 - ethyl - 4 - pyrone and mixtures thereof ; t .) a perfume composition comprising , based on total perfume composition weight , less than 10 % or even 5 % perfumes having a clog p greater than 5 . 0 ; u .) a perfume composition comprising geranyl palmitate ; or v .) a perfume composition comprising a first and an optional second material , said first material having : ( i ) a clog p of at least 2 , from about 2 to about 12 , from about 2 . 5 to about 8 , or even from about 2 . 5 to about 6 ; ( ii ) a boiling point of less than about 280 ° c ., from about 50 ° c . to about less than about 280 ° c ., from about 50 ° c . to about less than about 265 ° c ., or even from about 80 ° c . to about less than about 250 ° c . ; and ( i ) a clog p of less than 2 . 5 , or even less than 2 to about 0 . 1 ; and ( ii ) a odt of less than about 100 ppb , from about 0 . 00001 ppb to about less than about 100 ppb , from about 0 . 00001 ppb to about less than about 50 ppb or even from about 0 . 00001 ppb to about less than about 20 ppb . in one or more aspects of the process , said first and second resins may comprise the reaction product of an aldehyde and an amine , suitable aldehydes include , formaldehyde . suitable amines include melamine , urea , benzoguanamine , glycoluril , and mixtures thereof . suitable melamines include , methylol melamine , methylated methylol melamine , imino melamine and mixtures thereof . suitable ureas include , dimethylol urea , methylated dimethylol urea , urea - resorcinol , and mixtures thereof . in one or more aspects of the process , said first and second emulsifiers may comprise a moiety selected from the group consisting of carboxy , hydroxyl , thiol , amine , amide and combinations thereof . in one aspect , said emulsifier may have a pka of less than 5 , preferably greater than 0 but less than 5 . emulsifiers include acrylic acid - alkyl acrylate copolymer , poly ( acrylic acid ), polyoxyalkylene sorbitan fatty esters , polyalkylene co - carboxy anhydrides , polyalkylene co - maleic anhydrides , poly ( methyl vinyl ether - co - maleic anhydride ), poly ( propylene - co - maleic anhydride ), poly ( butadiene co - maleic anhydride ), and poly ( vinyl acetate - co - maleic anhydride ), polyvinyl alcohols , polyalkylene glycols , polyoxyalkylene glycols , and mixtures thereof . in one or more aspects of the process , said core material may comprise perfume raw material and / or optionally a material selected from the group consisting of a material selected from the group consisting of vegetable oil , including neat and / or blended vegetable oils including caster oil , coconut oil , cottonseed oil , grape oil , rapeseed , soybean oil , corn oil , palm oil , linseed oil , safflower oil , olive oil , peanut oil , coconut oil , palm kernel oil , castor oil , lemon oil and mixtures thereof ; esters of vegetable oils , esters , including dibutyl adipate , dibutyl phthalate , butyl benzyl adipate , benzyl octyl adipate , tricresyl phosphate , trioctyl phosphate and mixtures thereof ; straight or branched chain hydrocarbons , including those straight or branched chain hydrocarbons having a boiling point of greater than about 80 ° c . ; partially hydrogenated terphenyls , dialkyl phthalates , alkyl biphenyls , including monoisopropylbiphenyl , alkylated naphthalene , including dipropylnaphthalene , petroleum spirits , including kerosene , mineral oil and mixtures thereof ; aromatic solvents , including benzene , toluene and mixtures thereof ; silicone oils ; and mixtures there of . in one or more aspects of the process , the ph of the first and second solutions may be controlled such that the ph of said first and second solution is from about 3 . 0 to 7 . 0 . in one or more aspects of the process , during step f . ), from about 0 % to about 10 %, from about 1 % to about 5 % or even from about 2 % to about 4 %, based on total second composition weight , of a salt comprising an anion and cation , said anion being selected from the group consisting of chloride , sulfate , phosphate , nitrate , polyphosphate , citrate , maleate , fumarate and mixtures thereof ; and said cation being selected from the group consisting of a periodic group ia element , periodic group iia element , ammonium cation and mixtures thereof , preferably sodium sulfate , may be combined with said second composition . in one or more aspects of the process , any of the aforementioned processing parameters may be combined . useful structurant materials that may be added to adequately suspend the benefit agent containing delivery particles include polysaccharides , for example , gellan gum , waxy maize or dent corn starch , octenyl succinated starches , derivatized starches such as hydroxyethylated or hydroxypropylated starches , carrageenan , guar gum , pectin , xanthan gum , and mixtures thereof ; modified celluloses such as hydrolyzed cellulose acetate , hydroxy propyl cellulose , methyl cellulose , and mixtures thereof ; modified proteins such as gelatin ; hydrogenated and non - hydrogenated polyalkenes , and mixtures thereof ; inorganic salts , for example , magnesium chloride , calcium chloride , calcium formate , magnesium formate , aluminum chloride , potassium permanganate , laponite clay , bentonite clay and mixtures thereof ; polysaccharides in combination with inorganic salts ; quaternized polymeric materials , for example , polyether amines , alkyl trimethyl ammonium chlorides , diester ditallow ammonium chloride ; imidazoles ; nonionic polymers with a pka less than 6 . 0 , for example polyethyleneimine , polyethyleneimine ethoxylate ; polyurethanes . such materials can be obtained from cp kelco corp . of san diego , calif ., usa ; degussa ag or dusseldorf , germany ; basf ag of ludwigshafen , germany ; rhodia corp . of cranbury , n . j ., usa ; baker hughes corp . of houston , tex ., usa ; hercules corp . of wilmington , del ., usa ; agrium inc . of calgary , alberta , canada , isp of new jersey , u . s . a . useful anti - agglomeration agent materials include , divalent salts such as magnesium salts , for example , magnesium chloride , magnesium acetate , magnesium phosphate , magnesium formate , magnesium boride , magnesium titanate , magnesium sulfate heptahydrate ; calcium salts , for example , calcium chloride , calcium formate , calcium acetate , calcium bromide ; trivalent salts , such as aluminum salts , for example , aluminum sulfate , aluminum phosphate , aluminum chloride hydrate and polymers that have the ability to suspend anionic particles such as suspension polymers , for example , polyethylene imines , alkoxylated polyethylene imines , polyquaternium - 6 and polyquaternium - 7 . in one aspect of the invention , benefit agent containing delivery particles are manufactured and are subsequently coated with a material to reduce the rate of leakage of the benefit agent from the particles when the particles are subjected to a bulk environment containing , for example , surfactants , polymers , and solvents . non - limiting examples of coating materials that can serve as barrier materials include materials selected from the group consisting of pyrrolidone polymers , such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone homopolymer , and its various copolymers with styrene , vinyl acetate , imidazoles , primary and secondary amine containing monomers , polyethyleneimines , including ethoxylated polyethyeleimines , methyl acrylate , polyvinyl acetal ; maleic anhydride ; polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer , and its various copolymers with vinyl acetate , 2 - acrylamide - 2 - methylpropane sulfonate , primary and secondary amine containing monomers , methyl acrylate ; polyacrylamides ; polyacrylic acids ; polyethyleneimines , ethoxylated polyethyleneimines ; microcrystalline waxes ; paraffin waxes ; modified polysaccharides such as waxy maize or dent corn starch , octenyl succinated starches , derivatized starches such as hydroxyethylated or hydroxypropylated starches , carrageenan , guar gum , pectin , xanthan gum ; modified celluloses such as hydrolyzed cellulose acetate , hydroxy propyl cellulose , methyl cellulose , and the like ; modified proteins such as gelatin ; hydrogenated and non - hydrogenated polyalkenes ; fatty acids ; hardened shells such as urea crosslinked with formaldehyde , gelatin - polyphosphate , melamine - formaldehyde , polyvinyl alcohol cross - linked with sodium tetraborate or gluteraldehyde ; latexes of styrene - butadiene , ethyl cellulose , inorganic materials such as clays including magnesium silicates , aluminosilicates ; sodium silicates , and the like ; and mixtures thereof . such materials can be obtained from cp kelco corp . of san diego , calif ., usa ; degussa ag or dusseldorf , germany ; basf ag of ludwigshafen , germany ; rhodia corp . of cranbury , n . j ., usa ; baker hughes corp . of houston , tex ., usa ; hercules corp . of wilmington , del ., usa ; agrium inc . of calgary , alberta , canada , isp of new jersey u . s . a . in one aspect , for example , wherein the particle is employed in a fabric conditioning composition , the coating material comprises sodium silicate . while not being bound by theory , it is believed that sodium silicate &# 39 ; s solubility at high ph , but poor solubility at low ph makes it an ideal material for use on particles that may be used in compositions that are formulated at ph below 7 but used in an environment wherein the ph is greater or equal to 7 . however , the coating aspect of the present invention is not limited to the benefit agent containing delivery particles of the present invention as any benefit agent containing delivery particle may benefit from the coatings and coating processes disclosed herein . in one aspect , benefit agent containing delivery particles may be combined with a formaldehyde scavenger . in one aspect , such benefit agent containing delivery particles may comprise the benefit agent containing delivery particles of the present invention . suitable formaldehyde scavengers include materials selected from the group consisting of sodium bisulfite , melamine , urea , ethylene urea , cysteine , cysteamine , lysine , glycine , serine , carnosine , histidine , glutathione , 3 , 4 - diaminobenzoic acid , allantoin , glycouril , anthranilic acid , methyl anthranilate , methyl 4 - aminobenzoate , ethyl acetoacetate , acetoacetamide , malonamide , ascorbic acid , 1 , 3 - dihydroxyacetone dimer , biuret , oxamide , benzoguanamine , pyroglutamic acid , pyrogallol , methyl gallate , ethyl gallate , propyl gallate , triethanol amine , succinamide , thiabendazole , benzotriazol , triazole , indoline , sulfanilic acid , oxamide , sorbitol , glucose , cellulose , poly ( vinyl alcohol ), partially hydrolyzed poly ( vinylformamide ), poly ( vinyl amine ), poly ( ethylene imine ), poly ( oxyalkyleneamine ), poly ( vinyl alcohol )- co - poly ( vinyl amine ), poly ( 4 - aminostyrene ), poly ( 1 - lysine ), chitosan , hexane diol , ethylenediamine - n , n ′- bisacetoacetamide , n -( 2 - ethylhexyl ) acetoacetamide , 2 - benzoylacetoacetamide , n -( 3 - phenylpropyl ) acetoacetamide , lilial , helional , melonal , triplal , 5 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - cyclohexanedione , 2 , 4 - dimethyl - 3 - cyclohexenecarboxaldehyde , 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxan - 4 , 6 - dione , 2 - pentanone , dibutyl amine , triethylenetetramine , ammonium hydroxide , benzylamine , hydroxycitronellol , cyclohexanone , 2 - butanone , pentane dione , dehydroacetic acid , or a mixture thereof . these formaldehyde scavengers may be obtained from sigma / aldrich / fluka of st . louis , mo . u . s . a . or polysciences , inc . of warrington , pa ., u . s . a . such formaldehyde scavengers are typically combined with a slurry containing said benefit agent containing delivery particle , at a level , based on total slurry weight , of from about 2 wt . % to about 18 wt . %, from about 3 . 5 wt . % to about 14 wt . % or even from about 5 wt . % to about 13 wt . %. in one aspect , such formaldehyde scavengers may be combined with a product containing a benefit agent containing delivery particle , said scavengers being combined with said product at a level , based on total product weight , of from about 0 . 005 % to about 0 . 8 %, alternatively from about 0 . 03 % to about 0 . 5 %, alternatively from about 0 . 065 % to about 0 . 25 % of the product formulation . in another aspect , such formaldehyde scavengers may be combined with a slurry containing said benefit agent containing delivery particle , at a level , based on total slurry weight , of from about 2 wt . % to about 14 wt . %, from about 3 . 5 wt . % to about 14 wt . % or even from about 5 wt . % to about 14 wt . % and said slurry may be added to a product matrix to which addition an identical or different scavenger may be added at a level , based on total product weight , of from about 0 . 005 % to about 0 . 5 %, alternatively from about 0 . 01 % to about 0 . 25 %, alternatively from about 0 . 05 % to about 0 . 15 % of the product formulation , in one aspect , one or more of the aforementioned formaldehyde scavengers may be combined with a liquid fabric enhancing product containing a benefit agent containing delivery particle at a level , based on total liquid fabric enhancing product weight , of from 0 . 005 % to about 0 . 8 %, alternatively from about 0 . 03 % to about 0 . 4 %, alternatively from about 0 . 06 % to about 0 . 25 % of the product formulation in one aspect , such formaldehyde scavengers may be combined with a consumer product , for example , a liquid laundry detergent product containing a benefit agent containing delivery particle , said scavengers being selected from the group consisting of sodium bisulfite , melamine , urea , ethylene urea , cysteine , cysteamine , lysine , glycine , serine , carnosine , histidine , glutathione , 3 , 4 - diaminobenzoic acid , allantoin , glycouril , anthranilic acid , methyl anthranilate , methyl 4 - aminobenzoate , ethyl acetoacetate , acetoacetamide , malonamide , ascorbic acid , 1 , 3 - dihydroxyacetone dimer , biuret , oxamide , benzoguanamine , pyroglutamic acid , pyrogallol , methyl gallate , ethyl gallate , propyl gallate , triethanol amine , succinamide , thiabendazole , benzotriazol , triazole , indoline , sulfanilic acid , oxamide , sorbitol , glucose , cellulose , poly ( vinyl alcohol ), partially hydrolyzed poly ( vinylformamide ), poly ( vinyl amine ), poly ( ethylene imine ), poly ( oxyalkyleneamine ), poly ( vinyl alcohol )- co - poly ( vinyl amine ), poly ( 4 - aminostyrene ), poly ( l - lysine ), chitosan , hexane diol , ethylenediamine - n , n ′- bisacetoacetamide , n -( 2 - ethylhexyl ) acetoacetamide , 2 - benzoylacetoacetamide , n -( 3 - phenylpropyl ) acetoacetamide , lilial , helional , melonal , triplal , 5 , 5 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - cyclohexanedione , 2 , 4 - dimethyl - 3 - cyclohexenecarboxaldehyde , 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxan - 4 , 6 - dione , 2 - pentanone , dibutyl amine , triethylenetetramine , ammonium hydroxide , benzylamine , hydroxycitronellol , cyclohexanone , 2 - butanone , pentane dione , dehydroacetic acid and mixtures thereof , and combined with said liquid laundry detergent product at a level , based on total liquid laundry detergent product weight , of from about 0 . 003 wt . % to about 0 . 20 wt . %, from about 0 . 03 wt . % to about 0 . 20 wt . % or even from about 0 . 06 wt . % to about 0 . 14 wt . %. in one aspect , such formaldehyde scavengers may be combined with a hair conditioning product containing a benefit agent containing delivery particle , at a level , based on total hair conditioning product weight , of from about 0 . 003 wt . % to about 0 . 30 wt . %, from about 0 . 03 wt . % to about 0 . 20 wt . % or even from about 0 . 06 wt . % to about 0 . 14 wt . %, said selection of scavengers being identical to the list of scavengers in the previous paragraph relating to a liquid laundry detergent product . suitable equipment for use in the processes disclosed herein may include continuous stirred tank reactors , homogenizers , turbine agitators , recirculating pumps , paddle mixers , plough shear mixers , ribbon blenders , vertical axis granulators and drum mixers , both in batch and , where available , in continuous process configurations , spray dryers , and extruders . such equipment can be obtained from lodige gmbh ( paderborn , germany ), littleford day , inc . ( florence , ky ., u . s . a . ), forberg as ( larvik , norway ), glatt ingenieurtechnik gmbh ( weimar , germany ), niro ( soeborg , denmark ), hosokawa bepex corp . ( minneapolis , minn ., u . s . a . ), arde barinco ( new jersey , u . s . a .). applicants &# 39 ; compositions comprise any embodiment of the particle disclosed in the present application — including any embodiment produced by the benefit agent delivery making process detailed in the present specification . in one aspect , said composition is a consumer product . while the precise level of particle that is employed depends on the type and end use of the composition , a composition may comprise from about 0 . 01 to about 10 , from about 0 . 1 to about 10 , or even from about 0 . 2 to about 5 weight % of said particle based on total composition weight . in one aspect , a consumer product comprising from about 0 . 001 % to about 25 %, from about 0 . 001 % to about 10 %, or from about 0 . 01 % to about 3 %, based on total consumer product mass weight , of the aforementioned benefit agent delivery particles is disclosed . in one aspect , a cleaning composition comprising from about 0 . 005 % to about 10 %, from about 0 . 01 % to about 3 %, or from about 0 . 1 % to about 1 % based on total cleaning composition mass weight of the aforementioned benefit agent delivery particles is disclosed . in one aspect , a fabric care composition comprising from about 0 . 005 % to about 10 %, from about 0 . 01 % to about 3 %, or from about 0 . 1 % to about 1 % based on total fabric care mass weight of the aforementioned benefit agent delivery particle composition is disclosed . in one aspect , when the aforementioned particle composition is employed in a consumer product , for example a liquid consumer product , the particle composition may have a deposition of at least 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, 40 %, 50 %, 60 %, 70 %, 80 %, 90 %, or even 100 %. in one aspect , when the aforementioned particle composition is employed in a consumer product , for example a liquid consumer product , the particle composition may have less than 50 %, 40 %, 30 %, 20 %, 10 % or even 0 % leakage of the encapsulated benefit agent from the microcapsules of said particle composition into said consumer product . in one aspect , a cleaning composition may comprise , from about 0 . 1 to about 1 weight % of such particle based on total cleaning composition weight of such particle . in one aspect , a fabric treatment composition may comprise , based on total fabric treatment composition weight , form about 0 . 01 to about 10 % of such particle . aspects of the invention include the use of the particles of the present invention in laundry detergent compositions ( e . g ., tide ™), hard surface cleaners ( e . g ., mr clean ™) automatic dishwashing liquids ( e . g ., cascade ™), dishwashing liquids ( e . g ., dawn ™), and floor cleaners ( e . g ., swiffer ™). non - limiting examples of cleaning compositions may include those described in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 515 , 705 ; 4 , 537 , 706 ; 4 , 537 , 707 ; 4 , 550 , 862 ; 4 , 561 , 998 ; 4 , 597 , 898 ; 4 , 968 , 451 ; 5 , 565 , 145 ; 5 , 929 , 022 ; 6 , 294 , 514 ; and 6 , 376 , 445 . the cleaning compositions disclosed herein are typically formulated such that , during use in aqueous cleaning operations , the wash water will have a ph of between about 6 . 5 and about 12 , or between about 7 . 5 and 10 . 5 . liquid dishwashing product formulations typically have a ph between about 6 . 8 and about 9 . 0 . cleaning products are typically formulated to have a ph of from about 7 to about 12 . techniques for controlling ph at recommended usage levels include the use of buffers , alkalis , acids , etc ., and are well known to those skilled in the art . fabric treatment compositions disclosed herein typically comprise a consumer adjunct material such as a fabric softening active (“ fsa ”). suitable fabric softening actives , include , but are not limited to , materials selected from the group consisting of quats , amines , fatty esters , sucrose esters , silicones , dispersible polyolefins , clays , polysaccharides , fatty oils , polymer latexes and mixtures thereof . while not essential for the purposes of the present invention , the non - limiting list of adjuncts illustrated hereinafter are suitable for use in the instant compositions and may be desirably incorporated in certain embodiments of the invention , for example to assist or enhance performance , for treatment of the substrate to be cleaned , or to modify the aesthetics of the composition as is the case with perfumes , colorants , dyes or the like . it is understood that such adjuncts are in addition to the components that are supplied via applicants &# 39 ; delivery particles and fsas . the precise nature of these additional components , and levels of incorporation thereof , will depend on the physical form of the composition and the nature of the operation for which it is to be used . suitable adjunct materials include , but are not limited to , polymers , for example cationic polymers , surfactants , builders , chelating agents , dye transfer inhibiting agents , dispersants , enzymes , and enzyme stabilizers , catalytic materials , bleach activators , polymeric dispersing agents , clay soil removal / anti - redeposition agents , brighteners , suds suppressors , dyes , additional perfume and perfume delivery systems , structure elasticizing agents , fabric softeners , carriers , hydrotropes , processing aids and / or pigments . in addition to the disclosure below , suitable examples of such other adjuncts and levels of use are found in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 576 , 282 , 6 , 306 , 812 b1 and 6 , 326 , 348 b1 that are incorporated by reference . as stated , the adjunct ingredients are not essential to applicants &# 39 ; cleaning and fabric care compositions . thus , certain embodiments of applicants &# 39 ; compositions do not contain one or more of the following adjuncts materials : bleach activators , surfactants , builders , chelating agents , dye transfer inhibiting agents , dispersants , enzymes , and enzyme stabilizers , catalytic metal complexes , polymeric dispersing agents , clay and soil removal / anti - redeposition agents , brighteners , suds suppressors , dyes , additional perfumes and perfume delivery systems , structure elasticizing agents , fabric softeners , carriers , hydrotropes , processing aids and / or pigments . however , when one or more adjuncts are present , such one or more adjuncts may be present as detailed below : surfactants — the compositions according to the present invention can comprise a surfactant or surfactant system wherein the surfactant can be selected from nonionic and / or anionic and / or cationic surfactants and / or ampholytic and / or zwitterionic and / or semi - polar nonionic surfactants . the surfactant is typically present at a level of from about 0 . 1 %, from about 1 %, or even from about 5 % by weight of the cleaning compositions to about 99 . 9 %, to about 80 %, to about 35 %, or even to about 30 % by weight of the cleaning compositions . builders — the compositions of the present invention can comprise one or more detergent builders or builder systems . when present , the compositions will typically comprise at least about 1 % builder , or from about 5 % or 10 % to about 80 %, 50 %, or even 30 % by weight , of said builder . builders include , but are not limited to , the alkali metal , ammonium and alkanolammonium salts of polyphosphates , alkali metal silicates , alkaline earth and alkali metal carbonates , aluminosilicate builders polycarboxylate compounds . ether hydroxypolycarboxylates , copolymers of maleic anhydride with ethylene or vinyl methyl ether , 1 , 3 , 5 - trihydroxybenzene - 2 , 4 , 6 - trisulphonic acid , and carboxymethyl - oxysuccinic acid , the various alkali metal , ammonium and substituted ammonium salts of polyacetic acids such as ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and nitrilotriacetic acid , as well as polycarboxylates such as mellitic acid , succinic acid , oxydisuccinic acid , polymaleic acid , benzene 1 , 3 , 5 - tricarboxylic acid , carboxymethyloxysuccinic acid , and soluble salts thereof . chelating agents — the compositions herein may also optionally contain one or more copper , iron and / or manganese chelating agents . if utilized , chelating agents will generally comprise from about 0 . 1 % by weight of the compositions herein to about 15 %, or even from about 3 . 0 % to about 15 % by weight of the compositions herein . dye transfer inhibiting agents — the compositions of the present invention may also include one or more dye transfer inhibiting agents . suitable polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents include , but are not limited to , polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers , polyamine n - oxide polymers , copolymers of n - vinylpyrrolidone and n - vinylimidazole , polyvinyloxazolidones and polyvinylimidazoles or mixtures thereof . when present in the compositions herein , the dye transfer inhibiting agents are present at levels from about 0 . 0001 %, from about 0 . 01 %, from about 0 . 05 % by weight of the cleaning compositions to about 10 %, about 2 %, or even about 1 % by weight of the cleaning compositions . dispersants — the compositions of the present invention can also contain dispersants . suitable water - soluble organic materials are the homo - or co - polymeric acids or their salts , in which the polycarboxylic acid may comprise at least two carboxyl radicals separated from each other by not more than two carbon atoms . enzymes — the compositions can comprise one or more detergent enzymes which provide cleaning performance and / or fabric care benefits . examples of suitable enzymes include , but are not limited to , hemicellulases , peroxidases , proteases , cellulases , xylanases , lipases , phospholipases , esterases , cutinases , pectinases , keratanases , reductases , oxidases , phenoloxidases , lipoxygenases , ligninases , pullulanases , tannases , pentosanases , malanases , β - glucanases , arabinosidases , hyaluronidase , chondroitinase , laccase , and amylases , or mixtures thereof . a typical combination is a cocktail of conventional applicable enzymes like protease , lipase , cutinase and / or cellulase in conjunction with amylase . enzyme stabilizers — enzymes for use in compositions , for example , detergents can be stabilized by various techniques . the enzymes employed herein can be stabilized by the presence of water - soluble sources of calcium and / or magnesium ions in the finished compositions that provide such ions to the enzymes . catalytic metal complexes — applicants &# 39 ; compositions may include catalytic metal complexes . one type of metal - containing bleach catalyst is a catalyst system comprising a transition metal cation of defined bleach catalytic activity , such as copper , iron , titanium , ruthenium , tungsten , molybdenum , or manganese cations , an auxiliary metal cation having little or no bleach catalytic activity , such as zinc or aluminum cations , and a sequestrate having defined stability constants for the catalytic and auxiliary metal cations , particularly ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid , ethylenediaminetetra ( methyl - enephosphonic acid ) and water - soluble salts thereof . such catalysts are disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 430 , 243 . if desired , the compositions herein can be catalyzed by means of a manganese compound . such compounds and levels of use are well known in the art and include , for example , the manganese - based catalysts disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 576 , 282 . cobalt bleach catalysts useful herein are known , and are described , for example , in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 597 , 936 and 5 , 595 , 967 . such cobalt catalysts are readily prepared by known procedures , such as taught for example in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 597 , 936 , and 5 , 595 , 967 . compositions herein may also suitably include a transition metal complex of a macropolycyclic rigid ligand — abbreviated as “ mrl ”. as a practical matter , and not by way of limitation , the compositions and cleaning processes herein can be adjusted to provide on the order of at least one part per hundred million of the benefit agent mrl species in the aqueous washing medium , and may provide from about 0 . 005 ppm to about 25 ppm , from about 0 . 05 ppm to about 10 ppm , or even from about 0 . 1 ppm to about 5 ppm , of the mrl in the wash liquor . preferred transition - metals in the instant transition - metal bleach catalyst include manganese , iron and chromium . preferred mrl &# 39 ; s herein are a special type of ultra - rigid ligand that is cross - bridged such as 5 , 12 - diethyl - 1 , 5 , 8 , 12 - tetraazabicyclo [ 6 . 6 . 2 ] hexa - decane . suitable transition metal mrls are readily prepared by known procedures , such as taught for example in wo 00 / 32601 , and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 225 , 464 . the compositions of the present invention can be formulated into any suitable form and prepared by any process chosen by the formulator , non - limiting examples of which are described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 879 , 584 ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 691 , 297 ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 574 , 005 ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 569 , 645 ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 565 , 422 ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 516 , 448 ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 489 , 392 ; u . s . pat . no . 5 , 486 , 303 all of which are incorporated herein by reference . compositions containing the benefit agent delivery particle disclosed herein can be used to clean or treat a situs inter alia a surface or fabric . typically at least a portion of the situs is contacted with an embodiment of applicants &# 39 ; composition , in neat form or diluted in a liquor , for example , a wash liquor and then the situs may be optionally washed and / or rinsed . in one aspect , a situs is optionally washed and / or rinsed , contacted with a particle according to the present invention or composition comprising said particle and then optionally washed and / or rinsed . for purposes of the present invention , washing includes but is not limited to , scrubbing , and mechanical agitation . the fabric may comprise most any fabric capable of being laundered or treated in normal consumer use conditions . liquors that may comprise the disclosed compositions may have a ph of from about 3 to about 11 . 5 . such compositions are typically employed at concentrations of from about 500 ppm to about 15 , 000 ppm in solution . when the wash solvent is water , the water temperature typically ranges from about 5 ° c . to about 90 ° c . and , when the situs comprises a fabric , the water to fabric ratio is typically from about 1 : 1 to about 30 : 1 . it is understood that the test methods that are disclosed in the test methods section of the present application should be used to determine the respective values of the parameters of applicants &# 39 ; invention as such invention is described and claimed herein . a .) place 1 gram of particles in 1 liter of distilled deionized ( di ) water . b .) permit the particles to remain in the di water for 10 minutes and then recover the particles by filtration , using a 60 ml syringe filter , 1 . 2 micron nitrocellulose filter ( millipore , 25 mm diameter ). c .) determine the rupture force of 50 individual particles . the rupture force of a particle is determined using the procedure given in zhang , z . ; sun , g ; “ mechanical properties of melamine - formaldehyde microcapsules ,” j . microencapsulation , vol 18 , no . 5 , pages 593 - 602 , 2001 . then calculate the fracture strength of each particle by dividing the rupture force ( in newtons ) by the cross - sectional area of the respective spherical particle ( πr 2 , where r is the radius of the particle before compression ), said cross - sectional area being determined as follows : measuring the particle size of each individual particle using the experimental apparatus and method of zhang , z . ; sun , g ; “ mechanical properties of melamine - formaldehyde microcapsules ,” j . microencapsulation , vol 18 , no . 5 , pages 593 - 602 , 2001 . d .) use the 50 independent measurements from c .) above , and calculate the percentage of particles having a fracture strength within the claimed range fracture strength range . the “ calculated logp ” ( clogp ) is determined by the fragment approach of hansch and leo ( cf ., a . leo , in comprehensive medicinal chemistry , vol . 4 , c . hansch , p . g . sammens , j . b . taylor , and c . a . ramsden , eds . p . 295 , pergamon press , 1990 , incorporated herein by reference ). clogp values may be calculated by using the “ clogp ” program available from daylight chemical information systems inc . of irvine , calif . u . s . a . boiling point is measured by astm method d2887 - 04a , “ standard test method for boiling range distribution of petroleum fractions by gas chromatography ,” astm international . odour detection threshold is determined using the protocol found in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 869 , 923 b1 , from column 3 , line 39 through column 4 , line 15 . a .) place 1 gram of particles in 1 liter of distilled deionized ( di ) water . b .) permit the particles to remain in the di water for 10 minutes and then recover the particles by filtration , using a 60 ml syringe filter , 1 . 2 micron nitrocellulose filter ( millipore , 25 mm diameter ). c .) determine the particle size of 50 individual particles using the experimental apparatus and method of zhang , z . ; sun , g ; “ mechanical properties of melamine - formaldehyde microcapsules ,” j . microencapsulation , vol 18 , no . 5 , pages 593 - 602 , 2001 . d .) use the 50 independent measurements from c .) above , and calculate the percentage of particles having a particle size within the claimed range . all references to leica microsystems refer to the company with corporate headquarters located at : all references to hitachi refer to the company with corporate headquarters located at : all references to gatan refer to the company with corporate headquarters located at : all references to quartz refer to the company with offices located at : loading device for flat specimen holder — leica microsystems p / n 706832 or equivalent sample : obtain the sample of microcapsules as per the procedure of 1 above entitled “ fracture strength ”. 50 samples are required . 1 ) turn on the leica microsystems high pressure freezer ( leica microsystems model number 706802 ). 2 ) fill up the methylcyclohexane container on the high pressure freezer with methylcyclohexane ( alfa aesar cat . # a16057 or equivalent ). 3 ) fill up the liquid nitrogen dewar on the high pressure freezer . 5 ) the display on the high pressure freezer will show load sample on the front panel when the instrument is ready to use . 6 ) start the hitachi model s - 5200 sem / stem and set the accelerating voltage to 3 . 0 kv and the emission current to 20 μa . 7 ) fill the anti - contaminator dewar located on the lower right side of the hitachi model s - 5200 sem / stem microscope column with liquid nitrogen . 8 ) fill the liquid nitrogen dewar on the gatan alto 2500 cryotransfer system ( gatan model ct2500 ). replenish the liquid nitrogen until the dewar remains full . the device is ready to use when the prepchamber temperature reads below − 190 ° c . 9 ) place a copper washer ( leica microsystems p / n 706867 ) on top of the flat specimen carrier such that the hole in the washer aligns with the well in the flat specimen carrier . 10 ) take a glass capillary pipette ( drummond p / n 5 - 000 - 1005 or similar ) and insert the provided wire plunger into one end of the pipette 11 ) insert the pipette into the microcapsule dispersion and withdraw the plunger part way to pull a few microliters of the dispersion into the pipette . 12 ) place the tip of the pipette in the well in the flat specimen carrier and push the plunger into the pipette to dispense a small amount of liquid until the well is just slightly overfilled . 13 ) insert a 2 mm allen key bit ( leica microsystems p / n 870072 ) into the torque wrench ( leica microsystems p / n 870071 ). 14 ) using the torque wrench with the bit , loosen the diamond locking screw in the flat specimen pod ( leica microsystems p / n 706839 ). 15 ) place the flat specimen holder and copper washer into the flat specimen pod . 16 ) use the torque wrench with the 2 mm allen key bit to tighten the diamond locking screw in the flat specimen pod onto the specimen until the torque wrench clicks twice . 17 ) attach the loading device for the flat specimen holder ( leica microsystems p / n 706832 ) to the flat specimen pod by screwing it onto the exposed threads of the diamond locking screw . 18 ) place the loading device for the flat specimen holder with the flat specimen pod onto the em pact high pressure freezer ( leica microsystems p / n 706802 ) and insert it into the high pressure freezer . 20 ) transfer the flat specimen pod to the unloading station and unscrew the loading device for the flat specimen carrier being careful to keep it immersed in the liquid nitrogen bath . 22 ) using tweezers with the tips cooled in liquid nitrogen until the liquid nitrogen stops boiling , remove the flat specimen carrier from the flat specimen pod and place it into a small container in the liquid nitrogen bath . 23 ) place the gatan ct3500 cryotransfer device ( gatan model number ct3500 ) into the gatan specimen workstation . 24 ) fill the liquid nitrogen dewar on the gatan ct3500 cryotransfer device and fill the dewar on the gatan specimen workstation replenishing the liquid nitrogen as necessary until rapid boiling of the liquid nitrogen stops . 25 ) transfer the flat specimen holder to the gatan specimen workstation while keeping it in a container of liquid nitrogen . 26 ) using tweezers cooled in liquid nitrogen until the liquid nitrogen stops boiling , place the flat specimen holder into the gatan planchette collet ( gatan p / n pep5099 ) and press down firmly . 27 ) place the assembly from step 26 into the gatan planchette specimen holder ( gatan p / n pep1395 ) and press down firmly . 29 ) using the gatan supplied 5 mm friction tool , screw the gatan planchette specimen holder into the gatan cryotransfer device . 30 ) remove the gatan cryotransfer device from the gatan specimen workstation and insert it into the gatan alto 2500 cryotransfer system . 31 ) attach the gatan itc temperature controller ( gatan model number itc502 ) to the gatan cryotransfer device by attaching the temperature measurement lead from the gatan itc controller to the connector on top of the gatan cryotransfer device . 32 ) using the gatan itc controller , raise the temperature of the specimen to − 120 ° c . 33 ) using the fracturing knife , break off the copper washer to fracture the specimen . 35 ) with the voltage set to 6 kv and the gas flow set to provide 10 ma sputter current , press the sputter button and once the current displays 10 ma , let the coater run for 60 - 90 seconds coating the specimen with gold / palladium . 36 ) close the frost shield on the gatan ct3500 cryotransfer device and transfer the specimen to the hitachi s - 5200 sem / stem . 37 ) wait for the temperature of the gatan ct3500 cryotransfer device to stabilize , typically between − 170 ° c . and − 172 ° c . 38 ) open the frost shield on the gatan ct3500 cryotransfer device by turning the frost shield control knob counter - clockwise . 39 ) move the sample around using the stage control trackball , locate a broken microcapsule and adjust the magnification to 50 , 000 to 150 , 000 ×. 40 ) adjust the focus and stigmation controls to obtain the best image . 3 ) click and hold the left mouse button while dragging the mouse cursor to the opposite side of the capsule wall keeping the drawn line perpendicular to the face of the capsule wall to measure the wall thickness . 4 ) use 50 independent measurements ( 1 measurement for each capsule ) to calculate the percentage of particles having a wall thickness in the claimed range . a .) obtain 2 , one gram samples of benefit agent particle composition . b .) add 1 gram ( sample 1 ) of particle composition to 99 grams of product matrix that the particle will be employed in and with the second sample immediately proceed to step d below . c .) age the particle containing product matrix ( sample 1 ) of a .) above for 2 weeks at 35 ° c . in a sealed , glass jar . d .) recover the particle composition &# 39 ; s particles from the product matrix of c .) ( sample 1 in product matrix ) and from particle composition ( sample 2 ) above by filtration . e .) treat each particle sample from d .) above with a solvent that will extract all the benefit agent from each samples &# 39 ; particles . f .) inject the benefit agent containing solvent from each sample from e .) above into a gas chromatograph and integrate the peak areas to determine the total quantity of benefit agent extracted from each sample . g .) the benefit agent leakage is defined as : while particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described , it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . it is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention . 25 grams of butyl acrylate - acrylic acid copolymer emulsifier ( colloid c351 , 25 % solids , pka 4 . 5 - 4 . 7 , ( kemira chemicals , inc . kennesaw , ga . u . s . a .) is dissolved and mixed in 200 grams deionized water . the ph of the solution is adjusted to ph of 4 . 0 with sodium hydroxide solution . 8 grams of partially methylated methylol melamine resin ( cymel 385 , 80 % solids , ( cytec industries west paterson , n . j ., u . s . a .)) is added to the emulsifier solution . 200 grams of perfume oil is added to the previous mixture under mechanical agitation and the temperature is raised to 50 ° c . after mixing at higher speed until a stable emulsion is obtained , the second solution and 4 grams of sodium sulfate salt are added to the emulsion . this second solution contains 10 grams of butyl acrylate - acrylic acid copolymer emulsifier ( colloid c351 , 25 % solids , pka 4 . 5 - 4 . 7 , kemira ), 120 grams of distilled water , sodium hydroxide solution to adjust ph to 4 . 8 , 25 grams of partially methylated methylol melamine resin ( cymel 385 , 80 % solids , cytec ). this mixture is heated to 70 ° c . and maintained overnight with continuous stifling to complete the encapsulation process . 23 grams of acetoacetamide ( sigma - aldrich , saint louis , mo ., u . s . a .) is added to the suspension . an average capsule size of 30 um is obtained as analyzed by a model 780 accusizer . 18 grams of a blend of 50 % butyl acrylate - acrylic acid copolymer emulsifier ( colloid c351 , 25 % solids , pka 4 . 5 - 4 . 7 , kemira ) and 50 % polyacrylic acid ( 35 % solids , pka 1 . 5 - 2 . 5 , aldrich ) is dissolved and mixed in 200 grams deionized water . the ph of the solution is adjusted to ph of 3 . 5 with sodium hydroxide solution . 6 . 5 grams of partially methylated methylol melamine resin ( cymel 385 , 80 % solids cytec ) is added to the emulsifier solution . 200 grams of perfume oil is added to the previous mixture under mechanical agitation and the temperature is raised to 60 ° c . after mixing at higher speed until a stable emulsion is obtained , the second solution and 3 . 5 grams of sodium sulfate salt are poured into the emulsion . this second solution contains 10 grams of butyl acrylate - acrylic acid copolymer emulsifier ( colloid c351 , 25 % solids , pka 4 . 5 - 4 . 7 , kemira ), 120 grams of distilled water , sodium hydroxide solution to adjust ph to 4 . 6 , 30 grams of partially methylated methylol melamine resin ( cymel 385 , 80 % cytec ). this mixture is heated to 75 ° c . and maintained 6 hours with continuous stifling to complete the encapsulation process . 23 grams of acetoacetamide ( sigma - aldrich , saint louis , mo ., u . s . a .) is added to the suspension . 36 grams of butyl acrylate - acrylic acid copolymer emulsifier ( colloid c351 , 25 % solids , pka 4 . 5 - 4 . 7 , kemira ) is dissolved and mixed in 200 grams deionized water . the ph of the solution is adjusted to ph of 5 . 0 with sodium hydroxide solution . 12 grams of partially methylated methylol melamine resin ( cymel 385 , 80 % solids , cytec ) is added to the emulsifier solution . 200 grams of perfume oil is added to the previous mixture under mechanical agitation and the temperature is raised to 65 ° c . after mixing at higher speed until a stable emulsion is obtained , the second solution and 5 grams of sodium sulfate salt are added to the emulsion . this second solution contains 12 grams of butyl acrylate - acrylic acid copolymer emulsifier ( colloid c351 , 25 % solids , pka 4 . 5 - 4 . 7 , kemira ), 120 grams of distilled water , sodium hydroxide solution to adjust ph to 5 , 33 grams of partially methylated methylol melamine resin ( cymel 385 , 80 % solids , cytec ). this mixture is heated to 65 ° c . and maintained overnight with continuous stirring to complete the encapsulation process . 23 grams of acetoacetamide ( sigma - aldrich , saint louis , mo ., u . s . a .) is added to the suspension . 20 grams of butyl acrylate - acrylic acid copolymer emulsifier ( colloid c351 , 25 % solids , pka 4 . 5 - 4 . 7 , kemira ) is dissolved and mixed in 200 grams deionized water . the ph of the solution is adjusted to ph of 5 . 5 with sodium hydroxide solution . 6 grams of partially methylated methylol melamine resin ( cymel 385 , 80 % solids , cytec ) is added to the emulsifier solution . 200 grams of perfume oil is added to the previous mixture under mechanical agitation and the temperature is raised to 55 ° c . after mixing at higher speed until a stable emulsion is obtained , the second solution and 9 grams of sodium sulfate salt is added to the emulsion . this second solution contains 8 grams of polyacrylic acid ( 35 % solids , pka 1 . 5 - 2 . 5 , aldrich ), 120 grams of distilled water , sodium hydroxide solution to adjust ph to 4 . 4 , 35 grams of partially methylated methylol melamine resin ( cymel 385 , 80 % solids , cytec ). this mixture is heated to 80 ° c . and maintained 4 hours with continuous stirring to complete the encapsulation process . 23 grams of acetoacetamide ( sigma - aldrich , saint louis , mo ., u . s . a .) is added to the suspension . the composition of and the procedures for preparing the capsules are the same composition as in example 4 except for the following : the melamine formaldehyde resin is a mix of 80 % partially methylated methylol melamine resin and 20 % of fully methylated melamine resin . the procedure for preparing the capsules is the same as in example 4 , except for the following compositional changes to the perfume emulsification liquor ( the first solution ): material a b c d e f g copolymer of 42 31 0 20 26 18 0 polyacrylic acid - butyl acrylate polyacrylic acid 0 21 29 14 0 22 27 20 % naoh 2 3 6 9 2 7 7 melamine resin 19 21 21 8 4 7 17 perfume oil 265 290 246 224 220 200 204 water 95 104 103 225 159 189 237 the procedure for preparing the capsules is the same as in example 4 , except for the following compositional changes to the second solution : material a b c d e f g copolymer of 11 0 15 0 0 3 3 polyacrylic acid - butyl acrylate polyacrylic acid 11 12 0 4 9 8 10 20 % naoh 0 . 4 0 . 4 0 . 1 0 . 3 0 . 4 0 . 4 0 . 4 melamine resin 8 4 16 13 26 23 29 water 115 126 43 147 52 47 78 followed by the addition of acetoacetamide at a level of 5 wt % of the weight of the batch . the composition of and the procedures for preparing the capsules are the same composition as in example 4 except for the following : 0 . 7 % of ammonium hydroxide is added to the suspension instead of acetoacetamide . 1200 g of perfume microcapsule slurry , containing one or more of the variants of microcapsules disclosed in the present specification , is mixed together with 700 g of water for 10 minutes using an ika eurostar mixer with r1382 attachment at a speed of 180 rpm . the mixture is then transferred over to a feeding vessel to be spray dried in a 1 . 2 m diameter niro production minor . the slurry is fed into the tower using a watson - marlow 504u peristaltic pump and atomised using a 100 mm diameter rotary atomiser run at 18000 rpm , with co - current air flow for drying . the slurry is dried using an inlet temperature of 200 ° c . and outlet temperature of 95 ° c . to form a fine powder . the equipment used the spray drying process may be obtained from the following suppliers : ika werke gmbh & amp ; co . kg , janke and kunkel — str . 10 , d79219 staufen , germany ; niro a / s gladsaxevej 305 , p . o . box 45 , 2860 soeborg , denmark and watson - marlow bredel pumps limited , falmouth , cornwall , tr11 4ru , england . non - limiting examples of product formulations containing microcapsules summarized in the following table . c reaction product of fatty acid with methyldiethanolamine in a molar ratio 1 . 5 : 1 , quaternized with methylchloride , resulting in a 1 : 1 molar mixture of n , n - bis ( stearoyl - oxy - ethyl ) n , n - dimethyl ammonium chloride and n -( stearoyl - oxy - ethyl ) n ,- hydroxyethyl n , n dimethyl ammonium chloride . d cationic high amylose maize starch available from national starch under the trade name cato ®. f copolymer of ethylene oxide and terephthalate having the formula described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 574 , 179 at col . 15 , lines 1 - 5 , wherein each x is methyl , each n is 40 , u is 4 , each r1 is essentially 1 , 4 - phenylene moieties , each r2 is essentially ethylene , 1 , 2 - propylene moieties , or mixtures thereof . i kathon ® cg available from rohm and haas co . “ ppm ” is “ parts per million .” k silicone antifoam agent available from dow corning corp . under the trade name dc2310 . l hydrophobically - modified ethoxylated urethane available from rohm and haas under the tradename aculan 44 . * suitable combinations of the microcapsules provided in examples 1 through 8 . ( percent active relates to the core content of the microcapsule .) * microcapsule added as 35 % active slurry . core / wall ratio can range from 80 / 20 up to 90 / 10 and average particle diameter can range from 5 μm to 50 μm * perfume microcapsules slurry in accordance with the teaching of the present specification . into a mixture of 89 . 5 grams of water , 5 grams of urea , 0 . 5 gram of resorcinol and 5 grams of an alkyl acrylate - acrylic acid copolymer , adjusted to ph 4 . 0 , were emulsified 90 grams of perfume oil . these mixtures were emulsified and the resulting mixture is placed in a container which is mounted in a room temperature water bath , continuous stirring is provided , 13 . 5 grams of 37 % formaldehyde solution were added and the bath is heated to 55 . degree . c . and maintained at that temperature overnight to initiate and complete encapsulation . the perfume microcapsules of examples 1 - 7 are tested in accordance with the test methods of the present invention are found to have a fracture strengths of from about 0 . 2 mpa to about 10 mpa , from about 0 . 4 mpa to about 5 mpa , from about 0 . 6 mpa to about 3 . 5 mpa , and even from about 0 . 7 mpa to about 3 mpa ; a benefit agent leakage of from 0 % to about 30 %, from 0 % to about 20 %, and even from 0 % to about 5 %; a particle size of from about 1 microns to about 80 microns , about 5 microns to 60 microns , from about 10 microns to about 50 microns , and even from about 15 microns to about 40 microns ; and a particle wall thickness of from about 60 nm to about 250 nm , from about 80 nm to about 180 nm , or even from about 100 nm to about 160 nm . * mica - tio2 ( prestige silk silver star ex eckart ) or biocl ( biron silver co - merck ) or pre - crystallized egds ( tegopearl n 100 ex degussa , expressed as pure egds ) the dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited . instead , unless otherwise specified , each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value . for example , a dimension disclosed as “ 40 mm ” is intended to mean “ about 40 mm ”. all documents cited in the detailed description of the invention are , in relevant part , incorporated herein by reference ; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention . to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference , the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern . while particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described , it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . it is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention .

US-201313934477-A

a corona charging method and apparatus is disclosed for charging discrete and relatively isolated three - dimensional surfaces of various compositions having a generally exposed surface from which the three dimensional surface extends . the applied charge serves to significantly enhance the wetting and bonding properties of the respective surfaces and is conducted with a relatively concentrated corona emission from discharge electrodes connected to a high voltage source and directed toward the three dimensional surfaces overlying an air gap . the exposed and more accessible surfaces can be treated concomitantly with a field effect diffusion of corona from additional electrodes directed generally toward the exposed surfaces of the composition .

in the description which follows , like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals respectively . the drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and in certain views proportions may have been exaggerated for purposes of clarity . referring now to fig1 there is illustrated an electrical connector designated 10 exemplifying the merits and advantages of the invention hereof . comprising the connector is a cartridge 12 commonly formed of molded polyphenylene sulphide in which continuous spaced rows of right angle apertures 14 are formed for receipt of beryllium copper wire connector elements 16 . ps compositions are available commercially from various sources such as marketed under the trademark &# 34 ; ryton &# 34 ; from phillips66 corporation and &# 34 ; fortron &# 34 ; from celanese corporation and are characterized by suitability for relatively high temperatures and high stress applications . as best seen in fig2 a , the bare cartridge 12 includes a plurality of apertures 14 extending within horizontally spaced tiered shelves 18 but otherwise surrounded by more exposed surfaces 19 . the diameter of each aperture 14 for the cartridge being described is on the order of 0 . 0300 - 0 . 0310 inches and within each row are spaced typically 0 . 050 - 0 . 100 between centers . within each hole is a well ( not shown ) of on the order of0 . 063 inches for receipt of epoxy adhesive by which to secure the copper alloy pins 16 in position . it will be appreciated that for the sake of reliability and life expectancy the product represented by the connector 10 should maintain connector pins 16 with a high retention force against pull - out . under different standards depending on the market being supplied either a five pound or ten pound minimum pin retention force against wire pull - out may be required . however , due to subsequent processing in which some weakening of the bond may occur it is preferable that the initial bond following pin insertion exceed these values . at the same time , the more exposed surface portions 19 of the cartridge should be readily receptive to symbolizing of various sorts . in fig2 b , the cartridge 12 lacks the tiered arrangement of fig2 a but isinstead includes straight open - ended apertures originating in a common plane . for applying corona treatment to the cartridge 12 in accordance herewith , reference is now made to apparatus designated 20 as illustrated in fig2 - 7 . comprising the apparatus is a base 22 on which the various operative components are supported . toward one edge is an upright stand 24 supporting an electrode assembly 26 to which high voltage is supplied via a lead 28 . on the underside of the assembly housing , there is provided a mounting plate 27 supporting a plurality of depending electrodes includingelectrodes 30 having a substantially pointed tip configuration at their distal end and electrodes 32 having a substantially bulbous configuration at their distal end . beneath the distal ends of the electrodes , apparatus 20 includes an elongated base 34 supported on a dielectric tray 36 having an underlying ground 37 . tray 36 includes a longitudinal partially dovetail slot 35 in which to receive a rectilinear center guide 39 on the underside of base 34 . on the upper surface of base 34 , there is provided a center channel slot 43 flanked by parallel shoulders 45 and 47 for supporting cartridge 12 as will be understood . the assembly of base 34 and the dielectric tray 36 is mounted by means of ablock 50 on a displaceable rail 38 . the rail extends between bearing blocks40 and 41 for controlled displacement via a hydraulic piston 42 and a pneumatic piston 44 operative in unison under control of controller 46 . anoil reservoir 48 is utilized in conjunction with hydraulic piston 42 . securing the dielectric tray 36 to rail 38 is a block 50 on the underside of the tray and which carries a metal sensor plate 52 . by means of the pistons 42 and 44 causing displacement of rail 38 , the tray 36 along with base 34 are caused to move in a reciprocal displacement stroke beneath theelectrodes 30 and 32 . proximity sensors 54 and 56 are positioned opposite the path of plate 52 and are responsive to the presence of plate 52 to emit signals to controller 46 as the tray 36 reaches the end of stroke in either direction . for purposes of the described embodiment , it is intendedthat corona charging will occur on one of the forward or return strokes butnot on both . for application of charge onto a cartridge 12 on base 34 , electrodes 30 and32 are secured depending from a mounting plate 27 at the underside of electrode assembly 26 in a manner providing longitudinal spacing a betweenelectrodes of about 11 / 2 inches . as best seen in fig3 the electrodes 30 are laterally staggered by dimensions c and d in correlation with the lateral spacing of cartridge shelves 18 . at the same time , the electrodes 30 are positioned with their tips terminating slightly tiered in a gap dimension b of about 0 . 070 - 0 . 100 inches from the corresponding shelf surfaces to be passed beneath them . being arranged in this manner , each ofthe electrodes 30 will emit a focused discharge in a concentrated area of application directed toward and substantially parallel to the axis of eachaperture 14 . unlike the relatively critical energy level generated by electrodes 30 , thefunction of electrodes 32 is to concomitantly apply corona to the more accessibly exposed peripheral surfaces 19 of the cartridge on which symbolizing is to be imposed . consequently , placement of the bulbous electrodes 32 for emitting a field effect diffusion onto the remaining surfaces 19 of the cartridge is less critical than that of electrodes 30 . essential to the operation hereof , is that the underside of open - ended apertures 14 be exposed during charging to a relatively weaker dielectric in the form of an open air gap 58 defined vertically between shoulders 45 , 47 and the bottom of slot 43 . the air gap serves to allow free air movementwhile preventing turbulence to aid passing of the corona through the apertures . gap 58 has dimension e on the order of about 0 . 100 inches . withthe components situated in the foregoing arrangement , pneumatic piston 44 supplies the power while hydraulic piston 42 provides a constant speed fortraversing cartridge 12 past the electrodes whenever controller 46 is actuated by depression of operating button 62 . with a voltage of about 8 - 66 kv and frequency of about 20 - 25 khz applied to the electrodes , cartridges 12 are caused to be displaced by operation of the pistons in the corona emission path of the electrodes . in order to ensure that an adequate energy level of charge is attained on the wall surface of holes 14 sufficient for enhancing the adhesive bond ofthe pins to the desired extent , it has been found essential , that the rate of rail travel during the application of charge be carefully controlled . as measured prior to insertion of pins 16 , advancing the tray 36 at a linear velocity on the order of about two inches per second or less produced surface energy levels in excess of 60 dynes / cm . similarly , highertreating velocities on the order of between 3 . 0 to 3 . 5 inches per second reduced the surface energies to on the order of about 40 - 52 dynes / cm . in either event , it is estimated that the energy levels on the hole surfaces is about thirty percent higher . while the travel speed of the cartridge with respect to the stationary electrodes is deemed critical , it will obviously vary depending on a specific application and structure of the item being treated where other than that being described . the following chart exemplifies retention forces in pounds for the pins 16 utilizing the focused corona treatment hereof in contrast to the previously untreated or field effect charging method previously utilized . ______________________________________ average p . o . failure failure rate force - lbs . rate - percent . sup . ( 1 ) percent . sup . ( 2 ) ______________________________________w . o . corona 6 75 95treatmentfield effect 17 11 27corona treatmentfocused corona 26 0 0 . 9treatment______________________________________ . sup . ( 1 ) 5 - 10 lbs . of force . sup . ( 2 ) 11 - 13 lbs . of force it should be appreciated that the mentioned retention values are ascertained prior to completed processing of the cartridges during which some bond weakening may occur . in operation , with one or more cartridges 12 placed on a base 34 , the cartridges are capable of being displaced in the emission paths of the depending electrodes 30 and 32 . voltage is applied to the electrodes and displacement of the cartridges is caused to occur from actuation of controller 46 , at a controlled velocity so as to optimize the charge applied to each individual aperture 14 . a surface charge level on the order of at least 50 dynes / cm is ordinarily preferred in order to maximizethe retention strength of pins 16 . following a complete traverse of the cartridges , treatment is completed and the applied charge will remain on the cartridge for greater than about three months before the charge beginsto significantly dissipate . with adhesive placed in the well of each aperture , the individual pins can be inserted in a conventional manner to produce an adhesive bond of about 26 pounds on average . since each hole receives individual treatment , the rate at which the treatment can be applied is significantly greater than has been previously possible with the prior utilized field effect charging since diffused emission of the latter required significantly slower travel to insure even a minimum of coverage . by the above description , there is disclosed novel method and apparatus forapplying corona treatment to discrete isolated areas of an article with surface energy levels previously unattainable by prior techniques . by virtue of the increased level of energy , the ability of the discrete isolated areas such as an open - ended or a blind ended hole to receive and adhesively retain an element disposed therein is substantially superior when compared to similar approaches previously utilized . at the same time , the process disclosed can be conducted more rapidly than previously possible enabling an increasingly greater production rate than previously achieved . whereas a prototype apparatus 20 has been described for purposesof disclosure , it should be readily apparent that a unidirectional conveyorcould be utilized and substituted for achieving an even higher production volume in the treatment of such cartridges . the virtues thereof are many , not least of which is the superior product which can be produced thereby insuring greater product reliability while enjoying a decrease rather thanan increase in fabrication cost . while the invention has been described principally in association with treatment of polymer type articles , it is not intended to be limited thereto since it can be appreciated that metalssuch as aluminum alloys and other compositions can similarly enjoy the virtues which the invention affords . since many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof , it is intended that all matter contained in the drawings and specification shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense .

US-51060790-A

a separation and guidance structure comprises an arm having an inner end with a crosspiece secured in use to a pontoon or the like , and an outer end provided with fenders extending above and beyond the end of the arm . flotation is provided to support the outer end of the arm , and may be in the form of a flotation member or be provided by the fenders . in use a number of such structures are secured in parallel to a pontoon or dock to form a berthing system .

fig1 shows a conventional berthing arrangement , with a pontoon 10 and fingers 12 and 14 . a vessel 16 is berthed at the finger 12 , and another vessel 18 is approaching the finger 14 . referring to fig2 and 3 , in a first embodiment of the invention a separating and guidance structure generally designated at 20 is positioned between the fingers 12 , 14 . the structure 20 comprises a rigid arm 22 secured at its inboard end to a crosspiece 24 serving as a connection member , and braced by bracing members or struts 26 . the crosspiece 24 and struts 26 together serve as a mounting bracket for connection to the pontoon and adapted to provide resistance to lateral forces . the crosspiece 24 is secured to the pontoon 10 , for example by bolting , preferably with rubber buffers shown diagrammatically at 28 ( fig2 ) interposed between the crosspiece 24 and the pontoon 10 to act as resilient dampers . fig3 a shows one form of buffer arrangement in more detail . the crosspiece 24 is secured to the pontoon 10 by bolts such as 21 passing through aligned apertures in the crosspiece 24 and a structural member 23 of the pontoon , and in resilient blocks 25 disposed on either side of the member 23 . a washer or pressure plate 27 may be disposed between the head of the bolt 21 and the adjacent resilient block 25 . thus , resilient damping will be applied to axial movement of the structure 20 in either direction . in exposed locations it may be preferred to provide a hinge arrangement between the arm and the pontoon , particularly a horizontal axis hinge allowing the arm to rotate in a vertical plane to accommodate wave motion . this may be useful in situations where the berthing system is only used in fair weather , but must itself survive severe weather . reverting to fig3 , the outboard end of the arm 22 carries a pair of cylindrical fenders 30 and 32 disposed one above and one below the arm 22 . the fenders 30 and 32 are mounted on a vertical shaft 34 which is mounted for rotation on the arm 22 . the lower end of the shaft 34 also carries a flotation member 36 . the fenders 30 and 32 are dimensioned and positioned to extend beyond the sides and end of the arm 22 . thus , the structure 20 is supported between the two fingers 12 and 14 and acts to separate craft berthed at the fingers . the rotatable fenders 30 and 32 assist craft entering and leaving the berths by providing a non - damaging surface against which the craft can bear ; that is , the fenders can be used as a turning dolphin . the structure 20 also allows a berthed craft to be secured by warps on both sides , not just to the finger . the arm 22 has a resilient fendering strip 38 on each side , and a central cleat 40 . guidance lights 42 are mounted along the upper surface of the arm 22 , and an identification light 44 is mounted at the top of the shaft 34 . the lights 42 and 44 may suitably be leds , and can be powered by shore power or , conveniently , by an independent solar panel ( not shown ). by providing the guidance lights 42 at regular intervals along the arm 22 , the user is assisted in judging speed and location within the berth . if the fenders 30 and 32 have sufficient flotation , the flotation member 36 may be dispensed with , the lower fender 32 acting also as flotation member . this arrangement is shown in fig4 . the fenders 30 , 32 may suitably be hollow plastic moulding , foam - filled plastic mouldings , or solid foam , in each case with suitable metalwork secured or cast in the centre . instead of the shaft 34 being rotatable on the arm 22 , it may be rigid with the arm 22 , for example being fastened to the arm with a screw clamp , with the fenders being rotatable on the shaft . in situations where stern - to or bows - to berthing is acceptable , a series of structures 22 may be used without intervening fingers , as illustrated in fig5 . this can increase berthing density by 18 % or more compared with finger berthing . fig5 also shows the bracing struts 26 covered by a deck 46 which can provide storage or trolley parking . fig6 shows an arrangement similar to fig5 but with the structures 20 disposed at an angle to the pontoon 10 , in this example at an angle of 30 °. many users will find it easier to enter and leave a berth angled in this manner , and it also allows the lane width between pontoons to be reduced . other oblique angles are possible , for example the angle may be between 15 ° and 45 °. the foregoing embodiments are suitable for berthing vessels up to about 15 meters loa . for larger craft the arrangement shown in fig7 may be used . here the structure 20 comprises a composite arm 22 a formed by spaced beams 48 in a v - formation and joined by cross - braces 50 . in addition to the outboard fenders 30 and 32 , a further pair of rotatable cylindrical fenders 50 , 52 is provided at an intermediate location to give additional buoyancy and also to provide further guidance to a vessel entering or leaving the berth . the composite arm 22 a of fig7 is at an inclined angle to the pontoon , but it will be apparent that a right - angle version is equally possible . two or more rotatable fenders per arm may be used on any size of arm to provide sufficient guidance and fendering to allow the vessel to dispense with on - board fenders hung over the vessel side . other modifications may be made to the foregoing embodiments within the scope of the claims . for example , it would be possible ( although less desirable ) to provide outboard fendering which is non - rotatable so long as it covers the outboard end of the arm . also , the outboard fendering and the flotation of the arm could be divorced , there being no need for the flotation to be at the outboard end . the invention may be applied to craft other than pleasure craft such as patrol boats , lifeboats , customs launches and pilot boats , typically up to 33 meters length . as well as in fixed marinas , the invention may be used as part of a mobile marina system that may be utilised to temporarily expand or establish marina facilities to meet regatta , boat show , seasonal or other temporary requirements . the structures may be transported by road , rail or sea , with or without additional pontoon or dock units . if transported on a ship , the ship itself may provide the dockside facilities , pontoons may be attached to the ship , and the separation and guidance structures may be attached to the pontoons . the invention thus provides a berthing system which gives improved safety , ease of berthing and unberthing , and in certain embodiments a greater density of berths in a given water area .

US-22751107-A

a latching mechanism is disclosed for use with almost any known electrical connector . the subject latching mechanism is operable by one hand from one end of the connector . thus , the subject latching mechanism is suitable for use in high density arrays of connectors where there is access to only one end portion of the connector and yet latching on both ends is required .

the subject latching system has been shown in fig1 and 2 with a connector of known type as shown for example in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 101 , 229 or 3 , 879 , 099 or 4 , 062 , 616 , the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference . the connector comprises a receptacle member 10 and a plug member 12 . the plug member 12 has attached thereto a cable strain relief 14 which can be of the type shown in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 904 , 265 , the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference . the subject latching system includes an actuating assembly 16 , a latching member 18 , a pair of first abutment studs 20 , 22 , and a pair of second abutment studs 24 , 26 . the first abutment studs 20 , 22 are secured in apertures 28 , 30 in opposite ends of a peripheral flange 32 on the plug member 12 while the second studs 24 , 26 are mounted in a similar fashion in flange 34 of the receptacle member 10 . it should be noted that the receptacle member would most likely be panel mounted so that the second studs would also be used to mount the receptacle member in a panel ( not shown ). the actuating assembly 16 is secured at one end of the flange 32 on plug member 12 by the first stud 20 . the actuating assembly 16 includes a pivot member 36 having an actuating lever 38 attached thereto by means of pivot pin 40 . the lever 38 has a pair of inwardly directed arms 42 , 44 at one end thereof . the latching member 18 is an elongated rigid member having a generally channel shaped section formed by base 46 and integral spaced side walls 48 , 50 and provided in its base with a profiled opening 52 including slots 54 , 56 at opposite ends thereof . due to the large size of opening 52 , it is clear that sidewalls 48 , 50 provide the necessary rigidity and strength for member 18 . the opening 52 has a profile generally similar to the hood 58 surrounding the pin terminals 60 of the plug member 12 but long enough to allow relative lateral motion . the slots 54 , 56 are of sufficient length to engage and slide in the annular grooves 62 , 64 of the mounting studs 20 , 22 respectively . at each end of the member 18 there is an overturned extension 66 , 68 each with a respective slot 70 , 72 with the slots 70 , 72 overlying slots 54 , 56 , respectively in a parallel spaced relationship . the slots 70 , 72 are spaced so as to engage in the annular grooves 74 , 76 in the second abutment studs 24 , 26 , respectively . it should be noted that the slot 70 is a substantially straight slot while the slot 72 has a generally keyhole configuration of a narrow open neck extending into an enlarged generally circular opening . it should be noted that the first and second abutment studs have been shown with two different configurations . they , of course , could be identical and could have a variety of configurations . the only requirement for these members is to have mounting means , abutment faces , and annular slots spaced from the abutment faces . the subject latching system is assembled as shown in fig2 with the first abutment studs 20 , 22 passing through the respective slots 54 , 56 and spacer washers 78 , 80 into the apertures 28 , 30 of the plug . the pivot plate 36 is secured to the stud 20 and the arms 42 , 44 of the lever 38 engage under opposite sides of the extension 66 of latching member 18 . the operation of the subject latching system will be readily understood from fig3 and 4 which show that when the lever 38 is rotated in a clockwise direction , as shown by the arrow indicating pressure on the tail of the lever , the sliding latching member 18 will be drawn to its uppermost position ( fig3 ). in this position the abutment studs 20 , 22 engage the edges of respective slots 54 , 56 by grooves 62 , 64 to hold the latch member 18 in assembly with the plug member 12 . it will also be noted that in this position the extension 66 is moved so that slot 70 is clear of the second abutment stud 24 while the enlarged portion of slot 72 is aligned with the second abutment stud 26 to receive the stud therethrough . mating of the connector members 10 and 12 brings the first and second stud members into an abutting relationship , as shown in fig4 . rotation of the lever in a counterclockwise direction , as shown by the arrow in fig4 drives the latching member 18 downwardly so that the slots 70 , 72 engage in the respective annular grooves 74 , 76 of the second abutment stud members thereby securing the connector members together . it will be appreciated from the foregoing that the simple rocking motion of the lever 38 is all that is necessary to effect the locking and unlocking engagement of the connector . it will also be appreciated that it is not necessary to use two hands for this operation or even to grasp both ends of the connector with one hand . the present invention may be subject to many modifications and changes without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . the present embodiment should therefore be considered in all respects as merely illustrative and not restrictive of the scope of the invention .

US-18710380-A

an electropneumatic door lock control in which a pump activatable to generate a first or second pressure is controlled by a bistable pressure latch and communicated through passenger lock and auxiliary solenoids to pneumatic passenger lock and auxiliary actuators . initiation means for first and second locking operations of a passenger door lock and a third locking operation of an auxiliary lock are interconnected with the bistable pressure latch , a bistable passenger latch and a bistable auxiliary latch and first and second timers to control the locking operations so that the first and second locking operations generate different pressures but activate the same timer for a duration of activation while the third locking operation generates one of the pressures but activates the other timer for a different duration of activation . with each activation of one of the initiation means the non - chosen latches and timer are deactivated . the auxiliary actuator may be a vehicle trunk lid release or fuel filler door release .

fig1 shows the outline of a motor vehicle 10 showing a vacuum / pressure pump 11 , solenoid valve assembly 12 , deck lid release actuator 13 , fuel filler door release actuator 15 and door lock actuators 16 . the actuators 13 , 15 and 16 and the vacuum / pressure pump 11 are connected pneumatically with the solenoid valve assembly 12 by means of appropriate tubing as shown . solenoid valve assembly 12 includes three separately activatable solenoid valves : one for the deck lid release actuator , one for the fuel filler door release actuator and one for the door lock actuators . each has a movable valve member normally biased into a position wherein the pneumatic line to the associated actuator is open to the atmosphere and an activating coil effective to move the movable member into a different position wherein the line to the associated actuator is open to vacuum / pressure pump 11 . thus , whichever valve is activated communicates vacuum / pressure pump 11 with the chosen actuator ; and all the other actuators are open to atmospheric pressure so that they are free for manual activation . vacuum / pressure pump 11 works bidirectionally to provide vacuum or positive pressure in the system , but not both at once . it is of standard construction and is driven by a bidirectional dc motor 18 , which appears schematically in fig2 . the armature terminals of motor 18 are connected to the armatures 21 and 26 of relays 20 and 25 , respectively , which have grounded normally closed contacts 22 and 27 , respectively . the normally open contacts 23 and 28 of relays 20 and 25 , respectively , are connected to dc power source v , which represents the vehicle dc electrical power system at 12 - 16 volts . an activating coil 31 of relay 20 is connected from voltage v in parallel with a free - wheeling diode 32 and in series with the collector of an npn transistor 33 having a grounded emitter . transistor 33 has a base which , when provided with a high voltage , causes transistor 33 to activate relay 20 to connect the armature of motor 18 across voltage v in a first polarity and thus drive vacuum / pressure pump 11 to provide vacuum to solenoid valve assembly 12 . likewise , an activating coil 35 of relay 25 is connected from voltage v in parallel with a free - wheeling diode 36 and in series with the collector of an npn transistor 37 having a grounded emitter . transistor 37 has a base which , when provided with a high voltage , causes transistor 37 to activate relay 25 to connect the armature of motor 18 across voltage v in the opposite polarity to run motor 18 in the reverse direction and thus drive vacuum / pressure pump 12 to provide positive pressure above atmospheric pressure to solenoid valve assembly 12 . the application of vacuum or positive pressure from pump 11 to actuators 13 , 15 and 16 is controlled by the valves of solenoid valve assembly 12 . a deck lid solenoid 41 is a solenoid valve with normally closed position in which the pneumatic line to deck lid actuator 13 is closed to pump 11 but open to the atmosphere to allow manual activation of the actuator . likewise , a fuel filler solenoid 43 is a solenoid valve with a closed position in which the pneumatic line to fuel filler door actuator 15 is closed to pump 11 but open to the atmosphere to allow manual activation of the actuator . either of the deck lid solenoid 41 or fuel filler solenoid 43 may be activated to an open position in which the pneumatic line to the appropriate actuator is open to pump 11 and closed to atmosphere , whereby activation of the actuator occurs . finally , a lock / unlock solenoid is a solenoid valve with a closed position in which the pneumatic lines to the door lock actuators 16 are closed to pump 11 but open to the atmosphere and may likewise be activated to an open position in which the pneumatic lines leading to door lock actuators are open to pump 11 and closed to the atmosphere . in this embodiment , vacuum and positive pressure , respectively , are communicated to door lock actuators 16 for locking and unlocking as a group . only vacuum is communicated to deck lid actuator 13 or fuel filler door actuator 15 for release of these doors . however , if desired , these doors could also use either vacuum or positive pressure for locking and unlocking . the solenoids 41 , 42 and 43 , as well as relays 20 and 25 , are controlled by a control circuit 40 , which is shown in detail in fig3 . referring to fig3 switches 50 , 51 , 52 and 53 are provided for deck lid release , door lock , door unlock and fuel filler door release , respectively . each of switches 50 - 53 is connected to voltage v and has a normally open terminal connected through a debounce low pass filter and an inverter . switch 50 , for example , is connected through a series resistor 55 ( 1k ) with a resistor 56 ( 10k ) and capacitor 57 ( 0 . 01 mf ) connected in parallel to ground and a series schmitt trigger inverter 58 . similar elements for switches 51 , 52 and 53 are numbered , in the same order , 60 - 63 , 65 - 68 and 70 - 73 , respectively . thus , inverters 58 , 63 , 68 and 73 provide low signals upon the closing of switches 50 , 51 , 52 and 53 , respectively . inverter 58 provides the deck lid signal to the reset input of a flip - flop 75 ( 4044 nand ) which serves as a deck lid latch , as well as to inputs of and gates 76 ( 4073 ), 77 ( 4081 ), 78 ( 4073 ) and 80 ( 4073 ). inverter 63 provides the door lock signal to an input of an and gate 81 ( 4081 ) as well as to another input of and gate 80 , which has an output connected to the reset input of a flip - flop 82 ( 4044 nand ) serving as a vacuum / pressure latch . inverter 68 provides the door unlock signal to the other input of and gate 81 as well as to an input of an and gate 88 ( 4081 ), which has an output connected to the set input of vacuum / pressure latch flip - flop 82 . the output of and gate 81 is connected to an input of an and gate 83 ( 4073 ) having an output to the set input of deck lid latch flip - flop 75 ( 4044 nand ), to the reset input of a flip - flop 85 ( 4044 nand ) serving as a lock / unlock latch , to another input of and gate 78 and to the b ( initiating ) input of a 2 second timer 86 . the output of and gate 78 is connected to the set input of a flip - flop 87 ( 4044 nand ) serving as a fuel filler latch ; the output of and gate 76 is connected to the set input of lock / unlock latch flip - flop 85 . inverter 73 provides the fuel filler signal to other inputs of and gates 83 , 76 , 77 and 80 , as well as to the reset input of fuel filler latch flip - flop 87 . there is an initialization master clear circuit comprising a resistor 90 ( 30k ) and capacitor 91 ( 330 uf ) connected in series across voltage v . the junction of resistor 90 and capacitor 91 is connected to other inputs of and gates 83 , 76 , 78 and 88 , as well as to inputs of two more and gates 92 and 93 ( 4081 ). the other input of and gate 92 is connected to the output of and gate 77 ; while the other input of and gate 93 is connected to the output of and gate 81 . the output of and gate 77 is connected to the b ( initiating ) input of a 1 second timer 95 . the outputs of and gates 92 and 93 are connected to the c ( clear ) inputs of timers 96 and 95 , respectively . a nor gate 96 has inputs from the q output of deck lid latch flip - flop 75 and the not q output of 1 second timer 95 . nor gate 96 has an output connected to activate deck lid solenoid 41 when a high output voltage is produced . similarly , a nor gate 97 has inputs from the q output of lock / unlock latch flip - flop 85 and the not q output of 2 second timer 86 . nor gate 97 has an output connected to activate lock / unlock solenoid 42 when a high output voltage is produced . likewise , a nor gate 98 has inputs from the q output of fuel filler latch flip - flop 87 and the not q output of 1 second timer 95 . nor gate 98 has an output connected to activate fuel filler solenoid 43 when a high output voltage is produced . since each of the latch flip - flops 75 , 85 and 87 will be reset to a low output when the appropriate switch 50 , 51 , 52 or 53 is closed , the appropriate nor gate will activate its controlled solenoid for the time duration of the appropriate timer . a nor gate 100 has inputs from the q output of vacuum / pressure latch flip - flop 82 and from the output of a nor gate 105 which itself has inputs from the q outputs of timers 86 and 95 . the output of nor gate 100 is connected to activate the transistor 33 in fig2 which causes motor 18 to produce vacuum from pump 11 and is thus labeled &# 34 ; motor vacuum &# 34 ; in fig3 . a nor gate 101 has inputs from the not q output of 2 second timer 86 and from the q output of vacuum / pressure latch flip - flop 82 through an inverter 106 . the output of nor gate 101 is connected to activate transistor 37 of fig2 which causes motor 18 to produce positive pressure above atmospheric pressure from pump 11 and is thus labeled &# 34 ; motor pressure &# 34 ; in fig3 . nor gates 100 and 101 are controlled in response to the activation of switches 50 - 53 to produce vacuum or positive pressure as appropriate for the chosen lock or unlock function . in operation , the system begins with the application of voltage v . the outputs of inverters 58 , 63 , 68 and 73 are high ; the initial voltage on capacitor 91 is low . and gates 83 , 76 , 78 and 88 are sent low temporarily by capacitor 91 . the latch flip - flops 75 , 85 , 87 and 82 are of the type which are set or reset by an input going low . thus , they are all set to a high q output by the initialization circuit . high signals are also applied to the b and c inputs of timers 86 and 95 . thus no actuators or relays are activated . activation of the deck lid switch 50 causes a reset of deck lid latch flip - flop 75 and a low transition to the b input of 1 second timer 95 . timers 95 and 86 are initiated by a low transition on the b input . therefore timer 95 ( not q output ) and latch 75 ( q output ) provide low signals to nor gate 96 to activate deck lid solenoid 41 . a high q output from timer 95 sends the output of nor gate 105 low ; and vacuum / pressure latch flip - flop 82 is reset to provide a low output . thus , nor gate 100 sees both inputs low and activates relay 33 to provide motor vacuum through the open deck lid solenoid 41 to deck lid actuator 13 . the other nor gates 97 , 98 and 101 all see at least one high input ; and thus no other solenoids or relays are activated . activation of the fuel filler door switch 53 produces similar action except that the fuel filler latch flip - flop 87 , nor gate 98 and fuel filler solenoid 43 replace the equivalent deck lid components in the circuit for activation ; and vacuum is thus sent through the open fuel filler solenoid to fuel filler door actuator 15 . passenger door locking is initiated with lock switch 51 . lock / unlock latch flip - flop 85 is reset and 2 second timer 86 initiated to provide low inputs to nor gate 97 and activate lock / unlock solenoid 42 . vacuum / pressure latch flip - flop 82 is reset to provide one low input to nor gate 100 ; and a high q output from 2 second timer 86 provides the other low input to cause nor gate 100 to activate transistor 33 for motor vacuum . passenger door unlocking is initiated with unlock switch 52 . lock / unlock latch flip - flop 85 is reset and 2 second timer 86 initiated to provide low inputs to nor gate 97 and activate lock / unlock solenoid 42 . vacuum / pressure latch flip - flop 82 is set to provide one low input by means of nor gate 106 to nor gate 101 ; and a high q output from 2 second timer 86 provides the other low input to cause nor gate 101 to activate transistor 37 for motor pressure . it should be noted that the latch which is reset in one operation is left reset after the timer times out to stop the activation of the pneumatic system . thus , if a different operation is chosen next , the logic , through the appropriate and gates , sets the last latches not chosen for the new operation as it resets the latches chosen . in fact , if a new operation is begun before an old operation is finished , the same thing will happen : the logic will automatically terminate the activations of the old operation not appropriate to the new . in addition , through one of and gates 92 and 93 , it will terminate the timer and initiate the new timer , even if the same timer is used . thus , the system provides for passenger door locking using vacuum , passenger door unlocking using positive pressure , and auxiliary door unlocking using vacuum , where the auxiliary door may be a deck lid or fuel filler door . it coordinates the production of vacuum or pressure and the communication of this to the appropriate actuator or actuators . the locking or unlocking functions are independent of each other for maximum flexibility .

US-93899186-A

a method of making stepper motor includes : providing a permanent magnet rotor carried by an output shaft ; forming a bobbin having an alignment feature , a bearing opening for supporting the shaft , and a passage for receiving the permanent magnet rotor ; forming a magnetically soft stator - yoke located around the inside of the passage ; winding a coil of electrically conducting wire around the bobbin ; and providing a motor housing for receiving the bobbin and where the motor housing has a corresponding alignment feature to align the bobbin with the housing .

fig2 shows an exploded perspective view of a stepper motor according to the present invention . the stepper motor , generally designated 10 , includes a multi - pole permanent magnet rotor 11 carried by a shaft 12 . the shaft 12 is mounted for rotation in front and back bearings that are formed as integral parts of plastic bobbins 22 and 24 . only back bearing 16 is shown in fig2 . the bobbins carry a pair of coils 26 and 28 each having leads 29 and 31 . a pair of soft magnetic metal stator yokes 30 and 32 each having a plurality of stator fingers 34 , and a second pair of soft magnetic stator yokes 42 and 44 , each having a corresponding plurality of stator fingers 40 are arranged such that the stator fingers 34 and 40 extend into the plastic bobbins 22 and 24 in an interdigitated fashion to form stator poles when current is applied to the coils 26 and 28 . the bobbin , coil and stator yokes form a bobbin assembly . both bobbin assemblies are enclosed in a soft magnetic housing 46 that is twice the length of one of the bobbin assemblies . the housing 46 includes tabs 47 for securing the bobbin assemblies in the motor housing . the rotor 11 is supported by shaft 12 for rotation within the bobbins . the stator fingers in the bobbin 22 are angularly offset from the fingers in bobbin 24 by one half the finger spacing so that current can be alternately applied to coils 26 and 28 to turn the rotor 11 in a stepwise fashion thereby applying torque to shaft 12 . this angular offset is achieved by alignment features comprising tabs 48 and 50 on bobbins 22 and 24 respectively that cooperate with complementary alignment features comprising cutouts 52 and 54 on the housing 46 . tabs 48 and 50 each support electrical termination pins 56 and 58 . in the stepper motor manufacturing process , the bobbin assemblies are fabricated by forming the bobbins with the stator yokes , winding the coils 26 and 28 on the bobbins 22 and 24 and connecting the leads 29 and 31 to the termination pins 56 and 58 respectively . the rotor 11 is inserted between the two bobbin assemblies in the housing 46 using the alignment features to align the bobbin assemblies in the housing . finally the tabs 47 on the housing 46 are crimped over the outside edges of the bobbin assemblies to retain the bobbins and the rotor in the housing . the bearing ends of the bobbin assemblies define the ends of the motor , thereby eliminating the need to provide separate end plates , and eliminating the steps of mounting bearings in the end plates and mounting the end plates on the motor . since the motor of the present invention incorporates fewer parts than the prior art motors , it is more easily assembled than the prior art motors and thereby more readily lends itself to robotic assembly , can be produced more economically and be made more reliable than prior art stepper motors . fig3 shows a perspective view of the completed stepper motor 10 . typical stepper motors according to the present invention measures 8 - 20 mm in outside diameter , with a 4 - 10 mm diameter rotors . referring to fig4 one method of manufacturing a bobbin with stator yokes by insertion molding according to the present invention will be described . in step 1 , a pair of stator yokes 32 and 44 formed from soft iron sheet by a compound punch and die are placed on a mandrel 60 . the mandrel 60 has a first portion 62 that is slightly larger in diameter than the rotor 11 for forming the passage in the bobbin that receives the rotor and a second portion 64 that is slightly larger in diameter than the rotor shaft 12 for forming the bearing in the end of the bobbin . the mandrel 60 includes an alignment feature 66 for aligning the mandrel in an injection mold . the stator yokes 32 and 34 are placed on the mandrel 60 so that their fingers 34 and 40 are interdigitated and aligned in a preferred orientation with respect to the alignment feature 66 on the mandrel 60 . the mandrel 60 bearing the stator yokes 32 and 44 is placed in the cavity 68 of an injection mold 70 . the injection mold cavity 68 is configured for forming the bobbin , having bearing and alignment features , around the stator yokes . in step 2 , the mold 70 is closed and plastic is injected into the cavity 68 . in step 3 , after the plastic for forming the bobbin has been injected and allowed to cool , the mold 70 is opened . in step 4 , the mandrel 60 and bobbin 22 are removed from the mold and the completed bobbin 22 is removed from the mandrel 60 . referring to fig5 an alternative method for forming the bobbin with the stator yokes by electroforming and insertion molding will be described . in step 1 , the mandrel 60 is coated with a release agent and a conductive pattern 72 representing the stator fingers is formed on the mandrel 60 by well known photolithographic techniques . the conductive pattern 72 is formed in a preferred orientation with respect to the alignment feature 66 on the mandrel 60 . in step 2 , platable plastic end caps 74 are placed on the mandrel at the ends of the conductive pattern 72 . in step 3 , a layer of soft magnetic material is electroformed onto the conductive pattern 72 and platable end caps 74 to form the electroformed stator yokes 76 . in step 4 , the mandrel bearing the electroformed stator yokes is placed in the cavity of a mold 70 , similar to the mold described with respect to fig4 and plastic is injected into the mold . in step 5 , mold 70 is opened and the mandrel and bobbin are removed . in step 6 , the mandrel 60 is removed from the completed bobbin 22 . the electroforming method enables the formation of more uniform stator fingers that are more accurately located on the inside of the bobbin . this method is particularly useful for making very small motors , e . g . less than 6 mm in diameter . referring to fig6 a further alternative method for forming the bobbin with stator yokes by two step injection molding and plating will be described . in the first step , a mold 77 , has a cavity 78 that is configured to produce a portion of the bobbin that will not be plated when forming the stator yokes . a mandrel 60 , is placed in the mold cavity to provide the inside diameters of the bearing and rotor passage as described above . a first non - platable plastic is injected into mold 70 . in step 2 , the mandrel bearing the first molded plastic features is removed from the mold 77 and placed in a second mold 80 having a cavity 82 , slightly larger than cavity 78 in areas that will be plated to form the stator yokes . the mold 80 is closed and a second platable plastic is injected to form a plastic bobbin having platable areas where the stator yokes will be formed . in step 3 , mandrel 60 is removed from the plastic bobbin 22 . in step 4 , a number of plastic bobbins 22 are placed in a bulk plating tank 84 , and soft magnetic material is plated onto the platable plastic portions of the bobbins to form the stator yokes . this process is less expensive than the electroforming technique described above , however the mold is more complex . it will be understood that the two step molding process may be performed in a single complex mold by moving mold parts to provide the additional volume for the platable plastic after the non - platable plastic has been injected . the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment . however , it will be appreciated that variations and modifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention .

US-81462397-A

a transmission system comprising an input shaft ; a first clutch configured to selectively couple a first gear to the input shaft ; an output shaft ; a second gear engaging with the first gear , — and a second clutch configured to couple the second gear to the output shaft when the first gear rotates the second gear faster than the output shaft .

fig1 is a schematic of a portion of a vehicle 10 that includes a multi - speed transmission system 14 . the transmission system 14 uses a clutch pack overrun system 110 that eliminates some of the inefficiencies associated with torque converters . the vehicle 10 in one embodiment is an industrial lift truck . however , the transmission system 14 can be used in a variety of different vehicles . the vehicle 10 includes an engine 12 that is connected to a drive axle assembly 34 through the transmission system 14 . the engine 12 rotates an input shaft 112 that then through clutch pack overrun system 110 selectively applies torque and rotates an output shaft 126 . the output shaft 126 couples the transmission system 14 with the drive axle assembly 34 and causes the drive axle assembly 34 to rotate wheels 39 . one embodiment the drive axle assembly 34 is conventional . in another embodiment , the drive axle assembly 34 uses a drive axle clutch system 142 that includes different travel direction hydraulic clutches and gears to rotate wheels 39 in different directions and move the vehicle 10 in different forward , reverse , and turning directions . the drive axle clutch system 142 is described in u . s . provisional patent application ser . no . 61 / 156 , 042 filed on feb . 27 , 2009 , and u . s . patent application ser . no . ______ which have both been incorporated by reference in their entirety . it should be understood that the transmission system 14 can operate with any conventional axle assembly and vehicle direction control system . the transmission system 14 is not required to be used in conjunction with the drive axle clutch system 142 described above , and can operate independently of the drive axle clutch system 142 . however , at least one embodiment below describes how the transmission system 14 operates in conjunction with drive axle clutch system 142 . the transmission system 14 includes a first drive gear 116 selectively connected to the input shaft 112 through a first hydraulic clutch pack 114 . a second drive gear 120 is selectively connected to the input shaft 112 through a second hydraulic clutch pack 118 and a third drive gear 122 is rigidly connected to the input shaft 112 . a first driven gear 138 engages with first drive gear 116 and engages with the output shaft 126 through a first one - way bearing 136 . a second driven gear 134 engages with a second drive gear 120 and is engaged with the output shaft 126 through a second one - way bearing 132 . a third driven gear 128 engages with a third drive gear 122 and is selectively connected to the output shaft 126 by a third hydraulic clutch pack 130 . hydraulic clutches 114 , 118 , and 130 operate similar to hydro - mechanical clutches in power shift transmissions . the hydraulic clutches 114 and 118 can selectively lock the gears 116 and 120 , respectively , to the input shaft 112 when rotating . the hydraulic clutch 130 can selectively lock the gear 128 to the output shaft 126 . each hydraulic clutch is provided with a proportional electro - hydraulic valve and hydraulic pressure sensor to provide for control and feedback ( see fig4 ). alternative sensors , such as torque sensors can be used in place of pressure sensors for closed feedback loop control . torque is transferred from input shaft 112 to output shaft 126 when first hydraulic clutch 114 locks first drive gear 116 to input shaft 112 and first one - way bearing 136 locks first driven gear 138 to output shaft 126 . torque is also transferred from input shaft 112 to output shaft 126 when second hydraulic clutch 118 locks second drive gear 120 to input shaft 112 and second one - way bearing 132 locks second driven gear 134 to output shaft 126 . torque is also transferred from input shaft 112 to output shaft 126 when third hydraulic clutch 130 locks third driven gear 128 to output shaft 126 . the one - way bearings 136 and 132 lock the gears 138 and 134 , respectively , to the output shaft 126 when turning in only one direction of shaft rotation . the one - way bearings 136 and 132 allow the output shaft 126 to free wheel inside the driven gears 138 and 134 , respectively , if the output shaft 126 turns faster than the driven gear . fig2 is a simplified sectional view showing some of the elements in one of the one - way bearings 136 or 132 . fig2 uses first one - way bearing 136 as an example . the first one - way bearing 136 is coupled to the output shaft 126 and includes bearings 150 that press against an inside wall of the driven gear 138 . when the first driven gear 138 has a rotational speed 152 that is faster than the rotational speed 154 of output shaft 126 , the first one - way bearing 136 automatically locks the first driven gear 138 to the output shaft 126 . the first one - way bearing 136 automatically releases the first driven gear 138 from the output shaft 126 when the output shaft 126 starts rotating at a faster rotational speed 152 than the first driven gear 138 . this unlocked one - way bearing state is alternatively referred to as free - wheeling . when the first driven gear 138 is overrun by the output shaft 126 , the first drive gear 116 in fig1 cannot transfer torque from the input shaft 112 to the output shaft 126 . there is also very low drag when the first one - way bearing 136 is in the unlocked free - wheeling state . the one - way bearing is used to accomplish an up or down shift . again , it should be noted that fig2 is a simplified representation of a one - way bearing , and other one - way bearing configurations can also be used in transmission system 14 . fig3 a - 3c describe in more detail how the transmission system 14 operates . the rotational states 160 a - 160 h refer to different rotational states of the shafts 112 and 126 and different rotational or locking states of the one - way bearings and hydraulic clutches . referring first to fig3 a , the hydraulic clutch 114 is activated and hydraulic clutches 118 and 130 are deactivated . plates in the first hydraulic clutch 114 press together in the active state , coupling the first driven gear 116 to the input shaft 112 . activating first hydraulic clutch 114 causes a rotation 160 b in first drive gear 116 . depending on the current state of the vehicle 10 either in a stopped or moving condition , the first hydraulic clutch 114 may be slipped to gradually engage the input shaft 112 with first drive gear 116 or the first hydraulic clutch 114 may be locked . the first drive gear 116 has a relatively low rotational speed 160 b , creating a rotational speed 160 c in first driven gear 138 . however , output shaft 126 is currently not rotating and the faster rotation 160 c of first driven gear 138 causes the first one - way bearing 136 to lock first driven gear 138 to output shaft 126 . the locking of first one - way bearing 136 allows the first drive gear 116 to apply torque to the output shaft 126 and start output shaft 126 rotating with a rotational speed 160 h . the second hydraulic clutch 118 is currently not activated , so the second drive gear 120 is unlocked and has no rotational speed 160 d and the second driven gear 134 is unlocked and has no rotational speed 160 e . since the output shaft 126 is rotating faster than stationary second driven gear 134 , the second one - way bearing 132 does not engage and the output shaft 126 freewheels inside of the second driven gear 134 . in this stage , the second drive gear 120 does not apply any torque to the output shaft 126 . the third drive gear 122 is permanently attached to the input shaft 112 and has a rotational speed 160 f and limited torque that rotates the third driven gear 128 . however , the third hydraulic clutch 130 is currently not activated and therefore the third drive gear 122 also does not apply torque to the output shaft 126 . the high gear ratio of driven gear 138 to drive gear 116 provides high torque to the output shaft 126 for pushing . the first hydraulic clutch 114 can also be used as an inching clutch for starting and fine positioning . however , any of the other clutches may be also used for inching control . fig3 b shows how the transmission system 14 operates during a transition from first drive gear 116 to the second drive gear 120 . the second hydraulic clutch 118 is activated causing input shaft 112 to rotate second drive gear 120 with rotational speed 160 d . in this example , the first hydraulic clutch 114 is shown still activated and the third hydraulic clutch 130 is still not activated . however , the first hydraulic clutch 114 may be released sometime after the second hydraulic clutch 118 is activated . the second drive gear 120 rotates the second driven gear 134 faster than the first drive gear 116 rotates the first driven gear 138 and output shaft 126 . accordingly , the second one - way bearing 132 locks the second driven gear 134 to output shaft 126 and the second drive gear 120 starts applying torque and a rotational speed 160 h to the output shaft 126 . output shaft 126 is now rotating faster than the first driven gear 138 causing the first one - way bearing 136 to release the first driven gear 138 from output shaft 128 . output shaft 128 then starts free - wheeling inside of the first driven gear 138 and the first drive gear 116 no longer applies torque to the output shaft 126 . the third hydraulic clutch 130 is still deactivated and the third drive gear 122 still does not apply torque to the output shaft 126 . one advantage of the transmission system 14 is the simple relatively smooth transitions between different gears . for example , the first one - way bearing 136 automatically disengages when the second one - way bearing 132 engages . thus , the disengagement of the first hydraulic clutch 114 does not have to be precisely coordinated with the engagement of the second hydraulic clutch 118 . the use of a high gear ratio with gears 116 and 138 also eliminates the need for a torque converter . the engine 12 ( fig1 ) also does not need to be revved up as high to prevent stalling when transitioning to lower gear ratios . fig3 c shows how the transmission system 14 operates during another transition from second drive gear 120 to the third drive gear 122 . the third hydraulic clutch 130 is activated locking the third driven gear 128 to output shaft 126 . the third drive gear 122 has a rotational speed 160 f and applies torque and rotates the output shaft 126 . in this example , the second hydraulic clutch 118 is shown still activated and first hydraulic clutch 114 is shown deactivated . however , any combination of the hydraulic clutches 114 and 118 may be released or not released after hydraulic clutch 130 is activated . for example , it is possible for all three hydraulic clutches to be engaged without gears binding . the third drive gear 122 generates a rotational speed 160 g in the third driven gear 128 which in turn creates a rotational speed 160 h in the output shaft 126 . in this embodiment the gear ratio between the third driven gear 128 and the third drive gear 122 is lower than the gear ratio between the second driven gear 134 and the second drive gear 120 . the gear ratio between the second driven gear 134 and the second drive gear 120 is lower than the gear ratio between the first driven gear 138 and the first drive gear 116 . thus , the rotational speed 160 h will be faster than both the rotational speed of the first driven gear 138 and faster than the rotational speed of the second driven gear 134 . accordingly , the second one - way bearing 132 disengages the second driven gear 134 from output shaft 126 and the first one - way bearing 136 keeps the first driven gear 138 disengaged from output shaft 126 . thus , the transmission system 14 moves into third drive gear 122 without having to mechanically coordinate the disengagement of the other gears 116 and 120 . a reverse process is used to downshift from the drive gear 122 back down to gears 120 or 116 . conventional transmission systems have to simultaneously modulate both the deactivation of one gear clutch and the activation of another gear clutch requiring a high degree of coordination to achieve smooth shifting . however , in the transmission system 14 , different hydraulic clutches can remain engaged during upshifting and downshifting operations because of the overrunning capability of the associated one - way bearings . as the transmission system 14 shifts , one gear starts to transmit torque and stops overrunning as another gear is disengaged . for example , the second hydraulic clutch 118 can be engaged while the third hydraulic clutch 130 is disengaged . this allows the second drive gear 120 to eventually start rotating the second driven gear 134 faster than the output shaft 126 . the second one - way bearing 132 then engages the second driven gear 134 with the output shaft 126 and allows the second drive gear 120 to start applying torque to the output shaft 126 . similarly , the first hydraulic clutch 114 can be engaged while the second hydraulic clutch 118 is disengaged . the first one - way bearing 136 locks the first driven gear 138 with output shaft 126 when the rotational speed of the first driven gear 138 overtakes the rotational speed of output shaft 126 . the first drive gear 116 then starts applying torque to the output shaft 126 . there is a relatively smooth transition from the third drive gear 122 to the second drive gear 120 and from the second drive gear 120 to the first drive gear 116 . this is due to the one - way bearings 132 and 136 only locking the output shaft 126 with driven gears 134 and 138 , respectively , when the speed of the driven gears overtake the rotational speed of output shaft 126 . thus , the vehicle jerking that normally occurs in conventional transmission systems when transitioning between gears may be reduced . during “ free wheeling ” when going down a grade in first drive gear 116 , the output shaft 126 may overrun the first driven gear 138 . one control strategy is to shift to third drive gear 122 and let third driven gear 128 provide some degree of engine braking . the clutch system 142 located in the drive axle assembly 34 in fig1 can also be used for braking the vehicle 10 . fig4 shows a control system for the vehicle 10 and transmission system 14 previously shown in fig1 - 3c . a central processing unit ( cpu ) 40 controls the activation of hydraulic clutch packs 114 , 118 , and 130 in the transmission system 14 according to different vehicle parameters . a control valve 16 in the transmission 14 controls fluid pressure that controls the activation of the clutch packs 114 , 118 , and 130 . the cpu 40 receives a vehicle speed and direction signal 18 from a vehicle speed sensor 200 that indicates the transmission output shaft rotational speed ( toss ) and direction of the output shaft 126 . an engine rotations per minute ( erpm ) signal 30 is generated from an engine speed sensor 204 and indicates how fast the input shaft 112 ( fig1 ) connected to the engine 12 is rotating . an engine governor control signal 32 controls a throttle valve 206 that controls the speed of engine 12 . a transmission temperature signal 28 is generated by a temperature sensor 208 and identifies the temperature of the transmission fluid in the transmission 14 . the cpu 40 receives a brake pedal position signal 42 from a brake pedal position sensor 210 on brake pedal 43 . an accelerator pedal position signal 44 is received from an accelerator pedal position sensor 212 on accelerator pedal 50 . the accelerator pedal position can alternatively correspond to a throttle value , acceleration value , or deceleration value . a forward - reverse direction signal 46 is generated by a direction lever or pedal 52 and indicates a forward or backward direction the vehicle operator selects for the vehicle 10 . an internal or external memory 48 contains mapped parameters identifying clutch pressure values and other control and speed parameters used for performing different braking and shifting operations . some of the parameters stored in memory 48 are described in more detail below in fig5 - 7 . the hydraulic clutches 114 , 118 , and 130 , in combination with one - way bearings 136 and 132 selectively engage and disengage the input shaft 112 with the output shaft 126 as described above . the engaging force of the hydraulic clutches 114 , 118 , and 130 are controlled by changing the oil pressure in the clutch chambers . the oil pressure in the clutch chambers is controlled by the control value 16 which is controlled by the cpu 40 . control valve clutch signal 22 controls the oil pressure in the first hydraulic clutch pack 114 , control valve signal 24 controls the oil pressure in the second hydraulic clutch pack 118 , and control valve signal 26 controls the oil pressure in the third hydraulic clutch pack 130 . where the drive axle clutch system 142 in fig1 is used , one or more signals 70 control the oil pressure ( s ) for the clutch system 142 ( fig1 ) in the drive axle assembly 34 . pressure sensor signal 56 indicates the amount of pressure applied by the control valve 16 in the hydraulic clutch pack 114 . pressure sensor signal 60 indicates the amount of pressure applied in the hydraulic clutch pack 118 and pressure sensor signal 64 indicates the amount of pressure applied by the control valve 16 to the hydraulic clutch pack 130 . when hydraulic clutch packs are used in the drive axle 34 , one or more pressure sensor signals 72 indicate the amount of pressure applied to the hydraulic clutch packs 142 . when a conventional drive axle is used , pressure sensor signal 72 is not used . the cpu 40 uses the signals 56 , 60 , and 64 to determine the amount of slipping in the hydraulic clutch packs 114 , 118 , and 130 , respectively . when any of the clutch pressures are zero , the particular hydraulic clutch 114 , 118 , or 130 disengages that associated gear from the input shaft 112 or output shaft 126 . when the clutch pressure for any of the hydraulic clutch packs is at a maximum pressure , the corresponding clutch pack maximizes the engaging force between the associated shaft and gear ( locking ). when the clutch pack pressure is between zero and the maximum value , the corresponding clutch pack is partially engaged . the partially engaged condition is referred to as “ clutch pack slipping .” as mentioned above , the drive axle 34 can be a conventional drive axle that does not use hydraulic clutch packs . however , when located in the drive axle assembly 34 , the clutch system 142 permits the application of torque from the engine 12 to be separated from clutch pack braking . this permits engine speed control independent of ground speed . for example , an operator may wish to speed up the engine 12 for hydraulic operations while decreasing the vehicle travel speed . this can be performed automatically by having the cpu 40 disengage the transmission 14 and apply clutch pack braking in the drive axle assembly 34 . fig5 is a flow diagram describing one way the control system in fig4 operates when the vehicle 10 is stopped in state 300 . in operation 302 , the cpu 40 receives a command to move the vehicle 10 . for example , the cpu 40 may receive the accelerator pedal position signal 44 responsive to the accelerator pedal position ( app ) of accelerator pedal 50 . in operation 304 , the first hydraulic clutch 114 is slipped by the cpu 40 by controlling the amount of pressure supplied by control valve 16 via signal 22 . the slipping of the first hydraulic clutch 114 limits torque , preventing engine 12 from stalling , and reduces drive gear engagement shock to the drive axle assembly 34 and the vehicle operator . this clutch pack slipping replaces at least one of the functions of a torque converter , namely preventing the engine 12 from stalling when the vehicle 10 starts moving from a stopped position . selected clutches in clutch system 142 when used in the drive axle 34 are also engaged in operation 304 according to the selected travel direction and slope of the vehicle 10 . for example , a first set of clutches in clutch system 142 may be selected for engagement by cpu 40 via signals 70 to move the vehicle 10 in a forward direction and a second set of clutches in clutch system 142 may be selected for engagement by the cpu 40 to move the vehicle 10 in the reverse direction . the direction of the vehicle 10 may be determined by the cpu 40 via the direction sensor signal 46 . in operation 306 , the cpu 40 continues to increase the pressure supplied by control valve 16 to the first hydraulic clutch 114 and correspondingly increases the amount of torque supplied by the engine 12 to the drive axle 34 according to operator intent . for example , the cpu 40 continuously monitors the position of accelerator pedal 50 to determine how much pressure and associated slipping to apply in the first hydraulic clutch pack 114 using signal 22 and to determine what speed to run engine 12 using signal 32 . the cpu 40 in operations 304 and 306 continues to increase pressure until engagement of the first hydraulic clutch 114 is finished . for example , when the operator stops depressing accelerator pedal 50 , the cpu 40 may determine that the first hydraulic clutch 114 has the correct amount of slippage and the engine 12 is providing the correct amount of torque to drive axle 34 . the cpu 40 may continue to increase pressure to the first hydraulic clutch 114 in operations 304 and 306 until the first hydraulic clutch 114 completely locks input shaft 112 to the first driven gear 116 in operation 308 and while the drive axle clutches in clutch system 142 remain engaged . the vehicle 10 is now moving and the start up sequence for the vehicle 10 performed by the cpu 40 is completed in operation 310 . fig6 is a state diagram further explaining how the transmission system 14 shifts between different gears . the example described below shows transitions between three different gears . however , more or fewer than three gears can be used in the transmission system 14 . transitions between additional gears would operate similarly to the transitions between the second and third gears as described below . fig6 illustrates normal up and down shifting and also shows how the first gear is torque limited to prevent engine stalling and to prevent overloading the drive axle . in one embodiment , the operations described in fig6 are controlled by the cpu 40 previously shown in fig4 . example control valve pressures are used in fig6 for illustrative purposes but alternative pressures can be used to provide similar clutch pack modulations . in this example , a 0 pounds per square inch ( psi ) pressure is associated with a completely unlocked hydraulic clutch . a 20 psi hydraulic clutch pressure is associated with a touch point where the clutch is just starting to transfer torque to the drive axle 34 . a 40 psi pressure represents a clutch that is lightly engaged ( slipping ) and transfers only a partial amount of torque to reduce impact on the vehicle when a one - way bearing is initially engaged . a 140 psi pressure is associated with a fully locked hydraulic clutch . the cpu 40 can determine from the gear ratios currently being used in the transmission system 14 , engine rotations per minute ( erpm ) 30 , and transmission output shaft speed ( toss ) 18 ( see fig4 ) when there is zero slip in a particular hydraulic clutch 114 , 118 , or 130 . travel downshift speed values and travel upshift speed values as described below are predetermined variables based on accelerator pedal position 44 and erpm 30 . the vehicle 10 and transmission system 14 are initially in a neutral state 320 . a vehicle move command condition 321 moves the transmission system into a first gear slip state 322 . the pressure in the first hydraulic clutch 114 is decreased if the erpm is less than a predetermined engine stall speed . otherwise , the pressure in the first clutch is increased . varying the clutch pressure is alternatively referred to as modulation . when the measured clutch slip in condition 323 is zero , the first clutch 114 is locked by increasing the clutch pressure to 140 psi . the transmission system also moves into a first gear locked state 324 . if the erpms drop down below a predetermined downshift speed # 1 in condition 325 , the cpu moves the transmission system back into first gear slip state 322 . the cpu uses a first gear modulation chart in memory 48 to determine what pressures to then apply to the first clutch 114 . in this example , the cpu starts at 40 psi to reduce the torque on the engine 12 and then varies the clutch pressure according to the accelerator pedal position 44 , erpm 30 , and toss 18 . otherwise , the transmission system stays in the first gear locked state 324 until the erpm rises above a predetermined upshift speed # 1 in condition 326 . when the erpm rises above the upshift speed # 1 value , the cpu moves the transmission system into second gear slip state 327 . in this example , the cpu starts the pressure in the second hydraulic clutch 118 at 20 psi while keeping the first hydraulic clutch 114 in a fully locked condition . while in the second gear slip state 327 , the cpu increases or modulates the pressure based on mappings of the accelerator pedal position 44 , erpm 30 and toss 18 in the second gear modulation chart . if the erpm drops below the down shift speed # 1 value in condition 328 , the cpu 40 moves the transmission system back into the first gear slip state 322 and the first gear modulation pressure starts at 40 psi in the first gear modulation chart . the clutch pressure is set to 40 psi to quickly move the hydraulic clutch 118 to a beginning initial slipping condition . while in second gear slip state 327 , the cpu continues to increase the pressure in hydraulic clutch 118 until the second clutch 118 has zero slip in condition 329 . the pressure is then set to 140 psi to solidly hold the hydraulic clutch 118 in a second gear locked state 340 . the pressure in the first hydraulic clutch 114 is also set to 40 psi allowing the transmission system to quickly respond to any downshift back to first gear slip state 322 . in second gear locked state 340 , a reduction of the erpm below a predetermined down shift speed # 2 value in condition 341 causes the cpu to move back to first gear slip state 322 . the pressure in clutch 118 is reduced down to 0 psi and the first clutch 114 is entered at 40 psi in the first gear modulation chart . the controlled reduction of the pressure in the second clutch 118 down to 0 psi reduces vehicle jolt that could happen if the second gear were instantly disengaged . if the erpm rises above a predetermined upshift speed # 2 in condition 342 , the cpu moves the transmission system into a third gear slip state 343 and starts hydraulic clutch 130 at 20 psi in a third gear modulation chart . the cpu continues to modulate / increase the pressure in the hydraulic clutch 130 . if the erpm drops below a predetermined downshift speed # 3 value in condition 344 , the cpu moves the transmission back to the second gear slip state 327 and starts with 40 psi in the second gear modulation chart . otherwise , the cpu in third gear slip state 343 continues to increase the pressure in the third hydraulic clutch 130 until there is zero clutch slip in condition 345 . the cpu then sets the pressure in hydraulic clutch 130 to 140 psi and moves into third gear locked state 346 . the second gear pressure is also reduced down to 40 psi to provide a quick response to any transmission transitions back to second gear slip state 327 . the transmission system stays in the third gear locked state 346 unless the erpm falls below the downshift speed # 3 value in condition 347 . in this case , the transmission system moves back into second gear slip state 327 , the pressure in the hydraulic clutch 130 is modulated down to 0 psi , and the cpu starts the second clutch 118 at 40 psi in the second gear modulation chart . the system described above provides relatively simple transitions between gears without requiring precise synchronized engagement and disengagement of different clutches during gear transitions . clutches do not have to be fully disengaged during a gear transition therefore partially engaged or disengaged clutches will not create unnecessary heat and reduce the overall efficiency of the transmission system 14 . additional gears and equivalent modulation states could be included in the transmission system 14 . the different down shift values , upshift values , gear modulation charts , and psi pressures can vary for different types of vehicles and different types of transmission systems . fig7 is a flow diagram describing in more detail how the cpu 40 controls the hydraulic clutches when the vehicle 10 is located on an inclined grade . as mentioned above , the transmission system 14 can operate with any type of conventional drive axle with directional control . however , in one embodiment the transmission system 14 may operate in conjunction with the clutch system 142 shown in fig1 . a base braking torque is defined in a look up table contained in memory 48 ( fig4 ) as the minimal braking torque . the base braking torque value may be determined by experimenting with the lowest value that prevents the vehicle 10 from rolling on a grade with a given slope . the purpose of the minimal fixed torque is to stop the vehicle 10 on flat terrain and prevent or limit rolling on a grade . when the vehicle 10 is stopped in operation 350 , the cpu 40 in operation 352 disengages the hydraulic clutches in the transmission system 14 and fully engages all the direction clutches in the clutch system 142 in the drive axle 34 . when the vehicle 10 is commanded to move forward or reverse in operation 354 , the cpu 40 slips the first hydraulic clutch 114 and keeps the selected clutch engaged in operation 356 and at the same time decreases and modulates the opposing travel direction clutches in the clutch system 142 to a minimal value to prevent the vehicle 10 from jerking in the selected direction . the vehicle 10 then starts moving . if the vehicle 10 starts moving in the opposite direction in operation 358 , the cpu 40 increases the engagement of the first hydraulic clutch 114 in operation 360 . if the vehicle 10 continues to move in the opposite direction in operation 362 , the cpu 40 further increases engagement of the first hydraulic clutch 114 in operation 360 . when the vehicle 10 starts moving in the selected direction and the acceleration pedal position is greater than a threshold value , the cpu 40 fully releases ( neutralizes ) the opposing direction clutch ( es ) in clutch system 142 in operation 366 . the cpu 40 in operation 368 fully engages the first hydraulic clutch 114 when the vehicle speed indicated by speed and direction signal 18 is greater than a calculated engine stall speed . thus , control system shown above controls torque to prevent engine stall and clutch damage due to overheating . torque control is accomplished by slipping the selected direction clutches in the clutch system 142 , or in the first hydraulic clutch 114 . the clutch pressure is derived from a calculated engine stall torque . the engine 12 will not be reduced below a minimum speed which maintains enough torque plus a pre - set safety margin to prevent stalling . if the clutch energy exceeds a limit , the torque capacity of the clutch is reduced by reducing clutch pressure or fully disengaging the clutch to prevent damage . engine speed will be commanded by the cpu 40 to a minimum torque without stalling . if the clutch energy limit is exceeded , then slipping may alternate between the selected direction clutch ( es ) in clutch system 142 and the first hydraulic clutch 114 , while maintaining a constant transmitted torque . a software clutch energy estimator that monitors clutch heat can be implemented by cpu 40 according to oil temperature , clutch pressure , cooling rate , and slip rate measured via the cpu 40 and the sensors in fig4 . when the estimated clutch energy is reduced to an acceptable value , then clutch torque can be increased smoothly within thermal limits to fully re - engage normal driving torque and vehicle performance during subsequent engine braking , the highest third gear hydraulic clutch 130 can be engaged to connect the engine 12 with output shaft 126 . the system described above can use dedicated processor systems , micro controllers , programmable logic devices , or microprocessors that perform some or all of the operations . some of the operations described above may be implemented in software and other operations may be implemented in hardware . for the sake of convenience , the operations are described as various interconnected functional blocks or distinct software modules . this is not necessary , however , and there may be cases where these functional blocks or modules are equivalently aggregated into a single logic device , program or operation with unclear boundaries . in any event , the functional blocks and software modules or features of the flexible interface can be implemented by themselves , or in combination with other operations in either hardware or software . having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in a preferred embodiment thereof , it should be apparent that the invention may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles . i / we claim all modifications and variation coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims .

US-201013202173-A

an improved process for preparing zsm - 5 zeolite , and a product thereof , is disclosed . the process uses an organic anionic directing agent of the formula ## str1 ## wherein a is a cation having a valence m , r &# 39 ; is an inorganic or an organic acid moiety , and r &# 34 ; is a linear or branched aliphatic , aromatic or alkyl aromatic group . the zsm - 5 zeolite is synthesized at the sio 2 / al 2 o 3 molar ratios of 30 to 1000 .

crystallization can be carried out at either static or stirred conditions in a reactor vessel , e . g ., a polypropylene jar , teflon lined or stainless steel autoclaves , at about 100 ° c . to about 200 ° c . for about six ( 6 ) hours to about 60 days . preferably , the crystallization temperature is maintained at about 150 ° to about 175 ° c ., with the crystallization time at that temperature being from about twelve ( 12 ) hours to about eight ( 8 ) days . the zsm - 5 zeolite is prepared utilizing materials which supply the appropriate oxide . such materials include sodium aluminate and alumina , as sources of alumina , sodium silicate , silica hydrosol , silica gel , silica acid , as sources of silica , sodium hydroxide , potassium hydroxide , magnesium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide , as sources of alkali metals or alkaline earth metals , and a source of the anionic organic compound . suitable sources of oxides of the anionic organic compounds are aqueous solutions thereof , which may be commercially available , e . g ., aerosol a - 102 and aerosol a - 103 , both discussed below . in the preferred embodiment , the anionic organic compound is aerosol a - 102 or aerosol a - 103 , both anionic surfactants which are half esters of sulfosuccinic acid ( aerosol a - 102 and aerosol a - 103 are trademarks of , and are commercially available from , the american cyanamid company , process chemicals department , wayne , n . j . 07470 ). aerosol a - 102 is the most preferred organic directing agent . in this connection , aerosol a - 102 and aerosol a - 103 have the following general chemical formula : ## str5 ## wherein , in aerosol a - 102 , r &# 34 ; is c 10 h 21 ( och 2 ch 2 ) 5 --, and in aerosol a - 103 , r &# 34 ; is ## str6 ## the reaction mixture is maintained at the synthesis conditions until crystals of zsm - 5 zeolite are formed . the solid crystals are then separated from the reaction mixture , e . g ., by cooling the reaction mixture to room temperature , filtering out and water - washing the crystals . the product crystals are then dried in a conventional manner , e . g ., at 230 ° f . ( 110 ° c . ), for about 8 to about 24 hours . it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that milder drying conditions , e . g ., room temperature under vacuum , can also be employed . as noted above , in the as - synthesized form , the zsm - 5 zeolite prepared in the process of the present invention has a calculated composition in terms of moles of oxides , after dehydration , per 100 moles of silica , as follows : wherein r is the anionic organic compound , and m is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal having a valence n . in the above empirical formula for the as - synthesized zsm - 5 zeolite , it is understood that there must always be sufficient cations to completely balance the electrovalence of the lattice aluminum . in those instances wherein greater amounts of cations are present than are necessary to balance the aluminum charge , the excess amount of cations may be present in the zeolite in the form of occluded compounds or structural defects formed from these cations . the zsm - 5 zeolite synthesized in accordance with the process of the present invention has the characteristics x - ray diffraction pattern of a zsm - 5 zeolite , the values of the significant lines of the latter being set forth below in table i . table i______________________________________interplanar spacing d ( å ): relative intensity______________________________________11 . 1 ± 0 . 2 s . 10 . 0 ± 0 . 2 s . 7 . 4 ± 0 . 15 w . 7 . 1 ± 0 . 15 w . 6 . 3 ± 0 . 1 w . 6 . 04 ± 0 . 1 w . 5 . 97 ± 0 . 1 w . 5 . 56 ± 0 . 1 w . 5 . 01 ± 0 . 1 w . 4 . 60 ± 0 . 08 w . 4 . 25 ± 0 . 08 w . 3 . 85 ± 0 . 07 v . s . 3 . 71 ± 0 . 05 s . 3 . 04 ± 0 . 03 w . 2 . 99 ± 0 . 02 w . 2 . 94 ± 0 . 02 w . ______________________________________ these values were determined by standard techniques . the radiation was the k - alpha doublet of copper , and a scintillation counter spectrometer with a strip chart pen recorder was used . the peak heights , i , and the positions as a function of 2 times theta , where theta is the bragg angle , were read from the spectrometer chart . from these , the relative intensities , 100 i / i o , where i o is the intensity of the strongest line or peak , and d ( obs .) the interplanar spacing in a , corresponding to the recorded lines , were calculated . in table i , the relative intensities are given in terms of the symbols s .= strong , m .= medium , m . s .= medium strong , m . w .= medium weak , and v . s .= very strong . it should be understood that this x - ray diffraction pattern is characteristic of all the species of zsm - 5 compositions . ion exchange of the sodium ion with cations reveals substantially the same pattern with some minor shifts in interplanar spacing and variation in relative intensity . other minor variations can occur , depending on the silicon to aluminum ratio of the particular sample , as well as if it had been subjected to thermal treatment . the zsm - 5 zeolite prepared herein freely sorbs normal hexane and has a pore dimension greater than about 5 angstroms . in addition , the structure of the zeolite must provide constrained access to larger molecules . it is sometimes possible to judge from a known crystal structure whether such constrained access exists . for example , if the only pore windows in a crystal are formed by 8 - membered rings of silicon and aluminum atoms , then access by molecules of larger cross - section than normal hexane is excluded and the zeolite is not of the desired type . windows of 10 - membered rings are preferred , although , in some instances , excessive puckering or pore blockage may render these zeolites ineffective . twelve - membered rings do not generally appear to offer sufficient constraint to produce the advantageous hydrocarbon conversions , although puckered structures exist such as tma offretite which is a known effective zeolite . also , such twelve - membered structures can be conceived that may be operative due to pore blockage or other causes . rather than attempt to judge from crystal structure whether or not a zeolite possesses the necessary constrained access , a simple determination of the &# 34 ; constraint index &# 34 ; may be made by passing continuously a mixture of an equal weight of normal hexane and 3 - methylpentane over a sample of zeolite at atmospheric pressure according to the following procedure . a sample of the zeolite , in the form of pellets or extrudates , is crushed to a particle size about that of coarse sand and mounted in a glass tube . prior to testing , the zeolite is treated with a stream of air at 1000 ° f . for at least 15 minutes . the zeolite is then flushed with helium and the temperature adjusted to between about 550 ° f . ( 288 ° c .) and about 950 ° f . ( 510 ° c .) to give an overall conversion between 10 % and 60 %. the mixture of hydrocarbons is passed at a 1 liquid hourly space velocity ( lhsv ), i . e ., 1 volume of liquid hydrocarbon per volume of zeolite per hour , over the zeolite with a helium dilution to give a helium to total hydrocarbon mole ratio of 4 : 1 . after 20 minutes on stream , a sample of the effluent is taken and analyzed , most conveniently by gas chromatography , to determine the fraction remaining unchanged for each of the two hydrocarbons . the constraint index approximates the ratio of the cracking rate constants for the two hydrocarbons . the zsm - 5 zeolite has a constraint index of about 8 . 3 at 800 ° f . ( 427 ° c .). constraint index ( ci ) values for some other typical zeolites are : ______________________________________zeolite c . i . ______________________________________zsm - 11 8 . 7zsm - 12 2zsm - 23 9 . 1zsm - 38 2zsm - 35 4 . 5clinoptilolite 3 . 4tma offretite 3 . 7beta 0 . 6zsm - 4 0 . 5h - zeolon 0 . 4rey 0 . 4amorphous silica - alumina 0 . 6 ( non - zeolite ) erionite 38______________________________________ it is to be realized that the above constraint index values typically characterize the specified zeolites but that these are the cumulative result of several variables used in determination and calculation thereof . thus , for a given zeolite depending on the temperature employed within the aforesaid range of 550 ° f . to 950 ° f ., with accompanying conversion between 10 % and 60 %, the constraint index may vary within the indicated approximate range of 1 to 12 . likewise , other variables such as the crystal size of the zeolite , the presence of possible occluded contaminants and binders intimately combined with the zeolite , may affect the constraint index . it will accordingly be understood by those skilled in the art that the constraint index , as utilized herein , while affording a highly useful means for characterizing the zeolites of interest is an approximation , taking into consideration the manner of its determination , with probability , in some instances , of compounding variable extremes . while the above experimental procedure will enable one to achieve the desired overall conversion of 10 to 60 % for most catalyst samples and represents preferred conditions , it may occasionally be necessary to use somewhat more severe conditions for samples of very low activity , such as those having a very high silica to alumina mole ratio . in those instances , a temperature of up to about 1000 ° f . and a liquid hourly space velocity of less than one , such as 0 . 1 or less , can be employed in order to achieve a minimum total conversion of about 10 %. the present method of synthesizing zsm - 5 zeolite is more economical than the conventional previously - used syntheses methods because the anionic organic compounds or templates used in the synthesis method of the present invention are commercially available in bulk quantities at a relatively low cost , and because the organic anionic templating agents used herein are highly water soluble and therefore can be easily disposed of at a reasonable cost . organic cationic templates , such as quaternary ammonium compounds , heretofore conventionally used in zsm - 5 synthesis , usually were not commercially available , and their by - products were not easily soluble in water , both of which factors contributed to the high cost of manufacturing of zsm - 5 zeolite . in addition , aerosol a - 102 and aerosol a - 103 , the preferred directing agents of the present invention , appear to be non - toxic , e . g ., non - dermatitic . the original cations and anions of the as - synthesized zsm - 5 can be replaced in accordance with techniques well known in the art , at least in part , by ion exchange with other ions . preferred replacing cations include metal ions , ammonium ions , hydrogen ions and mixtures thereof . particularly preferred cations are those which render the zeolite catalytically active , especially for hydrocarbon conversion . these include hydrogen , rare earth metals , aluminum metals of groups iia , iiib , ivb , vib , viii , ib , iib , iiia and iva . of the replacing metallic cations , particular preference is given to cations of metals , such as rare earth metals , mn , ca , mg , zn , cd , pd , ni , co , ti , al , sn , fe and cu . preferred replacing anions include halides , nitrates , sulfates , bicarbonates , acetates and oxalates . a typical ion exchange technique comprises contacting the synthetic zsm - 5 zeolite with a salt of the desired replacing anions or cations . although a wide variety of salts can be employed , particular preference is given to the chlorides , nitrates and sulfates . representative ion exchange techniques are disclosed in a wide variety of patents including u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 140 , 249 , 3 , 140 , 251 and 3 , 140 , 253 , the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference . the cations and the anions of the as - synthesized zsm - 5 zeolite of the present invention can be replaced in accordance with the teachings of the aforementioned patents . following contact with the salt solution of the desired replacing cation or anion , the zeolite is preferably washed with water and dried at a temperature ranging from about 150 ° f . to about 600 ° f . and thereafter may be calcined in air or other inert gas at temperatures ranging from about 500 ° f . to 1500 ° f . for periods of time ranging from 1 to 48 hours or more to produce a catalytically - active thermal decomposition product thereof . regardless of the ion replacing the cations or anions in the as - synthesized form of the zsm - 5 , the spatial arrangement of the aluminum , silicon and oxygen atoms which form the basic crystal lattices of zsm - 5 remains essentially unchanged by the described replacement of the original anions and cations as determined by taking an x - ray powder diffraction pattern of the ion - exchanged material . the hereby - prepared zeolite zsm - 5 may be used in a wide variety of organic compound conversion processes , e . g . hydrocarbon compounds and oxygenates , such as methanol conversion . such processes include , for example , alkylation of aromatics with olefins , aromatization of normally gaseous olefins and paraffins , aromatization of normally liquid low molecular weight paraffins and olefins , isomerization of aromatics , paraffins and olefins , disproportionation of aromatics , transalkylation of aromatics , oligomerization of olefins and cracking and hydrocracking . synthetic zsm - 5 zeolites prepared in accordance with this invention can be used either in the organic anion - containing or alkali metal form and hydrogen form or another univalent or multivalent cationic form . they can also be used in intimate combination with a hydrogenating component such as tungsten , vanadium , molbydenum , rhenium , nickel , cobalt , chromium , manganese , or with a noble metal , such as platinum or palladium , where a hydrogenation - dehydrogenation function is to be performed . such components can be exchanged into the composition , impregnated therein or physically intinately admixed therewith . such components can be impregnated in or on to zsm - 5 , such as , for example , by , in the case of platinum , treating the zeolite with a platinum metal - containing ion . suitable platinum compounds for this purpose include chloroplatinic acid , platinous chloride and various compounds containing the platinum amine complex . combinations of metals and methods for their introduction into the zeolite can also be used . the zsm - 5 zeolite prepared in accordance with the synthesis method of the present invention tends to form crystalline particles of a relatively large size , i . e ., about 4 - 6 microns ( μ ). in addition , there is also a tendency for smaller size crystals ( about 0 . 5μ ) to crystallize on the surface of the large size crystals . however , under certain conditions , increasing the concentration of the anionic template suppresses the crystallization of the smaller size crystals ( see examples below ). in the case of many catalysts , including the zsm - 5 zeolite , it is desired to incorporate the new crystal with another material resistant to the temperatures and other conditions employed in organic conversion processes . such materials include active and inactive materials and synthetic or naturally occurring zeolites as well as inorganic materials , such as clays , silica and / or metal oxides . the clays , silica and / or metal oxides may be either naturally occurring or in the form of gelatinous precipitates or gels including mixtures of silica and metal oxides . the use of such an additional active material in conjunction with the zsm - 5 crystal , i . e ., combined therewith , tends to improve the conversion and / or selectivity of the catalyst in certain organic conversion processes . inactive materials suitably serve as diluents to control the amount of conversion in a given process , so that conversion products can be obtained economically and orderly without employing other means for controlling the rate of reaction . these materials may be incorporated into naturally occurring clays , e . g ., bentonite and kaolin , to improve the crush strength of the catalyst under commercial operating conditions . such materials , e . g ., clays or oxides , function as binders for the catalyst . it is desirable to provide a catalyst having good crush strength because in commercial use it is desirable to prevent the catalyst from beaking down into powder - like materials . these clay binders are normally employed for the purpose of improving the crush strength of the catalyst , and they can be employed to perform the same function in combination with the zsm - 5 zeolite of the present invention . naturally occurring clays which can be composited with the zsm - 5 zeolite of this invention include the montmorillonite and kaolin family , which families include the subbentonites , and the kaolins commonly known as dixie , mcnamee - georgia and florida clays or others in which the main mineral constituent is halloysite , kaolinite , dickite , nacrite , or anauxite . such clays can be used in the raw state as originally mined or initially subjected to calcination , acid treatment or chemical modification . binders useful for composing with the zsm - 5 crystal of this invention also include inorganic oxides , notably alumina . in addition to the foregoing materials , the zsm - 5 zeolite can be composited with a porous matrix material such as silica - alumina , silica - magnesia , silica - zirconia , silica - thoria , silica - beryllia , silica - titania , as well as ternary compositions such as silica - alumina - thoria , silica - alumina - zirconia , silica - alumina - magneia and silica - magnesia - zirconia . the relative proportions of finely divided crystalline material and inorganic oxide gel matrix vary widely , with the crystal content ranging from about 1 to about 90 percent by weight . in order to more fully illustrate the nature of the invention and the manner of practicing same , the following non - limiting examples are presented below . this example illustrates the synthesis of zsm - 5 zeolite with disodium ethoxylated alcohol half ester of sulfosuccinic acid having a formula weight , f . w ., of 632 ( available commercially under the name of aerosol a - 102 from the american cyanamid co .). to 2 . 43 grams of aluminum sulfate , al 2 ( so 4 ) 3 . 16h 2 o , were added , first , 121 grams of distilled water , then 3 . 0 grams of concentrated ( 96 %) h 2 so 4 . this mixture was stirred at room temperature until all the aluminum sulfate dissolved . to this solution , 18 . 9 grams of aerosol a - 102 ( 31 % aqueous ) was added and stirring was continued for another five minutes . this solution was then transferred to a 300 ml stainless steel autoclave . to the solution in the autoclave , 50 . 0 grams of q - broad sodium silicate was added with stirring . the hydrogel which formed was stirred vigorously with a spatula for two minutes , until it had a uniform consistency , then the autoclave was sealed and stirring and heating begun . the reaction mixture was maintained at 160 ° c ., with stirring , for 120 hours at autogenous pressure . at the end of this period , the autoclave was quenched in an ice - water mixture to terminate the synthesis . the reaction products from the autoclave were first filtered on a buchner funnel . after filtration , the crystalline aluminosilicate product was transferred to a beaker of distilled water and boiled on a hot plate for 30 minutes , with stirring , to remove surface adsorbed surfactant . after this boiling procedure , the aluminosilicate product was again filtered on a buchner funnel , washed several times with distilled water , and finally dried under an infrared heat lamp in flowing air . a sample of this dried aluminosilicate product was taken for x - ray analysis . the x - ray powder diffraction pattern of this material identified the crystalline product as zeolite zsm - 5 . a sample of the material was also submitted for chemical analysis , the results of which are set forth below in table iv . zsm - 5 zeolite was synthesized in these examples in exactly the same manner as in example 1 , except that different reactants , as noted in table ii , below , were used in the synthesis . in some examples , instead of the aerosol a - 102 , aerosol a - 103 ( also a trademark of and available from the american cyanamid co . ), which is a disodium ethoxylated nonylphenol half ester of sulfosuccinic acid ( f . w .= 872 ) was used as the anionic organic template . aluminum sulfate , al 2 ( so 4 ) 3 . 16h 2 o , or sodium aluminate , naalo 2 , were used as sources of alumina , as noted in table ii . silica sol ( manufactured by matheson , coleman and bell , manufacturing chemists , norwood , ohio ) comprising about 30 % by weight of silica , sio 2 , and about 70 % by weight of water , or q - brand sodium silicate ( manufactured by p . q . corporation , p . o . box 840 , valley forge , pa 19482 ), comprising 27 . 8 % by weight of sio 2 , 8 . 4 % by weight of na 2 o , and the remainder water , were used as sources of silica . the initial oh - / sio 2 mole ratio in the reaction mixtures was adjusted with naoh , when silica sol was employed , and with h 2 so 4 , when q - brand sodium silicate was used . table ii also gives a summary of data of reaction mixture compositions for each example , reaction time and product identification . the zeolite products were identified by x - ray powder diffraction analysis . the lines of the x - ray diffraction pattern of the as - synthesized zsm - 5 zeolite of example 4 are set forth in table iii . product compositions , determined by chemical analysis for zeolites of some examples , are set forth in table iv . table ii__________________________________________________________________________crystallization of zsm - 5 with anionic surfactants mixture composition ( mole ratios ). sup . a time onanionic silica alumina sio . sub . 2 oh . sup .- na . sup .+ r streamexamplesurfactant ( r ) source source al . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 sio . sub . 2 sio . sub . 2 sio . sub . 2 ( hours ) product__________________________________________________________________________2 aerosol a - 102 . sup . b silica sol naalo . sub . 2 90 0 . 20 0 . 22 0 . 02cristobalite 72 90 % zsm - 5 + α3 aerosol a - 102 q - brand al . sub . 2 ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 3 . 16h . sub . 2 o 90 0 . 20 0 . 59 0 . 04 96 100 % zsm - 54 aerosol a - 102 q - brand al . sub . 2 ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 3 . 16h . sub . 2 o 90 0 . 20 0 . 59 0 . 08 72 100 % zsm - 55 aerosol a - 103 . sup . c q - brand al . sub . 2 ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 3 . 16h . sub . 2 o 90 0 . 20 0 . 59 0 . 02cristobalite 144 80 % zsm - 5 + α6 aerosol a - 102 q - brand al . sub . 2 ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 3 . 16h . sub . 2 o 200 0 . 20 0 . 59 0 . 08 72 10 % zsm - 5 + sio . sub . 2 + cristobalite α7 aerosol a - 102 q - brand al . sub . 2 ( so . sub . 4 ). sub . 3 . 16h . sub . 2 o 200 0 . 30 0 . 59 0 . 08cristobalite 72 25 % zsm - 5 + α8 aerosol a - 103 silica sol naalo . sub . 2 200 0 . 20 0 . 21 0 . 04cristobalite 72 30 % zsm - 5 + α9 aerosol a - 102 q - brand none ∞ 0 . 30 0 . 59 0 . 04 72 zsm - 1410 aerosol a - 102 q - brand none ∞ 0 . 30 0 . 59 0 . 08 72 α - cristobalite__________________________________________________________________________ only . sup . a h . sub . 2 o / sio . sub . 2 = 40 in all examples . sup . b aerosol a102 ( 31 wt . % aqueous ); f . w . = 632 . sup . c aerosol a103 ( 34 wt . % aqueous ); f . w . = 872 table iii______________________________________ d - spacingn å 2θ 100i / io______________________________________ 1 11 . 1781 7 . 903 43 . 67 2 10 . 0299 8 . 809 31 . 37 3 9 . 7639 9 . 050 5 . 90 4 7 . 4840 11 . 815 2 . 00 5 7 . 1437 12 . 380 0 . 95 6 6 . 7323 13 . 140 3 . 40 7 6 . 3854 13 . 857 6 . 73 8 6 . 0063 14 . 736 6 . 73 9 5 . 7202 15 . 478 4 . 9510 5 . 5868 15 . 850 5 . 1411 5 . 0350 17 . 599 3 . 0012 4 . 6240 19 . 179 6 . 7913 4 . 3774 20 . 270 11 . 6714 4 . 2719 20 . 776 8 . 8115 4 . 1110 21 . 598 2 . 0016 4 . 0163 22 . 114 3 . 8217 3 . 8615 23 . 013 100 . 0018 3 . 8269 23 . 224 72 . 0019 3 . 7561 23 . 668 32 . 2220 3 . 7305 23 . 833 50 . 3921 3 . 6576 24 . 315 24 . 0422 3 . 4930 25 . 479 5 . 0023 3 . 4488 25 . 812 7 . 5224 3 . 3210 26 . 823 7 . 4325 3 . 0563 29 . 196 10 . 4326 2 . 9956 29 . 801 8 . 8127 2 . 9813 29 . 947 9 . 2328 2 . 9496 30 . 276 3 . 9329 2 . 7385 32 . 673 3 . 0730 2 . 6134 34 . 284 6 . 13______________________________________ the data of table iii was obtained in the same manner as the data of table i . accordingly , the abbreviations used in table iii have the same meaning as discussed above in connection with the discussion of table i . table iv__________________________________________________________________________chemical composition of zsm - 5 samplessynthesized with anionic surfactantssample of example ( wt . %) c ( wt . %) n ( wt . %) na ( wt . %) sio . sub . 2 ( wt . %) al . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 ( wt . %) ash ## str7 ## __________________________________________________________________________1 4 . 70 0 . 03 1 . 00 80 . 4 2 . 9 88 . 56 472 3 . 55 0 . 03 1 . 15 86 . 4 2 . 3 91 . 7 643 5 . 46 0 . 10 0 . 50 88 . 8 3 . 0 90 . 5 504 6 . 30 n . a . 0 . 70 85 . 2 2 . 0 88 . 7 728 1 . 74 0 . 23 0 . 45 93 . 6 1 . 0 96 . 6 159__________________________________________________________________________ the data of table ii indicates that aerosol a - 102 is a more effective organic template directing agent of the two templates tested . it crystallizes zsm - 5 most efficiently over the sio 2 / al 2 o 3 mole ratios of 60 to 90 . at the sio 2 / al 2 o 3 mole ratios greater than 100 , the crystallinities of the zsm - 5 products are generally low (≦ 30 %), and the products are often contaminated with α - cristobalite . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the specific embodiments discussed above can be successfully repeated with ingredients equivalent to those generically or specifically set forth above and under variable process conditions . from the foregoing specification one skilled in the art can readily ascertain the essential features of this invention and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof can adopt it to various diverse applications .

US-59523284-A

a security feature is added to the wake on lan packet protocol , and an extensible mechanism is provided allowing for other commands and options to be specified within the wake on lan packet . the protocol allows for signaling power management circuits in a host computer in response to messages received through a network interface . logic coupled to the network interface detects a received network packet carrying a message from a source to the management circuits in the host computer . the logic includes security logic that is responsive to data in the packet to authenticate the source of the message , to accept the message and generate a signal to the management circuit in the host computer when the message passes authentication , and to discard the message when the message fails authentication . the message includes a message authentication code timestamp indicating a time at which the source produced the message and / or a random value token . the security logic includes resources to verify the message authentication code and to prevent re - use of the message .

a detailed description of embodiments of the present invention is provided with reference to the figures , in which fig1 illustrates a context in which the present invention is applied . in fig1 a plurality of end stations , including end station 10 , end station 11 , and end station 12 are illustrated . each of the end stations includes system and power management circuitry , as well as a secure wake on lan network interface card , including cards 13 , 14 , and 15 respectively . the network interface cards 13 , 14 , 15 provide for connection to network media , 16 , 17 , 18 respectively . the network media 16 , 17 , 18 are coupled to a hub 19 . the hub may be implemented using a repeater , a switch , a bridge , a router , or any of a variety of network intermediate devices which allow for interconnection of the end stations 10 , 11 , 12 into a physical or virtual local area network . the hub 19 is coupled to a broader network represented by the cloud 20 . the broader network 20 may comprise the internet and private intra - company networks in various combinations . coupled to the network 20 in this example , a network management station 21 is shown . the network management station 21 according to the present invention supports the secure wake on lan protocol . of course , the network management function may be executed by any computer in the network 20 , including the local area network served by hub 19 . network management functions which are executed using the secure wake on lan feature of the present invention include waking up powered down end stations to allow for execution of network management functions , resetting end stations in the network , issuing commands to perform diagnostic functions , and providing specialized boot messages bypassing password protection , or bypassing other intermediate processes . in a preferred system , the network management station 21 and secure wake on lan network interface cards 13 , 14 , 15 implement an extended “ magic packet ” protocol , such as that referred to above in connection with the “ magic packet technology white paper ” issued by advanced micro devices , inc . fig2 provides a simplified illustration of an end station , such as the end station 10 in the system of fig1 . the end station shown in fig2 includes a central processing unit 25 , which is coupled to a system bus 26 . the bus interconnects system memory 27 , a disk drive 28 or other large scale non - volatile memory , various input / output devices 29 , such as keyboards , displays , scanners , or other peripherals known in the art . also , the system includes power management circuitry 30 . the power management circuitry in this example is a coupled to the system bus 26 , but may be interconnected with devices in the system in a variety of fashions . the system in fig2 also includes a network interface card 31 which implements a secure wake on lan feature of the present invention . the network interface card 31 is coupled to the system bus 26 , as well as to the power management circuitry 30 as indicated by line 32 . the network interface card 31 is coupled to a lan network medium 33 for communication with a remote management station through the network . the power management circuitry 30 represents a variety of available power management technology , which may be implemented in a so called green personal computer . green personal computers include a power management circuit 30 that allows for a personal computer to go completely asleep , that is without power to the cpu , or to go to various levels of reduced functionality and power consumption depending on the particular environment of the device . the secure wake on lan network interface card 31 allows the system to receive wake on lan packets across the medium 33 , and in response to issue signals to the power management circuitry 30 , which results in waking up the cpu , or otherwise bringing up the system to allow functions specified by the network management system to be performed . thus , an information system department using the management station is able to do end node management , such as software updates , backups of data , and other system wide services in the network , even in the presence of sleeping green pcs . fig2 also illustrates boot code memory 35 which is coupled to the system bus 26 . the power management circuitry 30 , in combination with the secure wake on lan network interface card 31 in one embodiment are coupled with the boot code 35 . thus , one command issued to the power management circuitry involves activating the boot code 35 , while bypassing certain functions within the boot code such as password protection schemes which are incorporated into or initiated by , the boot code stored in the memory 35 . in other embodiments , the cpu 25 includes a reset function . the power management logic 30 , in combination with the secure wake on lan interface card 31 in this embodiment may issue a system reset command . also , other diagnostic processes are incorporated in the system of fig2 related to power management which could be signaled using a secure wake on lan function of the present invention . the diagram of fig2 is a simplified diagram meant to represent any one of a variety of personal computer or work station architectures , such as intel x86 based computers , apple macintosh computers , sun microsystems workstations , or any other computer system . fig3 illustrates a network interface chip including logic supporting the secure wake on lan feature of the present invention . thus , the integrated circuit chip 50 of fig3 includes a medium access control mac unit 51 which has an interface to a local area network medium 52 . the mac unit 51 is coupled to memory 53 . the memory 53 is coupled to a host bus interface 54 , which includes an interface 55 to a host bus . a processor 56 is coupled to the mac unit 51 , the memory 53 , and the host bus interface 54 , and manages the transfer of network packets from the lan medium to the host bus , and vice versa . the processor 56 in various embodiments consists of dedicated logic , a program controlled processor , or combinations of dedicated logic and a program controlled processor . also implemented on the chip 50 are a secure wake on lan program 57 , and wake on lan support logic 58 . wake on lan support logic 58 includes a disable input 59 by which the host system is able to turn off the wake on lan function , and an enable input 60 by which the host system is able to turn on the wake on lan function . the wake on lan program 57 is implemented in a system in which the processor 56 is program controlled , via a software routine stored on the chip in read only memory , or non - volatile memory , which would allow for updates to the program . wake on lan support logic 58 also provides for generating a wake - up command on line 61 . the wake - up command on line 61 is x bits wide in various embodiments , where x varies from 1 up to any number of bits required to support a variety of system and power management commands which might be carried in a wake on lan packet according to the present invention . thus , a two bit wake - up command is capable of signaling four different processes in a single clock cycle . a one bit wake - up command line 61 is capable also of signaling a variety of processes using a serial communication protocol . the wake on lan support logic 58 in various alternatives is implemented using dedicated logic on the chip 50 , or as part of a program executed by the processor 56 , or as combinations of dedicated logic and software executed by the processor 56 . the memory 53 is implemented using random access memory , or first in / first out fifo memory , or any other of a variety of approaches depending on the particular implementation of the device . as mentioned above , one embodiment of the present invention provides an extension of the “ magic packet ” technology currently in use . thus , the wake on lan is a feature of network adapter cards that allows network administrators to remotely boot powered off end systems . one concern that this feature creates is the potential for intruders acting remotely to power up unattended systems and attempt to penetrate them . this danger is more acute than that for already powered up systems because their powered down state demonstrates they are not being monitored for intrusion activity . this invention describes a protocol for securing wake on lan . the protocol in a preferred system is based on an extension of the existing wake on lan protocol , providing it protection from abuse . one embodiment of the invention utilizes a byte sequence illustrated in fig4 ( which may be located anywhere within a packet ) with the following format following an ethernet header 75 : parameters are encoded in the parameters field as needed for an individual command using a type , length , value format . in alternatives , the destination address in field 77 is not repeated in the manner of a “ magic packet ”. in these alternatives , higher layer protocol techniques , such as a user datagram protocol udp or transport control protocol tcp recognized by a processor on the adapter , are used for identifying the packet as a wake on lan message . this general packet format has the potential to carry multiple kinds of wake on lan commands , although in one embodiment it is restricted to only a single command . in this embodiment , the command of interest is “ boot ”, which has the following command , subcommand , length and parameters ( fig5 ) values : parameters =[ timestamp 84 , random value token 85 , message authentication code 86 ], where timestamp = 32 bit value indicating time for example in seconds since 00 : 00 : 00 utc , jan . 1 , 1970 , random value token = 16 - bit random number , and message authentication code = 160 - bit hmac - sha - 1 over the message including the parameters field . the system uses this message in the following way . when a system is powered down , but its nic is capable of receiving a wake on lan message , the network management station sends it the above defined boot message . the nic acts according to the wake on lan protocol , by looking for the 6 ff hex valued bytes at the beginning of the packet , then the destination mac address repeated 16 times , or by looking for a udp or tcp packet addressed to the process on the adapter . the adapter may generate a response to the message , such as an acknowledgment udp packet , if desired . the nic recognizes the boot command and subcommand and then extracts the timestamp , random number and message authentication code from the parameters field . the hmac - sha - 1 computation is driven by a secret key shared by the end system nic and the management station . one keyed hashing for message authentication approach is described in rfc2104 entitled hmac : keyed - hashing for message authentication , krawczyk , et al ., february 1997 . see fips pub 180 - 1 “ secure hash standard ”, apr . 17 , 1985 issued by the u . s . department of commerce technology administration , national institute of standards and technology . other message authentication hash functions could be utilized as well , such as the “ md5 message - digest algorithm ”, rfc1321 , rivest , april 1992 or des - mac , also called daa , [ fips - 113 ]. the message authentication code can be implemented using any of a variety of cryptographic hash functions , not limited to the sha - 1 and md5 computations mentioned above . the secret may be manually distributed to both the end system nic and the management station , or distributed using other secure protocols . other key distribution techniques are used in various embodiments of the message authentication code , including but not limited to public key encryption , and key distribution center schemes . the end system checks the message authentication code to see if it is correct . if it is , then a replay prevention test is made . if the message authentication code is incorrect , the boot message is ignored . one approach to replay detection includes a timestamp test and a random number test . the timestamp field carries the time when the management system sent the wake on lan message . the end system checks the timestamp to determine whether it is within a prespecified time window d seconds in width , i . e ., current_time − 0 . 5 * d & lt ;= timestamp & lt ;= current_time + 0 . 5 * d . if not , the message is ignored . checking the timestamp in this way allows random numbers ( described below ) to be discarded from the replay cache ( described below ) after d seconds , which allows the size of the cache to be kept small . to ensure the timer running on the nic is in proper synchronization with the management machine sending the wake on lan message , it is loaded with the time - of - day value kept by the end system each time the end system is put to sleep . synchronization between the end system and the management station is achieved through standard time synchronization protocols , such as the network time protocol ntp , rfc 1305 . if the timestamp test passes and the random number is not in the replay - detection cache described below , the nic accepts the boot message and carries out the wake on lan wake up procedure . if the message authentication code is correct , and the timestamp test passes , but the random number is in the replay - detection cache , the boot message is ignored , since it potentially represents a replay attempt . there is a very small probability that the same random number is drawn twice during an interval of time during which it is in the nics replay - cache . however , if the random numbers are truly random , or are pseudo - random and managed properly , the probability this will happen on consecutive messages is vanishingly small and can be covered by sending the wake up packet more than once with different random numbers . this approach based on storing random number token only is simple to implement , but has the following problem . if the size of the cache is n , and n + 1 valid packets are sent by the network management system during an interval of time less than or equal to d in length , then the least recent of these packets can be replayed , since its random number will have been pushed out of the cache by the most recent message . there are two other approaches that address this problem , each with their own advantages and disadvantages . in both approaches the message authentication code must be valid in addition to the timestamp checks described . we use the following notation to describe these approaches : lowerbound == a value used in determining the acceptability of a packet ( see below ). timestamp ( i )== the timestamp value in the packet [ e . g ., timestamp ( candidate )] that is associated with cache entry i . in a first alternative approach it is assumed that the packets arrive in time order ; that is , their timestamp values are monotonically increasing . this assumption is reasonable when there is only one management system managing a set of end systems . however , it is not reasonable when there is more than one management system managing this set , since the clocks of the various management systems are unlikely to be synchronized causing the timestamps from one to interleave the timestamps from the others . the acceptance criteria for this approach is very simple : where lowerbound is set to the timestamp of the last accepted packet . since old messages must have timestamps less than or equal to the last accepted packet . in a second alternative approach , the cache entries store a value corresponding to the timestamp carried by the packet instead of , or in one embodiment , in addition to , the random number value . this value is the full timestamp or a delta between a base timestamp value stored along with the cache and the value carried by the packet that corresponds to the cache entry . in this approach the computation of lowerbound is different than that in the first approach . this is described below . in addition to the two checks above , timestamp ( candidate ) must be compared to timestamp ( i ) for each entry in the cache , which means computing this value for each entry ( see below ). if timestamp ( candidate ) equals one of these values , the packet is rejected . the cache is a linked list of entries , each pointing to the one immediately more recent . that is , the least recent cache entry , the one with the oldest ( i . e ., smallest ) associated timestamp , is referenced by a pointer “ base ”. the entry associated with the next oldest ( smallest ) timestamp in the cache is referenced by the entry referenced by “ base ”. proceeding iteratively , the entry in the cache associated with the with oldest timestamp is referenced by the entry associated with the ( i − 1 ) st oldest timestamp . various cache implementation strategies are possible , one being to store cache entries in a linear table and associate a k - bit index with each , where there are ( 2 { circumflex over ( )} k )− 1 == n entries in the cache . call the index for the with entry in the cache index ( i ). in other words , the cache looks something like : each index ( i ) contains a table position value referencing the entry with the next oldest timestamp . the value n is used to mark the end of the linked list . in subsequent exposition , the first linked list entry is the oldest ( i . e ., its associated timestamp is smallest ) and is the one referenced by ‘ base ’, which is also an k - bit variable . the last linked list entry is the youngest ( i . e ., its associated timestamp is largest ) in the cache . other linked list implementation strategies are possible , for example , by having the last entry reference the first . once a packet is accepted , it is placed in the cache according to the value of its timestamp . this implies that an accepted packet may be placed in any linear position in the cache . the value for entry ( i ) is the difference between timestamp ( index ( i )) and timestamp ( i ). since the linked list keeps entries in timestamp order , timestamp ( index ( i ))− timestamp ( i ) is always positive . in order to reconstitute timestamp ( i ) from entry ( i ), the fill timestamp value associated with timestamp ( b ), the entry referenced by “ base ”, is retained in a variable “ base_timestamp ”. thus , entry ( b )== 0 and timestamp ( b )== base_timestamp = entry ( b ), timestamp ( i ) is computed by walking through the linked list and adding entry ( i ) to base - timestamp for each linked list entry preceding and including i . when a new packet is accepted , it is placed in the cache , the appropriate delta value for it is computed and stored , and the value in “ base_timestamp ” adjusted so that entry ( b )== 0 and base_timestamp == timestamp ( b ). the value of lowerbound is base_timestamp . by definition , it is less than timestamps associated with each entry in the linked list . thus , the test : ensures that the timestamp of the candidate is younger ( that is , greater ) than any timestamp that has been displaced from the cache . since there are no entries in the cache when the first acceptable packet arrives , the linked list will have less than n entries until it is fully populated . a special rule must control what happens when base == n . specifically , in this case ‘ base ’ is not valid and index ( i ) for all entries i are initialized to n . when the first acceptable packet arrives : it is possible that when an acceptable packet arrives , base_timestamp is less than clock − 0 . 5 * d . in that case , after the candidate is judged acceptable , the linked list is searched starting from the entry referenced by base and entries are removed from the linked list for which their associated timestamp is less than clock − 0 . 5 * d . this is done by iteratively executing the following statements : when this loop completes , base will reference the first entry i on the linked list for which timestamp ( i )& gt ;= clock − 0 . 5 * d and base_timestamp will equal timestamp ( i ). ( if all entries on the linked list have associated timestamps less the clock − 0 . 5 * d , the cache is reinitialized before the candidate is placed .) note that at some later point in time when clock has increased , base_timestamp may no longer satisfy this inequality , which is why the first inequality in the test for candidate acceptability uses the maximum of base_timestamp (== lowerbound ) and clock − 0 . 5 * d . if after ensuring base_timestamp & gt ;= clock − 0 . 5 * d there are n entries in the linked list , the oldest entry is removed by : the table slot that formerly held the oldest entry is then used to store the candidate , which is placed in the appropriate linked list position according to timestamp ( candidate ). what is the range of values that entry ( i ) must represent ? recall that the acceptance criteria for a packet is : after the candidate is accepted , but before it is placed on the linked list , base_timestamp is adjusted so that : there are two cases when the candidate is inserted into the linked list . in the first , the candidate is inserted as the oldest entry , in which case base_timestamp is set to timestamp ( candidate ) and base to the table position holding the candidate . in the second case , the candidate is inserted after the oldest entry . in both cases , following from ( 1 ) and ( 3 ), the following inequality holds after the insertion is made : this implies that in the worst case ( i . e ., base_timestamp clock − 0 . 5 * d ), all entry ( i ) on the linked list between base and the one where candidate is inserted are equal to 0 , and timestamp ( candidate )+ clock + 0 . 5 * d − 1 ), the value inserted in the candidate entry is less than d . therefore , the range of values that entry ( i ) must represent are 0 . . . d − 1 . the interval length d that can be represented by 16 bits per cache entry is 65 , 536 seconds == 18 . 2 hours . finally , if multiple management stations are sending packets to the same end system , there is the possibility that two packets will arrive with the same timestamp . unless there is some way to disambiguate these , the first will be accepted and the second dropped . two possible disambiguate strategies are : in one alternative , the end system uses the random value in the packet to help reduce collisions . for example , it could store the random value or an h - bit hash of the value in the cache entry and compare it against the value or h - bit hash of the value in the candidate . however , storing these bits in a cache entry reduces the number of bits available for deltas ( assuming you want to keep the total number of bits constant ). since 2 { circumflex over ( )} 12 seconds is 4096 seconds == 68 minutes and since validity intervals less than an hour become problematical , especially when multiple management stations are involved , either the entries must be increased to something larger than 16 bits or the disambiguate information will only have 4 bits of randomness . in the latter case , there may be an unacceptable number of legitimate packets dropped when there are a large number of management stations controlling the same end system . in another alternative , the end system sends back a collision message when it finds a timestamp ( i ) in the cache that has the same value as timestamp ( candidate ). also , it could send back an acknowledgment when a candidate is accepted . this should come after the message authentication code check to prevent an intruder from scanning through the cache trying to find values that are already there . there is no benefit for an intruder to capture valid packets and then replay them to see if their timestamps are in the cache , since if he can capture these packets he can just read their timestamps directly . if the intruder has not captured valid packets , he cannot get the end system to return collision or acknowledgment messages , since he cannot compute the necessary message authentication code . when a collision message is returned , the management station can try the same command with a different timestamp . fig6 provides a simplified diagram of the process executed on the network interface card when the end station is in a reduced function state . basically the management station establishes a protocol with the end station by which the management messages can be issued with authentication to the end station , such as the protocol specified with respect to fig4 and 5 . the management message is produced at the network management station and transmitted to the end station . the end station perhaps after having synchronized clocks with the network management station as mentioned above receives the packet ( block 100 ). the packet carries either a multicast address , or the mac address of the network interface card for the host station . following the “ magic packet ” protocol , the network interface card looks for the synchronization field followed by 16 copies of the host mac address ( step 101 ). if this field is not found , then the packet is discarded ( block 102 ). as mentioned above , alternatives do not use the “ magic packet ” format , but instead use higher protocol layer identifiers processed by logic on the adapter to identify the packets . if after step 101 , the packet was detected , then the algorithm determines whether a boot command is being received ( step 103 ). if not , then the packet may carry another command , and such command is processed as indicated at block 104 . if the boot command is received , then the process performs the security functions represented by block 105 . the network interface card proceeds to verify the message authentication code ( step 106 ). if the message authentication code is not verified , then the packet is discarded ( block 102 ). if the message authentication code is verified , then the network interface card performs a replay detection test ( block 107 ). if at step 107 , the replay detection test is passed , then the random value token and / or timestamp , depending on the replay prevention process chosen , is stored in the cache ( block 108 ). then , the wake up command is issued ( block 109 ). the algorithm described in fig6 is adapted for the boot command . other commands relating to system and power management can also be implemented with security . the other commands may implement various types of this security depending on the particular process to be invoked using the wake on lan packet . in one approach , the security functions 105 are executed before the command type is determined , independent of the command type . accordingly , the present invention provides an extension of the wake on lan functionality . the extension allows for secure operation of the scheme , and incorporation into the scheme of a variety of commands in addition to the basic wake - up command . overall , the usability and security available for centralized management of networks is increased . the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed . obviously , many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents .

US-13962598-A

a moisture - absorbing polymeric material is disclosed which comprises a combination of a thermoplastic material with an absorbent . the thermoplastic material is chosen such that when the absorbent is added to the thermoplastic material in the molten state , the absorbent will tend to migrate towards the surface of the moisture - absorbing polymeric material . this results in a concentration gradient for the absorbent wherein the desiccant is more highly concentrated in an outer layer of the polymer material than towards the center . in this way , more absorbent is pushed towards the surface where it can more easily absorb moisture from the surrounding atmosphere .

the absorbent - entrained polymeric structure of the present invention is intended for use in formed articles of manufacture . for example , the absorbent - entrained polymeric structure may be used to form vials or trays for containing products requiring an essentially moisture - free environment , such as medical diagnostic strips or electronic components . as used herein , absorbent refers to a compound capable of interacting with and retaining a chemical compound having an affinity for the absorbent . although technically different in the mechanism of reaction , for the purposes of this invention , the terms “ absorbent ” and “ adsorbent ” are intended to be used interchangeably . the term “ desiccant ” describes a specific type of absorbent or adsorbent . fig1 and 2 show a representative adsorbent cartridge ( 10 ) prepared from an absorbent - entrained polymeric structure made according to the present invention . the polymeric structure comprises at least one thermoplastic material ( 20 ) and at least one absorbent ( 22 ), and can be formed into a variety of shapes , as is known in the art . for example , the polymeric structure may be formed in a cylindrical shape or in a cubical shape or in strips or in canisters or any shape desired by the user to form individual units that can be placed inside a package or container . alternatively , the polymeric structure can be shaped to conform to the internal shape of a container such that the polymeric structure essentially forms a liner for the container . as shown in fig1 , the cartridge defines a plurality of surfaces ( 12 , 14 ) and an interior region ( 16 ). the cross - sectional view of the adsorbent cartridge , fig2 , illustrates the relative distribution of the absorbent in the molded article ( 10 ). as shown , the absorbent ( 22 ) concentrates near the surfaces ( 12 , 14 ) of the polymeric structure leaving the interior region ( 16 ) to be comprised of predominantly thermoplastic material ( 20 ), and thereby resulting in the formation of a layered structure . the thermoplastic material ( 20 ) can be any material that exhibits thermoplastic properties , such as a copolymer of two or more monomers , a mixture of two or more polymers from single monomers , a mixture of two or more copolymers and a mixture of at least one polymer from a single monomer and at least one copolymer . non - limiting examples of polymers from single monomers include : polystyrenes , polyolefins , polyethylene , polypropylene , polyacrylates , polymethacrylates , polyamides , polyesters , and polyvinyl chloride . non - limiting examples of copolymers include : styrene - butadiene rubbers ( sbr ), styrene - ethylene - butadiene - styrene copolymers ( sebs ), butyl rubbers , ethylene - propylene rubbers ( epr ), ethylene - propylene - diene monomer rubbers ( epdm ), ethylene - vinyl acetate copolymers ( eva ), ethylene - acrylate or butadiene - acrylonitrile , maleic anhydride modified polymers and copolymers , and grafted copolymers . when a copolymer or a mixture is used , a preferred combination comprises monomers or polymers that have a common chemical monomeric unit . for example , the thermoplastic material may be prepared from linear low density polyethylene ( lldpe ) and low density polyethylene ( ldpe ) and ethylene vinyl acetate ( eva ) copolymer , wherein each of the components includes an ethylene monomeric unit . the absorbent ( 22 ) can be any material capable of absorbing moisture , or otherwise removing moisture from a surrounding atmosphere , or any material capable of absorbing or otherwise removing other chemical compounds , such as but not limited to oxygen , carbon dioxide , carbon monoxide and amine complexes , from the atmosphere . herein , the term absorbent may be used interchangeably with the term dehydrating agent , desiccant or adsorbent . non - imiting examples of absorbents would include silica gel , desiccant clay , molecular sieves , zeolites or combinations thereof . the relative concentration of thermoplastic material to absorbent may vary depending on the thermoplastic material and the absorbent used . in an embodiment , the polymeric structure comprises from about 20 wt % to about 85 wt % thermoplastic material and from about 15 wt % to about 80 wt % absorbent . the polymeric structure is produced by forming and setting the thermoplastic material after it has been dosed with absorbent . the polymeric structure may be produced by common plastic manufacturing processes such as extrusion , co - extrusion , injection molding , blow molding , and any other methods that involve melting the thermoplastic material to an essentially liquid state . for example , the polymeric structure may be produced by the steps of heating the selected thermoplastic material ( or combination of materials ) until the thermoplastic is viscous , adding the selected absorbent , blending the absorbent into the melted thermoplastic , extruding the thermoplastic - absorbent blend , and cooling the thermoplastic - absorbent blend . the polymeric structure can be cut or ground or processed by other means known in the art . the present invention can be illustrated and explained through a series of examples presented herein , which are not to be taken as limiting the present invention in any regard . a polymeric structure is prepared from about 50 wt % of a thermoplastic material and about 50 wt % of a desiccant . the thermoplastic material comprises about 22 wt % linear low density polyethylene ( lldpe ) and about 62 wt % low density polyethylene ( ldpe ) and about 16 wt % ethylene vinyl acetate ( eva ) copolymer . the desiccant comprises molecular sieves . the thermoplastic material is liquefied and the desiccant is blended into the liquefied thermoplastic material . the thermoplastic - desiccant blend is extruded at about 200 ° c . and about 110 bar pressure into thin strips having thicknesses of from about 395 μm to about 1140 μm . the strips are sliced into 30 μm cuts . a polymeric structure is prepared as in example 1 except that the thermoplastic - desiccant blend is injection molded into strips having thicknesses of from about 1170 μm to about 1995 μm rather that being extruded . a polymeric structure is prepared from about 65 wt % of a thermoplastic material and about 35 wt % of a desiccant . the thermoplastic material comprises about 92 . 3 wt % polystyrene and about 7 . 7 wt % styrene - ethylene - butadiene - styrene copolymer ( sebs ). the desiccant comprises silica gel . the thermoplastic material is liquefied and the desiccant is blended into the liquefied thermoplastic material . the thermoplastic - desiccant blend is injection molded into cartridges . a polymeric structure is prepared from about 30 wt % of a thermoplastic material and about 70 wt % of a desiccant . the thermoplastic material comprises about 76 . 7 wt % ethylene - methylacrylate copolymer and about 23 . 2 wt % ethylene - acrylic ester - maleic copolymer . the desiccant comprises molecular sieves . the thermoplastic material is liquefied and the desiccant is blended into the liquefied thermoplastic material . the thermoplastic - desiccant blend is extruded into thin strips having thicknesses of about 1 . 3 mm . a useful container for medicine or diagnostic strips is prepared by forming an exterior shell out of a substantially water impermeable thermoplastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene . a full or partial liner may then be formed out of the absorbent polymeric material and added to the interior of the container . the liner may either be formed inside the container in a dual injection mold , or formed separately from the container and later inserted . the polymeric structure when prepared according to the present invention can be identified by the distinctive migration of desiccant toward the surface of the polymeric structure . for example , fig3 a and 3 b show , respectively , an infra - red microanalysis of a strip made in accordance with example 1 and having an overall thickness of about 850 μm , an infra - red microanalysis taken at the surface of the strip , and an infra - red microanalysis taken at the center of the strip . there is a significantly higher concentration of desiccant near the surface of the strip ( fig3 a ) than near the center ( fig3 b ). the high moisture absorbing polymeric material may further comprise additives such as plasticizers , stabilizers , dyes , pigments , foaming agents or combinations thereof , as well as any other additives which are known in the art of plastics . the high moisture absorbing polymeric material may be used in any application in which absorption of moisture is desirable . further , the polymeric material may be used in odor - absorbing applications . the polymeric structure of the present invention is intended for use as a packaging component for moisture - sensitive products . the polymeric structure differs from the desiccant - entrained polymers of the prior art by requiring that the desiccant or absorbent migrate so as to be present at a higher concentration near the surface of the polymeric structure than at the center or interior of the structure . it is understood that the composition of the polymeric structure and the specific processing conditions may be varied without exceeding the scope of this development .

US-32857902-A

embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for vehicle arresting systems made from low - density particles and appropriate binders . the systems are designed to provide a barrier or a bed that is placed at the end of a runway or at the edge of a highway that will predictably and reliably crush under the pressure of vehicle wheels traveling off the end of the runway or the edge of the road .

one object of a vehicle arresting system is to fail in a predictable , specified manner , thereby providing controlled , predictable resistive force as a vehicle deforms the vehicle arresting system . a desired vehicle arresting system is thus generally a low - strength material that is compressible , deformable , crushable , or otherwise able to be compressed or deformed or crushed upon appropriate impact . the material strength should remain constant or at least not increase significantly with time . additionally , the material strength should not be so high as to cause excessive vehicle damage or endanger the vehicle occupants &# 39 ; lives . the material should absorb the kinetic energy of a moving vehicle , rendering the system effective in stopping the vehicle , but preferably crushing and absorbing the energy to prevent serious injury or death to the vehicle occupants . in other words , the material should be strong enough that it absorbs the vehicle &# 39 ; s energy and helps stop the vehicle safely by the system &# 39 ; s ability to crush or deform upon impact , and not so strong that it causes the vehicle to crumple against the barrier . the system is intended to cause the vehicle to decelerate more slowly and to provide more cushion than a traditional barrier , and thus , may be referred to in some instances as a “ non - lethal ” vehicle arresting system . materials that are too strong will render the intent of barrier useless . embodiments of the present invention thus provide an energy absorption system that has the desired low - density and low - strength . in one aspect , there is provided an energy absorption system that does not include cement as one of its components . in one aspect , there is provided an energy absorption system that includes low - density particles forming a body of the energy absorption system . there may also be a binder material added to the low - density particles . the binder may be any material that functions to maintain the low - density particles in place with respect to one another . further details of various materials and parameters for the low - density particles and binders are outlined below . in one aspect , there is provided an energy absorption system that includes low - density particles combined with a binder . the energy absorption system may be designed in the form of a vehicle arresting system , such as a vehicle arresting bed , designed to absorb energy from an overrun vehicle . the material forming the system may be bonded in such a way as to provide stability and durability to the system . the following examples are provided for illustrative purposes only , and are not intended to be limiting in any way . in a specific example , the low - density particles may be organic and / or inorganic . the low - density particles may include but are not limited to perlite , vermiculite , expanded perlite , expanded vermiculite , clays , expanded clays , ceramics , slag , pumice , diatomaceous earth , industrial minerals , crushed lava rock , crushed shells , expanded polystyrene , ground plastic , combinations thereof . the low - density particles may be micro and / or macro particles . they may be in a powdery form or they may be granular . the low - density particles may range in size from about 0 . 1 mm to about 100 mm . the low - density particles may have varying geometries . for example , they may be generally round , jagged , irregular , dendritic , or any other shape . the low - density particles may be used in their natural form or they may be processed prior to being incorporated or otherwise mixed with an appropriate adhesive or binder . the low density particles may be a granular - like and / or powdery mix of material . in a specific embodiment , the low - density particles may comprise expanded perlite . in another specific embodiment , low - density particles of perlite may be used , in various amounts or in various combinations with other elements . perlite is a naturally - occurring amorphous volcanic glass that has a relatively high water content . perlite has a property of greatly expanding when heated sufficiently . it also has a light weight after processing . in its unexpanded (“ raw ”) state , perlite has a bulk density of around 1100 kg / m 3 ( 1 . 1 g / cm 3 ). expanded perlite has a bulk density of about 30 - 150 kg / m 3 ( 0 . 03 - 0 . 150 g / cm 3 ). this lower bulk density of expanded perlite can allow it to be a good candidate for the low - density particles described herein . in another specific embodiment , the low - density particles may comprise expanded vermiculite . in another specific embodiment , low - density particles of vermiculite may be used , in various amounts or in various combinations with other elements . vermiculite is a hydrous , silicate mineral that also expands greatly when heated . a binder may be added to the low - density particles . the binder can be any number or combination of materials , such as adhesives or organic or inorganic materials , where a stable structure is formed by mixing , coating , or otherwise associating the particles with the binder . the following binder examples are provided for illustrative purposes only , and are not intended to be limiting in any way . in a specific example , the binder may be a liquid adhesive , a polymer adhesive , a hot glue , a commercial adhesive such as gorilla glue ® ( either directly as provided or modified ), an acrylic paint , a foam ( such as a polyurethane foam ), a polystyrene , and inorganic binder ( such as clay or phosphate bonded ceramic ), or combinations thereof that bind the low - density particles . the binder or combination of binders may be air - curing adhesives . the binder or combination of binders may be light - curing adhesives . the binder or combination of binders may be liquid adhesives . the binder or combination of binders chosen should generally be weak enough that they will reliably crush upon vehicle impact , but have sufficient strength to hold the particles together until an impact occurs . the binder or combination of binders chosen may be selected based on their viscosity , their ability to coat or otherwise adhere to the particles , their durability , uv stability , fire - resistance or retardance , or any other parameters . if the binder or combination of binders selected lacks one or more of the desired parameters , it is possible to provide a final coating to the system in order to impart the desired parameter ( s ). although the binder or combination of binders is generally not selected for any energy absorbing properties , it is possible that the binder selected may impart energy absorbing properties to the system as well . for example , if the binder selected is polyurethane foam , it is believed that the foam properties may add energy absorbing properties . for example , it may be possible to design or select a binder that has similar crushing properties as the low - density particles . if the binder selected does not provide any energy absorbing properties , it is believed that sufficient energy absorbing may be provided by the low - density particles selected and their combination with one or more binders in the manners described herein . in this example , the binder need only provide structural stability . the system may also contain voids among the particles / binder array . these may be created by the reaction between the binder and the low - density particles . for example , if the particles used are perlite , they may expand upon application of heat . another way to provide voids in the material is to incorporate a foam , incorporate a surfactant , or incorporate a chemical that will react to produce hydrogen or co 2 or to create bubbles in the material . the general intent would be to provide pores or pockets of air in the material to lessen its strength and density . this may be beneficial to compensate for any adverse properties or strength that that binder may bring to the system . the particles or the final product may also be coated , rolled , sprayed , or soaked ( or other application method ) with a moisture - resistant layer if needed or desired . such a layer may include but is not limited to an alkali metal silicate , silicone derivate solution , sprayed elastomeric compounds , or any other suitable product intended to improve durability . in one embodiment , the binder selected may coat the particles in order to render them water - resistant . in other embodiments , a separate solution to impart water - or moisture - resistance may be added . in one embodiment , a silicone solution may be added . fillers or other materials may be added as well . these include but are not limited to sand , ash , slag , polymer fiber , glass fiber , straw , combinations thereof , or any other appropriate filler or material . set or cure agents may also be added to the particles during mixture and / or to the final product that is formed . during manufacture of the material , the ratio between the binder and the filler may be altered in order to arrive at the desired material strength , density , or other parameters . it is generally envisioned that there will be a greater amount of low - density particles than binder . the general intent is to use just enough binder to hold the particles together , but not so much binder that the resulting system has a strength that prevents it from crushing as desired . in one specific example , the ratio of binder to particles may be about 1 : 1 to about 1 : 20 . in a nether specific example , the ratio of binder to particles may be from about 1 : 5 to about 1 : 10 . in another specific example , the compressive strength of the resulting system may be about 5 - 100 pounds per square inch . during formation , the materials may be added to form a slurry and then mixed or otherwise blended . the final body strength and material properties may be adjusted by changing the proportions of low density particles , the binder or filler , the amount of foam , surfactant , or pore - producing component added into the slurry , the filler composition and type ( reactive or non - reactive ) and amount , the mixing procedures , the mix time , the blending procedures , and / or the blend time . the solids / liquid ratio may vary with the binder ( set / cure retardant ) and filler types added , the binder / filler proportions , and final desired properties according to the intended end application for the material . a combination of expanded perlite and liquid polyurethane adhesive is combined . the adhesive is mixed and then tumbled with the expanded perlite . the resulting material is allowed to air dry or otherwise cure . this allows the material to solidify into a hardened form . the resulting material had a granular outer appearance , with grains of particles held together with the adhesive . the resulting material was coated with a barrier layer to add water and weather - resistance . the coating used was a latex adhesive with a fire resistant additive , but it should be understood that other coatings are possible for use and considered within the scope of this disclosure . a combination of expanded vermiculite and expanded polyurethane foam is combined . the adhesive is mixed and then tumbled with the expanded vermiculite . the resulting material is allowed to cure . this allows the material to solidify into a hardened form . the resulting material had a granular outer appearance , with grains of particles held together with the adhesive . the resulting material was coated with a barrier layer to add water and weather - resistance . the coating used was a foam latex coating , but it should be understood that other coatings are possible for use and considered within the scope of this disclosure . expanded balls or chips of polystyrene are mixed with a binder , such as a cementitious binder . recycled polystyrene beads and expanded perlite are mixed with a binder , such as phosphate bonded ceramic . the resulting material from any of the above examples or otherwise made according to the disclosure herein may be formed into a vehicle arresting system . they may be formed into a series of blocks , panels , tiles , stacked or bonded bricks , small particles of material that are bonded together to form a structure , cylindrical or spherical units , or any other shape . the strength of the system and formulation used may be altered depending upon the vehicle or device to be safely stopped . if an aircraft is to be stopped , the barrier may be developed to have a higher strength than if a bicycle or pedestrian is to be stopped . in one embodiment , the barrier may have a compression strength of below about 100 psi , in some instances below about 50 psi , and in further instances around about 5 psi . changes and modifications , additions and deletions may be made to the structures and methods recited above and shown in the drawings without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure or the following claims .

US-201514639354-A

an all - electrical high frequency contact sampling probe provides sub - micron spatial resolution and picosecond or sub - picosecond temporal resolution . in a preferred embodiment , the probe is a monolithic integration of a sampling circuit with a cantilever and probe tip , where the distance between the circuit and the tip is less than a wavelength of interest in an rf signal v rf !. the sampling circuit 44 ! uses schottky diodes sd ! for sampling the rf signal v rf ! from a device under test at a rate determined by local oscillator signals 50 , 52 !. an if signal v if ! produced by the sampling probe is an equivalent time representation of the rf signal . applications include testing signals at interior nodes of high speed integrated circuits .

in view of the clear advantages that an all - electrical sub - picosecond sub - micron probe enjoys , it could not have been obvious to skilled artisans such as nees how to construct such a probe . moreover , in view of the prior lack of theoretical understanding of the nees probe , it would not have been obvious that such an all - electrical probe is even possible . the following description , on the other hand , provides a theoretical basis for the operation of an entire class of high speed electrical sampling probes , including the probe of nees et al . in particular , a basis is now provided for constructing an all - electrical probe with its numerous advantages over the photoconductive - switched probe of nees et al . as explained in detail below , the most important conclusion that can be drawn from the present theory of the contact electrical sampler , applicable to both the photoconductive sampler of nees et al . and the present electrical sampler , is that the temporal resolution of a point - contact electrical sampler is fundamentally limited only by the speeds of the sampling switches and the sampling pulses , and not by the parasitic ground inductance l . a sampler has as its input a high - frequency rf signal v rf , containing a frequency f of interest , and as its output a low - frequency if signal v if , as shown in the idealized circuit of fig7 . the if signal is an equivalent - time signal ; that is , to obtain the correct temporal measurement , one multiplies the time scale of the if signal by the factor δf / f , which is the ratio of an offset frequency to the rf frequency . thus , to compare the if output to the rf input , we simply convert the if signal into equivalent - time . ( alternatively , δf could be zero and the phase could be gradually changed , as mentioned earlier .) in the best of all possible worlds , the if signal would always be an exact replica of the rf signal . in the real world , unfortunately , the if signal decreases as the if frequency is increased . the if response , characterizes how the if signal amplitude depends on the if frequency , and may be measured by applying a fixed frequency sine wave to the rf port and observing the variation of the if signal as the if frequency δf is increased . from the if response , by analogy to transfer functions for rc filters , we can calculate the if bandwidth ( the if frequency at which the if response falls to a certain value ) and the if rise time ( the real - time rise time of the if signal , with a perfect step applied to the rf port ). although it appears from a frequency - domain analysis that a parasitic ground inductance prevents one from faithfully measuring signal frequencies higher than a certain cutoff frequency , such a simple frequency - domain analysis is only valid for circuits with time - invariant elements . the sampling switch , however , is clearly a time - varying element . in fact , parasitic ground inductances affect not the temporal resolution , but rather the if bandwidth . each time the switch 42 is closed , the capacitor c h will charge a certain fractional amount towards the value of v rf at that instant . suppose that δf = 0 , so that v rf has the same value , v 0 , each time the sampling switch is closed . it is then clear that c h will eventually charge up to v 0 if we wait long enough , regardless of what the parasitic inductance l , or series resistance , is ( provided leakage currents can be neglected ). if the parasitic inductance l were made larger , then the charging fraction per switch cycle would become smaller , which simply means that c h would take longer to charge to v 0 to within a specified tolerance . once one is satisfied with that measurement , one can delay the lo switch closings by a small time step , so that the next data point from v rf can be taken . in other words , if one started with a perfect ground connection ( zero inductance ), and was able to achieve a certain temporal resolution , then even if parasitic inductances were added , one would still be able to measure with the same temporal resolution , although one would be forced to use a lower if frequency ( i . e ., the if bandwidth would be reduced ). a preferred embodiment of a scanning electrical sampler according to the present invention is constructed by microelectronics techniques which are well known in the art . fig8 is a schematic diagram of a circuit containing a scanning electrical sampler 44 and its connections while in operation . schottky diodes sd are used as the preferred sampling switches . capacitors c h are hold capacitors that charge up to the dut voltage , v rf , when the diodes are conducting . the dut has output impedance r s , and its ground is connected to the ground 46 of the sampler through a connection that has parasitic inductance l . resistors r if provide dc bias for the diodes , and also couple the hold capacitors to an if preamplifier 48 . resistors r g couple the hold capacitors to ground 46 . input coupling capacitors c i serve to ac - couple the sampler circuit 44 to the lo pulse inputs 50 and 52 . the lo pulses , which can be supplied , for example , by step - recovery diodes ( not shown ), are 136 ps in pulse width and 4 . 8 v in amplitude . lo pulse 50 is a negative - going pulse , while pulse 52 is a positive - going pulse , and the two are synchronized . if preamplifier 48 is a low - noise , high - impedance amplifier . table 1 lists the component specifications ; the design is for an rf fundamental frequency , f = 100 mhz , and an if frequency , δf = 7 hz . anyone skilled in the art will appreciate that these particular specifications are only particular choices , and that many other specifications may be chosen depending on the desired application . in addition , anyone skilled in the art will also recognize that this circuit may be altered in various ways to give similar or equivalent results . table 1______________________________________r . sub . g 510 ωr . sub . if 2 . 2 mωc . sub . h 1 pfc . sub . i 1 nfl ≈ 10 nhpreamp input resistance 100 mωpreamp input capacitance 25 pfpreamp input cable capacitance 200 pf______________________________________ functionally , the circuit of fig8 can be divided into an lo section , an rf section , and an if section . the lo pulse generators are 50 ω sources , and c i presents an impedance of 1 . 6 ω at the lo fundamental of 100 mhz . therefore , the presence of the r g resistors can be neglected for the analysis of the lo circuit . the dc biases serve to mask out small ripples on the lo input , and are summed with the lo pulses to produce pulses at the diodes that are further thresholded by the self - biasing effects of the diodes . ( the diodes will sustain maximum forward biases of approximately 0 . 7 v , relatively independent of the applied lo pulse amplitude , because of the exponential i - v characteristic of diode conduction .) the end result is that the sampling diodes are made conducting , with on - resistances of approximately a few hundred ohms , for a duration of approximately 140 ps during each 10 ns period of the lo ; these intervals during which the diodes are &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; are known as sampling intervals . to facilitate the analysis of the sampling action , it is useful to define a piecewise constant voltage v pc ( graphed in fig1 ), which is a voltage that has the same value as v rf ( graphed in fig9 ) at the start of each interval of the sampling pulses ( graphed in fig1 ), and remains constant between successive sampling intervals . the piecewise constant voltage , therefore , changes values only at the start of each sampling interval ; this is , of course , just equivalent - time sampling restated in a modified form . if we can assume that the sampling intervals are sufficiently short , so that v rf can be considered to remain constant during each sampling interval , then v rf can be replaced by v pc for the analysis of the rf section , since the piecewise constant signal and the real rf signal are only different during the times when the sampling switch is open , precisely the moments when the rest of the sampler cannot have any information of the state of the rf signal . furthermore , v pc will be a faithful equivalent - time representation of v rf if the sampling intervals are short enough and the offset frequency δf is small enough ( sampling points close enough in phase ). the first condition turns out to be far more limiting in practice , so that the temporal resolution of the rf section is roughly equal to the length of the sampling interval . the exact expression for the bandwidth depends on the form of the sampling interval , which is in reality a conduction pulse in the sampling diodes ; an approximate 3 - db bandwidth is given by ## equ1 ## the value of t 1 depends on both the lo sampling pulse width and the sampling diode switching speed . the equivalent circuit for the rf section is shown in fig1 . r c represents the series resistance of the dut - to - sampler coupling , which includes the contact resistance ( contact between the probe tip and the dut ) and the sampling diode series &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; resistance , and is on the order of a few hundred ohms . r a is the input resistance of the preamp , 100 mω , and c a is the loading capacitance presented by the preamp connection , 225 pf , which includes both the preamp input capacitance and the capacitance of the connecting cable . during each sampling interval , the voltage on the hold capacitors , v c , will charge towards the value of v pc . the net voltage contributed by the lo pulses to v c is zero , since the two pulses are complementary in voltage . let t 1 be the length of the sampling interval ( width of the sampling pulse ), t 2 = 1 / f be the period of the lo , and t = 0 be the time of the start of the sampling interval . to simplify the analysis , we will only consider two regimes : in the first regime , the effect of l dominates , and in the second regime , the effect of r c and r g dominates . if l is large , the entire value of v pc - v c is dropped across l . the rate of change of the current , i , through the inductor is ## equ2 ## therefore , assuming that v c remains roughly constant during the time t 1 , ## equ3 ## the approximation that v c remains roughly constant is therefore valid when ## equ5 ## if the resistances dominate the behavior , the current is ## equ6 ## where r = r s + r c + r g / 2 . if then v c can be treated as roughly constant , and we therefore have ## equ7 ## we see , therefore , that the regime with l dominant is valid when δv c ,+, l & lt ;& lt ; δv c ,+, r . the criteria are therefore ## equ8 ## looking at our values of t 1 ≈ 10 - 10 , l ≈ 10 - 8 , c h ≈ 10 - 12 , and r s + r c + 1 / 2r g ≈ 10 3 , we see that we are in the resistance - limited regime . at the end of the sampling interval , the diodes are turned off , and remain off until the start of the next sampling interval , at time t = t 2 . during the entire time , the if coupling resistance 1 / 2r if acts as a leakage path through which the hold capacitors can discharge . the change in voltage due to this leakage over time interval t 2 has a value of ## equ10 ## therefore , if the if frequency is sufficiently low that v c is allowed to reach a steady state value , the fractional discrepancy between v c and v pc will be determined by in the inductance - limited regime , we have ## equ11 ## where d = t 1 / t 2 is the sampling pulse duty cycle . ( 1 / t 1 can be thought of as the characteristic frequency of the &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; portion of sampling , so that l / t 1 is the impedance of l at that frequency .) in the resistance - limited regime , we have ## equ12 ## for our circuit values , in the resistance - limited regime , we have ## equ13 ## which means that our measured voltage and the actual voltage will be within 10 %, and that the leakage effect is a small one . the conclusion drawn from this analysis of the rf section is therefore that for our circuit values , at the end of each period t 2 of the lo , neglecting leakage , the value of v c has changed by the quantity ## equ14 ## the dynamics of this process is that of a single - pole rc low - pass filter , with the time constant of ## equ16 ## it takes 1 / η periods of charging to make a 1 / e change , and each period has duration t 2 . the final expression for τ 0 can also be thought of as the charging time of the hold capacitors through an impedance of r s + r c + r g / 2 , divided by the duty cycle . fig1 shows the equivalent circuit for the if section . the voltage on the hold capacitors of the rf section , v c , is represented here as a voltage source . the other components are the same as in fig1 . v if , the voltage on r a , is the if voltage that is read out . we can neglect r g , since r g & lt ;& lt ; r if . we can also neglect r a , since r a & gt ;& gt ; r if . thus , we again obtain a low - pass filter , this time with time constant ## equ17 ## the v pc to v if transfer function is therefore ## equ18 ## the if region where there is minimum distortion , or h if ≈ 1 , is therefore ## equ19 ## where τ if , the effective if time constant , is given by assuming that the values of τ 0 and τ a are not close to each other ; the larger time constant dominates . in other words , the sampler will faithfully sample a high - frequency rf signal to produce an equivalent - time signal if the highest frequency in v if is less than 1 /( 2π τ if ) this can also be expressed in terms of a if rise time , this is the 10 %- to - 90 % rise time ( in real time , not equivalent - time ) that would be observed on the if output , if v pc contained a voltage step . designers of traditional high - frequency probes must go to great lengths to ensure repeatable contact parameters , since variations in contact pressures can greatly affect the contact resistance , and hence the measurement . the scanning force microscope , however , is a preferred tool for controlling contact pressure , so that repeatable contacts should be attainable . furthermore , the scanning electrical sampler should be relatively insensitive to variations in contact pressure , since variations in contact resistance will only affect the rf charging time constant ; the if frequency can made low enough to circumvent this type of problem . to summarize , suppose that we wish to measure a rf signal that has voltage edges of a certain speed . our analysis has shown that both the rf and if section impose speed limits on our sampling . the rf section converts v rf to v pc with a temporal resolution of t 1 , and v pc is then converted into the equivalent - time signal v if , expanded in time by the ratio f / δf . the if rise time , t if , therefore corresponds to an equivalent rf rise time of δf t if / f . we are free to set the offset frequency , δf , to compensate for the effect of the if rise time , by satisfying ## equ20 ## ( note , however , that the timing jitter of the timebase used to drive the electronics places a lower limit on the frequency offset . practically speaking , this is usually not a concern , since modern synthesizers can have sub - picosecond jitter over an interval of one second .) therefore , the fundamental limit on the temporal resolution of the sampler is the one imposed by the sampling interval , t 1 . contrary to the conventional wisdom , the temporal resolution of the point - contact electrical sampler is not limited by the parasitic inductance of the ground connection . using the same techniques that have reduced t 1 to sub - picosecond values , a scanning electrical sampler can be used to measure sub - picosecond and nanometer - scale signals . we shall use a simple noise model , in which the noise on v if is due to the johnson - nyquist noise from the resistors in the if section of the sampler . ( the resistors in the rf section are much smaller in value ; in addition , the noise contributed by those resistors is reduced by the factor of the sampling pulse duty cycle , d .) the equivalent circuit for the noise model is shown in fig1 . the johnson - nyquist noise of the amplifier input resistance can be neglected since a much smaller resistance is in parallel with it . the johnson - nyquist noise due to the resistance r if / 2 has spectral density where k b is the boltzmann constant and t is the absolute temperature . the noise voltage that this contributes to v if rolls off with frequency precisely the same way that the signal voltage rolls off , since the same rc network is involved . the minimum detectable voltage at the rf input port , in a bandwidth b , is ## equ21 ## ( note that this is for positive bandwidth only ; i . e ., the factor of two due to positive and negative frequencies has already been included .) an interesting conclusion is that the minimum detectable voltage for the electrical sampler is independent of the sampling pulse duty cycle , d = t 1 / t 2 . this is because the noise on v if is independent of the sampling pulse duty cycle , and the signal amplitude at the if port is also independent of d , since the hold capacitor always charges fully to the piecewise constant signal voltage , as long as the offset frequency δf is made low enough to compensate for the slower if rise time caused by a lower duty cycle . this breaks down , however , for duty cycles so low that the leakage current through r if prevent v c from charging sufficiently close to v pc . an ideal probing instrument makes its measurements while leaving the operation of the dut circuit completely undisturbed . the scanning electrical sampler , not being an ideal instrument , loads the circuit under test . in practice , the bulk of the loading comes from the &# 34 ; dut - to - sampler connection ,&# 34 ; which is everything between the dut and the sampling diodes , including the sfm cantilever and any connecting wires . this is because that portion of the sampler is always electrically connected to the dut , whereas the rest of the sampler is electrically connected only during the sampling interval , which cuts down the loading due to those portions by the factor of the sampling pulse duty cycle . the solution , therefore , is to place the sampling diodes as near the sfm tip as possible by monolithically integrating the two parts on the same substrate . for sub - picosecond temporal resolution , the lo sampling pulse generator should also be monolithically integrated . the importance of placing the sampling diodes near the test - point goes beyond minimizing circuit - loading ; it is also vitally important in obtaining high temporal resolution . this does not seem obvious from an equivalent circuit such as the one in fig1 . because the sampler is in series with the parasitic ground inductance , and order of connection does not matter in a series circuit , one might think that there could be an additional long wire between the sampling diodes and the dut without affecting the temporal resolution , since that wire could be represented by a second inductor , which would simply add to the inductance of the original ground inductance . in fact , it is essential to the operation of the scanning electrical sampler to have an &# 34 ; electrically short &# 34 ; connection between the dut and the sampling diodes . fig1 is too simplified , and does not include the effect of a finite - length connection between the dut and the sampler . the key lies in the fact that the connection has not only a distributed inductance , but also a distributed capacitance to ground ; this is why it is not correct to treat the connection simply as an additional series inductance . we need to instead model it as a short section of transmission line ; this is shown in fig1 . the transmission line has characteristic impedance z 1 and length a . since the sampling diodes are conducting for only a small fraction of the time , we neglect the effect of the sampling process on the transmission line , and assume that the voltage at the output of the transmission line , v o , is the voltage that would be present if the transmission line were terminated in an open circuit . the situation is then that of fig1 . v 1 and v 2 are , respectively , the forward and reverse propagating voltage waves on the left end of the line ; v 3 and v 4 are , respectively , the forward and reverse propagating voltage waves on the right end of the line . v i is the voltage across the left end of the line . the continuity of voltages at the boundaries yield finally , the waves on the two ends of the line are related by where ω is the frequency and c 0 is the propagation velocity . solving these simultaneous equations yields ## equ24 ## since r s & lt ;& lt ; z 1 ( the distributed capacitance to ground is small ), we can simplify this to ## equ25 ## where λ = 2π c 0 / ω is the wavelength of interest in the rf signal . if the connection is &# 34 ; electrically long ,&# 34 ; i . e ., a is not small compared to λ , then v o for a particular frequency will be highly frequency - dependent , producing severe distortions of v rf . if , however , a & lt ;& lt ; λ , then the connection is &# 34 ; electrically short ,&# 34 ; and v o = v rf . the design rule , therefore , is to keep the length of the dut - to - sampler connection short compared to the wavelength of the highest frequency of interest . as shown in fig1 , a scanning electrical sampler 54 according to the present invention is preferably monolithically integrated using techniques well known in the art . the electrical sampling circuit 56 is fabricated with a silicon scanning force microscope cantilever 58 . a sputtered strip of gold , or other conductive material , along the cantilever ( not shown ) provides a conduction path from the circuit 56 to the tip 60 . it should be noted that the use of an afm tip permits the probe to be used for both electrical measurement and topographic imaging , allowing the tip to be precisely positioned on a very small circuit element of the dut . methods of cantilever deflection include , but are not limited to , optical beam bounce or piezoresistive techniques . for simplicity , the sampler operation will be described in a testing mode in which it measures an artificially generated rf signal . anyone skilled in the art will appreciate that the operation of the device in other contexts is obvious in view of the following . step - recovery diodes ( srd ) 62 and 64 , which take sine wave inputs and generate pulses ( similar to a comb () function ) that have pulse widths on the order of 100 picoseconds , were used to provide pulses for both the lo sampling pulses and the dut rf signal . the dut 66 was a through - line coplanar waveguide ( cpw ) transmission line fabricated on an alumina substrate . two phase - locked synthesizers 68 and 70 were used as sources . the synthesizer 70 used for the rf signal was set to 100 mhz . the 100 mhz signal was amplified by amplifier 72 , and then supplied to srd 64 , which converted the sine wave into a pulse train . the pulses were then fed through a 20 db attenuator 74 , to avoid overloading the sampler , and then supplied to the cpw line . the output of the cpw through - line was connected to a 50 ghz sampling oscilloscope 76 ( e . g ., an hp 70820a microwave transition analyzer ), so that any signals that are measured with the scanning electrical sampler can also be measured with the sampling oscilloscope for comparison . for the lo sampling pulses , the second synthesizer was set to 100 mhz - 7 hz ; its output was amplified by amplifier 78 , then converted to pulses using srd 62 , then supplied to a 3 db splitter 80 , which had its two outputs connected to the lo sampling pulse ports of the sampler . these two outputs had signal power reduced by 3 db relative to the input , so that the total power was the same ; more importantly , one output had the same polarity as the input , while the other output had the opposite polarity . we therefore obtained two synchronized pulses of opposite polarities , which was required by the sampler circuit . finally , the if output from the scanning electrical sampler was connected to a low - noise preamplifier 82 , and the preamp output was connected to an oscilloscope 84 . at δf = 100 hz the minimum detectable voltage is 800 nv /√ hz , which is a improvement of several orders of magnitude over presently existing high speed measurement techniques . it will be clear to one skilled in the art that the above embodiment may be altered in many ways without departing from the scope of the invention . for example , the present invention does not depend on the use of an afm tip , but may be adapted in obvious ways for use with any sharp tip to provide , for example , a very high speed hand - held probe . alternatively , the afm tip could be a scanning tunneling microscopy ( stm ) tip rather than an afm tip . in view of the preceding description , these and many other variations will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art . accordingly , the scope of the invention should be determined by the following claims and their legal equivalents .

US-69492596-A

a photoconductive toner of the present invention contains a resin binder , zinc oxide , and a dye for sensitization of the zinc oxide , the sensitizer dye being represented by the following formula : ## str1 ## wherein , x 1 to x 8 represent hydrogen or methoxy groups with a proviso that at least one of x 1 to x 8 represents a methoxy group , r 1 and r 2 are independently alkyl groups or derivatives thereof , and n is an integer . a photoconductive toner of the present invention satisfies requirements for both sensitivity and coloration , and , moreover , possesses high photosensitivity in the laser wavelength region as compared with conventional toners .

the photoconductive toners of the present invention contain an electrically insulating resin binder , zinc oxide as a photoconductive material , and the aforesaid cyanine dyes as dye sensitizers . furthermore , the photoconductive toners of the present invention can be prepared by pulverization or atomization in accordance with conventional methods . for example , if atomization is used , the resin solution obtained by dispersing or dissolving the aforesaid ingredients in an appropriate solvent is sprayed into the form of fine particles , thereby obtaining the desired photoconductive toner . various well - known types of electrically insulating resins can be used as the aforesaid resin binder ; plastics appropriate for this purpose include , for example , various types of polymers such as styrene type polymers , styrene - butadiene copolymers , styreneacrylonitrile copolymers , styrene - maleic acid copolymers , acrylic polymers , styrene - acrylic copolymers , ethylene - vinyl acetate copolymers , polyvinyl chloride , vinyl chloride - vinyl acetate copolymers , polyesters , alkyd resins , polyamides , polyurethanes , acrylic - modified urethane resins , epoxy resins , polycarbonates , polyarylates , polysulphones , diarylphthalate resins , silicone resins , ketone resins , polyvinyl butyral resins , polyether resins , phenolic resins . moreover , photoconductive resins such as polyvinylcarbazole can also be used either alone or in combination with electrically insulating resins . the dye sensitizer represented by formula ( 1 ) are used for the purpose of sensitizing the zinc oxide which is employed as the photoconductive material . these dye sensitizers are cyanine dyes with methoxy groups as substituents on the benzene rings of the heterocyclic moieties of the said dyes . the sites of linkage of these methoxy groups are not restricted . in particular , methoxy groups should preferably be linked to each benzene ring , or still more preferably methoxy groups linked to each benzene ring and two or more in number should be present . the number of methoxy groups should be 1 to 4 , more desirably 2 or 3 . furthermore , in formula ( 1 ), the groups r 1 and r 2 are unmodified alkyl groups or derivatives of alkyl groups . if r 1 is an alkyl group , for example , a methyl , ethyl , propyl , butyl , pentyl , hexyl , or heptyl group , etc ., the assocciated counter ion can be i - , clo 4 - , br - , cl - , etc . ## str3 ## among the alkyl group derivatives applicable in the role of the group r 1 are , for example , ( ch 2 ) 2 so 3 - , ( ch 2 ) 3 so 3 - l , ( ch 2 ) 2 coo - , ( ch 2 ) 3 coo - , etc . the groups r 1 and r 2 can be either identical or distinct . furthermore , the integer n in the foregoing formula should preferably be in the range of 0 to 4 , or more preferably 0 to 3 . if n is 0 ( i . e ., if one methine group is present in the central chain ), then ordinarily a yellow photoconductive toner with photosensitivity in the vicinity of 450 nm is obtained . if n is 1 ( i . e ., if two methine groups are present in the central chain ), then a magenta photoconductive toner with photosensitivity in the vicinity of 550 nm is obtained , while if n is 2 ( i . e ., three methine groups are present in the central chain ), then a cyan photoconductive toner with photosensitivity in the vicinity of 650 nm is obtained . if n is 3 or more ( i . e ., if four or more methine groups are present in the central chain ), then a photoconductive toner with photosensitivity in the near infrared to infrared region is obtained . specific examples of such dye sensitizers are , for example , the cyanine dyes ( a ), ( b ), ( c ), and ( d ) with the structures shown by the following formulae [ a ], [ b ], [ c ], and [ d ], respectively . the cyanine dyes shown here are merely illustrative examples and do not by any means limit the scope of the cyanine dyes subsumed by the present invention . for example , cyanine dyes with a variety of structures applicable for the present purpose can be obtained by appropriately varying a , r 1 , r 2 , or the number n in the formula ( 1 ). ## str4 ## the zinc oxide employed as the photoconductive material in the present invention is of course universally known , and ordinary commercially marketed zinc oxide is suitable for the present purpose . zinc oxide should preferably be used in the proportion of 3 to 600 weight percent , or more preferably 5 to 500 weight percent , relative to the resin binder . if the quantity of zinc oxide exceeds the stated upper limit , then the charge retention characteristics of the toner so obtained tend to deteriorate ; on the other hand , if the quantity of zinc oxide is less than the stated lower limit , then the densities of the images formed by the toner so obtained tend to drop , moreover , the toner sensitivity also tends to diminish . the proportion of the aforesaid dye sensitizer in the toner is preferably in the range of 0 . 05 to 10 weight percent , or more preferably 0 . 1 to 3 weight percent . if the proportion of dye sensitizer exceeds the stated upper limit , then the electrification characteristics of the photoconductive toner deteriorate , while the photosensitivity also tends to diminish to some extent ; on the other hand , if the proportion of dye sensitizer is less than the stated lower limit , then the sensitizing effect upon the zinc oxide is slight . in addition to the ingredients stated above , the photoconductive toner of the present invention may also contain , if required , various auxiliaries such as known dyes or pigments as colorants ; waxes as offset prevention agents ; and agents for imparting pressure sensitive adhesion properties , compounded into the toner in accordance with well known prescriptions . furthermore , the meaning of the term &# 34 ; high photosensitivity &# 34 ; in the context of the present invention is as follows . the initial surface potential ( vd ) and post - exposure surface potential ( vl ) of the charged toner are measured , and the photosensitivity is said to be high if the surface potential decay factor ( vd - vl )/ vd is comparatively large . alternatively , an electrode is vapor - deposited onto a pressed toner layer , a predetermined voltage is applied , the electrical current flowing before and after exposure ( id : dark current value and il : photoelectric current value , respectively ) are measured , and the photosensitivity is said to be high if il is comparatively large , or if the gain il / il is comparatively large . in the following , the present invention will be explained in more specific detail with reference to concrete examples and comparative examples . zinc oxide grade # 2 ( brand name , hakusui chemical company ): 100 weight parts fluorescein : 0 . 1 weight parts styrene - acrylic resin pa - 525 ( brand name , mitsui toatsu chemical company ): 33 weight parts after thoroughly dispersing and mixing the aforesaid ingredients , a particulate yellow photoconductive toner a with mean grain size of 10 μm was obtained by spray drying . this toner a was mixed with a ferrite carrier and subjected to frictional electrification . then , the toner was introduced into a magnetic brush developing device for electrophotographic copying machines , and using this developing device , the photoconductive toner was uniformly deposited upon an aluminum substrate . this toner layer was irradiated for 0 . 5 sec . with monochromatic light of wavelength in the range of 400 to 850 nm , produced by a monochromator ; the surface potentials before and 1 . 0 sec . after exposure were measured , and the surface potential decay factor ( maximum surface potential decay factor ) was determined by a computer connected with a digital oscilloscope . the results so obtained are shown in table 1 and fig1 . a particulate toner b with mean grain size of 10 μm was obtained by the same procedure as in comparative example 1 , except that the cyanine dye nk - 88 ( brand name , nihon photosensitive dye laboratories , ltd . ), with the structure shown in formula [ e ] below , was used in place of fluorescein in the proportion of 0 . 1 weight percent relative to zinc oxide . the surface potential decay factor was measured with respect to the resulting toner b in the same manner as in comparative example 1 . the results so obtained are indicated in table 1 and fig1 . ## str5 ## a particulate toner c with a mean grain size of 10 μm was obtained by the same procedure as in comparative example 1 , except that the cyanine dye represented by the above formula [ a ] was used in place of fluorescein in the proportion of 0 . 1 weight percent relative to zinc oxide . the surface potential decay factor was measured with respect to the resulting toner c in the same manner as in comparative example 1 . the results so obtained are indicated in table 1 and fig1 . table 1______________________________________surface potential decay factor (%) at eachwavelength of toner a , toner b , and toner c . wavelength ( nm ) 420 450 480 500 520 550 580 600______________________________________toner a 18 24 30 35 34 8 1 0toner b 8 9 4 2 0 0 0 0toner c 24 38 43 43 5 0 0 0______________________________________ as is apparent from table 1 and fig1 the photosensitivity of the toner c , prepared with a cyanine dye possessing a structure of the type characterized by the present invention , displays a peak in the 450 nm wavelength region and a large drop for wavelengths of 500 nm or more , thus demonstrating that the present yellow toner would not be prone to cause undesirable intermingling of colors in the so - called one - shot color systems . various toners were obtained by the same procedure as in comparative example 2 , except that the cyanine dye employed in comparative example 2 was used in various proportions ranging from 0 . 1 to 1 . 0 weight percent . the surface potential decay factor at 450 nm was measured with respect to these various toners . the results are shown in table 2 and fig2 . various toners were obtained by the same procedure as in example 1 , except hat the cyanine dye employed in example 1 was used in various proportions ranging from 0 . 1 to 1 . 0 weight percent . the surface potential decay factor at 450 nm was measured with respect to the these various toners . the results are shown in fig2 . table 2______________________________________surface potential decay factor (%) as thequantity of added cyanine dye is increased . added amount ( weight %) 0 . 05 0 . 1 0 . 2 0 . 3 0 . 5 0 . 7 1 . 0______________________________________example 2 35 39 42 44 45 43 42comparative 7 8 12 7 6 6 5example 3______________________________________ the results shown in fig2 demonstrate that if the cyanine dye of example 1 is used , then the surface potential decay factor does not diminish as the quantity of added dye is increased . a particulate toner d with mean grain size of 10 μm was obtained by the same procedure as in comparative example 1 , except that the cyanine dye kn - 126 ( brand name , nihon photosensitive dye laboratories , ltd . ), with the structure shown in formula [ f ] below , was used in place of fluorescein , in the proportion of 0 . 1 weight percent relative to zinc oxide . the toner d so obtained was consolidated with a presser to produce a pressed toner sample , and a tandem electrode was vapor - deposited onto the pressed toner sample obtained . then , a 100 v voltage was applied upon the electrode , the sample was irradiated for approximately 0 . 5 sec . with monochromatic light of wavelength 780 nm extracted by means of a monochromator , and the electrical current before and after exposure to light was measured with an electrometer . the results are shown in table 3 . ## str6 ## a particulate toner e with mean grain size of 10 μm was obtained by the same procedure as in comparative example 1 , except that the aforesaid cyanine dye ( c ) was used in place of fluorescein in the proportion of 0 . 1 weight percent relative to zinc oxide . the electrical current before and after exposure to light was measured with respect to the resulting toner e in the same manner as in comparative example 4 . the results are shown in table 3 . a particulate toner f with mean grain size of 10 μm was obtained by the same procedure as in comparative example 1 , except that the cyanine dye kn - 125 ( brand name , nihon photosensitive dye laboratories , ltd . ), with the structure shown in formula [ g ] below , was used in place of fluorescein in the proportion of 0 . 1 weight percent relative to zinc oxide . the electrical current before and after exposure to light was measured with respect to the resulting toner f in the same manner as in comparative example 4 above . the results are shown in table 4 . ## str7 ## a particulate toner g with a mean grain size of 10 μm was obtained by the same procedure as in comparative example 1 , except that the aforesaid cyanine dye ( d ) was used in place of fluorescein in the proportion of 0 . 1 weight percent relative to zinc oxide . the electrical current before and after exposure to light was measured with respect to the resulting toner g in the same manner as in comparative example 4 above . the results are shown in table 4 . table 3______________________________________ dye id il gain______________________________________comparative cyanine 9 . 65e - 10 1 . 08e - 07 1 . 11e + 02example 4 dye ( f ) example 3 cyanine 2 . 30e - 09 2 . 05e - 07 8 . 91e + 01 dye ( c ) ______________________________________ table 4______________________________________ dye id il gain______________________________________comparative cyanine 2 . 03e - 10 4 . 18e - 08 2 . 06e + 02example 5 dye ( g ) example 4 cyanine 4 . 21e - 10 1 . 27e - 07 3 . 04e + 02 dye ( d ) ______________________________________ as is apparent from table 3 , toner e ( example 3 ) obtained by using the cyanine dye ( c ) with the structure of the present invention shows a relatively large photoelectric current value id in the 780 nm wavelength region . moreover , from table 4 , toner g ( example 4 ) obtained by using the cyanine dye ( d ) with the structure of the present invention shows a relatively large photoelectric current value id and a relatively large gain il / id in the 780 nm wavelength region , demonstrating the improved photosensitivity of this toner , and its utility as photoconductive toner with the photosensitivity in the near infrared region . it is understood that various other modifications will be apparent to and can be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention . accordingly , it is not intended that the scope of the claims appended hereto be limited to the description as set forth herein , but rather that the claims be construed as encompassing all the features of patentable novelty that reside in the present invention , including all features that would be treated as equivalents thereof by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains .

US-71715291-A

an entirely uniformly heated responsive cooker comprising an inner pot and an outer pot , wherein the inner pot neither directly touches the heating source nor the wall portion of the outer pot by means of exhalation valve means capable of adjusting proper pressure and thermal energy existing in the outer pot according to the cooking requirements of different foods , resulting in the food in the inner pot being entirely and evenly heated by thermal energy so that the cooking time is reduced , safety is ensured , and the original flavor of food is preserved to effectively achieve the object of energy - saving and economy .

please refer to fig1 showing a longitudinal sectional view of first embodiment of this invention , in which there is a shallow depression 2 formed on the bottom of an outer pot 1 for containing water . a drain valve 4 and a drain pipe 43 are disposed on one side of the shallow depression 2 for drainage and cleaning of the depression 2 . a heater 5 and a temperature - control breaker 6 are installed respectively on and beside the shallow depression 2 . housing 7 and an outer cover 8 are mounted outside the outer pot 1 for decoration . an upper edge 10 of an inner pot 9 is formed with multi - stepped annular flanges to which a pot cap assembly 18 is fitted . several projections 11 are further formed on the wall of inner pot 9 ( see fig1 and 8 ). a ring member 12 including a ring packing 15 is installed and screwed on upper edge of outer pot 1 by means of several screws 13 . several recesses 14 are formed along inner periphery of ring member 12 ( see fig9 ). ring packing 15 has a v - shaped cross section and is fitted on the inner periphery of ring member 12 . moreover , a number of vent holes 16 are formed on ring member 12 ( see fig1 and 9 ) for installation of a number of constant pressure valves 17 . when projections 11 of inner pot 1 ( see fig8 ) are aligned with the recesses 14 of ring member 12 , the inner pot can be lowered with its upper edge 10 closely opposed to the ring packing 15 . in this position , the inner pot 9 can then be rotated to separate the projections 11 and recesses 14 , thus being secured on the ring member 12 . neither the wall nor base of inner pot 9 will touch the outer pot , forming a first space 100 therebetween . a pot ca assembly 18 is comprised of an upper cap 19 and a lower cap 20 and is fitted to the inner center of outer cover 8 . on the lower pot cap 20 is disposed a vent hole 21 . an airtight ring gasket 22 with v - shaped cross section is fitted to circumference of the upper pot cap 19 , preventing air or steam leakage . through the outer cover 8 and upper pot cap 19 is disposed a two - way venting valve 23 . when the outer cover 8 is put onto the cooker , the upper and lower pot caps 19 , 20 both fit on multi - stepped flange of upper edge of the inner pot 9 , whereby , a second space 200 is formed between the lower pot cap 20 and food in the inner pot 9 , and a third space 300 is formed between the upper pot cap 19 and the lower pot cap 20 . the second and third spaces 200 , 300 are in limited communication with each other through the vent hole 21 . a pivot 81 acts as an active joint for outer cover 8 such that when outer cover 8 is closed , it is locked by a holdfast 82 . both upper pot cap 19 and lower pot cap 20 fit on the multi - stepped flange of upper edge of the inner to 9 . a buffer pad 181 is disposed on the center of outer cover 8 , whereby when the outer cover is closed , the pad is pressed and the lower pot cap 20 is pushed by a reaction elastic force of the buffer pad 181 so that in case the pressure is too high , and vent hole 21 cannot sufficiently exhale the stem , the lower pot cap 20 will be raised by means of elasticity of the buffer pad 181 and the steam will be exhaled through periphery of the lower pot cap 20 to the upper pot cap 19 , and then through the two - way venting valve 23 into atmosphere so as to form a roundabout path of thermal energy . in this way , the thermal energy stays between the inner pot and the pot cap assembly for a longer time to be fully utilized , thus saving energy . in one of the embodiments of the exhalation valve means 3 , the valve means is installed outside the housing 7 and communicates with the space between inner and outer pots via a tube 25 which pierces through the walls of housing 7 and outer pot 1 . referring to fig2 showing an exploded view of the exhalation valve means 3 , a casing 30 together with a packing ( not shown ) are tightly associated with an upper cover 31 by screws 32 , forming a closed space . a circular groove 33 is formed at the bottom of casing 30 receiving a cooling water auto - returning valve 34 ( shown in fig3 ). three holes are punched on upper cover 31 for respectively receiving a safety valve 35 , a breathing valve 36 and a pressure regulating valve 37 . safety valve 35 consists of a hollow cylinder 351 and a gravitation cap 352 . on the center of gravitation cap 352 is formed a circular concave portion slightly larger than the hollow cylinder 351 . when the pressure in the space between the inner and outer pots is relieved through constant pressure valve 17 and / or pressure regulating valve 37 , but the steam still is not properly exhaled in time and the remaining pressure is still larger than weight of gravitation cap 352 , the steam will push the cap 352 upward and escape through the gap , thereby ensuring safety . breathing valve 36 is composed of a base 361 , a screw lid 362 having an elastic plug 363 corked in central hole thereof , and a movable valve stem 364 fitted in a central hole 365 of the elastic plug 363 . the central hole 365 of elastic plug 363 is slightly larger than a central cylinder portion 366 but smaller than the base portion 367 of movable valve stem 364 . when first heated , steam pressure is not large ; steam mainly escapes through the gap between cylinder portion 366 and wall of central hole 365 . as heating proceeds , the base portion 367 is pushed up by steam , and hence the elastic plug 363 is pressed tightly against the base portion 367 so that steam can not go through the breathing valve and must be discharged through other valves . the pressure regulating valve 37 consists of a base 371 , a plug 372 , a spring 373 , a pad 374 , a movable member 375 , a guiding member 376 , a casing 377 , a rotary disk 378 and a scale ring 379 . the base 371 of pressure regulating valve 37 penetrates the upper cover 31 and is mounted thereon so as to communicate with the space in casing 30 . plug 372 is a hollow body having a front cone portion formed with several exhalation holes 3721 , and a small diameter tail projection 3722 . pad 374 is hollow and has a tail projection 3741 . disposed between plug 372 and pad 374 is spring 373 . the two protrusions 3751 outside movable member 375 just fit two helical grooves 3761 formed on guiding member 376 and can move therealong . two inner straight slide channels 3771 formed on the inner surface of fixing casing 377 ( see fig2 a ) allows the vertical motion of movable member 375 with its protrusions 3751 sliding along the slide channels 3771 . installed inside the casing 377 are plug 372 , spring 373 , pad 374 , a movable member 375 and guiding member 376 . the assembled parts are then screwed on base 371 via thread of fixing casing 377 , and protrude beyond the top of guiding member 376 . scale ring 379 and rotary disk 378 are then screwed on the guiding member 376 . rotation of rotary disk 378 turns guiding member 376 , making movable member 375 move up or down along the channels 3771 of casing 377 because of mutual interaction between protrusions 3751 of movable member 375 and helical grooves 3761 of guiding member 376 ( please see fig2 a and 4 ). in this way , the compression force of the spring is adjusted to vary the pressure limit of the plug 372 . referring to fig2 a , which shows sectional view of the fixing casing 377 of the pressure regulating valve , it is seen that two vertical slide channels 3771 are formed therein for sliding of movable member 375 . referring to the cooling water auto - returning valve in fig3 a communicating tube 25 inserted in a hole punched on outer pot 1 is fixed by a nut 251 . tube 25 , piercing outer pot 1 and housing 7 , is connected to cooling water auto - returning valve 34 which has a horizontally movable plug 341 at its front end . there are several through holes 3411 at the head of movable plug 341 which can horizontally move freely inside the valve 34 . the inner diameter of the front end of the valve is approximately equal to that of plug 341 , and they are loosely matched . a vertically protruding spherical plug 342 is provided having a ball 344 which blocks an exit because of its weight . therefore , the movable plug 341 and spherical plug 342 become one way valves . when the steam generated in outer pot 1 passes through tube 25 and then into cooling water auto - returning valve 34 , it pushes movable plug 341 towards outlet 343 to block the same so that steam cannot escape through this plug , and ball 344 is thus pushed upward by the steam which escapes through injection opening 345 of spherical plug into casing 30 . when meeting the ambient casing wall , steam condenses and flows back into casing 30 . in this way , no steam and water will be sprayed when pressure is relieved . when heating is stopped , the pressure between the inner and outer pots reduces , and the pressure in casing 30 gradually disappears . the weight of ball 344 causes it to fall down and block the exit of spherical plug 342 . condensed water due to pressure difference pushes the movable plug 341 to open the outlet 343 and flow back to the shallow depression 2 of outer pot 1 through holes 3411 of plug 341 until equilibrium of pressure is achieved . through this , the cooling water recycles automatically . referring to the sectional view of the valve set of this invention in fig4 generated steam passes through communicating tube 25 to spherical plug 342 of cooling water auto - returning valve into casing 30 . during the initial low pressure period , steam escapes through the gap between elastic plug 363 and movable stem 364 of breathing valve 36 . as the heating proceeds and the pressure rises , stem 364 of breathing valve 36 is entirely pushed up to block the hole 365 of elastic plug 363 , preventing steam exhalation and leaving only the constant pressure valve ( disposed on ring member ) and pressure regulating valve available for exhalation . when the pressure is larger than that given to plug 372 by spring 373 , steam will push plug 372 open and discharge . for even larger pressures , steam will discharge through safety valve 35 to ensure safety of this invention . referring to constant pressure valve 17 in fig5 a , it is composed of a casing body 171 , a spring 172 , a plug 173 and a screw cork 174 . there are several holes 175 formed at the front portion of plug 173 . pressurized by spring 172 , plug 173 is opposed against the screw cork 174 so that the space between inner and outer pots is isolated from surrounding . referring to fig6 a , if the pressing force of steam pressure is greater than the elastic force of spring , plug 173 is pushed open and excessive steam discharges through holes 175 . to make the valves of this invention interchangeable and facilitate procedure of processing and molding , and to decrease amount of stored spare valves , the aforesaid constant pressure valve can be manufactured with the structure as shown in fig5 b and 6b . in this embodiment , the plug members of the safety valve , constant pressure valve and breathing valve are unified in shape . as shown in the drawings , the plug 173 is formed with a hollow conic head and a hollow cylinder body . moreover , multiple vent holes 175 are formed between the hollow conic head and cylinder body at equal angle to one another . the cylinder body is designed such that the diameter permits the plug 173 to freely slide in casing 171 . in particular , the constant pressure valve includes a hollow casing 171 having an inlet 176 and an outlet 177 , a tapered passage 178 formed on the inner wall of this inlet 176 , a hollow plug body 173 movably disposed in the hollow casing 171 having a conic head 175 near the inlet 176 and a cylinder body near the outlet , multiple vent holes formed between the conic head and cylinder body , a spring 172 disposed between the cylinder body of the hollow plug 173 and outlet 177 of casing 171 , a hollow screw cork 174 screwed on one end of the casing 171 to limit motion of the hollow plug within the casing . in the normal state , the spring 172 abuts against the hollow plug 173 , making the conic head thereof opposed against the tapered passage 178 of inlet of the hollow casing so as to block the passage . thus , the constant pressure valve will be closed under the preset compression force of the spring . when the pressure of fluid at the inlet of the casing is greater than the action force of the spring , the hollow plug is raised up to compress the spring , making the conic head of the plug separate from the tapered passage so that the fluid can flow through the inlet and multiple vent holes of the hollow plug and discharge from the outlet 177 of the casing 171 . therefore , the casing 171 an be assembled with the plug 173 , spring 172 and screw cork 174 to form constant pressure valve . when the spring 172 is replaced with a spring having larger elastic force , the constant pressure valve will become a safety valve 35 with a function identical to aforesaid embodiment . moreover , if the spring of constant pressure valve is eliminated and the plug 173 is reversely disposed in the casing 171 , as shown in fig5 c , 6c , then the valve will soon become a breathing valve 36 . at initial heating stage , the steam pressure is not so large , and the steam can go into the hollow plug through the inlet of the casing , and flow through multiple vent holes of the plug to discharge from outlet of the casing . when the pressure of the steam increases , the plug is raised by the steam pressure to move along inner wall of the casing , whereby the conic head of the plug contacts the tapered passage and blocks the same so as to prevent the steam from exhalation . when the raising force of the steam is smaller than weight of the plug body , the plug will drop down again , separating the conic head thereof from the tapered passage to form a free passage , thereby permitting the external gas to go therethrough , and the breathing function of the breathing valve is thus performed . thereby , the valve parts of this invention are improved to facilitate the manufacturing technique thereof and easy management can be achieved . with reference to the drain valve and drain pipe in fig7 drain valve 4 is connected to a rod 41 which protrudes beyond housing 7 and has a rotary switch 42 at its protruding end . a drain pipe 43 is screwed to one end of drain valve 4 for drainage while the other end of drain valve 4 is fixed to lowest point of shallow depression 2 of outer pot 1 . in fig8 ring member 12 is anchored on the upper edge of outer pot 1 by means of ring packing with v - shaped cross section ( not shown in fig8 ) and several screws . the upper edge of inner pot 9 is formed with a multi - stepped annular flange . the pot wall thereof is formed with several projections 11 which can fit into and pass through recesses 14 of ring member 12 ( see fig9 ) such that inner pot 9 can be associated with and supported by ring member 12 . in this way , the inner pot hangs above the outer pot without touching the bottom and wall thereof , forming a well - closed space for heating in the event that water is contained and heated in the depression of outer pot . referring to the ring member in fig9 several recesses 14 are formed along the inner periphery thereof corresponding to projections of inner pot and vent holes 16 , wherein the vent holes are suitable for installation of constant pressure valves 17 . in a preferred embodiment , no constant pressure valve 17 is disposed and the vent holes 16 are not disposed , as shown in fig1 . of course the vent holes 17 can still remain without installation of constant pressure valve , making the first space 100 communicated with third space 300 , as shown in fig1 . this will be further described in detail hereinafter . some water is added to the shallow depression in the outer pot and food is placed in the inner pot which is then put into central hole of the ring member such that projections 11 of inner pot just fit and pass through the recesses 14 and the inner pot is engaged with the ring member . in this position , the lower side of the upper edge of the inner pot touches the v - shaped ring packing , permitting the inner pot to rotate thereon . when the pot cap assembly is installed , the upper edge of the inner pot is pressed against the v - shaped packing 22 of the upper pot cap , forming the third heating space 300 . meanwhile , the first heating space 100 is formed between inner and outer pots , which can be communicated with casing 30 of exhalation valve means 3 by means of a communicating tube 25 . when the bottom of the outer pot is heated and steam is gradually generated , the heating space between the inner and outer pots is filled with a mixture of hot steam and room temperature air . the mixture flows through the communicating pipe into the cooling water auto - returning valve of the valve set . the vertical spherical plug will be blocked by the ball due to ball weight since the steam is too weak to push it open , and thus horizontal movable plug is pushed forward by steam and again blocks the outlet of the steam . as more steam is generated so that it has sufficient power to push the ball up , some gas escapes through the injejction spout of the spherical plug into casing 30 of exhalation valve means 3 . among exhalation valve means , the movable steam of the breathing valve requires the least pressure for relieving , and therefore the aforesaid hot steam and room temperature air mixture can be exhaled properly through breathing valve . as the heating proceeds and the amount of steam increases , movable stem is pushed by the steam and blocks the breathing valve . at this moment , the v - shaped ring packing between inner pot and ring member suffering the pressing of steam at its mouth opens gradually , finally touching more closely the upper edge of inner pot , and hence forming a perfect closed heating space . as more steam is generated in further heating , steam fills up the whole space between the inner and outer pots , and uniformly transfers heat to the inner pot bottom and wall . according to heat conduction principles , the temperature difference between high temperature steam and cold food in inner pot is great and it is not likely to reach an isothermal state in an instant because of the heat barrier . therefore , the heat cannot be immediately transferred into the inner pot , and as heating proceeds , the heat conducting rate cannot catch up with steam generation rate , subsequently causing an increase of pressure which can be adjusted by discharging some steam through the constant pressure valve on the ring member or the pressure regulating valve on the exhalation valve means 3 . steam exhaled through the constant pressure valve passes through gap 71 between the outer cover and the housing into the atmosphere ( gap 71 exists between the outer cover and housing when they are associated .). in this way , the steam pressure in the first space 100 can be maintained steady . before the steam pressure rises to the exhalation level , all of the heat energy generated is conducted repeatedly to the inner pot to raise the food temperature . this action is repeated again and again until the steam pressure reaches exhalation level . in other words , although the short cycle of pressure relieving is repeated , the temperature of the food and the inner pot will rise in every steam exhalation . when the food and inner pot temperatures rise gradually , the heat conduction barrier disappears . from this moment on , heat is directly conducted to the inner pot and thus the food , giving the greatest heating response . steam which is generated in the inner pot during boiling flows through the vent hole opening of lower pot cap , and detours to the breathing valve on the upper pot cap , and is finally discharged into the atmosphere . the two - way venting valve can ensure that the lower pressure steam which is generated is not completely discharged into air but is retained for some time between the lower pot cap and the inner pot , thus enhancing the heating effect . as more steam is generated which cannot escape from inner pot , it presses the v - shaped mouth of the v - shaped ring packing on the outer boundary of the upper pot cap , forming a tight contact between the packing and upper pot cap and upper edge of inner pot , forming a perfect closed heating space . when food in the inner pot is heated and excessive steam is generated , the steam will push the breathing valve open and discharge outward . if the steam in lower pot cap is too much , then the buffer pad of cap assembly will be raised by the steam , permitting the same to escape through periphery of lower pot cap into the third space between upper and lower pot caps , and then discharge to atmosphere through the two - way venting valve 23 . when heating is terminated , steam will be exhaled by two - way venting valve for a certain time . this action will slow down and finally stop so that a certain amount of steam and heat can be retained between the inner pot and pot caps to closedly steam food . atmospheric air will slowly flow back into inner pot through said two - way venting valve 23 , thereby balancing the pressures existing on two sides of pot cap assembly for easy opening of outer cover . on termination of heating , the two - way venting valve can remain in the closed state for some time ( due to the small pressure limit ), keeping some steam in first space for further closedly steaming the inner pot . when the pressure between the inner and outer pots reduces , the movable stem drops down , permitting external air to slowly flow in through the gap . moreover , the movable ball of spherical plug of the cooling water auto - returning valve drops down also due to its weight after heating stops , thereby blocking the exit . condensed water compelled by inflowing air pushes the horizontal movable plug open , and flows back to the shallow depression of the outer pot . thus , the problem of water accumulation in valve casing of exhalation valve means 3 is eliminated . because of the entire uniform and indirect heating by steam and separation of inner pot from outer pot , every part of food in inner pot can be evenly and entirely heated and boiled under the same temperature and pressure by steam heat conduction step by step . in addition , as food is heated step by step , it fully absorbs the thermal energy and its flavor and nutrition can be completely preserved . furthermore , because the steam is effectively used , cooking time is shortened and energy is saved . please now further refer to fig1 to 19 for a better understanding of other preferred embodiments of the present invention . fig1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment of this invention , wherein the inner pot 9 is hung above the outer pot 1 . in this embodiment , the inner pot is directly air - tightly supported in the outer pot without using ring member . the upper externally extending annular flange 110 of outer pot 1 is air - tightly engaged with corresponding upper externally extending annular flange 101 of the inner pot , resulting in the inner pot being spaced from the bottom and wall of the outer pot to achieve the identical effect as the first embodiment . in this embodiment , the safety valve 35 , breathing valve 36 and pressure regulating valve 37 or constant pressure valve 17 are all disposed on the peripheral wall of the outer pot , while the other fittings are the same as first embodiment and will not be further described herein . in fig1 and 12 , a third embodiment of this invention is shown , wherein by means of a perforated metal heat - conducting pot 50 ( as shown in fig1 ) or a solid metal heat - conducting pot 50a ( as shown in fig1 ), the inner pot is hung above inside the outer pot , forming a first space 100 between heat - conducting pot 50 or 50a and outer pot 1 . the inner pot 9 is sealedly fitted into the heat - conducting pot and closely associated therewith , whereby thermal energy in the first space 100 can be conducted to inner pot 9 through solid heat - conducting pot 50a or through vent holes 501 of the perforated heat - conducting pot 50 to entirely and uniformly heat the food contained in the inner pot at same temperature and pressure as performed in the above embodiments so as to achieve the identical effect . in fig1 and 14 , two forms of installation of exhalation valve are shown . fig1 illustrates that the breathing valve 36 , safety valve 35 and pressure regulating valve 37 ( or constant pressure valve 17 ) are all disposed on the pot cap of the outer pot . fig1 illustrates these valves mounted on the pot wall of the outer pot to achieve same function as above - mentioned embodiment . fig1 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention , wherein the vent holes 16 of the ring member 12 are open without mounting any exhalation valve thereon , making the first and third heating spaces communicating with each other . the exhalation valves are all alternatively disposed on the pot cap , making the inner pot thoroughly surrounded by the first and third heating spaces to achieve the heating and cooking effect as above described . fig1 to 18 respectively show alternative embodiments of the installation of the exhalation valves on the cooker , wherein fig1 shows that the ring member 12 is of sealed type , resulting in the first space being isolated from the atmosphere and the safety valve 35 , breathing valve 36 , constant pressure valve 17 or pressure regulating valve 37 mounted on the pot wall of the outer pot are used to adjust the steam pressure , while the other parts are same as the above embodiments . fig1 shows the safety valve 35 and breathing valve 36 disposed on the ring member 12 , and the constant pressure valve 17 or pressure regulating valve 37 mounted on the pot wall of the outer pot . fig1 shows the constant pressure valve 17 and breathing valve 36 disposed on the ring member 12 , while the safety valve 35 is mounted on the pot wall of the outer pot to also achieve the function as described in the above embodiments . additionally , to meet the requirements of different cooking temperature for different foods , temperature control means 91 , 92 can be further mounted as shown in fig1 in addition to the above - mentioned exhalation valves . by means of cooperation of the exhalation valves and temperature control means , the best accurate boiling temperature can be precisely controlled as necessary to keep the natural nutrients and flavors of various foods and to acquire better cooking effect . since the heater , temperature control breaker or timer mentioned above are all of conventional arts , they will not be discussed herein .

US-46065389-A

a process for removing catalyst fines from the wax product produced in a slurry fischer - tropsch reactor comprises removing the wax product from the reactor and separating the catalyst fines by passing the wax product through a high gradient magnetic field , whereby the catalyst fines are held by a magnetized filter element and the wax product passes through unhindered to form a purified wax product which is ready for upgrading . the separated catalyst fines are returned to the reactor by backwashing the filter element .

in the preferred embodiment shown in the figure of the drawings , it is desired to provide a continuous process whereby magnetic particles may be continuously separated from the high molecular weight wax product to produce a purified wax product substantially devoid of magnetic catalyst or other magnetic particles . this preferred embodiment may be fully understood with reference to the figure of the drawings , in which the waxy product is withdrawn through line 18 by means of pump 58 , which delivers the waxy product with entrained magnetic catalyst or other magnetic fines to feed line 30 . feed line 30 is provided with valves 44 and 48 , which permit the aforementioned waxy product with entrained magnetic catalyst or fines to be fed to each of magnetic field separators 20 and 22 for separation of the magnetic catalyst and fines from the waxy product to form a purified wax product which is withdrawn through valves 50 and 54 into discharge line 32 for further processing via line 34 . the magnetic catalyst and fines are temporarily retained in the filter elements of each of magnetic field separators 20 and 22 , i . e ., in filter 26 . in the most preferred embodiment of applicants &# 39 ; invention , there is a continuous withdrawal of waxy product with entrained magnetic catalyst or fines through line 18 by means of pump 58 fed continuously through at least one of high gradient magnetic field separators 20 and 22 . this is not to state that the stream of waxy product with magnetic particles cannot be split at line 30 and fed to each of magnetic separators 20 and 22 by opening both valves 44 and 48 , but that during backwash of one of magnetic separators to remove the entrained magnetic particles from the filter , the other magnetic separator will continuously process the withdrawn waxy product with entrained magnetic particles to separate the same into purified wax product substantially devoid of particles . this will be further understood again with reference to the following description of the figure . waxy product with entrained magnetic catalyst or fines is continuously withdrawn through line 18 by means of pump 58 and is fed to feed line 30 . however , only one of valve 44 and 48 will be open , with the other valve remaining closed . for example , with valve 44 open and valve 48 closed , the waxy product with entrained magnetic catalyst and fines is fed through high gradient magnetic separator 20 when valve 50 is open , permitting access of the purified wax product to discharge line 32 and line 34 for further processing . at this time valve 52 is normally closed . however , at the same time that purified wax product is exiting through lines 32 and 34 , a portion thereof may be used to backflush the filter element in high gradient magnetic separator 22 by opening valves 54 and 56 , while terminating the field in high gradient magnetic separator 22 . the magnetic particles entrained in the filter element will be backwashed through valve 56 and line 36 by means of pump 60 for return via line 38 to the slurry 12 in reactor 10 . the backwashing of the magnetic filter element by a purified wax product may be further facilitated by opening valve 46 , allowing a portion of solvent to mix with the purified wax product for purposes of enhancing the cleaning of the filter element . this solvent is also returned to slurry 12 , where it reduces the congealing point of the slurry 12 and thereby lengthens the reaction on - stream time . of course , by backflushing the filter elements , the entrained magnetic catalyst particles removed from the filter elements by the cleaning process reenter slurry 12 in reactor 10 , thereby maintaining a high percentage of catalyst - to - hydrocarbon ratio . thus , the ratio of catalyst to slurry is maintained substantially constant . backflushing of filter element 26 of high gradient magnetic separator 20 is accomplished in a similar manner by closing valves 44 and 56 while opening valve 48 so as to permit the waxy product with entrained magnetic catalyst and fines to flow through high gradient magnetic separator 22 . valve 46 is then closed and valves 50 , 52 and 54 opened so as to permit a backwashing and cleaning of filter element 26 by a portion of purified wax product exiting high gradient magnetic separator 22 . where appropriate , valve 42 may be opened to permit a portion of a solvent to be admixed with the purified wax product to assist and facilitate the cleaning of filter element 26 . of course , this backwashed material , including magnetic catalyst and fines , will pass through valve 52 by means of pump 60 to be fed back to slurry 12 through line 38 in a manner similar to that performed when high gradient magnetic separator 22 was backwashed . although the foregoing process was described with reference to only two high gradient magnetic separators connected in parallel , as shown in the instant figure , it is to be understood that more than two magnetic separators may be connected in parallel , provided that the connections permit the continuous withdrawal of waxy product containing magnetic catalyst and fines with simultaneous backwashing of at least one of the filter elements contained within said high gradient magnetic separators . although the present invention has been described with preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to , without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention , as those skilled in the art will readily understand .

US-72091685-A

a method of improved production of seafood comprises testing the water at the surface of the ocean in order to determine the nutrients that are missing , applying a fertilizer that contains the missing nutrients , to fertilize the surface of the ocean , and harvesting the increased production of seafood that results from the fertilization .

ocean fertilization according to the present invention would greatly increase the productivity of seafood from the oceans . ( the term &# 34 ; oceans &# 34 ; also includes seas , bays and other large bodies of water ). for example , ocean fertilization along the atlantic and pacific coasts of the united states could increase the productivity off these coasts up the level that occurs naturally off the coast of peru . this could increase the productivity of seafood along the atlantic and pacific coasts of the united states by a factor of 30 or more , and thereby provide thousands of new jobs and revitalize a fishing industry that is in decline in some areas of the united states , while at the same time generating a high quality protein food for both domestic consumption and export . ocean fertilization could also increase the fish catch off the coasts of other countries with the same benefits . the ocean fertilization could take place within national waters , thereby assuring that the benefits of the increased production of seafood would inure to the benefit of the fishing industry of the country that engages in the ocean fertilization . for example , all of the fertilization by the united states could take place within the 200 mile ( about 323 kilometer ) limit , so that essentially all of the impact would be within u . s . waters . the basic parameter of ocean fertilization is that about 1 pound ( about 0 . 45 kilogram ) of fertilizer produces about 2 to 10 tons ( about 1 . 8 to 9 . 1 metric tons ) of biomass in the ocean . a conservative estimate would be that a ton ( about 0 . 9 metric ton ) would produce about 4 , 000 tons ( about 3 , 600 metric tons ) of biomass in the ocean . the productivity per surface area should be higher in the fertilized ocean , as compared to on the fertilized land . sugar cane cultivation currently produces about 40 tons per acre ( about 36 metric tons per 0 . 4 hectare ) per year . if the same rate of production is achieved in ocean fertilization , this would be about 25 , 600 tons per square mile ( about 23 , 300 metric tons per 2 . 6 square kilometers ) per year . on the land , fertilization is almost always accompanied by planting . in the ocean , the fertilization may be combined with the introduction of algae , egg masses and other organisms , including juvenile fish from hatcheries . this may further increase the production of seafood from the ocean . on the land , the planting and fertilization are usually carried out in the spring , and the harvesting is usually carried out in the fall . in ocean farming , the amount of time between fertilization and harvesting depends on a number of factors . the delay time for algae to bloom after fertilization is about four days . then plankton graze on the algae , the bait fish eat the plankton and on up the food chain to the large mammals and fish . off the coasts of the united states , the most significant currents are the gulf stream and the japanese current . each of these flow at about 4 miles per hour ( about 6 . 4 kilometer per hour ). thus , fertilization at one location of the ocean surface in either of these currents , will produce results for harvesting at another location downstream . a delay time of about four days would be about 400 miles ( about 645 kilometers ) at about 4 miles per hour ( about 6 . 4 kilometers per hour ). for the gulf stream , this means that fertilization off of key west , fla ., would result in improved fishing off of north florida , with the larger fish coming in off the coasts of georgia , south carolina , north carolina and virginia . the improved fishing could continue for many miles of the gulf stream depending on how the fertilization was carried out . ocean fertilization could be carried out as far north as massachusetts in the summer when the gulf stream often approaches the coast . in contrast , during the winter the labrador current brings cold water with relatively high nutrient content down as far as new york and new jersey . under these winter conditions , the gulf stream tends to veer east towards europe outside the 200 mile ( 323 kilometer ) limit off the coast of virginia . testing may determine that ocean fertilization in the gulf stream may be carried out even earlier , such as off the west coast of florida , so that the algae bloom is already underway by the time the gulf stream rounds key west , fla . this would allow more time to harvest the larger fish off the east coast of the united states before the gulf stream veers east out of the national waters of the united states . in the gulf stream , the fertilizer is expected to consist primarily of iron with some phosphates and nitrates , in order to bring the nutrient content up to the level of the peruvian upwelling . the ocean fertilization should be monitored by testing because the gulf stream is complex with swirls and eddies along the coast , and there are the effects of storms , tides and occasional hurricanes . however , the result of ocean fertilization is almost certainly that algae will grow , and the rest will follow . ocean fertilization is effective only in the upper level of the ocean , and preferably in the top about 100 feet ( about 30 meters ) of the ocean . therefore , the preferred method of ocean fertilization will hitch the fertilizer to a float , such as rice hulls , wheat chaffs , ground corn cobs , peanut hulls and so forth . the fertilizer will preferably be in the form that will dissolve in the surface water over a period of days , or perhaps as long as a week . therefore , a preferred method of ocean fertilization will include a mixture of the fertilizer material with a high molecular weight starch , so as to produce a fertilizer that dissolves slowly in the ocean water . the initial method of ocean fertilization should be designed to bring the relevant portion of the ocean surface to the nutrient composition of the ocean surface in the peruvian upwelling , because of the known production of seafood there . the method of ocean fertilization will preferably include additional testing and studies of the dynamics of seafood growth under the conditions of fertilization , so that further modifications and improvements in the composition of the fertilizer and the method of ocean fertilization can be achieved . the ocean fertilization of about 53 , 000 square miles ( about 140 , 000 square kilometers ) at a rate of removing about 1 , 340 million tons ( about 1 , 220 million metric tons ) of carbon dioxide ( co 2 ) would initially require about 250 , 000 tons ( about 230 , 000 metric tons ) per year of fertilizer . this is about 1 , 000 tons ( about 900 metric tons ) per day for 250 days per year . if the fertilizer applied to the ocean costs about $ 200 per ton ( about 0 . 9 metric ton ), then the cost is about $ 50 , 000 , 000 per year . the cost of ocean fertilization preferably also includes the cost of monitoring , testing and reporting , so as to optimize the method of ocean fertilization , including the optimization of the composition of the fertilizer , the application rate and the location of application . the detailed description above is primarily aimed at the gulf stream because it flows near the largest centers of population of the united states and has an existing fishing industry . however , the present method of improved production of seafood is applicable to other areas well . modifications of the method will be required depending on the location . for example , the present method of is applicable to the west coast of the united states as well . the japanese current receives natural fertilization from upwellings in the bering sea . this enhances the production of seafood all the way down to the coast of the state of washington , but the production of seafood dwindles along the oregon coast and is gone by the time the japanese current reaches northern california . the japanese current could be fertilized off of the coast of the state of washington in order to increase the production of seafood off the oregon coast and california coast . thus , the present method allows for variation , including variation in the composition of the fertilizer , as well as the location and nature of the application of fertilizer , depending on the area of the ocean that is being fertilized . the present method of ocean fertilization could utilize ships that would be at sea for about 120 days , and have the capacity to carry about 120 , 000 tons ( about 110 , 000 metric tons ) of fertilizer . the ships would be provided with pumps to mix the fertilizer with the seawater , and disperses the mixture into the ocean . each ship could be provided with 3 pumps of 2 , 500 horsepower each , in order to spray a mixture of 90 % seawater and 10 % fertilizer over the stern . each ship would need to have a capacity of about 600 , 000 bbls ( about 90 , 000 kiloliters ), which is a medium size tanker . the fertilization of the ocean will result in an algae bloom . the algae bloom will remove co 2 from the water and later from the air . the biomass will become part of the food chain eventually including large fish and whales . the animal life will oxidize the biomass and return the co 2 to the ocean and eventually to the air . some of the biological material will descend to the ocean floor where it will be picked up by the bottom currents and eventually recycled into upwellings . the total carbon that becomes part of this cycle is removed from the ocean waters and atmosphere . in time , an equilibrium will be reached just like the climax forest , after which no net reduction of atmospheric co 2 will occur . the length of time for the ocean to reach this equilibrium is estimated to be many hundreds of years , but cannot be estimated with certainty . this means that a continuing ocean fertilization will remove net co 2 for a substantial period of time to come . the production of 1 , 000 million tons ( about 900 million metric tons ) of algae ( biomass ) per year would produce about 50 , 000 , 000 tons ( about 45 , 000 , 000 metric tons ) of additional fish , if we get about 1 ton ( about 1 . 1 metric ton ) of useful fish for each 20 tons ( about 18 metric tons ) of algae . this is about 1 pound ( about 0 . 45 kilogram ) of additional fish per day for every man , woman and child in the united states , that would be achieved by using the present method of improved production of seafood in the gulf stream as discussed above . thus , a highly nutritious source of food would be produced for both residents of the united states and other countries by using the present method of improved production of seafood in the gulf stream . the fertilizer to be used in the present method of production of seafood will have a number of specifications , such as the rate of dissolution and a density less than water , as well as the required nutrient value . the least expensive source of raw materials that have the required chemical composition should suffice , because sea life seems able to process fertilizer regardless of the form or chemical combination . the fertilizer must not contain any toxic chemicals in a concentration that would harm the sea life , and must be free of pathogens that could be ingested by the consumers of the seafood . thus , there are many waste streams that could be processed to produce a suitable fertilizer at a low cost , and at a significant addition to the effort to recycle waste . the present method of improved production of seafood would have significant economic impact . the production of 50 , 000 , 000 tons ( about 45 , 000 , 000 metric tons ) per year of additional seafood along one coast of the united states would produce a $ 50 , 000 , 000 , 000 per year industry if the value of the seafood averages $. 50 per pound ( 0 . 45 kilograms ). t his would create one million new jobs for each coast , if there was one new job for each $ 50 , 000 in sales per year . variations of the invention may be envisioned by those skilled in the art and the invention is to be limited solely by the claims appended hereto .

US-23437494-A

the present invention discloses a conductive film including a substrate , a first hard coated layer , a second hard coated layer , a first refraction layer , a second refraction layer , and a transparent conductive layer , which are arranged in a predetermined order . the second hard coated layer has the silicon - based material accounting for certain percentages of the weight thereof , and the transparent conductive layer may cover parts of the second refraction layer . when a light enters into the transparent conductive layer / the second refraction layer with an incident angle , the light may be associated with a first reflectance / a second reflectance . the difference between the first reflectance and the second reflectance is designed to be lower than a first threshold value . accordingly , the present invention may eliminate the display difference between an etched and a non - etched area of the conductive film and improve the visual quality .

the aforementioned illustrations and following detailed descriptions are exemplary for the purpose of further explaining the scope of the present invention . other objectives and advantages related to the present invention will be illustrated in the subsequent descriptions and appended drawings . referring to fig1 and fig2 , fig1 shows a schematic diagram of a conductive film according to an embodiment of the present invention , and fig2 shows a stereogram of the conductive film according to an embodiment of the present invention . a conductive film 1 of the present invention includes a substrate 10 , a first hard coated layer 12 , a second hard coated layer 14 , a first refraction layer 16 , a second refraction layer 18 , and a transparent conductive layer 20 . in one implementation , the substrate 10 is made of glass and pet ( polyethylene terephthalate ) materials . for example , the substrate 10 can be made of acetylcellulose - based films such as diacetylcellulose films , triacetylcellulose films and acetylcellulose butyrate films , polycarbonate - based films , cyclic olefin - based films , acrylic resin - based films , polyester - based films such as polyethylene terephthalate films , polybutylene terephthalate films and polyethylene naphthalate films , polysulfone - based films , polyether sulfone - based films , polyether ether ketone - based films , polyimide - based films , and polyether imide - based films . in terms of light transmitting capability , mechanical property , lower water absorption , endurance to heat and tough weather condition , triacetylcellulose films , polycarbonate - based films , cyclic polyolefin - based films , acrylic resin - based films and polyethylene terephthalate films may be more desirable with acetylcellulose - based films , polycarbonate - based films , cyclic polyolefin - based films , acrylic resin - based films and polyester - based films may separate themselves from others in the same categories . in practice , when the substrate 10 is made of glass and pet materials , a refractive index of the substrate may be at 1 . 52 . of course , person skilled in the art can choose from other materials to prepare compounds serving as the substrate 10 with the refractive index around 1 . 52 . the thickness of the substrate 10 in one implementation is lower than 300 μm . besides , the first hard coated layer 12 , the second hard coated layer 14 , the first refraction layer 16 , and the second refraction layer 18 may be disposed on one surface of the substrate 10 , and an adhesive layer 22 , for bonding the conductive film 1 to other devices , may be disposed on a surface of the substrate 10 that is opposite to the surface where the first hard coated layer 12 , the second hard coated layer 14 , the first refraction layer 16 , and the second refraction layer 18 are placed with respect to the substrate 10 . in one implementation , the adhesive layer 22 is made of materials with superior optical characteristics such as an acrylic adhesive , a urethane adhesive or a silicone adhesive . the first hard coated layer 12 may be in contact with the substrate 10 when disposed on the substrate 10 . the second hard coated layer 14 may be disposed on the first hard coated layer 12 with the first refraction layer 16 placed between the second refraction layer 18 , which is in contact with the transparent conductive layer , and the second hard coated layer 14 . in other words , arrangement of the first hard coated layer 12 , the second hard coated layer 14 , the first refraction layer , and the second refraction layer 18 may be in terms of a predetermined order . the first refraction layer 16 may be a metallic oxide layer which is made of titanium oxide , ito , tantalum oxide tin oxide , or combinations of any two of the aforementioned . the second refraction layer 18 may be a siloxane - based polymer layer which is made of inorganic silica - based compounds or polyorganosiloxane - based compounds or mixtures of these compounds . it is worth noting that the thickness of the first hard coated layer 12 may range between six to ten micrometers . and the first hard coated layer 12 may be with no silicon - based material but with carbon and hydrogen . on the other hand , the second hard coated layer 14 may have the silicon - based material accounting for sixty to ninety percents of the weight thereof . the second hard coated layer 14 may be one to two micrometers in thickness . it is also worth noting that carbon , hydrogen , sio 2 and tio 2 may also be part of the second hard coated layer 14 . as to the first hard coated layer 12 and the second hard coated layer 14 , no limitation concerning weight percentages of the carbon , hydrogen , sio 2 and tio 2 , so long as the conductive film 1 may pass the endurance test . in practice , by properly selecting the thickness and the refractive index of the first hard coated layer 12 , the second hard coated layer 14 , the first refraction layer 16 , and the second refraction layer 18 , the etched traces in the conductive film 1 formed over the course of the etching process may not be observable by human eyes , and the difference in color display may be minimized . in one implementation , when the thickness of the first refraction layer 16 is in the range of 100 å to 300 å , and the refractive index thereof is in the range of 1 . 6 to 2 . 0 and the thickness of the second refraction layer 18 is in the range of 500 å to 700 å , and the refractive index of the second refraction layer 18 is in the range of 1 . 42 to 1 . 46 the etched traces in the conductive film 1 formed over the course of the etching process and the difference in the color display may not be observable . since the transparent conductive layer 20 may be disposed on the second refraction layer 18 , the transparent conductive layer 20 may be the outer - most layer of the conductive film 1 . after the etching process , only predetermined areas of the transparent conductive layer 20 may be etched to form specific patterns and the transparent conductive layer 20 at the predetermined areas may be entirely etched away . other areas of the transparent conductive layer 20 may continue overlapping the second refraction layer 16 . in one implementation , the transparent conductive layer 20 may be made of sno2 , zno2 , in2o3 , or ito , and the thickness of the transparent conductive layer 20 may range from 150 å to 250 å . more specifically , the thickness of the transparent conductive layer 20 may be 180 å when the transparent conductive layer 18 is made of ito . a refractive index of the transparent conductive layer 20 may be in the range of 1 . 9 to 2 . 1 . moreover , since the transparent conductive layer 20 may be associated with high conductivity the grounding process for the conductive film 1 may be simplified , increasing the yield in the manufacturing process . also because of the conductivity of the transparent conductive layer 20 , the electrode may be formed efficiently on the transparent conductive layer 20 . therefore , the present invention may be applicable to the touch panel . in practice , in order to prevent the etched traces from being observed , the thickness and the refractive index of the transparent conductive layer 20 shall be selected with the refractive index and the thickness of the first hard coated layer 12 , the second hard coated layer 14 , the first refraction layer 16 , and the second refraction layer 18 taken into account . when a light enters into both the transparent conductive layer 20 and the second refraction layer 18 of the conductive film 1 with an incident angle , the light may be associated with a first reflectance r 1 . on the other hand , when the light only enters into the second refraction layer 18 with the same incident angle rather than into the transparent conductive layer 20 the light may be associated with a second reflectance r 2 . the difference between the first reflectance ( r 1 ) and the second reflectance ( r 2 ) may be lower than a first threshold value , which in one implementation is 0 . 5 . under this arrangement the difference in the reflectance is relatively small so that the etched traces may become not observable . further , when the light penetrates the transparent conductive layer 20 and the second refraction layer 18 of the conductive film 1 with the incident angle , the light may be associated with a first transmittance t 1 . and when the light only penetrates the second refraction layer 18 with the same incident angle , the light may be associated with a second transmittance t 2 . the difference between the first transmittance ( t 1 ) and the second transmittance ( t 2 ) may be lower than a second threshold value , which in one implementation may be lower than 0 . 5 . in ensuring the relatively small difference in the transmittance between the light penetrating both the transparent conductive layer 20 and the second refraction layer 18 and the light penetrating the second refraction layer 18 only , the conductive film 1 according to the present invention may cause the etched traces formed over the course of the etching process not to be observed by the users since the light travels straight forward and when the difference in the light transmittance between t 1 and t 2 is relatively small enough regardless of whether the light enters into the conductive film 1 from one surface of the substrate 10 and passes through the transparent conductive layer 20 and / or the second refraction layer 18 or from the opposite ( back ) surface of the substrate 10 . the conductive film 1 may be attached to the light - emitting surface of a display device using the adhesive layer 22 . the display device may include lcd , crt , touch panel , or other electric devices having the aforementioned display devices . in this case , the users may not be interfered with said etched traces while watching images through the conductive film 1 of the present invention . it is worth noting that by having two hard coated layers incorporated the conductive film of the present invention may further enhance optical performances of the conductive film in terms of light uniformity . the descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the present invention ; however , the characteristics of the present invention are by no means restricted thereto . all changes , alternations , or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the present invention delineated by the following claims .

US-201113189241-A

a method is provided for the artificial erosion of dammed bodies of water , wherein an average grain size distribution of sediments in the dammed body of water is determined across the ground surface of the dammed body of water . a sediment requirement for downstream water is determined , and as a result , at least one displacement of the sediments in the dammed body of water into the downstream water takes place in accordance with the sediment requirements for the downstream water . advantageously , requirements regarding at least the quantity and grain size of the sediment for the downstream water are determined .

fig1 shows a dammed body of water 10 , supplied by a river 12 . the river 12 is blocked by a dam 14 . a discharge organ 16 , which discharges excess water , or used water , e . g . for a power plant , from the dammed body of water 10 into a downstream water 18 , is used in particular to regulate the water level in the dammed body of water 10 . the damming is preferably obtained such that the downstream water 18 opens into a river 20 . further measures for regulating the level of the dammed body of water 10 or for flood control can take place , for example , by means of a submerged drain 22 . by damming the river 12 , there is a reduction in the flow speed in the region of the dam 14 . this reduction in the flow speed is indicated schematically by the sediment deposit diagram beneath the river or the dammed body of water 10 . the diagram shows the flow speed of the river 12 or the dammed body of water 10 toward the dam 14 on the x - axis , in a logarithmic distribution . the y - axis , which is likewise divided logarithmically , shows the grain size of the particles , which are deposited at the respective speed . it can be seen that with smaller grain diameters , sediment is transported further toward the dam 14 . larger sediments , i . e . sediments with a larger grain diameter , are deposited further away from the dam 14 than finer grains . in particular clay particles having a size of & lt ; 2 μm are carried up to the dam , but with larger sediment grains , the flow speed is insufficient for this . known methods so far for displacing sediments in dammed bodies of water provide merely that sediments are accumulated from the ground of the dammed body of water according to certain patterns , or in a random manner , and these are then conveyed to the proximity of the discharge organ 10 . it has been shown , however , that although this method is sufficient for pumped - storage power plants , it is accompanied by disadvantages for flowing bodies of water , or dammed flowing bodies of water , because the lacking , or incorrect composition of the sediments in downstream water can lead to erosion damage , flooding and other consequences . for this reason , the downstream water 18 , or the water discharged herefrom , hereinafter referred to as discharge 20 , is limnologically monitored . the monitoring is obtained by means of at least one sensor 24 , which measures , e . g ., flow speed , turbidity , nutrients , solids , gases , water level , temperature or other factors of the downstream water 18 . preferably , numerous of the specified factors are recorded and evaluated . a computer - supported monitoring unit 26 , in particular , is available for this . the monitoring unit 26 activates at least one or more dredgers 28 , depending on the measured values of the at least one sensor 24 . these are preferably activated such that the monitoring unit 26 transmits a requirement for quantities of sediment and / or grain sizes to the dredgers 28 , which then approach the sediment grain sizes corresponding to the previously determined and / or known sediment deposits in the dammed body of water , in order to then accumulate them in the downstream water 18 , after which a redistribution takes place . the sediment can , as shown here by way of example , be deposited in front of the discharge organ 16 , such that it either flows through the discharge organ , or it can be introduced directly into the downstream water , over or around the dam . fig2 shows , by way of example , the transport of the sediment deposits 30 from the floor of the body of water 32 of the dammed body of water 10 by means of a suction dredger assembly 36 . this is composed of a pump unit 36 , a flushing head 38 , and a conveyance line 40 and 42 . a flushing head 38 is used to release the sediment deposits 30 from the floor of the body of water 32 , which comprises a milling machine for loosening the sediments 30 . the released sediments 30 are accumulated and conveyed by means of the pump unit 36 . the pump unit 36 also transports the sediment through the conveyance line 42 directly into the downstream water , or in a region of the dammed body of water 10 lying in the proximity of the discharge organ 16 . advantageously , the pump unit 36 is disposed on a pontoon 44 . the pontoon 49 can be moved over a large area , preferably the entire area , of the dammed body of water by means of control ropes 46 . in another design , not shown herein , it is provided that the suction dredger has its own drive unit , with which it can be moved over the dammed body of water 10 . fig3 shows , by way of example , the depositing of the accumulated sediment 30 in the proximity of the discharge organ 16 . the conveyance line 42 is held in place by means of floats 50 , and can likewise be freely moved in one design , and in particular , it can be controlled . preferably , by relocating the floats it is possible to impact different sediment grain sizes . in particular , larger grain sizes can be brought closer to the discharge organ 16 , because the suction or flow speeds there can convey these without difficulty . smaller sediment sizes require a greater distance to the discharge organ 16 , because these can already flow through the discharge organ into the downstream water at lower flow speeds . the deposited sediment 30 is removed by the flowing water in the direction of the arrow 52 , and conveyed into the downstream water . additionally or alternatively , the removed sediment can also be transported directly into the downstream water , as already shown in fig1 , in particular at locations where strong erosions prevail , e . g . as a result of high flow speeds . fig4 shows , by way of example , a conveyor system 54 . this is designed as a connecting assembly between a dammed body of water 10 and a downstream water 18 , and can be integrated , for example , in a dam 14 . the conveyor system 54 has two spiral conveyors 55 disposed behind one another . these each comprise a conveyor auger 56 , a spiral pump hutch 57 , and a motor / generator unit 58 , 59 . the motor / generator unit 58 , 59 comprises a motor 58 for driving the respective conveyor auger 56 and a generator for accumulating power . the conveyor system 54 has two directions of conveyance , or operating modes , respectively . in order to displace sediments 30 from dammed bodies of water 10 into downstream water 18 , gravity or water pressure acts on the auger 56 such that it rotates , resulting in conveyance toward the downstream water 18 . the rotation of the auger 56 can be used thereby by the generators 59 in order to obtain electrical energy . furthermore , the motors 58 of the augers 56 can be collectively driven in the opposite direction , in order to enable a direction of conveyance from the downstream water 18 into the dammed body of water 10 . the conveyor system 54 can be used in this manner as a water ladder for living creatures .

US-201515514246-A

the user requesting the search is enabled to analyze the list of excessive hits in a manner organized through a web content manager on the user &# 39 ; s display screen , and reduce the excessive hits through the elimination of extraneous domains or subdomains captured by the search . an implementation for reducing an excessive number of hits in a search result received at one of the receiving display stations on the web comprising conventional means for displaying at said receiving display station , web documents received from sources on the web , and means for conducting keyword searches on the web . there are means associated with the receiving display stations for displaying the number of web documents hit by said keyword searches , together with means , responsive to an excessive number of web document hits , for enabling a user to display a hierarchical level of the domains of the web documents hit by said searches with a count of the number of hits for each domain , and means enabling the user to interactively eliminate selected domains to thereby reduce the excess number of hits in said search .

referring to fig1 , a typical data processing terminal is shown that may function as a basic computer controlled web receiving terminal used in implementing the present invention for displaying and examining search results and reducing the search context of web domains searched whenever the number of web documents hits is excessive and must be reduced . the system may also be used for conventional servers used throughout the web for web access servers , source database servers . the system may function as the web servers used by the service providers in accordance with this invention to modify the context of searches relative to the domains searched , and to store such modified search contexts as to be usable in subsequent keyword searches , as will be hereinafter described in greater detail . a central processing unit ( cpu ) 10 , such as one of the pc microprocessors or workstations , e . g . risc system / 6000 ™ series available from international business machines corporation ( ibm ), or dell pc microprocessors , is provided and interconnected to various other components by system bus 12 . an operating system 41 runs on cpu 10 , provides control and is used to coordinate the function of the various components of fig1 . operating system 41 may be one of the commercially available operating systems , such as ibm &# 39 ; s aix 6000 ™ operating system or microsoft &# 39 ; s windowsxp ™ or windows2000 ™, as well as unix and other ibm aix operating systems . application programs 40 , controlled by the system , are moved into and out of the main memory random access memory ( ram ) 14 . these programs include the programs of the present invention that will hereinafter be described for operations wherein the system of fig1 functions as the web server used by the service providers in accordance with this invention in reducing the scope or context of the searches . a read only memory ( rom ) 16 is connected to cpu 10 via bus 12 and includes the basic input / output system ( bios ) that controls the basic computer functions . ram 14 , i / o adapter 18 and communications adapter 34 are also interconnected to system bus 12 . i / o adapter 18 may be a small computer system interface ( scsi ) adapter that communicates with the disk storage device 20 . communications adapter 34 interconnects bus 12 with an outside internet or web network . i / o devices are also connected to system bus 12 via user interface adapter 22 and display adapter 36 . keyboard 24 and mouse 26 are all interconnected to bus 12 through user interface adapter 22 . it is through such input devices that the user may interactively relate to the programs of this invention . display adapter 36 includes a frame buffer 39 that is a storage device that holds a representation of each pixel on the display screen 38 . images may be stored in frame buffer 39 for display on monitor 38 through various components , such as a digital to analog converter ( not shown ) and the like . by using the aforementioned i / o devices , a user is capable of inputting information to the system through keyboard 24 or mouse 26 and receiving output information from the system via display 38 . before going further into the details of specific embodiments , it will be helpful to understand from a more general perspective the various elements and methods that may be related to the present invention . since a major aspect of the present invention is directed to documents , such as web pages and media content therein , transmitted over networks , an understanding of networks and their operating principles would be helpful . we will not go into great detail in describing the networks to which the present invention is applicable . reference has also been made to the applicability of the present invention to a global network , such as the internet or web . for details on internet nodes , objects and links , reference is made to the text , mastering the internet , g . h . cady et al ., published by sybex inc ., alameda , calif ., 1996 . the internet or web is a global network of a heterogeneous mix of computer technologies and operating systems . higher level objects are linked to the lower level objects in the hierarchy through a variety of network server computers . these network servers are the key to network distribution , such as the distribution of web pages and related documentation . in this connection , the term “ documents ” is used to describe data transmitted over the web or other networks and is intended to include web pages with displayable text , graphics , other images and audio . this displayable information may be still , in motion or animated , e . g . animated gif images . web documents are conventionally implemented in html language , which is described in detail in the text entitled just java , van der linden , 1997 , sunsoft press , particularly at chapter 7 , pp . 249 - 268 , dealing with the handling of web pages ; and also in the above - referenced mastering the internet , particularly at pp . 637 - 642 , on html in the formation of web pages . in addition , aspects of this description will refer to web browsers . a general and comprehensive description of browsers may be found in the above - mentioned mastering the internet text at pp . 291 - 313 . more detailed browser descriptions may be found in the text internet : the complete reference , millennium edition , young et al ., 1999 , osborne / mcgraw - hill : chapter 19 , pp . 419 - 454 , on the netscape navigator ; chapter 20 , pp . 455 - 494 , on the microsoft internet explorer ; and chapter 21 , pp . 495 - 512 , covering lynx , opera and other browsers . in the description of the invention , search engines will be used to locate and pre - access the previously accessed web documents stored at the receiving display stations . as described in the above - mentioned internet : the complete reference , millenium edition text , pp . 395 and 522 - 535 , search engines use keywords and phrases to query the web for desired subject matter . in carrying out its search , the search engine looks through the database for matches to keywords subject to the engine syntax . the search engine then presents to the user a list of the web pages it determines to be closest to the requested query . some significant search engines are : altavista , infoseek , lycos , magellan , webcrawler and yahoo . a generalized diagram of a portion of the web in which the computer controlled display terminal 57 used for web page receiving during searching or browsing is connected as shown in fig2 . computer display terminal 57 may be implemented by the computer system set up in fig1 and connection 58 ( fig2 ) is the network connection shown in fig1 . for purposes of the present embodiment , computer 57 serves as the receiving web display station that will access web documents , e . g . pages that are displayed 56 . reference may be made to the above - mentioned mastering the internet , pp . 136 - 147 , for typical connections between local display stations to the web via network servers ; any of which may be used to implement the system on which this invention is used . the system embodiment of fig2 has a host - dial connection . such host - dial connections have been in use for over 30 years through network access servers 53 that are linked 61 to the web 60 . the web servers 53 that also may have the computer structure described with respect to fig1 , may be maintained by a web service provider to the client &# 39 ; s display terminal 57 . such web or internet service providers ( isps ) are described generally in the above - mentioned text , internet : the complete reference , millenium edition at pages 14 - 18 . the web server 53 is accessed by the client receiving terminal 57 through a normal dial - up telephone linkage 58 via modem 54 , telephone line 55 and modem 52 . any conventional digital or analog linkages , including wireless connections , are also usable . the previously described search engines 67 contacted conventionally via web access servers search the web and send the selected web documents back to the receiving display station 57 on which they may be conventionally displayed on a real - time basis . as will be hereinafter described in greater detail , many of the functions of a receiving display station 57 with respect to the web may be carried out by a web browser program 59 associated with the station . the web documents are accessed from the web database sources 64 through appropriate web database access servers 65 . other database sources , such as sources 61 and 62 , may be accessed through web servers 66 . now , with respect to fig3 through 5 , we will provide an illustrative example of how the present invention may be used to reduce web search contexts to eliminate domains of lesser or no interest whenever a keyword search provides an excessive number of hits . web page list 70 , fig3 , is an illustration of the displayed list of web documents conventionally presented to the user at the receiving display station setting forth search results . in the illustrative example shown , the user who is interested in motion picture film preservation has searched the web with the combination of keywords “ coating ”, “ film ” and “ decay ” 73 . unfortunately , the search has resulted in 138 , 000 hits , 74 for this combination of terms . obviously , this is much more than the user can handle . in accordance with the invention , he needs to get a better understanding of the domains and subdomains of the web databases covered by the search so that he may reduce the search context by eliminating some of the domains . with his cursor or pointer , he clicks on button 71 , “ search tree ”, and is presented with the display screen of fig4 that shows a search tree or hierarchy showing all of the domains : 76 , 77 , 78 and 79 included in the search , as well as their respective subdomains 80 . for each domain and subdomain , the number of web document or page hits is shown . the domain tree shown in fig4 on the receiving user &# 39 ; s display station may be organized on the web server 53 serving the display station . the dynamic organization of such a presentation may be done using a web content manager program , such as those distributed by interwoven inc . or the ibm content manager express server program for dynamic web content management . the various search programs described above , of course , track the source domains of their hits and the content manager program can be set up with a program as will hereinafter be described for presenting the hit tree shown in fig4 . the user is prompted by dialog 81 to examine the tree and to eliminate domains from the search context . accordingly , fig5 , the user who is interested in motion picture film preservation has examined the domain tree and has clicked with his cursor 83 to eliminate the “ tooth ” 76 , “ pipefitting ” 77 and “ fruit ” 78 domains as shown by hatched lines so that the modified context of the search only includes the “ movies ” 79 domain . although not illustrated with respect to fig5 , it is possible to individually eliminate one or more of the subdomains . in this regarded , subdomains are conventionally noted in sections succeeding the domain in the url http path definition , e . g . any database source levels in this path definition are the equivalent of subdomains in defining the present invention . upon the selection of domains to be eliminated as shown , the user may click onto button 82 to save the search context for future searches . such a saved context may be saved in connection with the web server or as the receiving display station that requested the search . fig6 is a flowchart showing the development of a process according to the present invention for reducing an excessive number of hits in a search result received at a receiving display web station . most of the programming functions in the process of fig6 have already been described in general with respect to fig3 through 5 . a web browser is provided at a receiving display station on the web for accessing web pages in the conventional manner and loading them at the display station , step 90 . the web pages are conventionally obtained via a web server provided by an isp . the web browser has the capability of requesting searches from one or more search engines available through the web . conventional capability is provided at the display station requesting the search to list sequentially all web documents found in the search , and to provide the total number for these hits , step 91 . in the event that the user finds that this total number of hits exceeds what the user can handle , the user is enabled , through a previously described web content manager program preferably maintained at the web server , to display a hierarchy of domains of the web documents found in the search along with the number of hits from each domain , step 92 , as shown in fig4 and 5 . provision is made for the prompting of the user to interactively select from the displayed hierarchy in step 92 which domains the user wished to eliminate from the search context , step 93 . the user is also enabled to save the search context created in step 93 for future web searches , step 94 . the user is also enabled , step 95 , to rerun the initial search using the search context created in step 93 . in addition , the user at the receiving station may request , step 96 , that all subsequent web searches that may use different keywords still use the same search context created in step 93 . finally , provision is made for the web browser at the receiving display station to interface with the web server in the execution of the above steps . the running of the process set up in fig6 and described in connection with fig3 through 5 will now be described with respect to the flowchart of fig7 . let us assume that we are in a web browsing session through the browser . the flowchart represents some steps in a routine that will illustrate the operation of the invention . an initial search is requested by a receiving display station on the web via its web browser and the web server for the receiving station , step 101 . the search results are listed , step 101 , and the number of hits totaled , as in fig3 . a determination is made as to whether the number of hits is excessive , step 103 . if no , then the listed web documents are conventionally browsed through and displayed , step 108 . if yes , the number of hits is determined to be excessive , then a domain hierarchy is displayed , step 104 , as in fig4 . the user is prompted to selectively eliminate some of the domains , step 105 , and the resulting search context is saved as a new search context , step 106 . the initial search is then repeated but using the new search context , step 107 , and the process is returned to step 103 where a redetermination is made as to excessive number of hits . after step 108 , a determination may be conveniently made as to whether the session is over . if yes , the session is exited . if no , a determination is made as to whether a new search is to be made . if no , the process is returned to step 109 . if the decision is yes , a new search is to be made , then a further determination is made as to whether the search is to be made in the new context resulting from the previous eliminations of domains , step 111 . if no , then the process is returned via branch “ a ” to initial step 101 . if yes , then this new modified search context is used but with new or different keywords , step 112 , in conducting a search . upon the completion of this search , the process is returned to step 103 where the search result including the number of hits is viewed . although certain preferred embodiments have been shown and described , it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and intent of the appended claims .

US-68239703-A

the present invention provides a mixer - settler extraction circuit for separating liquids from each other . the mixer - settler extraction circuit includes a flow distributor . the flow distributor comprises a slat assembly which directs the incoming liquid into the settling portion of the mixer - settler extraction circuit . the slats of the slat assembly may be spaced apart from each other at varying distances .

the detailed description of various embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawing figures , which show various embodiments and implementations thereof by way of illustration and best mode , and not of limitation . while these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments , it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that mechanical and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure . furthermore , any reference to singular includes plural embodiments , and any reference to more than one component may include a singular embodiment . also , any reference to attached , fixed , connected or the like may include permanent , removable , temporary , partial , full and / or any other possible attachment option . additionally , though the various embodiments discussed herein may be carried out in the context of metal recovery , it should be understood that systems and methods disclosed herein may be incorporated into anything needing to separate components of a dispersion in accordance with the present disclosure . the various embodiments of a flow distributor comprise the features hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims . the following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail and demonstrate certain illustrative embodiments of the disclosure . however , these embodiments are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein may be employed . other objects , advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings . to assist in understanding the context of the present disclosure , an exemplary hydrometallurgical metal recovery process configured to utilize systems and methods to separate dispersions in accordance with the present disclosure is illustrated in fig1 . in the exemplary process , metal bearing material 22 is subjected to hydrometallurgical metal recovery process 10 to recover metal value contained in the sulfide ore . metal bearing mineral 22 may include chalcopyrite ( cufes 2 ), chalcocite ( cu 2 s ), bornite ( cu 5 fes 4 ), and covellite ( cus ), malachite ( cu 2 co 3 ( oh ) 2 ), pseudomalachite ( cu 5 [( oh ) 2 po 4 ] 2 ), azurite ( cu 3 ( co 3 ) 2 ( oh ) 2 ), chrysocolla (( cu , al ) 2 h 2 si 2 o 5 ( oh ) 4 . nh 2 o ), cuprite ( cu 2 o ), brochanite ( cuso 4 . 3cu ( oh ) 2 ), atacamite ( cu 2 [ oh 3 cl ]) and other copper - bearing minerals . metal bearing material 22 may comprise any metal suitable for extraction via solvent extraction . metal bearing material 22 is processed in a preparation step 12 , creating prepared metal bearing material 24 . prepared metal bearing material 24 is forwarded to a leach step 14 . leach step 14 produces a metal bearing slurry 28 , which is forwarded to a solid - liquid separation step 16 . leach step 14 may comprise a pressure leach , heap leach , and / or agitation process . solid - liquid step 16 produces a solid residue 30 and a metal bearing solution 32 . metal bearing solution 32 is then subjected to a solvent extraction step 18 . solvent extraction step 18 produces a loaded organic stream 34 and an extracted solution 36 . loaded organic stream 34 is processed by a liquid - liquid separation step 20 , which produces a barren organic stream 40 and a separated metal bearing solution 38 . in various embodiments , separated metal bearing solution 38 comprises a rich electrolyte . separated metal bearing solution 38 may then be subjected to a further processing step 42 , such as , for example , electrowinning . in accordance with various embodiments , liquid - liquid separation step 20 comprises a mixer - settler extraction circuit . with initial reference to fig2 , an exemplary settling section 100 is illustrated . a feed 102 enters settling section 100 at a feed section 104 . in an exemplary embodiment , feed 102 comprises loaded organic stream 34 from hydrometallurgical metal recovery process 10 . however , feed 102 may be any mixture containing at least two immiscible and separable liquids , including a dispersion and / or emulsion . in various exemplary embodiments , settling section 100 further comprises a perimeter wall 103 and a perimeter wall 105 . further , settling section 100 may comprise a discharge section 160 . in various exemplary embodiments , separated liquid phases exit the settling section 100 from discharge section 160 . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment , and with continued reference to fig2 , settling section 100 further comprises a primary flow distributor 106 . settling section 100 may further comprise a secondary flow distributor 130 and a tertiary flow distributor 131 . although fig2 illustrates two additional flow distributors , the use of any number of additional flow distributors is in accordance with the present disclosure . with reference to fig4 , primary flow distributor 106 may comprise a support structure 109 . in various exemplary embodiments , support structure 109 comprises at least one horizontal support member 110 . in a preferred embodiment , support structure 109 comprises two horizontal support members 110 . in various exemplary embodiments , support structure 109 may further comprise at least one vertical support member 112 . in a preferred embodiment , the support structure comprises a plurality of vertical support members 112 connected to horizontal support members 110 . other exemplary support structure 109 configurations may include a series of cross braces , floor mounted brackets , and / or top caps . however , any configuration of support structure 109 that provides adequate support for primary flow distributor 106 is in accordance with the present disclosure . in various exemplary embodiments , support structure 109 comprises a corrosion resistant material . the material selected for support structure 109 may be dependent on the compositions of feed 102 . for example , support structure 109 may comprise abs , nylon , ptfe , polyvinyl chloride , fiberglass reinforced plastic , or any suitable corrosion resistant plastic material . support structure 109 may also comprise stainless steel , aluminum , titanium , or any suitable corrosion resistant metal . any material which provides sufficient structural rigidity and durability to support structure 109 and is suitable for use with the components of feed 102 is in accordance with the present invention . in various exemplary embodiments , primary flow distributor 106 comprises a plurality of slats 108 . in various exemplary embodiments , slats 108 are connected to the components of support structure 109 . in a preferred embodiment , slats 108 are connected to at least one horizontal support member 110 . slats 108 may be connected to at least one horizontal support member 110 by bolts , clips , or any other suitable fastener . in addition , slats 108 may be connected to horizontal support member 110 by permanent means , such as welding . however , any method of attachment which joins slats 108 to support structure 109 and / or horizontal members 110 is in accordance with the present disclosure . in various exemplary embodiments , support structure 109 is configured to orient slats 108 in a substantially linear configuration . in other exemplary embodiments , support structure 109 is configured to hold slats 108 in a substantially chevron - shaped configuration . in yet other embodiments , support structure 109 is configured to hold slats 108 in a substantially configuration . in a preferred embodiment , support structure 109 orients slats 108 in a chevron - shaped configuration , the apex of which faces in the direction of the flow of feed 102 . in various exemplary embodiments , slats 108 comprise a corrosion resistant material . the material selected for slats 108 may be dependent on the composition of feed 102 . for example , slats 108 may comprise abs , nylon , ptfe , or any suitable corrosion resistant plastic material . slats 108 may also comprise stainless steel , aluminum , titanium , or any suitable corrosion resistant metal . any material which is suitable for use with the components of feed 102 is in accordance with the present invention . in various exemplary embodiments , primary flow distributor 106 may comprise a number of different types of slats 108 . for example , primary flow distributor 106 may comprise slats 108 of three different configurations . with reference to fig3 , in an exemplary embodiment , flow distributor 106 comprises a first section 114 , a second section 116 , and a third section 118 . each section ( 114 , 116 , and 118 ) may be comprised of slats 108 that differ from each other in size and shape . for example , primary flow distributor 106 may comprise slats 108 of varying widths and / or heights . with reference to fig3 and 6 , in various exemplary embodiments , first section 114 comprises at least a pair of first section slats 119 . in an exemplary embodiment , first section 114 is situated in the center of flow distributor 106 . in another exemplary embodiment , first section 114 is situated at the apex of the flow distributor 106 , so that first section 114 comprises the peak of the chevron - shaped configuration . in a preferred embodiment , first section 114 is symmetrical about a plane bisecting the apex of flow distributor 106 . in a preferred embodiment , first section slats 119 comprise a substantially rectangular configuration , including a parallel front face and rear face of substantially the same height and width . first section slats 119 further comprise a left side face and right side face of substantially the same height and width . in various exemplary embodiments , first section slats 119 are separated by gaps 113 . in a preferred embodiment , each first section slat 119 is spaced equidistantly from each other , so that each gap 113 is the same dimension . however , any spacing of first section slats 119 that provides sufficient flow distribution , including variable dimensions of gaps 113 , is in accordance with the present disclosure . with reference to fig3 and 6 , in an exemplary embodiment , second section 116 comprises at least a pair of second section slats 120 . in an exemplary embodiment , second section 116 is adjacent to first section 114 . preferably , second section 116 is positioned between first section 114 and perimeter wall 103 of settling section 100 . with reference to various figures , including fig3 and 6 , in various exemplary embodiments , second section slats 120 are separated by gaps 115 . gaps 115 may comprise various differing dimensions . in a preferred embodiment , gaps 115 may increase in dimension from the second section slat 120 closest to first section 114 to the second section slat 120 closest to the wall of mixer - settler 100 . however , any spacing of second section slats 120 that provides sufficient flow distribution is in accordance with the present disclosure . with reference to fig6 , in a preferred embodiment , second section slats 120 comprise a substantially parallelogram configuration . second section slats 120 comprise a front face 122 and a substantially parallel rear face 124 . front face 122 and rear face 124 are substantially the same height and width as each other . second section slats 120 further comprise a beveled left side face 128 and a substantially parallel right side face 126 . left side face 128 and right side face 126 are substantially the same height and width as each other . in a preferred embodiment , left side face 128 and right side face 126 are beveled to an angle 45 degrees below the plane of front face 122 . left side face 128 and right side face 126 are configured to reduce the sideways velocity of feed 102 and direct the flow towards discharge section 160 . however , any dimensions of the various components of second section slats 120 ( 122 , 124 , 126 and 128 ), as well as any degree of bevel , which facilitates reducing the sideways velocity of feed 102 is in accordance with the present disclosure . with reference to fig3 and 6 , in an exemplary embodiment , third section 118 comprises at least a pair of third section slats 220 . in an exemplary embodiment , third section 118 is adjacent to first section 114 . preferably , third section 118 is positioned between first section 114 and perimeter wall 105 of settling section 100 . in a preferred embodiment , second section 116 and third section 118 are symmetrical about a plane which bisects the apex of flow distributor 106 . with reference to various figures , including fig3 and 6 , in various exemplary embodiments , third section slats 220 are separated by gaps 117 . gaps 117 may comprise various differing dimensions . in a preferred embodiment , gaps 117 may increase in dimension from the third section slat 220 closest to first section 114 to the third section slat 220 closest to perimeter wall 105 of settling section 100 . however , any spacing of third section slats 220 that provides sufficient flow distribution is in accordance with the present disclosure . with reference to fig6 , in a preferred embodiment , third section slats 220 comprise a substantially parallelogram configuration . third section slats 220 comprise a front face 222 and a substantially parallel rear face 224 . front face 222 and rear face 224 are substantially the same height and width as each other . third section slats 220 further comprise a beveled left side face 228 and a substantially parallel right side face 226 . left side face 228 and right side face 226 are substantially the same height and width as each other . in a preferred embodiment , left side face 228 and right side face 226 are beveled to an angle 45 degrees above the plane of front face 222 . left side face 228 and right side face 226 are configured to reduce the sideways velocity of feed 102 and direct the flow towards discharge section 160 . however , any dimensions of the various components of second section slats 220 ( 222 , 224 , 226 and 228 ), as well as any degree of bevel , which facilitates reducing the sideways velocity of feed 102 is in accordance with the present disclosure . in accordance with various exemplary embodiments , first section slats 119 , second section slats 120 , and third section slats 220 comprise varying widths . for example , first section slats 119 may vary in width across first section 114 . second section slats 120 may vary in width across second section 116 , and third section slats 220 may vary in width across third section 118 . any configuration of first section slats 119 , second section slats 120 and third section slats 220 which facilitates reducing the sideways velocity of feed 102 , including the use of slats of varying width , is in accordance with the present disclosure . in accordance with various exemplary embodiments , settling section 100 further comprises a primary phase weir 112 and a secondary phase weir 114 . in various embodiments , primary phase weir 112 and secondary phase weir 114 are located in a discharge section 160 . in various exemplary embodiments , as feed 102 progresses through settling section 100 , feed 102 is separated into two phases ; a primary phase 121 and a secondary phase 123 . each of the two phases is isolated in a corresponding weir . in various exemplary embodiments , primary phase 121 is an organic phase . in various exemplary embodiments , secondary phase 123 is an aqueous phase which contains the metal values to be recovered in hydrometallurgical metal recovery process 10 . however , primary phase 121 ( not shown ) and secondary phase 123 ( not shown ) may be any liquids which are inclined to separate from each other in settling section 100 in accordance with the present disclosure . in an exemplary embodiment , primary phase weir 112 isolates primary phase 121 of feed 102 . primary weir 112 may comprise a well , adjustable weir , outlet pipe or pipes , extraction chute and / or collection channel . however , any physical structure which allows for the selective separation and removal of primary phase 121 from feed 102 is in accordance with the present disclosure . in an exemplary embodiment , secondary phase weir 114 isolates secondary phase 123 of feed 102 . secondary weir 114 may comprise a well , adjustable weir , outlet pipe or pipes , extraction chute and / or collection channel . however , any physical structure which allows for the selective separation and removal of secondary phase 123 from feed 102 is in accordance with the present disclosure . thus , the flow distributor of the present disclosure provides means to control the fluid flow of a dispersion as it progresses through an extraction circuit . the flow distributor beneficially decreases the flow rate of the dispersion and creates an approximately linear flow front , which allows the dispersion to progress through the circuit at a more even rate . finally , the present disclosure has been described above with reference to a number of exemplary embodiments . it should be appreciated that the particular embodiments shown and described herein are illustrative of the invention and its best mode and are not intended to limit in any way the scope of the invention . those skilled in the art having read this disclosure will recognize that changes and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention . various aspects and embodiments of this invention may be applied to fields of use other than copper mining . although certain preferred aspects of the invention are described herein in terms of exemplary embodiments , such aspects of the invention may be achieved through any number of suitable means now known or hereafter devised . accordingly , these and other changes or modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention .

US-201113331731-A

a disposable , collapsible , sleeve - type , microwave carton , formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard , at least partly coated with a discontinuous layer of electrically conductive material , and comprising top , bottom , side and end walls foldably joined to each other , wherein the top wall is substantially wider than the bottom wall and is partially supported by a pair of retaining panels extending laterally from upper edges of the side walls .

referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention , it will be seen that the novel carton embodying features of the invention , and indicated generally at c in fig2 - 5 , may be formed from a unitary blank of b of foldable sheet material , such as paperboard , illustrated in fig1 . as previously mentioned , the purpose of the carton is to support an article of food while the food is being heated in a microwave oven and to assist in the browning of the surface of the food . the carton may also be used to enclose the article of food when it initially packaged , or it may be a separate carton included in a package with another carton that actually holds the food product . the carton , as best seen in fig1 , and 5 , includes a preferably rectangular bottom wall 10 having a pair of opposed side walls 12 foldably joined to opposite side edges thereof along parallel fold lines 13 and having a pair of opposed end walls panels 14 foldably joined to opposed end edges thereof along parallel fold lines 15 . the side walls 12 are joined at opposite ends to end wall 14 by means of generally triangular webs 16 , each of which is foldably joined along adjacent edges on fold lines 17 and 19 to the end edge of a related side wall 12 and the side edge of a related end wall 14 , respectively . the carton also includes a top wall 22 which has one end edge foldably joined along fold line 23 to an upper edge of one of the end walls 14 and which may be adhesively secured at its other end edge to a glue flap 24 which is foldably joined along a fold line 25 to an upper edge of the other end wall panel 14 . as best seen in fig2 , and 5 , the webs 14 at the corners of the carton are folded against the inner surfaces of related end walls 14 , with the side and end walls 12 and 14 extending upwardly from the side and end edges of the bottom wall 10 to support the top wall 22 . in order to provide additional support for the top wall 22 , there may be provided a pair of retaining panels 20 which are foldably joined along fold lines 21 to the upper edges of the respective side walls 12 and which are folded at right angles thereto to underlie and offer additional support for top wall 22 . each of the side walls 12 may be provided with a plurality of preferably arcuate cut lines 27 , which define tabs 28 and also provide for openings 29 , as best seen in fig3 . when the retaining panels 20 are folded at right angles to the side walls , the tabs 28 extend inwardly from the side walls , and the retaining panels extend outwardly to offer additional support for top wall 22 . also , when the tabs 28 are folded out of the plane of the side walls , openings 29 are formed in the side walls 29 . these openings serve as vent openings to permit hot air to escape from inside of the carton when it is used as a support for food in a microwave oven . in order to facilitate the browning of food placed on the top wall 22 , at least one surface of the top wall 22 may be provided with a coating , indicated generally at k , which is preferably a discontinuous layer of conductive material . the specific details of the coating k are not included in this application , as they are more fully described in co - pending patent application : ser . no . 121 , 031 filed nov . 16 , 1987 in the names of joseph j . hart , david c . glasgow , and richard w . carpenter as co - inventors . although in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 through 5 , only the outer surface of top wall panel 22 is provided with a coating k of electrically conductive material , if desired , other surfaces of the carton , both interior exterior , may be provided with such a coating . turning now to fig6 through 10 of the drawings , it will be seen that a slightly modified form of the invention is shown . portions of the structure which correspond to related portions of the structure illustrated in the previously described views have been identified by related numerals . the structure of this embodiment is very similar to that of the previous embodiment , except that the arcuate cut liens 127 in the side walls 112 are formed at the inner or lower ends of the side walls , so that the tabs 128 serve as extentions of bottom wall 110 , rather than as extentions of retaining panels 120 , as in the case of the previously described embodiment . also , in this embodiment the entire outer surface of the carton is provided with a coating k1 , which is a discontinuous layer of electrically conductive material . this embodiment of the carton functions in substantially the same manner as the previously described embodiment . referring now to fig1 through 15 , yet another embodiment of the invention is shown . again , in this embodiment portions of the structure corresponding to related portions of the structures illustrated in the earlier views have been identified by related numerals . in this embodiment , it will be seen that the cut lines 227 are rectangular in shape rather than arcuate and are formed in bottom wall 210 , rather than in the side walls . the purpose of this , as best seen in fig1 - 15 , is to provide tabs 228 which serve as feet for supporting the carton in such a manner that the bottom wall 222 is elevated from the surface upon which the carton is supported . in addition to the cut lines 227 at the sides of the carton bottom wall , which form the tabs 228 projecting downwardly from the side walls 212 , there are also provided cut lines 231 at opposite ends of bottom wall 210 which form tabs 232 extending downwardly from end walls 214 . the tabs 232 , like the tabs 228 , serve as legs or feet to support the carton , so the bottom wall 210 is raised above the surface on which the carton is supported . also , when the tabs 228 and 232 are folded out of the plane of bottom wall 210 , vent openings 229 and 233 , respectively , are formed in the bottom wall . thus , it will be appreciated that in each embodiment of the invention there is provided a carton of simple design and constuction which is relatively easy to fabricate and easy to erect manually . the carton includes an upper wall which is substantially larger in area than the bottom wall and is supported not only by the side and end walls of the carton , but by a pair of retaining walls which are joined to the upper edges of the carton side walls . the enlarged surface area of the top wall , which is coated with a discontinuous layer of electrically conductive material , facilates the browning of the surface of an article of food supported on the carton in a microwave oven .

US-14860488-A

an adjustable keyboard holder for ergonomically designed workstations . the present invention provides a keyboard holder that is infinitely adjustable both angularly and vertically . the keyboard holder includes a locking apparatus that allows ease of adjustment as well as restraining the keyboard holder from movement when locked . this keyboard holder allows adjustment without interfering with the use of an underdesk visual display terminal .

the present invention provides an adjustable keyboard holder , particularly for a workstation . a preferred embodiment of the present invention is for an adjustable keyboard holder slidably mounted in a underdesk visual display terminal workstation , such as the workstation disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 755 , 009 , issued to the present assignee . it is to be expressly i understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment which is meant for explanatory purposes only . other embodiments and variations are considered to be within the scope of the inventive concept . for instance , the keyboard holder of the present invention has utility for above desk visual display terminal workstations , such as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 316 , 082 , issued to fritz . the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig1 - 6 . as shown in fig1 workstation 10 includes central transparent panel 12 . a visual display terminal ( not shown ), such as a computer crt , is normally mounted beneath workstation 10 visible through panel 12 to an operator seated in front of the workstation . brackets 14 , 16 are mounted underneath the top of workstation 12 straddling panel 12 . brackets 14 , 16 are conventional in design , as used for mounting sliding drawers . keyboard holder 20 is secured to workstation 10 to slide from an out of the way position beneath the top of workstation 10 to a working position as shown in fig1 . keyboard holder 20 , shown in fig1 includes molded plastic tray 22 which holds most types and sizes of keyboards 24 . keyboard tray 24 is supported by tray support 26 , shown in fig2 on which tray 24 snaps over the top of support 26 . tray support 26 includes rear upstanding edge 28 and front edge 30 which extends upward and outward from support 26 . edges 28 , 30 engage with keyboard tray 24 to prevent keyboard tray 24 from moving relative to support 26 . tray support 26 is pivotally mounted , as discussed in greater detail below , to support arms 32 , 33 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 38 . support arms 32 - 38 are in turn pivotally mounted onto mounting plates 40 , 42 , respectively . support arm 32 is pivotally mounted onto mounting plate 40 by rivet 44 . spring 46 secured on a first end to the upper end of support arm 32 and on the opposing end to mounting plate 40 to resiliently bias support arm 32 and tray support 26 upwards . support arm 33 and parallel support arm 34 is pivotally mounted to mounting plate 40 by bolt 48 . support arm 36 is pivotally mounted on mounting plate 42 by rivet 50 and biased by spring 52 in a similar fashion as support arm 32 . support arm 37 and parallel support arm 38 are pivotally mounted on mounting plate 42 by bolt 54 . cover 56 is secured to mounting plate 42 by pins 58 , 60 . a similar cover ( not shown ) is secured to mounting plate 40 . mounting plates 40 , 42 are affixed to slide brackets 62 , 64 , respectively by bolts 66 - 72 . slide brackets 62 , 64 slide within extendible tracks 74 , 76 on mounting brackets 14 , 16 . the design and operation of slide brackets 62 , 64 and mounting brackets 14 , 16 are conventional in design and are not discussed in any further detail . thus , support tray 26 , along with keyboard tray 22 and keyboard 24 are movable from an out of the way position beneath the upper surface of workstation 10 to a working position shown in fig1 . there is no structure that will interfere with the use of the visual display terminal beneath panel 12 when keyboard 24 is in the working position . this feature is a significant improvement over previous adjustable keyboard holders which used centerpost adjustment which interfered with the use of underdesk visual display terminals . as discussed above , tray support 26 is pivotally mounted to support arms 32 , 33 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 38 . support arms 32 , 33 , 34 , shown in fig3 are mounted on rod 80 which , in turn , is pivotally secured to tray support 26 . rod 80 includes end portion 82 which has a reduced cylindrical diameter with threaded end portion 84 . threaded mid - portion 86 on rod 80 is spaced from end portion 82 abutting against square mid - portion 88 . on the opposing end of rod 80 , shown in fig4 is reduced cylindrical diameter portion 90 having threaded end portion 92 . tray support 26 includes side edge portion 94 having mounting hole 96 for cylindrical portion 82 of rod 80 to extend through . support bracket 98 is affixed on the underside of tray support 26 , shown in fig3 for pivotally mounting support arm 34 to tray support 26 . hole 100 extends through support bracket 98 to be in line with hole 96 of upstanding portion 94 . support arm - 34 includes a mating hole ( not shown ) for rod 80 to extend through to mount support arm 34 to support bracket 98 . block 102 having threaded hole 104 extending partially therein is inserted on rod 80 so that threaded portion 86 engages threaded hole 104 . adjacent block 102 is cam block 106 having hole 108 which is slidably mounted over rod 80 . cam surface 110 is formed on camming block 106 as described below . lever 112 is also slidably inserted onto rod 80 through hole 114 formed in lever 112 . cam surface 116 is formed on lever 112 for engagement with cam surface 110 as discussed below . end portion 82 is further inserted through hole 100 of support bracket 98 and the hole formed in support arm 34 to pivotally mount support arm 34 to support bracket 98 . spring arm 118 is mounted onto pivot arm adjacent support bracket 34 . flanges 120 on spring arm 118 engage support arm 34 by crimping the ends of flanges 120 over support arm 34 . end portion 82 is inserted through hole 96 of upstanding side portion 94 to pivotally mount pivot arm on 80 on tray support 26 . friction washer 122 , formed from a fibrous braking material known in the art , is mounted on rod 80 adjacent upstanding portion 94 . spring arm 124 is mounted on rod 80 on the opposing side of friction washer 122 . flanges 126 on spring arm 124 engage support arm 32 similar to the engagement of flanges 120 on support arm 34 . friction washer 128 is mounted on rod 80 adjacent spring arm 124 and adjacent arm 130 which is also rotatably mounted on rod 80 . on the opposing side of arm 130 is mounted friction washer 132 which abuts against support arm 32 . rod 80 extends through hole 134 on support arm 32 allowing rotation relative thereto . friction washer 136 is mounted on rod 80 between support arm 32 and arm 138 . nut 140 threadingly engages threaded portion 84 on rod 80 to apply pressure between the components mounted on rod 80 between block 102 and nut 138 . the friction washers eliminate metal - to - metal contact and provide frictional pressure between the components . the present invention is not meant to be limited to the use of fibrous friction washers , however . other types of friction washers , such as leather , metal , or even no friction washers at all are contemplated under the present invention . spring arms 124 and 118 resiliently bias support arms 32 , 34 away from each other to cause cam surfaces 110 and 114 to engage one another . spring 50 is secured on one end by lever 112 and on the opposing end to clip 152 affixed on tray support 26 . spring 50 biases lever 112 in an upright position so cam surfaces 110 , 114 engage one another . support arm 33 is affixed to arms 130 and 138 through holes 142 , 144 , respectively , by pins 146 , 148 . the mounting of support arm 33 to arms 130 , 138 , support arm 34 and support arm 32 to rod 80 and the opposing ends of arms 32 , 33 , 34 to mounting bracket 40 forms a four bar linkage to allow tray support 26 to pivot downward and upward relative to desk 10 and to the keyboard operator and also allow tray support 26 to be adjusted in a vertical plane . on the opposing end of tray support 26 , shown in fig4 cylindrical bushing 160 is inserted over end portion 90 of rod 80 . end portion 92 is inserted through hole 164 of support bracket 162 and through a hole in support arm 37 to affix support arm 37 to tray support 26 while allowing relative pivoting therewith . spring arm 170 is slidably inserted onto rod 80 with flanges 172 engaging support arm 37 to resiliently bias support arm 37 inward . rod 80 is further secured to tray support 26 by insertion through hole 176 formed in side edge portion 174 . friction washer 180 is mounted on rod 80 adjacent side edge portion 174 . spring arm 182 is mounted on rod 80 on the opposing side of friction washer 174 . flanges 182 on spring arm 184 engage support arm 36 similar to the engagement of flanges 172 on support arm 37 . friction washer 186 is mounted on rod 80 adjacent spring arm 182 and adjacent arm 188 which is also rotatably mounted on rod 80 . on the opposing side of arm 188 is mounted friction washer 190 which abuts against support arm 36 . rod 80 extends through hole 192 on support arm 36 allowing rotation relative thereto . friction washer 194 is mounted on rod 80 between support arm 36 and arm 196 . nut 198 threadingly engages threaded portion 92 on rod 80 to apply pressure between the components mounted on rod 80 between block 102 and nut 198 . the friction washers eliminate metal - to - metal contact and provide frictional pressure between the components . spring arms 170 and 182 resiliently bias support arms 36 , 37 away from each other to cause cam surfaces 110 and 114 to engage one another . support arm 38 is affixed to arms 188 and 196 through holes 204 , 200 , respectively , by pins 206 , 208 . the mounting of support arm 38 to arms 188 , 196 , support arm 36 and support arm 37 to rod 80 and the opposing ends of arms 36 , 37 , 38 to mounting bracket 42 forms a four bar linkage on this end of tray support to allow tray support 26 to pivot downward and upward relative to desk 10 and to the keyboard operator . rod 220 extends between support arms 34 , 37 to form an additional support for tray support 26 and to ensure that the four bar linkages on each side of tray support 26 move in unison . as shown in fig5 ( a ), which corresponds to lever 112 being moved towards support tray 26 against the bias of spring 150 , lever 112 is rotated so that the raised portion of cam surface 114 engages the raised portion of cam surface 110 on block 102 . this causes rod 80 to move in the direction of arrow 222 and lever 112 to move in the direction of arrow 224 since neither is affixed to tray support 26 . this movement relieves pressure of support arms 32 , 33 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 38 against friction washers 122 , 128 , 132 , 136 , 180 , 186 , 190 , 194 , thus allowing the support arms as well as tray support 26 to freely pivot . once lever 112 is released and allowed to return back to the normal biased position , shown in fig5 ( b ), the raised portion of cam surface 114 engages the lowered portion of cam surface 110 and vice versa . this causes rod 80 to move in the direction of 222 &# 39 ; and lever 112 to move in the direction 224 &# 39 ;. this movement causes the pressure to be reapplied on the friction washers against the support arms and the tray support . this locks the tray support in the adjusted position . tray support 26 is shown in fig6 ( a ) in the locked position . in the preferred embodiment , tray support 26 as mounted on bracket 40 is pulled out relative to workstation 10 along the direction of arrow 226 . the tray support is locked into the desired horizontal position by well known detents . the full range of movement of tray support 26 is shown in fig6 ( b ). with lever 112 pulled inward in the direction of arrow 230 , tray support 26 can be pivoted about rod 80 in the direction of arrow 232 as well as raised or lowered by the support arms about mounting brackets 40 , 42 about arrow 234 . thus , the keyboard can be infinitely adjusted , not only in the vertical plane according to the height of the keyboard operator , but angularly at any desired height . this adjustment can be accomplished by one operation of lever 112 . these features are important since the present invention allows the keyboard to adjusted infinitely angularly and vertically within a range of motions rather than merely having a few preselected positions . the present invention is not meant to be limited by the above description of a preferred embodiment set forth for explanatory purposes but encompasses other embodiments and modifications within the scope of the inventive concept .

US-21208494-A

this invention has as its object to provide a composite molded product in which the second and subsequent members can be easily separated from the first member . in order to achieve this object , in the composite molded product made of a plurality of types of resin materials , materials that are not miscible with each other are used as the plurality of types of resin materials . portions made of different resin materials can be separated from each other .

the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . [ 0027 ] fig1 is a view showing a molded product according to the first embodiment of the present invention . in fig1 reference numeral 1 denotes a container main body made of the first resin material ; 2 , a seal material which closes the opening of the container main body 1 ; and 3 , a pull - tab made of the second resin material . the molded product according to this embodiment is a container for storing a toner or ink to be used in an image forming apparatus . in the above arrangement , the container main body 1 is molded in advance using the first resin material in accordance with a method such as injection molding . subsequently , the pull - tab 3 is molded using the second resin material which is not miscible with the first resin material , and is coupled at a predetermined position with a predetermined shape to the container main body 1 made of the first resin material . after this , the seal material 2 is adhered to the opening of the container main body 1 and the pull - tab 3 by using a method such as thermal welding , so it is integrated with them . at this time , when selecting the first and second resin materials that are not miscible with each other , a large number of combinations are possible . for example , when hips ( high - impact polystyrene ) is selected as the first resin material , a resin material such as pp ( polypropylene ), pom ( polyoxymethylene ), pa ( polyamide ), or pc ( polycarbonate ) can be selected as the second resin material . when pc / abs ( polycarbonate / acrylonitrile - butadiene - styrene ) is selected as the first resin material , a resin material such as hdpe ( high density polyethylene ), pp ( polypropylene ), or denatured ppe ( polyphenylene ether ) can be selected as the second resin material . the combinations raised above are - merely examples . many other combinations of immiscible resin materials are possible , and the present invention is not limited to the above examples . several examples are possible as a method of integrating the container main body 1 made of the first resin material and the pull - tab 3 made of the second resin material in the mold . for example , the following method may be possible . the first resin material is filled in the cavity of a mold corresponding to the container main body 1 by using a two - color molder . after that , this cavity is caused to communicate with a cavity corresponding to the pull - tab 3 by a core - back method , a method of moving the cavity , or the like , and the second resin material is filled , so the container main body 1 and the pull - tab 3 are coupled to each other in the mold . another method may be possible as follows . molders and molds for molding the container main body 1 and pull - tab 3 are prepared respectively . the container main body 1 is molded using the first resin material , and is extracted from the mold once . then , the container main body 1 is inserted in a mold which is to mold the pull - tab 3 . the second resin material is filled in the cavity corresponding to the pull - tab 3 , so the container main body 1 and the pull - tab 3 are coupled to each other . it is confirmed that this embodiment is effective for both two - color molding and insert molding described above . as described above , when materials that are not miscible with each other are selected as the plurality of resin materials to be used , the second and subsequent members can be separated from the first member , and a composite molded product made of a large number of materials can be integrally molded in a mold . [ 0035 ] fig2 is a view showing a molded product according to the second embodiment of the present invention . in fig2 reference numeral 4 denotes a container made of the first resin material ; and 5 , a cap which is made of the second resin material not miscible with the first resin material and which closes the opening of the container 4 . in the above arrangement , the container 4 is molded in advance using the first resin material by injection molding or the like . after that , the second resin material not miscible with the first resin material is filled in the cavity of the cap 5 formed to close the opening of the container 4 . thus , the container 4 and the cap 5 are integrated with each other . referring to fig2 for example , when hips ( high - impact polystyrene ) with a shrinkage factor of 0 . 4 % to 0 . 7 % is selected as the first resin material , pp ( polypropylene : with a shrinkage factor of 1 . 0 % to 2 . 5 %), pa66 ( polyamide 66 : with a shrinkage factor of 0 . 8 % to 1 . 5 %), or the like , which has a shrinkage factor larger than that of hips can be selected as the second resin material . in this manner , there are many combinations of resin materials having larger shrinkage factors than that of the first resin material . this embodiment is merely an example , and the present invention is not limited to this . as described above , in a composite molded product made of a large number of materials , resin materials having larger shrinkage factors than that of the first resin material used to form the first member are selected to form the second and subsequent members . when composite molding of integrating the first member and the second and subsequent members in the mold is performed , the differences in shrinkage factor among the first resin material and the second and subsequent resin materials appear as differences in shrinkage amount . this causes appropriate interference at coupling portions among the first member and the second and subsequent members . as a result , a composite molded product which is separable but has an appropriate coupling force can be obtained . when the differences in shrinkage factor are excessively small , a sufficiently large coupling force cannot sometimes be obtained . the difference in shrinkage factor between the first and second resin materials was examined in this embodiment . when the shrinkage factor of the second resin material was larger than that of the first resin material by about 0 . 3 % to 2 . 0 %, a good result was obtained . [ 0040 ] fig3 is a view showing a molded product according to the third embodiment of the present invention . in fig3 reference numeral 6 denotes a first member made of the first resin material ; 7 , a second member made of the second resin material ; and 8 , a coupling portion between the first and second members 6 and 7 . in the above arrangement , the first member 6 has a projecting shape at the coupling portion 8 with the second member 7 . the second member 7 has , at the coupling portion 8 , a recessed shape which sandwiches the projecting shape of the first member 6 . as described above , in a composite molded product made of a large number of materials , the first member made of the first resin material is sandwiched by a member made of the second or subsequent resin material . thus , a composite molded product which provides a separable shape and has an appropriate coupling force at its coupling portion between the first and second members can be obtained . [ 0043 ] fig4 is a view showing a molded product according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention . in fig4 reference numeral 9 denotes a first member made of the first resin material ; 10 , a second member made of the second resin material ; and 11 , a coupling portion between the first and second members 9 and 10 . in the above arrangement , the first member 9 has a rectangular parallelepiped projecting portion at the coupling portion 11 with the second member 10 . the second member 10 has a recessed portion which surrounds the coupling portion 11 for coupling the projecting portion of the first member 9 . as described above , in a composite molded product made of a large number of materials , the first member made of the first resin material is surrounded by a member made of the second or subsequent resin material . thus , a composite molded product which provides a separable shape and has an appropriate coupling force at its coupling portion between the first and second members can be obtained . [ 0046 ] fig5 is a view showing a molded product according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention . in fig5 reference numeral 12 denotes a first member made of the first resin material ; 13 , a second member made of the second resin material ; and 14 , a coupling portion between the first and second members 12 and 13 . in the above arrangement , the first member 12 has , at the coupling portion 14 with the second member 13 , an inverted tapered undercut shape , the width of which widens toward the distal end . this produces an appropriate coupling force when separating the second member 13 from the first member 12 . in this manner , in a composite molded product made of a large number of materials , a coupling portion between the first member made of the first resin material and a member made of the second or subsequent resin material has an undercut shape . thus , a composite molded product which provides a separable shape and has an appropriate coupling force at its coupling portion between the first and second members can be obtained . [ 0049 ] fig6 is a view showing a molded product according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention . in fig6 reference numeral 15 denotes a first member made of the first resin material ; 16 , a second member made of the second resin material ; and 17 , a coupling portion between the first and second members 15 and 16 . in the above arrangement , the first member 15 has a recessed undercut shape at the base of the coupling portion 17 with the second member 16 . this produces an appropriate coupling force when separating the second member 16 from the first member 15 . in this manner , in a composite molded product made of a large number of materials , a coupling portion between the first member made of the first resin material and a member made of the second or subsequent resin material has an undercut shape . thus , a composite molded product which provides a separable shape and has an appropriate coupling force at its coupling portion between the first and second members can be obtained . [ 0052 ] fig7 is a view showing a molded product according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention . in fig7 reference numeral 18 denotes a first member made of the first resin material ; 19 , a second member made of the second resin material ; and 20 , a coupling portion between the first and second members 18 and 19 . in the above arrangement , the first member 18 has a projecting undercut shape at the distal end of the coupling portion 20 with the second member 19 . this produces an appropriate coupling force when separating the second member 19 from the first member 18 . in this manner , in a composite molded product made of large number of materials , a coupling portion between the first member made of the first resin material and a member made of the second or subsequent resin material has an undercut shape . thus , a composite molded product which provides a separable shape and has an appropriate coupling force at its coupling portion between the first and second members can be obtained . in the embodiments shown in fig5 to 7 , the first member made of the first resin material has an undercut shape . obviously , when the second member made of the second resin material has an undercut , an effective coupling force can also be obtained . hence , the position of the undercut is not limited to those of the above embodiments . in the embodiments shown in fig5 to 7 , the undercut shape in the first member made of the first resin material is formed to cover the two sides of the projection . the undercut shape need not be symmetrical with respect to the center line of the projection . an undercut shape may be formed in only one side of the projection , or an undercut as a combination of a plurality of shapes may be possible . such undercut is effective in adjusting the coupling force . [ 0057 ] fig8 is a view showing a molded product according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention . in fig8 reference numeral 21 denotes a first member made of the first resin material ; 22 , a second member made of the second resin material ; 23 , a plurality of projecting portions projecting from the first member 21 ; and 24 , a plurality of projecting portions projecting from the second member 22 . in the above arrangement , the projecting portions 23 of the first member 21 are in alternate contact with the projecting portions 24 of the second member 22 at the coupling portion between the first and second members 21 and 22 . in this embodiment , the number of projecting portions 23 is two and the number of projecting portions 24 is two . the larger the number of projecting portions , the larger the contact area , so the coupling force can be increased . in this manner , in a composite molded product made of a large number of materials , a coupling portion between the first member made of the first resin material and a member made of the second or subsequent resin material has a plurality of alternate projections made of respective resin materials . thus , a composite molded product which provides a separable shape and has an appropriate coupling force at its coupling portion between the first and second members can be obtained . as has been described above , according to the above embodiments , materials that are not miscible with each other are selected as the plurality of resin materials to be used . thus , the second member can be separated from the first member , and a composite molded product made of a large number of materials can be integrally molded in a mold . in a composite molded product made of a large number of materials , resin materials having larger shrinkage factors than that of the first resin material used to form the first member are selected to form the second and subsequent members . when composite molding of integrating the first member and the second and subsequent members in the mold is performed , the differences in shrinkage factor among the first resin material and the second and subsequent resin materials appear as differences in shrinkage amount . this causes appropriate interference at the coupling portions among the first member and the second and subsequent members . as a result , a composite molded product which is separable but has an appropriate coupling force can be obtained . in a composite molded product made of a large number of materials , when the first member made of the first resin material is sandwiched or surrounded by a member made of the second or subsequent resin material , a composite molded product which provides a separable shape and has an appropriate coupling force at its coupling portion between the first and second members can be obtained . in a composite molded product made of a large number of materials , when a coupling portion between the first member made of the first resin material and a member made of the second or subsequent resin material has an undercut shape , a composite molded product which provides a separable shape and has an appropriate coupling force at its coupling portion between the first and second members can be obtained . in a composite molded product made of a large number of materials , when a coupling portion between the first member made of the first resin material and a member made of the second or subsequent resin material has a plurality of alternate projections made of respective resin materials , a composite molded product which provides a separable shape and has an appropriate coupling force at its coupling portion between the first and second members can be obtained . the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention . therefore , to apprise the public of the scope of the present invention the following claims are made .

US-28686902-A

the invention is concerned with the field of devices for spread - applying liquids , and in particular , with a device and method for spread - applying glue on the spine region of a book . the technical problem to be solved was that of providing bookbinding machines which could spread glue controllably and evenly , and apply said glue on all the suitable locations for glueing and only there . the problem is solved by providing a device which has a pair of containment lateral sides arranged at extrusion nozzles and alongside the path followed by said book spines , said lateral sides being movable to and away from each other and defining an extrusion chamber which envelopes both said spine and book edges adjacent it , and has a working chamber operative to supply said nozzles with glue and being confined between two juxtaposed pressure elements which are movable together with said containment lateral sides .

making reference to the drawing views , the device according to this invention is generally designated with the reference numeral 1 . it comprises in essence a guide and entrainment means 2 for the objects to be coated with a liquid , and a case 3 accommodating storage members 4 for said liquid , as well as extruder members 5 therefor acting on the objects 6 engaged by said entrainment and guide means 2 . between the extruder members 5 and storage members 4 , there intervenes a pump 7 , also within the case 3 . in the illustrated embodiment , the device 1 is designed to spread - apply glue over objects 6 defined by books or the like , and the entrainment and guide means 2 are in practice formed by gripper members , known per se , which would pick up the books 6 and place them , at the case 3 , with their spines 6a facing the extruder members 5 . also known per se is the pump 7 , as are the interconnections of the device 1 with those bookbinding machines whereon the books 6 are formed and which complete the books with an adequate cover element utilizing the glue applied by the extruder members 5 . according to the invention , the extruder members 5 , being supplied from the pump 7 , comprise a reservoir chamber 8 in communication with nozzles 9 opening onto a working surface 10 ( fig6 ). the reservoir chamber 8 is substantially a cylindrical cavity formed in the case 3 and extending parallel to the working surface 10 . the ends of the reservoir chamber 8 are delimited by a pair of pressure elements 11 in the form of two opposed plungers arranged to be movable to and from each other to controllably vary the volume of the reservoir chamber 8 . the nozzles 9 comprise a plurality of small channels which , from the reservoir chamber 8 , raise vertically upwards to the working surface 10 , forming an array of small holes across the path of movement of the spines of the books 6 . as clearly shown , for example , in fig1 and 3 , the books 6 are caused to move forwards toward the extruder members 5 with the spines 6a bearing onto a fixed plate 12 preferably equipped with devices for heating the plate itself and hence the spines 6a . moreover , the books 6 are moved forward between two containment lateral sides 13 which are movable toward and away from each other to clamp therebetween the edges of the books which lay directly adjacent the spines 6a . the action of the containment lateral sides 13 is , of course , such as not to hinder the forward movement of the books 6 as engaged by the entrainment and guide means 2 . as shown in particular in fig5 and 6 , the containment lateral sides 13 are shaped , at the area of the extruder members 5 , to define a chamber 14 enveloping both the spines 6a and the edges of the books 6 which adjoin the spines . furthermore , the chamber 14 is expanded at the nozzles 9 by cutouts 14a adapted to facilitate the action of the nozzles 9 on the book sides . the chamber 14 is closed , on the plate 12 side , by the books 6 themselves , which are clamped between the containment lateral sides 13 and plate 12 . on the opposite side , the chamber 14 opens into the storage members 4 , substantially defined by a glue tank , with the interposition of some devices operative to remove any excess glue from the books 6 and make the glue coated surfaces substantially smooth . in fact , the containment lateral sides 13 are terminated at the storage members 4 with knife - edge steps 14b ( fig6 ) extending obliquely and substantially close to the book edges adjacent the spines 6a , and in the proximities of the knife - edge steps 14b , there is arranged a yarn - cutting roller 15 extending substantially parallel to the working surface 10 and substantially flush therewith with its upper edge . the roller 15 turns fast about its axis and can be positioned in height , being mounted eccentrically on a support element 16 with angular positioning capabilities . fig1 further shows that the roller 15 has a doctoring blade 17 . arranged in the storage members or tank 4 , below the yarn - cutting roller 15 , is a filter 18 defined substantially by a grid in the form of a cylindrical cradle . the filter 8 also received any glue being supplied from the chamber 14 , owing to the provision of an incline 19 arranged substantially consecutive to the working surface 10 . as shown in fig1 and 3 , the containment lateral sides 13 are movable under control by a drive member 20 formed by a cylinder the body whereof , 20a , is rigid with one of said lateral sides , while its rod 20b is rigid with the other of said lateral sides . said rod 20b has a rack contour and engages with a pinion wheel 21 having a vertical axis , which engages in turn with a further rack 22 rigid with the containment lateral side 13 to which is attached the body 20a of the cylinder 20 . this further rack 22 also meshes with a second pinion wheel 23 , and so forth . in practice , as shown in fig3 a kinematic train of racks and pinions is provided which makes the movement of the containment lateral sides 13 quite smooth ; the racks being made alternately rigid with one or the other of said lateral sides and each pinion wheel , being caught diametrically between two parallel racks , drives the same in opposite directions . it should be also noted that the racks in question have small shafts 24 passed longitudinally therethrough which also pass slidably through said lateral sides , along vertical sides 13b thereof . as shown in fig3 it is originally envisaged that the vertical sides 13b of the containment lateral sides 13 are made directly rigid with the pressure elements or plungers 11 operating at the reservoir chamber 8 . the view also shows that the rods 11a of the plungers 11 are passed rigidly through the sides 13b . the views also show some details useful to the device functionality : for example , sealing gaskets 25 interposed to the containment lateral sides 13 and working surface 10 , a doctoring blade 26 at the filter 18 , one or more drive cylinders 27 of the pump 7 , a supply channel 28 between the pump 7 and reservoir chamber 8 located centrally to the chamber itself ( fig2 ) and a bevelled contour of the containment lateral sides 13 at their facing sides . in practice , the containment lateral sides 13 have ( fig6 ) a thin front contact strip 29 adjoined sideways by inclined surfaces , as also shown in fig5 . it is also contemplated that the portion of the containment lateral sides 13 which extends from the area of the nozzles 9 to the knife - edge steps 14b is formed from small blocks 30 inserted rigidly on the lateral sides themselves , as shown in fig2 and 4 . books 6 , or other elements having an equivalent contour shape , are caused to move forward in a manner known per se by the entrainment and guide means 2 , into a bookbinding machine which makes the books themselves . the books are held in an upright position with their spines 6a facing downwards and being substantially unrestricted . furthermore , during this processing step , the books are still without an adequate cover sheet thereon . the case 3 is adjacent the path followed by the spines 6a , as dictated by the entrainment and guide means 2 ; as shown in fig1 and 3 , the books are moved forward with their spines 6a bearing on the plate 12 , equipped with heater elements , and are introduced in the nip between the containment lateral sides 13 , which are brought together by an equal amount to the thickness of the books . on the spines 6a reaching the chamber 14 , the containment lateral sides 13 are clamped elastically onto each other firmly catching therebetween a portion of the spines and the adjoining edges , without , however , hindering the books 6 in their forward movement . the movement of mutual approach of the containment lateral sides 13 is provided by the drive member 20 , which drives both said lateral sides through the cited rack and pinion kinematic train . the movement of the containment lateral sides 13 is transmitted rigidly to the plungers 11 , which compress the reservoir chamber causing the glue contained therein to be pushed out . the glue exits the nozzles 9 opening into the spray chamber 14 ; the plungers are aligned vertically to the lateral sides 13 and block the other nozzles 9 ( fig5 ). the glue being extruded sweeps not only the spines 6a , but also the adjacent book edges , owing both to the dimensions of the chamber 14 and to the provision of the cutouts 14a which expand the chamber . replenishment of the extruded glue is controlled by the pump 27 , but the issuing thereof , and interruption of the extrusion , is practically determined by the plungers 11 which are responsive to the slightest movements of the containment lateral sides 13 . in particular , as the containment lateral sides 13 move away from each other , the reservoir chamber 8 expands causing not only a stop in the delivery of glue , but also a back - suction action . the latter causes immediate return of any excess glue present in the chamber 14 . the excess glue may in any case flow freely toward the storage members 4 after going through the filter 18 . the glue deposited on the book 6 is also partly scraped away by the yarn - cutting roller 15 and knife - edge steps 14b . as a whole , the device can act in a highly accurate and ready manner , and where the forward movement and positions of the books 6 are controlled electronically , is also able to only coat limited portions of the spine length , which results in a glue saving . for example , it would be possible to limit delivery of glue to the middle region of the book , so as not to impregnate margins to be trimmed . the device of this invention provides a novel method of spread - applying liquids . in accordance with this method , the irrigation steps alternate with suction steps , so as to instantaneously interrupt the irrigation step . further , extrusion is effected in an area enclosed between containment lateral sides which accurately delimit the glue receiving locations . also , the start and end of the extrusion step are not controlled by actuating a pump , which would unavoidably offer inertias and delays , but rather through the containment lateral sides acting directly on a reservoir chamber supplied from a pump . this increases considerably the efficiency and rate of operation of the device . by enclosing the book parts to be impregnated with glue only at the time of extrusion , it becomes possible to impart the containment lateral sides with a relatively powerful mutual approaching motion . this , in conjunction with the small size of the front strips 29 which bear directly on the book sides , results in a shaping action on the book being formed , as shown in fig5 . thus , a still higher degree of efficiency is achieved for the device . it should be further enhanced that the device adapts itself readily for books having different sizes , and that the glue curing is greatly favored by the heating action of the plate 12 . the invention as conceived is susceptible to many modifications and variations without departing from the scope of this inventive concept . further , all of the details and component parts may be replaced with technically equivalent elements . in practicing the invention , the materials used , and the shapes and dimensions , may be any ones contingent on individual requirements .

US-58247884-A

apparatus and method for cutting boxes . the box cutter has a rectangular work area defined by the upper run of an oblique - roller conveyor belt selectively driven forward or reverse in coordination with the actuation and deactuation of the obliquely rotatable belt rollers . cutting tools along the sides of the work area cut into the side panels of the boxes as they are translated without rotation in a rectangular path against guide surfaces on the periphery of the work area by the sequential reversing of the conveyor belt direction and the actuation and deactuation of the box - supporting rollers .

a box cutting system 10 embodying features of the invention is shown in fig1 . a human operator 12 unloads the box 14 from a pallet layer on a scissor lift 16 and places it on an infeed conveyor 18 . the operator presses a button ( not shown ) to index the box into a box cutter 20 . after all four side panels p of the box are cut through , the bottom 24 of the box and the enclosed contents 26 , along with the top 28 of the box , are discharged from the box cutter onto a discharge conveyor 30 , such as a decline conveyor or a chute . while the box is being cut , the operator places an uncut box on the infeed conveyor . then he manually separates the top and bottom of the cut box from the box &# 39 ; s contents on the discharge conveyor 30 or on a takeaway conveyor 32 . he deposits the box top and bottom on a trash conveyor 34 for disposal . the takeaway conveyor 32 transports the contents 26 to downstream processing stations . the close proximity of the infeed conveyor to the discharge , takeaway , and trash conveyors allows the operator to perform these steps efficiently . details of the box cutter 20 are shown in fig1 - 3 . as shown in fig2 a - 2c , the box cutter includes a conveyor belt 36 that can be advanced in a forward direction 38 or a reverse direction 39 . the conveyor belt is conventionally trained around pulleys or sprockets ( not shown ) at each end of an upper run . in this example , the conveyor belt is driven bidirectionally by a motor 40 driving a shaft 41 on which drive sprockets engaging the belt in the middle of a return run are mounted . the conveyor belt has a plurality of rollers 40 that extend through the thickness of the belt , as shown in fig3 a - 3f , to support the bottoms of the boxes . the rollers are generally cylindrical in shape and are mounted on axles forming rotational axes 44 that are oblique to the direction of belt travel 38 , 39 . the intralox ® series 400 activated roller ™ belt , an oblique - roller modular plastic belt manufactured and sold by intralox , l . l . c . of harahan , la ., u . s . a ., is suitable for this application . as shown in fig2 a - 2c , the upper run of the conveyor belt 36 defines a rectangular work area 46 in the box cutter 20 . because the length of the upper run equals the width of the conveyor belt , the rectangular work area is generally square with four sides 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 of equal length . as shown in fig1 , the box cutter includes a cutting head 52 to which four cutting tools , such as circular saws 54 , are mounted to side walls 56 . the saws are mounted along each side wall of the cutting head at intermediate positions , such as midway , between opposite connecting side walls . the cutting head may be raised by lifts residing in , for example , telescoping legs 57 at the corners of the box cutter to allow boxes to enter and exit the box cutter and lowered to position the cutting tools to operate on the boxes . the interior sides of the four side walls 56 of the cutting head 52 include guide surfaces 58 that register the boxes and guide them past the cutting tools along each side of the work area . the cutting head also forms a safety cover over the work area and prevents the escape of saw dust from the cutter . as shown in fig3 a - 3f , the oblique belt rollers 42 are actuated and deactuated by selectively raising and lowering , as indicated by arrow 60 , a bearing surface 62 into and out of contact with the rollers protruding past the bottom of the belt as the belt advances in either direction . the bearing surface may be moved into and out of contact with the rollers in ways other than raising and lowering . for example , an array of parallel bearing surfaces extending in the direction of belt travel and spaced laterally apart the same distance as the longitudinal columns of belt rollers could be moved into and out of contact by lateral translation . furthermore , the bearing surfaces could be formed on the peripheries of rollers rather than on flat pans or strips . when the bearing surface contacts the rollers , the motion of the belt causes the rollers to rotate on their oblique axes 44 with one component of motion under a supported box in the direction of belt travel and another component perpendicular toward a side of the belt , as shown in fig3 c and 3e . so , with the bearing surface contacting the rollers , the rollers are actuated . when the bearing surface is lowered or otherwise moved out of contact with the belt rollers , the rollers are free to rotate on their axes ; they are deactuated . when the rollers are deactuated , they rotate on their oblique axes only when a box supported atop the rollers encounters an obstruction , such as a guide surface blocking its advance in the direction of belt travel , as shown in fig3 b , 3 d , and 3 f . in those circumstances , the oblique rollers rotate with a component of motion opposite to the direction of belt travel and an orthogonal component parallel to the blocking guide surface , which slides the box along , while pushing it against , the guide surface . in general , a belt roller is considered to be “ actuated ” when it is actively rotated by something , e . g ., rolling on a bearing surface , other than interaction with a box whose progress in the direction of belt travel is blocked . the box cutter is controlled by a controller 64 , as shown in fig4 . the controller may be realized as a programmable logic controller , a desktop computer , a workstation , an embedded microcontroller , or any suitable programmable device . the controller coordinates the direction of belt travel with the actuation of the belt rollers to move the box around the work area past each of the cutting tools . the controller has three main output signals : an actuate / deactuate signal 66 that raises and lowers the bearing surface by a linear actuator 69 , for instance ; a forward / reverse signal 67 that controls the direction of the conveyor belt motor 40 , and an up / down signal to a lift motor 70 that raises and lowers the cutting head . other output signals ( not shown ) include signals to drive the infeed conveyor drive and , perhaps , the discharge , takeaway , and trash conveyor drives 74 , 75 , 76 ( as in fig1 ) and to turn the cutting tools on and off . the controller also receives input signals 78 from sensors 80 , such as pressure switches or optical devices , that sense when a box is in contact with one of the guide surfaces along the side of the work area . the operational sequence of cutting a box with the box cutter is described with reference to fig2 , 3 , and 5 . the operator 12 places the box 14 on the infeed conveyor 18 square with the rectangular work area 46 of the box cutter 20 , as shown in fig2 a . in the meantime , as indicated by the timing diagram of fig5 , the cutting tool is in a raised position ( up ) to permit the box to enter the work area . the conveyor belt is advancing in the forward direction ( fwd ) 38 , and the belt rollers 42 are deactuated . for illustrative purposes , the four sides of the work area are indicated by the numerals 1 - 4 in circles in the figures . each of the vertical dashed lines in fig5 extending down from the circled numerals indicate the time of initial contact or crossing of a box with that side indicated by the numeral in the associated circle . the box follows a generally rectangular path through the work area . the path segments are identified as a - f in fig2 and correspond roughly to fig3 a - 3f and to the time intervals a - f in fig5 . the box is indexed by the infeed conveyor over side 3 of the cutter &# 39 ; s work area . once the box clears side 3 , the controller lowers the cutting head by changing the state of the up / down signal to down ( 82 in fig5 ). because the conveyor belt is moving forward and the rollers are deactuated , the box follows linear path segment a to side 1 of the work area . as shown in fig3 a , the bearing surface 62 is lowered and the rollers do not rotate . as soon as the forward side panel p 1 of the box hits the guide surface 48 at side 1 of the work area , the box &# 39 ; s forward progress is blocked , which causes the deactuated rollers to rotate as shown in fig3 b and push the box to the right , guided by the guide surface on side 1 along path segment b in fig2 a . once the right side panel p 2 hits the guide surface at side 2 of the work area , the signal from the sensor for side 2 notifies the controller to reverse the conveyor belt and actuate the belt rollers ( 83 in fig5 ). the bearing surface 62 underlying the conveyor belt in the work area is raised into contact with the bottoms of the rollers , which keeps them rolling in the same direction as for path segment b , but also to push the box along the guide surface on side 2 past the rotating circular saw blade and towards side 3 . the saw blade cuts a horizontal slit along side panel p 2 . when the rearward side panel p 3 of the box , now leading , hits the guide surface at side 3 of the work area , a signal from the sensor for side 3 notifies the controller of the contact . the controller deactuates the rollers ( 84 in fig5 ), which causes the box on the reverse - traveling conveyor belt to slide laterally to the left in fig2 against the guide surface at side 3 along linear path segment d . the cutting tool on side 3 cuts a horizontal slit in side panel p 3 of the box as it slides past . when the left side panel p 4 of the box hits the guide rail at side 4 of the work area , the sensor for side 4 signals the controller to reverse the conveyor belt back to the forward direction and to actuate the belt rollers ( 85 in fig5 ). this causes the actuated rollers to rotate as in fig3 e and push the box against the guide surface at side 4 of the work area as the box is conveyed along path segment e . the saw along side 4 cuts a horizontal slit in side panel p 4 of the box as it passes . when the forward side panel p 1 of the box has reached side 1 of the work area , the signal from the sensor for side 1 of the work area notifies the controller , which then deactuates the rollers ( 86 in fig5 ). because the box is blocked by the guide surface at side 1 , the deactuated rollers reverse their rotation and slide the box along the side 1 guide rail on a path segment f . just after the cutting tool on side 1 cuts a horizontal slit in forward panel p 1 of the box , the controller signals the lift to raise ( up , 87 in fig5 ) so that the box can be discharged over side 2 of the work area onto the discharge conveyor 30 . this cycle repeats for the next incoming box . thus , the box cutter &# 39 ; s conveyor belt translates a box without rotation in a generally rectangular path pushed in registration against guide surfaces bounding the work area on four sides past a cutting tool on each side . each cutting tool cuts a horizontal slit in one side panel of the box . the slits are aligned so that a continuous cut is made around the periphery of the box to allow for easy removal of its contents and disposal of the box sections . although the invention has been described in detail with reference to a preferred version , other versions are possible . for example , the conveyor belt shown has rollers that extend past the bottom of the belt to engage bearing surfaces . but rollers that do not necessarily extend below the bottom of the belt and that can be actuated in other ways , such as motorized rollers or magnetically actuated rollers , could be used as well in the box cutter . as another example , the controller could be programmed to convey the box on a different path through the work area . different kinds of cutting tools or cutting tools arranged to cut differently shaped cuts into the sides of the boxes could be used . so , as these few examples suggest , the claims are not meant to be limited by the details of the disclosure .

US-50915309-A

a childproof , locking - type cap is disclosed . briefly stated , an upper cap is mated to a lower cap so as to be axially pivotable thereabout . a plurality of wings are provided , each of which has an engaging rib which engages the rim on the top of a container such as an aerosol can or the like . alignment of the upper and lower caps permit at least one wing to be moved out of the way when the cap assembly is removed from the container .

referring now to fig3 an elevational view having a portion cut away therefrom is shown . illustrated is an aerosol can and top , shown generally at 10 , which is comprised of an aerosol can 12 and the locking cap 14 of the present invention . it is to be understood that almost any type of can or container may be utilized in which the can has a rim ( fig2 ) or other suitable registration means . the locking cap 14 is preferably comprised of injection molded plastic although other methods of manufacture and materials may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , aerosol can 12 has disposed at the upper end , an aerosol can ferrule 30 having a ferrule lower lip or ridge 40 . the ferrule and lip 30 , 40 are used to engage portions of the locking cap 14 as disclosed below . by lip is meant any form of retaining area and may be , for example , a series of interspaced indentations / protrusions which may even be disposed along the outer casing of the can 12 . locking cap 14 is comprised of two portions , an outer or upper overcap 16 and an inner or lower cap 18 ( fig5 ). it is to be understood that the upper and lower caps 16 , 18 are manufactured separately and assembled prior to distribution to an end user with the result that the end user only has one assembly , locking cap 14 to place onto the container . upper and lower caps 16 , 18 are , with respect to each other , rotatable about their perpendicular axes . referring now to fig1 the operation sequence for removal of locking cap 14 from aerosol can 12 may be more easily understood . disposed on the outer circumference of upper and lower caps 16 , 18 are upper and lower alignment ribs 20 , 22 respectively . to accomplish removal of locking cap 14 from aerosol can 12 , upper and lower alignment ribs 20 , 22 are aligned and pivoting force along the direction of arrow a ( fig1 and 3 ) is exerted . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , removal of locking cap 14 can only be accomplished by alignment of upper and lower ribs 20 , 22 and pivoting in the direction of arrow a . pivoting or exertion of force in any direction other than arrow a will not facilitate removal of locking cap 14 from aerosol can 12 . referring now to fig2 a , 3 , 3a , 5 and 5a , an illustration of the internal configuration of the locking cap of the present invention is shown . as stated previously , locking cap 14 is comprised of upper and lower caps 16 , 18 respectively . lower cap 18 is in the form of a truncated cone and is a comprised of a lower wall / collar or ring 54 , having extended therefrom and attached thereto three spaced uprights 56 which extend up to and form part of upper wall 36 . circumferential upper wall 36 is truncated so as to form an inner cap upper ledge 42 . disposed between each upright 56 and extending downward from the upper wall 36 in the direction of collar or ring 54 are two similarly sized wings 62 and an abbreviated wing 63 . the abbreviated wing 63 , in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , is adjacent lower alignment rib 22 . extending at an angle from each wing 62 , 63 are tabs 39 which rest against the inner surface of upper cap 16 when upper and lower caps 16 , 18 are mated , as shown more clearly in fig2 and 6 . disposed opposite tabs 39 on the inner surface of wings 62 , 63 are inner cap engaging ribs 38 which engage the ferrule lower lip / ridge 40 of aerosol can ferrule 30 . in this regard , wings 62 , 63 are movable slightly radially inwardly and outwardly so as to allow engagement and disengagement respectively with ferrules 30 , 40 . upper cap 16 is generally circumferential in shape and configures so as to mate with lower cap 18 . disposed on the outer surface of upper cap 16 is upper alignment rib 20 . opposite the alignment rib 20 on the interior of outer wall or skirt 50 is recess 52 . the width of recess 52 is slightly larger than the distance between tabs 39 of abbreviated wing 63 and less than the distance between tabs 39 of remaining wings 62 . in this manner , when alignment ribs 20 , 22 are aligned , recess 52 is adjacent abbreviated wing 63 , as shown in fig2 and 3 . accordingly , pivotal movement of the locking cap 14 in direction of arrow a ( fig1 and 3 ) allows inner cap engaging rib 38 to ride over ferrules 30 , 40 in that tabs 39 are urged into recess 52 as a result of the bending movement of abbreviated wing 63 . therefore , once rib 38 is urged past or just beyond the outermost diameter of ferrules 30 , 40 , wings 62 are urged outwardly just enough to facilitate removal of cap 14 due to the flexibility of wings 62 . the assembly of the cap 14 is formed by virtue of upper cap 16 being resiliently and pivotally captured to lower cap 18 by means of locking ribs 44 which mate with and engage annular retaining ledge 64 disposed adjacent the inner cap upper ledge 42 of lower cap 18 . the coaction of the various elements in assembly of the cap must be detailed to be appreciated . the top and bottom elements of the cap , once assembled , are permanently fastened to each other , yet with the ability for the top to rotate relative to the bottom . the assembly has been designed to facilitate a production process in which a single actuating stroke will join the top and the bottom elements into a single unified structure . it is most clearly shown in fig2 a . the joining is accomplished by the tapered inner conical surface of the annular support ring 61 wedging or deforming the locking ribs 44 of the entire portion of the cap inward until the outermost surface 47 of the locking rib 44 which is tapered at the same angle as the conical taper of the support 61 passes below the bottom surface 64 of the support ring 61 . at this point the displaced locking rib will resiliently return to its original shape , thereby seating the upward facing capturing edge 45 of locking rib 44 against the downward facing bottom surface 64 of the annular , conical , support ring 61 . the coaction of capturing edge 45 and bottom surface 64 provide a bearing surface for the relative rotation of the top and bottom portions of the cap . additionally , it should be pointed out , that the design of the coaction between the locking ribs 44 and the support ring 61 enable each piece to be fabricated without any undercutting , which enables the devices to be easily molded without expensive or unusual molding techniques , and requires no additional manufacturing or finishing steps after the molding process . it should also be noted that the ease of assembly of the top and bottom of the cap enhance its mass producability by lowering the cost of molding and the cost of assembly and further reducing the cost of installation of the can that will be the ultimate application for the cap . all that is necessary to assemble the cap is a simple downward push which locks the elements of the cap into a permanent assembly . therefore , for example , it would be possible to assemble the caps and then install them on the cans or alternately to install the bottom part of the cap on the can and then easily join the top portion of the cap to the already installed bottom portion . in the latter case , the can then be used as a fixture in the assembly process . referring now to fig2 and 6 , a more detailed view of the construction and operation of the present device may be seen . shown is can 12 having disposed thereon a spray button 32 having an aperture 34 for dispensing of the material in the can 12 . it is to be understood however that any type of container may be utilized other than an aerosol container without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . for example , the can may be plastic , glass or other suitable material and does not have to be pressurized , but may in fact be a &# 34 ; pump &# 34 ; type of dispenser . alternately , the container may have a screw - type top or any other suitable type top such as force fit or the like . disposed adjacent locking ribs 44 are upper cap support or reinforcing ribs 46 which minimize movement of locking ribs 44 and thereby prevent movement of locking ribs 44 and hence decoupling of upper cap 16 from lower cap 18 . disposed in the top of the upper cap 16 are arcuate slots 24 having connecting portions 26 disposed therebetween which are utilized to support and position the locking ribs 44 in the upper portion of upper cap 16 . support ribs 51 are disposed adjacent connecting portions 26 and cooperate with annular support ring 61 in providing structural integrity to the top portion of upper cap 16 and support to the conical surface of the inner cap to prevent cocking of the top portion of the cap with the bottom portion . this cocking would otherwise occur during attempts to remove the cap from the container whether in the locked or the unlocked position . ledges 58 are utilized so as to create a vertical wall / inner skirt 48 with the result that wings 62 , 63 and hence tabs 39 may be naturally radially disposed away from the inner wall of upper cap 16 . it has been found that this design is optimum in that it allows for maximum compressibility of wings 62 , 63 and naturally accommodates for variations in the diameter and configurations of different ferrules 30 , 40 . operation of the present device is extremely simple and foolproof . more particularly , in order to remove cap 14 from can 12 , alignment ribs 20 , 22 are positioned as shown in fig1 . this therefore aligns abbreviated wing 63 and hence tab 39 with recess 52 . therefore , upon upward urging of locking cap 14 along or coincident with the axis formed by alignment ribs 20 , 22 , engaging rib 38 is caused to be urged radially outward as it moves along ferrule 30 , 40 due to the provision of space provided by recess 52 . therefore , when alignment ribs 20 , 22 are aligned and movement is along any line other than that formed by arrow &# 34 ; a &# 34 ;, removal of the cap is prevented since force will exerted on wings 62 which , due to their close proximity to the inner portion of outer skirt 50 , are not outwardly urgeable . replacement of the cap is identical to any other forcefit type cap in that the cap 14 need only be pressed downward onto the top of can 12 with the result that wings 62 , 63 are urged outward over ferrules 30 , 40 and once past ferrules 30 , 40 resiliently compress so as to have engaging rib 38 contact ferrule lower lip / ridge 40 , such as shown in fig2 . further , due to the &# 34 ; urgeability &# 34 ; or bending of wings 62 , 63 , it is not necessary that alignment ribs 20 , 22 be aligned in order to place cap 14 onto can 12 . in replacement of the cap , the outward movement of wings 62 , 63 is initiated by the caming action of the ferrule of the can against the bottom surface of the engaging rib 38 on the wing 62 , 63 . the lower surface 37 of engaging rib 38 is angled opposite the upper surface 41 of engaging rib 38 . this allows for the caming action of the upper surface of the can ferrule 30 , with the lower surface 37 of the engaging rib , to spread the rib and allow the cap to fit over the ferrule . once past the widest part of the ferrule , the upper surface 41 of engaging rib 38 , as well as the entire wing 63 will now resiliently move radially inward towards its original shape . at this point , the upper surface 41 of the engaging rib 38 will seat against lower surface 40 of the can ferrule to hold the cap on the can . as seen in fig3 a , the difference in the top 30 and bottom 40 shape of the ferrule on the can combined with the difference in the angle of the upper 41 and lower 37 surface of the engaging rib 38 allow for a greater caming action in seating the cap than in removing the cap . therefore , significantly less force is necessary to replace the cap on the can or container than is necessary to remove the cap from the can or container . the cap can even be replaced on the can when it is in the locked position whereas it cannot be removed from the can ( without a great deal of difficulty ) unless in the unlocked position . note that the standard ferrule for a spray can or container has a smoothly descending surface formed by crimping the upper element over the bottom element at the neck of the can . the crimp or overlap produces an undercut created by the thickness of the top element where it terminates at its edge . accordingly , the present invention produces a device which is relatively easy to manufacture and assemble and which incurs low cost . further , manufacturing tooling costs are minimized due to the relatively large tolerances which are permissible by virtue of the design of the cap . it is to be understood that many variations of the present invention may be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . for example , different types or mechanisms upon which to attach the upper and lower cap to each other may be utilized . further , different types or configurations of engaging ribs may be utilized while different numbers of wings and / or abbreviated wings may be used . further , different materials such as metal may be utilized for the cap without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . additionally , the upper cap may be merely a rotating ring having the appropriate recess without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . further , a weakened area may be substituted for the recess in the upper cap . another alternate embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention may be produced by allowing the upper cap to pop up after proper alignment with the lower cap , thereby allowing the wings to move . further , a number of recesses which may or may not be evenly spaced could be utilized so that removal of the cap necessitates their alignment with similarly spaced wings before removal of the cap may be facilitated . further , slots apertures or spaces between ribs in the upper cap may be utilized in place of the recess , thereby allowing the wings to partially protrude therethrough in order to facilitate removal of the cap . having thus described the present invention in detail , it is to be understood that the foregoing description is not intended to limit the spirit and scope thereof . what is desired to be protected by letters patent is set forth in the appended claims .

US-30472289-A

a method for making a dynamoelectric machine conductor bar , compromises providing a plurality of bundled together spiraling strand conductors having surrounding insulation to define a substantially rectangular shape with the strand conductors and strand insulation defining an opposing conductor bar end portion having an electrically insulated gap between the strand insulation adjacent the bar end portion ; and applying a filler material to fill the gap to electrically shield the conductor bar end portion and to a greater than 0 . 080 to about 1 . 5 inch continuous outer radius surface end portion . a dynamoelectric machine conductor bar comprises a plurality of bundled together spiraling strand conductors having surrounding insulation to define a substantially rectangular shape , with the strand conductors and strand insulation defining an opposing conductor bar end portion ; an electrically non - insulated gap between the strand insulation adjacent the conductors at the bar end portion ; and an applied filler material filling the gap to electrically shield the conductor bar end portion an applied filler material filling the gap to electrically shield the conductor bar end portion , wherein the filler material defines a greater than 0 . 080 to about 1 . 5 inch continuous outer radius surface end portion .

the conductor bar of the invention has a filler material that fills a gap that is defined between a substantially rectangular shaped bundle of strand conductors and surrounding insulation . without the filler material , the abrupt corner angles of the relatively square corners of the rectangular stator cause stress concentrations on applied ground insulation . the filler material modifies the strand conductor outer radius surface to reduce this stress . the filler material can be applied to both top and bottom bar ends . using filler material eliminates bar corner shaving and hence avoids reducing the bar copper or aluminum content . modifying the bar with filler material provides an increased conductor package surface corner radius , which reduces bar corner electrical stress . the invention can be used in combination with internal grading to further reduce bar corner electrical stress . a reduction in corner stress means that less ground insulation material is required to insulate the strand conductors . less insulation improves heat transfer across the thinner groundwall insulation to the machine core . also , reduction in ground insulation material means that additional space is available for copper conductors that can improve generator performance . the filler material modified corner can provide a continuous outer surface corner radius . in an embodiment , the continuous radius is at least greater than 0 . 080 inches or in ranges of at least greater than 0 . 080 to 1 . 5 inches continuous outer radius surface , desirably 0 . 1 to 0 . 875 inches and preferably 0 . 125 to 0 . 75 inches continuous outer radius surface . the continuous surface corner radius is a surface of curvature transcribed by common radius line segments at the bar end portion as shown in fig3 . alternatively , the outer surface can be in an elliptical shape with a variable radius . the variable radius can fall in the range of 0 . 080 to 0 . 875 inches . in another alternative , the top edges of the filler material can be relatively flat with the corner radius of the filler material adjacent the conductor bar ends being greater than about 0 . 125 inches . the corner configurations of the invention impart improved reduced stress concentration to generally rectangular conductors . in one embodiment , a fillet material is applied to the end portion to provide the enlarged outer radius surface . in this manner , the radius surface is enlarged without substantial loss of conductor cross - section material . both top and bottom bar edges can be modified . modifying the bar with a fillet material on top and bottom edges in combination with internal grading reduces electrical stress concentration on corner ground insulation . hence , less insulation may be required and more space can be made available for copper conductors . internal grading can be provided to the filler material so that an equal potential voltage plane on the filler material larger radii outer surface results in the stress reducing benefits on the ground insulation . the internal grading can impart a resistivity in the range of 500 to 500 , 000 ohms per square , desirably 1 , 000 to 250 , 000 and preferably 2 , 000 to 100 , 000 ohms per square . for example , internal grading or low conductivity can be provided by the following : application of a low conductivity paint . preferably , the low conductivity paint has a resistance in the range of 2 , 000 to 100 , 000 ohms per square in its cured state . the paint is applied into electrically conducting relation with the electrically non - insulated gap portions in the strand insulation . the paint can be applied on the top and bottom edges or across the conductor bar end portions of the bar . application of a low conductivity transposition filler . the low conductivity transposition filler can have a resistance in the range of 2 , 000 to 100 , 000 ohms per square in its cured state . it can be applied to conductor bar end portions during molding . wrapping of a low conductivity tape . the tape can have a resistance in the range of 2 , 000 to 100 , 000 ohms per square in its cured or dry state . the tape can be applied around the bar before the groundwall insulation is applied . alternately conductive filler strips . the strips can have a resistance in the range of 2 , 000 to 100 , 000 ohms per square . the strips can be molded or glued onto conductor package ends . conductive fiberglass filler strips with correct resistively can be used . the filler material can comprise a non - conductive thermoset material such as a putty made from an epoxy or polyester resin containing mica powder , mica paper , silica or other fillers . the filler material can also comprise a conductive non - metallic material such as a thermoset epoxy or polyester resin containing conductive carbon or graphite fillers . the filler material can be made of conducting or non - conducting laminated material , such as woven fiberglass treated with an epoxy or polyester resin . the filler material can be molded onto the bar when the conductor package is pressed and cured during forming . alternatively , a regular rectangular bar can first be pressed to shape and the filler material applied to the top and bottom bar corners . it is also possible to use a roebel transposition filler such as a catalyzed epoxy resin filler on the bars together with a fillet strip , applied prior or subsequent to pressing . a thick layer of transposition filler can be molded onto the bar so that molded transposition filler extends above the uppermost strand and below the bottom - most strand . after molding , the corners can be machined to a desired radius . also , mold tooling can be used to form the corner radius during a pressing operation . these and other features will become apparent from the drawings and following detailed discussion , which by way of example without limitation describe preferred embodiments of the invention . in the drawings , corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures . [ 0033 ] fig1 shows a prior art electrical conductor bar 10 . in fig2 and 4 , electrical conductor bar 10 is insulated according to the present invention . in fig1 to 3 , the conductor bar 10 has a plurality of bundled together spiraling strand conductors 12 . the strand conductors are also known as turns or turn conductors . the strand conductors 12 are spiraled in a manner referred to as roebeling , shown more specifically in fig3 . the bars shown in fig1 to 3 are one - turn bars made up of a number of individual strands . the strands are individually insulated from one another by strand insulation 14 and are roebeled to reduce electrical losses within the bar . typically , the strand conductors comprise either an aluminum or copper material and portions of the strand insulation 14 are removed at 16 adjacent conductor bottom and top bar end portions . strand conductors 12 and strand insulation 14 define opposing bottom and top conductor bar end portions 18 . as shown in fig1 the corner radius at the end portions 18 defines a generally rectangular shape d structure . this corner radius is typically in the order of 0 . 031 inches and is less than 0 . 080 inches . the strand conductors 12 are arranged in two side - by - side columns or tiers 15 . while fig1 to 3 show two tiers 15 , the strands can be arranged in any number of tiers such as for example four - tiers or six - tiers . between each tier 15 is a separator insulation 17 . [ 0035 ] fig2 and 4 show a conductor bar 10 with applied filler material 24 . the material has been applied across the conductor bar end portions 18 . the filler material 24 fills void area 26 that is defined by the spiraling of the strand conductors 12 . the filler material 24 can be conducting and can function as internal grading . on the other hand , the filler material 24 can be non - conducting in which case , internal grading can be applied . in the non - conducting case , the filler material can have an electrically conductive paint applied to outer surface 28 . in fig2 and 4 , outer surface 28 has a surface corner radius at greater than 0 . 08 inches . at least the outer surface 28 of the filler material 24 is in electrical conducting relation with the electrically non - insulated gap portions 16 to electrically shield the conductor bars 10 at the conductor bar end portions 18 . a groundwall insulation layer 30 in the form of a mica based tape surrounds the plurality of strand conductors 12 and the filler material 24 ( in the cases of fig2 and 4 ). the groundwall insulation layer 30 follows the shape or radius of the conductor bar end portions 18 . as a result , the groundwall insulation has rounded corners 32 in fig2 and fig4 and substantially square corners 34 in fig1 . further in fig4 two conductor bars 10 are located within slots 40 of the core 42 of a winding of a generator . the slots are filled with non - conducting fillers 44 extruded in a half bow - tie shape . a wedge 46 assists to maintain the conductor bars 10 within the slots 40 of the core 42 of the high voltage winding . in fig5 the filler material 24 is formed onto the conductor bar end portions without the removal of any copper from the strand conductors 12 . the corners 20 of the filler are in the range of 0 . 125 to 0 . 275 inches and have a flat portion 21 between corners 20 . in fig6 the filler material 24 is formed onto the conductor bar end portions without the removal of any copper from the strand conductors 12 . the corners 20 of the filler material are in the range of greater than or equal to 0 . 275 inches and the portion 23 of the filer between the corners has a variable radius . in fig7 the filler material 24 is formed onto the conductor bar end portions to form rounded edges without requiring removal of any copper . in this instance , the corners 20 and middle portion 25 are of the same radius , which is about 0 . 875 inches . [ 0041 ] fig8 shows a dynamoelectric machine 50 showing the location of rotor 54 and conductor bar 10 including conductor core 52 . the machine 50 includes generator frame 56 and top stator bar 58 and bottom stator bar 60 . the following examples are illustrative and should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of the claims unless a limitation is specifically recited . voltage breakdown strength of an insulated stator bar is a measure of insulation quality and long term stability of the insulation when stressed at lower operating voltages . in the examples , insulated stator bars were tested for breakdown strength immersed in oil to prevent flashover during testing . the test was started at 30 , 000 volts , 60 hertz and held 60 seconds at that voltage . the voltage was then increased to 35 , 000 volts and held for 60 seconds . the voltage was raised in increments of 5 , 000 volts per 60 - second steps until breakdown occurred . breakdown voltage is equal to ( highest voltage )− 5000 +[( 5000 volts )×( seconds at the highest voltage / 60 seconds )]. breakdown strength in units of vpm ( volts per mil ) is the breakdown voltage / smallest average insulation thickness on the side of a bar in mils . stator bars having 0 . 060 - to 0 . 080 - inch corner radii were insulated with a mica tape containing mica paper and glass fabric backer . the resin binder for the tape was based on u . s . pat . no . 5 , 618 , 891 . internal grading was applied using a glass fabric tape . the breakdown strength of these bars was 874 ± 44 vpm . a 0 . 090 - inch thick glass - epoxy strip was bonded to the top and bottom edges of a bare bar having the same dimensions as those used in example 1 . the corners were then machined to 0 . 15 - inch radii . the bar was internally graded with the same glass tape and taped with the same mica tape used in example 1 . the same number of mica tape layers was used . the voltage breakdown strength of this bar was 1 , 017 vpm . a 0 . 060 - inch thick glass - epoxy strip was bonded to the top and bottom edges of a bare bar having the same dimensions as those used in example 1 . the bar corners were then machined to 0 . 15 - inch radii . the bar was internally graded with the same tape used and taped with the same mica tape used in example 1 . the same number of mica tape layers was used . the voltage breakdown strength of this bar was 1 , 024 vpm . long term voltage endurance tests were conducted . the baseline groundwall insulation system described in example 1 using stator bars having corner radii of 0 . 060 to 0 . 080 - inch was tested at different voltage stress levels in order to determine endurance life as a function of voltage stress . based on a statistical distribution of times - to - failure for this baseline group , a mathematical expression was developed to establish a baseline performance value . the performance of individual stator bars were subsequently tested under identical conditions but with corner radii greater than 0 . 080 - inch . for convenience , voltage endurance performance of individual experimental bars is expressed in per unit of the median life expectancy for the baseline insulation having corner radii from 0 . 060 to 0 . 080 inch . a bar identical to those in example 4 was modified by bonding a 0 . 060 - inch thick epoxy - woven glass laminate to its top and bottom edges . the laminate was bonded with a solvent - less epoxy adhesive . after the epoxy adhesive cured , the corners of the bar were machined to 0 . 15 - inch radii . the bar was insulated with the same mica tape used in the example 4 bars . the insulated bar was tested for voltage endurance at 40 kv . the bar did not fail even after exceeding the median life of the bars of example 4 by a factor of 1 . 62 . another bar was made that had the same bare bar modifications as the bar in example 5 . the bar was insulated with the same mica tape used in example 4 . the bar was tested for voltage endurance at 40 kv . this bar did not fail even after exceeding the median life of the bars of example 4 by a factor of 1 . 40 . the results for the examples 5 and 6 bars were 62 % and 40 % respectively better than the baseline results of example 4 . the voltage breakdown strength and voltage endurance tests of examples 2 , 3 , 5 and 6 for increased radii bars show the superior performance and improved resistance to voltage stress concentration of the generator stator bars of the invention . it should be understood that alternative embodiments of the present invention may be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art in view of the above description for the preferred embodiments of this invention . accordingly , the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the teachings of the preferred embodiments and should be limited to the scope of the claims that follow .

US-5917902-A

a method for manufacturing a color separation plate for screen dot color printing , having screen dots recorded thereon , the size of the screen dots corresponding to the density of one of the primary colors of an image to be printed , by one of the color signals corresponding to respective primary colors and obtained by reading out the image to generate an electric signal corresponding to the image and separating the electric signal into the color signals corresponding to the primary colors , respectively . a sheet of recording material which is transparent and applicable to thermal transfer recording is prepared . also prepared is a rotatable flat platen . the sheet of the recording material is put on the flat platen and the flap platen is rotated by a specific angle from the position where the sheet of the recording material is put on the flat platen . then , the thermal transfer recording is performed on the sheet of recording material , in accordance with one of the color signals , to manufacture the color separation plate corresponding to one of the primary colors .

the following is a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the method of manufacture of the color separation plates according to the present invention , with reference to fig1 through fig6 a , 6b and 6c . the outline of the manufacturing processes in the thermal transfer color separation plate manufacturing apparatus used in the method according to the present invention is as described below . an electric signal obtained by converting information including such as images and characters by a camera or scanner or electric signal supplied by various types of image formation apparatus is separated and divided into a plural number of electric signals ( color signals ) corresponding to the plural number of colors . then , the thermal transfer printing method is used along with thermal paper of one color such as black , for example , to record the plural number of color signals to the plural number of sheets of transparent recording material , respectively . then , these plural number of sheets of recording material thus each recorded with one of the color signals are made into a plural number of color separation plates corresponding to the plural number of color signals , respectively . if there is a plural number of color signals corresponding to yellow ( y ), magenta ( m ) and cyan ( c ) for example , then a yellow color separation plate , a magenta color separation plate and a cyan color separation plate are respectively obtained on the plural number of sheets of transparent recording material . when machine plates corresponding to the respective colors are formed based on those color separation plates and overlapped with each other , the recording tracks due to each of the color signals that are recorded on these color separation plates are recording tracks so that screen dot color printing at high resolution can be performed . the following is a description of the outline configuration of the thermal transfer color separation plate manufacturing apparatus described above . this apparatus is provided with a flat platen upon which a sheet of transparent recording material is mounted and which is freely rotatable , a recording head that is provided with a sheet of transfer material of a single color and a line thermal head that performs recording to the sheet of the transparent recording material . furthermore , the apparatus is provided with a signal supply section that supplies the line thermal head with electric signals ( color signals ) that are divided according to the plural number of colors from the host computer side , and a moving section that supports the recording head so that it is freely movable in the direction of the primary scan and corresponding to the direction of the array of thermal resistor elements of the line thermal head and in the direction of the secondary scan of the apparatus . in the thermal transfer color separation plate manufacturing apparatus shown in fig1 there is provided a flat platen 11 that has a flat surface on an upper surface 10a of an apparatus body 10 . on the platen 11 is mounted a sheet of transparent recording material 12 . this flat platen 11 is so provided that it is freely rotatable inside the apparatus ( body 10 ) in the directions indicated by the arrows b 1 and b 2 by a pulse motor or the like , that has a speed reduction mechanism ( not indicated in the figure ). moreover , the flat platen 11 does not move only through an angle of a required range , but rotates through 360 ° for example without obstruction . in addition , as shown in fig2 the flat platen 11 is configured from a flat unit 11a , and an elastic sheet 11b comprising an elastic substance such as rubber or the like which is affixed to the top of the flat unit 11a . furthermore , in order to securely mount the recording material 12 on the flat platen 11 , there is provided a fixing means ( not indicated in the figure ) that operates by vacuum suction or electrostatic adhesion . as shown in fig1 opposite side surfaces 10b and 10c that oppose each other in the body 10 , are respectively formed with an opposite pair of guide grooves 19 and 19 . a pair of substages 18 and 18 opposite each other along this pair of guide grooves 19 and 19 each has a structure so that they can move at high accuracy in the direction of the secondary scan which is indicated by the arrows c 1 and c 2 . in addition , to both distal ends of the pair of substages 18 and 18 is provided a slide rail 16 at right angles to the guide grooves 19 . a main stage 15 is provided on the slide rail 16 so that it can move at high accuracy in the direction of the primary scan along which the thermal resistor elements of the line thermal head 30 are arranged along the slide rail 16 , that is , the direction indicated by the arrows d 1 and d 2 . then , a base 17 that supports a recording head 20 which is to be described later , and which is provided with the line thermal head 30 , is fixed to the main stage 15 by screws 17a . more specifically , the recording head 20 has a structure whereby it moves in the directions of the secondary scan and the primary scan , so that it can move to an arbitrary position on the sheet of the recording material 12 . the moving mechanism of the recording head 20 that has the configuration described above is to be named as a recording head moving mechanism 14 hereinafter . moreover , the recording head moving mechanism 14 is provided with separate control apparatus and drive sources such as stepping motors or the like for the respective directions of the primary scan and the secondary scan , and which are not indicated in the figure but here , the respective descriptions of these portions are omitted . the following is a description of the recording head 20 , with reference to fig1 and fig2 . the recording head 20 is provided with a line thermal head 30 which is provided with one or more thermal resistor elements in the direction of primary scan . further provided on the recording head 20 are a freely attachable and detachable transfer paper cassette 24 that is provided with a transfer paper supply roll 27 of the transfer paper 23 that is applied with ink of a single color such as black or the like , a transfer paper take - up roll 28 and a transfer paper take - up motor 34 that is the drive source for taking up the transfer paper 23 . then , the recording head 20 is indirectly or directly supported by the base 17 . when recording , the line thermal head 30 that is provided with the thermal resistor elements can perform simultaneous recording of screen dots of a number corresponding to the number of thermal resistor elements . to the base 17 is fixed a hydraulic cylinder 22 so as to press the line thermal head 30 into contact with the flat platen 11 via the transfer paper 23 and the sheet of the recording material 12 . to the distal end portion of the hydraulic cylinder 22 is fixed a head base 21 that supports the transfer paper cassette 24 , the line thermal head 30 and the transfer paper take - up motor 34 . moreover , the pressure mechanism of the line thermal head 30 can also use a solenoid and a cam mechanism , instead of the hydraulic cylinder 22 . if this is the case , then there is no obstruction when the recording head 20 is directly fixed to the base 17 . the head base 21 has a pair of guide rollers 29b and 29b attached to it via a pair of compression springs 31 and 31 so that the line thermal head 30 is sandwiched between the guide rollers 29b and 29b in the direction of movement of the transfer paper 23 . when the line thermal head 30 is pressed into contact with the sheet of the recording material 12 , the guide rollers 29b and 29b are pressed by the compression springs 31 and 31 so that the transfer paper 23 is pressed into contact with the sheet of the recording material 12 at the front and rear of the line thermal head 30 in the direction of movement of the transfer paper 23 . in addition , the above described transfer paper cassette 24 has its flat surface substantially in the shape of an inverted letter &# 34 ; u &# 34 ;, and the transfer paper take - up roll 28 and the transfer paper supply roll 27 of the transfer paper 23 applied with the single - color ink that is black in color , for example , are so supported within the transfer paper cassette 24 that they are freely rotatable . the transfer paper 23 inside the transfer paper cassette 24 is guided by the pair of guide rollers 29a and 29a . in addition , the recording head 20 is provided with a mounting and demounting mechanism ( not indicated in the figure ) so that the transfer paper cassette 24 can be mounted and demounted . the description of this is omitted here . a gear 32 is provided on the same shaft as the transfer paper take - up roll 28 of the transfer paper cassette 24 . when the transfer paper cassette 24 is mounted to the recording head 20 , the gear 32 meshes with a drive gear 33 that is provided on the transfer paper take - up motor 34 to take up the transfer paper 23 . the electrical configuration on the host side of the thermal transfer color separation plate manufacturing apparatus is , as is shown in fig3 configured from an address converter 35 , a memory 36 , a recording head drive circuit 37 , an address generator 38 , a system controller 39 and a recording head 20 . the electric signals corresponding to an original image , which are to be supplied to the thermal transfer color separation plate manufacturing apparatus , the same as the signal obtained by a conventional color scanner in the process of image reading and signal processing , are comprised of image data that is digitalized in accordance with the three colors of yellow ( y ), magenta ( m ) and cyan ( c ), color code data that determines a conversion angle θ that will be described later , and address data that specifies the position of the image data on the original image , and these data are input to the address converter 35 . the address data is address data prior to the conversion that will be described later . then , as shown in fig4 responding to control signals from the system controller 39 , the address data is converted into point p ( x &# 39 ;, y &# 39 ;) at the new x &# 39 ;-- y &# 39 ; coordinate axes on the basis of the conversion angle θ determined by the color code data from the point p ( x , y ) at the conventional x -- y coordinate axes with respect to a scanner for the original image , and this converted address data is supplied to the memory 36 together with the image data , which is stored therein in accordance with the converted address data . after this , the image data is transferred to the recording head 20 via the recording head drive circuit 37 in accordance with an address data generated by the address generator 38 . moreover , when there is recording to the sheet of the transparent recording material 12 , the conversion angle θ when there is conversion of the coordinate axes in fig4 is the same as the rotation angle θ as shown in fig6 a , 6b and 6c , for rotating the flat platen 11 by a specific angle in accordance with color signals to be recorded . this rotation angle θ (= conversion angle θ ) is calculated beforehand in accordance with the size and pitch of the recorded screen dots , so that the period of the moire is as small as possible . moreover , in the plural number of color separation plates corresponding to the plural number of color signals recording on the sheet of the transparent recording material 12 , there is no generation of the moire as there is single color recording by the recording operation that will be described later . here , the moire is generated when the plural number of color separation plates are used as the basis for the manufacture of a plural number of machine plates corresponding to each color , and when these are overlapped with each other to perform color printing in screen dot patterns . then , in the recording track due to the thermal resistor elements of the line thermal printer 30 used in this embodiment , for example , the rotation angle θ of magenta is set to 15 degrees , the rotation angle θ of cyan is set to 45 degrees and the rotation angle θ of yellow is set to 75 degrees in order that the spatial period of the moire generation becomes minimum . moreover , the value of the rotation angle θ , is not a determined value , and changes in accordance with the size and pitch of the recorded screen dots . the following is a description of the recording operation of the thermal transfer color separation plate manufacturing apparatus used in the method of manufacture of the color separation plate in the present embodiment , with reference to fig1 fig5 fig6 a , fig6 b and fig6 c . the electric signal corresponding to a plural number of colors is for example , separated into the color signals of yellow , magenta and cyan for example , and supplied to this apparatus . transfer paper 23 of the black color , for example is used to perform recording to the plural number of sheets of transparent recording material 12 by the recording track having a required angle corresponding to each of the color signals . here , the plural number of sheets of the recording material 12 to which recording is performed are employed as the color separation plates ( the color separation plate for yellow , the color separation plate for magenta and the color separation plate for cyan , for example ) corresponding to the signals of each color . the following is a detailed description of the recording operation . here , for example , the transfer paper cassette 24 to which the transfer paper 23 applied with black - ink is mounted is supported beforehand by the head base 21 . the description to follow is based on the premise that recording head 20 is moved by the recording head moving mechanism 14 in accordance with the address data converted to the previously described x &# 39 ;-- y &# 39 ; coordinate axis . first , a sheet of transparent recording material 12 is mounted along the reference lines ( not shown in the figure ) on the flat platen 11 . here , the flat platen 11 is positioned at a position ( rotation angle θ = 0 degrees ) that becomes the reference . then , when the flat platen 11 is at the rotation angle θ = 0 degrees , the reference lines for mounting the sheet of the recording material 12 is formed parallel to the slide rail 16 and the guide groove 19 shown in fig1 . after this , the flat platen 11 is rotated in the directions of the arrows b 1 and b 2 shown in fig1 by the required angle ( rotation angle θ ) corresponding to the color signals to be recorded . then , the flat platen 11 is fixed when it reaches the position equivalent to the required angle . for example , when a yellow color separation plate is manufactured , a yellow color signal is supplied to the line thermal head 30 of the recording head 20 . then , the flat platen 11 rotates in the direction of the arrow b 2 shown in fig1 . as shown in fig6 a , the flat platen 11 is fixed when the flat platen 11 has reached a position equivalent to the rotation angle θ = 75 degrees for the yellow color ( step 11 of fig5 ). then , the recording head 20 is moved to the head address of the y 1 line converted by the rotation angle θ ( conversion angle θ )= 75 degrees ( step 12 of fig5 ). the recording head moving mechanism 14 freely moves the recording head 20 in the directions of the arrows d 1 and d 2 and the arrows c 1 and c 2 shown in fig1 and to the head address of the y 1 line . after this , the recording head 20 moves in the direction shown by the arrow c 1 ( direction of the secondary scan of the sheet of the recording material 12 ) and the line thermal head 30 records the y 1 line in accordance with the yellow color signal on the sheet of the transparent recording material 12 by the black ink applied to the transfer paper 23 ( step 13 of fig5 ). when the recording of the y 1 line is completed , the recording head 20 returns at high speed in the direction the arrow c 2 and moves in the direction of the arrow d 1 . when the recording head 20 has reached the head address of the y 2 line ( step 14 of fig5 ), the same recording operation as that described above is used to perform recording of the y 2 line onto the recording material 12 ( step 15 of fig5 ). after this , the recording operation described above for the recording head 20 is repeated and the y n line is recorded to the sheet of the recording material 12 and the recording operation for yellow is completed ( step 1n of fig5 ). the sheet of the transparent recording material 12 to be the color separation plate for the yellow color and for which recording has been completed , is removed from the flat platen 11 and a new sheet of transparent recording material 12 to be the color separation plate for the magenta color is placed on the flat platen 11 . then , as shown in fig6 b , the flat platen 11 is rotated to a position having the rotation angle θ = 15 degrees for magenta , and is fixed there ( step 21 in fig5 ). more specifically , the flat platen 11 is returned from the position for yellow , and in the direction of the arrow b 1 shown in fig1 and is fixed at the position of the rotation angle θ = 15 degrees for magenta . after this , the same method as that used for the yellow recording is used to perform recording operation for magenta from the line m 1 to the line m n as shown in fig6 b , and the recording operation for magenta is completed ( step 2n of fig5 ). moreover , in the recording operation for magenta , the lines m 1 through m n are transferred to and recorded onto the sheet of the transparent recording material 12 by the ink of the black color which has been applied to the transfer paper 23 , in accordance with the color signals for magenta . when the recording operation for the magenta color is completed , the sheet of the transparent recording material 12 for which recording is completed is exchanged with a new recording material 12 to be the color separation plate for cyan . then , as shown in fig6 c , the flat platen 11 is rotated to the position of the rotation angle θ = 45 degrees for cyan , and is fixed there ( step 31 of fig5 ). more specifically , the flat platen 11 is rotated from the position for magenta , and in the direction shown by the arrow b 2 in fig1 and the flat platen 11 is fixed at the position of the cyan rotation angle θ = 45 degrees . after this , the same method as has been described above is used to perform cyan recording operation for from line c 1 to line c n and the recording operation for cyan finishes ( step 3n of fig5 ). moreover , in the cyan recording , the lines c 1 through c n are recorded in accordance with the color signals for cyan , onto the sheet of the transparent recording material 12 by the black ink that has been applied to the transfer paper 23 . when the recording operation described above is completed , the color separation plate for the yellow color , the color separation plate for the magenta color and the color separation plate for the yellow color are obtained . this plural number of color separation plates corresponding to a plural number of color signals are used as the basis for the manufacture of a plural number of machine plates corresponding to the plural number of colors , and these are then overlapped with each other and screen dot pattern color printing is performed to obtain high - quality color printing that has no moire . the description of the operation of performing the screen dot pattern color printing is omitted here . in addition , the color signals that are separated in accordance with a plural number of colors are not limited to the three colors of yellow , magenta and cyan . in this manner , the method according to the present invention for the manufacture of color separation plates does not involve the performance of conventional processing such as photographic exposure and developing and the like and it is possible to use a printing method for a thermal transfer type of printer . because of this , it is possible to easily manufacture color machine plates and for the running cost to be reduced . furthermore , it is also possible to perform correction work in a short time , and therefore enable fast response when time is limited . this invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . the present embodiment is 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 by 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 .

US-74584591-A

a heavy - duty caster assembly with a pintle and swivel plate mounted on top of a wheel carrying horn that minimizes pintle bending and breaking with the addition of a powdered metal washer around the pintle locked on top of the swivel plate .

referring to the drawings and particularly fig1 the present swivel caster 10 is illustrated consisting generally of a u - shaped horn 11 carrying an axle 12 that supports a wheel 14 for rotation , with a freely rotatable rectangular swivel plate 15 on its upper surface . swivel plate 15 has a stepped pintle 16 therethrough that is adapted to fit into a complementary female bushing on the underside of the equipment to be supported . with the pintle 16 fixed to the supported article , the horn 11 and wheel 14 are free to pivot about the vertical axis of the pintle 16 to increase the maneuverability of the equipment , which of course is supported by several of the caster assemblies 10 . a swivel lock and brake assembly 18 is provided for substantially simultaneously locking the horn 11 from movement with respect to the swivel plate 15 and preventing rotation of the wheel 14 in either direction . the horn 11 is constructed of a ferrous metal and has a top portion 20 with an annularly depending flange 21 connected to spaced parallel side legs 23 . the lower ends of the legs 23 have apertures that receive axle 12 fastened in position by threaded nuts . wheel 14 is rotatably mounted on the axle 12 and includes a metal hub 28 with an outer thread 29 of a somewhat resilient plastic material , such as polyurethane , molded directly to the periphery thereof . the swivel plate 15 is a rectangular member constructed of a ferrous metal , but it should be understood that it may as well be circular in outer configuration . the swivel plate 15 has a stamped upper semi - torroidal ridge or projection 31 defining a semi - torroidal recess 34 that forms one race for a plurality of ball bearings 35 also seated in a similar facing stamped semi - torroidal recess 36 disposed centrally in the top portion 20 of horn 11 . the space between the swivel plate 15 and the top portion 20 of the horn is sealed by and lubricated through a plastic seal and lube ring 38 that is described in detail in the frank fontana u . s . pat . no . 4 , 348 , 784 , assigned to the assignee of the present invention . the swivel plate 15 is axially fixed to the horn by the pintle 16 that includes an enlarged cylindrical upper portion 40 , a first reduced portion 41 defining a shoulder 42 , and a smaller second reduced portion 43 defining a shoulder 44 that has a chamfered portion 45 . the first reduced portion 41 on the pintle extends through radial locking washer 48 ( see fig2 and 3 ), and the lower stem portion 43 extends through and is snugly fitted through central aperture 50 in the swivel plate 15 , through lower or bottom thrust member 51 and through a swivel lock plate 52 against which the lower end of the pin 16 is staked as shown at 54 . thrust or bottom member 51 has a semi - torroidal recess 55 in its upper surface that receives ball bearings 56 engaging the lower surface of the horn top portion 20 to axially lock , with bearings 35 , the swivel plate 15 to the horn top portion 20 in both directions while permitting free rotational movement thereof . the swivel lock plate 52 forms part of the swivel lock and brake assembly 18 . plate 52 has a hexagonal central opening that is snugly seated on a complementary lower end of the pin 16 , preventing rotation of the lock plate 52 with respect to the swivel plate 15 . the lock plate 52 has a plurality of scalloped recesses 57 about its periphery formed in a single stamping operation defining an annular array of teeth 58 . the swivel lock and brake assembly 18 also includes a generally vertical swivel lock and brake member 39 reciprocably and pivotally mounted on horn 11 , a pivotal cam actuator 60 for shifting the swivel lock and brake member against the lock plate 52 and wheel 14 , and a return spring ( not shown ) for assisting and disengaging or releasing the swivel lock and brake member 39 . the washer 48 according to the present invention is a powdered metal washer , preferably of the ferrous type , and in one embodiment found acceptable contains the following ; 2 % cu ., 0 . 8 % c ., balance fe ., constructed of a fine grain powder . exemplary washer 48 dimensions are 2 . 25 &# 34 ; od , 1 . 24 &# 34 ; id , 0 . 350 &# 34 ; axial thickness . important aspects of the present invention are the ability of the washer 48 to accommodate slightly out of tolerance swivel plates 15 and to corrent for slight bends in the pintles . toward this end and as seen in fig2 and 3 , the washer 48 includes a flat top surface 65 cylindrical side wall 61 , a semi - torroidal outer surface 62 , a flat bottom surface 63 , and a central bore 64 that is sized to be snugly received on reduced pintle portion 41 . the general method of assembly and as seen in fig4 includes placing the washer 48 on the reduced pintle portion 41 and then extending the assembled pintle through the central aperture 50 in the swivel plate 15 through central bore 66 , placing the lower thrust member 51 and the swivel lock plate 52 over the lower end of the reduced pintle portion 43 and then staking as at 54 in fig5 the end of the pintle over the swivel lock plate 52 locking the pintle , the swivel plate 15 , the lower thrust member 51 and the swivel lock plate 52 together as a unit . the assembly is shown in fig4 in an intermediate stage prior to staking . the particular swivel plate 15 illustrated in fig4 has a smaller than normal radius on its upper protrusion 31 creating a significant space 68 between the washer 48 and the swivel plate 15 although it engages at points 70 and 71 , the latter being on an annular wall 72 on the swivel plate inwardly of the annular protrusion 31 . annular wall 72 serves to initially center the washer 48 and pintle 16 prior to staking . during the staking operation and as seen in fig5 as the pintle 16 is drawn downwardly its shoulder 42 presses washer 48 downwardly , deforming washer surface 62 into the space 68 , resulting in complete conformity between the upper surface of the swivel plate and the lower surface of the washer 48 . this drawing and pressing continues until pintle shoulder 44 engages upper surface portion 74 on the swivel plate 15 . in fig6 the swivel plate 15 has a protrusion 31 with a much larger radius than the fig4 plate and prior to assembly leaves a relatively small space 77 between the washer and the swivel plate that is closed during the staking operation by deforming the washer 48 to the configuration shown in fig7 . the swivel plate 15 shown in fig8 has a protrusion 31 with a radius approximately between the radius of the swivel plate in fig4 and the swivel plate in fig6 and in this embodiment also the space 78 between the washer 48 and the swivel plate 15 is closed during the staking operation as seen in fig9 .

US-83612786-A

a remote switching system for an electric trolling motor mounted to a boat includes at least one remote switching station secured to the boat and provided with a foot operated push - button switch actuator , the actuator configured for actuating the switch either momentarily or continuously by movement of the actuator by the operator &# 39 ; s foot . a power circuit is designed to connect the remote switching station to the motor in a way which will conserve power and prevent corrosion .

referring now to the drawing , wherein like reference numerals indicate identical features , fig1 depicts a boat 10 carrying a fisherman / operator 12 and is provided with an electric outboard trolling motor 14 . a u - shaped clamp 16 having a clamp screw 18 is used to secure the motor 14 to the transom 20 of the boat 10 . the motor 14 is provided with an upper housing 22 which encloses the control head diagrammatically shown hidden at 23 . it is contemplated that the motor 14 may be provided in any one of a number of conventional configurations , and the motor configuration depicted in fig1 is merely intended to be representative of electric trolling motors in general . a tiller 24 is secured to the motor 14 and is utilized in steering the boat 10 . electrical power to the motor 14 is provided by a battery 26 which is preferably of the wet cell automotive type . the battery 26 is shown positioned on the floor 28 of the boat 10 ; however , battery brackets ( not shown ) located on the inner walls of the boat are contemplated as an alternate battery support system . the present remote switching system is generally designated 30 and includes at least one remote switching station 32 . each station 32 is electrically connected to the motor 14 by a cable 34 , and the battery 26 is connected to the motor 14 by a cable 36 . referring now to fig2 and 3 , each station 32 basically consists of a remote foot switch having a base bracket 38 which in the preferred embodiment is a metal stamping ; however , other bracket configurations are contemplated . the bracket 38 has at least one lower flange 40 provided with at least one mounting hole 42 through which a corresponding fastener 44 such as a screw , bolt or rivet is inserted to secure the bracket 38 to the floor 28 of the boat 10 . in the preferred embodiment , there are three such flanges 40 , designated 40a , 40b and 40c , each having corresponding mounting holes 42 and fasteners 44 . the bracket 38 also includes at least one leg 46 which connects a corresponding flange 40 to an upper mounting surface 48 . in the preferred embodiment , there are three legs 46 to correspond with the three flanges 40 , the legs being designated 46a , 46b and 46c . the surface 48 is preferably disposed on aslight incline to facilitate comfortable manipulation by the operator &# 39 ; s foot 50 ( shown in phantom in fig1 ). it is preferred that the surface 48 be inclined so that a rear end 52 is higher than a front end 54 . a lip 56 projects laterally , in this case rearwardly , from the mounting surface 48 , and curved , tab - like tongue 58 is formed to project laterally and opposite to the lip 56 , in this case forwardly from the mounting surface . a momentary contact - type switch 60 is mounted to the surface 48 in a preferably central position , and is provided with a rubber boot 62 for moisture protection . the switch 60 is electrically connected to the motor 14 by the cable 34 in conventional fashion . the switching station 32 also includes a pedal 64 having an upper gripping surface 66 and a peripheral depending skirt 68 . in the preferred embodiment , the pedal 64 is a single piece of molded plastic , although pedals made of steel , cast aluminum , or other materials are also contemplated . the skirt 68 depends low enough to cover and provide some protection to the mounting surface 48 and the switch 60 . the gripping surface 66 is configured to be non - slip , and as such may have a textured surface and / or may be relatively softer , or may have a softer covering than the remainder of the pedal 64 . the skirt 68 is provided with an elongate , generally horizontal rear slot 70 configured to be slidingly engaged by the rear lip 56 , and a cam - shaped front opening 72 configured to receive the tongue 58 . the opening 72 includes a lower cam surface 73 . an underside of the gripping surface 66 has a depending tubular formation 74 dimensioned to encompass at least the rubber boot 62 of the switch 60 . the tubular formation 74 includes an upper recess 76 which is constructed to retain a flat washer 78 disposed below a wave washer 80 . the wave washer 80 provides both overstroke capability and a slip surface between the flat washer 78 and the pedal 64 . in addition , the flat washer 78 acts as a retainer for the wave washer 80 and as a slip surface between the wave washer and the booted switch 60 . a coiled spring 82 is disposed to circumscribe the tubular formation 74 and to seat at a lower end against the upper mounting surface 48 of the bracket 38 , and at an upper end against the underside of the gripping surface 66 . in this manner , the spring 82 biases the pedal 64 in an upward direction away from the surface 48 . it will be appreciated that the rear slot 70 in the pedal skirt 68 is long enough to slidingly accommodate the degree of lateral movement of the pedal 64 as the slot passes across the rear lip 56 , and also prevents the pedal from separating from the bracket 38 under the biasing force of the spring 82 . if desired , the pedal 64 may be provided with a visual indicator 84 such as an led or an incandescent bulb which is visible to the operator 12 when the switch 60 is in an on position . such an indicator 84 may be particularly useful on larger boats when several switching stations 32 are employed , making it difficult to otherwise determine which station is being used to control the motor 14 . in the preferred embodiment , the indicator 84 is an led which projects through a corresponding opening 86 in a front panel 87 of the skirt 68 . referring now to fig4 a preferred electrical schematic for the switching circuit used with the present switching system is shown , and is generally indicated at 88 . the battery 26 is shown connected to the switch 60 by means of a relay 90 , which , in the preferred embodiment is a sealed 12 volt , 40 amp switching relay . an advantage of the relay 90 is that it achieves reduction in power losses due to switch contact resistance , as well as to corrosion . in addition , the use of the relay 90 allows the remote switch 60 and its wiring to be of low current design , which lowers the expense of each station 32 and facilitates installation . the relay 90 is actually mounted in the control head 23 of the motor 14 to keep the system compact , shorten the main power wires , and protect the motor circuit 92 from standing water . the relay 90 is connected in series with the motor circuit 92 and the battery 26 to allow the operator 12 to run the motor 14 from one or more remote switching stations 32 . such multiple stations are represented as switch 60 &# 39 ; in fig4 . if additional remote switches 60 &# 39 ; are to be used , they are wired in parallel with the switch 60 . the motor circuit 92 includes components for regulating motor functions including speed , direction , and operating voltage , such components being commonly known to skilled practitioners . if provided , the led indicator 84 is connected in series with the switch 60 , and it is contemplated that additional leds 84 &# 39 ; will be provided as switches 60 &# 39 ; are added . in operation , and referring to fig1 - 3 , the switching station 32 is disposed on the floor 28 of the boat 10 to be easily accessible by the foot 50 of the fisherman / operator 12 . if the fisherman 12 wishes to momentarily activate the motor 14 , he merely depresses the pedal 64 to overcome the biasing force of the spring 82 and thereby actuate the switch 60 . in this situation , the motor 14 ( and for that matter , the indicator 84 ) will only remain on as long as the pedal 64 is depressed . if the fisherman 12 desires that the motor 14 ( and , likewise , the indicator 84 ) remains on for an extended length of time , he depresses the pedal 64 as before , and then rotates his foot 50 so that the tongue - tab 58 acts as a cam follower along the cam surface 73 and becomes lodged in a narrower portion 94 of the front cam opening 72 . referring now to fig3 in order to lock the switch 60 on , the pedal 64 would be depressed and rotated slightly in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 96 . it is contemplated , however , that the switching station 32 , and especially the front cam opening 72 , could be configured to be locked on by rotating the pedal 64 in a clockwise direction . as soon as the operator 12 wishes to turn the motor 14 off , the pedal 64 is depressed and rotated in the opposite direction to dislodge the tongue 58 from the narrower opening 94 . this action releases the pedal 64 and , through the action of the spring 82 , returns the switch 60 to an off position . if desired , additional remote switching stations 32 may be added for larger boats and when additional fishermen are present . thus , the present remote switching system is protected from moisture , is inexpensive to produce and assemble , and is comfortable for the fisherman to operate , either in a momentary or locked on mode . furthermore , it may be easily expanded for use on larger boats . while a particular embodiment of the remote switching system for an electric trolling motor of the invention has been shown and described , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the invention in its broader aspects and as set forth in the following claims .

US-65985191-A

the invention relates to a modular transmission that can be combined with a drive module having an output shaft . the modular transmission comprises at least one worm - gear module that can be coupled directly to the drive module output shaft by an insertable clutch and an intermediate flange . the worm shaft of the worm - gear module has clutch toothing complementary to a clutch toothing of the insertable clutch . the modular transmission may also include one or more spur - gear modules interposed between the drive module and worm - gear module . each spur - gear module is provided with an output - side spur wheel with clutch toothing compatible with the clutch toothing of the worm shaft .

the illustrated embodiment of the inventive modular transmission illustrated in fig1 and 2 comprises a drive module 1 in the form of an electric motor , with a mounting flange 2 and an output shaft 3 , and also a worm - gear module 4 . the latter comprises a case 5 , in which is mounted an input - side worm shaft 6 which meshes with a worm wheel 7 likewise mounted in the case 5 and driving an output shaft 8 . the worm shaft 6 comprises , at its end facing outwards , a hollow bearing journal 9 which is produced in one piece with the worm shaft 6 and which , like the other end of the worm shaft 6 , is mounted in the case 5 via a bearing 10 . a shaft seal 11 between the bearing journal 9 and the case 5 is arranged adjacently to the bearing 10 supporting the bearing journal 9 . to receive the bearings 10 and the shaft seal 11 , the case 5 possesses a stepped bore 12 , the bearing 10 for the bearing journal 9 being inserted to a depth such that an end portion of the bearing journal 9 , can project outwards somewhat with respect to a drive - side case flange 13 of the case 5 in which the bore 12 issues . the end portion of the bearing journal 9 is provided on the outside with a clutch toothing 14 . the worm - gear module 4 can be flanged to the drive module 1 , if appropriate with the interposition of a mounting flange 15 adapted to the drive module 1 to be used and of a sleeve - shaped insertable clutch 16 , using the case flange 13 and a lathe - turned centering recess 21 of the bore 12 . the insertable clutch 16 comprises a stepped bore 17 which , on the one hand , receives the output shaft 3 of the drive module 1 and , on the other hand , has an internally toothed clutch toothing 18 . the insertable clutch 16 and the output shaft 3 are connected via a feather key 19 and a grub screw 20 . the internally toothed clutch toothing 18 can be pushed onto ( in meshed relationship ) the externally toothed clutch toothing 14 . in this way , depending on the drive module 1 to be used and the particular application , a single - stage worm - gear engine with direct engine mounting or with a mounting flange 15 and an insertable clutch 16 can be formed in a modular manner . however , a spur - gear module 22 may also be interposed between the drive module 1 and the worm - gear module 4 . the spur - gear module 22 comprises a case 23 with flanges 24 , 25 arranged on opposite sides . an input shaft 27 is mounted in the case 23 via a double - row ball bearing 26 and is sealed by means of a shaft sealing ring 37 , the input shaft 27 carrying on the end face , towards the drive module 1 , an externally toothed clutch toothing 28 which , if appropriate , can be connected to the drive module 1 , via an insertable clutch 29 , corresponding to the insertable clutch 16 , and a mounting flange 15 , in order to form a two - stage spur - wheel / worm - gear engine with a mounting flange 15 and an insertable clutch 29 . the input shaft 27 is designed , at the end facing away from the clutch toothing 28 , as a pinion 30 which meshes with an output - side spur wheel 31 of the spur - gear module 22 . the spur wheel 31 is mounted on a journal 32 of the case 23 via a ball bearing 33 which is supported on a shoulder of a stepped axial bore 34 of the spur wheel 31 . the outwardly directed portion of the axial bore 34 is provided with an internally toothed clutch toothing 35 which can be pushed onto the externally toothed clutch toothing 14 of the worm shaft 6 . the journal 32 is located , on the end face , in an inwardly directed projection 36 of the case 23 . a plurality of spur - gear modules 22 , for example with different transmission ratios , may also be connected in series , in which case the internally toothed clutch toothing 35 of the first spur - gear module 22 must fit onto the externally toothed clutch toothing 28 of the input shaft 27 of the following spur - gear module 22 , if appropriate with an insertable clutch being interposed . the worm - gear and spur - gear modules of a modular transmission , in accordance with one aspect of the present invention have compatibly configured input and output clutch toothing . this feature permits a catalogue transmission to be assembled from a plurality of standardized worm - gear and spur - gear modules having different load capacities and / or gear ratios to meet a particular specification . a method of manufacturing a modular transmission to meet a specified load capacity and drive speed in accordance with this feature of the present invention may comprise the steps of : providing a plurality of worm - gear modules , each worm - gear module having a worm shaft with clutch toothing , the plurality of worm - gear modules including worm - gear modules having a range of load capacities and worm gear modules having a range of gear ratios ; providing a plurality of insertable clutches , each insertable clutch having an output side with clutch toothing compatible with the clutch toothing of the worm shafts , said plurality of insertable clutches including insertable clutches with input sides compatible with a range of drive module output shafts and insertable clutches having a range of load capacities ; providing a plurality of spur - gear modules , each spur - gear module including an output - side spur wheel having clutch toothing compatible with the clutch toothing of the worm shafts and an input shaft having clutch toothing compatible with the output side of the insertable clutches , said plurality of spur - gear modules configured for assembly between a selected drive module and a selected worm - gear module and including spur - gear modules having a range of load capacities and spur - gear modules having a range of load capacities ; selecting a drive module from among a plurality of drive modules having different power outputs and output shaft configurations ; attaching an insertable clutch to the output shaft of the selected drive module , the insertable clutch having an having an input side compatible with the output shaft configuration of the selected drive module and a load capacity compatible with the power output of the selected drive module , the insertable clutch selected from the plurality of insertable clutches ; attaching ( if needed ) at least one spur - gear module to the insertable clutch such that the output side clutch toothing of the insertable clutch meshes with the input shaft clutch toothing of the spur - gear module , the spur gear module having a gear ratio and load capacity compatible with the specified load capacity and drive speed , the spur - gear module selected from the plurality of spur - gear modules ; and attaching a worm - gear module to the output side of the insertable clutch or the output - spur wheel of the at least one spur - gear module ( when a spur - gear module is present ) such that the worm shaft clutch toothing meshes with the output side clutch toothing of the insertable clutch or the clutch toothing of the output - spur wheel , said worm - gear module having a gear ratio and load capacity compatible with the specified load capacity and drive speed , the worm - gear module selected from the plurality of worm - gear modules , wherein the selected combination of drive module , insertable clutch , spur - gear module and worm - gear module provides a power train having the specified load capacity and drive speed . while the invention has been shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment , it should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims .

US-19921302-A

an adjustable multiple blade boring bar with diametrically disposed overlapping blade blocks , each adjustable in and out and a control cartridge having actuator pins movable in opposite directions in response to rotation of a differential screw , the pins being oriented in relation to slots on the blade block to move in a camming relationship to shift the blocks in and out . a differential screw associates the control cartridge and the boring bar to permit radial equalization of the blade block when installed initially or after sharpening .

with reference to the drawings , in fig1 and 3 is depicted a boring bar body 20 having a mounting shaft 22 . it will be appreciated that relative rotation is required between the workpiece and the boring bar , but this can be achieved by rotation of the boring bar or the work . the face ( working end ) of the boring bar is provided with a diametrical slot 24 with parallel sides to receive two tool slide blocks 30 and 32 which rest in the slot between the sides in close sliding relation . each groove block has at an outer working end , a pocket to receive an insert anvil 34 and a cutting insert 36 formed of a proper grade of tungsten carbide or other cutting material selected for the job to be done . the inserts and the anvils are secured by any of the conventional mechanisms such as eccentric screws or clamps . the insert pockets are disposed at a proper angle to provide the necessary rake and clearance angles . as shown in fig3 and 7 , each groove block has elongate slots , 38 and 40 respectively , on the side facing the slot walls . as illustrated in fig6 and 7 , a dowel 42 has a light press fit in a drilled hole which opens to the wall adjacent slot 38 to engage the edge of the slot and serve as a retainer for the block . a dowel 44 is positioned parallel to block 32 in a recess 46 in a location to engage slot 40 . a set screw 48 with an allen wrench socket is positioned in a threaded hole perpendicular to dowel 44 to move the dowel 44 tight against the block , thus camming the block 32 tightly into the boring head slot 24 and against the adjacent tool block 30 . thus , in any adjusted position , the tool blocks can be tightly secured in the boring bar body . in fig6 and 7 , it can be seen that the surfaces of the blocks 30 and 32 , which are in face - to - face relation to the bottom of slot 24 in the boring bar body , are provided with parallel slots disposed at 45 ° to the longitudinal axis of the blocks . block 30 has slots 50 and 52 and block 32 has slots 60 and 62 . the adjustment mechanism for the boring bar is illustrated in isolation in fig4 and 5 . this mechanism is in the form of a cylindrical cartridge which fits into a cylindrical bore 70 in the boring bar lying normal and adjacent to the tool block slot 24 such that the bore opens to the base of the slot . as shown in fig3 and 7 , the bore 70 is open to the surface of the bar at one end but terminates short of the opposite wall at 72 . a tapped hole 74 , coaxial with the bore 70 , opens to the outside of the bar body for purposes to be described . referring again to fig4 and 5 , a cartridge cylinder 80 has a flat side 82 and a central bore 84 which enters one end of the cartridge and terminates a short distance in . a tapped hole 88 , on axis with cartridge 80 , penetrates the other end wall . a relatively deep elongate slot 90 is milled into the cartridge flat wall 82 to open to the bore 84 and the tapped hole 88 at one end . a control screw has an enlarged head 92 bearing against the end of the cartridge with peripheral graduations and an allen wrench socket ( fig1 ). integral with this head is a short shank portion in bore 84 having an annular groove 93 to cooperate with a locator pin 94 . the remainder of the screw shank is composed of two threaded portions 96 and 98 of different diameters and with differential threading of the same pitch . for example , the portion 96 can have # 10 - 40 left hand thread , square to the head , and the smaller shank can have a # 6 - 40 right end thread , also square to the head . these threaded portions of the screw extend into the milled slot 90 . within the slot 90 are two actuator pin mounting slides 100 and 102 , cylindrical in cross - section as viewed in fig 4 , having flat chordal sides facing each other . each of these slides carries , respectively , pins 104 and 106 , projecting upwardly from the cartridge surface 82 and dimensioned to fit in a sliding relationship in the angled slots 50 and 60 or 52 and 62 in the base of the tool block slides 30 and 32 . these pin slides are threaded , respectively , on the screw shank portions 96 and 98 such that they move in opposite directions in slot 90 when screw head 92 is turned . the cartridge is located axially in the bore 70 of the body 20 by a differential screw 110 which has one end threaded into the tapped hole 88 in the cartridge and the other end threaded into the tapped hole 74 at the end of bore 70 . when the parts , as above described , are assembled as shown in fig3 and 7 , the pins 104 and 106 are riding in angled slots 50 and 60 in the bottom of the tool blocks 30 and 32 . it will be seen that an axial shifting of the cartridge 80 will cause the tool blocks to shift endwise relative to the center of the boring bar . thus , by rotation of the differential screw 110 , the tool blocks can be adjusted endwise so that the cutting edges are exactly positioned relative to the center of the bar . a suitable lock plug or other device may be utilized to maintain screw 110 in an adjusted position . once the tool blocks are centered , they can be moved in and out by a rotation of the calibrated head 92 . the actuation of the differential screw shanks 96 and 98 cause a simultaneous and equal lateral motion of the pin slides 100 and 102 and the pins 104 and 106 , acting in the slots 50 and 60 , will cause the blocks to be cammed in or out depending on the direction of rotation . when the adjusting is taking place , the set screw 48 will be loosened to take the pressure off the locking pin 44 . when the adjustment to the desired diameter is reached , the set screw is tightened to lock the tool blocks in position . slots 52 and 62 are provided in the tool blocks to provide a major increase in diameter if such is desired and to allow a predetermined range of adjustment at the larger diameter . in fig 8 , a modified structure is illustrated . in the mechanism previously disclosed , the tool blocks carried 45 ° slots which were cammed by the pins . in fig 8 , the tool blocks 120 and 122 have base grooves 124 and 126 which are perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the blocks . however , the control cartridge 80 in this case is disposed at a 30 ° angle to the direction of movement of the blocks and pins 128 and 130 on the pin slides of the cartridge act in these transverse slots to create the camming action to shift the tool blocks in and out . in other respects , the construction is identical to that previously described except that the tool blocks are slotted to receive the shank of headed locking bolts 132 which can fix the adjusted position of the tool blocks .

US-9893679-A

a light blocking transparency assembly comprises a single sheet of transparency film and two foldable opaque flaps . the flaps overlap when in their folded position . the inventive construction provides improved feedability of the assembly through a variety of imaging devices .

fig1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the inventive imageable film assembly 12 . arrow 20 shows the direction of motion of the assembly 12 through an imaging device ( not shown ) such as a photocopier . assembly 12 includes a carrier film 24 . carrier film 24 is transparent to at least one region of the visible light spectrum , and possesses sufficient strength to pass through an imaging device . biaxially oriented poly ( ethyleneterephthalate ) films having a thickness in the range of 75 to 150 microns have been used commercially for the intended purpose and have been found to have acceptable properties . associated with the carrier film 24 is an imageable surface 22 , shown in fig1 as a distinct layer . a distinct layer , while able to confer additional valuable properties to the image quality of assembly 12 , is not essential . for example an uncoated surface of carrier film 24 , may function satisfactorily in certain applications , such as in a copier , when toner adhesion is not critical to the image quality . in fig1 assembly 12 is illustrated as having perforations 26 along one edge of carrier film 24 . perforations 26 are suitable for inserting the assembly 12 in commercially available protective covers such as three - ring binders . perforations 26 could be on any edge of film 24 , or could be omitted from the assembly 12 altogether . if assembly 12 is supplied without perforations 26 , such perforations may be made after imaging , if desired , by the user . as shown in fig1 assembly 12 has a leading edge 28 that is the first edge to enter and exit the imaging device , and a trailing edge 30 that is the last edge to enter and exit the imaging device . associated with edges 28 and 30 are a leading flap 32 and a trailing flap 34 , respectively . flaps 32 and 34 are made of a functionally opaque or light - absorbing material . a preferred material is paper , but the material could also be a light - absorbing film , a pigment - containing film , a translucent film or other material whose primary property is an ability to prevent unwanted light from reaching the viewing screen . depending upon the selected material , flaps 32 and 34 are normally in the range of 50 to 250 microns in thickness , and are attached to carrier film 24 by means of flexible tape hinges 38 and 40 . these hinges may be made of paper , cellulose acetate tape , or preferably poly ( ethyleneterephthalate ) tape . tape suitable for use in this purpose is disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 237 , 355 . the thickness of hinges 38 and 40 is preferably on the order of tens of microns , and the adhesive ( not shown ) used to bond the components together is preferably permanent in the sense that it is not intended for repeated removal and readhesion . the disposition of the flaps 32 and 34 with respect to the carrier film 24 is of particular importance to the functioning of the invention . it is essential that flaps 32 and 34 create an area of overlap 36 , in which the trailing flap 34 is positioned between the leading flap 32 and the carrier film 24 , as shown in fig1 and 2 . as best seen in fig2 trailing flap 34 is partially overlain by leading flap 32 , thereby creating overlap portion 36 . fig3 illustrates the importance of overlap portion 36 , and particularly the importance of leading flap 32 overlapping trailing flap 34 . in fig3 an assembly 12 &# 39 ; typical of the prior art is traversing through a portion of a photocopying machine . the construction of assembly 12 &# 39 ; is identical in all respects to the assembly 12 shown in fig1 and 2 , except that flaps 32 &# 39 ; and 34 &# 39 ; do not overlap . the direction of motion is indicated by arrow 20 , and the curve of the carrier film 24 is intended to indicate that the film is traversing a curved path through the copying machine . only a generic internal component 42 of the copier is shown , to illustrate the most common cause of mis - feeding . as illustrated in fig3 the inherent rigidity of flap 34 &# 39 ; has caused it to separate from the carrier film 24 , to such an extent that copier component 42 will catch leading edge 43 &# 39 ; of trailing flap 34 &# 39 ; and will impede further progress of flap 34 &# 39 ; through the copying machine . as a result of this impedance , one of several outcomes may result . flap 34 &# 39 ; may be forced to detach from the carrier film 24 . flap 34 &# 39 ; may be folded back so that it trails the carrier film 24 . flap 34 &# 39 ; may buckle and prevent any further movement of the assembly 12 &# 39 ; through the copier . all of these possible outcomes are undesirable , as they all cause damage to the assembly 12 , inconvenience the user , and potentially damage the copier . fig4 shows the inventive assembly 12 of fig1 and 2 traversing through a portion of a photocopier identical to that shown in fig3 . as illustrated by fig4 if the trailing flap 34 is overlaid by leading flap 32 , undesired separation of trailing flap 34 from carrier film 24 is prevented . direction of motion is again shown by arrow 20 . as can be seen from the figure , leading flap 32 overlaps trailing flap 34 and has the effect of preventing copier feature 42 from catching on the leading edge 43 of trailing flap 34 , thereby assisting in smooth and trouble free passage of assembly 12 through the copier . fig5 shows an alternative embodiment of the inventive assembly having a single flap rather than two flaps , as shown in fig1 - 4 . the assembly of fig5 is made of materials like those used in the embodiment described in fig1 - 4 and comprises a carrier sheet 44 having an image receptive surface or coating 46 . flexibly attached to the carrier sheet 44 by a hinge 48 is a flap 50 . hinge 48 is adjacent leading edge 54 and is attached in a manner like that described above for hinges 38 , 40 in fig1 - 4 . that is , the adhesive used to bond the flap to the carrier web is not intended for repeated removal and readhesion as is the case with certain products , for example the previously mentioned plain paper copier film pp2410 supplied by 3m company . perforations 58 , are shown adjacent trailing edge 56 , but as described for perforations 26 in fig1 - 4 , perforations 58 could be placed adjacent any desired edge , or could be omitted from the assembly entirely . an essential difference between the embodiment of fig5 and the embodiment described in fig1 - 4 is , of course , the absence of a second flap and therefore the absence of an overlap area . however , the embodiment of fig5 confers the same advantages as the embodiment of fig1 - 4 when moved in the direction of arrow 20 through an imaging device such as a photocopier . by feeding the hinged end of flap 50 through the imaging device first , the free end of flap 50 will not catch on any protrusions within the imaging device . fig6 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention very similar to the embodiment of fig1 - 4 . the components of the embodiment of fig6 are similar to components described in the previous embodiments . the embodiment of fig6 has an additional coating 60 added to the surface of the carrier film 24 adjacent to flaps 32 , 34 . coating 60 is selected to provide a high coefficient of friction between carrier film 24 and flaps 32 and 34 and prevent movement of flaps 32 , 34 relative to carrier film 24 . preferably , coating 60 provides a coefficient of friction of at least 0 . 3 with flaps 32 and 34 . if desired , coating 60 may comprise the same material as imaging coating 22 . using the same material to coat each side of carrier film 24 may be desired to prevent curling of the carrier film during imaging . fig7 shows an embodiment of the invention found particularly suitable for use in ink jet printers . a carrier sheet 24 has on one side an image receptive coating or surface 22 , and on the other side , flaps 32 and 34 flexibly attached to the carrier sheet by tape hinges 38 and 40 . the direction of motion through the imaging device is indicated by arrow 20 , although it is expected that this same construction would feed satisfactorily in the opposite direction . a center line c -- c is shown , being equidistant from edges 28 and 30 . flap 32 is shown substantially overlapping flap 34 , so that free edge 74 of flap 32 is substantially nearer to carrier sheet edge 30 than it is to edge 28 . in this embodiment the flap 34 is shown also extending substantially past the center line c -- c towards the assembly edge 28 . this is not a necessary condition , it only being necessary that edge 74 of flap 34 be substantially closer to edge 30 than to edge 28 . it is possible for edge 76 of the underlying flap 34 to be closer to carrier sheet edge 30 than to carrier sheet edge 28 , provided that it is still substantially overlapped by flap 32 . it is also possible in this embodiment , designed for working in certain ink jet printers , for the overlap to be in the reverse direction . that is , flap 34 may overlap flap 32 , the major requirement being that the exposed edge , now edge 76 , be substantially removed from the region of the center line c -- c . it will be noted that the construction of the assembly of fig7 is very much like that of the assembly of fig1 - 4 , and in fact the construction of the two assemblies could be identical . in the assembly of fig1 - 4 , it is important only that leading flap 32 overlaps trailing flap 34 such that free edge 43 of trailing flap 34 is covered and prevented from catching on any protrusions within the imaging device . the area of overlap 36 between flaps 32 and 34 can occur at any point , so long as this condition is satisfied . in contrast , in the assembly of fig7 it is important that the free edge of the overlapping flap be removed from the central region c -- c of the construction . this is important because it is common for ink jet printers to have internal guide grids which may otherwise catch on the free edge of the overlapping flap . a common guide grid 80 is illustrated in fig8 . grid 80 has diagonal members 82 which are intended to smooth the imaging material as it moves through the printer . diagonal members 82 in portion 84 of grid 80 work to pull the imaging material toward outer edge 86 , while portion 88 of grid 80 works to pull the imaging material toward outer edge 90 . in this manner , the imaging material is flattened and smoothed . in the embodiment of fig7 and 8 , the free edge 74 of overlying flap 32 is urged by grid 80 away from its hinged edge , thereby smoothing the flap 32 and preventing a mis - feed of the imaging assembly . if free edge 74 were on the opposite side of center line c -- c from that shown in fig8 ( or if flaps 32 and 34 were not overlapped ), grid 80 could catch free edge 74 and force it back toward assembly edge 28 , thereby causing flap 32 to fold back upon itself or buckle . in such an occurrence , the assembly is damaged and perhaps rendered useless . it can clearly be seen that the inventive assemblies provide superior feedability when compared to prior art assemblies . the following examples illustrate the improvement : example 1 illustrates the use of the inventive assembly of fig7 in ink jet printers . two sets of samples were constructed . both sets of samples used identical imaging film suitable for ink jet printers . the standard assembly had flaps 37 / 8 inches wide , made of 60 lb . paper obtained from consolidated paper co . the inventive assembly was made of similar materials except that the flaps were made to be 43 / 8 inches wide . the inventive assembly thus had an overlap of the flaps of approximately 7 / 8 inch , whereas on the standard sample there was a gap of approximately 1 / 8 inch between the flaps . ten sheets of the standard material were fed through five ink jet printers ( three hewlett - packard 1200c printers , and two hewlett - packard 1600c printers ). of a total of 50 standard assemblies fed into the printers , 27 feeding defects were observed , mostly bending of the leading corners of the flaps . four of the standard assemblies would not pass through the printers at all . when the inventive assemblies were subjected to the same test , in the same printers , no feeding defects were observed in 50 samples . two sets of samples were constructed in a manner like that in example 1 , except that an imaging film suitable for imaging in an electrophotographic copier was used as the carrier sheet . the dimensions of the final assemblies were the same as those of the assemblies of example 1 . care was taken to ensure that the flap attached to the leading edge of the inventive assembly overlapped the flap attached to the trailing edge . feeding the standard assemblies through three copiers ( a lanier 6360 , a xerox 5065 , and a xerox 1090 ) resulted in five out of five feed failures of the standard construction in each of the three copiers , or a 100 % feed failure rate . when the inventive assemblies of were used , ten out of ten inventive assemblies successfully fed through the lanier 6360 copier , and five out of five assemblies fed through the xerox copiers , producing a 0 % feed failure rate . as clearly illustrated by the examples , the inventive assemblies produce far superior feedability through both ink jet printers and photocopiers . the inventive assemblies permit a small range of assembly types to work with a variety of imaging devices , thereby improving the economics of product manufacture and lessening the risk of the user mismatching the product and the imaging device .

US-79227297-A

the present invention relates to an improved electrical power strip which will automatically energize and de - energize one or more devices which are plugged into the strip , upon receiving an electrical signal from the primary device , without the need for manual actuation of a switch on the electrical strip or an under monitor system by the user . this system senses the primary status of the power supply through a low voltage power tap connector which is plugged in any appropriate socket of the primary device . the output signal triggers a synchronous transfer switch or relay which enables power to secondary devices , permitting them to be synchronously turned on or off depending on the computer system status .

referring now to the drawings , fig1 illustrates a generalized embodiment of the invention , in which a power strip has a 1 having a plurality of electrical outlets or sockets 2 and 7 , a 110v ac power cord 3 , a fuse 4 , a circuit breaker and / or master on / off switch 5 , and indicator lights 6 . the electrical outlets 2 and 7 are used to provide power from a remote source ( not shown ) through the 110v ac power cord 3 to devices ( not shown ) which are plugged into any of outlets 2 , 7 . switch 5 is preferably employed to interrupt power from power cord 3 to outlets 2 and 7 . a din keyboard connector 8 having male and female plugs , a ps / 2 male connector mouse / keyboard ( mini din ) plug 9 , a ps / 2 female connector mouse / keyboard connector ( mini din ) connector 10 , and a usb device a type connector 11 are all connected in conductive manner to the interior of housing 1 in a manner to be more fully set forth hereinbelow through a 5 volt power tap 12 and conductive cable 13 . as shown in fig2 in one form of the invention switches 2 are “ unswitched ” and switches 7 are “ switched ” by synchronous transfer switch or solid state relay 20 , in response to the sensed presence or absence of a low voltage , e . g . 5 volt , signal over cable 13 from usb plug 11 attached to a pc ( not shown ). in this way , when the master switch of the pc is manipulated to place the pc in the “ on ” state , the 5 volt power tap provided by usb plug 11 being connected into the usb port of the pc will provide a 5 volt signal to relay 20 , which in turn will cause relay 20 to complete the circuit between the ac input 15 via power cord 3 and switched outlets 7 . it is to be noted that in the embodiment where there are unswitched outlets 2 , they are constantly “ live ” since they are upstream of , and hence not affected by , the relay 20 . it is important to note that any number of unswitched and switched outlets , 2 , 7 , respectively , are contemplated to be within the scope of the invention . in addition , the 5 volt power tap input may be obtained from any feature of the pc . all that is required is that a signal be received from the pc when the pc is in the “ on ” state to so indicate that state to the relay 20 to cause the switched outlets 7 to be energized . and , when the pc state is turned to “ off ” the relay 20 will “ sense ” the absence of the 5 volt input via cable 13 , causing the relay to interrupt power supplied to the switched outlets 7 , causing them to be de - energized . during all times , the unswitched outlets 2 remain energized , even when the pc state is “ off ”. it is also to be understood that any desired accessories may be provided with the power strip such as surge protection , which may be in any form such as metal oxide varistors ( mov ), diodes , coils , resistors , etc . referring now to fig3 an alternative form of the invention is shown including a power strip housing 1 directly connected to a source of power 15 via power cord 3 . in this embodiment , no unswitched power outlets are provided . referring now to fig4 another embodiment of the invention is disclosed in which the 5 volt power tap consists only of the din keyboard connector 8 having male and female receptacles so that the signal to the keyboard cable din socket 21 associated with pc 23 can be shared both with the keyboard ( not shown ) and power strip 1 . in the embodiment shown in fig4 a pc model xt or at is shown , but it is to be understood that any embodiment of this invention is also perfectly suitable for use with any and all personal computers presently on the market or to be introduced in the future . to employ the invention , the keyboard cable is disconnected from socket 21 on pc 23 , the din shared adapter 8 plugged thereinto , and the keyboard din connector is plugged into the female side of the shared din connector 8 . then , the 110 volt power cable ( not shown ) which supplies pc 23 with power is plugged into one of the unswitched outlet 2 of housing 1 . fig5 shows a pc cabinet 23 ′ of the atx variety . in this embodiment , which is the preferred embodiment , a slightly modified type of shared din connector is employed in the form of a pair of receptacles , first male din plug 9 adapted to be received by a suitable socket 21 associated with pc 23 ′, and female din socket 10 adapted to receive the male plug on the keyboard or mouse cable ( not shown ) for that computer . again in this embodiment , as in the embodiment in fig4 the power cord 19 of pc 23 ′ is plugged into one of the unswitched outlets 2 . it should be appreciated that the usb / type connector 11 shown in fig2 and 3 can easily be replaced by the din / type connectors shown in fig4 and 5 . in this way , the embodiment of fig5 can be practiced in the systems reflected schematically in fig2 and 3 . the same holds true for the next embodiment . in the embodiment shown in fig6 the shared din plug 8 of fig4 and the shared din plugs of fig5 are replaced by a usb connector 11 , which is adapted to be inserter into a corresponding socket 25 in pc 23 ′. also , power cord 19 is plugged on one end into power cord receptacle 15 of pc 23 ′, and at the other end into an unswitched outlet 2 . alternatively , a shared usb - type connector could be employed , so that a peripheral device which necessitates the use of usb connector could be plugged thereinto and still permit the invention to function as intended . as shown in the embodiment of fig7 a slightly modified version of the embodiment shown in fig6 is illustrated in which usb connector 11 can be plugged into any of an assortment of peripheral computer equipment 14 such as a universal serial bus hub , a front usb hub , a usb / hub splitter for notebook pcs , or any device which utilizes a type - a usb connector . in the embodiments shown in the drawings , it will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that , by plugging the power cord 19 of the pc into a unswitched outlet 2 on power strip 1 , and further by plugging into switched outlets 7 any peripheral device which the user desires to be de - energized at the time the pc 23 or 23 ′ is de - energized , the desired result of de - energizing outlets 7 is obtained when relay 20 senses the absence of the low voltage signal on cable 13 . this result is brought about whether the manual on / off switch is turned to the off position on the pc , or whether the automatic software shutoff feature found in windows 95 , 98 and 2000 ( and other products ) is utilized . the electrical power strip device of this invention may be configured and constructed for use with any line voltage or current level . in most applications , the electrical power strip device will be configured and constructed for use in connection with a standard wall outlet voltage such as the nominal 110v and nominal 220v wall outlets found in typical american homes . other voltages or current levels may be utilized in other countries , or in commercial or industrial applications wherein other line voltages may be necessary or desirable . further in accordance with the present invention , there is provided a method for causing at least one secondary device to become energized and de - energized substantially simultaneously with a primary device , through the use of the power strip device of the present invention . broadly stated , the method is described as follows : a method for causing at least one secondary device to become energized and de - energized substantially simultaneously with a primary device , through the use of an electrical power strip device of the type having at least one unswitched and at least one switched socket , each adapted to receive a standard electrical power cord plug , means for sensing the presence of a low voltage signal from the primary device , a synchronous transfer switch connected to the means for sensing for selectively supplying or depriving electrical energy from an electrical energy source to the switched outlets upon the sensing of the presence or the absence , respectively , of the low voltage signal from the means for sensing , and a power cord electrically connected between the primary device and at least one of the unswitched outlets of the power strip , the method comprising the steps of : connecting the power cord to one of the unswitched outlets of the power strip ; and connecting at least one secondary device to the at least one switched socket ; communicating the synchronous transfer switch with a low voltage ( e . g 5 volt ) output socket associated with the primary device such that when the primary device is de - energized the synchronous transfer switch senses the absence of this low voltage signal and will therefore open to prevent current from passing to the secondary device ( s ) through the switched socket ( s ), and when the primary device is energized the synchronous transfer switch will sense the presence of the low voltage signal from the primary device and therefore close so as to permit power to pass the electrical energy source through the switched socket ( s ) to the secondary device ( s ); and wherein the means for sensing is a low voltage power tap cable . moreover , it is to be appreciated that the above set forth description and the accompanying drawings are directed to certain presently preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention only , and various editions , deletion and modifications may be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the intended spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , it is intended that any and all such editions , deletions and modifications be included within the scope of the following claims .

US-588701-A

the use of 8 - anilino - 1 - naphthalenesulfonate by injecting or introducing such drug directly into the uterus is disclosed as a means of preventing pregnancy after intercourse has occurred . various means of introducing such drug are disclosed , such as by mixing such drug with jelly carriers , foam carriers , or paraffin oil .

the present invention comprises the use of calmodulin binding drugs to prevent pregnancy . the introduction of such drugs into the uterus can be accomplished by normal clinical methods , such as injection by way of the vaginal tract , through the cervix and into the uterus . such treatment is quick and simple ; at least as simple as the currently used procedure for pap smears . by introduction of an effective amount or concentration of one or a combination of calmodulin binding drugs into the uterus prior to the implantation of a fertilized egg to the wall of the uterus , pregnancy will be prevented . calmodulin binding drugs in the uterus will either prevent conception , if it has not yet taken place , or embryonic development of a fertilized egg prior to and necessary for implantation . since implantation normally does not occur for several days after conception , the present invention may be used effectively for a significant period of time after intercourse , perhaps up to three or four days later . the present invention does not involve the killing of the sperm , but instead directly and specifically blocks the physiological process of conception and embryonic development . it has been shown in the past few years that there is a regulatory protein known as calmodulin , found in all cells of higher organisms and which is the key to the control of a wide variety of physiological processes . we have found that calmodulin is involved in triggering the activation of mammalian spermatozoa , a prerequisite to the fertilization process , as well as in triggering the early events of ovum development after fertilization has occurred . calmodulin is a calcium binding protein , which means that when calcium is bound to the protein the resulting calcium - protein complex turns on a variety of cellular processes including spermatozoan or ovum activation . we have found that calmodulin binding drugs inhibit the calmodulin function , and , as a result , use of such drugs will prevent the activation of spermatozoa and will prevent embryonic development following fertilization . calmodulin binding drugs are drugs that will bind tightly to calmodulin only in the presence of calcium . the binding of these drugs to calmodulin results in the inhibition of calmodulin function . the use of an effective calmodulin binding drug in the uterus to prevent pregnancy has a number of advantages . first , it is extremely effective since the specific binding of the drug to calmodulin would turn off spermatozoan or ovum activation and embryonic development and thus prevent pregnancy . experimental evidence has demonstrated that the phenothiazine drugs penetrate the spermatozoan membranes within seconds and concentrate in the region of the cell occupied by calmodulin . second , there will be no expected side effects since the drug would not be used internally and since low concentrations will be very effective . third , the effectiveness of an application may last for hours due to the stability of these drugs . known calmodulin binding drugs include the following two classes of compounds . the first class includes , and is exemplified by the following compounds : the second class of compounds includes , and is exemplified by the following compounds : to accomplish the present invention the calmodulin binding drugs would be combined with an appropriate carrier medium , such as paraffin oil , foam carriers or jelly carriers . a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a buffered two percent concentration of 8 - anilino - 1 - naphthalenesulfonate in paraffin oil , introduced into the uterus in sufficient quantity and under known methods within six hours after sexual intercourse has occurred and allowed to remain therein .

US-39830082-A

the combination of an injection - molded , snap - on cap and a blow - molded , plastic container are designed to act together to provide a seal that prevents a loss of freshness to the porous product stored within , regardless of variations in the manufacturing process . instead of a rounded ridge on the container , the ridge has a flattened section on its lower half . on the inside of the snap - on cap , the ridge has two flat surfaces . a first flat surface is designed to fit snugly against the flat surface on the ridge of the container , even at the extreme range of small container / large cap . the design has been shown to dramatically reduce the absorption of moisture by an enclosed product , demonstrating that a desirable seal is formed .

an embodiment of the innovative invention will now be described with reference to fig4 a – c . fig4 a shows a slice taken through a container 410 and overcap 430 after removal of the freshness liner , according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention . fig4 b and 4c demonstrate the different parts of the cap 430 and container 410 respectively . container 410 was designed to hold a formed , stacked potato chip product and is preferably formed by blow molding of a high - density , low friction , polyethylene . the container has a wide - mouth opening , surrounded by a rim 414 onto which the cap 430 can be snapped . the body 412 of the container 410 can vary in cross - section and may , for example , have an oval shape , although the area near to and including the rim 414 is preferably circular . the topmost portion of rim 414 extends inward toward the opening to form a flat surface 416 . a rounded corner 418 on the rim 414 allows the cap 430 to slip on to the container 410 easily , while a downwardly facing , flattened surface 420 provides a first sealing surface . when the container is originally filled , a thin , flexible seal ( not shown ) is applied to the flat surface 416 surrounding the opening , as is well known in the art . overcap 430 is then placed over the container 410 and flexible seal , but does not initially provide any sealing . the overcap 430 is intended for use after the consumer has unsealed the container , but has not yet finished the contents . at that time , the cap 430 can be replaced on the container 410 as shown in fig4 a . overcap 430 is injection molded , using a low - density polyethylene . the cap has a generally flat upper surface 432 , with a ridge 434 running near the outer edge to provide additional strength . a flange 436 extends generally perpendicularly to the upper surface 432 , but preferably “ toes inwardly ” about 3 degrees . on the inside of the flange 436 , a raised ridge has upper - and lower - facing flat surfaces 440 , 442 . surface 440 of cap 430 and surface 420 of container 410 are designed to mate with each other , forming a sealing surface , rather than a point - to - point seal as in the past . the cap must be sized so that the surface 440 of the cap will extend against the surface 420 of the container , even at the extreme range of small container / large cap . additionally , interferences at other points between the container and cap can cause the closure to become point - to - point , rather than the desired surface - to - surface . the design must be adjusted so that surfaces 442 and 444 on the inside of flange 436 never cause interference with the container , even at the extreme range of large container / small cap . note also that surface 446 is not a continuation of sealing surface 440 , but angles away from the container to prevent interference here . the calculations necessary to ensure a proper fit are explained below . the calculations necessarily start with the nominal , or designed , greatest diameter of the container rim , along with the manufacturing tolerance for the container t cntr and the manufacturing tolerance for the cap t cap . these numbers will be used to determine two design measurements of the overcap . the measurements are shown graphically in fig4 . od rim is the outside diameter of the rim of the container at its greatest diameter . id peak is the inside diameter of the overcap at the peak of the ridge , while id flange is the inside diameter of the overcap at a point just above the ridge . because of the tolerances , we will identify these measurements as , for example , od rim . nom for the nominal measurement of od rim , od rim + for the largest value of od rim , and od rim − for the smallest value of od rim . in this example , we are starting with a nominal value , od rim . nom = 3 . 128 inches ( 79 . 44 mm ). the blow - molded container has a tolerance t cntr =+/− 0 . 015 inches (+/− 0 . 381 mm ), while the lid can be made to tighter tolerance t cap =+/− 0 . 007 inches (+/− 0 . 178 mm ). for the container , this means that od rim − = 3 . 128 − 0 . 015 inches , or 3 . 113 inches ( 79 . 44 − 0 . 381 mm = 79 . 059 mm ), while od rim + = 3 . 128 + 0 . 015 inches = 3 . 143 inches ( 79 . 44 + 0 . 381 mm = 79 . 821 mm ). the inventors determined experimentally that for the tightness they wished to achieve with the overcap , od rim and id peak should have an overlap ovr = 0 . 015 inches ( 0 . 381 mm ) on each side , so that in cross - section there is a total of 0 . 030 inches ( 0 . 762 mm ) difference in these two measurements . this figure should be achievable with the smallest container and the largest overcap , the combination most likely to have too loose a lid . as we determined above , the smallest container that meets the tolerance will have a value of od rim = 3 . 113 in . ( 79 . 059 mm ). therefore ; id peak + , the value on the largest container , should equal od rim − −( 2 · ovr ), or 3 . 113 − 0 . 030 = 3 . 083 inches ( 79 . 059 − 0 . 762 = 78 . 297 ). since this is the largest value , id peak + , id peak . nom = id peak + − t cap = 3 . 083 − 0 . 007 = 3 . 076 inches ( 78 . 297 − 0 . 178 = 78 . 119 mm ). thus , the formula id peak . nom =(( od rim . nom + t cntr )−( 2 · ovr ))− t cap will assure at least an overlap of ovr in the worst - case scenario . of course , one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the amount of desired overlap can be increased or decreased , depending on the desired fit . to avoid interference in a large container with small overcap combination , it is necessary that id flange − is never smaller than od rim + . od rim + is 3 . 143 inches ( 79 . 832 mm ). this means that id flange − should be at least 3 . 143 inches ( 79 . 832 mm ). given the tolerance of 0 . 007 inches ( 0 . 178 mm ) inches for the overcap , the value for id flange . nom = id flange − + t cap = 3 . 143 + 0 . 007 inches = 3 . 150 inches ( 79 . 832 + 0 . 178 = 80 . 010 mm ). the final formula for calculating clearance is id flange . nom ≧ od rim . nom − t cntr + t cap . we now have nominal values for the three measurements shown . table 1 below shows the range of sizes that these dimensions can take , given the tolerances . the space between the container and the overcap , od rim − id flange , are shown for various points with the allowed tolerance in table 2 below . as this table shows , the space between the container and overcap will go to zero only in the single scenario of the largest container and smallest cap . of course , this is a minimum value of id flange ; any increase in id flange will increase the clearance so that there is always space . after determining this value , the inventors then worked with cutouts of the container and overcap to see the areas where interference was most likely . after their tests , they relieved the portion of surface 440 that is closest to the base of the overcap , forming surface 446 . similarly , the amount of overlap ( od rim − id peak ) in the various sizes of containers and overcaps is shown in table 3 , where it is clear that there is always sufficient overlap to maintain the desired seal . it is desirable to have a slight “ toe - in ” of the flange with the base of the overcap , rather than a ninety - degree angle . preferably , the angle made by the flange and the base on the inside of the overcap is about 87 ° or about three degrees of toe - in . the toe - in can be achieved by one of two methods , depending on the manufacturer &# 39 ; s preference . it is known that plastics will shrink as they cool , and the hotter they are when taken out of the mold , the more they will shrink . in one embodiment , the toe - in can be achieved by molding the overcap with a 90 ° angle between the base and flange , then remove the overcap from the mold at a point that will cause enough shrinkage to create the 3 ° toe - in . alternatively , the overcap can be cast so that it is made with a 3 ° toe - in , then allowed to remain in the mold until cool enough that the angle will not change . fig6 discloses the results of a test that monitored the absorption of moisture between a porous snack product packaged in the disclosed container and overcap and a similar product packed in a competitor &# 39 ; s package , which is made of a metalized cardboard that has been given a rolled rim . the packaged products were tested over a twenty - five day period . the innovative container / overcap fit was able to maintain freshness much better than the competitor &# 39 ; s fit of overcap to rolled cardboard . as this chart shows , the innovative container / overcap combination showed less than 1 / 10 th of one percent of moisture absorption over 25 days , while the prior container / overcap showed moisture absorption of about 1 . 9 percent over the same 25 days . this can make a huge difference in the consumer satisfaction in the keeping power of the product . in summary , the disclosed combination of container and overcap , even though made by different processes with a relatively large variability in the container can still provide a well - fitting lid at low costs . the seal has been designed to be surface - to - surface , rather than point - to - point and the overcap has been designed to maintain this relationship .

US-68595203-A

a method and apparatus for dry etching changes at least one of the effective pumping speed of a vacuum chamber and the gas flow rate to alter the processing of an etching pattern side wall of a sample between first and second conditions . the first and second conditions include the presence or absence of a deposit film , or the presence , absence or shape of a taper angle . various parameter for controlling the first and second conditions are contemplated .

according to the present invention , then , when the effective pumping speed of the dry etching apparatus is changed , the etching characteristics also change . when other etching conditions are not changed ( i . e ., when only the effective pumping speed is changed ), the etching characteristics change because of a change in the gas pressure . etching characteristics also change by simultaneously varying the flow rate of the etching gas so that the pressure is kept constant . the relationship between the effective pumping speed and the etching characteristics are considered below with reference to fig2 q ( 1 / s ) is the number of etching gas particles entering the vacuum chamber per unit time and the s ( m 3 / s ) is the effective pumping speed of the vacuum chamber . when no etching reaction occurs , the gas pressure p in the vacuum chamber is given by the following equation : where k is the boltzmann constant , and t is the absolute temperature of the gas . when the etching reaction occurs , the pressure in the vacuum chamber differs from the value in equation ( 1 ). also , the chamber contains not only the etching gas , but reaction products from the etching itself . when analyzing the relationship between the effective pumping speed and the etching characteristics , the following two points are assumed : ( 1 ) the etching gas entering the vacuum chamber is completely consumed by the etching reaction , and ( 2 ) only one type of reaction product is produced . for example , when the incoming etching gas is chlorine gas , and the chlorine gas is used to etch a silicon substrate , the sole reaction product in the vacuum chamber is sicl 4 . in practice , the primary etchant gas is a halogen atomic gas , and the rate - determining step is the supply of the etchant gas . the reaction products are stable halides . therefore , the above assumption is reflected in practice . the etching speed can thus be determined by the incident flux of the etching gas . the incident flux is itself determined by pressure . the number of incoming etching gas particles per unit area and unit time γ is proportional to the partial pressure of the etching gas p 1 as follows : in this case , α is a constant determined by the following expression , where m 1 is the mass of the etching gas particle : ## equ1 ## for a wafer area w , the etching gas consumption is γ 1 w per unit time . the number of etching gas particles per unit time exhausted from an exhaust system provided for the vacuum chamber is p 1 s / kt ( from equation ( 1 )). unless the pressure fluctuates , the number of incoming etching gas particles q balances the sum of the number of etching gas particles consumed during the etching process ( γ 1 w ) and the number of etching gas particles exhausted from the exhaust system p 1 s / kt . that is , substituting equation ( 2 ) for equation ( 4 ), p 1 is obtained as follows : the number of reaction products γ 2 per unit area and unit time ejected from a wafer is proportional to the number of incoming gas particles γ 1 . that is , for example , when the etching gas particle is a chlorine atom , and the reaction product is sicl 4 , x equals 1 / 4 . the number of reaction products produced per unit time is γ 2 w . unless the pressure fluctuates , the number of reaction products produced by the etching process equals the number of reaction products ejected from the exhaust system . the number of reaction product particles per unit time ejected from the exhaust system is p 2 s / kt , where p 2 is the partial pressure of the reaction products . that is , then , substituting the equations ( 2 ) and ( 6 ) for the equation ( 7 ), p 2 is obtained as follows : the relationship between the pressure p in the vacuum chamber , the partial pressure p 1 of the etching gas , and the partial pressure p 2 of the reaction products is given by the following expression : substituting the equations ( 5 ) and ( 8 ) for the equation ( 9 ) to eliminate p 1 and p 2 the following expression is obtained : this expression shows the relationship between the effective pumping speed and the pressure during the etching reaction . from the equation ( 10 ), s is obtained as shown below : ## equ2 ## accordingly , the effective pumping speed for setting the pressure to a predetermined value can be obtained using equation ( 11 ). by substituting the value for equation ( 5 ), the partial pressure of the etching gas can be obtained . in the above consideration , all gas particles confronting the wafer are assumed to cause the etching reaction . therefore , the etching speed can be said to be proportional to the partial pressure of the etching gas . the following is a study of the relationship between the effective pumping speed and etching characteristics . for this example , a chlorine atom gas is used , the reaction product is sicl 4 , and the gas temperature is set to room temperature . fig3 shows the relationship between the total pressure p and the effective pumping speed s when changing only the effective pumping speed while keeping the etching gas flow rate constant for a gas flow rate of 100 sccm and a 5 - inch wafer . the dotted line shows the relationship between the pressure and the pumping speed when no reaction occurs ; that is , when equation ( 1 ) is effected . although the equation ( 1 ) is effected in a low - pressure area when reaction occurs , the pumping speed decreases in a high - pressure area , because , if the reaction occurs , the number of gas particles decreases from four ( chlorine atoms ) to one ( sicl 4 ). therefore , the pumping speed should be decreased by a value corresponding to the decrease of the number of particles in order to maintain the pressure . equation ( 1 ) is effected in the low - pressure area because the number of etching gas particles entering the vacuum chamber is much greater than the number of gas particles consumed by the etching reaction . therefore , the partial pressure of etching gas rises in the low - pressure area . fig4 shows the relationship between the total pressure and the partial pressure of etching gas when changing the exhaust speed while keeping the gas flow rate constant . in fig4 the dotted line represents the etching gas pressure , i . e ., p = p 1 , when no etching reaction occurs . in the low - pressure area , the partial pressure of etching gas is responsible for almost all of the total pressure . in the high - pressure area , however , the line for the partial pressure of etching gas goes downward from the line for p = p 1 . this shows that the partial pressure of reaction products increases ; that is , the percentage of reaction products in the gas increases . fig5 shows the percentage of etching gas . as shown , the etching gas content is almost 100 % of the total gas in the low - pressure area , but decreases as the pressure increases ( as the pumping speed decreases ). thus , as the pressure rises ( as the pumping speed decreases ), the percentage of reaction products in the gas increases . when the percentage of reaction products increases , re - dissociation of reaction products in plasma and reattachment to the wafer occur . the side - wall protective film produced during the chlorine - or bromine - based gas etching process is formed by the deposition of the etching reaction products from the resist and silicon . for the exemplary etching process , a 5 - inch wafer is patterned at the gas flow rate of 100 sccm and the pressure of 5 mtorr . fig5 shows that 70 % of the gas is used for reaction products . the amount of deposition from reaction products , however , can be controlled . to increase the amount of deposition from reaction products , the effective pumping speed is decreased and the percentage of reaction products in the gas is increased . to decrease the amount of deposition from reaction products , the effective pumping speed is increased and the percentage of reaction products in the gas decreased . to increase the effective pumping speed , the value of ( q - αwp ) in the right side of equation ( 11 ) is increased . the upper limit ( q - αwp )& gt ;& gt ; 0 represents that the number of incoming etching gas particles is larger than the number of etching gas particles reacting with the wafer . this situation corresponds to the limit in which equation ( 1 ) is satisfied . thus , almost all of the particles in the chamber are etching gas particles , and deposition from reaction products does not occur . the limit ( q - αwp )& lt ;& lt ; 0 represents that the number of etching gas particles entering the wafer is larger than the number of incoming etching gas particles . at this limit , most particles in the chamber are reaction products , and the amount of deposition from reaction products is large . as described above , the amount of deposition from reaction products is determined by the percentage of reaction products in the gas , which percentage is determined by the relationship between q and αwp . to decrease the amount of deposition from reaction products , the percentage of reaction products is decreased to 20 % or less . for the example of fig5 the percentage of reaction products in the chamber can be decreased to 20 % or less if q / αwp & gt ; 3 . for the above example , then , x equals 1 / 4 . when x equals 1 , equation ( 11 ) can be written as shown below . the percentage of etching gas p 1 / p can be written as shown below : substituting c for q / αwp , equation 14 can be rewritten as shown below : in this case , equation ( 15 ) shows that the percentage of reaction product in the gas decreases to 20 % or less ; that is , equation ( 15 ) shows that the percentage of etching gas becomes 80 % or more when c is greater than four . thus , when q / αwp exceeds three or four , no deposition from reaction products occurs . however , when q / αwp is equal to or less than three or four , deposition from reaction products occurs . as described above , reaction product deposition can be controlled simply by changing the effective pumping speed of a dry etching apparatus . however , when the gas flow rate is fixed , basic etching characteristics including the etching speed also change because the pressure changes . it is also possible to control reaction product deposition by adjusting the gas flow rate in accordance with the change of the effective pumping speed to keep the pressure constant . fig6 shows the change of the partial pressure of etching gas when changing the gas flow rate together with the effective pumping speed so that the pressure is kept constant at 0 . 5 mtorr . the example in fig6 is calculated with the same system as that of the sample in fig5 . when q / αwp is larger than three , the chamber is nearly completely occupied by etching gas . when q / αwp is smaller than three , however , the partial pressure of etching gas decreases . in this case , the percentage of reaction products increases and deposition from reaction products occurs . thus , deposition from reaction products can be controlled by changing the effective pumping speed even if the gas flow rate is similarly adjusted to keep the pressure constant . moreover , the shape of the side wall can be changed from the undercut or vertical shape due to side etching to the tapered shape by changing the effective pumping speed to thereby control the amount of deposition from reaction products . time - modulated etching , in which etching and deposition are alternately repeated , is realized by periodically changing the effective pumping speed without changing gases . the amount of reaction product deposition is preferably controlled so that the thickness of the side - wall protective film around the interface is not decreased by decreasing the effective pumping speed in accordance with a decrease in the etched layer immediately before the end of the etching step . as a result , abnormal side etching around the interface can be prevented . because a change in the effective pumping speed of a dry etching apparatus is carried out in accordance with the change of plasma emission intensity or a change in the specific wavelength of the plasma emission , the effective pumping speed immediately before the end of the etching step can be controlled while monitoring the percentage of reaction products in the gas . further , because the change in the effective pumping speed can be realized by monitoring the change of the area where an underlayer appears immediately before the end of the etching step , or by monitoring the change of the area of the etched layer , the effective pumping speed immediately before the end of the etching step can be controlled accurately . formation of the side - wall protective film caused by deposition from reaction products plays an important role in the etching of polycrystalline silicon and polycide using chlorine or bromine gas . however , it is not necessary to form the side - wall protective film during overetching . in accordance with the present invention , the effective pumping speed is increased during overetching so that deposition from reaction products does not occur . as a result , the etching speed is increased and the throughput is improved during overetching . moreover , because no side - wall protective film is formed on an overetching portion , isotropic etching is performed and etching residue on a step can effectively be removed . furthermore , the throughput is improved because anisotropic etching can be changed to isotropic etching without changing gases . for this embodiment , a resist mask is used to etch polycrystalline si with cl 2 plasma . a sample structure is shown in fig7 ( a ). silicon substrate 4 has a one - micron step , on which a sio 2 film 3 having a thickness of 200 nm is formed as an underlayer before depositing polycrystalline si layer 2 to a thickness of 500 nm . a resist mask 1 having a thickness of 1 . 5 μm is then formed on polycrystalline si layer 2 . by way of example , si substrate 4 is a 5 - inch wafer . using a cl 2 gas plasma , etching is carried out at a pressure of 5 mtorr and using a gas flow rate of 100 sccm , the plasma being generated by microwave discharge . in this case , the effective pumping speed of a dry etching apparatus is set to 170 l / s . the wafer temperature is set to 10 ° c ., and a 2 - mhz rf bias is applied to the si substrate 4 . under these conditions , side etching normally occurs . however , when a resist mask is used , side etching is controlled because the side - wall protective film 5 is formed , as shown in fig7 ( b ). for the etching conditions outlined above , q is set to 4 . 18 × 10 19 ( 1 / s ), αwp is set to 2 . 18 × 10 20 ( 1 / s ), and q / αwp thus equals 0 . 19 . therefore , the percentage of reaction products is as high as about 80 %, and deposition from the reaction products occurs so that side - wall protective film 5 is formed at a vertical portion of the sample . at portions other than the side wall , deposit is immediately removed because etching progresses with incoming gas and , thus , no deposit film is formed . however , the etching speed is decreased compared with the condition in which no deposition from reaction products occurs . thus , for the present etching conditions , the etching speed is 300 nm / min . fig7 ( c ) illustrates a state in which the etching of the polycrystalline si film is completed . etching residue of polycrystalline si layer 2 is present on the step side wall because high anisotropic etching is performed by controlling side etching . the overetching step is thus necessary to remove the etching residue . for the existing dry etching method , the overetching step conditions are the same as the etching step conditions , or overetching is performed by changing gases . for this embodiment , however , overetching is performed by increasing the effective pumping speed . for the overetching , the gas pressure is set to 0 . 5 mtorr , the gas flow rate is set to 160 sccm , and the other conditions are set similarly to those of the etching step previously described . in this case , however , the effective pumping speed is set to 4000 l / s . for these etching conditions , because q equals 6 . 69 × 10 19 ( 1 / s ), αwp equals 2 . 18 × 10 19 1 / s , and q / αwp equals 3 . 1 , giving a percentage of reaction products of less than 20 %. therefore , because no deposition from reaction products occurs , the etching speed increases and isotropic etching progresses . an etching speed of 600 nm / min is obtained , which is two times the speed of the previous etching step ( fig7 ( d )). in this case , because the gas pressure is set as low as 0 . 5 mtorr , incoming ions have a high directivity . therefore , the side - wall protective film 5 is only slightly , if at all , etched . though the side - wall protective film of the etching residue remains for a period of time , it is eventually removed because the vertical portion of the etching residue disappears when overetching is progressed to a certain extent . then , isotropic etching subsequently progresses and overetching can be performed without leaving the etching residue ( fig7 ( e )). fig1 shows time charts for the above etching conditions . fig1 ( a ) is a time chart showing the change of the effective pumping speed in accordance with elapsed time , fig1 ( b ) is a time chart showing the change of the etching gas flow rate in accordance with elapsed time , fig1 ( c ) is a time chart showing the change of the gas pressure in accordance with elapsed time , and fig1 ( d ) is a time chart showing the change of percentage of reaction products . by increasing the effective pumping speed under overetching , the etching speed under overetching can be doubled and isotropic etching realized . the overetching time can thus be decreased to one - half or less than the existing overetching time . as a result , it is possible to prevent a short circuit from occurring due to a very small amount of etching residue . also , because the percentage of carbon in plasma resulting from the resist decreases in the overetching step , the selectivity for the sio 2 layer 3 greatly increases , and etching with small damage can be performed . the present embodiment describes polycrystalline si etching using chlorine plasma and a resist mask . the present invention is effective for every type of etching using a sidewall protecting film and requiring overetching . for example , it is also effective for the &# 34 ; cl 2 + o 2 &# 34 ; etching with an oxide film mask , etching of polycide , etching with a bromine - based gas plasma , and etching of metals including aluminum and tungsten . fig8 shows a dry etching apparatus representing another embodiment constructed according to the teachings of the present invention . this apparatus introduces an etching gas into a vacuum chamber 19 , generates electromagnetic wave radiation of 2 . 45 ghz with a microwave generator 17 , and sends the electromagnetic wave radiation to the vacuum chamber 19 through a waveguide 18 and a microwave entrance window 14 to generate a gas plasma with the etching gas . for high - efficiency discharge , solenoid coils 15 are arranged around vacuum chamber 19 to generate the high - density plasma through electron cyclotron resonance using a magnetic field of 875 gauss . the vacuum chamber 19 contains a sample stage 16 on which a wafer 6 is set to be etched with the gas plasma . the etching gas is lead into the vacuum chamber 19 through a gas supply port 7 , which may be covered with a mesh , or may be provided with small holes , through a gas pipe 11 , gas flow rate controller 10 , and buffer chamber 12 . the etching gas is exhausted from the vacuum chamber 19 by exhaust pump 8 . in this case , the pumping speed can be changed via a conductance valve 9 . because a buffer chamber 12 is provided , and because the gas releasing area is increased by the structure of gas supply port 7 , the velocity of gas can be decreased to one - third or less than the speed of sound , and a uniform flow is realized . moreover , two or more gas supply ports 7 may be arranged so that they are symmetric with respect to the central axis of the vacuum chamber 19 to lead the gas from the gas pipe 11 to the vacuum chamber 19 . this structure thereby makes possible the control of the bias of the gas distribution in the plasma gas . the sample stage 16 is equipped with an rf power source 13 so that an rf bias of 400 khz to 13 . 56 mhz can be applied . if the sample stage 16 includes a cooling system and a heating system , etching can be influenced by controlling the wafer temperature . plasma emission from the gas plasma is received by a light receiving apparatus 22 to determine the spectrum of the plasma emission . light receiving apparatus 22 is operably associated with a photoemission spectroscope and photodetector jointly represented by reference numeral 20 . the photoemission spectroscope and photodetector 2 detects spectra having a specific wavelength , and converts light intensity into electrical information to be sent to a batch control unit 21 . the photoemission spectroscope and photodetector 20 can measure not only spectra having a specific wavelength , but the light intensity of the entire plasma emission . batch control unit 21 further controls the operation of conductance valve 9 . in accordance with the construction described above , the effective pumping speed of the dry etching apparatus can be controlled in accordance with the change of plasma emission intensity . fig9 shows how the emission intensity resulting from reaction products changes for the conventional dry etching apparatus . the emission intensity resulting from the reaction products is kept constant during the etching step , and then slowly decreases immediately before the end of the etching step because the area of the layer 25 to be etched decreases slowly , and the underlayer 26 begins to appear , as shown in fig1 . the time for the emission intensity to begin this decrease ( t 1 in fig9 ) corresponds to the time for the layer to start disappearing when the etching speed is maximized ( fig1 ( a )). when the emission intensity is approximately half ( t 2 in fig9 ), the area of the layer is also approximately half ( fig1 ( b )). when the layer 25 is completely etched ( fig1 ( c )), the emission intensity resulting from reaction products all but disappears ( t 3 in fig9 ). however , overetching is still necessary because etching residue of the layer remains on the side wall . when the area of layer 25 decreases as shown in fig1 ( b ), the amount of reaction products also decreases . as a result , the amount of deposition from the reaction products decreases . therefore , the thickness of the side - wall protective film decreases . this state is shown in fig1 . fig1 ( a ) shows the structure whereby underlayer 26 has been deposited on si substrate 4 , layer 25 has been deposited on underlayer 26 , and mask 27 has been formed on layer 25 . the state immediately before the end of the etching step is shown in fig1 ( b ). as shown , the side - wall protective film 5 has been formed on the pattern side wall . where a high etching speed is present ( the left side of fig1 ( b )), the amount of reaction products is kept constant until the underlayer appears . therefore , the side - wall protective film 5 is adequately formed up to the interface . at a portion having a low etching speed ( right side of fig1 ( b )), however , the area of layer 25 decreases , as shown in fig1 ( b ). therefore , the thickness of the side - wall protective film 28 decreases around the interface with the underlayer 26 ( right side of fig1 ( c )). thus , the side - wall protective film 28 is broken under overetching , and the abnormal side - etching portion 29 is easily produced at the interface as shown in fig1 ( d ). since the amount of reaction products in the gas can be maintained by decreasing the effective pumping speed in accordance with a decrease of the production of reaction products , the thickness of the side - wall protective film 5 can be maintained . the dry etching apparatus described in this embodiment makes it possible to monitor the emission intensity resulting from reaction products , and to control the effective pumping speed in accordance with the emission intensity . therefore , the thickness of the side - wall protective film does not decrease , so that no abnormal side etching occurs . fig1 illustrates an example of effective pumping speed control . the conductance valve 9 is slowly closed in accordance with a decrease in emission intensity resulting from reaction products of approximately one - half immediately before the end of the etching step so that the emission intensity resulting from reaction products is kept constant . in this period , the thickness of the side - wall protective film 5 can be prevented from decreasing because the amount of deposition from reaction products is kept constant . when the layer to be etched has been completely etched , the emission intensity resulting from reaction products starts decreasing even if the conductance valve is almost closed . then , it is possible to open the conductance valve to begin the overetching step . however , because the effective pumping speed has already been decreased , the etching speed also decreases . therefore , the emission intensity does not decrease for a considerable time . for this embodiment , however , the conductance valve 9 is opened at the beginning of the overetching step by assuming that the timing when the conductance valve has closed up to 90 % is the end point of the etching step , in order to improve throughput . thus , the thickness of the side - wall protective film 5 can be prevented from decreasing , and abnormal side etching does not occur , by decreasing the effective pumping speed immediately before the end of the etching step while monitoring the emission intensity . depending upon the etching conditions , abnormal side etching may not occur even if overetching begins when the conductance valve is up to 80 % closed , or it may occur by the time the overetching step begins after the conductance valve is closed up to 90 % or more . therefore , to further accurately control the effective pumping speed , the area of the layer or the area of the exposed underlayer is monitored instead of monitoring the emission intensity . fig1 shows an embodiment of this construction . the embodiment shown in fig1 incorporates a video camera 23 and image processor 24 in place of the light receiving apparatus 22 and the photoemission spectroscope and photodetector 20 of the dry etching apparatus illustrated in fig8 . the change in area of the layer 25 being etched is monitored by camera 23 immediately before the end of the etching step , which area is converted into electrical information by the image processor 24 and sent to batch control unit 21 . by adjusting the effective pumping speed in accordance with the change in area of the etching layer and of the underlayer , the thickness of the side - wall protective film can be kept constant and the abnormal side etching can be prevented . the effective pumping speed can further accurately be adjusted by combining this embodiment with the monitoring method using the plasma emission intensity . for example , while adjusting the effective pumping speed so that the plasma emission intensity becomes constant immediately before the end of the etching step , the timing for starting the overetching step can accurately be determined by monitoring the time that the layer disappears with the camera system . time modulation etching , in which depositing and etching gases are changed by turns , can be performed with one type of gas by using the characteristic that deposition from reaction products occurs or does not occur depending on the effective pumping speed . for this embodiment , shown in fig1 , the effective pumping speed is periodically changed at 170 l / s and 4000 l / s when polycrystalline si is etched with cl 2 plasma using a resist mask . when the effective pumping speed is 170 l / s , the pressure is set to 5 mtorr , the gas flow rate to 100 sccm , and the water temperature to 10 ° c . in this case , deposition from reaction products occurs . when the effective pumping speed is 4000 l / s , the gas pressure is set to 0 . 5 mtorr , and the gas flow rate is set to 160 sccm . in this case , the etching speed increases and isotropic etching progresses because no deposition from reaction product occurs . as just described , the time modulation etching in which deposition and etching are periodically repeated can be performed with only one type of gas , and accurate etching free from the micro loading effect is realized . the percentage of reaction products can be changed by changing the effective pumping speed . therefore , because the deposition speed can be controlled , it is possible to control the taper angle for tapered etching in accordance with the effective pumping speed . fig1 shows an example of the relationship between the effective pumping speed and the side - wall shape . the characteristics shown in fig1 is for etching of polycrystalline si on a 5 - inch wafer with a resist mask and cl 2 microwave plasma at a pressure of 5 mtorr and wafer temperature of 10 ° c . under these conditions , αwp equals 2 . 18 × 10 20 ( 1 / s ). therefore , when increasing the effective pumping speed so that gas flows at a rate of q equals 6 . 54 × 10 20 ( 1 / s ), which is three times larger than αwp equals 2 . 18 × 10 20 , or 1600 sccm , an undercut shape is formed due to side etching because no deposition from reaction products occurs . when decreasing the effective pumping speed , then , the amount of side etching is decreased due to the effect on deposition from reaction products , and side etching does not occur at the gas flow rate of 200 sccm . when further decreasing the effective pumping speed , the amount of deposit increases due to deposition from reaction products , and a taper angle starts to appear . at a gas flow rate of 10 sccm , the taper angle is 70 degrees . therefore , the side - wall shape can be controlled by changing the effective pumping speed . moreover , a structure in which an upper portion of a side wall is approximately vertical , a middle portion has a tapered angle , and a bottom portion is approximately vertical can be obtained by repeating the etching with the same conditions as just outlined , except that the gas flow rate is changed from , for example , 200 sccm to 10 sccm to 200 sccm . the advantages of the present invention as outlined above are confirmed by applying the teachings of the invention to the specifically - described etching apparatus , as well as to other apparatus such as a magnetron rie ( reactive ion etching ) apparatus and a helicon rie apparatus . moreover , a similar effect occurs by applying the present invention &# 39 ; s teachings to other etching materials than those described , such as aluminum , tungsten , tungsten - silicide , copper , gaas , and silicon nitride films . the various modifications of the invention described above will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art . all such modifications that basically rely upon the teachings through which the present invention has advanced the state of the art are properly considered within the spirit and scope of the invention .

US-3412693-A

particles for an electronic paper display device and a method for preparing the same . since charged particles have a constant electrification amount , a moving speed and a moving amount of the charged particles are uniformly controlled at the time of an electrophoresis . also , a response speed and a resolution of an electronic paper display device are improved , and an amount of a voltage applied to the electronic paper display device is precisely controlled .

reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . hereinafter , particles for an electronic paper display device and a method for preparing the same will be explained in more detail . in the method for preparing particles for an electronic paper display device , particles 200 and 200 - 1 have a uniform electrification amount . the method for preparing particles for an electronic paper display device according to the present invention will be explained . first , a colorant 200 having a certain color and a high molecule resin 210 are mixed with a certain ratio thereby to prepare a particle . the colorant and the high molecule resin may be mixed to each other by a polymerization method using a monomer . as the high molecule resin of the present invention , poly methylmethacrylate , polystyrene , polyethylene terephthalate , etc . can be used . a chemical formula of the high molecule resin is as follows . however , the high molecule resin of the present invention is not limited to the above examples , but can comprise all types of high molecule resins to which a charge controlling means 230 to be later explained is applied . the charge controlling means 230 is applied to the particle 200 formed of a fine grain . as one method for applying the charge controlling means 230 to the particle 200 , the charge controlling means 230 is simultaneously applied to the particle 200 at the time of forming the particle 200 and thereby the charge controlling means 230 is distributed on the entire region of the particle 200 . according to the method , the charge controlling means 230 is simultaneously coupled to the high molecule resin 210 of the particle 200 when the particle 200 is formed , so that the charge controlling means 230 can be distributed on the entire region of the particle 200 . the charge controlling means 230 is coupled to each molecule of the high molecule resin 210 , so that the charge controlling means 23 can be evenly distributed on the entire region of the particle 200 . the charge controlling means 230 can be distributed at an outer periphery of the particle 200 . in that case , the charge controlling means 230 is coupled to the outer periphery of the high molecule resin 210 at the time of polymerizing the high molecule resin 210 . the charge controlling means 230 is coupled to the same material as the high molecule resin 210 , and then a coating is performed on the high molecule resin 210 . in another way , the charge controlling means 230 can be coupled to a material different from the high molecule resin 210 , and then a coating is performed on the high molecule resin 210 . it is also possible to form the charge controlling means 230 by polymerizing the high molecule resin 210 and then by modifying the surface of the high molecule resin 210 . according to the method for applying the charge controlling means 230 to the outer periphery of the high molecule resin 210 , the charge controlling means 230 relevant to a substantial electrification amount is evenly distributed on the outer periphery of the high molecule resin 210 . accordingly , an electrification amount can be more easily controlled . the charge controlling means 230 can be applied to an external additional material . that is , when an external additional material 240 applied onto a surface of the high molecule resin 210 is formed , the charge controlling means 230 is coupled to the external additional material 240 . then , the external additional material 240 is formed at the high molecule resin 210 , thereby applying the charge controlling means 230 to the particle 200 - 1 . in another way , the external additional material 240 is formed at the high molecule resin 210 , and then the external additional material 240 is modified thereby to apply the charge controlling means 230 . as can be seen from the above explanation , the charge controlling means 230 is applied to the high molecule resin 210 or the external additional material 240 , thereby more widely controlling a charge amount . the charge controlling means 230 can be applied in various ways . the method for applying the charge controlling means 230 is not limited to the above examples , but can be variously implemented . as a concrete preferred embodiment of the charge controlling means 230 , the functional group will be explained . that is , at least one functional group can be applied to the charge controlling means 230 by adding to the high molecule resin 210 and the external additional material 240 . fig3 shows a preferred embodiment of the charge controlling means 230 , in which the functional group is formed on a surface of the high molecule resin 210 . the functional group 230 is formed on a surface of the particle 200 formed of fine grains . the functional group may be selected from a group including — cooh , — oh , — nh 2 , and — sh . however , the present invention is not limited to the group . as aforementioned , the functional group can be formed by modifying the surface of the particle . at the time of modifying the surface of the particle , a particle having a colorant of one color and a high molecule resin and a particle having a colorant of another color and a high molecule resin may be modified so as to have each functional group having a different electron affinity . as aforementioned , the functional group can be formed by modifying the high molecule resin 210 , by simultaneously coupling the functional group to the high molecule resin 210 at the time of polymerizing the high molecule resin 210 , or by a coating method . the functional group can be applied to the particles 200 and 200 - 1 by various methods . a process for coupling cooh , one of the functional groups to the high molecule resin 210 formed of poly methylmethacrylate ( pmma ) will be explained as follows . according to the above reaction , the pmma to which the cooh is coupled has an electron affinity different from that of an pmma to which another functional group is coupled that will be hereinafter explained , and thus is negatively charged at the time of a friction occurrence or a collision occurrence . a process for coupling oh , one of the functional groups to the high molecule resin 210 formed of poly methylmethacrylate ( pmma ) will be explained as follows . according to the above reaction , the pmma to which the oh is coupled has an electron affinity different from that of the pmma to which the aforementioned cooh is coupled , and thus is positively charged at the time of a friction occurrence or a collision occurrence . that is , the cooh belongs to an electron - withdrawing functional group , and the oh belongs to an electron - donation functional group . as the method for applying the functional group to the high molecule resin 210 , a physical coupling method by using a mixer and a chemical coupling method by using a catalyst or a thermal reaction can be used . under a state that the particles 200 have different electron affinities , when the particles 200 collide to each other , the particle modified to have a functional group of a relatively large electron affinity is negatively charged and the particle modified to have a functional group of a relatively small electron affinity is positively charged . as another example to form the functional group , a certain material having a functional group can be coated on the surface of the particle 200 . the method for forming the functional group is not limited to the above method . as another embodiment of the present invention , a step of forming an external additional material 240 after forming the functional group 230 can be further comprised . more specifically , after the functional group 230 is formed on the surface of the high molecule resin 210 as the charge controlling means 230 , the external additional material 240 is added to the surface of the functional group 230 so as to obtain an electrophoresis of the particle 200 - 1 . the external additional material 240 can be coated on the surface of the functional group 230 by an apparatus such as a mixer , etc . as the external additional material 240 , silica can be used . as the first embodiment of the present invention , the external additional material 240 can be coupled to the external additional material 240 in order to apply the charge controlling means 230 to the particle 200 - 1 . that is , the functional group can be coupled to a molecule of the external additional material 240 . as another embodiment of the present invention , the external additional material 240 is formed at the high molecule resin 210 , and then the external additional material 240 is modified thereby to be applied as the functional group . as still another embodiment of the present invention , a material having a functional group can be coated on the external additional material 240 . besides the aforementioned methods , various methods for coupling the functional group to the high molecule resin 210 can be equally applied to the present invention . when silica is used as the external additional material 240 , a chemical formula of the silica to which cooh , one of the functional groups is coupled is as follows . according to the above reaction , the silica to which the functional group is coupled has an electron affinity different from that of silica to which another functional group is coupled that will be hereinafter explained , and thus is negatively charged at the time of a friction occurrence or a collision occurrence . a chemical formula of the silica to which oh , one of the functional groups is coupled is as follows . according to the above reaction , the silica to which the oh is coupled has an electron affinity different from that of the silica to which the aforementioned cooh is coupled , and thus is positively charged at the time of a friction occurrence or a collision occurrence . that is , the cooh belongs to an electron - withdrawing functional group , and the oh belongs to an electron - donation functional group . as the method for applying the functional group to the silica , a physical coupling method by using a mixer and a chemical coupling method by using a catalyst or a thermal reaction can be used . under a state that the particles 200 - 1 have different electron affinities , when the particles 200 - 1 collide to each other , the particle modified to have a functional group of a relatively large electron affinity is negatively charged and the particle modified to have a functional group of a relatively small electron affinity is positively charged . since the functional group can be coupled to the high molecule resin 210 or the external additional material 240 , a charge amount can be more widely controlled . the prepared particles 200 and 200 - 1 are contained in a space between upper and lower substrates , that is , in a plurality of pixels separated from each other by partition walls together with fluid having the same or similar density as / to the particles . the particles 200 and 200 - 1 prior to the containing are not charged yet . when the particles 200 and 200 - 1 are contained in the pixels , each particle 200 and 200 - 1 having a different electron affinity collides to each other thereby to be charged into a positive charge or a negative charge . after the particles 200 and 200 - 1 are contained in the pixels , each particle 200 and 200 - 1 that has not been charged yet collides to each other by an external force such as gravity or impact thereby to be electrified into a positive charge or a negative charge . the particles 200 and 200 - 1 that have been electrified into different charges are electrophoresed in different directions by a voltage applied to a transparent electrode . the prepared particles 200 and 200 - 1 for an electronic paper display device have a construction shown in fig3 and 4 . the particles 200 and 200 - 1 have the same construction as the construction aforementioned in the preparation method . a structure of the particles 200 and 200 - 1 will be schematically explained . the particles 200 and 200 - 1 comprises a colorant 220 , a high molecule resin 210 , and a charge controlling means 230 . the particles 200 and 200 - 1 can further comprise an external additional material 240 as aforementioned in the preferred embodiment . the charge controlling means 230 applied to the particles 200 and 200 - 1 prepared as a fine grain form can be distributed on the entire region of the particles 200 and 200 - 1 , or can be distributed on the outer periphery of the particles 200 and 200 - 1 . the charge controlling means 230 can be applied to the surface of the high molecule resin 210 by a coating method or by modifying the high molecule resin 210 . when the charge controlling means 230 is formed on the surface or on the outer periphery of the high molecule resin 210 , a charge amount can be more easily controlled . as another embodiment for applying the charge controlling means 230 , the external additional material 240 can comprise the charge controlling means 230 . the charge controlling means 230 can be included in the high molecule resin 210 or the external additional material 240 , a charge amount can be more widely controlled . as can be seen from the above embodiments , the charge controlling means 230 can be applied by various methods . that is , the charge controlling means 230 can be applied to the present invention not only by the above examples but also by various examples . hereinafter , preferred embodiments of the charge controlling means 230 will be explained . first , the functional group will be explained as a preferred embodiment of the charge controlling means 230 . that is , at least one of the functional groups is included in the high molecule resin 210 or the external additional material 240 , thereby being applied as the charge controlling means 230 . fig3 and 4 show a state that the functional group is included on the surface of the high molecule resin 210 . the particles 200 and 200 - 1 prepared by the above method include a colorant 220 and a high molecule resin 210 therein . a color of the colorant can be selected according to a product to which the electronic paper display device of the present invention is applied . that is , the color of the colorant may be white and black at the time of being applied to a mere book , etc . however , the color of the colorant may be red , blue , or green at the time of outputting a color image . the functional group 230 is formed on the surface of the particles 200 and 200 - 1 including each colorant 220 of a different color . the functional group 230 can be set to have a different electron affinity according to particles having different colors . preferably , when the particles have white and black , the functional groups thereof have a largest difference of an electron affinity . the functional group 230 is selected from a group including — cooh , — oh , — nh2 , and — sh . besides the structures shown in fig3 and 4 , the functional group can be distributed on the entire region of the high molecule resin 210 or can be formed on the outer periphery of the high molecule resin 210 . also , the functional group can be formed on the surface of the high molecule resin 210 . details of the minute structure of the functional group will be omitted since they are already aforementioned in the preferred embodiments . as shown in fig4 , the external additional material 240 can be further formed on the surface of the functional group 230 in order to obtain an electrophoresis of the particles . for instance , charged particles float in a plurality of pixels , and particles having different charges are mixed to each other , which causes a bad influence on an electrophoresis of the particles . in order to solve the problem , the external additional material 240 may be formed on the surface of the functional group 230 . as the external additional material 240 , silica , etc . may be used . in the first embodiment of the present invention , the functional group is included in the external additional material 240 so as to apply the charge controlling means 230 to the particles 200 - 1 . various methods for including the functional group into the external additional material 240 will be omitted since they are already aforementioned in the preferred embodiments . besides the above constructions , various constructions to couple the functional group to the high molecule resin 210 can be equally applied to the present invention . under a state that the particles 200 - 1 have different electron affinities , when the particles 200 - 1 collide to each other , the particle modified to have a functional group of a relatively large electron affinity is negatively charged and the particle modified to have a functional group of a relatively small electron affinity is positively charged . since the function group can be coupled to the high molecule resin 210 or the external additional material 240 , a charge amount can be more widely controlled . in the present invention , the particles do not include a charge controlling material . the particles can be prepared to have desired electrification capacities by forming each functional group selected from a group including — cooh , — oh , — nh 2 , — sh , etc . having a different electron affinity on the surfaces of the particles or on the external additional material . in the present invention , since an amount of a voltage necessary to the electronic paper display device can be predicted , a voltage control can be more easily controlled . that is , in the present invention , the conventional problem generated as an added bulk - type charge controlling material is not proportional to an electrification amount of charged particles can be solved . also , the particles for an electronic paper display device according to the present invention can be more easily prepared than in the conventional method in which an amount of a charge controlling material has to be controlled so that particles can have a certain electrification amount . furthermore , in the present invention , it is easier for the particles to have a uniform electrification amount . as the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof , it should also be understood that the above - described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description , unless otherwise specified , but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims , and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims , or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims .

US-27610306-A

a valveless , positive displacement pump including a living hinge for angularly adjusting a pumping head with respect to a rotatable drive member is provided . a method of manufacturing such a pump is also provided . the pump includes a block to which a pumping head and drive member are mounted . the block includes a first support pivotably connected to a second support by means of an integral , flexible hinge . the pumping head is mounted to the first support while the rotatable drive member is mounted to the second support . movement of the first support about the flexible hinge allows the stroke of the piston , and therefore the flow rate of the pump , to be adjusted . such a pump may be manufactured by extruding the block in elongate form and then cutting it into individual sections to which pumping heads may be mounted .

a valveless , positive displacement metering pump 10 is provided which includes at least two ports , one of which is used at any one time either as inlet or outlet port while the other is used in an opposite manner . additional ports may also be employed as discussed herein . referring to fig1 - 3 , the pump 10 includes a motor 12 including a drive shaft 14 , an integral , hinged block 16 , a flat , metal plate 18 secured to the motor housing and the block 16 , a cylindrical spacer 20 adjoining the block 16 , a cylindrical housing 22 which includes a cylindrical working chamber 24 , and a cylindrical closure 26 . the hinged block 16 is made from any suitable ductile material , such as delrin , an acetyl copolymer . the block comprises a first support 28 and a second support 30 connected by an integral hinge 32 . the second support 30 includes a pair of threaded bores , while the first support 28 includes a pair of unthreaded holes aligned with the threaded bores . first and second screws 34 extend through the respective holes and bores . by turning the screws , the angular orientation of the first support 28 of the block may be changed with respect to the second support 30 as it moves about the integral hinge 32 . the screws 34 also serve to maintain the first support 28 in a selected angular position with respect to the second support 30 . the hinge 32 otherwise tends to return the first support 28 to a position which is substantially parallel to the front surface of the second support 30 . the block 16 includes a large , cylindrical bore 33 which extends completely through the second support 30 and terminates at a front wall 36 of a cylindrical projection 38 extending from the first support 28 . a smaller bore 40 extends through this wall 36 . two small , threaded bores 42 extend at least partially through the projection 38 . the spacer 20 includes an axial bore 44 having about the same diameter as the above - mentioned bore 40 , and a pair of unthreaded bores 46 extending therethrough . the axial bore 44 is aligned with the bore 40 through the front wall 36 of the projection 38 while the two smaller bores 46 are aligned , respectively , with the two small , threaded bores 42 within the projection 38 . the housing 22 for the working chamber 24 includes a pair of bores 48 aligned with the bores 46 extending through the spacer . it is preferably made from a ceramic material such as carbon fiber reinforced polyphenylinesulfide , which is sold , for example , under the trade name ryton . a threaded , cylindrical projection 50 , formed integrally with the housing 22 , extends rearwardly therefrom . a pair of washers 52 , 54 , as shown in fig4 adjoin the flat , rear face of the projection 50 , and are maintained in place by a gland nut 56 . the closure 26 includes a pair of bores 58 extending therethrough . these bores 58 are aligned with the bores 48 extending through the housing 22 of the working chamber 24 . the closure includes a flat rear surface which adjoins the flat front surface of the housing 22 . it accordingly seals one end of the working chamber 24 . as an alternative , the housing and closure could be constructed as one piece , thereby obviating the need for a separate closure . a pair of screws 60 , 62 extend through the pairs of bores 58 , 48 , 46 , respectively , and are threadably secured to the block 16 by means of the threaded bores 42 . the closure 26 , housing 22 , spacer 20 and the first support portion 28 of the block 16 are secured , respectively , to each other by this pair of screws 60 , 62 . each of these elements except the block is shown as having substantially the same outside diameters . as discussed above , the flat plate 18 is secured to the motor housing . a pair of screws 64 secure the plate 18 to the second support portion 30 of the block 16 . as shown in fig3 the front portion of the motor drive shaft 14 is secured to a cylindrical enclosure 66 which functions as a drive cylinder . the cylinder includes a cylindrical chamber 68 having an open front end . the rear end of the chamber is closed by a wall ( not shown ) through which the front portion of the drive shaft 14 extends . a lock screw 70 extends through a threaded bore 72 which extends through this wall , and bears against the drive shaft 14 . the cylinder 66 accordingly rotates with the drive shaft when the motor - 2 is actuated . a second , relatively larger bore 74 extends through the drive cylinder 66 and communicates with the chamber 68 therein . a ball and socket fitting 76 is positioned within the bore 74 . the ball member of this fitting includes a passage extending therethrough for receiving a connecting rod 78 of a piston assembly 80 . the piston assembly , which is best shown in fig4 and 9 , includes a cylindrical piston member 82 , a cap 84 secured to the rear end of the piston member , the connecting rod 78 extending through the cap and piston member . the front end of the piston member 82 includes a longitudinal duct 86 extending from the end surface thereof to a selected point behind this end surface . the duct is preferably in the form of a channel including a flat bottom wall and a pair of side walls extending perpendicularly therefrom . a v - shaped channel would provide generally equivalent operating results , while a duct in the form of a flat might not allow adequate fluid flow in some instances . referring now to fig4 - 7 , the housing 22 for the working chamber 24 is constructed so that the piston member 82 can rotate and reciprocate freely within the working chamber 24 . the front end of the piston member is accordingly chamfered to facilitate such reciprocation . the clearance between the piston member and wall of the working chamber may be about one ten thousandth of an inch . the maximum length of the stroke of the piston member is such that the duct 86 is always entirely within the working chamber 24 , and is substantially always in fluid communication with at least one of the three passages 88 , 90 communicating with the working chamber . in the embodiment of the invention depicted in the drawings , three passages adjoin the working chamber . the diameters of the passages , axial position of the passages , and the width of the duct 86 are all important in insuring that the proper flow rates into and out of the passages will be obtained . as best shown in fig6 one relatively large diameter passage 88 extends along a reference axis which is substantially vertical . two smaller diameter passages 90 each extend at a forty - five degree angle with respect to the reference axis , and are therefore ninety degrees apart . the diameter of the relatively large passage 88 is twice the diameter of each smaller passage 90 . the diameters of the passages would , of course , be adjusted if additional passages were employed . in a particular embodiment of the invention , discussed here solely for explanatory purposes , a piston member 82 having a quarter inch diameter is employed . the duct 86 within the piston member has a length of about three eighths of an inch . the depth and width of the duct are about 0 . 093 inches . the channel accordingly traverses an axial distance of about forty - five degrees . the relatively large passage 88 has a diameter of about 0 . 177 inches while each of the smaller passages 90 in fluid communication with the working chamber 24 have diameters of about 0 . 089 inches . the axes of the three passages are substantially coplanar so that each will communicate with the duct 86 for a selected length of time as the piston assembly is rotated . each passage communicates with a threaded bore 92 which extends between the outer surface of the housing 22 and an angular seating surface 94 . a tube ( not shown ) having a conical fitting ( not shown ) secured to its end may be inserted with one of the threaded bores until the conical fitting contacts the seating surface 94 . the conical fitting is maintained in place by a lock screw 96 which is engaged by the threaded bore . the lock screw presses the conical fitting against the seating surface 94 to provide a fluid - tight seal . referring to fig1 , the hinge 32 connecting the two supports 28 , 30 defining the block 16 may comprise one or more hinge sections multiple sections , such as the two shown in this figure , provide greater flexibility than a continuous hinge extending entirely across the block . the side wall of the drive cylinder 66 may protrude through the space between the two hinge sections . the large cylindrical bore 33 , which extends through the block and terminates at the front wall 36 of projection 38 , has a diameter which is sufficiently larger than that of the drive cylinder 66 that the first support 28 will not engage it in any angular position with respect to the second support 30 . this bore 33 intersects the central portion of the hinge 32 , thereby producing the space between the originally continuous , integral , living hinge . as shown in fig2 and 10 the hinge 32 includes a pair of arcuate side walls . such side walls are provided to avoid sharp angles which could cause the block to crack upon the flexing of the hinge . a second embodiment 100 of the invention is shown in fig1 . the same numerals used in fig1 - 10 are used in this figure to designate the same or similar parts . the block 16 in this embodiment supports two pumping assemblies . the block includes a pair of first supports 28 , a second support 30 , and a pair of hinges 32 . each hinge 32 is connected to one of the first supports 28 so that they are pivotable independently from each other . different flow rates may accordingly be provided by each pumping assembly . the block - 6 is of integral construction ; and made from the same or similar material as that described above . it is apparent that the block 16 may be constructed so as to accommodate many pumping assemblies , each of them having an independently adjustable flow rate depending upon the angular orientation of the respective first supports 28 . the pump provided by the invention may be easily manufactured by virtue of the integral construction of the block 16 . the block may be extruded as an integral , elongate mass including a base portion , a top portion , and a hinge portion connecting the base portion to the top portion . one or more cuts are made through at least the top and hinge portions . if the mass is not cut completely through , a pump 100 as shown in fig1 may be provided where the top portion of the mass forms the first supports 28 while the base thereof forms the second support 30 . the pump 100 shown in fig1 may be cut into two halves by simply cutting through the second support 30 , thereby producing two pumps identical to that shown in fig1 . subsequent to extrusion and optional cutting , one or more relatively large bores are cut within the mass to accommodate the drive cylinders 66 . the housings 22 for the working chambers and other components may then be assembled to the block . in operation , the stroke of the piston assembly is adjusted by turning screws 34 to a position where the front support 28 of the block 16 is at a selected angular orientation with respect to the second support portion 30 thereof . the piston assembly will be caused to reciprocate upon rotation of the motor shaft 14 unless the front and rear support portions of the block 16 are parallel to each other . when in the pumping mode , the rotation of the motor shaft causes rotation of the cylinder 66 secured thereto . the piston assembly 80 , being connected to the cylinder 66 by the fitting 76 and connecting rod 78 , rotates about its axis at the same time it is caused to reciprocate . the angular orientation of the front portion 28 of the block , and therefore the working chamber 24 , with respect to the rear portion 30 of the block , causes the rotation of the fitting 76 , and therefore the piston assembly to be eccentric with respect to the working chamber . this causes the combined rotational and reciprocal motion of the piston member 82 within the working chamber 24 . the housing 22 is oriented with respect to the block such that the piston member 82 will be moving in a first axial direction as the duct 86 communicates with the largest of the three passages and in an opposite direction as it moves into communication with the smaller passages 90 . for example , if the relatively large passage 88 were to be used as an inflow passage , and the smaller passages were to be used for fluid outflow , the piston assembly would move inwardly as the duct communicates with the larger passage . suction would be created , and fluid would be drawn into the channel and working chamber . the smaller passages 90 would be sealed by the cylindrical outer surface of the piston member 82 during this phase . as the piston assembly would continues to rotate , it would eventually start moving in the opposite axial direction , i . e . towards the closure 26 . the duct would communicate with one of the smaller passages , and then the other , during this pumping phase , thereby moving fluid from the working chamber , through the duct , and into the respective passages . the larger passage 88 would be closed at this time . to reverse the action of the pump , the first support portion 28 of the block 16 would simply have to be pivoted about the hinge 32 to an opposite angular orientation . in order to avoid undue strain upon the pump , the length and width of the duct 86 , and the diameters and positions of the three passages 88 , 90 are constructed such that the duct is substantially always in fluid communication with one of the three passages regardless of the axial or rotational position of the piston assembly 80 . the stroke of the piston assembly should be less than the length of the duct . while the pump shown in the figures includes only three passages which communicate with the duct and working chamber , it will be appreciated that fewer or more passages may be provided at different radial positions to provide different inflow or outflow capabilities . the diameters of the respective passages may also be modified if unequal flows are desired . in accordance with the pump as illustrated , the relatively large passage 88 is in fluid communication with the duct over about one hundred eighty degrees of rotation of the piston assembly 80 . the second and third passages , which have the same diameter , each communicate with the duct over about ninety degrees of rotation apiece . the piston member 82 moves in one axial direction as the duct communicates with the first passage 88 . it moves in the opposite axial direction when communicating with the other two passages 90 . both the passages and the duct form relatively sharp corners with respect to the working chamber to insure the precise control of fluid flow within the pump . although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments , and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention .

US-64390391-A

a method for analyzing data from a database using an analytic database function includes receiving a selection of measured items from a user , receiving a placement item from the user , and determining a partitioning of the selection of measured items from the placement item . a placement item can be a column , a row , or an axis . a template associated with the analytic database function is adapted to define at least one partitioning relative to the placement item . the template is further adapted to define an ordering parameter for the analytic database function and optionally an aggregation level for the analytic database function . a database query is created with the partitioning . the database query can be an sql statement .

an embodiment of the present invention takes into account the layout of a sheet to form the sql statements associated with cells . in this embodiment , these sql statements , referred to as layout aware calculations , inherit their partitioning from the layout of a sheet . as user rearrange the cells of a sheet , the layout is changed and the sql statements are updated appropriately . this enables the sql analytic functions associated with cells to produce valid data calculations that reflect the intent of the user . additionally , users are able to specify complex analytical functions merely by rearranging cells , without any knowledge of sql . fig1 is a block diagram of a system 100 for implementing an embodiment of the invention . system 100 includes user computers 105 , 110 , and 120 . user computers 105 , 110 , and 120 can be general purpose personal computers having web browser applications . alternatively , user computers 105 , 110 , and 120 can be any other electronic device , such as a thin - client computer , internet - enabled mobile telephone , or personal digital assistant , capable of displaying and navigating web pages or other types of electronic documents . although system 100 is shown with three user computers , any number of user computers can be supported . a web server 125 is used to process requests for web pages or other electronic documents from user computers 105 , 110 , and 120 . in an embodiment of the invention , the data analysis software operates within a web browser on a user computer . in this embodiment , all user interaction with the data analysis software is via web pages sent to user computers via the web server 125 . web application server 130 operates the data analysis software . in an embodiment , the web application server 130 is one or more general purpose computers capable of executing programs or scripts in response to the user computers 105 , 110 and 115 . the web application can be implemented as one or more scripts or programs written in any programming language , such as java ™, c , or c ++, or any scripting language , such as perl , python , or tcl . in an embodiment , the web application server 130 dynamically creates web pages for displaying the data analysis software . the web pages created by the web application server 130 are forwarded to the user computers via web server 125 . similarly , web server 125 receives web page requests and input data from the user computers 105 , 110 and 120 , and forwards the web page requests and input data to web application server 130 . the data analysis application on web application server 130 processes input data and user computer requests and can be stored or retrieved data from database 135 . database 135 stores data created and used by the enterprise . in an embodiment , the database 135 is a relational database , such as oracle 9 i , that is adapted to store , update , and retrieve data in response to sql format commands . an electronic communication network 120 enables communication between computers 105 , 110 , and 115 , web server 125 , web application server 130 , and database 135 . in an embodiment , network 120 may further include any form of electrical or optical communication devices , including wireless and wired networks . network 130 may also incorporate one or more local - area networks , such as an ethernet network ; wide - area networks , such as the internet ; and virtual networks , such as a virtual private network . the system 100 is one example for executing a data analysis software according to an embodiment of the invention . in another embodiment , web application server 130 , web server 125 , and optionally database 135 can be combined into a single server computer system . in alternate embodiment , all or a portion of the web application functions may be integrated into an application running on each of the user computers . for example , a java ™ or javascript ™ application on the user computer is used to retrieve or analyze data and display portions of the data analysis application . many sql analytic functions rely on an ordered set of rows . as part of the function syntax , users define partitions , which are subsets of the ordered set of rows . the partitioning of rows determines the inputs to an sql analytic function , and consequently , the output of the sql analytic function as well . previously , the partitioning of data for a sql analytic function is determined independently of the layout of the sheet and is fixed . because the partitioning of the sql analytic function is independent of the layout , as users change the layout , the partitioning no longer matches the layout , and the sql analytic function produces incorrect results . fig2 illustrates the partitioning of a set of rows for an analytical function . fig2 illustrates how a change in layout leads to incorrect results from an sql analytic function . example sheet 210 shows a layout for calculating the profit of a quarter in the previous year with the profit in the same quarter of the current year . the sql analytic function , “ lag ,” locates the appropriate profit values and displays the results in the “ lag by year ” column . in sheet 210 , the sql analytic function uses its partitions to define the location of its inputs . an example of an sql analytic function used in sheet 210 is “ lag ( profit sum , 1 ) over ( partition by quarter order by year ).” as discussed above , the data analysis software enables users to graphically manipulate the arrangement of cells on a sheet . in sheet 210 , for example , a user has added a new column for “ months .” in this example , sheet 210 displays profit values by quarter and month . because the position of cells has changed in sheet 210 from their original positions in sheet 205 , the “ lag ” function computes incorrect values in sheet 210 . for example , cell 215 displays the profit from the previous month of the same year , rather than the profit of the same month of the previous year . the example of fig2 illustrates how the addition of a column of information “ breaks ” previously implemented sql analytic functions . similar problems with sql analytic functions can result from many other modifications to a sheet , such as pivots , drills , or change in cell locations . to resolve these problems with sql analytic functions , an embodiment of the present invention specifies calculations in a way that they can inherit their partitioning from the layout of the sheet . as users change the layout , the partitioning of the sql analytic functions changes as well , so that the calculations remain correct . fig3 illustrates a sheet 300 having a layout aware calculation according to an embodiment of the invention . layout aware calculations are any calculations that inherit part of their semantic from the layout of a sheet . sql analytic functions are one class of calculations that can use layout aware calculations . any other functions that depend on the positioning of input can also use layout aware calculations . example sheet 300 shows a profit values for regions and for cities with in each region . for example , the “ east ” region includes the cities of “ boston ,” “ miami ,” and “ new york .” a detail item is defined as the lowest level of classification for a set of data values . in this example , the detail item on the y - axis is the “ city ” column 305 . as discussed below , the detail item is used to create a layout aware calculation . additionally , a layout aware calculation defines a measure item as the datapoint or measure that is being used for the calculation . in example sheet 300 , the measure item for the “ rank ” calculation is “ profit sum .” in this example , the rank calculation will rank cities or regions by the value of its “ profit sum .” the resulting rank calculation is displayed in the appropriate “ rank ” column in sheet 300 . in example sheet 300 , users may want to use the rank function to rank profit values either by individual city , by region , or by city within each region . this partitioning of the input data is determined by selecting a placement item . a placement item is used to define the partitioning , or “ bucketing ” of the analytic function , such as the rank function . in the example of sheet 300 , the region column 310 is selected as the placement item . as a result , the layout aware calculation computes the rank of each cities &# 39 ; profit within its region . for example , “ boston ” has a rank of “ 2 ” within the “ east ” region in the year 1900 , as shown in cell 315 . similarly , “ denver ” has a rank of “ 2 ” within the “ west ” region , as shown in cell 320 . alternatively , if the “ city ” column 305 had been selected as the placement item , then the cities would have been ranked against each other regardless of region . in this alternate example ( not shown in fig3 ), the cities of “ boston ” and “ denver ” would be ranked against each other , with “ boston ” having a rank of “ 3 ” and “ denver ” having a rank of “ 4 .” ( in this example , profits are ranked from lowest to highest ). the data analysis software uses the placement item to determine the appropriate partitioning of the measured items and formats the analytic function accordingly . in an embodiment , the data analysis software creates a sql statement defining the partitioning of the measured items , the desired analytic function or functions to be performed on the measured items , and the location of the cells containing the results of the function or functions . in an embodiment of the invention , a generic pseudo sql statement for defining a layout aware calculation looks like : compute & lt ; function & gt ; within & lt ; placement item & gt ; based on & lt ; measure item & gt ;[ at aggregation level & lt ; calculated item & gt ;] in this pseudo sql statement , the function can be any analytical function , such as rank , lag , or cumulative sum , and the other items are defined above . the optional “[ at aggregation level & lt ; calculated item & gt ;]” allows for the selection of a specific “ sublevel ” and is discussed in more detail below . for each analytic function , a function template is defined that determines the partition according to the placement item . table 1 illustrates example function templates for several analytic functions . in table 1 , the partition is selected according to the rule defined by the function template associated with an analytic function . in an embodiment , these function templates are built into the data analysis software and are based on generalizations of typical layouts associated with the usage of analytic functions . in an embodiment , the “ order by ” and “ partition by ” are parameters of analytic functions . for many types of analytic functions , such as cumulative sum and lag / lead , the placement item determines the value of the “ order by ” and “ partition by ” elements and use the measure item to determine the measure of the analytic functions . however , there may be exceptions to this , for example an embodiment of the rank function , which determines the “ order by ” parameter from the measure item . in this embodiment , the user directly selects whether items are ranked in ascending order or descending order . analytic functions can be constructed in a number of different ways by users . in an embodiment , the user can selects the placement item on a sheet . following the selection of the placement item , this embodiment of the data analysis software presents a window , dialog box , or other user interface element to the user that enables the user to specify the “ order by ” parameter . in a further embodiment , a set of alternate “ order by ” parameters are presented to the user in this window . the user selects one of the “ order by ” parameters . the data analysis software determines the set of alternate “ order by ” parameters from the function template . the following example illustrates the construction and operation of an analytic function according to an embodiment of the invention . assuming a layout as shown in sheet 300 of fig3 , a user may want to add a template calculation : “ cumulative sum ” within “ region ” based on “ profit sum ” applying the example templates defined in table 1 to the layout of fig3 , the following sql analytic function can be generated : table 2 illustrates a hypothetical database table associated with the layout sheet 300 of fig3 . applying the example generated sql analytic function to the database table of table 2 , the example sql analytic function partitions the database table by region , year combinations , as shown in table 3 . following the partitioning of the database table by region and year , the cells within each partition are sorted in the order of the ‘ order by ’ parameter , which in this example is city , so that within each partition the rows are cumulatively added up in the same order . the results of this sorting is shown in table 4 . fig4 a , 4 b , and 4 c illustrate the results of an example layout aware calculation in response to different placement items according to an embodiment of the invention . fig4 a illustrates example sheet 405 . on example sheet 405 , the “ rank ” columns , such as column 420 , use the rank analytic function . in conjunction with the rank function in column 420 , a user has selected the “ region ” column 410 as the placement item . in accordance with the function template associated with the rank function , the data analysis software partitions the measured items in the “ profit sum ” column of sheet 405 by region . in fig4 a , this partitioning is indicated by the alternating shaded regions . for example , partition 415 represents the “ profit sum ” in the “ east ” region , and partition 425 represents the “ profit sum ” in the “ west ” region . in response to the division of the measured items in this column into partitions 415 and 425 , the rank analytic function will rank cities within each region separately . fig4 b illustrates example sheet 430 . example sheet 430 also uses the rank function . on sheet 430 , the entire y - axis is selected as the placement item . in accordance with the function template associated with the rank function , the data analysis software creates a single partition of the measured items in each column , such as partition 435 . in response to the creation of a single partition of measured items in each column , the rank analytic function will rank all of the cities across all of the regions together . fig4 c illustrates example sheet 450 . like sheets 405 and 430 , sheet 450 also uses the rank function . on sheet 450 , the entire x - axis is selected as the placement item . in accordance with the function template associated with the rank function , the data analysis software creates a partition of the measured items in each row , such as partitions 455 and 460 . in response to the partitioning by row , the rank analytic function will rank the profits along the x - axis from each city separately . fig5 a and 5b illustrate different aggregation levels of the results of an example layout aware calculation according to an embodiment of the invention . the aggregation level is the level of classification used to compute the calculated items . as discussed above , the detail item is the lowest level of classification for a set of data values . some layouts can have one or more higher levels of classification . in the examples of fig4 a - 4c , data items can be classified by city , which is the detail item , or by region , which represents a higher level of classification . as shown in the pseudo sql statement above , the result of an analytic function can be affected by the choice of an aggregation level . for example , a rank function can be used to rank profits from cities within a region , or to rank regions based on their total profits . the user can select an aggregation level for a layout aware calculation . in one embodiment , the data analysis software presents a window or a dialog box to the user that enables the user to specify the aggregation level . this window is presented to the user following the selection of the placement item . in a further embodiment , the data analysis software presents a set of alternate aggregation levels to the user , from which the user selects the desired aggregation level . the data analysis software determines the set of alternate aggregation levels from the function template and the placement item . fig5 a illustrates an example sheet 505 using the city column 510 as the aggregation level . in sheet 505 , the rank function ranks cities within each region . fig5 b illustrates an example sheet 520 using the region column as the aggregation level . in sheet 520 , the rank function ranks regions based on their total profits . although the invention has been discussed with respect to specific embodiments thereof , these embodiments are merely illustrative , and not restrictive , of the invention . for example , although the invention is discussed with reference to sql analytic functions , the invention can be used to analyze data using any type of database function expressed in any format . thus , the scope of the invention is to be determined solely by the claims .

US-64139303-A

a process for forming a pattern film comprises irradating a predetermined area of a substrate with an ion beam while simultaneously having present a polymerizable or carbonizable organic compound to thereby polymerize or carbonize the compound upon the area , the compound having a vapor pressure at room temperature of 1 × 10 - 4 to 5 × 10 - 3 torr . the process is particularly suited for correcting so - called white - spot defects in the manufacture of photomasks .

referring to fig1 a support plate or substrate 1 of glass or the like has a pattern film 2 drawn thereon with chromium or other material . typical kinds of white - spot defects are represented by an area 31 where the pattern has been omitted , an interrupted area 32 and a pinhole area 33 . in this example , the area 31 is non - contiguous with the original pattern film 2 and the areas 32 and 33 are contiguous with the original pattern film 2 . these white - spot defects , which lead to undesired light transmission through the mask , must be corrected , i . e ., the light - transmitting areas need to be treated so that they become as opaque to light as the rest of pattern 2 . in fig2 a the areas of omission 31 is corrected in the manner now to be explained . the numeral 4 designates an ion - beam generator which comprises an ion source , such as a liquid metal ion source , and an ionic optical system for heating , polarizing , and focusing the ions generated by the source . the ion beam 5 produced by the source is used in scanning the area of omission 31 to effect ion irradiation at a constant rate . the numeral 6 designates a source which supplies a film - forming depositable material in the form of an organic compound . the source 6 includes a heater that controls the temperature of the source and thereby controls the quantity of vapor 7 of the organic compound to be delivered to the area 31 . in this case , the support plate or substrate 1 is at room temperature . the vapor stream 7 of the organic compound , the nature of which will be described later , is deposited predominantly on the support plate 1 . it is polymerized or carbonized by irradiation by means of the focused ion beam 5 . fig2 b shows a pattern film 8 formed in this way in the area of omission 31 . fig3 a illustrates a pattern film treated by the use of an organic compound having a vapor pressure of 1 × 10 - 4 torr or below at ordinary room temperature . in fig3 b is shown a pattern film treated with an organic compound having a room temperature vapor pressure in the range of 1 × 10 - 4 to 5 × 10 - 3 torr . the conditions employed in using beam 5 for irradiation , the condition of the support plate or substrate 1 and the vapor pressure of the organic compound used in the treatment shown in fig3 a are the same as those used in the treatment shown in fig3 b . in the case illustrated in fig3 a , the organic compound deposited on the support plate or substrate 1 forms an organic compound layer 9 because of its low evaporation rate . the portion of this organic compound layer 9 which is irradiated with the focused ion beam in the area 11 is reduced in thickness to a denser solid mass , which is lower in height than the original layer 9 , and is polymerized or carbonized to form the localized pattern film 8 . at the same time , areas 10 of incompletely polymerized or carbonized organic compound develop along the edges between the layer 9 of the organic compound and the pattern film 8 . these portions make microfine processing difficult or can become detached when the bond strength is insufficient , producing unwanted shadows or causing other problems in the subsequent stage of selective exposure of the pattern on a semiconductor wafer . in the example shown in fig3 b , the vapor 7 of an organic compound used in accordance with the invention and having a room - temperature vapor pressure in the range of 1 × 10 - 4 to 5 × 10 - 3 torr was directed against the surface . the organic compound used according to the present invention , delivered in vapor form onto a localized area of the support plate or substrate 1 , deposits on the surface , remains there for some time , and then evaporates . thus , while the irradiating focused ion beam 5 is scanning , a suitable amount of the organic compound vapor 7 is supplied , and it is polymerized or carbonized by the next scan of the beam . in this manner , the localized pattern film 8 grows to a desired thickness . outside the ion beam scanning area 11 at which the organic compound is also directed , vapor of the organic compound forms only a negligibly thin layer 9 of the organic compound . soon after the cutoff of the vapor supply , the layer 9 will evaporate essentially completely , leaving nothing to interfere with the formation of the pattern film . in the case of fig3 c , the organic compound evaporates immediately after deposition of the support plate 1 . consequently , the volume amount of the organic compound that deposits in the area 11 which is irradiated while the focused ion beam 5 is in its scanning run is too small to realize an adequate rate of film buildup to the desired thickness in the omitted area . in the one example depicted in fig3 c , acetylene was used and the pressure inside the organic gas nozzle was raised to 0 . 7 torr . however , ion beam irradiation for as long as 20 minutes did not impart appropriate light - blocking properties to the film . suitable examples of film - forming organic compounds suitable for use in accordance with the invention include tri - or tetracyclic aromatic compounds such as phenanthrene , pyrene , methylphenanthrene , fluoranthene , anthrone , and triphenylmethane . these organic compounds have vapor pressures at ordinary temperature in the range of 1 × 10 - 4 to 5 × 10 - 3 torr . moreover , they are free from metal , they are stable , and they are only slightly toxic . organic compounds other than the tri - and tetracyclic aromatic compounds and having molecular weights of 200 to 400 are also useful since their vapor pressures at ordinary temperature are between 1 × 10 - 4 and 5 × 10 - 3 torr . an example of a pattern film formed from pyrene , selected from among the kinds of organic compounds suitable for use in accordance with the present invention , will be described with reference to the illustrations in fig4 a and 4b . fig4 a shows an image obtained by light transmission through a sample based on a support plate of clear glass and having a pattern 20 made of a layer of chromium of about 800 å - thick drawn thereon yet to be formed with a pattern film in accordance with the invention . in fig4 b there is shown a localized pattern film area 20a which is formed according to the process of the invention , measuring 6 . 7 mm by 6 . 7 μm , on an exposed glass portion of the pattern plate shown in fig4 a which is 8 μm square in size . the focused ion beam used for irradiation was formed from ga + , the acceleration voltage was 20 kv , and the probe current 0 . 13 na . the organic compound used was pyrene which was heated to 80 ° c . the pattern film 20a thus formed was 1400 å thick and provided an adequate shield or block against light transmission , providing the pattern film with sharply defined edges . the rate of thickness buildup of the pattern film was 69 å / sec when 200 μm - long line scanning with the ga + beam was carried out at the acceleration voltage of 20 kv and with the probe current of 0 . 13 na . the pattern film widths were of the order of submicrons . thus according to the present invention , the original pattern 20 is selectively altered by the addition of the localized pattern film deposit 20a . the physical and chemical adhesion strengths of the deposited pattern film produced in this way are about the same as that of the chromium film , the adhesion of which is well known in the art . the thickness of the pattern film which provides an optical density of 2 . 8 was approximately 2000 å for visible light and below 1000 å for ultraviolet rays . under the aforedescribed film - forming conditions , therefore , it is possible to form a 200 μm - long , submicron - wide pattern film within 20 seconds by exposure of ultraviolet rays . the process of the invention for forming a pattern film in the foregoing way is particularly suited for producing microfine pattern films . it is also possible , of course , to form a larger area of pattern film at a faster rate by irradiation with a focused ion beam of a larger diameter with a higher probe current . as has been described in detail above , the present invention permits pattern film formation and localized alteration of pattern films in a single step that takes only a short period of time and makes possible microfine patterns of less than one micron in width . this makes possible a substantial reduction in the number of process steps or stages otherwise required . further advantages are the ease and which the organic compound is handled and the possibility of using an apparatus of simplified construction .

US-92182086-A

an adjustable and removable skimming assembly is provided for attaching to the bow of a watercraft . when mounted , the skimming assembly presents vertically orientated starboard , port and bow cages that house oil absorbent padding . the cages with the positioned pads are largely porous so that at slow watercraft velocities , the water flows through the pads but the oil is retained within the pads across a substantially horizontal plane . as the pads become oil saturated along this common plane , the vertical cages are adjusted to expose a section of the pad that is not saturated . this process is repeated until the entire pad surface is saturated . the resistance force created by the water against the starboard and port cages during movement is countered by a plurality of tethering cables extending from the structural members attached to the bow of the watercraft to the outer edges of the cages . the lengths of these cables are such that the port and starboard cages are swept forward from the bow cage to form an oblique u - shape . as the skimmer moves through the water , this cage positioning creates a capture zone for funneling floating debris and oil toward the center of the bow cage where it can be collected and removed by other means .

accordingly , the present invention is not to be construed as limited to the forms shown , which are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive . in reference to fig1 , the oil absorbent pads are contained within three cages , a starboard cage 1 , a bow cage 2 , and a port cage 3 . each cage is generally of rectangular shape having a height just larger than the absorbent pad being used . a commonly used absorbent pad is 24 inches wide by 96 inches long . the length of the cage can also be adjusted depending on the size of the watercraft and the available power for moving the cages through the water . the longer the length of the cage , the greater the drag force applied as the device moves through the water . shorter cage lengths may be used for smaller boats while larger cages may be used for larger watercraft such as barges . for watercraft in the 20 - 24 feet length size , an 8 feet cage width is preferred . each cage is comprised of back frame 4 and clamp frame 5 . spanning the inner cross section and attached to the back frame 4 is a rigid material that is porous to water yet provides enough structural strength to prevent bending under the force of water as it moves through the frame and to keep the absorbent pad in the substantially vertical position . in the inventor &# 39 ; s preferred embodiment , 10 - 12 gauge expanded metal grating is preferred . however , other materials such wire mesh , plastic grating and similar materials may be substituted . when being readied for operation , the oil absorbent pads are laid side by side against the span grating of the back frame 4 covering the cross section of the frame . the pads are then held in place by inserting a clamp frame 5 inside the back frame . the clamp frame 5 is of just slightly less length and width than the back frame 4 . in the preferred embodiment , each frame is fabricated from 1 ″ square aluminum tubing , which provides a good balance between cost , weight , corrosion resistance , and strength . other material having similar properties may be substituted . on top of the back frame &# 39 ; s top member are a plurality of rotating clamps 8 that are comprised of a base block attached to the frame member and a rotating tab held on one end to the base block and pivoting thereabout . the tab is longer than the depth of the frame and the base block is mounted flush with the forward face of the back frame . when the tab is rotated to the down position , the tab extends over the top member of the clamping frame preventing it from moving outward and effectively holding it in place . in continued reference to fig1 , each cage is position on a common horizontal plane by mounting to a pair of elevators 6 located one each on the port and starboard sides of the watercraft . each cage is attached to the front face of the elevators so that the top and bottom frame members are essentially on the same horizontal plane . this allows the oil / water interface to contact essentially the same vertical dimension on each pad placed within the cages . in the preferred embodiment , the elevators are made from 4 ″ aluminum “ u - channel ” which provides a good balance between cost , strength , corrosion resistance and weight . in the preferred embodiment , the flat backside of the “ u - channel ” is facing outward to provide a surface for attaching supports to hold the cages . each elevator 6 is held laterally in place by a guide channel 7 . in the preferred embodiment , the guide channel is made from “ c - channel ” so that it contains both sidewalls and forward walls to contain the elevator 6 yet allow vertical movement . the height of each elevator 6 is such that at its lowest elevation , the top of each cage is level with the surface of the water in which the device is being used . at the highest elevation , the cages are assessable by personnel on the watercraft so that saturated absorbent pads can be removed and fresh pads replaced . in continued reference to fig1 , a plurality of guide wires is shown that connect the each elevator to various points on the edges of the port and starboard cages . these guide wires provide a counteracting tension to the forces applied to the cages as the watercraft moves through the water . at the top of each elevator 6 is a guide wire base 17 . in the preferred embodiment , this base consists of a semi - circular loop welded to the back face of the elevator 6 . this provides a forward - facing ring to which one end of the guide wire cable is attached using common means such as u - bolts , ring clamps , cable hooks , snap - eye hooks , etc . each elevator has three primary guide wires . a top guide wire 12 attaches on one end to the top hole of the tri - hole adapter 9 and on the other end to the guide wire base 17 . the tri - hole adapter 9 is attached to the top outer frame member of the port and starboard cages . the tri - hole adapter 9 is essentially a vertical cross - shaped object attached on the bottom cross - member to the top frame member of the cage and provides to provide a top , forward and aft attachment point for the guide wires . the top guide wire 12 is attached on one end to the top hole of the tri - hole adapter 9 . the top cross guide wire 13 is attached on either the forward tri - hole adapter 9 . a bottom cross guide wire 14 can attach on one end to either to the outer bottom edge loop 11 or middle edge loop 10 . the other end of the bottom cross guide wire attaches to the elevator 6 on the opposite side of the port or starboard cage to which it attaches . attaching this guide wire to the middle edge loop 10 is adequate for most operations . however , for faster watercraft speeds , strong water currents , or other situations where elevated tension forces are applied to the cages operation , the bottom cross wire 14 can be attached to the bottom edge loop 11 . a fourth rear guide wire 15 attaches on one end to the aft hole of the tri - hole adapter 9 and on the other to an anchor point back on the either side of the watercraft . by detaching the top cross wire 13 and the bottom cross wire 14 from the elevator 6 and pulling on the rear guide wire 15 , each port and starboard cage assembly can be swung backwards to the port and starboard sides of the watercraft . personnel onboard the watercraft then has ready access to the cages to remove spent absorbent pads and replace them with fresh pads . the process is reversed to return the cages back to their working position . the bow cage 2 is accessible directly from bow of the watercraft . in continued reference to fig1 , a guide channel cross brace assembly 16 is shown to provide additional strength to the assembly to oppose torque forces applied to the assembly when in operation . this cross brace is comprised of a pair of tubular members extending across the span of the of the two guide channels 7 near the upper end of the guide channels . a plurality of shorter vertical tubular members is welded between the horizontal span members to further strengthen the cross brace assembly . the length of top cross wire 13 and the bottom cross wire 14 establish the angle the port and starboard cages make relative to the bow cage . in the preferred embodiment , the length of these wires is shortened to something less than the length that would allow all three cages to form a common vertical plane . as seen in fig1 , the shorter cross wire length results in the cages forming an oblique “ u - shaped ” capture zone when in operation . this oblique “ u - shape ” is preferred over a fully in - line cage position because clumps of floating oil that are caught by the moving watercraft are naturally funneled toward the center of the bow cage 2 by force of the water currents developed when the watercraft is moving forward with the device deployed . in an alternate embodiment , a separate capture container can be suspended out in front of and in the center of the bow cage . during watercraft movement , floating oil clumps and other solid debris within the capture zone move toward the center of the bow cage by water currents where they are trapped within the center container . when the oil absorbent pads are changed out , the center capture container can be emptied . in reference to fig2 , a port side view of a watercraft 20 is shown with the device attached to the bow and lowered into the water . it is understood that the descriptions set forth on fig2 are duplicated the starboard side cage . the rear guide wire 15 is shown attached on one end to the tri - hole adapter 9 and on the other end to a deck tie - down brace 21 . the primary purpose of the rear guide wire is both to prevent the cages from closing forward when the watercraft moves in a reverse direction and to give the operators a means to pull the side cages back to the boat deck so that they can be cleaned or have their oil pads changed . the device is attached to and supported on the bow of the boat by a base channel 28 that is attached on one end to the back side of the guide channel 7 and runs back along the top of the bow of the watercraft . in general , the weight of the device causes the base channel 28 to rest on the bow deck of the watercraft . however , when in motion , the device encounters additional torsional moments that would tend to oppose gravity and lift base channel off the deck surface . to counter these forces , a clamping means 22 is used to secure the aft end of the base channel 28 to the deck surface . other obvious means of attaching the base channel to the watercraft bow deck include directly bolting the base channel to the deck surface . however , part of the advantage of this device is its ability to work with a variety of recreational watercraft on a temporary basis to rapidly remediate a sudden surge of oil into an inland waterway . as such , a removable clamping means would be preferred to avoid permanently altering the watercraft &# 39 ; s deck . in continued reference to fig2 , the vertical orientation guide channel 7 and the horizontal orientation of the base channel 28 are reinforced by a channel brace 23 that attaches on one end to the base channel 28 and on the other to the guide channel 7 . a jack assembly is shown comprised of a cable spool crank 24 , an elevator cable 25 , a redirecting pulley 26 and a terminating ring 27 . the terminating ring 27 is a semi - circular loop attached to the inside surface of the elevator 6 channel near the bottom end . the elevator cable 25 is attached on one end to the terminating ring 27 , runs up through the guide channel 7 and over the pulley 26 , then is spooled around the cable crank 24 . as the arm of the cable spool crank is turned forward , a lifting force is applied to the elevator 6 , which moves the elevators and attached cages upward as the elevators telescope within the guide channel 7 . as the spool crank is turned backwards , gravity pulls the elevators and attached cages downward recessing the elevators back into the guide channels 7 . the primary purpose of the jack assembly is to allow the device operators to adjust the oil / water interface contact point on the oil absorbent pads in the cages . since the oil forms a thin sheen on top of the water , the pads typically only absorb the sheen at the interface point . to utilize more of the pads absorbing capacity , when the pad becomes saturated along one lateral portion , an unsaturated section of the same pad can be brought to the oil / water interface by lifting all of the cages with the jack assembly . in fig2 , a manually operated hand spool crank is shown . however , it is understood than any number of standard force actuators could be used such as motorized wenches , hydraulic linear actuators , or motorized or pneumatic rotary actuators . in reference to fig3 , a top plan view of the device is shown with the starboard 1 , bow 2 , and port 3 cages shown in the standard deployed position . in this view , the support base of the device on the bow of the watercraft can be more easily shown . the deck support base is essentially a rectangular shape formed by base channels 28 and 33 , and cross - brace channels 30 and 32 . in the preferred embodiment , wide steel u - channel is used with the flat side of the channel contacting the deck surface . other materials such as square tubing , plate steel , or c - channel could also be used . in reference to fig4 , a 3 - dimensional sectional view of the starboard side elevator 6 and guide channel 7 is shown in closer detail . the starboard cage is shown comprised of the back frame 4 , the back support mesh 1 , and the clamp frame 5 . it is understood that this description also applies to the part cage as well . along the inside edge of the back frame 4 , a pivot rod 41 is attached . a short section of the pivot rod 41 extends above and below the back frame . an upper 40 and lower 42 mounting brackets are attached to the forward face of the elevator . each mounting bracket is generally of an “ l - shape ” with the foot of the l welded to the forward face of the elevator . the remainder of the “ l - shape ” extends away from and toward the outside edge of the guide channel 7 where they engage both ends of the pivot rod 41 . the lower mounting bracket 42 has a hole of slightly larger diameter than the pivot rod 41 . during assembly of the device , the cage is lifted and the bottom extension of the pivot rod 41 is inserted into the hole on the lower mounting bracket . the upper mounting bracket 40 has a “ u - shaped ” opening in its tip for receiving the upper end of the pivot rod 41 instead of a hole as in the lower mounting bracket 42 . once the upper pivot rod projection is inserted into this u - shaped opening , a carter - key type pin is inserted across the mouth of the opening , thereby locking the pivot rod into the upper mounting bracket 41 . the secured cage is now capable of rotating about the pivot rod from a rear position against the side of the watercraft to a forward stowed position ( approximately 270 °). this pivot rod , lower hole and upper pin lock assembly allows the port and starboard cages to be readily removed for and transport and storage when not in use . in continued reference to fig4 , the guide channel 7 is shown as a standard type “ c - channel .” the elevator 6 is shown as a standard - type “ u - channel ” placed inside the guide channel 7 . the width of the foot of the mounting brackets 40 and 42 is just slightly less than the diameter of the opening of the guide channel . when welded to the face of the elevator 6 , these brackets are free to travel vertically as the elevator telescopes the guide channel 7 but prevents lateral movement of the cages as the mounting brackets contact the inside lips of the “ c - channel ” comprising the guide channel 7 . as probably best seen in fig1 , the upper outer edge of the back frame of the bow cage is attached to the underside of the upper mounting bracket by welding its back frame 4 directly thereto . the lower outside edge of the bow cage back frame is attached to the topside of the lower mounting bracket 42 . this attachment is identical on both sides of the bow cage 2 . when all three cages are attached to the upper and lower mounting brackets , all three cages can be simultaneously moved up or down by moving the elevator 6 up or down .

US-85269710-A

a hydrogen diffusion cell that is used to purify contaminated hydrogen gas . the hydrogen diffusion cell has a supply tube that supplies contaminated hydrogen gas into a confined area and a drain tube that removes contaminated hydrogen gas from the confined area . hydrogen permeable coils are disposed between the supply tube and the drain tube . the hydrogen permeable coils surround a perforated output tube that draws in any hydrogen gas that diffuses through the hydrogen permeable coils . the presence and position of the output tube prevent any significant lateral movement of hydrogen gas within the diffusion cell .

referring to fig1 a first exemplary embodiment of a hydrogen diffusion cell 10 is shown in accordance with the present invention . the diffusion cell 10 contains a supply tube 12 , a drain tube 14 and an output tube 15 . the supply tube 12 supplies unpurified hydrogen gas to the hydrogen diffusion cell 10 . the drain tube 14 removes the unused , unpurified hydrogen gas from the hydrogen diffusion cell 10 . the output tube 15 removes purified hydrogen gas from the hydrogen diffusion cell 10 . the supply tube 12 , drain tube 14 , and output tube 15 are all made of stainless steel or another inert high strength alloy . the supply tube 12 , drain tube 14 and output tube 15 all pass through an end cap plate 16 . the supply tube 12 , drain tube 14 and output tube 15 are welded to the end cap plate 16 at the points where they pass through the end cap plate 16 . to prevent stresses caused by expansion and contraction , the end cap plate 16 is preferably made of the same material , as is the supply tube 12 , drain tube 14 and output tube 15 . on the supply tube 12 is located a clustered set of brazing flanges 20 . each brazing flange 20 is a short segment of tubing that is welded to the supply tube 12 . the short segment of tubing is made of the same material as is the supply tube 12 . within each clustered set of brazing flanges 20 , each brazing flange 20 is a different distance from the end cap plate 16 . furthermore , each brazing flange 20 in the clustered set radially extends from the supply tube 12 at an angle different from that of any of the other brazing flanges 20 in that same clustered set . in the embodiment shown in fig1 there is only one clustered set of brazing flanges 20 on the supply tube 12 and that clustered set contains two brazing flanges 20 . such an embodiment is merely exemplary . as will later be explained , multiple clustered sets of brazing flanges 20 can be present on the supply tube 12 and any plurality of brazing flanges 20 can be contained within each clustered set . the drain tube 14 also contains clustered sets of brazing flanges 22 . the brazing flanges 22 are of the same construction as those on the supply tube 12 . the number of clustered sets of brazing flanges 22 on the drain tube 14 corresponds in number to the number of clustered sets of brazing flanges 20 present on the supply tube 12 . similarly , the number of brazing flanges 22 contained within each clustered set on the drain tube 14 correspond in number to the number of brazing flanges 20 in each clustered set on the supply tube 12 . a plurality of concentric coils 24 , 26 are provided . the concentric coils 24 , 26 are made from palladium or a palladium alloy . the process used to make the coils is the subject of co - pending u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 702 , 637 , entitled method and apparatus for winding thin walled tubing , the disclosure of which is incorporated into this specification by reference . the number of brazing flanges 20 , 22 in each clustered set corresponds in number to the number of coils 24 , 26 . one end of each coil 24 , 26 extends into a brazing flange 20 on the supply tube 12 . the opposite end of each coil 24 , 26 extends into a brazing flange 22 on the drain tube 14 . the concentric coils 24 , 26 have different diameters so that they can fit one inside another . furthermore , each coil has a slightly different length so that the ends of the coils align properly with the different brazing flanges 20 , 22 on the supply tube 12 and the drain tube 14 , respectively . in the embodiment of fig1 there are two coils 24 , 26 . as such , there are two brazing flanges 20 on the supply tube 12 and two brazing flanges 22 on the drain tube 14 . it will be understood that more than two concentric coils can be used . in any case , the number of supply brazing flanges 20 and drain brazing flanges 22 matches the number of coils used . the coils 24 , 26 have a nearly constant radius of curvature from one end to the other . as such , the coils 24 , 26 do not contain any natural stress concentration points that may prematurely crack as the coils 24 , 26 expand and contract . to further increase the reliability of the hydrogen diffusion cell 10 , the brazing flanges 20 on the supply tube 12 and the brazing flanges 22 on the drain tube 14 are treated . the brazing flanges 20 , 22 are chemically polished prior to brazing . such a preparation procedure produces high quality brazing connections that are much less likely to fail than brazing connections with untreated brazing flanges . the output tube 15 extends down the center of the hydrogen diffusion cell 10 . the coils 24 , 26 surround the output tube 15 . as such , the output tube 15 extends down the center of the concentrically disposed coils 24 , 26 . the length of the output tube 15 is at least as long as the length of the coils 24 , 25 . as such , the output tube is present along the entire length of the coils 24 , 26 . the output tube 15 is perforated along its length . the perforation enables purified hydrogen gas to pass into the output tube 15 . the holes 29 used to perforate the output tube 15 can have a constant diameter . however , in a preferred embodiment , the holes 29 increase in diameter along the length of the output tube 15 , as the output tube 15 extends away from the end cap plate 16 . in this manner , the draw of hydrogen gas into the output tube 15 through the various holes 29 remains relatively constant along the entire length of the output tube 15 . once the coils 24 , 26 placed around the output tube 15 and are attached to both the supply tube 12 and the drain tube 14 , the coils 24 , 26 are covered with a cylindrical casing 28 . the cylindrical casing 28 is welded closed at the end cap plate 16 , thereby completing the assembly . to utilize the hydrogen diffusion cell 10 , the cell 10 is heated . once at the proper temperature , contaminated hydrogen gas is fed into the supply tube 12 . the contaminated hydrogen gas fills the coils 24 , 26 . purified hydrogen gas permeates through the coils 24 , 26 and is collected in the cylindrical casing 28 . the purified hydrogen gas is drawn into the output tube 15 . the remainder of the contaminated hydrogen gas is drained through the drain tube 14 for reprocessing . since the output tube 15 is located in the center of the coils 24 , 25 , the flow of hydrogen gas from the coils 24 , 25 to the output tube 15 does not act to laterally deform the coils 24 , 25 . rather , the flow of the hydrogen gas merely acts to move the coils radially inwardly . the shape of the coils 24 , 25 naturally resist this force and the coils 24 , 25 remain undeformed by the flow of hydrogen . referring to fig2 an alternate embodiment of a hydrogen diffusion cell 30 is shown . in this embodiment , there are multiple clusters of brazing flanges 32 on both the supply tube 34 and the drain tube 36 . for each cluster of brazing flanges 32 , there is a set of concentric coils . in the shown embodiment , there are three clusters of supply brazing flanges 32 and three clusters of drain blazing flanges ( not shown ). accordingly , there are supplied three separate sets of concentric tubes 37 , 38 , 39 . each set of concentric tubes 37 , 38 , 39 consists of multiple tubes of different diameters . the ends of the tubes are brazed to the corresponding clusters of supply brazing flanges 32 and drain brazing flanges . the coils within the hydrogen diffusion cell 30 have a combined length l , however , no one coil in the hydrogen diffusion cell 30 extends across that length . since shorter coils are used in series , the amount of expansion and contraction experienced by any one coil is minimized . however , the effective combined length of the various coils can be made to any length . a single output tube 40 is used in the hydrogen diffusion cell 30 . the output tube 40 has a length at least as long as the combined length l of the coil sets in the diffusion cell . the output tube 40 is perforated to receive the purified hydrogen gas emitted by the various coils . the holes 42 that create the perforations can be calibrated to create an even intake flow rate along the entire length of the output tube 40 . to help even out the intake flow of gas along the length of the output tube 40 , baffle plates 44 can be placed in the hydrogen diffusion cell 30 in between different sets of concentric coils 37 , 38 , 39 . the baffle plates 44 can be solid obstructions . however , the baffle plates 44 are preferably partial obstructions that inhibit , but do not prevent the lateral flow of hydrogen gas outside the various sets of coils 37 , 38 , 39 in the hydrogen diffusion cell 30 . the baffle plates 44 serve multiple functions . first , the baffle plates 44 help prevent hydrogen gas from flowing toward one end of the hydrogen diffusion cell 30 . additionally , the baffle plates help the output tube 40 receive the purified hydrogen gas with a minimal lateral movement of the hydrogen gas around the various sets of coils 37 , 38 , 39 . second , the baffle plates 44 reinforce the position and orientation of the supply tube 34 , the drain tube 36 and the output tube 40 . in this manner , the supply tube 34 , drain tube 36 and output tube 40 are less likely to vibrate . this minimizes stress on these components and the coils that are supported by these components . the use of three separate sets of coils 37 , 38 , 39 in the embodiment of fig2 is merely exemplary and it will be understood that any number of sets can be used . furthermore , each set of coils can contain any number of concentric coils depending upon the design requirements of the hydrogen diffusion cell 30 . there are many variations to the present invention device that can be made . for instance , the length and diameter of the coils , supply tube , drain tube and / or output tube can be changed . the number of sets of concentric coils and baffle plates can be changed . it will therefore be understood that a person skilled in the art can make numerous alterations and modifications to the shown embodiments utilizing functionally equivalent components to those shown and described . all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims .

US-5393602-A

an exhaust gas purifying system of the type utilizing a three - way catalyst containing an oxygen storage material includes an electronic control unit for controlling the amount of secondary air supplied to the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine . the electronic control unit receives a signal from an exhaust air - fuel ratio sensor indicative of an air - fuel ratio of the exhaust gases and provides a pulse signal to an electromagnetic valve disposed in the passage of the secondary air leading to the upstream of the three - way catalyst . the amount of secondary air supplied to the exhaust system is controlled such that the resultant exhaust gases having an exhaust air - fuel ratio greater than the stoichiometric ratio and those having an exhaust air - fuel ratio smaller than the stoichiometric ratio are alternately supplied to the three - way catalyst thereby to achieve the average exhaust air - fuel ratio to fall within the optimum purifying conditions of the three - way catalyst .

the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments . referring first to fig2 showing the general construction of an embodiment of the invention , an internal combustion engine 1 is an ordinary four - cycle reciprocating engine , and the mixture produced in a carburetor 2 is supplied to the engine 1 by way of an intake manifold 3 . the exhaust gases resulting from the burning of the mixture are discharged into an exhaust manifold 4 and an exhaust pipe 5 , and the exhaust gases are discharged to the atmosphere after the noxious components , such as , no x , co and hc have been removed by a three - way catalyst containing an oxygen storage material , e . g ., cerium oxide ( c 2 o ). the carburetor 2 is of the ordinary type having a venturi 7 and a throttle valve 8 and it is adjusted to produce a mixture richer than the stoichiometric air - fuel ratio . an air - fuel ratio sensor 10 mounted in the exhaust pipe 5 downstream of the three - way catalyst 6 is designed to detect the exhaust gas components , particularly the oxygen content and generate an electric signal in accordance with the exhaust air - fuel ratio closely related to the oxygen content . sensor 10 suitably comprises a detecting element employing , as a principal component , an oxygen ion conductive solid electrolyte , such as , zirconia ( zro 2 ) or semiconducting metal oxide , such as , titania ( tio 2 ). where the detector uses zirconia , for example , the detector generates an electromotive force in the range 1000 to 800 mv when the exhaust air - fuel ratio is richer than the stoichiometric ratio , and the detector generates an electromotive force in the range 200 to 0 mv when the exhaust airfuel ratio is leaner than the stoichiometric ratio . an engine speed sensor 11 generates an electric signal in response to the rotational speed of the crankshaft of the engine 1 . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention engine speed sensor 11 comprises the ignition distributor which generates a pulse signal having a frequency proportional to the engine speed . in this embodiment , there is a functional relation between the engine speed and the delay time of the control system as shown in fig3 and the engine speed sensor 11 constitutes a performance characteristic sensor for the engine 1 . a secondary air supply unit 12 comprises an air pump 13 , secondary air supply pipes 14 and 15 , a control valve 16 , a check valve 17 , a secondary air injection nozzle 18 , a vacuum delivery pipe 19 and an electromagnetic valve 20 . the air pump 13 is of the vane type or the diaphragm type and is driven from the engine 1 by means of a v - belt . secondary air is delivered under pressure from the air pump 13 through the air cleaner , the secondary air supply pipes 14 and 15 , the control valve 16 and the check valve 17 to the injection nozzle 18 which in turn injects the secondary air into the exhaust pipe 5 . the control valve 16 is of the ordinary diaphragm type which is operable in response to the intake vacuum , so that when the intake vacuum is introduced into a pressure chamber 16a through the pipe 19 , a needle 16b is opened in response to the magnitude of the intake vacuum and the secondary air allowed to escape to the atmosphere . when the atmospheric pressure is introduced into the pressure chamber 16a , the needle 16b is closed and the secondary air is supplied to the injection nozzle 18 . the electromagnetic valve 20 is connected to the pipe 19 to control the intake vacuum applied to the pressure chamber 16a , so that when it is closed , the intake vacuum is introduced into the pressure chamber 16a , and when it is opened the intake vacuum is allowed to escape into the atmosphere . in this way , when the electromagnetic valve 20 is opened , the secondary air is supplied into the exhaust gases in accordance with the intake vacuum or the intake air quantity , and when the electromagnetic valve 20 is closed the supply of the secondary air is practically stopped . in this embodiment , the rate of supply of secondary air is preset so that the exhaust air - fuel ratio is caused to alternately become greater and smaller than a specific reference value in response to the supply of secondary air . an electronic control unit 22 receives as its input signals the output signals of the air - fuel ratio sensor 10 and the engine speed sensor 11 , so that in response to these input signals , a signal having a variable duty cycle and frequency is generated . the variable duty cycle signal is applied to the electromagnetic valve 20 for feedback compensating the exhaust air - fuel ratio , thus controlling the on - off operations of the electromagnetic valve 20 and thereby controlling the average value of the exhaust air - fuel ratios to attain the stoichiometric ratio corresponding to the optimum purification condition . the electronic control unit 22 is connected to a dc power source 24 , e . g ., the battery through an ignition key switch 23 of the engine 1 . next , the electronic control unit 22 will be described in detail with reference to fig4 . the electronic control unit 22 comprises a comparison circuit 22a , a first integrator circuit 22b , a converter circuit 22c , a second integrator circuit 22d , a pulse width modulator circuit 22e and a constant voltage circuit 22f . the comparison circuit 22a is a circuit which compares the output signal of the air - fuel ratio sensor 10 with a preset value to discriminate whether the output signal is greater than the preset valve . comparison circuit 22a suitably comprises an input resistor 101 , voltage dividing resistors 102 and 103 for generating a voltage corresponding to the preset value , and a comparator 104 . thus , when the exhaust air - fuel ratio is richer ( smaller ) than a preset air - fuel ratio , the output at a terminal a goes to a &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level , and the output at the terminal a goes to a &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level when the exhaust air - fuel ratio is leaner ( larger ) than the preset air - fuel ratio . the first integrator circuit 22b is a circuit which receives and integrates the output signal of the comparison circuit 22a to generate an integration signal of a fixed time constant . first integrator circuit 22b comprises an inverter 105 , resistors 106 and 107 and a capacitor 112 for presetting the time constant of the integration signal , analog switches 108 and 109 for respectively connecting and disconnecting the resistors 106 and 107 , an operational amplifier 113 and voltage dividing resistors 110 and 111 for determining a central operating point of the integration signal . in this embodiment , the resistance values are selected so that the resistor 106 is equivalent to the resistor 107 and the resistor 110 is equivalent to the resistor 111 . thus , when the output of the comparison circuit 22a goes to the &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level , the analog switch 108 is turned on and the analog switch 109 is turned off , with the result that the operational amplifier 113 comes into operation with the time constant preset by the resistor 106 and the capacitor 112 and the output at a terminal b decreases . conversely , when the output of the comparison circuit 22a changes from the &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level to the &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level as shown by the broken line a 1 or a 2 in fig5 the analog switch 109 is turned on and the analog switch 108 is turned off , with the result that the operational amplifier 113 comes into operation with the time constant preset by the resistor 107 and the capacitor 112 and the output at the terminal b increases . thus , the output at the terminal b has a sawtooth waveform as shown by the broken line b 1 or b 2 in fig5 . the converter circuit 22c is a circuit which receives the pulse signal from the engine speed sensor 11 to generate a pulse signal having a frequency corresponding to the input pulse signal , and it comprises a waveform reshaping circuit including resistors 114 , 115 and 119 , capacitors 116 and 117 and a transistor 118 and a frequency divider circuit 120 including a binary counter . the signal from the engine speed sensor 11 is reshaped into a rectangular pulse signal by the waveform reshaping circuit . the rectangular pulse signal is divided to a desired frequency by the frequency divider circuit 120 which also adjusts the duty cycle to 50 %. the second integrator circuit 22d is a circuit which is similar to the first integrator circuit 22b , namely , it receives and integrates the output signal of the converter circuit 22c to generate an integration signal with a fixed time constant . second integrator circuit 22b comprises an inverter 121 , resistors 122 and 123 and a capacitor 128 for presetting the time constant of the integration signal , analog switches 124 and 125 for respectively connecting and disconnecting the resistors 122 and 123 , an operational amplifier 129 and resistors 126 and 127 for determining the central operating point of the integration signal . in this embodiment , the resistance values are preset so that the resistor 122 is equivalent to the resistor 123 and the resistor 126 is equivalent to the resistor 127 . thus , when the output of the converter circuit 22c goes to the &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level , the analog switch 124 is turned on and the analog switch 125 is turned off , with the result that the operational amplifier 129 comes into operation with the time constant determined by the resistor 122 and the capacitor 128 and the output at a terminal c decreases . conversely , when the output of the converter circuit 22c goes from the &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level to the &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level , the analog switch 125 is turned on and the analog switch 124 is turned off , with the result that the operational amplifier 129 comes into operation with the time constant determined by the resistor 123 and the capacitor 128 and the output at the terminal c increases . in this way , the output at the terminal c takes the form of a sawtooth waveform with a short period as shown by the broken line c 1 or c 2 in fig5 . in other words , at the terminal c is generated a sawtooth waveform whose frequency and amplitude are varied in accordance with the engine rotational speed which is one of the performance characteristics of the engine 1 . the pulse width modulator circuit 22e is a circuit whereby the output signals of the first and second integrator circuits 22b and 22d are subjected to pulse modulation . the on - off operation of the electromagnetic valve 20 is controlled by the resulting modulated signal . pulse width modulator circuit 22e comprises input resistors 130 and 131 , a comparator 132 , diodes 133 , 134 and 136 , a resistor 135 and a transistor 137 . the output signal of the first integrator circuit 22b is applied to the inverting input terminal of the comparator 132 whose noninverting input terminal receives the output signal of the second integrator circuit 22d . the output of the comparator 132 at its output terminal d has a waveform as shown by the broken line d 1 or d 2 in fig5 so that when the output goes to the &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level , the transistor 137 is turned on and the electromagnetic valve 20 is opened , whereas when the output goes to the &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level , the transistor 137 is turned off and the electromagnetic valve 20 is closed . the constant voltage circuit 22f comprises a voltage regulator 138 and capacitors 139 and 140 , and controls the voltage from the dc power source 24 to a constant voltage and applies it to the individual circuits . with the construction described above , the carburetor 2 supplies to the engine 1 a mixture which is richer than the stoichiometric air - fuel ratio , and the engine 1 discharges the exhaust gases having the low oxygen content . this oxygen content is detected by the air - fuel ratio sensor 10 mounted in the exhaust pipe 5 , and consequently the comparison circuit 22a of the electronic control circuit 22 generates a &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level signal . the output of the comparator 132 in the pulse width modulator circuit 22e takes the form of a signal ( control pulses ) whose duty cycle increases gradually as shown by the waveform d 1 or d 2 in fig5 and consequently the duration of opening of the electromagnetic valve 20 is increased with time . as a result , the control valve 16 tends to close so that the amount of the secondary air permitted to escape is reduced and the supply of the secondary air into the exhaust pipe 5 is increased , thus increasing the exhaust air - fuel ratio . when the exhaust air - fuel ratio is increased , this is detected by the air - fuel ratio detector 10 , and consequently the comparison circuit 22a of the electronic control unit 22 generates a &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level signal . when this occurs , comparator 132 of the pulse width modulator circuit 22e generates an output signal ( control pulses ) whose duty cycle is gradually decreased as shown in the middle portion of the waveform d 1 in fig1 and the duration of closing of the electromagnetic valve 20 is increased with time . as a result , the intake vacuum is introduced into the pressure chamber 16a and the control valve 16 is operated in a direction which opens it , thus increasing the amount of the secondary air permitted to escape and thereby decreasing the amount of the secondary air supplied into the exhaust pipe 5 . in this way , the exhaust gases with a small exhaust air - fuel ratio and the exhaust gases with a large exhaust air - fuel ratio alternately flow into the three - way catalyst 6 , that is , the exhaust gases flow into the three - way catalyst 6 , namely , the exhaust gases flow into the three - way catalyst 6 whose exhaust air - fuel ratio varies about the stoichiometric ratio by an amount greater than ± 0 . 5 and at a certain frequency . fig6 shows the variations of the exhaust air - fuel ratio at the frequencies of 4 hz and 7 hz , respectively . in fig6 the solid lines indicate the variations measured at the inlet of the three - way catalyst 6 , and the dotted lines indicate those measured at the outlet of the three - way catalyst 6 . in fig6 it is the mixing in the catalyst bed that causes the amount of variation of the exhaust air - fuel ratio at the inlet of the three - way catalyst to differ from that at the outlet of the three - way catalyst . in the oxidation atmosphere with a large exhaust air - fuel ratio , oxygen ( o 2 ) is adsorbed into the catalyst in a microscopic sense so that a reducing atmosphere is produced on the catalyst surface and the purifying efficiency of no x is enhanced . on the other hand , in the reducing atmosphere with a small exhaust air - fuel ratio , oxidation reaction occurs between the o 2 adsorbed in the catalyst and co and hc in the exhaust gases , and the purification efficiency of co and hc is enhanced . these are shown in fig7 in which the solid lines indicate the purification performance of the three - way catalyst used in the system of this embodiment , and the dotted lines indicate the purification performance of the three - way catalyst in the prior art system . as will be seen from fig7 the purification percentages of the system of this embodiment deteriorate somewhat as compared with those of the prior art system when the average exhaust air - fuel ratio is at around the stoichiometric ratio . however the average exhaust gas air - fuel ratio is greater ( leaner ) or smaller ( richer ) than the stoichiometric ratio , the purification percentages are enhanced as compared with those of the prior art system , thus increasing the range in which high purification percentages can be maintained . thus , the degree of freedom of the system is increased making it possible to always operate the three - way catalyst 6 in the high purification percentage area . also the experiments conducted have shown that in order that the oxygen adsorption action may be effected satisfactorily , it is desirable that the amount of variation of air - fuel ratio to each side of the stoichiometric ratio be greater than ± 0 . 5 for the exhaust gases with smaller air - fuel ratios and the exhaust gases with greater air - fuel ratios at the inlet of the three - way catalyst 6 . as a result , it is necessary to either reduce the distance from the opening of the injection nozzle 18 to the inlet of the three - way catalyst 6 to prevent the amount of variation of the air - fuel ratio due to the mixing ; or to preset the air - fuel ratio of mixture or the ratio of the secondary air quantity to the intake air quantity in consideration of reduction in the variation of the air - fuel ratio due to the mixing . when the rotational speed of the engine 1 is low , the frequency of the output pulse signal of the converter circuit 22c is low , and consequently the second integrator circuit 22d adapted for integrating the pulse signal generates a sawtooth waveform having a high amplitude and a low frequency as shown by the waveform c 2 in fig5 . also in this case , the flow rate of the exhaust gases is decreased and the delay time of the control system is increased , with the result that the period of changes in the output of the air - fuel ratio sensor 10 is increased and the first integrator circuit 22b generates a sawtooth waveform as shown by the waveform b 2 in fig5 . the sawtooth waveforms shown by the waveforms b 2 and c 2 are applied to the pulse width modulator circuit 22c which in turn generates a pulse signal whose duty cycle is varied slowly . that , as shown in waveform d 2 the rate of change of the duty cycle of the pulse signal is low . when the rotational speed of the engine 1 increases , the frequency of the output pulse signal of the converter circuit 22c increases . the second integrator circuit 22d generates a sawtooth waveform whose amplitude decreases in inverse proportion to the engine speed and whose frequency increases in proportion to the engine speed as shown by the waveform c 1 in fig5 . in this case , the flow rate of the exhaust gases increases and the delay time of the control system decreases . accordingly , the output of the air - fuel ratio sensor 10 changes at a shorter period and the first integrator circuit 22b generates a sawtooth waveform as shown by the waveform b 1 in fig5 . the sawtooth waveforms shown by the waveforms b 1 and c 1 are applied to the pulse width modulator circuit 22e , which in turn generates a pulse signal whose duty cycle varies rapidly , that is , the rate of change of the duty cycle the pulse signal shown in the waveform d 1 is high . in this way , the rate of change of the duty cycle of the pulses for controlling the electromagnetic valve 20 is compensated in response to the rotational speed of the engine 1 , namely , the low rate of change of the duty cycle means that the rate of change in the duration of opening or closing of the electromagnetic valve 20 is low , and the high rate of change of the duty cycle means that the rate of change in the duration of opening or closing of the valve is high . when the intake vacuum of the engine 1 is constant and the rate of change of the duty cycle is high , the speed of variation of the vacuum signal for controlling the opening and closing of the control valve 16 is also increased with the resulting increase in the speed at which the supply of secondary air is compensated . conversely , when the rate of change of the duty cycle is low , the speed of compensating the supply of secondary air is decreased . thus , even if the rotational speed of the engine 1 is decreased and the system delay time is increased , the rate of change in the duty cycle of the pulse signal for controlling the electromagnetic valve 20 is decreased . the speed of compensating the supply of secondary air is also decreased , thus maintaining the variations of the exhaust air - fuel ratio within a predetermined range irrespective of the system delay time . thus , it is possible to provide control so that the amount of variation of the exhaust air - fuel ratio is prevented from becoming excessively large under low load and speed conditions of the engine 1 , and the amount of variation of the exhaust air - fuel ratio is prevented from becoming excessively small under high load and speed conditions of the engine 1 , thus allowing the three - way catalyst to effectively perform the oxygen adsorption and discharging action . in this case , if the stroke of the needle 16b is preset in relation to the intake vacuum introduced into the pressure chamber 16a , as shown in fig8 the operating speed will be affected by the intake vacuum . consequently from the standpoint of keeping the exhaust air - fuel ratios within a predetermined range against variations of the engine speed and intake vacuum , it is desirable to modify the shape of the valve seat associated with the needle 16b and preset the resulting opening area as shown in fig9 so that the rate of change of the opening area is decreased when the intake vacuum is high , and the rate of change of the opening area is increased when the intake vacuum is low . further , while , in the embodiment described above , the intake vacuum applied to the control valve 16 is controlled by the electromagnetic valve 20 so as to control the supply of secondary air , as shown in fig1 illustrating the principal part of a second embodiment of the invention , an electromagnetic valve 20 &# 39 ; may be mounted in the secondary air supply pipe 15 to allow the secondary air to escape to the atmosphere therethrough and thereby to control the rate of supply of the secondary air . further , while the engine speed sensor 11 is used as a performance characteristic sensor for the engine 1 which is related to the system delay time , of the engine operation , it is also possible to use any of other sensors adapted to detect operational factors , such as the intake vacuum , throttle opening , intake air flow , exhaust gas flow rate and the like as a function of delay time of the engine operation . still further , while it is so arranged that the ignition signal is subjected to waveform reshaping and frequency division in the conversion circuit 22c and the resulting divided signal is applied to the second integrator circuit 22d , it is only necessary to arrange so that the amounts of modulation of the amplitude and frequency of the sawtooth waveform correspond to the system delay time characteristic of an engine , and consequently a smoothing circuit and a v - f converter circuit may be used in place of the frequency divider circuit and these circuits may be adjusted in such a manner that any desired amount of modulation is obtained with respect to the amount of modulation a of the frequency divided signal and the resulting output becomes as shown by the straight line b in fig1 , thus ensuring the maximum conformity .

US-86831378-A

a kit for covering a load comprising : a cargo cover ; a deployment means comprising a base sheet for containing the cargo cover prior to covering the load , the base sheet comprising releasable securement means for securing it around the cargo cover ; and a plurality of cargo cover deployment straps .

referring firstly to fig1 , this shows a plan view of a base sheet 2 of a deployment means . the base sheet 2 is made from a plastics material , such as polyethylene , which could be the same material as the material of a cargo cover it is intended to contain , or it could be a different material . the base sheet 2 can be single ply , double ply , or multi - ply , with insulation material provide between the layers if desired . alternatively , the base sheet 2 can be formed from any suitable fabric material . the base sheet 2 will either be removed before transportation of the load , or it will sit under the cargo cover 10 . it does not need to meet any particular fire safety requirements . however , it is preferred that the base sheet 2 is made from a fire resistant material , so as not to contribute to a cargo fire , or to provide additional fire protection to the roof of a fire containment cover . the base sheet 2 is preferably made from a light - weight , durable material which is strong enough to contain the cargo cover 10 in normal usage , but does not substantially increase the weight of a load . the base sheet 2 is rectangular in shape , although other shapes are possible , as will be appreciated by the skilled person . the short sides of the base sheet 2 are each provided with one half of a releasable securement means 4 . the releasable securement means comprises a hook and loop fastening , with a hook member 4 a being provided along an edge of one short side and a corresponding loop member 4 b being provided along an edge of the opposite short side . the hook and loop fastening 4 a , 4 b must be strong enough to secure the base sheet 2 around a cargo cover in normal use , but it must also be selected such that may be manually detached by a user , or users , when desired . in alternative embodiments of the invention additional securement means may be provided , e . g . quick release clips , which need to be manually undone prior to use . in yet further embodiments some of the securement means may be lockable to prevent theft or tampering during storage or transportation . positioning straps 6 , 8 are attached to the underside of the base sheet 2 . the positioning straps 6 , 8 are formed from a webbing material of polyester or nylon , and are preferably made from a fire resistant material . the positioning straps 6 , 8 are permanently attached to the base sheet 2 by stitching 11 , or any other suitable means . in an alternative embodiment of the present invention the positioning straps 6 , 8 may be releasably connectable to the base sheet 2 , for example using snap hooks and complementary fittings on the base sheet 2 . the positioning straps 6 , 8 are attached at attachment points , which are towards a centre line of the base sheet 2 , midway between the two short sides . the positioning straps 6 , 8 are coloured coded to aid identification and prevent cross over of the positioning straps 6 , 8 during use . the positioning straps 6 a , 8 a on the left hand side of the base sheet 2 are differently coloured to the positioning straps 6 b , 8 b on the right hand side . this enables quick and easy identification of the positioning straps 6 , 8 by cargo handlers — which is particularly important on large loads where the cargo handlers may not be able to see the base sheet 2 when it is on top of the load . the use of the positioning straps 6 , 8 will be described in more detail in relation to fig2 - 6 . fig2 shows a perspective view of a cargo cover 10 loaded on to the base sheet 2 . the cargo cover 10 has been folded prior to loading on to the base sheet 2 . the cargo cover 10 can be folded in a variety of ways , but it is preferably folded in such a way that it can be easily deployed over a load when required . if the cargo cover 10 has a cargo net attached then it is preferably folded in such a way that the cargo net does not protrude from the folded cargo cover 10 . in order to fold the cargo cover 10 it is laid out as flat as possible and the bottom edges of the wing panels are folded inwards . once the cargo cover 10 has been folded to a suitably small size , which depends on the size of the cargo cover 10 , the size of the base sheet 2 and the size of the load , it is loaded on to the base sheet 2 . the cargo cover 10 is made from a fire resistant material . cargo cover deployment straps 12 , 14 are releasably attached to the cargo cover 10 . the deployment straps 12 , 14 are formed from a braided rope made from polyester or nylon which is attached to the cargo cover 10 by means of snap hooks ( not shown ). the cargo cover deployment straps 12 , 14 are made from a fire resistant material . the snap hooks are attached to webbing loops at the bottom corners of the cargo cover 10 . alternatively , the deployment straps 12 , 14 could be attached to any suitable existing feature on the cargo cover 10 . alternatively , in the case where the cargo cover 10 has an integral cargo net ( as in the present case — see fig6 ), the deployment straps 12 , 14 may be attached to a bottom edge of the cargo net . in an alternative embodiment of the present invention the deployment straps 12 , 14 may be permanently attached to the cargo cover 10 or cargo net . the deployment straps 12 , 14 are preferably attached to the cargo cover 10 prior to folding , and care must be taken to ensure that the deployment straps 12 , 14 are kept free when the cargo cover 10 is folded . as with the positioning straps 6 , 8 , the deployment straps 12 , 14 are coloured coded to aid identification and prevent cross over during use . the deployment straps 12 a , 14 a attached to the left hand side of the cargo cover are differently coloured to the deployment straps 12 b , 14 b on the right hand side . this enables quick and easy identification of the deployment straps 12 , 14 by cargo handlers — which is particularly important on large loads where the cargo handlers may not be able to see the top of the load . as noted above , the positioning straps 6 , 8 are formed from a webbing material and the deployment straps 12 , 14 are formed from a braided material . this helps for identification purposes and enables cargo handlers to quickly and easily distinguish between the two different types of straps . as will be explained in more detail below , the positioning straps 6 , 8 are generally pulled before the deployment straps 12 , 14 , so it is important that cargo handlers are able to distinguish them easily . forming the straps in this way is only one possible form of identification means , and it will be appreciated that other means are possible with in the scope of the present invention , for example , the straps could be differently coloured to aid identification . once the cargo cover 10 has be folded and loaded on to the base sheet 2 , the base sheet 2 is folded around the cargo cover 10 and the two halves of the releasable securement means 4 a , 4 b are brought together and secured , as can be seen in fig3 . care must be taken when securing the base sheet 2 around the cargo cover 10 to ensure that the deployment straps 12 , 14 extend out of the base sheet 2 and are freely accessible . as will be described in more detail below , the deployment straps 12 , 14 are used to break open the open the releasable securement means 4 and aid deployment of the cargo cover 10 , so they are preferably fed though the join between the two short edges of the base sheet 2 . the outer surface of the base sheet 2 is provided with pockets 16 which can be used for storage of the positioning straps 6 , 8 and deployment straps 12 , 14 when not in use . this can help to prevent the straps from becoming separated from the base sheet 2 . when the base sheet 2 is folded around the cargo cover 10 it provides protection for the cargo cover , for example from abrasion , dirt , uv deterioration , water damage , vermin , or other contamination . this serves to prolong the life of the cargo cover , as it would limit the wear and tear of the cargo cover 10 during the loading process , during storage and when the kit is in transit , e . g . when the cargo cover is being sent to operators from the manufacturer , or distributed by airlines to hubs , or redistributed after use . the base sheet 2 also serves to keep the cargo cover 10 in a compact form , which aids in handling and saves space in the storage of the cargo cover 10 . the base sheet 2 containing the cargo cover 10 is then placed on top of a load 18 , as shown in fig4 . depending on the size of the load 18 , particularly its height , and the combined weight of the base sheet 2 and cargo cover 10 , the base sheet 2 and cargo cover 10 can be manually placed on top of the load 18 by cargo handlers or , more commonly , the base sheet 2 and cargo cover 10 will be placed on top of the load 18 using a fork lift truck , or other suitable lifting device . while the base sheet 2 and cargo cover 10 are being lifted into position it is advisable for at least one cargo handler to take hold of the positioning straps 6 , 8 and deployment straps 12 , 14 . in fact , it is preferable for a cargo handler on one side of the load 18 to hold the positioning straps 6 a , 8 a and deployment straps 12 a , 14 a for that side of the load 18 and another cargo handler , located on the opposite side of the load 18 , to hold the other positioning straps 6 b , 8 b and deployment straps 12 b , 14 b for that side of the load 18 . the positioning straps 6 , 8 and deployment straps 12 , 14 should be long enough to reach across the load 18 and hang down the side such that they can be grasped by a cargo handler standing on the ground . once the base sheet 2 and cargo cover 10 have been placed on top of the load 18 the cargo handlers can pull the positioning straps 6 , 8 to position the base sheet 2 in the desired position , which will generally be in the centre of the load . the positioning straps 6 , 8 are attached to the base sheet 2 only , so they will permit movement of the base sheet 2 without causing the cargo cover 10 to be deployed . once the base sheet 2 and cargo cover 10 have been moved to the desired position on top of the load 18 the cargo handlers can pull the deployment straps 12 , 14 to deploy the cargo cover 10 over the load 18 . ideally at least two cargo handlers — positioned on opposite sides of the load 18 — will pull the deployment straps 12 , 14 simultaneously , and it is most preferred for four cargo handlers — located at the four corners of the load 18 — to pull the deployment straps 12 , 14 simultaneously . when the deployment straps 12 , 14 are pulled it exerts a force on the releasable securement means 4 , causing the two halves 4 a , 4 b of said means to pull apart , and release the cargo cover 10 from within the base sheet 2 . as noted above , some embodiments may have releasable securement means which must be manually opened prior to use . such securement means provide additional security and prevent the kit from accidentally opening . fig5 shows a perspective view of a cargo cover 10 being deployed over the load 18 in the manner described . the cargo handler ( s ) continue to pull the deployment straps 12 , 14 , which causes the cargo cover 10 to unfold from within the base sheet 2 and deploy over the load 18 , as can be seen in fig6 . once the cargo cover 10 has been fully deployed over the load 18 it is secured to a pallet in the usual manner . as can be seen in fig6 , the cargo cover 10 is provided with an integral cargo net 20 . the present invention can be used with cargo covers 10 which are specifically adapted for the purpose , or it can be used with existing cargo covers . once the cargo cover 10 has been fully deployed over the load 18 the cargo handlers can pull the positioning straps 6 , 8 to remove the base sheet 2 from under the cargo cover 10 . alternatively , the base sheet 2 can be left under the cargo cover 10 for transportation . one advantage of this is that the base sheet 2 will stay with the cargo cover 10 and it can be reused . if the base sheet 2 is removed from under the cargo cover 10 there is a possibility that it will become separated from the cargo cover 10 . this may or may not be desired . the present invention offers significant advantages for cargo handlers in terms of reduced loading time . this is important as a reduction in loading time means quicker turnarounds and an overall reduction in costs . by making the loading process easier for cargo handlers it also reduces the likelihood of cargo covers being inappropriately secured , which is clearly a danger in cargo transportation .

US-201414501186-A

a network hibernation system for use with a computer connected to a local area network . which is capable of retaining both data from the computer and data from the network environment created in connection with the lan in the event of a power failure and also in the event that the computer is idle for a predetermined time period . upon the restoration of power , the states of the computer and network hibernation system are resumed to the point before the occurrence of the power failure or the idle period . the system includes a network interface for connecting the computer to the local area network ; a power controller connected to a data bus , for generating a time - out signal when the computer is in a non - use state during operation of the computer ; a power supply connected to the data bus , for generating a power interrupt detection signal upon abrupt termination of a main power source to provide back - up power to the computer system for backing data of the computer in a network environment , and for terminating the back - up power upon reception of a power interrupt signal ; a supplemental memory for storing data of the computer in the network environment ; a system controller connected to the data bus , for controlling data of the computer in the network environment to be stored in the supplemental memory , for generating the power interrupt signal after the data of the computer in the network environment are stored in the supplemental memory in response to either the time - out signal or the power interrupt detection signal to set the computer in a network hibernation state , and for recovering stored data and restoring the computer in the network environment when the main power source is re - supplied to the computer ; and a main memory for storing network hibernation information for the system controller to determine whether the computer is in the network hibernation state .

referring now to the drawings and particularly to fig1 which illustrates a network hibernation system as constructed according to the principles of the present invention . the network hibernation system includes a system controller 1 for controlling the network hibernation and controlling data back up in the event of a power failure or when a computer is in a non - use state and subsequently recovering data from the computer in a network environment ; a power controller 2 for monitoring whether the computer is in a non - use period of operation and generating a time - out signal indicating that the computer is in the non - use period ; a power supply 3 for backing up data of the computer in the event of a power failure and generating a ac - down signal indicating that ac - power supply is abruptly interrupted because of a power failure ; a network interface 4 for connecting the computer to a local area network enabling the computer to operate in the network environment ; a supplementary memory 5 for storing data of the computer in the network environment when the ac - power supply is abruptly interrupted because of power failure , or alternatively , when the computer is suspended during a non - use period ; and a non - volatile memory 6 for storing network hibernation information . system controller 1 of the network hibernation system comprises a cpu ( central processing unit ) 11 for controlling operation of the network hibernation system , a supplementary controller 12 for supporting commands of the cpu 11 , a ram 13 for storing at least a network hibernation module , a rom 14 for storing at least a hibernation module , and an i / o port ( input / output ) 15 . the supplementary controller 12 typically includes a bus controller for controlling a data bus , a dma controller for reading or writing data onto the memory from the i / o device without the cpu 11 , and an interrupt controller for controlling interruption from auxiliary devices such as , keyboard , mouse , floppy disk drive and serial port to the cpu 11 . fig2 illustrates a power controller 2 of the network hibernation system as constructed according to the principles of the present invention . the power controller 2 comprises an address decoder 21 connected to the bus , for decoding addresses designated by the system controller 1 ; a mask register 22 connected to bus , for masking data provided from the system controller 1 at the addresses decoded by the address decoder 21 ; first and the second registers 23 , 26 connected to the data bus and the address decoder 21 , respectively ; an and gate 28 connected to the mask register 22 and an event signal line indicating whether the computer is in the non - use state ; a counter 24 for counting an output of the and gate 28 ; a first comparator 25 for comparing the output of the first register 23 and the output of the counter 24 ; and a second comparator 27 for comparing the output of the second register 26 and the output of the counter 24 . the power controller 2 as constructed in fig2 is preferable in the practice of the present invention . however other power control arrangement may also be implemented to serve the intended function described herein . one such example is disclosed in the korean patent application no 92 - 14590 for the circuit producing the power interruption signal in the computer peripheral equipment , which is incorporated herein by reference . fig3 illustrates a power supply 3 for providing back - up power supply to the network hibernation system as constructed according to the principles of the present invention . the power supply 3 comprises an ac ( alternating current ) power supply 30 ; a power switch 31 ; a linear converting rectifier 32 composed of a transformer ( tf ) having a primary coil connected to two output terminals of the ac - power supply 30 and a secondary coil providing parallel output terminals via diodes ( d31 , d32 ) and condensers ( c31 , c32 ); a battery 34 and a battery charger 33 connected in cascade to the linear converting rectifier 32 ; a power supply state detector 36 connected to the output terminal of the linear convening rectifier 32 ; a power supply switching state detector 36 connected to the power switch 31 for determining whether the ac power is normal ; a dc ( direct current ) converting controller 37 connected to the output terminals of the power supply detector 35 and the power supply switching state detector 36 , for generating the power supply interruption detection signal to a system part 3c in response to an abrupt termination of the power supply ; a dc / dc converter 38 connected to the output terminals of the battery charger 33 and the dc converting controller 37 , for providing an output dc voltage to an output terminal of the bridge rectifier 3a1 in the main power supply 3a through a diode ; a main power supply 3a having the bridge rectifier 3a1 and a power supply 3a2 serially connected to an output terminal of the ac - power supply 30 through power switch 31 , for supplying a 5 volts and 12 volts of dc power at respective output terminals ; and an augmented slot interrupter 3b connected to the 5 volts and 12 volts of dc power and coupled to receive the power interruption detection signal . the augmented slot interrupter 3b contains a field effect transistor fet having a drain connected to the 5 volts output terminal of the power supply 3a2 and a source connected to an augmented slot 3d , and a transistor having a collector connected to the 12 volts output terminal of the power supply 3a2 through a resistor r31 and a gate of the field effect transistor fet , and a base coupled to receive the ac - power interruption detection signal representing a back - up starting signal of the working environment from the dc converting controller 37 . while the power supply 3 for backing up data as constructed in fig3 is preferable in the practice of the present invention , other power supply arrangements such as , those disclosed in the korean patent application no . 93 - 31255 for the supplementary power supply for backing up the working environment in an emergency may also be implemented and is thereby incorporated by reference herein . fig4 illustrates a network interface 4 of the network hibernation system according to an embodiment of the invention . the network interface 4 includes a network controller 42 connected to a data bus , for interfacing the computer with the local area network and enabling the computer to communicate with a local area network server ; an oscillator 46 connected to the network controller 42 , for generating a clock to operate the network controller ; a boot rom 43 connected to the data bus , for storing a booting program for booting the local area network server ; an address prom 44 connected to the data bus and the network controller 42 , for storing addresses of the network interface 42 ; a dc / dc converter 41 connected to the data bus , for converting 5 volts into - 9 volts ; a transformer 45 connected to the network controller 42 ; a transceiver 4b connected to the transformer 45 and the dc / dc converter 41 ; a first port 4a connected to the data bus and the transformer 45 ; a second port 49 connected to the transceiver 4b ; a third port 48 connected to the network controller 42 ; and a filter 47 interposed between the network controller 42 and the third port 48 . turning now to fig5 which illustrates a loading process of the network hibernation module into the ram 13 as shown in fig1 . the loading of the network hibernation module starts at step s50 and proceeds to step s51 in which the network interface 4 is initialized . once the network interface 4 is initialized , the system controller 1 determines whether the network hibernation is enabled at step s52 . when the network hibernation is enabled at step s52 , the system controller 1 disables the event signal in the mask register 22 as shown in fig2 at step s53 , and stores the information of the network interface in the network hibernation information area in the ram 13 at step s54 . the system controller 1 then loads the network hibernation module in the ram 13 and stores interrupt information or address of the network hibernation module in the ram 13 at step s55 . the system controller 1 proceeds to load process routine of the network driver in the ram 13 step s56 , determines whether the network hibernation is enabled again at step s57 , and loads the network hibernation module in the ram 13 if the network hibernation is enabled at step s57 . if , on the other hand , the network hibernation is not enabled at step s52 , the system controller 1 bypasses steps s53 , s54 , s55 and proceeds directly to step s56 to load process routine of the network driver in the ram 13 . similarly , if the network hibernation is not enabled at step s57 , the system controller 1 bypasses step s58 and terminates the loading process . fig6 illustrates a suspension or hibernation process of a hibernation module of the rom 14 as shown in fig1 in which the computer is suspended of operation after data of the computer in the network environment are stored in a memory upon detection of either a power failure or a period of non - use during operation . as shown in fig6 the suspension process as contemplated by the present invention first requires the computer to be in operation at step s61 . if the electric power or ac - power is turned off because of a power failure or a mistake made by a user at step s62 , back - up power supply from a battery is provided to back - up data of the computer in the network environment at step s63 , and an ac - down signal indicating that the ac - power supply is abruptly interrupted because of a power failure is generated by the power supply 3 as shown in fig1 at step s64 . if , on the other hand , an event does not occur in the computer for a given time indicating that the computer is in a non - use state , a time - out signal is generated by the power controller 2 as shown in fig1 at step s65 . the system controller 1 responds to a hibernate interruption when either a time - out signal or a ac - down signal is generated at step s66 , and proceeds to determine whether a hibernation support network driver is installed in the system at step s67 . if the hibernation support network driver is installed in the system at step s67 , the system controller 1 invokes the network hibernation module at step s68 to store all the hardware states of the computer in its memory at step s69 . if , on the other hand , the hibernation support network driver is not installed in the system at step s67 , the system controller 1 bypasses step s68 and proceeds to store all the hardware states of the computer in its memory at step s69 directly . when all the hardware states of the computer are stored in the memory at step s69 , the system controller 1 stores all contents of computer memory in a supplemental memory 5 as shown in fig1 at step s6a . after all the contents of computer memory are stored in the supplemental memory 5 , the system controller 1 generates a power - off signal indicating that all contents of computer memory have been stored in the supplemental memory 5 or data of the computer in the network environment has been backed - up , to the data back - up power supply of the power supply 3 at step s6b in order to cut off the data back - up power supply at step s6c and then maintain in hibernation at step s6d . fig7 illustrates a suspension process of a network hibernation module of the ram 13 of fig1 in which the system controller 1 invokes the network hibernation module at step s71 , and determines whether the network hibernation is enabled at step s72 . if the network hibernation is determined as being enabled at step s72 , the system controller 1 resets the network interface 4 at step s73 and then disables the network interface at step s74 . after the network interface 4 is disabled at step s74 , the system controller 1 determines whether there is a local memory in the network interface 4 ; if the local memory exists in the network interface 4 , the system controller stores all the contents of the local memory in its memory at step s75 and returns to the hibernation module at step s76 . fig8 illustrates an invocation of the network hibernation module of the ram 13 of fig1 in case of power - off , that is , upon detection of either a ac - down signal or a time - out signal indicating that ac - power is cut off because of either a power failure or detection of a non - use state during operation . when the system controller receives either a time - out signal from the power controller 2 indicating that the computer is in the non - use period or a ac - down signal from the power supply 3 indicating that ac - power supply is abruptly interrupted because of a power failure , the hibernation module of the rom 14 as shown in fig1 reads the network hibernation information such as the network hibernation interrupt and network hibernation address stored in the non - volatile memory 6 to call the network hibernation module of the ram 13 in order to suspend operation of the computer in the network environment . for example , if the hibernation module of the rom 14 of fig1 reads the network hibernation interrupt stored in the non - volatile memory 6 , it detects starting address from an interrupt vector table of the network hibernation module of the ram 13 and transfers control data to the network hibernation module of the ram 13 . if the hibernation module of the rom 14 of fig1 on the other hand , reads the network hibernation address stored in the non - volatile memory 6 , it relies upon such address data to locate corresponding address of the network hibernation module for suspending operation of the computer in the network environment . turning now to fig9 which illustrates a resuming process of the hibernation module of the rom 14 according to an embodiment of the invention for recovering data of the computer stored in the supplemental memory 5 and restore the computer to a former state before detection of either a power failure or a period of extended non - use during operation of the computer . after the power supply turned off for a period at step s91 , the system controller 1 initializes and self - examines the computer when the power is re - supplied to the computer at step s92 . the system controller 1 then determines whether the computer is in the hibernation mode at step s93 . if the computer is in the hibernation mode at step s93 , the system controller 1 proceeds to recover all data stored in the supplementary memory 5 at step s95 and restores the computer to a previous working environment before detection of either a power failure or a period of extended non - use during operation of the computer at step s96 . if , on the other hand , the computer is not in the hibernation mode at step s93 , the system controller 1 conducts a complete normal booting process at step s94 . after the working environment of the computer is restored at step s96 , the system controller 1 determines whether the system is in a network hibernation state at step s97 . if the system is in the network hibernation state at step s97 , the system controller 1 invokes the network hibernation module of the ram 13 at step s98 for enabling the computer to operate in a former working environment before hibernation at step s99 . if , on the other hand , the system is not in the network hibernation state at step s97 , the system controller 1 bypasses step s98 and directly enables the computer to operate in its former working environment before hibernation . fig1 illustrates a resuming process of a network hibernation module of the ram 13 of fig1 in which the system controller 1 invokes the network hibernation module at step s11 , and determines whether the network hibernation is enabled at step s12 . if the network hibernation is enabled at step s12 , the system controller 1 initializes the network interface 4 , determines whether there is a local memory in the network interface 4 ; if the local memory exists in the network interface 4 , the system controller recovers all the contents stored in the local memory at step s14 . after recovering all the contents stored in the local memory at step s14 , the system controller 1 resets the network interface 4 at step s15 , enables the network interface at step s16 , and then returns to the hibernation module at step s17 after the network interface has been enabled at step s16 . if , the network hibernation is not enabled at step s12 , the system controller 1 bypasses steps s13 , s14 , s15 , s16 and returns directly to the hibernation module at step s17 . fig1 illustrates an invocation of the network hibernation module of the ram 13 of fig1 in case of booting , that is , when the computer is not in a hibernation mode . the hibernation module of the rom 14 as shown in fig1 reads the network hibernation information such the network hibernation interrupt and network hibernation address stored in the non - volatile memory 6 to call the network hibernation module of the ram 13 in order to determine whether the computer requires a booting process . fig1 illustrates a memory map of the ram 13 and rom 14 in the network hibernation system according to the embodiment of the invention . as shown in fig1 , the ram 13 contains an interrupt vector table region , a monitor / os processing region , an operating system region , a network driver region , a network hibernation module region , a network hibernation information region , a network software region , a free space region , and a hibernation module processing region . the interrupt vector table stores address data of specific commands to be processed by the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 . the monitor / os processing region stores data used by a monitor or basic input / output software ( bios ) for operating the system . the operating system region stores software for memory management , i / o device management , process management such as , for example , ms - dos . the network driver region processes an interface between the hardware network interface as shown in fig4 and the software network interface . the network hibernation module or the network hibernation information may be included in the network driver . the network hibernation module region stores the network hibernation module for implementing the suspension process of fig7 and resuming process of fig1 . the network hibernation information region contains configuration data for the network interface hardware in step s54 of fig5 steps s73 of fig7 and s13 , s15 , s16 of fig1 . the network software region communicates with the lan server for transmitting and receiving files . the free region reserves loading space for user application software . the hibernation module processing region memorizes data needed to resume operation of the computer after suspension , and parameter values needed to invoke the network hibernation module in case of power - off and booting as shown in fig8 and 11 . rom 14 , on the other hand , contains a monitor ( or bios ) region and a hibernation module region . when the computer is turned - on , the monitor performs a power - on self - test , initializes the hardware components and loads the operation system from the auxiliary memory to the ram 13 using software stored in the monitor ( or bios ) region . the hibernation module region stores a hibernation module for implementing the suspension process of fig6 and the resuming process of fig9 . the hibernation module contains a suspend module and a resume module . the suspend module contains a group of word commands for processing steps , such as s67 , s95 , s96 , s97 and s98 of fig6 . similarly , the resume module contains a group of word commands for processing steps , such as s93 , s95 , s96 , s97 and s98 of fig9 . fig1 illustrates a memory map of the non - volatile memory 6 of the network hibernation system according to an embodiment of the invention . the non - volatile memory 6 stores hibernation data for processing the hibernation module and the network hibernation module . as shown in fig1 , the non - volatile memory 6 comprises a hibernation setting up region , a hibernation state region , a hibernation parameter region , a network hibernation region , and a network hibernation interrupt or a network hibernation address region . the hibernation setting - up region contain a hibernation flag of a binary bit of &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; for use in the hibernation module for supporting or preventing the hibernation function . a hibernation flag of &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; indicates a hibernation supporting mode , whereas the hibernation flag of &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; indicates a hibernation preventing mode . the hibernation state region memorizes data indicating whether the computer is in a hibernation mode as described in step s93 of fig9 . the hibernation parameter region memorizes data of the supplementary memory 6 in a suspension mode such as , for example , head #, cylinder #, and sector # of the hdd for use in steps as s6a of fig6 s75 of fig7 s95 of fig1 , and s14 of fig1 . the network hibernation region contains data stored tentatively by the network hibernation , suspend state data , resume state data used for transferring the parameter values when the system controller 1 invokes the network hibernation module in fig8 and 11 . installed data from the loading of the network hibernation module in the ram 13 in step s67 of fig6 may also be included in the network hibernation region . the network hibernation interrupt mode region stores the number of corresponding interrupts in the hibernation module when the system controller 1 invokes the network hibernation module ; and the network hibernation address mode region stores address data in which the network hibernation module is positioned . when the computer operates with its power on and the network hibernation system according to an embodiment of the invention operates by loading the network hibernation module with network driver module into the system memory . the loading of the network hibernation module into the memory as shown in fig5 is explained in detail as follows . first , the cpu 11 in the system controller 1 initializes the network interface and self - examines . then , the cpu 11 determines whether the network hibernation is enabled by checking the status of the hibernation install flag in the nonvolatile memory 6 . if the network hibernation is enabled , cpu 11 in the controller 1 disables the corresponding flag in the mask register 22 shown in fig3 to disable the event signal used in the network interface 4 . the reason for disabling the event signal is twofold . first , data is received continuously through the network interface 4 from the lan server when the computer is connected to the lan even though the network may not be in use . second , since the network interface 4 produces interruption unconditionally at the time that data is received , the power controller 2 may misinterpret the computer to be operated even though the computer is not in use . accordingly , the power can be interrupted automatically when the computer is not in use for some - time only after the network interface 4 disables the corresponding interruption ( that is to say , the corresponding event signal ) by using the mask register 22 as shown in fig3 . after the event signal is disabled , cpu 11 of the system controller 1 stores the corresponding information such as the interrupt signal used in the network interface , the i / o address , the direct memory access , the memory information , etc . on the network hibernation region of the ram region shown in fig1 . next , cpu 11 of the system controller 1 stores information relating to the network hibernation on the nonvolatile memory 6 . at this time , the network hibernation interrupt vector should be added to or be changed in the interrupt vector table shown in fig1 when the network hibernation is used . the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 terminates after the network driver module and the network hibernation module are installed in the system memory . as described above , the suspend processes s67 and s68 of the hibernation module of fig6 are performed by installing the network hibernation module on the memory if the electric power is cut off due to a power failure or a suspension when the computer is not in use for sometime while the system controller 1 operates as a computer after the network hibernation system starts its operation . if the power supply is interrupted during operation due to the abrupt interruption of electric power , the power supply 3 for backing up of data generates an ac - down signal or a power interruption detection signal indicating that ac - power supply is abruptly interrupted because of a power failure after back - up power supply is supplied to the system by a battery . when the electric power is interrupted because of a power failure , the overall operation of the power supply 3 for backing up of data which produces the ac power interruption detection signal while the back - up power supply is applied to the system by the battery is as follows : if the power is applied to the power switch 31 and the linear converting rectifier 32 from the ac power supply 30 , the power supply 3 for backing up of data starts its operation . the operation can be classified in four situations : ( a ) when the power supply is applied from the ac - power supply 30 and the power switch 31 is turned on ; ( b ) when the power supply is applied from the ac - power supply 30 and the power switch 31 is turned off ; ( c ) when the power supply from the ac - power supply 30 is not applied from the ac - power supply 30 and the power switch 31 is turned - on ; and ( d ) when the power supply from the ac - power supply 30 is cut off and the power switch 31 is turned on . ( a ) when the power supply is applied from the ac - power supply 30 and the power switch 31 is turned on . in this case , ac power which is supplied from the ac power supply 30 is supplied to the main power supply 3a through the power switch 39 and the power supply 3a2 generates dc power of 5 volts and 12 volts after the ac power is rectified by the bridge rectifier 3a1 in the main power supply 3a . the dc power is supplied to the augmented slot 3d in which expanded cards such as , example , 3c , video card , music card , fax / modem card , etc . are provided for enabling the computer to operate in the network environment . in addition , the ac power supplied from the ac power supply 30 is also rectified to dc power by the diodes d31 , d32 and the condensers c31 , c32 after the voltage is decreased by the transformer tf in the linear converting rectifier 32 . the dc power of the linear converting rectifier 32 is then supplied to the battery charger 33 so that the battery may be charged and a low level signal is outputted to the expanded slot interruptor 3b from the dc / dc converter 38 under control of the dc converting controller 37 if the power supply state detector 35 determines the state of the ac power as being normal . if the low level signal is inputted from the dc / dc converter 38 , the transistor q in the expanded slot interruptor 3b is turned off and the fet is turned on , and thus dc power of 5 volts is supplied from the power supply 3a2 to the augmented slot 3d . ( b ) when the power supply is applied from the ac - power supply 30 and the power switch 31 is turned off . if the power switch 31 is turned off by the user so that the power supply from the ac - power supply 30 is cut off , the main power supply 3a does not operate . also , the ac power of the ac power supply 30 is rectified to dc power by the linear converting rectifier 32 , and the rectified dc power is supplied to the battery charger 34 and thus the battery is charged . if the power supply state detector 35 determines the state of the ac power as being normal , the power does not discharge from the battery 34 by halting the operation of dc / dc converter 38 . ( c ) when the power supply is not applied from the ac - power supply 30 and the power switch 31 is turned - on . in this case as the case that the ac power supply 30 is turned off by the abrupt interruption of electric power or any mistake made by the user during the operation of the computer , the main power supply 3a and the linear convening rectifier 32 cease to operate , and thus the power applied to the system 3c and the extended slot 3d may be attenuated gradually . also , because the linear convening rectifier 32 does not produce dc power , the battery charger 33 stops its operation . at this time the power supply state detector 4 determines the ac power as being normal and the power switch state detector 5 determines the power switch 39 is being turned on , and thus the dc convening controller 37 generates a control signal to operate dc / dc converter 38 . at the same time the dc converting controller 37 outputs an ac power interruption detection signal to the system part 3c . the system part 3c constructed according to the principles of the invention means all composition except the power supply 3 for backing up data as shown data in fig1 . if the control signal of the dc converting controller 37 is input to the dc / dc converter 38 , the dc power charged in the battery 34 is convened to dc power through the dc / dc power converter 38 , and is thereafter supplied to the output terminal of the bridge rectifier 3a1 of the main power supply 3a through the two diodes . as shown in fig3 the power supply 3a2 in the main power supply 3a operates in response to dc power supplied from the dc / dc converter 38 , and thus the attenuated output power of the power supply 3a2 increases again . accordingly , the working environment can be backed up by the ac power interruption detection signal inputted from dc converting controller 37 and the dc power of 5 volts and 12 volts supplied from the power supply 3a2 , in the system part 3c . because the power charged in the battery 34 is not sufficient to operate the total system including the augmented slot 3d , the transistor q is turned on and the fet is turned off in the augmented slot interruptor 3b by the ac power interruption detection signal so as to prevent the 5 volts dc power of the power supply 3a2 , from being supplied to the extended slot 3d . ( d ) when the power supply is not applied from the ac - power supply 30 and the power switch 31 is turned off . in this case , because the ac power supply 30 is not connected and also the power switch 39 is turned off , the main power supply 3a and the linear converting rectifier 32 do not operate . the power controller 2 generates a time - out signal indicating that the computer is in an extended period of non - use . the constitution of the power controller 2 is now explained with reference to fig2 as follows . the address decoder 21 decodes address to designate each register 22 , 23 , 26 from an address signal ( adrs ) inputted from the address bus . the mask register 22 and the first and second time register 23 , 26 are selected by the address signal inputted from the address decoder 21 , and at the time of setting up , the initial value is set up which is always outputted . in the mask register 22 , the information which can mask the event signal is set up and in the first and second time registers , a reference time value is set up . the counter 24 is reset as &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; when the logic product of the event signal and the content of the mask register 22 is &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; in the and gate 28 , that is , interrupt signal is input from the peripheral equipment . this interrupt signal represents an &# 34 ; event &# 34 ; occurring from one of interrupt signals such as a keyboard interrupt , serial port interrupt , ps / 2 mouse interrupt , fixed disk controller interrupt , and network interface interrupt indicating activity of the computer during the extended period of non - use . if the logic product of the event signal and the content of the mask register 22 is &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; in the and gate 28 , that is , the interrupt signal is not input from the peripheral equipment or the interrupt signal masked in the mask register 22 is input from the peripheral equipment , the counter 24 keeps on counting . if the value of the counter 24 is the same as the value of the first time register 23 , that is , the interrupt signal that is not masked in the mask register 22 is not input from the peripheral equipment during the reference time , the first comparator 25 outputs the time - out signal . as shown in the above , the ac power interruption detection signal outputted from the power supply 3 for backing up of data , and the time - out signal outputted from the power controller 2 are input to the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 through the or gate and the system bus as the interrupt signal . if the interrupt signal is input , the cpu 1 of the system controller 1 determines that the hibernation supporting network driver is installed and , in case that the hibernation supporting network driver is installed , invokes the suspend process of the network hibernation module as shown in fig8 . if the suspend process of the network hibernation module is invoked , the suspend processes ( s71 - s76 ) of the network hibernation module are performed as shown in fig7 . at first , the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 determines that the network hibernation is enabled by checking the status of the hibernation install flag of the nonvolatile memory 6 . in case the network hibernation is enabled when the hibernation install flag has a binary bit of &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 resets the network interface 4 and thereafter , disables the network interface 4 . in this step , if the local memory remains in the network interface , its content is stored . after the suspend process of the network hibernation module is performed , the computer returns to the hibernation module . in case the hibernation supporting network driver is not installed in this step , or the computer returns from the suspend process of the network hibernation module as shown above , the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 stores the present hardware state of the computer in the ram 13 and then , all the contents of the memory in the present computer are stored in the supplementary memory 5 . next , the cpu 11 of the system controller 11 outputs the power interrupt signal to the power supply 3 for backing up of data . if the power interrupt signal is inputted , the power supply 3 for backing up of data interrupts the power of the battery 34 and power supply 3a2 and makes the computer go into the hibernation state . as shown in the above , the operation of the power supply 3 for backing up of data which interrupts the battery power in case the power interrupt signal is input can be explained with reference to fig3 as follows : if the power interrupt signal is input after the backing up of the working environment is terminated , the dc converting controller 37 stops the operation of the dc / dc converter . and thus , because the power of the battery 34 is cut off , the 5 volts and 12 volts dc power may not be supplied . also , if the power interrupt signal is input to the power supply 3a2 , the application of power is interrupted by the interruption of the power supply 3a2 . if , on the other hand , the power is applied again or data is input by the user in the hibernation state in which the power of the computer is turned off , the resume processes s93 - s99 of the hibernation module shown in fig9 are described as follows : if the power is applied again , the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 initializes the computer and self - examines and thereafter , determines whether the computer is in the hibernation mode . if the computer is not in the hibernation mode , the cpu 11 in the controller 1 boots the computer normally . but if the computer is in the hibernation mode , the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 recovers the working environment of the computer to the former state by storing all the contents of the memory in the ram 13 . next , the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 determines whether the system is in the network hibernation state by checking whether the hibernation flag of the non - volatile memory indicates the network hibernation state , and invokes the resume process of the network hibernation module shown in fig1 when the system is in the network hibernation state . if the resume process of the network hibernation module is invoked , the resume processes s11 - s17 of the network hibernation module are performed as follows : at first , the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 determines whether the network hibernation is enabled . if the network hibernation is enabled , the cpu 11 in the controller 1 initializes the network interface 4 . if there is the local memory in the network interface 4 in this step , its content is recovered . next , the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 resets the network interface 4 and thereafter , enables the network interface 4 . after the resume process of the network hibernation module shown in the above is completed , the computer returns to the hibernation module . if the computer returns from the resume process of the hibernation module , the cpu 11 of the system controller 1 continues to operate the computer as in a former state before hibernation . as shown in the above , in an embodiment of the invention , if the power supply is interrupted abruptly and is turned on again in the computer under the network environment , the working environment can be recovered to the former state . in addition , if the computer does not operate for an extended period in the network environment , the power supply is interrupted automatically , and thereafter , if the power supply is applied again , the computer recovers the former state so that the power consumed can be retrenched . the effect of this invention can be utilized in the region of the computer which has automatic backing up function in an emergency and a retrenching function of the electric power . while there have been illustrated and described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made , and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the present invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teaching of the present invention without departing from the central scope thereof . therefore , it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention , but that the present invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims .

US-54742295-A

the properties of copper - tin - lead alloys are improved with respect to mechanical resistance and resistance to corrosion by the incorporation therein , in specific proportions of nickel . antifriction layers on steel supporting strips are obtained by sintering and rolling onto steel strips metal powder particles obtained by powdering a metal alloy of 2 - 10 % nickel , 8 - 27 % lead , 0 . 5 - 10 % tin and the balance copper .

fig1 represents an enlarged crosscut of a composite strip , including a steel supporting strip and an antifriction layer obtained by the sintering of particles of the known cu - sn - pb alloy ; and fig2 is a view similar to fig1 illustrating the antifriction layer obtained by the sintering of particles of the new alloy which is the object of the present invention . according to the present invention , a new alloy is provided with the addition of a determined nickel ( ni ) content to the known copper - tin - lead alloy when the latter is still in the molten state , before it is powdered , for the production of the metal powder particles to be subsequently sintered on a steel supporting strip . by means of this ni addition it is possible to alter the thermodynamic sintering characteristics of the cu - sn - pb alloys , making possible the obtention of new and better structures for such alloys in the form of an antifriction bearing layer in which the pb phase is made thinner and more homogeneously distributed and discontinuous , as can be seen from fig2 . a further advantage of the ni addition to the traditional cu - pb - sn bearing alloys obtained by sintering is that the powders containing such chemical element ( ni ) can be sintered at temperatures lower than the usual temperatures and at higher operational speeds . the ni favors the diffusion phenomenon and thus brings about an economy in the process . with the structure illustrated in fig2 in addition to the lead islands being present with a thinner and more discontinuous distribution , the bronze ( cu - sn - ni ) matrix is present with a greater mechanical resistance owing to the presence of the nickel . despite the fact that the use of nickel in the copper ( cupronickels ) is already known for the purpose of improving the physico - mechanical properties , such as hardness and tensile strength , it must be made clear that the nickel addition according to the invention aims specifically at preventing or minimizing the agglomeration of the lead globules during the operations of sintering of the cu - sn - pb alloy powders , the increase in the mechanical resistance obtained by the addition of the element nickel being considered as marginal and secondary . the alloy of the present invention for achieving the objects thereof contains the constituent elements in the following proportions : it is known that in the manufacture of materials for bearings which support high revolution shafts , alloys are used with high pb content and low sn content , whereas in applications where the shafts operate in low revolution and under high specific load , alloys are used with low pb content and high sn content . thus , the choice of the content of the above - mentioned metallic elements is a function of the specific use of the bearing . the table below illustrates by way of example the comparisons in properties between known cu - pb - sn alloys and the alloys of the present invention which also contain ni . ______________________________________chemicalcomposition hard - of the alloy ness resistance ( percent in ( rock - tensile to wear . sup . ( 1 ) resistanceweight ) well ) strength ( mm / 10 , 000 corrosion . sup . ( 2 ) pb sn ni cu ( 15 - t ) ( kg / mm . sup . 2 ) cycles ) ( mg / cm . sup . 2 ) ______________________________________24 2 2 74 72 19 . 1 0 . 0048 0 . 1822 2 2 74 73 21 . 8 0 . 0039 0 . 0820 2 4 74 75 22 . 5 0 . 0027 0 . 08______________________________________ note : the values shown in the table represent the average of the values obtaine in various experiments . . sup . ( 1 ) indicates the wear depth in 10 , 000 cycle tests . . sup . ( 2 ) loss of specific mass ( mg / cm . sup . 2 ) verified in tests at 120 ° c ., after 5 hours , in a mineral oil solution with 10 % oleic acid . according to the values shown in the table , it is clear that the cu - pb - sn alloys with ni addition present a resistance to corrosion more than two times greater than that of alloys without ni . similarly , the ni addition brought about advantages in the mechanical properties of the alloy ( tensile strength and resistance to wear ). these sintered materials have made possible the obtention of structures with a phase distribution highly desirable for application in bearings of heavy - duty motors . in these structures , the pb phase appeared favorably dispersed in the cu - sn - ni matrix , as desired . an alloy of 22 % by weight lead , 2 % by weight tin , and 54 % by weight copper is molten to a temperature of about 1200 ° c ., and 2 % nickel is added thereto . the molten alloy is powdered in conventional manner by pouring the same through a small orifice with jets of gas directed thereagainst . the resulting powder is deposited on a steel strip and passed through a furnace at a temperature of about 1 , 000 ° c . to sinter the particles to themselves and to the steel strip . this strip is then passed through rolling mills and again sintered . the resulting alloy has the properties set forth in the table herein . it is apparent that variations in the compositions set forth herein and in the table permit the adaption of any composition according to the needs of any bearing application so that the compositions shown in the table are for example purposes and do not set any bounds as to the scope of the present invention .

US-30460181-A

a flywheel - type battery is integrated within a motor useful for maintaining a flywheel at a constant speed when actuated . it provides an fbev motor wherein the rotor windings are located on the interior and exterior of the peripherally mounted battery , making the battery casing , itself , the driving force of the motor . the battery housing also supports stator windings that are used in the operation of the motor . the drive train adjusts the torque to the wheels by hydraulics . a computer changes the motor into a generator upon slowing , stopping , or going downhill , which recharges the battery , increasing range . a large number of stator coils , mounted on the housing , and rotor coils mounted on the inner and outer wall of the peripheral battery , may each be separately energized by means of a computer to maintain the flywheel at a constant high speed , once the motor is actuated . this makes maximum torque available to the vehicle at any time for sudden acceleration .

the present invention overcomes the drawbacks of conventional ev &# 39 ; s , i . e ., range of travel is limited due to the inefficiency , size , and weight of the battery or batteries , and the motor and the battery being separate components . the present invention provides a flywheel - type battery which is integrated within the motor within a lower housing and a housing lid . it provides an fbev motor wherein the rotor windings are located on the interior and exterior of the peripherally mounted battery relative to the plane of the flywheel , making the battery , itself , in consort with the housing , the driving force of the motor . referring to fig1 and 2 there is shown a perspective view and a plan view , respectively , of the inventive flywheel battery electrical vehicle system 10 , excluding the flywheel , having flywheel motor housing 12 , having in turn cylindrical housing wall 14 , having upper edge 16 and lower edge 18 , housing motor mounts 20 located at 90 degree intervals along lower edge 18 , and motor mount bracing flanges 21 extending upward along cylindrical housing wall 14 . housing cover 22 features planar housing cover 23 extending along the cylindrical housing wall upper edge 16 and is connected to upper housing axial rotary bearing 26 by upper supporting flanges 24 and lower supporting flanges 25 . upper housing axial bearing 28 is located at the upper end of upper housing axial rotary bearing 26 . upper housing mounts ( not shown ) extend outwardly from housing planar cover 23 and are located around cylindrical housing wall 14 at 90 degree intervals , and are aligned with housing motor mounts 20 . as seen in fig2 housing axial lower bearing 32 is aligned with upper housing axial rotary bearing 26 and is supported by lower housing bottom 34 , formed by triangular plates 35 . depending wall 29 extends downward from planar housing cover 23 ( see fig8 and 9 ) referring to fig3 through 6 , there is shown a plan view and an elevation view , respectively , of the flywheel rotary battery assembly 36 , and a plan view and sectional view along lines 6 - 6 of peripheral battery 38 with battery cover 41 . peripheral battery 38 features battery casing outer wall 40 and battery casing inner wall 42 . battery cover 41 encloses peripheral battery 38 and assures attachment and correct positioning of peripheral battery 38 . stabilizing bearings 45 are located around the periphery of battery cover 41 and run in stabilizer track 81 located on the underside of planar housing cover 23 ( see fig8 and 9 ). contact bearing pairs 47 are located at the periphery of peripheral battery support 60 and make periodic electrical contact with rotor coil bearing contact pairs 76 located in contact track 77 ( see fig7 ) as rotary battery assembly 36 rotates . axially located axle 44 is connected with a peripheral battery support 60 ( see fig6 ) supporting peripheral battery 38 , by means of angled rotor braces 46 , so configured as to act as a cooling fan upon rotation of rotor battery assembly 36 . inner rotor windings 48 are located along the battery casing inner wall 42 of peripheral battery 38 and outer rotor windings 50 are located along the outer wall 40 of peripheral battery 38 . they are electrically connected for activation with drive / charge computer through a wiring harness ( not shown ) which connects with axle 44 and individual brushes leading from axle 44 to the drive / charge computer . as shown in fig4 rotary battery assembly 36 drives axle 44 which is the mechanical output of the flywheel battery electrical vehicle system 10 , which is connected to an appropriate hydraulic transmission ( not shown ). axle 44 features main battery positive contact 54 and main battery negative contact 56 for brushes ( not shown ) connected to the drive / charge control computer , for input and output of electrical power to fbev motor system 10 . peripheral battery 38 is further contained by upper wall 58 and lower wall 59 . referring more particularly to fig5 and 6 , there is shown starved electrolyte lead acid peripheral battery 38 encased within battery cover 41 and having outer wall 40 , inner wall 42 , having upper wall 58 , and lower wall 59 , each wall preferably made of molded plastic . peripheral battery 38 may be a single cell or divided into a plurality of cells , four cells 62 being shown , having battery mounting notches 64 located at 90 degree intervals along battery casing outer wall 40 , each mounting notch having a battery positive terminal 66 , and a battery negative terminal 68 , and each being connected to respective main battery contacts 54 and 56 by appropriate circuitry ( not shown ). peripheral battery 38 is also held in place by mechanical uprights ( not shown ) projecting upward from peripheral battery support 60 and serve as connectors to positive terminals 66 and negative terminals 68 . a depiction of mounting notches and terminals 66 and 68 ( see fig6 ) are shown to illustrate their physical location relative to peripheral battery wall 40 . the starved electrolyte lead acid battery 38 consists of starved electrolyte paste between lead - copper plates of the battery to accommodate the high rpm that the battery will be spinning . alternating battery positive plates 70 and battery negative plates 72 form alternate coaxial cylinders within the peripheral battery in the case of a single cell embodiment of the peripheral battery 38 , and partial alternate coaxial cylinders within the peripheral battery 38 in the case of multiple cells . conventional battery design will not permit this type of movement because the liquid electrolyte would be pushed out by centrifugal force . referring to fig7 there is shown a perspective view of cylindrical housing wall 14 with housing cover 22 and rotary battery system 36 removed , showing lower central axle aperture 73 formed collectively by triangular plates 35 at their lower intersection . individual triangular plates 35 have apertures therethrough ( not shown ) which allow the passage of cooling air through fbev system 10 . outer stator windings 74 are located along cylindrical housing inner wall 75 . rotor coil bearing contact pairs 76 are located in contact track 77 located at the base of cylindrical housing inner wall 75 . referring to fig8 and 9 there are shown a bottom view and an elevation view , respectively , of the stator housing top assembly , where housing cover 22 has axial rotary bearing 26 and axial bearing end cap 28 centrally located therein and features coaxial depending wall 77 ending at lower edge 78 , and bearing inner stator windings 79 around its outer wall 80 . stabilizer track 81 is located on the underside of housing cover 22 and provides a race for stabilizer bearings 45 ( see fig4 ). apertures ( not shown ) are located in housing planar cover 23 between coaxial depending wall 77 and axle port 76 to allow cooling air to flow through the flywheel motor housing 12 . referring to fig1 and 11 there are shown a front elevation view and a side elevation view ( absent windings ), respectively . each outer rotor winding 50 ( see fig4 ) comprises horizontal cleat portion 82 and vertical cleat portion 86 supporting electrical wire coil winding 84 around electromagnet 88 by means of fasteners 90 . horizontal cleat portion 82 , vertical cleat portion 86 , and electromagnet 88 may be of any suitable electromagnetic material , preferably steel , and may be an integral element . the structure of stator windings 50 are representative of all the stator and rotor windings of fbev system 10 . in operation , upon initial startup of fbev system 10 , it is preferable that the fbev motor still be attached to a charge station via a charge cord ( not shown ), thereby using an outside power source to start the motor , rather than using the vehicle &# 39 ; s battery . the charge station provides conditioned 240 - volt power for deep cycle charge . the charge cord , however , comes with an optional adaptor so that a 110 volt receptacle can be used for supplemental charging . the drive / charge control computer ( not shown ) senses voltage differences and charges the battery accordingly . this initial startup can be done from the vehicle , itself , or from a remote control device . the remote control allows the operator to turn on the vehicle while he is still preparing to leave . the vehicle will be warmed up and ready for operation by the time he enters the vehicle . once operating rpm is attained ( approximately 3600 rpm ), a ready light on the vehicle &# 39 ; s dashboard ( not shown ) changes from red to green , telling the operator the vehicle is ready to drive . this will take approximately three minutes . due to the weight of the flywheel , any time the motor is in an off / stop position , it requires a start - up / warm - up time of about three minutes . during the warm - up period , the drive / charge control computer ( not shown ) activates some , but not all of the coils with pulsating current to start the flywheel in motion to conserve battery power when start - up is done away from the charge station . the field windings 74 and 79 are energized through sets of parallel contact bearings 47 , mounted around the circumference of the lower part of the housing 12 . stabilizing bearings 45 and stabilizing bearing track 43 provide mechanical stability to the rotating rotary battery assembly . the housing cover 22 and lower housing 34 contain stabilizing track 43 and contact track 77 , respectively , each preferable made of teflon ® that the bearings ride on . contact bearings 47 ride in contact track 77 having conductive contacts 76 set in pairs in specific locations to energize the field windings as desired and so located as to correspond with the bearings . direct current is selectively supplied to these contact pairs through a wiring harness ( not shown ) from the drive / charge computer . the rotor windings 48 and 50 of the rotary battery assembly 36 are selectively energized by the drive / charge computer using battery power or outside power by means of conductive brushes ( not shown ) on axle 44 along with the main battery contacts 54 and 56 . this allows constant current to flow to and from the battery and the rotor coil windings . once operating rpm is attained , the charge / drive control computer keeps the motor operating at an rpm between about 3600 and 4600 by energizing or de - energizing rotor windings and field windings as needed . there is a series of sensors and meters ( not shown ) that determine the speed of the vehicle to motor rpm ratio . if the vehicle is moving faster than the flywheel &# 39 ; s potential power , for example during coasting , slowing down or going down - hill , these sensors and meters signal the drive / charge control computer that it is in a charge condition and the rotor windings 48 and 50 will become excitation windings by means of direct current supplied by brushes on the axle 44 to turn the stator windings 74 and 79 into power generating condition to charge the battery 38 by means of the wiring harness and the drive / charge computer . during operation on battery power , the battery &# 39 ; s current leaves the battery through main battery contacts 54 and 56 on the rotor &# 39 ; s axle , goes through engaging brushes into the charge / drive control computer , which then transfers the current as needed through brushes on the axle to selected rotor windings and through a wiring harness to selected contact pairs to various field windings . field windings 74 and 79 are provided with momentary electrical current through contact bearings 47 making momentary contact with rotor coil bearing contacts selectively energized by the computer , forming collapsing magnetic fields which interact with rotor windings 48 and 50 to form an electric motor . during operation , the motor is cooled by airflow caused by the rotor braces 46 being offset to create a fan - like environment and the upper housing 22 and lower housing 34 are louvered ( not shown ) to permit airflow . upon shutdown , two conditions apply . when shutdown takes place away from charge stations , the momentum of the peripheral battery assembly 36 is used to charge the battery 38 until its momentum stops and shutdown is complete . when shutdown occurs at a charge station , the charge cord will supply charge current to the battery 38 . then the rotary battery assembly 36 will just spin freely until it slows down and stops . it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims .

US-97804901-A

a fluid power control apparatus comprising a plurality of standardized multiple - function modules adapted to be selectively programmed in various arrays to effect substantially any required hydraulic valve and system function .

referring in detail to the drawings , a preferred embodiment of a three position four way directional control apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention , is illustrated in fig1 through 24 . for purposes of simplicity and clarity this embodiment will be described as a typical example with specific reference to the diagrammic fluid circuit shown in fig2 . the passages , orifices , plugs , and elements refered to herein are given corresponding reference numbers in fig1 through 23 , which illustrate an assembly of the standardized modules of the present invention . two signal flow switching modules 3 - a and 3 - b include standard interfaces , standard ports and movable elements in the form of standard signal flow spools 7 and 8 which in turn include annular spool grooves 9 , 10 , 15 and 16 . spools 7 and 8 are biased by springs 11 and 12 to a deenergized position and actuated by solenoids 13 and 14 so as to make line connections through annular spool grooves 9 and 15 to achieve the desired signal flows to shift a shiftable power flow element or power spool 20 as later described . referring again to fig2 output flow from a hydraulic pumping apparatus is delivered via line 2 , annular passage 25 and line 58 and 138 to an annular passage 5 of a signal flow pressure limiting module indicated generally at 3 . signal flow at reduced pressure enters line 59 and continues to a signal flow switching module 3 - a and then via line 4 to an annular groove 15 of signal flow switching module 3 - b . it should be mentioned that pressure limiting module 3 is not always required in the signal flow circuit , but when required , provides for a reduced signal flow pressure as compared to the power flow pressure . the directional control apparatus also comprises a main power valve module indicated generally at 19 which includes a standard power spool 20 that is biased in the neutral position by springs 21 and 22 and includes annular spool grooves 23 and 24 . power valve module 19 is provided with fluid chambers 25 and 26 at the ends of power spool 20 which provide control areas upon which fluid pressure in chambers 25 and 26 exert a force and shift the power spool responsive to signal flow switching module 3 - a and 3 - b . when the signal flow switching modules 3 - a and 3 - b are in the de - energized position , fluid chambers 25 and 26 are connected to a reservoir via lines 17 and 18 , annular spool grooves 10 and 16 with both spool grooves communicating with drain line 27 leading back to the reservoir . when signal flow switching module 3 - a is actuated by solenoid 13 signal spool 7 moves against bias spring 11 and line 59 is connected to line 18 via annular spool groove 9 . as the pressure in line 59 increases it pressurizes chamber 26 via line 18 which forces power spool 20 to move against bias spring 21 . as power spool 20 moves line 2 from pump 1 communicates with line 28 via annular spool groove 24 and at the same time line 29 drains chamber 34 via annular recess 23 and line 27 . line 28 then delivers pressurized fluid to chamber 33 of an actuator 32 causing work to be accomplished in one direction as pressurized fluid is applied to chamber 33 . de - energizing solenoid 13 of switching module 3 - a causes bias spring 11 to return signal spool 7 to the de - energized position breaking the connection between line 59 and line 18 and in the de - energized position line 18 is connected to line 27 via annular spool groove 10 at the same time drain line 27 is connected to reservoir which vents chamber 26 and allows bias spring 21 to return power spool 20 to the neutral position breaking connection between pressure line 2 from the pump and line 28 leading to the actuator via annular spool groove 24 . hence , this action terminates the flowing of pressurized fluid to actuator 32 whereby movement of the actuator ceases . when signal flow switching module 3 - b is actuated by solenoid 14 the signal spool 8 moves against bias spring 12 . this action connects line 4 to line 17 via annular spool groove 15 . as the pressure in line 4 increases it pressurizes chamber 25 of the power module 19 via line 17 which forces power spool 20 to move against bias spring 22 . as power spool 20 moves line 2 communicates with line 29 through annular spool groove 23 . at the same time line 28 communicates via annular spool groove 24 to drain line 27 allowing actuator to return as fluid is vented from actuator chamber 33 . de - energizing solenoid 14 causes bias spring 12 to return signal spool 8 to the de - energized position breaking the connection between line 4 and 17 via annular spool groove 15 . in the de - energized position drain line 17 is connected to drain line 27 leading to reservoir via annular spool groove 16 , which vents chamber 25 and allows bias spring 22 to return power spool 20 to the neutral position . this action isolates line 29 from pressure line 2 via annular spool groove 23 and terminates the flow of fluid from the actuator causing it to stop movement . it should be pointed out that spool spacer elements 70 and 72 are respectively positioned at opposite ends of power spool 20 , as seen in fig1 , 21 , 22 , and 23 . such spacer elements 70 and 72 can be selectively positioned with both elements on either end of power spool 20 , so as to selectively establish the centered position of spool 20 . for example , if both spool spacer elements are positioned on the right end of power spool 20 , then ducts p and a are normally connected and ducts b and t are also connected via path 27 , fig1 . if both spool spacer elements are positioned on the left end of the spool , the opposite connections p to b and a to t , become the normal connection . hence , it will be understood that the spool spacer elements 70 and 72 allow the spool element to selectively program flow paths between ducts . in the preferred embodiment of the control apparatus of the present invention an adapter module 6 is used in a novel manner to provide for the selective programming of various control circuits for the power flow . for this purpose the adapter module 6 is provided with six primary signal flow passages 66 , 62 , 56 , 58 , 60 , and 17 as seen in the adapter module view of fig1 and 24 , as well as six secondary signal flow passages 230 , 27 , 234 , 236 , 238 and 18 . these passages register with twelve passages of identical numeral designation on the top standard signal flow interface 80 of power flow valve module 19 . adapter module 6 includes a bottom signal flow interface 86 that registers with interface 80 and a top standard signal flow interface 84 that includes standard porting to provide six primary and six secondary signal flow passages that register with signal flow passages in the standard bottom and top interfaces of pressure limiting module 3 , as well as the standard bottom and top interfaces of switching modules 3 - a and 3 - b , and the bottom interface of a top cap 30 . it should be pointed out that top interface 84 of adapter module 6 is different with respect to its porting arrangement from the porting arrangement of bottom interface 86 previously described . such top porting arrangement , however , is standardized with respect to all signal flow modules stacked above the adapter module . this difference in adapter interface porting is used in the present apparatus , so as to make possible a unique internal network of interconnecting passages and removeable plugs designed into adapter module 6 , as seen in the sectional view of fig2 . such view of fig2 shows only the above mentioned six primary passages . it will be understood that the six secondary passages are a duplication , not illustrated , located at a different vertical plane through the adapter module . referring to fig1 , the passages in top adapter inteface 84 are six primary passages 124 , 58 , 17 , 18 , 27 , 134 and the six secondary passages are 136 , 138 , 140 , 142 , 144 and 146 . it will be understood from the above that all three of the signal flow modules 3 , 3 - a and 3 - b are identical with respect to the housing and passages of each . the internal operating components of each , such as the spools , springs , solenoid actuators and plug arrangements differ depending on the selected control function . referring to the power flow module , and particularly fig1 , 21 , 22 , 23 , and 24 , the previously mentioned power flow ducts 2 , 27 , 28 and 29 are shown along with the symbols p , t , a and b which facilitate understanding of the flow circuit of fig2 . it should be further pointed out that there are two additional standardized passages x and y which extend completely through each power flow module , so as to be connectable in series with adjacent modules . as seen in fig2 , passage y is connectable with end chamber 25 via line 250 which line 250 is connectable , when desired , by plug option 251 . also , passage x is connectable with end chamber 26 via line 253 which is connectable , when desired , by plug option 254 . it will now be understood that with the provisions of passages x and y and a network of lines 250 and 253 , any power flow module in a series assembly thereof , can be programmed to operate from signal flows from the signal flow module assemblies mounted on other power flow modules in the series . reference is next made to pressure limiting modules 3 , and the sectional views of fig1 and 18 which illustrate the internal passages and components thereof . an adjusting stem 164 is in threaded engagement with a spring housing 162 , so as to provide means for varying the bias spring pressure exerted by spring 166 . stem 164 is locked in position by a lock nut 160 . a spring adapter 255 engages the end of previously described spool 46 . with reference to serial flow switching modules 3 - a and 3 - b the sectional views of fig1 and 18 still apply with respect to the passages , the housing and spool . however , a plug 156 is removed and replaced with a solenoid assembly 13 or 14 , fig2 , and the manual adjusting stem can be eliminated as seen in fig1 . reference is next made to adapter module 6 , and fig1 - 17 , 20 and 24 . it should be stated that the previously mentioned six primary passages 58 , 124 , 18 , 17 , 134 , and 27 , as well as the six secondary flow passages 136 , 138 , 140 , 142 , 144 , and 148 , are internally connected by passages which do not appear in the above mentioned elevated view . however , these passages are shown on the diagrammatic view of fig2 as part of other numbered lines . with continued reference to adapter module 6 , the plug network illustrated at the various plugs are provided to program signal flows to and from any of the four power flow ducts 2 , 27 , 28 and 29 and the two signal flow ducts x and y . in the particular example circuit of fig2 , it will be seen that the open circle such as 104 indicates an unplugged passage and a solid circle such as 116 indicates a plugged passage . hence adapter module 6 is adapted to program , via the plug network , the various passage connections between the power flow module and the various signal flow modules . it should be mentioned that the power flow valve modules are joined together in series relationship by rods , not illustrated , of preselected length which rods are extended through holes 74 shown in fig1 . also all the signal flow modules are provided with mounting holes 154 which receive rods 34 , fig1 of preselected length which rods screw into threaded holes 4 provided in the top interface of adapter module 6 . this module is in turn mounted on power flow valve module 19 by bolts 306 . it will also be understood that practically any selected valving functions , and assembled combinations thereof , can be programmed with the above described standardized modules merely by selecting the required number of standardized modules , and by assembling the modules with selected internal components and plugs as required to effect the desired control functions .

US-17189280-A

a flush water container system for the flush water of a mobile toilet , in particular of a mobile vacuum toilet , comprising a flush water container having a flush water container inflow , characterized in that the flush water container is designed to receive gray water from a washbasin , which in particular is a wash hand basin or a shower washbasin , and a metering device is provided , which is in fluidic communication with the flush water container and is designed to treat the gray water by feeding a descaling and / or bactericidal treatment agent , wherein the flush water container is designed to release the treated gray water as flush water to the mobile toilet .

fig1 shows a first embodiment of a flush water container system for the flush water of a toilet 11 , according to the invention . the flush water container system comprises a flush water container 43 having a flush water container inflow 44 for receiving gray water from a washbasin 10 . the flush water container system also has a metering device 41 , which is connected to flush water container 43 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , metering device 41 is connected to flush water container 43 via the flush water container inflow 44 . in an alternative embodiment ( not shown ), it is also possible that metering device 41 be connected directly ( i . e ., not via flush water container inflow 44 ) to the flush water container 43 . metering device 41 is designed to treat the gray water by adding a descaling and / or bactericidal agent . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , metering device 41 delivers the descaling and / or bactericidal agent to the flush water container inflow 44 . the flush water container 43 is designed to release the treated gray water as flush water to toilet 11 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , metering device 41 is not actuated by a control unit ; instead , metering is effected via the stroke of a piston ( not shown ) in metering device 41 . the piston is moved solely by the water pressure of the medium flowing through it and by opposing spring force . the volume to be metered is determined by an adjustment screw which can reduce or increase the volume of the cylinder . a pump ( likewise not shown ) is activated solely by upstream or downstream valves which control a flow of water through metering device 41 . a force is exerted on the piston by the pressure of the water , said force pushing the piston downward . when the water pressure drops due to a respective valve being closed , the piston is moved upward by the force of a spring . the cylinder volume is released , and the metered fluid is drawn from a reservoir ( bag ) by the resultant underpressure . in the next cycle , the piston is pressed back down again by the pressure of the water , and the metered fluid is pressed out of the cylinder space into the flush water stream via a duckbill valve . the embodiment in fig1 also has a water filter 42 and an odor trap 23 . from washbasin 10 , the gray water firstly flows through odor trap 23 , than through filter 42 ( where the descaling and / or bactericidal agent is added to the gray water by metering device 41 , in the embodiment in fig1 ) and subsequently into the flush water container 43 . fig1 also illustrates a fresh water supply 12 , which feeds water to a fresh water tank 15 . the filling level of fresh water tank 15 can be detected by a sensor which is not shown in fig1 . depending on the filling level of fresh water tank 15 , valve 16 ( which may be a solenoid valve , an electromagnetic valve or a directional control valve ) can control the supply of fresh water from the fresh water supply 12 . fresh water tank 15 can provide fresh water to the flush water container 43 via the flush water container inflow 44 , depending on requirements and filling level . the filling level in flush water container 43 ( also referred to as a gray water tank ) is monitored by means of a filling level sensor 20 . a pneumatically controlled valve 22 is disposed at the outlet of gray water tank 43 . the compressed air line of compressed air source 17 is connected to valve 21 and provides the compressed air for the pneumatically controlled valve 22 . valve 32 is also disposed in the compressed air line of compressed air source 17 . depending on actuation of valves 21 and 32 , valve 22 is opened and the gray water is fed from gray water tank 43 through nonreturn valve 31 to the black water tank 19 or to toilet 11 . fig1 also shows an overflow pipe 18 , which prevents the gray water flowing back from gray water tank 43 into the flush water container inflow 44 . wash hand basin 10 in fig1 is a gray water inflow to the flush water container system according to the invention . the gray water , containing soap portions and remnants , flows from washbasin 10 into the flush water container system . valve 23 ( or also siphon 23 ) is used as an odor trap for dray water tank 43 . metering device 41 can add fluids having descaling and / or bactericidal properties to the gray water . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , a filter 42 designed as a filter cage has silver threads worked into the filter fabric , which have an inherent bactericidal effect . the gray flush water container 43 is designed to hold sufficient flush water to operate toilet 11 . sensor 22 , which monitors the water level in gray water tank 43 to ensure that there is sufficient water to operate toilet 11 , is also integrated in the tank . the following provides an overview of how the flush water container system shown in fig1 operates . the gray water containing soapy ingredients or soap remnants flows via odor trap 23 and through filter cage 42 . small particles such as flakes of skin , hair and soap remnants are retained in filter cage 42 . metering device 41 regularly adds a fluid with descaling and bactericidal properties to the gray water stream , in order to inhibit bacterial growth and accumulation of lime soaps in filter cage 42 and in the entire flush water container system or flush water system according to the invention . this addition of fluid may be time - controlled and / or event - controlled , according to the invention . clogging due to chemical precipitation of lime soaps , or odor problems resulting from bacterial growth in gray water systems can be advantageously prevented by the invention . fig2 shows a second embodiment of a flush water container system according to the invention , which is part of a flush water system according to the invention . the description of fig1 provided above applies analogously to units with identical reference numerals . the connections between the units shown in fig2 relate to the following types of water pipelines , compressed air pipelines and power lines : “ a ” denotes a gray water pipeline , “ b ” denotes a fresh water pipeline , “ c ” denotes a compressed air pipeline and “ d ” denotes an electrical line . fig2 shows metering device 41 , which is connected to flush water container 43 . flush water container 43 has a flush water container inflow 44 arranged between metering device 41 and flush water container 43 . in the direction of gray water flow from washbasin 10 toward flush water container 43 are arranged , in the flush water container inflow 44 , the inflow to metering device 41 then water filter 42 , then a valve ( solenoid valve , electromagnetic valve , directional control valve ) 24 and odor trap 23 . fresh water is fed from fresh water source 12 via valve 13 to fresh water tank 15 . fresh water tank 15 is connected to the flush water container inflow 44 . fresh water tank 15 has a filling level sensor 14 , which controls valve 13 according to the filling level . in the embodiment shown in fig2 , fresh water tank 15 has a capacity of one liter . by supplying compressed air from compressed air source 17 to valve 16 , the fresh water is pressed out of fresh water tank 15 , when valve 16 is open , in order to feed the water to flush water container 43 . valve 24 is controlled by the compressed air from compressed air source 17 and allows the flush water container inflow 44 to be opened or closed . valve 24 is controlled by valve 25 , which is connected to a control unit 28 . power is supplied to control unit 28 from power source 31 . control unit 28 controls operation of valve 25 and thus the operation of compressed air valve 24 , which can open the flush water container inflow 44 . control unit 28 is connected to fresh water filling level sensor 14 and controls the inflow and outflow of fresh water into and out of fresh water tank 15 via valves 13 and 16 . control unit 28 receives information from sensors 20 and 30 about the filling level of flush water container 43 . flush water container 43 has a capacity of three liters , and the filling levels of one liter and two liters are indicated to control unit 28 by sensors 20 and 30 , respectively . if the filling level of flush water container 43 exceeds a predetermined level , the surplus gray water is removed via overflow pipe 18 . valve 25 is opened for that purpose by control unit 28 , thus allowing the flush water to drain off to overflow drain 18 . analogously to valve 16 of fresh water tank 15 , valve 26 of flush water container 43 is actuated by control unit 28 . when valve 26 is open , the increased air pressure in flush water container 43 pushes the contents out of flush water container 43 . control unit 28 also controls valve 21 , which can release the flow of compressed air to valve 22 . valve 22 opens and closes the outflow to black water tank 19 . between the outflow of flush water container 43 and valve 22 , a gray water pipeline leads to toilet 11 , shown schematically , which may have further valves , flushing nozzles , a control unit and the like . fig3 shows a detail of a flush water container system according to the invention . what is shown is a filter device with an integrated metering device . the filter device comprises a pipe adapter 101 comprising an inflow 111 and an outflow 121 , through which gray water from a sink is fed . a filtration stage 201 is arranged at adapter 101 in a downwardly slanting axial direction . filtration stage 201 includes a central axial inflow 211 , which leads into a filter cage 221 . filter cage 221 has a plurality of radially oriented orifices on its circumferential surface . filter cage 221 is surrounded by a circumferential annular space 23 , into which the gray water entering axial inlet opening 211 can enter in filtered form after passing through the filter cage . the gray water can then flow out of this annular space 231 through an outflow opening 241 in the lower part of pipe adapter 101 and finally exit through outlet opening 121 . a flush water inlet 301 is arranged in the radial direction at filtration stage 201 and opens into annular space 231 around filter cage 221 . flush water inlet 301 is therefore in direct fluidic communication with outlet opening 241 for the filtered gray water and is connected into inlet opening 211 in the filter cage by means of the orifices in filter cage 221 . a biocide - containing descaling fluid may be added via flush water inlet 301 , on an event - controlled or time - controlled basis , to the gray water flowing through , in order to prevent bacterial growth and the formation of lime soaps , which could functionally impair components connected downstream from outlet opening 121 . flush water inlet 301 is also used for reverse flushing of filter cage 221 . this reverse flushing is triggered by a respective control unit at regular intervals which are larger than the intervals at which the biocide - containing descaling fluid is added to the gray water stream . reverse flushing of filter cage 221 involves injecting a short , intensive stream of a biocide - containing descaling fluid into annular space 231 via flush water inlet 301 and applying a pressure to filter cage 221 with a reverse flow of fluid through the filter cage . the flush water is extracted simultaneously via a flush water outflow opening 411 , which is disposed at a collecting tank 40 . collecting tank 40 is axially mounted to filtration stage 201 at the end opposite inlet opening 211 . at its bottom end , it has an outlet valve 421 which is designed as a pinch valve and which is used to empty the solid particles which have accumulated in collecting tank 40 from said collecting tank 40 . filter cage 221 can thus be kept operational by regularly performing reverse flushing via openings 301 , 411 , and the collecting tank need only be cleaned at very long intervals by removing the solids accumulated therein via valve 421 .

US-201113576981-A

a computerized learning approach that enables a user to improve their performance on multiple - choice exams is disclosed . although the learning approach includes various aspects and implementations , in general , the invention forces test - takers to practice their examination skills and subject matter knowledge in a systematic way . the systematic way forces the users to follow a proven problem - solving approach designed to improve their performance . the invention provides important performance feedback to user &# 39 ; s , for example , elapsed time per question and percentage of correctly answered questions . the invention can also pinpoint for the user the substantive areas of the exam which the user is either weak or strong . further , the invention is able to assist the user in predicting his / her eventual score .

embodiments of the invention are discussed below with reference to fig1 - 7 . however , those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limited embodiments . fig1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention . the apparatus 2 includes a computer 4 , a display screen 6 , an input device 8 , and a memory 10 . the memory 10 provides storage for an operating system 12 , a learning program 14 , practice questions 16 , user &# 39 ; s performance information 18 , and miscellaneous information 20 . the computer 4 is preferably a microcomputer , such as a desktop or notebook computer . however , the computer 4 could also be a larger computer such as a workstation or mainframe computer . the computer 4 could also be remotely located from the user who would interact with the computer over a network . the memory 10 is connected to the computer 4 . the memory 10 can consist of one or more of various types of data storage devices , including semiconductor , diskette and tape . in any case , the memory 10 stores information in one or more of the various types of data storage devices . the computer 4 of the apparatus 2 implements the invention by executing the learning program 14 . while executing the learning program 14 , the computer 4 retrieves the practice questions 16 from the memory 10 and displays them to the user on the display screen 6 . the user then uses the input device 8 to select an answer choice for the question being displayed . when the learning program 14 is executed by the computer 4 , a learning method according to the invention is carried out . the details of various learning methods associated with the learning program 14 are described in detail below in fig2 a , 2b , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7a and 7b . the learning method according to the invention will cause performance information 18 and miscellaneous information 20 to be produced . the performance information 18 may , for example , include a correct / incorrect indicator and an elapsed time for each question or set of questions . the performance information 18 may also include a subject and a topic for each question . the miscellaneous information 20 can include any additional data storage as needed by the computer 4 , e . g ., various flags and other values which indicate options selected by the user or indicate user &# 39 ; s state of progress . the user &# 39 ; s performance information 18 and miscellaneous information 20 are stored to , or retrieved , from the memory 10 as needed by the computer 4 . the operating system 12 is used by the computer 4 to control basic computer operations . examples of operating systems include windows , dos , os / 2 and unix . fig2 a and 2b are block diagrams of a first embodiment of a learning method according to the invention . the learning method 22 begins by displaying 24 a question and a plurality of answer choices to a user . for example , the question and its answer choices can be retrieved from the various practice questions 16 stored in the memory 10 and then displayed on the display screen 6 . preferably , the question and its answer choices are very similar to the questions and answers which actually appear on the mbe . it is also preferable that the questions and answers be displayed in a format and font which are very close to those used in the mbe . the closer the appearance and the format of the question and its answer to that of the mbe , the more comfortable the user will be on the actual mbe exam . once the question and its answer choices are displayed 24 , a question timer is started 26 . the question timer operates to keep track of the amount of time elapsed from the time the question was displayed until the user selects an answer choice . due to the fact that the mbe is a severely time limited exam , keeping track of the users time performance for each question is very important . as the question timer monitors the elapsed time , a visual indication of the elapsed time is displayed 28 . for example , a digital stopwatch , a bar graph , or some other graphical technique could be displayed 28 on the display screen 6 to provide a visual indication of the elapsed time to the user . by displaying 28 a visual indication of the elapsed time , the user becomes sensitized to the amount of time he / she spends to answer questions and how he / she is doing time - wise with respect to a predetermined duration of time . alternatively , an audio signal could be used with reduced effectiveness . the visual indication of the elapsed time is far superior to an audio signal because the user is able to see the elapsed time as he / she attempts to determine the correct answer choice for the question . next , a decision 30 is made based on whether the user has selected an answer choice for the question . if the user has not yet selected an answer choice , the learning method 22 awaits the user &# 39 ; s selection while periodically updating the visual indication of the elapsed time being displayed 28 . once the user has selected an answer choice for the question , the question timer is stopped 32 . the question timer is stopped at this time so that only the time for the user to select his / her first answer choice is measured . a decision 34 is then made based on a comparison of the selected answer choice and a predetermined answer choice for the question . if the selected answer choice is not the correct answer choice ( that is , the selected answer choice does not equal the predetermined answer choice ), then the learning method 22 forces the user to keep working on the question . initially , the learning method 22 displays 36 a hint towards the correct answer choice . for example , a hint for the particular question could be retrieved from the memory 10 and displayed on the display screen 6 for the user . the hint might identify the issue or state the appropriate role of law for the question . next , the learning program 22 again awaits the user &# 39 ; s selection 38 of another answer choice . preferably , the learning method 22 prevents the user from selecting an answer choice he / she already incorrectly selected . once the user selects 38 another answer choice , a decision 40 is made based on a comparison of the selected answer choice and the predetermined answer choice for the question . if the selected answer choice is still not the correct answer choice , then the learning method 22 again forces the user to keep working on the question . however , for the next go around , the learning method 22 may provide additional assistance to the user by displaying 42 ( or provide the option of displaying ) substantive information relevant to the question . for example , the substantive information could be a portion of a substantive outline of a subject of the mbe . the portion would be the portion of the outline which discussed the rules of law the user needs to understand and correctly answer the question . in any case , once the user selects the correct answer choice ( after block 34 or 40 ), an explanation of the correct answer choice is displayed 44 . by displaying such information to the user , the user is encouraged to verify that his / her reasoning for choosing the correct answer choice was correct , or if his / her reasoning was incorrect , to help the user understand the proper approach to the question . next , a decision 46 is made based on whether a question set is complete . although not previously mentioned , the questions are preferably presented to the user in sets of questions . preferably , a set could include about fifteen questions . the user is required to work through at least one entire question set in a single sitting . this forces the user to concentrate on the questions and the problem - solving approach for a reasonable period of time ( typically 30 - 60 minutes ), even if the user works through a single set . using sets of questions also helps to balance users &# 39 ; performance parameters over the set . users &# 39 ; performance parameters tend to be fairy consistent over a reasonable sized set , whereas question by question the parameters tend to have large variations . in this regard , if the question set is not yet complete , the learning method 22 will reset the question timer 48 and return to the beginning of the method 22 to display a next question of the question set . on the other hand , once the question set is complete , the learning method 22 is completed , at least for the given question set . fig3 is a block diagram of a substantive information routine according to the invention . the substantive routine 49 is performed by the computer 4 to display 42 substantive information relevant to the question as shown in fig2 b . the substantive routine 49 begins by identifying a subject and topic for the question . the topic is preferably a heading section within a substantive legal outline for a particular subject of the mbe . for example , the substantive information for a question concerning contract law might have topics such as assignment , statue of fraud , acceptance , etc . after the subject and topic are identified 50 for the question , the computer 4 searches 52 the substantive information for the topic . for example , the contracts legal outline could be searched for the heading &# 34 ; assignment &# 34 ; using known word searching techniques . alternatively , the searching 52 could be performed by a table look - up into a table containing information on the location of topics within the outline . a portion of the substantive information pertaining to the topic is then displayed 54 . for example , the portion could be the information in the contracts legal outline in the section identified by the heading &# 34 ; assignment &# 34 ;. preferably , in a windows environment , a separate viewing window would be opened to contain the portion of the outline , and the question and answer choices would be displayed concurrently with the outline viewing window . it is also preferable that the displayed substantive information ( e . g ., portion of legal outline ) have the same format and font as the printed outline which the user has available for studying . a decision 56 is then made based on whether the question has been answered correctly or the user has requested removal of the portion of the outline being displayed . once the substantive routine 49 determines 56 that the question has been answered correctly or the user has requested removal of the window displaying the portion of the outline , the substantive routine 49 removes 58 the display 54 of the substantive information . otherwise , the displayed 54 substantive information remains so that the user can read the pertinent portion of the outline and scroll to other sections if so desired . fig4 is a block diagram of a performance evaluation routine according to the invention . as the user works through the learning method 22 , performance information 18 is routinely saved by the computer 4 to the memory 10 . at the end of a question set , the performance evaluation routine 60 would enable a user to display performance information to the user in a useful way to enable the user to understand his / her performance . specifically , the performance evaluation routine 60 begins by displaying 62 the question number , elapsed time , a correct / incorrect indicator , and subject and topic categories for each question in the question set . for example , the displayed information might be displayed in a table such as table 1 below . table 1______________________________________question no . subject topic result time______________________________________1 evidence hearsay correct 3 : 212 contracts assignment incorrect 1 : 383 contracts acceptance correct 2 : 20 . . . .. . . .. . . . 15 crimlaw battery correct 1 : 58______________________________________ next , a percentage of questions in the question set which were answered correctly is computed and displayed 64 . for example , if the user answers eight of the fifteen questions correctly , the percentage displayed would be 53 . 33 %. this percentage is useful to the user because the user can directly compare his / her set percentage with the percentage the user eventually desires to achieve on the mbe , which is usually at least 65 % and typically between 70 and 75 %. an average elapsed time for the user to answer the questions in the question set is also be computed and displayed 64 . a decision 66 is then made based on whether the user desires to eliminate the correctly answered questions from the master questions set . although this decision may be made mandatory to prevent the user from repeating questions and thereby polluting his / her performance data , the decision 66 is shown here as being the user &# 39 ; s choice . if the user desires to eliminate the correctly answered questions from the set , then the questions answered correctly are disabled 68 . this disabling 68 can be achieved by setting an enable / disable flag associated with each of the questions . such flags are located in the memory 10 , e . g ., with the practice questions 16 or the miscellaneous storage 20 . nevertheless , the questions which have not been answered correctly can be repeated in a review mode , but are preferably not repeated in the practice or study mode , as such would corrupt the user &# 39 ; s performance data . thereafter , a decision 70 is made based on whether the user desires to view his / her performance history . here , the computer 4 makes use of the performance data 18 for each question or set of questions to produce elaborate performance feedback to the user . if the user desires to view his / her performance history , the user &# 39 ; s performance history is displayed 72 . although the performance data could be displayed in tables , preferably , graphical presentations are made . for example , ( i ) graphs of users time verses question set or ( ii ) correctness verses question set can be displayed as shown in fig5 a and 5b , respectfully . fig5 a is a graph 74 illustrating average elapsed time per question for a set . a target elapsed time value 76 is also depicted to provide the user with a reference for their desired performance . fig5 b is a graph 78 illustrating average correctness ( as a percentage ) for a set . a target correctness percentage 80 is also depicted to provide a reference for their desired performance . the graphs 74 , 78 are produced by plotting the average elapsed time and a percentage of correctness for the question sets the user has completed . the plotted points can be connected together with line segments . alternatively , bar graphs could be used . in any case , these graphs 74 , 78 allow the user to see just how his / her performance is improving . namely , the user can see the target values for each performance measure ( time , correctness ) and how they are fairing and whether their performance is improving , worsening or stable . although graphs 74 , 78 primarily pertain to overall values , similar graphs can also be produced by subject or topic so as to inform the user if certain of the subject areas or topics of the exam are hurting his / her overall performance . in fact , the graphs of several subjects or topics can be simultaneously shown to the user . for example , the average time and average correctness for each of the subjects of the exam could be simultaneously placed on graphs 74 , 78 using different colors or other visually distinguishing marks . such graphs 74 , 78 would also inform the user of the user &# 39 ; s relative performance by subject or topic . the invention can also be used to predict the user &# 39 ; s performance . in particular , the invention can determine and display a user &# 39 ; s rate of performance improvement , overall or set to set . this rate would provide the user with some indication as to how his / her performance will improve with future sets . alternatively , the invention can use the acquired performance data 18 on the user to extrapolate out a general trend of his / her performance to determine if he / she is on track to meet the goals . in this regard , a line or curve of best fit for the user could be computed using known methods and displayed for the user . fig5 c is a graph 81 of a curve which uses the user &# 39 ; s performance data for sets 1 - 5 to extrapolate out an estimated future performance of the user . note that in computing the extrapolated curve it is preferable to use a maximum value for the performance measure . using a maximum value prevents the extrapolated curve from being overly biased by inconsistent performance data , particularly when only a few set of questions have been answered . the maximum values are statistical approximations of users &# 39 ; maximum performance values , preferably about 75 % for correctness and about 1 . 5 minutes for elapsed time . from the graph 81 in fig5 c , the user will understand that based on his / her performance so far that to meet the target correctness percentage 80 at least 11 sets will need to be completed . fig6 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of a learning method according to the invention . the learning method 82 in this embodiment forces the user to indicate whether each of the answer choices is correct or incorrect . by forcing the user to consider all the answer choices , the learning method makes the user practice the problem - solving approach employed by most exam takers , namely to make an educated guess at the correct answer after eliminating answer choices known to be incorrect . in any case , the learning method 82 begins by displaying a question and a plurality of answer choices . next , the user chooses 86 one of the answer choices . the learning method 82 then asks the user to indicate 88 whether the chosen answer choice is the correct answer choice . note , here the user can select any of the answer choices , not just the correct answer choice , and thereafter , indicate whether it is correct or incorrect . if the user indicates that the selected answer choice is a correct answer , a decision 90 is made based on whether the selected answer choice is the correct answer choice . on the other hand , if the user indicates that the selected answer choice is an incorrect answer , a decision 92 is made based on whether the selected answer choice is not the correct answer choice . when either decision 90 , 92 is answered in the affirmative , then a correct message is displayed 94 to the user . alternatively , when either decision 90 , 92 is answered in the negative , then an incorrect message is displayed 96 to the user . following either block 94 or block 96 , the learning method 82 displays 98 an explanation indicating why the selected answer choice is the correct / incorrect answer choice , thereby allowing the user to confirm the reasoning or analysis behind his / her answer choice . thereafter , a decision 100 is made based on whether all the answer choices have been selected by the user . if not , blocks 86 - 98 of the learning method 82 are repeated until all the answer choices have been selected , thereby forcing the user to indicate whether each of the multiple answer choices is either correct or incorrect . once all the answer choices have been selected , a decision 102 is made based on whether the question set is complete . if the question set is not yet completed , then the learning method 82 returns to block 84 where the next question and answer choices are displayed for a user according to the learning method 82 . on the other hand , if the question set is complete , then the learning method 82 is completed . fig7 a and 7b are block diagrams of a third embodiment of a learning method according to the invention . in this embodiment , the learning method 104 sequences through the answer choices prompting the user to indicate whether he / she believes the answer choice to be correct or incorrect . the user can also answer &# 34 ; unsure &# 34 ; if the user cannot make an educated guess at the present time . the learning method 104 begins by displaying 106 a question and a plurality of answer choices to the user . next , a selected answer ( sa ) is set 108 to &# 34 ; a &# 34 ;, indicating a first answer choice . the learning method 104 then prompts the user to decide 110 whether sa is the correct answer choice . if the user answers in the affirmative , then block 112 is performed . block 112 represents blocks 90 and 94 - 98 shown in fig6 . on the other hand , if the user answers negatively , then block 114 is performed . block 114 represents blocks 92 - 98 shown in fig6 . a third option is also available to the user . if the user is unsure as to whether or not sa is the correct answer choice , the user can skip the answer choice . thereafter , the learning method 104 performs similar processing for the remaining answer choices . namely , the selected answer ( sa ) is set 116 , 120 , 124 to the other answer choices and the user is prompted for a decision 118 , 122 , 126 just as was done for the first answer choice . blocks 112 , 114 are also used in the same manner for each of the answer choices . once all the answer choices have been processed ( answered or skipped ), then the same process repeats 128 for the answer choices which the user may have skipped . the process repeats 128 until the user indicates whether each answer choice is correct or incorrect . hence , skipping answer choices simply delays the decision because the learning method will prompt the user for an answer . after all the answer choices have been indicated as being correct or incorrect , a decision 130 is made based on whether the question set is complete . if the question set is not yet complete , the learning method 104 returns to block 106 to process the next question in the same manner . when the question set is eventually completed , the learning method 104 is completed . although not shown , the second and third embodiments of the learning method ( like the first embodiment ) can also provide the user with a hint or the option of accessing substantive information to help the user answer the question . performance information can be displayed at the users option . the above - described embodiments of the learning method can also be combined . a first stage could be designed to focus on the fundamentals of the proven problem - solving approach . namely , it may be preferable to start the user in either the second or third embodiments of the learning method because these embodiments stress the basic problem approach . hence , the second and third embodiments force the user to learn and follow the desired problem - solving approach . the basic problem - solving approach is to read the question , then while reading the answer choices , discarding those answer choices deemed clearly wrong . thereafter , the remaining answer choices are re - read , and the best answer choice is selected . the question or portions thereof can be re - read as needed . a second stage could be designed as a practice mode . here , since the user would have already become comfortable with the basic problem - solving approach , the first embodiment of the learning method would be used . the first embodiment is particularly useful because it operates similar to actual exam conditions and offers important performance feedback . moreover , within the second stage , various levels of study could be possible . in a first level , all the questions in a set can be for the same subject . this allows the user to concentrate on questions of the same subject . this is beneficial because it frees the user from having to decide which subject category the question pertains to and because the user can concentrate on learning the detailed rules pertaining to the subject . thereafter , in a second level , the questions in a set can be from various subjects . although the second level would be more difficult than the first level , it would more closely represent the actual exam . a third level may also be provided . in the third level , the question in a set would again be from mixed subjects but would be more difficult questions than those in the second level . this level would serve as advanced level studying for the user . a fourth level may be provided to permit a user to focus on a specific topic which he / she wishes to study in depth . for example , if the performance information indicates that the user is struggling with assignments ( topic ) in contracts ( subject ), then the fourth level can be used to practice on question pertaining to assignments . a fifth level may be provided to allow the user to repeat questions he / she previously answered incorrectly . a third stage could be designed as an exam practice mode . in this stage the user would actually take practice exams under exam - like conditions . the computer system would provide the user with questions , record the user answers , and time the exam . the many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the written description , and thus , it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention . further , since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art , it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation as illustrated and described . hence , all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to as falling within the scope of the invention .

US-31597694-A

the invention provides a new method of recycling recyclable waste products suited for household use wherein the container is a plastic injection - molded container having a monolithic body formed from plastic resin and includes a pair of integral compartments . fibrous waste is placed in one compartment and nonfibrous waste comprising rigid and semirigid container , e . g ., glass jars , metal beverage and food cans , plastic bottles and glass bottles are placed in the other compartment so as to presort the recyclable articles . the container is then taken to a collection point where the presorted products can be picked up by a recycling collection contractor and maintained separate from one another during transport to a recycling center .

refer now to the figures in which is illustrated a recycling container for sorting waste products such as paper bags , newspapers , cans , bottles and the like . the container indicated generally at 12 has two side - by - side compartments 14 and 16 separated by a hollow partition 18 . container 12 is preferably a monolithic body formed from plastic resin in which the compartments 14 and 16 are integral with one another . the compartment 14 includes four upright side walls 14a , 14b , 14c and 14d and a bottom wall 14e . the compartment 16 has four upright side walls 16a , 16b , 16c and 16d and a bottom wall 16e . each of the compartments 14 and 16 has an upper open wide mouth surrounded by a rim ( 14f and 16f ). the bottom walls 14e and 16e can have drain holes 14f &# 39 ; and 16f &# 39 ;. the side walls of each compartment 14 , 16 preferably converge toward one another proceeding in the direction of the bottom of the container to facilitate stacking as shown in the figures . two of the side walls 14d , 16b are spaced apart from one another to define the sides of the hollow partition 18 . near the top of the partition 18 the walls 14d , 16d converge proceeding upwardly at 18a , 18b ( fig2 ) and are joined to one another at their upper edges by means of a horizontally disposed , laterally extending integral connecting panel 20 located at the same elevation as the upper edge of the mouths surrounded by the rims 14f , 16f of the respective compartments 14 and 16 . the rims 14f , 16f of the compartments 14 and 16 are each preferably surrounded by outwardly extending downwardly recurved lips 14g and 16g , respectively . the lips can be strengthened with reinforcing webs 15 . the lips 14g , 16g strengthen the container 12 and also provide a hand grip to assist in carrying the container . at the center of the connecting panel 20 is a horizontally disposed laterally extending handle 22 having the shape of a half - cylinder , i . e ., the handle 22 is hemi - cylindrical so as to have a downwardly extending convexly curved lower surface 24 for providing a comfortable grip . the upper surface of the handle 22 is trough - shaped , i . e ., the handle 22 has an upwardly opening recess and a downwardly , convexly curved lower surface . below the handle 22 is a transversely extending rectangular opening 26 in each of the converging portions 18a , 18b of the walls 14d , 16b . the opening 26 is provided with upright side walls 28 , 30 ( fig5 ) but has no bottom wall at 32 . as a result of this construction the handle 22 provides a very comfortable grip and is located at or slightly below the rims 14f , 16f of compartments 14 , 16 . the rims 14f and 16f of the compartments 14 , 16 and the connecting panel 20 form a uniplanar top surface for the container 12 which includes the handle 22 . by the term uniplanar is meant , lying in the same plane . one can easily place one &# 39 ; s hand through the opening 26 beneath the handle but at the same time the handle is substantially the same elevation as the top edge of each of the compartments 14 and 16 . it should be noted that the handle 22 does not project above the upper edges of compartments 14 , 16 or lips 14g , 16g . in addition , the handle 22 does not interfere with nesting of the containers . thus , two or more of the containers 12 can be placed easily one inside of another as shown in fig2 . this gives the container 12 of the present invention excellent stacking characteristics so as to facilitate shipment and storage . upright reinforcing webs 40 are preferably provided spaced apart at locations beneath the connecting panel 20 to furnish added strength . as shown in fig5 the reinforcing webs 40 extend downwardly to approximately the lower edges of the tapered side walls 18a , 18b . located adjacent either end of the connecting panel 20 in the lips 14g , 16g of the respective compartments are provided , if desired , optional downwardly extending upwardly opening bag retaining slots 42 , 44 , 46 and 48 for receiving the upper edge 50 of an optional liner bag such as a flexible plastic film liner bag 52 which is commercially available in various sizes for lining wastebaskets and the like . in the lip portions 14g , 16g of the container 12 are provided upright openings which are aligned with the slots 42 - 48 . the edges of these openings converge proceeding downwardly to provide sharp corners 42a ( fig6 and 6a ) which act as hooks for securely holding the top 50 of a liner bag 52 in place . if the liner bag 52 is to be used , the bag is inserted into one or both of the compartments 14 , 16 and the edge portion 50 of the top of the bag 52 adjacent to the partition 18 is turned downwardly into one of the slots 42 - 46 and its edge is stretched under one of the hooks 42a on either side of the container 12 . the hooks 42a securely and reliably hold the bag 52 in place . the other edge of the bag 52 is stretched over the lip 14g , 16g as shown at the right in fig1 to provide a tight fit and secure support for the upper edge 50 of the liner bag 52 . the top edge 50 of bag 52 can be hooked into the slots on the same or opposite side of the panel 20 from the compartment in which the bag 52 is placed . by hooking the edge of the bag 52 in a slot on the opposite side of the panel 20 , the bag 52 is stretched further and thus can be hooked more securely . this will keep the bag 52 from sliding down even if articles are thrown into it . the invention provides an excellent container to assist in the sorting of recyclable materials . it is particularly valuable in making possible at least partially presorting articles into two groups at the source . for example , the compartment 14 can be lined with a paper bag and be used for fiber ( paper commodities , newsprint , magazines , mail , phone books , etc .) while the compartment 16 can be lined with a flexible plastic waste bag , i . e ., a wastebasket liner bag and then used for glass jars , metal beverage and food cans , plastic and glass bottles . either or both compartments can be provided if desired with a liner bag 52 . in accordance with the present invention , a new method is provided for recycling recyclable waste products . in accordance with the present method , a recycling container 12 having a pair of side - by - side compartments 14 , 16 , each with an upwardly opening wide mouth is provided . the container 12 serves as a means to facilitate presorting the recyclable materials into two product categories and thus makes it possible for a householder to carry out in the home the first stage of separation that is to be completed by the recycler . typically , in the first compartment 14 the user places recyclable fiber products including paper commodities , newsprint , magazines , paper bags , mail , phone books , etc . in the other compartment 16 the user places rigid and semirigid recyclable containers including glass jars , metal beverage and food cans , as well as plastic and glass bottles . the recycling container 12 is then taken to a pickup point , usually in front of the home near the street . the recycling contractor then removes the presorted recyclables from the compartments 14 , 16 , while maintaining them separate from one another . further separation of recyclable materials as required can be carried out by the recycling contractor . the container 12 is excellent for use both in the home and in commercial installations . in the home it can easily be slid into a compartment under the sink , at the point where most waste originates . it will be seen that since the handle 22 is at the same level as the top of the rims 14f and 16f of the compartments and extends slightly below that level , it will not project above the top of the compartments 14 and 16 and consequently will not catch on obstructions when the container is being placed in or removed from storage . the slots 42 - 46 in the top rim of the compartments 14 , 16 are highly effective in efficiently holding the tops of the liner bags 52 in place , especially if the user should decide to store non - recyclable waste or for some other reason want to line one or both of the compartments 14 , 16 . while most currently available containers are difficult to carry , the container 12 of the present invention can be easily lifted and carried with one arm which makes more efficient use of the back muscles and thus reduces labor involved in carrying the recycling container 12 to the street . the handle 22 is constructed and designed to provide a comfortable grip for the hand but yet does not interfere with efficient nesting of the containers one inside another as shown in fig2 . many variations of the present invention within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art once the principles described herein are understood .

US-33955894-A

a latch - pin lock for sliding doors and windows has a latch on a base plate that is attachable to a sliding - door frame adjacent to a sliding - door lock pin . the latch retains the sliding - door lock pin in door lock - pin orifices in opposition to vibrational manipulation of the door and door frame generally applied by persons attempting unauthorized entry . the latch can be glued or otherwise fastened to the door frame either after , before or during construction of a building to which the sliding door is attached . with either a pivotal or a sliding contact of the latch with the base plate , the latch can be positioned on the lock pin to retain the lock pin in a locking or in an unlocking distance of entry into a lock - pin orifice as desired .

reference is made first to fig1 - 3 . a latch plate 1 has a pivotal end 2 attached to a pivotal end 3 of a base plate 4 . the latch plate 1 pivots perpendicularly to a door frame 5 to which the base plate 4 is attachable proximate a lock - pin orifice 6 in which a sliding - door lock pin 7 is positioned . in this perpendicularly pivotal embodiment , the latch plate 1 can be made to pivot perpendicularly to the door frame 5 on a latch axle 8 or other type of pivotal attachment of the latch plate 1 to the base plate 4 . the lock pin 7 is inserted through the lock - pin orifice 6 in the door frame 5 and into matching lock - pin orifice 9 in a second door flame 10 to lock the two door flames 5 and 10 together . for some sliding doors , however , either the door frame 5 or the second door frame 10 is a rigid wall or other rigid structure to which a sliding door is fastened with the lock pin 7 for locking the door . the door flame 5 , therefore , is intended to be whichever type of door frame in which a lock - pin orifice 6 exists . also , sliding doors are intended to include any type of sliding closure such as sliding windows . lock pins 7 usually have a lock - pin flange 11 to prevent excessive entry of the lock pin 7 into the matching lock - pin orifice 9 in the second door frame 10 or other sliding - door element . for either type of structure , the base plate 4 is attached to the door frame 5 at a position proximate the lock - pin orifice 6 which centers a latch - plate pad 12 or other latch - plate contact surface on an outside end 13 of the lock pin 7 . for lock pins 7 having a lock - pin flange 11 , the outside end 13 of the lock pin 7 is the outside end of the lock - pin flange 11 . the latch plate 1 can be prevented from pivoting away from contact with the lock pin 7 or lock - pin flange 11 and thereby maintained in contact with the outside end 13 of the lock pin 7 with a latch shaft 14 . the latch shaft 14 is pivotal in a latch - shaft orifice 15 in the latch plate 1 . the latch shaft 14 has at least one and usually two lock arms 16 that are extended perpendicularly from a latch end 17 of the latch shaft 14 . locking the latch plate 1 in contact with the lock pin 7 is accomplished by rotation of the latch shaft 14 to a circumferential position in which at least one lock arm 16 is in contact with an opposite side of a shaft - lock member 18 from the latch plate 1 . the latch shaft 14 can be rotated with a latch knob 19 on a control end 20 of the latch shaft 14 . the one or more lock arms 16 are parallel to the shaft - lock member 18 in unlocked mode and perpendicular to the shaft - lock member 18 in locked mode . the shaft - lock member 18 can have a variety of forms . in the fig1 embodiment , the shaft - lock member 18 is a rod or wire that has a base end 21 attached to the base plate 4 . a central section 22 is positioned in rigid contact with a base rod 23 that is attached rigidly to an extension of the base plate 4 . rigid contact of the shaft - lock member 18 in a wire or rod form can include wrapping it around the base rod 23 . a lock end of the shaft - lock member 18 is then curved back to a position proximate the latch - shaft orifice 15 where the lock arm ( s ) 16 can be located on the latch shaft 14 to a locked position . usually there are two juxtaposed rod or wire shaft - lock members 18 in order to allow positioning of lock arms 16 between them for unlocked mode and to be positioned perpendicularly to them for locked mode . an inside flange 24 can be employed to maintain the latch shaft 14 in the latch - shaft orifice 15 and to maintain the lock arms 16 at a desired distance from the latch plate 1 to allow entry of the shaft - lock members 18 between the lock arms 16 and the base plate 1 when the latch shaft 14 is rotated to a locked position by rotation of latch knob 19 . preferably the latch shaft 14 is a t - shaped member with the lock arms 16 extended as arms of the t - shape and with the latch knob 19 attached to a terminal end of a leg of the t - shape . an outside flange 25 can be employed to provide a rotational bearing surface . a butt end 26 of the latch plate 1 can be positioned to prevent excessive pivotal travel of the latch plate 1 on the latch axle 8 when it contacts a butt end 27 of the base plate 4 . this keeps the latch plate 1 in a desired pivotal position when the latch shaft 14 is rotated to an unlocked mode . referring to fig4 - 6 , a shaft - lock plate 28 can be employed in lieu of the wire or rod form of shaft - lock member 18 . the shaft - lock plate 28 can be shaped similar to a section of either square tubing , channel iron or angle iron . a shape similar to square tubing resting on a side is the shaft - lock plate 28 shown in fig4 - 6 . in fig4 - 5 , walls 29 of the square - tubing form are parallel to the latch plate 1 and the base plate 4 . in fig6 the walls 29 are perpendicular to the latch plate 1 and the base plate 4 . a base end 30 of the shaft - lock plate 28 is attached to the base plate 4 , leaving a lock end 31 as a top wall through which is provided a latch - shaft orifice 32 for insertion of the latch shaft 14 and the lock arms 16 . the latch - shaft orifice 32 is rectangular to allow entry of oppositely disposed lock arms 16 . it also prevents removal of the lock arms 16 when the latch shaft 14 is rotated to position with the lock arms 16 circumferentially rotated from alignment with the rectangular latch - shaft orifice 32 . fastener screws 33 are illustrated in fastening relationship between the base plate 4 and the door frame 5 . this is optional to adhesive attachment illustrated in fig1 - 3 . adhesive attachment is preferred because it is easier , quicker , less expensive and adequate for the physical conditions involved . there is only minimal separation pressure involved . avoiding alteration of the frame 5 is more important than a stronger fastener means such as the screws 33 . referring to fig7 a shaft - lock rod 34 can be employed as an alternative to shaft - lock member 18 . the shaft - lock rod 34 can have a base end attached to the base plate 4 and a lock end at a position of lockable contact with the lock arms 16 of the latch shaft 14 . like the shaft - lock plate 28 , the shaft - lock rod 34 can have ends extended to form a square , a u - shape similar to channel iron or an l - shape similar to angle iron . also like shaft - lock plate 28 , the shaft - lock rod 34 can be positioned either parallel or perpendicular to the base plate 4 . fig7 illustrates positioning of the shaft - lock rod 34 perpendicular to the base plate 4 . two shaft - lock rods 34 can be juxtaposed as shown in fig7 to allow entry of lock arms 16 between them in an unlocked mode . the latch shaft 14 then can be rotated to position the lock arms 16 under a lock end of the shaft - lock rod 34 for a locked mode . the shaft - lock rods 34 can be braced , attached together or variously supported . alternatively also , the shaft - lock rods 34 can be constructed of square or rectangular rods such that , in effect , they are juxtaposed shaft - lock plates with a space between them instead of a latch - shaft orifice 32 for insertion of the lock arms 16 . a shaft - lock member 18 , therefore , can be constructed in a variety of forms . shaft - lock rods 34 differ from lock - shaft member 18 illustrated in fig1 by not being positioned in rigid contact with a base rod 23 , by being positional perpendicular to the base plate 4 , by having alternative construction from angled rods or plates and by being extendible in rectangular forms . referring to fig8 - 10 , in a parallel - pivotal embodiment , the latch plate 1 is pivotal in a plane parallel to a plane of the base plate 4 . this is accomplished by positioning the latch axle 8 shown in fig1 - 2 and 4 perpendicular instead of parallel to the base plate 4 and the latch plate 1 . a base - plate cylinder 35 is extended perpendicularly from a latch - plate side of the base plate 4 . a latch - plate shaft 36 is extended perpendicularly from the latch plate 1 and inserted into the base - plate cylinder 35 . an outside periphery of the latch - plate shaft 36 is slidable circumferentially and linearly against an inside periphery of the base - plate cylinder 35 . the latch - plate shaft 36 also is cylindrical with a hollow interior . a latch spring 37 within the latch - plate shaft 36 is extended in contractive relationship between the latch plate 1 and the base plate 4 . with the latch plate 1 able to pivot or swivel parallel to the base plate 4 , the latch plate 1 is pivotal parallel to the door frame 5 and to the outside end 13 of the lock pin 7 or a lock - pin flange 11 extended from the lock pin 7 . with the lock pin 7 in a locked mode in the lock - pin orifice 6 and in the matching lock - pin orifice 9 , the latch plate 1 can be pivoted to a position of contact with the lock pin 7 to retain the lock pin 7 in the locked mode with contraction pressure of the latch spring 37 . for an unlocked mode , the latch plate 1 is pivoted to a position of non - contact with the lock pin 7 , such that the lock pin 7 can be removed from the matching lock - pin orifice 9 . the latch plate 1 can be held in a rotational position in contact with the lock pin 7 by at least one location pin 38 extended perpendicularly from the latch - plate shaft 36 into at least one matching location - pin serration 39 in a lock end 40 of the base - plate cylinder 35 . to rotate the latch plate 1 to an unlocked position , the base plate 1 is pulled against contraction pressure of the latch spring 37 to remove the location pin 38 from the location - pin serration 39 . then the latch plate 1 can be rotated to a circumferential position in which the location pin 38 is in contact with the lock end 40 of the base - plate cylinder 35 to allow parallel rotation . illustrated in fig9 - 14 are preferably two location pins 38 that are oppositely disposed . referring to fig1 - 14 , a base - plate lock - pin orifice 41 can be provided for insertion of the lock pin 7 or an extension as a lock - pin flange 11 into the latch - plate shaft 36 where the lock pin 7 can be attached to the latch plate 1 structured as knob latch plate 42 . in this embodiment , the base - plate cylinder 35 and the latch - plate shaft 36 have sufficient length for removal of the lock pin 7 from the matching lock - pin orifice 9 by pulling the knob latch plate 42 a designed distance from the base plate 4 and door frame 5 . the location - pin serrations 39 also are longer or deeper in the base - plate cylinder 35 . in a locked mode , the location pins 38 are at a bottom end 43 of the location - pin serrations 39 . in an unlocked mode , the location pins 38 are rotated by rotation of the knob latch plate 42 to a position where the location pins 38 are resting against an unlocked position 44 on an unlock end of the base - plate cylinder 35 . in order to accommodate different sizes and lengths of lock pins 7 and lock - pin flanges 11 , the components of this embodiment can be made large enough to accept the largest lock pins 7 and lock - pin flanges 11 on the market . an adaptor 45 can be used to span any space between an inside surface of the knob latch plate 42 and an outside end 13 of a lock pin 7 . alternatively , this embodiment can be constructed in optimum sizes for particular lock pins 7 which can be constructed and marketed with the lock pins 7 attached to or to be attachable later to the knob latch plate 42 . then all that is required is adherence or fastening of the base plate 4 to a door frame 5 with a lock - pin orifice 6 concentric with the base - plate lock - pin orifice 41 . a new and useful lock - pin latch for sliding doors having been described , all such modifications , adaptations , substitutions of equivalents , mathematical possibilities of combinations of parts , applications and forms thereof as described by and foreseeable within the following claims are included in this invention .

US-12187593-A

the invention relates to a flexible composite sheet designed to constitute an undersheet behaving as an electromechanical transducer in order to detect the apnea of subjects lying on it . this sheet comprises , in addition to a foil sensitive to pressure in the sense of electromechanical transduction , two film electrodes and two protective foils . spacing shims are glued to the two foils against which they are juxtaposed . when the sensitive foil is an electret , the shims are directly interposed between the sensitive foil and one of the two electrodes . when the sensitive foil is a polarized piezo - electric foil , the shims are directly interposed between one of the electrodes and the correspoding external protective foil .

included in the pad or draw - sheet a is a dielectric foil 1 interposed between two foils , films or electrically conducting layers 2 and 3 , denoted below by the word &# 34 ; electrodes &# 34 ;. the foil 1 is selected so that it is &# 34 ; sensitive &# 34 ; in the sense of electromechanical transduction , that is to say that it is capable of converting the pressure variations applied locally to it into variations of the electrical voltage collected at the terminals of the two electrodes 2 and 3 . to this end , foil 1 is advantageously constituted of a plastics material such as polypropylene , p . t . f . e ., poly ( fluorinated ethylene - propylene ) or again a polymer or copolymer based on polyvinylidene fluoride , its thickness being preferably comprised between 5 and 50 microns . this foil 1 is permanently electrically polarized or is permanently electrically charged at least in the vicinity of 1 1 of its surfaces , by positive and / or negative charges which are shown diagrammatically by the sign -- in fig2 . in the latter case ( permanent electrical charge ), the foil 1 creates an external electrical field and it is kept separated , at least in part , from one of the electrodes 3 by insulating gaps , as is visible in fig2 . in the other case ( permanent electrical polarization ), shown diagrammatically in fig4 the foil 1 possesses piezo - electrical properties and it is contiguously enveloped by the two electrodes 2 and 3 . each of the electrodes 2 and 3 is advantageously constituted by surface metallization of a foil of plastics material . in the case of the charged sensitive foil ( fig2 ), one 2 of these electrodes is attached to this foil 1 whilst the other electrode 3 , held slightly separated from said foil 1 by any desirable means , is attached to an additional plastics foil 4 . in the case of the polarized sensitive foil 1 ( fig4 ), the two electrodes 2 and 3 are attached respectively to the two surfaces of this foil 1 . the assembly of the three foils 1 , 2 and 3 is itself positioned between two external protective foils 5 and 6 , whose thickness is advantageously comprised between 0 . 1 and 0 . 5 mm , constituted of an electrically insulating flexible material . these protective foils 5 and 6 extend beyond the assembly of the three foils 1 , 2 and 3 and their projecting margins 7 and 8 ( fig1 ) are assembled against one another so as to provide a seal with respect to impurities , notably by gluing or heat welding . the draw - sheet a , formed by the flexible sheet composed of the superposed foils 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 and 6 , has the general shape of a rectangle whose sides measure respectively between 10 and 30 cm and between 20 and 50 cm when used as a draw - sheet for nurslings . each of the electrodes 2 and 3 is connected by means of leads 9 and 10 to a suitable exploitation or output unit 11 -- advantageously of an electronic type with c - mos circuits -- adapted to activate a sound , visual or the like alarm device 12 . for the application of the pad or draw - sheet a concerned with the detection of apnea of a subject resting of this draw - sheet , the activation of the warning system 12 is automatically ensured when the oscillations , of the voltage between the electrodes 2 and 3 , due to the normal respiration of said subject , are interrupted for a period longer than a predetermined threshold , which can be adjusted at will and can be equal , for example , to 10 or 30 seconds or have a form departing to an excessive extent from a form considered as normal . there is provided , in addition , according to the invention , a plurality of separating shims 13 interposed between the sensitive foil 1 and one , 6 , of the outer protective foils , the two opposite surfaces of the shims being glued respectively to the areas of foil against which they are juxtaposed . the shims 13 concerned may be formed of any desirable shapes and materials . they can be in the form of grids or trellises formed from flat crossed elements united preferably at their crossing points so as not to create local overthicknesses , or again in the form of a perforated continuous foil , or in that of parallel flat strips , or of spaced flat studs , of square , rectangular , circular or the like cross - section . their constituent material may be insulating or electrically conducting : it is then selected so that the shims do not run the risk of tearing the flexible foils against which they are glued . with this same aim of avoiding such tears , it will be advantageous in certain cases to avoid too sharp edges or points on the shims . the dimensions of these shims 13 , considered in a plane perpendicular to that of the composite sheet such as that in which fig3 is traced , are preferably comprised the gluing of the shims 13 against the facing foil areas is ensured by means of a thin layer of adhesive material 14 . such a layer is advantageously applied in advance on each shim 13 surface , for example by spraying , so that the positioning of these shims may be very easily effected by self - adhesion . in view of their very slight thicknesses , for example of the order of some tenths of microns , the electrodes 2 , 3 and adhesive layers 14 have been represented by thick lines in fig2 and 4 : fig3 on a larger scale enables them to be seen best . to facilitate the gluing of the shims 13 to the facing foil areas , it may be advantageous to treat these areas previously , notably by electronic or ionic ( electrical discharge ) bombardment , or again by local deposition ( under vacuum or otherwise ) of a thin layer of a material , such as chromium , offering good compatibility with the glues . in the first embodiment relating to the use of a charged sensitive foil 1 , which has been illustrated in fig2 and 3 , the shims 13 are directly inserted between the charged surface 1 1 of this foil and the facing electrode 3 : it is these shims which hold surface 1 1 spaced from the electrode 3 and bound between them well defined chambers or compartments 15 . in the second embodiment relating to the use of a polarised piezoelectric foil 1 , which has been illustrated in fig4 the shims 13 are interposed directly between one , 3 , of the electrodes attached against this foil 1 and the corresponding protective foil 6 , again defining between these elements well defined chambers or compartments 16 . in each case , the double gluing of the shims according to the invention ensures a particularly accurate operation of the transducer : in the first case , it is certain that the variations of the distance between the charged surface 1 1 and the facing electrode 3 are due exclusively to the deformations , of this electret and / or of this electrode , which develope at the level of the different compartments 15 defined between successive shims : in other words , there is no question here that the individual distortions exploited for monitoring purposes involve surface portions , of the composite sheet , covering pluralities of neighbouring shims , even variable numbers of such shims , as would be the case if there were a possibility of ungluing between these shims and the areas of the foils against which they are juxtaposed ; in the second case , the pressure variations exerted locally on the foil 1 are manifested by elastically reversible depressions of the portions , of this foil , positioned opposite of the compartments 16 , within these compartments , which lengthens , and hence thins these portions : it is especially these reversible thinnings which are converted into electrical variations exploited for monitoring purposes ; due to the gluing concerned , said thinnings correspond only the depressions indicated whereas an absence of gluing of the shims would make possible slippages of the foil along these shims , able to denature the characteristics of these depressions . as is itself evident , and as emerges besides from the foregoing , the invention is in no way limited to those of its methods of application and embodiments which have been more especially contemplated ; it encompasses , on the contrary , all modifications . in particular , the spacing shims could be formed by molding with one of the foils against which they are intended to be glued , constituting , for example , projecting ribs on the inner surface in fig4 . in the same way , the spacing shims could be arranged so as to permit a flow of air on the outside of the composite sheet to the cavities 15 and in the reverse direction . similarly , any one of the two composite structures described above could be double : it would be possible for this purpose to let comprise in common the electrode 3 of fig2 by two structures of the type illustrated in said fig2 and to apply symetrically two shim - electret - other electrode - protective foil assemblies to respectively the two surfaces of this electrode 3 , the latter then being itself splitable and constituted by metallisation of the two surfaces of the additional foil 4 , it would also be possible to apply to each of the surfaces of the shims 13 of fig4 the assembly of a foil 1 metallised on its two surfaces and coated externally with a protective sheet . in each of these two latter modifications , the two outer electrodes of the &# 34 ; doubled &# 34 ; structure obtained may be connected together and constitute an electrostatic shielding for the composite sheet . in another modification , the various layers of the composite sheet may be constituted of transparent materials , so that the composite sheet is itself transparent . in another modification , the electrodes 2 and 3 are divided into several electrically disjointed areas , so as to permit localisation on the composite sheet of the region which is deformed and where the pressure is exerted .

US-22871681-A

a device for tensioning and locking an attachable subject which includes , in combination , a toggle clamp and a quick release pin channel lock . the channel lock provides a method for securing an anchor on a bow roller .

referring now to fig1 toggle clamp 1 , comprises toggle handle 2 and toggle attachment arm 3 , the latter being bolted to spacer 15 . spacer 15 is hingedly secured to toggle handle 2 by toggle attachment arm pin 4 through toggle arm orifice 5 . toggle handle 2 is hingedly attached to toggle base 8 by means of toggle handle pin 6 through toggle base orifice 7 . when toggle clamp 1 is in the retracted position shown , toggle handle 2 can be safe - locked with quick release locking pin 10 . in the preferred embodiment shown at fig1 quick release pin 10 can be inserted through quick release pin channel orifice 14 and quick release handle orifice 13 . lanyard 14 can be used to prevent the loss of pin 10 when handle 2 is unlocked . lanyard 14 , as shown in fig1 is attached to pin handle 12 . referring now in detail to fig2 all elements are the same as the embodiment shown in fig1 except that a different quick release pin 10 is shown . referring now in detail to fig3 anchor 17 with flukes 18 , and shank 20 is connected to chain 21 by shackle 22 . chain 21 is engaged and placed under tension in place by attachment arm 3 of toggle clamp 1 , handle 2 of which is locked in place by quick release pin 10 . in operation , the retractable object i . e . the anchor is engaged directly , or through any convenient linkages , by toggle attachment arm 3 , and toggle handle 2 is pulled back and downwardly into quick release locking channel 9 . handle 2 can then be locked by inserting locking pin 10 through channel orifices 14 and over toggle handle 2 or through orifice 13 in toggle handle 2 . by definition , toggle clamps have a past - dead - center locking position , but the position of the toggle with respect to dead center depends in large part upon the direction of pull . referring to fig1 it is inherent in the device shown that if attachment arm 3 of toggle clamp 1 is essentially horizontal with the clamp in the closed retracted position , the toggle will be past dead center . however , on a pull at 10 ° or 15 ° above the horizontal the toggle will be short of rather than past dead center . so the toggle clamp inherently may or may not be installed so as to utilize the past - dead - center position . since the toggle clamp of this invention has a supplemental lock , there is , of course , no inherent operational requirement that the toggle be in the past - dead - center position when the device is in the closed retracted position . however it is inherently at or near the dead center position -- on either side of dead center -- that the maximum mechanical advantage of the toggle is realized ; which advantage , in turn , permits maximum tension with ease of operation . thus the phrase : &# 34 ; near dead center &# 34 ; is employed herein to indicate a toggle position at or on either side of dead center in which a mechanical advantage of at least about 50 % of the maximum useable mechanical advantage is realized . wherever it may become desirable to prevent the theft of the object retracted , a padlock can be substituted for quick release pin 10 . if a padlock is used , and if toggle handle 2 is secured by running the padlock through orifice 13 of toggle handle 2 , it would be impossible to remove the restrianed object by removing the means by which toggle base is secured .

US-58107090-A

a bale wagon comprising a load bed for accommodating a stack of bales comprising a plurality of tiers of bales , and a bale transfer table for accumulating bales thereon to form tiers of bales and operable to deposit successively formed tiers of bales on the load bed . the transfer table has a convex load surface to improve the stability of the bale stack formed on the load bed .

in the following description right - hand , left - hand , forward , and rearward references are determined by standing at the rear of the bale wagon and facing in the direction of operative travel . the basic features of the bale wagon to be described are set forth hereinafter to an extent sufficient for the present invention to be appreciated and understood . however , certain components , in particular the hydraulic system by which the various elements of the bale wagon are activated and controlled , are shown only diagrammatically . operation of certain of these components , especially the control valves for the hydraulic cylinder units , is initiated by certain trip mechanisms , cams , etc ., the details of which are not shown in the drawings of the present application but are illustrated and described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 706 , 389 to which attention is directed for a more complete description and illustration of the same . referring to the accompanying drawings and particularly to fig1 the bale wagon comprises a chassis , indicated generally at 1 , mounted on two pairs of wheels , only the right - hand ones 2 being seen in fig1 . the chassis 1 is formed from left - and righthand , longitudinally - extending rails 3 of which only one is seen . the forward ends of the longitudinally extending rails 3 converge in a hitch assembly 37 which adapts the wagon to be secured to a tractor ( not shown ), or other towing vehicle , located at the front thereof . power for the wagon is obtained from the tractor power - take - off in a conventional manner , but not specifically shown . mounted at the forward end of the chassis 1 and extending transversely thereof is a first or receiving table 4 which is mounted on a forwardly - extending , horizontal portion 7 of an l - shaped structure indicated generally at 8 . the l - shaped structure 8 includes a rear , upwardly - extending leg portion 9 pivotally mounted at 10 on spaced brackets 11 , only one of which is shown , mounted on the right - and left - hand side rails 3 . a hydraulic cylinder ( not shown ) is pivotally secured at one end by a pivot pin to the framework of the bale wagon and at the other end to the l - shaped member 8 of the receiving table 4 . as the cylinder is extended , the receiving table 4 is swung upwardly about its pivot point 10 , thereby transferring any bales which have been accumulated on the table onto a second , or transfer , table 16 . it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the bales are first introduced to the receiving table 4 by means of a pick - up mechanism 17 which lifts bales from the ground and directs them to the receiving table 4 . the pick - up mechanism 17 is shown in its raised , transport position in fig1 and 2 . the transfer table 16 is also mounted on a pair of l - shaped structures 18 each having a forwardly - extending leg portion and an upwardly - extending rear leg portion 20 which is disposed at right angles to the lower leg portion . each of the upwardly - extending leg portions 20 is secured by a pivot pin 21 to a depending lug 22 mounted on the forward end of the load bed 23 . a load surface 24 of the transfer table 16 is formed across the forwardly - extending leg portions and provides a surface upon which bale tiers are formed . when the transfer table 16 is in its normal tier - forming position , it is disposed in the position shown in the drawings . a hydraulic actuator 25 ( fig1 ) is secured by a pivot pin to the load bed 23 , with the rod end 26 of the actuator pivotally connected by a pivot pin to a rearwardly - extending member 27 fixed at its forward end to the rear portion of the adjacent l - shaped structure 18 . the load bed 23 includes a platform assembly 29 . when the requisite number of bales has been accumulated on the transfer table 16 from the receiving table 4 , to form a first tier of bales thereon , the hydraulic actuator 25 is operated by trip means ( not shown ) so that it extends and causes the table 16 to swing upwardly about its pivot pin 21 through approximately 90 °. in this way the first bale tier formed on the transfer table 16 is transferred from a generally horizontal position on the table 16 to a generally vertical position on load bed 23 against a rolling rack 30 which is thus forced rearwardly . successive tiers of bales placed on the load bed 23 by the table 16 will effect further rearward movement of the rack 30 relative to the load bed 23 . the bale tiers are laterally confined on the load bed 23 by right - and left - hand side bars 31 , only the right - hand one being shown in fig1 . each of the side bars 31 is supported by upwardly - extending front and rear struts 32 and 33 , respectively . the rolling rack 30 is adapted to be advanced forwardly and rearwardly by means of a cable system ( not shown ). when the operator of the bale wagon desires to unload the wagon one bale at a time , the bale tier last deposited on the load bed 23 is transferred back to the now inclined transfer table 16 by forward movement of the rolling rack 23 . a cross conveyor ( not shown ) engages the end bale of the lowermost layer of bales and discharges it from the bale wagon . bale - engaging means ( not shown ) have previously engaged the layer of bales next to the lowermost layer on the transfer table 16 and shifted them upwardly on the bed surface 24 to permit ready discharge of the lowermost layer . when the lowermost layer has been discharged , the bale - engaging means are retracted to allow the previously retained layer to fall and become the lowermost layer for discharge , the bale - engaging means then engaging and lifting the next layer . this operation is repeated until the whole tier has been discharged , whereupon the rolling rack is moved further forward to transfer the next tier onto the table 16 . with particular reference to fig4 the prior art structure and its disadvantages will now be described in more detail . the second or transfer table 16 of known automatic bale wagons usually has a flat upper surface 24 with two inclined sections 34 and 35 defining a recess 36 to accommodate the chain of the transverse unloading conveyor . the provision of the inclined sections 34 and 35 is intended to prevent the bales hitting the chain and the chain getting plugged or blocked with straw or hay . therefore the sections 34 and 35 are only provided at the rearmost end of the transfer table , i . e . at the location corresponding to the position of the lowermost bales of each tier as deposited on the load bed . known bale wagons have been provided with rearwardly - projecting bale - retainer fingers 60 pivotally mounted on a transverse member 59 extending between the upper ends of struts 58 . the struts 58 , together with the transverse member 59 , define the forward loading opening of the load bed . the fingers 60 rest merely under their own weight on the top bales of the front tier 57 of bales deposited on the load bed 23 and are intended to prevent the tier 57 from falling back onto the transfer table 16 . fig4 illustrates what can happen with the front tier when the wagon is operating on a downward incline . the intermediate layer or layers of bales of the front tier may slide forwardly and form an irregular tier . if the loading operation is continued with tier 57 in the condition illustrated in fig4 a loose , irregular and unsatisfactory stack of bales is likely to result . the problem is even worse when the front tier falls back on to the transfer table 16 because the operation of the wagon is then interrupted and the operator has manually to unload and then reload the tier . thus the automatic operation of the wagon is totally disrupted . the risk of this problem arising is increased when the bales are stacked on their edge on the load bed 23 as is shown in fig4 the twine binding the bales being indicated at 49 . the reasons for this increased risk have been explained above and therefore will not be repeated . however , it should be noted that the front tier 57 may take the curved profile of fig4 even when the bale wagon is operated on horizontal ground . a solution to the problem is shown in fig1 and 3 in which the transfer table 16 has a generally convex load surface 24 comprising , for ease of manufacture , three flat sections 54 , 55 and 56 . the front and rear sections 54 and 56 extend from the respective edges of the transfer table 16 towards the middle and are inclined slightly upwardly . the fore - and - aft dimension of the inclined sections 54 and 56 is approximately equal to the height of one bale , i . e . 18 inches ( 45 cms ). the middle or intermediate section 55 extends generally parallel to the plane defined by the front and rear edges of the transfer table 16 and at a height of about 1 . 75 inches ( 4 . 5 cms ) to 2 inches ( 5 cms ) above said plane . the fore - and - aft dimension of the intermediate section 55 is generally equal to twice the height of an average bale , i . e . about 36 inches ( 90 cms ). a transverse recess 36 for housing the transverse unloading conveyor may be provided in the rear inclined floor section 56 . in order further to facilitate manufacture , this recess may be provided between the floor sections 55 and 56 , in which case the middle floor section 55 is extended somewhat to the rear , and the rear section 56 is shortened somewhat . in practice this design has proved satisfactory . the second or transfer table 16 also comprises a pair of opposed , fore - and - aft extending side edges 53 which extend above the level of the load surface 24 and which serve to prevent bales sliding off the table during side hill operation . also , in addition to the bale retainer fingers 60 , a pair of special shaped leaf - springs 52 is provided which extend in a rearward and downward direction from the transverse member 59 and which have sections 51 intermediate their ends arranged continually ( even during the unloading process ) resiliently to press on the top edge of the top bales of the front tier 57 . the leaf springs 52 have rear ends 50 which are bent upwardly and away from the bale stack so that when the latter is moved forwardly the leafsprings will not penetrate the bales passing thereunder . the leafsprings 52 may be arranged to contact the top bales in the second tier on the load bed in addition to the top bales of the first or front tier . in operation , the bale wagon is pulled over a field with bales spread there across . the pick - up mechanism 17 is positioned in the operative position and the necessary components energized or driven . the pick - up mechanism 17 lifts the bales which lie flat on the ground and positions two or more ( usually only two ) in an end - to - end relationship in a transverse direction onto the receiving table 4 . when a layer is fully completed on the receiving table 4 , a trip mechanism ( not shown ) is actuated , whereupon the table 4 is pivoted over substantially 90 ° about pivot 10 to place the layer of bales onto the forward portion of the transfer table 16 . this is repeated several times ( usually four times ) until a tier is completed on the transfer table 16 . each time a further layer is deposited on the transfer table 16 , that further layer pushes the layer of bales previously deposited on the transfer table further rearwardly thereon . when a complete tier is accumulated on the transfer table 16 , the bales of the tier take up a convex profile , due to the convex nature of the load surface 24 . each time a tier is completed , a further trip mechanism ( also not shown ) is actuated , causing the transfer table to pivot over substantially 90 ° about the pivot 21 to deposit the tier on the load bed 23 either against the rolling rack 30 or against the tier previously placed on the load bed . during these cycles , the rolling rack , together with the partial stack already formed thereagainst , is pushed further rearwardly over the load bed by the action of the transfer table 16 depositing a new tier on the load bed 23 . during this loading cycle the tiers of bales move beneath and past the bale retainer fingers 60 and the leafsprings 52 , with the fingers and springs remaining in contact with the top bales of the front tier . the fingers 60 , and to a lesser extent the leafsprings 52 , prevent the front tier from falling back on the transfer table 16 even when the wagon is operating downhill . when a new tier of bales is deposited on the load bed , especially when the latter already supports a number of tiers , the new tier and the previously loaded tiers are compressed . the middle bales of each tier are compressed more than the others due to the convex profile of the load surface 24 of the transfer table 16 . as a result , the front tier takes a concave front profile as long as the transfer table 16 remains in the raised position . when the transfer table 16 is lowered , the stack of bales , and more especially the middle bales of the front tier , tend to revert to their previous size by expanding towards the front so that in the result the stack takes up a generally straight front face . the lower and upper bales will indeed expand less or not at all as they are held in position by the frictional contact with the load bed surface and the bale retainer fingers 60 , respectively . it is thus seen that the present invention provides a stack of bales having a substantially improved stability . to unload the bale wagon , the transfer table 16 is placed in a 45 ° position as is known in the art . the bale retainer fingers 60 are retracted and the stack on the load bed is pushed step by step in a forward direction so as to let one tier at a time fall onto the inclined transfer table . the unloading conveyor means on the transfer table then unloads the bales one at a time . during this unloading cycle the specially shaped leafsprings 52 remain in contact with the upper surfaces of the top bales of the front tier and prevent that tier from falling prematurely which could otherwise happen due to the vibration caused by the previous front tier falling onto the transfer table 16 . it will be appreciated that a bale wagon is provided in which bales can be accumulated and stacked on the load bed in a very stable manner , even though the bales may be stacked on their edges rather than flat as is conventional in certain known automatic bale wagons . the bale wagon according to the present invention also forms more stable stacks even when operating on downward inclines . thus the invention results in better stacks in the case of a bale wagon of the stacking type , and fewer or no disturbances of the automatic operation during both the loading and unloading cycles . therefore , the machine has an increased daily output . also , as the bales now can be stacked on their edges on the load bed , more bales can be loaded than before on a loadbed of predetermined length and width .

US-6502379-A

a canopy top for a utility or recreational vehicle having improved drainage . the canopy has a gutter extending along a portion of its top surface and a drain hole extending through the canopy . the drain hole has a given configuration with a receiving edge extending along the gutter &# 39 ; s collection surface . the receiving edge has a length equal to or greater than a maximum height , taken substantially perpendicular to the receiving edge , of the hole . the hole also has an exit edge extending along the bottom surface and the receiving and exit ledges are tapered toward one another and joined by an arcuate transition portion .

the preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the drawing figures with like numbers representing like elements throughout . referring to fig1 there is shown a schematic , perspective front view of a golf car incorporating features of the present invention . the golf car 1 generally comprises a chassis body 3 , wheels 5 , a motor 7 for driving wheels 5 , a passenger sitting area 9 , a golf bag storage area 11 , a utility storage area ( not shown ), and a sunroof canopy assembly 15 . the canopy assembly 15 generally comprises a generally rectangular roof canopy 20 , a front support frame 22 , and a pair of rear support frames 24 , 25 . as shown in fig2 front support frame 22 is comprised of a generally u - shaped tubular member having a bottom section 26 and two upwardly extending legs 28 with each leg terminating in a rearwardly extending portion 30 . each portion 30 extends into a slotted front side member 32 formed integrally on the underside of the canopy 20 adjacent the respective side edge . as illustrated in circled portion 34 of fig2 portion 30 is bolted to slotted member 32 . the bottom section 26 of the front support frame is fastened to the chassis 3 . rear support frames 24 , 25 each include a bottom portion 36 fastened to chassis 3 at bag storage area 11 ( as illustrated in circled portion 37 of fig2 ) and an upwardly extending portion 38 which terminates in a forwardly extending portion 40 . each portion 40 extends into a slotted rear side member 42 formed integrally on the underside of the canopy 20 adjacent to the respective side edge . as illustrated in circled portion 44 of fig2 portion 40 is bolted to slotted member 42 . referring to fig3 canopy 20 is formed into a single sheet of thermoplastic material , preferably polypropylene , using gas assisted molding procedures . canopy 20 has a top surface 50 , a bottom surface 52 and edges that form a canopy perimeter , including a front canopy perimeter portion 54 , a rear canopy perimeter portion 56 , and substantially parallel first and second side canopy perimeter portions 58 , 60 extending between the front and rear perimeter portions 54 , 56 . as can be seen in fig5 - 10 , the edges defining the perimeter are rounded , thereby reducing the potential for injury , if for example , a passenger were to strike their head against such . the edges preferably further include a drip edge bead 153 depending therefrom , see fig1 - 15 , the function of which will be described hereinafter . a first handgrip 62 is formed integrally on first canopy side perimeter portion 58 . a second handgrip 64 is formed integrally on second canopy side perimeter portion 60 . handgrips 62 , 64 are located at a rearward position of canopy 20 approximately an equal distance from rear canopy perimeter portion 56 . each handgrip 62 , 64 is defined by an aperture 65 through the canopy 20 which further defines a gripping member 70 . the gripping members 70 preferably extend inward moving from front to back . as such , the transverse width 66 of the front portion of canopy 20 is wider than the transverse width 68 of the portion of canopy 20 extending between the gripping members 70 and each gripping member is completely within the extent of the front canopy portion width 66 . this allows the front canopy portion to shield hands holding the gripping members 70 of handgrips 62 , 64 as car 1 moves forward . referring to fig4 and 5 , the canopy 20 includes a plurality of hollow channel stiffeners 72 , 74 , 90 . first hollow stiffener channel 72 , formed integrally in the sheet of canopy 20 at the sheet edges , extends along the front canopy perimeter 54 , along side canopy perimeters 58 , 60 , through gripping member 70 and terminates adjacent rear canopy perimeter portion 56 . channel 72 forms a gently curved perimeter offering protection against injury to passengers . channel 72 is hollow as a result of the gas assisted injection mold process , and provides stiffness to the sheet of the canopy 20 . hollow channel 72 is further shown in fig6 - 9 . likewise providing stiffness is second , hollow channel 74 formed integrally into the sheet of canopy 20 in - board of first stiffener channel 72 . second stiffener channel 74 has a front channel portion 76 and first and second side channel portions 78 , 80 extending parallel to front and side canopy perimeter portions 54 , 58 and 60 , respectively . channel portions 78 , 80 each terminate in a bifurcated , rearward hollow channel section that encloses a respective slotted rear member 42 that is formed integrally into canopy 20 . integral slotted front members 32 are also shown . thus , it can be seen that second stiffener 74 forms a generally u - shaped stiffener that parallels front canopy perimeter 54 and curves rearwardly to extend parallel to side canopy perimeter portions 58 , 60 , respectively . hollow channel 74 is further shown in fig6 - 9 . providing added stiffness is a plurality of third , hollow stiffeners 90 formed integrally into the sheet of canopy 20 , in - board of second , hollow stiffeners 74 . stiffeners 90 are separate , longitudinal hollow channels extending parallel to side canopy perimeter portions 58 , 60 . we prefer four stiffeners 90 , but fewer or more will work . stiffeners 90 intersect front channel portion 76 and terminate adjacent rear canopy perimeter portion 56 . hollow channels 90 are further shown in fig6 and 9 . we prefer to provide canopy surface 112 with a plurality of secondary depressions 114 directly above hollow channels 90 to cosmetically mask any distortions or wrinkling associated with channels 90 , although a smooth or pebbled surface will work . we have successfully provided a canopy in accordance with this invention with a wall thickness in the range of 0 . 100 to 0 . 125 inches , from the following thermoplastic material : 20 % calcium carbonate filled , high impact polypropylene copolymer . referring to fig3 the location and orientation of the preferred drain gutters 100 , 106 on canopy 20 will be described . first drain gutter depression 100 is formed into the sheet of canopy 20 and extends adjacent to front canopy perimeter 54 and curves rearwardly to extend along canopy perimeters 58 , 60 , forming a u - shaped gutter terminating at handgrips 62 , 64 . a drain hole 102 is located at each front corner 104 of gutter 100 . the second drain gutter depression 106 is formed into the sheet of canopy 20 and extends substantially parallel to the entire perimeter of canopy 20 , forming a generally rectangular shaped gutter . the side walls of gutter 106 part to form a drain aperture 108 at each rear corner 110 . as shown in fig5 and 9 - 11 , first drain gutter 100 slopes gently forwardly , rear to front , to direct water to drain holes 102 . second drain gutter 106 slopes gently rearwardly , front to rear , to direct water to rear corner apertures 108 . as shown in fig1 , central canopy surface 112 slopes gently transversely , side to side , to direct water to gutter 106 . water flow from drain holes in general can be characterized as “ wicking - dominated ” or “ stream - dominated ” flow . with wicking - dominated flow , water flowing through the drain hole briefly adheres (“ wicks ”) to the canopy surface adjacent the drain hole . the adhesion of the water particles causes the water flow to be diverted along the underside of the canopy prior to the water particles shearing off and falling downwardly under the influence of gravity . wicking - dominated flow is preferred , provided it is controlled , i . e ., the flow is diverted away from the vehicle chassis . in many prior art devices , the wick flow is random at best , and in many instances , the flow is actually diverted toward the vehicle chassis . with stream - dominated flow , water flow through the holes is more substantial , in the manner of fluid exiting a pipe , and the water particles do not adhere to the canopy , but instead fall downwardly immediately upon exiting the hole . such flow may arise during heavy rains when the gutter significantly fills with water . this type of flow is generally not desired since it is difficult to control and the water often falls directly into the vehicle . another problem with heavy rain is that , even with stream flow , the drain holes are incapable of draining the water from the gutter fast enough . when the gutter overflows , the water tends to wick around the edge of the canopy to the underside from where it typically falls into the vehicle . referring to fig1 - 16 , the preferred drain holes 102 of the present invention are shown . each drain hole 102 is generally triangular - shaped with a receiving edge 152 extending between intersecting legs 150 , 151 . the receiving edge 152 is preferably positioned adjacent the gutter &# 39 ; s lowest elevation , i . e ., the elevation to which the water naturally flows . the hole 102 is of a large cross - section relative to the generally round holes of the prior art . the relatively large cross - sectional area allows for a greater flow rate of water through the hole 102 , thereby reducing the likelihood water will pool in the gutter 100 and overflow therefrom . in the event any water does overflow from the gutter 100 or any other portion of the canopy 20 , the drip edge bead 153 prevents the water from wicking around the edge to the underside of the canopy 20 . as shown in fig1 , the drip edge bead 153 provides a rounded edge with opposed sides 157 a , b substantially parallel to the underside of the canopy 20 and a tip of minimized surface area 155 extending therebetween . in order to wick to the underside of the canopy 20 , the water would have to maintain adherence over the minimized surface area 155 and then travel up the inside wall 157 b , against gravity , toward the canopy underside . as such , the water has a much greater tendency to sheer at the minimized surface area portion 155 and fall to earth under the influence of gravity , thereby reducing the occurrence of wicking to the underside of the canopy 20 . the drip edge bead 153 is preferably provided about the entire canopy perimeter such that water flow down any edge portion will be deterred from wicking onto the underside of the canopy 20 . the receiving edge 152 of the drain hole 102 has a relatively long receiving ledge 154 formed in the upper surface 50 of the canopy 20 and a relatively long exit ledge 156 formed in the lower surface 52 . by relatively long , it is meant a maximum length l equal to or greater than the height h of the hole . the receiving ledge 154 directs water into the hole 102 while the exit ledge 156 directs the water exiting the hole 102 outward , toward the perimeter of the canopy 20 . the receiving and exit ledges 154 , 156 are joined by a smooth , arcuate transition 158 . the relatively large size of the ledges 154 , 156 tend to spread the water out , thereby allowing greater adhesive contact of the water to the surfaces . the smooth transition 158 allows the adhered water to flow between the ledges 154 , 156 , and thereby change direction ( inward to outward ), without interrupting the adhesion . the adhered water exiting the hole 102 is directed to a directing ledge 160 protruding from the underside of the canopy 20 and extending between the exit ledge 156 and the edge of the canopy 20 . the directing ledge 160 generally maintains the water within its side boundaries , as opposed to a simple flat canopy surface which may allow random spreading of the water . the directing ledge 160 has a slight downward slope as it runs from the drain hole 102 to the edge of the canopy 20 where it intersects the drip edge bead 153 . in the preferred embodiment , the directing ledge 160 is flush with the drip edge bead tip 155 . the downward slope allows gravity to aid in speeding up the water w flow along the directing ledge 160 such that the water droplets are effectively propelled from the edge of the canopy 20 before falling to earth , as illustrated in fig1 . the drip edge bead 153 again helps to ensure sheering of the water as it reaches the edge of the canopy 20 . while the preferred drain holes 102 and the drip edge bead 153 have been described in conjunction with the preferred canopy 20 and gutter system of the present invention , it is understood that they may also be used in conjunction with other canopies and gutter systems .

US-78240401-A

a method is for manufacturing a battery box for footwear comprising : providing a first member and providing a second member . the method also includes connecting the first member and the second member such that the first member and the second member include a space . the method also includes placing the first and the second member in the footwear such that the first and the second member form a structure in the footwear .

the current battery box 10 for a shoe that is a single box with an exit 15 on the front end 17 of the box 10 . the resin is poured in the box to make it waterproof . however , the use of resin will cause the many problems including a weight of the module is about twice as much as the new battery box . additionally , the resin is harmful and its use is disfavored . additionally , improper formula of resin causes large amount of defects in the production of the footwear . generally , resin products are not reusable which will increase the cost of the products and utilizing resin may decrease the efficiency of the production . fig2 illustrates a component of a new battery box that is made from , in one embodiment , a plastic members that is lightweight . fig2 illustrates a cover 20 . the cover 20 includes a member 20 that has a first front side 22 and a curved rear side 24 and generally straight sides 26 and 28 . the cover 20 also resembles an outer sole and will not be damaged with stepped on by the weight of a human being . the cover 20 also includes a first and a second pegs 21 a and 21 b for connecting with a second structure . generally , cover is 20 made very lightweight . in one embodiment , the cover 20 may be made from hard plastic , for example , acrylonitrile butadiene styrene ( abs ) etc . fig3 illustrates a second component of the battery box or the base 30 . the base 30 includes a planar member 30 that includes a front 32 and a rear 34 and sides 36 and 38 . the base 30 also includes receiving structures 31 a and 31 b to mate with the cover 20 . additionally , an exit 30 a is formed therein . base 30 may be made from hard plastic , for example , acrylonitrile butadiene styrene ( abs ) etc . fig4 illustrates the formed battery box 40 with the cover 20 mated with the base 30 . the battery box 40 dramatically improves the current product process and solves the above problems accordingly . the battery box 40 adopts a two part 20 , 30 structure and design , which include cover 20 and base 30 . by plugging the cover 20 into the base 30 and sealing the cover and the base using a secondary processes such as a connector , ultrasonic welding , hot - pressing or gluing , the battery box 40 will seal seamlessly and be water proof . after using a predetermined sealing material to seal the front end 42 and the exit 44 , the battery box 40 will have waterproof functionality . this invention will greatly improve the efficiency of the current production , eliminate the use of resin and is more environment - friendly . the battery box 40 when assembled includes a front 42 and a rear 44 and the front and the rear 42 . the battery box 40 also includes sides 46 and 48 . a sealed exit 40 a is also provided to let wires come out shown in fig5 . additionally , the pegs 21 a and 21 b are connected to the receiving structures 31 a and 31 b . turning now to fig5 , there is shown the box 50 including a battery 52 within a volume v formed by the cover and the base 20 and 30 shown collectively as battery box 50 . a circuit 54 is also provided ( including : battery 52 , wire , circuit board , switch and other electronic elements ) for use in illuminating footwear will be fixed on the base 30 of the box 50 , put the cover 20 on the base 30 and then seal the box 50 with secondary process such us ultrasonic welding , hot - press or gluing etc . to make sure it waterproof . a number of leads 56 are shown to connect to a number of illumination devices 58 . battery box 50 is preferably used for illuminating footwear and placed in the outsole of the footwear . the structure of the battery box 50 includes a cover and a base and may utilizing secondary processing technology ( such us supersonic welding , hot - pressing or gluing ), the battery box 50 can be sealed seamlessly . preferably , the cover 20 and the base 30 are connected to one another by an ultrasonic welding operation . ultrasonic welding is an industrial technique whereby high - frequency ultrasonic acoustic vibrations are locally applied to work pieces 20 and 30 being held together under pressure to create a solid - state weld . it is commonly used for plastics , and especially for joining dissimilar materials . in ultrasonic welding , there are no connective bolts , nails , soldering materials , or adhesives necessary to bind the materials together . the exit 50 a of the battery box will sealed by the special material so that it has the waterproof functionality . battery 52 may be a button cell , like nickel cadmium battery or a lithium ion battery . battery 52 may be either of two types of batteries : primary batteries ( disposable batteries ), which are designed to be used once and discarded , and secondary batteries ( rechargeable batteries ), which are designed to be recharged and used multiple times . batteries come in many sizes , from miniature cells used to power hearing aids and wristwatches to relatively larger size . fig6 illustrates another view of the battery box 600 comprising a first member 605 and a second member 610 and a module 615 . the first and the second members 605 and 610 are made from a hard plastic and will not crack . an electric module 615 fits inside of the first and the second member 605 and 610 as shown in fig7 . fig7 illustrates that the first and the second members 605 and 610 are sealed and wires of the module 615 extend from the first and the second members 605 and 610 . the gap between the first and the second module 605 and 610 are sealed by a glue to make an integrated waterproof member . turning now to fig8 , there is shown a battery box 1000 being located into an out sole 1005 . as shown the battery box 1000 is disposed in a cavity 1010 formed in the out sole 1005 . there is no resin or filler located between the out sole 1005 and the battery box 1000 . preferably , the battery box 1000 is directly connected to the out sole 1005 in the cavity 1010 . generally , the box 1000 is a compartment and is orthogonal shaped . additionally , a wire 1015 is located and connected to the electronic components 1020 and battery in the box 1000 to a plurality of light emitting diodes located in a shoe . the box has all electronic components in ( including battery , switch , cob board ), except part of the wiring and led light . the battery box 1000 may be manufactured from hard plastic , for example , acrylonitrile butadiene styrene ( abs ) etc . abs box has good hardness . when users stand , run , walk or step on box 1000 , normal pressure will not cause distortion and will not damage or otherwise harm the electronic components . abs plastic that forms the box 1000 will not crack , nor open as opposed to current materials , which are filled with resin in order to prevent water leakage and prevent cracking the instant box 1000 does not need to be filled with resin . the box 1000 may be manufactured through melting both top and bottom , and after sealing the opening to completely seal the box 1000 and to prevent pressure cracks . by omitting the resin , box 1000 also is environmental friendly , and saves manufacturing time , increase productivity , and is easy to maintain . electronics cannot be repaired if filled with resin . therefore the instant box 1000 provides a methodology that components contained in the box 1000 are repairable . while this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to a preferred embodiment thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that is made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims .

US-201213400805-A

a method includes controlling an engine speed based on : intake manifold air temperature and / or intake manifold pressure one , or more , of the following data parameters : an engine load as a function of a fuel level , a fuel injecting timing , an intake oxygen concentration , a constituent concentration from the exhaust gas flow , an engine power , and an engine torque . the method also recirculates a portion of the exhaust gas flow to the combustion cylinders of the engine via a recirculation channel , as a function of intake manifold temperature and / or intake manifold pressure at which the engine is operated . an engine system , other methods , and a non - transitory computer readable medium encoded with a program , to enable a processor - based control unit to control aspects of the engine are also disclosed .

the term “ tier 4 ” or “ tier 4 standards ” means the tier 4 line haul locomotive emissions standards as promulgated by the united states environmental protection agency ( epa ). the tier 4 standards are codified at 40 cfr part 1033 , while the de facto standards and tables are found specifically at 40 cfr 1033 . 101 . tier 4 standards can also be found at http :// www . ecfr . gov / cgi - bin / text - idx ? sid = c96b8ff349cc19252400485a86e87e99 & amp ; mc = true & amp ; node = se40 . 33 . 1033 — 1101 & amp ; rgn = div8 . the tier 4 standards are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . referring to fig1 , a turbocharged unit 10 having exhaust emission and specific fuel consumption ( sfc ) control features , is illustrated in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention . the turbocharged unit 10 includes a turbo - charger 12 and a compression - ignition engine , e . g ., a diesel engine 14 . a motor - generator unit ( not shown ) may be mechanically coupled to the diesel engine 14 . as discussed in further detail below , embodiments of the present invention provide monitoring and control features , such as sensors and control logic , for maintaining a sfc of the engine 14 and a quantity of exhaust emissions in the exhaust gas , within a predefined sfc limit and an emission limit respectively , by controlling feed of a portion of the exhaust gas bypassing a turbine and / or recirculating a portion of the exhaust gas to the engine 14 , as a function of ambient conditions such an intake manifold air temperature and pressure at which the engine 14 is operated . in certain embodiments , fuel injection timing and / or engine speed may also be controlled as a function of ambient conditions . the illustrated engine 14 includes an air intake manifold 16 and an exhaust manifold 18 . the turbo - charger 12 includes a first - stage compressor 20 , a second - stage compressor 22 , a first - stage turbine 24 , and a second - stage turbine 26 . ambient air 27 may be drawn through a filter ( not shown ) and then compressed to a higher pressure via the first - stage compressor 20 . the temperature of air is increased due to compression . the compressed intake air 28 is cooled via an intercooler 30 , and then further compressed to a further higher pressure via the second - stage compressor 22 . the compressed air is then cooled via another intercooler 32 and then supplied to the intake manifold 16 for combustion within the engine 14 . the compressed air flows through the intercooler 32 such that the temperature of air is reduced prior to delivery into the intake manifold 16 of the engine 14 . in one embodiment , the intercoolers 30 , 32 may be air - to - water heat exchangers , which utilize a coolant to facilitate removal of heat from the compressed air . in another embodiment , the intercoolers 30 , 32 may be air - to - air heat exchangers , which utilize ambient air to facilitate removal of heat from compressed air . in yet another embodiment , the intercoolers 30 , 32 may be a hybrid cooler arrangement that utilizes both air - to - water and air - to - air heat exchangers . the first - stage turbine 24 is coupled to the exhaust manifold 18 for extracting energy from exhaust gases for rotating a turbocharger shaft 34 coupled to the second - stage compressor 22 . the second - stage turbine 26 is coupled to the first - stage turbine 24 for extracting energy from expanded gases fed from the first stage turbine 24 , for rotating a turbocharger shaft 36 coupled to the first - stage compressor 20 . the expanded gases from the second - stage turbine 26 may be ejected to the atmosphere . in the illustrated embodiment , an exhaust channel 38 is disposed bypassing the first - stage turbine 24 . a bypass control valve 40 is provided to the exhaust channel 38 to control flow through the exhaust channel 38 . in some embodiments , all of the exhaust gas from the exhaust manifold 18 is expanded through the first - stage turbine 24 . in certain other embodiments , a first portion of the exhaust gas from the exhaust manifold 18 is expanded through the first - stage turbine 24 and a remaining portion ( also referred to as “ a second portion ”) of the exhaust gas from the exhaust manifold 18 is fed through the exhaust channel 38 bypassing the first - stage turbine 24 . the second portion of the exhaust gas fed through the channel 38 is expanded via the second - stage turbine 26 . the engine 14 includes a plurality of combustion cylinders 42 , 44 . a first set of cylinders 42 may be referred to as “ donor cylinders ” ( labelled “ d ” therein ) and the other set of cylinders 44 may be referred to as “ non - donor cylinders ”. in the illustrated embodiment , the engine 14 includes six donor cylinders 42 and six non - donor cylinders 44 . a piston ( not shown ) is slidably disposed in each cylinder 42 , 44 and reciprocates between a top dead center and a bottom dead center position . it should be noted herein that the number of cylinders may vary depending upon the application . the combustion cylinders 42 , 44 are coupled to the intake manifold 16 and receive compressed air via the intake manifold 16 . in the illustrated embodiment , the non - donor cylinders 44 are coupled to the exhaust manifold 18 . the exhaust gas from the non - donor cylinders 44 are fed via the exhaust manifold 18 to the first - stage turbine 24 and / or the exhaust channel 38 . the donor cylinders 42 are coupled to an exhaust gas recirculation manifold 46 . a first recirculation control valve 50 is provided to control flow through the recirculation channel 48 . the exhaust gas recirculation manifold 46 is coupled to the intake manifold 16 via a recirculation channel 48 . the exhaust gas from the donor cylinders 42 ( also referred to as “ a third portion of exhaust gas ”) is fed via the exhaust gas recirculation manifold 46 to the intake manifold 16 . in the illustrated embodiment , the recirculation channel 48 is coupled to the exhaust manifold 18 via an exit channel 52 . a second recirculation control valve 54 is provided to control flow from the recirculation channel 48 to the exhaust manifold 18 . in some embodiments , the entire exhaust gas from the donor cylinders 42 is fed via the exhaust gas recirculation manifold 46 , the exhaust gas recirculation channel 48 to the intake manifold 16 . in certain embodiments , a portion of the exhaust gas from the donor cylinders 42 is fed via the recirculation channel 48 , the exit channel 52 to the exhaust manifold 18 . a recirculation cooler 56 is provided to the recirculation channel 48 . the recirculation cooler 56 cools the exhaust gas fed through the recirculation channel 48 , prior to feeding to the plurality of combustion cylinders 42 , 44 via the intake manifold 16 . the turbocharged unit 10 also includes a control unit 58 . in the illustrated embodiment , the control unit 58 is an electronic control unit for the turbocharger 12 and the engine 14 . in another embodiment , the control unit 58 is an electronic logic control unit that is programmable by a user . the control unit 58 receives a pressure signal 60 from a pressure sensor 62 provided to detect pressure of intake air fed to the engine 14 . additionally , the control unit 58 receives a temperature signal 64 from a temperature sensor 66 provided to detect temperature of intake air fed to the engine 14 . the control unit 58 may also receive an oxygen signal 68 from an oxygen sensor 70 provided to detect quantity of oxygen in the intake air fed to the intake manifold 16 . in some embodiments , the control unit 58 may also receive an oxygen signal 71 from another oxygen sensor 73 provided to detect quantity of oxygen from the exhaust gas fed from the exhaust manifold 18 . further , the control unit 58 may also receive a mass flow signal 72 from a fuel sensor 74 provided to detect mass flow of a fuel fed to the engine 14 . the control unit 58 may also receive a speed signal 11 from a speed sensor 13 , a notch signal 15 from a notch sensor 17 , a load signal 19 from a load sensor 21 , a fuel injection timing signal 23 from an injection timing sensor 25 , a soot signal 95 from a soot sensor 94 , and an exhaust gas recirculation mass flow signal 27 from a mass flow sensor 29 . in the illustrated embodiment , a fuel injector pump 76 drives a plurality of fuel injectors 78 for injecting a fuel 80 into a plurality of cylinders 42 , 44 of the engine 14 . the soot sensor 94 may be located along the exhaust gas path . in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , the control unit 58 receives the signals 11 , 15 , 19 , 23 , 27 , 60 , 64 , 68 , 71 , 72 , 95 and controls the bypass control valve 40 , and the first and second recirculation control valves 50 , 54 based on the signals 11 , 15 , 19 , 23 , 27 , 60 , 64 , 68 , 71 , 72 , 95 so as to control quantity of exhaust gas bypassing the first - stage turbine 24 and recirculated through the recirculation channel 48 . in certain other embodiments , the control unit 58 may additionally control the engine speed and / or fuel mass flow by producing a timing signal 82 to control operation of the fuel injectors 78 . as discussed herein , in certain applications , the compression - ignition engines are used in relatively extreme environmental conditions , such as high altitudes . these environmental conditions can adversely affect engine performance , efficiency , exhaust pollutants , and other engine characteristics . conventional engines do not adequately account for impact of ambient conditions to control exhaust emissions and specific fuel consumption of the engine to specific limits . in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention , air - fuel ratio and quantity of exhaust gas recirculation are varied in response to changes in ambient conditions such as intake manifold air temperature and pressure . in other words , set points of the air - fuel ratio and quantity of exhaust gas recirculation are varied in response to changes in intake manifold air temperature and pressure . the use of variable points of the air - fuel ratio and quantity of exhaust gas recirculation in response to ambient conditions , in conjunction with a corresponding fuel injection strategy and control of engine speed , facilitates maintaining sfc and exhaust emission such as no x and particulate matter ( pm ) within specified limits . typically , when an engine is at a higher altitude region or a high temperature region , the airflow delivered to such an engine decreases . under such a condition , it is required to either maintain the airflow at a required rate or operate at lower airflow rate while still maintaining sfc and emissions within specified limits . in certain such exemplary embodiments of the present invention , the control unit 58 facilitates to increase a quantity of intake air flow to the plurality of combustion cylinders 42 , 44 by decreasing feed of the exhaust gas from the exhaust manifold 18 via the exhaust channel 38 bypassing the turbine 24 , as a function of the intake manifold air temperature and pressure at which the engine 14 is operated , and vice versa so as maintain a desired air - fuel ratio . in other words , the opening of the bypass control valve 40 is reduced to decrease the flow of exhaust gas through the channel 38 so as to increase airflow to the engine cylinders 42 , 44 . when the opening of the valve 40 is increased , airflow to the cylinders 42 , 44 is reduced . in some embodiments , to maintain airflow at a predefined rate with increasing altitude , the valve 40 is opened at sea - level operating conditions and closed at a high altitude operating conditions . in certain other embodiments , at high altitude operating conditions , the airflow to the cylinders 42 , 44 may be reduced by increasing quantity of exhaust gas recirculation flow through the recirculation channel 48 by controlling opening of the first and second recirculation control valves 50 , 54 . as mentioned above , the quantity of exhaust gas recirculation flow via the channel 48 to the intake manifold 16 may be reduced by diverting a portion of exhaust gas flow from the channel 48 to the exhaust manifold 18 via the exit channel 52 . when the egr rate is increased , airflow to the cylinders 42 , 44 is decreased , and vice versa . further , the control unit 58 may increase engine speed as a function of ambient conditions , to increase airflow to the cylinders 42 , 44 . further , the control unit 58 may change the fuel injection timing as a function of the engine ambient conditions . the control of turbine bypass flow and egr flow is optimized in conjunction with optimized fuel injection strategy and engine speed , as a function of intake manifold air temperature and pressure , to maintaining a specific fuel consumption ( sfc ) of the engine and a quantity of exhaust emissions in the exhaust gas , within a predefined sfc limit and an emission limit respectively . it should be noted herein that quantity of oxygen in the intake air flow is dependent on the air - fuel ratio and egr flow rate . referring to fig2 , the turbocharged unit 10 is illustrated in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention . features and aspects of the embodiment illustrated in fig2 are similar to those depicted in the embodiment shown in fig1 . the turbocharged unit 10 includes an exhaust compressor 84 coupled to the exhaust manifold 18 and the exhaust gas recirculation manifold 46 . the exhaust compressor 84 receives a portion of the exhaust gas from the exhaust manifold 18 and compresses the portion of the exhaust gas , prior to feeding the portion of the exhaust gas via the egr manifold 46 , the recirculation channel 48 to the plurality of the combustion cylinders 44 . in other words , the exhaust compressor 84 operates , or functions , as an “ egr pump ” in lieu of having dedicated donor cylinders . the egr pump ( e . g ., exhaust compressor 84 ) may be controlled , for example , by control valves ( not shown ) and / or via controlling power ( not shown ) supplied to the egr pump . in the illustrated embodiment , all of the exhaust gas from all of the cylinders 44 is fed to the exhaust gas manifold 18 , and subsequently a portion of the exhaust gas is fed from the exhaust gas manifold 18 to the intake manifold 16 via the exhaust gas recirculation manifold 46 , and the exhaust gas recirculation channel 48 . compared to the embodiment of fig1 , there is no exit channel 52 between the exhaust gas recirculation channel 48 and the exhaust manifold 18 . the control unit 58 may further include a database 86 , an algorithm 88 , and a data analysis block 90 . the database 86 may be configured to store predefined information associated with the turbocharger 12 and the engine 14 . for example , the database 86 may store information relating to temperature , and pressure of the intake air , quantity of oxygen in the intake air , fuel injection timing , engine speed , fuel mass flow , or the like . furthermore , the database 86 may be configured to store actual sensed / detected information from the above - mentioned sensors 13 , 17 , 21 , 25 , 29 , 62 , 66 , 70 , 73 , 74 , and 94 . the algorithm 88 facilitates the processing of signals from the above - mentioned plurality of sensors 13 , 17 , 21 , 25 , 29 , 62 , 66 , 70 , 73 , 74 , and 95 . the data analysis block 90 may include a range of circuitry types , such as a microprocessor , a programmable logic controller , a logic module , and the like . the data analysis block 90 in combination with the algorithm ( s ) 88 may be used to perform the various computational operations relating to maintaining specific fuel consumption ( sfc ) of the engine and a quantity of exhaust emissions in the exhaust gas , within a predefined sfc limit and an emission limit respectively . the control unit 58 is operable to control the feed of a portion of the exhaust gas via the exhaust channel 38 bypassing the turbine 24 ; recirculation of a portion of the exhaust gas to the plurality of combustion cylinders 44 via the recirculation channel 48 , as a function of an intake manifold air temperature and pressure at which the engine 14 is operated . referring to fig3 , the control unit 58 is illustrated in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention . in the illustrated embodiment , the database 86 includes a plurality of maps 87 , wherein each map 87 is representative of a data comprising an engine speed , and an engine load as a function of an engine notch , a fuel injecting timing , and an oxygen concentration in an intake air flow as a function of the engine speed , and the engine load . in certain embodiments , the control unit 58 controlling at least one of the engine speed , the engine load , the oxygen concentration in the intake air flow , the fuel injection timing based on a selected map 87 . the map 87 may be selected based on ambient conditions ( intake manifold air temperature and pressure ) at which the engine is operated . in some embodiments , the control unit 58 controls the valves 50 , 54 ( shown in fig1 ) to control the recirculation of the exhaust gas to the plurality of combustion cylinders via the recirculation channel , thereby controlling the oxygen concentration in the intake air flow . in certain other embodiments , the control unit 58 controls at least one of an oxygen concentration in the intake air flow , a fuel injection timing based on the intake manifold air temperature detected by the temperature sensor . alternatively to , or concurrently with , using look up tables and maps , the control unit 58 may use model - based or transfer functions calculations to control how the engine is operated . referring to fig4 , a turbocharged unit 10 is illustrated in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention . aspects of the illustrated embodiment are similar to the embodiment of fig1 , except that the turbocharger 12 has only a single stage compressor 22 and a single stage turbine 24 . as discussed herein , intake air 28 may be drawn through a filter ( not shown ) and then compressed to a higher pressure via the single stage compressor 22 . the compressed intake air 28 is cooled via the intercooler 32 , and then supplied to the intake manifold 16 for combustion within the engine 14 . the single stage turbine 24 is coupled to the exhaust manifold 18 for extracting energy from exhaust gases for rotating a turbocharger shaft 34 coupled to the single stage compressor 22 . the expanded gases from the single stage turbine 24 may be ejected to the atmosphere . it should be noted herein that although specific configurations of the turbocharged unit 10 having turbine bypass and egr features have been shown in fig1 - 4 , it should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention . specific features of the turbocharged unit 10 may vary depending upon the application . in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention , the sfc and exhaust emissions of the engine 14 are maintained within specific limits over a range of ambient conditions . different set points of different air - to - fuel - ratio and exhaust gas recirculation levels determined as a function of ambient conditions facilitates to maintain the no x and pm levels within specific limits . the specific limits may be predefined limits including , for example , tier 4 standards . in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , the engine 14 when operated under methods herein meets , or exceeds , the tier 4 standards . further , as depicted for example in fig1 , 2 , and 4 , various embodiments meet or exceed tier 4 standards without the need for any aftertreatment systems on the engine 14 and / or turbocharged units 10 . that is various turbocharged units 10 , as shown in fig1 - 4 , meet , or exceed , tier 4 in the absence of any aftertreatment systems ( e . g ., filters , selective catalytic reduction ( scr ), urea , etc .). optionally , aftertreatment systems may be additionally be used . although the embodiments depicted in fig1 , 2 and 4 illustrate an exhaust channel 38 for feeding another portion of the exhaust gas bypassing the first stage turbine 24 , other embodiments are available . that is other embodiments are possible that so too adjust or control power to the compressor 22 . for example , a variable geometry turbine casing can be used to adjust power to turbocharger shaft 34 to the compressor 22 . the turbocharger 12 embodiments illustrated depict single stage ( see e . g ., fig4 ) and dual stage ( see e . g ., fig1 and 2 ). other combinations of stages and quantity of turbine / compressor per stage , may be used in the turbocharger 12 . by example , and not by limitation , the second stage turbine 26 may be instead two turbines ( not shown ), the first state compressor 20 may be two compressors ( not shown ). the turbocharged unit 10 may be used in a variety of applications including stationary and mobile applications . by example , and not limitation , the turbocharged unit 10 may be used in rail ( e . g ., locomotive ) and marine applications . with rail applications , for example , the turbocharged unit 10 may be used as a source or mechanical energy for a diesel electric locomotive ; thereby , allowing for engine speed to be decoupled from the vehicle speed . while only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein , many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art . it is , therefore , to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention .

US-201514858523-A

a four way valve assembly is provided which includes a main valve member operable by independent pilot valve actuation . the independent pilot operation means that the main valve stroke can be varied over a relatively wide range , enabling the valve to be produced in a number of sizes without requiring redesign of the pilot valve portion of the valve . a pilot body is mounted to the main valve and has a movable plunger of a conventional solenoid actuator attached to it . the plunger extends within the pilot body and has a loose fitting pilot slide mounted to its free end . the relative loose fitting pilot slide reduces the need for close manufacturing tolerances for the component parts used in constructing the pilot valve portion of the valve . the pilot slide is maintained in sealed relationship with a wall of the pilot body by relatively high pressure fluid passing through the pilot valve body . solenoid operation enables the pilot slide to direct the high pressure to respective ends of the main valve , moving the valve between at least first and second positions .

referring now to fig1 reference numeral 1 indicates one illustrative embodiment of valve of this invention . the valve 1 has a generally cylindrical housing 2 having a first end 3 and a second end 4 . the housing 2 has a longitudinal opening 5 through it , between the ends 3 and 4 , best seen in fig3 . the ends 3 and 4 are closed by suitable end caps 6 and 7 , respectively . the end caps 6 and 7 are attached to the housing 2 by any convenient method . preferably , the housing 2 and end caps are constructed from a suitable metal material , and welding or brazing works well for that interconnection , for example . the housing 2 and the end caps define a cavity 8 . the end cap 6 has a central opening 9 in it , while the end cap 7 has a similar opening 9 &# 39 ; in it . the openings 9 , 9 &# 39 ; are sized to receive a fluid connector 10 and a fluid connector 11 , respectively . the connectors 10 and 11 communicate with the cavity 8 through the openings 9 , 9 &# 39 ; and are used for purposes described hereinafter . the housing 2 has a high pressure inlet pipe 12 attached to it , midway between the ends 3 and 4 . a low pressure outlet pipe 13 extends outwardly from the housing 2 on a side of the housing 2 diametrically opposite the inlet 12 . the inlet and outlet each communicate with the cavity 8 . a pair of working lines 14 and 15 also are attached to the housing 2 and are aligned with the outlet pipe 13 , respective ones of the working lines 14 and 15 lying on outboard sides of the outlet 13 . it is conventional to provide a support 16 as an aid in maintaining a relatively rigid structural arrangement between the outlet 13 and the working lines 14 and 15 . the housing 2 may be constructed from stock tubing , and the various pipes and working lines 12 , 13 , 14 and 15 , respectively , may be inserted into appropriately drilled openings in the wall of the housing 2 , and soldered into position . the lengths of the various pipes and working lines will depend upon the particular application of the valve 1 . a main valve member 24 , shown in fig3 is movably mounted in the cavity 8 of the housing 2 . the valve member 24 includes a body part 25 having a first end 26 and a second end 27 . the ends 26 and 27 are joined to the body part 25 along reduced diameter connection portions 28 and 29 , respectively . the valve member 24 generally has a cylindrical shape in silhouette , but has a hollow 30 formed on a first side of the body 25 , and a pocket 31 formed on a side of the body 25 diametrically opposite the hollow 30 . the hollow 30 is an oblong cavity extending generally along the axial length of the body 25 . the actual longitudinal length of the hollow 31 is determined in part by the stroke length of the main valve member 24 and is designed so that the hollow 30 always is connected to a source of high pressure at the inlet 12 . the pocket 31 likewise has a longitudinal length , determined in part by the stroke length of the main valve member 24 , and the spacing between respective ones of the pipes 14 and 15 and the outlet 13 . that is to say , the pocket 31 connects one of the working lines 14 and 15 with the outlet 13 in one position of the valve member 24 , and the other of the working lines 14 and 15 with the outlet 13 in a second position of the valve member 24 . the ends 26 and 27 of the valve member 24 define , with the housing 2 , respective first and second opposed chambers 38 and 39 . each of the ends 26 and 27 of the main valve member is fitted with a suitable sealing device , indicated generally by the numeral 64 , which permits movement of the main valve 24 while maintaining a proper seal with an interior wall 22 of the housing 2 . for example , the ends 26 and 27 may be sealed by conventional cup seals utilizing a leak tight seal arrangement between the ends 26 and 27 and the housing 2 . this component arrangement is relatively low cost , and few manufacturing problems are encountered with it , even when high valve production is maintained . the ends 26 and 27 each have a channel 40 extending axially inwardly of the body part 25 . the channel 40 is positioned so that it is aligned with the connectors 10 and 11 for purposes later described in detail . a pilot body 50 of a pilot assembly 90 is mounted to the housing 2 by a conventional bracket 51 . in the embodiment illustrated , the bracket 51 is integrally formed with the bracket 16 , although the brackets may be constructed separately , if desired . the pilot body 50 has a first end 52 and a second end 53 . an axial opening 54 extends between the ends 52 and 53 . the end 53 is closed by a suitable seal 55 , which is attached to the pilot body 50 by any convenient method . again , welding or brazing works well . a solenoid assembly , portions of which are not shown for drawing simplicity , also is mounted to the housing 2 along the end 52 thereof . the solenoid assembly includes a tube 32 having a plunger 17 movably mounted in it . the tube 32 has a closed first end and a flared second end attached to the end 52 of the pilot body 50 by any convenient method . the closed end of the tube 32 has a plug 19 inserted in it , which is held positionally by a crimp 20 in the tube 32 . it is conventional to place a spring 18 between the plug 19 and the plunger 17 so that the spring 18 exerts a force on the plunger 17 in some predetermined direction . the electrical portion of the solenoid assembly structure is conventional and , as indicated above , is not shown for drawing simplicity . the plunger 17 , in the embodiment illustrated , has an end 41 carried in the tube 32 . the end 41 has a channel formed in it , which receives the spring 18 in a conventional manner . an end 42 of the plunger 17 extends within the opening 54 . an end 42 has a reduced diameter portion 43 generally having an i - shape in cross section . a base 60 of the i defines a support 44 while a web 61 of the i defines a connection portion 45 . a pilot slide 46 is mounted to the plunger 17 along the connection portion 45 . pilot slide 46 has a slot 47 formed in it , best seen in fig5 . the slot 47 is sized to receive the web 61 so that the web 61 may be inserted into the slot 47 . when so placed , the pilot slide rests on the support 44 and is contained by the i - shape cross section of the portion 43 . additionally , the pilot slide 46 has a shape acceptable to the cross section of the opening 54 . in the embodiment illustrated , at least a small diameter part 80 of the opening 54 is hexagonal in cross section , and the slide 46 has a design silhouette compatible with that cross section . the slide 46 encircles the web 61 except along the slot 47 . the slide 46 rides within the axial opening 54 of the pilot body 50 in a loose fit . this is an important feature of our invention , in that alignment between the plunger 17 and pilot body 50 , and consequently between the plunger and pilot slide is not critical , the slide being adopted to overcome high tolerance misalignment in those parts without malfunction . a surface 48 of the pilot slide 46 is flat fitting with a side wall 58 defining the small diameter part 80 of opening 54 in the pilot body 50 . that is to say , the hexagonal shape of the side wall 58 has a surface 62 which coincides with the surface 48 of the pilot slide 46 . surface 48 also has a pilot channel 49 formed in it , the purpose of which is described in greater detail hereinafter . the pilot body 50 has a radial opening 70 formed in it , communicating with the axial opening 54 , the opening 70 being positioned near the end 53 of the body 50 . a series of radial openings 71 , 72 and 73 also extend through the body 50 , communicating with the opening 54 along the small diameter part 80 thereof . as previously indicated , the connector 10 extends between the end 3 of the valve and the opening 73 . the connector 11 extends between the end 4 of the valve and the opening 71 . a connector 75 extends between the opening 72 and the outlet 13 , that interconnection being best observed in fig2 . finally , a connector 76 extends between the inlet 12 and the opening 70 . the channel 49 in the pilot slide 46 is sized so that it may connect one of the openings 73 and 71 with the opening 72 . when the pilot slide 46 is in its extreme downward position , as shown in fig4 the opening 71 is connected to the opening 72 along the slot 49 so that the chamber 39 is connected to the outlet low pressure side of the valve through the connector 11 . the high pressure from the inlet 12 is applied to the chamber 38 along the connector 76 , opening 70 , opening 54 and opening 73 in the pilot body 50 . as indicated , this high pressure , in fact , is utilized to hold surface 48 of the pilot slide 46 against the surface 62 of the opening 54 . when the plunger 17 is pulled upwardly , upwardly being referenced to fig4 as by activation of the solenoid , not shown , the pilot slide 46 is pulled upwardly with the plunger , so that the opening 73 is connected to the opening 72 , by the channel 49 , while the opening 71 is permitted to communicate with the high pressure from the opening 70 . high pressure then enters the connector 11 to the chamber 39 side of the valve while the chamber 38 simultaneously is connected to a source of low pressure so that the main valve 24 moves to the position opposite from that shown in fig3 . the channel 40 in the ends 26 and 27 of the main valve member 24 ensures that the high pressure fluid , when applied , can commence valve member 24 movement . as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , the valve 1 may be connected in a refrigeration system , for example , having a condenser - evaporator , and an evaporator - condenser , with the usual interconnections therebetween . when such a combination is provided for reverse cycle or heat pump operation , the condenser alternates as an evaporator and the evaporator alternates as a condenser . in the heat pump or reverse cycle refrigeration applications , the high pressure inlet pipe 12 is connected to the outlet side of a suitable compressor , not shown , so that it will provide a source of high pressure refrigerant . the outlet pipe 13 is connected back to the compressor . the working line 14 is connected to one condenser - evaporator and the working line 15 is connected to the other condenser - evaporator . in the position shown in fig3 high pressure from the inlet 12 is admitted along the hollow 30 and proceeds to the working line 14 along a space 56 . the working line 15 is connected to the outlet 13 along the pocket 31 . when the main valve is moved upwardly by the pilot actuation , the inlet 12 is connected to the working line 15 through another one of the spaces 56 and the working line 14 is connected to the outlet 13 along the pocket 31 . the main slide 24 is positioned either upwardly or downwardly by the action of the pilot assembly 90 . as indicated , it is important that the surface 48 be flat fitting with the surface 62 of the opening 54 , as the high pressure from the opening 70 is utilized to seat the pilot slide in the operation thereof . numerous variations , within the scope of the appended claims , will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description and accompanying drawings . thus , the design silhouette of the valve 1 may vary . in like manner , the design of the main slide valve 24 may be changed . while particular shapes , sizes and materials are described in conjunction with the embodiment illustrated in the drawings , one or more of these features may be altered in other embodiments , if desired . since the pilot assembly 90 employs a solenoid and pilot body which operate independently the operation of the solenoid is essentially independent of the travel of the valve slide 24 , and the assembly 90 may be utilized in conjunction with a variety of other main valve embodiments . these variations are merely illustrative .

US-84029977-A

a mounting method for mounting an electronic component on a printed circuit board , the mounting method includes fixing a lower surface of a magnet panel to a magnetic body included in the electronic component by a magnetic force , seizing the electronic component by attracting a part of an upper surface of the magnet panel to an attaching unit , determining a position of the attracting unit to place the electronic component at a predetermined position with respect to the printed circuit board and releasing the attracting unit from the upper surface of the magnet panel .

referring now to the drawings , embodiments of the present invention will be described . a first embodiment is configured in such a manner that a magnet panel is fixed on a magnetic component on a smd by a magnetic force . fig1 is a drawing depicting a procedure of manufacturing an electronic circuit module having the smd mounted thereon . first of all , a magnet panel 20 is mounted on a large - sized smd 10 ( step s 1 ). the magnetic component including a magnetic substance is mounted on the smd 10 , and the magnet panel 20 is fixed to the magnetic component by the magnetic force . the magnet panel 20 is a panel - shaped permanent magnet . subsequently , the smd 10 and a printed circuit board 30 are mounted at predetermined positions of a chip mounter ( step s 2 ). for example , the smd 10 is arranged in a tray for chip mounter components . the printed circuit board 30 is installed at an electronic component mounting position by a substrate transfer mechanism ( loader ). paste - state solders 31 , 32 are applied on an upper surface of the printed circuit board 30 . in this embodiment , the surface on the side on which the smd 10 is to be mounted by reflow soldering is referred to as the “ upper surface ” of the printed circuit board 30 . subsequently , the smd 10 is mounted on the printed circuit board 30 with the chip mounter ( step s 3 ). in this case , to lift the smd 10 , the chip mounter attracts a center portion of the upper surface of the magnet panel 20 mounted on the upper portion of the smd 10 . then , the chip mounter positions the smd 10 at a predetermined position on the printed circuit board 30 . the chip mounter releases a nozzle of the chip mounter from the upper surface of the magnet panel so as to leave the smd 10 on the printed circuit board 30 . subsequently , reflow soldering is performed ( step s 4 ). in other words , the printed circuit board 30 having the smd 10 mounted thereon is delivered to a reflow furnace and , in the reflow furnace , hot air is blown onto the printed circuit board 30 . accordingly , the smd 10 is soldered to the printed circuit board 30 . finally , the magnet panel 20 is removed from the smd 10 ( step s 5 ). the electronic circuit module having the smd 10 mounted thereon is manufactured in this procedure . the permanent magnet used in the magnet panel 20 includes ferrite magnet , samarium - cobalt magnet , and neodymium magnet , for example . the permanent magnet used in the magnet panel 20 is determined according to the weight of the smd 10 , the size of the magnetic component , and ease of becoming magnetized . for example , if the magnetic component is small , a permanent magnet having a strong magnetic force such as the neodymium magnet or samarium - cobalt magnet is used as the magnet panel 20 . when the maintenance of the magnetic force after being subjected to the reflow soldering is considered , for example , a substance having a high maximum usable temperature such as samarium - cobalt magnet is suitable for the magnetic panel 20 . if the magnetic force of the magnet panel 20 is sufficiently maintained after the reflow soldering , repetitive usage of the magnet panel 20 is achieved . a method of mounting the smd will be described in detail . fig2 is a drawing depicting a mounting state of a magnet panel to the smd . an electronic component including an inductor 11 and a transformer 12 is mounted on top of the smd 10 . the inductor 11 and the transformer 12 are magnetic components . in other words , the inductor 11 and the transformer 12 have a property to be attracted to a magnet . also , the inductor 11 and the transformer 12 have a height higher than other electronic components mounted on the smd 10 , so that they come into direct contact with the magnet panel 20 when the magnet panel 20 is put thereon from above . leads 13 to 18 are provided under the smd 10 . the magnet panel 20 formed of the permanent magnet is mounted on top of the smd 10 having the configuration as described above . the magnet panel 20 has two different polarities divided in the vertical direction . in other words , if the upper surface of the magnet panel 20 is an n - pole , a lower surface is an s - pole . in contrast , if the upper surface is the s - pole , the lower surface is the n - pole . in fig2 , although the magnet panel 20 has a rectangular shape , it may have a circular shape or other shapes . the upper surface of the magnet panel 20 has a flat area having at least a surface area of an extent which allows a sucking nozzle of the chip mounter to be attracted thereto secured as a nozzle attracting point 21 . the nozzle attracting point 21 is provided above the center of gravity of a mass system including the magnet panel 20 and the smd 10 . by causing the sucking nozzle to be attracted to the nozzle attracting point 21 above the center of gravity , the smd 10 may be maintained horizontally when moving the smd 10 . since the magnet panel 20 may be formed of a homogeneous substance ( the center of gravity may be set at the center of the magnet panel 10 ), if the center of gravity of the smd 10 by itself is positioned substantially at the center of the smd 10 , the nozzle attracting point 21 comes to the center portion of the magnet panel 20 . the lower surface of the magnet panel 20 is preferably flat at least an area which comes into contact with the inductor 11 and the transformer 12 . however , if a sufficient magnetic force for lifting and moving the smd 10 is secured , the area which comes into contact with the inductor 11 and the transformer 12 does not have to be completely flat . for example , there may be pits and projections or a curve to some extent on the lower surface of the magnet panel 20 . when the magnet panel 20 in this configuration is arranged on the upper surface of the smd 10 , the magnet panel 20 and the magnetic components ( the inductor 11 and the transformer 12 ) attract to each other by the magnetic force . consequently , the magnet panel 20 is fixed to the upper surface of the smd 10 . subsequently , the smd 10 with the magnet panel 20 fixed thereon is mounted on the chip mounter . fig3 is a drawing depicting an example of a structure of the chip mounter . a chip mounter 100 includes a sucking head 110 configured to attract the smd 10 and place the same on the printed circuit board 30 . the sucking head 110 is able to attract the magnet panel 20 by the sucking nozzle provided at a distal end thereof . the sucking head 110 is movably mounted on a z - axis transfer unit 121 . the z - axis transfer unit 121 moves the sucking head 110 in the vertical direction ( in a z - axis direction ) according to an instruction from a control unit 150 . the z - axis transfer unit 121 is movably mounted on an x - axis transfer unit 122 . the x - axis transfer unit 122 moves the z - axis transfer unit 121 in a x - axis direction according to an instruction from the control unit 150 . the x - axis transfer unit 122 is movably mounted on an y - axis transfer unit 123 . the y - axis transfer unit 123 moves the x - axis transfer unit 122 in a y - axis direction according to an instruction from the control unit 150 . the chip mounter 100 has a fixed position for installing a component tray 130 . the component tray 130 is installed at a predetermined position in the state in which a plurality of smds 10 are stored . a substrate transfer unit 140 transfers the printed circuit board 30 according to an instruction from the control unit 150 . the control unit 150 controls the action of the entire chip mounter 100 in response to an instruction to mount the smd 10 by an operation input . more specifically , the control unit 150 controls the substrate transfer unit 140 after having set the component tray 130 having the smds 10 stored therein to move the printed circuit board 30 to the predetermined position . subsequently , the control unit 150 controls the z - axis transfer unit 121 , the x - axis transfer unit 122 , and the y - axis transfer unit 123 to move the sucking head 110 to a position of the predetermined smd 10 in the component tray 130 . in addition , the control unit 150 controls the sucking head 110 to cause the same to attract the magnet panel 20 fixed on top of the smd 10 . since the magnet panel 20 and the smd 10 are fixed by the magnetic force , the smd 10 is moved in association with the sucking head 110 from then on . after having caused the sucking head 110 to attract the magnet panel 20 , the control unit 150 controls the z - axis transfer unit 121 , the x - axis transfer unit 122 , and the y - axis transfer unit 123 to position the smd 10 to a predetermined position on the printed circuit board 30 . subsequently , the control unit 150 controls the sucking head 110 to release the magnetic panel 20 attracted to the sucking head . in this manner , an automatic mounting of the smd 10 to the printed circuit board 30 by the chip mounter 100 is performed . fig4 is a drawing depicting condition where the sucking nozzle is attracting the magnet panel . when the sucking head 110 is moved to the position of the smd 10 , a sucking nozzle 111 is positioned so that the sucking nozzle 111 at the distal end of the sucking head 110 matches the nozzle attracting point 21 on the upper surface of the magnet panel 20 ( see fig2 ). then , the magnet panel 20 is attracted to the nozzle attracting point 21 . in other words , the chip mounter 100 decompresses the interior of the sucking nozzle 111 to produce a vacuum . accordingly , the sucking nozzle 111 and the magnet panel 20 are attracted to each other . since the magnet panel 20 is fixed to the inductor 11 and the transformer 12 by the magnetic force , if the magnet panel 20 is lifted upward by the sucking nozzle 111 , the smd 10 is also lifted simultaneously . therefore , the chip mounter 100 moves the sucking head 110 and positions the smd 10 onto the printed circuit board 30 . fig5 is a drawing depicting a printed board on which the smd is mounted . the smd 10 is positioned so that the leads 15 , 18 come on top of the solders 31 , 32 on the printed circuit board 30 . the chip mounter 100 breaks the vacuum in the interior of the sucking nozzle 111 to release the magnet panel 20 from the sucking nozzle 111 . the printed circuit board 30 having the smd 10 mounted thereon is put into the reflow furnace and heated . then , the solders 31 , 32 melt . then , the temperature of the printed circuit board 30 is lowered by cold air . consequently , the leads 13 to 18 of the smd 10 are soldered to the printed circuit board 30 . fig6 is a drawing depicting the printed board on which the smd is soldered . the leads 15 , 18 of the smd 10 are joined by the solders 31 , 32 provided on the printed circuit board 30 . although not depicted , other leads 13 , 14 , 16 and 17 ( see fig2 ) are also joined by the solder . subsequently , the magnet panel 20 fixed to the smd 10 is removed . fig7 is a drawing depicting a state after removal of the magnet panel . since the smd 10 is fixed firmly to the printed circuit board 30 by the solders 31 , 32 , the magnet panel 20 can be separated from the smd 10 by pulling the magnet panel 20 from above . as described above , by joining the magnet panel 20 with the magnetic components ( the inductor 11 , the transformer 12 ) on the large - sized smd 10 , even though there is no space to allow the nozzle to attract at the center portion of the smd 10 , automatic mounting of the smd 10 on the printed circuit board 30 is achieved by the chip mounter 100 using a nozzle attracting mechanism . accordingly , an optimal arrangement of the components is achieved without considering the position to allow the sucking nozzle to attract , and formation of the dead spaces is eliminated . consequently , easy downsizing of the smd is achieved . also , optimization of the arrangement of the components is achieved in terms of the electricity , the cooling property , and the structure . consequently , the improvement of the function of the smd is expected . also , removal of the magnet panel 20 is easily achieved after the reflow . in other words , attachment and detachment of the magnet panel are easy . in addition , since such event that the adhesive agent remains thereon does not occur , the operation to remove the adhesive agent is not necessary and the number of steps is significantly reduced in comparison with the case in which the flat portion is formed by affixing the adhesive agent . in addition , a special manufacturing equipment such as the double nozzle chip mounter does not have to be prepared . in other words , the chip mounter 100 having a single nozzle in the related art may be used . therefore , a large - scale additional investment is not necessary . the smd 10 having the magnetic substance may be mounted on the printed board by the chip mounter configured to handle the electronic component by a magnetic chuck formed of an electromagnet . however , a mounter in which the magnet chuck is employed can hardly handle various types of smds . in contrast , with the mounting method according to this embodiment , various sizes of the smds may be mounted by the single chip mounter 100 including the sucking head used therein only by mounting the magnet panel 20 on the large - sized smd 10 . therefore , the general versatility of the chip mounter 100 including the sucking head used therein is further enhanced . in a second embodiment , with the provision of a stud having a property to be attracted to the smd ( for example , iron ), the binding power between the magnet panel and the smd is enhanced . fig8 is a drawing depicting a mounting state of the magnet panel on the stud on the smd . an electronic component including an inductor 51 and a transformer 52 is mounted on top of a circuit substrate of a smd 50 . leads 53 to 58 are provided under the smd 50 . studs 61 , 62 are mounted on a pair of corners in a diagonal relationship on top of the circuit substrate of the smd 50 . the studs 61 , 62 are column shaped magnetic substances . for example , ferromagnetic material such as iron is used as the studs 61 , 62 . the studs 61 , 62 depicted in fig8 have a square pole shape . however , studs in a circular column shape may be used as well . the studs 61 , 62 have a height not lower than the inductor 51 and the transformer 52 . accordingly , when the magnet panel 20 is put thereon , the studs 61 , 62 and the magnet panel 20 are in direct contact with each other , so that enhancement of the magnetic forces attracting each other is achieved . the magnet panel 20 formed of the permanent magnet is mounted on top of the smd 50 having the configuration as described above . the studs 61 , 62 are magnetized by a magnetic field generated by the magnet panel 20 . the studs 61 , 62 and the magnet panel 20 are attracted by each other , and the magnet panel 20 is fixed to the smd 50 . fig9 is a drawing depicting a condition where the sucking nozzle is attracting the magnet panel . a sucking nozzle 111 is attracted to the nozzle attracting point 21 ( see fig8 ) of the magnet panel 20 . with the provision of the studs 61 , 62 on the smd 50 in this manner , the magnet panel 20 may be bound even though there is no adequate magnetic component on the smd 50 . the steps from then on are the same as those in the first embodiment depicted in fig1 . in the example depicted in fig8 and 9 , the studs 61 , 62 are provided only on one pair of corners in a diagonal relationship of the smd 50 , the studs may be provided at all the corners . permanent magnets may be used as the studs 61 , 62 . in this case , they are mounted in such a manner that the magnetic pole which attracts the magnetic pole of the lower surface of the magnet panel 20 comes on the upper side of the studs 61 , 62 . in addition , in the example depicted in fig8 and 9 , the studs 61 , 62 are provided on the smd 50 . however , a configuration in which the studs are provided on the opposite corners on the lower surface of the magnet panel 20 is also possible . in this case , pads formed of the magnetic substance are provided at least at the pair of corners in a diagonal relationship ( positions which match the studs of the magnet panel 20 ) on the upper surface of the smd 50 . in this manner , with the provision of the studs 61 , 62 in advance on the smd 50 , the fixation of the magnet panel 20 is achieved even though the magnetic component is not included in the components to be mouthed in order to realize the function of the smd 50 . as described in the embodiments depicted above , by mounting the magnet panel on the smd and causing the magnet panel to be attracted by the sucking nozzle , the dead space formed on the smd is minimized , so that downsizing of the smd product is easily achieved . incidentally , there is a case where makers of the electronic circuit module purchases smds from external dealers and mounts the purchased smds on printed boards in their own factories . in such a case , manufacturers of the smds may mount the magnet panels on top of the smds . in other words , the manufactures of the smds deliver the smds in the form having the magnet panel mounted on top thereof to the makers of the electronic circuit modules . accordingly , the makers of the electronic circuit modules are able to save themselves a work to mount the magnet panels . the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention . all examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art , and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and condition , nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of superiority and inferiority of the invention . although the embodiment of the present inventions have been described in detail , it should be understood that the various changes , substitutions , and alternations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .

US-57009209-A

an electronic circuit with repetitive patterns formed by shadow mask vapor deposition includes a repetitive pattern of electronic circuit elements formed on a substrate . each electronic circuit element includes the following elements in the desired order of deposition : a first semiconductor segment , a second semiconductor segment , a first metal segment , a second metal segment , a third metal segment , a fourth metal segment , a fifth metal segment , a sixth metal segment , a first insulator segment , a second insulator segment , a third insulator segment , a seventh metal segment , an eighth metal segment , a ninth metal segment and a tenth metal segment . all of the above segments may be deposited via a shadow mask deposition process . the electronic circuit element may be an element of an array of like electronic circuit elements .

the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures where like reference numbers correspond to like elements . with reference to fig1 a and 1b , a shadow mask deposition system 2 for forming an electronic device , such as , without limitation , a high resolution active matrix light emitting diode ( led ) display , includes a plurality of serially arranged deposition vacuum vessels 4 ( e . g ., deposition vacuum vessels 4 a - 4 x ). the number and arrangement of deposition vacuum vessels 4 is dependent on the number of deposition events required for any given product to be formed therewith . in use of shadow mask deposition system 2 , a flexible substrate 6 translates through the serially arranged deposition vacuum vessels 4 by means of a reel - to - reel mechanism that includes a dispensing reel 8 and a take - up reel 10 . each deposition vacuum vessel includes a deposition source 12 , a substrate support 14 , a mask alignment system 15 and a compound shadow mask 16 . for example , deposition vacuum vessel 4 a includes deposition source 12 a , substrate support 14 a , mask alignment system 15 a and compound shadow mask 16 a ; deposition vacuum vessel 4 b includes deposition source 12 b , substrate support 14 b , mask alignment system 15 b and compound shadow mask 16 b ; and so forth for any number of deposition vacuum vessels 4 . each deposition source 12 is charged with a desired material to be deposited onto substrate 6 through one or more openings in the corresponding compound shadow mask 16 which is held in intimate contact with the portion of substrate 6 in the corresponding deposition vacuum vessel 4 during a deposition event . each compound shadow mask 16 of shadow mask deposition system 2 includes one or more openings . the opening ( s ) in each compound shadow mask 16 corresponds to a desired pattern of material to be deposited on substrate 6 from a corresponding deposition source 12 in a corresponding deposition vacuum vessel 4 as substrate 6 translates through shadow mask deposition system 2 . each compound shadow mask 16 is formed of , for example , nickel , chromium , steel , copper , kovar ® or invar ®, and has a thickness desirably between 20 and 200 microns , and more desirably between 20 and 50 microns . kovar ® and invar ® can be obtained from , for example , espicorp inc . of ashland , oreg . in the united states , kovar ® is a registered trademark , registration no . 337 , 962 , currently owned by crs holdings , inc . of wilmington , del ., and invar ® is a registered trademark , registration no . 63 , 970 , currently owned by imphy s . a . corporation of france . those skilled in the art will appreciate that shadow mask deposition system 2 may include additional stages ( not shown ), such as an anneal stage , a test stage , one or more cleaning stages , a cut and mount stage , and the like , as are well - known . in addition , the number , purpose and arrangement of deposition vacuum vessels 4 can be modified by one of ordinary skill in the art as needed for depositing one or more materials required for a particular application . an exemplary shadow mask deposition system and method of use thereof is disclosed in u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 255 , 972 , filed sep . 26 , 2002 , and entitled “ active matrix backplane for controlling controlled elements and method of manufacture thereof ”, which is incorporated herein by reference . deposition vacuum vessels 4 can be utilized for depositing materials on substrate 6 to form one or more electronic elements of the electronic device on substrate 6 . each electronic element may be , for example , a thin film transistor ( tft ), a memory element , a capacitor etc ., or , a combination of one or more of said elements to form a higher level electronic element , such as , without limitation , a sub - pixel or a pixel of the electronic device . in accordance with the present invention , a multi - layer circuit can be formed solely by successive depositions of materials on substrate 6 via successive deposition events in deposition vacuum vessels 4 . each deposition vacuum vessel 4 is connected to a source of vacuum ( not shown ) which is operative for establishing a suitable vacuum therein in order to enable a charge of the material disposed in the corresponding deposition source 12 to be deposited on substrate 6 in a manner known in the art , e . g ., sputtering or vapor phase deposition , through the one or more openings in the corresponding compound shadow mask 16 . herein , substrate 6 is described as a continuous flexible sheet which is dispensed from dispensing reel 8 , which is disposed in a pre - load vacuum vessel , into the deposition vacuum vessels 4 . however , this is not to be construed as limiting the invention since shadow mask deposition system 2 can be configured to continuously process a plurality of standalone or individual substrates . each deposition vacuum vessel 4 can include supports or guides that avoid the sagging of substrate 6 as it advances therethrough . in operation of shadow mask deposition system 2 , the material disposed in each deposition source 12 is deposited on the portion of substrate 6 in the corresponding deposition vacuum vessel 4 through one or more openings in the corresponding compound shadow mask 16 in the presence of a suitable vacuum as said portion of substrate 6 is advanced through the deposition vacuum vessel 4 , whereupon plural , progressive patterns is formed on substrate 6 . more specifically , substrate 6 has plural portions , each of which is positioned for a predetermined time interval in each deposition vacuum vessel 4 . during this predetermined time interval , material is deposited from the corresponding deposition source 12 onto the portion of substrate 6 that is positioned in the corresponding deposition vacuum vessel 4 . after this predetermined time interval , substrate 6 is step advanced so that the portion of substrate 6 is advanced to the next vacuum vessel in series for additional processing , as applicable . this step advancement continues until each portion of substrate 6 has passed through all deposition vacuum vessels 4 . thereafter , each portion of substrate 6 exiting the final deposition vacuum vessel 4 in the series is received on take - up reel 10 , which is positioned in a storage vacuum vessel ( not shown ). alternatively , each portion of substrate 6 exiting shadow mask deposition system 2 is separated from the remainder of substrate 6 by a cutter ( not shown ). with reference to fig2 , an exemplary led pixel 20 a that can be formed via shadow mask deposition system 2 comprises a 2 × 2 arrangement of sub - pixels 22 , e . g ., sub - pixels 22 a - 22 d . sub - pixels 22 a , 22 b , 22 c and 22 d can be a red sub - pixel , a first green sub - pixel , a second green sub - pixel and a blue sub - pixel , respectively . alternatively , sub - pixels 22 a , 22 b , 22 c and 22 d can be a red sub - pixel , a first blue sub - pixel , a second blue sub - pixel and a green sub - pixel , respectively . since led pixel 20 a is representative of one of several of identical pixels arranged in any user defined array configuration for forming a complete active matrix led device , the description of led pixel 20 a , including the color of each sub - pixel 22 , is not to be construed as limiting the invention . in fig2 , the sub - pixels of adjacent pixels 20 b , 20 c and 20 d are shown for illustration purposes . sub - pixels 22 a and 22 b are addressed via a pulse signal applied on a row a bus and via voltage levels applied on a column a bus and a column b bus , respectively . sub - pixels 22 c and 22 d are addressed via a pulse signal applied on a row b bus and via voltage levels applied on the column a and the column b bus , respectively . in the illustrated embodiment , each sub - pixel 22 includes cascade connected transistors 24 and 26 , such as , without limitation , thin film transistors ( tfts ); an led element 28 formed of light emitting material 30 sandwiched between two electrodes ; and a capacitor 32 which serves as a voltage storage element . in an exemplary , non - limiting embodiment , transistors 24 and 26 , led element 28 and capacitor 32 of each sub - pixel 22 are interconnected to each other in a manner illustrated in fig2 . in addition , for each sub - pixel 22 , a control or gate terminal of transistor 24 is electrically connected to a suitable row bus , a node 34 formed by the connection of the drain terminal of transistor 26 to one terminal of capacitor 32 is connected to a power bus ( vcc ), and the source terminal of transistor 24 is connected to a suitable column bus . to activate each led element 28 when a suitable voltage is applied to the corresponding power bus vcc , the voltage applied to the corresponding column bus connected to the source terminal of transistor 24 is changed from a first voltage 40 to a second voltage 42 . during application of second voltage 42 , a pulse signal 44 is applied to the row bus connected to the gate terminal of transistor 24 . pulse signal 44 causes transistors 24 and 26 to conduct , whereupon , subject to the voltage drop across transistor 26 , the voltage of power bus vcc is applied to one terminal of led element 28 . since the other terminal of led element 28 is connected to a different potential , e . g ., ground potential , the application of the voltage applied to power bus vcc to led element 28 causes led element 28 to illuminate . during application of pulse signal 44 , capacitor 32 charges to the difference between second voltage 42 and the voltage on power bus vcc , minus any voltage drop across transistor 24 . upon termination of pulse signal 44 , capacitor 32 retains the voltage stored thereon and impresses this voltage on the gate terminal of transistor 26 , whereupon led element 28 is held in an active , illuminating state in the absence of pulse signal 44 . led element 28 is turned off when pulse signal 44 is applied in the presence of first voltage 40 on the corresponding column bus . more specifically , applying pulse signal 44 to the gate terminal of transistor 24 when first voltage 40 is applied to the source terminal of transistor 24 causes transistor 24 to turn on , whereupon capacitor 32 discharges through transistor 24 thereby turning off transistor 26 and deactivating led element 28 . upon termination of pulse signal 44 , capacitor 34 is charged to approximately voltage 40 , whereupon transistor 26 is held in its off state and led element 28 is held in its inactive state even after pulse signal 44 is terminated . in a like manner , each led element 28 of each sub - pixel 22 of each pixel 20 can be turned on and off in response to the application of a pulse signal 44 on an appropriate row bus when second voltage 42 and first voltage 40 , respectively , are applied to the appropriate column bus in the presence of a suitable voltage applied via the appropriate power bus vcc . with reference to fig3 and with continuing reference to fig2 , a sub - pixel structure 50 representative of the physical structure that forms each sub - pixel 22 of each pixel 20 includes , in desired order of deposition , elongated semiconductor segment 52 , elongated semiconductor segment 54 , elongated metal segment ( s ) 56 , elongated metal segment 58 , elongated metal segment 60 , rectangular metal segment 62 , elongated metal segment ( s ) 64 , elongated metal segment 66 , elongated insulator segment 68 , rectangular insulator segment 70 , rectangular insulator segment 72 , elongated metal segment ( s ) 74 , elongated metal segment 76 , rectangular metal segment 78 and rectangular metal segment 80 . each metal segment 56 - 66 and 74 - 80 can be formed of any suitable electrically conductive material that is depositable via a shadow mask deposition process , such as , without limitation , molybdenum ( mo ), copper ( cu ), nickel ( ni ), chromium ( cr ), aluminum ( al ), gold ( au ) or indium - tin oxide ( ito ). insulator segments 68 - 72 can be formed of any suitable electrically nonconductive material that is depositable via a shadow mask deposition process , such as , without limitation , aluminum oxide ( al 2 o 3 ) or silicon dioxide ( sio 2 ). each semiconductor segment 52 and 54 can be formed of a semiconductor material that is depositable via a shadow mask deposition process and which is suitable for forming a thin - film transistor ( tft ) by vacuum evaporation , such as , without limitation , cadmium selenide ( cdse ), cadmium sulfide ( cds ) or tellurium ( te ). in sub - pixel structure 50 , the stack comprised of metal segment 62 , insulator 72 and metal segment 80 forms capacitor 32 ; the combination of the segments forming capacitor 32 along with semiconductor segment 54 and metal segment 60 form transistor 26 ( with metal segments 80 , 60 and 62 being the respective gate , source and drain of transistor 26 ); and the combination of semiconductor segment 52 , metal segments 56 and 58 , insulator segment 68 and metal segments 74 and 76 forming transistor 24 ( with metal segments 56 and 58 being the source and drain of transistor 24 , and with metal segments 74 and 76 forming the gate of transistor 24 ). desirably , each sub - pixel 22 in fig2 is realized by the same sub - pixel structure , such as sub - pixel structure 50 . however , this is not to be construed as limiting the invention since each sub - pixel 22 can be realized by any suitable sub - pixel structure . for purpose of describing the present invention , however , it will be assumed hereinafter that each sub - pixel 22 is realized by sub - pixel structure 50 . in one exemplary , non - limiting , embodiment , substrate 6 is formed of an electrically insulative material , such as an insulative coated metal sheet ; metal segments 60 , 62 and 80 are formed from mo , cu , ni , cr , au or al ; insulator segments 68 - 72 are formed from al 2 0 3 or sio 2 ; metal segments 56 , 58 , 64 , 66 and 74 - 78 are formed from mo , cu , ni , cr , au or al and semiconductor segments 52 and 54 are formed from cdse , cds , te or any other suitable semiconducting material that can be deposited via a shadow mask deposition process . to complete formation of each functioning sub - pixel 22 , a suitable insulating material ( not shown ) is deposited atop of the sub - pixel structure 50 shown in fig3 with an opening exposing all or a portion of metal segment 60 . another metal segment 36 can then be deposited atop the thus deposited insulating material in contact with metal segment 60 via the opening in the insulating material . thereafter , light emitting material 30 can be deposited atop the sub - pixel structure 50 in contact with metal segment 36 and a transparent metal segment 38 can be deposited atop light emitting material 30 , whereupon light emitting material 30 is sandwiched between metal segment 36 and transparent metal segment 38 . desirably , each deposit of metal segment 36 , light emitting material 30 and transparent metal segment 38 is deposited atop of their corresponding sub - pixel 22 in isolation from adjacent deposits of metal segment 36 , light emitting material 30 and transparent metal segment 38 atop their corresponding sub - pixels 22 . lastly , a layer or sheet of transparent metal ( not shown ) can be deposited atop of all of the metal layers 38 and the insulating material therebetween as a common electrode for all of the sub - pixels . with reference to fig4 and with continuing reference to fig1 - 3 , a physical implementation of an led pixel structure corresponding to the circuit schematic of fig2 is shown upon substrate 6 . in one exemplary embodiment , the overall dimensions of each pixel 20 are 126 × 126 microns and the overall dimensions of each sub - pixel 22 are 63 × 63 microns . the foregoing dimensions of each pixel 20 and each sub - pixel 22 a , however , are exemplary only and are not to be construed as limiting the invention . an exemplary , non - limiting sequence of depositions through openings in compound shadow masks 16 of shadow mask deposition system 2 to form the sub - pixel structure 50 comprising each sub - pixel 22 will now be described . with reference to fig5 a - 5c and with continuing reference to all previous figures , each compound shadow mask 16 includes a first shadow mask 90 having a plurality of first apertures 92 therethrough and a second shadow mask 94 having a plurality of second apertures 96 therethrough . the description of first and second shadow masks 90 and 94 having a plurality of first apertures 92 and a plurality of second apertures 96 therethrough , respectively , is not to be construed as limiting the invention since first shadow mask 90 may only include a single first aperture 92 and second shadow mask 94 may only include a single second aperture 96 therethrough if desired . for purpose of describing the present invention , it will be assumed that first shadow mask 90 has a plurality of first apertures 92 therethrough and second shadow mask 94 has a plurality of second apertures 96 therethrough . each deposition vacuum vessel 4 desirably includes an instance of the same compound shadow mask 16 . thus , the compound shadow mask 16 b in deposition vacuum vessel 4 b is desirably the same as the compound shadow mask 16 a in deposition vacuum vessel 4 a ; the compound shadow mask 16 c in deposition vacuum vessel 4 c is desirably the same as the compound shadow mask 16 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 b ; and so forth . more specifically , the first shadow masks 90 forming compound shadow masks 16 are desirably identical , the second shadow masks 94 forming compound shadow masks 16 are desirably identical , and each shadow mask 90 is desirably identical to each shadow mask 94 . thus , identical shadow masks 90 a and 94 a are desirably utilized to form compound shadow mask 16 a ; identical shadow masks 90 b and 94 b are desirably utilized to form compound shadow mask 16 b , and so forth . in order to accomplish the desired deposition of materials to form the various segments of each sub - pixel structure 50 , the positions of first and second shadow masks 90 and 94 forming each compound shadow mask 16 are adjusted with respect to each other such that the respective first and second apertures 92 and 96 are positioned at least partially in alignment to define openings 98 of suitable dimensions or sizes and locations in compound shadow mask 16 for the deposition of material therethrough . each compound shadow mask 16 can also be positioned within the corresponding deposition vacuum vessel 4 in a manner to position openings 98 to facilitate the deposition of the corresponding material at desired locations upon substrate 6 . it has been observed that in order to deposit each segment 52 - 80 of each sub - pixel structure 50 utilizing identical compound shadow masks 16 formed from identical shadow masks 90 and 94 , that the height and width of each aperture 92 and 96 need be only slightly greater than one - half of the height and width of sub - pixel structure 50 . thus , for example , if the overall dimensions of sub - pixel structure 50 are 63 × 63 microns , it is only necessary that the overall dimensions of each aperture 92 and 96 be slightly greater than one - half of the dimensions of sub - pixel structure 50 , e . g ., 34 × 34 microns as shown in fig5 a . limiting the length and width of each aperture 92 and 96 to slightly more than one - half of the respective length and width of each sub - pixel structure 50 enables the shadow masks 90 and 94 comprising the compound shadow masks 16 of shadow mask deposition system 2 to deposit each segment 52 - 80 of each sub - pixel structure 50 while avoiding undesirable alignment of one or more instances of a single first apertures 92 with two or more second apertures 96 , or vice versa . more specifically , the actual length and width of each aperture 92 and 96 is selected as a compromise between avoiding undesirable overlap of one or more instances of a single first apertures 92 with two or more second apertures 96 , or vice versa , while , as shown best in fig3 , enabling desirable overlapping of deposited segments , e . g ., segment 66 overlapping segment ( s ) 56 ; segment 76 overlapping segment ( s ) 74 ; segment ( s ) 64 overlapping segment 66 , and so forth . in other words , limiting the length and width of each aperture 92 and 96 to slightly more than one - half of the length and width of the corresponding sub - pixel structure 50 enables the formation of a densely packed array of sub - pixel structures 50 by way of identical compound shadow masks 16 , each of which is formed from identical shadow masks 90 and 94 . an obvious benefit of utilizing identical shadow masks 90 and 94 to form each compound shadow mask 16 of shadow mask deposition system 2 is the avoidance of the time and cost associated with designing , fabricating and inventorying a unique shadow mask for each deposition vacuum vessel 4 . another benefit is the interchangeability of shadow masks 90 and 94 to form each compound shadow mask 16 . this is especially beneficial when a new or clean shadow mask 90 or 94 is utilized to replace a worn - out or dirty ( material encrusted ) shadow mask . fig5 a - 5c illustrate deposits of semiconductor segments 52 on a portion of substrate 6 via openings 98 a formed by the partial alignments of first apertures 92 a and second apertures 96 a of shadow masks 90 a and 94 a , respectively , forming compound shadow mask 16 a which is disposed in deposition vacuum vessel 4 a having deposition source 12 a for depositing the material forming semiconductor segments 52 on substrate 6 . in fig5 b and 5c , substrate 6 , second shadow mask 94 a and first shadow mask 90 a are shown spaced from each other for illustration purposes . however , in practice , shadow mask 90 a is positioned in intimate contact with shadow mask 94 a which is positioned in intimate contact with substrate 6 during deposition of semiconductor segments 52 . moreover , in fig5 b and 5c , the height of deposition of semiconductor segments 52 is exaggerated for illustration purposes . the positioning of the first and second shadow masks 90 and 94 of each compound shadow mask 16 of shadow mask deposition system 2 for depositing material segments 54 - 80 will now be further described with reference to the alignment of a single first aperture 92 and a single second aperture 96 of first and second shadow masks 90 and 94 , respectively , forming the corresponding compound shadow mask 16 . in fig6 - 19 , the alignment of the single first aperture 92 and the single second aperture 96 to form the opening 98 in the corresponding compound shadow mask 16 is shown adjacent an exemplary sub - pixel structure 50 for illustration purposes . with reference to fig6 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each semiconductor segment 52 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 a , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 b which includes compound shadow mask 16 b . the first and second shadow masks 90 b and 94 b of compound shadow mask 16 b are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 b and a single second aperture 96 b are aligned to form an opening 98 b of compound shadow mask 16 b for the deposition of semiconductor segment 54 with material from deposition source 12 b . with reference to fig7 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each semiconductor segment 54 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 b , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 c which includes compound shadow mask 16 c . the first and second shadow masks 90 c and 94 c of compound shadow mask 16 c are arranged such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 c and a single second aperture 96 c are aligned to form an opening 98 c of compound shadow mask 16 c for the deposition of metal segment 56 with material from deposition source 12 c . with reference to fig8 and with reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each metal segment 56 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 c , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 d which includes compound shadow mask 16 d . the first and second shadow masks 90 d and 94 d of compound shadow mask 16 d are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 d and a single second aperture 96 d are aligned to form an opening 98 d of compound shadow mask 16 d for the deposition of metal segment 58 with material from deposition source 12 d . with reference to fig9 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each metal segment 58 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 d , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 e which includes compound shadow mask 16 e . the first and second shadow masks 90 e and 94 e of compound shadow mask 16 e are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 e and a single second aperture 96 e are aligned to form an opening 98 e of compound shadow mask 16 c for the deposition of metal segment 60 with material from deposition source 12 e . with reference to fig1 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each metal segment 60 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 e , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 f which includes compound shadow mask 16 f . the first and second shadow masks 90 f and 94 f of compound shadow mask 16 f are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 f and a single second aperture 96 f are aligned to form an opening 98 f of compound shadow mask 16 f for the deposition of metal segment 62 with material from deposition source 12 f . with reference to fig1 and continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each metal segment 62 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 f , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 g which includes compound shadow mask 16 g . the first and second shadow masks 90 g and 94 g of compound shadow mask 16 g are positioned such that a single first aperture 92 g and a single second aperture 96 g are aligned to form an opening 98 g of compound shadow mask 16 g for the deposition of each metal segment 64 with material from deposition source 12 g . with reference to fig1 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each metal segment 64 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 g , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 h which includes compound shadow mask 16 h . the first and second shadow masks 90 h and 94 h of compound shadow mask 16 h are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 h and a single second aperture 96 h are aligned to form an opening 98 h of compound shadow mask 16 h for the deposition of metal segment 66 with material from deposition source 12 h . with reference to fig1 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each metal segment 66 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 h , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 i which includes compound shadow mask 16 i . the first and second shadow masks 90 i and 94 i of compound shadow mask 16 i are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 i and a single second aperture 96 i are aligned to form an opening 981 of compound shadow mask 16 i for the deposition of insulator segment 68 with material from deposition source 12 i . with reference to fig1 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each insulator segment 68 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 i , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 j which includes compound shadow mask 16 j . the first and second shadow masks 90 j and 94 j of compound shadow mask 16 j are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 j and a single second aperture 96 j are aligned to form an opening 98 j of compound shadow mask 16 j for the deposition of insulator segment 70 with material from deposition source 12 j . with reference to fig1 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each insulator segment 70 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 j , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 k which includes compound shadow mask 16 k . the first and second shadow masks 90 k and 94 k of compound shadow mask 16 k are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel 50 , a single first aperture 92 k and a single second aperture 96 k are aligned to form an opening 98 k of compound shadow mask 16 k for the deposition of insulator segment 72 with material from deposition source 12 k . with reference to fig1 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each insulator segment 72 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 k , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 l which includes compound shadow mask 16 l . the first and second shadow masks 90 l and 94 l of compound shadow mask 16 l are positioned such that a single first aperture 92 l and a single second aperture 96 l are aligned to form an opening 98 l of compound shadow mask 16 l for the deposition of each metal segment 74 with material from deposition source 12 l . with reference to fig1 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each metal segment 74 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 l , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 m which includes compound shadow mask 16 m . the first and second shadow masks 90 m and 94 m of compound shadow masks 16 m are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 m and a single second aperture 96 m are aligned to form an opening 98 m of compound shadow mask 16 m for the deposition of metal segment 76 with material from deposition source 12 m . with reference to fig1 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each metal segment 76 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 m , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 n which includes compound shadow mask 16 n . the first and second shadow masks 90 n and 94 n of compound shadow mask 16 n are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 n and a single second aperture 96 n are aligned to form an opening 98 n of compound shadow mask 16 n for the deposition of metal segment 78 with material from deposition source 12 n . lastly , with reference to fig1 and with continuing reference to all previous figures , following the deposition of each metal segment 78 on the portion of substrate 6 in deposition vacuum vessel 4 n , said portion of substrate 6 is advanced into deposition vacuum vessel 4 o which includes compound shadow mask 16 o . the first and second shadow masks 90 o and 94 o of compound shadow mask 16 o are positioned such that , for each sub - pixel structure 50 , a single first aperture 92 o and a single second aperture 96 o are aligned to form an opening 98 o of compound shadow mask 16 o for the deposition of metal segment 80 with material from deposition source 12 o . the deposition of metal segment 80 on substrate 6 completes the formation of the electronic element defined by sub - pixel structure 50 . desirably , all of the sub - pixel structures 50 are formed at the same time in the manner discussed above . thereafter , if desired , additional segments or layers , described above , can be applied to substrate 6 in furtherance of the fabrication of an electronic device , such as an active matrix led . in the foregoing description , all of the shadow masks 90 are the same and all of the shadow masks 94 are the same . in addition , each shadow mask 90 is the same as each shadow mask 94 . limiting the size of each aperture 92 and 96 to a length and width slightly greater than about one - half of the length and width , respectively , of the sub - pixel structure to be formed thereby enables alignment combinations of apertures 92 and 96 to be utilized to form tightly packed structures , such as an array of sub - pixel structures 50 , on substrate 6 while avoiding overlap of a single first aperture 92 with two or more second apertures 96 , or vice versa , during a deposition event . the use of a plurality of identical shadow masks 90 and 94 to form the compound shadow masks 16 of shadow mask deposition system 2 avoids the need to engineer , manufacture and inventory a large number of different shadow masks having openings of different dimensions ( or sizes ) and / or locations for use in shadow mask deposition system 2 . desirably , the mask alignment system 15 of each deposition vacuum vessel 4 is configured to enable the selective x and / or y alignment of one or both of each individual shadow mask 90 and 94 forming the corresponding compound shadow mask 16 from an exterior of the deposition vacuum vessel 4 whereupon the x and / or y dimension ( s ) of each opening 98 of the compound shadow mask 16 can be adjusted without breaking the vacuum of the deposition vacuum vessel 4 . thus , if it is determined that one or more dimensions of material deposited through each opening 98 of a compound shadow mask 16 is out of tolerance , mask alignment system 15 can be utilized to adjust said one or more dimensions without breaking the vacuum of the deposition vacuum vessel 4 to bring subsequent depositions of material into tolerance . the capacity provided by each mask alignment system 15 to adjust one or more dimensions of each opening 98 of a compound shadow mask 16 is particularly useful in a continuous in - line shadow mask deposition system to compensate for the buildup of deposited material on or around each opening 98 during a continuous production process thereby avoiding the need to break the vacuum of the deposition vacuum vessel 4 to adjust the dimensions of each opening 98 in response to such buildup . each mask alignment system 15 is also useful for establishing the dimensions of each opening 98 and the position thereof in the corresponding deposition vacuum vessel 4 prior to the production deposition of material as well as for correcting for any changes in the dimensions of each opening 98 bought about by means other than the buildup of deposited material , e . g ., vibration . in one non - limiting embodiment , mask alignment system 15 comprises micrometers for adjustment of the x and / or y position of each individual shadow mask 90 and 94 forming the corresponding compound shadow mask 16 . however , this is not to be construed as limiting the invention . the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment . obvious modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description . it is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof .

US-82065907-A

a machining system that includes an ultrasonic machining assembly , wherein the ultrasonic machining assembly further includes a machining tool ; a collet adapted to receive the machining tool ; and an ultrasonic transducer , wherein the ultrasonic transducer is operative to transmit acoustical vibrations to the machining tool ; and a machining apparatus , wherein the machining apparatus is adapted to receive and secure the ultrasonic machining assembly , and wherein the machining apparatus is operative to transmit torque to the machining tool by applying rotary motion to the ultrasonic machining assembly .

one or more exemplary embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the figures . although the following detailed description contains many specifics for purposes of illustration , a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope of the invention . accordingly , the following embodiments of the invention are set forth without any loss of generality to , and without imposing limitations upon , the claimed invention . the present invention permits the integration of high power ultrasonics into conventional machine tools , thereby enhancing current industrial processes . this invention permits the machining industry to effectively harness the benefits of ultrasonic machining through a simplified design that uses common tools such as twist drills , mills , reamers , boring bars , and the like . this is accomplished through the use of a modified acoustic transmission line which acts as the machine &# 39 ; s spindle combined with the ability to exert high axial force and torque while operating , for example , at 20 - khz and power levels up to 6 - kw . this is compatible with high speed steel , carbide , and specialty coated cutting tools . for certain applications , this invention facilitates access to a drill head assembly , thus permitting ready exchange of twist drills or other tools or devices in a manner expected by tooling manufacturers and users . with reference now to the figures , one or more specific embodiments of this invention in described in greater detail . as best shown in fig1 and 2 a - b , an exemplary embodiment of the present invention configured for use with a twist drill ( e . g . a climax drill ) or the like , includes ultrasonic machining assembly 10 . ultrasonic machining assembly 10 further includes full - wave drill bit 10 , which includes tip 22 , body 24 , and base 26 ; collet 30 , which functions as both a collet and a mandrel ; half - wave extension 60 ; and half - wave ultrasonic transducer 70 , all of which are inserted into and supported by drill head 90 , which is slidably mounted on support 94 . drill head 90 rotates ultrasonic machining assembly 10 when the system is in use . half - wave extension 60 includes first region 62 for receiving a set screw ( not shown ), an elongated body 64 , and a second region 66 for receiving a set screw ( not shown ). ultrasonic transducer 70 includes front mass 72 , region 74 which is adapted to receive a set screw ( not shown ), rear mass 76 , housing 78 , and an electrical connector 80 for connecting the transducer electrodes ( not shown ) to a power source . a plurality of piezoelectric ceramics is positioned between front mass 72 and rear mass 76 . in this embodiment , ½ - 20 unf set screws are used to connect half - wave extension 60 to both collet 30 and ultrasonic transducer 70 . ultrasonic transducer 70 provides acoustic vibrational energy to ultrasonic machining assembly 10 when the system is in use . as best shown in fig2 a - b and 3 a - b , collet 30 includes upper shell portion 32 , the inner diameter of which defines upper chamber 34 . upper chamber 34 is adapted to receive base 26 of drill bit 20 , which is secured therein using a shrink - fit process . by heating the mass around upper chamber 34 uniformly , it is possible to significantly expand the diameter of the chamber . base 26 is then inserted into the expanded chamber . upon cooling the mass around the bore shrinks back to its original diameter and frictional forces create a highly effective joint . collet 30 further includes a rigid nodal point mounting ring 36 and lower shell portion 38 . circumferential undercut 41 ( see fig3 a ) is formed in shell wall 40 as are optional mounts 42 which , in the exemplary embodiment , are 10 - 32 holes adapted to receive a containment plate which affixes collet 30 to drill head 92 ( see fig4 ), if desired . a slot type cut 43 engages a fixed key inside drill head 92 for transmitting torque from the motor driving drill head 92 to collet 30 once inserted into drill head 92 . by this means , torque is then transmitted to the cutting face of drill bit 20 or other machining tool . the inner diameter of shell wall 40 defines lower chamber 44 , which is adapted to receive one end of half - wave extension 60 . cylindrical structure 46 extends into lower chamber 44 and includes region 50 , which is adapted to receive a set screw ( not shown ), as well as bore 48 , which extends through the center portion of collect 30 . bore 48 is included so that when base 26 is shrink - fit into upper chamber 34 , it is unnecessary to overcome the compression of any air trapped in the bottom of chamber 34 . the design of collet 30 isolates all vibrations generated by ultrasonic transducer 70 except the axial vibrations transmitted to drill bit 20 ; therefore , drill head 92 and the machining system generally are protected from damage that ultrasonic vibrations could potentially cause should such vibrations be transmitted beyond collet 30 . more specifically , the relationship between the placement of rigid nodal point mounting ring 36 , the thickness of shell wall 40 , and the placement of circumferential undercut 41 results in what is essentially zero vibrational motion of collet 30 at the mounting position of ultrasonic machining assembly 10 within a machining system . basically , this invention provides a rigid mount system that includes a clamping location that has been isolated from ultrasonic vibrations , yet is still capable of transmitting high torque to a machining tool . additionally , changing out defective , damaged , or worn machining tools requires only the removal of the collet containing the machining tool , whereas prior practices required the complete disassembly of the stack for tool replacement . accordingly , the present invention significantly reduces the time and effort needed for replacing tools and also results in dramatic improvements in tool life . while the present invention has been illustrated by the description of exemplary embodiments thereof , and while the embodiments have been described in certain detail , it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail . additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art . therefore , the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to any of the specific details , representative devices and methods , and / or illustrative examples shown and described . accordingly , departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant &# 39 ; s general inventive concept .

US-201113094936-A